What's the best neighbourhood for Halloween in Toronto? We reveal which parts of the city are spooktacular and which areas you should ghost
GUEST: Katie Daubs, Toronto Star reporter With Halloween landing on the same night as Game 6 of the World Series — and the Jays in it — Toronto is bracing for one of the busiest Fridays of the year. Whether you're heading out with the kids or planning to squeeze in some trick-or-treating before first pitch, you might be wondering: where are the best neighbourhoods to score big on candy? This year, the Toronto Star crunched the numbers. Reporter Katie Daubs and the digital team ranked all 158 city neighbourhoods using actual data—from child density and pedestrian safety to candy sales and local lore—and created a Halloween vibe index. On this episode, we reveal which parts of the city truly deliver Halloween magic and which ones might just be phoning it in with a decorative spider or two. This episode was mixed by Paulo Marques
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How Ontario employers are getting away with $200 million in unpaid wages
Guest:Â Ghada Alsharif, Toronto Star immigration & work reporter A new report has revealed that workers in Ontario are being shortchanged by nearly $200 million in unpaid wages. It's called wage theft and, in many cases, workers aren't getting paid even after the province officially orders their employers to do so. Less than a quarter of the money sent to Ontario's Ministry of Finance for collection has actually been recovered, leaving tens of thousands of workers still out of pocket. In this episode, we speak with Toronto Star reporter Ghada Alsharif about her latest three-part investigation into Ontario's growing wage theft crisis, and how the province's weak enforcement system is allowing employers to avoid accountability, from shell companies to disappearing franchises. This episode was mixed by Paulo Marques
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The Toronto Blue Jays at the World Series, an episode for bandwagoners and die hards
Guest: Mike Wilner, baseball columnist & host of Deep Left Field baseball podcast For the first time in 32 years, the Blue Jays have a shot at winning the World Series, with Game 1 against the LA Dodgers happening tonight. It's been a long road to get here: waiting for conditions to be just right; to have the right players in place; for hard work and alchemy to strike that optimal balance. Whether you've been paying attention to this team for years or just since the start of this crucial round of October playoff baseball, this episode has all the colourful context and fascinating anecdotes you'll need to get up to speed for the big game and the big series ahead. Mike Wilner, former Blue Jays broadcaster, Toronto Star baseball columnist and host of baseball podcast Deep Left Field, is the guest on the show today to give you all that inside baseball knowledge before you tune in. PLUS: Hero of the moment George Springer has an unsavoury baseball past - do you know about it? Mike Wilner weighs in. Produced by Julia De Laurentiis Johnston & Sean Pattendon
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Listen: Bill C-3 and who qualifies as Canadian
Guest:Â Nicholas Keung, Toronto Star immigration reporter A federal bill that could restore citizenship to people born abroad is drawing renewed political debate over who qualifies as Canadian and what rules should apply. Bill C-3 was introduced after a court found Canada's two-generation limit on citizenship by descent to be unconstitutional. The proposed legislation would allow Canadians born outside the country to pass citizenship to their children, even if those children are also born abroad, provided certain conditions are met. Recent amendments have added new hurdles including language requirements, security checks, and a more restrictive residency test. Supporters argue the bill finally addresses long-standing exclusions faced by so-called "Lost Canadians," while critics warn the changes could either enable Canadian citizenship without meaningful connection or reintroduce unfair barriers under a different form. On this episode we break down what's changing, who this affects, and what happens next as the bill moves toward a November deadline to be passed. This episode was mixed by Paulo Marques
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How E-bikes and scooters took over Toronto's streets
Guest: Ben Cohen, Toronto Star City Hall reporter Electric scooters weaving through sidewalks, e-bikes flying through intersections, and mopeds cutting into bike lanes have become a common sight in Toronto. The city is being rapidly reshaped by the rise of micromobility; fast, electric vehicles that don't require a driver's licence or plates and remain only lightly regulated. The result has been more collisions, rising emergency room visits and growing confusion over who belongs where. While city officials and police have launched enforcement and education campaigns, the rules remain unclear. Star reporter Ben Cohen spent an hour watching micro-mobility traffic on Adelaide Street and documented more than 30 unsafe or illegal incidents, offering a glimpse into a city struggling to manage this fast-changing way of moving. This episode was mixed by Paulo Marques
The world is changing every day. Now, more than ever, these questions matter. What's happening? And why should you care? This Matters, a daily news podcast from the Toronto Star, aims to answer those questions, on important stories and ideas, every day, Monday to Friday. Hosts Saba Eitizaz and Ed Keenan talk to their fellow journalists, experts and newsmakers about the social, cultural, political and economic stories that shape your life.
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