Stephen Lewis, former Ontario NDP leader, dies at 88

Stephen Lewis, the renowned Canadian humanitarian, former Ontario NDP leader, and UN Special Envoy for HIV/AIDS in Africa, has died at 88 in a Toronto hospice after an eight-year battle with cancer, with Prime Minister Mark Carney calling him a "pillar of compassionate leadership" and a "global champion for human rights."

Throughout his career, Lewis was celebrated for his humility and grassroots approach, founding the Stephen Lewis Foundation to support African grandmothers and communities ravaged by AIDS, all while wielding fierce moral persuasion on the world stage to hold wealthier nations accountable.

In a poignant final chapter, he remained active until the end, protesting the war in Gaza as recently as last spring despite failing health, and lived long enough to see his son Avi Lewis win the federal NDP leadership just days before his passing.

Ontario minimum wage will rise to $17.95

Ontario's minimum wage will rise from $17.60 to $17.95 per hour on October 1, 2026, a 1.9 per cent increase tied to the Ontario Consumer Price Index, adding roughly $728 annually for full-time workers.

Labour Minister David Piccini says the increase will give Ontario one of the highest minimum wages in the country, though the Ontario Living Wage Network notes a living wage in the GTA remains significantly higher at $27.20 per hour.

Pit bull mix kills another dog outside Toronto condo

A nearly 10-year-old maltese shih tzu named Crystal died after being attacked by an American pit bull-mastiff mix outside a Toronto Canary District condo on March 21, with the larger dog breaking free from a young boy's grasp and inflicting fatal injuries despite the owner's attempts to intervene.

Toronto Animal Services confirmed the dog was linked to two dangerous incidents and was euthanized, while the owner was charged, after the building's property manager worked with authorities to have the animal removed.

Crystal's owner, who also suffered a bite to the thumb, placed no blame on the dog or the child walking it, instead calling on adult owners to take greater responsibility for ensuring their pets are properly controlled during walks.