Closer Look

Prime Minister Mark Carney announced new measures this week to help support Canada’s struggling steel industry, which has been battered in recent months by Donald Trump’s trade war. The changes include restricting and reducing the amount of foreign steel imports — especially from China, which is notorious for illegally flooding the Canadian market with cheap steel — and prioritizing made-in-Canada...

For Erin Sharpe, summer camp turned out to be a defining moment in her life. The weeks she spent as a teenager at YMCA's Camp Wanakita taught her real-life lessons about teamwork, resilience and independence that still resonate today. "I learned a lot about myself that I didn't realize before, in terms of what I could do," she says. "And the bonding that came with the othe...

Darrell Fox was only 17 years old when he accompanied his older brother, Terry, on what would become the most famous run in Canadian history. Last week — 45 years after Terry Fox was forced to end his Marathon of Hope near Thunder Bay — Darrell Fox completed a monumental journey of his own. He and a group of fellow cyclists pedalled from coast to coast (a 32-day journey that spanned more than 7,00...

In cities and towns across Ontario — and at Queen’s Park and Parliament Hill — our journalists work for you. Their mission is to dig for answers and tell you what they find. This new daily podcast from Village Media — ‘Closer Look’ — is all about the stories we tell. Every weeknight, hosts Michael Friscolanti and Scott Sexsmith go beyond the headlines with insightful, in-depth conversations featur...

If you’re a hockey fan, you’ve no doubt seen this viral video by now: Florida Panthers head coach Paul Maurice rewarding his fourth-line forwards in the waning seconds of this year’s Stanley Cup final. “I want you three f—ing guys out there for the last shift,” said Maurice, in a behind-the-scenes moment recorded on the bench. “You throw your sh— off when we win this.” Maurice was acknowledging th...

In cities and towns across Ontario — and at Queen’s Park and Parliament Hill — our journalists work for you. Their mission is to dig for answers and tell you what they find. This new daily podcast from Village Media — ‘Closer Look’ — is all about the stories we tell. On tonight’s episode: One-on-one with Ontario’s top cop. Earlier this month, the Ontario Provincial Police announced the largest fen...

Bill Barilko is a familiar name to hockey fans — a talented Toronto Maple Leafs defenceman who famously scored the Stanley Cup-winning goal in 1951. But for most Canadians, Barilko is even more famous for his appearance in The Tragically Hip's hit song Fifty Mission Cap . Bill Barilko disappeared that summer He was on a fishing trip The last goal he ever scored, in overtime Won the Leafs the...

No, that’s not a Zamboni on the shoreline. It’s a BeBot — Canada’s first remote-controlled beach cleaning robot. The unique device was unveiled this week by the not-for-profit group Pollution Probe, which plans to dispatch the contraption this summer to various beaches across Ontario. The vacuum-like robot — which covers 3,000 square meters per hour — targets food wrappers, bottles, cigarette butt...

In cities and towns across Ontario — and at Queen’s Park and Parliament Hill — our journalists work for you. Their mission is to dig for answers and tell you what they find. This new daily podcast from Village Media — ‘Closer Look’ — is all about the stories we tell. Every weeknight, hosts Michael Friscolanti and Scott Sexsmith go beyond the headlines with insightful, in-depth conversations featur...

Welcome back to Inside the Village , a one-of-a-kind podcast where all news is local — and no topic is off-limits. On this week's episode: Free at last. A nightmare vacation for a Burlington, Ont. man has finally come to an end — 71 days after he was arrested in the Dominican Republic and wrongfully accused of drug trafficking. David Bennett was innocent all along , but even after local autho...

Welcome back to Inside the Village , a one-of-a-kind podcast where all news is local — and no topic is off-limits. On this week's episode: the urgent push to break down interprovincial trade barriers. Yes, you read that right: this week's show is a detailed discussion about interprovincial trade barriers. Why? Because a lot of people are trumpeting them as a key front in the battle again...

This week on our 'Inside the Village' podcast: Eradicated nearly three decades ago, measles cases are soaring — fuelled by COVID fatigue and misinformation that spreads faster than the virus itself. Welcome back to Inside the Village , a one-of-a-kind podcast where all news is local — and no topic is off-limits. On this week's episode: The spread of measles misinformation. Eradicate...

On Monday, Canadians will cast their ballots in what many are calling the most important election in generations. If you believe the polls, this is a tight two-horse race between Mark Carney’s Liberals and Pierre Poilievre’s Conservatives. This morning, Carney visited Sault Ste. Marie for a campaign stop at Algoma Steel, the city’s largest employer. After the press conference, the Liberal Leader s...

This week on our 'Inside the Village' podcast: The moderator for next week's English-language leaders' debate tells us how he gets ready, what can go wrong — and his strategy for keeping things fair. Welcome back to Inside the Village , a one-of-a-kind podcast where all news is local — and no topic is off-limits. On this week's episode: Prepping for the big showdown. Next...

This week on our 'Inside the Village' podcast: As Donald Trump hits us with tariffs and muses about Canada becoming the 51st state, shoppers on this side of the border are punching back. Welcome back to Inside the Village , a one-of-a-kind podcast where all news is local — and no topic is off-limits. On this week's episode: How to "Buy Canadian" — and why this boycott migh...

This week on our 'Inside the Village' podcast: We speak to Jane Wilcox, who is fighting around the clock to clear her husband's name — and bring David Bennett home. Welcome back to Inside the Village , a one-of-a-kind podcast where all news is local — and no topic is off-limits. On this week's episode: A dream vacation spirals into a nightmare. Family and friends are rallying a...

This week on our 'Inside the Village' podcast: A wide-ranging conversation with Algoma Steel CEO Michael Garcia, an American citizen who holds a unique vantage point on the brewing trade war. Welcome back to Inside the Village , a one-of-a-kind podcast where all news is local — and no topic is off-limits. On this week's episode: An in-depth conversation with the CEO of Sault Ste. Ma...

This week on the podcast: As Super Bowl Sunday approaches, nearly half of all viewers in Ontario are expected to place a bet — a process that's never been easier, or more enticing. Welcome back to Inside the Village , a one-of-a-kind podcast where all news is local — and no topic is off-limits. On this week's episode: Betting on the Super Bowl (and everything else). In 2022, Ontario beca...

This week on our 'Inside the Village' podcast: Ontario will be in election-campaign mode over the next four weeks — and your local news outlet will be covering every step of the race. Welcome back to Inside the Village , a one-of-a-kind podcast where all news is local — and no topic is off-limits. On this week's episode: Election season in Ontario! Like it or not, Doug Ford is sendi...

How bad is the country’s doctor shortage? So bad that the medical misinformation business is flourishing online. Alarming new data released by the Canadian Medical Association (CMA) shows that more than one-third of Canadians are getting health information from the Internet because they can’t access a primary care provider. Forty-two percent have tried medical advice found online, while nearly one...

A new report has painstakingly tallied the number of Ontarians who experienced homelessness last year — and the figure is staggering: 81,515. If things stay the same, that number is expected to double over the next decade (and potentially reach 300,000 in an economic downturn). What can be done to turn things around? The Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO), which commissioned the report...

Frisco and Scott are back for a fourth season of Inside the Village — and we kick things off with a blast from the past. Former Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne is now a professor at the University of Toronto and has plenty of thoughts on the big political news of the week, including Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s resignation and Donald Trump’s looming trade war. Should Premier Doug Ford call an ea...

Launched in 2022, this news podcast has covered a lot of ground. As we mark the end of 2024 — and the release of our 100th episode — we take a look back at some or our most indelible interviews, including Ted Nolan, Gurdeep Pandher, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, and an 18-year-old lottery winner named Juliette Lamour. To everyone who has listened over the years, thank you. We look forward to putt...

Delivery date unknown. That’s the news at the moment when it comes to when a deal will be reached in the ongoing Canada Post strike. Both sides remain far apart on the key issues that triggered this labour dispute, and no new mediation is scheduled. Joining Scott and Frisco on the podcast this week is Jim Gallant, a member of the bargaining unit with the Canadian Union of Postal Workers. We asked...

It’s a tough time to be a small business owner in Canada. Surviving the pandemic was a massive hurdle in any community, town or city. Now, the stakes seem just as high with the impact of the two week old Canada Post strike, potential tariffs on goods to the US when Donald Trump becomes president, not to mention the upcoming ‘tax holiday’ that many business owners say frankly just isn’t worth the h...