Toronto Daily Digest — Feb. 17, 2026

Quick take: Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre distanced himself from MP Jamil Jivani’s comments that Canadians are having an “anti-American hissy fit” over U.S. tariffs, saying on Feb. 17 that “he speaks for himself” while urging MPs to fight tariffs that have hit his central Ontario riding (including Oshawa) after GM cut a shift and about 500 jobs — affecting up to 1,000 workers in the supply chain. This follows Jivani’s trip to Washington to meet VP J.D. Vance and White House officials and his interviews with Breitbart urging closer ties with the Trump administration.

Heads-up: A fire on the 12th floor of a Toronto apartment at Firgrove Crescent and Needle Firway at about 12:13 p.m. left one person dead after firefighters pulled an occupant from the unit but they later died on scene; crews contained the blaze to the unit and an investigation with police and the Ontario Fire Marshal is ongoing. Officials say it’s too soon to say when evacuated residents can return as ventilation and scene work continue.

Quick update: Ontario Premier Doug Ford says he faced “massive pressure” from college and university leaders and thousands of students after the government allowed tuition to rise by 2% a year starting this September (for three years) and cut OSAP grant levels, even as total sector funding rises to roughly $7 billion a year following thousands of layoffs. Ford said the move was necessary because fee freezes weren’t sustainable, and the OSAP change will shift the mix so students get a maximum of 25% of aid as grants instead of the current ~85% grants/15% loans.

What you need to know: Two Ontario First Nations — Chippewas of Nawash and Saugeen — have warned members to be cautious when travelling to the U.S., citing rights under the 1794 Jay Treaty which affirms cross-border travel for “American Indians.” The advisories recommend carrying status cards, passports, long-form birth certificates and, where needed, blood-quantum letters after reports of some members being detained or questioned by U.S. authorities; Indigenous Services Canada now strongly recommends carrying a passport.

Good news: Parry Sound will celebrate hometown skier Megan Oldham on Feb. 28 after the 24-year-old won Olympic gold in women’s big air at the Milan–Cortina Games (she already won bronze in slopestyle on Feb. 9). Oldham’s winning combined score was 180.75 (first run 91.75); the town of about 7,000 is planning an event at the Charles W. Stockey Centre.

Weather alert: A cold snap bringing snow, freezing rain and fog will hit southern Ontario on Wednesday, with warnings from Windsor to Belleville — Toronto may see up to 5 cm while some areas could get 15–20 cm, and Kitchener faces 5–10 mm of ice accretion and gusts to 60 km/h. Meteorologists say a frontal system from California will change the recent calm pattern and the exact mix of snow, ice or rain will depend on local temperatures.

Quick summary: Save Max First Choice Real Estate is disputing sanctions from the Real Estate Council of Ontario after RECO froze trust accounts alleging roughly $2.7 million was disbursed unlawfully; the firm’s lawyers say “no funds are missing” and call the action disproportionate. RECO says misuse of trust funds is a serious breach; the dispute follows scrutiny of RECO’s handling of the iPro Realty shortfalls (about $10.5 million) flagged in a 2025 audit.

Border seizure: On Feb. 4 at the Blue Water Bridge, CBSA referred a commercial truck to secondary inspection where a detector dog led officers to 16 duffel bags containing about 266.4 kg (587+ lb) of suspected methamphetamine; a 29-year-old man from Woodstock was arrested and charged with importation and possession for trafficking. CBSA says it has seized roughly 616 kg of meth from U.S. shipments since Jan. 1 as the investigation continues in Sarnia court.

Spotlight: Don Cherry, 92, has been named to the Order of Ontario as part of the 2025 appointees, recognized for coaching, decades on Coach’s Corner and philanthropy (including Don Cherry’s Pet Rescue Foundation). The appointment comes after his 2019 firing from Hockey Night in Canada for controversial remarks; Premier Doug Ford publicly congratulated him.

Court note: At Frank Stronach’s sexual-assault trial, a second complainant testified that the 93-year-old groped her in his downtown Toronto condo in the early 1980s, describing an encounter that left her frightened. Stronach has pleaded not guilty to a dozen charges from seven complainants; the judge-alone trial continues and complainants are covered by a publication ban.

Disturbing scene: Police found five adult family members after a disturbance at Bathurst St. and Steeles Ave. W. at 9:44 p.m. Monday; four were injured, including two men aged 23 and 26 in life-threatening condition and two women (51 and 29) with non-life-threatening injuries. A man in his 50s was arrested and was scheduled to appear at the Toronto Regional Bail Centre; police say they are not seeking additional suspects.

Economic outlook: Desjardins says provinces are in better fiscal shape heading into 2026 budget season than feared, helped by resilience to some U.S. trade shocks and Statistics Canada’s upward revisions to 2022–23 GDP. Risks remain — a CUSMA review, tariffs and possible changes in Venezuelan oil — but some provinces (like Alberta) entered 2026 with stronger fiscal positions.

Transit trouble: The Hurontario LRT in Mississauga, started in 2020 and originally due in 2024, still has only 45% of track laid and 19 of 55 intersections unfinished, with no new opening date announced. Mobilinx’s $4.6-billion contract has been mired in legal disputes and an S&P downgrade, though some platform bases and six canopies are complete and planning for extensions continues.

Health-care pressure: Ontario’s finance minister warns the province’s $91.5-billion health-care spending path is “unsustainable,” noting recent growth averaged 6.6% a year (2021–24) while the 2025 budget projects slower growth ahead. Hospitals warn of a billion-dollar structural deficit; the minister says the government won’t cut care but will push efficiency and innovation (including AI tools) to stretch dollars.