Toronto Weekly Digest — Feb 16–22, 2026

Toyota Canada is bringing humanoid robot Digit to its Woodstock plant under a Robots‑as‑a‑Service deal with Agility Robotics — seven robots are allocated and deployment starts with three units to help with repetitive manufacturing tasks.

A Peterborough resident was charged after grabbing a city sidewalk plow operator on Feb. 11, prompting calls from unions and the Association of Ontario Road Supervisors for stronger legal protections for winter crews.

Peel police say a Brampton kidnapping probe involving a $200,000 ransom demand led to multiple charges, a .45‑calibre pistol seizure and two 27‑year‑old suspects; a warrant was issued for a third suspect, 28, after Feb. 13 search warrants.

Ontario temporarily let bars and restaurants open at 6:00 a.m. on Sunday so fans could watch Team Canada’s Olympic gold‑medal hockey game (the game started at 8:10 a.m.).

The U.S. Supreme Court struck down some Trump tariffs, but sectoral tariffs under Section 232 remain — experts warn Canadian jobs in autos, steel and aluminum still face major risk after recent layoffs at GM and job cuts at Algoma Steel.

Marten Falls First Nation submitted an environmental assessment for part of the long‑planned Ring of Fire access road, joining Webequie and keeping the province on track to possibly start construction as soon as August 2026.

Eastern and central Ontario faced a rain‑to‑snow system this weekend with up to 15–20 cm possible in colder spots, plus pockets of freezing rain and yellow warnings near Barrie and east of Ottawa.

A multi‑vehicle crash on Highway 401 in Mississauga around 9 a.m. shut the eastbound express lanes and left a 35‑year‑old dead; lanes were expected to reopen around 1 p.m.

Rolan Sokolovski was denied bail in an extradition fight tied to allegations he laundered “hundreds of millions” of dollars for an international drug ring allegedly led by former Olympian Ryan Wedding.

A Porter Airlines flight that landed in Hamilton slid off the taxiway while taxiing in bad weather; all 78 people onboard were safe but the incident caused brief runway closures and delays.

RCMP charged a 65‑year‑old man in a Nova Scotia labour‑trafficking case where a temporary worker was reportedly coerced into long hours for only $300 over a year; police warned trafficking is under‑reported ahead of Feb. 22 awareness day.

7‑Eleven Canada will bring the viral Japanese tamago sando (egg salad sandwich) to stores on March 4 as part of a push to expand fresh food and franchise growth across its ~550 Canadian outlets.

The Frank Stronach sexual‑assault trial continued with a fourth complainant testifying about alleged 1970s–80s incidents; the defence raised issues about witness prep and the judge paused proceedings to deal with legal questions.

Internal emails show Diageo warned the Ford government before announcing the Crown Royal bottling plant closure in Amherstburg; amid the backlash Premier Doug Ford threatened a boycott before Diageo agreed to a $23‑million package to soften job losses.

Ontario is piloting a municipal services corporation in Peel to fund water and wastewater infrastructure — the public body can issue long‑term debt and amortize costs over 50–70 years to speed homebuilding.

The federal government is embedding Fintrac financial experts with Peel Regional Police to help trace extortion money after 476 reported cases last year, 190 targeting businesses in the region.

Toronto police warned “no ice is safe ice” after a viral video of a man falling through Lake Ontario harbour ice; Marine Unit patrols and public education have ramped up as temperatures fluctuate.

Lorraine Wiseman pleaded guilty to two counts of offering an indignity to human remains after hiding her parents’ bodies at a Scarborough home — court heard Ruby died Aug. 2022 and Neil died Dec. 2023.

St. Catharines Mayor Mat Siscoe said he will ask council to rename Prince Andrew Court after the arrest of Andrew Mountbatten‑Windsor, joining other Ontario municipalities rethinking local place names.

Ontario’s Education Minister ordered school boards to let students watch Team Canada Olympic hockey games during class time so classes can “rally together” while games fall during school hours.

Metrolinx warned building an Ontario Line overpass might force temporary closures of the Don Valley Parkway during construction; the Ontario Line’s civil work is now expected to finish in the early 2030s.

Premier Doug Ford offered provincial help to revive Taste of the Danforth, promising to seek funds to bring the long‑running summer festival back after financial struggles.

A school bus with 40 elementary students crashed into a ditch in Norwich Township on Wednesday morning; four children were taken to hospital with minor injuries and the road was closed for hours.

Sudbury police removed a small dog from its owner after a disturbing viral video showed the animal being kicked; a 51‑year‑old man faces a cruelty charge and the dog is now in a shelter.

CREA reported January home sales fell 16.2% year‑over‑year (national average price $652,941, down 2.6% YoY), a drop CREA says was concentrated in southern Ontario after a major winter storm.

The Canadian Human Trafficking Hotline saw a record 5,900+ calls in 2025 (up 14% from 2024), with Ontario accounting for about 66% of reported incidents.

A “Save OSAP” campaign launched after Ontario cut back grants in favour of more loans and allowed tuition to rise 2% annually; students and the NDP are pressuring the Ford government to reverse the changes.

A Health Affairs Scholar study found Ontarians without a family doctor face higher death risk — people with multiple chronic conditions without a doctor for 2+ years had roughly 12‑times higher odds of death.

CBSA officers at Blue Water Bridge seized 266.4 kg of suspected methamphetamine in 16 duffel bags on Feb. 4; a 29‑year‑old Woodstock man was arrested and charged with importation and trafficking offences.

A fire on the 12th floor of a Toronto high‑rise at Firgrove Crescent on Tuesday killed one person; Toronto Fire and the Ontario Fire Marshal are investigating.