1. [1552] Leafs embarrassed in 5-2 loss to Senators (Feb. 28/Mar. 1): Toronto fell 5-2 to Ottawa, dropping to 27-24-9 and suffering a third straight loss that puts their nine-year playoff streak at risk.
2. [1535] Raptors seek consistency after back-to-back losses: Toronto (34-25) lost to Oklahoma City and San Antonio, battled injuries to Scottie Barnes and rookie Collin Murray‑Boyles, and are trying to stop late-game collapses.
3. [1542] Senators’ captain Brady Tkachuk condemns AI-altered White House video: an AI-manipulated clip made it look like he insulted Canadians — Tkachuk said the audio and lips weren’t his; he also scored in Ottawa’s recent games.
4. [1551] Frigid cold snap grips southern Ontario: Environment Canada warned wind chills as low as −24°C in Toronto and down to −30°C in parts of the south, with some northern areas near −40°C; milder weather expected by Tuesday.
5. [1431] Fast-moving snowstorm closes northern roads, moves south: more than 500 km of highway northeast of Thunder Bay were closed, 15–25 cm expected along Lake Superior, and 5–10 cm possible in southern Ontario.
6. [1534] Huge cocaine seizure in Durham probe — teen arrested: police seized 325 kg of cocaine (street value about $7 million) and arrested a 17‑year‑old on Feb. 23; investigation continues.
7. [1533] Man sentenced for drunk driving that killed off‑duty officer: Haoju Zhou was given six years in prison and a 10‑year driving ban for the Sept. 14, 2022 head‑on crash that killed York Regional Police constable Travis Gillespie.
8. [1538] Break in 2005 “Baby Parker” case after DNA work: Brantford police charged a 39‑year‑old woman on Feb. 26 in the 2005 newborn death thanks to new DNA tech; name withheld as case goes to court.
9. [1540] Provincial watchdog investigates suspended Peel officers: LECA has taken over a conduct probe into three suspended Peel Regional Police officers amid wider allegations from York’s “Project South” corruption investigation.
10. [1507] Person killed after being struck by GO train on Kitchener line: the fatality east of Guelph at about 6:30 a.m. caused major Kitchener line delays and an on‑site police probe.
11. [1470] SUV crashes into downtown Ottawa building — one dead, four hurt: collision at Rideau and Cobourg left a 70‑year‑old man dead and four people hospitalized; investigation is ongoing.
12. [1503] Possible swatting in Barry’s Bay after false shooting report: OPP say a shooting call was unfounded and are investigating the incident as a deliberate hoax that triggered heavy police resources.
13. [1508] Charges withdrawn in Lindsay home‑intruder case: Crown reviewed new evidence and concluded self‑defence likely, so aggravated assault charges against the resident were dropped.
14. [1464] Hamilton officer charged with child‑exploitation offences: Const. Dave Hamilton, a 19‑year member, faces charges of possession and transmission of child sexual‑abuse material and is suspended without pay.
15. [1472] Therapist charged over alleged assaults on children with autism: Milton police arrested 25‑year‑old Muaz Sarfraz on multiple assault counts after complaints from Spectacokids clients; probe may identify more victims.
16. [1438] ‘Bell Canada’ tech‑support scam — some funds recovered: an Oxford Mills resident was scammed into wiring money to a U.S. bank on Feb. 19, but banks and U.S. authorities helped recover part of the funds.
17. [1492] Return‑to‑work mandates boost office demand: Royal LePage reports renewed demand for downtown offices as big employers call staff back (some firms 3–5 days/week) and federal workers return four days/week starting this summer.
18. [1505] Province awards $1.04B contract for new Ontario Science Centre at Ontario Place: government says the relocated centre could open as early as 2029 as part of a major waterfront overhaul.
19. [1501] Ford government spent $1.74M advertising Ontario Place plans: campaign ran late Aug.–Dec. and promoted the redevelopment, drawing criticism from opposition MPPs.
20. [1536] Premier wants longer runway at Billy Bishop airport: Doug Ford said polls show about 70% support and pushed to expand the downtown island airport to handle larger jets.
21. [1435] $9M for specialized dementia care units in 17 long‑term care homes: Ontario announced funding to start emotion‑based dementia care in 17 homes now, with a goal of 50 homes by 2027–28.
22. [1463] Crown Royal bottling plant shutters two days early in Amherstburg: Unifor says roughly 200 local jobs affected and calls the early closure disrespectful; workers were told during a shift.
23. [1466] Former Toronto councillor Giorgio Mammoliti, 64, has died: tributes from city politicians followed his sudden death; flags were lowered Feb. 25.
24. [1427] Indigenous leaders demand action after deadly northern highway crashes: chiefs say five serious incidents in five days show highways are unsafe and called for better winter maintenance and road upgrades.
25. [1433] Ring of Fire mine clears federal impact‑assessment step — First Nations worried: federal agency won’t designate Wyloo’s Eagle’s Nest for a full impact assessment, a decision that has upset Neskantaga and other Indigenous leaders.
26. [1469] Humber launches voluntary exit program for staff amid funding pressures: VEEP offers packages to full‑time employees who volunteer to leave; staff have until March 9 to apply as the college tightens budgets.
27. [1474] Province stopped publishing child‑welfare death rollups for 2024–25: Ontario says it’s tracking cases in real time but critics warn stopping aggregated reports hides how many children with recent child‑welfare contact died.
28. [1442] Company sued by province asks to move fraud case to commercial court: Keel Digital Solutions, facing a $29.5M suit and an OPP probe, seeks an expedited commercial list trial, while the government resists.
29. [1406] Canada moves to revoke citizenship tied to 2008 Mumbai‑attack suspect: Ottawa has notified Tahawwur Rana Hussain it intends to strip his citizenship over alleged misrepresentations as court proceedings continue.
30. [1510] Max Scherzer nears a 1‑year, US$3M deal with Blue Jays: the 41‑year‑old ace agreed to return with $3M plus up to $10M in performance bonuses.
31. [1511] 95‑year‑old Doris Pierson still skiing after eight decades: local Sir Sam’s regular who learned as a teen and still hits the slopes with family and four generations of skiers.
32. [1436] St. Catharines considers renaming Prince Andrew Court after his recent arrest: council voted to start a public review and consult residents about changing the street name.
33. [1437] Sudbury driver nabbed doing 148 km/h in an 80 km/h zone ahead of the gold‑medal hockey game: charged with stunt driving, licence suspended 30 days, vehicle impounded 14 days.
34. [1541] Lotto Max jackpot at $70M for Friday draw: OLG says Friday’s draw had a $70 million top prize plus ten $1M Maxmillion prizes — tickets sold until 10:30 p.m. ET.
35. [1503] (Note) Police remind public false emergencies are dangerous: false calls like swatting send officers away from real emergencies and can lead to serious charges.
36. [1538] (Note) Many ongoing court cases and investigations — check local court or police releases for updates on the prosecutions and hearings mentioned above.