Daily Digest — Ottawa — March 6, 2026

Leafs make deadline moves but questions remain — The Toronto Maple Leafs traded Bobby McMann (29) to the Seattle Kraken for a 2027 second-round pick and a 2026 fourth, and sent Scott Laughton (31) to the Los Angeles Kings for a conditional third-rounder (upgrades to a second if L.A. makes the playoffs). GM Brad Treliving admitted the team has underachieved this season (sitting eight points out of a playoff spot, 0-4-2 in their last six) and said internal review will come after the season (report published March 6, 2026).

Ford toys with filling Lake Ontario for a huge convention centre — Ontario Premier Doug Ford said he’s considering putting fill into part of Lake Ontario to build a downtown Toronto convention centre he prices at “a few billion” dollars, and that environmental work would come first. He made the comments at a Mississauga event and said he’d spoken with Toronto’s mayor, who has been supportive.

Police recover hundreds of mausoleum items — Halton Regional Police say investigators have recovered more than 600 stolen items after a months‑long series of thefts from mausoleum niches across Oakville, Burlington, Toronto and the Niagara region; 18 more charges were laid and police say more than 140 people have contacted them since November 2025. Some items contained human remains; two suspects (a 45‑year‑old man and a 31‑year‑old woman) were charged in November 2025 and police are urging families to check posted photos and email mausoleumthefts@haltonpolice.ca to reclaim belongings.

$3M fraud at cleaning company leads to arrests — Durham Regional Police charged eight people and are seeking five others after uncovering more than $3 million in losses tied to alleged wage diversion, fake subcontractor invoices and money‑laundering at a ServiceMaster location. The probe began after an internal audit in November 2021, found about 270 fraudulent cheques over records from 2015–2021, and points to a scheme that may have run for more than 15 years.

Third suspect arrested in 2025 killing of teen — Police arrested 20‑year‑old Abdul Yeberebaba on Feb. 27, 2026 in Calgary and charged him with second‑degree murder in the June 7, 2025 shooting death of 15‑year‑old Jahkai Jack near Emmett Avenue and Jane Street. Two others — Jayden Samuel‑James (19) and Rajveer Gill (21) — were earlier arrested on Feb. 24–25 on accessory‑after‑the‑fact charges; the victim was a TDSB student and the accused were due in court March 6.

Judge signals some not‑guilty verdicts likely in Stronach trial — Ontario Superior Court Justice Anne Molloy suggested billionaire Frank Stronach will be found not guilty on certain charges after the Crown conceded it cannot prove the mens rea for an attempted‑rape count. The trial (charges stem from alleged incidents dating back to the 1970s) continues as the defence prepares to present its case; prosecutors have already withdrawn or sought to withdraw some counts related to one complainant.

Ottawa office market seeks clarity as feds demand more in‑office days — Landlords and brokers want clearer guidance from the federal government after it bought a 14‑storey downtown building at 131 Queen St. (Morguard valued the deal at $148.2 million) and told public‑service execs to be in the office full‑time in May, with most employees expected four days a week starting in July. PSPC says it’s reviewing space needs but brokers warn the market was told little in advance and worry about where extra desks will come from as vacancy patterns shift.

Trustee says board was ‘fully cut off’ ahead of provincial takeover — Jill Promoli, a trustee for wards 6 and 11, says she and elected trustees were “fully cut off” and learned more from press releases than from the minister after the Ford government put Peel District and York Catholic school boards under provincial supervision. Education Minister Paul Calandra named supervisors (Heather Watt for Peel, Carrie Kormos for York Catholic) citing financial sustainability and “infighting,” and trustees worry about decisions affecting special‑needs programming.

Metrolinx trims consultant ranks by 400+ as new CEO reshapes the agency — CEO Michael Lindsay (joined 2025) has ended more than 400 consultant contracts and moved some experts into full‑time roles to reduce outside dependence and speed delivery of transit projects; Metrolinx still has roughly 115–120 vice‑presidents (about 5% of its ~7,000 staff). Lindsay says the agency’s mandate grew rapidly and needed outside help, but the shift aims to bring expertise in‑house and cut legal posturing on projects.