Toronto Daily Digest — March 12, 2026

Big night, mixed results: The Maple Leafs rallied from a 3-1 deficit to beat the Anaheim Ducks 6-4 on March 12, 2026, with William Nylander scoring 36 seconds into the third and Joseph Woll making 36 saves — but captain Auston Matthews left with a knee injury after a knee-on-knee hit by Radko Gudas (five-minute major, game misconduct). This win snapped an eight-game slide for Toronto (28-27-11) and was their first home victory since Jan. 10.

Tough blow for Toronto: Auston Matthews, 28, left the March 12 game after a knee-on-knee hit from Radko Gudas and did not return; he’d just ended a 12-game goal drought and has 27 goals and 53 points in 60 games this season. Coach Craig Berube called the hit “dirty play,” Gudas was penalized on-ice, and the league will review possible supplemental discipline.

Good news for switching plans: On March 12, 2026 the CRTC said companies can no longer charge extra fees to activate, change or cancel internet and cellphone plans, a move CRTC chair Vicky Eatrides says gives Canadians more control and strengthens the Internet and Wireless Consumer Protection Codes. The regulator also said it will make it easier to shop, compare and choose plans in the coming months.

Guilty in a tragic 2021 killing: Leahain Malcolm, who stabbed his husband Rupert Brown on Feb. 27, 2021, was found guilty of second-degree murder after Superior Court Justice Heather McArthur concluded Malcolm intended to cause bodily harm likely to cause death and was reckless as to the outcome. The judge accepted Malcolm had a mental disorder but rejected a not-criminally-responsible defence; a sentencing date is yet to be set and deportation is possible after the sentence.

Mayor blocks four-unit rule: Markham Mayor Frank Scarpitti used his strong-mayor powers to overturn a council decision that would have allowed up to four units on properties (basements, laneway homes, garden suites), saying it could strain transport and parking; the policy had been partly requested by the federal Housing Accelerator Fund. Strong-mayor powers were introduced by the Ford government in 2022 to push housing priorities.

Expect parking limits for World Cup: Toronto will restrict street parking around World Cup games (first match at BMO Field on June 12, 2026) with details to be released March 30; staff expect downtown traffic could be at least 10% worse and plan to lean on TTC streetcars and targeted restrictions in areas like Liberty Village and Fort York. City officials are finalizing a plan that could include road closures or construction bans during the tournament.

More shopping on two holidays: The Ford government decided to let retailers open provincewide on Family Day and Victoria Day after a cabinet meeting, changing how the Retail Business Holiday Act is applied; Premier Doug Ford said the move responds to shoppers and could add economic activity. The government says companies will choose whether to open and the province must amend the law.

Influencer killed, OPP join probe: On March 3, 2026 at about 9:30 p.m., 45-year-old Punjabi influencer Nancy Grewal was stabbed as she left a home in LaSalle, Ont.; she later died and police are treating the attack as intentional. The OPP has joined the investigation, a suspect fled in a vehicle, and police are asking the public for dashcam or surveillance video to help locate the getaway car.

Oil sheen contained on St. Clair River: Suncor reported an oil sheen on the St. Clair River detected about 6 p.m. Wednesday and says the outlet was identified and contained, with booms and vacuum equipment deployed and cleanup underway with Eastern Canada Response Corporation. The Sarnia refinery is an 85,000-barrel-per-day facility; regulators and local groups have been notified and no downstream impacts are expected so far.

Niagara chair resigns amid controversy: Bob Gale resigned as chair of the Niagara Region after claims he owns an autographed copy of Hitler’s Mein Kampf; Gale, appointed three months earlier by Minister Rob Flack, neither directly denied nor admitted ownership in his resignation letter. The Niagara Region Anti-Racism Association circulated documents alleging the ownership and a planned press conference was cancelled.

Horses harmed in flights to Japan, report says: An Animal Justice and LIA report covering Sept. 2024–Sept. 2025 examined 18 shipments (about 1,822 horses) and found at least nine deaths and more than 290 horses injured or ill after arriving in Japan; the CFIA’s public records show zero deaths for the same period. Advocates are urging the federal government to ban air exports of horses and regulators say they are reviewing the report.

Triple stabbing in North York home: Early on March 12, police responded to a stabbing at Glendora Ave and Burnwell St (near Yonge and Sheppard) around 3:39 a.m.; two women and one man were taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. A suspect in his 20s initially fled on foot and was later arrested; the investigation is ongoing.

Airbnb offers $1,000 to World Cup hosts — and worries follow: Airbnb is offering $1,000 to Toronto residents who sign up and rent their place around the FIFA World Cup (Toronto hosts matches June 12–July 2), with bookings qualifying through the end of July, and the company says demand may reach about 146,000 visitors. Housing advocates worry the program could push long-term rentals into short-term listings; Toronto requires short-term rental registration and average one-bedroom rent was about $2,201 in March 2026.

Young goalie shines for Canadiens: Jacob Fowler, 21, was recalled from Laval and made 32 saves to help Montreal beat Ottawa 3-2, giving coach Martin St. Louis decisions to ponder with 18 games left in the regular season. Fowler had gone 4-4-2 earlier this season with a .903 save percentage and his performance helped Montreal (36-18-10) hold third in the Atlantic Division.