1. Manitoba premier urges Ford to keep Crown Royal on LCBO shelves

• What: Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew publicly urged Ontario Premier Doug Ford to drop a threat to remove Crown Royal from the LCBO.
• Key facts: Diageo announced closure of its Amherstburg, Ont. bottling plant at the end of February, cutting roughly 160 jobs; company says it will keep manufacturing sites in Gimli, Man., and Valleyfield, Que.
• Why it matters: Kinew warned the move could threaten manufacturing jobs elsewhere; the dispute follows Ford pouring out a bottle of Crown Royal last September as protest.

2. Raptors exceeding expectations at season midpoint

• What: Toronto Raptors sit 24–17 after 41 games, positioned fourth in the Eastern Conference.
• Key facts: Loss to Philadelphia 115–102 on Monday; Raptors are a half‑game ahead of the 76ers; coach Darko Rajakovic stresses continued focus on player development.
• Why it matters: Toronto looks headed to the playoffs for the first time since 2022, reversing last year’s uncertainty between tanking and a play‑in push.

3. Finch West LRT: minister defends electric switch heaters

• What: Ontario transport minister defends Finch West LRT as “world‑class” despite service problems tied to electric switch heaters.
• Key facts: Critics note the system is similar to the electric switch technology that an Ottawa LRT inquiry warned against; switches can clog with ice/snow in harsh winters.
• Why it matters: Early teething problems have led to repeated disruptions since the line opened in a cold season; debate over electric vs. gas heaters continues.

4. Statistics Canada to cut about 850 jobs, including executives

• What: Statistics Canada is entering a workforce adjustment that will eliminate ~850 positions and reduce the executive team by about 12%.
• Key facts: Agency will inform affected employees within two weeks; cuts follow federal Budget 2025 and a government plan to reduce operational spending by billions.
• Why it matters: Major data‑agency staff cuts could affect national statistics production and timelines.

5. Homelessness in Ontario up 8% to nearly 85,000 in 2025

• What: New report from the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) shows worsening homelessness.
• Key facts: Estimated ~85,000 people experiencing homelessness in 2025 (an 8% rise year over year), ~2,000 encampments, >50% homeless for six months or longer, ~20,000 children/youth affected; growth driven by northern and rural areas.
• Why it matters: AMO leaders called it a signal of underinvestment in social supports.

6. Staples Canada failed to fully wipe returned laptops

• What: Office of the Privacy Commissioner found 23% of sampled returned laptops at four Ontario Staples stores still contained personal data.
• Key facts: Data included names, emails, account fragments and partial face images; Staples given nine months to set standards, improve training and hire an independent annual spot‑checker.
• Why it matters: Consumer privacy risk and new compliance requirements for retailers handling returned electronics.