American's number one chicken chain is about to expand beyond the U.S. for the first time ever, and Toronto marks the first stop on its delicious, greasy agenda.

Chick-fil-A — they of the waffle fries, biscuit sandwiches and famously homophobic CEO — announced in a press release today that Toronto would be getting Canada's first-ever franchisee-owned location sometime in 2019.

And that's only the beginning. Chick-fil-A says that it plans to open 15 more restaurants in the GTA alone between now and 2023, creating 50 to 75 new jobs per location.

"The decision to invest in Toronto as our first international Chick-fil-A market isn’t one we take lightly," says Tim Tassopoulos, president of the company.

"We've spent years researching cities across the world, and the more time we spent here, the more we knew Toronto was the perfect place to roost. It will be our pleasure to serve you in 2019 and the years to come."

Toronto also likes food, if you haven't noticed, especially when it comes to us after years of sustained popularity in a foreign country.

Chick-fil-A is currently recruiting operators for its planned GTA locations, the first of which is slated to open in Toronto next year — though it has yet to be revealed where.

The Atlanta-based chain, founded in 1967, already boasts more than 2,300 restaurants in 47 states across the U.S. It's known for its original breaded chicken sandwich and "awesome sauce," but also serves everything from low-calorie grilled chicken salads to sausage and egg breakfast biscuits.

Despite being seen as highly controversial for many years on account of CEO Don Cathy’s religious beliefs (and his contesting of same-sex marriage), Chick-fil-A hit 50 consecutive years of sales growth in 2017.

This only speaks to how good that chicken actually is.

Disturbing video footage is making the rounds online today. In it, a man who appears to be drunk hurls racist remarks at a group of people at Toronto's Jack Layton Ferry Terminal.

The clip, filmed Monday and posted to Reddit on Tuesday, begins with a blonde man in a Hawaiian-style shirt approaching two younger men and a small boy.

"Where you at?" says the blonde man, getting aggressively close to a man with a blue checkered shirt. The man in blue remarks that the blonde man's breath smells like alcohol and shoos away the child.

"I don't give a f*ck!" yells the older man, "You don't tell me what to do in my province!" 

Racism in Ontario, Canada (Centre Island) from r/iamatotalpieceofshit

The blonde man rams his body into the younger man several times, and pushes are exchanged as a woman can be heard calling the police. The man being attacked calmly tells his family members to back up and walk away.

All the while, Hawaiian shirt guy is repeatedly screaming "You don't ask me a f*cking question in my province!... You want a problem?... You don't ask me a f*cking question in my province!"

"Where the fuck are you from?" the blonde man asks the group at one point, to which a woman replies "We were born here as well!"

The man, who appears to be drunk, only gets angrier, again screaming forcefully "YOU DON'T ASK ME A QUESTION IN MY F*CKING PROVINCE! I GREW UP HERE!... GET THE F*CK OUT OF HERE!"

This goes on for a while, and when security guards finally show up, they can do little to calm the man down. At one point, he literally yells "I WILL F*CKING KILL YOU" at the guy in a blue shirt.

This blond white recist is harassing Muslims in the Jack Layton Ferry Terminal, Toronto. 911 called and #TorontoPolice not yet showed up. Share if you are not a racist. #CBC#CTVpic.twitter.com/nyZC25KIKt

— Hasan Pervej Ahmed (@hasanpervej) July 23, 2018

Eventually, the guards manage to get the yelling man away from the group, but not until he leans over to scream "WELCOME TO ONTARIO, YOU ASSHOLE!" — which makes little sense, as the younger man had already explained multiple times that he was born in Toronto.

You can watch the full video, originally uploaded by a user called VeganAcademy in the r/iamatotalpieceofshit subreddit, right here.

Hundreds of people have commented on that post, as well as a crosspost in r/toronto, to express their disbelief and also argue about who the blonde guy looks like: Gary Busey, Donald Trump or Uncle Joey from Full House?

A witness who filmed the incident on Monday evening and uploaded it to Twitter said that the people being attacked were Muslims. Image via Hasan Pervej Ahmed.

"So nobody else steps in? Everyone just stands by and watches, and not even says a word? And then the security guard barely tells the guy anything and then just lets him walk off?" wrote one commenter.

"Terrible behaviour from everyone, not just the drunkard. Kudos the family being yelled at, for keeping their composure."

"Who says 'my province'?" someone else joked. "Does he think he hopped the border from Manitoba?"  

Many on Reddit are calling the blonde man "racist" and a "drunk idiot," but we have yet to learn what started the incident or if the man is facing any sort of discipline as a result of his actions. 

It looks like the GTA will be home to another Amazon fulfilment centre soon. 

Caledon has just been chosen as the new location for Amazon's sixth facility in Ontario, two weeks after the company announced plans for a location in Ottawa. 

At just under 1-million sq. ft., the facility will work as a distribution centre for Amazon's products. It will mainly be used for shipping small items like toys, books, and electronics.

Meanwhile, Toronto is still in the race for Amazon's new headquarters, which will be announced later this year. 

The company believes that 800 jobs will be created as a result of the new Caledon shipping centre. 

Hopefully, the working conditions in the new location will not reflect the poor standards that have been widely reported at Amazon's facilities. 

The centre is expected to open late-2019.

Between now and Friday, TTC workers will be installing special barriers in front of the infamous, car-hungry vortex that is Toronto's Queen's Quay streetcar tunnel.

The measure is meant to "restrict unauthorized vehicle access" to the subterranean Ferry Docks Terminal at Queen's Quay W.and Bay St. — something that Toronto has been trying to do for years.

At least 26 vehicles have been stuckon the 509/510 streetcar tracks since 2014, all thanks to drivers who somehow weren't phased by prominently posted signs, rumble strips, and dozens of flashing lights.

Someone just drove a car into the streetcar tunnel at #UnionStationhttps://t.co/CN7Raa5uYgpic.twitter.com/8R3yaEiqT6

— blogTO (@blogTO) February 23, 2017

TTC spokesperson Brad Ross announced in April that, in addition to newly-installed bollards near the tunnel's entrance, lift gates would soon be coming to save the day.

Additional bollards were installed this weekend at York and Queen’s Quay to make it that much more obvious that the streetcar tracks are a no-go zone for autos. A lift gate closer to the tunnel will be installed in the coming weeks. pic.twitter.com/QXAktpIiNY

— Brad Ross (@bradTTC) April 22, 2018

That day has come, according to the transit agency, but first we'll see some temporary service changes to the 509 Harbourfront and 510/310 Spadina streetcar routes. 

Work to install the (clearly very-much-needed) gates will take place between July 25 and July 27 from 12 a.m. to 5 a.m. nightly, during which time streetcars will be replaced by buses operating on Queens Quay between Exhibition Loop and King Station, among other changes.

Regular service will begin on all streetcar routes every morning at 6 a.m. and, by Saturday, the city should be protected from having to actually shut down service on multiple transit lines, for hours at a time, because somebody drove into the tunnel again.

That's the idea, anyway. 

In one of the rapidest company expansions Toronto has seen in a while, WeWork has just announced its fifth location.

The coworking empire has just revealed that it will open the new spot in Scotia Plaza, right at 40 King Street West. The space is the newest in a total goal of more than 20. 

The space will have room for more than 800 desks, and will occupy the 41st and 42nd floor of the Financial District building. 

Prices have not yet been revealed, but an early "move-in" page has been posted for those looking to jump in first. Prices for the other four Toronto locations range from $1,050 to $1,170 per month for a private office, and $500 to $770 per month for various different desks. 

Cheap office space and a diverse, growing work force of tech- and startup-related workers are cited as attractive reasons for WeWork's expansion into Toronto. 

An official date has not been given, but WeWork's new Toronto space is set to open later this year. 

The price of your groceries might be a little more soon, so stock up on those non-perishables like they're going out of style. 

Following back-and-forth tariffs between Canada and the U.S., Loblaws is now warning customers that prices on imported goods may be increasing. 

After U.S. President Donald Trump waged a metal tariff against Canada, our own government was forced to retaliate with levies against various products, like steel, aluminum, coffee, jam, soya sauce, and more. 

These new taxes will inevitably lead to higher transportation costs, and the loss will be passed down to customers, according to Loblaws CEO Galen Weston. 

"We don’t think it’s going to be meaningful, super significant, but it certainly will be higher than what it is today," he said, as reported by the Financial Post. 

So, before you struggle to afford to eat even more than you might already, it may time to blow some cash on coffee and toilet paper before it's too late. 

To buy, or not to buy? That is the question asked by so many condo renters (and their parents) with the release of every new data point on Toronto's real estate market.

The answer, as it turns out, can vary a lot based on where in the city you live.

A new report from the real estate brokerage Zoocasa shows that in 21 of the 35 City of Toronto neighbourhoods, paying rent is actually more expensive than paying off a mortgage, on a monthly cash outflow basis.

"Does it make more financial sense to rent or buy your home? The pros and cons of either scenario have long been debated by money pundits," reads the report, which was released on Thursday.

"It was once considered savvy for savers to invest their down payment sums as an alternative to homeownership," it continues.

"But that approach harks back to a time when renting in Toronto was still a feasibly affordable alternative; today, the average 416 rental apartment commands $2,417 per month, according to the Toronto Real Estate Board’s Q2 rental report."

Unsurprisingly, it still costs more to buy a condo than rent one in most of downtown Toronto. Image via Zoocasa.

Zoocasa estimates that rent now consumes 73.3 percent of a person's paycheque in Toronto — but that's based on someone earning the city's median single income of $39,560. Many people who rent $2,500 condos make considerably more money than this, and often split the rent with a partner or roommate.

Still, financial experts say that housing costs should account for no more than 30 percent of an individual's income — which, according to Zoocasa, makes buying a more viable option in Toronto right now for some people.

The brokerage looked at the average monthly rent and average condo price in each 416 MLS district, breaking down the latter figure by month with the assumption of a 20 per cent down payment and 3.05 percent 25 year mortgage.

What wasn't factored in were monthly condo fees, insurance or utilities — so take the figures below with a grain of salt.

The top 5 neighbourhoods where paying a mortgage is less than paying rent, according to Zoocasa:

• Black Creek, York University Heights - buying saves $606/month (average rent: $1,939, average mortgage: $1,333)
• Willowridge, Martingrove - buying saves $600/month (average rent: $2,107, average mortgage: $1,507)
• West Hill, Centennial Scarborough - buying saves $576/month (average rent: $1,650, average mortgage: $1,074)
• Rexdale-Kipling - buying saves $551/month (average rent: $1,834, average mortgage: $1,283)
• Malvern, Rouge - buying saves $490/month (average rent: $1,751, average mortgage: $1,261)

View the full list of neighbourhoods and how they stack up here.

Superstar singer Demi Lovato has cancelled a concert in Toronto set for this Sunday.

Lovato was supposed to perform alongside Jason Mraz on July 29 at Echo Beach in support of Kids Help Phone, but Live Nation announced on Wednesday night that the appearance had been cancelled "in light of recent news."

In light of recent news, the RBCxMusic benefit concert for Kids Help Phone ft. Demi Lovato & Jason Mraz on Sunday at RBC Echo Beach has been cancelled. Tix will automatically be refunded.

Live Nation will continue to support RBCxMusic’s ongoing initiatives w/ Kids Help Phone.

— Live Nation Ontario (@LiveNationON) July 25, 2018

News broke on Tuesday that Lovato, 25, had been rushed to a hospital in Los Angeles after suffering from an apparent overdose.

Dear Friends,
Due to circumstances beyond our control, we will not be playing in Toronto this weekend. My sincerest apologies to my fans and to the fans of Demi Lovato. We wish her good health & recovery. https://t.co/BtZBCBIJJL

— Jason Mraz (@jason_mraz) July 25, 2018

The concert, part of Jason Mraz's Good Vibes Tour, initially saw Mraz as the headliner and Brett Dennen as the supporting act. It was announced that Lovato would replace Dennen after the original concert was cancelled due to scheduling conflicts.

Live Nation says that all tickets purchased for Sunday's show in Toronto will be refunded automatically.

Neons signs still glow in the heart of Chinatown but the neighbourhood is changing. There's now a pod hotel, indie cafes, international restaurant chains, vinyl shops and global streetwear brands. But as much as the neighbourhood evolves, much if it remains the same.

In the latest episode of the Only in Toronto podcast we get to know one of the newest arrivals to Chinatown and also reconnect with a late night favourite.

Places featured in this episode include:

• Big Trouble Bar
• Taste of China
• PappaRoti

Articles referenced in this episode include:

• Two hours transfers coming to the TTC next month
• Toronto's favourite fabric store is closing
• Ryan Gosling movie headlines films coming to TIFF this year

Ways to subscribe to the Only in Toronto podcast.

• Apple Podcasts
• Google Play Music
• Stitcher
• Tune In
• Libsyn

You can also listen to the Only in Toronto podcast on Alexa. Just ask Alexa to play the podcast Only in Toronto.

Beer, burlesque and art battles are just some of the events in Toronto today. Broken Social Scene kicks off the first day of Festival of Beer and you can expect to see a lot of people wearing white as the LolĂŤ White Tour reaches the city.

The most iconic restaurants in Chinatown have – against all odds – managed to prosper in one of Toronto's most competitive areas for food. Despite rising rent and endless competition, these neon signs  continue to define the city's most popular hood for late night eats. 

Here are my picks for the most iconic restaurants in Chinatown. 

Sky Dragon

Once a shi-shi club for the Chinese elite in the 90s, this dim sum spot is now renowned for its epic view of the downtown skyline. With cart service and a trip up to the top floor of Dragon City mall, you'll still get some of that exclusive flavour from days gone by. 

Rol San

Despite what Hollywood says, not all Chinese restaurants have secret back rooms. Rol San, however, does. It's been a quarter century since this lowkey dim sum spot began serving all-day har gow and deep fried taro dumplings in its crowded, window-less dining area in the back.

New Ho King

Iconic doesn't necessarily equate to good: case in point—New Ho King. The fact that this restaurant is open until 4 a.m. makes it a longtime legend for party-goers who might argue that the eats here are good, to which I say, "you're probably still drunk." 

House of Gourmet

It's not a real Chinatown restaurant if it doesn't have over 700 items on the menu, right? For years, this Dundas spot has had late-night Toronto walking up its steps for affordable orders of congee and cheap-as-you-can-get lunch specials, with Hong Kong style tea on late afternoons. 

Mother's Dumplings

It's been a comparatively short time since Mother's entered the scene – it opened in 2005 – but over the past decade and some, the comfy restaurant has become an absolute staple, growing a reputation as the go-to spot for Chinatown first-timers. 

Swatow

In forgiving terms, Swatow can be described as minimal (others might call it ugly) with bare bones decor, brutal fluorescent lighting, and an interior that could definitely use a reno. But its menu has long been a beautiful thing, as are its hours, closing at 2 a.m. daily. 

Canton Chilli

If you've never ordered the chilli chicken right before closing time at 5 a.m., or left a Crayola-drawn masterpiece on Canton Chilli's walls, what are you doing? You're missing out on a verified Toronto rite of passage. 

Dumpling House

The lacy crusted dumplings at this bustling spot are unlike any you'll find in the area. It's been a stalwart for years, and everything from the lineups in the narrow entrance to its red walls and open kitchen make up the quintessential Chinatown dining experience. 

King's Noodle

The windows of King's have been hanging roast duck and pig for decades. With some prime real estate right at Dundas and Spadina, this restaurant is nothing short of eye-catching (for different reasons, depending on your palette) where wonton noodles reign supreme.

Pho Pasteur

It's not Chinese, but it is open 24-hours and has been for what feels like forever. Fluorescent lights, gargantuan portions of Viet noodles, and lowkey amazing spring rolls have drawn those in-the-know to this understated spot for years, even if the pho isn't what it once was. 

Toronto restaurant openings highlight the latest food news in Toronto and gives a preview of what's coming soon. Find us here every Thursday morning.

Open now

• Pennies, a bar offering sliders and cheap drinks, replaces Broncos at 127 Strachan Avenue (at Adelaide Street West).
• Montreal's Les Moulins La Fayette has opened its first Toronto location at 715 Queen Street West (at Tecumseth Street).
• Page One Cafe now has a second location, called Page One Too. It shares a space with Foodbenders at 1162 Bloor Street West in Bloordale.
• Cinderella Restaurant, a Middle Eastern spot from a young Syrian family new to Canada, has opened at 1015 Dufferin Street in Bloorcourt. 
• Hokkaido Ramen Santouka has opened its second location in the city, this one at 515 Bloor Street West in the Annex. Another location is set to open at the end of September at 2057 Yonge Street.
• Billy’s Diner, taking over what was formerly Icy Spicy Fusion, is now open at 99 Pape Avenue in Leslieville.
• Jasper Dandy, a sports pub and live music venue, has replaced Boots & Bourbon at 725 Queen Street East in Riverside.
• Brun & Fer Coffee is serving up food and caffeine at 559 Parliament Street in Cabbagetown.
• North of Brooklyn Pizzeria now has a fifth location, this one at 511 Rogers Road in Silverthorn.
• Oriental Rice Noodle has opened two new locations, one at 414 Dundas Street West in Chinatown and another at 32-4186 Finch Avenue East in Scarborough.
• A La Turk, a restaurant specializing in authentic Turkish cuisine, is now open at 3443 Yonge St. north of Lawrence.
• Chocollata, specializing in handcrafted Brazilian brigadeiros (a chocolate sweet that's a cross between truffles, caramels and fudge), has opened at 986A Kingston Road in the Upper Beaches.
• Surely Up vegetarian hot pot is now open at 26-420 Hwy 7 East in Richmond Hill.

Recently reviewed

• Tractor Foods
• Sapori
• Extra Burger
• Don Alfonso 1890
• Two Peas Variety
• Bonafide

Opening soon

• Vegan ice cream shop Not Your Mother will be opening on August 2 alongside Copenhagen Vegan Cafe and Vegandale Brewery, at 1346 Queen Street West in Vegandale (a.k.a. Parkdale).
• Dak Lak Cafe, a Vietnamese coffee shop, is opening its second location in September, this one at 283 College Street (at Spadina Avenue). 
• Playa Cabana's Dave Sidhu has been keeping busy: Zocalo, a restaurant featuring Mexican street food that replaces Dolly's, opens on August 16 at 1285 Bloor Street West in Bloordale; and Playa Cabana will be opening a quick service taqueria and cantina with a patio at Yonge & Eglinton next spring.
• Bake Code is opening a new location soon, this one at 4-21 Famous Avenue in Vaughan.

Closed

• Koek Koek has shuttered.

Other news

• Table 21 Kitchen & Wine Bar has reopened after renos in Etobicoke.

Have you seen restaurants opening or closing in your neighbourhood? Email tips to editors@blogto.com.

It's all about festivals this weekend in Toronto. As a result, there's going to be a ton of road closures. If that's not brutal enough, there's also a TTC subway closure.

If you're brave enough to drive, here's what you need to know to navigate around the city.

Beaches International Jazz Festival 

The annual jazz festival will have Queen St. East from Woodbine Ave. to Beech Ave. closed from 6 p.m. to midnight, from July 26 to 28.

On July 29, the festival will be confined to Woodbine Park from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. so no road closures required. Roads near the park will be busy.

OssFest 

The street festival will close Ossington Ave. from Dundas St. West to Queen St. West from July 28 at 6 a.m. to July 29 at 3 a.m. Some local streets in the area will also be closed. 

Pedestrian Sundays 

Parts of Kensington Ave., Augusta Ave., Baldwin St. and St. Andrew St. will be closed on July 29 from 12 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. for the open streets event. 

Fusion of Taste Festival

The food festival will have Islington Ave. from Albion Rd. to Wardlaw Cres. closed from July 29 at 6 a.m. to July 30 at 1 a.m. 

TTC Subway Closure

Beyond road closures, there will be no subway service on Line 1 between Finch West and Lawrence West stations on July 28 and 29 due to signal upgrades.

Some may be under the impression that the only people who lived in hotels were on television shows like Zack and Cody in The Suite Life or in movies like Eloise at the Plaza.   And yet, this condo inside The Hazelton hotel is available. It has all the benefits of living in a hotel, including 24-hour room service, access to the health club and spa, and a 26-seat screen room. But, you can still sleep in your own bed. 

If you ignore the busy decor, you’ll see this unit has 10-foot ceilings, beautiful walnut hardwood floors, and wall-to-wall windows that flood the place with natural light.

That being said, the custom silk wall treatments that are featured throughout the home are, perhaps for some tastes, a little questionable.

The kitchen is spacious with professional appliances suited to throwing lavish dinner parties.

This place also has a grand living and dining room, as well as a large lounge and family room, making it an ideal suite to host gatherings with family and friends.  

The master bedroom is extravagant. It features two walk-in dressing rooms as well as two matching marble en suites.

The unit also has a richly panelled office that could easily be transformed into another bedroom if needed.

Specs

• Address: #602 - 118 Yorkville Avenue
• Price: $8,800,000
• Bedrooms: 1
• Bathrooms: 3
• Parking: 2
• Walk Score: 99
• Transit Score: 97
• Maintenance Fees: $6,684 monthly
• Listing agent: Elise Kalles
• Listing ID: C4193667

Good For

Eloise? Kidding. A distinguished couple who still want to live a luxurious life, but might need to downsize to a more manageable space.  

Move On If

You want more space or even just outdoor space. Yes, this unit boasts over 4,000 square feet of living space, but there’s only one bedroom, and for $8 million you could easily get a house with much more room to spread out in.

It's summertime, and that means the top concerts in Toronto this August are especially packed with talented folks dropping by our fair city. Drake takes a moment from constructing his mansion to perform, while superstars Taylor Swift, Ed Sheeran, and Shakira also pay us a visit. 

Chik-Fil-A — the popular U.S. fried chicken purveyor — announced on Wednesday that it would be opening its first international franchisee-owned location right here in Toronto sometime next year.

Some in the city were thrilled by the news, either because they've eaten at Chick-Fil-A and love those little biscuits or don't know about CEO Dan Cathy's highly controversial beliefs and long-running crusade against same-sex marriage.

Chick-fil-A openly discriminates against the LGBT community. They have no business in a progressive and multicultural city like Toronto. They won't be getting my business. #BoycottChickFilAhttps://t.co/1wzAlKttVR

— Picard🏳️‍🌈🇨🇦 (@Picard_M_Maker) July 25, 2018

Or maybe they know about the homophobic stuff but just don't care because the chicken is that good?

Numbers suggest that this may be the case in the U.S., where the business has been growing for 50 years straight despite half-a-decade of widely-publicized backlash.

Certified 100% Heterosexual Chicken Nuggets Coming to Canada as Chick-fil-A Announces 15 Toronto Locations pic.twitter.com/Y4e08gx3K8

— The Lapine (@TheLapine) July 25, 2018

Whatever the case, Ontario isn't Georgia, where Chick-Fil-A was founded back in 1946.

Many people in Toronto aren't willing to overlook such a blatant disregard for human rights, as evidenced by all the backlash to yesterday's announcement that the company wants to open 15 locations here by 2023.

Chick-Fil-A is opening a location in Toronto. Ima go throw the first brick.

— 𝕮𝖆𝖊𝖑𝖆𝖓𝕮𝖔𝖓𝖗𝖆𝖉🎙️ (@CaelanConrad) July 25, 2018

The hashtag #boycottchickfila has been gaining traction in Toronto over the past 24 hours.

Many people are using the platform to tell Chick-Fil-A that it isn't welcome in our country or city.

That’s unfortunate. You’re not welcome here. I know your homophobic history and your bankrolling of political candidates who promote anti-LGBT discrimination. That bigotry has no place in Canada. I will be boycotting you and encouraging others to do the same. #BoycottChickFilA

— Wayne Leung (@wayleu) July 25, 2018

Others are pointing out that Toronto already has a lot of really good fried chicken restaurants to choose from — restaurants where you can be sure the money you spend isn't being funnelled into anti-LGBT organizations.

Y'know where you can get good fried chicken? Literally everywhere. And without supporting bigotry. I don't need a Chick-fil-A in this Toronto. pic.twitter.com/Pva7G0su20

— Corey Mintz (@coreymintz) July 25, 2018

"There are many local, Canadian-owned restaurants that make better chicken — and without the homophobia, bigotry and hatred that Chick-Fil-A promotes," wrote one Twitter user quite poignantly on Thursday morning.

"Buy Canadian, support Canadian businesses, uphold Canadian rights, freedoms & tolerance! #BoycottChickFilA"

So @ChickfilA is coming to Toronto. They are homophobic and hate trans people. Is a dry chicken burg really worth it? $5 to tell people you are a bigot these days when we have comments online for free is a lot I guess.

— strega nessa (@pizzathepuzzle) July 25, 2018

"Another step backward," wrote one local on Facebook. "Like we don't have problems with child obesity in this nation but now it's coming to our town. Oh and by the way, not to mention how the CEO of this grease pit funds anti LGBT groups."

"It will be interesting to see what happens," wrote another. "Toronto loves new food, but Toronto also isn't very welcoming to intolerance."

Going to let my dog poop on the doorstep of Chick-Fil-A every Sunday when it comes to Toronto

— Summertime Radness Li'l 🌳 (@karengeier) July 25, 2018

Those who do want to check out the chain should note that all locations are closed on Sundays, everywhere.

Transit users in Toronto have yet another subway closure to look forward to this weekend. 

This time there will be no subway service on Line 1 between Finch West and Lawrence West stations on July 28 and 29 due to signal upgrades. As always, shuttle buses will operate between these stations for the duration of the closure.

If you do plan on taking a shuttle bus it's important to note it will load and offload as follows.

• Lawrence West will load and offload inside the station
• At Yorkdale, TTC will provide a special shuttle bus to accommodate customers travelling to and from Yorkdale Mall. Customers can transfer between the Line 1 shuttle and the Yorkdale express at the intersection of Dufferin and Yorkdale.
• Wilson will load and offload inside the station.
• Sheppard West will also load and offload inside the station.
• Downsview Park will load and offload on Sheppard Ave. West.
• Finch West will load inside the station and offload on Keele St. at Four Winds Dr.

Regular scheduled subway service will resume on Monday morning. The next scheduled closure will halt weekend service on Line 1 between Lawrence and St Clair stations on August 11 and 12 due to Metrolinx's Eglinton Crosstown LRT work at Yonge and Eglinton.

Weekend events in Toronto are stacked with big and loud, small and chill things for everyone. Ossington shuts down for a big street festival and Pedestrian Sundays is on in Kensington. Catch a free outdoor movie, check out a market, or hit up a party. It's summer!

It’s been more than a week now since Toronto learned that DeMar DeRozan would be leaving the Raptors, and nobody's any less mad about the trade — DeRozan included.

Time heals all wounds, as they say, but laughter heals them faster, which is likely why a humorous Reddit post about the situation is being shared so widely right now.

Called "DeMarvin's Room," the post is essentially a reworking of the 2011 hit song "Marvin's Room" — the lead single from Drake's second album, Take Care.

The work first appeared on the r/NBA subreddit this past weekend, posted by a user named Marcheesio. It has since been deleted, but not before tens of thousands could enjoy the new lyrics (and thankfully get some screenshots.)

Someone on @NBA_Reddit rewrote the lyrics to @Drake's "Marvin's Room" from the perspective of DeMar DeRozan after the Kawhi Leonard trade.

Brilliant. pic.twitter.com/UPaZ8XVWZR

— Chris Walder (@WalderSports) July 22, 2018

Unlike the original track, which centres on Drake drunk-dialing an ex-girlfriend, DeMarvin's Room is told from the perspective of Toronto's favourite NBA All-Star after finding out that he's been traded to the San Antonio Spurs for an equally-unhappy Kawhi Leonard.

"Cups of DeRozan, Lowry in my old phone, I should call him and go home, I been loyal way too long," the song starts.

"The Raptors that I would try, is happy with a good Kawhi, but I've been swishing so much, that I'mma call Masai and say..."

It only gets better from there, especially in the third, rapped verse when the lyrics start with "I think I'm addicted to thinking different about the playoff series that we almost had."

It's a sad song but it's also hilarious. I recommend reading the lyrics while listening to Marvin's Room for full impact — or the instrumental version, if you want to go all out and sing along. You'd better believe Drake (probably) did.

Once upon a time, downtown Toronto was a hub for the alternative dance music scene. 

From the iconic industrial Catch 22 of the 90s (once graced by Cult Lord Supreme himself, Marilyn Manson), to the handful of bygone goth haunts like Sanctuary Vampire Sex Bar (now a Starbucks), the 80s and 90s marked a Toronto teeming with nighttime haunts for all things alt.

Those days are long gone, and it seems like every genre from new metal to drum and base have re-submerged into nightlife abyss. At an alarmingly fast rate, the number of venues for anything outside of Top 40 playlists have been pared down to basically nothing.

"Music venues have everything working against them," says Spencer Sutherland, the owner of the soon-to-be shuttered venue, Nocturne. 

After My set and The Last Nocturne Rave ever before they shut down Without this venue I would be nothing so sad to see one of the oldest nightclubs around shutting down I will never forget all the shoulder to shoulder packed nights aswell as the empty ones because to me their all the same . Much Love Nocturne your going down in history #scvndvl #lilbuoy #m455effect #nocturnenightclub #pandaco #rave #blogto #dubstep #drumnbass #bass

A post shared by Lil Buoy (@scvndvlgram) on Jul 23, 2018 at 10:03am PDT

As the co-chair of the Toronto Music Advisory Council (TMAC), Sutherland has been one of the most outspoken property owners in regards to—among many other concerns in the music scene—Toronto's vanishing venue crisis. 

Sutherland's own club, a 10 year-old institution in Toronto's goth and hardcore techno scene, is set to close at the end of the month, joining a steadily growing graveyard of alt dance venues who've fallen victim to soaring property taxes, insurance rates, and tough venue regulations. 

A post shared by Dirty Cupcake Toronto (@dirtycupcake) on Oct 7, 2017 at 8:38pm PDT

"It's sad," says Sutherland, who blames the rise of condos (and the ensuing increase of service retail like drug stores and banks), for "eroding" destinations like music venues and youth culture at large. 

"The music venues are where many of the younger people develop their social communities, and it's often around like-minded people." 

A post shared by rae dineen (@dineenrachel) on May 19, 2017 at 7:06am PDT

When Nocturne vacates its property by Queen and Bathurst, the space will be renovated and replaced by a mainstream club whose playlist will presumably and depressingly "be a Top 40 thing." 

A post shared by The Hangedman 🌒🌕🌘 (@h4ngedm4n) on Jul 26, 2018 at 4:06pm PDT

As for the slew of industrial, dark dance, raves, and EBM parties based exclusively out of Nocturne, they'll soon have to find another venue to run their events.

"There is no natural home for people to go to after Nocturne," says the founder of the hardcore event collective Embryon, who goes by Grant. "Losing Nocturne means that promoters doing small stuff don’t have that opportunity."

Scraping by with decent lighting systems and a passable sound system, the venue has historically been a perfect launching pad for newbie artists and promoters running small gigs from the club's smaller, more intimate second room adjacent to the main dance floor. 

A post shared by @richrollingrebels.rx3 on Mar 20, 2017 at 12:38pm PDT

"[Nocturne wasn't] afraid to take chances and they weren't afraid to give people the opportunity to try new things," says Grant. "It never came down to the almighty dollar for them." 

While that's not to say live music events are a bust in Toronto – just look at Bovine Sex Club or the Velvet Underground, both on Queen – the presence of alternative dance-focused music specifically has been reduced to small venues that are barely scraping by.

Just head further north on Bloor, where the 5 year-old night club Bassline is fighting for its life. 

A post shared by Noir Kitty (@noirbasteast) on Sep 4, 2017 at 5:34pm PDT

Home to the drum and bass party, Church Sundays, a remnant of the now-closed Tota Lounge, the restaurant-turned-house music staple is standing on its last legs, and promoters are banding together in an attempt to save it with a three-part fundraiser starting this Saturday. 

"If Bassline closes and Nocturne is already done... our livelihood is at stake," says Paul Hattlmann, a longtime DJ and promoter of the 16 year-old drum and bass party TDotLove that's been running out of Bassline since it opened. 

A post shared by Noir Kitty (@noirbasteast) on May 4, 2017 at 4:12pm PDT

The number of event-goers has decreased by 50 percent in the past few years, he says, partly due to the surge of more attractive, mainstream EDM music festivals. But, it's mostly due to Bassline's physical space, which according to Hattlmann, is in "a sad state of affairs." 

"Everything has kind of fallen into disrepair, and everyone feels lost," he says. 

In a more focused approach to revitalizing the venue, Hattlmann and a team of promoters are trying to upgrade the club. A better sound system and washroom doors that actually function might help entice guests to check out a lineup of local artists, if nothing else. 

A post shared by issa GoodTing 👑 (@niccsg) on Sep 16, 2017 at 9:26am PDT

With a goal of $3,500, it's not too much to ask of a town which at one point was poised to be the country's official 'music city'.

From the heights of City Council, however, Spencer Sutherland seems optimistic about Toronto's potential for music sustainability. Thanks to TMAC, changes via City Council are in the works – but just how long it will take to enact those changes is the urgent question. 

A post shared by Ando Oomae (@4nd0) on Dec 4, 2017 at 11:48am PST

"I think progress will be made," he says. "I just hope not too many more venues close down between now and then."