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Fairmont Copacabana photo The infinity pool at the Fairmont Copacabana flows toward the beach and Atlantic Ocean.

Rio’s urban rainforest

Steve MacNaull 5 minute read Saturday, Dec. 20, 2025

Just like the Baroness d’Escragnolle, my wife is luxuriating in the cascade of a waterfall.

Kerry raises her face to the cool tumble of water and flicks her hair, much like the 19th century aristocrat must have.

This re-creation of nobility is happening at Cascata de Baronesa, which means in Portuguese, “Baroness Waterfall.”

The waterfall is in the Tijuca National Park, the world’s largest urban rainforest, covering 40 square kilometres smack dab in the middle of the megalopolis of Rio de Janeiro.

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Toronto—Quebec City high-speed rail could see dozens of daily trains: documents

Maura Forrest, The Canadian Press 5 minute read Preview

Toronto—Quebec City high-speed rail could see dozens of daily trains: documents

Maura Forrest, The Canadian Press 5 minute read Friday, Dec. 19, 2025

MONTREAL - A planned high-speed rail project between Toronto and Quebec City could dramatically increase the number of trains that travel along the corridor each day, according to internal documents. 

The Crown corporation responsible for the project has estimated that 72 passenger trains per day could travel through Canada’s most densely populated region if the proposed 1,000-kilometre network is built. The high-speed rail project would slash current travel times and could take passengers from Montreal to Toronto in just three hours. 

Draft versions of a 2023 technical briefing, obtained by The Canadian Press through an access-to-information request, show how the Crown corporation, now called Alto, was studying the merits of high-speed rail more than a year before the government announced the project. 

An Alto spokesperson confirmed the corporation still believes 72 trains per day is a “reasonable estimate.” 

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Friday, Dec. 19, 2025

A VIA Rail train is seen on tracks in Dorval, Que., as it heads out of Montreal on Friday, May 23, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Christinne Muschi
A VIA Rail train is seen on tracks in Dorval, Que., as it heads out of Montreal on Friday, May 23, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Christinne Muschi

Family of Ontario man who went missing in Quebec ski town renews call for help

Charlotte Glorieux, The Canadian Press 2 minute read Preview

Family of Ontario man who went missing in Quebec ski town renews call for help

Charlotte Glorieux, The Canadian Press 2 minute read Friday, Dec. 19, 2025

MONTREAL - The family of a 22-year-old Ontario man are renewing efforts to find him, more than 10 months after he disappeared at the Mont-Tremblant, Que., ski resort north of Montreal.

On Friday, they published online an open letter reminding the public he is still missing. And in a recent interview, Liam’s mother Kathleen Toman said the family is asking the thousands of people who were at the resort last season to see if they remember anything that could help the case.

“The (new) ski season is opening, and this is the time that people are thinking about their past trip last year — a memory could spark something,’’ she said.

Liam Toman was last seen Feb. 2 around 3 a.m. as he was heading back to his hotel at the popular Quebec resort, during a ski trip with friends. 

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Friday, Dec. 19, 2025

Liam Toman, 22, who went missing while on a ski trip in Mont-Tremblant, Que., on Feb. 2, 2025, is seen in an undated family handout photo. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Handout — Chris Toman (Mandatory Credit)
Liam Toman, 22, who went missing while on a ski trip in Mont-Tremblant, Que., on Feb. 2, 2025, is seen in an undated family handout photo. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Handout — Chris Toman (Mandatory Credit)

‘We’re buddies now’: Canada’s foodies enlisted to host Americans and boost tourism

Cassandra Szklarski, The Canadian Press 6 minute read Preview

‘We’re buddies now’: Canada’s foodies enlisted to host Americans and boost tourism

Cassandra Szklarski, The Canadian Press 6 minute read Wednesday, Dec. 17, 2025

TORONTO - Some of the country’s savviest home entertainers are on the front lines of a new tourism strategy to lure U.S. and international visitors, one home-cooked meal at a time.

They’re part of Destination Canada’s OpenHome program, which pairs friendly foodies with curious travellers who are eager for a memorable visit and an inside glimpse into the lives of everyday Canadians.

It comes after a year of fractured international relations that has at times weaponized travel and tourism, with many Canadians refusing to travel south of the border out of frustration over tariffs and other policies — and data showing it may be tit-for-tat with American visits also down.

The federal tourism agency says the marketing push leans on our reputation for being warm and welcoming, while catering to a desire among travellers for “connection and real experiences.”

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Wednesday, Dec. 17, 2025

Calgary chefs and entrepreneurs John Jackson, left, and Connie DeSousa, second from left, pose for a photo with guests in this undated handout photo. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Handout - John Jackson (Mandatory Credit)
Calgary chefs and entrepreneurs John Jackson, left, and Connie DeSousa, second from left, pose for a photo with guests in this undated handout photo. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Handout - John Jackson (Mandatory Credit)

Paddlers and others bemoan impending loss of Manitoba government map store

Steve Lambert, The Canadian Press 4 minute read Preview

Paddlers and others bemoan impending loss of Manitoba government map store

Steve Lambert, The Canadian Press 4 minute read Saturday, Dec. 20, 2025

WINNIPEG - For biologist and avid canoeist Jim Duncan, nothing beats the old-fashioned way of planning a multi-day wilderness outing — pulling out a large paper map, gathering his travelling companions around it, and discussing the itinerary.

They mark up the paper with notations. C might indicate a planned campsite. P for a spot to portage the canoe.

Some lines might denote a set of rapids.

"There's something satisfying about spreading a map out on your lap or table and talking about routes," said 65-year-old Duncan, who studies owls and explores waterways in Manitoba and northwestern Ontario.

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Saturday, Dec. 20, 2025

Margerit Roger is seen in this handout photo, with her canoe on a lake near Kenora, Ont., in August 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Handout - Margerit Roger (Mandatory Credit)
Margerit Roger is seen in this handout photo, with her canoe on a lake near Kenora, Ont., in August 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Handout - Margerit Roger (Mandatory Credit)

American visits north up for first time in eight months as Canadians still avoid U.S.

Ritika Dubey, The Canadian Press 3 minute read Preview

American visits north up for first time in eight months as Canadians still avoid U.S.

Ritika Dubey, The Canadian Press 3 minute read Monday, Dec. 22, 2025

Canadians are still holding back from travelling south of the border, as trips by Americans to Canada rose for the first time in eight months in October, Statistics Canada reported.

The number of Canadian-resident return trips from the United States in October totalled 2,336,872, down 26.3 per cent from 3,170,986 a year ago.

"There's a lot of hesitation around travelling to the U.S.," said Amra Durakovic, head of communications at Flight Centre Travel Group Canada.

Political tension over Trump's tariffs, changing immigration and border policies, and a lousy exchange rate as the loonie trades around 72 cents US are continuing to discourage many Canadians from travelling stateside, she said.

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Monday, Dec. 22, 2025

Canadian and U.S. flags fly atop the Peace Arch monument at the Douglas-Peace Arch border crossing in Surrey, B.C., Monday, Nov. 8, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
Canadian and U.S. flags fly atop the Peace Arch monument at the Douglas-Peace Arch border crossing in Surrey, B.C., Monday, Nov. 8, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

Santa cleared for Christmas Eve travel, transport minister says

Anja Karadeglija, The Canadian Press 1 minute read Preview

Santa cleared for Christmas Eve travel, transport minister says

Anja Karadeglija, The Canadian Press 1 minute read Updated: Yesterday at 11:13 AM CST

OTTAWA - The federal transport minister says Santa Claus has been cleared for travel in Canadian airspace.

Steven MacKinnon released a video in which he authorizes Santa to deliver Christmas presents in Canada.

It has become an annual tradition for the federal transport minister to release a Christmas Eve video officially permitting Santa's travel. 

This year's video is the first to feature Prime Minister Mark Carney.

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Updated: Yesterday at 11:13 AM CST

Santa Claus waves to children as they enjoy a Christmas parade in front of La Phare, a palliative care clinic for children in Montreal, on Monday, Dec. 15, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Christopher Katsarov
Santa Claus waves to children as they enjoy a Christmas parade in front of La Phare, a palliative care clinic for children in Montreal, on Monday, Dec. 15, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Christopher Katsarov

Travel experts share advice for passengers on vacation as Air Transat strike looms

Daniel Johnson, The Canadian Press 5 minute read Preview

Travel experts share advice for passengers on vacation as Air Transat strike looms

Daniel Johnson, The Canadian Press 5 minute read Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2025

With Air Transat cancelling flights and bringing people back from vacation early ahead of a strike deadline, travel experts say there are some best practices for passengers to avoid getting stuck abroad.

Barry Choi, who runs the Money We Have personal finance and travel website, said he recommends continuously monitoring for updates from the airline about the strike through their website or other channels. 

“Anytime there's a strike like this or any stoppage in work, things are fluid. Air Transat has already said they're going to send some more flights in advance of the strike, but that's only if you want to return home early,” Choi said. 

He added that consumer rights regulations don't "necessarily cover strikes," but the airline is responsible for ensuring passengers get back. 

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Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2025

An Air Transat Airbus A330 approaches for landing in Lisbon just before sunrise, Monday, July 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Armando Franca)
An Air Transat Airbus A330 approaches for landing in Lisbon just before sunrise, Monday, July 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Armando Franca)

Transat deal offers relief for vacationers worried strike would disrupt travel plans

Christopher Reynolds and Cassidy McMackon, The Canadian Press 3 minute read Preview

Transat deal offers relief for vacationers worried strike would disrupt travel plans

Christopher Reynolds and Cassidy McMackon, The Canadian Press 3 minute read Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2025

MONTREAL AND TORONTO - A tentative deal reached hours ahead of a strike deadline by the Air Transat pilots union prevented the chaos of a holiday-adjacent work stoppage but came too late for some passengers whose flights had been cancelled as a precautionary measure. 

The airline had announced a fresh round of flight cancellations Tuesday afternoon as the clock ticked down on a Wednesday morning strike deadline.

Travel company Transat A.T. Inc., which owns the Montreal-based leisure airline, said it had cancelled a dozen flights, plus another half-dozen scheduled for the next day.

The cancelled trips included sun destinations in Mexico, the Dominican Republic, Peru and Spain as well as London and Paris. All 18 flights were slated to either take off or land in Toronto or Montreal.

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Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2025

An Air Transat plane is seen as an Air Canada plane lands at Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport in Montreal on Thursday, May 16, 2019. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz
An Air Transat plane is seen as an Air Canada plane lands at Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport in Montreal on Thursday, May 16, 2019. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz

Banff is a Christmastime delight

Gord Mackintosh 6 minute read Preview

Banff is a Christmastime delight

Gord Mackintosh 6 minute read Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025

‘Evergreen Jinglespark.”

That’s Margie’s new name. Banff Gondola’s mountaintop Elf Name Generator (a roulette wheel) decided it.

My name: “Pudding Merrytoes.” I announced, “Just call me Pud!” Staff quipped, “Aside from the name tag, you’ll need paperwork or a current driver’s licence.”

Ascending Banff’s steep Sulphur Mountain in a gondola at Christmastime also means cookie decorating, marshmallow roasting, Santa Claus and craft tables where children studiously fashion gondola-inspired tree ornaments. Plus, find a slightly redundant sign saying “Steep Terrain.” I’ll bet whoever posted that was over the edge.

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Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025

Banff and a bighorn await more snow.
Banff and a bighorn await more snow.

Dr. Roberta Bondar, 1st Canadian woman in space, turns 80

Sidhartha Banerjee, The Canadian Press 7 minute read Preview

Dr. Roberta Bondar, 1st Canadian woman in space, turns 80

Sidhartha Banerjee, The Canadian Press 7 minute read Thursday, Dec. 4, 2025

Dr. Roberta Bondar was the first Canadian woman and the first neurologist to travel to space.

As she celebrates her 80th birthday on Thursday, the Sault-Ste-Marie-born Bondar reflects on the future of space exploration, her life and what's to come.

On being the first Canadian woman in space:

Bondar holds four degrees and is a physician, scientist, environmentalist and award-winning landscape photographer and author.

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Thursday, Dec. 4, 2025

Dr. Roberta Bondar poses for a portrait in Toronto, Monday, Dec. 1, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young
Dr. Roberta Bondar poses for a portrait in Toronto, Monday, Dec. 1, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young

N.S. premier to meet with Massachusetts governor to discuss trade and energy exchange

The Canadian Press 1 minute read Preview

N.S. premier to meet with Massachusetts governor to discuss trade and energy exchange

The Canadian Press 1 minute read Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2025

HALIFAX - Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston is in Boston to talk about trade and energy opportunities with Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey. 

Houston’s office says Rebecca Tepper, the Massachusetts Secretary of Energy and Environment, and Nova Scotia ministers of Tourism and Natural Resources, are also expected to participate in discussions.

While in Boston, Houston has plans to attend the annual Christmas tree lighting ceremony on Boston Common Thursday. 

Every year, Nova Scotia sends a Christmas tree to Boston to thank it for sending medical personnel and supplies following a major explosion in Halifax in 1917. 

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Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2025

Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston speaks to reporters in Halifax on Thursday, Nov. 14, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darren Calabrese
Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston speaks to reporters in Halifax on Thursday, Nov. 14, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darren Calabrese

Air Transat signs interline partnership deal with Brazil’s GOL Airlines

The Canadian Press 1 minute read Preview

Air Transat signs interline partnership deal with Brazil’s GOL Airlines

The Canadian Press 1 minute read Monday, Dec. 1, 2025

MONTREAL - Air Transat has signed a new interline partnership with Brazil's GOL Airlines.

Under the deal, the travel company says passengers flying with Air Transat to Rio de Janeiro's Galeão International Airport will be able to seamlessly connect to GOL's network of 65 domestic and 17 international destinations.

The deal comes as Air Transat prepares to begin its first-ever non-stop flights to Rio de Janeiro.

Air Transat is set to start twice weekly flights from Toronto to Rio de Janeiro on Feb. 4.

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Monday, Dec. 1, 2025

People look on as an Air Transat plane takes off at Trudeau in Montreal, Sunday, June 11, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes
People look on as an Air Transat plane takes off at Trudeau in Montreal, Sunday, June 11, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes

Montreal’s Wing Noodles closing after nearly 80 years, sparking concern in Chinatown

Morgan Lowrie, The Canadian Press 5 minute read Preview

Montreal’s Wing Noodles closing after nearly 80 years, sparking concern in Chinatown

Morgan Lowrie, The Canadian Press 5 minute read Sunday, Nov. 23, 2025

MONTREAL - Garnet Lee started working at Wing Noodles when he was eight years old,  packaging wonton covers and occasionally taking breaks to play hide-and-seek among the noodle machines.

Nearly 60 years later, he has decided to close the doors of the long-standing family business at the end of the month, raising questions about the future of the historic building that sits in the heart of Montreal's Chinatown.

"It's going to be very hard to not come here," said Lee. Behind him, a steady stream of customers popped in to pick up final orders at the counter of the 200-year-old building where the company has long produced noodles, cookies and sauces.

"There are lots and lots of memories here."

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Sunday, Nov. 23, 2025

Wrapped fortune cookies are packaged at Wing Noodles Ltd. in Montreal's Chinatown on Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025. The company has announced it will be closing at the end of November. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Christinne Muschi
Wrapped fortune cookies are packaged at Wing Noodles Ltd. in Montreal's Chinatown on Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025. The company has announced it will be closing at the end of November. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Christinne Muschi

Los Cabos three ways: from the traditional to positively posh

Shel Zolkewich 6 minute read Preview

Los Cabos three ways: from the traditional to positively posh

Shel Zolkewich 6 minute read Saturday, Nov. 22, 2025

What’s the difference between travelling and vacationing? Some say it comes down to where you choose to lay your head. And in most cases, the right accommodations can elevate your time away from great to glorious. So, if you’re looking to invest a little more in your next Mexican vacation, consider the upscale accommodations Los Cabos has to offer — some that are truly a bargain for a lot of luxury.

Downtown and delightful in San José

Tropicana Los Cabos feels a bit like stepping back into the halcyon days of Mexican vacations, where things were smaller, more intimate and definitely packed with luxury. Seventy rooms cluster around the most serene, blue-tiled pool, with a whirlpool at one end and water fountain at the other. Plenty of loungers are tucked among mature trees and flowering plants, along with a small bar and delightful sculptures by local artists.

Built in 1956, the inn is now a Hilton property, so rooms are perfectly outfitted with all the modern convenience including televisions and coffee makers, while touches of tradition remain, such as tiled floors and showers.

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Saturday, Nov. 22, 2025

Supplied

For a big splurge, The Cape, a boutique hotel tucked into the side of a rocky shoreline, includes an infinity pool with a swim-up bar, saltwater pool and Manta, one of Cabo’s 14 Michelin-starred restaurants.
Supplied For a big splurge, The Cape, a boutique hotel tucked into the side of a rocky shoreline, includes an infinity pool with a swim-up bar, saltwater pool and Manta, one of Cabo’s 14 Michelin-starred restaurants.

Banff sign, a selfie favourite for tourists, moved to safer location

The Canadian Press 2 minute read Preview

Banff sign, a selfie favourite for tourists, moved to safer location

The Canadian Press 2 minute read Thursday, Nov. 20, 2025

BANFF - A popular selfie spot for visitors to Banff National Park has been relocated to what town officials say is now in a safer place. 

The two-metre-high, $350,000 sign that simply reads “Banff” was installed in 2017 on Mount Norquay Avenue, one of two entrances into the Alberta mountain park’s idyllic townsite. 

But the narrow two-lane road, which runs from the Mount Norquay Ski Resort seven kilometres away, was fraught with traffic jams, even between the peak tourist seasons of winter and summer. 

In the summer, there are about 17,000 vehicles a day on the roadway, with many pedestrians crossing the road to get to the sign from a nearby parking lot. 

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Thursday, Nov. 20, 2025

Tourists pose for photos on the icon Banff sign in Banff, Alta., Thursday, Oct. 17, 2024. The town moved the sign to a new location Thursday, Nov. 20. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh
Tourists pose for photos on the icon Banff sign in Banff, Alta., Thursday, Oct. 17, 2024. The town moved the sign to a new location Thursday, Nov. 20. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh

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