Toronto to hold New Year's Eve fireworks show for first time since onset of COVID-19 pandemic
Toronto’s New Year’s Eve fireworks display is returning to the sky for the first time since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic but it is going to look a little different as the city works to limit crowds.
Mayor John Tory announced on Wednesday that there will be a “10-minute, high-altitude fireworks display” to ring in 2022.
But he says that the fireworks display will be launched from several locations along Toronto’s waterfront, so that residents won’t have to gather in one specific place.
The city is also forgoing the usual celebration at Nathan Phillips Square and will instead provide a live stream of a 90-minute New Year’s Eve special that will be recorded on the observation deck of the CN Tower.
“Our economic development staff have worked with Toronto Public Health to make sure that this can be done in a way that is safe but represents, as we've been trying to do in every area, something that is between last year's rather stark lonely experiences where people couldn't be with each other at all to something that goes partway to the return to normalcy,” Tory said.
Tory said that the fireworks display will be “viewable from Etobicoke to Scarborough,” essentially anywhere with a view of Lake Ontario.
He said it is his hope that the display helps usher a year in which the pandemic will finally come to an end and the city can “come back stronger than ever.”
Last year the city cancelled its fireworks display altogether and instead held a light show at the CN Tower that was live streamed.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'A beautiful soul': Funeral held for baby boy killed in wrong-way crash on Highway 401
A funeral was held on Wednesday for a three-month-old boy who died after being involved in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 in Whitby last week.
Police handcuff man trying to enter Drake's Toronto mansion
Toronto police say a man was taken into custody outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion Wednesday afternoon after he tried to gain access to the residence.
Biden says he will stop sending bombs and artillery shells to Israel if they launch major invasion of Rafah
U.S. President Joe Biden said for the first time Wednesday he would halt shipments of American weapons to Israel, which he acknowledged have been used to kill civilians in Gaza, if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu orders a major invasion of the city of Rafah.
U.S. presidential candidate RFK Jr. had a brain worm, has recovered, campaign says
Independent U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a parasite in his brain more than a decade ago, but has fully recovered, his campaign said, after the New York Times reported about the ailment.
What is whooping cough and should Canadians be concerned as Europe declares outbreak?
There is currently a whooping cough epidemic in Europe, with 10 times as many cases compared to the previous two years. While an outbreak has not been declared nationwide in Canada, whooping cough is regularly detected in the country.
Pfizer agrees to settle more than 10K lawsuits over Zantac cancer risk: Bloomberg News
Pfizer has agreed to settle more than 10,000 lawsuits about cancer risks related to the now discontinued heartburn drug Zantac, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the deal.
Quebec premier defends new museum on Quebecois nation after Indigenous criticism
Quebec Premier Francois Legault is defending his comments about a new history museum after he was accused by a prominent First Nations group of trying to erase their history.
B.C. theatre to pay $55K to neurodivergent actor in discrimination case
British Columbia's human rights tribunal has awarded a neurodigergent actor, who was diagnosed with sensory and learning disorders, more than $55,000 after finding that a Kelowna theatre company discriminated against him because of his disabilities.
Who's responsible for regulating cannabis stores operating under the sovereignty banner?
It's not quite clear who is supposed to be regulating so-called sovereign cannabis stores or even ensure they're benefiting Indigenous communities.