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Courtney Shea

Courtney Shea is a freelance journalist in Toronto. She started her career as an intern at Toronto Life and continues to contribute frequently to the publication, including her 2022 National Magazine Award–winning feature, “The Death Cheaters,” her regular Q&As and her recent investigation into whether Taylor Swift hung out at a Toronto dive bar (she did not). Courtney was a producer and writer on the 2022 documentary The Talented Mr. Rosenberg, based on her 2014 Toronto Life magazine feature “The Yorkville Swindler.”

Latest from Courtney Shea

"I own more than 2,000 books on Toronto": A Q&A with condo king Peter Freed

“I own more than 2,000 books on Toronto”: A Q&A with condo king Peter Freed

The CEO of Freed Developments just announced an $800-million luxury tower downtown. He’s either brave or bonkers

Law & Order Toronto recap: Crack pipes, politicians and plenty of shady dealings

Law & Order Toronto recap: Crack pipes, politicians and plenty of shady dealings

A very Toronto breakdown of episode four, “Crack Reporter”

Law & Order Toronto recap: Paint brushes and poisonings

Law & Order Toronto recap: Paint brushes and poisonings

A very Toronto breakdown of episode three, “The Real Eve”

Law & Order Toronto recap: Condo shootings and cold cases

Law & Order Toronto recap: Condo shootings and cold cases

A very Toronto breakdown of episode two, “Good Neighbours”

"Iconic teams almost always grow in value": OMERS CEO Blake Hutcheson on investing in the Leafs

“Iconic teams almost always grow in value”: OMERS CEO Blake Hutcheson on investing in the Leafs

The pension plan leader is betting that his fund's investment in MLSE will be a win for his members—even if the teams lose

Law & Order Toronto recap: Crypto kings and con artists

Law & Order Toronto recap: Crypto kings and con artists

A very Toronto breakdown of episode one, "The Keys to the Castle"

"This doesn't only affect Taylor Swift": An AI and legal expert on the fight against deepfake pornography

“This doesn’t only affect Taylor Swift”: An AI and legal expert on the fight against deepfake pornography

Julie MacDonell breaks down the Toronto connection to the Swift deepfake saga, how the superstar could sue the images’ creators, and why new technologies are putting women and girls at risk

"We won't see this again until 2074": Meet the head of Ontario's Eclipse Task Force

“We won’t see this again until 2074”: Meet the head of Ontario’s Eclipse Task Force

Astrophysicist Ilana MacDonald breaks down what to expect during the once-in-a-lifetime solar eclipse on April 8 and why the TDSB was wrong to cancel classes

"It's the world's most expensive business card": Meet the man behind the first all-Canadian zero-emissions car

“It’s the world’s most expensive business card”: Meet the man behind the first all-Canadian zero-emissions car

Flavio Volpe built a $20-million concept car to show off Canadian auto parts. Now if only he could get someone to finance production

"I set out to write a show that feels Canadian and makes me happy": A Q&A with comedian D. J. Demers

“I set out to write a show that feels Canadian and makes me happy”: A Q&A with comedian D. J. Demers

In his new CBC show, One More Time, D. J. Demers stars as the manager of a sporting goods store. We spoke to him about representing disability on screen, his Tonight Show appearance and bombing onstage

“I keep my gold medal in my sock drawer”: A Q&A with hockey phenom Sarah Nurse

Nurse has won big at the Olympics, inspired her own Barbie doll and earned a fan in Drake. Now, she faces her biggest test: bringing glory to the Professional Women’s Hockey League

"Plenty of people don't love the Fords": This woman from Etobicoke is fighting to rename Rob Ford Stadium

“Plenty of people don’t love the Fords”: This woman from Etobicoke is fighting to rename Rob Ford Stadium

Nicole Rajakovic’s petition pushes back against the city’s recent decision to do away with the name Centennial Park Stadium in honour of the late former mayor

“It’s a bad decision justified by another bad decision”: This group is leading the fight against the Ontario Place mega-spa

Norm Di Pasquale, co-chair of Ontario Place for All, weighs in on the city’s new deal with the province and explains why the battle against Therme and the Ford government is far from over

Winners and Losers: Toronto's new deal

Winners and Losers: Toronto’s new deal

Olivia Chow and Doug Ford’s new collab—which will throw billions of provincial dollars at Toronto’s financial woes—has been cause for both celebration and despair

“To be honest, I didn’t know who Drake was”: The conductor of the TSO on their recent collab with Toronto’s biggest hype man

“To be honest, I didn’t know who Drake was”: The conductor of the TSO on their recent collab with Toronto’s biggest hype man

Gustavo Gimeno dishes on how the top-secret project came together, playing himself on camera and whether Drake can hold a candle to Verdi

"There was a period when we were doing cocaine just to keep the energy up": A Q&A with Geddy Lee of Rush

“There was a period when we were doing cocaine just to keep the energy up”: A Q&A with Geddy Lee of Rush

Lee’s new memoir is about love, drugs, death and, of course, music. How the septuagenarian prog-rock icon found another way to use that voice

“The episodes are based on real crime headlines": Meet the showrunner behind the new Law & Order Toronto

“The episodes are based on real crime headlines”: Meet the showrunner behind the new Law & Order Toronto

Tassie Cameron dishes on potential plot points, shooting in city hall after hours and whether Drake will make a cameo appearance

“Performing ‘You Oughta Know’ is like making friends with a wild animal”: A Q&A with the breakout star of Jagged Little Pill

“Performing ‘You Oughta Know’ is like making friends with a wild animal”: A Q&A with the breakout star of Jagged Little Pill

Toronto performer Jade McLeod on getting advice from Alanis Morissette, receiving mid-show standing ovations and trans visibility on Broadway

"Swifties have been buying up everything": Meet the Toronto designer who sourced Taylor Swift's vintage Chiefs sweatshirt

“Swifties have been buying up everything”: Meet the Toronto designer who sourced Taylor Swift’s vintage Chiefs sweatshirt

Ellie Mae Waters talks about dressing the biggest celebrity in the world and fan theories that the now-famous sweater carried a secret message

“Upper Canada College was a bit like Lord of the Flies ”: A Q&A with Brendan Fraser

“Upper Canada College was a bit like Lord of the Flies”: A Q&A with Brendan Fraser

The screen star dishes on his career renaissance, growing up in 1980s Toronto and what his latest project has in common with his boarding school days at UCC

"This spa is not a place for millionaires": Therme Group CEO Robert Hanea on his controversial plans for Ontario Place

“This spa is not a place for millionaires”: Therme Group CEO Robert Hanea on his controversial plans for Ontario Place

The man behind the proposed spa at Ontario Place explains what his company actually does, how much tickets will cost and why he believes most of the public backlash is due to misinformation

"Our previous zoning laws excluded people based on race and income. Multiplexes will help fix that": A Q&A with chief planner Gregg Lintern

“Our previous zoning laws excluded people based on race and income. Multiplexes will help fix that”: A Q&A with chief planner Gregg Lintern

Here, the city hall veteran explains what NIMBYs really mean when they talk about the "character" of a neighbourhood, where he expects multiplexes to pop up and the potential death of the white picket fence

"My cheeks get hot talking about perimenopause, but I love it": Samantha Bee on her new sex ed–inspired comedy show

“My cheeks get hot talking about perimenopause, but I love it”: Samantha Bee on her new sex ed–inspired comedy show

After her show, Full Frontal with Samantha Bee, ended last year, the comedian thought hard about what she wanted to do next. The answer: teaching women about their bodies

"Who is this city for?": Meet the performance artist calling out bad drivers and condo developers

“Who is this city for?": Meet the performance artist calling out bad drivers and condo developers

Last summer, Martin Ries caused a stir posing as a “crosswalk referee” and handing out yellow and red cards to aggressive drivers. Now, he’s painting human silhouettes on abandoned homes slated for demolition

Private School Guide

The Private and Independent School Directory Spring 2025

The Private and Independent School Directory Spring 2025

Big Stories

Dancing Queens: Patrons, staff and performers share their wildest memories of Crews and Tangos, Toronto’s most storied drag bar

Dancing Queens: Patrons, staff and performers share their wildest memories of Crews and Tangos, Toronto’s most storied drag bar

Crews and Tangos has been enforcing the rules of the Village for more than 30 years: wear what you want, kiss who you want, but don’t forget to tip the drag queens. With a condo development looming, we asked around for tales from the iconic spot

The Joy of Sex with Strangers: A Toronto hotwife’s adventures in ethical non-monogamy

The Joy of Sex with Strangers: A Toronto hotwife’s adventures in ethical non-monogamy

Three months ago, I was a suburban mom in a monogamous relationship. Now I’m sleeping with people I meet online—with my husband’s blessing—and we’ve never been happier. Don’t judge us until you’ve read our story

The Scandal, the Firing and the Fallout: Anatomy of a Bay Street fiasco at RBC

The Scandal, the Firing and the Fallout: Anatomy of a Bay Street fiasco at RBC

Nadine Ahn was a high-ranking executive at the bank. Ken Mason, her subordinate, was rapidly promoted. Then someone claimed to see them canoodling at the Royal York, tipped off HR and triggered an inquisition

Edward the Conqueror: The unlikely ascent of Canada’s telecom king

Edward the Conqueror: The unlikely ascent of Canada’s telecom king

Edward Rogers was dismissed as a meddling nepo baby—until he muscled out his siblings, acquired his competitors, cornered the telecom market and became the dominant force in Canadian sports

Lady Parts: Inside Meredith MacNeill and Jennifer Whalen’s new show, Small Achievable Goals

Lady Parts: Inside Meredith MacNeill and Jennifer Whalen’s new show, Small Achievable Goals

The Baroness von Sketch Show alumnae have elevated joking about women’s issues to an art. Their new show takes aim at menopause. How funny is that?

Murder in the Blue Mountains: The story behind the killing of Ashley Schwalm

Murder in the Blue Mountains: The story behind the killing of Ashley Schwalm

Ashley and James Schwalm had what seemed like a fairy tale life—two wonderful children, fulfilling careers and a gorgeous home close to the private ski club where they’d fallen in love. Then Ashley’s remains turned up in a burned-out car at the bottom of a ditch, and all signs pointed to her husband

Dark Horse: Inside the fall of Eric Lamaze, Canada’s most famous equestrian

Dark Horse: Inside the fall of Eric Lamaze, Canada’s most famous equestrian

For years, Lamaze was the world’s top-ranked show jumper, living an enviable life filled with fancy cars, international travel and adoring fans—the kind of life a person might do anything to protect

Dividing Line: How the Bloor Street bike lane turned the city into a battlefield

Dividing Line: How the Bloor Street bike lane turned the city into a battlefield

A few kilometres along Bloor has become Toronto’s most contested strip of concrete, igniting fights over congestion, safety and the future of downtown

The Chosen One: At just 23, Scottie Barnes is the new face of the Raptors—and the team’s best chance of salvation

The Chosen One: At just 23, Scottie Barnes is the new face of the Raptors—and the team’s best chance of salvation

Barnes is shouldering the weight of an impatient, basketball-mad city, a hit-and-miss team, and his own colossal ambitions. Does he look worried?

Almost Famous: Inside the Beaches’ rise to rock stardom

Almost Famous: Inside the Beaches’ rise to rock stardom

A viral earworm about a breakup turned the Beaches into Toronto’s hottest export. Now, the panty-throwing, stage-diving, all-girl rock band is seducing fans around the world

"I was nearly beaten to death by my partner. The case was dismissed because it took too long to get to trial"

“I was nearly beaten to death by my partner. The case was dismissed because it took too long to get to trial”

How an overburdened justice system is failing survivors of intimate partner violence

Brave New Year: The ultimate try-anything-once bucket list for 2025

Brave New Year: The ultimate try-anything-once bucket list for 2025

For inspiration on wonderful, wild and even some slightly reckless experiences to enjoy in the year ahead

The stars of the PWHL’s Toronto Sceptres on finally having a league of their own

The stars of the PWHL’s Toronto Sceptres on finally having a league of their own

After kicking off a new chapter for hockey with the PWHL, Natalie Spooner, Sarah Nurse and Blayre Turnbull are blazing a trail for women in sports

The 50 Most Influential Torontonians of 2024

The 50 Most Influential Torontonians of 2024

Our annual ranking of the people whose courage, smarts and clout are changing the world as we know it

Buy Canadian

Sort-of Secret: Amelia’s Market, a Geary Avenue grocer selling local goods and light lunches

Sort-of Secret: Amelia’s Market, a Geary Avenue grocer selling local goods and light lunches

Like lovely cheese plates paired with glasses of Ontario-made wine

“There’s more attention now on shopping close to home”: How Broadfork Produce is connecting Toronto’s top chefs with Ontario farmers

“There’s more attention now on shopping close to home”: How Broadfork Produce is connecting Toronto’s top chefs with Ontario farmers

And the west-end supplier is opening to the public soon

The US tariffs are coming for your espresso martini

The US tariffs are coming for your espresso martini

With Kahlúa no longer available at the LCBO, Toronto bartenders are getting creative

These Ontario-made booze collaborations are coming to a restaurant near you

These Ontario-made booze collaborations are coming to a restaurant near you

Toronto bars and restaurants are partnering with their favourite distillers, winemakers and brewers to produce custom-made drinks. Here, nine crushable new concoctions