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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

“We trimmed some of the fat”: Ahad Raza Mir on how his Brampton production streamlines Hamlet for a modern audience

“We trimmed some of the fat”: Ahad Raza Mir on how his Brampton production streamlines Hamlet for a modern audience

The Canadian Pakistani screen star dishes on being the first South Asian to play Hamlet in Canada and why he’s (sort of) fine with being called a nepo baby

“He taught kids to be bored”: The filmmaker behind the Mr. Dressup doc on the show's enduring appeal

“He taught kids to be bored”: The filmmaker behind the Mr. Dressup doc on the show’s enduring appeal

In Mr. Dressup: The Magic of Make-Believe, director Robert McCallum chronicles the life and work of beloved children’s TV personality Ernie Coombs

“I’m not about yelling. I don’t believe in that kind of leadership”: A Q&A with new Raptors coach Darko Rajakovic

“I’m not about yelling. I don’t believe in that kind of leadership”: A Q&A with new Raptors coach Darko Rajakovic

Rajakovic was hired to nurture the rookies and lay the groundwork for a championship team. It could take a while

Winners and Losers: The Greenbelt scandal

Winners and Losers: The Greenbelt scandal

The unravelling of the Greenbelt fiasco has led to a mounting list of celebrations, humiliations and resignations

“My nicknames used to be 'Globey' and 'Mapy'”: Icelandic TikTok is calling this geography whiz the smartest man in Canada

“My nicknames used to be ‘Globey’ and ‘Mapy’”: Icelandic TikTok is calling this geography whiz the smartest man in Canada

Aidan Simardone on going viral overseas for his encyclopedic knowledge of all things Iceland

"The VJs were like the cool kids in high school": This director mortgaged his house to make a doc about MuchMusic

“The VJs were like the cool kids in high school”: This director mortgaged his house to make a doc about MuchMusic

In 299 Queen Street West, filmmaker Sean Menard chronicles how the legendary TV channel defined a generation and changed music history

“Karen Kain is not a Real Housewife”: How the filmmakers of Swan Song captured the subtle drama of the National Ballet of Canada

“Karen Kain is not a Real Housewife”: How the filmmakers of Swan Song captured the subtle drama of the National Ballet of Canada

The documentary by Chelsea McMullan and Sean O'Neill follows Kain as she directs a production of Swan Lake—her final act with the company after a legendary 50-year career

"I wouldn't have my career if it weren't for TIFF": Atom Egoyan on his new opera-inspired film, Seven Veils

“I wouldn’t have my career if it weren’t for TIFF”: Atom Egoyan on his new opera-inspired film, Seven Veils

The director, whose latest film premiered last night at TIFF, spoke to us about his relationship to the opera, collaborating with Amanda Seyfried and the challenges of summoning erotic energy

“Nickelback has embraced their haters”: Meet the filmmakers documenting Canada’s most polarizing band

“Nickelback has embraced their haters”: Meet the filmmakers documenting Canada’s most polarizing band

Hate to Love: Nickelback, premiering at TIFF this week, goes behind the scenes to tell the real story of the country’s revered and reviled rockers

“It’s a time to discover new talent”: TIFF CEO Cameron Bailey on organizing the city’s glitziest festival in an era of Hollywood strikes

Don't panic: there will still be plenty of celeb sightings

“There’s going to be food in every episode”: Mary Berg on her new daytime talk show, The Good Stuff With Mary Berg

“There’s going to be food in every episode”: Mary Berg on her new daytime talk show, The Good Stuff With Mary Berg

The MasterChef Canada winner dishes on her dream interview with Taylor Swift, occupying Marilyn Denis’s old time slot and rumours that her hair is a wig

"Everyone loves bat flips now": A Q&A with Blue Jays legend José Bautista

“Everyone loves bat flips now”: A Q&A with Blue Jays legend José Bautista

The slugger dishes on being inducted into the Level of Excellence, coming to terms with being a villain and how Toronto would be the perfect city if it were closer to the equator

"I grew up in a small town playing the fiddle. Guys like me don't get to be rock stars": A Q&A with Great Big Sea's Bob Hallett, Toronto's newest theatre impresario

“I grew up in a small town playing the fiddle. Guys like me don’t get to be rock stars”: A Q&A with Great Big Sea’s Bob Hallett, Toronto’s newest theatre impresario

Hallett was already a Canadian rock icon. Now, he’s the proud owner of the Regent Theatre on Mount Pleasant. Here, he talks about his plans for the venue, his band’s hiatus and how he’s avoided the pitfalls of celebrity life

“Even in Canada, we’re taking a huge economic hit”: The president of ACTRA Toronto on the US actors strike

“Even in Canada, we’re taking a huge economic hit”: The president of ACTRA Toronto on the US actors strike

David Gale breaks down how the ongoing strike is affecting Canadian productions, why AI regulation is non-negotiable and which issues ACTRA will bring to the bargaining table next year

"Our ability to picnic freely has been constrained by draconian rules": This Toronto business owner is calling on the city to declare Picnic Day a new municipal holiday

“Our ability to picnic freely has been constrained by draconian rules”: This Toronto business owner is calling on the city to declare Picnic Day a new municipal holiday

It would commemorate when park-drinking became legal in Toronto

“When I got the part, I started bawling”: Laysla de Oliveira on starring in Special Ops: Lioness, Taylor Sheridan’s new spy drama

“When I got the part, I started bawling”: Laysla de Oliveira on starring in Special Ops: Lioness, Taylor Sheridan’s new spy drama

The Rosedale Heights alum talks about visiting the set of Yellowstone, playing it cool around her A-list cast mates and befriending Nicole Kidman

"In Mexico we offer an al pastor pizza": A Q&A with Pizza Pizza CEO Paul Goddard about global expansion and the new mosquito-repelling pies

“In Mexico we offer an al pastor pizza”: A Q&A with Pizza Pizza CEO Paul Goddard about global expansion and the new mosquito-repelling pies

The Canadian chain recently opened their first international location in Guadalajara

“Not everyone can pay millions for lakefront property”: This man’s floating home is at the centre of a cottage country feud

“Not everyone can pay millions for lakefront property”: This man’s floating home is at the centre of a cottage country feud

Joe Nimen believes his shipping-container houseboat is a masterpiece. His neighbours in Port Severn say it's an eyesore. Now, the Ontario government is threatening to ban vessels like his from overnight stays on provincial waters

“This idea that we’re living in divisive times is overstated”: A Q&A with Olivia Chow, the new mayor of Toronto

“This idea that we’re living in divisive times is overstated”: A Q&A with Olivia Chow, the new mayor of Toronto

Fresh off her decisive election win, Chow discusses Doug Ford’s best qualities, celebrating Jack Layton, and convincing the provincial and federal governments to pony up billions

"I had goosebumps when we won": Donald Trump accuser Natasha Stoynoff on her key testimony in the E. Jean Carroll suit

“I had goosebumps when we won”: Donald Trump accuser Natasha Stoynoff on her key testimony in the E. Jean Carroll suit

Journalist Natasha Stoynoff says she was sexually assaulted by Donald Trump in 2005. Last month, her account contributed to a historic verdict that found the former president liable for sexual assault and defamation

“The TTC’s sound system was the last thing on our minds”: This LGBTQ choir is behind the Pride Month subway chimes

“The TTC’s sound system was the last thing on our minds”: This LGBTQ choir is behind the Pride Month subway chimes

When riders heard the choral arrangement garbled through the TTC’s PA system, mass confusion ensued. Noah Witenoff, the vice president of Singing Out, on being at the centre of a transit scandal

"We're selling fifteen times more than normal": This North York bakery makes the province's best butter tarts

“We’re selling fifteen times more than normal”: This North York bakery makes the province’s best butter tarts

Circles and Squares bakery won big at this year’s Ontario's Best Butter Tart Festival. Owner David Baxter weighs in on the secret to their recipe, the fandom around the pastry and the great raisin debate

“Mark Saunders doesn’t actually care about bike lanes”: The Biking Lawyer on rising violence against cyclists

“Mark Saunders doesn’t actually care about bike lanes”: The Biking Lawyer on rising violence against cyclists

Dedicated two-wheeler David Shellnutt on why bike lanes are an election issue, what’s actually causing gridlock and whether cyclists are vying for total societal destruction

“If you’re not selling out the house at Stratford, you’re not doing your job”: Paul Gross on aging, Due South and starring as King Lear

“If you’re not selling out the house at Stratford, you’re not doing your job”: Paul Gross on aging, Due South and starring as King Lear

After more than two decades, Paul Gross is back at the Stratford Festival, this time playing theatre’s most conflicted retiree. He’s never been more ready

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