Subscribe

Proudly Canadian, obsessively Toronto. Subscribe to Toronto Life!

Culture

“Toronto is due for something the size and scope of SXSW”: Executive producer Kevin Barton on the ambitions of the new Departure Festival

“Toronto is due for something the size and scope of SXSW”: Executive producer Kevin Barton on the ambitions of the new Departure Festival

For six days, a reimagined Canadian Music Week will be taking over venues across the city and—if organizers get their way—the hearts, minds and wallets of Torontonians

What to see, do, read and hear in Toronto this May

What to see, do, read and hear in Toronto this May

Including an intimate one-woman show about scoliosis, a Latin pop star’s record-smashing tour and an illustrious ballet dancer’s fond farewell

“Death is a very entrepreneurial thing”: David Cronenberg on his new film, The Shrouds

“Death is a very entrepreneurial thing”: David Cronenberg on his new film, The Shrouds

The cult favourite horror director is back with a sexy new techno drama that doubles as a romantic tribute to his late wife. A conversation with the Baron of Blood

“I’m a Toronto man through and through”: Meet Hassan Phills, the Scarborough comedian sampled by Drake

“I’m a Toronto man through and through”: Meet Hassan Phills, the Scarborough comedian sampled by Drake

With a Crave TV spot and a transatlantic tour, Phills is taking his hometown humour global

"Success is random—all you can do is keep improving": Max Kerman of Arkells on his new memoir, Try Hard

“Success is random—all you can do is keep improving”: Max Kerman of Arkells on his new memoir, Try Hard

The indie rock frontman talks growing up downtown, the changing nature of the music business and the inspiration behind his first book

"Mark Carney loves a dramatic pause": Comedian Mark McKinney on poking fun at the prime minister

“Mark Carney loves a dramatic pause”: Comedian Mark McKinney on poking fun at the prime minister

The Kids in the Hall and SNL alum breaks down his 22 minutes impersonation of the PM—bungled French, hefty bank account and all

Inside the Latest Issue

The July issue of Toronto Life features a behind-the-curtain look at the insatiable political ambitions of Doug Ford. Plus, our obsessive coverage of everything that matters now in the city.

What to see, do, hear and read in Toronto this April

What to see, do, hear and read in Toronto this April

Including an all-Canadian coast-to-coast comedy show and a play about the dark side of foodie culture

Neighbourhood Crawl: What multimedia artist Sook-Yin Lee loves about Kensington Market

Neighbourhood Crawl: What multimedia artist Sook-Yin Lee loves about Kensington Market

Including vintage finds, quality leather, local butter and more

"I knew working in fashion could be unglamorous, but I was surprised by how much": Vogue writer Christian Allaire on his new memoir

“I knew working in fashion could be unglamorous, but I was surprised by how much”: Vogue writer Christian Allaire on his new memoir

In From the Rez to the Runway, Allaire recounts his tumultuous journey from Nipissing First Nation to the world of high fashion

What to see, do, hear and read in Toronto this March

What to see, do, hear and read in Toronto this March

A groundbreaking electronic group’s retrospective, a musical tour behind the lyrics of “American Pie,” lessons in political rage from a talking crow, and more

“It’s a love letter to Scarborough”: Fefe Dobson on coming home to star in the very Toronto film Morningside

The pop-punk queen talks making a movie with her close friends, revisiting her old haunts and why every Scarborough story is different

“There’s a good chance this will wreck my career”: Omar El Akkad on his new book about Palestine, Israel and Western hypocrisy

“There’s a good chance this will wreck my career”: Omar El Akkad on his new book about Palestine, Israel and Western hypocrisy

In One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This, the author and journalist presents a scathing account of news media and governments cheering on the genocide in Gaza

"Lorne Michaels wanted to stay in Canada": This biographer is pulling back the curtain on the king of comedy

“Lorne Michaels wanted to stay in Canada”: This biographer is pulling back the curtain on the king of comedy

In Lorne: The Man Who Invented Saturday Night Live, Susan Morrison chronicles the life of a visionary Torontonian who redefined what it means to be funny in America

"Fame made me feel like I wasn't a person anymore": Alessia Cara on her Valentine’s Day album, Love & Hyperbole

“Fame made me feel like I wasn’t a person anymore”: Alessia Cara on her Valentine’s Day album, Love & Hyperbole

The “Scars to Your Beautiful” singer discusses stepping back into the limelight, the evolution of her songwriting and her favourite spots in Toronto

"He's not coming at Kendrick": Everything to know about Drake’s “Not Like Us” lawsuit

“He’s not coming at Kendrick”: Everything to know about Drake’s “Not Like Us” lawsuit

You can’t call Champagne Papi a pedophile without things getting messy

What to see, do, hear and read in Toronto this February

What to see, do, hear and read in Toronto this February

Including an indie rock antidote to winter and a quirky play about the apocalypse

“People think opera is glamorous, but I've got news for them”: Soprano Kirsten LeBlanc on stepping into the lead role of La Reine-garçon

“People think opera is glamorous, but I’ve got news for them”: Soprano Kirsten LeBlanc on stepping into the lead role of La Reine-garçon

The singer talks elaborate costumes, warm-up rituals and falling in love with the history of Sweden’s gender-bending Queen Christine

“I’ve been preparing for this my whole life”: Kim’s Convenience creator Ins Choi on the show’s new theatrical production

“I’ve been preparing for this my whole life”: Kim’s Convenience creator Ins Choi on the show’s new theatrical production

Choi talks about stepping into the role of Appa, the importance of Asian representation and how corner stores foster a sense of community

"Our relationship frustrations get a healthy workout onstage": Paul Gross and Martha Burns on their new production of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

“Our relationship frustrations get a healthy workout onstage”: Paul Gross and Martha Burns on their new production of Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

Real-life husband and wife Paul Gross and Martha Burns play a volatile married couple in Canadian Stage’s new production of the 1962 classic

What to see, do, hear and read in Toronto this January

What to see, do, hear and read in Toronto this January

Including a drama about the hazards of marriage and a memoir from a powerhouse indie icon

"Sean Baker messaged me out of the blue": Andrea Werhun on her role as a sex work consultant on Anora

“Sean Baker messaged me out of the blue”: Andrea Werhun on her role as a sex work consultant on Anora

The writer, performer and sex worker advocate talks working with Sean Baker and Mikey Madison, the truest moments in the film and how the city can make things safer for sex workers

What to see, do, hear and read in Toronto this December

What to see, do, hear and read in Toronto this December

Including a holiday-themed circus performance, a Céline Dion–inspired musical comedy and a multimedia tribute to hip hop culture

“There’s untapped beauty in our beleaguered democratic institutions”: Chris Abraham of Crow’s Theatre on turning the Sidewalk Labs fiasco into a hit play

“There’s untapped beauty in our beleaguered democratic institutions”: Chris Abraham of Crow’s Theatre on turning the Sidewalk Labs fiasco into a hit play

The artistic director discusses adapting Josh O’Kane’s 2022 book on Google’s failed attempt to build a smart city on the waterfront, why audiences love Toronto stories and reasons to be optimistic about the future of theatre

“It’s cool to be ending the band on our own terms”: Tokyo Police Club on their farewell tour

“It’s cool to be ending the band on our own terms”: Tokyo Police Club on their farewell tour

Singer and bassist Dave Monks and keyboardist Graham Wright talk growing up in the burbs, bittersweet endings and Toronto’s music scene

Deep Dives

Sex worker and Anora consultant Andrea Werhun’s journey from strip clubs to Hollywood

Sex worker and Anora consultant Andrea Werhun’s journey from strip clubs to Hollywood

Andrea Werhun’s dream was to be a writer, but there was a lot more money in sex work. She told herself she’d quit soon, then spent years working as a stripper. In 2022, Sean Baker hired her as a consultant on his Oscar-sweeping film. Now she’s stepping into her own spotlight

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

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?

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

Quality Trash: Meet director Ron Oliver, Hallmark’s king of schmaltz

Quality Trash: Meet director Ron Oliver, Hallmark’s king of schmaltz

Over two decades and dozens of made-for-TV Christmas films, Oliver has become the Hallmark Channel’s most prolific, flamboyant and unapologetically sappy director

Aural History: Backstage stories from the legendary Budweiser Stage

Aural History: Backstage stories from the legendary Budweiser Stage

Since its first show (Bryan Adams, May 1995, sell-out crowd), Budweiser Stage has been synonymous with summer and stars both celestial and musical. As the venue kicks off its 30th season, we asked performers and staff for their best, wildest, most indelible memories of the amphitheatre by the lake

How Carley Fortune is reinventing the romance novel

How Carley Fortune is reinventing the romance novel

In just two years, she’s published two runaway bestsellers, sold film rights to Prince Harry and Meghan, finished a third book—which hits shelves this month—and is well into her fourth. Here, she talks anti-romance snobbery, what makes a good sex scene and how sudden fame has changed her life

The wildest stories from the legendary 888 Dupont art squat

The wildest stories from the legendary 888 Dupont art squat

The rent was dirt cheap, the rules were nonexistent and the parties were legendary. Now, with demolition underway, former tenants share their favourite memories of the city’s most storied artists’ space

The fabulous, terrifying, chaotic life of Josh Richards, TikTok's reigning influencer

The fabulous, terrifying, chaotic life of Josh Richards, TikTok’s reigning influencer

TikTok turned Josh Richards from an ordinary small-town teen into a multimillionaire, CEO and venture capitalist. How to make a fortune via bedroom eyes, 10-second lip syncs and a signature ’do

"We lived in a shelter downtown, and Honest Ed’s was the only store I knew": Shania Twain on her years dreaming big in Toronto

“We lived in a shelter downtown, and Honest Ed’s was the only store I knew”: Shania Twain on her years dreaming big in Toronto

Before she became a global phenomenon, Shania Twain was flipping burgers, hawking jeans and fronting cover bands in Toronto. Today, the queen of country pop is touring the world with a new album, but she’s still nostalgic about the city that made her

What to Do

The Best of the Fests: What to see, do and hear in Toronto this festival season

The Best of the Fests: What to see, do and hear in Toronto this festival season

This July, the streets are brimming with music, art, theatre and other forms of summer revelry. Here, a roundup of the best bets of the month