Toronto Life July 2025

DIGITAL EDITION FREE FOR PRINT SUBSCRIBERS Your Toronto Life subscription now includes free access to the Toronto Life and FASHION digital editions. In your digital newsstand store, search “toronto life” and “fashion magazine,” download/open the apps, and follow the prompts. SUBSCRIPTION EXPIRY To find out when your current subscription expires, check the mailing label. BILLING AND RENEWAL NOTICE Invoice and renewal notices are printed one week before they are mailed to you. With delivery time, it’s possible that your payment or renewal order will cross in the mail with our invoice or renewal notice. FRAGRANCE-FREE ISSUES Some issues of Toronto Life include perfume strips. If you prefer to receive your copy without perfume strips, write to us at the address listed below. MAIL PREFERENCE On occasion, subscriber names and addresses…

Geniuses Rush In Readers reacted to our May cover story on the influx of Americans escaping Trump 2.0 with a mix of huzzahs and harrumphs. A few even accused Toronto Life of suffering from “Trump derangement syndrome.” “I find myself both hopeful and sickened every time I read an article about Canada rescuing American academics. I’m hopeful because it means my homeland is supporting academic freedom. But it turns my stomach to think that, for many of us who earned PhDs in Canada, our homeland is turning its back on us again. Years of faculty hiring freezes and the current reluctance to hire anyone with tenure coupled with a long-standing preference for foreign hires left me and many I know with little choice but to leave Canada.” —Marc A. Ouellette…

ONE MORNING LAST JULY, Ian Elliott and Tyler Shane waited for a call they’d been hoping to receive for years. It was 10 days after their surrogate’s embryo transfer, and after three failed transfers and plenty of uncertainty, they were preparing themselves for another letdown. Then the phone rang. “We’ll never forget her voice,” recalls Ian. “The nurse from Anova told us the transfer had worked—and not only that, but the numbers also looked incredible. She said she had tears in her eyes for us. We felt the joy in her voice. That moment still gives us chills.” That call marked a turning point. After years of effort, the final stretch of their long and often isolating fertility journey had begun. Ian and Tyler had talked about growing their family…

Suddenly, a door opened and Ford, in a shark-grey suit, filled its frame. Grinning widely, he extended his hand and graciously welcomed me into his office, where we sat across an ornate wooden desk. For the next hour, he patiently and thoughtfully answered my questions. At times, he was defensive and mad as hell. But he also showed exceptional insight and compassion. He railed against his political opponents (Kathleen Wynne, Justin Trudeau, John Tory) in one breath and showered them with praise the next. He candidly addressed Rob’s substance abuse problems and spoke in such a tender, heartbreaking way about his little brother’s last moments that we both teared up. “His breathing was slowing, and I could see the heart monitor, and then it just kind of stopped,” he said.…

Whether it’s to add joy, drama or quiet elegance to your wardrobe, jewellery offers a timeless personal touch to every outfit. Some pieces are only for special occasions and others for everyday wear, but each one reflects the owner’s style and taste. Toronto-based jeweller Jared Brown understands this well—he’s been designing, curating and selling jewellery for almost 20 years as the owner of Jared Brown Designs. Brown began the business in 2007, but his attraction to jewellery stems from his grandmother, who was a jeweller in the United Kingdom. That family history became the foundation of his business, connecting people with pieces they will cherish forever. Luxurious handcrafted pieces, plus personal shopping Jared Brown Designs is known for its carefully handcrafted fine jewellery, with a focus on bespoke bridal and…

“I don’t need a megaphone courtside. I’m that loud”—LILLY SINGH, P. 24 IT’S A BUILDING THAT DEMANDS ATTENTION—from the Gardiner, from across the lake, from anywhere. Aqualuna at Bayside is Tridel’s newest condo complex and, until further notice, the architectural crown jewel of the central waterfront. Standing like a bronze mountain range over Queens Quay’s eastern edge, it’s like nothing Toronto has ever seen: undulating balconies that eschew cheap materials for copper railings, large terraces dotted with greenery and panoramic views from each of its 243 units. This is not a glass box that appears clumsily assembled from a kit. This is a skyline-defining project, one that dares Torontonians to rethink what’s possible when beauty is put front and centre.…