The chef behind a swath of popular Toronto restaurants is setting his sights on a small Ontario town for his next act.

For more than a decade, the name Grant van Gameren has been synonymous with the Toronto restaurant industry.

One of the driving forces behind celebrated Toronto restaurants Bar Raval, Martine's Wine Bar, El Rey Mezcal Bar and Harry's Charbroiled, to say van Gameren has a Midas touch when it comes to Toronto restaurants would scarcely be an overstatement.

Now, though, van Gameren is setting his sights beyond city limits. His next venture, an Italian-inspired steakhouse called Rosetta, will take root in Picton, Prince Edward County.

According to an Instagram post shared by van Gameren in late December 2025, the restaurant will skew towards "delicious approachable food, an exciting cocktail program, good music, good lighting, cool design, hospitality first service, perhaps some lunches in the summer but definitely some good energy all year long."

It's an approach that van Gameren is well-acquainted with — just look at Bar Raval's stunning interior design or Martine's approachable farm-to-table menu for evidence — but one that indesputably works.

Picton, despite being a town that sees a particular boom in the summer months, is already home to an impressive culinary scene year-round, so Rosetta is bound to be in good company once it opens.

And van Gameren isn't embarking on this mission alone.

To bring Rosetta to life, van Gameren is partnering with frequent collaborator Luke Haines (Martine's Wine Bar, Bar Raval) and Toronto expat-turned-P.E.C. local Jesse Fader (Hank's Lonesome).

It's an impressive team poised to deliver equally satisfying results in an area that thrives in the months just ahead of us. In short, it's a recipe for success if I've ever seen one.

Rosetta will be located at 279 Picton Main St. The exact opening date is still up in the air, but according to van Gameren's most recent Instagram post, the restaurant should be opening its doors by early April.

Save this for your summer travels!

There may still be snow on the ground, but it's never too early to start dreaming of beach days.

You don't need to travel far to enjoy silky shores and sparkling waves this summer. Ontario's "beach capital" offers sandy stretches, charming waterfront communities and shimmering blue water, making it an idyllic spot for a day trip or weekend escape.

Just a road trip from Toronto, this picture-perfect spot features beautiful shorelines to explore, sunshine-filled activities and plenty of ways to soak up the season.

Whether you're in the mood to relax by the water, wander through a quaint town or enjoy some summer adventures, there's no shortage of things to do.

Set along the picturesque edge of Lake Erie, Niagara's South Coast is a hidden summer gem.

Known for its rich history, charming small towns, creative arts community and beautiful waterfront views, it's a magical spot to explore.

According to the website, it's Ontario's "unofficial beach capital," with a shoreline dotted with gorgeous sandy beaches where you can take a dip and soak up some sun.

One must-visit spot is Bay Beach, also known as Crystal Beach. Tucked away in Fort Erie, this stunning stretch of shoreline looks almost tropical, with soft white sand and warm waters for a refreshing swim.

Another highlight is Nickel Beach in Port Colborne, where a wide expanse of powdery sand meets sparkling waters.

There are lots of other beaches to check out around the region, including Waverly Beach, Centennial-Cedar Bay Beach, Long Beach and Reebs Bay Beach.

Just keep in mind that some, like Bay Beach, require a day pass, so it's worth planning before you go.

Beyond the sand, Niagara's South Coast offers lots of attractions. You'll find outdoor activities, quaint towns and more in the region.

You can stroll or cycle along routes like the Friendship Trail or the Welland Canals Parkway Trail, or visit Safari Niagara, which is home to over 1000 animals.

You'll want to save some time to explore the area's charming lakeside communities, like Port Colborne and Crystal Beach. These small towns are filled with local shops, cozy restaurants and plenty of hidden gems to check out between beach stops.

If you're into history, you can head to landmarks like Old Fort Erie and the Port Colborne Historical and Marine Museum, which offer a glimpse into the region's past.

With its coastal vibes and soft sand shores, Ontario's "beach capital" is worth a summer escape.

Before you get going, check out our Responsible Travel Guide so you can be informed, be safe, be smart, and most of all, be respectful on your adventure.

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If you're wondering what else to do on a trip to Niagara Falls besides seeing the waterfalls, there are a couple of options in the Niagara Region of Southern Ontario. Though the region is best known for Niagara Falls, the peninsula also sits on the shores of both Lake Ontario and Lake Erie. Travelers can escape the summer heat at Niagara's South Coast region, often called Ontario's unofficial "beach capital." As the name suggests, the region is on the southern end of the Niagara Peninsula near Lake Erie, Buffalo on the U.S. border, Niagara Falls, and St. Catharines. The South Coast's shores hug Lake Erie, the smallest of the Great Lakes in volume. Though considered the smallest, the lake more than makes up for this by having the longest beach season, according to Ontario Southwest.

Not only has the region been nicknamed the unofficial beach capital, but Visit Niagara has also dubbed this scenic area Niagara's waterfront playground. If you're planning a summer getaway, you'll find beaches dotted along the South Coast. The area covers four destinations: Fort Erie, Port Colborne, Pelham, and Wainfleet. Pelham is located inland, but the other three sit on the shores of Lake Erie. The region's proximity to other top destinations also means it's easy to fit it into your itinerary, and it's around two hours from Toronto.

Discover the beaches of Niagara's South Coast

You'll have several beach options once you're in the South Coast. Fort Erie offers Bay Beach, located in the community of Crystal Beach. This sandy beach is a popular spot for visitors to Fort Erie, with its clear waters, playground, pavilion, and ramp to the beach. There's also Waverly Beach Park. Although this spot is not known for swimming, several scenic waterfront trails run along the shoreline. Trails like the Fort Erie Friendship Recreation Trail, part of the longer Greater Niagara Circle Route, and the Great Lakes Waterfront Trail pass through Waverly Beach, offering views over Lake Erie.

In Port Colborne, Nickel Beach is the go-to spot. With a sandy beach and clear waters, Port Colborne's website says it's great for windsurfing, swimming, and sunbathing. It is also home to a seasonal inflatable water park, Splashtown Niagara. Centennial-Cedar Bay Beach is another option at the 46-acre Centennial Park, located 6 miles outside the center of Port Colborne. Park and beach amenities include two outdoor picnic pavilions, tennis, and volleyball courts.

Further along the shore, you'll find Wainfleet, home to Long Beach Conservation Area. The conservation area includes a sandy beach for swimming and over 200 campsites for overnight stays. It's also popular for fishing, hiking, birdwatching, and wind sports. Wainfleet has two public beaches along Lake Erie, Reebs Bay and Regional Beach, also known as Wainfleet Lake Erie Public Access Beach.

Plan your visit to the South Coast

Though the beaches of the other three communities may draw more of the summer crowd, inland Pelham is still worth a stop while you're in the South Coast. According to Niagara South Coast, the town is one of the oldest communities in Niagara and offers a variety of historical and outdoor attractions. If you're still eager for more beach adventures, St. Catharines, Canada's "Garden City," also has a beach on the shores of Lake Ontario with great views for sunset. Or if you're looking to explore more of the Niagara region, Niagara-on-the-Lake, a less crowded gem outside Niagara Falls, is less than an hour from Pelham.

The South Coast is also pretty accessible, being only about two hours from Toronto. A road trip from Toronto to Niagara Falls is a popular choice, and Destination Ontario even has a road trip itinerary for exploring Toronto and Niagara in the autumn. Once you're at the famed Niagara Falls, it's only about a 20-minute drive to Fort Erie or a 30-minute drive to Pelham. While in the peninsula, it's also possible to get around via the Niagara Transit bus routes, with links to Fort Erie and Port Colborne.

TORONTO — An Ontario court has taken an "unprecedented" step, deciding Hudson’s Bay landlords should be reimbursed for $2.4 million in costs they incurred while fighting the defunct retailer’s failed push to sell leases to B.C.

TORONTO —

An Ontario court has taken an "unprecedented" step, deciding Hudson’s Bay landlords should be reimbursed for $2.4 million in costs they incurred while fighting the defunct retailer’s failed push to sell leases to B.C. billionaire Ruby Liu.

The court, however, has paused the transfer of that cash until HBC sorts out all its creditors. It warns the funds, which make up about 60 per cent of what landlords spent on the dispute, may never change hands because other creditors owed money may take priority over the real estate companies.

Judge Jessica Kimmel said in a recent decision that she ruled in favour of the landlords not to punish HBC and its lenders for trying to sell leases to Ruby Liu, but to indemnify the real estate companies from the department store’s failed attempt to recoup cash by using the legal tools available to it.

“Awarding costs encourages parties in future cases to be thoughtful about litigation strategies, to embrace and fully explore alternatives to litigation, and to make concerted efforts to resolve disputes consensually via settlement,” Kimmel wrote in her March 10 decision.

Courts rarely award costs in creditor protection cases, but Kimmel said, "this was an unprecedented situation, and I consider an unprecedented costs award to be warranted."

The battle over whether landlords should be able to recoup costs from HBC's failed attempt to transfer leases to Liu began last year after a court blocked the sale, agreeing Liu's business plan was insufficient for the properties she wanted to take over.

Landlords Cadillac Fairview, Oxford Properties, Ivanhoé Cambridge, Primaris Management, QuadReal Property, Morguard Investments and KingSett Capital had spent months fighting HBC's attempt to sell Liu 25 leases for former HBC and Saks stores for $69.1 million.

Liu wanted to open a department store with entertainment and dining space in the 25 properties and three other former HBC and Saks sites she bought the leases for, which are located in malls she owns. (It is unclear whether she still plans on building the department store brand she once envisioned.)

HBC wanted the 25-lease deal to be approved because it would have helped the 355-year-old company, which became insolvent and closed all of its stores last year, to pay its creditors.

When court refused to greenlight the deal, HBC landlords pursued the retailer for the costs they incurred while preparing thousands of pages of court records and participating in hearings.

They said they should be entitled to recoup those costs because they tried to save all the parties cash by proposing a settlement over the summer.

That settlement would have seen the landlords accept their leases back in September and agree to cover the cost of removing items from the stores such as fixtures, furniture and signage.

The landlords say HBC refused the offer and instead demanded a $29 million payment, so the settlement never came to fruition and the Liu deal went before Judge Peter Osborne.

Osborne was promoted to an appeals court in December, a few months after blocking the sale to Liu. Kimmel has since taken his place on the HBC case.

Before the changeover, HBC argued the landlords shouldn't see their expenses covered but if a court decided otherwise, it said any funds the property owners were awarded should be nominal.

HBC reasoned that awarding the landlords money would make other insolvent companies hesitant to pursue remedies like the retailer did with the Liu deal.

It also pointed out that while HBC properties sat empty as the retailer pursued court permission for the Liu deal, landlords made almost $15 million in rent they would not otherwise have received.

While Kimmel ultimately decided the landlords should get the money they were asking for, she didn't determine whether paying it out should be prioritized over claims from HBC's other top lenders, who fought the property owners' request for costs and will be trying to get their hands on what scarce money HBC has left.

"All of that will be an issue for another day," she said in her decision.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 16, 2026.

Tara Deschamps, The Canadian Press

TORONTO — The Ontario government confirms it is cutting provincial funding for seven supervised drug consumption sites, days after harm reduction advocates said they were notified of the decision.

TORONTO — The Ontario government confirms it is cutting provincial funding for seven supervised drug consumption sites, days after harm reduction advocates said they were notified of the decision.

The province says it will initiate a 90-day wind-down period to give those using the sites time to transition to the government's abstinence-based model — homelessness and addiction recovery treatment, or HART, hubs.

It says the move affects two sites in Toronto, two in Ottawa and one each in Niagara, Peterborough and London.

Health Minister Sylvia Jones says in a statement that the government is "focused on treatment, recovery and safer communities."

Advocacy groups said they learned of the decision late Friday, but the Ministry of Health did not respond to a request for comment at the time.

A letter from the ministry to the Fred Victor Centre, one of the two Toronto sites, said its provincial funding for consumption and treatment services would end as of June 13.

The centre is "deeply disappointed" by the government's decision to end funding for remaining supervised consumption sites, its CEO said Friday.

Keith Hambly said in a statement that the services the sites provide "save lives and connect vulnerable people to essential health and social services."

Janet Butler-McPhee, co-executive director of the HIV Legal Network, called the province's decision to pull funding a "cowardly move" that will put lives at risk.

Two years ago, the government banned supervised consumption sites within 200 metres of a school or daycare, targeting 10 sites across the province for closure by the end of March 2025.

Most of those sites chose to convert to HART hubs.

The province also banned new sites from opening.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 16, 2026.

The Canadian Press