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The Subway That Took a Generation: Why the Eglinton Crosstown’s Delays Were Even Worse Than You Think

  Toronto has a long history of transit projects that drag on, but the Eglinton Crosstown LRT has become the city’s defining example of how complicated, political, and painfully slow building transit can be. Most people think of the project as something that started in the early 2010s and simply ran over schedule. The truth is far messier—and stretches back decades. A Project With Roots in the 1990s Long before shovels hit the ground in 2011, the idea of rapid transit along Eglinton was already alive. In the mid‑1990s, the TTC began digging tunnels for what was then called the Eglinton West Subway . Construction actually started—tunnels were being carved out under the street—until the project was abruptly cancelled in 1995. The partially built tunnels were filled in, and the corridor sat untouched for years. That early false start meant that by the time the Crosstown was revived as part of the Transit City plan in 2007, planners weren’t starting fresh. They were restarting a dr...

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Arrests Made in the Largest Gold Heist in Canada’s History

 


Canada police have made arrests and issued warrants for nine people in what is considered the largest gold theft in Canadian history. The audacious heist took place in April 2023 at Toronto Pearson Airport, where more than 6,500 gold bars, weighing roughly 400 kg (881 lb), were stolen from a cargo facility. Alongside the gold, the thieves made off with millions in cash, resulting in a total value of C$20 million.

The heist was executed by a well-organized group of criminals, reminiscent of a plot straight out of a Netflix series. The investigation, codenamed Project 24K, spanned a year and involved both US and Canadian law enforcement agencies. It remained largely secret until the recent announcement by the Canadian Peel Regional Police and the US Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms Bureau.

During the investigation, dozens of search warrants were executed, and numerous interviews conducted. So far, authorities have managed to recover C$90,000 worth of “pure gold”, which was fashioned into six “crudely made” bracelets. Additionally, they seized smelting pots, casts, and molds, along with C$430,000 in cash—part of the profits the suspects earned from selling the stolen gold.

The intrigue deepened when police revealed that they found 65 guns after arresting one of the suspects. These firearms were intended for import into Canada, emphasizing the connection between gold and the illicit arms trade. The heist itself occurred inside a cargo holding facility after the gold arrived on an Air Canada flight from Zurich, Switzerland. The thieves allegedly accessed the goods by presenting a fake airway bill, a document accompanying shipped items. They then used a five-tonne truck to make their getaway.

Months after the theft, Brink’s International, a US-based security company responsible for coordinating the shipment, sued Air Canada. Brink’s claimed that the airline had been reckless and failed to prevent the theft, making no effort to verify the identity of the person who made off with the cargo. According to the lawsuit, the goods were stolen just 42 minutes after being unloaded from the plane.

This daring gold heist has captivated the public’s imagination and raised questions about the intersection of wealth, crime, and international intrigue. As the investigation continues, authorities are determined to bring all those involved to justice.

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