This $20 train from Toronto takes you to a riverside town with little cafes and quaint shops
It's a charming spot for a weekend escape.
You don't need a car to travel to a charming small town. This cute Ontario village is just a train ride away from Toronto, and it has "fall outing" written all over it.
With riverside views, a historic main street, quaint shops and little cafes, it's the perfect place to put on your coziest sweater, grab a pumpkin spice latte, and breathe in the crisp fall air.
Port Hope is a dreamy small town on the shores of Lake Ontario, just an hour from Toronto.
According to Northumberland Tourism, it's "one of Ontario’s cutest small towns" and is home to the "best-preserved heritage main street" in the province.
It's only about an hour's train ride away from Toronto with VIA Rail. It's ideal for a weekend escape or longer, with trains departing Toronto in the evenings and returning in the afternoon or evening.
The train station is just steps from downtown, so you don't have to go far to find stores, restaurants, and more.
You can stroll through the storybook downtown, popping into bookshops, sipping on seasonal lattes, and biting into baked goods.
Some local eateries worth checking out include The Pulse Cafe & Eatery, The Main, Cafe Lviv, Milly's Market, and Happenstance Bakery & Coffee Roastery.
If you want a super cute cafe experience, make a stop at Toe Beans Cat Cafe, where you can visit with adorable cats while enjoying a drink.
The Ganaraska Hiking Trail is a dreamy spot for a late-autumn stroll. The scenic trail winds along the Ganaraska River, boasting picturesque views and peaceful scenery.
If you're in the mood for something spooky this Halloween season, Port Hope is the place to be.
Despite its charm, it has served as the backdrop for several horror films and a mystery series, making Halloween the ideal time to explore this destination.
One of the most famous horror films shot in Port Hope is IT, which saw the town transform into Derry, Maine, the fictional home of the terrifying, shape-shifting clown.
If you're brave enough, you can follow the IT Walking Tour to explore filming locations from both IT and IT: Chapter Two.
The self-guided tour includes stops at Memorial Park, where the giant Paul Bunyan statue appeared, and a laneway off Walton Street beside the Quality Meats shop featured in the films.
Other horror and mystery productions filmed in Port Hope include Orphan, Murdoch Mysteries and Our House.
Port Hope has no shortage of fall activities, from a Pumpkin Parade to trick-or-treating and more. You can check out the website for a full list of things to do.
If you're planning a longer visit, there are several boutique hotels and B&Bs where you can stay, such as the Hotel Carlyle & Restaurant and the Plantation House Bed & Breakfast.
With its charming shops and historic main street, Port Hope is a beautiful small-town escape near the city.
Suburban Montreal mayor pleads guilty, faces $30,000 fine after anti-Palestine posts
The mayor of a Montreal suburb pleaded guilty to a professional ethics breach and faces a $30,000 fine over comments he made about Palestine.
Hampstead Mayor Jeremy Levi entered his plea on Thursday after a complaint to the Quebec order of professional accountants.
The complaint accuses Levi of making comments that undermine the reputation of the profession.
The complaint cites over 20 social media posts by Levi between January 2024 and February 2025 about Palestine and pro-Palestinian activists.
The disciplinary council recommended the fine and a mandatory training.
The Town of Hampstead and Levi's lawyer both declined to comment about the ruling.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 23, 2025.
By Marieke Glorieux-Stryckman | Copyright 2026, The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.
We're hearing more about rabies in the news. Here's what to know about the virus
Public health officials in B.C. and Quebec are dealing with rabies in wild animals that have come into contact with people or domestic pets. In Vancouver, it was a single skunk but in parts of Quebec, there is an outbreak of rabies in raccoons that has transmitted the virus to three cats.
On Friday, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), which is responsible for national rabies surveillance, said that the number of animal cases fluctuates from year to year, but preliminary data suggests "increased rabies activity in raccoons, particularly in Quebec, is a major factor contributing to the higher number of confirmed rabies cases reported this year."
Between January and September of this year, 397 laboratory-confirmed rabies cases in animals were reported to the CFIA. In 2025, there were 281 cases in the entire year.
Public health officials emphasize that rabies infections in humans are still "extremely rare."
Here's what you need to know.
WHAT IS RABIES?
Rabies is a viral infection that affects the nervous system, including the brain. In Canada, rabies infections in humans are rare, but almost always fatal if it's not treated before symptoms develop.
The virus infects the nerves around the site where it entered the body and then makes its way into the spinal cord and brain, ultimately leading to death.
HOW IS IT TRANSMITTED?
Rabies is transmitted to humans when they are bitten or scratched by an infected animal. Saliva is the most common source of transmission. In Canada, wild animals such as bats, skunks, raccoons and foxes are the main carriers of rabies, but they can transmit it to pets such as cats or dogs and farm animals.
Bats are the main carrier of rabies in Canada. Experts urge people to see a health-care provider if they've had suspected contact with any bat because their bites or scratches are tiny and might go unnoticed.
People should also seek medical attention immediately if they have come into contact with other animals that may have rabies.
On Wednesday, Vancouver Coastal Health issued a news bulletin about a skunk with rabies that had bitten a "small" number of people in Vancouver. Those people were treated and the health authority urged anyone who may have been bitten or scratched by a skunk in the city's West End neighbourhood between Sept. 22 and Oct. 17 to contact them.
The government of Quebec has reported an outbreak of rabies in raccoons and is continuing to do surveillance. Its latest count available online is 313 confirmed raccoons with rabies in the province since the beginning of the year. Three cats have been infected through raccoons.
WHAT IS THE TREATMENT?
There is no treatment for animals with rabies. The only way for the infection to be confirmed in animals is to examine the brain after death.
Humans must receive treatment before symptoms appear, which usually happens about three to eight weeks after exposure, according to the Public Health Agency of Canada.
People should thoroughly wash the area where they were bitten or scratched with soap and water and seek medical attention immediately.
The treatment is a series of vaccines and an immunoglobulin injection.
The first rabies vaccine shot is given immediately, followed by shots on days three, seven and 14.
The immunoglobulin injection, a ready-made antibody that starts fighting the virus right away, is also administered because it takes time for the body to mount an immune response from the vaccinations.
Side effects of the vaccine are usually mild and temporary. They can include fever, chills, sweats and feeling unwell.

WHAT ARE SOME WAYS TO PROTECT PEOPLE AND PETS?
The Wildlife Rescue Association of BC said in a news release on Friday that the most effective prevention strategy for people is to "avoid direct physical contact with wildlife, particularly animals that appear sick, injured, unusually aggressive, lethargic, or disoriented."
The association also urged people to make sure their pets are up to date on their rabies vaccinations and to "keep them leashed and supervised outdoors to help prevent contact with wildlife."
HOW COMMON IS RABIES DEATH IN HUMANS?
There have been 28 deaths from rabies in humans reported since 1924.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 23, 2026.
Canadian Press health coverage receives support through a partnership with the Canadian Medical Association. CP is solely responsible for this content.
By Nicole Ireland | Copyright 2026, The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

Eddy de Big Brother confie que la slop ne lui a pas fait et la production fait le point
« Mon corps a très mal réagi à la slop. » 🤢
Lors de la septième semaine à Big Brother Célébrités, la patronne Claudia Bouvette a mis quatre nouveaux.elles candidat.es comme condamné.es. Ce sont donc Stéphanie Harvey, Guylaine Guay, Martin Vachon et Eddy King qui ont dû prendre des douches froides, dormir sur des lits de camp puis manger la fameuse slop. Après cette péripétie, Eddy King a confié que son corps n'a pas très bien réagi à la slop et la production nous a expliqué ce qu'il s'est passé.
C'est lors de l'émission de radio Véronique et les fantastiques du 28 février que l'équipe a demandé à l'humoriste comment il avait vécu sa semaine en tant que condamné dans la maison et c'est à ce moment qu'il a expliqué que ça ne s'était pas très bien passé :
« Je l'ai mal vécu parce que mon corps a très mal réagi à la slop. J'ai eu pas mal de maux d'estomac qui pouvaient se transformer en ulcères si on ne faisait pas attention. J'ai eu le soutien médical et ça va, je suis sous médication et ça se rétablit. »
Contacté par Narcity, le producteur au contenu Jean-Martin Bisson a confirmé que la slop n'a eu aucun effet néfaste sur la santé des joueur.ses mis à part l'adaptation au nouveau régime dans les premiers jours :
« Eddy avait quelques problèmes avant que la slop arrive ou qu'il soit lui-même sur la slop. [...] Il a eu une petite baisse d'énergie pendant une émission. Il a commencé à manger de la slop et, en même temps, il a commencé à avoir des brûlements d'estomac. Il a parlé à un médecin puis le médecin lui a dit que c'était impossible que ce soit à cause de la slop.
« Au début, étant donné que c'était nouveau pour leur corps, il y en a qui ont vécu certaines constipations pour peut-être une journée ou deux, mais ça, c'est dans le pire des cas [...]. Ce sont juste des conséquences normales à un changement de régime.
« Eddy a peut-être associé ça à la slop, mais il n'y a ensuite eu aucune médication reliée à de nouveaux problèmes de santé ou quelque chose d'autre que la constipation [...]. Il y a toujours des médecins qui s'assurent que nos joueurs vont bien au besoin », affirme le producteur au contenu.
La recette de la slop a été conçue par les nutritionnistes des athlètes de la maison, soit Hugo Barrette, Marc-Antoine Dequoy et Lysanne Richard, afin de s'assurer que les célébrités se nourrissaient des meilleurs ingrédients malgré tout au cours de leur semaine :
« Elle [était] fabriquée avec des aliments [et des légumes] frais préparés séparément et sans condiment. Les condamnés [avaient] le droit de la prendre comme ils [voulaient] : en smoothie, froide, réchauffée, frite ou au four. L’important, [c'était] de ne jamais altérer son goût », précise la production.
Il y avait deux variantes pour la slop, soit celle végétarienne ainsi que celle au poulet. Étant un concept bien répandu à Big Brother, la slop est généralement constituée d'un mélange similaire à du gruau, mais ce n'était pas le cas dans l'édition québécoise :
« On a même bonifié la slop [...] C'est bénéfique pour leur corps ce qu'ils ont reçu, c'est juste que pour nous et la télévision, avec l'odeur et avec la texture, c'est ça qui rend l'affaire un peu dégueulasse.
« Ce qui était très important, c'était de ne pas mettre nos célébrités en danger, de ne pas jouer sur la santé des célébrités. Au contraire, nous c'était juste pour un enjeu de télévision puis un enjeu pour eux de vivre une expérience plus difficile puis que ça devienne un jeu social et une contrainte de nommer des condamnés », ajoute Jean-Martin.
Après deux semaines avec la chambre des condamné.es, celle-ci a été fermée jusqu'à la fin de l'aventure. C'est maintenant la voûte de l'immunité qui préoccupe l'esprit des célébrités alors qu'Hugo Barette a déjà sélectionné l'immunité personnelle.