Ontario's 1 km mountain coaster winds through a dreamy forest with views of a cozy village
Buckle up!
You don't need to head to an amusement park to enjoy an epic ride. This Ontario attraction is nestled in a quaint village and takes you on a high-speed ride down a mountain.
Along the way, you can soak up views of a lush forest and the cozy village below.
It's especially beautiful in the fall, when the trees burst into shades of red and gold, so if you're planning a last-minute autumn adventure, it's worth keeping this spot in mind.
The Ridge Runner Mountain Coaster is a year-round attraction located in Blue Mountain Village, about 2 hours from Toronto.
It's Ontario's first mountain coaster of its kind, and it runs along a 1-kilometre track through trees, over a stream, and past scenic hiking paths, giving you beautiful views of the Niagara Escarpment and the village below.
The coaster can reach speeds of up to 42 km/h, but you control how fast you want to go. The experience includes corkscrew turns, quick drops and high-speed descents, making it a thrilling way to enjoy the outdoors.
The ride up to the top of the mountain is slow and relaxing, allowing you to take in the views before you begin your descent.
While the Ridge Runner operates year-round, fall is an especially beautiful time to experience the attraction. The scenery is alight with vibrant colours, and the cozy village below looks even more charming.
If you can't make it for a late-fall visit, winter is also a magical time to ride the mountain coaster and visit the village.
The snowy forest and sparkling scenery make the ride feel like a journey through Narnia, and Blue Mountain Village lights up for the annual Holiday Magic at Blue event starting November 20.
The Ridge Runner Mountain Coaster is included with the Full-Access Ticket, starting at $60 per adult.
The ticket includes access to a range of attractions around the village and allows you unlimited rides on the coaster.
If you're up for a thrill this fall, or even a magical winter escape, this mountain coaster ride is worth checking out.
Ridge Runner Mountain Coaster
Price: $60 + per adult for Full-Access Ticket
Address: 190 Gord Canning Dr., Blue Mountains, ON
Career college students worry about impact of OSAP pause, extended to 2027
Now that the Ontario government has confirmed that a provincewide pause on student financial assistance payments to career colleges will last for months, some students say they're worried it will prevent them from graduating.
Colleges and Universities Minister Nolan Quinn announced late Tuesday afternoon that the pause won't be lifted until the government establishes a new process for approving private post-secondary institutions under the Ontario Student Assistance Program.
He says that work isn't expected to be finished until the new year, and the government is also still working to secure third-party loans for students through banks.
Quinn enacted the pause after he said preliminary findings from an audit into OSAP usage at career colleges highlighted serious concerns.
Many students say they feel unfairly penalized for the allegedly suspicious activity of others.
Trillium College has suspended classes due to uncertainty around the OSAP pause, and student Marina Whitehead says she now doesn't know if she will be able to graduate in February, as planned.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 21, 2026.
By Allison Jones | Copyright 2026, The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.
NDP focuses on Surrey, B.C., battleground as election enters home stretch
Health remains a top item on the British Columbia election agenda as the campaign enters its final days.
NDP Leader David Eby will be making an announcement at the Surrey Hospital construction site in the election-battleground city, a day after announcing a $30-million expansion of Kelowna General Hospital on Tuesday.
Both the NDP and B.C. Conservatives have made a series of health pledges as final voting day on Saturday closes in, including announcing the construction of new urgent and primary care facilities across B.C.
The Conservatives say health care is in crisis in the province, with 1.2 million British Columbians lacking a family doctor.
Lorne Doerkson, the party's interim leader, has also been focused on fundraising in the home stretch of the campaign, with two events scheduled on Wednesday, after five others in the past week.
Advance voting closes at 8 p.m. today, and Elections BC says about 711,000 people have voted in the first five days of early polling, down about 9 per cent compared to the first five days of advance voting in 2024.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct, 21, 2026.
Copyright 2026, The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

Rafaëlle Roy commente les interventions à propos de son bébé et revient sur ses paroles
« C'est juste tannant d'avoir constamment des remarques du genre. »
Après avoir partagé une vidéo de son bébé Milo lors d'une sortie dans un magasin, sur ses réseaux sociaux, Rafaëlle Roy a reçu des messages lui expliquant que son garçon n'était pas bien attaché dans sa poussette. Dans une série de stories sur Instagram, Rafaëlle a ensuite répondu aux commentaires qu'elle reçoit et a finalement rectifié le tir après quelques échanges avec sa communauté.
Dans sa réponse aux interventions, la jeune maman a expliqué que les gens n'avaient pas à s'inquiéter, bien qu'elle comprenne le désir qu'ont ses abonné.es de l'informer :
« Je le sais que personne intervient avec des mauvaises intentions, mais ayez confiance en notre jugement […]. C'est juste tannant d'avoir constamment des remarques du genre. »
Quelques heures plus tard, Rafaëlle a partagé un nouveau message où elle souhaite revenir sur ses paroles puisqu'elle ignorait qu'il était important de bien attacher son bébé en tout temps, même s'iel n'est pas en voiture, afin de réduire les risques d'asphyxie positionnelle :
« [Deux] personnes ont pris la peine de rectifier en me mentionnant ceci! Alors la gang, je reviens sur mes paroles - C'est bien correct vos interventions bienveillantes. C'était une petite accumulation, car suite à ma dernière publication, les gens pensaient que mes enfants faisaient face à l'avant dans l'auto et je recevais une tonne de remarques donc il a fallu que j'explique! »
« Je n'aurais pas voulu ne pas le savoir parce que je n'aime pas qu'on intervienne pour m'informer… You know? », ajoute la chanteuse.
Après avoir partagé quelques ressources supplémentaires pour aller chercher davantage d'informations sur le sujet, Rafaëlle a spécifié que le but de ses stories n'était pas de lancer une discussion, mais plus tôt d'apprendre :
« Ne partons pas de débat, c'est propre à vous. Si ça ne vous tente pas, suite à ces informations, d'attacher votre enfant tout le temps, si ça ne vous tente pas de changer quoi que ce soit, il n'y a zéro stress. Moi, c'est venu me chercher, je partage l'information, mais moi je pense que c'est mieux qu'on le sache puis qu'on prenne nos propres décisions en toute connaissance de cause. »
Elle a terminé en souhaitant une bonne soirée à tous.tes et en disant qu'elle ne s'attendait pas à lancer un tel débat.