Toronto is looking for a night mayor
The role was first floated in 2019, following the lead of several European cities.
Good afternoon everyone. The city of Toronto is looking to hire someone to look after the nighttime economy, according to a post on LinkedIn by the Ottawa nightlife commissioner. Toronto first floated the idea as part of an action plan in 2019, following the lead of several European cities that had done the same and seen positive results.
They are called night mayors but what they really do is advocate for the interests of the nightlife sector while addressing concerns related to both noise and safety.
At the most basic level, you can asses the general health of a city’s nightlife by asking one question: what are people doing when they’re not working? A Square study found 43% of Canadians say they’re spending more time at home than in past years, which isn’t surprising to anyone. So why are people going out less? There are many reasons.
We’ve gotten used to staying at home. We have fewer friends. A Netflix subscription costs less than a glass of wine. Our definition of fun is changing too. Can one person fix all of this? Of course not. But they can work behind the scenes to remove some of the barriers that hold nightlife back. Let’s start with aggressively priced happy hours.
Patients are ‘microdosing’ Botox, filler, Accutane, and GLP-1 drugs.
Consider hiring a summer intern. New graduates are facing the worst job market seen in at least two decades, according to an analysis of Statistics Canada data from Brendon Bernard. This is even more worrying when you consider the impacts of AI tools of the workforce: a 2024 survey of hiring managers found that 70% thought AI could do an intern’s job, and new data around internship postings in the U.S. shows that numbers are slipping, fast.
Nickelback will perform for “God-fearing patriots” alongside Kid Rock.
Travel writing is coming back down to earth. I started writing Airplane Mode because I was sick of reading out-of-touch travel content, but in recent weeks I’ve seen media outlets shift towards value-driven picks. In the last week:
The Wall Street Journal published a $1,000 three-day London itinerary.
Conde Nast Traveler released its first Best New Affordable Hotels list.
A New York Times Japan itinerary included ‘saving’ and ‘splurging’ picks.
Selling real estate in today’s market takes getting creative. Last night I stopped by an open house, open studio event at a $3.5 million listing at 49 Brookfield Street, where Hunt and Two Seven Two Galleries had curated a selection of art to view while sipping on vodka martinis and walking between rooms.
, the founder of the PR agency Art Forecast told me: “The art world is craving ‘third-spaces’ to view art and make real connections.” It’s been a tough market for fine art and fine homes, and there are natural synergies between client lists that make an event like this make sense for both sides.A spa inspired by ancient bathhouses is opening in Toronto. Excited to hang out and talk philosophy with my fellow bathers. In a LinkedIn posting for an HR lead in Toronto, Seville-based Aire confirmed plans to open into Canada this year.
Fewer executives are interested in leading companies. Some 202 CEOs left their roles in 2024, a 13% increase from 2023. There are a few reasons why:
Junior executives are bailing early as companies increase their workloads.
Burnt-out executives realize they can live well on a fraction of their income.
Shareholders are putting immense pressure on companies to figure out AI.
And who wants to be in charge during a trade war and possible recession?
Speaking of which, Aritzia is starting to shift production away from China. One notable takeaway from yesterday’s earnings is that the company has almost as many stores in the U.S. as in Canada, where total revenue increased by 56%.
More than 100 Canadian media outlets have received $22.2 million in Google payments so far. Not Milk Bag, which is 100% supported by paid subscribers. ❤️
Happy I’m not one of the 3,500 people running the Toronto Marathon. But I will be running the half at a leisurely pace. Sorry for all the morning road closures.