8 Things You Need To Know For August 31

Good morning — Andrew from Narcity here! ☕

Off The Top: Listen up, cowboys and glue barons: the RCMP is currently auctioning off a dozen horses that failed to meet the requirements for its Musical Ride equestrian demonstration — which is kind of like when a would-be Hollywood actor washes out and ends up making adult films in the Valley.

In Case You Missed It

1. Why Experts Think Canada's Housing Prices Could Soon Plummet

If you're looking to get into home ownership, 2023 could be a pivotal year for you. Tristan Wheeler reports that TD Canada Trust believes that home prices could drop by as much as 25% in the first quarter of 2023. The once-scorching-hot markets in Ontario and British Columbia are potentially destined to see the sharpest correction of the 46% nationwide rise in prices during the pandemic. Here's what else you need to know.

• A Head Start: If you're looking to move pronto, Ashley Harris has intel on where locals believe the seven most affordable cities and towns are in British Columbia. Spoiler Alert: Vancouver is not on the list.

2. A Rising Star Dies Weeks Before Her Breakout Film Was Set For Wide Release

After receiving high billing in the upcoming 2022 release "Triangle of Sadness," a biting satire of wealth that won the top prize at the Cannes Film Festival earlier this year, South African model-turned-actress Charlbi Dean seemed destined for mainstream stardom. Now, after a sudden and unexpected illness, Dean is dead at 32. Josh Elliott walks us through what we know — and what we don't — so far.

3. An Interview With The Urban 'Explorer' Who Might've Wrecked Your Commute

"ChaseTO" is the pseudonym of a Toronto-based... I guess you'd call him a stunt performer but he insists on using the word explorer, like if Indiana Jones cared more about illegally scaling buildings than pillaging historical artifacts from burial sites. Known for dangerous sequences like standing atop a moving TTC subway train, ChaseTO seemingly has a death wish — so why does he do it? Our Brooke Houghton caught up with mysterious figure to try to pin down just WTF is going on here.

• One More Thing: In addition to being the individual's nom de plume, ChaseTO is also the name for the larger collective of "explorers," adding an extra dash of confusion to an already head-scratching enterprise.
• My Take: YouTube should make its content creators sign up for organ donation as a condition of account activation.

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What Else You Need To Know Today

🎉 HOLIDAYS
You don't necessarily need warm weather to celebrate Eat Outside Day — but it certainly doesn't hurt. You can actually pull off a nice 2-for-1 today; August 31 is also National Trail Mix Day. My preferred trail mix? Start with GORP ("Good Ol' Raisins and Peanuts"), add homemade honey-baked granola, and then some M&Ms for a little pop of colour.

🥾 TAKE A HIKE
Speaking of trail mix, there's still time to pack your bags and head for the hills. For instance, Sudbury, Ontario, is home to a fantastic hike on Willisville Mountain that offers stunning views of ancient mountain ranges and Lake Huron. Megan Johnson has the deets here.

🏠 SURREAL ESTATE
Alright, that's quite enough outdoors talk; how about a little something for indoorsmen among us? Patrick John Gilson highlights a massive five-bedroom, three-bathroom country home for sale in Ontario that he likens to living in a country song.

💻 NETFLIX PICKS
With the advent of a new month, streaming services are getting set to welcome a deluge of new content to their platforms. From the Ana de Armas-led Marilyn Monroe biopic Blonde to Cobra Kai, Megan Johnson breaks down what's coming to Netflix in September.

🎂 BIRTHDAYS
Arizona Cardinals pass-catching great Larry Fitzgerald turns 39 today. Retired defensemen Scott Niedermayer — Canada's men's hockey captain at the Vancouver Olympics — is 49. Harrison Ford lookalike Richard Gere celebrates his 73rd birthday. "Brown Eyed Girl" crooner Sir Van Morrison is 77. The late method acting teacher Sanford Meisner was born on this day in 1905.

Thanks for reading Narcity's Canada Morning Brief — the newsletter best enjoyed while riding inside a public transit vehicle rather than on top.

Let me know what you'd do to a stunt performer who caused you to be late for work at andrew.potter@narcity.com or assail me on Twitter if you'd prefer at @andrewjoepotter.

Have a great day and see you back here tomorrow!