Good morning — Andrew from Narcity here. ☕
Off The Top: Fans of The Office, rejoice! Hot on the heels of this summer's popular Friends exhibit, an interactive experience based on the hit workplace sitcom is coming to Toronto, allowing Michael Scott acolytes to relive some of the most iconic moments from the show (like Kevin unceremoniously dumping his pot of chili all over the floor). Hey, wait a sec... is this is just a ploy by managers to get the work-from-home crowd back into the office for good? Yeah, nice try.
In Case You Missed It
What Is Canada's New 'Grocery Code Of Conduct'?
Grocery store aisles. Right: Some produce in a supermarket.
Peter Bond | Unsplash, Dillon Kydd | Unsplash
As announced last Friday, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada is set to release the country's first-ever "Grocery Code of Conduct." It's a consumer protection framework designed to enhance "transparency, predictability and fair dealing" and strengthen Canada's food supply chain, the agency says. While the exact details of the Grocery Code have yet to be released, Tristan Wheeler puts the initial information into context for us.
- By The Numbers: Presently, five grocery chains control about 80% of food sales in the country.
- READ THE FULL STORY HERE
How Far Ahead Should You Book Your Vacation?
A Star Alliance flight takes off from Montreal.
If you're planning to take a vacation this year, you're going to want to be mindful of the fact that a whole whack of Canadians will be thinking the same thing. According to accommodation site Vrbo, the travel industry is expecting increased demand in 2023 — meaning you'll want to book ahead to ensure you snag your ideal setup. In fact, as MTL Blog's Sofia Misenheimer notes, the booking site has provided some rough book-by dates to help you plan around peak travel periods.
- Go Deeper: For instance, if you're planning to travel this summer, you'll want to have your travel and accommodations booked by about April 17. Winter break? Aim to have your logistics sorted out by November 3.
- READ THE FULL STORY HERE
How Much Do Americans Know About Canada?
TikToker Jade Koch interviews students.
For as much as the average Canadian knows about U.S. geography, politics, sports and entertainment, that cultural exchange is apparently more or less a one-way street. A Canadian TikToker recently hosted a string of rapid-fire street interviews of Americans, quizzing the locals on their knowledge of Canadian cities. The results? As Katherine Caspersz notes, most of the respondents were able to get Toronto... but then their hit rate fell way off.
- My Take: Nobody's done this bit better than Rick Mercer in his old Talking to Americans specials on CBC.
- READ THE FULL STORY HERE
What Else You Need To Know Today
🪳 BUGGIN' OUT
What do you get the ex-boyfriend who has everything? How about the dubious honour of naming a disgusting insect after them? The Toronto Zoo is allowing patrons to "adopt" and name a cockroach ahead of Valentine’s Day as part of the Wildlife Conservancy’s Name-a-Roach program, Brooke Houghton writes.
💰 BILLIONS
Canada's most populous province can claim to have produced some of the country's wealthiest individuals. From those who inherited generational wealth to new-money tech entrepreneurs, Patrick John Gilson breaks down just how each of the nine richest Ontarians amassed their fantastic fortunes.
🍝 VANCOUVER EATS
While Vancouver's culinary scene might be best known for its Asian imports, the city can apparently hold its own on the Italian front as well. Cioppino's Mediterranean Grill placed 33rd on 50 Top Italy's list of "The Best Italian Restaurants in the Worlds" for 2023, moving up from 49th on last year's list. Ashley Harris details what to expect at the upscale Italian joint.
📌 JOB BOARD
If you're looking to switch careers, Madeline Forsyth scoured the listings at the LCBO so that you don't have to. Here are six open positions with Ontario's top purveyor of wine and liquor, from IT project managers to procurement specialists.
🎂 BIRTHDAYS
The late rapper Mac Miller would've turned 31 years old today. Former Canadiens and Leafs blueliner Mike Komisarek is 41, as is likely future Democratic presidential nominee Pete Buttigieg. The late NFL linebacker Junior Seau was born on this day in 1969. Thomas Kinkade, the twee painter of little cottage scenes that your grandmother likes, would've turned 65 today. Married... with Children matriarch Katey Sagal is 69. Disgraced celebrity chef Paula Deen is 76. The timeless Dolly Parton is 77. Janis Joplin was born on this day in 1943. Bird-brained American poet Edgar Allan Poe was born on this day in 1809.
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Thanks for reading Narcity's Canada Morning Brief — quoth this newsletter: "Nevermore."
Have a question or comment about today's edition? Let me know at andrew.potter@narcity.com or hit me up on Twitter if you'd prefer at @andrewjoepotter.
Have a great day and I will see you back here tomorrow to round out the week!
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- A Vancouver Restaurant Was Just Ranked As One Of The Best Italian Dining Spots In The World ›
- The 9 Richest Billionaires From Ontario In 2023 & How They Made Their Fortunes ›
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