Tulips blossoming in Montreal. Right: Canada Revenue Agency forms.
Good morning — Andrew from Narcity here. ☕
Off The Top: A TikToker is slamming tipping culture in Canada, calling the practice of businesses offsetting their payroll burden by passing on the costs directly onto customers "borderline worker exploitation" and a "masterclass in gaslighting."
Hey, wait a second... TikTok... tipping culture... gaslighting... if only there was an angle about refusing to switch seats on an airplane, we'd have a rare Narcity Bingo this morning!
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In Case You Missed It
What Is Canada's Spring Weather Forecast?
Person standing near a waterfall in Ontario. Right: Tulips blossoming in Montreal.
Stefan Hiienurm | Unsplash, Sokmean Nou | Unsplash
Ahhh. Spring is... well, not quite in the air, but with February coming to an end today, it will soon officially be the month in which spring starts. And after March comes April. And April's but a few weeks away from May! AND AFTER MAY IS JUNE!! (Cue the symphony; launch the fireworks.)
What sort of weather can we expect across Canada in the months ahead? According to The Old Farmer's Almanac, you can expect cold snow to start shifting to chilly rain over the course of March, with some pockets of warmer spring weather. In fact, it's looking like a relatively wet Spring overall across the country. Lisa Belmonte takes us through the forecast province by province.
What Are The Most Common Canadian Tax Scams?
Someone looks at their phone with concern. Right: Canada Revenue Agency forms.
@canrevagency | Instagram, Mateusz Żogała | Dreamstime
Tax season is in full swing — which also means that tax scam season is also rolling on all cylinders. The Canada Revenue Agency is warning tax filers to stay vigilant given the onslaught of tactics currently being deployed to separate you from your personal information, hard-earned cash or both.
For example, no matter how convincing the language is, do not respond to any text message claiming to be from the CRA — and definitely don't click any links in those texts. MTL Blog's Sofia Misenheimer details what other scams to look out for and how to respond if you find yourself targeted.
- Rule Of Thumb: The CRA will never send you a text message. NEVER.
- Reminder: March 1 is the final day that any RRSP contributions can be applied to your 2022 tax return, lessening your present-day tax burden.
- READ THE FULL STORY HERE
What Are The Top Places To Visit In Alberta?
Charlie Hart at Moraine Lake. Right: Views in Canmore.
Charlie Hart | Narcity, Lisa Bourgeault | Dreamstime
Charlie Hart has made the most of her move from the U.K. to Calgary, Alberta. In one year since touching down in the wild rose province, she has cut a path across breathtaking vistas, turquoise lakes, historic towns and snowy peaks. There's a reason why so many Hollywood productions choose the province as the backdrop for their epics. From Moraine Lake to Tunnel Mountain, here are the nine places in Alberta that have simply knocked Charlie's socks off.
What Else You Need To Know Today
🏘️ ONTARIO LIVING
Buying a home anywhere in Ontario can be a gargantuan task, but there are three cities in particular that are slightly more in reach, according to a new report from Point2. The quickest cities to save a downpayment for are currently Greater Sudbury, Kingston and London; as Brooke Houghton notes, if the average salaried worker saves 20% of their after-tax pay toward a home, they should be able to afford a down payment in 8-10 years. (Yay?)
🍕 A PIZZA MY MIND
Montreal might be best known for its bagels and poutine but there's plenty to like about the city's pizza scene as well. Charlotte Hoareau breaks down everything you ever wanted to know about the city's pizza origins, where to buy the best slices and — celiacs beware — what on earth the regionally infamous "pizzaghetti" is. Find the full Montreal pizza guide right here.
⛴️ FERRY DUST
Our Morgan Leet recently disembarked from a BC Ferry from Vancouver to Victoria for a weekend of fun and relaxation at the highly-rated Oak Bay Beach Hotel. There she found steaming mineral hot pools literally a stone's throw from the Pacific Ocean. Here's what you can expect if you retrace Morgan's epic weekend of tranquillity.
🛒 GROCERY HACK
If your grocery bill has you down, you might want to consider downloading the Too Good To Go app. Our Sierra Riley recently tested out the free service, which pairs hungry customers with local restaurants facing a major surplus of food. For only a few bucks, the shopper can buy a "surprise bag" of odds and ends like baked goods, pizza slices and more at a steep discount. Here's Sierra's full review.
🎂 BIRTHDAYS
Slovenian hoops phenom Luka Dončić turns 24 years old today. Seven-time All-Star baseball closer Aroldis Chapman is 35. Serbian tennis great Ivo Karlović, who once held the record for fastest serve in tennis history, is 44. Country music's Jason Aldean is 46. Scream queen Ali Larter is 47. Hockey great Eric Lindros celebrates the half-century mark. The great John Turturro is 66.
The late Gilbert Gottfried would've turned 68 today. Pro wrestler Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat and economist Paul Krugman — who are unrelated — both hit the big 7-0. The wonderful Bernadette Peters is 75. The late Brian Jones, the original leader of the Rolling Stones, was born on this day in 1942. Racing great Mario Andretti is 83. Toronto-born architect Frank Gehry is 94.
Thanks for reading Narcity's Canada Morning Brief — the newsletter written by someone who will always try to accommodate a seat switch on a packed airplane.
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!
