Morning Brief: A Return To Masking On A University Campus, A Custom Sex Toy Popup & More

Happy "Friday Jr." — Andrew from Narcity here. ☕

Off The Top: The 20-year-old who started a Twitter account dedicated to tracking the flight paths of Elon Musk's private plane says he would shutter the project for $50K ("Or a Tesla.") — so it's safe to say that this guy will completely fall off the face of the earth, never to be heard from again.

In Case You Missed It

1. These 5 Canadian Cities Cracked A List Of The Top 100 In The World

According to the annual World's Best Cities Report by Resonance Consultancy, Canada can claim five of the world's top 100 cities. Spoiler alert: Toronto came in at No. 24 overall, earning marks for its high standards of diversity and education, and for the high concentration of businesses based in the metropolis, Katherine Caspersz writes. Canada evidently has some work to do to make the top 5 — London, Paris, New York, Tokyo and Dubai — but it's a great start. Any guesses which other four Canadian cities made the cut?

• My Take: What, no love for Oshawa?
• READ THE FULL STORY HERE

2. The University Of Waterloo Is The Latest School To Reinstate Their Mask Policy

As of yesterday, students and staff at the University of Waterloo are once again required to wear masks in any in-person classroom setting through at least the end of the fall semester, Stuart McGinn reports. The decision follows general recommendations by leading public health officials in Ontario to consider a return to masking — even as some public health measures, like the City of Toronto's in-house requirement for vaccination against COVID-19, come to an end. Still, from Stuart's reporting, it seems very possible that other schools may follow in Waterloo's footsteps in the months ahead.

• In Its Words: "Your health and safety are top of mind as we respond to changes in COVID-19 trends. We need to act now to minimize disruption to the end-of-term exam season and to protect the most vulnerable people in our #UWaterlooCommunity," the school said in its announcement.
• Context: Western University notably entered the 2022-23 academic year with a full vaccination and masking policy in place for students, staff and visitors — unlike the majority of major post-secondary schools across the country.
• READ THE FULL STORY HERE

3. Quebec Will Send Cash To Millions By The End Of 2022 To Fight Inflation

Quebec has a novel idea for combatting inflation: handing out a nice cheque to the people who need it most. Premier Francois Legault's government recently announced they will dole out an up-to-$600 payment to an estimated $6.5 million Quebecers by the end of 2022. As MTL Blog's Willa Holt reports, the cash is tax-free and based on an individual's income — so hopefully you actually filed your 2021 tax returns.

• By The Numbers: Those who earned under $50,000 in 2021 will get the full $600 payment, with decreasing amounts up to the upper limit, $104,000.
• READ THE FULL STORY HERE

HEY YOU! You should sign up for the email version of the Canada Morning Briefright here. It's better than this version. Trust me.

What Else You Need To Know Today

😍 DATE EXPECTATIONS
Even with the cost of pretty much everything still sky-high, date night doesn't have to break the bank. Even in Toronto, you can have a fun night out for less than $20 per person, Madeline Forsyth writes. From interactive activities to live entertainment, here are some ideas to get you started.

🎁 TOY NOISE
Montrealers interested in learning the ins and outs of self-gratification should stop by Le Plateau on Saturday to check out a popup by custom sex toy manufacturer Freely — which, according to MTL Blog's Sofia Misenheimer, offers a selection of both classic designs and... some more creative templates to choose from.

🌲 SMALLTOWN BOY
Sure, go west, young reader — but if the cost of living in B.C. is top of mind, skip Vancouver and head to a smaller town. Morgan Leet breaks down the small towns that offer affordability and stunning views — places like Grand Forks, Nakusp and Atlin.

🏠 SURREAL ESTATE
If affordable housing is decidedly not your goal, move one province over to Alberta, where you can buy a 430-acre, 33-bedroom ranch for a cool $25,500,000. As Charlie Hart notes, if it looks like something out of a movie, it's because it is; Clint Eastwood filmed his 1992 Best Picture winner Unforgiventhere.

🎂 BIRTHDAYS
Mad Men progeny Kiernan Shipka turns 23 years old today. He's not the man you think he is at home, but Rocketman star Taron Egerton is 33. Ex-Nickelodeon mainstay Josh Peck is 36. Country chanteuse Miranda Lambert is 39. The late Brittany Murphy would have been 45 today. Summer Heights High shapeshifter Chris Lilley is 48. Ellen Pompeo turns 53. Late Jaws sheriff Roy Scheider was born on this day 90 years ago.

Thanks for reading Narcity'sCanada Morning Brief — and dad, please do let me know which of those designs you had your eye on.

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 (unless Elon offers me $50,000 to shut it down).

Have a great day and I will see you back here tomorrow to round out the week!