Morning Brief: Rare Coins Worth Thousands, The Best Affordable Eats In Niagara & More

TGIF — Andrew from Narcity here. ☕

Off The Top: November 11 marks Remembrance Day in Canada (also known as Armistice Day or Veterans Day depending on the country), an opportunity to reflect upon the sacrifices of the men and women who fell in military service to the country. If you're able, I encourage you to attend a community ceremony near you or at least observe two minutes of silence at 11 a.m. local time — the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month.

Canada's national news networks will carry the National Remembrance Day Ceremony live in Ottawa starting at approximately 10:30 a.m. ET. The Royal Canadian Legion's National Headquarters will also be streaming the proceedings in Ottawa on their Facebook page.

On that note, I'm going to try to keep the newsletter a little more buttoned-down than usual today.

In Case You Missed It

1. That Old Coin Sitting In A Jar Of Change On Your Desk Could Be Worth Thousands

Usually, a coin is just a coin — but in exceedingly rare circumstances, a coin may as well be a lottery ticket. Since the Canadian Mint began officially pressing coins, there have been a few iterations over the years that for one reason or another have value that far exceeds whatever denomination of currency they represent — like the so-called "King of Canadian Coins," a 1921 50-cent piece that only saw 200,000 produced, most of which never made it out of the Mint before being melted down. Tristan Wheeler shows us what to look out for next time we get our change back.

• Pro Tip: Biggest clue that your coin might be worth more than five cents? If someone other than Queen Elizabeth II is on it.
• READ THE FULL STORY HERE

2. John Tory Won On A Low-Tax Promise — But Toronto Evidently Needs A Handout

Toronto could face tax hikes, service cuts and job losses if the upper levels of government don't come to the city's assistance, Mayor John Tory warned in an open letter to Ontario Premier Doug Ford and federal Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland. Tory pointed to several economic factors that haven't bounced back to pre-pandemic standards — like ridership on Toronto Transit Commission services, which are still down 65-70%, costing $123 million in lost revenue. Stuart McGinn breaks it all down for us.

• Context: Tory won a third term as mayor last month, continuing to trumpet his philosophy bend toward fiscal conservatism — namely, a pledge to keep taxes low for Torontonians.
• In His Words: "The City requires an immediate funding commitment for 2022 and 2023 COVID-19 impacts to avoid an unprecedented and inflationary property tax increase, extreme service cuts and elimination of programs," Tory wrote.
• READ THE FULL STORY HERE

3. Avoid The Stampedes (But Still Get The Deals) With These Black Friday Hacks

Black Friday is technically November 25 this year. In actuality, it seems to be more like every day that falls between Halloween and Boxing Day. If you're on the hunt for deep discounts over the next few weeks, there are a number of ways to maximize your shopping experience — hacks as simple as signing up for a brand's free newsletter to keep abreast of any promotions to come. Since we're still sort of in the calm before the storm, it's a great time to read Katherine Caspersz's list of eight Black Friday shopping tips that every Canadian should know.

• READ THE FULL STORY HERE

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What Else You Need To Know Today

🐝 BEE YOURSELF
If life is indeed a highway, the city of Montreal hopes that bees ride it all night long. The city is moving forward with developing at least five "ecological corridors" — strategically positioned vegetation designed to encourage bees to move to and fro across the metropolis. MTL Blog's Thomas McDonald explains the novel concept here.

🏞️ FALLS-ING IN LOVE
Next time you're in Niagara Falls, skip the tourist-trap attractions (and that gas station sandwich on the drive down) and instead set course for some of the area's increasingly electric culinary scene. Madeline Forsyth details seven affordable restaurants you have to try, from casual brunch scenes to cozy dinner spots.

🚀 RELAXATION MAN
Amid his seemingly never-ending final world concert tour, Sir Elton John and his Toronto-born husband David Furnish somehow found three whole weeks to unwind at the ritzy Clayoquot Wilderness Lodge in B.C. — and it wasn't cheap. Ashley Harris explains what you'll find at the minimum $3,900-a-night resort.

🤢 TOTAL RECALL
The Government of Canada has issued a recall for Tim Hortons-brand Soup Base Chicken Noodle due to (might want to finish swallowing your coffee) the presence of insects. Sarah Rohoman reports that it only affects the soups sold in select restaurants — not anything Timmies-branded you might have bought at the grocery store. Here's what you need to know.

🎂 BIRTHDAYS
Seven-time Academy Award nominee (and one-time winner) Leonardo DiCaprio turns 48 years old today. Ally McBeal star Calista Flockhart is 58. Demi Moore is somehow turning 60 — and her Margin Call co-star Stanley Tucci is 62. The iconic late American author Kurt Vonnegut was born 100 years ago today (and what a day to revisit Slaughterhouse-Five). The great Russian novelist Fyodor Dostoevsky was born on this date in 1821.

Thanks for reading Narcity'sCanada Morning Brief. And remember: If you break faith with those who die, they shall not sleep, though poppies grow in Flanders fields.

Have a question or comment about today's edition? Let me know at andrew.potter@narcity.com or you can reach me on Twitter (for now) at @andrewjoepotter.

Have a safe weekend and I will see you back here on Monday.