8 Things You Need To Know For October 10

Good morning — Renée from Narcity here filling in for Andrew today. ☕

Off The Top: A New Yorker is going viral for this story about her food order being eaten by her delivery driver. The customer is being praised for her patience in the situation, but taco-bout a delay. 🌮

In Case You Missed It

1. Provinces That May Pay You To Be There

Two Canadian provinces are getting ready to implement a one-time payment of $500 to residents to help cut the "high cost of living." Narcity's Katherine Caspersz breaks down the details around eligibility requirements in either province — which are said to be basic and won't require a separate application since eligibility will be based on a resident's 2021 tax return. Her report on the program's rollout here.

• Holiday Meal Prep: One place $500 won't get you where it once did, in any province? The grocery store. And holiday meals can be especially expensive (maybe this is the year the in-laws don't get the invite — yanno, for the budget?). But one expert tells us that there are ways to save money and cut food costs that'll have you at least considering inviting the extended family.

2. University Learning Without the Loan?

Some of the country's most prestigious post-secondary institutions are opening their (virtual) doors and making world-class knowledge available from the convenience of your couch. Discover topics like everyday finances, "mindshift" for discovering your hidden potential, or even the "arts and science of relationships." Patrick Gilson lists a number of Ontario universities offering free courses this fall.

• More On Students: For the more than 500,000 international students who've come to Canada to learn IRL, the rules around eligible working hours will soon change. Here's what this means and how it could affect other things, like immigration processing times, from Janice Rodriguez.

3. Bad Gas

All drivers are feeling the pinch at the pump these days, but diesel users are about to feel particularly squeezed. Narcity talked to gas analyst Dan McTeague about the "growing concern" around rising diesel costs and what the potential for "short supply" means for everyday people both in and out of Ontario.

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

What Else You Need To Know Today

🍁 LIKE FOR A FALL-OW
Travel influencers offer up some lesser-known seasonal gems to Madeline Forsyth in this list of travel destinations around Ontario. They include "eco-luxury camping" north of Toronto and the largest Oktoberfest outside of Germany!

🎤ABOUT DAMN TIME
Lizzo wants to stay in Canada, even asking for "marriage proposals" to help make it happen at her October 7 Toronto concert. The singer raved about her love for the city and seems to want to mind her "fat Black beautiful business" up north. Welcome home, Lizzo!

🧀 KD LOVERS LIVE HERE
A study was recently released detailing exactly which province eats the most Kraft Dinner. The answer? The amount? Tristan Wheeler tells us all about the Canadians who are regularly relying on the boxed dinner to get them through the day.

🏠 REALTY?
Narcity's Ashley Harris tells us about an oceanfront cottage on a tiny island that's only accessible by boat or floatplane and that is still somehow cheaper than a Vancouver townhouse. Unbelievable? Yes. Slightly depressing? Also yes.

🎂 BIRTHDAYS
While many Canadians are celebrating Thanksgiving, here is the list of major and minor celebrities who are celebrating their birthdays instead. Happy 37th birthday to Marina, of the Diamonds fame. The unforgettable host of America's Best Dance Crew (and some show called Saved by the Bell) Mario Lopez is 49. Scandal-ridden Football Hall of Famer Brett Favre is celebrating 53. The West Wing and The Handmaid's Tale actor Bradley Whitford is 63 today. The queen of the airport romance, author Nora Roberts, turns 73 today, while Game of Thrones' Tywin Lannister (aka Charles Dance) is 76.

Thanks for reading Narcity's Canada Morning Brief — Happy Thanksgiving!

Have a question or comment about today's edition? Let me know at morning-brief@narcity.com or hit me up on Twitter if you'd prefer at @rennielise.

Have a great day and Andrew will see you back here tomorrow!