This Matters

The world is changing every day. Now, more than ever, these questions matter. What’s happening? And why should you care? This Matters, a daily news podcast from the Toronto Star, aims to answer those questions, on important stories and ideas, every day, Monday to Friday. Hosts Adrian Cheung, Saba Eitizaz and Raju Mudhar talk to experts and newsmakers about the social, cultural, political and economic stories that shape your life.

Taking in the sheer scale of the Baltimore bridge collapse

Mar 28, 2024

Guest: Richard Warnica, staff reporter

The Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore was a massive component of the port city's entire transportation network, and in a matter of moments this week, it collapsed after being struck by a container ship. The Star’s Richard Warnica reports from the scene, explaining his...

The biggest mayoral election you might not have heard of

Mar 27, 2024

Guest: Noor Javed, staff reporter

When Bonnie Crombie was elected leader of the Ontario Liberals, she left the mayor’s chair in Mississauga vacant. That means that for the first time since the 1970s, no one is certain who will lead the city next. An election with real choice comes at an interesting time for a...

Have Canadian prisons made access to online education almost impossible for inmates?

Mar 26, 2024

Guest: Brendan Kennedy, investigative reporter

The evidence is overwhelming and it’s the government’s own research. Getting any education while incarcerated reduces the rate of recidivism by as much as 30 per cent. It’s more than double that for inmates who get a post-secondary education. Government officials...

Our last stop: Specialty EVs for the mining industry

Mar 23, 2024

This Matters is pleased to publish episodes of the Toronto Star's podcast, "Road Trip: Electric Avenues," every Saturday. This week, we are proud to share the final episode in the series:

When we started this podcast, we really wanted to visit each step of the EV production process to show a complete picture of...

City council gets ready for an expensive FIFA party

Mar 22, 2024

After The Star revealed many details of Toronto’s secret contract with FIFA for hosting the World Cup, the preparations led off the city council meeting this week. We talk about what we’ve learned and what we still don’t know. Council also passed a resolution to turn surface parking lots into housing, which led...