Year in review: A look at events in September 2025

By Canadian Press on December 15, 2025.

A look at news events in September 2025:

1 – Canadian singer The Weeknd’s song “Blinding Lights” made history. Toronto’s own Abel Tesfaye’s song became the first to ever hit five billion streams in Spotify history. It took the Scarborough native six years to reach the pinnacle beating out the previously most-streamed song, Ed Sheeran’s Shape of You. The oldest song with the most streams, at just shy of three billion, is Queen’s epic Bohemian Rhapsody from 1975.

1 – U.S. President Donald Trump said he will award former New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani the Presidential Medal of Freedom. News of him getting the U.S.’s highest civilian honour came two days after the longtime Trump political ally was seriously injured in a car crash. Giuliani led New York City after the Sept. 11 attacks in 2001, but was later disbarred for repeated false statements about the 2020 U.S. presidential election. He was also criminally charged in Georgia and Arizona in connection with efforts to undo Trump’s loss to Democrat and former president Joe Biden.

1 – Oscar-nominated First Nations actor Graham Greene died at the age of 73. Greene was born in Ohsweken, Ont., was from the Six Nations Reserve and starred in multiple film and theatre projects since the late 1970s. He received his Oscar nomination for his role in Kevin Costner’s 1990 film “Dances With Wolves.” He was a recipient of the Order of Canada in 2015 and was awarded the Governor General’s Award in June. He also starred in films such as “Die Hard With a Vengeance,” and the Tom Hanks-fronted drama “The Green Mile.”

2 – A months-long process to transition the Canadian Coast Guard into the Department of National Defence kicked off officially with a cabinet order. The Liberals promised in the spring election to give the Coast Guard a new mandate for maritime surveillance operations and integrate it into NATO’s defence capabilities. Defence Minister David McGuinty said in a message to the defence team that this move reflects the “evolving security landscape” Canada faces. He said the Coast Guard will remain a civilian agency and that there are “no plans” to arm its personnel or ships.

3 – RCMP arrested a woman who calls herself the Queen of Canada along with 16 others. Romana Didulo and her followers had set up a compound in an old school in Richmound, west of Regina, in 2023. Mounties said they executed a warrant on the property this morning and four replica handguns were found.

4 – Prime Minister Mark Carney promised military assistance in a post-ceasefire Ukraine. Speaking at a virtual meeting of allies, Carney affirmed Canada’s commitment to the “Coalition of the Willing” and its readiness to provide military support for a ceasefire that would stop the fighting with Russia. That’s after French President Emmanuel Macron said 26 of Ukraine’s allies committed to deploying troops in Ukraine, or maintaining a presence on land, at sea or in the air. Experts said committing Canadian troops to Ukraine likely would mean shutting down Canada’s Latvia mission — which Carney had recently announced would be extended to 2029.

5 – Ottawa announced it would waive its electric vehicle sales target for 2026 models. The EV sales mandate introduced by the Liberals under former prime minister Justin Trudeau would have required 20 per cent of all new vehicles sold in Canada next year to be electric. But Prime Minister Mark Carney delayed the mandate for a year. He also launched a 60-day review of the program to make it more cost efficient.

6 – Montreal Canadiens legend Ken Dryden died after a battle with cancer. The legendary goaltender won six Stanley Cup championships with the Blue Blanc et Rouge in the 1970s. He was also part of the team that took on and defeated a fearsome Soviet club at the 1972 summit series. Dryden retired young, then became a lawyer, author, NHL executive and federal cabinet minister. Prime Minister Mark Carney, taking to social media to share his condolences, said “few Canadians have given more, or stood taller, for our country.” Dryden was 78.

7 – The Princess Juliana International Airport in St. Maarten said 164 people on board a WestJet flight from Toronto were OK after the plane had a rough landing. The plane was travelling from Toronto when the airport said contact with the runway caused damage to the plane’s right wing, with video appearing to show a collapsed landing gear on the right side.

8 – Nearly half of Canadians surveyed want the temporary foreign worker program scrapped. An Abacus Data survey found 44 per cent support ending the program, rising to 48 per cent among people aged 18 to 29. Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre had proposed eliminating the program, while Prime Minister Mark Carney said it will remain as part of a wider immigration review. Canada aimed to cut temporary residents to five per cent of the population, down from 7.1 per cent in April.

9 – Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre said the housing bubble is bursting. Poilievre called on the Liberals to eliminate the federal sales tax on all homes worth $1.3-million or less and incentivize municipalities to speed up permits and cut development charges. He also said that homebuilding is expected to slow in the next two years.

10 – Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand said Canada is standing in solidarity with Poland and Ukraine after Russian drones violated NATO airspace. Poland said NATO allies helped shoot down multiple Russian drones that entered its territory overnight as Russia carried out a wave of strikes on Ukraine. Russia says it did not target Poland. Meanwhile, Russia’s Defence Ministry said it destroyed 122 Ukrainian drones over various Russian regions overnight, including over annexed Crimea and areas of the Black Sea.

10 – A toddler died after an SUV slammed into a daycare north of Toronto. York Regional Police say a one-and-a-half-year-old boy was killed while six other children were injured in Richmond Hill. One child remained in critical condition, while three staff members were also hurt. Police said a driver in his 70s was arrested, but the crash did not appear deliberate. Nearly 100 children were inside the building at the time of the incident.

11 – An expansion to the Port of Montreal was among the first five major projects Ottawa intended to approve under its fast-tracking major projects bill. Prime Minister Mark Carney was in Edmonton discussing the list, which also included doubling production of liquefied natural gas in B.C. Construction of a small modular reactor in Ontario, a new copper mine in Saskatchewan and an expansion of a copper operation in northwestern British Columbia are the other projects in line to be fast-tracked. The major projects bill was meant to speed up approvals for large infrastructure projects as Canada looks to shore up the economy against U.S. tariffs.

11 – It was announced the five former Hockey Canada players acquitted of sexual assault could return to the NHL when their suspensions ended Dec. 1. The league announced the five could sign with teams as of Oct. 15 as they wait for full reinstatement. Michael McLeod, Dillon Dube, Cal Foote, Alex Formenton and Carter Hart were all acquitted on all charges this summer after a two-month trial in London, Ont. The NHL had said after the ruling that the players would be ineligible to compete and the league would review the judge’s findings.

12 – A 22-year-old man accused of killing conservative activist Charlie Kirk at a Utah university campus was arrested on suspicion of capital murder, weapons and obstruction offences. Authorities said the suspect was taken into custody the night before and investigators believed he acted alone. They said the man had expressed to family his opposition to Kirk’s viewpoints and also indicated to a family friend afterward that he was responsible for the shooting. The killing of the Trump ally was swiftly condemned by Republicans and Democrats alike.

12 – Ottawa summoned Russia’s ambassador to Canada over the incursion of Russian drones into Poland. Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand said Global Affairs Canada reprimanded Oleg Stepanov. Multiple Russian drones entered Polish territory and NATO allies shot down some of the devices, but Ottawa hadn’t said whether Canada helped. Russia and its close associate Belarus suggested the incursions may have been a mistake caused by network jamming.

13 – Country crooner Josh Ross said he and 22-year-old newcomer Cameron Whitcomb could learn from each other while engaging in a dose of healthy competition. They each took home two trophies at the Canadian Country Music Association Awards in Kelowna, B.C. Ross won entertainer of the year and single of the year, while Whitcomb took home the award for breakthrough artist and the coveted fans’ choice award. The James Barker Band from Woodville was awarded group of the year while Jade Eagleson won male artist of the year.

14 – A new federal agency is promising to build 4,000 affordable homes on federally owned sites across Canada. At a press conference in the Ottawa area, Prime Minister Mark Carney identified six municipalities where they would be developed including Ottawa, Toronto, Winnipeg and Edmonton. Carney said the Build Canada Homes agency will seek out more locations and prioritize cost-efficient and modern construction methods. He added that the agency will also be part of the government’s “Buy Canadian” procurement rules.

14 – Canadian journalist and longtime CTV News anchor Beverly Thomson died. Best known for her interviews with politicians and celebrities, Thomson died with family at her side after a long battle with cancer, at age 61. After starting in radio news in southern Ontario, Thomson joined CTV News Toronto as a reporter and anchor, then moved to Global News for seven years before returning to CTV for “Canada AM.” She then worked as a CTV News Channel anchor. The previous October, Thomson was awarded an industry lifetime achievement award, and was a 2019 recipient of the Order of Canada for her contributions to broadcasting and her volunteer work with multiple breast cancer organizations.

15 – Canada’s Camryn Rogers won the gold medal in women’s hammer throw at the world athletics championships. The 26-year-old defended her title in dominant fashion, breaking her own Canadian record with a throw of 80.51 metres. Rogers now has two world championship gold medals to go with her Olympic title at the 2024 Paris Games.

15 – The B.C. and federal governments approved the Ksi Lisims LNG export project off the province’s northwest coast, despite opposition from some First Nations and environmentalists. The floating facility was to be led by the Nisga’a Nation and Western LNG. It aims to process two billion cubic feet of natural gas daily, exporting 12 million tonnes per year. Some First Nations oppose the project, while Gitga’at and Kitselas have consented. The Environmental Assessment Office said 23 conditions must be met for the project to proceed, but environmental groups warned the project would increase pollution and climate risks.

16 – Hollywood golden boy Robert Redford died in Utah at age 89. His publicist confirmed the news but didn’t give a cause of death. The liberal activist and godfather for independent cinema was one of the biggest stars of the ’70s with such films as “The Candidate,” “All the President’s Men” and “The Way We Were.” He also won a best director Oscar for 1980’s “Ordinary People.”

17 – The Bank of Canada cut its key interest rate by a quarter point to 2.5 per cent. This broke a streak of three consecutive holds since March as the central bank worried less about inflation risks and more about a slowing economy. Governor Tiff Macklem said policymakers felt it was the right time to shore up the economy against U.S. trade disruption. It came as the labour market had softened, and Canadian exports had fallen sharply.

18 – Canada and Mexico signed a strategic partnership agreement in Mexico City, aiming to boost trade, infrastructure and security. Prime Minister Mark Carney said the deal would strengthen both countries’ economies, with trade missions and talks planned on agriculture, investment and labour collaboration. The pact included $9.9 million in funding for UN-led projects on drug control and migrant integration. Carney and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum both emphasized that it would complement the Canada–United States–Mexico Agreement.

19 – New court documents said Hudson’s Bay would ask court permission to auction off its historic charter after more parties came forward. The company had announced plans to sell the artifact to the Weston family for $12.5 million. The Westons had planned to donate the more-than-350-year-old document to the Canadian Museum of History near Ottawa. But a holding company owned by David Thomson said he was willing to spend at least $15 million to buy the document and donate it to the Archives of Manitoba.

20 – Ottawa and Nova Scotia announced they were moving ahead on Canada’s first offshore wind projects. Minister Sean Fraser said a prequalification process would vet companies before bids opened the next year. The goal was up to three gigawatts of power, with the province eyeing five by 2030. Nova Scotia estimated the Wind West project could cost about $60 billion.

20 – The Pentagon announced it now required reporters to sign pledges not to publish unauthorized information — even if unclassified. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the press could no longer roam the halls, citing security. Press freedom groups called the move censorship and a violation of the First Amendment. They warned that the policy gave Americans only the news the government wanted them to see.

21 – Canada recognized the State of Palestine. Prime Minister Mark Carney made the announcement on X, saying the recognition was firmly aligned with fundamental human rights reflected in the United Nations Charter. The move brought condemnation from some Jewish organizations in Canada, including the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs, saying “recognizing statehood of a territory run by terrorists and where hostages remain in captivity was a reward for the October 7 terror attacks.” Others applauded the move, with the Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East calling it a “real policy victory,” also calling on Canada to do more. Other major international allies, including the United Kingdom and Australia, joined Canada in recognizing an independent Palestinian state ahead of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

22 – In Edgewood, B.C., a family was refusing to leave their ostrich farm ahead of a government-ordered cull. Farm spokesperson Katie Pasitney said watching her mother break down had been devastating, as officials prepared to kill 400 birds over avian flu concerns. The farm insisted the animals were now healthy, while the CFIA said the risk was too high. Supporters called it government overreach and posted signs reading “Save Ostrich Science.” Universal Ostrich Farms was served with a warrant requiring the farmers to leave or risk being removed from the property.

22 – Major changes were announced for the CFL, including a shortened field and restrictions on how single points would be awarded. The league unveiled a two-part plan that would be phased in over two years. Starting the next season, teams would no longer be able to win games with a single off a missed field goal that sailed through the end zone. In 2027, CFL fields would be shortened from 110 yards to 100 yards, while shrinking the end zones and relocating the goalposts.

23 – One of the owners of a British Columbia ostrich farm and her daughter were arrested for refusing to leave the birds. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency was expected to begin a cull of the animals over an avian flu infection. RCMP moved into the ostrich enclosure where the pair had stayed overnight. A police spokesperson said no charges had yet been laid but the two were arrested under the Health of Animals Act.

24 – RCMP were investigating a fire at a B.C. farm that had been the focus of a cull order involving hundreds of birds that had drawn international attention. The Mounties said several bales of hay were found burning overnight at Universal Ostrich Farms in Edgewood, where a cull of nearly 400 ostriches was ordered because of an outbreak of avian flu. They said the fire caused mostly cosmetic damage and had been deemed suspicious. The Supreme Court of Canada issued a last-minute interim stay order pending a further ruling on an application for leave to appeal.

24 – Twenty-three workers were rescued from a Colombian gold mine after being trapped underground for 43 hours. It happened at the La Reliqua mine in northern Colombia, where the country’s National Mining Agency said the main entrance collapsed on Monday due to a “geomechanical failure.” The mine was on land belonging to Canada’s Aris Mining Corporation, which earlier said it had provided the trapped workers with food, water and ventilation during rescue efforts.

24 – The Canadian Premier League announced it was expanding to Quebec. The CPL said FC Supra would become the league’s ninth team as of the next year, playing its matches at Laval’s Stade Boréale. The team unveiled its name, crest and colours at an event in Laval with an ownership group that included Matt Rizzetta, Angelo Pasto, Stéphane Tétrault and Jean-François Chenail.

25 – The doctor widely recognized as the father of palliative care died. Dr. Balfour Mount was remembered for his contribution to revolutionizing how people lived out their final days, emphasizing psychological and spiritual needs. He launched the world’s first palliative care unit in Montreal in 1975. Mount died in the palliative care unit that bore his name at Montreal’s Royal Victoria Hospital.

25 – An inmate admitted to fatally assaulting serial killer Robert Pickton with a broken broom handle at a federal penitentiary in Quebec the previous year. Martin Charest told a judge that he did it for the victims. He said Pickton had continued to brag about killing 49 women at his pig farm near Vancouver and told other inmates he’d commit more crimes if he were ever released. Charest pleaded guilty to first-degree murder.

26 – The union for 55,000 postal workers declared a countrywide strike and Canadians were told the postal service was virtually shut down. Federal Jobs Minister Patty Hajdu said it was up to Canada Post and CUPW to find the balance between the future of postal service and respect for employees. But she encouraged both parties to keep working to resolve their dispute, and said federal mediators remained available to support the bargaining process. The Canadian Union of Postal Workers said it had called the strike after learning Canada Post was planning to wind down door-to-door mail delivery as it bled cash amid a decline in letter mail. Strike details had not been released, but one union negotiator told the CBC that different units were “organically” organizing picket lines and that all workers would likely be off the job that morning.

27 – A hulking steer from southern Alberta earned a Guinness World Record title for biggest bovine. Beef was recently measured at 1.98 metres high and nearly 1,134 kilos. Jasmine Entz said she adopted Beef about eight years earlier because she wanted a steer to ride. She said Beef had since transitioned into retirement and grazed about her farm in Vulcan, where he ate 100 pounds of hay and drank gallons of water each day to maintain his massive frame.

27 – Unionized Vancouver Symphony Orchestra musicians officially walked off the job, resulting in several show cancellations that weekend. VSO President Angela Elster said the company recognized the right of the musicians to take collective action but was disappointed about the impact on its audiences. Vancouver Musicians’ Association Local 145 issued a 72-hour strike notice on Monday, saying the employer had turned “a deaf ear” to the union’s proposal, including wage increases.

28 – For the first time in 10 years the Toronto Blue Jays won the American League East Division. Toronto’s 13–4 win over the Tampa Bay Rays locked up the top seed in the league to secure home-field advantage and a bye to the best-of-five division series.

29 – The Bishnoi gang was listed as a terrorist entity in Canada. The RCMP accused India the previous year of using the gang to carry out murders and acts of extortion targeting Canadians — which New Delhi denied. Its leader reportedly co-ordinated criminal activities from a cellphone inside a prison. The new designation barred Canadians from financing or aiding the group and allowed authorities to seize property and freeze accounts.

29 – The Saskatchewan government officially apologized to survivors and families for its role in the historical abuse and trauma that occurred at a boarding school for Métis and First Nations children. Premier Scott Moe made the apology while also announcing the province had agreed to pay $40 million to former students of the Île-à-la-Crosse Boarding School and their families. The school operated from the 1820s until it burned down in the 1970s. In 2022, a group of former students sued the province and Ottawa for their roles in operating the school and for breaching legal duties of care.

30 – The U.S. hit Canadian lumber producers with an additional 10 per cent tariff, starting Oct. 14. A new presidential proclamation set out that duty on imports of softwood timber and lumber, along with a 25 per cent levy on imports of kitchen cabinets and vanities. The rate applied to kitchen cabinets and vanities was set to jump to 50 per cent at the start of the new year unless countries reached a deal with the U.S. Canadian lumber producers already faced tariffs of over 35 per cent from the U.S.

30 – A U.S. federal judge ruled the Trump administration’s efforts to deport non-citizens for protesting the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip were unconstitutional. The judge agreed with several university associations that the policy they described as ideological deportation violated the First Amendment. During a trial, lawyers for the associations presented witnesses who testified that the Trump administration had launched a co-ordinated effort to target students and scholars who had criticized Israel or showed sympathy for Palestinians. The judge’s ruling came after that trial.

30 – One of former prime minister Stephen Harper’s chiefs of staff died at the age of 62. Nigel Wright was Harper’s chief of staff from 2011 to 2013 but left the role over his involvement in the Senate expenses scandal. Wright secretly paid then-Conservative Senator Mike Duffy more than $90,000 to cover some of Duffy’s contested expenses. His death was announced by Onex, the private equity firm where Wright worked for nearly three decades.

30 – An earthquake in the Philippines killed at least 31 people, injuring many others and sending residents scrambling out of homes into darkness as the intense shaking cut off power. A 6.9-magnitude earthquake hit in a central Philippine province northeast of Bogo, a coastal city of about 90,000 people. Nearby provinces were still recovering from a tropical storm that battered the central region on Friday, leaving at least 27 people dead.

30 – In Indonesia at least 91 students remained trapped in concrete rubble almost two days after an Islamic school building collapsed on them. More than 300 rescue workers were working desperately to free survivors after the structure fell on top of hundreds of people, mostly teen boys, who had been performing afternoon prayers. The prayer hall at the century-old Islamic boarding school in East Java province was undergoing an unauthorized expansion. At least three students were confirmed dead and 100 others were injured, many with head injuries and broken bones.

30 – Former Montreal Canadiens forward Max Pacioretty retired after 17 seasons and joined the staff of the NCAA Michigan Wolverines. Pacioretty spent 10 seasons in Montreal, including three as captain. He was selected by the Canadiens in the first round, 22nd overall, at the 2007 NHL draft. He reached the 30-goal mark six times in a career that included stops in Vegas, Carolina, Washington and Toronto.

The Canadian Press