Well, they finally saw fit to mention the story that's making headlines all over the world. But not until we heard about more snow removal, a traffic accident, an arrest in an old murder, an early weather preview and an endless recap of the Olympics, including an overly long report on the condition of the ice in Milan.

Not to mention the latest on the Nancy Guthrie story and a repeat of yesterday's controversy over the Gordie Howe Bridge.

Mass shooting? What mass shooting? 

They finally, finally got to the story at 12:16. Yes, 16 minutes in. WTF? This is the #1 newscast in Toronto? Why?

OK. But to me, this is a no-brainer. The entire world is reporting on it. When was the last time a small town in B.C. drew the attention of people in England and the Middle East, let alone CNN and NBC?

No, this is a huge international story, the kind that rarely happens in Canada, an event so large it forced the Prime Minister to cancel an overseas trip, and sees the flags lowered across the country in recognition of the tragedy. Even the mayor of Toronto felt compelled to comment on it, adding a local angle. And all business in the House of Commns has been cancelled because of this terrible crime. 

It's just inconceivable to me that snowy bike lanes - which have been snowy for weeks and thus not really "news" in the true sense of being anything new - gets priority over an event less than 24 hours old that will likely be reverberating through memorials and vigils for years. (If you need proof, check out what happens every year on the anniversary of the Ecole Polytechnique shooting and the amount of air time it gets. And that happened in 1989!)

Even if there was a problem with the report, they should have at least done it as copy off the top, promising more later. I'd love to know who made this decision and why.

Sorry, but there are just some basics of news production that don't change. This was perhaps the clearest example of it I think I've ever seen. 

Yes, but how much money did they save by having junior reporters and junior producers calling the shots?

RadioActive wrote:

I watched CFTO's noon news on Wednesday and I didn't know whether to laugh or cry. 

On the day after one of the worst mass murders in Canadian history, I fully expected the Timber Ridge tragedy to be their lead story. So what did they do off the top? The tale they decided was far more important for viewers to know about was that Toronto bike lanes still haven't been cleared of snow.

Looks to me like they did everything correctly. 
Toronto first. Everything else second. Good for them! Good job! 
CTV deserves a pat on the back.
Too much snow.
Where's the army? lol 

Last edited by Radiowiz (February 11, 2026 1:55 pm)

RadioActive wrote:

OK. But to me, this is a no-brainer. The entire world is reporting on it. When was the last time a small town in B.C. drew the attention of people in England and the Middle East, let alone CNN and NBC?

No, this is a huge international story, the kind that rarely happens in Canada, an event so large it forced the Prime Minister to cancel an overseas trip, and sees the flags lowered across the country in recognition of the tragedy. Even the mayor of Toronto felt compelled to comment on it, adding a local angle. 

It's just inconceivable to me that snowy bike lanes - which have been snowy for weeks and thus not really "news" in the true sense of being anything new - gets priority over an event less than 24 hours old that will likely be reverberating through memorials and vigils for years. (If you need proof, check out what happens every year on the anniversary of the Ecole Polytechnique shooting and the amount of air time it gets. And that happened in 1989!)

Even if there was a problem with the report, they should have at least done it as copy off the top, promising more later. I'd love to know who made this decision and why.

Sorry, but there are just some basics of news production that don't change. This was perhaps the clearest example of it I think I've ever seen. 

I agree with you - and given the (somewhat lame) rundown you provided, I don't know what else could be the top story among the stories they did use. The bike lanes being the lead is just so Toronto to me. Tells me their producer hasn't been outside the city much.

My intital take was adding the layer of "in Toronto" - "Is it a big story?" vs. "Is it a big story in Toronto?", which led me to the removal of hat comment.

Like I said, "for the sake of discussion". I find that discussion is lacking on most message boards. People tend to read the topic title, post their take, and move on. So thank you.

Last edited by Binson Echorec (February 11, 2026 2:06 pm)

Au contraire, perhaps the CFTO newsroom would be in much better shape today had you been a part of it.

RadioActive wrote:

And even if you're going to argue local is more importabnt, snow in bike lanes is not a lead story, especially from a storm two weeks ago. Surely there's something more important going on in the city. And I'm not calling you Shirley. 

It's top news because it's a major problem in the city. If you don't like it being top news, maybe you should be the snow plow company. Now, if top news was about the snow actually being gone and people riding happily around on their bikes, I would much better understand your point, but snow in bike lanes in Toronto two weeks after the fact is a NO NO, and well worthy of being top news. It SHOULD NOT be happening at all in the first place.
Where's the Army? OR Where's the better snow plowing company??

We don't pay taxes so bike lanes can still have snow...and I really don't care about BC until I hear about what's going on around me first, here in Toronto. 
That snow should have been cleared and gone by now. It's still there. That is why it is such big news. 
I'm still glad CTV made it top story, even though I personally do not ride a bike.
 

Television production is helmed by women approximately half your age. They are the targeted audience as well. This explains your inquiry and probably much of modern Canadian society.

Leading a midday newscast with a depressing story from the other side of the country with limited video and interviews, a day after it occurred isn't the home run decision you think it is. I would argue that from a ratings viewpoint the best idea would be a local story instead of the mass shooting. Everyone had already heard the news, there aren't many updates, and it's not relevant to the Toronto audience....... just my two cents. Like others have said, the two national news channels and BC local news outlets have covered it fairly well

Actually they have now named the suspect in their 2 PM press conference with the RCMP. And it was a trans woman with a history of mental illness and, sadly, easy access to a weapon. 

Suspect in Canada shooting is identified as an 18-year-old with history of police visits to her home

As for the other option, it's possible to argue to lead local if there was a big enough story. I can't fathom how the bike lane yarn surpasses the importance of this. But even if you were to make that case, leaving a story that is making headlines across the world, has cancelled Question Period in the House of Commons, sparked comments from King Charles and is being reported in every country on the planet until the 16 minute mark of your newscast cannot be justified. 

I suspect it will be CTV Toronto's lead at 6, but we'll see. 

I'm with Radioactive on this. That's got to be the top story. Forget about leading local.  For the 6 pm newscast, CFTO led with Tumbler Ridge with 2 reporters on the scene.

Last edited by dieter (February 11, 2026 7:06 pm)

I just watched this on YouTube.  One of the biggest stories of the year is not on until 16 minutes and 58 seconds into the newscast ( on YouTube anyway.) How did every other story get to go first. How does learning how Canada is doing at the Olympics become more important than a mass shooting in an small isolated village in BC.

If I were in charge at Bell Media. 1 four hour National newscast coming from Vancouver or Edmonton airing at Noon local times on every local tv station. Cover only 1 story from every angle you can find with a focus on giving hope and understanding to Canadians who are having a hard time understanding how this happened in the first place.
Somewhere along the way, they forgot what's really important.
No one will ever be able to convince me that a pile of snow on a bike line in Toronto is more important then a group of children who have died inside there own school.

Also the Tumbler Ridge massacre is a highly unusual kind of event.  We really do not have regular mass shootings in Canada. It involves yet another case where mental illness was ignored or underplayed by local officials.  Yet another case of a family keeping guns while knowing a family member was mentally ill.  Then there's the odd addition of the transgender element in the mix.
Add to that the reaction of our own prime minister.  Carney cancelled both a Halifax meeting and an overseas event in Germany so he could stay at home and deal with this horrible tragedy.  If that doesn't signal how important it is I don't know what does.
Not to mention that news organizations' across Canada sent reporters to BC to cover the story at great expense.
All this and, as RA notes, CTV led with slow snow cleanup in the GTA.

 

Capricasix wrote:

Mental illness, not being transgender, is the issue.

I agree.

Last edited by Binson Echorec (February 12, 2026 10:12 pm)