Ontario in June: Key Events and Headlines You Need to Know
Page Nine
Media & Culture
Date:
Jun 12, 2025
City:
June in Ontario has been marked by a mix of public health crises, infrastructure developments, and economic shifts. Here’s our rundown:
Public Health & Safety
Ontario has become the measles hotspot of the Western Hemisphere, with over 2,009 cases reported since October 2024 and the tragic death of a newborn infected in utero from an unvaccinated mother, amid vaccine hesitancy and gaps in immunization infrastructure (Reuters, The Guardian).
Wildfire smoke from fires across northern and central Ontario has significantly degraded air quality in the Ottawa–GTA corridor, triggering health warnings and hazy summer skies (Wikipedia).
Economy & Infrastructure
Ontario's deficit is expected to soar to C$14.6 billion in 2025–26—more than double last year—due in part to U.S. tariffs and a C$5 billion business support plan, triggering expanded tax credits and strategic infrastructure spending (Reuters).
The government has introduced the Protect Ontario by Cutting Red Tape Act, projected to save $5.8 million and reclaim over 256,000 work hours annually, aimed at speeding up regulatory processes and job creation (Ontario Release, MPP Release).
Tolls on Highway 407 East were officially removed on June 1 for the provincially owned segment—saving commuters nearly $7,200 a year and fulfilling a campaign promise (Ontario Release, Global News).
ArcelorMittal in Hamilton is closing its wire-drawing mill, laying off 153 workers and consolidating operations in Montreal, in response to U.S. tariffs imposed on steel and aluminum (Reuters).
Imperial Oil reported a minor diesel spill into the St. Clair River, prompting environmental concerns and community alerts (Reuters).
Transit & Urban Projects
The Eglinton Crosstown LRT (Line 5) is now slated to open in September 2025, and the renamed Don Valley station (formerly “Science Centre”) is readying for service (Wikipedia, [Metrolinx/CBC]).
Work continues on the Ontario Line and the controversial Highway 413 project (expected to break ground later this year), both pivotal to Greater Toronto’s transit and highway network (Wikipedia, Wikipedia).
Business & Workforce Trends
The Beer Store has announced the permanent closure of 10 Ontario outlets, targeting a streamlined, modernized retail strategy by August 10, 2025. Details on locations and worker support are still pending (Economic Times/Reuters summary).
Canada’s unemployment rate hit 7% in May, the highest in nearly a decade outside pandemic peaks, partly due to tariff fallout and economic rebalancing (Reuters).
Meanwhile, Toronto home sales surged in May, the biggest uptick in four months, as falling mortgage rates improved affordability (Reuters).
Federal & Provincial
Canada pledged to meet NATO's 2% defense spending target earlier than planned, boosting military investment including support around Ontario’s defence infrastructure (Reuters).
The province responded to U.S. tariffs by advocating for retaliatory measures, with Premier Doug Ford urging “Don’t let President Trump steamroll us” (Reuters).
What It Means
Ontario’s June headlines show a province at a crossroads: a public-health emergency meets infrastructure momentum, but economic headwinds—tariffs, layoffs, rising debt—underscore vulnerability. Grim short-term health and environmental challenges contrast with long-term bets on transit, red tape reduction, and defence modernization.