2018 in pictures: Toronto's most memorable moments
Politics, mass casualty events, arts and culture defined the city's visual landscape
Amid a raucous year in politics, a deadly time on Toronto streets, marijuana legalization, and extreme weather events, CBC Toronto rounded up the top visual moments that stand out above the rest in 2018.
Here are the most memorable images of the year:
January
On Jan. 18, alleged serial killer Bruce McArthur was arrested at his home in Thorncliffe Park.
He is charged with eight counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of several men, many of whom had ties to the city's Gay Village.
The remains of a number of the men turned up in garden planters at a home where the 66-year-old landscaper worked.
On Jan. 24, Patrick Brown was forced to resign as Progressive Conservative leader and was kicked out of the caucus amid allegations of sexual misconduct.
February
Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir, the iconic ice dancers who enthralled Canadians for years concluded their illustrious careers with not one, but two gold medals at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea.
Close to 100 homeless people died in Toronto in 2017, according to Toronto Public Health. But the shelter crisis hit critical levels with prolonged periods of record-breaking temperatures in 2018.
March
On March 3, the highly anticipated Yayoi Kusama exhibit Infinity Mirrors opened at the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO). Toronto was the fourth stop on the exhibit's six-city tour.
On March 18, the Toronto Zoo said goodbye to its beloved giant pandas after a five-year stay. Da Mao and Er Shun, two giant pandas who have been on loan from China, and two-year-old twin cubs, Jia Panpan and Jia Yueyue, made the big move to Calgary.
April
CBC Toronto launched a series, called HERstory in Black: The Next Generation, about the experiences of seven young black women making a mark in their communities.
Twenty-five minutes of terror along a stretch of one of Toronto's busiest streets permanently altered the lives of 26 victims and hundreds of witnesses.
On April 23, a white rental van mounted a curb and barrelled into a number of pedestrians, killing 10 people and wounding 16 others.
It took Toronto months to regain a sense of normalcy after the attack — the first of its kind in the city.
May
The Toronto Raptors fired veteran head coach Dwane Casey on May 11 after being swept by Cleveland in the second round of the playoffs for the second consecutive season.
Casey is the most successful coach in Raptors history — rewriting the culture of what had been one of the worst teams in the league.
A homemade bomb detonated at Bombay Bhel restaurant in Mississauga, Ont., on May 24 injuring 15 people.
Toronto FC held its second annual Pride night on May 25.
June
Ontario's Progressive Conservatives secured a considerable majority government during the June 7 election — ending nearly 15 years of Liberal power in the province.
Doug Ford easily won his seat in Etobicoke North, the symbolic heartland of "Ford Nation," the term given to an unwavering core of supporters.
Andrea Horwath's NDP formed the Official Opposition at the legislature. The election results marked a turnaround for the party that has consistently found itself in third place.
Kathleen Wynne resigned as Liberal leader after her party earned their lowest-ever share of the popular vote, picking up only seven seats.
The joyous and celebratory atmosphere of Toronto's 38th Pride parade turned sombre on June 24 as revellers paused for a moment of silence for LGBT victims of violence.
July
Despite being in the midst of an extreme heat event, Toronto residents celebrated Canada Day on the shores of Lake Ontario.
On July 5, police discovered more human remains near the north Toronto property where the dismembered bodies of seven men allegedly killed by Bruce McArthur were found in garden planters earlier this year. This nine-day search turned up the remains of Majeed Kayhan, one of eight men the landscaper is accused of killing.
A shooter wandered five blocks along Danforth Avenue indiscriminately spraying gunfire into bustling bars and restaurants before turning the handgun on himself.
Two people were killed — 18-year-old Reese Fallon and Julianna Kozis, 10 — and a dozen more injured in the chaos on that balmy July evening.
August
Music, dance and costumes took centre stage at Toronto Caribbean Carnival on Aug. 4.
An ongoing labour dispute between the board that oversees the Exhibition Grounds and unionized stagehands had a "significant negative impact" on attendance and revenue of the annual Canadian National Exhibition, the CEO said.
September
Toronto International Film Festival kicked off its 43rd year on Sept. 6, but it did so in a changed landscape — one organizers have responded to with a few powerful additions to the usual mix of glitz and glam.
With initiatives including the Share Her Journey women's rally, a newly created hotline and an emphasis on its code of conduct, TIFF is making it clear it's an inclusive and safe space after the tide of sexual misconduct allegations stemming from the Harvey Weinstein scandal last fall.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford's unprecedented move to slash the size of Toronto council in the middle of a municipal election threw the city's voting process into turmoil.
On Sept. 12, protesters lined the public gallery at Queen's Park as legislators introduced a bill cutting the size of Toronto's city council nearly in half.
Demonstrators at the Queen's Park public gallery are forced to leave, some in handcuffs.
The NDP also stages a mass protest, which results in every party member being ejected from the legislature.
On Sept. 26, longtime Blue Jays manager John Gibbons announced he would not return for the 2019 season. He received a standing ovation when he walked to the batter's box to deliver the lineup card before his final home game as Toronto's manager.
October
On Oct. 17, Canada became the first major Western nation to legalize and regulate the sale of cannabis for recreational use.
The heavily anticipated and momentous move was marked with much fanfare in Toronto.
On Oct. 22, John Tory easily secured a second term as Toronto's mayor, resoundingly defeating his rivals after an unpredictable election campaign.
November
On Nov. 1, the Happy Place set down for a two-month stay in Toronto's Harbourfront neighbourhood. The Instagram-optimized pop-up features a series of multi-sensory rooms and settings that allow visitors to simply dive in and play.
Former PC Leader Patrick Brown came out swinging in his tell-all memoir claiming the province's Finance Minister Vic Fedeli has also been the subject of a sexual misconduct allegation.
It's called Okichitaw, an Indigenous martial art passed down generations by the Cree. The class looks similar to karate or tae kwon do, but the self-defence practice originated in North America.
December
On Dec. 1, thousands of French-speakers in nearly 40 communities across Ontario decried Premier Doug Ford's cuts to some French-language services.
The Toronto Maple Leafs stars Mitch Marner and Auston Matthews made celebrity cameo appearances as Cannon Dolls in a performance of The Nutcracker on Dec. 19.
