This spring, four-time MICHELIN Bib Gourmand–recognized Favorites Thai will host a one-night winemaker dinner in collaboration with Tenuta Santomè on Monday, April 27 at 6:00 PM. The Ossington restaurant will present a ticketed, multi-course tasting menu priced at $120 per person (exclusive of tax and gratuity), pairing its contemporary Thai cuisine with wines from the Veneto-based producer. Tickets for the event are available through the restaurant’s OpenTable under ‘Experiences’ HERE.

Designed as a one-night-only experience, the dinner brings together bold, fire-driven Thai flavours with a curated selection of Italian wines, offering a format that is both social and structured. Each course has been developed to highlight contrast and balance, with pairings that respond to spice, acidity, and texture.

The evening will be hosted in partnership with Tenuta Santomè, a winery based in the heart of Italy’s Treviso province, known for its focus on expressing local grape varieties through precise, sustainable viticulture. For the dinner, guests will be joined by winery owner William Spinazzè, who will guide the pairings and share insights into the estate’s approach to winemaking and its perspective on Veneto terroir.

The collaboration builds on Favorites Thai’s evolving culinary direction under Head Chef Ronnie Xu, whose cooking emphasizes charcoal-driven technique and a refined approach to Thai tradition. The format offers a focused opportunity to explore how Thai cuisine interacts with Italian wine in a curated setting.

Event Details
Date: Monday, April 27, 2026
Time: 6:00 PM
Location: Favorites Thai, 141 Ossington Avenue, Toronto
Tickets: $120 per person ++
Experience: Multi-course tasting menu with wine pairings
Note: Due to the set nature of this menu, Favorites Thai is unable to accommodate gluten, shellfish, allium, or seafood allergies.
Reservations: Available via OpenTable HERE.

About Favorites Thai
Favorites Thai—often referred to as “Faves”—is a vibrant, contemporary Thai restaurant in Toronto’s Ossington neighbourhood. A collaboration between restaurateurs Jonathan Poon and Monte Wan, the restaurant was conceived as a passion project dedicated to exploring Thai cuisine with depth, respect, and individuality. Since opening, Favorites Thai has earned four MICHELIN Bib Gourmand distinctions and recognition from Toronto Life as Best New Restaurant. Known for its hidden location, open kitchen, charcoal-driven cooking, and carefully curated beverage program, Favorites Thai offers an elevated yet approachable take on Thai dining in Toronto.

In its 20th anniversary year, Terroir Symposium is expanding its footprint into Edmonton, May 27–31, 2026, where the city proudly welcomes an extraordinary roster of international culinary guests, including an exceptional delegation from Ireland. Edmonton serves as the vibrant first stop for global chefs, producers, and hospitality innovators before travelling south to Calgary for the VIP Opening Reception, hands‑on workshops, and the flagship Symposium Day.

This milestone edition reflects a deepening spirit of collaboration across Alberta, with Edmonton and Calgary jointly hosting a week of immersive programming that celebrates global talent and the richness of local communities coming together across terroir. Guided by the theme The Joy of Food, Terroir 2026 invites visitors from around the world to experience a uniquely Albertan welcome, rooted in generosity, creativity, and the shared pleasure of gathering around the table.

Edmonton Program Highlights

Wednesday, May 27
Streetcar Terroir: A Rolling Celebration of Connection – offers a moving tasting experience aboard the city’s historic Edmonton Radial Railway Society Streetcar, connecting Alberta’s wild landscape with the culinary and distilling traditions of Asia and Ireland. Led by chefs Winnie Chen (Fu’s Repair Shop), Tracy Little (Sauvage), and Liana Robberecht, featuring Irish drinks practitioner Linda O’Flynn and cocktail director Glaziem Garcia, guests will enjoy small plates and cocktails inspired by locally foraged ingredients.

Cocktail Class at Fu’s Repair Shop — Featuring Irish Mixologist Linda O’Flynn
Edmonton opens its doors to Ireland with a lively masterclass on wild fermentation led by guest mixologist Linda O’Flynn of Cask in Cork, Ireland. Guests will explore Irish cocktail sensibilities woven with Edmonton’s playful, modern approach to flavour.

Cocktail Event Evening celebration at Double Dragon with Irish Mixologist Linda O’Flynn – The Irish influence continues with an evening celebration as Cask’s Linda O’Flynn teams up with the crew at Fu’s Repair Shop and Double Dragon for a memorable evening of cocktails and curiosities.

Butchery Workshop with Benedikt Gudgeirsson — RGE RD welcomes special guest Benedikt Gudgeirsson of Iceland’s World Butchery Team for a full bison breakdown, in partnership with Noble Premium Bison. A hands-on experience in the butcher’s lab, small bites and libations, and a take-home package of the bison sausage created.

Thursday, May 28
Signature Dinner at RGE RD — Featuring Galway Chef Jess Murphy, Icelandic Butcher Benedikt Gudgeirsson & Chicago-based rapper BLVCK SVM.

A centrepiece of Edmonton’s international welcome, this rare synesthetic tasting menu brings together RGE RD’s Chef Blair Lebsack, Chef Jared Dunn, and acclaimed Irish chef Jess Murphy, co-owner of Galway’s iconic Kai Restaurant. Chef Murphy, celebrated for her environmentally focused menus and deep relationships with Irish producers, joins Edmonton’s culinary leaders to craft an evening that bridges Irish and Albertan terroir. The dinner also features a performance by Chicago-based rapper BLVCK SVM, known for blending luxury rap with culinary themes.

Friday, May 29
Signature Dinner at Paperbirch in the Old Strathcona Market — Shane Chartrand welcomes international guest chef Ari Miller (Pist Haste & Poi Dog, Philadelphia), alongside Edmonton chefs Victor Hugo Raya (Super Amigos Mexican Street Food) and Lindsay Porter, to curate an exclusive, multi-course menu, sourcing only the freshest ingredients from Old Strathcona Farmers’ Market vendors. Each dish shares the rich history and traditions of Indigenous cuisine from around the world, offering a deeper connection to the food on your plate.

These events form part of a broader, multi-city program that includes thought-provoking talks, hands-on workshops, and community-driven experiences across Calgary and Edmonton. Terroir Symposium continues to evolve as a vital platform for dialogue and discovery—connecting ideas, people, and places through the lens of food and drink.

For full programming details and registration, visit:
https://www.terroirsymposium.com/

About Terroir:

The Canadian Terroir Symposium brings together innovative people from the field of hospitality. The flagship event attracts people who are serious about the business of hospitality and those looking to constantly develop and refine their careers through professional development workshops, presentations, dinners and tastings.

About Food Tourism Strategies:

With over 30 years of culinary, hospitality, and tourism industry experience, Food Tourism Strategies is invested in growing culinary tourism in Canada. From strategic development to signature events to industry workshops and beyond, FTS works to enhance the visitor experience through the taste of place.

Today, Disney+ announced that the new Original comedy from Mindy Kaling, “Not Suitable for Work”, will premiere June 2, 2026 with three episodes. Two new episodes will roll out weekly, leading up to the finale on June 23, 2026. The series will stream exclusively on Hulu on Disney+ in Canada. Check out first look images now.

From comedy hitmaker Mindy Kaling, “Not Suitable for Work” centers around five work-obsessed twenty-somethings striving for professional success and, if they have time, personal happiness in Manhattan’s most glamorous neighbourhood, Murray Hill.

Kaling created “Not Suitable for Work” and executive produces with showrunner Charlie Grandy (“The Sex Lives of College Girls,” “The Mindy Project”) and 3 Arts Entertainment’s Howard Klein. The series is produced by Kaling International in association with Warner Bros. Television, where both Kaling and Grandy are under overall deals.

The series stars Ella Hunt, Avantika, Will Angus, Jack Martin, Nicholas Duvernay, Jay Ellis. Victor Garber, Greg Germann, Judy Gold, Ego Nwodim, Harry Richardson, Constance Wu, Laura Bell Bundy, May Hong, Bhavesh Patel, Emilia Suárez and Michael Benjamin Washington are recurring guest stars.

Robust parental controls ensure that Disney+ remains a suitable viewing experience for everyone in the family. Subscribers can set access limits on mature content and create PIN-protected profiles alongside the already existing Junior Mode profiles to give parents and guardians peace of mind.

Paramount+ announced today that CANADA SHORE has been renewed for a second season globally. The housemates will head back to the Shore for more parties, hookups and debauchery with filming set to take place this summer.

In its debut season, CANADA SHORE drove more Canadian Paramount+ subscriptions than any other title*, and sparked viral moments and millions of views across social media. The series also set off juicy conversations with social personalities like Brianna Chickenfry and Cody Ko expressing their love. The 10-episode season had its finale on March 19th and is now streaming on Paramount+ in all markets globally.

“Renewing CANADA SHORE was an easy choice,” said Katrina Kowalski, SVP Content, Paramount, Canada.“The series has quickly become a fan favourite, connecting with audiences through its unmistakeable, outrageous cast who may not depict stereotypical polite Canadian-ness, but have hearts much bigger than the chaos they bring.”

“The response from Shore fans to this authentic, funny, over-the-top, messy cast has been awesome,” said Erin Brock, Showrunner on CANADA SHORE and Co-Chief Content Officer at Insight Productions. “And the messiness didn’t end just because the cameras stopped rolling. The housemates have a lot to unpack this summer and I can guarantee sparks are going to fly from Day One.”

And guess what? The CANADA SHORE family is looking to expand! Anyone between the ages of 19-26 who is interested in hanging with the roomies and having the most unforgettable, unfiltered summer of their life, can apply. The only qualification – someone who is the life of the party wherever they go! Anyone interested should apply HERE by April 30.

Just like the original JERSEY SHORE series, CANADA SHORE brings together bold and unapologetic Canadian singles from coast to coast to coast to sun-soaked shores.They party, flirt, and turn every night into a once-in-a-lifetime memory. But between all the hookups, full-throttle fun and hangovers, this wild crew became a family that laughs together, fights together, and supports each other.

CANADA SHORE is the first-ever Canadian edition of the global MTV “Shore” phenomenon. Produced by Insight Productions (a Blue Ant Studios company) and filmed on the shores of Kelowna, British Columbia.The format has now produced 17 spin-offs, including most recent additions AUSSIE SHORE and FRENCHIE SHORE.

Fans can relive all the original ‘Shore’ vibes on Pluto TV’s MTV Jersey Shore Channel. The channel makes every day feel like “Jersday” and is packed with classic moments and Shore chaos.

Paramount+ in Canada is the go-to destination for all seasons of JERSEY SHORE and JERSEY SHORE FAMILY VACATION and is the home to AUSSIE SHORE, ACAPULCO SHORE, GEORDIE SHORE (Seasons 1-5) and DOUBLE SHOT AT LOVE (Seasons 1-3, FLORIBAMA SHORE (Seasons 1-4), BUCKHEAD SHORE (Season 1) and SNOOKIE & JWOWW (Seasons 1-4) and FRENCHIE SHORE (Seasons 1-2).

@CanadaShore

On April 15, Hollywood Suite presents coast-to-coast-to-coast cinema with 24 hours of Canadian films in honour of National Canadian Film Day. Featured premieres include Partner Distribution’s supernatural horror filmed in Calgary, Shadow of God (2025), and four 4K restorations of Canadian classics from the 1960s to 1990s: The Winter Kept Us Warm (1965), The Hard Part Begins (1973), East End Hustle (1976) and The Sweet Hereafter (1997). Viewers can catch these titles and more Wednesday, April 15 on Hollywood Suite, and all month long on demand, with select titles featuring exclusive introductions from comedians Emma Hunter (The Beaverton) and Ali Hassan courtesy of Reel Canada.

“As a proudly Canadian company, Hollywood Suite always looks forward to our annual tradition of all-day programming for National Canadian Film Day,” said Suzanne Marshall, Hollywood Suite Senior Manager, Programming. “We are proud to showcase amazing homegrown talent from the past to the present, and couldn’t be more excited to join in on the Canadian cinema festivities without leaving the comfort of our homes.”

“Hollywood Suite has always been one of our favourite partners on CanFilmDay and this year their programming is the best yet, including some fantastic hidden gems for Canadians to rediscover,” said Jack Blum, Executive Director, Reel Canada. “Their 24-hour schedule really helps make National Canadian Film Day accessible to everyone.”

Calgary’s Michael Peterson directed the film Shadow of God (2025), which tells the story of an unauthorized exorcism that an elite exorcist performs on his father. The horror film features the snowy landscapes of Alberta and Canadian talent, including St. John’s’ Mark O’Brien (Ready or Not), Edmonton’s Shaun Johnston (Heartland), and Toronto’s Jacqueline Byers (Prey for the Devil).

With the help of Canadian International Pictures, Hollywood Suite is bringing back four homegrown classics in 4K. Set in 1960s Toronto, The Winter Kept Us Warm (1965) was the first English-language film to screen at the Cannes Film Festival and follows a charismatic senior and a timid freshman who form an intense friendship, sharing music and adventures. Directed by Paul Lynch (Prom Night), the drama The Hard Part Begins (1973) follows a struggling country singer whose life is falling apart because life on the road is no fairytale. The Montreal-filmed East End Hustle (1976) tells the story of Cindy, an ex-sex worker who rescues Marianne, one of her pimp’s potential recruits, and a deadly rivalry begins. Finally, Atom Egoyan’s Academy Award-nominated The Sweet Hereafter (1997) is a psychological drama about a bus crash in a small town that brings a lawyer to defend the families, but he discovers everything isn’t what it seems.

More National Canadian Film Day highlights include Tracey Deer’s award-winning drama Beans (2020); the Bill Murray comedy Meatballs (1979) filmed in Haliburton, Ontario; and world-renowned Canadian filmmaker David Cronenberg’s Crimes of the Future (2022).

In addition to the on-air celebrations, Toronto-based fans can celebrate the 30th anniversary of Bruce McDonald’s Hard Core Logo in person, with Hollywood Suite co-presenting a screening of the cult classic film with the Academy of Canadian Film and Television at Toronto’s Varsity Theatre. Tickets are available here.

View the full list of National Canadian Film Day programming below:

The Winter Kept Us Warm (4K) (1965)

Dream Life (2K) (1972)

The Hard Part Begins (4K) (1973)

East End Hustle (4K) (1976)

Comme les six doigts de la main (1978)

The Brood (1979)

Meatballs (1979)

Prom Night (1980)

Scanners (1981)

The Peanut Butter Solution (1985)

Hello Mary Lou: Prom Night II (1986)

Sam & Me (1991)

Double Happiness (1994)

Whale Music (1994)

Crash (1996)

Hard Core Logo (1996)

The Sweet Hereafter (4K) (1997)

Crossed Over (2001)

Long Life, Happiness and Prosperity (2002)

Men With Brooms (2002)

Owning Mahowny (2003)

My Life Without Me (2003)

Who Loves the Sun (2006)

Away From Her (2006)

Passenger Side (2009)

Brooklyn (2015)

Beans (2020)

Crimes of the Future (2022)

Relax, I’m From the Future (2022)

With Love and a Major Organ (2023)

Skeet (2024)

The Movie Man (2024)

Lunatic: The Luna Vachon Story (2024)

Shadow of God (2025)

ABOUT HOLLYWOOD SUITE

Curated by real movie lovers, Hollywood Suite operates four exclusive HD channels that showcase must-see movies from the Golden Age to today, plus exclusive new series from around the world, always uncut and commercial-free. With hundreds of movies every month on four HD channels and Hollywood Suite On Demand, Hollywood Suite provides unparalleled value to subscribers.

Hollywood Suite is available to over 10 million households across Canada, exclusively through Canadian television service providers and Amazon Prime Video Channels. Visit hollywoodsuite.ca for more information.

Hollywood Suite is an Anthem Sports & Entertainment company.

MovieScout, Canada’s new home for discovering showtimes for movies in all theatres across the country, has officially launched. The website is live at www.moviescout.ca and www.cinescout.ca. View the sizzle reel here.

Acting as moviegoers’ entertainment ‘North Star’, MovieScout helps Canadians find the perfect movie in theatres, from star-studded blockbusters to soulful indies that can often fly under the radar. MovieScout has a dedicated section for Canadian movies and Independent movies, making it easier than ever before for consumers to find movies that often have limited engagements and marketing budgets.

“It’s really easy to figure out what to watch at home, but at MovieScout, we are dedicated to making it just as easy to see everything that’s playing in all theatres in your neighbourhood. We want Canadians to discover movies on MovieScout that they may not have heard of through marketing campaigns or word of mouth,” said Lauren Jacob and Marissa Mandel-Murray, co-founders of MovieScout. “We hope MovieScout becomes a go-to destination that expands beyond individual theatre websites, connecting movie lovers to a single destination for everything they need to plan their next movie experience.”

The challenge in Canada MovieScout is solving, isn’t access to showtimes – it’s fragmented discovery. The platform is designed with a national lens that helps studios, distributors and theatres promote films more effectively to moviegoing audiences across the country.

Users can discover all movies by genre, language, time of day, theatre and their location. When selecting a listed showtime, users will be redirected to purchase tickets directly on the theatre’s website.

MovieScout highlights all movies currently playing in theatres, and coming soon from major multiplexes and independent cinemas, allowing users to:

View trailers, cast and synopsis for every film

Browse showtimes by film or theatre

Compare screening times across locations

Click through directly to the theatre’s ticketing page

“MovieScout is not just about improving showtime listings, it’s about improving the overall discoverability of all films playing in Canadian theatres” said Lauren Jacob and Marissa Mandel-Murray.

About MovieScout:

MovieScout is Canada’s home for discovering every movie playing in every theatre across the country. From star-studded blockbusters to soulful independent films that often fly under the radar, we bring everything playing in every theatre together in one place. MovieScout exists to rekindle the joy of discovery: the thrill of stumbling upon exactly the kind of movie you’ve been craving, and experiencing it where movies were always meant to be seen. In the theatre, larger-than-life stories and characters draw us in, transporting us for a few hours and offering a fresh perspective on ourselves and the world around us. It’s a feeling that simply can’t be replicated at home. Acting as your entertainment North Star, MovieScout helps you find the perfect movie and get lost in it too. Additional information is available at www.moviescout.ca

Today, SiriusXM Canada, in partnership with the Canadian Country Music Association^® (CCMA^®), opens voting for the next phase of the 2026 SiriusXM Top of the Country competition, inviting Canadians to help select the country’s next breakout artist. The eight semi-finalists have recorded original songs and videos in studio, which are now available at topcountry.siriusxm.ca to help voters decide on their favourites.

Canadians can vote daily until April 14, with public votes helping to decide the final three. From there, the top contenders will go on to perform on major stages throughout the summer as they compete for a $25,000 grand prize and the chance to be crowned the 2026 Top of the Country champion.

The 2026 semi-finalists, representing seven provinces, are:

Ben Chase – St. Louis, PEI
Blue Ridge Band – Lévis, QC
Catie St.Germain – Winnipeg, MB
Josh Stumpf – Prince Albert, SK
Morgan Griffiths – Abbotsford, BC
Morgan Klaiber – Medicine Hat, AB
Nicolette & The Nobodies – Hamilton, ON
Shawnee Kish – Edmonton, AB
“This stage of the SiriusXM Top of the Country competition marks an exciting moment for both artists and fans as our top eight showcase their talent,” said Michelle Mearns, SVP of Programming & Operations, SiriusXM Canada. “Canadians now have the opportunity to support their favourite performers and help shape the next phase of the competition.”

Once voting closes, the finalists will take the stage at events across North America, including Departure Festival in Toronto, LASSO Montréal and CMA Fest in Nashville. The competition will wrap up this September in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, with a finale concert taking place as part of the CCMA’s Country Music Week 2026. Finalists will take the stage to perform, with one artist crowned the 2026 Top of the Country winner. The event will be broadcast live on SiriusXM’s Top of the Country Radio (ch. 171), allowing fans across the country to tune in.

“The CCMA is a proud partner of the SiriusXM Top of the Country competition, working together for our mutual goal of elevating homegrown talent and supporting Canadian artists at every stage of their journey,” said Amy Jeninga, President, CCMA. “Canadian country fans are at the heart of everything we do, and we’re honoured to have their help in selecting the next generation of country’s rising stars.”

SiriusXM Top of the Country, in partnership with the CCMA, is part of SiriusXM’s ongoing tradition of promoting and elevating the best emerging Canadian music talent. SiriusXM continues to offer a leading platform for Canadian artists through its significant financial contributions and North American-wide reach.

About SiriusXM Canada

Sirius XM Canada Inc., operating as SiriusXM Canada, is the country’s leading audio entertainment company. SiriusXM creates and offers ad-free music; premier sports talk and live events; comedy; news; podcasts; and exclusive talk and entertainment. SiriusXM is available in vehicles from every major car company, as well as on smartphones and all connected devices on the SiriusXM app. For more information, visit siriusxm.ca.

Join SiriusXM Canada on Facebook, X, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube.

SiriusXM radios and accessories are available from retailers nationwide and online at SiriusXM. In addition, SiriusXM Music for Business provides ad-free music to a variety of businesses. SiriusXM is also a leading provider of connected vehicles services, giving customers access to a suite of safety, security, and convenience services including automatic crash notification, stolen vehicle recovery assistance, enhanced roadside assistance and turn-by-turn navigation.

SiriusXM Canada has been designated one of Canada’s Best Managed Companies 16 years in a row and is currently a Platinum Club Member.

About The Canadian Country Music Association® (CCMA®)

Established in 1976, the CCMA® is a membership-based, not-for-profit organization committed to promoting and recognizing Canadian country music. Now in its 50th year, the CCMA celebrates the spirit, community, and creativity fostered by country music through year-round initiatives, culminating every fall with Country Music Week and the Canadian Country Music Association Awards.

The UNTITLED ORIGINAL COMEDY FROM JUDD APATOW AND GLEN POWELL will now be titled THE COMEBACK KING. The film will still release on its previously announced date of Friday, February 5, 2027 – wide.

The film, about a country western star in free fall, is set to star Glen Powell, Cristin Milioti, Madelyn Cline, Stavros Halkias and Li Jin Hao. Judd Apatow will direct. Apatow and Powell wrote the script together.

Apatow will produce through his longstanding Apatow Productions overall deal with the Studio. Apatow’s relationship with the Studio dates back to his 2005 directorial debut, The 40-Year-Old Virgin, and he has since directed Knocked Up, Funny People, This is 40, Trainwreck and The King of Staten Island for the Studio. Barry Mendel and Josh Church will executive produce.

Powell and Dan Cohen will produce through Barnstorm’s first look deal with the Studio. Powell’s relationship with the Studio originates with his starring role in Twisters, which overperformed against all industry expectations, becoming the biggest opening for a natural disaster film ever at the domestic box office and grossing $267.8 million overall in the domestic box office.

Kevin Misher will produce through Misher Films. Misher has a storied history with Universal Pictures, where he was President of Production from 1996-2001 and supervised production for some of the Studio’s most acclaimed features, including Erin Brockovich, The Fast and the Furious, Meet the Parents, and The Mummy. Misher subsequently formed Misher Films, where he has been producing a variety of films over the past two decades, including Fighting With My Family, Coming 2 America and You People.

We were so incredibly lucky to run into Emily in Paris star Lucas Bravo recently as he was in town for a personal visit. He was spotted receiving a warm hug from funnywoman and Overcompensating star Mary Beth Barone, who is in-town working on the popular college-set series’ second season. As some might recall, they were seen also at a St. Patrick’s Day NY Knicks game together,

The French heartthrob plays Gabriel in beloved Netflix series Emily in Paris – the titular character’s chef neighbour and on-again, off-again love interest. He will be returning for a sixth season we are hearing, and the next season is said to take place in Greece (Mykonos, anyone?) We cannot wait! The show is our perfect escape. More details to come! We barely got enough of him in season five, and hope the Series’ Writers have found a way to align Gabriel a bit more to where Bravo is right now spiritually and creatively as he has expressed in interviews he feels he’s grown away from the character a bit.

A quick highlight of the moment. Bravo was so kind to stop for a snap, while Barone giggled at us. We’re so sorry, Mary Beth, we only realized it was her after! We are a fan and have been following her too after she slayed on the red carpet at this year’s Golden Globes!

We can’t believe our luck sometimes!

(Photo/video credit: Mr. Will Wong)

We had the joy of ringing-in Spring and Easter with the 2026 Mazda3 Sport GT Turbo in a radiant Snowflake White Pearl. This gorgeous compact Sedan is pure elegance and style and right away we see the attention to detail with its Garnet Red Leather upholstery, black dash with accent stitching in red and 18” alloy wheels in a black finish. Steering wheel and front row seats (8-way manual adjustment for driver) come with the heated option as well. This seats five comfortably, with a decent amount of space for storage in its hatchback.

The Mazda3 Sport GT Turbo is powered by a SKYACTIV-G 2.5T Dynamic Pressure Turbo engine delivering 250 horsepower on premium fuel and 227 horsepower on regular fuel; the latter is recommended. It comes with a 48 litre tank, and fuel economy of 10.1/7.3/8.8 (city/highway/combined) litres/100 km. While this isn’t aided by the current price of gas, trust that the Mazda3 is offering value in these trying times. And it all begins with a push-button engine start.

We loved that the Mazda3 Sport GT Turbo comes with a power-operated glass moonroof with interior sunshade, tilt-up ventilation feature, one-touch open feature. Drives are ambient, with a soundtrack provided by its Bose 12-speaker premium audio system (with aluminum speaker grilles!) and both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, capabilities. Everything is controlled by its 10.25” full colour centre display w/ Mazda Connect Infotainment system.

We appreciate Mazda’s care for passengers, offering dual-zone climate control. We found it interesting how incremental the audio system’s volume adjustment is, going quite ‘macro’ in its increments. And let’s not forget the litany of charging options including USB-C ports, and wireless charging in the frontside, plus dual-zone climate control, showing care of passengers, not only the driver.

One of the most unique features we found was its Smart Broke Support for rear-cross traffic. What this feature does is if it detects pedestrians or cars approaching while you’re reversing, it will automatically hit the brakes to avoid accidents. We’ve never seen this feature and were taken back a bit by it, but respect that this will save lives and catastrophe which is commendable. The compact Sedan also features a 360° View Monitor – reversing and parallel parking are made easy with that rearview camera – and Traffic Sign Recognition which is perfect for keeping the Driver aware of changing speed limits in their daily drives.

While on the topic of safety, the 2026 Mazda3 now features the PRIVATE eCALL feature. In the unfortunate event of an accident or driver impairment, the vehicle automatically initiates a private eCall and connects the vehicle occupants to an emergency call centre that is specifically equipped to manage such situations. This, and STOLEN VEHICLE ASSISTANCE which helps authorities track and retrieve the vehicle, should your car get stolen.

Also standard with the Mazda3 are a litany of safety features including Hill Launch Assist, Dual front and dual side airbags, Dual side curtain airbags, Driver and front passenger knee airbags, Rear side airbags, Driver attention alert, Forward Obstruction Warning, Lane-keep Assist System, Lane Departure Warning System, and so many more!

Though not necessarily a safety feature, we appreciate illuminated entry, which is super-helpful when driving at night, as well. And while not often a huge selling point for some, it matters to us that there are rear-window wipers to help us navigate challenging weather. Every extra bit of visibility helps.

Some highlights from our very busy schedule lately, which was all made possible by the 2026 Mazda3 Sport GT Turbo:

The 2026 Mazda3 Sport GT Turbo might appear small on the outside, but is it ever mighty! A compact Sedan for your everyday living! Currently, it retails for a great value of $38,450 CAN.

More here.

(Photo/video credit: Mr. Will Wong)