June in the Spotlight : 

June 11th , 2025 marks “ One Year to go” ,  putting Vancouver and Toronto , the two Canadian host cities , firmly in the spotlight for June 2026.  The first game in Canada will be played in Toronto  on June 12th, 2026.

In June 2026, Vancouver  and Toronto will be one of 16 host cities for the 2026 FIFA World CupTM. The matches will take place in the preliminary round, spanning three weeks. Tourism businesses throughout British Columbia and Ontario  are preparing to welcome visitors from around the world  Find out more : https://www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage/campaigns/soccer-2026

Continuing Canada's presence in the news cycle,  June will also see leaders of the G7 returning to Kananaskis, Alberta, in the Canadian Rockies this weekend . This is the second time  Kananaskis is hosting  world leaders in the history of the G8/G7 summits.

June 21st is National Indigenous Day across Canada. It is a special opportunity for all Canadians to highlight the unique heritage, cultural diversity and remarkable achievements of First Nations, the Inuit and Métis. The Canadian Constitution recognizes these three groups as Indigenous Peoples. Each one has its own heritage, language, cultural practices and spiritual beliefs.

In collaboration with the national Indigenous organizations, the government of Canada chose June 21, the summer solstice, to celebrate National Indigenous Peoples Day. For generations, many Indigenous peoples and communities    have celebrated their culture and heritage on this day or during this time of the year given the significance of the summer solstice as the longest day of the year.

 

New Hotel Openings

Boutique Property in Canmore, Alberta - Coming 2026: The Alexander Spa Hotel, located in Spring Creek and connected to the Malcolm Hotel, this 45-room boutique property will offer a luxury spa-focused experience in the heart of Canmore. Completion expected in 2026.

Hyatt Centric Downtown Winnipeg, Manitoba - Opening expected 2025/26: The first major new-build hotel in the city centre in years will add a contemporary, lifestyle‐oriented option steps from the Exchange District and Canada Life Centre. Opening date TBA.

The Heights at Brandon, Manitoba – Boutique Hotel - opening early 2026: Part of a mixed‐use village rising in Brandon, this intimate property will bring upscale accommodation and amenity space to Manitoba's Wheat City.

Hard Rock Hotel London: The Hard Rock Hotel in London, Ontario,  opens in spring 2025. This music-themed hotel will feature luxury accommodations, dining, and entertainment options, aiming to be a vibrant hub for visitors to the city.

Le Méridien Pinnacle Toronto Hotel - coming  Autumn  2025: Scheduled to open in  autumn  2025, this hotel will occupy the first 12 floors of the new SkyTower. Amenities include complimentary Wi-Fi, a fitness centre, business centre, swimming pool, on-site restaurants, meeting and event spaces, spa services, and more.

Lakefront Nordic Spa – Opened in January 2025: Wander the Spa, Ontario's first lakefront Nordic spa, opened in Prince Edward County at West Lake. An extension of Wander the Resort, the spa offers saunas, steam rooms, pools, and cold plunges, complementing a collection of 10 two-bedroom glass-and-timber cottages set along the tranquil northern shore of the lake for a serene, all-season retreat.

Hôtel SonoLux – June 2025: Opening in Old Montréal, Hôtel SonoLux will feature 36 boutique rooms and become the city's first hotel to offer an immersive sound and light experience, blending transformative acoustics with experimental video art throughout the property.

Water's Edge Eco Lodge Tipi Village – June 2025: Owned and operated by Waterhen Lake First Nation in Saskatchewan, this new cultural offering includes 10 sustainable glamping tipis at Greig Lake. Accommodating up to 30 guests, the Tipi Village enhances the lodge's existing rooms and cottages with immersive Indigenous experiences.

Autograph Collection Rebranding – October 2026: Delta Hotels Bessborough, an iconic Saskatoon property, is undergoing a full renovation and will reopen as part of Marriott's Autograph Collection. All 225 rooms, public spaces, and meeting facilities will be upgraded, along with a refreshed dining concept—while preserving the hotel's historic charm.

Culinary News

Quebec has its Michelin gold stars : Canadian food has never been so prominent, featured in global culinary competitions and inspiring cookbooks. Michelin has taken notice, too: Last September, the prestigious culinary brand introduced the 2024 Toronto Michelin Guide, expanding its coverage from Toronto, Ontario, to the southern Golden Horseshoe region. Toronto earned its first Michelin Guide in September 2022, with Vancouver, BC, quickly following in October 2022. Michelin has now cast its gaze to Quebec, with selections revealed in May 2025.

Developments on Toronto's waterfront : Queens Harbour is a 23,000 sq. ft. MediterAsian restaurant on Toronto's waterfront, featuring an interactive sushi bar, three unique cocktail bars, and Canada's largest retractable rooftop patio www.queensharbour.ca

Seeing Stars  : Ones to watch

Bay of Fundy Dark Sky Corridor – Anticipated by end of 2026: A proposed Bay of Fundy Dark Sky Corridor in New Brunswick would stretch 220 kilometres from Hopewell Rocks to New River Beach — including Fundy, Kouchibouguac, and Mount Carleton national parks, creating the world's highest concentration of certified Dark Sky Sites. If approved, the designation would elevate the region as a global astro-tourism hub.

Stargazing 2025/2026: Starting in  Autumn  2025 and continuing into 2026, astronomical events will give visitors to Canada many reasons to look up:

• October 9, 2025: Mercury reaches its greatest eastern elongation, making this the best time to spot the planet at night.
• November 4-5, 2025: Peak of the Taurids meteor shower, which will produce a leisurely 5-10 meteors per hour.
• March 2-3, 2026: Total lunar eclipse (when the Earth's shadow covers the moon) will be visible across Canada.
• August 12, 2026: Partial solar eclipse (when the moon passes between the sun and Earth, covering up part of the sun) will be visible across Canada
• 2025 and beyond: Sun experiences high activity known as the solar maximum, leading to more aurora sightings across Canada.

 

WELLNESS IN ALBERTA

BASIN Glacial Waters is coming to the iconic Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise in Lake Louise, Alberta. Offering a contemporary thermal wellness experience, the spa is rooted in the healing powers of hydrotherapy. Take in the mountain and lake views of Banff National Park while on your mindful wellness journey. Opening date: summer /autumn 2025 Basin Glacial Waters - Chateau Lake Louise

Opening this year, Everwild is Canmore's first Nordic spa. Attached to Basecamp Resorts' MTN House luxury hotel, the 43,000-square-foot outdoor oasis welcomes guests with a premium hydrotherapy experience and onsite restaurant. Opening date: 2025

 

FIRE RECOVERY

Wonders of Jasper and the New Ecology of a Fire tour ;  Discover Jasper's most breathtaking landscapes and witness the remarkable transformation brought by  last year wildfire. First venture to areas untouched by the fire where Pyramid Island reveals stunning views of the lake and towering Pyramid Mountain. From there, explore Jasper's town and its ongoing recovery before venturing east to see the renewal of fire-touched forests and the abundant wildlife that thrives in this evolving ecosystem. Sunrise Wildlife & Ecology of a Wildfire | SunDog Transportation and Tour Co.

 

NEW TOURS IN THE CANADIAN ROCKIES

Ice Odyssey, the newest offering of the Banff Jasper Collection by Pursuit, leads guests onto the commanding Columbia Icefield in Jasper National Park. During the two-hour experiences, guests board an all-terrain vehicle to an exclusive site on the Athabasca Glacier while learning about its fascinating history – including its role as a NASA testing ground. Opening date: May 2025 Ice Odyssey at Columbia Icefield | A Glacier Experience Beyond the Ordinary

 

SKI NEWS

Augmented terrain access - 2025-26 season: Lake Louise Ski Resort, Alberta  is enhancing the guest experience with three new chairlifts. The Upper Juniper Chairlift (opened Dec. 2024) improves upper mountain access and eases base congestion, while Richardson's Ridge (2025/26) will open up expansive intermediate and advanced terrain. The Sunny Side Chairlift (2025/26) will improve beginner access with a new lift in the Learning Area.

Whistler Mountain in British Columbia  celebrates its 60th anniversary since its lifts first opened  and Blackcomb Mountain its 45th  year during the 2025/26 winter season.

Looking Ahead to 2025 – Whistler Museum and Archives Society

A FIRST NATION OWNED HELI SKI OPERATION

 Spring skiing. Yukon Heliski, a First Nations-owned heli-ski operation, takes guests on heli-skiing adventures near Carcross, in the traditional territory of the Carcross-Tagish First Nations. Yukon Heliski offers late season blue runs, as well as the first and only tracks skiing in the coastal mountains (March and April). Guests can enjoy multi day adventures by overnighting at Tiny Town, the company's off-grid cabins with dining saloon, hot tub,and sauna.

Yukon Heli's tenure sprawls 3,600 square kilometres with terrain ranging from steep spine lines to long, breezy powder slopes.  On clear nights, guests can stargaze; during this time of year, the northern lights often make a spectacular experience. Note: Yukon Heli's ski season lasts from March to April. Yukon Heliski

 

NEW AT NIAGARA

Flying Theatre -  Opening August 29th, 2025: Niagara Parks is set to debut its new Flying Theatre in summer 2025 at the Table Rock Centre, located at the brink of Horseshoe Falls in Niagara Falls, Ontario. This immersive attraction will replace the former 4D theatre, offering visitors an unparalleled cinematic journey over the Niagara River corridor, featuring stunning aerial views of the Falls, swirling whirlpool rapids, and significant historic landmarks. Niagara Takes Flight

ADRENALIN JUMPS  IN MONTREAL

Montréal Bungee Jump – Spring 2025: Launching in the heart of Old Montréal, the Quai des Convoyeurs in Old Montréal will be Canada's highest urban bungee jump at 210 feet. Evening jumps feature a custom lighting system and panoramic city views for a high-adrenaline urban thrill. https://montrealbungee.com/en

BIOLUMINESCENT SEA KAYAK NIGHT TOUR IN NOVA SCOTIA

Launching Summer 2025: Experience the magic of paddling through glowing waters on Nova Scotia's South Shore with Cape LaHave Adventures. This guided night tour offers a mesmerizing display of bioluminescent microorganisms illuminating the sea with each stroke. Bioluminescent Sea Kayak Night Tour – Cape LaHave Adventures

 

HIT THE HIKING TRAILS  - EAST COAST TRAIL DEVELOPMENT  IN NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR

With direct flights from London Gatwick to St. Johns, Newfoundland and Labrador with Westjet Hiking in Canada  is closer than ever and with continued ongoing development of trails , the province offers great opportunities to get out into Canadian nature.

Coastal Trail Investment – expected to be complete in 2026: Newfoundland and Labrador is investing $7 million in the Great Coastal Trail. This 850 km multi-use route will connect Gros Morne National Park to L'Anse aux Meadows, launching in phases through 2026.

Backcountry Trail – completion anticipated in 2025: A new 4 km East Blow Me Down Trail near Benoit's Cove is in development by the Cabox Aspiring Geopark. Connecting to the International Appalachian Trail Newfoundland and Labrador (IATNL), the route features dramatic views and geological wonders.

Highland Trail Expansion – completion in 2025: The Starlite Trail in Codroy Valley is expanding to 17 km, offering multi-day hikes across scenic highlands near Campbells Lake, aimed at boosting eco-tourism in the region.

Multi-Use Trail – 2025: Near Rocky Harbour, a 5.8 km trail is under construction for intermediate hikers, cyclists, and snowshoers. This project enhances trail access in the Gros Morne area. Construction commenced in 2024, with the trail expected to open by 2025.

 

NORTH OF NORTH
Have you been watching the Netflix series “ North of North”?

Filming for Season 2 of the acclaimed Indigenous-led series North of North begins summer 2025 in Iqaluit. The show celebrates Inuit fashion, culture, and Nunavut's striking landscapes.

*NEW FOR THE  NORTH *

 Nunavut Inuit Heritage Centre – Anticipated for 2030–32: The upcoming Nunavut Inuit Heritage Centre in Iqaluit will house over 200,000 pieces of Inuit art currently held in southern Canada, creating a permanent home for Inuit heritage and cultural preservation.

Qajakkut Society Workshops – 2025: The Qajakkut Society in Iqaluit is revitalizing the traditional Baffin style of kayak-building through territory-wide workshops that pass on this important Inuit knowledge.

*NEW* Air Access between Iqaluit–Nuuk – June to October 2025: Air Greenland and Canadian North are partnering on a weekly direct flight between Iqaluit and Nuuk, Greenland, enhancing seasonal Arctic connectivity from June to October 2025.

Unikkaarvik Visitors Centre – Now Open: Iqaluit's Unikkaarvik Visitors Centre has reopened following renovations to restore and enhance exhibits, offering an enriched cultural and educational experience for visitors.

 

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