Canada is surrounded on three sides by oceans.
To the north, the Arctic Ocean borders Yukon, Northwest Territories, and Nunavut.
Off the west coast of British Columbia is the Pacific Ocean.
The Atlantic Ocean, meanwhile, sits to the east of Canada’s Maritime provinces, which include Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island.

Dear Kristin,
I can’t believe I’m going to be visiting you in only three weeks! Since you moved away, you’ve already come back to Vancouver to visit. It’s about time I repaid the favour. I can’t wait to see Norway at last. Although I know you recently moved to an apartment in Oslo, I’d love to visit your parents’ farm that you’ve told me so much about, especially since I’ll be there in spring. The pictures you showed me of the flowers blooming in the hills were incredible.
As we discussed before, I’m still up for traveling around Europe for a week after you show me around Norway. I agree with you that buying a train pass and stopping off at various cities would be fun, and also the least expensive way of getting around. I looked into my budget and I’ve been able to save a lot more than I expected, so we could even travel in the Comfort class rather than the Economy class which we had originally intended. For a 3-hour train ride, Comfort class tickets are around $90, and Economy tickets are $60. I don’t mind either way, but wider seats sound a lot more luxurious. It is up to you. Just let me know what you decide.
I propose we fly to Amsterdam to start off and then take the train from there. I’d like to spend at least a few days exploring Amsterdam. My mother attended a business conference there last year and she said I’d love it. I’m interested in visiting the museum of Van Gogh, as he’s always been my favourite artist. The museum has the biggest collection in the world of Van Gogh’s art, with some 200 paintings and over 550 sketches. That would be amazing to see.
After Amsterdam, I’m not picky where we go with the train pass. I’d love to visit Paris and Brussels, but we could also just not plan anything and decide in the moment. As long as I’m back in Oslo on Aug 27th for my flight back to Vancouver, I’m up for anything. I’ll call you in a few days to give you my flight details. I’m so excited to see you!
Alex

A. On any sunny day in Toronto, one is guaranteed to find crowds at the Jack Layton Ferry Terminal, waiting to travel to the Toronto Islands. In fact, roughly one million people visit the islands by boat every year. The Toronto Islands have an intriguing history due to their close proximity to the downtown core. An airport, an amusement park, several beaches, and about 250 family homes draw people south across the harbour, especially in summer months. The islands are the largest car-free urban community in North America. Their natural beauty, juxtaposed with the soaring skyline of downtown Toronto, provides a peaceful reprieve from the hustle and bustle of the city.
B. The region referred to as the Toronto Islands today was formerly a peninsula. When the city was settled by Europeans in 1750, the islands were connected to the mainland. The Gibraltar Point Lighthouse was the first building erected on the islands in 1808. Urbanization slowed after a powerful storm in 1858 flooded the eastern edge of the peninsula. Unbeknownst to locals at the time, the flood would create what would become one of Toronto’s most popular tourist attractions. Development continued throughout the nineteenth century, highlighted by the construction of an amusement park and baseball stadium by the first year-round inhabitants of the islands, the Hanlan family.
C. Proposals to reconnect the islands to the city by construction of a bridge or tunnel were commonly supported by local islanders throughout history. When a connection to the mainland by tunnel was completed in 2015, it was done through private funding and with the singular goal of improving access to the Billy Bishop airport for travellers. This tunnel is for pedestrians only; aside from the airport, the only vehicular access for those who reside on the islands is by private ferry boat. The number of houses on the islands peaked at roughly 650 in the mid-twentieth century. After building a downtown waterfront highway, city officials decided to replace lost recreational space with beaches and parkland on the islands. Two hundred sixty houses survived the city’s attempts to demolish all of the residential districts.
D. Today, in the warmer months, visitors are constantly queued up to take the island ferries. Many choose to rent bicycles to explore the island. Tourists commonly seek out the islands’ many iconic attractions, including the old lighthouse, the Olympic Island Bridge, and the Centreville Amusement Park, built in 1967. Some also come to swim and sunbathe. Located on the western part of the Toronto Islands, Hanlan’s Point Beach is not only recognized for its connection in name to the area’s first family, but also for its status as one of Canada’s two clothing-optional beaches.
E. Not given in any of the above paragraphs.

The Demise of Bricks-and-Mortar Retailers
As yet another department store chain closes its doors forever today, we find ourselves on the cusp of a retail revolution. This past year, more than 3,200 bricks-and-mortar retailers have closed, and that number is expected to exceed 8,600 prior to the year’s end. To put this in perspective, 2008, the worst year on record for store closures, saw a total of 6,163 closings.
Adding salt to the wounds of nosediving stores are the recent statements of billionaire investor Wayne Branson. Branson foresees a complete overhaul of the retail industry within a decade: “The world is continually evolving; today’s department store is online.” Branson is also putting his money where his mouth is by selling his shares in the retail industry. “Retail has always been a cutthroat industry, and cracking the code to online success can elude even the savviest of businesspeople,” he admits.
Economist Max Ling highlights that retail is being dramatically altered by the rise of e-commerce and shifts in consumer spending. “People nowadays are opting to spend money on experiences rather than goods, choosing to enjoy trips, live music, culinary delights, and the latest tech gadgets rather than purchasing clothing and accessories. Investors believe this signals a permanent shift in consumers’ spending habits, since retail decline is occurring despite a robust economy,” says Ling.
Strategic retail advisor Simone Schule insists that it is not all doom and gloom for all bricks-and-mortar retailers. Schule argues that we are seeing the collapse of the middle road: those who offer decent prices, but not the best; those who have some services, but nothing impressive; or those whose products are abundant, but not unique.
According to Schule, “brands that offer great value and purchasing efficiency are succeeding. Think of any number of dollar stores. These companies are actually opening new locations. They’re seeing strong growth, as are many luxury brands and high-end specialty stores.”
Perhaps this is the era of the consumer. The writing is on the wall: retailers need to meet the needs of consumers, and if buyers’ demands fall on deaf ears, so long!
Omar Lopez