As students head back to class, what changes could shape the school year ahead? With teacher labour negotiations underway between education unions and the provincial government, where do talks stand and what could the outcome mean for students, parents, and educators? Kristin Rushowy, education reporter with the Toronto Star, breaks down the latest developments. Then, how will new school transportation guidelines affect families whose children may no longer have access to bus service? Nancy Daigneault, executive director of School Bus Ontario, and Kaylie Fanning, whose brother Joshua has lost access to school bus service, discuss the impact on students and parents as the new school year begins.

Hosted by Jeyan Jeganathan, The Rundown delivers original journalism and in-depth analysis of the social, political, cultural, and economic issues that shape life in Ontario. Each episode focuses on one topic that’s making headlines, examining it from different angles and through diverse points of view — providing the context you need to understand what’s happening in the province and around the world.

Hosted by Jeyan Jeganathan, The Rundown delivers original journalism and in-depth analysis of the social, political, cultural, and economic issues that shape life in Ontario. Each episode focuses on one topic that&rsquo;s making headlines, examining it from different angles and through diverse points of view &mdash; providing the context you need to understand what&rsquo;s happening in the province and around the world.

Hosted by Jeyan Jeganathan, The Rundown delivers original journalism and in-depth analysis of the social, political, cultural, and economic issues that shape life in Ontario. 

The Rundown

What Could Shape the School Year Ahead in Ontario?

Romance novels have become one of Canada's fastest-growing publishing genres, with print sales soaring, ebook readership growing, and dedicated romance bookstores opening across the country, raising questions about what's fueling the boom. Amy Lea, author of romantic comedies including "The Bodyguard Affair," joins Jeyan to discuss how shifting reader tastes have created new opportunities for Canadian voices in romance and why she now feels more confident setting stories closer to home. Then, Kaitlynd Carmichael of Indigo Canada and Kearston Bergeron, co-owner of Toronto's Hopeless Romantic Books, explore the factors behind romance's rapid rise and what its growing popularity reveals about today's readers.

Romance novels have become one of Canada's fastest-growing publishing genres, with print sales soaring, ebook readership growing, and dedicated romance bookstores opening across the country, raising questions about what's fueling the boom. Amy Lea, author of romantic comedies including "The Bodyguard Affair," joins Jeyan to discuss how shifting reader tastes have created new opportunities for Canadian voices in romance and why she now feels more confident setting stories closer to home. Then, Kaitlynd Carmichael of Indigo Canada and Kearston Bergeron, co-owner of Toronto's Hopeless Romantic Books, explore the factors behind romance's rapid rise and what its growing popularity reveals about today's readers.

What's Behind Canada's Romance Book Boom?

For generations, many 2SLGBTQ+ stories were left out of history books, archives, and classrooms, raising questions about whose experiences are preserved and whose are forgotten. Now, some educators are working to recover that history before more of it is lost. Ian Duncan, a history teacher at Garth Webb Secondary School in Oakville, joins Jeyan to discuss how students are helping uncover, document, and share Canada's queer history. Then, Windsor teacher Chris Rabideau explains how a local project is preserving 2SLGBTQ+ stories from the community, one story at a time, and why documenting these experiences matters for future generations.

Can Students Help Save Canada's Queer History?

As Ontario municipalities face growing pressure to repair and expand aging water and wastewater systems, some are asking whether new governance models could help manage the costs. Could municipal services corporations offer a viable solution, or do they raise new questions about oversight and public accountability? Michele Grenier, executive director of the Ontario Water Works Association, and Barbara Robinson, president of Norton Engineering, join Jeyan to discuss. Then, new research suggests a warming Arctic is reshaping vast lakes in northern Canada, raising concerns about what these changes could mean for freshwater ecosystems. Kathleen Rühland, senior scientist at Queen's University's Paleoecological Environmental Assessment and Research Laboratory, explains what scientists are finding and why it matters.

What Could Shape the School Year Ahead in Ontario?

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