The Toronto Group Chat: What your friends are talking about this week (Sept. 1)

Hey, Toronto, what’s up?! Your group chat is popping off, and we’re here to keep the good times going. Welcome to another week of the Toronto Group Chat. This is your weekly rundown of the city’s biggest and hottest updates. Here, you’ll find all the stuff you actually want to share in your group chat. Every week, we’re dishing out five must-know highlights of what’s going on in the city or stories you need to know about.

Maybe people are already talking about it, or maybe you’ll start the conversation.

Check out what’s new in Toronto. Let’s get into it.

Did you hear, Toronto?

If you didn’t know already, Starbucks PSL season is here

Ready or not, Starbucks has brought its fall menu to stores across Canada as of Aug. 25, 2026. Though it’s technically still summer, if you wanted to get into the fall zone, you can now sip on Pumpkin Spice Lattes and try out its expanded lineup of new pumpkin spice drinks.

New drinks include Iced Pumpkin Cream Shaken Espresso, Pumpkin Spice Chai, Iced Pumpkin Cream Matcha, Iced Banana Bread Latte, and Iced Banana Bread Chai. Oh, and the new Chaider offers a cozy twist on chai for fall.

Of course, there are some returning favourites like Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew, Iced Pumpkin Cream Chai, Pumpkin Spice Frappuccino Blended Beverage, Pecan Cortado, Iced Pecan Crunch Latte, and Pecan Crunch Latte.

Are you ready for fall?

$5 movies at Cineplex return this weekend

Movie weekend incoming! Cineplex’s $5 Weekend returns on Sept. 5 and 6. So if you’ve been dying to see a flick on the big screen, this is your chance.

Tickets go on sale Sept. 2, offering general admission movie tickets and small bags of popcorn priced at just $5 each, plus tax.

TIFF kicks off next week!

I don’t know about you, but I think it’s time to start planning your TIFF experience. Are you going to go see a movie? Go celebrity hunting? Enjoy a TIFF-themed cocktail? There’s so much to do and see; we’ve put together a guide to help you out. Reservations are in order, and if you haven’t purchased your TIFF tickets just yet, get on it!

The countdown is on.

Get a free NYX Smushy SOS Truck

Toronto loves its freebies and so do we! Get a free Smushy SOS Hydrating Lip Balm at several locations across Toronto. It’s only available for the first 200 who arrive.

Locations go as follows:

• Tuesday, Sept. 1 at TMU, 80 Gould St. and 287 Victoria St.
• Wednesday, Sept. 2 at 364 Queen St. W. and 25 Atlantic Ave.
• Thursday, Sept. 3 – U of T, 42 St George St. and Massey College, 4 Devonshire Pl.
• Friday, Sept. 4 – Trinity Bellwoods Park, 790 Queen St. W. and 135 Ossington Ave.

It starts at 11 a.m. and runs until 4 p.m.

Outdoor adventures on Toronto’s new trail 

There’s a new multi-use trail and bridge that has opened in Scarborough as part of a massive project transforming Toronto’s hydro corridor lands. It forms part of the section of The Meadoway, a planned 16 km green corridor, which will eventually connect the East Don Trail with Rouge National Park.

Additions to the section include a new multi-use trail that spans 1.1 km, a signalized crossing at Midland Avenue, and a pedestrian-cyclist bridge over a tributary of Highland Creek.

If you want to embrace the last few days of summer weather, this is a great option.

And that’s about all we have for you this week, Toronto. As always, we will keep you in the loop with what’s going on in your city!

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Karen Doradea

Managing Editor, Toronto – Karen is a multimedia journalist based in Toronto. With a strong knowledge of reporting and editing through all forms of media, she has a true passion for storytelling. She carries several years of journalistic experience and has covered the Toronto scene from local stories to national news. When Karen isn’t publishing fire content, you can find her binge-watching sitcoms on Crave, at a must-try restaurant, or scrolling endlessly on TikTok looking for the next best thing – News never sleeps.

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