Investigation News Journalism | The Star

Featured Investigations

This confidential report reveals Ontario is spending millions to warehouse kids under Children's Aid care in hotels and other unlicensed settings

Star Investigation

This confidential report reveals Ontario is spending millions to warehouse kids under Children’s Aid care in hotels and other unlicensed settings

The report presses the province to create more specialized treatment options to address the growing number of kids housed in inappropriate placements.

2 hrs ago

Murder on Mount Olive: The Star's Kevin Donovan reinvestigates a brutal Toronto killing. Was the right person convicted?

Investigations

Murder on Mount Olive: The Star’s Kevin Donovan reinvestigates a brutal Toronto killing. Was the right person convicted?

Jul 11, 2025

The murder trial exposes police errors and glaring holes in the case. But an all-white jury still votes to convict a young Black man

Murder on Mount Olive: Part 7

The murder trial exposes police errors and glaring holes in the case. But an all-white jury still votes to convict a young Black man

Jul 11, 2025

Ontario’s jail conditions are inhumane and disgraceful, judges say. Criminals are serving shorter sentences as a result

Star investigation

Ontario’s jail conditions are inhumane and disgraceful, judges say. Criminals are serving shorter sentences as a result

Jul 11, 2025

Murder on Mount Olive: Part 6

The accused’s family had a tense relationship with Toronto police. Then came the shock of the father’s mistaken arrest

Jul 11, 2025

Star investigation

‘The threat of more poison in our water’: A gold mining firm plans to discharge wastewater upstream from Grassy Narrows

Jul 10, 2025

Murder on Mount Olive: Part 5

A damning gang connection suddenly emerges — anonymously — turning the murder case against the accused

Jul 11, 2025

More Investigations

No gun, conflicting witness accounts, mistakes with the evidence. Did police have enough for a murder conviction?

Murder on Mount Olive: Part 4

No gun, conflicting witness accounts, mistakes with the evidence. Did police have enough for a murder conviction?

Jul 11, 2025

‘Imagine that it was your daughter’: Jade died in the care of Children’s Aid. Her parents are demanding an inquest

Investigations

‘Imagine that it was your daughter’: Jade died in the care of Children’s Aid. Her parents are demanding an inquest

Jul 10, 2025

From soccer star to inmate 92022: How Chris Sheriffe ended up behind bars

Murder on Mount Olive: Part 3

From soccer star to inmate 92022: How Chris Sheriffe ended up behind bars

Jul 11, 2025

Murder on Mount Olive: Part 2

Police had only a partial plate after a shooting at a Toronto barbecue. Hours later they ordered a suspect takedown

Jul 11, 2025

Murder on Mount Olive: Part 1

A man was shot at a Toronto barbecue. Another is in jail for life. The Star reinvestigated the case and found flaws — was the right person convicted?

Jul 11, 2025

Investigations

At least 15 Ontario families were forced to surrender kids to CAS because they couldn’t get medical care, ombudsman reveals

Jul 16, 2025

Star investigation

Since Jade’s death while under the care of Children’s Aid, the agency has housed another nine kids in hotels

Jul 16, 2025

Star Investigation

She spent a year living in hotels while in the care of Children’s Aid. It was the last of her young life. This is Jade’s story

Jul 16, 2025

Star Investigation

As Ontario fertility clinics tout excellence, internal data reveals some stark contrasts in pregnancy rates

Jun 18, 2025

Star Investigation

Ontario government facing lawsuits from inmates over ‘unconscionable conduct’ by Maplehurst jail guards

Jul 10, 2025

Canada

They risked their lives alongside Canadian troops in Afghanistan but were denied support once they got home. Now they’re suing the government

Jun 10, 2025

Star Investigation

Hours of audio and video evidence is missing from Maplehurst guards’ crackdown on inmates

Jul 10, 2025

Barry and Honey Sherman

Gift Bags and Blood Stains Part 2: Honey and Barry Sherman's killers' plan was to kill them both

Billionaire Murders: Ep 11

Gift Bags and Blood Stains Part 2: Honey and Barry Sherman’s killers’ plan was to kill them both

Dec 20, 2024

Toronto police skipped ‘Homicide 101’ and never sought alibis from family and friends of murdered billionaires Barry and Honey Sherman

Star Exclusive

Toronto police skipped ‘Homicide 101’ and never sought alibis from family and friends of murdered billionaires Barry and Honey Sherman

Jun 10, 2025

Gift Bags and Blood Stains Part 1: The last hour of Barry and Honey Sherman’s lives

Billionaire Murders: Ep 10

Gift Bags and Blood Stains Part 1: The last hour of Barry and Honey Sherman’s lives

Jun 10, 2025

Greenbelt Investigations

Former Ford government staffer must hand over any Greenbelt emails in his personal account — or else, watchdog warns

Investigations

Former Ford government staffer must hand over any Greenbelt emails in his personal account — or else, watchdog warns

If he doesn’t comply, Ryan Amato could be called to explain himself under oath, Ontario’s information and privacy watchdog says.

May 6, 2025

News

The former Ford government staffer at the heart of the Greenbelt scandal has been accused of promising to help developer for money

Jun 5, 2025

Star Investigation

The former Ford government staffer at the centre of the Greenbelt scandal used personal emails to do government business. He is refusing to hand them over

Apr 16, 2025

Star Exclusive

Greenbelt developer accused of duping business partner into selling land set to explode in value

May 6, 2025

More Investigations

Ontario Line construction unleashed rats into her home. But Metrolinx has not footed the full bill — and won't tell her why

Star investigation

Ontario Line construction unleashed rats into her home. But Metrolinx has not footed the full bill — and won’t tell her why

Rat complaints are surging. Metrolinx says its "committed to working with communities to mitigate this issue."

Jul 13, 2025

Star Investigation

Tarion shelled out tens of millions to homebuyers whose houses were never built. Now it’s suing this Ontario developer to recoup those losses

Jun 6, 2025

Star investigation

A murder. Alleged human trafficking. Drugs. These are the cases that have been compromised by inmate abuse by Maplehurst guards

Jun 12, 2025

Star investigation

‘Code of silence’: Jail guards broke rules, then misled investigators probing crackdown on Maplehurst inmates, internal reports show

Jun 4, 2025

Star investigation

Ontario megachurch pastor Bruxy Cavey sued over alleged ‘heinous sexual, physical and emotional assaults’

May 28, 2025

Unchartered

Police officers across Canada are violating people’s rights with alarming frequency. Disturbing, unreleased video exposes cops stepping outside the law

Unchartered: Part1

Police officers across Canada are violating people’s rights with alarming frequency. Disturbing, unreleased video exposes cops stepping outside the law

Jun 9, 2022

Unchartered: Part 4

Unjust invasions happening across Canada as police mislead courts, bungle warrants and violate suspects’ rights

Jul 5, 2022

Toronto police reviewing officers’ conduct in nearly 100 cases following Torstar investigation into Charter violations

Torstar Gets Action

Toronto police reviewing officers’ conduct in nearly 100 cases following Torstar investigation into Charter violations

Jun 13, 2022

This Matters

Rights wronged: How police are violating people’s Charter rights

Jun 9, 2022

Unchartered: Part 3

How Torstar found 600 cases of police violating fundamental rights when no one is tracking this national problem

Jun 9, 2022

Unchartered: Part 2

Illegal strip searches. Mishandled evidence. Slapdash raids. How nine Canadian police forces continued flouting the law despite judges’ warnings

Oct 22, 2024

Suspended

We asked the Ontario government about its controversial licence suspensions. Staff prepared answers. Then they were told to withhold them

Star Exclusive

We asked the Ontario government about its controversial licence suspensions. Staff prepared answers. Then they were told to withhold them

Mar 6, 2023

‘You lose your job, you lose your livelihood’: NDP will push for reform of Ontario program that has unfairly stripped drivers of their licences

Suspended

‘You lose your job, you lose your livelihood’: NDP will push for reform of Ontario program that has unfairly stripped drivers of their licences

Dec 5, 2022

Six things to know about Ontario’s controversial medical condition report system

Suspended

Six things to know about Ontario’s controversial medical condition report system

Dec 5, 2022

Death in a Small Town

Frustrated with the police investigation into Nathaniel’s death, his mother turned detective. What she found raised questions about the official probe

Death in a Small Town: Part 4

Frustrated with the police investigation into Nathaniel’s death, his mother turned detective. What she found raised questions about the official probe

Jun 16, 2021

More than five years after Nathaniel died, the police investigation is open. The Star’s own investigation examines numerous apparent flaws

Death in a Small Town: Part 5

More than five years after Nathaniel died, the police investigation is open. The Star’s own investigation examines numerous apparent flaws

Jun 16, 2021

What really happened to Nathaniel? The babysitter said he collapsed. Then all eyes turned to his parents

Death in a Small Town: Part 1

What really happened to Nathaniel? The babysitter said he collapsed. Then all eyes turned to his parents

Jun 16, 2021

Death in a Small Town: Part 3

The police said they had information on Nathaniel’s death. Instead, they separated his parents and warned: ‘We are pursuing a manslaughter charge’

Jun 16, 2021

Death in a Small Town: Part 2

As Nathaniel clung to life, his parents asked if he’d survive. What they didn’t ask would soon be held against them

Jun 16, 2021

Death in a Small Town

Watch the video: What happened the day Nathaniel collapsed

Jun 19, 2021

Break the Floor

Break the Floor founder, celebrity dance instructors face sexual misconduct allegations as the prominent company’s crisis deepens

Star/AP investigation

Break the Floor founder, celebrity dance instructors face sexual misconduct allegations as the prominent company’s crisis deepens

Apr 20, 2022

The CEO of Break the Floor — where famous dance coaches were accused of sexual misconduct — says he is selling the company

Star Investigation

The CEO of Break the Floor — where famous dance coaches were accused of sexual misconduct — says he is selling the company

Feb 3, 2022

Choreographer Nick Lazzarini pulled from dance company tour following Star investigation

Investigations

Choreographer Nick Lazzarini pulled from dance company tour following Star investigation

Oct 28, 2021