Inside Canada’s looming ‘Shroom boom

Plus, two elite Canadian families' role in a controversial real estate venture, rising food costs, and COVID body-checks the Leafs and Raptors [The Star] First Up [By Andrew Joe Potter] By Andrew Joe Potter Good morning. In case you missed it, [Keanu Reeves surprised fans]( at the Canadian premiere of his new Matrix flick this week. Hmm, a dystopian future where virtual worlds are completely indistinguishable from real life? Seems a little far-fetched. Here’s the latest. MUST READS Salwan Georges/Washington Post pandora papers [The link between elite Canadian families and what critics call a predatory home leasing scheme]( U.S. real estate giant Pretium Partners was born out of the ashes of the 2008 financial crisis, scooping up foreclosed homes and leasing them to renters unable to obtain mortgages. In 2012, a secret Cayman Island trust fund where the uber-wealthy Bronfman and Kolber families stash money saw fit to invest $1.5 million (U.S.) in Pretium, which faces criticism that it’s ignoring rules on pandemic evictions, while ruining neighbourhoods and lives. Marco Chown Oved, Robert Cribb and Andrew Bailey take us through the [latest revelations from the Pandora Papers investigation](. Steve Russell/The Star star exclusive [Canada is reportedly mulling a ban on non-essential foreign travellers]( Among several options weighed by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s cabinet last Tuesday was the possibility of a ban on non-essential travel by foreign nationals into Canada, Tonda MacCharles reports. Though pushback from around the cabinet table and from the majority of premiers halted the implementation of such measures, the travel ban was all but ready to go — and still isn’t entirely out of question. Tonda breaks down [what we know — and what we don’t — about the situation so far](. Rene Johnston/The Star food security [Three families tell the Star how they’re coping with surging food costs]( Before emigrating from Pakistan last year, the Anjum family “were the ones donating to the food bank,” Samina says. Now, they’re among the new members of Toronto’s Fort York Food Bank, which reported a 10 per cent rise in usage over the first year of the pandemic. As of November, food prices had risen 4.7 per cent year over year; combined with housing, energy and transportation, that’s an increasingly pricey cost-of-living cocktail. Jacob Lorinc spoke with the Anjums and others about [how they’re handling the checkout line crunch](. Rene Johnston/The Star business [Why a former heavy hitter in the pot game is betting big on a ‘shroom boom]( Bruce Linton helped turn Canopy Growth into a cannabis industry giant. Now, as a founding investor in Mood Science, he’s hoping to do the same for mushrooms, including what are known as “functional” varieties. While they don’t feature the psychoactive components found in “magic mushrooms,” functional mushrooms have played a role in traditional medicine for centuries — and with hard-to-cultivate fungi like cordyceps sinensis selling for tens of thousands of dollars per kilogram, it’s clear why some are betting big on the tiny toadstools. [Rosa Saba has the full story](. Mark Blinch/NHLI via Getty Images sports [COVID-19 has come for Toronto’s teams]( “Everyone’s a little bit on edge and unsure of what’s happening,” Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Kyle Dubas said after his team’s road games in Vancouver and Seattle were postponed on Saturday amid a COVID-19 outbreak. Among the afflicted are team captain John Tavares, goaltender Jack Campbell and head coach Sheldon Keefe. Meanwhile, the Toronto Raptors are facing their own pandemic challenges, with star forward Pascal Siakam and Toronto-born rookie Dalano Banton now sidelined. Kevin McGran has [the latest from the rink]( while Doug Smith [fills us in on the world of hoops](. [Give the gift of trusted news] Give the gift of trusted news. Treat your loved ones to a digital Star subscription for 3 months, 6 months or 1 year. Plus, pick our year-long offer and get a treat for yourself: a $25 President’s Choice gift card. [Give the gift of the Star and choose yours here](. UP CLOSE Richie Assaly/The Star Pour one out for Thirsty and Miserable, the beloved Kensington Market dive bar closing its doors for good when its lease expires at the end of the month. “I can't not feel proud,” says Katie Whittaker, who founded the bar in 2012. “Ten years is a long time to do something.” Richie Assaly [eulogizes the cozy and unpretentious local haunt — and looks ahead at what the Market’s future might hold](. cook THIS James Tse for The Star All that mushroom talk got us hungry. Luckily, celebrated Canadian chef Mark McEwan has a recipe for a killer fungi-forward dish. [Here’s how to make your own Woodland Mushroom Tart with Frisée]( — which makes for a great light lunch or the perfect accompaniment to a meatier main course. Thanks for reading. You can reach the First Up team at [firstup@thestar.ca](mailto:firstup@thestar.ca?source=newsletter&utm_source=ts_nl&utm_medium=emailutm_email=6C53B63A8E3FAD70AD4EF13004527437&utm_campaign=frst_93731), and we will see you back here Monday. [The Star]( If you're not enjoying these emails, please tell us how we can make them better by emailing newsletterfeedback@thestar.ca. Or, if you'd prefer, you can unsubscribe from this newsletter by clicking the first link below. [Unsubscribe From This Newsletter]( [Sign Up for More Newsletters and Email Alerts]( [Become a Star Subscriber]( [View in Browser]( [Facebook]( [Instagram]( [Twitter]( Toronto Star Newspapers Limited. One Yonge Street, 4th Floor, Toronto, ON M5E 1E6. 416-367-2000 [PRIVACY POLICY](