Look who’s back at Toronto’s open houses

Plus, the classical music scene thinks younger, the global run on cocoa and why the world needs Boeing more than ever [The Star] First Up [By Andrew Joe Potter] By Andrew Joe Potter Good morning. Nestled neatly between the Ides of March and St. Patrick’s Day, don’t overlook today’s deep historical significance; as the third Saturday in March, it is officially National Corndog Day. Here’s the latest. MUST READS Ramon Ferreira /Toronto Star Photo Illustration real estate [Toronto’s 2024 real estate forecast outlines what to expect as first-time buyers shoot their shot]( With home prices having settled after soaring in the height of the pandemic, first-time buyers are returning to Toronto’s open houses, Clarrie Feinstein reports. With over-leveraged investors still sidelined, experts expect spring 2024 market conditions to more closely resemble pre-pandemic numbers rather than the highs of 2021 and 2022 — but we can still expect a price jump of around six per cent. [Take a look at the key factors driving home prices across the city this year — and interactive graphs showing how things have changed over the years](. Ramon Ferreira /Toronto Star Photo Illustration sports [Canada’s women have their hearts set on Olympic hoops glory — here’s who should make the roster]( Forget March Madness, Canada’s senior women’s basketball team is hoping for Summer Success at the Paris Olympics. With a growing contingent of WNBA players and plenty of veterans with international experience, Doug Smith has a good idea of the player pool Canada Basketball will be pulling from. [These stars will likely be in the mix as Canada sets its sights on the Olympic podium](. Ellen M. Banner/The Seattle Times/TNS opinion [Public setbacks aside, the world’s airlines need Boeing more than ever]( Despite a backdrop of fatal crashes and other malfunctions in recent years, revenues at Boeing Co. jumped 17 per cent in 2023. David Olive writes that the biggest problem currently facing the company isn’t that it’s lost the confidence of airlines and regulators but that it simply can’t produce flawless airplanes fast enough to meet global demand. [Still, even highly critical Boeing clients believe the aerospace giant is salvageable](. Russell Lee for The Star culture [Classical music has seen a popularity surge among younger audiences. Can Toronto nail the major key change?]( Toronto’s classical music scene is experiencing an intermezzo between its movements. Generational stewards, like the Royal Conservatory of Music’s retiring president Peter Simon, are ceding control to fresh faces with new takes on invigorating local music buffs. Toronto Symphony Orchestra CEO Mark Williams tells Joshua Chong he behooves classical music organizations to continue aiming younger. [Here’s how these vaunted institutions — and upstart competitors — are looking to modernize](. Metroland File Photo food [Why a run on one key ingredient threatens to send chocolate prices soaring — or packages shrinking]( Thanks to bad weather and crop disease in West Africa, the global price of cocoa beans has been spiking in recent months. That’s bad news for mass-market chocolatiers like Mondelez; their Cadbury factory on Gladstone Avenue goes through about 35 metric tonnes of cocoa butter and liquor per week, Jake Edmiston reports. Since contracts are typically locked in 6-12 months in advance, [prepare to see big changes in the candy aisle in the year ahead](. wear THIS Steve Russell/The Star Eclipse glasses are flying off the shelves as southern Ontario and Quebec prepare for a total solar eclipse on April 8, writes Andy Takagi. [Here’s where you can find a pair ahead of the big celestial event](. Thanks for reading. Remember, you don’t need to read First Up through eclipse glasses — but it certainly can’t hurt. You can reach our team at [firstup@thestar.ca](mailto:firstup@thestar.ca?source=newsletter&utm_source=ts_nl&utm_medium=emailutm_email=6C53B63A8E3FAD70AD4EF13004527437&utm_campaign=frst_210612), and I will see you back here tomorrow. 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]( [View in Browser]( Toronto Star Newspapers Limited. 8 Spadina Avenue, 10th Floor, Toronto, ON M5V 0S8. 416-367-2000 [PRIVACY POLICY](