Spending soared in Toronto as Blue Jays entered World Series, data shows
Global News
The Toronto Blue Jays have two chances to create history and win the World Series, but restaurants in the city are already feeling the Jays effect as sales spike in the city.
The Toronto Blue Jays return to Toronto for Game 6 of the World Series on Friday, but the early games have already proven a homerun for restaurants in the city, according to data from payment platform Moneris shared with Global News.
Last week, a pinch-hit grand slam by Addison Barger put the Blue Jays in a comfortable lead and led to a dominant 11-4 victory against the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 1 of the World Series.
“When Toronto wins in the World Series, the city celebrates in a big way,” said Sean McCormick, vice-president of data services at Moneris.
“Restaurant transaction volume jumped 27 per cent near Rogers Centre and 10 per cent citywide in game one, clearly showing how the championship stage inspires fans to savour the experience and spend a little more while doing it,” McCormick added.
Fans were also spending more money per transaction, with the average transaction size up 13 per cent near Rogers Centre and five per cent citywide.
The spike was not as big after Game 2, with L.A. levelling the series after beating the Jays 5-1, but the number of transactions was still up 20 per cent near Rogers Centre and two per cent citywide.
The average transaction size was up 12 per cent near Rogers Centre after Game 2 and four per cent citywide.
Similar data was also seen after Game 7 of the American League Championship Series (ALCS) in Toronto.
The three leaders will be in Washington, D.C., for the FIFA World Cup draw, marking the first time they will be in the same room together.
Flu season has arrived early, with CHEO reporting eight times more cases than last year as hospitals warn of rising infections among children and seniors.
Nova Scotia’s largest utility is responding to a stinging letter from Premier Tim Houston by insisting it hasn't broken any laws.
A British Columbia Liberal MP said Prime Minister Mark Carney "will have to answer" questions on why he reversed a budget commitment on tax credits in Alberta energy deal.
AFN Chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak has said Budget 2025 failed First Nations because it did not include more infrastructure funding and educational resources for their communities.
Conservation officers in B.C. say they've captured four more grizzly bears that are being tested to determine if they were involved in an attack on a school group last month.
Joshua Wright says a yellow cedar tree he photographed last year was "incredible," the largest he'd ever seen in a decade of hiking around Vancouver Island.
Canadians could face grocery bills up to $1,000 higher in 2026 as food prices rise 4-6 per cent, with restaurants and meat seeing the biggest jumps.
Despite a growing homelessness problem in the South Okanagan city, council voted 4-2 against the project and the millions of provincial dollars that would come along with it.
Artificial Intelligence Minister Evan Solomon told a House of Commons committee the updated strategy will come next year, after saying in the fall it would come this year.
Reports emerged this week of U.S. government procurement plans to order 20 Senator vehicles for its ICE officers, a move worth roughly $10 million.
The 16-year-old was arrested in April after police said a credible threat was made against students at Citadel High School.
A committee meeting also heard an extra $194 million is needed to pay for carbon price fuel charges that the provincial government didn't collect.