Ticks! The word tends to give Canadians of all stripes a sense of the creepy-crawlies-- and perhaps a touch of anxiety too. The small parasites that burrow into our skin and pose significant risk of Lyme disease are a regular summer worry for parents and pet owners-- and doubly so this year.

A wave of ticks coming from the United States is expected to hit the country this summer, dramatically increasing the threat they pose-- and this could be the new normal.

Host Catherine Jette speaks with Justin Wood, founder of 'Geneticks', Canada’s first private tick testing lab, about why this is happening, how you can protect yourself, and what a tick-filled summer might look like going forward.

We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestions for future episodes. You can find us:

Through email at hello@thebigstorypodcast.ca

Or @thebigstory.bsky.social on Bluesky

We're at a point where "record-breaking heat" has become a broken-record phrase. Year over year, we hear how many parts of the world have reached a new temperature high. And just days into summer 2026, things already ramped up, with intense and deadly heat waves gripping much of Europe, where temperatures pushed near 50 degrees. And North America hasn't been exempt, as July brings in a new wave of brutal heat.

Today on The Big Story, host Caryn Ceolin speaks with City News' Chief Meteorologist Natasha Ramsahai about why the heat is ramping up, how it's going to affect you, and what we can do, if anything, to stop it.

We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestions for future episodes. You can find us:

Through email at hello@thebigstorypodcast.ca

Or @thebigstory.bsky.social on Bluesky

Crumbling. Rat infested. Decrepit. Unsafe for human habitation.

Perhaps not the words you would want to describe the official residence of Canada's leader-- but 24 Sussex Drive has been called it all. In fact, no Prime Minister has lived in the more than a century old mansion for a decade, after Justin Trudeau moved into Rideau Cottage on the grounds of Rideau Hall-- the home of the Governor General-- upon becoming Prime Minister in 2015.

But now, Prime Minister Mark Carney wants to change that. He's started a fundraiser to pay for the renovations needed to make 24 Sussex habitable again-- though he insists no matter what, he'll never live in the more than 30-bedroom residence.

Today on The Big Story, host Caryn Ceolin speaks with Paul Deegan, CEO of Deegan Public Strategies, about the plan, what he thinks it signifies for Canada, and whether or not Canadians can get behind the plan.

We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestions for future episodes. You can find us:

Through email at hello@thebigstorypodcast.ca

Or @thebigstory.bsky.social on Bluesky

A string of shootings across the Greater Toronto Area are being tied to gun-for-hire networks targeted by vulnerable youth through encrypted messaging apps. Toronto Police say they have no idea who's hiring teenagers to commit the crimes.

Host Maria Kestane speaks to Dr. Adam Ellis, assistant professor at the University of Waterloo about how youth get involved in street gangs and organized crime, and what realistic steps Ottawa could take to tackle the crisis.

We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestions for future episodes. You can find us:

Through email at hello@thebigstorypodcast.ca

Or @thebigstory.bsky.social on Bluesky

Enjoy this special feed drop from our sister show "In This Economy?!"

It’s now the biggest IPO in history – when Space X hit the US market this month, it made CEO Elon Musk a trillionaire on day one. But there are still many questions about the company and its plans for the future without any current stream of revenue.

The stock also hit a few bumps recently, with the company losing $600 billion dollars in market cap over a 3-day losing streak.

Host Kris McCusker speaks to Alison Kemper, Associate Professor in the Entrepreneurship and Strategy Department at Toronto Metropolitan University, to discuss why this was such a big deal, what might happen next and why you may want to rethink investing in the company.

We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestions for future episodes. You can find us:

Through email at hello@thebigstorypodcast.ca

Or @thebigstory.bsky.social on Bluesky