Weekend need-to-know: Blue Jays open their season at the Rogers Centre

It’s back to the ballpark this weekend as the Toronto Blue Jays open their season with a four-game home series against the Baltimore Orioles.

There is a subway closure on Line 2 to keep in mind for the weekend.

Blue Jays opening series and other Toronto sports action

The Blue Jays will start their season against the Baltimore Orioles in a four-game series at the Rogers Centre. The first game is Thursday at 3:07 p.m., followed by Friday at 7:07 p.m., Saturday at 3:07 p.m. and Sunday at 1:37 p.m.

There will be lots of activities to celebrate the homeopener as well including Bo Bichette City Connect replica jersey giveaway on Friday night and the first Jr. Jays Sunday will feature new activities to do around the ballpark for kids 14 and under.

A little further downtown, the Toronto Raptors will be taking on the Charlotte Hornets on Friday at 7:30 p.m.

Finally, Toronto FC will take the field against the Vancouver Whitecaps at BMO field in an afternoon game. The game kicks off at 2:30 p.m.

2025 One Of A Kind Spring Show

The biannual One-of-a-Kind show is back this weekend featuring the works of over 400 artisans across the country.

The four-day show kicked off on March 26 at the Enercare Centre and runs through March 30.

Tickets are $20 with discounts available for children, students and seniors. More information about the vendors can be found on their website.

Canadian Film Fest

If you like to support Canadian independent films, this weekend is for you. The Canadian Film Fest is happening this weekend and showcasing homegrown talent with a diverse selection Canadian film screening, including features and shorts.

This year, the festival will be showcasing 16 features and 50 shorts from British Columbia, Quebec, Ontario Newfoundland and Nova Scotia.

A full line-up along with tickets are available on the website.

TTC/GO closures

Partial Line 2 closure

Subway service on Line 2 between Victoria Park and Kennedy stations will be replaced by shuttle buses starting at 11 p.m. on Friday, March 28, and continuing Saturday, March 29, and Sunday, March 30, for planned track work. 

Road closures

Gardiner Expressway closure

As part of the long-term construction plan on the Gardiner Expressway, one westbound lane and one eastbound lane are closed between Dufferin Street and Strachan Avenue. The eastbound on-ramp from Lake Shore Boulevard at Jameson Avenue is also closed. 

Temporary closures

• Spadina Avenue streetcars have been replaced by buses between Spadina Station and Queens Quay until at least March 30. Commuters wishing to travel onwards to Union from Queens Quay will need to transfer to a 509 Harbourfront streetcar.
• The Yonge and Bloor intersection will be reduced to a single lane until 2025 for condo construction and sewer installation.
• University Avenue will be reduced to a single lane in both directions between College Street and Queen Street West to complete several infrastructure projects for the next several months.
• Yonge Street is reduced to a single lane both ways between Wellington and King for underground work at the TTC’s King Station to add new elevators and make it an accessible station. Construction is expected to continue into 2026.
• Queen Street is fully closed to traffic between Bay and Victoria Streets to accommodate work on a new station for the Ontario Line subway. The closure is scheduled to last until 2027.
• Eglinton Avenue West is reduced to a single lane east of Islington and west of Scarlett Road due to tunnelling work related to the multi-year Eglinton Crosstown West Extension project.
• Lane restrictions on Bayview Avenue between Roehampton Avenue and Armistice Drive while the city completes road resurfacing, curb and sidewalk replacement, and traffic signal and pedestrian upgrades. One northbound lane is currently closed on Bayview Avenue between Kilgour Road and Roehampton Avenue.
• Cherry Street remains closed south of Polson Pier due to maintenance on the Ship Channel Lift Bridge (Strauss Trunnion Bascule Bridge). Road users are able to access the Port of Toronto and Cherry Beach via Unwin Avenue. 
• From Sunday, January 12 until the spring, one northbound lane on the Don Valley Parkway (DVP) from the Eastern Avenue on-ramp to Queen Street East will be closed to accommodate work for the Eastern/Adelaide Bridges Rehabilitation Project. One eastbound and one westbound lane on Eastern Avenue will be closed between Sumach Street and Broadview Avenue. One eastbound lane on Adelaide Street will be closed between Sumach Street and Eastern Avenue. 
• Lake Shore Boulevard is down to a single lane through Strachan, from Fort York Blvd to Ontario Place Blvd. Toronto Hydro is installing new electrical systems for the Ontario Place reconstruction and expansion. The lane restrictions will be in place until April 1st, 2025.
• Queens Park Crescent is reduced to a single lane south of Bloor as part of the TTC’s Easier Access Program at Museum Station. The project is expected to be complete by the end of 2025.

For full traffic updates, click here.