Jan. 1 not only marks the New Year for some Canadians, it also marks a new life. Across the country, several hospitals have shared the names and details of the bundles of joy who take the title of being the first babies born in their region in 2026. Here’s a list of some of those who were the first to arrive on New Year’s Day across Canada. Toronto and the Greater Toronto Area In and around Toronto, hospitals were welcoming the first babies of 2026. In Brampton, Jasveer Kaur and Jaswinder Singh Dhaliwal’s son arrived exactly at midnight, granting him the title of the first baby delivered this year in the Greater Toronto Area. He was born at William Osler Health System’s Brampton Civic Hospital and weighed six pounds, 12 ounces. “Osler extends its best wishes and congratulations to the new parents and their family, and to all the families who are welcoming new babies at this special time,” the hospital network said in a news release. At Toronto’s North York General, parents Vivian and Nelson Omeziri welcomed their baby girl Olana Alora just at midnight. Mount Sinai Hospital said it also delivered a baby at midnight, named Nathaniel, though it’s unclear which of the three babies was born first. Mackenzie Health’s Cortellucci Vaughan Hospital announced that Brampton parents Stephanie and Brydon welcomed their son James less than two minutes after midnight. He arrived at 12:01 a.m. weighing seven pounds, eight ounces. At Oshawa Hospital, parents Haley O’Donnell and Brandon Thornton welcomed Rielly Patricia Thornton at 12:13 a.m., an eight pound, eight ounce baby. “We feel so blessed to open 2026 on such a profound note,” O’Donnell said in a news release. “We know Baby Rielly is a lucky girl, and we’re excited for the many wonderful moments ahead.” Two minutes later, Trillium Health Partners said a baby boy named Waris was delivered at Credit Valley Hospital in Mississauga. Trillium says both baby and mom are doing well. Etobicoke General Hospital delivered its first baby, a boy born at 12:28 a.m. to another Brampton couple, Manveer Sidhu and Dharminder Singh Swagh. He weighed six pounds, eight ounces. Speaking to CP24, Sidhu--whose birthday also happens to be Jan. 1-- said she was in labour for about 24 hours leading up to the birth of her first son. “I feel grateful that my New Year starts with my little one,” she said. London, Ont. Baby Bryson was born at 1:28 a.m. on Jan. 1 at London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC) , weighing seven pounds, one ounce. His parents are Brooklyn Lemieux and Michael Carlsen. To welcome the new year’s baby, the London Shoppers Drug Mart owners donated a large gift basket through the London Health Sciences Foundation (LHSF) for the baby and their family. Ottawa In the city’s capital, the first baby of the year arrived at the Montfort Family Birthing Centre 23 minutes after midnight on Thursday, the hospital says. Parents Dixabahen and Mehulkumar Patel welcomed a baby boy weighing six pounds and three ounces. The boy is the couple’s first child. “We wish them a year filled with love, happiness and, above all, health,” Monfort Hospital wrote in a statement. Montfort says the parents received a gift basket to celebrate the occasion. Windsor, Ont. Windsor’s first baby of 2026 was delivered a bit later than the other first Ontario babies of the year, coming in at 2:53 a.m. Favour Jesuseum Josiah was born at Windsor Regional Hospital, weighing seven pounds, one ounce and measuring 19.7 inches (50 cm) long. Hospital officials say she received a lot of extra attention from staff as she turned out to be the only baby born at WRH between midnight and mid-morning on Jan. 1. Parents Grace Babasemi and dad Temitote Josiah have a five-year-old boy and two other daughters ages three and 18 months waiting at home in Windsor for their new sister to arrive. “I was so excited to have the first New Year’s baby – she’s already bringing so much joy,” says Grace. “She’s so adorable, so beautiful.” Grace also praised the baby’s father Temitote – “he was so supportive standing by me.” He and his new daughter already share a sense of timing, as Temitote was also a New Year’s Day baby back home in their native Nigeria. “It’s an amazing coincidence,” Grace said. “She couldn’t wait to join daddy.” Saskatoon In Saskatoon, a Canoe Lake First Nation mother gave birth to the region’s first baby of 2026. Emelia Rose Ava Iron was born at 1:11 a.m. on Jan. 1 at Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital, the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) said in a news release sent Thursday evening. According to the SHA, the baby girl weighed three pounds, 14 ounces. Kelowna, B.C. The first baby to be born in the province of B.C. arrived at 12:18 a.m. at Kelowna General Hospital, the provincial government announced Thursday morning. In a brief post on social media, the province said the child weighed six pounds, eight ounces. “Congratulations to the family, and Happy New Year to all,” the post reads. The child’s name or sex was not disclosed, and the family declined to speak to media, according to Interior Health. Vancouver Vancouver Coastal Health says its first baby of the year arrived at 1:30 a.m. in the Richmond Birth Centre to parents Haruna and Jian Suzuki. The baby boy weighed in at seven pounds, 11 ounces. Victoria In B.C.’s capital, Island Health says the first baby born on Vancouver Island in 2026 was baby boy Sahit Prata, who weighed three pounds and one ounce, when he arrived at Victoria General Hospital at 3:48 a.m. Montreal and Western Quebec In Quebec, Montreal’s Jewish General Hospital welcomed the first baby born in the province. Arpi Zourikian and Constantinos Kalfopoulos’ daughter Liana Kalfopoulos arrived at exactly 12:00 a.m. and two seconds, weighing six pounds and nine ounces. “The family is happy, healthy and delighted to share the great news,” said the hospital. In Quebec City, the Quebec University Laval Hospital (CHUL) said that at two minutes past midnight, weighing eight pounds, six ounces, Lessy-Ann was born to Alyson Brown-Tremblay and Stéphanie Lévesque. “The CHU would like to warmly congratulate the new parents and wish them every happiness,” the hospital centre wrote in a news release. The first baby to be born at Montreal’s McGill University Health Centre came into the world at 12:46 a.m. on Thursday, weighing seven pounds, 15 ounces. The baby girl’s mother Miriam Azer and her baby are doing well, while father Maged Youssef remains in Egypt awaiting a visa approval. Even while in labour, Azer said she was able to ring in the new year with the staff. “I did because everyone at the hospital were amazing,” she told CTV News. “Honestly, the vibes were very positive. The team was amazing.” In the western region of the province, the CISSS de l’Outaouais says the first baby born in 2026 arrived at 12:07 a.m. on Thursday. Kayden Gauthier, a baby boy, weighed seven pounds and four ounces, and the family is doing well. “The CISSS de l’Outaouais congratulates them and wishes them much happiness!” the CISSS wrote in a statement in French. Moncton, N.B. In Moncton, N.B., the Horizon Hospital said the first baby of the year came into the world shortly after midnight on Jan. 1. Caldon was born at 12:02 a.m. Thursday. “Please join us in celebrating this special arrival and wishing the family a very Happy New Year!” said the post from the hospital. With files from CTV News’ Phil Tsekouras, Melanie Kentner, Adam Beauchemin, Hayatullah Amanat, Daniel J. Rowe, CTVNewsVancouver.ca Staff and The Canadian Press.
