CTVNews.ca has compiled our annual list of our 10 most-read stories of the year.
Click here for the interactive version of our top-10 list.
1. Toronto man builds park stairs for $550, irking city after $65,000 estimate
When retired mechanic Adi Astl took it upon himself to build a set of stairs in a Toronto park -- for much cheaper than what the city was estimating it would do the work for -- he likely didn’t realize his story would resonate so far beyond the Etobicoke suburb where he lives.
On CTVNews.ca, his story was viewed nearly two million times – a number that doesn’t include the follow-up articles and the initial story about the city’s plans to tear Astl’s stairs down. It also made for a popular news poll with over 33,000 votes, 74 per cent of which sided against the city’s removal of the handyman’s staircase.
2. Canadian missing since 2012 found in Amazon rainforest
The story of what happened to a missing Canadian man who was feared dead, but was found wandering near the Amazon rainforest five years later, was our second most-read article of the year.
3. Winnipeg woman speaks out about dangers of travel in Mexico
Authorities said in January that a Winnipeg woman’s story about her nightmare vacation in Mexico should serve as a cautionary tale for Canadians travelling abroad. Her harrowing story was our third most-read of the year, and the article and CTV Winnipeg report by Michelle Gerwing were shared widely on social media.
4. Epic fight between moose and wolf captured by drone
A Canadian YouTuber captured an epic wolf versus moose battle deep in the Ontario wilderness, in a drone video that surged in popularity online and made number four on our list.
5. Teenage couple killed in police chase in Ontario
An investigation continues into a tragic incident in which a 15-year-old boy and his girlfriend were killed in a police pursuit that ended in a head-on collision in Hamilton back in October.
6. Canadians told to brace for classic Canadian winter
When we post stories about seasonal weather forecasts, our readers tend to pay attention. When we published this one late in November about one of Canada's high profile forecasters warning us to brace for a whole lot of snow this winter, the story soared into the number six spot.
7. 5 tax changes that will impact your 2016 return
With the next tax season just around the corner, it might be worth revisiting this article as a reminder about the new changes that affected last year’s tax return.
8. Hundreds of bikers to escort bullied 10-year-old boy to school
Nova Scotia boy Xander Rose got the country’s attention back in June when he secured quite a formidable escort to school. Unfortunately, he needed it, as a victim of bullying -- a theme that persisted in the news once again this year.
9. The most dangerous spiders found in Canada and what you need to know
This article was written after a Nova Scotia woman shared her story about her recovery from an “unbearable” bite that might have been caused by a Brown Recluse spider. While most of our spiders in Canada are harmless, there are some that get transported into Canada from the tropics. It’s not surprising that this rundown of spiders that do, in fact, bite, made it into our top-10 list.
10. Man punches woman ‘with all his might’ for standing up to harassment on bus
Number 10 on our list was the harrowing story of a female passenger who was punched and got her teeth shattered in November after she tried to defend another woman who was being harassed on a bus in Winnipeg. Recent update to the story: A suspect was arrested just last week and charged with assault.
Honourable mention:
A feature series that did particularly well this year on CTVNews.ca focused on the North Korean nuclear threat. CTVNews.ca’s Josh Elliott examined whether Canada is ready for a possible nuclear strike and a doomsday scenario that has gone from unthinkable to remotely possible in just a few short years.
Long reads on North Korea:
'A big joke': Only imperfect U.S. defences can save Canada from North Korean missiles
Is Canada ready for a nuclear strike from North Korea?
ICMB 101: What does North Korea need to do to strike North America?
