Issue No. 4

Welcome to the fourth edition of the Insider Media Seasonal Newsletter, in the midst of midterm season! In this issue, we discuss fun activities to make the most of fall. After, we will examine the implications of the Suez Canal crisis delving deep into the timeline of major events. Next, we’ll discuss new ways to unlock your creativity with Schulich’s Art & Entertainment double degree. Finally, we close talking about the major success of Coldplay’s Music of The Spheres tour in light of getting Canadian dates!

Written by Vincent, Azka, and Ruslan

Make the Most of Fall:

Top Things to Do in Toronto This Fall

October in Toronto is a magical time when the city transforms into a vibrant canvas of red, orange, and gold. Crisp fall air, cozy layers, and a plethora of seasonal events make this the perfect month to explore. Whether you're a local or a visitor, October 2024 offers plenty of excitement—from festive events to scenic walks and fabulous food. Here's your ultimate guide to making the most of Toronto this fall.

1. Experience the Spooky Spirit at Halloween Haunt

For those who love a good scare, Halloween Haunt at Canada’s Wonderland is a must. Every weekend in October, the theme park becomes a haven for haunted attractions, including mazes, scare zones, and live horror-themed shows. With over 700 monsters on the prowl, you’re guaranteed a night of terror and thrills.

Location: 1 Canada’s Wonderland Drive, Vaughan, ON
Event details: Weekends in October 2024 | Canada’s Wonderland Halloween Haunt

2. Explore the Fall Colors in High Park

If you want to bask in nature’s autumn palette, High Park is a prime destination. Spanning 400 acres, it offers scenic trails that are a dream for photographers and nature lovers alike. Visit Grenadier Pond, enjoy a peaceful picnic, or explore the High Park Zoo—one of the oldest in Canada and free to the public.

Location: 1873 Bloor St W, Toronto, ON
Best time to visit: Mid-October for peak fall colors | High Park

3. Visit the Toronto International Festival of Authors

The Toronto International Festival of Authors is a haven for book lovers. Located at Harbourfront Centre, this 10-day event features readings, panel discussions, and book signings from world-renowned authors. Whether you’re looking for literary inspiration or just a cozy cultural escape, this is the perfect event to fuel your love for books.

Location: Harbourfront Centre, 235 Queens Quay W, Toronto, ON
Event dates: October 24–November 3, 2024 | TIFA

5. Stroll through the Distillery District’s Fall Market

The Distillery District is the perfect place for a fall stroll, with its historic charm and cobblestone streets. During weekends in early October, the district hosts a special Fall Market, offering artisanal goods, handmade crafts, and seasonal décor. Grab a warm cider or mulled wine as you peruse the boutique shops and art galleries in this picturesque setting.

Location: The Distillery District, 55 Mill St, Toronto, ON
Best time to visit: October weekends | Distillery District

6. Feast at Aloette

Fall is a perfect time to indulge in Toronto’s culinary delights, and Aloette is a must-visit spot. Known for its modern twist on bistro fare, the fall menu features cozy dishes like squash soup and roasted meats. The restaurant’s iconic lemon meringue pie is the cherry on top of a perfect meal.

Location: 163 Spadina Ave, Toronto, ON
Reservations recommended: Aloette

7. Catch a Leafs Game at Scotiabank Arena

October marks the beginning of the Toronto Maple Leafs hockey season, and there’s no better place to experience the excitement than at Scotiabank Arena. Whether you’re a lifelong fan or new to the game, the electric atmosphere makes for an unforgettable night. Make a pre-game stop at Real Sports Bar & Grill next door for classic game-day fare.

Location: 40 Bay St, Toronto, ON
Event dates: Check the schedule for October games | Maple Leafs Schedule

8. Indulge at Toronto Chocolate Fest

Toronto Chocolate Fest is a paradise for anyone with a sweet tooth. Held over a weekend in mid-October, the festival features chocolate tastings, live demonstrations, and even a marketplace dedicated to all things chocolate. Whether you’re a fan of classic dark or experimental flavors, this is the place to be.

Location: Various venues, Toronto, ON
Event dates: October 1–31, 2024 | Toronto Chocolate Fest

9. The Haunted Walk: Ghosts of the Distillery District

Take a chilling nighttime tour through Toronto’s historic Distillery District, where tales of haunted sites, eerie happenings, and ghostly encounters abound. The Haunted Walk is a spooky October tradition, perfect for getting into the Halloween spirit.

Location: Distillery District, 55 Mill St, Toronto, ON
Event dates: Various Dates October, 2024 | Haunted Walk

With so many exciting events, scenic destinations, and delicious food offerings, Toronto in October is the perfect place to embrace the beauty of fall. Whether you're here for art, festivals, or Halloween thrills, this vibrant city has something for everyone.

Financial Crisis:

The 2024 Suez Canal Crisis Disrupting Global Trade and Supply Chain

A Timeline of Trade Decline

December 2023: First Signs of Trouble
Attackes by Yemen’s Houthi rebels in the Red Sea and Suez Canal on commercial ships, caused widespread anxiety in the shipping industry. Many operators rerouted ships around the Cape of Good Hope, adding up to 17 days to their voyages (Reuters).

January 2024: Shipping Traffic Plummets
By January, container ship transits through the Suez Canal dropped by 42%, while overall shipping traffic fell by 67%. Shipping costs soared by 256%, severely affecting global supply chains (UNCTAD Report, Bloomberg).

March 2024: Economic Strain on Europe
In March, the United Nations reported that disrupted oil and gas shipments caused energy prices in Europe to surge by 30%, further straining economies already dealing with inflation (UNCTAD Report).

April 2024: Environmental Impact Emerges
The rerouting of ships around the Cape of Good Hope resulted in a 70% increase in emissions on Asia-Europe shipping routes, raising concerns among environmental groups about the rising carbon footprint (UNCTAD Report).

June 2024: Supply Chains at Breaking Point
By June, shipment delays of up to 53% hit industries such as electronics and automotive manufacturing. Grain exports from Europe, Ukraine, and Russia declined sharply, causing food prices to rise by over 25%, worsening food insecurity in Africa and the Middle East (World Bank Report).

The Ripple Effect: Shipping and Energy in Crisis

The Suez Canal crisis has left a deep imprint on global shipping and energy markets. Europe, which relies heavily on oil and gas shipments through the canal, has felt the brunt of these disruptions. By mid-2024, energy prices across the continent had surged by 30%, adding pressure to economies already grappling with inflation. The costs of shipping goods through alternative routes have compounded this crisis, driving up the prices of consumer goods and electronics, with the financial burden being passed on to end-users (Bloomberg).

Another contributing factor to soaring shipping costs has been the rise in insurance premiums for vessels navigating the now-dangerous Red Sea. The added financial strain is making global commerce an increasingly expensive endeavor for many industries, particularly those with just-in-time supply chains (Financial Times).

Geopolitical Tensions Trigger Environmental Consequences

The diversion of ships around the Cape of Good Hope has not only lengthened voyages but also resulted in significant environmental damage. Eerouted vessels are now emitting between 31&-66% more carbon dioxide on Asia-Europe routes, prompting alarm among environmental advocates (World Economic Forum). The situation has placed policymakers under increased pressure to develop more sustainable shipping alternatives and accelerate decarbonization efforts within the global logistics sector.

Supply Chain Strain and What Lies Ahead

The strain on global supply chains is becoming ever more apparent. The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) reported that shipping volumes at key ports in Egypt and Saudi Arabia had dropped by 53%, leading to growing delays and eroding reliability in the global shipping network (UNCTAD Report).

For regions most dependent on these disrupted supply chains, the situation is especially dire. Food insecurity in Africa and the Middle East has worsened as grain prices, driven up by a 25% drop in shipments from Europe, Russia, and Ukraine, have skyrocketed (World Bank Report). As shipping delays continue, these regions are facing an increasingly precarious future.

Some businesses are beginning to take steps to mitigate risk. Many are turning to nearshoring, bringing production closer to home to avoid the uncertainties of volatile shipping routes. Others are investing in more resilient supply chains by building in redundancies to buffer against future disruptions (Forbes).

Conclusion: A New Era of Global Trade?

The Suez Canal crisis of 2024 has laid bare the vulnerabilities in global trade networks. A combination of geopolitical conflict and already fragile supply chains has pushed businesses and governments to the brink. As shipping costs rise, emissions increase, and food prices soar, it is clear that the world’s reliance on critical maritime routes like the Suez Canal requires urgent attention and cooperation.

Looking ahead, the international community must come together to secure key trade routes and develop sustainable solutions. In an era marked by increasing geopolitical risk, the future of global trade may depend on its ability to adapt to these evolving challenges.

Key Statistics (2024):

30% of global container trade passes through the Suez Canal.
Shipping transits have fallen by 67% since December 2023.
Shipping costs have increased by 256% on key routes.
Carbon emissions on rerouted journeys have spiked by 70%.
Grain prices have risen by 25%, deepening global food insecurity.
Annual Revenue drops 23.4%.

Sources:

Unlocking Creativity:

Schulich’s Arts, Media & Entertainment Management (AM&E) Dual Degree

Suppose you’re passionate about the arts at Schulich’s undergraduate business administration program. In that case, you might often find your interests overlooked and left asking, How do I break into a non-conventional business industry? Business students receive little career support in pursuing a career in the arts, media and entertainment sectors. Only through clubs like The Insider Media Group (IMG) & Sports Business Association (SBA) can they dip their toes into a colossal industry with like-minded creatives.

Schulich’s MBA specialization in Arts, Media & Entertainment Management (AM&E) is the way for creatives of Schulich to get ahead in the industry and to find their place among the art lovers in Canada, whether it is film, art, dance, music or any other medium. Schulich's dual degree MBA and AM&E offer relevant management skills, including “broadcasting, digital and social media, not-for-profit arts, and social enterprise organizations.”

Although this program is tailored to students with existing experience in the arts, whether through their education or work, it can provide a unique perspective for business students in industry-related operations such as talent management and regulation and policy, among other skills, that they might have otherwise lacked the opportunity to learn about. Through this program, students can integrate managerial practices with their passions, whether marketing and esports, licensing rights, or the music industry.

The AM&E specialty is also a great way to climb the corporate ladder. The MBA dual degree will help prop you up and bolster your application, allowing you to move up from junior or entry-level positions with the necessary degree. The Schulich AM&E program offers part-time options for full-time workers to continue their work as they pursue their master's.

The graduate business program at Schulich also offers an Arts and Media Management Club (AMMC) for graduate students of any specialization, where you can connect with like-minded students. The club hosts networking events and provides opportunities to meet and hear from professionals in their prospective arts and media industry. For instance, one of their past events included a career mentoring workshop in collaboration with WorkInCulture.ca, connecting students with four seasoned industry professionals in a speed-mentoring program.

Whatever your creative interests are, Schulich's AM&E dual degree program offers the perfect opportunity to leverage yourself into a diverse and forever-developing artistic industry.

Witnessing History:

The Historic Success of Coldplay’s “Music of The Spheres” Tour

The “Music of The Spheres” tour has recently become the highest grossing rock-band tour of all time, with a box office of $1.059 billion and 9.6 million attendees. It is the second highest grossing tour ever, trailing behind Taylor Swift’s “The Eras” tour. Coldplay is a timeless name, yet this tour is reaching new heights unimaginable for a band in their 25th year. That leaves only one question: how did Coldplay achieve such a feat and what makes this tour so special?

ENVIRONMENTAL:

Coldplay after the “A Head Full of Dreams” tour was committed to lowering their carbon footprint before their next major tour. Some incredible feats of environmentalism achieved are as followed:

Developing the first ever mobile rechargeable snow battery (alongside BMW) allowing for concerts to be powered with renewable resources like hydrotreated vegetable oil, solar power, and kinetic energy.
Working with One Tree Planted to plant a tree for every ticket sold.
Cracking down hard on air travel pollution by:

Going on commercial flights and paying additional charges to use Neste’s unique fuel made from waste like cooking oils.

The stage built from reusable materials and low-energy displays led to consuming 50% less power
The iconic Xylobands were replaced by PixMob made from compostable materials and were collected, cleaned, and reused for shows.

VISUALS:

The tour has blown up in popularity recently and it can be attributed to mesmerizing visuals and euphoric fireworks. Video clips garnering millions of views online show the stadium lit up in colors to enhance the experience of their iconic tracks like, “A Sky Full of Stars”, “Yellow”, “Paradise”, and many more. These visuals create a bond with the audience, especially after the COVID pandemic being able to enjoy the themes of unity and love resonated with the audience creating an unforgettable concert experience.

FANS-FIRST:

Depending on ticket prices surging over the years, Coldplay has always prioritized reasonable ticket prices. As of May 2022, the band introduced Infinity Tickets, a set of tickets at $20 for fans. For the price of a dinner in the city, you can experience an unforgettable concert. This allows for global tours and international reach as they tour to lower-income regions. Additionally, Coldplay has partnered with SAP creating an application to calculate total carbon footprint by concert goers, encouraging eco-friendly options for merchandise discount. Furthermore, Coldplay provides two sign language interpreters and a designated platform for blind or low vision guests. Accessibility is the key to Coldplay’s overwhelming success letting all fans enjoy their music.

TO CONCLUDE:

Coldplay’s Music of the Spheres tour is more than just a concert series; it’s a testament to their international appeal, commitment to sustainability, and love for their fans. It is easy to say Coldplay sells well because of their timeless music, but their passion for their fans is what sets them apart. Coldplay’s ability to adapt to consumer trends despite being in the music industry for over 25 years adds another historic milestone to their legendary career.