Quebec Swifties get ready to hit the Eras Tour in Toronto
Taylor Swift is set to perform the first of six sold-out Eras Tour Toronto shows on Thursday, and Swifties from Quebec are hitting the road ready to spend whatever it takes to see the global superstar.
Alison Henstridge gave her eight-year-old daughter Adelaide a ticket as a surprise birthday present.
"Keeping a secret for nine months is incredibly difficult with an eight-year-old," she said. "When you're excited to share something so big."
Henstridge struck out trying to get tickets to Swift's concert, but she eventually scored tickets through a friend for $600 apiece.
"Compared to what StubHub is selling my section for on the night that I'm going, they're going for $5,000 a ticket right now," she said.
The lowest price on StubHub for single tickets is over $2,300 as of Wednesday evening.
Henstridge, Adelaide and her grandma will leave with handmade costumes and cut costs by staying with family in Toronto's suburbs.
"I really hope she gets to experience girlhood," said Henstridge. "Like the trading of the friendship bracelets just to really see that the world is a great place."
Toronto is expecting around 240,000 concertgoers, but the estimated number of tourists the city expects could be as high as half a million.
There are huge lines at the Rogers Centre as of Wednesday for Swift merch, and Destination Toronto says the economic impact for the city is expected to be around $300 million.
"When visitors come into the city for an event like Taylor Swift's Eras tour, they typically, are going to go to the concert, which is very exciting, but they typically will participate in other activities as well," said Destination Toronto senior manager of corporate communications Kathy Motton.
"So they're going to eat at all the various diverse restaurants that the city has. They're hopefully going to go into all of our neighborhoods."
The economic benefits are ones that Montreal will miss out on because of the city's lack of a decent stadium.
The Olympic Stadium (the Big O) is being repaired and likely wouldn't have met the needs of Swift's tour.
Henstridge is not letting the six-hour drive down Highway 401 get her down.
"On the bright side, I get to have a road trip with my daughter, and I get to have a, like, a mommy-daughter weekend with grandma, which is going to be pretty cool, too," she said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canada Post strike continues as sides clash on wages
Negotiations between Canada Post and the union representing its workers appear to be in a deadlock as the two sides remain far apart on wages and other issues.
Bank of Canada drops key interest rate to 3.25%, Trump tariff threat 'new source of uncertainty'
Canada's central bank has cut its key rate for the fifth consecutive time – now sitting at 3.25 per cent – as the country's economy grows at a slower rate than projected.
5 suspected organized crime figures arrested for 3 Montreal and Quebec homicides
Montreal and Quebec police arrested five suspects they believe have organized crime ties in connection with three homicides in 2023 and 2024.
'Baseball-sized hail': Toronto man owes car rental company $18K after hailstorm
A Toronto man is on the hook for about $18,000 after a car he rented over the summer was pelted by baseball-sized hail.
Boy, 8, killed in crash involving snow plow on B.C.'s icy Highway 3
An eight-year-old boy has died following a crash between a snow plow dump truck and a car on B.C.'s Highway 3.
Poilievre's Conservatives still in majority territory: Nanos seat projections
The Liberals' promise of a temporary GST break and $250 rebate cheques haven't benefited Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his minority government when it comes to public support, according to Nanos Research data.
New Vancouver mom temporarily discharged from hospital to see Taylor Swift concert
A Vancouver woman didn’t let an emergency C-section keep her from Saturday’s Taylor Swift concert.
'He lost his spirit': Family wants answers after Indigenous man's braids cut at Edmonton hospital
The Saskatchewan family of an Indigenous man whose braids were cut off during a stay at the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Edmonton, without permission, is searching for answers.
Saudi Arabia officially announced as the 2034 World Cup host. Human rights groups warn of 'unimaginable human cost'
Global soccer governing body FIFA has officially announced the hosts for the next two men's World Cups. However, the outcome was no surprise.