‘Thanks again to my beautiful city’: Ryan Reynolds shares gratitude after packed Vancouver soccer match
Wrexham co-owner, actor Ryan Reynolds, acknowledges the crowd while watching the team play an international friendly soccer match against the Vancouver Whitecaps, in Vancouver, on Saturday, July 27, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
Ryan Reynolds posted a heartfelt thank you to his hometown of Vancouver after a soccer match between Wrexham AFC and the Whitecaps drew a crowd of nearly 35,000 to BC Place.
His appearance to watch the Welsh team he co-owns take to the freshly installed natural grass field Saturday came on the heels of a month-long promotional tour for Deadpool & Wolverine.
“Ending up in my hometown for a few days, seeing family and friends was the best medicine on earth,” Reynolds wrote on Instagram.
Players from the visiting squad – made famous through the reality series “Welcome to Wrexham” – apparently told Reynolds they were blown away by the city’s beauty.
“It is the highest compliment anyone could give me,” the Instagram post continued.
“Thanks again to my beautiful city for showing up and giving everyone more reasons to fall in love with Vancouver,” it concluded.
In the stands, a sea of fans were decked out in Fans in red and white jerseys and scarves, cheering for Wrexham AFC along with Reynolds and his co-owner Rob McElhenney. The pair posed for a photo raising a glass of Wrexham Lager, which was specially stoked for the occasion.
Reynolds said returning to the downtown stadium and sitting in a box as an owner was “a level of surreal (he’ll) never fully process,” recalling how he would visit BC Place as a child with his dad to watch BC Lions games from the “nosebleeds.”
The Whitecaps were defeated 4 -1, something Reynolds didn’t mention or boast about in his post. Off the pitch, Reynolds had a massive professional victory over the weekend when the latest installment of the Deadpool franchise shattered box office records.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
LIVE NOW
LIVE NOW Consul general to New York answering questions over $9M luxury condo purchase
After weeks of pressure, Canada's consul general Tom Clark is testifying on Thursday before a House of Commons committee about the purchase of his new official residence in New York that generated a lot of political attention over the summer.
Tensions mount as clock ticks down on Air Canada contract talks
Tensions are mounting as a potential pilot strike or lockout at Canada's largest airline is only days away with no signs of a breakthrough in talks.
'All bets are off' when Parliament resumes, says NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh says his team is focused on restoring Canadians' 'hope' but when it comes to the new minority dynamics in Parliament, 'all bets are off.'
Many Canadians believe the country’s two biggest political parties have moved towards fringes: survey
Some Canadians believe they've become 'political orphans' as all the major parties have become 'too extreme' in their views, according to a new survey by Angus Reid Institute.
Investigators say teen smuggled assault rifle into Georgia school in backpack before shooting
The student accused of killing four people in a Georgia high school shooting rode the school bus that morning with a semiautomatic assault rifle concealed in his backpack, investigators confirmed Thursday.
PM, senior security officials slated to return to foreign interference inquiry
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and members of his inner circle are slated to return to a federal inquiry into foreign interference in coming weeks.
Ontario woman misses flight to funeral due to airline ticket typo
An Ontario woman admits she was flustered and stressed trying to book an airline ticket when she found out a close relative had died last month.
The man who discovered Churchill's picture was stolen was treated like a suspect; now he's being honoured
When the 'Roaring Lion' portrait of Winston Churchill is returned to the Fairmont Château Laurier, a 68-year-old man once considered the prime suspect in the heist will have the honour of replacing it.
Sobeys parent company Empire reports $207.8M Q1 profit, sales up from year ago
Empire Co. Ltd. says it earned $207.8 million in its latest quarter, down from $261 million a year ago as its sales edged higher.
Shopping Trends
The Shopping Trends team is independent of the journalists at CTV News. We may earn a commission when you use our links to shop. Read about us.
Vancouver Island
-
B.C. family doctors press parties for plans to address crisis ahead of election
More than 700,000 British Columbians don't have a family doctor and two physicians’ groups want to know how the province’s political parties plan to address the crisis.
-
RCMP enforcement at B.C. logging protests 'unreasonable,' federal police watchdog says
A federal police oversight agency has found the RCMP's enforcement of a civil injunction against old-growth logging protesters on Vancouver Island was unreasonable and violated the rights of activists.
-
B.C. Lions lean on versatile offence to continue win streak against Toronto Argonauts
A fresh face has been gracing the B.C. Lions' highlight reels in recent weeks.
Kelowna
-
Woman stabbed during daylight Kelowna home invasion: RCMP
A woman suffered life-threatening injuries after being stabbed during a home invasion in Kelowna, according to authorities.
-
Dog mauled to death in B.C. yard after 3 pit bulls jump fence: police
A 12-year-old collie was killed by three pit bulls in the B.C. Interior Sunday morning, according to authorities.
-
Suspect charged with 2nd-degree murder 1 year after Smithers, B.C., shooting
Mounties in northwestern B.C. say they have arrested the suspect in a fatal shooting almost exactly a year after it occurred.
Edmonton
-
DEVELOPINGDEVELOPING Lloydminster RCMP responding to 'unfolding incident'
Mounties in Lloydminster warned the public they were responding to "an unfolding incident" Wednesday evening.
-
Edmonton police seize more than $1.2M in street drugs after months-long investigation
The Edmonton Police Service says more than 66 kilograms of drugs have been seized in a large-scale drug investigation in central Edmonton that started last December.
-
McDavid looking forward after Oilers' run to Stanley Cup final
Connor McDavid attacked the off-season from a different angle.
Calgary
-
Burned body found along rural road in Rocky View County, Alta.
RCMP are investigating after human remains were found following a fire alongside a rural road in Rocky View County early Wednesday.
-
Work on Calgary water main ahead of schedule, restrictions could be lifted sooner
Calgarians and area residents kept their water use in check for a second day in a row, building momentum on some good news that repair work could be finished ahead of schedule.
-
Police seeking suspects in July Evanston shooting
Calgary police are searching for suspects involved in a shooting in the northwest community of Evanston in July. Police were called to a residence in the 300 block of Evanspark Garden N.W. around 12:45 a.m. on July 11 for a reported shooting.
Lethbridge
-
Interfaith Food Bank puts out call for fresh vegetables, fruit and dairy as harvest season continues
As harvest season continues in southern Alberta, the Interfaith Food Bank in Lethbridge is putting out an urgent call for fresh food and produce.
-
Milk River Emergency Department temporarily closed Thursday
Milk River Emergency Department will be temporarily closed Thursday – but this time it’s not because of a doctor shortage.
-
Lethbridge students struggling to find jobs through the school year
Thousands of students at the University of Lethbridge and Lethbridge Polytechnic are back in Lethbridge for the school year.
Winnipeg
-
Inside a Manitoba ghost town, a group of ladies works to keep it alive
Abandoned homes line the streets of Lauder, a town that's now a ghost of what it once was. Yet inside, a small community is thriving.
-
Arrest made in February homicide: WPS
A Winnipeg man has been arrested and charged in connection with a homicide in February.
-
Police searching for missing 22-year-old man
Winnipeg police are asking for the public's help locating a man last seen in the Bridgwater neighbourhood.
Regina
-
Fire rips through farm field near Pense, farmer outraged over response by emergency crews
All that remains is a black charred field that stretches for miles after a massive fire roared through stubble crop fields in the R.M. of Pense on Monday afternoon.
-
Regina woman facing charges after allegedly stealing police cruiser
An 18-year-old woman in Regina is facing several charges after she allegedly took off in a stolen police vehicle following officer's efforts to assist her.
-
'A man of the people': Melville's mayor of 18 years reflects on service
Citizens in Melville will be voting for a new local leader come fall, as their long-time Mayor Walter Streelasky has decided not to run again.
Saskatoon
-
Saskatoon Tribal Council shelter will face cuts after new proposed shelter opens: province
The proposed downtown location for the city’s newest homeless shelter is drawing criticism from the chief of the Saskatoon Tribal Council (STC), which runs the city’s largest emergency shelter.
-
DEVELOPING
DEVELOPING Lloydminster RCMP responding to 'unfolding incident'
Mounties in Lloydminster warned the public they were responding to "an unfolding incident" Wednesday evening.
-
'We do it well': How Elections Saskatchewan preps for voting
Saskatchewan is entering election season, with voters soon heading to the polls to determine the province’s future.
Toronto
-
'An unfortunate waste of resources': Ontario woman facing criminal charge following water gun incident
A Simcoe, Ont. woman is facing an assault with a weapon charge after she said that she accidentally sprayed her neighbour with a water gun over the Labour Day weekend, a situation that at least one legal expert says amounts to an ‘unfortunate waste of resources.’
-
Chow says Toronto’s traffic congestion plan is working, acknowledges more could have been done sooner
Mayor Olivia Chow said Thursday that new data show Toronto’s congestion management plan is working to reduce gridlock, with recent travel times for drivers and transit riders showing improvement in some of the most congested parts of the downtown core.
-
Some Toronto travellers make back-up plans amid potential Air Canada pilot strike
As a potential pilot strike threatens to shut down Air Canada operations as early as Sunday, some travellers in Toronto are making contingency plans for their return home.
Montreal
-
Quebec MNA Youri Chassin leaves the CAQ ship
In another blow for the Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ), Saint-Jérôme MNA Youri Chassin is leaving the party just hours after publishing an open letter criticizing his own government.
-
Three hotels affected by a strike in Quebec City, Sherbrooke, and Montreal
Three hotels in Quebec City, Montreal, and Sherbrooke are affected by at least a one-day strike this Thursday.
-
Quebec wants to force tips to be calculated before taxes
The Minister responsible for Consumer Protection, Simon Jolin-Barrette, tabled a bill on Thursday to force merchants to calculate tips on the basis of the price, excluding Quebec and Canadian sales taxes.
Ottawa
-
Ottawa resident who tested positive for mosquito-borne virus dies, public health says
An Ottawa resident who died of a viral encephalitis this summer tested positive for the mosquito-borne virus eastern equine encephalitis (EEEV), the first human case of the virus in Ottawa.
-
'Buy Local': PSAC changes shopping message amid backlash for asking workers to boycott downtown Ottawa businesses
A federal public service union is now encouraging its members to "buy local" and support neighbourhood businesses, one day after a social media post suggested federal workers boycott downtown businesses in an apparent retaliation for the return-to-office mandate.
-
OC Transpo conducting fare inspection blitzes, warns customers to expect O-Train closures in October
OC Transpo fare inspectors will be checking to see if transit riders are paying the fare to board the bus and the O-Train this month.
Atlantic
-
Driver, 15, dies after crashing into power pole, tree in Stellarton, N.S.
A 15-year-old has died after a single-vehicle collision in Stellarton, N.S., early Thursday morning.
-
Tidal power junk: N.S. village wants huge, abandoned moorings moved from fishing area
Residents of a small Nova Scotia community are worried about who will remove four concrete-filled boxcars sitting in their harbour after a tidal power firm collapsed.
-
'Bit of a mess': Construction, population growth causing traffic tie-ups in Halifax
Ongoing construction and population growth are causing traffic woes for Halifax-area drivers.
London
-
Pedestrian struck in two-vehicle crash
A pedestrian is in hospital with life-threatening injuries following a crash in London. The two-vehicle crash involving the pedestrian happened around 2:30 a.m. on Richmond Street near the gates of Western University.
-
Victim taken to hospital with serious injuries following afternoon shooting
The London police are investigating a shooting that took place on Boullee Street in London Wednesday afternoon.
-
OPP discover hidden drug lab in Walkerton
An assault involving a firearm on September 9, led South Bruce OPP to discover a hidden drug lab at a residence in Walkerton.
Kitchener
-
How new technology is helping farmers cut costs and save time
New advancements in technology are helping farmers save money and time.
-
Second man arrested after over 200 firearms seized in WRPS weapons investigation
A second person is facing weapons related charges after the Waterloo Regional Police Service (WRPS) seized hundreds of firearms.
-
Guelph man charged for posting intimate video of former partner
A Guelph man has been charged after police said he posted a sexual video involving a former partner on social media.
Northern Ontario
-
Phone lines, internet out across Rainbow District Schools
Rainbow District School Board, the largest school board in northern Ontario, is reporting an issue with its phone lines and internet Thursday.
-
Public pooping leads to threats charge at northern Ont. campground
An incident involving siblings last weekend in Thessalon, Ont., ended with threats against campground staff and charges for one of the family members.
-
Dollarama keeping an eye on competitors as Loblaw launches new ultra-discount chain
Dollarama Inc.'s food aisles may have expanded far beyond sweet treats or piles of gum by the checkout counter in recent years, but its chief executive maintains his company is 'not in the grocery business,' even if it's keeping an eye on the sector.
N.L.
-
Newfoundland and Labrador monitoring rise in whooping cough cases: medical officer
Newfoundland and Labrador's chief medical officer is monitoring the rise of whooping cough infections across the province as cases of the highly contagious disease continue to grow across Canada.
-
Dispute over unrecognized Inuit group halts major conference for Canadian North
A 16-year-old biennial event aimed at fostering business in the country's eastern Arctic and northern regions has been cancelled indefinitely as a dispute unfolds between Inuit in Canada and a Labrador group claiming to share their heritage.
-
Cow cuddling: Why a Newfoundland farm is offering quality time with these 'gentle creatures'
Jim Lester’s farm hopped on the cow-cuddling trend in early August, and his time slots have been pretty well sold out ever since.
