{
  "id": 1553034,
  "title": "Beaver sculptures that welcomed FIFA fans in Toronto up for auction",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/17/beaver-sculptures-that-welcomed-fifa-fans-in-toronto-up-for-auction-1553034",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-08-17T18:28:18.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "CityNews",
    "slug": "citynews",
    "url": "https://toronto.citynews.ca/2026/08/17/beaver-sculptures-that-welcomed-fifa-fans-in-toronto-up-for-auction/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Hand-painted beavers representing various FIFA World Cup countries once graced the streets of Old Town Toronto, prompting an artistic scavenger hunt. These beavers, each adorned with a soccer ball and a wide grin, were part of a project that began in May and ran until August. A total of 51 beavers were displayed in the historic neighbourhood, with 48 symbolizing the nations in the World Cup, hand-painted by artists with ties to those countries. The remaining three were designed to welcome visitors, celebrate the neighbourhood, and commemorate Canada itself. The auction of these vibrant sculptures opened on Friday and has already amassed over $30,000 in bids, with the highest bid currently set at $2,100 for a Canadian-themed beaver featuring a maple leaf pattern. Despite two sculptures representing Canada and Old Town Toronto not being listed for sale, the auction is set to close on August 24. Proceeds from the sale will be equally divided between Toronto’s First Post Office and KidSport Ontario, two charitable organizations. The beavers, which stood four feet tall, gained popularity through a QR code linked to a scavenger hunt, encouraging over 13,000 participants to engage in challenges and win gift cards.",
  "summary": "TORONTO — Hand-painted beaver statues representing different countries in the FIFA World Cup that were sprawled across the eastern downtown neighbourhood of Old Town Toronto are now up for auction.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Winnipeg Free Press",
        "title": "Beaver sculptures that welcomed FIFA fans in Toronto up for auction",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/17/beaver-sculptures-that-welcomed-fifa-fans-in-toronto-up-for-auction",
        "published": "2026-08-17T18:28:18.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}