By Sean Davidson Canada Life's beacon has been flashing out cryptic messages since 1951. Perched atop the head office at Queen Street and University Avenue, the flashing lights do, in fact, forecast the weather. A flashing red light means rain, while a flashing white light means it's going to snow. Lights moving skyward mean the temperature's rising.
Steady lights mean no change.
Amazingly, there's no signal for Martian invaders. Forecasts come from the Ontario Weather Centre at Pearson International Airport and are updated throughout the day. At the time of its construction in 1931, the Canada Life building was the second-tallest structure in the city, after the Royal York Hotel, and included a small hospital, a laboratory and an observation deck. Canada life beacon predicts rain and cooler temperatures.