From Yvonne Zacharias on the Vancouver Sun:

• Da Vinci hits the streets — in movie form
  “Da Vinci is back, this time in movie form. Nicholas Campbell, who starred as both the coroner in Da Vinci’s Inquest and the mayor in Da Vinci’s City Hall, plays centre stage again in this creation, called Quality of Life.” Read more.

From a media release:

Auditions Begin May 17 in Halifax

Leading Toronto-based producer and distributor Tricon Films & Television and Corus Entertainment‘s YTV are pleased to announce that Adamo Ruggiero (Degrassi: The Next Generation) will be the host of The Next Star premiering Friday, July 18 at 6 p.m. ET/PT. Joining him in the search for Canada’s fresh, young talents are musician Suzie McNeil (Rockstar: INXS), songwriter Christopher Ward and music marketing exec Steve Cranwell, who will mentor the performers throughout the series.

The Next Star auditions begin in Halifax on Saturday, May 17 at the World Trade and Convention Centre. More auditions will take place in Montreal, Toronto, Winnipeg, Vancouver and Calgary. Hopefuls can visit www.YTV.com for more information on the audition process, rules and regulations.

Continue reading More on The Next Star host, auditions →

From Bill Harris of Sun Media:

• Da Vinci revived for TV movie
  “A made-for-TV movie based on the Da Vinci character that has been “in the can” for quite a while finally has received an air date on CBC. The Quality of Life will be broadcast on Saturday, June 14.” Read more.

Photo from Da Vinci’s City Hall, courtesy CBC.

From the Canadian Press:

• ‘Degrassi’ star Adamo Ruggiero to host talent show ‘The Next Star’
  “Actor Adamo Ruggiero, who stars on Degrassi: The Next Generation, has been tapped to host an upcoming YTV talent show called The Next Star. Auditions begin May 17 in Halifax. Would-be contestants can also try out in Montreal, Toronto, Winnipeg, Vancouver and Calgary.” Read more.

From a media release:

DOMINIC DAVINCI IS BACK JUNE 14
MOW to air on CBC with all-star cast
 
An all-star Canadian line-up including Nicholas Campbell (Da Vinci’s Inquest), Mary Walsh (This Hour Has 22 Minutes), Michael Murphy (Away from Her) and Hugh Dillon (Durham County) co-stars in Quality of Life, the first Dominic Da Vinci movie, following up the series Da Vinci’s Inquest and Da Vinci’s City Hall created by Vancouver’s Chris Haddock. The television movie will air June 14 at 8 p.m. 9 p.m. on CBC.
 
Dominic Da Vinci (Campbell) hosts a big city mayors’ conference that is upset when he and one of his guests become key witnesses and possible suspects in a murder after a political soirée and private sex-party that followed. Da Vinci is pulled further into the investigation when event hosts, media magnate Charles Greenborne (Murphy) and his wife Katherine (Walsh), engineer an elaborate cover up along with their associates, including the consummate professional fixer Jean Tellier (Dillon).
 
Da Vinci, having matured in his tenure as Mayor of Vancouver and now being pressured into running for Premier, finds himself having to walk the razor’s edge between morality and the abyss of political compromise.
 
This noirish thriller, helmed by director John Fawcett (Ginger Snaps), and starring the award-winning Da Vinci ensemble, is written by Chris Haddock and Alan DiFiore. The creative team leapt at the new movie challenge with their seemingly bottomless well of ideas and storylines. “I really wanted to make sure it wasn’t a couple of episodes coupled together,” says Haddock. “I wanted a complete, satisfying story with the feel of a feature. We wanted to make sure the audience would feel like it’s getting something fresh, but with enough of the old series to connect with the loyal viewers.” 
 
“I think the audience is going to really like it,” says Campbell. “At first they may want to watch the movie for nostalgic reasons – it’s like putting on a favorite old coat. But at the same time the story has moved on and I think it’s even more sophisticated and entertaining. If a person has never seen the series before I think they will say, ‘Wow, what a movie!’”
 
Alongside the four stars, Quality of Life also features Bruce Ramsay, Ron Lea and Tinsel Korey with Da Vinci’s City Hall colleagues like Venus Terzo, Patrick Gallagher, Brian Markinson, Ben Ratner and Mylene Dinh-Robic.