Category: Business

WestJet says it is facing “significant operational impacts” due to the extremely cold weather in the Prairies and parts of B.C. Saturday morning, temperatures rendered de-icing fluid ineffective in Calgary, Edmonton, Saskatoon, Regina, Kelowna, Kamloops, Fort McMurray, Prince George, Grande Prairie, Yellowknife and Fort St. John, the airline said in a statement posted to its […]

Quebec business owners have about a year and a half to ensure all signs on businesses, aside from the company name, must be predominately in French.  Also, loopholes are being closed to ensure all products sold in Quebec have descriptions in the province’s official language. “Most of the companies won’t have any changes to make,” said […]

Unusually choppy waters off the west coast of Newfoundland mean the island’s only transport truck ferry service has been seeing an onslaught of delays.  And those repeated delays, says Marine Atlantic spokesperson Darrell Mercer, mean trucks carrying food, clothing and household goods aren’t arriving on time. “There have been continuous storm systems that have been […]

Sweat, heavy breathing, warm temperatures and lots of people — the gym is the perfect environment for bacteria to thrive in, which is why wiping equipment down is a normal part of gym etiquette.  But does a quick wipe really eliminate all those germs? CBC’s Marketplace swabbed equipment at several popular national gym chains to […]

A key Flair Airlines investor says a $30-million lawsuit filed against it by plane-leasing firms over claims of missed payments is “premature at best.” Miami-based 777 Partners, which owns one-quarter of Flair, confirmed that three lessors of aircraft that were repossessed from the budget carrier last spring filed their claim in London in December over […]

Canadians who need to certify documents for use abroad should find the process faster — and cheaper — starting today, now that Canada has joined the largest international convention for verifying documents. The 1961 Apostille Convention streamlines the process for certifying documents for use in the other 125 countries that have signed the convention. Canada agreed to […]

After a head-spinning and bizarre chain of events, U.S. financial regulators have formally approved new bitcoin exchange-traded funds. The move is being heralded as a landmark moment in the history of cryptocurrency and its acceptance into mainstream financial markets. In its approval announced on Wednesday, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) expressed its long-standing discomfort with cryptocurrencies. […]

Flavio Volpe, head of the Automotive Parts Manufacturers’ Association, believes the recent electric vehicle targets set out by Canada’s environment minister also carried this pointed message to Canada’s domestic auto industry: “Let them eat cake.” Volpe says he has come to this conclusion because he believes those goals, which include a national target of 100 per cent zero-emission vehicle sales by 2035, cannot be […]

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) said Tuesday afternoon that a social media post saying it had approved a spot bitcoin exchange-traded fund (ETF) was false and its account had been compromised.  A post on X, formerly known as Twitter, said that the SEC had granted approval for bitcoin ETFs on all registered national securities exchanges and […]

Even as the minister responsible admitted there aren’t enough competitive options for mobile service in Canada, another federal official said consumers can and should search for other service providers when faced with price increases. That message — from Innovation, Science and Economic Development (ISED) Canada — came just hours after the Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne said Canadians “still pay too much […]

Statistics Canada says the total number of jobs in December was virtually unchanged for the month as the unemployment rate held steady at 5.8 per cent. The agency says the economy added a total of 100 jobs for the final month of the year. The result came as the number of full-time jobs fell by 23,500 in December, offset […]

Lululemon’s controversial founder Chip Wilson is again facing criticism for his latest remarks regarding the company’s diversity and inclusion efforts. In a recent article by Forbes, Wilson objected to the company’s use of models with a range of body types, whom he said looked “unhealthy,” “sickly” and “not inspirational.” “They’re trying to become like the Gap, everything […]

Canadians are still paying too much for telecom services, the industry minister said Thursday, one day after Rogers Communications said it was raising the cost of some of its wireless phone plans. Rogers said Wednesday it would hike the cost of some of its wireless plans for non-contract customers. Bell is also reportedly increasing some of its existing wireless phone […]

Chrysler parent company Stellantis says future participation in North American auto shows will be looked at on a “case-by-case basis” amid headwinds in the auto market. “With a focus on preserving business fundamentals to mitigate the impact of a challenging automotive market in North America, Stellantis is working to optimize its marketing strategy as it relates to […]

Wireless phone plans will be getting more expensive for some Canadians this year.  Rogers Communications Inc. will increase the cost of some of its plans in the coming weeks, the company confirmed to CBC News on Wednesday. Meanwhile, Bell is reportedly increasing some of its existing wireless phone plan prices in February, according to a report by Canadian […]

It was another record-breaking year for Canada’s richest CEOs.  In one work day, and less than a half hour into the new year — 27 minutes to be exact — Canada’s 100 highest-paid CEOs will have already earned the average worker’s annual salary, according to a new study by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA). It translates to roughly […]

Air Canada notched the worst on-time performance among 10 large airlines in North America in 2023, according to a new report. The country’s biggest carrier landed 63 per cent of its flights on time last year, placing it last among the continent’s 10 largest airlines, according to Cirium, an aviation analytics firm. That means roughly 140,000 planes […]

It’s been a long time since economic data in Canada showed very much promise. The last 18 months have been defined by a cost of living crisis and a slowing economy. But a handful of economic indicators give us some hope for 2024. Inflation has slowed dramatically, and the economy didn’t actually slip into recession. […]

The Bank of Canada’s governing council agreed the odds of another rate hike have decreased during its discussions ahead of the interest rate decision earlier this month. The central bank released its summary of deliberations for its Dec. 6 interest rate decision Tuesday, revealing the governing council felt more optimistic about the country’s inflation outlook. […]

Warehouse stores in Canada aren’t just selling large quantities of toilet paper these days — gold bars and coins and other precious metals are moving out of the realm of banking and jewellers and into their aisles. With gold hitting record-high prices in recent weeks, the metal’s popularity has been reflected at retailers, too. According to Costco’s chief financial officer, […]

Riverview father Rudy Walters is speaking out after Mastermind Toys stopped accepting gift cards effective Christmas Day — with signs posted on their storefronts only days before. Walters said the move raises questions about the value of gift cards and about consumer protection when a company such as Mastermind Toys heads toward bankruptcy. “I would just like to see some more […]

Two Inuit leaders in Labrador are calling on the Newfoundland and Labrador government to chip in for flights to their fly-in communities as the province becomes the latest to support leisure travel to and from international destinations. Johannes Lampe, president of the Inuit Nunatsiavut government, and Barry Andersen, the AngajukKak — or mayor — of Makkovik, N.L., […]

Honda Motor’s American unit is recalling about 4.5 million vehicles worldwide over risks of fuel pump failure, the Japanese automaker said. The recall includes 2.54 million vehicles in the United States and comes after the automaker previously recalled 628,000 U.S. vehicles in 2021 and 136,000 in 2020 for the same issue. Honda Canada pointed CBC […]

Amid high inflation, rising operating costs and shrinking Canadian demand, clothing designers in Nova Scotia say they’re struggling to find a sustainable business model. Designers say they’ve had to adjust to significant changes in consumer behaviour, supply chain disruptions and inflation as they’ve navigated through the COVID-19 pandemic and its aftermath. “We’ve made a lot of hard decisions. […]

The New York Times is suing OpenAI and Microsoft, accusing them of using millions of the newspaper’s articles without permission to help train artificial intelligence (AI) technologies. The Times said it is the first major U.S. media organization to sue OpenAI and Microsoft, which created ChatGPT and other AI platforms, over copyright issues. “Defendants seek […]

Standing in the middle of a cafeteria at Global Affairs, Soren Antosz was testing Oscar, a new, high-tech tool popping up in federal government buildings. Antosz holds up a paper napkin. That’s compostable, flashes the message on Oscar’s screen. Next is a plastic bottle. Oscar tells him to empty the liquid then drop it into […]

As some Canadian lenders expect central banks, such as the Bank of Canada, to lower influential interest rates in 2024, borrowers can expect a late Christmas present with lower rates on certain types of mortgages. Rates of less than five per cent on specific types of fixed mortgages are on offer — the lowest Canadians looking to finance […]

The founder of Canadian men’s clothing retailer Harry Rosen Inc. has died at 92. Rosen opened his first made-to-measure menswear store on Parliament Street in Toronto in 1954 along with his brother Lou and ran the company for 51 years until his son, Larry Rosen, became chair and CEO in 2005. In a statement, Larry confirmed his father’s passing […]

The rubber-stamped sale of HSBC’s Canadian operations to Royal Bank will lessen competition on mortgage rates, says one analyst who touted the bank’s key role in lowering borrowing costs through its presence in Canada. Mortgage strategist Robert McLister called it “a sad day for Canadian mortgage consumers.” He said HSBC had a different model than the […]

Videos and pictures of hundreds of people lined up outside businesses in Ontario in efforts to land jobs have gone viral on social media. The videos, taken in Waterloo region and other cities, include ones on the social media platform Reddit, where users reported seeing lineups at a Dollar Tree in Windsor in October and a Food Basics in Hamilton […]

A trial date has been set for early 2025 to sort out whether Alberta is liable for billions in compensation due to policy changes for coal development in the province. In four separate statements of claim, coal companies allege that Alberta’s decision in 2022 to change the rules around coal mining cost them financially and resulted in […]

When Evelyn Schaffer first saw her engagement ring, she was speechless. It was a 0.76-carat, oval-cut stunner — and she said no one has been able to tell that the diamonds were created in a lab. “I’ve never seen anything like it and it’s gorgeous,” Schaffer said. “The lab-grown diamonds are actually more sparkly in my […]

Canada’s economy was essentially unchanged for the third consecutive month in October, missing growth forecasts, but gross domestic product likely edged up in November, Statistics Canada data showed on Friday. Analysts polled by Reuters had forecast a 0.2 per cent month-over-month rise. September’s GDP was downwardly revised to zero growth from an initial report of […]

The Montreal-based company that owns and operates adult entertainment websites including Pornhub.com has reached a deferred prosecution agreement with the U.S. Justice Department over its ties to an alleged sex trafficking operation, court records showed. Lawyers for Aylo Holdings, formerly known as MindGeek, are set to appear in Brooklyn federal court later on Thursday for […]

Mastermind Toys shoppers have less than a week to redeem store gift cards.  The Canadian toy retailer announced earlier this month that it had signed an asset purchase agreement with Unity Acquisitions Inc.  Mastermind filed for creditor protection under the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act (CCCA) on Nov 24. Customers are now being told their gift cards will not be honoured […]

Electric scooter rental company Bird says its Canadian operations won’t be affected by the company’s bankruptcy proceedings in the U.S. Canadian COO Alex Petre told CBC News that Bird Canada is not part of the filing and Canada “remains a key priority market for the business.” “As such, I want to underline that there is no impact on […]

Brad Clements, 82, has been growing Christmas trees near Milton, Ont., since the 1980s but is getting ready to pack it in.  “We’re looking at closing it up in the next year or so, if not sooner,” said Clements, owner of Clembrook Christmas Farm.  Clements and his wife aren’t passing the business on to a […]

The end of the road is coming for gas-powered vehicles in Canada. New regulations being published this week by Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault will effectively end sales of new passenger vehicles powered only by gasoline or diesel in 2035. Guilbeault said the Electric Vehicle Availability Standard will encourage automakers to make more battery-powered cars and […]

Cathy Khalil recently tipped five bucks on an $18 box of doughnuts at one Ottawa store — and says she has no regrets. “I think when people see [the options on the debit machine] they feel obligated, sometimes, to tip,” Khalil said. “[But] I’m not tipping for the sake of tipping. I’m tipping because I want […]

The United States, Canada and a host of other nations are creating a new force to protect ships transiting the Red Sea that have come under attack by drones and ballistic missiles fired from Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen, U.S. Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin announced early Tuesday in Bahrain. The seriousness of the attacks, several of […]

Whether it’s mutual funds, savings accounts or stock trading, millions of Canadians depend on investments for their financial future.  But for some Muslims, faith took many monetary options off the table because of religious restrictions around concepts like paying — or being paid — interest. It meant for years Canadians like Ammar Maqsud, who observes those religious tenets, couldn’t even put money in […]

Cost of Living8:55The return of the bookstore When e-readers like the Amazon Kindle burst onto the scene, showing up next to menorahs and under Christmas trees in the early 2000s, they were predicted to bring about the death of the print book — and maybe the independent bookstore too. But publishing sales data and on the […]

Governments across Canada are clamping down on short-term rentals in hopes of increasing housing. But will the new rules limiting platforms such as Airbnb and Vrbo actually help renters and buyers find a place to live?

Rogers Sugar Inc. says it is pausing negotiations after the union representing striking workers at its Vancouver refinery rejected the company’s latest offer. Workers have been on strike since Sept. 28 over issues including wages, benefits and the company’s demand to increase refinery operations to 24 hours a day, 365 days per year. Private and Public […]