Business

A Toronto Star column reports that U.S. actors, Quebec sovereigntists and Alberta separatists are, in different ways, calling for the breakup of Canada, and premiers met with Prime Minister Mark Carney in Ottawa this week to discuss those threats.

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said Kitimat is no longer being considered for a proposed oil pipeline to the B.C. coast, and the province's description of a preferred port more closely aligns with Prince Rupert.

Creators of the hit show Heated Rivalry publicly supported the Online Streaming Act at a media production conference in Ottawa, arguing the five per cent contribution for large foreign platforms is reasonable. The event unfolded as some global streamers are challenging contribution and disclosure rules in federal court and U.S. trade officials have raised concerns.

The Bank of Canada kept its policy rate at 2.25% and said it expects modest growth while flagging trade and geopolitical uncertainty; economists noted a more dovish tone and said a rate cut could follow an economic shock.

Kelowna RCMP said multiple people were contacted by callers claiming to represent a major Canadian bank and told a credit card had been opened and used on a Russian-based firearms website. The callers reportedly asked victims to join video calls with people presented as police and to provide identity documents; none of the reported victims said they paid money.

Statistics Canada reports the income gap widened to 47.5 percentage points in Q3 2025 while overall household net worth rose 5.5% year-over-year, driven by financial asset gains.

The federal government boosted the GST credit by 25% for five years, with a 50% increase in the first year, and paired the change with structural measures aimed at food production and competition; commentators welcomed its targeting but raised questions about the five-year timeline.

Prime Minister Mark Carney announced the Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit, which includes a one-time top-up this spring and a 25% increase to the benefit starting July 2026, both measures subject to Royal Assent.

Canada Post and the Canadian Union of Postal Workers say they have finalized outstanding contractual language in tentative agreements reached last month. The union says the language relates to the short-term disability program and personal days.

Richard Orrell highlights three exchange-traded funds amid a 'goldilocks' start to 2026 with contained volatility, and he flags labour-market developments and credit spreads as key risks.

Departing BRP CEO José Boisjoli says the company will pursue growth overseas while a named successor prepares to take over, and uncertainty over the North American trade pact is a prominent concern.

Rogers reported higher fourth-quarter profit and doubled media revenue after the Blue Jays' World Series run, and company executives said they plan to buy the remaining 25% stake in Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment.

German builder TKMS has signed a teaming agreement with Seaspan Shipyards to support and maintain potential future patrol submarines for Canada; the pact is conditional on TKMS winning a federal contract to supply the Royal Canadian Navy.

Gold hovered near US$5,100 after an all-time high and silver also hit fresh records as safe-haven demand rose; market attention is on a Federal Reserve meeting this week expected to hold rates steady.

Tesla reported annual net income fell 46% to $3.8 billion, its lowest since the pandemic, and said it will more than double capital spending to about $20 billion to fund AI and robot projects.

Statistics Canada reported a goods trade deficit of $2.2 billion in November, up from a revised $395 million in October, as merchandise exports declined, led by a 24.4% drop in metals and non‑metallic products.

The Globe editorial says internal trade barriers act like a 9% tariff and that removing them could add about $210 billion to Canada’s economy; premiers have so far been reluctant to take the political steps the editorial calls for.

The Bank of Canada and the U.S. Federal Reserve are both expected to keep policy rates unchanged on Wednesday; the BoC points to muted growth and cooling core inflation while the Fed faces political pressure and mixed U.S. data.

Copper jumped to an LME record above $14,000 a tonne after an almost 8% one-day rise, with traders citing speculative buying, a weaker dollar and demand hopes even as physical demand indicators in China remained weak.

Heineken's Fans Have More Friends platform ran a New York social experiment demonstrating how shared fandom can create real-world connections; the announcement says the platform unites Heineken sponsorships to build communities around major cultural moments.

World stocks rose on optimism about corporate earnings ahead of Apple's results, while gold climbed to record highs and oil prices gained amid U.S.-Iran tensions.

Canada says it is open to a deal to bring news back to Meta's platforms after Meta removed news in response to the 2023 Online News Act.

Premiers David Eby and Danielle Smith met Prime Minister Mark Carney in Ottawa to discuss a proposed pipeline from Alberta’s oilsands to a west-coast export terminal; Eby called the meeting 'borderline friendly' and reiterated concerns about spills and First Nations opposition.

B.C. Premier David Eby said officials from B.C., Alberta, Manitoba and Ontario will meet in Surrey within two weeks to coordinate on ongoing extortion cases, and Prime Minister Mark Carney agreed to provide additional federal resources for the RCMP in B.C.

A Beechcraft 1900 operated by state-run Satena crashed in northeast Colombia, killing all 15 people on board, including a local lawmaker; air traffic control lost contact 12 minutes after takeoff.

The Saskatchewan government and SaskPower have formally launched a technology selection process to evaluate large-scale nuclear reactors while continuing work on small modular reactors (SMRs); SaskPower expects its first SMR project near Estevan later this year.

Statistics Canada projects Alberta could reach about 7.2 million by 2050 and surpass British Columbia to become the third-largest province; it also projects Canada's population could top 57 million by 2075.

The U.S. Federal Reserve voted 10-2 to keep its benchmark rate at 3.50–3.75%, citing still-elevated inflation alongside solid economic growth.

The Bank of Canada left its policy rate at 2.25% and said monetary policy cannot fully offset structural harm from U.S. tariffs; it signalled modest growth ahead with heightened uncertainty and said it is prepared to adjust policy if conditions change.

Direct tourism spending reached $9.1 billion in 2025, generating nearly $13.5 billion in economic impact, and international arrivals rose 8% to 1.4 million visitors.