Business

Houses are seen on Squamish Nation land in North Vancouver, B.C., Tuesday, Feb. 22, 2022. Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) says residential mortgage debt grew by nine per cent last year compared with a year earlier for the fastest pace of growth since 2008. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

CMHC says residential mortgage debt grew last year by fastest pace since 2008

Mortgage debt grew by 9 per cent last year, topped 10 per cent in the early months of this year

Houses are seen on Squamish Nation land in North Vancouver, B.C., Tuesday, Feb. 22, 2022. Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) says residential mortgage debt grew by nine per cent last year compared with a year earlier for the fastest pace of growth since 2008. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
B.C. Premier John Horgan speaks about the provincial government’s CleanBC plan aimed at reducing climate pollution, during an announcement in Vancouver, on Wednesday December 5, 2018. FortisBC Energy Inc. says it will partner with Suncor Energy Inc. and Hazer Group Ltd. to build a hydrogen pilot project in Port Moody, B.C. The $11-million pilot project will also be supported with grant funding from the provincial government’s CleanBC Industry Fund.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

FortisBC, Suncor to partner on Port Moody hydrogen pilot project

$11-million project partly funded by the B.C. government and will produce hydrogen from natural gas

B.C. Premier John Horgan speaks about the provincial government’s CleanBC plan aimed at reducing climate pollution, during an announcement in Vancouver, on Wednesday December 5, 2018. FortisBC Energy Inc. says it will partner with Suncor Energy Inc. and Hazer Group Ltd. to build a hydrogen pilot project in Port Moody, B.C. The $11-million pilot project will also be supported with grant funding from the provincial government’s CleanBC Industry Fund.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
The top reasons for shopping local included a desire to support the community, the friendliness of the owners and the quality and convenience of products (Pexels.com)

A majority of British Columbians are choosing to shop at small businesses: survey

The Canadian Federation of Independent Business launches annual contest to encourage local shopping

The top reasons for shopping local included a desire to support the community, the friendliness of the owners and the quality and convenience of products (Pexels.com)
Demo farm presented to the ministry of agriculture at the Fraser Valley Artisans Food Hub in April. Courtesy of QuantoTech website.

B.C. partners with 2 businesses to grow agriculture and food security

To improve agriculture and food security, B.C. is partnering with local technology businesses

Demo farm presented to the ministry of agriculture at the Fraser Valley Artisans Food Hub in April. Courtesy of QuantoTech website.
As patio season returns stronger than ever, craft beer enthusiasts at the B.C. Ale Trail have put together a list of the top 10 local brewery patios to visit, which includes Penticton's very own Cannery Brewing. Source: pixabay.

B.C. leads Canada in breweries despite quaffing less beer than any other province

Province sees 15 per cent increase in breweries as per capita beer sales decline

As patio season returns stronger than ever, craft beer enthusiasts at the B.C. Ale Trail have put together a list of the top 10 local brewery patios to visit, which includes Penticton's very own Cannery Brewing. Source: pixabay.
A shopper wipes down a handle as they select a cart at an Ikea furniture store in Ottawa, Tuesday, May 31, 2022. Canadian retailers are struggling with higher shipping costs as couriers tack hefty fuel surcharges onto shipping rates to recoup record gas prices. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang

Canadian retailers grapple with soaring fuel surcharges to ship online orders

Extra charge topping 40 per cent for some carriers

A shopper wipes down a handle as they select a cart at an Ikea furniture store in Ottawa, Tuesday, May 31, 2022. Canadian retailers are struggling with higher shipping costs as couriers tack hefty fuel surcharges onto shipping rates to recoup record gas prices. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang
Fireworks explode above the Peace Tower and Centre Block during Canada Day celebrations on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Monday, July 1, 2019. As Canada Day kicks off the unofficial start of summer, tourism firms are hopeful the first season in three years largely without COVID-19 restrictions will marshal a much-needed boost for a pandemic-stricken industry. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang

‘Summer of recovery’: Pandemic-stricken tourism industry sees signs of optimism

Canada’s tourism industry GDP was down nearly 50 per cent in 2020

Fireworks explode above the Peace Tower and Centre Block during Canada Day celebrations on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Monday, July 1, 2019. As Canada Day kicks off the unofficial start of summer, tourism firms are hopeful the first season in three years largely without COVID-19 restrictions will marshal a much-needed boost for a pandemic-stricken industry. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang
Air Canada planes sit on the tarmac at Pearson International Airport in Toronto on Wednesday, April 28, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette

Air Canada to slash summer flight schedule as airports face lengthy delays

154 flights per day on average dropped from the airline’s schedule

Air Canada planes sit on the tarmac at Pearson International Airport in Toronto on Wednesday, April 28, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette
Passengers lineup at the check in counter at Pierre Elliott Trudeau airport, in Montreal, Wednesday, June 29, 2022. An analytics firm says a majority of domestic flights to some of Canada’s busiest airports were delayed or cancelled over the past week. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz

Spike in domestic flight delays, cancellations as global gridlock continues

Aviation industry has blamed on a shortage of federal security and customs officers

Passengers lineup at the check in counter at Pierre Elliott Trudeau airport, in Montreal, Wednesday, June 29, 2022. An analytics firm says a majority of domestic flights to some of Canada’s busiest airports were delayed or cancelled over the past week. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz
Construction continues on an affordable housing complex on Drennan Street in Sooke. (Justin Samanski-Langille - Sooke News Mirror)

B.C. well behind homebuilding pace needed to make housing affordable: CMHC

Housing report shows governments taking the shortage seriously: industry expert

Construction continues on an affordable housing complex on Drennan Street in Sooke. (Justin Samanski-Langille - Sooke News Mirror)
Chris Nowrouzi, CEO and Co-Owner of FlyGTA, is photographed at Buttonville Airport in Markham, Ontario on Saturday June 25, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young

Private air travel takes off in Canada— but can it stay aloft?

Airport delays and chaos pushing more wealthy people to fly privately

Chris Nowrouzi, CEO and Co-Owner of FlyGTA, is photographed at Buttonville Airport in Markham, Ontario on Saturday June 25, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young
FILE - Amazon Echo and Echo Plus devices, behind, sit near illuminated Echo Button devices during an event by the company in Seattle on Sept. 27, 2017. Amazon’s Alexa might soon replicate the voice of family members - even if they’re dead. The capability, unveiled at Amazon’s Re:Mars conference in Las Vegas Wednesday, June 22, 2022, is in development and would allow the virtual assistant to mimic the voice of a specific person based on a less than a minute of provided recording. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson, File)

Amazon’s Alexa could soon mimic voice of dead relatives

Company says capability currently in development

FILE - Amazon Echo and Echo Plus devices, behind, sit near illuminated Echo Button devices during an event by the company in Seattle on Sept. 27, 2017. Amazon’s Alexa might soon replicate the voice of family members - even if they’re dead. The capability, unveiled at Amazon’s Re:Mars conference in Las Vegas Wednesday, June 22, 2022, is in development and would allow the virtual assistant to mimic the voice of a specific person based on a less than a minute of provided recording. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson, File)
An Atlantic salmon is seen during a Department of Fisheries and Oceans fish health audit at the Okisollo fish farm near Campbell River, B.C. Wednesday, Oct. 31, 2018. The executive director of British Columbia’s salmon farmers association says a formalized consultation process for the future of the industry is welcome after several years of “ad hoc” discussions stemming from the Liberal government’s pledge in 2019 to end open-net pen salmon aquaculture off B.C.’s coast. THE CANADIAN PRESS /Jonathan Hayward

B.C. salmon farming industry welcomes consultation after years of ‘ad hoc’ talks

Consultation to bring industry, First Nations and governments together to talk about transition

An Atlantic salmon is seen during a Department of Fisheries and Oceans fish health audit at the Okisollo fish farm near Campbell River, B.C. Wednesday, Oct. 31, 2018. The executive director of British Columbia’s salmon farmers association says a formalized consultation process for the future of the industry is welcome after several years of “ad hoc” discussions stemming from the Liberal government’s pledge in 2019 to end open-net pen salmon aquaculture off B.C.’s coast. THE CANADIAN PRESS /Jonathan Hayward
Susie Rieder, a spokeswoman for BC Hydro, who uses a heat pump to heat and cool her Burnaby, B.C. home, is shown in a handout photo.THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-Susie Rieder

Heat pump might help B.C. residents save utility costs, but do your research first

Unit can eliminate need for air conditioner, reduce your household’s environmental footprint

Susie Rieder, a spokeswoman for BC Hydro, who uses a heat pump to heat and cool her Burnaby, B.C. home, is shown in a handout photo.THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-Susie Rieder
Canadian dollars (loonies) are pictured in Vancouver, Sept. 22, 2011. A new study says a basic income program would help alleviate poverty in Canada but could also put the fiscal sustainability and labour supply of some provinces at risk.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward

Basic income would ease poverty, put sustainability, labour supply at risk: study

Funding such a program would likely require increasing taxes or cutting government spending

Canadian dollars (loonies) are pictured in Vancouver, Sept. 22, 2011. A new study says a basic income program would help alleviate poverty in Canada but could also put the fiscal sustainability and labour supply of some provinces at risk.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward
Rogers Communications says Nanaimo is the first city in Canada to receive the company’s high-speed, high-capacity 3500 MHz 5G service. (Darren Calabrese/Canadian Press)

B.C. city Canada’s first to connect to Rogers’ new high-capacity network

Company says 3500 MHz 5G debuting in Nanaimo will benefit wide range of clients

Rogers Communications says Nanaimo is the first city in Canada to receive the company’s high-speed, high-capacity 3500 MHz 5G service. (Darren Calabrese/Canadian Press)
A WestJet flight from Calgary arrives at Halifax Stanfield International Airport in Enfield, N.S. on Monday, July 6, 2020. Industry watchers expect WestJet to remove routes from the Toronto-Montreal-Ottawa triangle as part of the Calgary-based airline’s new strategy to focus future growth on Western Canada. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Andrew Vaughan

Air Canada too dominant in the East for WestJet to compete, experts say

WestJet will pivot resources to increase service in Western Canada

A WestJet flight from Calgary arrives at Halifax Stanfield International Airport in Enfield, N.S. on Monday, July 6, 2020. Industry watchers expect WestJet to remove routes from the Toronto-Montreal-Ottawa triangle as part of the Calgary-based airline’s new strategy to focus future growth on Western Canada. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Andrew Vaughan
A women walks past the new rebranding sign of Freedom Mobile in Toronto on Thursday, November 24, 2016. Globalive Capital says it has gone straight to Shaw Communications Inc. with its $3.75 billion offer for wireless carrier Freedom Mobile due to a lack of engagement from Rogers Communications Inc. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette

Rogers strikes $2.85-billion deal to sell Freedom Mobile to Quebecor

Rogers hopes deal will appease federal regulators opposed to its proposed takeover of Shaw

A women walks past the new rebranding sign of Freedom Mobile in Toronto on Thursday, November 24, 2016. Globalive Capital says it has gone straight to Shaw Communications Inc. with its $3.75 billion offer for wireless carrier Freedom Mobile due to a lack of engagement from Rogers Communications Inc. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette
Commercial vehicles travelling via the Queen of Alberni will be offered fare savings until Oct. 12, says BC Ferries. (News Bulletin file photo)

BC Ferries floats 33% savings to entice off-peak commercial traffic

Commercial saver fare available until Oct. 12 for select Island-Tsawwassen ferry sailings

Commercial vehicles travelling via the Queen of Alberni will be offered fare savings until Oct. 12, says BC Ferries. (News Bulletin file photo)
The sign on the front of the Telus head office is shown in Toronto on Thursday, February 11, 2021. Telus Corp. has signed a deal to buy LifeWorks Inc. valued at $2.9 billion including debt. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Frank Gunn

Telus signs deal to buy LifeWorks in deal valued at $2.9 billion including debt

LifeWorks is an HR firm that helps companies with employee and family assistance plans

The sign on the front of the Telus head office is shown in Toronto on Thursday, February 11, 2021. Telus Corp. has signed a deal to buy LifeWorks Inc. valued at $2.9 billion including debt. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Frank Gunn