Business

The Bank of Canada is set to make its first interest rate announcement of the year this morning. Bank of Canada Governor Tiff Macklem arrives for the annual meeting of federal, provincial, and territorial finance ministers in Toronto, Friday, Dec. 15, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette

5% and holding: Bank of Canada rate unchanged, talks begin on when to drop

Rate decision comes a no surprise but analysis were looking for signs of what the future may hold

The Bank of Canada is set to make its first interest rate announcement of the year this morning. Bank of Canada Governor Tiff Macklem arrives for the annual meeting of federal, provincial, and territorial finance ministers in Toronto, Friday, Dec. 15, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette
Tigh-Na-Mara in Parksville is No. 6 on the Spas of America’s Top 100 of 2023. (Courtesy Tigh-Na-Mara)

Two B.C. spas named among North America’s very best

Tigh-Na-Mara’s The Grotto, Oak Bay Beach Hotel’s The Boathouse, crack Top 100

Tigh-Na-Mara in Parksville is No. 6 on the Spas of America’s Top 100 of 2023. (Courtesy Tigh-Na-Mara)
Restaurants Canada is urging the British Columbia government to intervene in a proposed increase to the farm-level price of chicken in the province. Workers process chickens in Fremont, Neb.in a Dec.12, 2019 file photo. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP/Nati Harnik

Playing chicken? New poultry price scheme has B.C. restaurants clucking

Industry says proposed plant will mean a 10% price hike for consumers

Restaurants Canada is urging the British Columbia government to intervene in a proposed increase to the farm-level price of chicken in the province. Workers process chickens in Fremont, Neb.in a Dec.12, 2019 file photo. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP/Nati Harnik
FILE - A George Mason University fan holds up the cover of Sports Illustrated magazine at a send off for the team, Wednesday, March 29, 2006, in Fairfax, Va. The publisher of Sports Illustrated has notified employees it is planning to lay off a significant portion — possibly all — of the outlet’s staff after its license to use the iconic brand’s name in print and digital was revoked. In an email to employees Friday morning, Jan. 19, 2024, the Arena Group, which operates Sports Illustrated and related properties, said that Authentic Brands Group has revoked its marketing license. (AP Photo/Lawrence Jackson, File)

Sports Illustrated to lay off most or all its staff

News revealed in letter to employees after license to use its iconic brand name was revoked

FILE - A George Mason University fan holds up the cover of Sports Illustrated magazine at a send off for the team, Wednesday, March 29, 2006, in Fairfax, Va. The publisher of Sports Illustrated has notified employees it is planning to lay off a significant portion — possibly all — of the outlet’s staff after its license to use the iconic brand’s name in print and digital was revoked. In an email to employees Friday morning, Jan. 19, 2024, the Arena Group, which operates Sports Illustrated and related properties, said that Authentic Brands Group has revoked its marketing license. (AP Photo/Lawrence Jackson, File)
Alaska Airlines N704AL, a 737 Max 9 which made an emergency landing at Portland International Airport after a part of the fuselage broke off mid-flight on Friday, is parked at a maintenance hanger in Portland, Ore., Saturday, Jan. 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Craig Mitchelldyer)

What to know about the Alaska Airlines 737 Max 9 jet that suffered a blowout

An emergency landing by an Alaska Airlines jetliner has prompted U.S. federal…

Alaska Airlines N704AL, a 737 Max 9 which made an emergency landing at Portland International Airport after a part of the fuselage broke off mid-flight on Friday, is parked at a maintenance hanger in Portland, Ore., Saturday, Jan. 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Craig Mitchelldyer)
Lululemon founder Chip Wilson is courting controversy with recent comments he made to Forbes. Wilson attends an announcement, in Vancouver, B.C., Thursday, Sept. 15, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

Lululemon’s diversity and inclusion efforts missing the mark says founder

Chip Wilson says people in recent company adds look ‘unhealthy,’ ‘sickly’ and ‘not inspirational’

Lululemon founder Chip Wilson is courting controversy with recent comments he made to Forbes. Wilson attends an announcement, in Vancouver, B.C., Thursday, Sept. 15, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
U.S. President Joe Biden and Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador listen to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speak during a joint news conference at the North American Leaders Summit, in Mexico City, Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2023. The Canadian Chamber of Commerce is calling for another NAFTA-style charm offensive to defend Canada’s trade with the U.S. ahead of November’s presidential election. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld

Businesses want Canada to crank up trade charm as U.S. election looms

Group wants to convince Americans Canada is a boon to the U.S. economy

U.S. President Joe Biden and Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador listen to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speak during a joint news conference at the North American Leaders Summit, in Mexico City, Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2023. The Canadian Chamber of Commerce is calling for another NAFTA-style charm offensive to defend Canada’s trade with the U.S. ahead of November’s presidential election. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld
Tim Hortons says four retro doughnuts will return to its menu next week. Dutchies are photographed at the Tim Hortons test kitchen in Toronto, Friday, Dec. 8, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young

Tim Hortons unveils 3 more retro treats for its 60th anniversary

Restaurant chain reveals which three doughnuts will join Dutchie in returning to menu

Tim Hortons says four retro doughnuts will return to its menu next week. Dutchies are photographed at the Tim Hortons test kitchen in Toronto, Friday, Dec. 8, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young
Beware the Christmas Grinch and other skammers. Photo: Geoffrey Moffett/Unsplash

Better watch out: Better Business Bureau warns of top 12 Christmas scams

Shop with caution in order to avoid the Grinch from biting into your holiday joy

Beware the Christmas Grinch and other skammers. Photo: Geoffrey Moffett/Unsplash
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Chrystia Freeland rises during Question Period, in Ottawa, Monday, Dec. 4, 2023. Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland has approved RBC’s $13.5-billion takeover of HSBC Canada despite calls from opposition politicians and other groups to block it.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld

$13.5B RBC takeover of HSBC Canada gets federal stamp of approval

Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland greenlights deal, but with some caveats attached

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Chrystia Freeland rises during Question Period, in Ottawa, Monday, Dec. 4, 2023. Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland has approved RBC’s $13.5-billion takeover of HSBC Canada despite calls from opposition politicians and other groups to block it.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld
A sign is put up on Rogers Sugar shelves at a grocery store in Vancouver, on Thursday, Nov. 16, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ethan Cairns

Small pool of sugar refineries sweetens the stakes in B.C. labour battle

Strike at Rogers Sugar refinery in Vancouver remains deadlocked 12 weeks in

  • Dec 21, 2023
A sign is put up on Rogers Sugar shelves at a grocery store in Vancouver, on Thursday, Nov. 16, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ethan Cairns
FILE - The Apple logo is illuminated at a store in the city center of Munich, Germany, Dec. 16, 2020. Apple plans to suspend sales of the Series 9 and Ultra 2 versions of its popular Apple Watch for online U.S. customers beginning Thursday afternoon, Dec. 21, 2023, and in its stores on Sunday, Dec. 24. The move stems from an October decision from the International Trade Commission restricting Apple’s watches with a Blood Oxygen feature as part of an intellectual property dispute with medical technology company Masimo. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader, File)

Apple to stop selling watches in U.S. due to international patent dispute

Latest Apple Watches will no longer be available online tomorrow and in stores on Sunday

FILE - The Apple logo is illuminated at a store in the city center of Munich, Germany, Dec. 16, 2020. Apple plans to suspend sales of the Series 9 and Ultra 2 versions of its popular Apple Watch for online U.S. customers beginning Thursday afternoon, Dec. 21, 2023, and in its stores on Sunday, Dec. 24. The move stems from an October decision from the International Trade Commission restricting Apple’s watches with a Blood Oxygen feature as part of an intellectual property dispute with medical technology company Masimo. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader, File)
Dutchies are photographed at the Tim Hortons test kitchen in Toronto, Friday, Dec. 8, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young

Beloved dutchie back as Tim Hortons marks 60th anniversary

Restaurant promising four retro doughnuts will reappear for a limited time on its menu in 2024

Dutchies are photographed at the Tim Hortons test kitchen in Toronto, Friday, Dec. 8, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young
Minister of Environment and Climate Change Steven Guilbeault speaks during a news conference in Ottawa, on Monday, Nov. 20, 2023. Guilbeault will outline today the details of his plan to eventually phase out the sale of gas-powered vehicles in Canada. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang

Gas-powered car and truck sales done in Canada by 2035

Canada lays out its plan to force automakers to transition to electric vehicles

Minister of Environment and Climate Change Steven Guilbeault speaks during a news conference in Ottawa, on Monday, Nov. 20, 2023. Guilbeault will outline today the details of his plan to eventually phase out the sale of gas-powered vehicles in Canada. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang
Amazon logo on the facade of one of their office buildings. Dreamstime | TNS

Good news for late holiday shoppers: Retailers are improving their delivery speeds

Haven’t ordered any of your holiday gifts yet? Well, you might find…

Amazon logo on the facade of one of their office buildings. Dreamstime | TNS
A sign pointing shoppers to self-checkout stations is shown at a store in New York on Wednesday, Dec. 6, 2023. Self-checkout faces a reckoning of sorts just as retailers are in the midst of their busiest time of the year. (AP Photo/Anne D’Innocenzio)

Self-checkout here to stay, but not without frustrations, not for everyone

Theft and clunky technology plague retail push to save labour costs

A sign pointing shoppers to self-checkout stations is shown at a store in New York on Wednesday, Dec. 6, 2023. Self-checkout faces a reckoning of sorts just as retailers are in the midst of their busiest time of the year. (AP Photo/Anne D’Innocenzio)
The AltaGas terminal at the port of Prince Rupert. AltaGas and Royal Vopak are looking to get a final investment decision for the Ridley Island Energy Export Facility project in the summer of 2024. (Contributed)

Partners expect new LPG export facility to be a B.C. north coast stronghold

AltaGas says new jobs coming to Prince Rupert as liquid petroleum gas project begins clearing

The AltaGas terminal at the port of Prince Rupert. AltaGas and Royal Vopak are looking to get a final investment decision for the Ridley Island Energy Export Facility project in the summer of 2024. (Contributed)
Pascale St-Onge, Minister of Canadian Heritage, rises during Question Period on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, on Friday, Nov. 24, 2023. The amount of funding private broadcasters will get through the Online News Act will be limited — with an even lower cap for the CBC — a federal government source confirms final regulations will say today. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Spencer Colby

CBC to get no more than $7M, private broadcasters $30M under Google deal

Online News Act will see $63M distributed between newspapers and digital media outlets

Pascale St-Onge, Minister of Canadian Heritage, rises during Question Period on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, on Friday, Nov. 24, 2023. The amount of funding private broadcasters will get through the Online News Act will be limited — with an even lower cap for the CBC — a federal government source confirms final regulations will say today. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Spencer Colby
Pascale St-Onge, Minister of Canadian Heritage, rises during Question Period on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, on Friday, Nov. 24, 2023. The amount of funding private broadcasters will get through the Online News Act will be limited — with an even lower cap for the CBC — a federal government source confirms final regulations will say today. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Spencer Colby

CBC, private broadcasters to get reduced share under online news deal

Full details of the Online News Act are expected to be released today

Pascale St-Onge, Minister of Canadian Heritage, rises during Question Period on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, on Friday, Nov. 24, 2023. The amount of funding private broadcasters will get through the Online News Act will be limited — with an even lower cap for the CBC — a federal government source confirms final regulations will say today. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Spencer Colby
The Fairview Terminal at the Port of Prince Rupert has seen almost a three million ton decrease in cargo compared to 2022, meaning longshore workers are seeing increasingly fewer shifts. (Contributed)

Longshore workers feel crunch as northwest B.C. port volumes decline

Many port workers seeking other employment as Prince Rupert sees 33% drop in container traffic

The Fairview Terminal at the Port of Prince Rupert has seen almost a three million ton decrease in cargo compared to 2022, meaning longshore workers are seeing increasingly fewer shifts. (Contributed)