Business

The Via Rail station is seen in Halifax on June 13, 2013. Martin Landry, CEO of the railway, says in a statement that beyond not having met the expectations of customers, Via Rail has not lived up to its own standards.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Andrew Vaughan

Via Rail apologizes for holiday travel disruptions, communication failures

Company offering refunds and travel credits after delays and cancellations

The Via Rail station is seen in Halifax on June 13, 2013. Martin Landry, CEO of the railway, says in a statement that beyond not having met the expectations of customers, Via Rail has not lived up to its own standards.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Andrew Vaughan
FILE - Container cranes at a port in New Jersey appear behind the Statue of Liberty, Sunday, Nov. 20, 2022, in New York. The global economy will come “perilously close” to a recession this year, led by weaker growth in all the world’s top economies — the United States, Europe and China — the World Bank warned Tuesday.(AP Photo/Julia Nikhinson, File)

World Bank warning: Global economy is at risk of recession

Development funding institution forecasts third-weakest annual expansion in 30 years

FILE - Container cranes at a port in New Jersey appear behind the Statue of Liberty, Sunday, Nov. 20, 2022, in New York. The global economy will come “perilously close” to a recession this year, led by weaker growth in all the world’s top economies — the United States, Europe and China — the World Bank warned Tuesday.(AP Photo/Julia Nikhinson, File)
FILE - A driver charges his car at a Tesla Supercharger station, Wednesday, Nov. 16, 2022, in Miami. A tweet from Elon Musk indicating that Tesla might allow some owners who are testing a “Full Self-Driving” system to disable an alert that reminds them to keep their hands on the steering wheel has drawn attention from U.S. safety regulators. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell, File)

Feds reviewing Musk tweet about disabling driver monitoring

At least 14 Teslas have crashed into emergency vehicles while using the Autopilot system

FILE - A driver charges his car at a Tesla Supercharger station, Wednesday, Nov. 16, 2022, in Miami. A tweet from Elon Musk indicating that Tesla might allow some owners who are testing a “Full Self-Driving” system to disable an alert that reminds them to keep their hands on the steering wheel has drawn attention from U.S. safety regulators. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell, File)
This is the sign on a Lululemon store in Pittsburgh on Wednesday, Jan. 12, 2022. Lululemon Athletica Inc. raised its revenue guidance for its fourth quarter, but lowered its expectations for its gross margins. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-Gene J. Puskar

Lululemon raises revenue guidance, but lowers expectations for gross margins

Company projects net revenue for the quarter will be in a range of US$2.66 billion to US$2.7 billion

This is the sign on a Lululemon store in Pittsburgh on Wednesday, Jan. 12, 2022. Lululemon Athletica Inc. raised its revenue guidance for its fourth quarter, but lowered its expectations for its gross margins. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-Gene J. Puskar
A new home is displayed for sale in a new housing development in Ottawa on Tuesday, July 14, 2020. Prospective buyers have lamented the torrid pace Canada’s real estate market has moved at in recent years, but many feel 2023 may be the year their luck changes. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick

Homebuyers hope ‘patience pays off’ as prices drop, recession predictions loom

Drop in home prices offset by high interest rates, so far

A new home is displayed for sale in a new housing development in Ottawa on Tuesday, July 14, 2020. Prospective buyers have lamented the torrid pace Canada’s real estate market has moved at in recent years, but many feel 2023 may be the year their luck changes. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick
A food delivery worker rides a bike in downtown Vancouver, on Thursday, December 23, 2021. Gig work normally rises during a recession, but economists say a tight labour market and continued high inflation mean that might not happen in 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

Tight labour market means rise in gig work unlikely during recession: economists

‘This is a confluence of factors we’ve never seen before’

A food delivery worker rides a bike in downtown Vancouver, on Thursday, December 23, 2021. Gig work normally rises during a recession, but economists say a tight labour market and continued high inflation mean that might not happen in 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
FILE - Recirculating Aquaculture Systems, which involve moving the fish farm to land as opposed to an open net fish farm, is one possible future for the aquaculture industry in British Columbia. This photo, of a boat and crane situated next to a collapsed “net pen” by Cooke Seafood off the coast of Cypress Island in Washington State in 2017, came when a net failure allowed tens of thousands of nonnative fish to escape. The incident resulted in a nearly $600,000 settlement to the Lummi Indian tribe over the net collapse and damage done to the native salmon population, and prompted the state government to end the practice of fish farming nonnative fish. regarding File Photo David Bergvall Washington State Dept. of Natural Resources via AP

B.C. aquaculture fishing for new answers as it faces its murky future in 2023

All eyes are focused on the DFO’s next move as industry looks at new systems

FILE - Recirculating Aquaculture Systems, which involve moving the fish farm to land as opposed to an open net fish farm, is one possible future for the aquaculture industry in British Columbia. This photo, of a boat and crane situated next to a collapsed “net pen” by Cooke Seafood off the coast of Cypress Island in Washington State in 2017, came when a net failure allowed tens of thousands of nonnative fish to escape. The incident resulted in a nearly $600,000 settlement to the Lummi Indian tribe over the net collapse and damage done to the native salmon population, and prompted the state government to end the practice of fish farming nonnative fish. regarding File Photo David Bergvall Washington State Dept. of Natural Resources via AP
Victoria’s Phillips Brewing and Malting Co. is shifting to an employee ownership model after 21 years under the sole ownership of founder Matt Phillips. (Courtesy Phillips Brewing and Malting Co./Facebook)

Employees set to take over Vancouver Island’s popular Phillips brewery

Move will see all full-time employees of three years or more eligible to buy shares

Victoria’s Phillips Brewing and Malting Co. is shifting to an employee ownership model after 21 years under the sole ownership of founder Matt Phillips. (Courtesy Phillips Brewing and Malting Co./Facebook)
Yasuhide Mizuno, representative director, chairman and CEO of Sony Honda Mobility Inc. speaks during a Sony news conference before the start of the CES tech show Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2023, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Sony unveils prototype EV, Afeela, to be made with Honda

First cars to be delivered to customers in North America in spring 2026

Yasuhide Mizuno, representative director, chairman and CEO of Sony Honda Mobility Inc. speaks during a Sony news conference before the start of the CES tech show Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2023, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)
A plane is silhouetted as it takes off from Vancouver International Airport in Richmond, B.C., Monday, May 13, 2019. New Democrat Leader Jagmeet Singh says he wants to see more competition within Canada’s airspace in order to make flying more affordable for people.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward

Holiday travel mess shows why Canadian air travel industry needs competition: NDP

Singh calling on Liberal government to find ways to make the airline industry more competitive

A plane is silhouetted as it takes off from Vancouver International Airport in Richmond, B.C., Monday, May 13, 2019. New Democrat Leader Jagmeet Singh says he wants to see more competition within Canada’s airspace in order to make flying more affordable for people.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward
FILE - Meta’s logo can be seen on a sign at the company’s headquarters in Menlo Park, Calif., on Nov. 9, 2022. Irish regulators on Wednesday Jan. 4, 2023 hit Facebook parent Meta with hundreds of millions in fines and banned the company from forcing European users to agree to seeing personalized ads based on their online activity. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez, File)

Ireland fines Meta 390M euros in latest privacy crackdown

Fifth fine against Facebook’s parent in the country since 2021, totalling more than 900 million euros

FILE - Meta’s logo can be seen on a sign at the company’s headquarters in Menlo Park, Calif., on Nov. 9, 2022. Irish regulators on Wednesday Jan. 4, 2023 hit Facebook parent Meta with hundreds of millions in fines and banned the company from forcing European users to agree to seeing personalized ads based on their online activity. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez, File)
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Canfor extending temporary sawmill curtailments in B.C.

Decision expected to remove about 21 million board feet of production

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Travellers wearing face masks with their luggage walk through the international flight departure terminal entrance gate at the capital airport in Beijing on Dec. 29, 2022. The Chinese government argues that moves by countries like Canada to require air passengers from China to get COVID-19 tests is unscientific, but business groups say the policy won’t impact trade. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP/Andy Wong

Business groups optimistic despite China’s pushback on air-travel test requirements

Starting Thursday, Canada will require air travellers from China to have a recent negative test

Travellers wearing face masks with their luggage walk through the international flight departure terminal entrance gate at the capital airport in Beijing on Dec. 29, 2022. The Chinese government argues that moves by countries like Canada to require air passengers from China to get COVID-19 tests is unscientific, but business groups say the policy won’t impact trade. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP/Andy Wong
Books are shown on a bookshelf in Ottawa on Friday, Jan. 7, 2011.There will be no new books or plays added to the public domain in Canada until 2043 after the government squeezed in a change to copyright laws just before the end of 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick

Canada extends copyright protection another 20 years to meet new trade obligation

Change brings Canada into compliance with commitment made under North American free trade deal

Books are shown on a bookshelf in Ottawa on Friday, Jan. 7, 2011.There will be no new books or plays added to the public domain in Canada until 2043 after the government squeezed in a change to copyright laws just before the end of 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick
A Sunwing Airlines jet prepares to takeoff at Trudeau International Airport in Montreal on Friday, March 20, 2020. Some Sunwing travellers from Saskatchewan say the airline is leaving them at airports in other provinces, while another says her flight from Mexico that made it to Regina had dozens of empty seats. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes

Some Saskatchewan Sunwing passengers make it home, others make their own way back

‘We expect Sunwing to appropriately compensate everyone’: Saskatchewan premier

A Sunwing Airlines jet prepares to takeoff at Trudeau International Airport in Montreal on Friday, March 20, 2020. Some Sunwing travellers from Saskatchewan say the airline is leaving them at airports in other provinces, while another says her flight from Mexico that made it to Regina had dozens of empty seats. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes
Aviation analytics company Cirium says Canada’s two biggest airlines ranked low in terms of on-time performance this year. The data firm says that among the ten biggest airlines in Canada and the U.S., Air Canada and WestJet Airlines Ltd. ranked worst and second-worst for their punctuality. An Air Canada flight taxis to a runway as a WestJet flight takes off at Vancouver International Airport, in Richmond, B.C., on March 20, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

Canadian airlines come in at low end of on-time performance: analytics firm

WestJet and Air Canada only managed on-time arrivals for around 40 to 45 per cent of their flights

Aviation analytics company Cirium says Canada’s two biggest airlines ranked low in terms of on-time performance this year. The data firm says that among the ten biggest airlines in Canada and the U.S., Air Canada and WestJet Airlines Ltd. ranked worst and second-worst for their punctuality. An Air Canada flight taxis to a runway as a WestJet flight takes off at Vancouver International Airport, in Richmond, B.C., on March 20, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
Credit cards are seen in Montreal on December 12, 2012. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz

‘Death by a thousand cuts’: How to take stock of your subscriptions

Streaming services, meal delivery boxes and music platforms can add up quick

Credit cards are seen in Montreal on December 12, 2012. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz
A pumpjack draws out oil and gas from a well head as the sun sets near Calgary, Alta., Sunday, Oct. 9, 2022. Canadian oil and gas companies are expected to increase spending in 2023, but experts say expect another year of modest growth and not a return to boom time levels. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh

Canadian oilpatch likely to surpass 2022’s production record, but only slightly

Experts say 2023 will likely be another year of modest growth

A pumpjack draws out oil and gas from a well head as the sun sets near Calgary, Alta., Sunday, Oct. 9, 2022. Canadian oil and gas companies are expected to increase spending in 2023, but experts say expect another year of modest growth and not a return to boom time levels. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh
Robinson’s Outdoor Store co-owners Erin Boggs and Matt King show off some of the store’s fly fishing gear. The store expects a busy Boxing Day this year as it will be the first time they have been able to go all-out on the sales event since the pandemic started. (Justin Samanski-Langille/News Staff)

Boxing Day expected to be lined up out the door at Victoria outdoor store

Robinson’s Outdoor Store sees the event as way to thank community for pandemic support

Robinson’s Outdoor Store co-owners Erin Boggs and Matt King show off some of the store’s fly fishing gear. The store expects a busy Boxing Day this year as it will be the first time they have been able to go all-out on the sales event since the pandemic started. (Justin Samanski-Langille/News Staff)
FILE - The Activision Blizzard Booth during the Electronic Entertainment Expo in Los Angeles, June 13, 2013. Microsoft is headed for a battle with the Federal Trade Commission, filing a formal challenge Thursday, Dec. 22, 2022, over whether the U.S. will block the tech giant's planned takeover of video game company Activision Blizzard. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong, File)

Microsoft will fight US over $68.7B Activision Blizzard deal

Microsoft is headed for a battle with the Federal Trade Commission over…

FILE - The Activision Blizzard Booth during the Electronic Entertainment Expo in Los Angeles, June 13, 2013. Microsoft is headed for a battle with the Federal Trade Commission, filing a formal challenge Thursday, Dec. 22, 2022, over whether the U.S. will block the tech giant's planned takeover of video game company Activision Blizzard. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong, File)