Health & Wellness – Canadian Investor

Ontario legislature expected to extend state of emergency to June 30

June 2, 2020 CanadianInvestor

TORONTO — Ontario is expected today to extend its state of emergency until June 30. The measure bans gatherings larger than five people. It also orders the closure of some businesses such as restaurants and bars, except if they offer takeout or delivery. If the vote passes, the measure — which had been set to expire today — will be... Read More

How mobile phones could help trace the spread of COVID infections

June 1, 2020 CanadianInvestor

TORONTO — As provinces begin to reopen their economies, there’s a movement afoot to use mobile phones to alert health authorities to new cases that could lead to future outbreaks. Health authorities say that containment of the pandemic will depend on quick identification and monitoring of people who have been in close contact with someone infected with the coronavirus, a process known as contact tracing. The conventional approach to... Read More

Trudeau promises to speed $2 billion in funding for strapped cities

June 1, 2020 CanadianInvestor

OTTAWA — Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the federal government is rushing $2.2 billion in expected infrastructure funding to Canada’s cities. He says sending gas-tax funds months sooner than planned should ease municipalities’ cashflow concerns, which is why the government is sending the money in one shot. Speaking outside his Ottawa residence, Trudeau says the money can be used for construction projects... Read More

Ontario makes temporary change to layoff regulations to help businesses

June 1, 2020 CanadianInvestor

TORONTO — Ontario is temporarily amending its labour laws to help businesses avoid permanently laying off workers and paying out severance, which could send some into bankruptcy during the pandemic. The government is expected to announce today that it will amend the Employment Standards Act, which requires businesses to terminate employees who have been laid off for 13 weeks. The law then requires... Read More

Ottawa pledges millions to promote holiday travel in Canada during pandemic

May 31, 2020 CanadianInvestor

Ottawa is earmarking millions of dollars for the promotion of holiday travel inside Canada as it seeks to help the tourism industry weather the COVID-19 pandemic. The money announced by Economic Development Minister Melanie Joly this morning includes $30 million that was originally earmarked for attracting foreign visitors to Canada. The funding will instead be used to help provinces and... Read More

Large cruise ships barred from Canadian waters until end of October: Garneau

May 29, 2020 CanadianInvestor

OTTAWA — The cruise-ship season in Canada is all but sunk as Ottawa extends its ban on large ships in Canadian waters until the end of October in an attempt to contain COVID-19. Transport Minister Marc Garneau said Thursday passenger ships with overnight accommodations for more than 100 people — including both passengers and crew — can’t operate in Canadian waters until... Read More

Statistics Canada says first-quarter GDP worst showing since 2009

May 29, 2020 CanadianInvestor

OTTAWA — Statistics Canada says the economy in the first quarter had its worst showing since 2009 as steps taken to slow the spread of COVID-19 forced businesses across the country to close their doors and lay off workers. Statistics Canada says gross domestic product fell at an annualized rate of 8.2 per cent in the first three months of... Read More

Cash Exodus: COVID-19 pandemic could accelerate shift to cashless, experts say

May 28, 2020 CanadianInvestor

Some businesses reopening with pandemic protocols in place have said they won’t accept cash for the time being, potentially accelerating what the Bank of Canada describes as a decade-long shift away from the banknote. Cashiers at Longos, Best Buy and The Shoe Company, for instance, will refuse cash out of concern the bills are a vector for the novel coronavirus. But experts... Read More

How to put ‘found money’ generated from pandemic savings to good use

May 28, 2020 CanadianInvestor

CALGARY — An elevator salesman in Calgary says two months of working from his house in the northwest part of the city have convinced him there’s no place like home to conduct business. Tracey Webb says he plans to make his home base his work base permanently after seeing major savings on daily expenses without hurting his performance as a local sales representative for an international... Read More

Boeing slashes 12,000 jobs as virus seizes travel industry

May 27, 2020 CanadianInvestor

Boeing is cutting more than 12,000 jobs through layoffs and buyouts as the coronavirus pandemic seizes the travel industry, and more cuts are coming. One of the nation’s biggest manufacturers will lay off 6,770 U.S. employees this week, and another 5,520 workers are taking buyout offers to leave voluntarily in the coming wee Air travel within the U.S. tumbled 96%... Read More