Business

An Oxfam report says global billionaire wealth rose to US$18.3 trillion in 2025 and that Canada's 40 richest people saw their combined wealth grow to nearly $550 billion, which Oxfam says exceeds the GDP of some countries.

Laurentian University faculty have begun a strike after years of concessions during the university's insolvency, and union leaders say the school is now financially stable and the Board of Governors should act.

Aluminum Corp. of China (Chinalco), a major Rio Tinto shareholder, is expected to support Rio’s potential acquisition of Glencore, a move that would increase Chinese exposure to copper; any deal would still need Chinese government approval.

Many major financial firms that once pledged net-zero and ESG commitments have since scaled back or suspended those promises, with several net-zero alliances inactive and political pressure, subpoenas and state investigations cited as drivers.

U.S. and European markets moved after reports that President Trump threatened tariffs over objections to his Greenland plans; gold and silver reached record highs, and Statistics Canada reported December inflation at 2.4% year‑on‑year.

Analysts say AI displays sharp strengths in some tasks and notable weaknesses in others, creating operational bottlenecks. Experts report that agent-style systems delivered modest gains so far and that short-term, structured uses are more reliable than customer-facing deployments.

Will Power, a long-time Team Penske driver with 71 poles and 45 wins, has joined Andretti and will race for 75 Express at the upcoming Rolex 24; Team Penske has named David Malukas as his replacement.

Prime Minister Mark Carney is travelling to Beijing to seek a reset in relations and new trade ties, and the article warns past reset efforts have not produced lasting market access for Canadian products.

U.S. Vice President JD Vance will lead the American delegation and attend the Feb. 6 opening ceremony in Milan, joined by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and several Olympic gold medalists, while President Donald Trump is not listed among delegation members.

Kamloops city council approved housing agreements for three rental developments in North Kamloops and Valleyview, advancing 358 new units and offering municipal tax exemptions tied to affordable and seniors' rental housing.

The article argues Canadians should be allowed to vote on an agreement Mark Carney announced with China and reports Carney's comments in Beijing about a new "strategic partnership."

The NFL will display "Choose Love" in divisional round end zones and on helmet decals, and plans to show "Choose Love" and "It Takes All of Us" on opposite end zones at Super Bowl LX.

The article reports Algonquin Power & Utilities has fallen about 59% from an early-2021 peak and is selling most renewables to reduce debt while declaring a fourth-quarter 2025 dividend that equates to roughly a 4.4% yield.

After a reported U.S. raid in Venezuela, Mexico's president has pursued a de-escalation strategy while political and business leaders warn of possible U.S. military or economic actions as the CUSMA review approaches.

Investigations have revealed record errors and pension irregularities in some Blue Zone claims, while a quoted longevity expert says the lifestyle principles attributed to those regions remain real and meaningful.

During a major snowstorm dozens of people took shelter inside Toronto's Union Station while official warming centres and shelters were at or beyond capacity; city staff said turn-away rates have improved but demand remains high.

Calgary lifted water restrictions after a December transmission-pipe rupture; engineers say the incident highlights ageing water infrastructure and nationwide underinvestment.

Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell criticized the Trump administration after the Justice Department threatened criminal charges tied to renovations of Fed offices, saying the move reflects broader pressure that could undermine the Fed's ability to set interest rates independently.

CGTN reports that Chinese President Xi Jinping met Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and that the two leaders discussed broad prospects for cooperation and a shared commitment to promote steady, solid and sound development of bilateral ties.

Headline U.S. tariff rates rose in 2025, but a study found actual import duties paid were much lower and CUSMA exemptions meant nearly 90% of Canadian exports remained duty‑free by late 2025; a joint CUSMA review is scheduled for July 2026.

Severe weather caused close to $90 million in insured damage, with the Fraser Valley bearing about $74 million, and the Insurance Bureau of Canada says B.C.'s flood strategy remains underfunded.

President Donald Trump called it "a good thing" that Prime Minister Mark Carney signed a trade deal with China, as Canada announced a tariff exchange covering some Chinese electric vehicles and agricultural duties including canola.

Rocket Doctor AI announced it has increased its Listed Issuer Financing Exemption non-brokered private placement to a maximum of $4.5 million, with units priced at $0.70 each. The company filed an amended and restated offering document, which it says is available on SEDAR+ and its website.

The article mentions that allocating $30,000 between two TSX-listed names that pay monthly distributions could produce about $161.43 per month, or $1,937.16 per year. It cites Firm Capital and Dream Industrial REIT and highlights payout levels and portfolio features reported to support those distributions.

Honda's Base Station prototype is a modular lightweight travel trailer designed to weigh under 1,500 pounds and be towable by compact SUVs, featuring interchangeable exterior panels and onboard battery and solar power.

Geopolitics, climate impacts and a rush for critical minerals are reshaping mining's ESG priorities in 2026, while regulators, investors and communities increase scrutiny of reporting, governance and value chains.

Prime Minister Mark Carney witnessed a memorandum of understanding in Beijing to deepen cooperation on oil, gas, LNG and emission reductions, while separate agreements were signed on pet food, tourism and transnational crime. Talks aimed at persuading China to lift tariffs on pork, canola and seafood remain ongoing and have not been resolved.

VERSES announced a restructuring to concentrate on its core target market. Management said those plans are forward-looking and depend on several assumptions, and there is no assurance they will be realized.

A columnist reports CDZ returned about 18.3% for the year ended Dec. 31, 2025, trailing several other dividend ETFs, and explains tax and listing details for dividend ETFs.

The deal allows up to 49,000 Chinese electric vehicles into Canada annually at a 6.1% tariff and reduces Chinese canola tariffs by up to 15%. Local experts say the change is unlikely to directly affect Windsor-Essex jobs in the short term but could influence Canada–U.S. trade dynamics over time.