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The owner of Ace Liquor and Spiritleaf raises its bet on U.S. cannabis, as its manufacturing arm faces a strategic review
Source: Alberta - Edmonton Journal (Legislature & Capital)
Date: 2026-10-28 11:00:16.0
Tags: [Alberta, British Columbia, Economy, Industry, Labour, Trade]Edmonton-based retailer SNDL Inc., owner of Ace Liquor, Value Buds, and Spiritleaf, is conducting a strategic review and weighing the potential sale of its unprofitable Canadian cannabis production assets while exiting the dried flower business. The company reported a $52-million write-down and a 28 per cent year-over-year sales drop in its weed production segment, alongside cutting its workforce at its Kelowna, British Columbia manufacturing facility by more than 30 per cent. Simultaneously, SNDL invested $60.8 million into the United States market, acquiring approximately a 92 per cent stake in a partnership controlling Parallel, an American cannabis grower and retailer operating over 50 locations across Florida, Texas, and Massachusetts.
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Provinces call on Ottawa to expand mining credit
Source: Global News Politics
Date: 2026-10-10 12:17:12.0
Tags: [National, British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Nova Scotia, Taxation, Economy, Resources, Mining, Finance]Nearly half of Canada's provinces and territories—specifically Nova Scotia, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, British Columbia, and Yukon—are urging the federal Liberal government to fulfill its 2025 election promise to expand the mineral exploration tax credit to include engineering and feasibility study costs. The Association for Mineral Exploration and the Nunavut and N.W.T. Chamber of Mines argue this measure is crucial to help junior mining companies navigate the late-stage 'valley of death' financing gap. An Ernst & Young report commissioned by the association indicates that covering feasibility and economic viability studies could generate between 14,000 and 34,000 jobs and add $5.2 billion to $12.2 billion in GDP over 10 years. While Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne's office highlighted recent federal initiatives such as the Productivity Mega Deduction and the Critical Mineral Exploration Tax Credit, federal expenses under the Canadian exploration expenses framework still exclude economic assessments and feasibility studies.
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BC Conservatives support is up while BC NDP tumble, poll says
Source: Global News Politics
Date: 2026-10-01 19:01:56.0
Tags: [British Columbia, Governance, Economy]An exclusive Ipsos poll conducted between September 25 and 29, 2026, surveying 1,001 adult British Columbians with a credibility interval of ±3.7 percentage points, indicates that support for the BC Conservatives has risen to 42 per cent (up seven points) following leadership changes, while BC NDP support has fallen to 40 per cent (down five points). The survey highlights that 50 per cent of respondents disapprove of Premier David Eby's snap election call scheduled for October 24, 2026. Furthermore, the poll identifies cost of living and inflation (56 per cent), health care (39 per cent), and housing affordability (31 per cent) as the dominant voter concerns, overshadowing party-campaigned issues like U.S. trade and DRIPA.
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West coast pipeline is in Canadian national interest: Carney, Smith in Fort McMurray
Source: Alberta - Edmonton Journal (Legislature & Capital)
Date: 2026-10-01 15:13:46.0
Tags: [National, Alberta, British Columbia, Energy, Infrastructure, Economy]Prime Minister Mark Carney and Alberta Premier Danielle Smith jointly announced the designation of the Pacific Link oil pipeline project as a national interest undertaking under the One Canadian Economy Act. The pipeline will run 1 million barrels per day of crude oil from Bruderheim, Alberta, to southern British Columbia, featuring a new delivery terminal and marine export facility. The project will be developed, built, and operated by the federal Crown corporation Trans Mountain Corporation and the provincial Crown corporation Alberta Petroleum Marketing Commission, each holding a 45 percent ownership stake, alongside a 10 percent interest by Pembina Pipeline Corporation. A review process involving the federal major projects office and the Canada Energy Regulator is targeted for completion by September 1 of next year, with construction potentially beginning immediately afterward, contingent on the Pathways carbon capture project offsetting emissions.
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West Coast oil pipeline becomes 1st project designated in national interest
Source: CBC Politics
Date: 2026-10-01 15:11:24.0
Tags: [National, Alberta, British Columbia, Infrastructure, Energy, Economy]The federal and Alberta governments have designated a proposed West Coast oil pipeline as the first project under Schedule One of the Building Canada Act. Scheduled to open between 2032 and 2033, the pipeline will transport one million barrels of oil per day from Alberta to the British Columbia coast. Senior government officials project the project will boost Canada's GDP by up to $30 billion annually—including $20 billion directly from the pipeline and $10 billion from diversifying export markets away from the United States—while creating up to 140,000 jobs.
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Carney set to make energy announcement in Vancouver
Source: Global News Politics
Date: 2026-09-29 17:34:43.0
Tags: [National, British Columbia, Energy, Resources, Economy, Infrastructure]Prime Minister Mark Carney announced a major energy investment in Vancouver following LNG Canada's decision to proceed with the multibillion-dollar Phase 2 expansion of its liquefied natural gas export terminal in Kitimat, British Columbia. The expansion will double the facility's export capacity from 14 million to 28 million tonnes of LNG per year, making it one of the largest LNG facilities globally. The federal government estimates the project will attract $33 billion in private sector capital and generate over $50 billion in government revenues over its lifetime.
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LNG Canada expansion gets go-ahead, as Carney set to highlight 'historic investment' in Canadian energy
Source: CBC Politics
Date: 2026-09-29 11:13:02.0
Tags: [National, British Columbia, Energy, Environment, Resources, Economy]Shell Canada Energy confirmed a final investment decision to move forward with the multibillion-dollar LNG Canada Phase 2 expansion in Kitimat, British Columbia. The expansion project involves a joint venture including Shell Canada Energy, Petronas, PetroChina, Mitsubishi Corporation, and Korea Gas Corp. The development is projected to roughly double the production and export capacity of liquefied natural gas from 14 million to 28 million tonnes annually. Prime Minister Mark Carney highlighted the development as a historic investment in Canada's energy sector, though environmentalists and critics raised concerns regarding increased natural gas extraction emissions, fracking-induced earthquakes, and climate impacts.
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U.S. bans on Canadian booze hit producers on one of the trade war's thorniest fronts
Source: CBC Politics
Date: 2026-09-29 08:00:00.0
Tags: [National, British Columbia, Trade, Economy, Industry, Agriculture]As part of an escalating Canada-U.S. trade war, the U.S. federal government implemented an import ban prohibiting certain Canadian products—including specific alcohol items, dairy byproducts, molasses, and motorcycles—from crossing the border entirely. The restrictions disproportionately affect independent operators like British Columbia-based distillery Sons of Vancouver, while sparing major multinational spirits companies due to exemptions for bulk shipments over certain volumes. Trade data shows the U.S. previously imported $673 million US in spirits from Canada in 2025, with Spirits Canada noting that about 93 per cent of exported Canadian liquor is destined for the U.S. market. The measures follow retaliatory moves by Canadian provincial premiers who pulled U.S.-made alcohol from provincially run liquor store shelves in March 2025 in response to initial American tariffs.
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Feds’ tariff response requires a ‘Team Canada’ approach, expert says
Source: Global News Politics
Date: 2026-09-24 17:28:49.0
Tags: [National, Ontario, British Columbia, Trade, Economy, Municipal]A report released by the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, in partnership with the City of London and Ivey Business School, emphasizes the need for a Team Canada approach to navigate the uneven impacts of the ongoing U.S.-Canada trade war. Ivey Business School economist Romel Mostafa and London Mayor Josh Morgan highlighted that municipal governments possess critical ground-level intelligence regarding tariff pressures on industries like forestry, mining, and automotive manufacturing. The unpredictability of the U.S. economic relationship has caused investment and job creation pauses, exemplified by London recording an unemployment rate of 9.1 per cent in March due to labor force migration from smaller tariff-hit communities.
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B.C. economy shows resilience in first quarterly report
Source: British Columbia - Government News
Date: 2026-09-14 19:30:00.0
Tags: [British Columbia, Economy, Finance, Taxation, Infrastructure, Emergency]British Columbia's First Quarterly Report for 2026-2027 projects a provincial deficit of $13.8 billion—$450 million higher than Budget 2026—driven by an intense wildfire season with fire-management expenditures forecast at $614 million higher than budget and $458 million in higher refundable tax credits. Total provincial revenue is forecast at $86.3 billion, bolstered by corporate and personal income taxes, while real GDP growth for 2026 is forecast at 0.9% amid U.S. tariffs and global volatility. Taxpayer-supported capital spending is maintained at $12.9 billion for projects including the Quw’utsun Valley Hospital, the new St. Paul’s Hospital, and Highway 1 Colquitz River Bridges widening, alongside eight newly approved major capital projects.
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From pipelines, to railways and AI: Ottawa pitches 167 projects ahead of Carney's investment summit
Source: CBC Politics
Date: 2026-09-10 21:20:00.0
Tags: [National, Alberta, British Columbia, Nova Scotia, Infrastructure, Energy, Transportation, Economy, Technology]The federal government has released a 66-page prospectus outlining 167 investment projects across eight sectors ahead of the Canada Investment Summit in Toronto, co-hosted by Prime Minister Mark Carney alongside the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board and Public Sector Pension Investment Board to attract $1 trillion in international capital. Notable infrastructure and energy proposals featured in the document include a $57 billion US expansion of the Port of Churchill, a $44 billion Nova Scotia Wind West offshore wind project, a $35 billion West Coast Oil Pipeline connecting Alberta crude to British Columbia, a $28.5 billion Ksi Lisims LNG terminal project on the B.C. coast, a $10.9 billion Calgary-to-Edmonton high-speed passenger rail line, a $2.1 billion US South Bow Prairie Connector pipeline expansion, and a $14.5 billion data centre near Medicine Hat, Alberta. The pitch aims to diversify Canada's trade and energy export markets amid escalating U.S.-Canada trade tensions while highlighting assets ranging from fully permitted, shovel-ready initiatives to preliminary-stage critical mineral developments.
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Expanding skilled-trades training seats in Burnaby
Source: British Columbia - Government News
Date: 2026-09-10 16:45:00.0
Tags: [British Columbia, Labour, Education, Economy]The Government of British Columbia is investing $241 million over three years through its Look West strategy to deliver 5,000 new trades-training seats across the province for the 2026-27 academic year. As part of this initiative, the British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT) in Burnaby is adding 272 new skilled-trades training seats, alongside nearly 900 seats previously added in response to demand. The expansion focuses on reducing apprenticeship wait lists and boosting training capacity in high-demand fields such as automotive service technology, carpentry, heavy mechanical trades, industrial mechanics (millwrights), marine mechanical technology, plumbing, and sheet metal work.
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Supporting B.C. tech strengthens general aviation emergency response
Source: British Columbia - Government News
Date: 2026-09-10 16:15:00.0
Tags: [British Columbia, Economy, Technology, Energy, Infrastructure, Emergency]Abbotsford-based Fast Air will receive up to $1 million through the B.C. Integrated Marketplace to test a mobile battery and solar power system developed by Richmond-based Holinova at the Abbotsford International Airport. The project replaces traditional diesel-powered backup generators with clean battery storage to power ground equipment and aircraft charging needs during grid disruptions. This initiative is the second project launched under the Forestry Innovation and Emergency Management Testbed and forms part of the provincial Look West economic strategy to support aerospace and technology sectors while ensuring uninterrupted general aviation emergency responses, such as wildfire and medical transport.
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Minister’s statement on September 2026 rental report
Source: British Columbia - Government News
Date: 2026-09-09 20:03:00.0
Tags: [British Columbia, Housing, Affordability, Economy]According to a Rentals.ca report cited by the Ministry of Housing and Municipal Affairs, average asking rents in British Columbia decreased by 4.7% overall year over year, marking 26 consecutive months of rent declines. Specific municipal purpose-built rental decreases included Abbotsford at -10.5%, Coquitlam at -6.8%, Richmond at -6.2%, and Kelowna at -5.2%, while Vancouver purpose-built rents dropped 19% from their July 2023 peak. Minister Christine Boyle attributed the downward trend to provincial housing policies such as the speculation and vacancy tax and rent-increase caps linked to inflation, which was set at 2.2% for 2027. Recent housing developments highlighted by the ministry include 20 on-reserve rental homes for Lake Babine Nation in Tachet and Wit'At, nearly 120 rental homes planned for Vancouver's Downtown Eastside, 20 complex care housing units at 1102 Glenfair Dr. in Kamloops, and 50 units of recovery-oriented housing at 250 Bryden St. in Nanaimo.
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BC Business House bringing long-lasting economic benefits after World Cup
Source: British Columbia - Government News
Date: 2026-09-09 19:45:00.0
Tags: [British Columbia, Economy, Trade, Tourism, Industry, Technology]The Government of British Columbia hosted the BC Business House during the FIFA World Cup 2026 matches at BC Place in Vancouver, welcoming over 2,300 attendees from 25 countries to build international trade and investment relations. The initiative, part of the Province's Look West strategy, featured 22 business-related sector showcase events covering technology, life sciences, mining, energy, agriculture, food processing, and tourism. Survey results indicated that 91.5% of attendees rated the experience positively and 81.2% reported successfully establishing new business connections. Delegations and business representatives from organizations such as the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade, AI Network of BC, Simon Fraser University, Invest Vancouver, and CNANO Pharmaceuticals participated in the economic development programming.
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Strengthening value-added wood manufacturing on Vancouver Island
Source: British Columbia - Government News
Date: 2026-09-09 17:30:00.0
Tags: [British Columbia, Economy, Industry, Resources, Housing, Trade]The Government of B.C. has committed up to $2 million through the BC Manufacturing Jobs Fund to support an expansion project by Ron Anderson & Sons Ltd. in Chemainus. The investment helps the wood-product manufacturer upgrade equipment, diversify its product line to include prefabricated floors, roof panels, and stairs, and create 35 new jobs by the time construction is completed in February 2027. This initiative forms part of the broader provincial Look West strategy and $153 million in total commitments across more than 150 manufacturing projects designed to boost regional supply chains and counteract U.S. tariffs.
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Helping B.C. companies showcase their new tech
Source: British Columbia - Government News
Date: 2026-09-09 16:00:00.0
Tags: [British Columbia, Economy, Technology, Industry, Trade]The Government of British Columbia, through the Ministry of Jobs and Economic Growth and Innovate BC, is launching a second call for applications under the Integrated Marketplace platform's Early-Stage Demonstration Call (ESDC) backed by $2 million in funding. Eligible early-stage B.C. tech companies can apply for pilot-scale demonstrations receiving up to 40% of project costs to a maximum of $500,000 per project to prove performance and validate new technologies in real-world environments. The application intake runs from September 28 until October 30, 2026, building on a previous round that supported 14 companies with nearly $3.5 million. The program is part of the Province's Look West strategy to foster an independent economy, support local startups like Mostar Labs, and help companies navigate U.S. tariffs.
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Setting new harvest level in Omineca region
Source: British Columbia - Government News
Date: 2026-09-04 16:45:00.0
Tags: [British Columbia, Resources, Environment, Indigenous, Industry, Economy]British Columbia's deputy chief forester has reduced the allowable annual cut (AAC) for Tree Farm Licence 30 in the Omineca region by 17.6% to 340,000 cubic metres, effective September 4, 2026. The independent regulatory decision under the Forest Act accounts for changing economic availability, climate change considerations, and the protection of archeological sites, rare ecosystems, streams, fish habitat, and wildlife such as moose. The approximately 180,000-hectare licence area, located northeast of Prince George in the Prince George Natural Resource District, overlaps the traditional territories of the Lheidli T’enneh Nation, McLeod Lake Indian Band, West Moberly First Nations, and Tsay Keh Dene Nation, whose consultations and stewardship input informed the final determination.
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Minister’s statement on August Labour Force Survey results
Source: British Columbia - Government News
Date: 2026-09-04 16:10:00.0
Tags: [British Columbia, Economy, Labour, Trade, Infrastructure]Acting Minister of Jobs and Economic Growth Adrian Dix released Statistics Canada's August 2026 Labour Force Survey results, showing a national loss of 42,000 jobs while British Columbia experienced the lowest provincial decline among large provinces with a loss of 5,500 jobs. B.C.'s unemployment rate rose to 6.5%, the province's youth unemployment rate reached 13.2%, and the average hourly wage stood at $39.07, leading the country. The provincial government attributed ongoing economic pressures partly to tariffs imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump while highlighting mitigation efforts through the Look West strategy, federal-provincial supports, and major infrastructure projects like the North Coast Transmission Line.
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Expanding skilled-trades training seats in the Lower Mainland
Source: British Columbia - Government News
Date: 2026-09-03 16:45:00.0
Tags: [British Columbia, Labour, Education, Economy, Infrastructure]The Government of British Columbia is investing $241 million over three years through its Look West economic strategy to fund 5,000 new skilled-trades training seats across the province for the 2026-27 academic year. Specifically, Vancouver Community College is adding 224 new trades training seats, bringing its total capacity to more than 1,770 seats. The initiative aims to reduce apprenticeship wait lists and increase training capacity in high-demand fields such as automotive service technology, construction electricity, heavy mechanical trades, and refrigeration and air conditioning mechanics to support major industrial projects.
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