Business

Kelowna’s lakefront visitor centre is one of 130 around the province. Tourism businesses have been hardest hit by COVID-19 restrictions on travel. (Destination B.C.)

Tourism, small business getting COVID-19 help, B.C. minister says

$300M grant program has delivered $50 million so far

B.C. Attorney General David Eby speaks in the legislature, Dec. 7, 2020. Eby was given responsibility for housing after the October 2020 provincial election. (Hansard TV)

B.C. extends COVID-19 rent freeze again, to the end of 2021

‘Renoviction’ rules tightened, rent capped to inflation in 2022

Low interest rates have acted as a catalyst for the pandemic real estate market. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graeme Roy

Millennial homebuyers benefiting from pandemic pricing

Mortgage rates at lowest in decades, helping people enter the market

Butter and sourdough bread is shown at a house in Vernon, B.C. on Wednesday, February 24, 2021. Experts say that a new directive issued in response to the controversy known as “buttergate” could make it hard for dairy farmers to keep up with consumer demand for the staple ingredient.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jesse Johnston

Directive based on ‘buttergate’ claims could cost dairy farmers, say experts

Animal science experts say there’s no feed supplement that’s as efficient or economical as palmitic acid

Butter and sourdough bread is shown at a house in Vernon, B.C. on Wednesday, February 24, 2021. Experts say that a new directive issued in response to the controversy known as “buttergate” could make it hard for dairy farmers to keep up with consumer demand for the staple ingredient.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jesse Johnston
B.C. Finance Minister Selina Robinson presents bill to delay B.C.’s budget as late as April 30, and allow further spending before that, B.C. legislature, Dec. 8, 2020. (Hansard TV)

How big is B.C.’s COVID-19 deficit? We’ll find out April 20

More borrowing expected as pandemic enters second year

B.C. Finance Minister Selina Robinson presents bill to delay B.C.’s budget as late as April 30, and allow further spending before that, B.C. legislature, Dec. 8, 2020. (Hansard TV)
A worker carrying a disinfectant sprayer walks past a WestJet Airlines Boeing 737-800 aircraft, after cleaning another plane at Vancouver International Airport, in Richmond, B.C., on Thursday, January 21, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

WestJet to lay off undisclosed number of pilots amid labour negotiations

Airlines have been in negotiations with feds for months about a sector-specific aid package

A worker carrying a disinfectant sprayer walks past a WestJet Airlines Boeing 737-800 aircraft, after cleaning another plane at Vancouver International Airport, in Richmond, B.C., on Thursday, January 21, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
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Campfire-grilled steak on a peach, spinach salad. Meal prep kits even work in the backcountry, as proven by this industrious camper. (Marg Leehane photo)

B.C.-based meal kit company headed for zero-waste

Meal kits have exploded during the pandemic, with lots of packaging

Campfire-grilled steak on a peach, spinach salad. Meal prep kits even work in the backcountry, as proven by this industrious camper. (Marg Leehane photo)
A new report says Canada’s small businesses now collectively owe more than $135 billion as they struggle to survive the pandemic, a staggering amount experts say could hurt the country’s economic recovery. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld

Canadian small businesses rack up $135 billion in debt to survive pandemic: report

Federation of Independent Business said the average small business owner has accrued $170K in debt

A new report says Canada’s small businesses now collectively owe more than $135 billion as they struggle to survive the pandemic, a staggering amount experts say could hurt the country’s economic recovery. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld
A pedestrian walks past the Supreme Court of Canada in Ottawa on Thursday, Nov. 26, 2020. Canada’s top court has decided against hearing appeals brought to it by Bell Canada and a number of cable companies. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick

Canada’s top court says it won’t hear appeals by Bell and several cable companies

Supreme Court refusal a victory for Canada’s independent internet providers, may lead to lower prices

A pedestrian walks past the Supreme Court of Canada in Ottawa on Thursday, Nov. 26, 2020. Canada’s top court has decided against hearing appeals brought to it by Bell Canada and a number of cable companies. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick
A real estate sign is pictured in Vancouver, Tuesday, June 12, 2018. THE CANADIAN PRESS Jonathan Hayward

Home sales shifting towards pricier housing in several major markets, CMHC says

In more recent months, CMHC has seen the number of sales outpace new listings

A real estate sign is pictured in Vancouver, Tuesday, June 12, 2018. THE CANADIAN PRESS Jonathan Hayward
Wall Street’s mania over GameStop is on again, at least for one afternoon. Shares in the troubled video game company more than doubled Wednesday, Feb. 24, 2021 to $91.71 apiece, the stock’s best day since Jan. 27, when it was going for $347.51 a share. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)

GameStop shares double Wednesday after tumbling for much of February

Wall Street’s mania over GameStop is on again, at least for one afternoon

Wall Street’s mania over GameStop is on again, at least for one afternoon. Shares in the troubled video game company more than doubled Wednesday, Feb. 24, 2021 to $91.71 apiece, the stock’s best day since Jan. 27, when it was going for $347.51 a share. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)
B.C. NDP leader John Horgan and former finance minister Carole James roll out “StrongerBC,” a $1.5 billion business support plan for COVID-19, eight months after the B.C. legislature approved the money and four days before a snap election call, Sept. 17, 2020. (B.C. government photo)

B.C.’s COVID-19 business grant fund still mostly unspent

$300 million pandemic assistance approved almost a year ago

B.C. NDP leader John Horgan and former finance minister Carole James roll out “StrongerBC,” a $1.5 billion business support plan for COVID-19, eight months after the B.C. legislature approved the money and four days before a snap election call, Sept. 17, 2020. (B.C. government photo)
Temporary changes to allow for wholesale pricing for the hospitality industry were implemented June 2020 and set to expire March 31. (Pixabay photo)

Pubs, restaurants to pay wholesale prices on liquor permanently in COVID-recovery

Pre-pandemic, restaurateurs and tourism operators paid full retail price on most liquor purchases

Temporary changes to allow for wholesale pricing for the hospitality industry were implemented June 2020 and set to expire March 31. (Pixabay photo)
The association representing woodstoves is fighting bans by municipal governments in the Comox Valley. File photo

Industry fighting back against B.C. woodstove bans

Clean-air advocates not sold on industry data about new stoves

The association representing woodstoves is fighting bans by municipal governments in the Comox Valley. File photo
A new reports finds that the number of active businesses in British Columbia had dropped by 5.1 per cent in October 2020 compared to 2019. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld)

New report finds COVID-19 pandemic cut B.C.’s hospitality jobs in half

Some 14,000 businesses closed during height of pandemic

A new reports finds that the number of active businesses in British Columbia had dropped by 5.1 per cent in October 2020 compared to 2019. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld)
People wear face masks as they wait to enter a store in a shopping mall in Montreal, Saturday, Nov. 21, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes

Statistics Canada says annual inflation rate climbs to 1% in January

The reading compared with a year-over-year increase of 0.7 per cent in December

People wear face masks as they wait to enter a store in a shopping mall in Montreal, Saturday, Nov. 21, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes
A person walks past shelves of bottles of alcohol on display at an LCBO in Ottawa on March 19, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld

7-Eleven Canada working on in-store ‘consumption areas’ for beer and wine

Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario is still reviewing its liquor sales licence applications

A person walks past shelves of bottles of alcohol on display at an LCBO in Ottawa on March 19, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld
The Bitcoin logo appears on the display screen of a crypto currency ATM at the Smoker’s Choice store, Tuesday, Feb. 9, 2021, in Salem, N.H. The price of Bitcoin has soared over the past months. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

Cost of a single Bitcoin exceeds $50,000 for first time

Price up almost 200% in the last 3 months, Tesla plans to buy $1.5-billion in the cryptocurrency

The Bitcoin logo appears on the display screen of a crypto currency ATM at the Smoker’s Choice store, Tuesday, Feb. 9, 2021, in Salem, N.H. The price of Bitcoin has soared over the past months. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
Vancouver Island University is one of the post-secondary institutions in B.C. expecting operating deficits this year and next year. (Nanaimo Bulletin)

B.C. colleges, universities allowed to run COVID-19 deficits

Falling revenue, rising costs mean red ink for 20 institutions

Vancouver Island University is one of the post-secondary institutions in B.C. expecting operating deficits this year and next year. (Nanaimo Bulletin)
In this Dec. 18, 2020 photo, pipes to be used for the Keystone XL pipeline are stored in a field near Dorchester, Neb. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-Chris Machian

‘Keystone is dead’: former senior Obama adviser

It’s time for Canada to get over the demise of the Keystone XL pipeline expansion

In this Dec. 18, 2020 photo, pipes to be used for the Keystone XL pipeline are stored in a field near Dorchester, Neb. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-Chris Machian