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A recent Equifax report shows more than one million Canadians are having a hard time keeping up with credit payments.
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Global News
26 minutes ago
- Global News
What comes next as Canada Post and union return to bargaining talks?
With talks now resuming between Canada Post and the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW), many Canadians may be wondering what led to the current state of negotiations and what could happen next — including if there could be further strike action. Wednesday's meeting comes after Canada's largest union of postal workers rejected the Crown corporation's 'best and final offers,' and as federal mediators are set to help the two sides try to reach a deal. Last week, the CUPW said mediators were unavailable 'due to their current involvement in the Air Canada negotiations,' before rescheduling to Aug. 20. Although there is currently no nationwide strike, there is ongoing job action by the CUPW in the form of refusing overtime work. Business owners have said the 'uncertainty' of whether there could be another full strike like what happened late last year has led many to seek alternative delivery options. Story continues below advertisement As for what happens next if the two sides can't reach a deal, CUPW informed members on its website that it is working to reach a deal while noting the possibilities in the event of either a strike or a lockout. 'Another possibility if either party engages in further strike or lock-out actions is the Government intervening again with back-to-work legislation or another section 107 order with binding arbitration,' the union said. 0:47 Canada Post workers reject 'final' contract offers after vote What are the core challenges? The negotiations date back to November 2023, when Canada Post's contract with CUPW was set to expire, and it was one year later in November 2024 that the first strike action began. Story continues below advertisement The union has several key demands, including wage increases, a signing bonus, maintaining a defined benefit pension and job security clauses. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy One of the demands Canada Post has made, which has been a point of contention in the negotiations, is the use of contracted or part-time workers, which the union has argued against and has pushed for savings elsewhere. In a statement, Canada Post said the part-time jobs will create stability and predictability for people looking for flexible work. 'The part-time positions will provide health and pension benefits and scheduled and guaranteed hours (15 to 40 hours of work per week),' a statement from Canada Post says. 'The creation of part-time jobs increases the company's delivery flexibility, especially on weekends, while ensuring that letter carriers are not required to work weekend shifts.' The CUPW said in its own statement that Canada Post wants the part-time workforce to handle weekend delivery, but the union is concerned this could impact job security for full-time workers. 'Under Canada Post's proposal, weekend workers would be scheduled for 15 hours/week, mostly on the weekend, but they could also have shifts throughout the week. Canada Post could add more hours to these workers' schedules in times of high workload,' the CUPW says in the statement. Story continues below advertisement 'Canada Post's proposal would all but eliminate overtime for full-time carriers, as part-timers with 'flexible' schedules would be offered more hours before full-timers were offered overtime.' With the two sides unable to reach an agreement last year, the union of roughly 55,000 workers went on strike. After several weeks on picket lines, then-labour minister Steven MacKinnon asked the Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) to order postal workers back to work while a process to assess the challenges between them was carried out. The CIRB ruled in favour of the proposal, and the strike ended on Dec. 17, 2024. Although workers were ordered to end the strike action at the time, the contract Canada Post had with its employees was extended to May 2025 to allow more time for negotiations. The union and Canada Post were still unable to come to an agreement on a new contract before May 2025, however, and the union issued another strike notice. Canada Post tabled its 'latest and final offers,' to the union, which was rejected, and prompted further negotiations between the company and the union. 6:16 What's next in the Canada Post labour dispute? Canada Post has said the ongoing negotiations and job action have led to millions of dollars lost every day and what it calls an 'existential crisis.' Story continues below advertisement In May, Canada Post reported in 2024 the company saw a loss of $841 million before tax, and marked the seventh straight year of declines, adding the 32-day national strike 'escalated' the 'challenges' faced. Canada Post also said in a statement regarding its offer to the union in May of 2025 that parcel volumes at the company have fallen 65 per cent since the same time last year. A report released in May 2025 from a federal industrial inquiry commission said Canada Post's financial issues make it 'effectively insolvent.'
National Post
26 minutes ago
- National Post
Life Sciences BC's 10th Annual Invest in BC Conference Connects Industry Leaders
Article content VANCOUVER, British Columbia — Life Sciences British Columbia (LSBC) is proud to present the 10th Annual Invest in BC, powered by Lumira Ventures, taking place October 28–29, 2025 at the Vancouver Convention Centre West. Article content Celebrating a decade of impact, Invest in BC has become a cornerstone event for the province's thriving life sciences sector. It brings together investors, entrepreneurs, researchers, and industry leaders for two days of high-impact networking, strategic partnering, and investment exploration. Whether attending to pitch, partner, or learn, participants will find unparalleled opportunities to connect and collaborate. Article content Article content 'Invest in BC is where innovation meets opportunity,' said Wendy Hurlburt, President and CEO of Life Sciences BC. 'This event brings together the full spectrum of our ecosystem—from early-stage ventures to global industry leaders—to spark conversations, build relationships, and accelerate the future of health.' Article content : Article content : Article content Arbutus Medical, ARC Medical, AVEE HEALTH, Bold Therapeutics, Careteam Technologies, eSense Health, Evolved Therapeutics, Eyam Health, EyecareX, GuideStar Medical Devices, HTuO Biosciences, Ikomed, ImageCyte Technologies, Integrated Nanotherapeutics, Kapoose Creek Bio, Molecular You, NZ Technologies, Optigo Biotherapeutics, Pramana Pharmaceuticals, Redwood AI, Reverb Therapeutics, Seragene Therapeutics, Sonic Incytes, Sonus Microsystems, Sustained Therapeutics, Total Flow Medical, Variational AI, Vesalius Cardiovascular, ViewsML Technologies, VoxCell BioInnovation, and Zymeworks. Article content 'British Columbia's world-leading life sciences and biomanufacturing ecosystem continues to thrive, with B.C. companies making lives better globally,' said Ravi Kahlon, Minister of Jobs and Economic Growth. 'As uncertainty and anti-science sentiment grow south of our borders, B.C. remains a stable, science-driven jurisdiction committed to life sciences research and commercialization. We're making it easier than ever for companies to do business in the province. I invite investors and entrepreneurs to join the momentum and grow their businesses in B.C.' Article content Event Details Article content : Article content Article content Article content Article content Contacts Article content Media Article content : Article content Article content Article content Article content
National Post
26 minutes ago
- National Post
Empties promises: Ontario grocers may stop selling alcohol rather than take back bottles
Article content Then there are the bins used to carry the empties away. Article content 'They don't get washed in the Beer Store's process of handling returns,' he said. 'They don't consider the food safety aspect at all. These come into our buildings gross and dirty and filled with residual broken glass, residual juices and beer and wine leftovers. I'm a grocer. Keeping things clean is what we start our day with and end our day with; the first thing we look at is cleanliness and sanitation.' Article content His friends in the business are shy about taking up sales themselves or, like LaMantia, plan to stop in the new year. Article content 'Most of my friends own grocery stores in the province, and at least half of them have … firmly said they're done, if this actually comes to fruition. They won't be staying in the beer and wine business. They just aren't comfortable doing it.' Article content Another issue is that, with fewer Beer Stores, grocers say they may find themselves picking up the slack on empties. According to its 2024 operational report, The Beer Store that year had 407 locations, down from 424 two years earlier. In the same period, the LCBO added eight locations for a total of 688. Article content Ontario has mandated The Beer Store keep at least 300 stores open the end of 2025. But the document in question added: 'After January 1, 2026, TBS (The Beer Store) shall be entitled to close any retail location as determined by TBS in its sole and absolute discretion.' Article content Industry groups are pushing back against the requirement to take empties. Gary Sands, senior vice-president at the Canadian Federation of Independent Grocers, said one idea is for LCBO stores to step in. Article content 'The last time I checked, they don't sell food, but they also don't have to accept empties,' he said. 'Why? Why can't the LCBO, as a government agency, take them back? They don't have to worry about the food safety issue. We've never received an explanation on that.' Article content Michael Zabaneh, vice-president of sustainability at the Retail Council of Canada, noted that grocery stores are also hampered by higher prices on alcohol — a 10 per cent discount, as opposed to the 15 per cent offered to bars, restaurants and convenience stores. Article content 'Retailers are at a complete disadvantage,' he said, 'because convenience stores have a lower costs of goods sold, as does the LCBO, obviously. And grocers, with the higher cost of goods sold, are the only ones required to take back containers.' Article content He added: 'If grocers exit, shoppers will lose the convenience of picking up a sixpack at the grocery store, and face fewer places to buy alcohol. And with The Beer Store winding down, there'll be less places to return alcohol containers.' Article content In a statement to National Post, Colin Blachar, director of media at Ontario's Minister of Finance, said: 'Along with The Beer Store, over 400 grocery stores, LCOs (LCBO Convenience Outlets) and convenience stores currently participate in the ODRP (Ontario Deposit Return Program) with numbers expected to continue to grow over the coming months. This will provide more options to consumers looking to utilize the return system.' Article content
