Think you've got Canada's worst commute? Plus, scooter injuries on the rise: CBC's Marketplace cheat sheet

CBC

20-07-2025

Miss something this week? Don't panic. CBC's Marketplace rounds up the consumer and health news you need.
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Think you've got Canada's worst commute?
Whether you live in St. John's, Victoria or anywhere in between, everyone's got traffic trouble, and we all think we've got it the worst. So we're looking for your traffic tribulations.
Email us at [e-mail] and tell us why your commute is the worst. It could be a road that's always under construction, an intersection that's always gummed up or your full commute from start to finish. Be local and as specific as you can — we want to get into the nitty-gritty of the roadways in your life that drive you crazy. Your submission could be crowned Canada's worst commute and could be featured on an upcoming episode of Marketplace.
E-scooter injuries on the rise across Canada, data shows
Hospitalizations related to injuries from scooters and e-scooters have risen, according to new Canadian data, as emergency physicians warn the two-wheeled vehicles aren't toys.
The Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) said Thursday that nearly 1,000 people were hospitalized for scooter-related injuries during the 12-month period starting April 1, 2023. That's up from 810 during the same period of 2022-23.
Half of the injuries — 498 — were related to motorized e-scooters, an increase of 32 per cent over the 375 hospitalizations recorded in 2022-23.
"Some unintentional injuries are really predictable and preventable, particularly in relation to e-scooter injuries," said Tanya Khan, CIHI's manager of hospital data advancement and engagement in Montreal.
Emergency physicians say the extent of injuries can be severe: brain, facial and dental trauma, fractures needing multiple surgeries, or traumatic brain injuries that require intensive care.
Some injuries happen when the rider is hit by a car, but physicians are also treating people who have been hit by a rider.
Back in 2020, Toronto's Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) saw a single e-scooter injury. By 2024, that number had jumped to 46.
Read more from CBC's Amina Zafar.
Selling items on Facebook Marketplace? Watch out for this scam
4 days ago
Montreal sellers on Facebook Marketplace say they're adjusting to a new type of scam from deceptive buyers trying to seize their bank account through fake e-transfers.
Violaine Pelletier-Madsen, who sells her personal items on the popular platform, says she almost fell victim when she tried selling something to an individual who wanted her to put the product on hold. He offered to pay a deposit.
"I didn't look online to go see their profile," she said. "So I just took it for granted that this conversation goes well and I accepted the Interac transfer."
She clicked what looked like an e-transfer link but clicked out when it wasn't directing her to her official bank page or banking app.
It's a scenario cybersecurity expert Claudiu Popa says he sees often.
The scam, also known as reverse fraud, involves the scammer sending a link disguised with official-looking branding and asking the seller to input their banking information to claim the payment. Once the victim does so, the scammer gets access to their account and sends themselves an e-transfer.
Popa says if the buyer expresses a sense of urgency, it should immediately set off alarm bells.
"You can put anything you want in that link. If you tell a person you're waiting for them, the vendor's going to click," he said.
The Service de police de la Ville de Montréal (SPVM) says the scam seems to be relatively new in Montreal.
In an email, the SPVM says seven cases of reverse fraud were reported between January and April 1, 2025, adding that no reports were recorded in previous years. Read more.
Want a big piece of Mars? It could have been yours — for $4M US
Sotheby's in New York auctioned a 25-kilogram rock known as NWA 16788 on Wednesday as part of a natural history-themed sale.
It sold for nearly $6 million.
It's the largest piece of Mars ever found on Earth. According to the auction house, the meteorite is believed to have been blown off the surface of Mars by a massive asteroid strike before travelling 225 million kilometres to Earth, where it crashed into the Sahara. A meteorite hunter found it in Niger in November 2023, Sotheby's says.
The red, brown and grey hunk is about 70 per cent larger than the next largest piece of Mars found on Earth and represents nearly seven per cent of all the Martian material currently on this planet, Sotheby's says. It measures about 375 millimetres by 279 millimetres by 152 millimetres.
"This Martian meteorite is the largest piece of Mars we have ever found by a long shot," Cassandra Hatton, vice-chair for science and natural history at Sotheby's, said in an interview.
It is also a rare find. There are only 400 Martian meteorites out of the more than 77,000 officially recognized meteorites found on Earth, Sotheby's says. Read more.
What else is going on?
Couche-Tard made 1st offer in August 2024.
Experts say the TikTok trend is a worthwhile exercise but warn not to get hung up on the details.
Marketplace needs your help!
Have you bought a new car recently? Did you have to pay more than the price in the ad or pay for features you didn't want? If you've experienced any car sale fails, we want to hear from you at [e-mail]!