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Modern living: Buying Canadian

Modern living: Buying Canadian

Ottawa Citizen6 days ago
Let's face it: American tariffs have made many of us rethink our purchasing power, not just how we spend our money — but where it goes. More Canadian homeowners are looking inward, reconsidering the value of supporting homegrown brands and materials. And when it comes to furniture and decor, the phrase 'Made in Canada' has long stood for quality and craftsmanship. But the label landscape is shifting. New designations such as 'Designed in Canada,' 'Manufactured in Canada,' and 'Canadian-owned' now signal different kinds of commitment to homegrown creativity and accountability. So, what do these labels really mean?
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For starters, 'Made in Canada' means the product was both designed and built here from start to finish. From locally sourced materials to final assembly, everything happened on Canadian soil (think of companies such as De Gaspé and Tonic Living). While these pieces may come at a premium, they offer traceable supply chains, reduced transportation emissions, and direct investment in Canadian jobs and communities.
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Then there's 'Designed in Canada,' which reflects our country's creative influence, even if manufacturing happens abroad. A standout in this space is Cozey, a modern furniture company I recently visited at their HQ in Montreal (so inspiring!). While their products are meticulously manufactured overseas. Their commitments to Canadian design and innovation are clear. 'We always start with how people actually live —especially here in Canada. Whether it's busy families, apartment dwellers, or individuals with pets, we consider their real lives when we design. Canadians have great taste, and they value versatility,' says founder and CEO, Frédéric Aubé.
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That thoughtful approach is backed by a strong local team. 'We've built a team of nearly 200 Canadians, working across design, logistics, retail, and customer support,' says Aubé. The goal? 'Every job we create here is part of a bigger dream-to see Cozey thrive on the world stage while staying deeply Canadian.'
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Cozey also demonstrates that ethical practices and global production aren't mutually exclusive. 'We've trimmed plastic to the bare minimum, cut 90 per cent of Styrofoam, and redesigned the packaging to be more compact — smaller boxes mean fewer emissions,' says Aubé. 'And 98 per cent of our products never end up in landfills, thanks to our refurbishment and donations programs. We're building smarter and wasting less.'
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Millionaires multiply across the U.S., but most find it's not all mansions and champagne
Millionaires multiply across the U.S., but most find it's not all mansions and champagne

Globe and Mail

time6 minutes ago

  • Globe and Mail

Millionaires multiply across the U.S., but most find it's not all mansions and champagne

NEW YORK (AP) — As a child, Heidi Barley watched her family pay for groceries with food stamps. As a college student, she dropped out because she couldn't afford tuition. In her twenties, already scraping by, she was forced to take a pay cut that shrunk her salary to just $34,000 a year. But this summer, the 41-year-old hit a milestone that long felt out of reach: She became a millionaire. A surging number of everyday Americans now boast a seven-figure net worth once the domain of celebrities and CEOs. But as the ranks of millionaires grow fatter, the significance of the status is shifting alongside perceptions of what it takes to be truly rich. 'Millionaire used to sound like Rich Uncle Pennybags in a top hat,' says Michael Ashley Schulman, chief investment officer at Running Point Capital Advisors, a wealth management firm in El Segundo, California. 'It's no longer a backstage pass to palatial estates and caviar bumps. It's the new mass-affluent middleweight class, financially secure but two zeros short of private-jet territory.' Inflation, ballooning home values and a decades-long push into stock markets by average investors have lifted millions into millionairehood. A June report from Swiss bank UBS found about one-tenth of American adults are members of the seven-digit club, with 1,000 freshly minted millionaires added daily last year. Thirty years ago, the IRS counted 1.6 million Americans with a net worth of $1 million or more. UBS — using data from the United Nations, World Bank, International Monetary Fund and central banks of countries around the globe — put the number at 23.8 million in the U.S. last year, a nearly 15-fold increase. The expanding ranks of millionaires come as the gulf between rich and poor widens. The richest 10% of Americans hold two-thirds of household wealth, according to the Federal Reserve, averaging $8.1 million each. The bottom 50% hold 3% of wealth, with an average of just $60,000 to their names. Federal Reserve data also shows there are differences by race. Asian people outpace white people in the U.S. in median wealth, while Black and Hispanic people trail in their net worth. Barley was working as a journalist when her newspaper ended its pension program and she got a lump-sum payout of about $5,000. A colleague convinced her to invest it in a retirement account, and ever since, she's stashed away whatever she could. The investments dipped at first during the Great Recession but eventually started growing. In time, she came to find catharsis in amassing savings, going home and checking her account balances when she had a tough day at work. Last month, after one such day, she realized the moment had come. 'Did you know that we're millionaires?' she asked her husband. 'Good job, honey,' Barley says he replied, unfazed. It brought no immediate change. Like many millionaires, much of her wealth is in long-term investments and her home, not easy-to-access cash. She still lives in her modest Orlando, Florida, house, socks away half her paycheck, fills the napkin holder with takeout napkins and lines trash cans with grocery bags. Still, Barley says it feels powerful to cross a threshold she never imagined reaching as a child. 'But it's not as glamorous as the ideas in your head,' she says. All wealth is relative. To thousandaires, $1 million is the stuff of dreams. To billionaires, it's a rounding error. Either way, it takes twice as much cash today to match the buying power of 30 years ago. A net worth of $1 million in 1995 is equivalent to about $2.1 million today, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. A seven-figure net worth is, to some, as outdated a yardstick as a six-figure salary. Nonetheless, 'millionaire' is peppered in everything from politics to popular music as shorthand for rich. 'It's a nice round number but it's a point in a longer journey,' says Dan Uden, a 41-year-old from Providence, Rhode Island, who works in information technology and who hit the million-dollar mark last month. 'It definitely gives you some room to breathe.' No other country comes close to the U.S. in the sheer number of millionaires, though relative to population, UBS found Switzerland and Luxembourg had higher rates. Kenneth Carow, a finance professor at Indiana University's Kelley School of Business, says commonalities emerge among today's millionaires. The vast majority own stocks and a home. Most live below their means. They value education and teach financial responsibility to their children. 'The dream of becoming a millionaire,' Carow says, 'has become more obtainable.' Jim Wang, 45, a software engineer-turned finance blogger from Fulton, Maryland, says even if hitting $1 million was essentially 'a non-event' for him and his wife, it still held weight for him as the son of immigrants who saved money by turning the heat off on winter nights. The private jets he envisioned as a kid may not have materialized at the million-dollar threshold, but he still sees it as a marker that brings a certain level of security. 'It's possible, even with a regular job,' he says. 'You just have to be diligent and consistent.' The resilience of financial markets and the ease of investing in broad-based, low-fee index funds has fueled the balances of many millionaires who don't earn massive salaries or inherit family fortunes. Among them is a burgeoning community of younger millionaires born out of the movement known as FIRE, for Financial Independence Retire Early. Jason Breck, 48, of Fishers, Indiana, embraced FIRE and reached the million-dollar mark nine years ago. 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Jersey Mike's Subs Opening in Regina Tomorrow Springboard to Canadian Expansion West
Jersey Mike's Subs Opening in Regina Tomorrow Springboard to Canadian Expansion West

Cision Canada

time6 minutes ago

  • Cision Canada

Jersey Mike's Subs Opening in Regina Tomorrow Springboard to Canadian Expansion West

REGINA, SK, July 29, 2025 /CNW/ - Redberry Restaurants ("Redberry") will open the first Canadian Jersey Mike's Subs outside of Ontario at 2323 Victoria Avenue E., in Regina, tomorrow, Wednesday, July 30, 2025, bringing its signature fresh sliced/fresh grilled subs to hungry Saskatchewanians as it expands into Western Canada. This opening marks Redberry's 13 th Jersey Mike's location. The company opened its first Canadian Jersey Mike's in Markham, Ontario in August 2024, and plans to open 300 locations over the next 10 years (see Canada's Jersey Mike's locations here). "We can't wait to introduce the great people of Regina to Jersey Mike's authentic sub sandwiches," said Ken Otto, CEO, Redberry. "This is just the beginning of our expansion into Western Canada and we couldn't think of a better place to start the journey." The company expects to open four additional locations in Western Canada in 2025 with a minimum of ten more coming in 2026. Locations in Saskatoon and Prince Albert, Saskatchewan are slated for this fall. To celebrate the Regina opening, Redberry will hold a grand opening and fundraiser from Wednesday, July 30 to Sunday, August 3, to support Regina Education and Action on Community Hunger (REACH). Customers who receive a special fundraising coupon distributed through a grassroots effort prior to the opening can make a minimum $3 contribution to REACH in exchange for a regular sub. Customers must have a coupon to be eligible. Customers without a coupon will have the opportunity to download the Jersey Mike's app and earn a free regular sub after their first in-app sub purchase and will also be able to support REACH via a donation box near the register. The first 100 visitors to the new Jersey Mike's location in Regina will also receive a free Jersey Mike's swag bag. Making a Difference Jersey Mike's believes that making a sub sandwich and making a difference can be one and the same. Since the beginning of 2024 Jersey Mike's in Canada has raised more than $135,000 for local organizations. During Jersey Mike's Month of Giving in March, Redberry raised almost $70,000 for Make-A-Wish Canada. Fresh Sliced/Fresh Grilled Jersey Mike's premium meats and cheeses are sliced on the spot and piled high on the in-store baked bread. Jersey Mike's fans crave their subs made Mike's Way® with the freshest vegetables – onions, lettuce and tomatoes – along with an exquisite zing of "the juice," red wine vinegar and an olive oil blend, topped off with our signature spices. Authentic cheesesteaks are also grilled fresh to order. The restaurant's hours are 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., seven days a week. You can place orders in-store, on Jersey Mike's app, online at and on the national delivery apps. Catering orders are welcome. Redberry Restaurants Founded in 2005, Redberry is one of the largest QSR restaurant franchisees in Canada. Redberry owns and operates more than 200 restaurants across the country, operating under the BURGER KING®, Taco Bell and Jersey Mike's Subs brands.

Air Canada reports second-quarter earnings down in 'challenging environment'
Air Canada reports second-quarter earnings down in 'challenging environment'

Toronto Sun

time6 minutes ago

  • Toronto Sun

Air Canada reports second-quarter earnings down in 'challenging environment'

Published Jul 29, 2025 • 2 minute read Air Canada logo. Photo by Mark Blinch / THE CANADIAN PRESS MONTREAL — Air Canada says second-quarter earnings were down from last year in what it characterized as a 'challenging environment.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account Challenges include an 11 per cent drop in revenue in the airline's U.S. transborder routes that it attributed to geopolitical tensions and a lower Canadian dollar. The airline however saw increases in revenue from other areas, including its Atlantic and Latin American routes, as it redirected capacity, said chief executive Michael Rousseau in a statement. 'We have strategically redirected capacity to high-demand markets and captured demand for premium services, leveraging the breadth and strength of our global network.' Overall, the airline reported a net income of $186 million in the second quarter, down from $410 million in the same quarter last year. Air Canada says that on an adjusted basis, it had a net income of $207 million in the quarter compared with $369 million in the same quarter last year. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Adjusted earnings worked out to 60 cents per diluted share in the quarter, compared to 98 cents per share last year. Analysts on average had expected an adjusted profit of 72 cents per diluted share, according to LSEG Data & Analytics. Passenger revenues in the quarter amounted to $5.03 billion, up one per cent from last year on a 2.5 per cent capacity growth. Revenue from its U.S. transborder segment was $961 million, down from $1.08 billion last year, while its Atlantic routes saw $1.64 billion in revenue, up from $1.56 billion last year. For the first six months of the year, revenue from U.S. flights were down 7.9 per cent and its Pacific routes were down 2.8 per cent, contributing to an overall drop of 0.8 per cent in passenger revenue compared with last year. Despite the challenges, the airline reaffirmed its financial guidance for the year that it issued in May. Results were slightly below expectations on higher-than-expected costs but overall fairly neutral, said RBC analyst James McGarragle in a note. 'We are taking a neutral view on the results, as the broader narrative of demand recovery and operational realignment remains intact despite the modest cost-related headwinds in the quarter.' MLB Ontario Sunshine Girls Toronto & GTA Toronto & GTA

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