‘The arts need to step up' in tense political times
Ahead of a return to the Toronto stage in his one-man show Playing Shylock, Canadian actor Saul Rubinek spoke with The National's Ian Hanomansing about his portraying of Shylock, the controversial Jewish moneylender in Shakepeare's The Merchant of Venice, as well as antisemitism and why he says the arts need to 'step up' in the current political climate.
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The Market Online
7 minutes ago
- The Market Online
Greentech is now exploding – a 300% comeback for hydrogen? nucera, dynaCERT, Plug Power and Nel ASA
Although the US administration under Donald Trump does not think much of climate change, the outlook for the hydrogen sector is improving all the time. This is because it is no longer the US setting the tone but Europe and Asia. Global efforts to make local transport cleaner and more sustainable are now also reaching the transport, logistics, and mining industries. There is still enormous potential for improvement here in terms of reducing climate-damaging emissions. Innovative technologies such as those developed by dynaCERT (TSX:DYA) are now well-known in the market. Therefore, decision-makers in public office will no longer be able to avoid discussing these issues if they want to remain in their positions in the coming years. The public pressure to combat negative climate change globally is increasing. Forward-looking investors should start positioning themselves now. thyssenkrupp nucera – Major order gives cause for hope A major player in electrolyser technology is thyssenkrupp's hydrogen subsidiary, nucera. After a successful IPO in 2023 at EUR 20, the share price initially slumped to EUR 8, but the outlook now appears to be improving steadily. nucera is to develop a comprehensive front-end engineering and design study (FEED) for a pioneering hydrogen project in Europe. This future-oriented project involves the construction of a large-scale water electrolysis plant with a nominal capacity of around 600 MW. The client has not yet been disclosed, but such a scale highlights thyssenkrupp nucera's ambitions to get off to a flying start with innovative solutions. This project also marks a significant step toward an environmentally friendly energy future in the EU, and further inquiries are likely to follow. Although a decision on the specific order volume will not be made until 2026, preliminary work is already underway. The share price has returned to the upper end of the range between EUR 8.00 and EUR 11.00, where it has been trading for a year. All that is missing now is a break above the resistance level of EUR 11.50, after which higher targets can be set again. Compared to other hydrogen stocks, nucera has already proven in the past that it can operate profitably. dynaCERT – A small spark can ignite big momentum There has already been a lot of buzz around dynaCERT. The Canadian hydrogen specialist is considered a technology supplier for large diesel engines across all commercial segments. With its in-house hydrogen retrofit devices under the name HydraGEN™, diesel combustion processes can be optimized to such an extent that, depending on usage, fuel savings of between 5 and 15% can ultimately be achieved. In fall 2024, the coveted VERRA certificate was obtained, meaning that dynaCERT customers will also receive credits for emission certificates if they report their driving logs to dynaCERT accordingly. The rollout of the latest retrofit devices is now on schedule. Following the 'bauma 2025' trade fair in Munich, pre-production of 1,000 units has already been completed in order to meet growing demand as quickly as possible. With a manageable investment of around CAD 6,000 per unit, valuable fuel can be saved. For public transport companies, logistics providers, and construction machine operators of all kinds, large-scale carbon reductions are a critical ESG issue for the future of their corporate mission and, simultaneously, a door opener for a sustainable customer base. In 2024, investor Eric Sprott already invested CAD 14 million at around CAD 0.50 per share; currently, the share price is hovering between CAD 0.14 and CAD 0.16. The reason: the wait for certification took nearly two years. Many investors lost patience and sold in line with the downward industry trend. But now, the signs have turned positive. With a German management team on board, industrial capacity expansion is proceeding exactly according to plan, so initial revenue successes should soon be announced. In addition, the stock has been listed on the OTCQB Venture Market in the US since June. Liquidity is likely to increase sharply soon – time to get in! Nel ASA and Plug Power – Is this the start of a turnaround? There has been a lot of movement in industry in recent days. After three years of total losses of up to 95%, the protagonists Nel ASA and Plug Power made their first attempts at bottoming out in May. For Plug Power, it was the announcement of a new production record in Georgia: 300 tons of liquid hydrogen were produced there in April. In Calistoga, California, Plug Power delivered six hydrogen fuel cells for a new emergency power system. This system replaces diesel-powered generators and can supply the city with clean electricity for up to 48 hours – especially during planned power outages aimed at reducing wildfire risks. The Q1 figures were not encouraging, with net losses of USD 196 million on revenues of USD 133.7 million. A cost-cutting program is now expected to save over USD 200 million annually. Despite the ongoing operational woes, 6 out of 25 analysts on the LSEG platform still recommend buying Plug Power shares. The average 12-month price target is USD 1.86 – a chance for speculative investors to double their money! Investors appear to have lost interest in Nel ASA. Here, too, the ongoing slump in orders is weighing on the Company, which is currently implementing another restructuring program. Not a single expert on LSEG is now recommending the stock as a buy. At EUR 0.21, the share is still 20% above its all-time low of EUR 0.166. There is no sign of an upward trend yet, but at least the major losses now seem to be over. Keep an eye on the price display to react quickly when momentum picks up! Over the past 12 months, thyssenkrupp nucera and dynCERT have already made progress on their path upward. Nel ASA and Plug Power are still working intensively on their turnaround. (Source: LSEG as of June 5, 2025) The stock markets are moving from one high to the next. While defense and precious metal stocks have recently been shining, hydrogen stocks are now also coming into play. However, there is still a long way to go before losses are recouped. dynaCERT has positioned itself perfectly at Bauma in Germany to supply the international transport, local transport, and mining industries with energy-saving solutions. Conflict of interest Pursuant to §85 of the German Securities Trading Act (WpHG), we point out that Apaton Finance GmbH as well as partners, authors or employees of Apaton Finance GmbH (hereinafter referred to as 'Relevant Persons') currently hold or hold shares or other financial instruments of the aforementioned companies and speculate on their price developments. In this respect, they intend to sell or acquire shares or other financial instruments of the companies (hereinafter each referred to as a 'Transaction'). Transactions may thereby influence the respective price of the shares or other financial instruments of the Company. In this respect, there is a concrete conflict of interest in the reporting on the companies. In addition, Apaton Finance GmbH is active in the context of the preparation and publication of the reporting in paid contractual relationships. For this reason, there is also a concrete conflict of interest. The above information on existing conflicts of interest applies to all types and forms of publication used by Apaton Finance GmbH for publications on companies. Risk notice Apaton Finance GmbH offers editors, agencies and companies the opportunity to publish commentaries, interviews, summaries, news and the like on These contents are exclusively for the information of the readers and do not represent any call to action or recommendations, neither explicitly nor implicitly they are to be understood as an assurance of possible price developments. The contents do not replace individual expert investment advice and do not constitute an offer to sell the discussed share(s) or other financial instruments, nor an invitation to buy or sell such. The content is expressly not a financial analysis, but a journalistic or advertising text. Readers or users who make investment decisions or carry out transactions on the basis of the information provided here do so entirely at their own risk. No contractual relationship is established between Apaton Finance GmbH and its readers or the users of its offers, as our information only refers to the company and not to the investment decision of the reader or user. The acquisition of financial instruments involves high risks, which can lead to the total loss of the invested capital. The information published by Apaton Finance GmbH and its authors is based on careful research. Nevertheless, no liability is assumed for financial losses or a content-related guarantee for the topicality, correctness, appropriateness and completeness of the content provided here. Please also note our Terms of use. This is sponsored content issued on behalf of Apaton Finance GmbH and dynaCERT, please see full disclaimer here.
National Observer
an hour ago
- National Observer
Canada's competition watchdog publishes final greenwashing guidelines
Businesses can make environmental claims — only if they aren't false or misleading and have been properly substantiated, according to new Canadian anti-greenwashing guidelines. The guidelines released Thursday by Canada's Competition Bureau are intended to help companies comply with anti-greenwashing laws introduced last June. Businesses making environmental claims will require an assessment, not only of the literal wording of the claim, but also of the general impression created by the advertisement as a whole, including the words, images and layout, the bureau said. The new rules elicited both praise and swift backlash. 'The bureau's guidance is important, but it is really just one piece of the puzzle, and it is not determinative,' said Keldon Bester, executive director of the Canadian Anti-Monopoly Project, an Ottawa-based think tank focused on economic competition issues. After the amended legislation came into force last summer, corporate Canada clamoured for clarity on how it would apply, so this guidance should answer some of their questions, but the real test will be the cases the bureau decides to pursue and how they fare in front of competition tribunals, Bester said. But it is encouraging to see the bureau 'matching the spirit of the law,' he said. INSERT ALBERTA ENVIRONMENT AND PARKS MINISTER REBECCA SCHULZ STATEMENT Canada's competition watchdog published finalized guidance to help corporate Canada navigate the new greenwashing rules that came into force last summer 'The new guidelines appear to get to the heart of the matter,' Green Party Leader Elizabeth May said in an emailed statement to Canada's National Observer. "'Greenwashing' is just another form of untruthful advertising. We need enforceable 'truth in advertising' laws and these guidelines move in that direction,' May said. The bureau's guidance explained that if a Canadian business claimed in its marketing that it was on its way to net-zero emissions by 2050 and 'had good intentions about reducing greenhouse gases' — but made the claim before making a clear, evidence-backed plan to reach net-zero — that would be inadequate. Keith Stewart, senior energy strategist for Greenpeace Canada called this the 'Pathways clause,' in reference to the Pathways Alliance's ad campaign. In 2023, the bureau launched an investigation into the oilsands lobby group's campaign, 'Let's clear the air,' after Greenpeace Canada filed a complaint alleging net-zero claims in the ads were false or misleading. After the new greenwashing laws came into force last summer, Pathways Alliance removed all of the content related to its 'Let's clear the air' campaign from its website, social media and other public communications. The Competition Bureau dropped the investigation a few months later, in December 2024, according to a letter Greenpeace Canada shared with Canada's National Observer. 'Given that the representations that were the subject of this inquiry are no longer publicly available, as well as the Commissioner's discretion with respect to the assignment of limited resources, the Commissioner has decided to discontinue the inquiry at this time,' reads the letter to Greenpeace Canada. 'You don't have to read very far between the lines … to see that Pathways was going to lose that case, which is probably why they took all those ads down so quickly,' Stewart said. 'I think the Competition Bureau essentially said, 'OK, we're going to give you a mulligan on this one. We're not going to go after you because you took all the ads down … and we're now putting it in black and white, clarifying the rules around what constitutes greenwashing on net-zero claims, so don't do it again',' he said. 'You'll notice Pathways no longer talk about being on the path to net-zero.' The Pathways Alliance did not respond to a request for comment on the new guidelines. Alexandre Boulerice, NDP critic for environment and climate change, said deceptive marketing practices, particularly greenwashing, are a major problem because it misleads consumers and 'hurts public trust in a genuine green transition.' The new rules could be a step in the right direction, but consumers must know that they can report deceptive or false advertising and file a complaint, Boulerice said in an emailed statement to Canada's National Observer. 'Additionally, the Bureau requires the resources and capacity to carry out all those inquiries,' Boulerice said. Boulerice said the next few months will tell whether the federal government is serious about this issue. The Conservative Party and Bloc Québécois did not respond to a request for comment. Although the legislation and guidelines could both be stronger, 'the new guidelines should quiet the trumped-up backlash from parts of corporate Canada,' said Emilia Belliveau, Environmental Defence's energy transition program manager, in a Thursday press release.
Ottawa Citizen
2 hours ago
- Ottawa Citizen
Ottawa's $11-billion infrastructure gap: Here's what you need to know
Article content City staff are proposing water rate hikes and taking on more debt to address a $10.8-billion 'gap' between infrastructure needs and available funds over the next 10 years. Article content Staff presented councillors with 12 'asset management plans' (AMPs) that outline critical information on all municipal assets — from transportation services to wastewater and stormwater infrastructure to emergency and protective services — worth approximately $90 billion. Article content Article content Article content The plans offer 'a clear view' of the current state of Ottawa's infrastructure, which, according to a staff report, 'is safe, in good to fair condition, and continues to serve residents.' Article content Article content What is the funding gap? Article content 'These forecasted needs reflect asset renewal, growth, service enhancements, and climate change adaptation and mitigation costs,' according to the staff report. Article content 'A measured backlog is expected in a large and established municipal portfolio, and the city has a strong track record of managing these challenges … Ottawa is experiencing a trend seen in all Canadian municipalities — a growing infrastructure backlog, largely driven by aging assets, the effects of climate change, rising construction costs and a limited number of revenue sources.' Article content Article content Article content The city will need $4.8 billion over the next 10 years for 'priority needs' in repairing and refurbishing water, wastewater and stormwater infrastructure. Article content Staff presented councillors with a long-range financial plan for wastewater and stormwater that calls for rate increases between 4.5 and 5.6 per cent annually over the next decade at an average of 5.0 per cent per year. That equates to about five dollars more per month for the average residential home. Article content Mayor Mark Sutcliffe told councillors that it would be considered 'good debt' at the June 3 finance and corporate services committee. Article content 'The way we use debt, I think, would fall into the category of good debt in the sense that we're not using debt to pay for our yearly operating expenses, we are using debt to pay for long-term investments in assets that will generate benefit to the community for many, many years to come,' Sutcliffe said.
