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CTV News
8 minutes ago
- CTV News
Green Light: Quebec City uses AI to manage traffic
Quebec City has turned to Google's artificial intelligence (AI) to synchronize traffic lights, which officials say will improve traffic flow, reduce congestion, and lower greenhouse gas emissions. According to Google Canada, Quebec City is the first city in the country to partner with the web giant's Green Light project. As part of this project, AI analyzes driving trends from Google Maps and combines this data with information on the location of traffic lights in the city. 'The Green Light project uses driving trends from Google Maps and artificial intelligence to map a city's traffic patterns and then make specific recommendations for specific intersections that can be implemented very quickly by city engineers,' explained Laurence Therrien, public affairs manager at Google Canada, in an interview with The Canadian Press. She clarified that AI data won't replace the work of engineers, but rather serves as an additional tool. 'The aggregated and anonymized trends from Google Maps really give a much faster and more reliable overview of a city's traffic than if it were done manually or with existing systems,' she said. Present in some 20 cities The Green Light project is being used in 19 cities on four continents. According to a data analysis conducted by Google in these cities, the project has 'demonstrated the potential to reduce frequent stops and starts by up to 30 per cent and estimated CO2 emissions at urban intersections by 10 per cent.' Google's AI aims to make car traffic flow more smoothly. If a city emphasizes smooth car travel, does it risk encouraging more people to use their cars, to the detriment of active or public transportation? 'If car traffic flows more smoothly, so does bus traffic,' replied Therrien. 'So it encourages public transportation, which is much more efficient than if traffic lights are not automated,' she said. Initial positive results in Quebec City In Quebec City, the project has already made it possible to adjust the timing of traffic lights at 11 intersections in the city, and the initial results are positive, according to Mayor Bruno Marchand's administration. 'An innovative project like Green Light allows us to quickly and effectively optimize our road network, thereby improving traffic flow and efficiency,' said Marchand in a press release. A compelling example In the press release issued Monday morning, the City of Quebec 'gave an example of the project's impact.' The municipal administration explained that during the evening rush hour, traffic lights were 'slightly out of sync' at the intersection of Côte Saint-Sacrement and Semple Street, at the corner of Charest Boulevard, causing delays for drivers travelling down Côte Saint-Sacrement and leading to traffic jams. 'Using the Green Light AI model, Google proposed reducing the gap between the lights by 15 seconds to align the timing with those at Semple and Charest,' and 'northbound travel, which is the most frequent in this area according to 2023 data, is now smoother and better coordinated.' This example shows how AI 'can complement the work of municipal experts by proposing simple, effective, and data-driven adjustments,' according to the city. The Green Light project is available free of charge to cities that wish to use it. - This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Aug. 18, 2025.
CBC
9 minutes ago
- CBC
Horse racing community blindsided by Surrey, B.C., racetrack closure
Social Sharing The local horse racing community is in shock following the closure of the Fraser Downs racetrack in Surrey, B.C. The news came just weeks before Harness Racing B.C. races were set to start. Kelly MacMillan, spokesperson for the group, said there was no prior warning about the closure. "It was just a complete shock. We had no idea this was coming," MacMillan said. "We were expecting to start racing on September 4 and people have ... incurred great expenses, just have that pulled out at the 11th hour." Great Canadian Entertainment, which owns and operates the track, said Friday the closure takes effect immediately, though the adjacent Elements Casino Surrey will remain open. The decision follows notice from the City of Surrey, which owns the Cloverdale Fairgrounds where the racetrack is located, that it is terminating the lease. Fraser Downs was B.C.'s only standardbred horse racing facility and had been in operation since 1976. While the grandstand and adjacent Elements Casino will remain open, the racetrack, stables and backstretch will be shut down. Development plans In a statement, Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke said the decision allows the city to begin critical planning to "revitalize the Cloverdale Fairgrounds and Town Centre." It's part of a broader redevelopment plan for Cloverdale Fairgrounds, which include new housing, a $3 billion hospital, public spaces, cultural facilities and expanded recreation amenities. However, it is unclear what exactly will be built at the nearly five-hectare site. MacMillan and others in the industry argue the decision fails to consider the impact for workers, horse owners and breeders. "Some of the staff are going to be on the street," he said. "The people that support horse racing [like] feed stores, hay stores, they've just lost a huge client without notice and no ability to plan around it." WATCH | Horse racing at one of the two remaining racing tracks in B.C.: Fraser Downs closure shocks B.C. horse racing community 13 hours ago Horse racing at one of the two remaining racing tracks in B.C. has come to an end after the City of Surrey revealed its plans to redevelop the land for housing and other public amenities. As Sohrab Sandhu reports, the news has come as a huge shock to the racing community. Doug McCallum, the former mayor of Surrey and former CEO of Harness Racing B.C., is calling the closure "a devastating blow to Surrey's economy, heritage and working families." "Locke has steamrolled an entire industry in Surrey," he said in a statement Monday. "Trainers, breeders, jockeys, and workers with unique skill sets are now out of work. These aren't jobs that can be replaced overnight." Surrey Coun. Linda Annis supports the city's decision, stating that housing is desperately needed for the city's rapidly growing population. "The city needs to look at what we can do with the lands that would be best for the residents of Surrey, what can we do to better utilize the lands there in terms of housing, improving public spaces," she said. Locke says the redevelopment will help protect Old Cloverdale as a "historic precinct," but critics question how ending a nearly 50-year-old racing tradition achieves that. "What better way to preserve the early way of life in the heritage than to continue on racing?" said David Milburn, president of the Horsemen's Benevolent Protective Association of B.C. "It's only five hectares we're talking about here …they can go ahead with their development and still continue the race track there." One remaining racetrack in B.C. Milburn says his association has "great sympathy" for the standardbred community and plans to help them find new racing opportunities. With Fraser Downs closed, Hastings Racecourse at the Pacific National Exhibition (PNE) fairgrounds is B.C.'s only remaining track. The lease for Hastings is set to expire in May 2026, and there has been talk of redeveloping the site for a potential Whitecaps stadium, but Milburn remains confident about the track's future. "We're of the view that [the Hastings] lease is going to get renewed," Milburn said. "We believe we're on solid ground here at Hastings." Fraser Downs faced uncertainty earlier this year when Great Canadian Entertainment ordered the closure of its stables to deal with a longstanding rat infestation. The society challenged the move in court, arguing it would cause irreparable harm to the industry. However, the B.C. Supreme Court ruled in May that the temporary closure for pest control did not meet that threshold. WATCH | Rat infestation shuts down popular Surrey horse racetrack: Rat infestation shuts down popular horse racetrack and training facility in Surrey 3 months ago A rat infestation has shut down a popular horse racetrack and training centre in Surrey. Horse owners have filed a lawsuit in hopes of keeping the facility open while the pests are exterminated. As CBC's Jon Hernandez reports, it's one of the only horse training facilities of its kind in the province. No horses have been stabled at the site since late May but the racing community had held out hope for a September return. "Had we been given notice, we could've prepared," MacMillan said. Despite the setback, he says the association is exploring alternatives.
Globe and Mail
18 minutes ago
- Globe and Mail
Can American Express Thrive in the BNPL Era or Just Survive?
American Express Company AXP, also known as AmEx and well-known for its premium cards and loyalty programs, is navigating the new era of Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL). While BNPL has transformed consumers' mindset regarding their spending by offering short-term flexibility that challenges traditional credit methods, the company has opted not to resist the trend but to adapt it to fit in its own model. With its 'Plan It' feature, AmEx gives cardholders the flexibility to break down their purchases of $100 or above into manageable monthly payments, along with its continued feature of earning rewards and benefits from the brand's trusted ecosystem. The company redefined it by integrating BNPL services into the AmEx card experience, which provides installment options with its current services. AXP makes sure that customers see this flexibility as a natural extension of their card benefits, rather than something entirely separate. It is also collaborating with companies to stay visible in the digital shopping age. In this process, AXP is expanding its footprint in the BNPL space and demonstrating that legacy financial players can innovate on their terms while driving growth and retaining customers solidly in their ecosystem. All these results in a massive 98% spend retention. Its network volume rose 7% year over year in the second quarter of 2025. Also, its closed-loop business model will likely enable it to generate more interest income from the growing BNPL trend. These suggest that American Express is clearly positioning itself not only to withstand the BNPL disruption but also to lead it. How Are Competitors Faring? Some of AXP's competitors in the BNPL space are PayPal Holdings, Inc. PYPL and Affirm Holdings, Inc. AFRM. PayPal offers features like Pay in 4 and Pay monthly, which continue to strengthen its BNPL presence. In the second quarter of 2025, PayPal's total payment volume grew 6% year over year. Its active account rose 2% year over year to 438 million in the same period. Affirm is building a solid niche in BNPL with a primary focus on higher-ticket purchases, along with low-ticket purchases. In the third quarter of fiscal 2025, Affirm's active consumers increased 23% year over year, along with 36% year-over-year growth in its gross merchandise volume. American Express' Price Performance, Valuation & Estimates Shares of AXP have declined 2.9% in the year-to-date period against the industry 's growth of 3.8%. From a valuation standpoint, American Express trades at a forward price-to-earnings ratio of 18.4X, down from the industry average of 20.6. AXP carries a Value Score of B. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for American Express' 2025 earnings is pegged at $15.26 per share, implying a 14.3% jump from the year-ago period. The stock currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. Free Report: Profiting from the 2nd Wave of AI Explosion The next phase of the AI explosion is poised to create significant wealth for investors, especially those who get in early. It will add literally trillion of dollars to the economy and revolutionize nearly every part of our lives. Investors who bought shares like Nvidia at the right time have had a shot at huge gains. But the rocket ride in the "first wave" of AI stocks may soon come to an end. The sharp upward trajectory of these stocks will begin to level off, leaving exponential growth to a new wave of cutting-edge companies. Zacks' AI Boom 2.0: The Second Wave report reveals 4 under-the-radar companies that may soon be shining stars of AI's next leap forward. Access AI Boom 2.0 now, absolutely free >> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report American Express Company (AXP): Free Stock Analysis Report PayPal Holdings, Inc. (PYPL): Free Stock Analysis Report Affirm Holdings, Inc. (AFRM): Free Stock Analysis Report
