Latest news with #Economy
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
The Latest Global Commodities News
1544 ET - Gold futures finished May lower, with the front-month contract shedding 0.5% in that time and falling to $3,288.90 per troy ounce. This slide breaks a 4-month winning streak, thanks in part to a higher U.S. dollar index, which rose in the first-half of the month and weighed on gold prices. 1529 ET - After starting the day both higher, live cattle futures faltered -- dropping back 0.3% to $2.10 a pound for the day.
Calgary Herald
a day ago
- Business
- Calgary Herald
Alberta's goal of $25B from tourism 'very doable' by 2035
Alberta's lofty tourism goals are aiming to chart a path for continued success in the sector. Article content The province's long-term tourism strategy aims to grow Alberta's annual visitor economy from around $10 billion to $25 billion by 2035. Article content Over the period of January to September last year, the province saw tourism revenues climb by 10 per cent over 2023 — from $10.5 billion to $11.5 billion. Article content Article content At a Friday event hosted by the Calgary Chamber of Commerce, Tourism and Sport Minister Andrew Boitchenko and Minister of Jobs, Economy, Trade and Immigration Joseph Schow discussed tourism's future in Alberta. Article content Article content 'It brings business to local communities, and I think that's a big part our (Alberta's) diversification,' said Boitchenko during a fireside chat with Schow hosted by Chamber president and CEO Deborah Yedlin in the Fairmont Palliser's Crystal Ballroom. Article content According to the provincial government, growth in Alberta's tourism sector outpaced every other province, advancing at a rate more than three times the national average for the first three quarters of 2024. Article content 'We need to understand that in the world, tourism is the fastest growing industry — outgrowing other industries by three times or so,' said Boitchenko, who was granted the tourism and sport portfolio two weeks ago. Article content Article content Boitchenko also expressed enthusiasm for rail projects in the province, having been born in Ukraine and seeing how convenient Europe's rail system is. He immigrated to Canada as a teenager. Article content Boitchenko did not provide any update on possible funding for refurbishment at Calgary's Olympic Oval, a new field house or improvements at the aging McMahon Stadium, which is set to host the Grey Cup next year. Article content However, he did note the importance of partnerships with the private sector and other orders of government for larger projects. Article content A 'big part' of what Boitchenko aims to do is advocate for the federal government to help with constructing and maintaining facilities.
Edmonton Journal
a day ago
- Politics
- Edmonton Journal
Interim report for Alberta's investigation into AHS procurement delayed four months
Article content The preliminary report of the Alberta government's investigation into procurement and contracting processes at Alberta Health Services (AHS) will be delayed by four months, and the final report by 3 1/2 months, the province announced Friday. In January, former Manitoba chief judge of the provincial court Raymond Wyant was appointed to lead the third-party investigation into Alberta's procurement of pharmaceuticals, and the services offered by chartered surgical facilities. Article content His interim report was to have been due to government on Friday, but will now be pushed back until Sept. 24, a delay of three months and 26 days. Similarly, his final report was to have been due on June 30 but will now be completed by Oct. 15, a delay of three months and 16 days, and less than two weeks before MLAs return for the fall sitting of the legislature and five days before municipal elections are held across the province. Jobs, Economy, Trade and Immigration Deputy Minister Christopher McPherson selected Wyant to lead the investigation and cited the large number of documents and interviews being reviewed in announcing the delay. 'In consultation with and by the mutual agreement of judge Wyant and the deputy minister of Service Alberta and Red Tape Reduction, I have extended the term of the investigation,' he stated in a news release. Article content He added that the terms of reference for the investigation remain unchanged. Questions Wyant is considering include if any elected official, government of Alberta or AHS employee acted improperly during the procurement processes. Wyant's is one of several ongoing investigations into allegations of corruption within procurement practices at AHS that were raised in a $1.7-million wrongful dismissal lawsuit filed by the agency's former head, Athana Mentzelopoulos. Her allegations have not been tested in court and the government has denied wrongdoing. Alberta's Office of the Auditor General and the RCMP are also investigating. Critics, including Opposition New Democrats, have claimed Wyant's review is limited in scope and could be subject to political interference. Earlier Friday, NDP leader Naheed Nenshi issued a statement calling on the government to release the interim report and reiterating his call for a public inquiry, something the government has so far resisted citing the adequacy of the existing ongoing investigations. Article content 'Albertans know they can't trust Danielle Smith's government to protect public health care or education, or to stop the rising cost of living caused by her policies,' said Nenshi in a news release. Nenshi added, 'this was a specific promise to Albertans, it must be kept,' noting Justice Minister Mickey Amery had pledged the report would be available online on May 30 'for everybody to read.' Former cabinet minister, and current independent MLA, Peter Guthrie has spoken out against Wyant's investigation, saying it lacks the accountability needed to earn the public's trust. 'This review resembles a classic 'Whitewash Report,' seemingly designed to conceal wrongdoing rather than expose it — an approach that risks triggering serious accusations of a coverup,' he wrote in a letter he posted online in April. mblack@ Latest National Stories
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Interim report for Alberta's investigation into AHS procurement delayed four months
The preliminary report of the Alberta government's investigation into procurement and contracting processes at Alberta Health Services (AHS) will be delayed by four months, and the final report by 3 1/2 months, the province announced Friday. In January, former Manitoba chief judge of the provincial court Raymond Wyant was appointed to lead the third-party investigation into Alberta's procurement of pharmaceuticals, and the services offered by chartered surgical facilities. His interim report was to have been due to government on Friday, but will now be pushed back until Sept. 24, a delay of three months and 26 days. Similarly, his final report was to have been due on June 30 but will now be completed by Oct. 15, a delay of three months and 16 days, and less than two weeks before MLAs return for the fall sitting of the legislature and five days before municipal elections are held across the province. Jobs, Economy, Trade and Immigration Deputy Minister Christopher McPherson selected Wyant to lead the investigation and cited the large number of documents and interviews being reviewed in announcing the delay. 'In consultation with and by the mutual agreement of judge Wyant and the deputy minister of Service Alberta and Red Tape Reduction, I have extended the term of the investigation,' he stated in a news release. He added that the terms of reference for the investigation remain unchanged. Questions Wyant is considering include if any elected official, government of Alberta or AHS employee acted improperly during the procurement processes. Wyant's is one of several ongoing investigations into allegations of corruption within procurement practices at AHS that were raised in a $1.7-million wrongful dismissal lawsuit filed by the agency's former head, Athana Mentzelopoulos. Her allegations have not been tested in court and the government has denied wrongdoing. Alberta's Office of the Auditor General and the RCMP are also investigating. Critics, including Opposition New Democrats, have claimed Wyant's review is limited in scope and could be subject to political interference. Earlier Friday, NDP leader Naheed Nenshi issued a statement calling on the government to release the interim report and reiterating his call for a public inquiry, something the government has so far resisted citing the adequacy of the existing ongoing investigations. 'Albertans know they can't trust Danielle Smith's government to protect public health care or education, or to stop the rising cost of living caused by her policies,' said Nenshi in a news release. Nenshi added, 'this was a specific promise to Albertans, it must be kept,' noting Justice Minister Mickey Amery had pledged the report would be available online on May 30 'for everybody to read.' Former cabinet minister, and current independent MLA, Peter Guthrie has spoken out against Wyant's investigation, saying it lacks the accountability needed to earn the public's trust. 'This review resembles a classic 'Whitewash Report,' seemingly designed to conceal wrongdoing rather than expose it — an approach that risks triggering serious accusations of a coverup,' he wrote in a letter he posted online in April. mblack@ Bookmark our website and support our journalism: Don't miss the news you need to know — add and to your bookmarks and sign up for our newsletters here. You can also support our journalism by becoming a digital subscriber. Subscribers gain unlimited access to The Edmonton Journal, Edmonton Sun, National Post and 13 other Canadian news sites. Support us by subscribing today: The Edmonton Journal | The Edmonton Sun.
The Sun
a day ago
- Business
- The Sun
HKQAA International Sustainability Forum • Hong Kong 2025: Support the Government's Roadmap on Sustainability Disclosure, Foster cross-border Cooperation and Green Development
HONG KONG SAR - Media OutReach Newswire - 30 May 2025 - Hong Kong Quality Assurance Agency (HKQAA) held the HKQAA International Sustainability Forum • Hong Kong 2025 at the Convention Hall of Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. Mr Tse Chin-wan, BBS, JP, Secretary for Environment and Ecology of the Government of HKSAR; Mr Christopher Hui, GBS, JP, Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury of the Government of HKSAR; Dr Chen Gang, Acting SG of BRI International Green Development Coalition; and Mr Gao Guosheng, Member of the Party Leadership Group of the Guangdong Provincial Administration for Market Regulation, Secretary of the Party Committee and Secretary General of the Guangdong Intellectual Property Administration are the officiating guest and special guest. In addition, Dr Bernard Chan, JP, Acting Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development of the Government of the HKSAR, officiated the Thematic Forum – Pathways to the Sustainable Development of the Silver Economy; and Mr Wei Dunsheng, Deputy Mayor of Nanping Municipal People's Government, Fujian Province, officiated the Thematic Forum – Shaping a Sustainable and Livable City: Green Industry, Shared by the World. Linked policymakers and business leaders to explore green opportunities and low-carbon transition of the BRI Sustainable development and low-carbon transition have become a global topic of concern, receiving significant attention from both the business and financial sectors. The Forum invited local and overseas political and business leaders, experts and academics to share their experiences and insights. In the Morning Forum – Seizing Green Finance Opportunities in the Low-Carbon Transition of the Belt and Road Initiative and the Greater Bay Area, the special guest speakers included Dr Zhang Jianyu, Chief Development Officer of BRI International Green Development Coalition; Mr Riyadi Suparno, Executive Director of Tenggara Strategics (speaker from Indonesia); Mr Ronnie Tham, Partner at Treo Capital (speaker from Malaysia); and Mr Leo Horn-Phathanothai, Founder and CEO, Just Transitions Incubator (JUTI) (speaker from Thailand). 'We took the lead in launching the Green Finance Certification Scheme in 2018 to help enable Hong Kong to leverage its strengths as a Belt and Road investment and financing platform to attract international capital and boost Belt and Road development. Moreover, we have forged a cooperative relationship with BRI International Green Development Coalition, which is jointly initiated by Ministry of Ecology and Environment of our country and international organisations. We aim to promote exchanges and mutual recognition of carbon standards with BRI countries, strengthen capacity-building training, and foster closer green cooperation,' said Ir C. S. Ho, Chairman of the HKQAA. In the Afternoon Forum – Implementing Sustainable Development and Climate Financial Disclosure, the special guest speakers included Representative of Beijing Municipal Finance Bureau; Ms Janey Lai, Chief Executive Officer, The Accounting and Financial Reporting Council; Mr Leng Bing, Member of the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB); Prof Liu Yifang, Director, Sustainable Standards Research Center, Central University of Finance and Economics, Professor and PhD Supervisor of School of Economics. Climate Impact GPS Campaign: supporting the Government's roadmap on climate disclosure HKQAA announced on the event that it took the lead in launching the HKQAA Climate Impact GPS Campaign earlier this year in support of the sustainability disclosure policies of our country and the HKSAR Government. This initiative aims to engage organisations, including the banking sector and the listed companies, in building capacity to address climate-related risks and opportunities so as to well prepare required climate-related financial disclosures by offering industry-based technical guidance, workshops and software tools, including the scope 3 greenhouse gas emissions calculation tool. The Campaign is open to organisations at no cost, and nearly 90 participating organisations that joined the Pilot Program were recognised on a presentation ceremony in the Afternoon Session. Participating organisations of the Pilot Program gain prior access to preview relevant industry-based technical guidance, as well as participate in workshops and use the tools. In terms of promoting professional talent development, HKQAA is honoured to be invited to cooperate with the Beijing Municipal Finance Bureau on a sustainability information disclosure pilot and training project, helping the country steadily advance the development of its sustainability disclosure standards system. Moreover, a memorandum of understanding was signed at the Forum by Mr P C Chan, Chief Executive Officer of HKQAA, and Prof Karen Cheung, Director of Hong Kong Institute of Education for Sustainable Development. This memorandum aims to jointly promote the establishment and optimisation of sustainable development talent standards in Hong Kong, enhance talent cultivation and the upgrading of sustainable development skills, effectively drive industry-wide sustainable development, and foster Hong Kong and the entire Greater Bay Area as an international centre for sustainable development talent. ''I would like to take this opportunity to thank the HKQAA for its contributions to the development of green finance in Hong Kong. The HKQAA has been participating in the development of international standards for sustainable finance and launched the Green and Sustainable Finance Certification Scheme (formerly called Green Finance Certification Scheme) in 2018. I am delighted to know that the HKQAA also supports the development of a roadmap for sustainability disclosure in our country by contributing to the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Finance and Economy's pilot project for sustainability disclosure and talent development. At home, it has supported Hong Kong's own disclosure roadmap by establishing industry-specific climate risk tools to help local businesses prepare for future reporting requirements,' said Mr Christopher Hui, GBS, JP, Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, in his remarks via video. Introducing the Effectiveness and Potential Application of Structural Data Disclosure Model for Sustainability Disclosure HKQAA introduced a brand-new structural data disclosure model in 2024, named the 'Nexus Data Model'. With the meaning of nexus, the objective of the data model is to link material sustainability issues and to connect all stakeholders together. This model is already applied to HKQAA ESG Connect Program, Hong Kong Registration and will be used for other engagement, disclosure or assessment services in the future application. As the evaluation project leader of this data disclosure model, Professor Zhang Lin, School of Energy and Environment of the City University of Hong Kong, shared on the Afternoon Forum the team's finding based on data obtained from the HKQAA ESG Connect Program. The results confirmed that the data model effectively encourages businesses to adopt ESG initiatives and disclose progress on ESG, Carbon Action, Climate Response, and CBAM Ready, while strengthening stakeholder connections. Ultimately, it fosters a sustainable ESG Ecosystem, driving long-term ESG development. Establishing strategic partnership to promote high-quality development in the GBA On the Forum, under the witness of Mr P C Chan, Chief Executive Officer of HKQAA, and Mr Gao Guosheng, Member of the Party Leadership Group of the Guangdong Provincial Administration for Market Regulation, Secretary of the Party Committee and Secretary General of the Guangdong Intellectual Property Administration, a memorandum of understanding was signed by Mr K T Ting, HKQAA's Chief Operating Officer, and Mr Lu Yongchi, Chief Operation Officer of The Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Certification Promotion Centre. This memorandum aims to deepen cooperation in the field of testing and certification, advance the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, promote the alignment of regulatory mechanisms between the mainland and the Hong Kong and Macao regions, and support the high-quality development of the Greater Bay Area. Co-hosting green industry themed forum with the People's Government of Nanping Nanping is endeavouring to become the country's model city of green development, flourishing through its green industries. Co-hosted by HKQAA and the People's Government of Nanping, Fujian Province, Thematic Forum – Shaping a Sustainable and Livable City: Green Industry, Shared by the World focused on topics of carbon measurement, value of ecological products, and the bamboo industry. Mr Wei Dunsheng, Deputy Mayor of Nanping Municipal People's Government, Fujian Province, was the officiating guest of the Thematic Forum. Launched a silver-friendly registration scheme to support the Government's silver economy policy The presentation ceremony of the Hong Kong Green and Sustainability Contribution Awards 2025 was held on the event. The Awards aim to encourage companies to incorporate sustainable practices into their management decisions and daily operations, and recognise their efforts and contributions. Ｏrganisations and venues from Hong Kong, Mainland China and overseas were honoured. This year, 'Promote High-Quality Elderly Living', 'Promote Silver-friendly Community' and 'Promote Halai-friendly Community' categories were newly added to the Awards. The awards of 'Promote High-Quality Elderly Living' and 'Promote Silver-friendly Community' were presented by Dr Bernard Chan, Acting Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development of the Government of the HKSAR, who also officiated the Thematic Forum – Pathways to the Sustainable Development of the Silver Economy. HKQAA has been launching various certification and registration schemes in line with government policy directions to continuously enhance the professionalism and recognition of the industry. To support the Working Group on Promoting Silver Economy led by the Deputy Chief Secretary for Administration, HKQAA has introduced the HKQAA Hong Kong Registration – Silver-friendly Series. This series aims to guide enterprises in tapping into the silver market through three main aspects – venues, products and services, while also creating a better living environment for the elderly. HKQAA will continue to promote the registration scheme, encouraging more enterprises to participate and jointly respond to the government's policy of promoting the silver economy. 'I would like to thank the Hong Kong Quality Assurance Agency for taking the lead in launching the 'Hong Kong Registration – Silver-Friendly Series' in support of the Government's efforts to promote the silver economy. This registration scheme sets out a set of criteria from the perspective of silver consumers, guiding enterprises to enhance their venues, products, and services. I also call on more enterprises to actively take part in the scheme by integrating silver-friendly elements into their daily operations and creating a consumption environment that better caters to the needs and preferences of the silver generation, thereby boosting 'silver consumption' and driving economic growth,' said Dr Bernard Chan, JP, Acting Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, in his remarks. Organisation's Sharing on Sustainability Strategies JEC has been a long-standing ally in Hong Kong's sustainability efforts, aligning with the 2050 Net-Zero mission by providing innovative sustainability solutions to both public and private sectors for decades. JEC's AI digital solution and environmental engineering projects deliver real ESG impact, transforming how businesses and cities thrive sustainably. Regarding JEC's innovations are shaping a more sustainable Hong Kong, JEC's vision is to pioneer even smarter and more sustainable engineering innovations, making them accessible across Hong Kong and Asia. JEC's mission contributes to Hong Kong's 2050 Net-Zero future. JEC looks forward to connecting with all sectors to shape a greener tomorrow. First, JEDI, JEC's AI digital solution, optimizes energy and detects faults in buildings. Its algorithms analyze weather forecasts, past energy consumption, equipment pattern and utility bills to build predictive models, ensuring precise energy management. In 2024, JEDI saved over 8 million kilowatt-hJEC'ss and cut over 4 million kilograms of CO2 across grade A commercial buildings, campuses, and transport hubs in APAC. By analysing real-time data, like chiller performance, it slashes energy costs by 8-26%. For instance, in a commercial tower, JEDI's fault detection reduced downtime, boosting efficiency and meeting BEAM Plus standards. Next, through working with the government, JEC's environmental engineering projects strengthen Hong Kong's sustainability. The Tseung Kwan O Desalination Plant, launched in 2023, uses reverse osmosis to supply ultimately increase to 135,000 million litres, equivalent to around 5% of Hong Kong's potable water demand. Its solar panels generate renewable energy to account for 16% of total energy usage, reducing grid dependence by 30% and earning BEAM Plus Platinum certification. The Shek Wu Hui Sewage Treatment Works employs advanced treatment technology, enhancing water quality and earning a 2021 HKIBIM Bronze. At O·PARK2, JEC's waste-to-energy facility handles food waste daily through anaerobic digestion to create biogas for electricity production. This process contributes to exporting significant amounts of energy annually, powering local households, and effectively reducing greenhouse gas emissions. JEC's Pilot Biochar Production Plant in EcoPark, Tuen Mun, processes tonnes of woody waste annually to produce tonnes of biochar, reducing emissions and serving as a soil conditioner and pollutant filter.
