‘Urgent’ safety recall leaves couple with dangerous Dodge truck for nearly 2 years

When the recall notice came in the mail, Michele Ashenden and her husband Vittorio Pulcini knew it was serious. The words “Urgent Vehicle Recall” in red letters were sprawled at the top, along with a warning that a defective fuel pump on their truck could lead to sudden loss of power and a crash. Ashenden … Read more

Group of Tim Hortons franchisees in Quebec sue brand owner for $18.9M

Several Quebec Tim Hortons franchisees are taking the brand’s owner to court, blaming what they describe as unreasonable constraints in the company’s licensing agreements for lower-than-expected profits. In a lawsuit filed in Quebec Superior Court on Thursday, 16 companies with Tim Hortons franchise licences allege the TDL Group Corp.’s contracts “place it in a position … Read more

Who’s to blame for contaminated shellfish? Researchers follow the fecal matter to find out

For the shellfish industry, high fecal counts detected in areas where shellfish such as oysters are harvested can mean long — and costly — closures. The fecal matter is associated with human-borne viruses, like norovirus, but the tests that are typically used to measure the fecal matter don’t distinguish between different types of animals, including … Read more

Telecom execs insist wireless prices going down as MPs voice concern over costs

The chief executives of Canada’s three largest telecom companies stressed that phone and internet prices are coming down during an appearance before MPs on Monday, noting that increased data usage and high spectrum costs may be some reasons Canadians feel otherwise. The three CEOs — Rogers Communications Inc.’s Tony Staffieri, BCE Inc.’s Mirko Bibic and … Read more

Canada’s indie movie theatres say industry is in crisis

Canada’s independent cinema industry is in crisis, its owners say, as they face mounting challenges from streaming services and restrictive Hollywood studio rules. Sixty per cent of independent movie theatre operators were at a loss at the end of their most recent fiscal year, according to a report released Tuesday by the Network of Independent … Read more

Odysseus spacecraft comms from moon expected to halt on Wednesday

Odysseus, the first U.S. spacecraft to land on the moon in half a century, was expected to go dark on Wednesday, six days after an off-kilter touchdown that hindered its communications and solar-charging capability, NASA and the company that flew the vehicle said. Despite persistent difficulties in communicating with the lander and keeping it charged, … Read more

‘Shocking’: Air Canada CEO blasted over accessibility services at House committee

Lawmakers took Air Canada’s CEO to task on Monday over “shocking” and “scandalous” failures to accommodate passengers living with disabilities. At a House of Commons committee hearing on services for Canadians with disabilities, chief executive Michael Rousseau faced a barrage of questions over reports of passenger mistreatment during the past year. Vice-chair Tracy Gray cited … Read more

High interest rates aren’t to blame for housing crisis, Bank of Canada governor says

Bank of Canada governor Tiff Macklem says the central bank can’t solve the housing crisis with interest rates because the root cause is a supply shortage. Macklem faced multiple questions on housing affordability during an appearance before the finance committee on Thursday — one week after the bank yet again kept its key overnight interest rate at … Read more

Ottawa may ‘rein in’ temporary resident numbers as housing concerns intensify, minister says

Immigration Minister Marc Miller says he’ll be scrutinizing the number of international students and other non-permanent residents coming into Canada, as political tension builds around the interplay between housing affordability and immigration. In an interview airing Sunday on Rosemary Barton Live, Miller said the relationship between housing and immigration is complex, and it was discussed around … Read more

Is your new car on a storage compound? Inside Kia’s scheme to deliberately withhold deliveries

New Kia vehicles that have arrived from overseas are sitting on a storage lot in Wolverton, Ont., purposely locked up even though customers have been waiting months and months — some well over a year — to get their vehicles. The new cars are being withheld from Kia’s Ontario dealerships — and reportedly from many more … Read more