Northvolt announces 1,600 layoffs in Sweden, insists Quebec EV battery plant won’t be affected

Northvolt announces 1,600 layoffs in Sweden, insists Quebec EV battery plant won’t be affected

Electric vehicle battery manufacturer Northvolt says construction of a $7-billion plant on Montreal’s South Shore will proceed as planned, despite announcing on Monday its intention to lay off 1,600 employees in Sweden. The Swedish multinational said it plans to cut 1,000 jobs in Skellefteå, 400 in Västerås and 200 in Stockholm — about a fifth of its … Read more

As temperatures rise, so will the cost of an AC unit

As temperatures rise, so will the cost of an AC unit

Cost of Living5:07The hot, sweaty irony of it all Star Vickery never used to need an air conditioning unit to stay cool in her home in Halifax. But summers are getting warmer, she says, and since she now works from home, it’s become a must.  But cooling your home can be costly. The unit cost … Read more

Steel and aluminum CEOs warn of ‘existential threat’ if Canada doesn’t impose tariffs on China

Steel and aluminum CEOs warn of ‘existential threat’ if Canada doesn’t impose tariffs on China

Canada’s steel and aluminum industries are warning they face an “existential threat” if the Trudeau government fails to move in lockstep with the U.S. and Mexico by introducing tariffs on Chinese steel and aluminum imports this month. “We can’t be the only CUSMA country that is not taking this serious action for many reasons, but … Read more

Canada strikes deal to use U.S. space tech, clearing way for rocket launch pad in N.S.

Canada strikes deal to use U.S. space tech, clearing way for rocket launch pad in N.S.

A new agreement between Canada and the United States is reigniting the possibility of a spaceport in rural Nova Scotia. Federal cabinet minister and Nova Scotia MP Sean Fraser announced in Halifax Friday that the two countries have negotiated a Technology Safeguards Agreement, which would allow the use of U.S. space launch technology, expertise and data … Read more

Ottawa removes regulatory red tape for Trans Mountain pipeline

Ottawa removes regulatory red tape for Trans Mountain pipeline

Ahead of Canada’s plan to move the Trans Mountain pipeline to Indigenous ownership, the federal government is changing how it manages the pipeline, according to a notice published Wednesday on the federal government’s official newspaper, Canada Gazette. The Canada Development Investment Corporation and Trans Mountain Corporation will no longer need authorization from a top official, the governor … Read more

Trans Mountain pipeline ushers in new economic era for Fort McMurray

Trans Mountain pipeline ushers in new economic era for Fort McMurray

As the urban centre at the heart of Canada’s oilsands industry, Fort McMurray has seen more than its share of ups and downs. A decade and a half ago, the northern Alberta community was this country’s most famous boom town. High oil prices helped to drive unprecedented demand for the thick, viscous bitumen that lies … Read more

Feds give financial boost to biofuel sector amid growing U.S. competition

Feds give financial boost to biofuel sector amid growing U.S. competition

Canada’s biofuel industry is welcoming a proposed multi-billion dollar package of financial support from the federal government, although concerns remain about whether it will be enough to compete with lucrative subsidies south of the border and reverse the growing dependence on U.S. imports to meet clean fuel regulations. The federal government is committing $1.27 billion toward … Read more

‘We are losing the Amazon rainforest’: Record number of wildfires in parts of Brazil

‘We are losing the Amazon rainforest’: Record number of wildfires in parts of Brazil

Fire is sucking the life out of parts of the Amazon rainforest. In Roraima State, in northern Brazil, the number of fires in February were more than five times the average, according to data from Brazil’s National Institute for Space Research, and blazes continued to burn through March. “We are losing the Amazon rainforest. These … Read more

Carbon capture tax credit could cost taxpayers $1B more than expected, PBO warns

Carbon capture tax credit could cost taxpayers B more than expected, PBO warns

A controversial tax credit meant to help jump-start carbon capture projects could cost $1 billion more than the federal government estimated, says the independent parliamentary budget watchdog. In several federal budgets, Finance Canada forecast that the carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS) investment tax credit would cost $4.6 billion between 2022-28. The Parliamentary Budget Officer … Read more

Report raises questions around growing mining exploration in northern B.C.

Report raises questions around growing mining exploration in northern B.C.

A new report by the U.S. branch of the non-profit Environmental Investigation Agency says that investment interest and government tax incentives are fuelling intense mining exploration in remote northern B.C. — raising concerns about the environmental impacts of the work and its financial implications. The report focuses on the transboundary region, which falls along the border between … Read more