Homeowners will no longer need to do stress test when switching mortgage providers

Homeowners will no longer need to do stress test when switching mortgage providers

The national banking regulator says it will no longer require borrowers with uninsured mortgages to undergo a stress test when switching providers. The Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions says it will end the policy for lenders to apply the minimum qualifying rate to straight switches when uninsured mortgages are renewed at a different institution … Read more

NextStar Energy battery plant on track for production late 2025 while competitors delay projects

NextStar Energy battery plant on track for production late 2025 while competitors delay projects

The massive electric vehicle battery plant in southwestern Ontario should produce its first module this month as the project looks to hire another 200 employees before the end of the year.  Windsor’s NextStar Energy plant, expected to be the first facility of its kind to begin production in Canada, will eventually employ 2,500 people and spur a supply … Read more

Trudeau says Singh, NDP ‘caved’ to political pressure in fight against climate change

Trudeau says Singh, NDP ‘caved’ to political pressure in fight against climate change

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau slammed the NDP and its leader Jagmeet Singh on Friday, saying that while they may care about the environment, they have “no idea what to do in the fight against climate change.”  At a news conference in the Montreal suburb of Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, Que., Trudeau accused the NDP of “playing simple politics” and “walking … Read more

Endangered butternut trees thriving in western Quebec forest, group says

Endangered butternut trees thriving in western Quebec forest, group says

Disease-resistant seedlings of an endangered tree species are doing well during their first season in a western Quebec forest, according to the conservation group that planted them. Butternut trees are native to Canada and can be found in Ontario, Quebec and New Brunswick. But over the last 30 or so years, canker disease has wiped out … Read more

Court rejects Ottawa’s attempt to quash lawsuit challenging Governor General’s appointment

Court rejects Ottawa’s attempt to quash lawsuit challenging Governor General’s appointment

The Quebec Superior Court has ruled that a lawsuit seeking to overturn Governor General Mary Simon’s appointment can move forward and be heard on its merits. Justice Marie-Hélène Dubé dismissed an application by the attorney general of Canada to have the case thrown out, giving the plaintiffs — two Quebec language rights groups — their second win in … Read more

Dog owners get reprieve, but some still anxious over U.S. border rules

Dog owners get reprieve, but some still anxious over U.S. border rules

Some dog owners say the temporary exemption Canada has received from the most onerous new U.S. rules for bringing dogs across the border doesn’t go far enough and the reprieve needs to be made permanent. Earlier this month the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said that as of Aug. 1, dogs coming … Read more

Think your grocery bill is high? Try eating gluten-free

Think your grocery bill is high? Try eating gluten-free

When Ashley Hickey’s seven-year-old son Alex was diagnosed with celiac disease last month, she knew she had to revamp the entire family’s diet to become a gluten-free household. Celiac is a genetic autoimmune disease that causes people to get sick when they consume wheat, rye or barley. Having celiac herself, Hickey is familiar with the … Read more

After early struggles, federal refugee employment program gains traction with employers

After early struggles, federal refugee employment program gains traction with employers

As the federal government moves to restrict the number of temporary workers in the country, a relatively new program to bring refugees to Canada on a permanent basis is beginning to catch on with employers. The Economic Mobility Pathways Pilot (EMPP) is a federal program aimed, in part, at easing the labour shortages facing many … Read more

Canadian universities say foreign influence registry could harm research partnerships

Canadian universities say foreign influence registry could harm research partnerships

Canada’s leading research universities warn that a proposed foreign influence transparency registry could have an unintended “chilling effect” on international partnerships, meaning Canada misses out on cutting-edge opportunities. The U15 Canada universities are among several concerned voices urging MPs to adopt changes to the planned registry, a centrepiece of legislation being whisked through a House … Read more

Dentists can bill for federal dental plan patients without signing up for program, government says

Dentists can bill for federal dental plan patients without signing up for program, government says

The federal government announced Wednesday that oral health care providers who provide services to Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP) clients can bill the insurance company directly without formally signing up for the program. In early April, provincial dental associations told CBC News that Ottawa was requiring dental care providers to sign contracts to join the … Read more