Business

A worker smooths concrete at a construction site in Toronto, Thursday, Jan. 16, 2020. Statistics Canada is expected to release its snapshot of the Canadian job market for December this morning. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Cole Burston

Canadian economy lost 63,000 jobs in Dec., first decline since April

Statistics Canada said Friday the economy lost 63,000 jobs in December while the unemployment rate edged up to 8.6%

A worker smooths concrete at a construction site in Toronto, Thursday, Jan. 16, 2020. Statistics Canada is expected to release its snapshot of the Canadian job market for December this morning. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Cole Burston
Central City Brewing Co. pub in Whalley in Whalley has closed. (Photo: Lauren Collins)

Surrey’s Central City Taphouse location listed for sale

A Nov. 4 release said the company’s restaurants would be closing ‘temporarily’

Central City Brewing Co. pub in Whalley in Whalley has closed. (Photo: Lauren Collins)
Credit cards are seen in Montreal on December 12, 2012. Industry groups say small businesses are being hammered by high credit card fees on online purchases as the shift toward e-commerce continues amid the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz

Small businesses feeling the pinch of credit-card fees as e-commerce ramps up

The rise in e-commerce sales ‘inevitably squeezes out cash’ from vendors

Credit cards are seen in Montreal on December 12, 2012. Industry groups say small businesses are being hammered by high credit card fees on online purchases as the shift toward e-commerce continues amid the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz
Credit cards are seen in Montreal on December 12, 2012. Industry groups say small businesses are being hammered by high credit card fees on online purchases as the shift toward e-commerce continues amid the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz

Small businesses feeling the pinch of credit-card fees as e-commerce ramps up

CFIB and retail council are calling on the federal government to negotiate lower fees from credit-card firms

Credit cards are seen in Montreal on December 12, 2012. Industry groups say small businesses are being hammered by high credit card fees on online purchases as the shift toward e-commerce continues amid the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz
Vehicles are seen in a parking lot at the General Motors Oshawa Assembly Plant in Oshawa, Ont., on June 20, 2018. THE CANADIAN PRESS/ Tijana Martin

Canadian auto sales fell 19.7% in 2020 from a year earlier; lowest level in a decade

The consultancy says auto sales fell 2.6 per cent in December 2020 from the same month in 2019

Vehicles are seen in a parking lot at the General Motors Oshawa Assembly Plant in Oshawa, Ont., on June 20, 2018. THE CANADIAN PRESS/ Tijana Martin
File

Vancouver, Victoria among top 10 tech markets in Canada

Tech education and industry continue to boom in B.C.

File
Jennifer Vespaziani and her husband Matthew Grant have started a new end-of-life business called Hold Space, offering solutions to families coping with the process of death. (Aaron Hinks photo)

White Rock couple launch virtual memorial service, end-of-life doula company

Alternative service offered for people approaching end of life

Jennifer Vespaziani and her husband Matthew Grant have started a new end-of-life business called Hold Space, offering solutions to families coping with the process of death. (Aaron Hinks photo)
Maintenance on the Trans Mountain pipeline, which has run from Alberta to B.C. and Washington since 1954. B.C.’s apprenticeship training system involves traditional trades such as pipefitter, electrician and carpenter, as well as cooking, aircraft maintenance and other skills. (Trans Mountain photo)

‘Compulsory trades’ next battleground for B.C. industry

NDP aims to end B.C.’s 2003 move to workplace ‘flexibility’

Maintenance on the Trans Mountain pipeline, which has run from Alberta to B.C. and Washington since 1954. B.C.’s apprenticeship training system involves traditional trades such as pipefitter, electrician and carpenter, as well as cooking, aircraft maintenance and other skills. (Trans Mountain photo)
NDP leader John Horgan greets Coquitlam-Burke Mountain candidate Fin Donnelly in Coquitlam, B.C., Tuesday in the final days of his snap election campaign, October 20, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS

B.C. NDP nets $1.5 million in taxpayer subsidies to political parties

Conservatives, Rural B.C. party join B.C. Liberals, Greens in per-vote payments

NDP leader John Horgan greets Coquitlam-Burke Mountain candidate Fin Donnelly in Coquitlam, B.C., Tuesday in the final days of his snap election campaign, October 20, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS
FILE – Construction cranes tower above condos under construction near southeast False Creek in Vancouver on February 9, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

B.C. property values went up 4.2% in 2020 as most homeowners see ‘moderate increases’

Every region in B.C. reported a zero to 10 per cent increase in valuation, although individual cities differ

FILE – Construction cranes tower above condos under construction near southeast False Creek in Vancouver on February 9, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
Crew transport bus at the Trans Mountain pipeline project work site in Burnaby, March 2020. (Trans Mountain)

B.C. restricts pipeline, dam restarts due to COVID-19 risk

Coastal GasLink, Trans Mountain, Rio Tinto, Site C slowed for holidays

Crew transport bus at the Trans Mountain pipeline project work site in Burnaby, March 2020. (Trans Mountain)
Office towers are shown from Bay Street in Toronto’s financial district, on Wednesday, June 16, 2010. A new report by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives says the average amount paid to the country’s top chief executives in 2019 was down from 2018, but was still more than 200 times the average worker compensation.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrien Veczan

Top CEO pay in 2019 fell, but still more than 200 times average workers: CCPA report

The average individual income in Canada for 2019 was $53,482, up from $52,061 in 2018

Office towers are shown from Bay Street in Toronto’s financial district, on Wednesday, June 16, 2010. A new report by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives says the average amount paid to the country’s top chief executives in 2019 was down from 2018, but was still more than 200 times the average worker compensation.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrien Veczan
Career Fair

5 reasons your career search just got easier

Black Press Virtual Career and Education Event comes to the Central Mainland

  • Jan 4, 2021
Career Fair
A dealer slides chips across the blackjack table on Friday, March 16, 2012, in Bangor, Maine. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-Robert F. Bukaty

Court approves Great Canadian Gaming merger

Supreme Court of British Columbia has signed off on the investment

A dealer slides chips across the blackjack table on Friday, March 16, 2012, in Bangor, Maine. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-Robert F. Bukaty
Photos of PPE-manufacturing equipment and face masks to be auctioned in Surrey. (Photo: ableauctions.ca)

VIDEO: 100,000+ face masks, PPE-making machines for bid at bankruptcy auction in Surrey

‘They weren’t manufacturing for long, they were only open for a few months,’ auctioneer says

Photos of PPE-manufacturing equipment and face masks to be auctioned in Surrey. (Photo: ableauctions.ca)
B.C.’s Fraser Valley is a major source of Canada’s blueberry exports. (Maple Ridge News)

U.S. blueberry trade action could affect 800 B.C. growers

Province joins federal response to investigation

B.C.’s Fraser Valley is a major source of Canada’s blueberry exports. (Maple Ridge News)
Information regarding the Canada Pension Plan is displayed of the service Canada website in Ottawa on Tuesday, January 31, 2012. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick

Planned increase in CPP premiums on Jan. 1 to hit some workers more due to pandemic

Planned increase on Jan. 1 is part of a multi-year plan approved by provinces and the federal government

Information regarding the Canada Pension Plan is displayed of the service Canada website in Ottawa on Tuesday, January 31, 2012. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick
Construction of mixed residential and commercial development, Victoria B.C., May 2019. (Tom Fletcher/Black Press)

B.C. skilled trade shortage continues in COVID-19 work slump

Interior, North, Island contractors look for busier 2021

Construction of mixed residential and commercial development, Victoria B.C., May 2019. (Tom Fletcher/Black Press)
South Surrey and White Rock Chamber of Commerce will offer Building Resilience To Thrive in conjunction with the BC Chambers of Commerce network. (Contributed photo)

Leadership course offered through Chamber of Commerce builds resilience

Six-week program geared to businesses impacted by COVID-19

South Surrey and White Rock Chamber of Commerce will offer Building Resilience To Thrive in conjunction with the BC Chambers of Commerce network. (Contributed photo)
B.C. Labour Minister Harry Bains takes questions about his decision to keep secret-ballot votes for union certification, demanded by the B.C. Green Party, B.C. legislature, Nov. 20, 2019. (Tom Fletcher/Black Press)

Trade union expansion a key goal for B.C. NDP in 2021

Union-only deals may extend to Massey crossing, others

B.C. Labour Minister Harry Bains takes questions about his decision to keep secret-ballot votes for union certification, demanded by the B.C. Green Party, B.C. legislature, Nov. 20, 2019. (Tom Fletcher/Black Press)