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☆ Canada spies found China 'clandestinely and deceptively' interfered in last two elections
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-09 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Canada's domestic spy agency concluded that China interfered in the last two elections, an official probe heard on Monday, the firmest evidence so far of suspected Chinese meddling in Canadian politics. Canada's domestic spy agency has concluded that China interfered in the last two elections, based on the firmest evidence so far of suspected Chinese meddling in Canadian politics. Under pressure from opposition legislators unhappy about media reports on China's possible role, Trudeau set up a commission into foreign interference. "We know that the PRC (Peoples' Republic of China) clandestinely and deceptively interfered in both the 2019 and 2021 elections," it said. "State actors are able to conduct foreign interference successfully in Canada because there are few legal or political consequences.

Persons: Justin Trudeau's, Trudeau, Erin O'Toole Organizations: Justin Trudeau's Liberal Party, Canadian Security Intelligence Service, Peoples, Global News, Conservatives, CSIS Locations: China, Peoples ' Republic of China, PRC, Canada

☆ Alberta to invoke controversial law to resist Canada's energy policy
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Alberta has long been at odds with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's Liberal government over energy policy. "We have been trying to work collaboratively with them on aligning their targets with our targets," Smith said on Saturday said on the radio program "Your Province. We have to have an affordable grid, and we're going to make sure that we defend our constitutional jurisdiction to do that." The Trudeau government's clean electricity regulations are designed to create a net-zero emissions power grid by 2035 by putting limits on when and how emitting power sources, such as Alberta's natural gas-burning plants, can be used starting in 2035. Reporting by Nivedita Balu in Toronto; Editing by Leslie AdlerOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Danielle Smith, Justin Trudeau's, Smith, Steven Guilbeault, Trudeau, Nivedita Balu, Leslie Adler Organizations: TORONTO, Justin Trudeau's Liberal, Alberta, Canada's, United, Thomson Locations: Alberta, Province, United Canada, Toronto

Breton also is co-chair of a government working group on charging infrastructure. "People seem to forget that the backbone of the infrastructure is not public charging, it's home charging," Breton said. 'SERIOUS CHALLENGE'Breton said that 30% of the cost of installing a home EV charging station in the U.S. is covered by a federal tax credit, while California residents can receive rebates for upgrading charging stations and electric panels. Most Canadians drive short distances to work, meaning that public charging is mainly necessary for longer-haul travellers, Breton said. Canada had 19 EVs per public charging point in 2022, while the number was 24 in the U.S., according to the Paris-based International Energy Agency.

Persons: Chris Helgren, Justin Trudeau's, Canada's, Daniel Breton, Breton, Brian Kingston, Kingston, Joanna Kyriazis, Rod Nickel, Denny Thomas, Paul Simao Organizations: Volkswagen, Canadian, REUTERS, Companies Parkland Corp, Justin Trudeau's Liberal, Infrastructure Bank, Parkland Corp, EV, Electric Mobility Canada, Natural Resources, International Energy Agency, Clean Energy Canada, Simon Fraser University, Canadian Vehicle Manufacturers ' Association, Thomson Locations: Toronto , Ontario, Canada, WINNIPEG , Manitoba, British Columbia, Canadian, Parkland, Breton, U.S, California, Natural Resources Canada, Paris, Vancouver, Ottawa, Winnipeg , Manitoba

☆ Canada to add spending for housing amid slow growth and high debt payments
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-21 | by ( Steve Scherer | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Canada's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Chrystia Freeland attends the Canada-CARICOM Summit in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada October 18, 2023. Housing Minister Sean Fraser on Monday confirmed the government is considering such a measure. Many Canadians are dealing with higher living costs and housing affordability has emerged as the main criticism against the government. Freeland has promised to use the FES to try to boost housing supply and to help Canadians struggling with inflation. The Bank of Canada hiked rates to a 22-year high of 5.00% between March of last year and July of this year.

Persons: Finance Chrystia Freeland, Blair Gable, Chrystia Freeland, Justin Trudeau's, Freeland, Derek Holt, Holt, Sean Fraser, Trudeau, Pierre Poilievre, Steve Scherer, Matthew Lewis Organizations: Finance, Canada, CARICOM, REUTERS, OTTAWA, Canada Finance, Justin Trudeau's Liberal, Scotiabank, Canadian Broadcasting Corp, Toronto Star, Housing, Monday, Conservative, Bank of Canada, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Ottawa , Ontario, Canada, FES, United States, Ottawa

OTTAWA, Nov 21 (Reuters) - Canada's annual inflation rate eased more than expected to 3.1% in October and core inflation measures edged down to their lowest levels in about two years, data showed on Tuesday, likely closing the door to further rate hikes. The Bank of Canada (BoC) targets 2% annual inflation. "If the door wasn't already shut to additional rate hikes, it now should be." The bank projects inflation to hover around 3.5% until mid-2024, before trickling down to its 2% target in late 2025. Dragging the annual inflation rate in October was a 7.8% drop in gasoline prices, which benefited from comparison with a price surge in October 2022.

Persons: Royce Mendes, Simon Harvey, Chrystia Freeland, Justin Trudeau's, Ismail Shakil, Steve Scherer, Dale Smith, Fergal Smith, Divya Rajagopal, Chizu Organizations: OTTAWA, Reuters, Statistics, Bank of Canada, BoC, CPI, Desjardins Group, Canadian, Justin Trudeau's Liberal, Thomson Locations: Statistics Canada, Europe, Canada, Ottawa, Toronto

OTTAWA, Nov 2 (Reuters) - The Canada Energy Regulator (CER) on Thursday ordered the Trans Mountain oil pipeline expansion project to stop work in a wetland area near Abbotsford, British Columbia, after inspectors found several environmental and safety-related non-compliances. Trans Mountain Corp, the Canadian government-owned corporation building the expansion project, said the order applies to a specific work area of about 800 metres. Work on the oil pipeline expansion project is more than 95% complete, Trans Mountain said. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's Liberal government bought the pipeline in 2018 to ensure the expansion project went ahead. In 2021, Trans Mountain was ordered to stop work for four months to protect hummingbird nests along a one-kilometer section of its route.

Persons: Justin Trudeau's, Ismail Shakil, Nia Williams, Leslie Adler, Diane Craft, Aurora Ellis Organizations: OTTAWA, Canada Energy Regulator, Canadian, Trans Mountain Corp, U.S ., Justin Trudeau's Liberal, Thomson Locations: Abbotsford, British Columbia, Alberta, Coast, Asia, U.S . West Coast, Trans

☆ Analysis: Canada may struggle to recoup $26 billion cost of Trans Mountain pipeline
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-12 | by ( Nia Williams | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's Liberal government bought Trans Mountain in 2018 for C$4.5 billion to rescue the expansion project, which has struggled with years of regulatory delay and massive cost overruns. A Reuters survey of five analysts and investors valued Trans Mountain between C$15 billion and C$25 billion, based on factors including projected earnings and oil shipping tolls. Trans Mountain Corp (TMC) CEO Dawn Farrell told local media last week the sale could wrap up by early 2025, just as Canada heads into a federal election. Trans Mountain offers strategic value as it is the only pipeline taking crude from Canada's oil patch to the Pacific, and on to Asian refining markets. "It's hard to imagine...that a pipeline like Trans Mountain would ever be built again," Poscente said.

Persons: Justin Trudeau's, Ryan Bushell, Dawn Farrell, Michael Dunn, Paul Poscente, Poscente, Pembina, Scott Burrows, Enbridge, Marc Weil, Dave Szybunka, Szybunka, Rod Nickel, Steve Scherer, Denny Thomas, Marguerita Choy Organizations: Ottawa, Justin Trudeau's Liberal, Reuters, Newhaven Asset Management, Trans Mountain Corp, Mountain, Cenovus Energy, Nations, Axxcelus, Chinook, Pembina Pipeline Corp, Indigenous Pipeline, TC Energy, Keystone, TC, Canoe Financial, Thomson Locations: Canada, Alberta, Trans, Newhaven, Pembina, U.S, Gulf, Calgary, Winnipeg, Ottawa

☆ Canada risks more than C$50 billion in clean tech as incentives in limbo
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-18 | by ( Steve Scherer | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

OTTAWA, Sept 18 (Reuters) - More than a year after Canada first announced incentives to jumpstart clean technology projects there is still no money flowing, and if they are not in place soon, more than C$50 billion ($37 billion) in investments could be at risk, industry groups said. The government "urgently needs to get as much of this out the door this fall as possible." Masterson says there are "well beyond C$25 billion of proposed investments" in more than a dozen projects in his industry that are waiting for the incentives. An additional C$17 billion in ITCs for clean hydrogen, electricity and manufacturing were announced six months ago and those are at an earlier stage. Adam Auer, president of Cement Association of Canada, said his members have "billions" in projects that are waiting on the ITCs.

Persons: Justin Trudeau's, Bob Masterson, Masterson, Trudeau, Dennis Darby, Darby, Adam Auer, Rachelle Schikorra, Steve Scherer, Timothy Gardner Organizations: Canada, Justin Trudeau's Liberal, Chemistry Industry Association of Canada, Canadian Manufacturers, CME, Cement Association of Canada, Dow Chemicals, Reuters, Thomson Locations: OTTAWA, United States, U.S, Exshaw , Alberta, Canada, Fort Saskatchewan , Alberta

☆ Canada's housing crisis will take years to solve, finance minister says
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Sept 16 (Reuters) - An affordable housing crisis that is hurting the Canadian government's popularity will take years to resolve, even if construction hits an 80-year high, Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland said on Saturday. Her comments were among the first by a senior member of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's Liberal administration to acknowledge the scale of the challenge. Polls show the Liberals trailing their Conservative rivals, who blame Ottawa for high inflation and soaring home prices. Housing is mainly the responsibility of the 10 provinces as well as major municipalities, with Ottawa's role limited to policy advice and financial incentives. Reporting by David Ljunggren; Editing by David GregorioOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Chrystia Freeland, Justin Trudeau's, Freeland, David Ljunggren, David Gregorio Our Organizations: Finance, Justin Trudeau's Liberal, Liberals, Conservative, Ottawa, Housing, Thomson Locations: Canada, Montreal

☆ Trudeau's main rival offers affordable government in first convention speech
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-09 | by ( Fergal Smith | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Canada's Conservative Party of Canada leader Pierre Poilievre speaks during Question Period in the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada April 19, 2023. "A common-sense Conservative government that frees hardworking people to earn powerful paycheques that buy affordable food, gas and homes in safe neighborhoods," Poilievre said at the convention in Quebec City. In Friday's address, Poilievre promised to balance the federal budget if the Conservatives won the next election. An Angus Reid poll on Thursday showed the Conservatives at 39% public support, with the Liberals on 27%. Additonal reporting by David Ljunggren and Steve Scherer in Ottawa; Editing by Diane CraftOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Pierre Poilievre, Blair Gable, Justin Trudeau's, Poilievre, Trudeau, Angus Reid, Shachi Kurl, Kurl, it's, Stephen Guilbeault, David Ljunggren, Steve Scherer, Diane Craft Organizations: Canada's Conservative Party of Canada, REUTERS, Conservative Party, Conservative, New Democratic Party, Conservatives, Liberals, Liberal, Federal, Thomson Locations: Ottawa , Ontario, Canada, Quebec City, Ottawa

Alberta, the country's main oil and gas producing province, paused approvals on Aug. 3 of new renewable electricity generation projects over one megawatt until Feb. 29, chilling investment in the fast-growing industry. The pause is necessary to address concerns about renewables' reliability and land use, said a spokesperson for Alberta's utilities minister. A second company has paused design work on its first Alberta project, Dye added. Along with domestic firms, foreign companies like Berkshire Hathaway's (BRKa.N) BHE Canada, EDF Renewables and Enel Green Power generate renewable power in Alberta. The pause directly affects 15 projects in the approvals queue, the government spokesperson said.

Persons: Todd Korol, Danielle Smith, Smith, Justin Trudeau's, Jorden Dye, Dye, Pembina, Grant Arnold, Arnold, BluEarth, Dan Balaban, Rod Nickel, Steve Scherer, Denny Thomas, Marguerita Choy Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Justin Trudeau's Liberal, Business Renewables, THE, THE ALBERTA WAY, EDF Renewables, Companies, Pembina Institute, Renewables, U.S . Alberta Utilities Commission, Greengate, Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners, Thomson Locations: Rocky, Pincher Creek, Alberta, Rights WINNIPEG , Manitoba, Canadian, U.S, Calgary, THE ALBERTA, THE ALBERTA WAY Alberta, Berkshire, Canada, Winnipeg , Manitoba, Ottawa

☆ Canada guarantees up to $2.2 billion in fresh loans to Trans Mountain expansion project
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Companies Kinder Morgan Inc FollowAug 5 (Reuters) - A Canadian government agency has guaranteed fresh commercial loans of up to C$3 billion ($2.2 billion) to the controversial Trans Mountain pipeline expansion project that has suffered repeated cost overruns. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's Liberal government bought the Trans Mountain pipeline in 2018 from Kinder Morgan Inc (KMI.N) to ensure the expansion project got built and provided a C$10 billion loan guarantee to TMC. It is meant to unlock Asian markets for Canadian oil, which is mostly exported to the United States now. TMC had received a up to C$3 billion loan guarantee between late March and early May this year and had received a C$10 billion loan guarantee in 2022 from the federal government. Canada's finance ministry did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment on the fresh loan guarantee.

Persons: Justin Trudeau's, Chrystia Freeland, Anirudh, Alistair Bell Organizations: Kinder Morgan, Canadian, Export Development Canada, Justin Trudeau's Liberal, Kinder Morgan Inc, TMC, Finance, Liberal, Thomson Locations: United States, Burnaby , British Columbia, Bengaluru

☆ Canada govt body guarantees up to $2.2 bln fresh loan to Trans Mountain expansion project
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

It is meant to unlock Asian markets for Canadian oil, which is mostly exported to the United States now. Critics have also slammed the ownership of a pipeline project by the Liberal government, which they argue runs counter to Trudeau's ambitious climate goals. TMC had received a up to C$3 billion loan guarantee between late March and early May this year and had received a C$10 billion loan guarantee in 2022 from the federal government. Canada's finance ministry did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment on the fresh loan guarantee. In June, a finance ministry spokesperson said the loan guarantee was "common practice" and did not reflect any new public spending.

☆ Canadian Senate passes bill to compel local content on streaming giants
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-27 | by ( Ismail Shakil | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

OTTAWA, April 27 (Reuters) - Canada's Senate on Thursday passed the government's online streaming legislation after a 10-month debate over a law that will force firms like Netflix (NFLX.O) and Alphabet Inc-owned (GOOGL.O) YouTube to offer more Canadian content. Bill C-11, or the Online Streaming Act, cleared the unelected upper chamber of the Canadian parliament with 52 votes to 16 and one abstention. The government says the legislation will ensure that online streaming services promote Canadian music and stories, and support Canadian jobs. YouTube has said it does not oppose the bill in its entirety, but has raised concerns over its impact to user-generated content. The video platform says the law would force it to recommend Canadian content on its homepage, rather than videos tailored to a user's specific interests.

☆ Ukraine PM to visit Canada in coming weeks
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-07 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

April 7 (Reuters) - Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal is planning to visit Canada in the coming weeks, a spokesperson for the Canadian Prime Minister told Reuters on Friday. Ukraine is expected to launch a counter-offensive to seize back land in the south and east of the country from Russian forces in the coming weeks or months. The Ukrainian premier was quoted by the Globe as saying Ukraine would also like Canada to offer war risk insurance to Canadian companies investing in Ukraine to support reconstruction and foreign investment. "So if a Canadian company will decide to invest money into Ukraine, we will ask the Canadian government to create some mechanism to support Canadian investments," he said. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's Liberal government has been one of Ukraine's most vocal international supporters and provided Kyiv with more than C$5 billion ($3.70 billion) in financial, military and other aid.

OTTAWA, March 30 (Reuters) - Canada's province of Alberta - the heart of the country's oil and gas industry - is expected to offer more support for carbon capture utilization and storage (CCUS) projects now that the federal government has its incentives in place, the federal natural resources minister told Reuters on Thursday. This week, Canada's federal budget expanded eligibility for CCUS investment tax credits over the next five years, by adding C$520 million to the C$2.6 billion program laid out in last year's budget. Natural Resources Minister Jonathan Wilkinson said he has had many conversations with the Alberta government on CCUS, including one earlier this week, and he hopes to see some of the major CCUS projects launched by end-year. In an interview with Reuters in January, Trudeau urged Alberta to contribute to CCUS. ($1 = 1.3526 Canadian dollars)Reporting by Steve Scherer and Nia Williams Editing by Marguerita ChoyOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Record international migration spurs historic rise in Canadian population
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-22 | by ( Ismail Shakil | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Total population grew by a record 1.05 million people to 39.57 million in the twelve months to Jan. 1, 2023, and about 96% of the rise was due to international migration, the statistics agency said. In 2022, Canada welcomed 437,180 immigrants and the number of non-permanent residents increased by a net 607,782 people. The agency counts both permanent and non-permanent residents in addition to net new births in calculating population figures. Canada has been experiencing an upward trend in total employment since September, and the statistics agency has previously said that non-permanent residents are a notable contributor to that gain. Immigration accounts for almost 100% of Canada's labor force growth and by 2036 immigrants are projected to be about 30% of Canada's population, up from 20.7% in 2011, according to Canada's immigration ministry.

☆ Canada's B.C. province sets high emissions bar for new LNG projects
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-17 | by ( Nia Williams | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

[1/2] The entrance to Shell's LNG Canada project site is shown in Kitimat in northwestern British Columbia on April 12, 2014. While the tougher regulation will not impact the huge Shell-led (SHEL.L) LNG Canada project already under construction, a proposed export terminal adjoining the small-scale Tilbury LNG facility and the early-stage Ksi Lisims LNG project in northern B.C will fall under the new rule. The province will start exporting 14 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) when LNG Canada enters service in 2025. "That (net-zero requirement) is a very high bar and a high hurdle to pass," said Mark Zacharias, executive director of think-tank Clean Energy Canada, adding the new framework rounds out B.C. 's new regulations also include an oil and gas emissions cap and plans to accelerate the electrification of the economy.

☆ Google tests blocking news content for some Canadians
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Feb 22 (Reuters) - Alphabet Inc's (GOOGL.O) Google is rolling out tests that block access to news content for some Canadian users, the company confirmed on Wednesday, in what it says is a test run of a potential response to the government's online news bill. "We're briefly testing potential product responses to Bill C-18 that impact a very small percentage of Canadian users. We run thousands of tests each year to assess any potential changes to Search," a Google spokesperson said in an emailed statement to Reuters. A spokeswoman for Canadian Heritage Minister Pablo Rodriguez said Canadians will not be intimidated and called it disappointing that Google is borrowing from Meta's playbook. Tech giants need to be more transparent and accountable to Canadians," the spokeswoman said.

☆ Alberta Premier Danielle Smith seeks more autonomy from Canada in new bill
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-29 | by ( Nia Williams | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Nov 29 (Reuters) - The government of Canada's main oil-producing province Alberta introduced proposed legislation on Tuesday to resist federal laws it deems harmful to Alberta, fulfilling a controversial promise from new Premier Danielle Smith. If passed, the bill, known as the Alberta Sovereignty Within a United Canada Act, would give the province a legislative framework to defend its jurisdiction in areas such as natural resources, gun control, and health and education. Trudeau avoided commenting directly on the Sovereignty Act when asked by reporters on Tuesday. Smith became premier in early October and promised to introduce the Sovereignty Act as her first piece of legislation. read moreThe government said nothing in the proposed act undermines any existing treaties with First Nations.

OTTAWA, Nov 27 (Reuters) - Canada launched a new Indo-Pacific strategy on Sunday, vowing more resources to deal with a "disruptive" China while working with the world's second-biggest economy on climate change and trade issues. But the focus is on China, at a time when bilateral ties are frosty. "China is an increasingly disruptive global power," said the strategy. Canada belongs to the Group of Seven major industrialized nations, which wants significant measures in response to North Korean missile launches. Official data for September show bilateral trade with China accounted for under 7% of the total, compared to 68% for the United States.

Inflation has edged down over the last three months to 6.9% in September from 8.1% in June. The fiscal update showed "significantly weaker growth" next year that previous forecast, but the baseline numbers did not foresee a recession. It also cut its deficit forecast for this fiscal year by almost a third to C$36.4 billion from the C$52.8 billion deficit forecast in April. The update also included a tax on corporate stock buybacks similar to a measure introduced by United States. The fiscal update document forecast Canada's debt-to-GDP ratio would be 42.3% in 2022/23, versus 45.1% forecast in April, falling to 37.3% in 2027/28.

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