7-Eleven Canada looks to franchising, restaurant model and egg sandwiches for growth

TORONTO - There’s a sandwich foodies have flown thousands of kilometres to Japan to try and have strategized how to get through customs to share with friends back home. Though it sells for just a few bucks and comes wrapped in plastic, it even got the stamp of approval from late food journalist Anthony Bourdain who labelled it “pillows of love.”

That sandwich — a tamago sando, or Japanese-style egg salad sandwich — comes from 7-Eleven, one of the world’s biggest convenience store chains.

The treat, which nestles a generous heap of cooked eggs and Kewpie mayonnaise between fluffy pieces of crustless milk bread, is about to make its way to Canada on March 4.

But for 7-Eleven, it's much more than a sandwich. It's a small part of a broader, five-year push to deepen the chain's presence in Canada and help it grow in an environment where everyone is now their competitor.

Milei’s overhaul of Argentina labor law advances in Congress as unions strike in protest

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) — A general strike protesting Argentine President Javier Milei’s flagship overhaul of the country's labor law disrupted public transport, hospitals, ports and schools across Argentina on Thursday and intensified a standoff between the libertarian leader and long-powerful workers’ unions.

The lower house of Congress approved the bill, which grants employers greater flexibility in matters of hiring, firing, severance and collective bargaining, in a 135-115 vote early Friday.

The legislation won initial support from the Senate last week but must be sent back to senators for a final vote before becoming law. That's because the government was forced to scrap a clause that halves salaries for workers on leave due to injury or illness unrelated to work after an outcry from opposition lawmakers.

As lawmakers debated the reform, bus lines and subways ground to a halt. Factories paused production, banks closed, airlines canceled hundreds of flights and public hospitals postponed all but emergency surgeries. Uncollected garbage lined streets and shopping areas. A march to Congress by radical left-wing unions briefly turned violent as police fired water canons at protesters throwing stones and bottles.

Grandson of the inventor of Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups accuses Hershey of cutting corners

The grandson of the inventor of Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups has lashed out at The Hershey Co., accusing the candy company of hurting the Reese's brand by shifting to cheaper ingredients in many products.

Hershey acknowledges some recipe changes but said Wednesday that it was trying to meet consumer demand for innovation. High cocoa prices also have led Hershey and other manufacturers to experiment with using less chocolate in recent years.

Brad Reese, 70, said in a Feb. 14 letter to Hershey’s corporate brand manager that for multiple Reese's products, the company replaced milk chocolate with compound coatings and peanut butter with peanut crème.

“How does The Hershey Co. continue to position Reese’s as its flagship brand, a symbol of trust, quality and leadership, while quietly replacing the very ingredients (Milk Chocolate + Peanut Butter) that built Reese’s trust in the first place?” Reese wrote in the letter, which he posted on his LinkedIn profile.

McDonald’s Canada launches late-night meal collab with Drake brand OVO

TORONTO - McDonald's Canada has cooked up a collaboration with rapper Drake's brand.

The fast-food giant has launched a new late-night munchies meal with OVO.

The star of the meal is the Nite Sprite, which mixes Sprite with blue raspberry syrup and comes in a black paper cup with the OVO owl on it.

It is being sold alone or as part of the Afters meal, which also includes a Junior Chicken or a McDouble paired with a poutine.

Advocate urges feds to update equity act, settle class action with Black employees

OTTAWA - An advocate is urging the federal government to update equity legislation for Black employees and to drop its fight against a discrimination lawsuit that has cost more than $15 million so far.

Nicholas Marcus Thompson, president and CEO of the Black Class Action Secretariat, told The Canadian Press that changes to Canada's Employment Equity Act are long overdue.

In 2023, former labour minister Seamus O'Regan announced two new designated groups would be created under the act for Black and LGBTQ+ people.

The act requires that federally regulated employers, including the public service, take steps to eliminate barriers and maintain proportional representation in the workplace for members of designated groups.

Food inflation expected to jump in January amid tax changes: economists

OTTAWA - Economists expect tax changes from a year ago will result in a year-over-year surge in food prices when Statistics Canada reports January inflation figures later this week.

StatCan will publish its January consumer price index report on Tuesday, a day later than originally scheduled.

The agency recently adopted a Monday publishing schedule for the consumer price index but shifted the January release to account for a regional holiday in eight provinces.

A Reuters poll of economists expects the annual rate of inflation held steady at 2.4 per cent in January, according to LSEG Data & Analytics.

Manitoba chambers rolls out AI adoption training assessment tool

A new online tool aims to help Manitoba businesses in their move to adopt artificial intelligence.

The AI Readiness Assessment evaluates organizations on their familiarity with, and current use of, AI. The voice-led assessment takes 10 to 15 minutes to complete and provides personalized suggestions for businesses to map their AI adoption.

Manitoba AI Pathways, the Manitoba Chambers of Commerce’s new AI training initiative, developed the assessment in partnership with the Manitoba Association of AI Professionals.

Kay Gardiner, a chambers program director, announced the tool on Wednesday at a small-business forum organized by the Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce. The forum, held at the Delta Hotel, focused on what AI means for Manitoba businesses today.

Manitoba to study food prices

The Manitoba government has followed through on its promise to conduct a study on groceries in a bid to lower food costs.

Project leads will investigate whether differential pricing — in which shoppers are charged different prices by the same retailer based on customer segment, location, time or demand — is occurring in Manitoba.

Antitrust and anti-competition policies, supply chain vulnerabilities and geographic food deserts will also be probed, the government said Wednesday.

“We know Manitobans are struggling with the price of food, and we know that the prices of food continue to grow in ways that are very concerning,” Finance Minister Adrien Sala told reporters.

Energy sector’s interest in Churchill heating up: Kinew

Several companies, including at least one Canadian energy giant, are “kicking the tires” on a long-touted vision to export oil, gas, minerals and agricultural products through Churchill, bringing the dream of a trade corridor to the Hudson Bay coast closer to reality, Premier Wab Kinew says.

Kraft Heinz pauses plans to split into 2 companies, says its problems are ‘fixable’

Kraft Heinz said Wednesday it's pausing its plans to split into two companies.

Steve Cahillane, a former Kellogg Co. chief who became CEO of Kraft Heinz on Jan. 1, said he wants to ensure that all of the company's resources are focused on profitable growth.

“I have seen that the opportunity is larger than expected and that many of our challenges are fixable and within our control,” Cahillane said in a statement.

The company's shares were flat in morning trading Wednesday as Kraft Heinz reported lower quarterly and annual results. Investors are likely concerned that Kraft Heinz believes its businesses aren't strong enough to stand on their own, said Robert Moskow, an analyst with TD Cowen, in a research note.

B.C. organization enters debate on government-run grocery amid rising food costs

VANCOUVER - When Elizabeth Osinde arrived in Canada about two years ago as a refugee from Kenya, pregnant with her son, she remembers being able to buy a bunch of kale for $2 or $3.

That same bunch is now closer to $5.

Osinde said she has a deep sense of gratitude for everything that Canada and the refugee program provide for her and her son, but she still has to rely on emergency hampers from Vancouver's Union Gospel Mission to make ends meet.

"I get half of my groceries from them because sometimes it's a challenge," she said of the hampers that are available to her one every three months, that also come with non-perishable items such as diapers and a $25 gift card for a local grocery store.

Winnipeg-based tech firm Taiv closes US$13M growth round

Taiv Inc. may rely on AI, but there’s nothing artificial about the Winnipeg company’s progression. The tech company has closed a US$13 million growth round fewer than nine months after raising US$10.5 million in series A financing.

Province’s Indigenous tourism industry growing

Melanie Gamache has been taking her beading and jigging sessions on the road lately.

Schools, immigrant services agencies and private companies had asked whether she would take Borealis Beading to them.

“With the exception of last year (with wildfires), there has been a growing demand,” Gamache said. “There’s just an increase in people wanting to know more — like people want to know the history.”

Gamache registered her company, Borealis Beading, in 2018 and started by hosting Métis beading workshops.

Channelling anger productively: understand it, handle it, grow from it

Anger at work is one of those topics people whisper about, joke about or pretend they have neatly under control. In reality, many people have felt a flash of heat in a meeting, a tight jaw after an email or a lingering resentment that follows them home at night.

Being angry with your boss can feel especially loaded. There is power involved, identity involved and often a paycheck on the line.

The good news is anger itself is not a career-ending flaw. It is information. What matters is how you understand it, how you handle it in the moment and what you do with it over time.

Workplace anger usually shows up in familiar forms.

Small businesses weigh cost of carrying credit card fees, possibility of cash-only crime

Cash, credit or debit — or maybe just one and not the others? Even as technology advances, rising costs and the impacts of crime mean some Manitoba businesses are still seeking new ways to settle the bill with customers.

In Morden, Alex Kanski found himself in the middle of an unexpected controversy when he announced his family restaurant, Moment in Thyme Neighbourhood Grill, would be removing its card payment system and only accepting cash at the end of January.

Kanski said interchange fees — or the cost to process credit card transactions — and other fees to maintain card payments has cost the restaurant about $7,500 annually since it opened three years ago. For a 38-seat restaurant, he said, those losses are hard to take.

“With a restaurant, there’s only so many places you can cut costs,” Kanski said.

Canadian Tire ordered to pay nearly $1.3 million for false advertising

MONTREAL - Canadian Tire has been ordered to pay just under $1.3 million after pleading guilty to 74 counts of violating sections of Quebec's Consumer Protection Act related to false advertising.

Crown prosecutor Jérôme Dussault says the Canadian retail giant agreed to the settlement after initially pleading not guilty.

At the Montreal courthouse, Quebec court Judge Simon Lavoie approved the agreement, which includes fines and costs ranging from $15,625 to $18,150 per count.

The case stems from a six-month investigation by the province's consumer protection office in 2021.

Canada Goose says diversification efforts working but Q3 profit fell from year ago

TORONTO - Canada Goose Holdings Inc. says its efforts to convince customers to turn to the company for more than a down-filled parka as winter hits are paying off — but investors may not be convinced.

While customer demand for the retailer's star product — down-filled outwear — remained strong in its most recent quarter, Canada Goose said Thursday that its non-down-filled outwear grew even faster and was accompanied by gains in lightweight and year-round apparel.

"That shift is intentional," said Carrie Baker, Canada Goose's president of brand and commercial, on a call with analysts.

"We want to be able to bring newness to the floor. We want to be able to drive repeat visitors, bring people back to see something new."

Ottawa to relaunch EV rebates program in 2 weeks with new auto strategy

OTTAWA - The federal government announced a suite of new electric vehicle policies Thursday, including the reintroduction of the popular rebate program and the elimination of the EV sales mandate in favour of stricter emissions standards for the auto sector.

The move is the latest rollback of climate policies enacted by former prime minister Justin Trudeau. The government of Prime Minister Mark Carney cancelled the consumer carbon price and halted the implementation of an emissions cap on the oil and gas sector.

Speaking at an auto parts manufacturer in Woodbridge, Ont., Carney said Thursday Ottawa pitched the new plan as a transformation of Canada's auto sector, which has been battered for months by U.S. tariffs.

"We have everything we need to take the lead in the vehicles of tomorrow, and we're positioning Canadian workers and businesses to seize that opportunity," he said.

After 80 years, Minute Maid’s frozen canned juices are getting put on ice

Minute Maid helped make orange juice a year-round morning staple in 1946, when it started shipping cans of frozen juice around the U.S.

But 80 years later, the brand's parent company is halting sales of frozen juice concentrates in the U.S. and Canada, saying it wants to focus on the fresh juices that customers now prefer.

“We are discontinuing our frozen products and exiting the frozen can category in response to shifting consumer preferences,” The Coca-Cola Co., which owns Minute Maid, said Wednesday in a statement.

Minute Maid’s frozen juices – including several varieties of orange juice, lemonade and limeade – will be discontinued by April, with inventory available while supplies last, Coca-Cola said.

Independent toy shops ready to fill void from Toys “R” Us Canada closures

TORONTO - For tots, teens and anyone in between, Cowtown Kids Toys & Candy is a dream.

The Maple Creek, Sask., shop spanning four buildings is jammed with more than 30,000 toys ranging from classic books and puzzles to trendy plushies, trucks and other curios.

Owner Bob Siemens says the vast array of products is proof his business — like many other independent shops — is ready to fill the void created by Toys "R" Us Canada closures.

"Even if it looks like the toy industry is suffering, there's still a vibrancy in the independents that have been there and have stood the test of time. They're going to be eager to meet the folks still looking for toy shops," Siemens said mere hours before Toys "R" Us Canada announced it had filed for creditor protection Tuesday.

Flexibility has become deal-breaker, not perk

There was a time when a flexible work arrangement was a bonus, something employees quietly hoped for once they’d survived probation.

A remote day here or there, the ability to adjust hours around a doctor’s appointment or the occasional work-from-home afternoon were all considered nice extras — perks that made a job feel a little more humane.

Fast forward to January 2026, and flexibility isn’t something workers merely appreciate. For many, it has become a core condition of employment — a deal-breaker if it’s removed or denied.

This shift is on full display this month as Ontario’s provincial government has begun implementing a policy that requires civil servants to return to the office full time. As of Jan. 5, nearly 60,000 public service employees who had been working remotely or in hybrid arrangements are being told to work in person five days a week.