Canada Post moves to convert nearly half a million more homes to community mailboxes

Canada Post is rolling out the latest phase of its transition from door-to-door delivery to community mailboxes, selecting more than three dozen communities that will undergo the conversion starting next year.

Spanning seven provinces and 37 communities from Halifax to Victoria, the change will see an additional 485,000 addresses move to a more centralized mode of mail delivery.

Those homes come on top of the 136,000 addresses in 13 communities already selected for conversion late this year or in early 2027.

Switching the four million addresses that still enjoy doorstep delivery to community mailboxes within about five years marks a key pillar in Canada Post's plan to overhaul its business model in the face of declining letter mail and mounting financial losses.

Northern First Nation purchases popular tourist lodge in Seal River watershed

The Sayisi Dene First Nation has purchased one of the largest hunting and fishing lodges in Manitoba’s Seal River Watershed, marking a return to the community’s traditional lands and an economic development opportunity for the northern nation.

The Lodge at Little Duck is nestled between Neganilini and Little Duck lakes, more than 1,000 kilometres north of Winnipeg. It is located in the Seal River watershed, a 50,000-square-kilometre subarctic ecosystem relatively untouched by industrial development, and centred on the last major river in northern Manitoba without a hydroelectric dam. A network of provincial and federal parks has been proposed to protect the region.

“The Sayisi Dene people have a real connection to the lands, especially around where the lodge sits,” Chief Kelly-Ann Thom-Duck said in an interview. “We have plans to use the area and see where it goes.”

The fly-in hunting, fishing and eco-tourism destination has its own airstrip, lounge and cabins. Manager Shawn Paul said it regularly welcomes more than 100 guests every summer and fall for guided caribou hunts and fishing trips.

City mulls grant to give life to vacant buildings

The city is looking at a vacant building grant that could entice developers to convert empty buildings into new homes.

Trump ‘not looking to renew’ CUSMA trade pact, says no need for Canadian imports

WASHINGTON - U.S. President Donald Trump said Wednesday that he is "not looking to renew" a critical continental trade pact, indicating the United States will blow past a July 1 deadline for renewal.

If the deadline passes, the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement on trade, known in Canada as CUSMA, stays in place subject to an annual rolling review for up to 10 years.

"We don't need anything that Canada has, we don't need anything that Mexico has, but they need everything that we have," Trump told reporters in the Oval Office. "And they should have to treat us better."

Trump complained about the trade deficit the U.S. has with Canada — which is caused by Canadian energy exports — and has claimed the U.S. doesn't need Canadian or Mexican cars, lumber or energy.

AI project halted early, without much clarity

For years, as the saying goes, the three most important things in real estate have been location, location and location.

Inuit group calls for overhaul of Nutrition North, poverty reduction frameworks

OTTAWA - The organization representing Inuit in Canada says the federal government program meant to subsidize the high cost of food in the North isn't working and should be scrapped.

The call to shut down Nutrition North is part of Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami's new poverty reduction strategy, released Tuesday.

The report says the program has failed to improve food security in Inuit Nunangat, the Inuit homelands, and that its fragmented approach is not fully aligned with Inuit priorities.

"It's a scattershot approach in a policy environment that is begging for specific intervention," ITK president Natan Obed told The Canadian Press.

Transit revenue drop projected to be worse than predicted in 2026 budget

Winnipeg Transit warns it may earn $18.4 million less from rider fares this year than its budget calls for.

When the city’s 2026 budget was released, Transit estimated it would earn $97 million in fare revenue throughout this year. However, it also listed an “outstanding risk” that fares could fall $11.1 million lower due to a drop in ridership.

A finance update, based on figures up to the end of March, notes that risk has since increased.

“As of the first quarter, Transit is forecasting a reduction in revenues of $18.4 million,” the report notes.

City facing $20.4-M budget shortfall but finance chairman ‘not pressing the panic button yet’

The City of Winnipeg expects to end the year with a $20.4-million operating shortfall. However, council’s finance chairman said the budget gap is “not insurmountable.”

Quebec municipalities and environmentalists say province’s water reserves are at risk

A group of environmental organizations and municipalities is worried that Quebec’s groundwater reserves are dwindling due to overconsumption and the effects of climate change.

In an open letter sent to the environment minister, the 12 municipalities and nine environmental organizations say the province is consuming more groundwater than is being replenished.

The municipalities, located along the Saint-Lawrence valley, say Quebec has taken its renewable freshwater for granted and are calling on the government to trigger a province-wide evaluation and increase regulation.

“In Quebec, we have long believed that water was an infinite resource. Gone are the days of rose-tinted glasses,” they wrote in the letter.

Is Canada in a recession? What to know after a volatile week of economic data

OTTAWA - There was one word on the lips of many Canadians economists, politicians and journalists this past week: recession.

Recent economic data has painted a mixed picture of Canada's economy, and some interpretations make the argument for a recession.

Here's what you need to know about the state of Canada's economy.

Why are people talking about a recession?

Legislation to create Manitoba-Indigenous Crown corporation pending as some First Nations express concerns

Legislation to create a new Crown corporation is hung up, in part, on First Nations’ concerns the entity would override the government’s duty to consult individual nations before launching projects.

“We’re having challenges, I think, creating an endorsement or support for… the draft legislation,” said Grand Chief Jerry Daniels of the Southern Chiefs’ Organization that represents 33 First Nations.

Negotiations are underway on legislation to create the Manitoba Crown-Indigenous Corp., which will work with Ottawa’s Major Projects Office and Arctic Gateway Group on the proposed expansion of the Port of Churchill.

The southern chiefs group is part of a board that meets regularly with the provincial government; Indigenous Futures Minister Ian Bushie deemed the group the interim Manitoba Crown-Indigenous Corp.

Saying ‘no’ to AI data centre a huge win for Manitoba — and Kinew

It’s a tale of two provinces — and two artificial intelligence data centre mega-projects.

Quebec aluminum smelters more resilient than expected despite U.S. tariffs

MONTRÉAL - A major aluminum association in Canada says the impact of U.S. tariffs on the industry has been less dire than expected.

Jean Simard, president and CEO of the Aluminum Association of Canada, says the industry is operating at 95 per cent capacity.

“No slowdown, no layoffs," Simard said in an interview with The Canadian Press on Thursday about the effect of 50 per cent U.S. tariffs on aluminum.

“It’s less painful than we anticipated," Simard said. "The problem, fundamentally, is the lack of visibility into the future. We’re in a world of total uncertainty."

Efforts underway to determine ecological, economic benefits of Winnipeg’s trees

How a municipality cares for its trees — especially under increasing climate pressures — is just as critical to forest health as planting.

The logic of saving for a rainy day

We get it. It’s hard to be responsible, and it’s hard to pinch pennies when there’s so much pressure on your wallet.

SCO-led app Miikahnah Connect links Indigenous workers to labour demand

As Jay Sanderson turned to face his job site, evidence of his work stared back — plywood replacing windows at the former Hudson’s Bay Co. flagship store downtown.

Lately, he’s been in the basement.

He’s working with several First Nations members on the construction of Wehwehneh Bahgahkinahgohn, the Southern Chiefs’ Organization’s revamp of the old Bay site.

Construction on the facility — which will include housing and a childcare centre, among other things— is slated for another two-and-a-half years, according to SCO’s grand chief.

Premier pulls plug on proposed AI data centre

Premier Wab Kinew says a massive artificial intelligence data centre southeast of Winnipeg will not go ahead.

“The very limited economic benefits for this project do not outweigh the serious environmental concerns and the unique rural way of life that people in the region enjoy,” Kinew told reporters at the Manitoba legislature on Thursday.

The public should be skeptical about “hyperscale” data centres that are being proposed in many jurisdictions, he added.

“It’s very clear AI is transforming our economy and our society,” Kinew said. “But I think Manitobans want that to happen in a way where AI serves us and we’re not servants of AI.”

Ottawa pumps the brakes on proposed changes to major project environmental reviews

OTTAWA - The federal government is pumping the brakes on its proposed changes to how major projects are reviewed, and says it won't table legislation on the changes until the fall.

Last month Ottawa released two discussion papers which proposed, among other things, approving major projects before they’re reviewed and exempting certain projects from laws meant to protect species at risk.

It also proposed taking the responsibility for reviewing pipelines, transmission lines and offshore renewable energy projects away from the Impact Assessment Agency and handing it to the Canada Energy Regulator.

The federal government has said it has been told by industry that the level of expertise on energy projects that lived at the Canada Energy Regulator couldn’t be found at the Impact Assessment Agency.

Creative industry slams government on move to dismantle CanCon obligations for streamers

TORONTO - Groups representing writers and filmmakers are criticizing the government's move to dismantle Canadian content obligations for U.S.-based streamers.

The Directors Guild of Canada, ACTRA and the Canadian Media Producers Association issued statements saying the government is cowering to pressure from Big Tech, and that it risks creating "long-term uncertainty" for the Canadian film and TV industry.

On Wednesday, Culture Minister Marc Miller announced that Ottawa is asking the broadcast regulator to review a recent order that would require foreign streamers to invest 15 per cent of their revenues in Canada into Canadian programming.

Miller also said that the entire broadcasting framework needs a rethink, and that the government will invest $600 million into the audio and audiovisual sector annually in the meantime.

New $2.3B federal AI strategy looks to close ‘adoption gap,’ build public trust

OTTAWA - Ottawa wants to increase Canadians' use of artificial intelligence — and it plans to do so through free AI training and legislation to tackle concerns like surveillance pricing and chatbot safety.

Announcing the government's new AI strategy in Toronto on Thursday, Prime Minister Mark Carney said "globally, Canada ranks near the bottom of countries in AI training, in literacy and trust."

The long-awaited AI strategy says Canada has "a major adoption gap." It says closing the gap in training and literacy "is the foundation on which everything else depends."

A new literacy initiative will offer entry-level AI training to all Canadians and the government will ensure "all post-secondary students have access to trusted AI agents," the document says.

Auto sales down for eighth consecutive month as May sales fall 1.7%: DesRosiers

RICHMOND HILL - DesRosiers Automotive Consultants Inc. says auto sales in May were down from a year ago, marking the eighth consecutive month of declining sales.

The firm estimates 184,000 vehicles were sold in the month, down 1.7 per cent from May 2025.

DesRosiers says while Statistics Canada's latest GDP data indicated a technical recession, the auto industry has already been in a "feels like" recession in recent months.

DesRosiers managing partner Andrew King says while there were hopes that the market may crack the 190,000 barrier for what is traditionally the biggest sales month of the year, that remained out of sight.

Ottawa tells CRTC to change course on increasing streamers’ financial contributions

OTTAWA - Ottawa is directing the CRTC to back down on its recent decision to triple streamers’ financial contributions to Canadian content, and will instead provide $600 million to the sector, Culture Minister Marc Miller said Wednesday.

The decision comes after the Motion Picture Association, the U.S. group representing streamers, called on cabinet to reconsider the current approach, and after the U.S. ambassador to Canada called for the policy to be rescinded.

The CRTC said in May it would require large streaming services like Netflix to contribute 15 per cent of their Canadian revenues to Canadian content. It made the decision as part of its work to implement the Online Streaming Act.

Asked whether the decision is another concession to the U.S. as Canada seeks renewal of the continental trade pact, Prime Minister Mark Carney said Wednesday the government was looking at how much the new policy would cost Canadians.