Ban could be travel boon

The head of WestJet Airlines says he sees a possible silver lining with the uncertainty surrounding new U.S. border policies: a boost in international visitors to Canada. CEO Gregg Saretsky said while the airline hasn’t yet seen any jump in interest to its Canadian destinations, he believes the potential is there given the rapidly changing […]

Westjet profits nosedive

WestJet Airlines saw its full-year profit drop 19.6 per cent from 2015, as its operating expenses increased more than revenue did. The Calgary-based company’s net income for the 12 months that ended Dec. 31 was $295.5 million, or $2.45 per diluted share. That was down from $367.5 million or $2.92 per share in 2015, a […]

Evolving job market

Ottawa should invest $100 million in each of the next five years to establish an arm’s-length national organization focused on helping workers upgrade their skills for the swiftly evolving job market, says the Trudeau government’s economic advisory council. The government’s hand-picked growth council released its latest set of suggestions Monday under five themes — and […]

Climate vs. pensions

A decision by an Ontario public pension manager to study the potential consequences of climate change is the latest sign that pension plans are increasingly becoming concerned about how it can hurt the bottom line. OPTrust released a report last week that reviewed how four climate scenarios, factoring in policy changes and disasters including hurricanes […]

Nordstrom drops Ivanka

Nordstrom will stop selling Ivanka Trump clothing and accessories, creating some questions about the future of the brand elsewhere. The Seattle-based department store chain said the decision was based on the sales performance of the first daughter’s brand. Neiman Marcus may be the next one to pull back on the label, as the branded jewelry […]

Hudson’s bids for Macy’s?

Hudson’s Bay Co. is declining comment after a report that the Canadian retailer is making a bid to take over Macy’s Inc. “We do not comment on rumour or speculation,” Tiffany Bourre, an HBC spokeswoman, said in an email. The Wall Street Journal, citing unnamed sources that it said were familiar with the matter, reported […]

Quick action on NAFTA

Donald Trump has unofficially launched the conversation aimed at renegotiating the North American Free Trade Agreement. The U.S. president said today that his commerce secretary will be involved in negotiations, that he’ll move as quickly as possible under legal guidelines, and that he’s not sure what form a new NAFTA will take. Trump says he […]

Home sales plummet

Home sales in Metro Vancouver last month dropped by almost 40 per cent from the year before with the sale of detached houses falling hardest. The Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver says the townhome and condominium markets are more active than sales for detached homes. Just over 1,500 residential properties sold in January, down […]

Profits, dividends up at BCE

BCE Inc. raised its quarterly dividend Thursday as it reported an improved profit for its fourth quarter and for 2016 as a whole. The Montreal-based company, which owns Bell Canada, Bell Aliant and media companies including CTV, said it will now pay a quarterly dividend of 71.75 cents per common share, up from its previous […]

Big Pontiac, Saturn recall

Transport Canada has issued a safety recall notice for 7,143 sport cars under the Pontiac Solstice and Saturn Sky brands. The government agency says that airbags in the front passenger area of certain vehicles may fail to deploy during a crash. It says damage to a sensor in the passenger seat, over time, could prevent […]