The Globe and Mail

Dollarama plans to build even more stores in Canada, hiking its long-term growth target to reach 2,200 locations by 2034. The company had 1,601 stores as of Oct 27. The new plan, announced today, followed “an updated evaluation of the market potential for Dollarama stores across Canada." https://lnkd.in/g5wqFWGS #retail

How many net jobs were lost in the wake of Rogers's takeover of Shaw? Irene Galea ran the numbers, and after accounting for the transfer of some 1,600 Freedom Mobile employees to Quebecor, it seems that there was a net loss of approximately 3,400 jobs among Rogers and Shaw employees in the year that the takeover occurred. Rogers CEO Tony Staffieri was asked repeatedly for this figure during an appearance Monday in front of the federal industry committee. He declined to give a specific number. However, he noted that the company has created 1,800 positions in Western Canada as part of its commitment to the federal government.

Drivers on ride-sharing apps like Uber and Lyft are earning less than half of Ontario's minimum wage, according to a new City of Toronto report. When drivers are carrying out a trip, their "engaged" wages are typically above $30 an hour, the report found. But after accounting for idle time between trips and vehicle expenses, drivers' wages quickly erode to roughly $6 an hour. (great story via Vanmala Subramaniam)

Also, the new office holiday party, the rise of fractional executives and taking a sabbatical to travel

In my discussions with policymakers, one message has become clear: without streamlined processes, solving the housing crisis will remain out of reach and Canada’s real estate market will become less competitive

Report on Business magazine is back with its prestigious Best Executive Awards, celebrating top non-CEO leaders in Finance, HR, Operations, Sales & Marketing, Tech, and Sustainability & DEI. The 2025 Best Executive winners will be featured in the May issue and honored at a special event. ✨ Help us recognize these exceptional leaders. Submit your nominations today at: https://tgam.ca/bestexec

Months after Ontario's government promised a review of OMERS's governance structure, it has named a special advisor to lead it: Robert Poirier. The review was launched after several groups raised concerns with the province. At the time, Mr. Poirier was a board member at one of those groups that was critical of OMERS. Now he's in charge of recommending how governance at the $134-billion pension fund manager should change. https://lnkd.in/gsAUcb5k #pensions #omers #governance

The bad news about bird flu keeps trickling out while we continue to shrug off the accumulating risks. Are we sleepwalking toward another pandemic? https://lnkd.in/gTH7zMWj

Quebec invests US$25-million in Sheertex (SRTX) as unbreakable tights maker aims to revitalize Montreal’s garment industry

Customers of the ezBtc cryptocurrency exchange believed that their funds were being held in what's known as cold storage - offline wallets protected from hackers and other threats. In reality, roughly a third of the crypto assets deposited with the exchange or acquired through it were sent either to gambling sites or into personal accounts at other crypto exchanges belonging to ezBtc's founder, David Smillie, the B.C. Securities Commission found. Mr. Smillie “blatantly and repeatedly lied to customers,” wrote a panel of three commissioners in the decision published Monday, noting that customers who complained publicly were threatened with defamation lawsuits. Mr. Smillie and ezBtc have been ordered to pay $18.4-million. Money that is collected by the securities commission can be provided to victims. However, the panel said it has “no evidence of Smillie’s personal circumstances or his ability to pay.” Read my story for more details: