Consumer Affairs & Relations

Health and safety protocols are the new standard for businesses, as provinces and municipalities begin to relax COVID-19 restrictions.

Trans Mountain says oil is flowing again through its pipeline after as much 190,000 litres of light crude spilled from a pumping facility in Abbotsford, B.C.A statement from the Crown-owned company says the pipeline was restarted Sunday afternoon.The line was shut down early Saturday when an alarm was triggered at the Sumas pump station.An investigation continues but Trans Mountain linked the cause to a fitting on a 2.5-centimetre pipe, and says the oil was contained, recovered and slated for disposal.A statement posted late Sunday by the Environment Ministry says Trans Mountain's is co-ordinating the response at the site, along with environmental and emergency contractors.The ministry says there has been no reported impact to groundwater, but monitoring continues.Sumas First Nation Chief Dalton Silver said Saturday's spill marked the fourth time in 15 years that the pipeline has spilled oil on their land.He said in a statement that it happened just south of a cultural and burial ground of great significance to his people.“Our main concern is for the cleanup of this spill and preventing further impacts to our territory.

Fuel prices will be tracked in four additional communities in B.C.

As provinces and regions enter new stages of re-opening in the era of COVID-19, more drivers will be on the roads, whether commuting to work, visiting reopened businesses or summer travels—and that could present opportunities for convenience stores.Overall, 84% of drivers surveyed say they will be visiting convenience stores on their journeys: 23% say they will shop at convenience stores as part of their regular routine, 38% say they will shop at stores when they need something, and an additional 23% say they will only purchase gas at convenience stores, according to a consumer survey conducted for the National Association of Convenience Stores by PSB Insights.

Starbucks is planning to close up to 200 coffee shops across Canada as it responds to changes of consumer habits in the COVID-19 pandemic.

Even in these times, barely a day goes by where there’s not a dire warning about the environmental predicament the planet faces.

Ottawa is postponing the enforcement of regulations regarding packaging of vape products in Canada to January 1, 2021 from July 1, 2020.In a statement, the Convenience Industry Council of Canada said that, since the start of the pandemic, it has been advocating for the pause of non-essential regulations: “Our key message to government is that the health and safety of our staff and customers would be compromised if we had to undertake extensive inventory changes.

When we hear the phrase 'human trafficking' most believe it is a distant problem in another country.