Corporate Governance

Unions representing essential workers at some of Canada's major retailers are pushing back against the decision to eliminate wage premiums that were put in place to compensate employees for working during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

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

Shopify Inc.

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.

Despite ongoing requests for an extension, Ontario is moving ahead with the July 1 deadline for new amendments to the Smoke-Free Ontario Act, which brings with it more restrictive rules for c-store operators when it comes to the sale of vaping products.These changes, part of the Government of Ontario’s efforts to curb youth vaping, were announced in January and were initially to come into play May 1.

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.

In the first weeks of the pandemic, stores resembled a doomsday scene, with shelves picked clean by panicked consumers rushing to stockpile essentials.