Legislative, Regulatory & Legal

The Trudeau Liberals sought Friday to get ahead of growing economic concerns linked to rising COVID-19 case counts, vowing new and revamped business supports to keep workers on payrolls and maintain job gains threatened by the pandemic's second wave.The government plans to provide direct rent support to commercial tenants at a projected cost of $2.2 billion through the end of the year, rather than flowing the money through landlords who were not keen on a previous version of the program.A wage subsidy program will cover up to 65% of eligible costs through December, costing the treasury $6 billion over that time, and $11 billion more to a well-used loan program by providing an added $20,000, half of which would be forgivable.Even though many businesses have reopened, a number are not at full capacity while others worry about surviving a second wave.

Environment Minister Jonathan Wilkinson says six single-use plastic items that aren't easily recycled and already have more environmentally friendly alternatives will be the first to go under Canada's new restrictions on plastics.

If you took up vaping to avoid the taxes on cigarettes, your luck just ran out.A 20% tax on vaping products was a key feature of the Newfoundland and Labrador budget September 29, which aimed to focus as much as possible on community health and prevention.Vaping has so far escaped the province's sin tax net, even though research suggests the practice can present significant health risks, especially for teens and young adults.The province also added an extra 10 cents in taxes per gram of loose tobacco and five cents per cigarette.The budget also allocated $1.7 million for school initiatives, awareness campaigns and cessation programs to help reduce tobacco use and vaping.

A man who pleaded guilty to manslaughter in the gas-and-dash death of an Alberta gas station owner has been sentenced to seven years in prison.Mitchell Robert Sydlowski, 29, appeared Friday by video link in the Court of Queen's Bench in Wetaskiwin, Alta.Sydlowski, who is from Spruce Grove, Alta., was charged with second-degree murder but pleaded guilty in August to the lesser offence, as well as failing to remain at the scene of a fatal accident.“It goes without saying that this is a tragic situation,'' Justice John William Hopkins said as he delivered Sydlowski's sentence during an online court hearing.An agreed statement of facts submitted in the case said 54-year old Ki Yun Jo was killed after Sydlowski sped off in a stolen cube van without paying for $198 of fuel.

A new survey finds that young people have been vaping less frequently since the COVID-19 pandemic began.The survey, conducted by the Lung Association of Nova Scotia and Smoke-Free Nova Scotia, finds that respondents decreased vaping to five days per week from six, on average.They also cut back to an average of 19 vaping episodes per day, down from 30.There has been a major push by all levels of government to introduce regulations designed to curb youth vaping.The survey funded by Heart & Stroke also found the decrease in vaping frequency is most notable in British Columbia and Ontario.The researchers say it may be related to warnings of potential complications from COVID-19 for e-cigarette users.The survey heard from more than 1,800 respondents between 16 and 24 years old, and found most begin vaping at around the age of 15.

The company plans to open more locations in cities across the country Imperial Tobacco Canada is opening a new retail store in Toronto that offers adult consumers a full-range of vapour products, while a select portfolio of these vaping products will continue to be available at convenience stores.

Canada's fossil-fuel sector is looking to this month's throne speech for signs the federal government is not throwing in the towel on oil and gas.

The Canadian Fuels Association (CFA) has announced that Peter Boag is retiring and has stepped down as president and CEO of the trade group.