TORONTO, Ont. — The Ontario government is moving to make homeownership more affordable for first-time buyers by proposing a rebate of the full 8 per cent provincial portion of the Harmonized Sales Tax (HST) on most new homes valued up to $1 million. The initiative, announced Tuesday, will be included in the province’s 2025 Fall Economic Statement and is designed to help ease financial pressures while boosting home construction across Ontario. If implemented, the rebate would save qualifying first-time home buyers up to $80,000 on the purchase of a new home. When combined with the federal government’s proposed removal of…
Author: Sam Allcock
Sam Allcock
Sam Allcock is a business correspondent for Wire Service Canada, reporting on corporate developments, market trends, and economic news with clarity and accuracy. With over a decade of experience in journalism, he has covered stories ranging from financial results and trade agreements to emerging innovations, offering readers both local insight and global context. Known for his balanced and engaging reporting style, Sam is committed to delivering reliable, relevant, and timely business news that helps audiences make informed decisions.
PETERBOROUGH, Ont. — A new chapter in Peterborough’s live music legacy hit all the right notes this summer as the city’s inaugural Future Sound Series, presented by Cogeco, wrapped up its debut season to strong crowds and community acclaim. Hosted at Del Crary Park as part of Peterborough Musicfest’s 38th season, the series was designed to spotlight emerging musical talent from Peterborough and the Kawarthas. Across nine shows, ten local and regional artists took the stage, earning enthusiastic applause and a wave of new fans. A Fresh Stage for Homegrown Talent The Future Sound Series launched as a pre-show experience…
ST. THOMAS, Ont. — The Ontario government and Volkswagen’s PowerCo SE celebrated a major milestone Tuesday as construction advances on Canada’s largest electric vehicle (EV) battery manufacturing facility in St. Thomas — a $7-billion project expected to reshape the province’s automotive landscape and create up to 3,000 direct jobs when production begins in 2027. Concrete pouring is now underway at the 350-acre site, marking the start of full-scale construction on PowerCo’s third and largest EV gigafactory worldwide. Two Ontario-based firms, Magil Construction Canada Inc. and Steelcon, have secured major contracts to lead foundational and structural work. Magil Construction will oversee…
Cambridge Mayor Jan Liggett has unveiled the city’s proposed 2026 Strong Mayor Budget, outlining plans to sustain more than 140 municipal services and advance key infrastructure projects. The proposal includes a 4.86 per cent property tax increase, amounting to an estimated $85 per household for the year. The budget, presented to Council on Monday evening, is structured to maintain existing service levels while funding strategic investments in recreation, infrastructure, and public safety. “The city’s budget is so much more than numbers on a page, it reflects the strategic priorities of the community and shapes the Cambridge of the future as…
The Ontario government has launched a new advisory panel to overhaul and strengthen the province’s local electricity distribution network, aiming to ensure reliable, affordable, and future-ready power for homes and businesses. Energy and Mines Minister Stephen Lecce announced the creation of the Panel for Utility Leadership and Service Excellence (PULSE) on Monday, describing it as a strategic move to modernize Ontario’s power infrastructure and support the province’s economic growth. The panel will advise on investment frameworks, operational reforms, and regulatory measures needed to prepare Ontario’s electricity grid for a new era of electrification and industrial expansion. “This panel of industry…
Ontario’s government is proposing a significant overhaul of the province’s electoral system, with changes aimed at restoring flexibility to election timing, tightening campaign finance oversight, and reinforcing public trust in how elections are conducted. The proposed reforms, announced Monday by the Ministry of the Attorney General, would repeal the province’s fixed election date system — which has been in place for nearly two decades — and return to Ontario’s traditional process of calling elections at the discretion of the Lieutenant Governor on the advice of the Premier. “The proposed reforms will return Ontario to an electoral process that served our…
The Ontario government is making a record $1.1 billion investment to expand home care services and the Hospital to Home (H2H) program over the next three years, a move aimed at easing pressures on hospitals and helping more Ontarians recover safely at home. The funding, part of the province’s upcoming Fall Economic Statement, marks one of the largest targeted investments in home and community care in Ontario’s history. Strengthening Care at Home The new funding includes $982 million over three years to enhance core home care services such as nursing, physiotherapy and social work. Another $170 million will go toward…
Global natural gas markets are heading for a structural transformation by the end of this decade, driven by an unprecedented surge in liquefied natural gas (LNG) production capacity that could reshape global trade, prices and energy security, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA). The agency’s latest Gas 2025 report, released Monday, provides a detailed look at medium-term trends in natural gas supply, demand and trade. The analysis suggests that the coming expansion in LNG production—led by the United States and Qatar—will mark one of the most significant shifts in the sector’s modern history. Record LNG Expansion Underway According to…
The world’s energy markets are entering a period of heightened uncertainty as signs of an oversupplied oil market, rising geopolitical tensions over critical minerals, and renewed debates about clean power security converge to shape the global energy outlook. Oil Market Surplus Nears Breaking Point The International Energy Agency (IEA) warns that the global oil market could be approaching a tipping point amid mounting signs of a sustained supply glut. According to the agency’s October Oil Market Report, global oil supply exceeded demand by an average of 1.9 million barrels per day between January and September 2025. A surge in production…
ARLINGTON, Va. — The United States dairy industry is marking a major step forward in its global trade ambitions with new agreements aimed at expanding access across Southeast Asia, one of the world’s fastest-growing regions for dairy consumption. The National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) and the U.S. Dairy Export Council (USDEC) welcomed the announcement of fresh trade deals with Malaysia and Cambodia, alongside new trade agreement frameworks with Thailand and Vietnam. The initiatives are designed to boost U.S. dairy exports and improve market competitiveness in a region increasingly dominated by trade pacts with the European Union, New Zealand, and Australia.…