Business

Lance Bright remembers helping plant trees around Whistler as a child. Decades later, the Whistler mayoral candidate sees some of those same forests very differently.

Despite how common the setbacks are, roughly a quarter of small business owners carry no insurance at all, says TD Insurance's Tang Trang When a small business grows, hires, adds inventory, or expands into a new market, updating the insurance policy is the owner's responsibility, not the insurers'. Most owners follow through on that, according to Tang Trang (pictured), TD Insurance's vice president of small business insurance, but there is a significant part of those who don’t.

Alex Ilkos says a tighter job market makes employees more willing to fight a dispute, since fewer of them can count on landing the same job elsewhere Employment practices liability remains a competitive market for buyers, according to Alex Ilkos (pictured), client executive, professional services, at Purves Redmond Limited, though growing claim complexity and the prospect of rising unemployment could put more pressure on both employers and insurers ahead.

Photo courtesy of Unifor. Rayonier Advanced Materials (RYAM) has stopped production at its paperboard plant in Témiscaming, Que., as the company had announced in August. The closure of the pulp and paper mill, which the company said is due to U. S. tariffs making its business unsustainable, affects some 425 jobs. The mill dates back to 1919 and was the largest job provider in its town, with employees from both Québec and nearby Ontario.

Canadian companies are building business ties closer to home as political tensions and a trade war have soured relationships with the US. Fresh 2026 YTD data from Fight Centre Group’s Corporate Traveller Canada shows domestic business‑travel spend is up 40% since 2024, far outpacing the 5% growth in travel to the US. Travel spending by Canadians in overseas markets is also climbing, with Latin America (+16%), Europe (+15%) and Asia (+11%) posting steady gains.

Only 7% of Canadian small businesses plan significant growth next year, hindered largely by high taxes and rising costs, according to CFIB research highlighting economic pressures as major barriers to

Aviva today announced the launch of Aviva Specialty, its wholly owned U. S. specialty insurance platform headquartered in New York City, marking Aviva’s expansion into the U. S. specialty insurance market.[1] Aviva Specialty will begin underwriting commercial property risks in the fourth quarter of 2026, serving open market brokerage, and partnering with leading program administrators. The business was built around a partnership-led model designed to combine disciplined underwriting, responsive decision-making, and modern technology with the financial strength and global capabilities of Aviva. The platform will initially focus on commercial property, with a roadmap to expand into additional lines of business including cyber, specialty & financial lines as well as specialty casualty. Aviva Specialty will write on Aviva Insurance Limited paper, providing brokers, clients, and program partners with access to Aviva’s financial strength and underwriting expertise. The new business is designed to bring partners the best of both worlds: the agility and entrepreneurial mindset of a specialty insurance start-up, backed by the capabilities and resources of a leading global insurer.

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, /CNW/ -- Only 7% of small businesses plan to grow or diversify significantly over the next 12 months, according to the latest research from the Canadian Federation of Independent business. A third of small businesses (31%) say they aren't growing because of cost and economic pressures, and of those, over half (59%) cite the tax burden as the biggest barrier preventing their business from expanding. "When small business owners are telling you they're stuck in neutral and it's taxes that are the number one thing standing between them and growth, it's time to listen," said Corinne Pohlmann, CFIB's executive vice-president of advocacy. "Small firms have been crystal clear that they would rather see government reduce taxes than announce programs and grants that only target a small pool of applicants. The best way to invest in Canada's small businesses is for government to get out of the way. Cutting the small business tax rate should be government's number one priority in the upcoming fall budget. "

A short pre-winter inventory check can prevent common shortages in floor care, washroom supplies, and spill response items. The weeks leading into fall are a key time to take stock of what is sitting in the supply room — and what you could be missing to prepare for winter.