The Government of Canada has officially signed a free trade agreement with Ecuador, marking a new step in expanding Canada's trade relationships in Latin America. According to the Government of Canada, International Trade Minister Maninder Sidhu and Ecuador's Minister of Foreign Affairs and Human Mobility, Luis Alberto Jaramillo, signed the agreement during a ceremony in Ottawa on Friday. The federal government said the agreement is expected to create new opportunities for Canadian businesses, workers and exporters. Federal officials said the agreement will improve market access across several

Prime Minister Mark Carney says Canada is prepared to impose retaliatory tariffs if negotiations with the United States fail and new U.S. trade measures are implemented. Speaking to reporters Thursday following the conclusion of a three-day meeting of Canada's premiers in Charlottetown, Carney said the federal government's priority remains reaching a trade agreement with the United States. However, he said Canada is prepared to take all necessary steps to protect its economic interests if a negotiated solution cannot be reached. Carney also described the tariff threat as a familiar pressure ta

Fuel costs are on the rise in Canada as geopolitical turmoil drives the price of crude oil to its highest level in more than a month. Gasbuddy.com, which crowdsources pump price data from across Canada and the U.S, says the Canadian national average now sits above $1.80 a litre- a two-cent increase from a day earlier and an eight-cent bump from a week ago. Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at Gasbuddy, says that could rise by another five to 10 cents over the next week or two as the full impact of the crude price jump works its way through the supply chain. West Texas Intermediate cr

The Canada Industrial Relations Board has ordered the Bank of Canada for a second time to stop using replacement workers during an ongoing strike by its security officers, ruling that the practice violates Canada's new anti-scab provisions under the Canada Labour Code. According to the Public Service Alliance of Canada, the central bank continued using employees from private security firm Pinkerton despite an earlier board order issued in early July. The union alleged the replacement workers were being used to undermine the legal strike. The board has directed the Bank of Canada to remove the

Prime Minister Mark Carney says the federal government will take whatever steps are necessary to protect and support Canadians, families, workers and businesses as trade tensions with the United States continue. Carney made the remarks Thursday during the final day of the annual meeting of Canada's provincial and territorial premiers in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. According to the prime minister, discussions focused heavily on U.S. President Donald Trump's threats to impose a new 50 per cent tariff on Canadian goods. Carney said Canada is in a stronger position than it was when the tr

The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) says more than 1.7 tonnes of illicit drugs with an estimated street value exceeding $139 million were seized during a cross-border investigation known as Project Bay. According to the OPP, a total of 21 people have been charged in connection with the investigation. Nineteen accused have been arrested, while warrants have been issued for two others who remain outstanding. The allegations have not been tested in court. Police said 14 of the accused are of Punjabi origin, with many residing in Brampton. Gagandeep Thindal, Simranjit Singh and Tarminder Singh are

Abbotsford police have arrested a 32-year-old man in connection with an alleged knifepoint carjacking in the 2800 block of Livingstone Avenue. According to the Abbotsford Police Department, the incident occurred at about 10 p.m. Tuesday when a woman was allegedly threatened with a knife and her vehicle was stolen. Police said the victim was shaken by the incident but was not physically injured. Officers responded immediately after receiving the report and located the stolen vehicle near Clearbrook Road and Highway 1. The suspect, identified by police as Justin Brown-Henderson, was taken into c

The Trump administration expects to present interim options for the Canada–United States–Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) before the end of the year, U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer told a Senate committee in Washington. According to Greer, the proposals would take the form of interim arrangements with Canada and Mexico after the United States decided earlier this month not to continue CUSMA in its current form. As a result, the agreement will now be subject to an annual review process. Greer's comments come amid renewed trade tensions between Ottawa and Washington. U.S. President Donald

Prime Minister Mark Carney’s Advisory Council on Canada–United States Relations met Tuesday evening to discuss Canada's response to the United States' decision to impose new tariffs on Canadian goods. The meeting, chaired by Canada–U.S. Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc, included Canada's chief trade negotiator with the United States, Janice Charette, Ambassador to the United States Mark Wiseman, and other council members. According to the federal government, discussions focused on the potential impact of the tariffs on key Canadian industries and measures to protect Canada's economic inter