A federal proposal to speed licensing times for vitamins and natural health products may not be the best for consumers, say advocacy groups. The Department of Health proposes that licensing be shortened to 180 days or less compared to current waits of two years.
Canadians are urged to curb food waste following a new national study that estimates $27 billion worth of food is pointlessly spoiled each year – the equivalent of $774 for every person: "It makes no sense -- ethically, economically or environmentally."
Tough-on-crime legislation and other campaigns by senior levels of government have added half-a-billion dollars to the cost of municipal policing, say Canada’s cities: “We don’t have a clear understanding of who is responsible for what.”
Defence analysts in Ottawa are observing “the worst procurement in history,” the refit of Canada’s fleet of search-and-rescue helicopters that is now into its third decade. Review of the purchase has dragged on through five successive prime ministers: “It is time to consider other options.”
MPs recommend charitable Canadians be offered more tax credits -- up to 10 percent more under a "stretch" credit that would reward tax-filers who give more each year. Only 1 in 5 Canadians tax-filers now give to charities.
Consumers, not federal regulators, should decide whether cellphone companies maintain existing contract terms with clients, says an industry group. The remarks opened hearings on contracts affecting Canada's 27,000,000 cellphone and data text subscribers.
Renewal of federal subsidies for public works is “critical” to sustaining the nation’s engineering sector still recovering from past recessions, an industry group has told MPs: “It’s very difficult...when you’re funding infrastructure programs that run for a couple of years and stop.”
Federal regulators have further delayed a landmark study on the health impact of noise from wind turbines. Health Canada confirmed that, six months after announcing the study, it has opted to modify terms of the review – delaying the report till late 2014.
A federal program that has paid six-figure grants to the nation’s largest media corporations is under scrutiny, says the minister of heritage. “We want to make sure that those larger companies are not in any way abusing the system at the sacrifice of smaller publications,” the minister told Blacklock's.
Canada Post will not disclose its anticipated revenue from a fee for mail delivery to new homes. In a new policy introduced Jan. 1, Canada Post is charging home builders $200 for every new single-family residence. And the profit? "I don't think we'll be giving you that," the Crown agency told Blacklock's.
A virus outbreak in farmed Atlantic salmon is raising concern with experts consulted by Blacklock's, including fears the infection may spread to wild salmon and other fish populations: "There is a risk." A similar outbreak in Chile cost the industry $2 billion, noted one scientist.
No public hearings are planned in a federal oversight review of the government's handling of the biggest beef recall in Canadian history. The review follows Blacklock's disclosure that fewer federal veterinarians were assigned to field inspection last year prior to an outbreak of E.coli at a Brooks, Alta. slaughterhouse.
A federal appeal for new standards on sustainable purchasing has received enthusiastic response. It follows a Crown agency's call for interest in developing a voluntary, consensus-based code on fair, eco-friendly policies: "This is a hot topic."
Five years after winning an endorsement from Wayne Gretzky, a Canadian firm has finally received an Industry Canada patent for a heated skate blade that promoters say can improve performance: “We want this to be a flagship product.”
Cities hit by recession will find encouragement at a national conference on sustainability in -- Windsor. The city's unemployment rate is 9.7 percent. "It is fitting for us to be here," said the president of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities.
