AI startup with roots at 涩里番 Desautels raises 鈧�9M in venture capital funding
There鈥檚 a lot that AI can do鈥攁nd quite a bit that it can鈥檛. And the mix of numbers and letters on a spreadsheet is one thing that AI has struggled to make sense of. Prior Labs wants to change that by developing machine learning models optimized to understand spreadsheets, which host an enormous amount of critical information in many firms.
US tariffs to hit natural resource-producing communities hard
US tariffs will hit the Canadian economy hard, but individual industries will experience unique effects. In the case of aluminum production, much of Canada鈥檚 3.2 million metric tons of aluminum that Canada produces each year could be re-routed to Europe. But some communities could still be hit hard and other places that harvest natural resources won鈥檛 be able to find other buyers so easily.
Political pressure impacts Canada's top pension funds
Canada鈥檚 Maple 8 pension funds are globally respected for strong returns and independence from government influence. However, recent political moves threaten this model. The federal government has encouraged more domestic investment, while Alberta鈥檚 government fired AIMCo鈥檚 board, raising fears of political interference.
Financial institutions shift climate strategies amid GFANZ changes
Despite BlackRock鈥檚 exit from the Glasgow Financial Alliance for Net Zero (GFANZ), climate action remains a key priority for financial institutions, says Sebastien Betermier, Associate Professor of Finance. He notes that asset managers are shifting their strategies to focus on helping firms transition to net zero rather than maintaining strictly net-zero portfolios.
Professor Alain Pinsonnault receives King Charles III medal
涩里番 Desautels Faculty of Management congratulates Professor Alain Pinsonnault on receiving the King Charles III Coronation Medal for his contributions to Canada's international scientific recognition. The medal, awarded to individuals making significant community, national, and global impacts, was presented at a ceremony on January 29, 2025, at Laval鈥檚 Centre de congr猫s Palace.
Amazon to close Quebec warehouses, affecting 1,700 jobs
Amazon Canada is closing all of its Quebec warehouses, affecting nearly 2,000 employees. The company claims the move is to provide long-term savings to customers and is unrelated to recent unionization efforts. However, industry experts, including 涩里番 business Professor Vivek Astvansh, suggest the closures are a response to union activities.
Union demands for higher wages leading to longer negotiations in collective bargaining
Collective agreements are taking longer to negotiate. For agreements reached in 2024, negotiations took more than 13 months on average. The year before, negotiations averaged just seven months. 鈥淐anada is still dealing with the lingering effects of the pandemic, including a return to normal inflation,鈥� Professor John-Paul Ferguson tells The Globe and Mail.
Got(oat) milk? Neighbourhood caf茅 can鈥檛 give it away for free, but they can be transparent about the costs
At Caf茅 Origine on Sherbrooke Street, oat milk costs extra鈥攁nd there鈥檚 a reason for that. Non-dairy milk substitutes like oat milk cost more than cow鈥檚 milk does. Some large chains like Starbucks have stopped charging extra for milk substitutes, but independent cafes can struggle to absorb the costs.
For international students, advance preparation can smooth move to new country
Canada has some of the world鈥檚 leading business schools and attracts MBA students from around the world. However, moving to a new country is a major change, and Nitin Bishnoi (MBA鈥�25) recommends taking care of as much as you can before you make the move. 鈥淭here are certain things which students are generally stressed about when they arrive in a new country,鈥� said Bishnoi in an interview with the Association for the Advancement of Collegiate Business Schools.
Inflationary effects of possible US tariffs are unknown, but could already be affecting consumer behaviour
With the spectre of tariffs looming over the Canadian economy, should you hurry to buy an appliance before the added costs get built into their prices? There is no clear answer, and it is not yet known how much tariffs could affect prices, but according to Professor Saibal Ray, the way people think about tariffs could be as important as the tariffs themselves.
Changes in leadership can affect an entire organization
Changes at the top of an organization can have a ripple effect through its ranks鈥攁nd Justin Trudeau鈥檚 resignation as leader of the Liberal Party is a case in point. An organization鈥檚 culture starts at the top, and the personality of its leader influences how decisions are made and how to get ahead, says Associate Professor Jean-Nicolas Reyt in an interview with Canadian HR Reporter.
Keeping Christmas lights on to add ambiance can help set a shopping district apart
Christmas lights that glow softly through long winter nights are part of what makes the holiday season so atmospheric鈥攂ut they can add to the ambiance any time of year. Some shopping districts are leaving their lights up for exactly that reason.
CCM Biosciences identifies novel enzyme activators with applications in longevity space
Founded by 涩里番 Desautels Associate Professor Anisha Ghosh, with over $25 million in funding, CCM Biosciences is developing novel therapeutics in longevity. Recently, the company announced that it has developed an enzyme activator that can restore activity to youthful levels.
Alberta-commissioned report on CPP withdrawal used flawed methodologies
When Alberta commissioned a report on withdrawing from the Canada Pension Plan, the resulting document claimed the province was entitled to $334 billion more than half of the plan鈥檚 total assets. However, the method used to calculate that share is deeply flawed. If applied to other provinces, the combined total of their share would exceed the plan鈥檚 actual assets.
Challenges of adapting Canada鈥檚 pension model for the UK
In a Financial Times piece on the UK鈥檚 interest in replicating Canada鈥檚 pension system, Associate Professor Sebastien Betermier highlights concerns about the growing politicization of Canada鈥檚 pension funds. He notes that the success of the Maple 8 model relies on maintaining independence from government interference.
