OTTAWA – Justin Trudeau is talking in the need for more federal spending to assist the economy on a day experts are sharing their downgraded forecasts with his government. The prime minister says the country’s economic woes mean it’s more important than ever before for that Liberal government to spend on growth-generating projects like infrastructure. Trudeau’s remarks in Toronto came ...
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The bleeding isn’t over for the energy sector, despite the Saudi Arabia-Russia oil deal
ANALYSIS CALGARY ? A deal between top oil producers Saudi Arabia and Russia to freeze oil output at current levels may signal that oil prices have recently flattened – but that doesn’t mean the end of pain for that oil and gas sector. Sure, the Doha deal is flawed, but here’s why it could really make a difference to oil prices ...
Read More »Counting down the Canadian energy industry’s 2015 lowlights
How bad was 2015 for the Canadian energy industry? Try a 42 percent decline in oil export revenues. Or perhaps an 88 percent drop in propane prices. Even wind and solar capacity had an unremarkable year, despite the policy momentum within their favour. The National Energy Board’s “Highlights of 2015” published Friday, documents the woes of the Canadian energy industry. ...
Read More »No need for market gloom on China — the eurozone is the real economic disaster to worry about
Regular readers would not normally turn to me like a source of optimism. Yet, in the middle of the current all-enveloping gloom concerning the world economic outlook, while not exactly optimistic, I’ve found myself nothing beats as pessimistic because the markets appear to be. Why the next recession could be different – and more dangerous Joe Chidley: If these signals ...
Read More »Canadian Pacific Railway gives in, seeks ruling on Norfolk Southern deal from U.S. oversight board
After months of wrangling, Canadian Pacific Railway Ltd. has reluctantly decided to ask U.S. regulators to weigh in around the first step of its planned takeover of Norfolk Southern Corp. CP’s takeover offer, which NS has repeatedly rejected, proposes putting the Canadian railroad right into a voting trust so that its veteran CEO may take the helm of NS before ...
Read More »More pain looming for Canadian oil producers as hedges shielding them from oil rout expire
A defence Canadian oil producers had from the plunging cost of crude is crumbling as hedges expire amid projections that crude continues to say no. Hedges that shielded companies such as Crescent Point Energy Corp. and Whitecap Resources Inc. from the full pain of US$30 oil are winding down this season and then. Nineteen small-to-mid-sized producers have an average of ...
Read More »Kevin Libin: Might Quebec’s maple syrup rebels dream of tasting sweet freedom?
A sweet new day is dawning on Quebec’s maple forests. Producers disgruntled with the province’s existing maple syrup supply-management regime can take heart. The federal government – having helped to create a system that has seen Quebec syrup producers lose substantial global share of the market, exports to the dominant U.S. market stagnate, and their revenue per pound drop below ...
Read More »Job losses, dividend cuts and red ink as Alberta’s oilpatch staggers under full fury of low prices
The oilpatch is bracing for additional layoffs, dividend reductions and capex cuts as companies reveal the entire impact of a 14-month decline in oil prices on their own fourth quarter earnings. Cenovus Energy Inc. said Thursday the “hurricane force” impacting the has compelled the oilsands producer to cut its dividend and plan more layoffs this year, while oil services provider ...
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