Latest from James Dunne
Free transit actually is a thing, and you might be surprised where
While public transit in many Canadian cities is struggling with rising fares and falling ridership, one Ontario community has more than doubled its transit use in the past two years. Orangeville has made its buses free, joining a list of much larger communities that have gone fare-free.
Uber started using 'algorithmic pricing' in Canada. Is that a good or bad thing?
Uber rolled out a new pay model this week in Ontario, where an AI-powered algorithm determines what drivers earn beyond the distance and duration of each ride. The new pay was launched in B.C. last month and has been used in the U.S. for two years, where worker advocates and drivers say it's a bad deal for them that also hurts consumers.
Could free therapy help more entrepreneurs succeed?
A survey from the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) found that 24 per cent of entrepreneurs are struggling with their mental health, and that the numbers are even higher for younger, diverse and female entrepreneurs. Now, the BDC and other organizations are providing free therapy for business owners in need.
Corporations are buying local vet clinics — raising questions about price, choice and quality of care
Large and often international companies have been snapping up local clinics around Canada, raising questions come about who's in control of animal care, costs and the future of the independent vet.
Can a Canadian ride-hailing startup compete with Uber and Lyft?
A new ride-hailing app promising fair pay to drivers is launching today, starting in the Toronto area, to take on Uber and Lyft. The company believes it will attract drivers by paying them 100 per cent of fares and charging only a membership fee to work for the service.
What could a $5B government loan program do? Turn Indigenous communities into powerful investors
Indigenous leaders say a new loan guarantee program from the federal government, announced last week in the 2024 budget, will be a huge boost for economic reconciliation.
Finance deal struck help Indigenous communities build infrastructure
The Canada Infrastructure Bank has signed a $100-million deal with the First Nations Bank of Canada to help Indigenous communities borrow money to build infrastructure.
Indigenous economy surging toward $100B, Indigenous leaders say
Indigenous business leaders say a wave of economic development for their communities is rolling across Canada, and they predict that the Indigenous economy will surge to $100 billion a year within a few years. At a conference in Toronto, they discussed how that will happen.
Canada has fewer entrepreneurs today than it did 20 years ago — and that's a big problem for everyone
A new report from the Business Development Bank of Canada says an “alarming decline” in the number of Canadian entrepreneurs could hurt economic growth and slow innovation. It estimates the country has 100,000 fewer entrepreneurs today than it had in 2000.
Soar program aims to lift Indigenous entrepreneurs to new heights
A new accelerator program called Soar aims to help five Indigenous entrepreneurs turn their already successful businesses into big-name brands and earn five times more revenue in just one year. Experts and business leaders say these success stories inspire others and help First Nations communities achieve economic independence.