64 h. ago New agency launched to speed Canadian military procurement, reconsider U.S. purchases

'We’re not going to be spending 75 cents of our dollar south; we’ll be amortizing that money out in Canada where we can,' says the secretary of state

Events

66 h. ago AI used to speed up Canadian immigration draws warning from experts

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has adopted technology to speed up application processing, but experts warn it may be creating more problems than it solves.Mario Bellissimo, an immigration lawyer and founder of Bellissimo Law Group PC, described the IRCC's use of AI as an "inevitable" and "commendable development.""The principal advantage lies in efficiency. Processing times have been reduced, routine cases are triaged more effectively, and officers are able to concentrate their efforts on more complex matters," he said. "For example, automation in spousal sponsorships and temporary resident visa applications has significantly decreased assessment times."But although automation has helped reduce processing times, these gains raise issues about fairness and potential bias in decision-making.Efficiency vs. fairnessHowever, Bellissimo points to some serious issues, such as an over-reliance on technology.&quo...

Other

3 d. ago Liberals roll out Defence Investment Agency to speed up military purchasing

OTTAWA — Ottawa is launching a new federal procurement agency designed to overhaul and centralize how the military buys its equipment. Secretary of State for Defence Procurement Stephen Fuhr, who will oversee the new Defence Investment Agency, says it will deliver equipment to the Canadian Armed Forces at a faster pace that will better meet […]

Events

2 w. ago You can now buy and reload Presto cards at No Frills locations in Ontario

Buying or loading up a Presto card just got a whole lot easier thanks to a new Metrolinx pilot program that launched on Monday.The regional transit agency has partnered up with supermarket chain No Frills to bring Presto machines to five of the brand's grocery stores in Ontario — including three locations in Toronto and two in Ottawa.Metrolinx announced the new pilot partnership on Tuesday, revealing that Presto cards can now be purchased at the following locations:Jordan's No Frills, 1022 King St. W. (Toronto)  Carlo's No Frills, 6220 Yonge St. (Toronto)  John's No Frills, 1591 Wilson Ave. (Toronto)  Chris and Samia's No Frills, 200 Grant Carman Dr. (Ottawa)  Connor and Kennedy's No Frills, 2681 Alta Vista Dr. (Ottawa)  The pilot partnership also comes with the reveal of a new physical Presto card design bearing the No Frills logo, though its iconic yellow branding is otherwise conspicuously absent from the new-look cards.Metro...

Transport

2 w. ago Carney government launches new federal housing agency, new affordable housing in Ottawa

Ottawa is one of six cities initially selected as sites for the development of 4,000 factory-built homes on federal land

Politics

3 w. ago Bombardier CEO eager to grow defence segment amid military spending pledge

TORONTO — Bombardier Inc.’s CEO sees opportunities from government procurement for Canada’s military, as the Montreal-based industrial firm positions itself more toward the defence side of its portfolio. Speaking at the Canadian Club in Toronto today, Eric Martel says he thinks Bombardier will continue to be known for its business jets, but that Bombardier Defence, […]

Events