Category: 3. Business

Regional Tariff Response Initiative investment will enable Core Design to double manufacturing capacity and grow sales in reliable domestic and international markets

December 19, 2025 – Leduc, Alberta – PrairiesCan

Tariffs and shifting global trade conditions are creating uncertainty for Canadian businesses, particularly for manufacturers that rely on export markets. To build a stronger, more resilient economy, Canada has to move beyond its reliance on a single trading partner and reach new markets, at home and abroad.

Today, the Honourable Eleanor Olszewski, Minister of Emergency Management and Community Resilience and Minister responsible for Prairies Economic Development Canada (PrairiesCan) announced a federal investment of $1 million for Core Design Ltd. (Core Design) to adapt to new market realities for their custom steel downhole completion products.

PrairiesCan’s investment will enable Core Design to purchase specialized machinery that doubles the manufacturing capacity of their high-performance steel-made downhole tools and thermal solutions used in oil and gas sector operations. This increased capacity will make it possible for Core Design to fulfill larger custom steel manufacturing projects within Canada and help expand sales in South America.

Like many other Canadian exports, Core Design’s steel products are impacted by tariffs from the United States and other international markets. The Government of Canada has launched specific targeted measures, including the Regional Tariff Response Initiative, to boost the competitiveness of the Canadian steel industry and to unlock over $1 billion in new domestic demand for Canadian steel. The government also launched a new $1 billion investment for the steel and lumber industries, ensuring Canadian producers can compete and grow at home.

Innovative Prairie businesses, like Core Design, are adapting quickly to new trade realities. The Government of Canada is proud to support companies that demonstrate meaningful action to diversify markets, create local jobs, and reinforce Canada’s economic security.

Buckinghamshire Council is moving decisively to tackle the delays and day-to-day disruption residents experience from roadworks, with the introduction of a new Lane Rental Scheme that will keep people and businesses moving.

Following government approval, the council will introduce its own Lane Rental Scheme — Lane Rental: Streets Ahead — a major step to reduce disruption and improve journey reliability across the county. The scheme allows the council to charge up to £2,500 per day for works carried out on the busiest parts of the road network at peak times, encouraging companies to plan smarter, work together and finish jobs faster.

The scheme will apply to around 7.8% of Buckinghamshire’s network (approximately 500 roads and streets) and is expected to go live in spring 2026. It complements Buckinghamshire Highways’ existing permit scheme and is designed to drive industry-wide behavioural change.

Money raised will first cover the costs of running the scheme. Any additional funds will be ringfenced in the council’s Streets Ahead Investment Fund to reinvest directly into initiatives that reduce the disruption and adverse effects caused by roadworks, delivering visible benefits for residents.

What residents will see:

• Fewer roadworks at the busiest times and on the busiest routes
• Quicker completion of essential works through better coordination
• More reliable journey times and reduced congestion
• Smarter, collaborative planning between utilities and contractors

Leader of Buckinghamshire Council, Steven Broadbent, said:

“Residents tell us congestion and disruption are among the biggest frustrations when it comes to our roads. This scheme tackles that head-on. By incentivising smarter planning and off-peak working, it will cut delays, reduce queues and make journeys more reliable.

“Lane Rental: Streets Ahead puts the onus on utility companies to plan around people, not the other way round. It will cut delays and keep Buckinghamshire moving.”

Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Transport, Thomas Broom, added:

“Buckinghamshire Council has consistently pressed the government for stronger local powers to manage roadworks and minimise disruption. The approval of our Lane Rental Scheme marks real progress and puts Buckinghamshire on the front foot in tackling roadworks chaos.

“This scheme complements our permit scheme and will drive a step-change in how works are planned and delivered. By incentivising off-peak working and collaboration, we can minimise disruption and keep our roads safe and efficient for everyone.”

For more information about Lane Rental: Streets Ahead, view this YouTube video.

Today, the Federal Trade Commission took its latest enforcement action to free American workers from labor practices that limit wage and job growth by ordering building services contractor Adamas Amenity Services LLC (Adamas) and its affiliated businesses to cease their enforcement of no-hire agreements.

Adamas used anticompetitive no-hire agreements that restrict building owners and management companies across New Jersey and New York City from directly hiring workers employed by Adamas without a significant penalty, according to the FTC’s complaint. For Adamas employees, which are mainly low-wage workers performing janitorial, front desk, security and other services, these no-hire agreements limit their ability to negotiate higher wages, better benefits, and improved working conditions, the FTC’s complaint alleges.

To resolve the FTC’s complaint, Adamas is required to immediately cease enforcing all existing no-hire agreements under a proposed FTC order.

“American workers have a right to pursue job opportunities that offer them higher pay and better benefits. Yet anticompetitive no-hire agreements, just like the ones Adamas uses, prevent workers from realizing their full earning potential,” said Daniel Guarnera, Director of the FTC’s Bureau of Competition. “The Trump-Vance FTC took action today against Adamas and will continue to take enforcement action to protect workers from harmful labor practices that lower paychecks and limit opportunities.”

Under Chairman Andrew N. Ferguson, the FTC has made it a priority to investigate and prosecute deceptive, unfair, and anticompetitive labor-market practices that harm workers. These actions have included recent action in Gateway Services, Inc., which stopped the enforcement of nearly 1,800 noncompete agreements, issuing a call for the public to identify anticompetitive noncompetes, and launching a cross-agency Joint Labor Task Force.

The FTC, which worked closely with the New Jersey Attorney General’s office throughout the investigation, alleges Adamas’ no-hire agreements also prevent building owners and management companies from indirectly hiring Adamas’ employees through any competing building service contractor. As a result, Adamas employees suffer hardship if the building where they work changes management because the no-hire agreement forces them to leave their jobs in some circumstances, the FTC’s complaint alleges.

Adamas’ no-hire agreements also limit the ability of building owners to seek or accept bids from any of Adamas’ competitors due to the chance of losing long-serving employees. This restricts the ability and incentive for any Adamas competitors to make investments and meet customer demand for increased quantity, quality, and variety of building services, according to the FTC’s complaint.

Under the proposed consent order, Adamas is subject to additional conditions which include that it must:

• Provide written notice to customers subject to a no-hire agreement within the last three years that the no-hire agreement restriction is null and void.
• Post clear and conspicuous notice that employees are not subject to no-hire agreements and may seek or accept a job with the building directly, or any company that wins the building’s business.

The Commission vote to issue the complaint and accept the proposed consent agreement for public comment was 2-0.

The public will have 30 days to submit comments on the proposed consent agreement package. Instructions for filing comments appear on the docket. Once processed, they will be posted on Regulations.gov.

NOTE: The Commission issues an administrative complaint when it has “reason to believe” that the law has been or is being violated, and it appears to the Commission that a proceeding is in the public interest. When the Commission issues a consent order on a final basis, it carries the force of law with respect to future actions.

There will be some disruptions to general business waste collections that are due to take place in the following areas on Saturday 20 and Monday 22 December. 

• Barnsley town centre (George Street, Pitt Street, Racecommon Road, Shaw Lane)
• Dodworth (Dodworth Road, Moorland Avenue, Woodland Drive)
• Dunford Bridge
• Gilroyd
• Green Moor
• Hazelhead
• Hood Green
• Hoylandswaine
• Ingbirchworth
• Langsett
• Millhouse Green
• Oxspring
• Penistone
• Silkstone
• Silkstone Common
• Springvale
• Thurgoland
• Thurlstone
• Wortley

If your business waste bins are due for collection on these dates, we’ll now collect them on your usual collection day, either Tuesday or Wednesday.

We’re sorry for any inconvenience the delays may cause.

The Provincial Government is committed to supporting the well-being of seniors in Newfoundland and Labrador. Today, the Honourable Craig Pardy, Minister of Seniors, announced that applications for the 2025-26 Aging Well at Home Grant will open on January 5, 2026.

The Aging Well at Home Grant provides financial assistance to lower-income seniors aged 65 years and older to help them remain in their homes. Eligible individuals will receive $400 annually for household and health-related services such as snow clearing, grocery or prescription delivery and home cleaning.

To qualify, applicants must:

• be 65 years or older as of March 31, 2026
• be a resident of Newfoundland and Labrador
• have an annual household net income of $32,700 or less for single applicants
• have an annual household net income of $50,000 or less for couples
• own or rent a home

The deadline to apply is March 31, 2026.

For more information on the Aging Well at Home Grant:

Quotes
“Many seniors are struggling to meet their basic needs and that is not acceptable. Our new government is making seniors in Newfoundland and Labrador a priority. We are committed to providing services and expanding programs to help seniors age well in the right place.”
Honourable Craig Pardy
Minister of Seniors

“It is important that people who want to live in their homes as seniors are able to do that. This grant helps seniors in Newfoundland and Labrador with the cost of health care services such as eye exams, dental work, and audiology. The new government is helping seniors cover these expenses, so they can get the health care they need without the financial burden.”
Honourable Lela Evans
Minister of Health and Community Services

“Senior-friendly funding, such as the Aging Well at Home Grant, supports Newfoundland and Labrador (NL) Health Services’ vision of Health and Well-Being. Every Person. Every Community. Investments like this make it easier for older adults to remain safely and independently in their homes, contributing to better physical and mental health and an enhanced quality of life as they age.”
Craig Davis
Vice President – Provincial Long-Term Care/Community & Chief Operating Officer – Central Zone (A)
Newfoundland and Labrador Health Services

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2025 12 19
12:10 pm

The Bank of England (BoE) has voted to cut interest rates by 0.25% to 3.75%, bringing the base rate to its lowest level since February 2023.

The move was widely expected, not least after recent figures showing inflation unexpectedly fell from 3.6% to 3.2% in November, while the economy shrank 0.1% in October.

Despite this, the vote by the BoE’s Monetary Policy Committee was not a foregone conclusion, ending in a 5-4 split in favour of the cut.  

This move will be welcomed by homeowners looking to remortgage in the near future, and those on tracker mortgages, who will see their rate fall. Mortgage rates have already begun to ease, with lenders competing for business. Further rate cuts are also expected in 2026, which could further reduce mortgage costs.

However, the announcement will be less welcome for many savers, who are likely to see the rate of interest paid on accounts fall sharply too.

Andrew Bailey, BoE Governor, said: “We think that Bank Rate is likely to fall gradually further in future, but that will depend on whether variables like pay growth and services inflation continue to ease.”

Commenting on the rate cut, SJP’s chief economist Hetal Mehta said: “Markets had already been pricing in today’s cut thanks to the weakening economy and slowing inflation, so I don’t think many will have been surprised by the news.

“What is still very much up for debate is what happens now. Core inflation is still north of 3%. Wage growth is above 4%. Taken together, this creates some ambiguity on the future. So even if the direction of travel for interest rates is broadly agreed upon, the speed and magnitude remain very much up for debate.” 

WASHINGTON (December 19, 2025) – Existing-home sales increased by 0.5% in November, according to the National Association of REALTORS® Existing-Home Sales Report. The Report provides the real estate ecosystem, including agents and homebuyers and sellers, with data on the level of home sales, price, and inventory.

Month-over-month sales increased in the Northeast and South, showed no change in the West, and fell in the Midwest. Year-over-year sales showed no change in the Northeast and South, and decreased in the Midwest and West.

“Existing-home sales increased for the third straight month due to lower mortgage rates this autumn,” said NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun. “However, inventory growth is beginning to stall. With distressed property sales at historic lows and housing wealth at an all-time high, homeowners are in no rush to list their properties during the winter months.”

“Wage growth is outpacing home price gains, which improves housing affordability. Still, future affordability could be hampered if housing supply fails to keep pace with demand,” Yun added. “As has been the case throughout the year, single-family home sales outperformed condominium sales in November. The typical price of a sold condo was 13.5% lower than the typical price of a single-family home. However, the purchase price does not include the condominium association fees, which are rising and making these purchases more expensive.”

National Snapshot

Total Existing-Home Sales for November

• 0.5% increase in existing-home sales¹ month over month to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.13 million.
• 1.0% decrease in sales year over year.

Inventory in November

• 1.43 million units: Total housing inventory², down 5.9% from October and up 7.5% from November 2024 (1.33 million).
• 4.2-month supply of unsold inventory, down from 4.4 months in October and up from 3.8 months in November 2024.

Median Sales Price in November

• $409,200: Median existing-home price³ for all housing types, up 1.2% from one year ago ($404,400) – the 29th consecutive month of year-over-year price increases.

Single-Family and Condo/Co-op Sales

Single-Family Homes in November

• 0.8% increase in sales month over month to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 3.75 million, down 0.8% from November 2024.
• $414,300: Median home price in November, up 1.2% from last year.

Condominiums and Co-ops in November

• 2.6% decrease in sales month over month and year over year to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 380,000.
• $358,600: Median price, up 0.1% from November 2024.

Regional Snapshot for Existing-Home Sales in November

Northeast

• 4.1% increase in sales month over month to an annual rate of 510,000, unchanged year over year.
• $480,800: Median price, up 1.1% from November 2024.

Midwest

• 2.0% decrease in sales month over month to an annual rate of 970,000, down 3.0% year over year.
• $319,400: Median price, up 5.8% from November 2024.

South

• 1.1% increase in sales month over month to an annual rate of 1.89 million, unchanged year over year.
• $361,000: Median price, up 0.8% from November 2024.

West

• No change in sales month over month for an annual rate of 760,000, down 1.3% year over year.
• $618,900: Median price, down 0.9% from November 2024.

• 36 days: Median time on market for properties, up from 34 days last month and 32 days in November 2024.
• 30% of sales were first-time homebuyers, unchanged from November 2024 and down from 32% last month.
• 27% of transactions were cash sales, down from 29% a month ago and up from 25% in November 2024.
• 18% of transactions were individual investors or second-home buyers, up from 16% last month and from 13% in November 2024.
• 2% of sales were distressed sales⁴ (foreclosures and short sales), unchanged from a month ago and November 2024.

Mortgage Rates

• 6.24%: The average 30-year fixed-rate mortgage in November, according to Freddie Mac, down from 6.25% in October and 6.81% one year ago.

About the National Association of REALTORS®

The National Association of REALTORS® is involved in all aspects of residential and commercial real estate. The term REALTOR® is a registered collective membership mark that identifies a real estate professional who is a member of the National Association of REALTORS® and subscribes to its strict Code of Ethics. For free consumer guides about navigating the homebuying and selling transaction processes – from written buyer agreements to negotiating compensation – visit facts.realtor.

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For local information, please contact the local association of REALTORS® for data from local multiple listing services (MLS). Local MLS data is the most accurate source of sales and price information in specific areas, although there may be differences in reporting methodology.

NOTE: NAR’s Pending Home Sales Index for November will be released December 29, and Existing-Home Sales for December will be released January 14. Release times are 10 a.m. Eastern. See NAR’s statistical news release schedule.

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¹ Existing-home sales, which include single-family, townhomes, condominiums and co-ops, are based on transaction closings from Multiple Listing Services. Changes in sales trends outside of MLSs are not captured in the monthly series. NAR benchmarks home sales periodically using other sources to assess overall home sales trends, including sales not reported by MLSs.

Existing-home sales, based on closings, differ from the U.S. Census Bureau’s series on new single-family home sales, which are based on contracts or the acceptance of a deposit. Because of these differences, it is not uncommon for each series to move in different directions in the same month. In addition, existing-home sales, which account for more than 90% of total home sales, are based on a much larger data sample – about 40% of multiple listing service data each month – and typically are not subject to large prior-month revisions.

The annual rate for a particular month represents what the total number of actual sales for a year would be if the relative pace for that month were maintained for 12 consecutive months. Seasonally adjusted annual rates are used in reporting monthly data to factor out seasonal variations in resale activity. For example, home sales volume is normally higher in the summer than in the winter, primarily because of differences in the weather and family buying patterns. However, seasonal factors cannot compensate for abnormal weather patterns.

Single-family data collection began monthly in 1968, while condo data collection began quarterly in 1981; the series were combined in 1999 when monthly collection of condo data began. Prior to this period, single-family homes accounted for more than nine out of 10 purchases. Historic comparisons for total home sales prior to 1999 are based on monthly single-family sales, combined with the corresponding quarterly sales rate for condos.

² Total inventory and month’s supply data are available back through 1999, while single-family inventory and month’s supply are available back to 1982 (prior to 1999, single-family sales accounted for more than 90% of transactions and condos were measured only on a quarterly basis).

³ The median price is where half sold for more and half sold for less; medians are more typical of market conditions than average prices, which are skewed higher by a relatively small share of upper-end transactions. The only valid comparisons for median prices are with the same period a year earlier due to seasonality in buying patterns. Month-to-month comparisons do not compensate for seasonal changes, especially for the timing of family buying patterns. Changes in the composition of sales can distort median price data. Year-ago median and mean prices sometimes are revised in an automated process if additional data is received.

The national median condo/co-op price often is higher than the median single-family home price because condos are concentrated in higher-cost housing markets. However, in a given area, single-family homes typically sell for more than condos as seen in NAR’s quarterly metro area price reports.

⁴ Distressed sales (foreclosures and short sales), days on market, first-time buyers, all-cash transactions and investors are from a monthly survey for the NAR’s REALTORS® Confidence Index, posted at nar.realtor.

Every time someone gets dressed, washes their clothes or simply takes a breath indoors, they are exposed to—and often surrounded by—plastic fibres. In the European Union, synthetic fibres, including polyester, acrylic and nylon, make up about 60% of clothing and 70% of household textiles, making textiles the fourth‑largest source of microplastic pollution after paints, tyres and industrial pellets. Yet EU policymakers continue to largely overlook microplastic pollution from textiles.

How synthetic fibres pollute—and why that matters

When most people hear about plastic pollution, they probably picture visible waste, such as litter covering beaches or clogging rivers. But as science is increasingly showing, plastic microfibre shedding is a large and pressing source of pollution for nature and people.

These particles are released at every stage of a garment’s life cycle—shedding constantly from production to everyday wear to disposal. Nearly half of total microfibre emissions occurs during textile production, with the rest released through washing, drying and wearing. A single load of laundry can release hundreds of thousands of microplastic fibres, and, collectively, washing machines worldwide shed billions of fibres each day; tumble dryers contribute millions more.

Regardless of when they are shed, these microscopic fibres drift into the air we breathe, contaminate water and flow into rivers and oceans, and are spread across farmlands through wastewater sludge—and often end up in food. Once in the environment, they can be ingested by and harm animals, insects and other organisms. Further, microplastic fibres and fragments have been found in numerous food and drink items—including the tissues of dairy and beef cattle, edible plants, seafood,
beer, tap water and bottled water. Microplastics from textiles also pose a risk to human health, with adults estimated to ingest or inhale tens of thousands of particles each year. Evidence shows that microplastics have been detected in human organs such as the lungs, in circulating blood and placental tissue, and in other body tissues, including those of the stomach and reproductive system. Occupational studies of textile and flock workers have linked chronic, high levels of
microfibre inhalation to respiratory disease.

How EU policy can address the problem

The EU’s Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR), which entered into force in 2024, establishes a framework applying to nearly all physical goods placed on the EU market. Rather than setting product-specific requirements directly, the ESPR empowers the European Commission to adopt “delegated acts” with requirements for priority product groups. The regulation identifies textiles as one such group, and an ESPR delegated act for textiles is under development, with adoption expected by 2027.

Once adopted, this measure could be used to address environmental impacts associated with textile products, including microplastic fibre shedding across the product life cycle.By requiring shedding thresholds, aligned testing standards, improved product design, pre-market washing with filtration and advanced effluent treatment in manufacturing, the ESPR could help reduce microplastic pollution from textiles.

The good news is that solutions already exist to stem microplastic pollution from textiles. The most effective interventions start during design and manufacturing. Fabrics made with tighter yarns or denser fabric constructions can significantly reduce fibre loss, and industrial pre-washing with filters can capture most of the fibres that would otherwise be released when a garment is first washed. Once clothes are in consumer hands, measures such as washing-machine filters, gentler laundry cycles and improved dryer technology can further reduce emissions.

A call for ambitious action

To make these solutions widespread, EU policymakers should harmonise standards and adopt a comprehensive framework that targets and reduces microfibre pollution along the full life cycle of textiles, including production. This should include ensuring manufacturers use fabrics that last longer and shed far less microfibres. No single policy will solve the problem.

The ESPR offers a unique opportunity to cut microplastic emissions at the source, safeguard ecosystems and protect human health. Over the coming months, the European Commission will consult with stakeholders to shape the ESPR’s textile measure.

The Pew Charitable Trusts will engage constructively in this process, including by offering policy recommendations based on the best available science and collaborating with partners to help ensure that forthcoming measures are ambitious, enforceable and capable of delivering measurable reductions in microplastic pollution.

Selene Álvarez Peña is a principal associate and Natacha Tullis is a senior officer with The Pew Charitable Trusts’ preventing plastic pollution project.