National Business

The British Columbia government is loosening the rules for payment of development fees in a bid to jump start home construction that has been hampered by upfront costs.

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks ticked higher on Wednesday to hit another all-time high. The S&P 500 rose 0.5% and set a record for the third time in four days. The Dow Jones Industrial Average edged down by 10 points, or less than 0.

Sobeys parent company Empire Co. Ltd. has officially signed on as the first retailer member of Canada's new grocery code of conduct, as work continues to develop governance rules for members ahead of a full implementation by Jan. 1.

OTTAWA — Prime Minister Mark Carney met with automotive sector CEOs Wednesday morning to discuss U.S. tariffs and ways to protect Canadian supply chains from the trade war with the United States.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump announced a trade deal with Vietnam Wednesday that would allow U.S. goods to enter the country duty-free. Vietnamese exports to the United States, by contrast, would face a 20% levy.

MONTREAL — A major aircraft deal sent Bombardier Inc. shares to a seven-year high on Wednesday after the company announced a firm order for its aircraft with an unidentified buyer.

CALGARY — The Calgary Real Estate Board says home sales in the city decreased 16.5 per cent in June compared with last year as higher levels of new listings led to inventory gain.

"A pattern is now set: Trump harrumphs, we comply," the former foreign affairs minister wrote. "What else will we quietly surrender? Cultural industries? Environmental standards, agriculture security, Arctic sovereignty?"

Microsoft is laying off thousands of workers, its second mass layoff in months and its largest in more than two years. The tech giant began sending out layoff notices Wednesday that hit the company's Xbox video game business and other divisions.

Del Monte Foods, the 139-year-old company best known for its canned fruits and vegetables, is filing for bankruptcy protection as U.S. consumers increasingly bypass its products for healthier or cheaper options. Del Monte has secured $912.