National Business

TORONTO — Widespread capacity limits, venue closures and other government-mandated COVID-19 safety measures left Canada's performing arts sector facing a major financial downfall in 2020.

TORONTO — The Canadian Bankers Association has named Anthony Ostler as its new president and chief executive. He will step into the role at the end of February, replacing Neil Parmenter who resigned on Dec. 23, 2021.

Vaccine mandates for truckers have raised transportation costs — but haven't impacted the shipment of goods to stores, the head of one of Canada's largest grocery chains says.

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — Workers at a West Virginia franchise of a regional fast-food restaurant on Tuesday rejected efforts to form a union that would have been the first its kind in the state.

A trucker convoy has left the Regina area and is expected to stop in Winnipeg today before making a final stop in Ottawa later this week. The Regina Police Service estimates about 1,200 trucks went through the city last night.

TORONTO — Manulife Financial Corp. says Rick Lunny, president and CEO of Manulife Bank, is retiring at the end of February.

CALGARY — The Calgary Real Estate Board says it expects the city’s housing market activity to moderate this year after record sales were experienced in 2021, but tight conditions will linger.

TORONTO — When Jenny Dickson goes grocery shopping, they only buy off-brand foods or items on sale for fear of overestimating how much money they have available in their bank account.

WASHINGTON — The International Monetary Fund is downgrading its forecast for the world economy this year, citing the spread of COVID-19's omicron variant, higher energy prices, an uptick in inflation and financial strains in China.

SILVER SPRING, Md. (AP) — U.S. consumer confidence declined this month as persistent inflation and the highly-contagious omicron variant of the coronavirus dinged the optimism of Americans.