The Peak Daily

A Toronto PetSmart is the latest retail location to vote to unionize since the pandemic began, as the percentage of unionized workers increases after years of a steady decline. Businesses are breathing a sigh of relief as Doug Ford announces Ontario’s accelerated re-opening plan. Confused about what’s going on between Russia and Ukraine? You aren’t alone: the markets are also struggling to make sense of the crisis, with the VIX — an index representing the market’s expectations of volatility — rising nearly 25% in the past five days. Celebrating something? Let us know for a shoutout here: https://thepeak.typeform.com/to/GuHjLDoa The Peak Daily is produced by 306 Media Productions. Hosted by Brett Chang and Jay Rosenthal.

High-level officials including President Biden and Pete Buttigieg are adding pressure to re-open the Ambassador Bridge, amid ongoing protests that are beginning to take a toll on both country’s economies. France’s President announced that the country will build up to 14 nuclear reactors, as part of a plan to ramp up energy production and phase out fossil fuels. It may not the “sexiest” way to invest, but ETFs in Canada are having a moment after seeing a second record-breaking year of cash flows in 2021. Celebrating something? Let us know for a shoutout here: https://thepeak.typeform.com/to/GuHjLDoa The Peak Daily is produced by 306 Media Productions. Hosted by Brett Chang and Jay Rosenthal.

According to a 2021 survey by IT company Novipro and polling firm Leger, a quarter of Canadian businesses have been the victim of a cyber attack, half of which paid a ransom. Canadian businesses, like Telus and Bombardier, that narrowed their focus and sold off secondary business lines are now reaping the rewards, new earnings reports show. Canada is the third most sleep-deprived country - and we are tied with the US for this esteemed ranking - with nearly a third of the Canadians feeling like they don’t sleep enough, according to a new study. Celebrating something? Let us know for a shoutout here: https://thepeak.typeform.com/to/GuHjLDoa The Peak Daily is produced by 306 Media Productions. Hosted by Brett Chang and Jay Rosenthal.

How many protesters does it take to freeze a quarter of Canada-US trade? Shockingly few, as we learned by the recent blockade at the Ambassador Bridge, shutting down traffic on one of Canada’s busiest border crossings. Canadians be able to legally bet on the Super Bowl for the first time ever as legal single game sports betting comes online in Canada. European scientists set a new record for the highest amount of energy created through nuclear fusion — the reaction that powers the sun — in a major milestone in the quest for a cheap and clean source of energy. Celebrating something? Let us know for a shoutout here: https://thepeak.typeform.com/to/GuHjLDoa The Peak Daily is produced by 306 Media Productions. Hosted by Brett Chang and Jay Rosenthal.

A Housing Affordability Task Force convened by the Ontario government says 1.5 million new homes must be built in the province over the next 10 years in order to make housing affordable again. Toronto’s Financial District is starting to look less like a ghost town as some Bay Street bankers start heading back to the office this week. There’s a thriving economy out there for maple syrup — and New Brunswick producers want a bigger piece of it. ** Celebrating something? Let us know for a shoutout here: https://thepeak.typeform.com/to/GuHjLDoa The Peak Daily is produced by 306 Media Productions. Hosted by Brett Chang and Jay Rosenthal.

Spotify is deleting over 70 episodes of the Joe Rogan Experience as Toronto-based Rumble offers Rogan $100 million to join their platform. “The Matrix Resurrections” studio Warner Bros. could use some of Neo’s bullet-dodging skills about now as it faces a lawsuit over the decision to release the movie simultaneously on streaming platforms and in theatres. Big changes to Canada Post could be coming as Minister Filomena Tassi releases the results of a poll among Canadians on their opinions on certain changes to postal services, potentially gauging ways to cut down on costs. Celebrating something? Let us know for a shoutout here: https://thepeak.typeform.com/to/GuHjLDoa The Peak Daily is produced by 306 Media Productions. Hosted by Brett Chang and Jay Rosenthal.

Hopper, the Montreal-based travel app, is flying high after selling $44.6 million worth of equity to Brookfield Asset Management this week. Canada’s job market is struggling, new job numbers show that the economy shed 200,000 jobs in January, well above analyst forecasts of 110,000 losses. IBM plans to launch its first Canada-based quantum computer in Quebec, in partnership with the provincial government, per The Globe and Mail. Celebrating something? Let us know for a shoutout here: https://thepeak.typeform.com/to/GuHjLDoa The Peak Daily is produced by 306 Media Productions. Hosted by Brett Chang and Jay Rosenthal.

Housing prices could drop up to 20% in some of the most over-heated Canadians markets, according to one of the country’s top banking regulators. Facebook’s parent company Meta’s stock collapsed by as much as 26% yesterday morning —wiping out over US$200 billion from its market cap — after the tech giant forecasted weaker revenue growth this quarter. The Saudi Arabian-backed Super Golf League (SGL) is trying (again) to court the world’s top 100 golfers, according to US golfer Phil Mickelson — who is ranked 38th on the PGA Tour Celebrating something? Let us know for a shoutout here: https://thepeak.typeform.com/to/GuHjLDoa The Peak Daily is produced by 306 Media Productions. Hosted by Brett Chang and Jay Rosenthal.

Vancouver-based TerraZero Technologies has processed one of the first-ever metaverse mortgages, facilitating the transaction for a new landowner in Decentraland, a virtual world. Self-driving car company Cruise is gearing up to launch a fully self-driving robotaxi service to the public in San Francisco. Alphabet is reducing the price of its shares to make investing in the company more accessible. The move is called a “stock split” and in this case, will increase the company’s shares by a multiple of 20. Celebrating something? Let us know for a shoutout here: https://thepeak.typeform.com/to/GuHjLDoa The Peak Daily is produced by 306 Media Productions. Hosted by Brett Chang and Jay Rosenthal.

Show Notes: Talk about a strong start to the Year of the Tiger: three Canadian tech companies have announced a combined ~CA$511 million in funding yesterday, a sum that amounts to around a fifth of what Canadian companies raised in all of Q1 2021. The internet is divided–again–only this time, it’s surrounding The New York Times’ (NYT) decision to buy Wordle, the new and wildly popular online puzzle game that has captured the hearts and minds of users around the world. The US plans to reduce tariffs on most Canadian softwood lumber producers in a move that might offer some relief to the lumber dispute between Canada and the US that’s been dragging out for over three decades…talk about holding a grudge. Celebrating something? Let us know for a shoutout here: https://thepeak.typeform.com/to/GuHjLDoa The Peak Daily is produced by 306 Media Productions. Hosted by Brett Chang and Jay Rosenthal.