Weekly Digest – 1 March 2023

Welcome back to our Weekly Digest. Read on for the latest updates and some ideas to help us all move forward.

Inflation rate slows for January

Statistics Canada said last week that the annual inflation rate eased more than expected in January to 5.9%, which shows that the rate hikes are working and should allow the Bank of Canada to keep them steady at its next meeting.

Google blocks news for a small number of Canadian users

The company said it is temporarily limiting access to news content for under four per cent of its Canadian users as it assesses possible responses to Bill C-18, also known as the Online News Act.

Canadian Crypto crackdown follows US

The Canadian Securities Administrators (CSA) published a notice describing enhanced investor protection commitments it expects from crypto asset trading platforms operating in Canada. The announcement follows on the heels of similar moves in the US.

The CRA is watching for day trading happening in TSFAs

If you actively trade marketable securities in your tax-free savings account – stop. Doing so may mean that the CRA will constitute your account as a business. The TFSA then becomes subject to tax on its business income.

How to save if you’re a freelancer

The life of a freelancer comes with many perks, but formal benefits and savings plans aren’t among them. Wealthsimple Magazine put together this explainer to help freelancers mimic the benefits they would get if they worked a regular 9-5.

TikTok gets banned from federal government phones

The chief information officer announced earlier this week that the video-sharing platform TikTok will be removed and blocked from all federal government devices. He cited security concerns as the reason.

4-day work week considered in BC

The Green Party in BC floated the idea of a 4-day work week that would see tax breaks for employers that provide the option to their employees. Long-term trials in other countries showed that the model benefits both employees and employers.

CKTL & Co. will offer drinks that fluctuate in price, just like the stock market

Toronto is set to get a new bar next month, and its schtick is the large stock ticker that will be displayed above the bar showing price fluctuations for menu items. What you’re ordering may be a good or bad deal based on current supply and demand from within the bar.

Apple eyes blood glucose monitoring

Using Apple Watch, the tech giant hopes to introduce a revolutionary technology to monitor blood sugar levels requiring no blood to be drawn. It’s a visionary goal left over from the Steve Jobs era.

Tesla pauses FSD installations to address “crash risk”

Tesla is holding off on new installations of its Full Self-Driving (FSD) beta software in the US and Canada until they can address a safety recall at the request of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Customers with FSD already installed can continue to use it as-is but will receive no further software updates until the issues are resolved.

Get in touch

Contact us if you have any questions or want to discuss the next steps for your business.

Want to grow your business? Our Free Resources will Help