TORONTO: Ontario’s manufacturers can look forward to a little less red tape from the provincial government, according to research by the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB). It has released national grades for Canada’s governments in its Red Tape Report Card and Ontario is making progress on being accountable for the 386,251 regulatory requirements it places on individuals and businesses, says the CFIB

CALGARY — SkyFire Energy Inc. announced the installation of a solar system on a private residence south of Calgary to power a Tesla Roadster, the world’s first electric supercar

CHICAGO, IN : CN is planning a US$165-million expansion of its Kirk Yard in Gary, Indiana and the relocation of its Chicago area locomotive repair shop to the upgraded freight car classification facility in Northwest Indiana. The project will increase Kirk Yard’s processing capacity to 2,500 cars per day from 1,500. Additional classification tracks, along with more receiving and departure tracks, will allow the yard to handle longer and more efficient trains, improve interchange with other railroads, and consolidate CN’s switching operations in the Chicago area at a single primary yard

SEATTLE, Wash.: Softwood sawlog prices have trended upwards in all major regions of North America over the past two years, with the biggest increases occurring in the US Northwest, where the log export market has had a major impact on the supply-demand balance. Total log shipments to Asia from the US west coast last year were the highest they have been in 14 years, and much of this increase was the result of China’s seemingly never-ending need for wood raw-material. Sawlog prices in Canada have followed the same pattern as in the US, with prices in the western provinces increasing more than in the eastern provinces

OTTAWA—Minimum wage increases are hurting the economy and employment, especially among small and medium sized companies, according to a new report from the Canadian Federation of Independent Businesses (CFIB). The CFIB says mandated pay hikes take a toll on employers’ payrolls, forcing them to cut hours, training and jobs. The report warns a 10 per cent wage increase across all provinces could cost the country 321,300 jobs in the form of hiring freezes, slower employment growth or direct cuts