Switch carriers? How? Ottawa gives mixed messages over rising mobile prices | CBC News

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Even as the minister responsible admitted there aren’t enough competitive options for mobile service in Canada, another federal official said consumers can and should search for other service providers when faced with price increases. That message — from Innovation, Science and Economic Development (ISED) Canada — came just hours after the Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne said Canadians “still pay too much and see too little competition” for cellular services. Read full story here: Switch carriers? How? Ottawa gives mixed messages over rising mobile prices | CBC News

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New year sees Nova Scotia Power rate increase take effect | CBC News

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Nova Scotia Power customers will pay 6.5 per cent more on average for electricity in 2024, after a rate increase took effect on Jan. 1. The rate hike was ratified in February last year as part of a 13.8 per cent jump to bills over two years. At the time, increases of 6.9 per cent were forecast each year, but that has changed slightly bringing this year’s change to 6.5 per cent. Read full story here: New year sees Nova Scotia Power rate increase take effect | CBC News

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The secret life of gift cards: Here’s what happens to the billions that go unspent each year | CTV News

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Gift cards make great stocking stuffers — just as long as you don’t stuff them in a drawer and forget about them after the holidays. Americans are expected to spend nearly US$30 billion on gift cards this holiday season, according to the National Retail Federation. Restaurant gift cards are the most popular, making up one-third of those sales. Read full story here: The secret life of gift cards: Here’s what happens to the billions that go unspent each year | CTV News

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Creeping price points: A look at the rising cost of Canada’s streaming TV services | CTV News

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Streaming TV isn’t getting any cheaper. After it was once heralded as the cost-effective alternative to cable, the price of Canada’s streaming services is inching higher every year. And the story was no different in 2023 when inflation, production costs and efforts to turn a profit led many of the biggest names in the business to rework their subscription packages and jack up their rates. Read full story here: Creeping price points: A look at the rising cost of Canada’s streaming TV services | CTV News

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Governments can spy via smartphone push notifications, Apple and Google confirm | Mashable

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Well, here’s something you might have never considered: Your iPhone and Android device push notifications can be used by law enforcement or governments to spy on you. U.S. Senator Ron Wyden sent a letter to the U.S. Department of Justice with a concern that his office was attempting to investigate. According to Senator Wyden’s letter as first reported by Reuters, his office received a tip in the Spring of last year about how foreign governments were requesting push notification data from companies like Apple and Google. Read full story here:…

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Canadian 15-year-old students’ math scores have been dipping since 2003: study | CTV News

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Most 15-year-old students in Canada met the basic standards for math and the country was among the top 10 performers in the tests, though scores have been dropping since 2003, according to a new global report. The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development’s (OECD) Programme for International Student Assessment’s (PISA) latest study focused on mathematics and also tested the reading and science knowledge and skills of 23,073 students in 867 schools from all 10 provinces in Canada. Read full story here: Canadian 15-year-old students’ math scores have been dipping since…

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Posthaste: 70% of Canadians don’t understand what the carbon tax costs them | Financial Post

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The federal government appears to have a perception problem: Most Canadians don’t understand what the carbon tax is costing them while others believe they are paying more than they receive in rebates, a new poll suggests. The federal government said nearly all households in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario and the Atlantic provinces will receive a rebate on the fuel tax, as long as they filed their taxes, and that 80 per cent of households will earn more than they pay. Read full story here: Posthaste: 70% of Canadians don’t understand what the…

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Most nearing retirement will need to make ‘significant’ lifestyle cuts: report | Global News

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A wave of Canadians gearing up for retirement will be forced to make “significant” cuts to live comfortably for the rest of their lives, an analysis from Deloitte Canada shows. The report released Wednesday looked at the finances of 4,000 Canadians between 55 and 64 years old to gauge their “retirement readiness.” Rad full story here: Most nearing retirement will need to make ‘significant’ lifestyle cuts: report | Global News

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Federal government reaches deal with Google on Online News Act | CBC News

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Google and the federal government have reached an agreement in their dispute over the Online News Act, sources tell Radio-Canada and CBC News. The agreement would see Canadian news continue to be shared on Google’s platforms in return for the company making annual payments to news companies in the range of $100 million, a source with knowledge of the negotiations told CBC News. The federal government and Google agreed on the regulatory framework earlier this week, a government source familiar with the talks told Radio-Canada. Read full story here: Federal government reaches…

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Buyer beware: porch piracy set to ramp up with holiday season fast approaching | CTV News

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TORONTO –  You’ve been tracking your online shopping haul for days. It’s finally the day your package is set to arrive at your doorstep. But when you get home in the evening, the package is not there. A recent FedEx survey shows porch thefts have risen over the last two years, with 28 per cent of respondents reporting they’ve had packages stolen by so-called porch pirates in the past. That compares to 24 per cent of respondents in 2022 and 20 per cent in 2021. Read full story here: Buyer…

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