AGP Executive Report

Downtown Boost: Winnipeg and Manitoba are putting $1.4M toward a new Storefront Success grant program, offering eligible businesses up to $200,000 to improve downtown storefronts and help new shops open and grow. Payments Deal: RBC and BMO agreed to sell Moneris to Francisco Partners for about C$2B, a major shift for Canada’s merchant payments market that still needs regulatory approval. Air Canada & Loyalty: Air Canada announced a $2.5B minority equity investment in Aeroplan led by Blackstone and La Caisse, with Air Canada keeping control—aimed at funding bond repayment and share buybacks. SME Tech for Finance Teams: Three Link Solutions launched ExpenseGuard on the Workday Marketplace to flag expense report anomalies and speed up high-risk reviews. Energy & Growth Signals: Westport’s Cespira joint venture reported 125% Q2 revenue growth on LNG HPDI demand, while Cavvy Energy raised 2026 guidance after strong Q2 operating results. Local Business Hiring/Jobs: A new employment hero survey says Canadian SMEs are optimistic for fall but more disciplined on hiring and AI investment.

Retail Tech Push: National Retail Solutions says its POS now directly integrates with Uber Eats in the U.S. and Canada, letting independent merchants sync inventory in real time and route delivery orders through one workflow. SME Hiring & AI Mood: A new Employment Hero survey finds Canadian SMEs feel optimistic for fall, but are more disciplined on hiring and AI spending. Restaurant Finance Funding: MarginEdge closed an $80M Series D to expand AI and restaurant-focused finance tools for more than 13,000 restaurants. Franchise Recognition: PatchMaster, a drywall repair and painting franchise, was named to Entrepreneur’s “Best of the Best” list. Local Growth in Canada: Aqua-Tots opened its first Québec location in Île-Perrot to expand swim lessons. Business Sales & M&A: A R Business Brokers won a 2026 Consumer Choice Award for business brokerage and M&A advisory. Capital Markets Watch: CUSIP Global Services reports corporate identifier requests rose in July while municipal request volume slowed. Canadian Market Snapshot: Circana says Canadian prestige beauty sales rose 6% in the first half of 2026, with hair leading growth.

SME Hiring & Growth: The National Business League named remoting.work its official global hiring platform, aiming to help small businesses in Canada and the U.S. tap vetted international talent as hiring and retention remain major pain points. Local Marketing for Tourism: Tourism Sarnia-Lambton is running a free digital media workshop (Aug. 27) to help tourism operators tell their story online with a content plan and audience-focused guidance. Arctic Trade & Entrepreneurship: Virginia Mearns, Canada’s Arctic ambassador, will keynote the Kivalliq Trade Show in Rankin Inlet, with the event also kicking off a Kivalliq Entrepreneurship Program focused on financial literacy and bookkeeping. Business Financing & Capital Markets: Finning priced $300M of 4.231% senior unsecured notes due 2031, while Onex Partners completed its acquisition of AirSprint, expanding the fractional jet operator’s ownership. Tech & Operations: Draganfly reported Q2 results with revenue up 26% year over year, and Proficient Auto Logistics agreed to buy Hansen & Adkins to build a larger finished vehicle logistics network across the U.S. and Canada.

Local Permits Fight: Vancouver Farmers Market is asking the City to stop treating its year-round markets like a special event and move to long-term permits, saying the current annual process adds uncertainty for the small farms and vendors that drive about $18M in direct sales. Youth Entrepreneurship: UVic’s Kidovate program is bringing a pop-up market to Victoria’s Ship Point, giving young entrepreneurs a chance to sell, meet customers, and learn business basics through a structured mentorship model. Quebec Mining Funding: NioBay won a $500,000 Quebec grant to advance processing work at its Crevier niobium and tantalum project, using non-dilutive support to push hydrometallurgical optimization. Mental Health Tech for Helplines: Crisis Text Line acquired Aselo, an open-source contact center platform, aiming to help crisis services worldwide handle calls, texts, chat, and social media in one system. Canada-Nigeria Air Links: Canada and Nigeria expanded their air transport agreement to enable direct flights, with up to 14 weekly passenger and 10 weekly cargo services, a potential boost for trade and tourism. Financing for Small-Business Growth: Global FinTech funding hit $6.29B across 124 deals in July, including large rounds in small-business finance and revenue-based lending.

Wildfire + pipeline politics: A new look at Canada’s wildfire-hit summer ties public frustration to the West Coast Pipeline’s soaring $35.2B–$43.7B price tag and a shift toward heavy taxpayer funding. Local resilience + tourism: Jamaica’s tourism minister calls for “the Age of Resilience,” arguing disasters and crises now converge and tourism needs smarter financing. Fraud risk for SMEs: A Saskatchewan auto parts shop says it lost about $20,000 after a province-wide credit card scam targeted transportation equipment firms. Global expansion for Canadian business: Transport Canada says Canada and Nigeria expanded their air transport agreement, enabling direct flights for the first time—opening new routes for airlines, trade, and travellers. Health innovation event: Calgary will host the Canada HealthTech Innovation Symposium 2026 on Nov. 4–5, aiming to scale AI and digital health. Community commerce: Regina’s Sunday wraps with a summer market plus family events, while Kirkland Lake’s library fundraiser keeps pushing a roof-repair goal. Entrepreneurship spotlight: A Beaverton-area farm entrepreneur turned her family land into Canada’s first sunflower-shaped walking trail. Tech + hiring tools: A roundup highlights AI shopping search growth and lists EOR platforms for faster global hiring.

AI & Payments for SMBs: AI agentic shopping searches jumped 200% year over year, pushing commerce leaders to rethink data quality and customer experience—plus freshbooks/grasshopper and thryv/wix partnerships signal more automation aimed at small retailers. Construction Tech Expansion: Preckon, an AI-native construction intelligence platform co-founded by Canadian and Indian entrepreneurs, officially launched in the UAE to automate planning, cost estimation and real-time project intelligence. Local Business Resilience: Two years after Jasper’s wildfire, tourism is rebounding—visitation is near last year and spending per visitor is up, even with fewer hotel beds. SMB Risk & Tech Lock-in: Bench’s shutdown highlights a costly lesson for small firms: don’t bundle bookkeeping services with the system of record, or you may lose access to your own financial history. Hiring Pressure: Teen summer jobs are scarce, with reports pointing to the toughest teen hiring market since the Great Recession—an issue for small employers relying on youth labour. Regional Economy Watch: Metro Kelowna unemployment hit 9.3%, with candidates in the spotlight to address job creation and economic focus.

SME resilience after disaster: Two years after a wildfire damaged Jasper, Tourism Jasper says visitation is back near last year’s levels and spending per visitor is up, but the lost hotel-bed supply still shapes the recovery. Local jobs pressure: Metro Kelowna’s unemployment rate hit 9.3%, with candidates pointing to economic opportunity as a key election issue after Statistics Canada showed job growth alongside a bigger labour-force churn. Small business operations & risk: A bookkeeping-provider shutdown case (Bench) highlights how bundling your financial records with a single vendor can create major continuity risk for small firms. Tech and trade rules for growth: Canadian robotics groups warn U.S. FCC restrictions on foreign-made advanced robots could block access to the biggest market, raising uncertainty for Canadian builders. Business expansion in Canada: Tyros Biopharma added four women’s health products in 2026, signaling continued portfolio growth from its Montreal base. Community business support: The Greater Barrie Chamber launched a Dual-Use Manufacturing Ecosystem to connect local firms for defence and manufacturing opportunities.

Biotech-to-market win: A Montreal teen’s bacteria-based oil-spill cleanup idea is moving from lab breakthrough to commercial production, a reminder that Canadian innovation can scale fast. Tourism recovery: Two years after Jasper’s wildfire, Tourism Jasper says visitation is back to last year’s levels and within 5% of 2023 pre-fire numbers, with higher spending per visitor as hotel-bed supply remains tight. Local jobs pressure: Kelowna’s mayoral race is heating up as Metro Kelowna unemployment hits 9.3%, even as the region added jobs—fueling calls for a stronger city role in economic growth. Cross-border tech risk: Canadian robotics firms warn U.S. FCC restrictions on foreign-made advanced robots could cut them off from their biggest market. Women’s health growth: Tyros Biopharma adds four new women’s health products in 2026, expanding its Montreal-based portfolio. SME finance & rules: The SEC temporarily halts a Nasdaq rule that would require a $5M market-value floor, raising alarms for smaller public companies. Mining jobs boost: An expansion west of Prince George is expected to add about 1,500 local jobs, with plans to keep hiring local and Indigenous.

SME Digital Push: A new BDC study says Canada’s next phase of growth could reach a $350B opportunity if more small and medium-sized businesses move from just buying tech to actually scaling digital and AI maturity—execution is the main gap. Local Defence Supply Chains: Barrie business leaders got a first-hand look at the “evolving” defence landscape at a Greater Barrie Chamber of Commerce launch for a dual-use manufacturing ecosystem meant to connect local firms with bigger contracts. Mining Jobs in B.C.: Artemis Gold’s expansion west of Prince George is expected to lift employment from about 900 to around 1,200, with plans to keep hiring locally and maintain Indigenous representation. Capital Markets for Growth: NevGold changed its auditor and applied to continue in B.C.; Westhaven granted incentive stock options; Marksmen announced a non-brokered private placement; and Allied Gold reported voting results at its AGM. Business Climate & Trade: Canada-U.S. talks are reportedly focused on swapping tariff relief for Canadian concessions on issues like autos, alcohol, procurement rules, and dairy quota interpretation. Entrepreneurship Spotlight: A 16-year-old in Toronto launched “Clutter Crushers Toronto” with help from Ontario’s Summer Company Grant.

Canada-Nigeria Air Deal: Transport Minister Steven MacKinnon says Canada and Nigeria expanded their air transport agreement, enabling direct flights and more passenger/cargo capacity—good news for travel and trade-minded SMEs. Local Business Climate: Edmonton’s downtown sports bar The Gardens is closing and relocating to Wîhkwêntôwin, blaming a “distinct lack of support” from city leadership—another reminder that downtown foot traffic depends on local execution. SME Growth & Recognition: Brockville’s chamber names Aquatarium, Downtown Brockville BIA, and Fulford Place as tourism finalists ahead of its Awards of Excellence gala, while Southern Alberta’s Consumer Choice Awards list highlights dozens of local service winners. Capital & Expansion Moves: Vireo Growth secured regulatory approval and closed its PharmaCann Colorado retail asset acquisition (17 dispensaries, 56 total locations), and Vireo also lined up a $65M asset-based credit facility. Tech for Builders: Preckon, an AI-native construction intelligence platform co-developed by Canadian and Indian entrepreneurs, launched in Dubai to automate planning, cost estimation, and tender analysis. Small Business Operations: Voksha reports 7 in 10 small business calls are repetitive and automatable (hours, pricing, booking), pointing to lost revenue from missed calls. Food & Retail Openings: Bobby Flay’s first Canadian burger joint is taking shape in Toronto, and Wickertree Furniture moved into the former Pioneer House after a 2018 fire.

Small Business Tech & Productivity: Voksha says 7 in 10 small business calls are repetitive questions about hours, pricing and booking—exactly the kind of work an AI receptionist can handle, freeing owners from 15 hours a week of phone time. Local Security Funding Delays: Winnipeg thrift-store operators say Manitoba’s security rebate is taking 4–6 weeks after eligibility expanded July 16, leaving non-profits stuck paying for costly upgrades like impact-resistant glass. Rural Municipal Cash Boost: Ontario’s rural affairs ministry split $5.8M in unconditional funding between Prince Edward County ($4.2M) and Quinte West ($1.6M), plus small ROD grants for projects from tourism to accessibility. AI Data Centre Debate in Alberta: Meta’s planned AI data centre campus in Sturgeon County is drawing opposition as communities weigh jobs against pressure on power, water and infrastructure. Travel Economy Signal: Airbnb beat revenue estimates on global travel demand and World Cup-driven bookings, with more first-time users trying the platform. Business Finance Watch: VitalHub hit $100M+ in annual recurring revenue and filed for a normal course issuer bid, while VitalHub’s growth story continues through acquisitions.

Long-Term Care Tech Partnership: LTCareNav says it’s adding CarePatrol’s nationwide network of senior care advisors to its planning platform, aiming to connect families with local human guidance when decisions get urgent. Cargo Theft Watch: Verisk CargoNet reports fewer cargo theft incidents in Q2 2026 across the U.S. and Canada, but losses jumped to $304.6M as high-value and fraud schemes kept pressure on shippers. Critical Minerals & Trade: A new analysis argues Canada’s critical minerals strategy needs a bigger shift toward midstream processing and stronger Indo-Pacific partnerships as EU rules and U.S. policy tighten the market. Local Business Recognition: Norfolk County’s Simcoe and District Chamber of Commerce opens nominations for the 2026 Outstanding Business Achievement Awards, covering service/retail, agribusiness/industrial, and community categories. Drone-as-a-Service Expansion: ZenaTech completes its acquisition of Idaho’s Benchmark Partners (Galena-Benchmark), expanding its Drone as a Service footprint into Idaho for surveying and infrastructure work. ETF Launch: Purpose Investments lists a new Purpose Structured Equity Yield Fund ETF series (PSY) on the TSX, targeting income with contingent downside protection. Mining Updates: Hi-View reports five chargeability anomalies at its Borealis project in B.C., while Oroco continues copper drilling results at Santo Tomás in Mexico.

Corporate Compliance: ARCpoint says the B.C. Securities Commission issued a failure-to-file cease trade order after it missed the July 29 deadline for audited annual filings, suspending trading in its shares until the order is revoked. Small-Business Finance: North Ledger Bookkeeping released a free 2026 stats report on GST/HST compliance, payroll obligations and cash-flow benchmarks for Canadian small businesses, aiming to help owners manage a tougher compliance load. Local Business & Community: Taste of the Valley returns to Renfrew County with its Aug. 8 kickoff in Barry’s Bay, bringing about 60 vendors of local food, crafts and prepared goods. Fraud Risk for Operators: A Quebec farm says it lost about $20,000 to a catering scam and was later told by Square it had to reimburse losses—highlighting protection gaps for small merchants. Governance & Business Ethics: Prime Minister Mark Carney publicly said he lacks confidence in FIFA president Gianni Infantino, calling the handling of a proposed private-investor stake “not how you run any business.” Tech/Payments: Shopify’s AI tools and results drove major attention, with the company forecasting revenue above estimates.

Housing & Affordability: Fraser Valley home prices inched down in July, with buyer urgency still “notably absent” as inventory stays high and sales lag seasonal norms. Immigration for SMEs & hiring: Ontario opened its Workforce Priority Stream under the OINP, letting eligible foreign workers submit an EOI (linked to a qualifying job offer) for possible permanent residence. E-commerce & AI for small merchants: Shopify reported a “monster quarter,” with revenue and GMV up strongly and AI tools like Sidekick driving adoption among small- and medium-sized businesses. Business financing: Reflex Advanced plans a C$1.5M private placement of unsecured convertible debentures, while Stack Capital posted Q2 results showing book value growth tied to major AI and infrastructure bets. Climate tech & risk: A climate-tech event in the Pacific Northwest pushed investors toward scalable, profitable essentials (grid, EVs, solar, ag-tech), and Tive said its shipment visibility helped Venture Metals+ prevent $1M+ in cargo theft losses this year. Public safety tech: Volatus and Kraus Hamdani Aerospace partnered to build a Canadian persistent intelligence capability for wildfire response and other missions. Local entrepreneurship: Kingston’s AR platform Augify is helping local tourism and business storytelling come alive. Corporate moves: ATIS acquired elevator consulting firm Buckley Belcher to expand consulting and managed services.

Tax Policy: A new Montreal Economic Institute report argues scrapping Alberta’s provincial capital gains tax could add about $1.1B a year to disposable income and boost investment, entrepreneurship and job creation. Indigenous Business Recognition: Goodfish Lake Business Corporation won the 2026 Indigenous Business of the Year honour from the Canadian Council for Indigenous Business. Small Business Growth: Moose Jaw entrepreneur Dee Afolayan is expanding DeeBesties Inc. with ready-to-bake Nigerian-style meat pies now in Moose Jaw and Regina co-ops, while preparing to reopen her restaurant downtown. Tech & Deals: Vancouver’s Intellistake Technologies agreed to buy NanoAi Technologies for $17M, adding nanotech and defense/health AI threat-detection capabilities. Immigration Rules for Self-Employed: IRCC says the Self-Employed Persons Program is “no longer fit for purpose,” citing long delays and high refusals, and points to a backlog of about 8,000 applications. Ontario Immigration Update: Ontario opened intake for a new permanent residence pathway via the Ontario Workforce Priority Stream. Local Business Support: Leeds Grenville’s Greatest Entrepreneur applications are open, offering $10,000 plus coaching and visibility for regional founders. Disaster Impact: St. Catharines, Ont. faces major flooding after a storm, with residents describing sudden, destructive water surges.

AI for Retail Sales: Green Lotus launched an AI team with native Shopify integration aimed at faster lead response and fewer lost sales for online retailers. SMB Marketing Tools: Thryv and Ooma signed a co-marketing deal to help small and medium service businesses reach customers and grow using AI-enabled communications. Local Crime Support for Downtown Shops: Moncton’s Downtown Resilience Program will let eligible downtown businesses claim up to $15,000 a year for repairs and security upgrades tied to property crime. Venue Booking Pain Points: HoneyBook found wedding venue inquiries are split across six channels (email, texts, Instagram DMs, booking apps, marketplace messages, and calls), with no single channel capturing even one-third—pushing operators toward better lead capture and self-serve tools. Big Event, Real Spend: Visa data says FIFA World Cup 2026 matchday spending rose up to 24.6% in Toronto and 12.7% in Vancouver, a reminder of how major events can create short-term demand for local SMEs. Public Funding for Safety Services: Newfoundland and Labrador is set to receive renewed federal support ($700,000 over five years) to strengthen gender-based violence crisis hotline services.