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Canada housing crisis: Trudeau to lease govt land for adding millions of houses

Canada housing crisis: Trudeau to lease govt land for adding millions of houses

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Canada housing crisis: Trudeau to lease govt land for adding millions of houses

Canada plans to ease a housing shortage by leasing public land to developers for construction of affordable houses under a plan unveiled by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Friday that aims to build nearly 3.9 million houses by 2031.

The government said the land is underutilized. The property could potentially include abandoned industrial parks, sites of defunct government companies and schools with low enrolment.

The plan still falls 1.2 million units short of what is needed from 2023 to 2030, according to national housing agency Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp.

The Liberal government has announced a series of measures to address the housing crisis over the past two weeks, and the issue is expected to dominate next week’s federal budget.

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The flurry of activity follows a surge in housing and rental prices that has caused Trudeau’s Liberals to lag the Conservatives in opinion polls before an election that must be held by October 2025.

Read more: No more dreams as rich-poor divide widening at frightening pace

“It is a plan that is actually going to make a difference in the lives of Canadians,” Trudeau told reporters in Vaughan, Ontario.

Housing Minister Sean Fraser said other new measures include changes to a capital-cost tax structure that will encourage institutional builders to construct more homes, proposals to extend low-cost loans and combating on mortgage fraud that artificially inflates the cost of houses.

Mike Moffatt of the Task Force for Housing and Climate, an independent think tank, said builders and other stakeholders would need to invest close to C$2 trillion ($1.5 trillion) to achieve the government’s 3.9 million homes target.

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Read more: How to provide affordable housing? Here is one of the steps that all govts can take

“We are going to need to see more on the math, and we will need to see more on (the cost) in the budget. But I think overall we have seen some pretty significant reforms in today’s package,” he told the Canadian Broadcasting Corp.

Rapid growth in Canada’s immigrant population has driven the housing shortage along with inflation and high interest rates.

Housing in Canada is largely the responsibility of the 10 provinces and major municipalities. Ottawa, which has no direct role in construction, relies on policy measures and funding.

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Star Entertainment says Hard Rock-led group weighs bid, shares surge

Star Entertainment says Hard Rock-led group weighs bid, shares surge

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Star Entertainment says Hard Rock-led group weighs bid, shares surge

Star Entertainment (SGR.AX), opens new tab said on Monday a consortium led by Florida-based Hard Rock Hotels & Casinos is considering a bid for the cash-strapped Australian firm, sending its shares 20% higher.

A potential takeover by entertainment giant Hard Rock would provide a much-needed financial lifeline to Star, which has been plagued by a regulatory inquiry into its flagship Sydney casino operation and an executive exodus.

Star, which had a market value of A$1.29 billion ($863.66 million) as of Monday’s close, said it has been approached by a consortium of investors which includes Hard Rock Hotels & Resorts (Pacific).

The company said it understands Hard Rock Hotels is a local partner of Hard Rock.

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Earlier in the day, Star said it had received “inbound interest from a number of external parties” but flagged none of them had yet resulted in “substantive discussions”.

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Red Lobster seeks bankruptcy protection with $100 mln in financing commitments

Red Lobster seeks bankruptcy protection with $100 mln in financing commitments

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Red Lobster seeks bankruptcy protection with $100 mln in financing commitments

U.S.-based restaurant chain Red Lobster has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in a Florida court after securing $100 million in financing commitments from its existing lenders, the company said on Sunday.

The company listed its assets and liabilities to be between $1 billion and $10 billion, according to a court filing.

Red Lobster said its restaurants will be open and operate as usual during the bankruptcy proceedings, and plans to reduce its locations as well as pursue a sale of substantially all its assets.

The restaurant chain also said it has entered into a “stalking horse” purchase agreement to sell its business to an entity formed and controlled by its existing term lenders.

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“This restructuring is the best path forward for Red Lobster. It allows us to address several financial and operational challenges and emerge stronger and re-focused on our growth,” said Jonathan Tibus, CEO of Red Lobster.

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BMW imported 8,000 vehicles into US with parts from banned Chinese supplier, Senate report says

BMW imported 8,000 vehicles into US with parts from banned Chinese supplier, Senate report says

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BMW imported 8,000 vehicles into US with parts from banned Chinese supplier, Senate report says

German automaker BMW (BMWG.DE), opens new tab imported at least 8,000 Mini Cooper vehicles into the United States with electronic components from a banned Chinese supplier, a U.S. Senate report released on Monday said.

A report by Senate Finance Committee Chairman Ron Wyden’s staff said BMW imported 8,000 Mini Coopers with parts from a Chinese supplier banned under a 2021 law and that BMW continued to import products with the banned parts until at least April.

BMW Group said in an email it had “taken steps to halt the importation of affected products.”

The company will be conducting a service action to replace the specific parts, adding it “has strict standards and policies regarding employment practices, human rights, and working conditions, which all our direct suppliers must follow.”

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Congress in 2021 passed the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA) law to strengthen enforcement of laws to prevent the import of goods from China’s Xinjiang region believed to have been produced with forced labor by members of the country’s Uyghur minority group. China denies the allegations.

“Automakers’ self-policing is clearly not doing the job,” Wyden said, urging the Customs and Border Protection agency to “take a number of specific steps to supercharge enforcement and crack down on companies that fuel the shameful use of forced labor in China.” Customs and Border Protection did not immediately comment.

The report found that Bourns Inc, a California-based auto supplier, had sourced components from Sichuan Jingweida Technology Group (JWD). That Chinese company was added to the UFLPA Entity List in December, which means its products are presumed to be made with forced labor. 

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