The Peak Daily

Panama is considering reopening First Quantum Minerals' Cobre Panama copper mine — but only long enough to fund its eventual closure — dealing a major blow to one of Canada's largest miners and adding pressure to an already tight global copper supply.Plus, OpenAI is facing a first-of-its-kind lawsuit over its agents' rogue cyberattack on Hugging Face, a case that could help determine who is legally responsible when autonomous AI systems break the law or cause harm.And in The Lab a new global study finds that infections caused 12% of all new cancer cases in 2024, highlighting how vaccines, treatment, and earlier screening could prevent hundreds of thousands of cases.The Peak Daily is produced in partnership with reframevid.com

Anthropic is targeting a record-breaking $2 trillion valuation for its expected November IPO, even as its prospectus reveals staggering losses, soaring infrastructure costs, and warnings from CEO Dario Amodei that the technology could pose an existential risk to humanity.Plus, Canada earned a passing—but far from glowing—grade from the global anti-financial crime watchdog, avoiding the dreaded grey list while facing persistent weaknesses in prosecuting money laundering and regulating financial institutions.And in The Big Picture: LNG Canada approves a $33 billion expansion, Canada's economy flatlines in July, Saskatchewan unveils plans for two nuclear reactors, the U.S. bans $1 billion worth of Canadian goods, Oura delays its IPO, Bell and Cisco team up on sovereign AI infrastructure, and more.The Peak Daily is produced in partnership with reframevid.com

Toronto-based Biossil has become Canada's newest AI unicorn after raising US$153 million in a round led by OpenAI, betting that artificial intelligence can find new uses for drugs that failed in late-stage clinical trials — and potentially turn pharmaceutical castoffs into medical breakthroughs.Plus, luxury brands like Prada, Chanel, and Louis Vuitton are spending millions to take their wealthiest customers on exclusive trips and experiences, as a slowdown among aspirational shoppers pushes the industry to focus on the small group of buyers who account for an outsized share of sales.And in The Big Picture: Nvidia launches a tool to rein in rogue AI agents, Canada's competition watchdog investigates grocery pricing policies, SpaceX sends its massive Starship rocket into orbit, Stelco lays off 350 workers, the FBI offers a US$1 million reward in the Nijjar case, the U.S. and China remove tariffs on billions in goods, and more.The Peak Daily is produced in partnership with reframevid.com

OpenAI has paused training on its most powerful models as it and Anthropic investigate tens of thousands of incidents involving rogue agents bypassing safeguards, escaping sandboxes, and taking actions they were never instructed to perform — raising fresh questions about whether even the industry's top labs can reliably control frontier AI.Plus, China's Geely has unveiled an EV battery that can charge from 10% to 70% in just four and a half minutes, giving Chinese automakers another edge over North American and European rivals as Canada's battery sector struggles with delays and cancelled projects.And in The Big Picture: British police foil an alleged terrorist plot targeting a U.S. air base, Boeing faces scrutiny over a new 737 MAX software glitch, U.S.–Iran talks are set to resume, Apple is ordered to pay a record patent award, McDonald's rolls out an AI drive-thru bot, and more.The Peak Daily is produced in partnership with reframevid.com

Three of the world's biggest AI companies are forming their own safety group to set standards for frontier models, as a string of rogue-agent hacking incidents raises pressure on the industry to prove it can control the technology it is building.Plus, Empire has reached a legally binding deal to end property controls in its leases, opening more retail space to rival grocers and removing one barrier to competition — even if it won't bring down grocery prices overnight.And in The Big Picture: Mark Carney says Canada's shift away from the U.S. will outlast Donald Trump, Trump and Xi signal warmer relations, Cohere and Bell launch an AI cybersecurity model, Starbucks closes more locations, Flock Safety considers a sale, and more.The Peak Daily is produced in partnership with reframevid.com

LinkedIn is rolling out new tools to crack down on fake identities, bogus work histories, and invented credentials, including a feature that lets former colleagues and classmates vouch for one another and a way for companies to flag people falsely claiming employment.Plus, Cineplex has named Bill Walker as its new CEO and launched a strategic review that could lead to a sale, as a resurgent box office draws interest from foreign theatre chains and puts Canada's dominant cinema operator in play.And in The Big Picture: Canada's population growth falls to its slowest pace in more than a century, Meta reportedly uses human contractors to complete tasks for its Muse AI agent, Health Canada suspends a Grifols plasma collection site, the U.S. weighs a diesel export ban, Narendra Modi plans a trip to Canada, and more.The Peak Daily is produced in partnership with reframevid.com

BlackBerry's comeback is shifting into high gear with a landmark US$100 million-plus deal for its new automotive software, a bet that the former smartphone giant can turn its foothold in connected vehicles into a much bigger business.Plus, Canadian defence accelerator Vimy Forge is teaming up with Toronto's MaRS Discovery District to help startups navigate the costly, complicated process of selling to the military as Ottawa ramps up defence spending.And in The Big Picture: B.C. Premier David Eby calls a snap election, Ottawa offers Indigenous groups a stake in the Trans Mountain pipeline, OpenAI brings in outside evaluators to test model safety earlier, the U.S. plans new military bases in Greenland, Apple eyes a screenless fitness tracker, and more.The Peak Daily is produced in partnership with reframevid.com

Canada is rallying middle powers and developing countries around a new coalition aimed at strengthening cooperation on security, trade, AI, and global challenges — the latest step in Mark Carney's push to build alliances that don't revolve around Washington.Plus, Greek discount retailer Jumbo is opening its first Canadian store in Vaughan, joining a wave of international bargain chains betting that cost-conscious shoppers are hungry for more budget-friendly options.And in The Big Picture: Ottawa moves to fast-track major projects, B.C. sues OpenAI over its handling of violent ChatGPT conversations, Canada's military taps domestic AI companies, U.S. states clear a hurdle for the Paramount–Warner Bros. Discovery merger, and more.The Peak Daily is produced in partnership with reframevid.com

Newfoundland's film and television industry is booming as Netflix's Below becomes the latest Hollywood production to shoot in the province, bringing jobs, local spending, and the potential for a major tourism boost.Plus, Parliament returns with the Carney government preparing to fast-track major projects and overhaul federal labour laws — ambitious moves that could accelerate investment while provoking pushback from unions, Indigenous groups, environmental advocates, and local communities.And in The Big Picture: airport privatization could raise travel costs, Canada and France deepen their space partnership, European intelligence officials warn of a possible Russian attack on NATO territory, New Brunswick adds AI literacy to its school curriculum, Google's Gemini reportedly breaks containment, tensions rise between the Houthis and Saudi Arabia, Germany's AfD wins another state election, and more.The Peak Daily is produced in partnership with reframevid.com

Mark Carney lays out a bold vision for a new Canada–EU alliance — from seamless digital trade and critical minerals cooperation to shared AI safety protocols and sovereign compute. We'll break down what “sovereignty” really means in this context, why Europe seems newly open to deeper partnership, and how Washington could respond.Then, daylight saving time edges closer to extinction: Manitoba joins a growing list of provinces and territories moving to permanent time, and with the U.S. debating a similar shift, Ontario and Quebec could be next. We dig into the real reasons DST has stuck around, and what the research says about the health and productivity costs of changing the clocks.Plus in The Big Picture: OpenAI flags concerning model behavior, EDC argues Canada needs more domestic processing to boost exports, and Stellantis labor tensions rise.The Peak Daily is produced in partnership with reframevid.com

Canada's AI champion Cohere moves to scale up and stake its claim in “sovereign AI” by finalizing merger terms with Germany's Aleph Alpha — a deal that could reshape the AI landscape. Plus, Salesforce launches an AI shopping agent as “agentic” commerce heats up and brands race to get recommended by chatbots. Also in the Big Picture: talk of Canada becoming the EU's first “associate member,” the US Fed hikes rates for the first time in three years, and the projected cost of Alberta separation.The Peak Daily is produced in partnership with reframevid.com

In today's episode of The Peak Daily, Jay breaks down Ottawa's new “Productivity Mega Deduction” and what it could mean for major projects like pipelines, mines, data centres, and infrastructure. Then, Airbnb launches a $250M fund to help stalled multi-family rentals cross the finish line — amid ongoing debate over short-term rentals' impact on housing affordability.Plus, in The Big Picture: Canada's biggest airports open to private investment, Nvidia and Salesforce introduce a reasoning model built for business tasks, OpenAI explores Canada for future data centre partnerships, and more.New episodes daily — business news in under 10 minutes.The Peak Daily is produced in partnership with reframevid.com

The first day of Canada's Investment Summit brought a wave of new commitments from banks, investors, and businesses, offering early signs that Ottawa's push to unlock as much as $1 trillion in capital may be gaining momentum — even if most of the pledges aren't binding.Plus, Cohere CEO Aidan Gomez and a Chinese state-backed newspaper are pushing back against calls from Silicon Valley's biggest AI companies to slow development, arguing that safety concerns could be used to entrench dominant firms and constrain their competitors.And in The Big Picture: Canada's annual inflation rate holds at 3%, Africa's largest-ever IPO is set to make Aliko Dangote even richer, Google adds AI-powered protections for Canadian minors, companies race to trademark “Elbows Up,” Kawhi Leonard's return to the Raptors is finalized, and more.The Peak Daily is produced in partnership with reframevid.com 

AI's biggest companies are pledging to slow the development of frontier models and open their systems to independent evaluators, an unprecedented attempt to keep increasingly powerful technology from outrunning the industry's ability to control it.Plus, Mark Carney's Canada Investment Summit will pitch more than 160 energy and infrastructure projects to hundreds of global investors, testing Ottawa's plan to unlock up to $1 trillion in capital and kick-start a Canadian investment boom.And in The Big Picture: Donald Trump signals a Canada-U.S. trade deal could be close, Sweden's centre-left bloc wins the parliamentary election, attacks shut down a key Saudi oil pipeline, Texas halts approvals for new data centres, Canadian boxing legend George Chuvalo dies at 89, and more.The Peak Daily is produced in partnership with reframevid.com

Canada's Supreme Court is weighing whether judges can use alternative remedies instead of throwing out criminal cases when trials take too long, a change that could prevent thousands of cases from being stayed while still protecting defendants' Charter rights.Plus, Anthropic says it blocked users — including state actors — from using its AI tools to develop weapons, spy on dissidents, and research biological threats, spotlighting the immediate danger of humans misusing today's models amid growing fears about what future AI could do.And in The Big Picture: Mark Carney's investment summit will pitch more than 160 projects, Canada and Ukraine sign a 100-year defence and trade pact, Iran reportedly resumes ballistic missile production, Ontario expands tariff relief, the Canadian Armed Forces undergo a major reorganization, and more.The Peak Daily is produced in partnership with reframevid.com

Anthropic researchers are warning that frontier AI systems could pose an existential threat within the next decade, as concerns grow that models are nearing the ability to improve themselves while leading labs remain locked in a race to build them first.Plus, BMO will become the first of Canada's Big Five banks to offer commission-free stock, options, and ETF trading, a bid to win younger investors and blunt the advantage enjoyed by digital brokerages and challenger banks.And in The Big Picture: Apple unveils its US$2,000 foldable iPhone, Unifor asks Ottawa to penalize companies that shift Canadian production to the U.S., Iran and the U.S. escalate attacks around the Strait of Hormuz, OpenAI adds a government AI safety adviser to its board, Enbridge nears a major pipeline deal, and more.The Peak Daily is produced in partnership with reframevid.com

Canada and the European Union are reportedly preparing a far-reaching new partnership designed to bring them as close as legally possible without Canada joining the bloc, deepening trade, defence, and political ties as Ottawa looks for more reliable alternatives to the U.S.Plus, Canadian students' math, reading, and science scores have fallen to their lowest levels ever measured by the OECD, with pandemic disruptions, social media, and heavy AI use all contributing to a decline that could weigh on future earnings.And in The Big Picture: Mark Carney warns Canadians of economic pain as retaliatory tariffs take effect, Houthi strikes on Saudi oil facilities escalate the Middle East conflict, and Meta launches a new AI agent for Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp.The Peak Daily is produced in partnership with reframevid.com

Ottawa is spending $4.7 billion on 313 new Via Rail passenger cars, part of a major fleet overhaul aimed at improving reliability and comfort — though freight-train priority and track ownership will continue to cause delays.Plus, Canadian food regulators are investigating an illegal relabelling operation in India after a bag of chips with an English-French label was found in a warehouse raid, raising concerns that expired products could be bound for Canada.And in The Big Picture: Ukraine's former defence minister is launching a Palantir-backed defence tech startup that will use the country's wartime experience to build technology for Ukraine and its allies.The Peak Daily is produced in partnership with reframevid.com

Global bond yields are surging as investors worry about inflation, government debt, and the war in Iran, raising questions about whether bonds can still play their traditional role as the safe foundation of the financial system.Plus, Ontario has issued its first fine under a new anti-scalping law, but SeatGeek's $25,000 penalty highlights how difficult it is to enforce a ban on ticket resales above face value.And in The Big Picture: OpenAI faces more lawsuits tied to the Tumbler Ridge shooting, the Bank of Canada holds its benchmark rate, Meta disables cameras on tampered smart glasses, Ottawa extends its fuel-tax holiday, Canadian Tire and Tim Hortons link loyalty programs, and more.The Peak Daily is produced in partnership with reframevid.com

Canadian used booksellers are seeing suspicious bulk orders that may be tied to AI companies buying, scanning, and destroying old books for training data, as the industry hunts for human-written text uncontaminated by AI.Plus, Apple alleges OpenAI knowingly hired former employees who stole trade secrets, data, and hardware, a legal fight that could delay OpenAI's first devices and give Apple more time to catch up in AI.And in The Big Picture: Mark Carney tells Washington to get serious about trade talks, BYD eyes Brampton's Stellantis plant, the Liberals sweep three by-elections, OpenAI limits its newest models, U.S. attacks on Iran escalate, solar overtakes coal in China, and more.The Peak Daily is produced in partnership with reframevid.com

John Ternus is taking over as Apple CEO after Tim Cook's 15-year run, inheriting pressure to restore the company's reputation for breakthrough innovation as it falls behind in AI and prepares to unveil a foldable iPhone.Plus, Canada's proposed global defence bank is struggling to win support from major allies, threatening its ability to secure a top credit rating and provide the cheap capital Canadian defence companies need to ramp up production.And in The Big Picture: The U.S. Treasury secretary dismisses Canada's trade-war leverage, Unifor opens talks with Stellantis, Amazon faces a major advertising lawsuit, Ssense expands into the U.S., another B.C. Conservative MLA defects, and more.The Peak Daily is produced in partnership with reframevid.com

The U.S. Open is set to bring in as much as US$800 million, but tennis players receive less than 15% of tournament revenue — far below athletes in major team sports — fuelling demands for a bigger share and threats of a future Grand Slam boycott.Plus, OpenAI agents escaped a cybersecurity test and hacked Hugging Face, collaborating in secret, breaking rules, breaching internal systems, and erasing evidence in an incident AI experts are calling a serious warning about losing control of advanced systems.And in The Big Picture: Warner Music and Sony sue Anthropic, the Lake Ontario naming battle escalates, pharmaceutical and biotech stocks surge, Canadians remain missing after flash floods in Asia, GM adds pickup production in Ontario, and more.The Peak Daily is produced in partnership with reframevid.com

Canada is luring dozens of world-leading researchers away from prestigious U.S. institutions with more than $500 million in funding, a talent grab that could help reverse the country's slide in university rankings and turn more academic breakthroughs into commercial success.Plus, Nvidia has reportedly agreed to buy open-source AI hub Hugging Face for US$12.9 billion, a move that would give the chip giant a major foothold as the industry shifts toward open models and its biggest customers develop chips of their own.And in The Big Picture: Trump renames Lake Ontario “Lake America,” Quebec heads to the polls, the FAA moves to fire air traffic controllers who left before a deadly crash, Canadians remain missing after flash floods in Asia, UEFA targets FIFA's president, and more.The Peak Daily is produced in partnership with reframevid.com

Loblaw is bringing back country-of-origin labels and tariff markers after backlash from shoppers, as grocers face growing scrutiny over “maple-washing” and consumers look for clearer ways to buy Canadian.Plus, Bill Gates is calling for some jobs to be designated “human reserved” and protected from AI replacement, arguing that certain work should stay human for economic and ethical reasons.And in The Big Picture: Meta settles a major platform-safety lawsuit, deadly floods hit the China-Nepal border, OpenAI warns about rogue AI agents, Mark Carney heads to the European Parliament, Puck raises money, and more.The Peak Daily is produced in partnership with reframevid.com

Canada's federal government has unveiled its retaliatory tariffs against the U.S. alongside $7.5 billion in relief measures for workers and businesses, matching American levies on more than 700 imported goods as the trade war escalates.Plus, Canadian universities are spending more on research but making less from intellectual property, raising fresh questions about why so many campus discoveries struggle to become commercially successful businesses.And in The Big Picture: Kepler launches a space data relay service, OpenAI says its in-house chip outperforms Nvidia, Honda warns of trade-war price hikes, Fitbit founders target elder care, WestJet flight attendants ratify a deal, and more.The Peak Daily is produced in partnership with reframevid.com

Trump is threatening to crank tariffs on Canadian autos, auto parts, and steel to 50% in January, a sign the White House is prepared to drag the trade war into the new year after talks with Canada collapsed.Plus, Thomson Reuters has launched its own custom AI model for legal and accounting customers, betting that cheaper, specialized tools can win back enterprise clients from frontier AI labs.And in The Big Picture: Canada awards an $11 billion icebreaker contract, the U.S. proposes a six-figure H-1B visa fee, Iran threatens ships in the Strait of Hormuz, Hugging Face talks acquisition, Shein heads to market, and more.The Peak Daily is produced in partnership with reframevid.com

Canada-U.S. trade negotiations have collapsed after last-minute American demands, prompting Mark Carney to accuse the U.S. of waging a trade war and setting up retaliatory Canadian tariffs if new duties on exports remain in place.Plus, Walmart is taking another run at fashion with a new in-house women's clothing line aimed at younger, more affluent shoppers, hoping its massive customer base can turn cheap-but-trendy apparel into a much bigger business.And in The Big Picture: Anthropic's Fable model underwhelms, Zelenskyy rejects wartime elections in Ukraine, Unifor reaches a tentative deal with GM, Nvidia raises AI server prices, Paramount talks settlement, and more.The Peak Daily is produced in partnership with reframevid.com

Anthropic is hiring in Canada as it looks to build AI data centres here, including an Alberta-based community engagement role meant to win over towns where residents are increasingly wary of the facilities' costs, noise, emissions, and local impacts.Plus, Canadian banks are tightening employee rules around prediction markets over fears finance workers could use insider information to bet on economic forecasts, financial indicators, and company outcomes.And in The Big Picture: U.S. booze returns to Canadian shelves as trade talks progress, China's Bilibili pushes into Western markets, Australia takes on big tech over news payments, and more.The Peak Daily is produced in partnership with reframevid.com

Trump is pausing a major tariff hike on Canadian imports after a tentative deal was reached, giving negotiators three more days to hammer out the details — including possible concessions on Keystone XL, autos, dairy, and alcohol.Plus, John Tavares is taking the CRA to court over an $8 million tax bill tied to his Maple Leafs signing bonus, in a case that could make it even harder for Canadian teams to attract top U.S.-based athletes.And in The Lab: Moderna and Merck report a major breakthrough for personalized mRNA cancer treatment after a late-stage trial showed their vaccine-and-immunotherapy combo could delay the return of melanoma.The Peak Daily is produced in partnership with reframevid.com

Meta is defending itself against a landmark lawsuit from 29 U.S. states accusing Facebook and Instagram of harming young users, a case that could bring massive penalties and force a redesign of core social media features.Plus, long-term government bond yields are hitting multi-decade highs as inflation fears, war-driven oil pressures, and rising deficits push up borrowing costs — including in Canada, where higher yields could put more pressure on mortgage rates.And in The Big Picture: the Parti Québécois pledges an independence referendum after Trump leaves office, OpenAI launches a teen version of ChatGPT, Disney sues the FCC, and Curaleaf bids for Aurora Cannabis.The Peak Daily is produced in partnership with reframevid.com

Movie theatres are “Imax-maxxing” as Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey drives a boom in premium-format ticket sales, giving the Canadian large-screen company its strongest stretch in years.Plus, new research finds Russian disinformation farms targeting Albertans with pro-separation propaganda, amplifying a movement that still has limited support but outsized online noise.And in The Big Picture: inflation ticks up on higher gas prices, NexGen courts BHP for a stake in its massive Saskatchewan uranium project, and Mark Walter explores selling part of Chelsea after a record Lakers deal.The Peak Daily is produced in partnership with reframevid.com

Volatility Shares wants to launch ETFs that let investors bet on the performance of NHL teams, turning sports fandom into a tradable product that could fit inside registered accounts and blur the line between investing and gambling.Plus, Calgary-based De Havilland is weighing a second production line for Canadair water bombers as demand surges from countries facing worsening wildfires, potentially making the aircraft a bigger piece of Canada's critical infrastructure and defence strategy.And in The Big Picture: Alibaba's AI models hit 3 billion downloads, Ontario and Ottawa put $1 billion toward housing infrastructure, Quebec and Newfoundland near a new power deal, and Stripe finalizes a major OpenRouter acquisition.The Peak Daily is produced in partnership with reframevid.com

Surveillance tech company Flock is adding new guardrails after reports that police officers used its licence-plate tracking system to stalk women, raising fresh concerns about how AI-powered camera networks can be abused as the company's technology eyes a potential move into Canada.Plus, Amazon is asking B.C.'s labour board to pause bargaining with Unifor at its only unionized Canadian warehouse, as a group of workers pushes to decertify the union and potentially derail a hard-fought organizing win.And in The Big Picture: Anthropic's expected IPO could value it at US$2 trillion, Canada and the U.S. race toward a trade deal, Ontario proposes new data-centre power rules, and the world's largest electric plane completes its first flight.The Peak Daily is produced in partnership with reframevid.com

Air Canada is selling a 25% stake in Aeroplan to a group led by Blackstone and CDPQ in a deal that values the loyalty program at more than $10 billion — more than the airline itself — as carriers increasingly lean on points programs to keep their businesses flying.Plus, youth unemployment is rising around the world as weaker growth and AI disruption squeeze entry-level hiring, with Canada's youth jobless rate still nearly double the national average.And in The Big Picture: Canada and the U.S. remain far apart on a trade deal ahead of looming tariffs, the Lakers sell for a record $12.5 billion, Canada tests homegrown drone tech, and Google unveils wearables that can track insulin resistance.The Peak Daily is produced in partnership with reframevid.com

Anthropic is rolling out invisible watermarks for content generated by its AI models, part of a broader push by platforms to help users spot and filter AI-generated text, images, and files as the internet gets increasingly flooded with bots and slop.Plus, RBC and BMO are selling Moneris to U.S. private equity firm Francisco Partners for $2 billion, as Canada's dominant payments platform faces growing pressure from faster, more flexible rivals.And in The Big Picture: Ottawa readies a new trade pitch ahead of looming U.S. tariffs, Gay Lea bets big on cottage cheese, Canadian consumer insolvencies hit their highest level since the financial crisis, and Environment Canada rolls out a new extreme weather alert system.The Peak Daily is produced in partnership with reframevid.com

Canada's murder rate just saw its steepest year-over-year decline in 40 years — and that's only the start. In this episode of The Peak Daily, we break down the surprising stats behind the drop in homicides and what's driving the shift.Plus, a major breakthrough in menopause treatment: Vancouver biotech AbCellera's experimental non-hormonal drug delivered dramatic reductions in hot flashes in early trial results, offering new hope for millions.And why are Canadian chipmakers disappearing? We look at AMD's acquisition of Toronto startup Taalas and the growing trend of Canadian semiconductor companies being bought up or moving south — and what that means for Canada's long-term tech sovereignty.New episodes every weekday, covering the biggest stories in business, finance, and tech — in under 10 minutes.The Peak Daily is produced in partnership with reframevid.com

In today's episode of The Peak Daily, we cover how Canada's wildfire season is escalating fast — including a potential fatality near Summerland, B.C., and mass evacuations as the province faces more than 100 active fires. Then, we look at a Trump-linked Texas company that has brought oil-drilling equipment to Greenland despite the government saying it hasn't granted permission, raising new questions about sovereignty and U.S. influence in the Arctic.Plus, in Brief: Iran rules out direct talks with the U.S., Berkshire Hathaway finally starts deploying its massive cash pile, and victims of a major Canadian crypto wallet hack prepare a lawsuit.The Peak Daily is produced in partnership with reframevid.com

Ford is trying to get back in the EV race with the Fathom, a US$28,350 electric truck meant to win over pickup buyers and compete with low-cost Chinese automakers after the company abandoned its electric F-150 and took a massive EV writeoff. Plus, scientists have used an AI model to create novel bacteriophages that don't exist in nature, a breakthrough that could transform vaccine testing and phage therapy while raising serious biosecurity concerns.And in The Big Picture: Carney rejects sector-specific U.S. trade deals, Iran and Oman near an agreement to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, WestJet's cabin crew union releases details of its tentative deal, Peloton posts its first annual profit, Apollo buys EasyJet, and Anthropic partners with Millennium on an AI risk analyst.The Peak Daily is produced in partnership with reframevid.com

Shopify shares surged after a strong second quarter, with the e-commerce giant pointing to AI-driven shopping traffic and orders as a major growth driver while it races to make its merchants more visible in chatbot and AI search results. Plus, Disney is considering a free ad-supported tier for Disney+, joining Netflix and Paramount+ in exploring free streaming options as audiences spend more time on YouTube and FAST platforms.And in The Big Picture: Canada and the U.S. discuss a possible steel and aluminum quota deal, Google overhauls its AI leadership, Ottawa pledges $2.7 billion for Toronto rental housing, Uber commits US$10 billion to robotaxis, Toronto police crack down on organized retail crime, and Ryan Beedie backs Vistara Capital.The Peak Daily is produced in partnership with reframevid.com

Ottawa's new foreign influence registry is now live, requiring anyone working on behalf of a foreign government or agency to influence Canadian politics to register within 60 days, but critics say the rules are both too broad and too toothless. Plus, Canada is sharply cutting back its UN peacekeeping commitments, withdrawing troops from missions in Congo, South Sudan, Cyprus, and Kosovo as NATO defence priorities take precedence over a core part of the country's foreign policy identity.And in The Big Picture: Moderna begins Canadian trials for a Bundibugyo Ebola vaccine, Canada-U.S. trade talks continue ahead of a tariff deadline, wildfires destroy hundreds of homes in B.C., Canadian VC firms do fewer but bigger deals, and Canada's trade surplus hits a four-year high.The Peak Daily is produced in partnership with reframevid.com

A major hack has rattled the Bitcoin world after hackers exploited a flaw in Coldcard devices — long considered one of the safest ways to store crypto offline — to steal around US$100 million worth of Bitcoin. Plus, Hollywood is ramping up its AI hiring as studios and streamers look to integrate the technology into film production, even as they try to avoid alienating creatives and audiences wary of AI's impact on the industry.And in The Big Picture: WestJet reaches a tentative deal with flight attendants after a brief strike, Iran rebuts Trump's claims of peace talks, Albertans protest Meta's planned $13 billion data centre, and Amazon joins the US$3 trillion market cap club.The Peak Daily is produced in partnership with reframevid.com

Health Canada has won an injunction blocking Quebec's Canlab Research from selling unauthorized injectable peptides, a crackdown aimed at the grey-market biohacking boom as influencers promote “stacking” untested drugs for health and fitness goals. Plus, solopreneurs are on the rise, with Stripe data showing the number of one-person businesses earning more than $1 million a year has more than doubled as AI makes it easier to launch and run companies without employees.And in The Big Picture: Ottawa approves a major northern Ontario nickel mine, WestJet flight attendants prepare to strike, Cenovus says oil sands investment looks viable again, and Amazon's Zoox gets U.S. approval for paid robotaxis with no human controls.The Peak Daily is produced in partnership with reframevid.com

The Alto high-speed rail project is facing new political headwinds as Ontario MPPs turn against the Toronto-to-Quebec City line after Ottawa blocked the province's Billy Bishop airport expansion plans — adding to local opposition and the risk that Quebec could pull out after this fall's election. Plus, DoorDash is getting into the drone business, winning U.S. regulatory approvals and building its own delivery drones as food delivery companies push deeper into robotics.And in The Big Picture: The U.S. Federal Reserve holds rates steady despite growing inflation pressure, Ottawa may scrap the streaming levy for Canadian content, and German utility Uniper signs a landmark deal to buy Canadian LNG.The Peak Daily is produced in partnership with reframevid.com

Chip stocks are selling off as investors question whether Big Tech's massive AI spending can ever generate enough revenue to justify the hype, putting the semiconductor boom — and the broader AI stock rally — under pressure. Plus, New York City is trying to lure Canadian tourists back with discounts on hotels, restaurants, Broadway shows, and more as U.S. travel continues to feel the effects of Elbows Up sentiment and a strong American dollar.And in The Big Picture: Alberta lets residents pay out of pocket for diagnostic tests, Apple prepares a new Siri-powered smart home hub, Vancouver approves the tallest towers in Canada west of Toronto, and Canada's trade minister heads to Washington for tariff talks.The Peak Daily is produced in partnership with reframevid.com

Canadian emergency rooms are under intense strain — and many doctors are walking away. In today's episode of The Peak Daily, we break down new survey data showing rising burnout, reduced hours, and growing wait times across the country, as Canada's aging population and family-doctor shortage push more people into ERs.Then, we look at surprising new research on wildfire smoke: most of the emissions from Canada's record-breaking 2023 fires may have come from below the forest floor, as dried-out soil and peat combusted at scale — a finding that could reshape how we think about fire prevention and forest management.Plus, in the big picture: Nvidia and other tech giants launch an open AI safety initiative focused on cybersecurity, and China's chipmaker CXMT debuts with a huge surge to become the country's most valuable publicly traded company.The Peak Daily is produced in partnership with reframevid.com

OpenAI and Anthropic are pushing U.S. lawmakers to tighten controls on open-source AI models, pitting them against tech giants like Nvidia, Meta, Microsoft, IBM, and Alphabet that argue open models are key to competition and innovation — while the bigger fight over AI leadership with China looms in the background. Plus, minivans are making an unlikely comeback in Canada as buyers look for cheaper, more practical alternatives to three-row SUVs, with hybrid and electric vans helping drive a surge in sales.And in The Big Picture: Mark Carney calls three by-elections for the end of August, and a lull in Middle East fighting follows Trump's decision to hold off on escalating U.S. strikes against Iran.The Peak Daily is produced in partnership with reframevid.com

Yelp is licensing its reviews and recommendations to OpenAI, showing how human-made content is becoming more valuable as AI slop floods the internet — and why platforms that sell their data risk training chatbots to replace the traffic they depend on. Plus, Pascal Siakam's edtech non-profit is backing Canadian startups as more pro athletes look beyond passive investments and into startup funding.And in The Big Picture: Canada keeps negotiating with the U.S. as new tariffs loom, the Magnificent 7 lose nearly US$800B in a tech selloff, and Ottawa forms a federal wildfire response team as hundreds of fires burn across the country.The Peak Daily is produced in partnership with reframevid.com

OpenAI's newest model triggered fresh “rogue AI” concerns after it reportedly escaped a controlled sandbox during an internal security test, accessed the internet, and exploited systems tied to AI startup Hugging Face — raising new questions about how close cutting-edge models are to real-world cyber risk. Next, we look at why reports of local news' death may be premature: Northern Ontario-based Village Media is expanding into 15 U.S. communities after a $5M Knight Foundation investment, offering a rare growth story for ad-supported local journalism. Plus, in the lab: a first-of-its-kind “double neural bypass” helped a person with quadriplegia move and feel their hands again, and One Big Number looks at the record $1.4T in bets against S&P 500 stocks, led by short positions targeting AI-related companies.The Peak Daily is produced in partnership with reframevid.com

Trump is opening a new front in his tariff war, using forced-labour allegations to justify levies on dozens of trading partners — including a threatened 50% tariff on Canadian goods — as Ottawa and Washington try to hammer out a new trade deal. Plus, Coinbase Canada wants to become an “Everything Exchange,” adding stocks, ETFs, derivatives, and prediction markets to its crypto platform as fintechs race to be consumers' one-stop money app.And in The Big Picture: Ontario's wildfire season becomes the worst on record, Apple teams up with Klarna on a device-leasing program, and Sleep Country buys Sleep Number to expand into the U.S.The Peak Daily is produced in partnership with reframevid.com

Canadian fitness app Flex AI is shutting down after running out of money, showing how crowded the fitness app market has become — and how vibecoding could make life even harder for apps without much of a moat. Plus, Domino's sales are slowing as pizza loses its once-dominant grip on delivery to chains like McDonald's, Starbucks, and Chipotle.And in The Big Picture: A U.S. judge puts the Paramount-Warner Bros. merger on pause, Canada's inflation rate drops, and Yemen's Houthi rebels threaten to blockade a key Red Sea shipping route.The Peak Daily is produced in partnership with reframevid.com

SpaceX's blockbuster IPO is losing altitude as shares fall below their listing price, short sellers pile in, and investors question whether its AI ambitions can justify the company's sky-high valuation. Plus, a potentially record-setting El Niño could disrupt global food supplies and drive up grocery prices for years, with exposed crops like rice, sugar, and coffee facing the biggest risks.And in The Big Picture: Wildfires continue to burn across Canada, the Crown narrows its case against Toronto police officers accused in Project South, and the U.S. and Iran trade strikes after a ceasefire falls apart.The Peak Daily is produced in partnership with reframevid.com