The Peak Weekly

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