In the news: Carney travelling north, BDC and defence partnerships, NSF fees capped

By Canadian Press on March 12, 2026.

Here is a roundup of stories from The Canadian Press designed to bring you up to speed …

Carney travelling to Yellowknife, Norway

Prime Minister Mark Carney is again heading overseas, this time to Norway to observe NATO Cold Response exercises as Canada deepens ties with Nordic countries.

He will stop first in Yellowknife on Thursday.

“In this time of global uncertainty, it’s really important that we strengthen the co-operation with Canada, with Norway and with the Nordic countries together,” Norwegian Ambassador to Canada Hanne Ulrichsen said in an interview Wednesday.

She said Norway invited Carney to visit and has convened heads of government from Iceland, Denmark, Sweden and Finland to Oslo so that Carney can advance efforts to strengthen trade and energy ties with the so-called Nordic Five.

But first, Carney will travel to Bardufoss, Norway, on Friday to watch the military exercises, and senior government officials said the prime minister will attend along with Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.

Business Development Bank boosts defence offering

The Business Development Bank of Canada is increasing the funds available to entrepreneurs looking to take advantage of an anticipated boom in defence spending.

Late last year, the federal Crown corporation announced up to $4 billion in financing, investment and advisory opportunities to small- and medium-sized businesses working in defence and national security.

BDC says uptake for its Defence Platform has been strong, with $91.7 million in financing already provided to 16 businesses.

So the funds available are being pumped up to $6 billion.

BDC CEO Isabelle Hudon said in a recent interview that the agency has historically taken a “shy position” toward the defence sector but decided now was the time to go “big and bold.”

Cap on non-sufficient funds fees kicks in Thursday

New rules are now in effect limiting the amount that banks can charge customers who don’t have enough money in their accounts to cover a cheque or other pre-authorized charge.

Canada’s new cap on non-sufficient funds fees is set at $10 for personal deposit accounts. The changes, announced by Ottawa last year and which kicked in on Thursday, also prohibit banks from charging more than one NSF fee in a period of two business days for the same deposit account, and ban charging an NSF fee when an account shortfall is under $10.

The federal government has said that until now, NSF fees could be as high as $50.

Advocates have said the charge disproportionately affected low-income Canadians and people with poor credit history.

Alberta chambers say separation talk not helpful

Alberta’s chambers of commerce say talk of the province potentially quitting Confederation is bad for business, with one saying it’s time Premier Danielle Smith’s government move on from blaming former prime minister Justin Trudeau.

The Alberta Chambers of Commerce says a recent survey of members and investors suggested more than half of participants say the provincial separation issue is affecting the provincial economy and making it hard to plan.

“Alberta separation is the top business issue right now,” said Shauna Feth, the chamber’s chief executive, in an interview.

The move comes as Smith’s government makes headlines with the separation question. Smith has made clear she supports Alberta staying in Canada, but her government has also made rule changes to make it easier for a separation question to go on a referendum ballot. One group is now trying to raise the requisite number of signatures to make that happen.

Edmonton man details recovery after bar attack

Chase Delorme-Rowan is now one year removed from an 18th birthday random resort attack that left him with a cracked skull, exposed brain and a long path back relearning how to walk, talk, eat and drink.

The 19-year-old was once a party monster and avid adventurer. He’s now into clothes shopping, working out and poetry writing.

He had hoped to study mechanics, but was told by doctors he needed more recovery time.

In an interview from his Edmonton home, he said he’s nervous now going out because, “Who knows who you meet up in public?”

Winter storm sweeps into Ontario, Quebec

A winter storm swept across Central Canada and the Atlantic region on Wednesday, bringing a mix of heavy rain, freezing rain and heavy snow.

The early hours of the storm caused flooding in some parts of Toronto and knocked out power to tens of thousands of households in Quebec, forcing the cancellation of dozens of flights and the cancellation of classes in a number of Montreal-area schools and universities.

Environment Canada warned that conditions were likely to worsen into the evening and overnight for the southwestern part of Quebec due to the accumulation of ice on tree branches over power lines.

“It’s really the end of the weather event overnight that will cause problems,” Environment Canada meteorologist Giselle Dhookie said.