National Business

TORONTO — Erin Gamelin started scouring the internet for a cost-effective version of the outdoor dining pods she’d seen photos of online when stricter public health measures shut down indoor dining in Ontario's COVID-19 hot spots this month.

OTTAWA — Canada Post is urging Canadians to shop early this holiday season to avoid the late arrival of gifts caused by a pandemic-induced shift to online shopping.

DETROIT — Downtown Detroit was returning to its roots as a vibrant city centre , motoring away from its past as the model of urban ruin.

CALGARY — Homeowners across the country are spending big bucks to upgrade or enlarge their homes as the reality sinks in that many workers won't be heading back to the office any time soon due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

NEW YORK — J.C. Penney believes it will emerge from bankruptcy protection before Christmas under a new ownership agreement that would save tens of thousands of jobs.

LONDON — The COVID-19 pandemic is battering Britain’s public finances, pushing government borrowing to a record last month as tax revenue fell and authorities spent billions of pounds to prop up the economy. The government borrowed a net 36.

Tim Hortons is ending the practice of double cupping hot drinks, a move the fast food restaurant says will eliminate hundreds of millions of cups from landfills each year. The subsidiary of Restaurant Brands International Inc.

OTTAWA — Canada's national annual inflation rate was 0.5 per cent in September, Statistics Canada says. Here's what happened in the provinces (previous month in brackets): — Newfoundland and Labrador: 0.3 per cent (-0.6) — Prince Edward Island: 0.

OTTAWA — Statistics Canada says retail sales rose 0.4 per cent to $53.2 billion in August.

George McKay belts out a hearty “ho ho ho” as he makes the rounds at a weekend farmers market in Brampton, Ont.