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Small businesses say new rent relief guidelines still not enough

New details from Ottawa on its commercial rent relief program for small business have given little comfort to tenants who say they will still not get help. Story

Floor-scrubbing robots go where humans fear to tread

Demand has doubled for Avidbots Corp.’s autonomous floor-scrubbing robots since the COVID-19 pandemic hit North America, as property owners and managers rush to disinfect surfaces that they once took for granted. Story

Shopify steps into Amazon territory with consumer app

Shopify Inc., which has become a global e-commerce player by helping its business customers behind the scenes, is stepping out front with Shop, an app for consumers. Story

Canadian quantum computer pioneer D-Wave stops actively selling ‘infinity machine,’ pushes cloud access instead

The Canadian creator of the first commercially available computer powered by quantum mechanics has stopped actively selling the device, focusing instead on offering online access to the technology. Story

OMERS Ventures signals renewed commitment to Canadian startups with launch of US$750-million fund

Ontario Municipal Employees Retirement System, one of the first Canadian institutional investors to back domestic information technology startups after the 2008-09 financial crisis, is signalling a renewed commitment to this country’s innovation sector with the launch of its latest venture-capital fund. Story

More than half of Canadian businesses saw revenue cut by at least 20% as pandemic took hold: survey

More than half of Canadian companies saw their revenue drop by more than 20 per cent during the initial wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, while nearly three-quarters of businesses report being negatively affected by physical-distancing measures aimed at curbing the virus’s growth. Story

For small business owners, CRA’s new tax deadline isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution

In-home personal trainer Dave Szymkowicz has seen his business grind to a “complete halt” in the last few weeks. Story

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