Entrepreneurs, watch out for these four new tax traps
Recent changes in tax law in Canada and south of the border could bring unexpected expenses for small-business owners. Here’s what you need to know. Full story (Globe subscribers)
Can an app solve restaurant staff shortages?
Staffing a dishwasher position at a restaurant is tricky. It’s hard work that isn’t well paid, and there are lots of jobs available, so workers have options if they’re not happy. But it’s also a key role in a restaurant and has to be filled by someone, so cooks often get pulled off the line to wash dishes, affecting the quality and preparation time of the food. Full story
Trudeau’s cabinet shuffle adds new faces, puts focus on trade, border
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau shuffled his cabinet on Wednesday. Moves include the naming of a new small-business minister. Full story
Waterloo startup Quantum Benchmark scores a deal with Google
A Canadian startup has received a high-profile boost in its goal to become the go-to service for quantum computer builders seeking to measure and improve the performance of their technology. On Wednesday, tech giant Google LLC announced that it would be integrating software created by Quantum Benchmark of Waterloo, Ont., into its new open-source platform for quantum computing. Developers will be able to use the software as a yardstick for checking the reliability of their results, a pressing issue in the nascent field because of the unstable nature of quantum systems. Full story (Globe subscribers)
Women in Technology Venture Fund announces four investments
A federally financed venture capital fund that backs technology startups led by women revealed the names of four of its first investments Wednesday – an effort to overcome well-documented systemic biases against female tech CEOs, who struggle more than their male counterparts to raise money. Full story (Globe subscribers)
Report reveals staggering gender disparity in Canadian venture-capital firms
Only 14 per cent of partners at Canada’s most active venture-capital funds are women, according to a new report that examines the gender imbalance in the country’s investment ecosystem. Full story
High housing costs could make Vancouver a self-service city
An increasing number of upscale San Francisco restaurants are trying something new: do-it-yourself dining. Patrons walk in the establishment’s front door and take a number. When their number comes up, they go scout out their own table, fill their own water glasses, get their own alcoholic beverage and retrieve their own tableware. Someone brings their food from the kitchen, but that’s about as much traditional service as you get. Full story
Canadian temporary tattoo startup Inkbox raises $10-million in funding
A Toronto-based start-up has secured $10 million in funding from venture capitalists to expand its operations in the temporary tattoo business, the company’s chief executive officer said on Tuesday. Full story
Should small businesses insure key people?
If a small business owner dies or becomes critically ill, the business will likely suffer. That important person might be responsible for growth and revenue. Without her there, how will the business stay intact? Full story
Facebook’s double standard affects local business woman
Guelph-based mom and entrepreneur Kat Nantz has been banned from advertising her business on Facebook. Nantz, a Sexual Wellness and Relationship Coach says that she’s been blocked from creating advertisements on Facebook for the last few years. Full story
Cree-Métis creator of VirtualGurus hopes to inspire Indigenous youth to pursue business
Bobbie-Jo Racette is a Cree-Métis woman who sports tattoos — and because of that, she says, she’s always struggled with discrimination and profiling while searching for jobs. She knew she couldn’t be the only one struggling, so she decided to flip the problem on its head and find a way to offer jobs to other people facing obstacles in their job hunt. Full story
Company building Eglinton Crosstown sues Metrolinx over delays, but area merchants call lawsuit ‘laughable’
The company that is building the Eglinton Crosstown LRT line has filed a lawsuit against Metrolinx to compensate it for delays in the $5.3-billion project, but small business owners in the Eglinton West area who are suffering due to the ongoing construction say the lawsuit is too little, too late. Full story
Sarah Efron