The global economy is rapidly changing, and many Canadians are feeling the effects at home—including workers and young people looking for jobs in a challenging job market. In response, the Government of Canada is focused on what it can control: creating good jobs for people across Canada to gain meaningful work experience that will set them on a path to a successful future.

In Budget 2025, we outlined our plan to build Canada strong. Since then, we have moved fast to build the major infrastructure, homes, and industries that grow Canada’s economy and create lasting prosperity; empower Canadians with better careers and a more affordable life; and protect our communities, our borders, and our way of life. 

We delivered concrete savings for Canadians while supporting key national priorities and keeping investments focused on results. We are maintaining a strong fiscal position, with Spring Economic Update 2026 showing that projected deficits are lower over the fiscal horizon and that we are on track to meet our fiscal anchors.  

Spring Economic Update 2026 is the next step in our plan to build Canada strong for all. It provides a clear update on the strength of Canada’s economy, giving Canadians confidence in our plan. It delivers targeted relief to make life more affordable, support workers, and accelerate the construction of homes and major infrastructure. It also strengthens Canada’s competitiveness and economic growth while investing in strong, safe communities across the country.  

Today, the Honourable Patty Hajdu, Minister of Jobs and Families and Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Northern Ontario, met with the Marshall School of Skilled Trades and Apprenticeship at the Mohawk College in Hamilton, Ontario, to highlight key investments from the Spring Economic Update to build trades and support Canada’s young people.

Canada’s future depends on the people building it. That’s why Spring Economic Update 2026 is proposing measures to help workers and young people gain the skills, experience, and support they need to succeed. 

We’re making it easier to learn, train, and find meaningful opportunities by:

• Creating new opportunities for young Canadians: Launching Team Canada Strong, the new $6 billion nationwide effort to recruit, train, and hire 80,000 to 100,000 new Red Seal skilled trades workers in the next five years, aligning with Canada’s housing, infrastructure, and defence needs. This measure will help:Making education more affordable: Extending for the 2026–27 academic year the increases to Canada Student Grants and interest-free Canada Student Loans—571,000 students are expected to benefit from the increase to non-repayable grants, and 422,000 students could benefit from the weekly loan limit increase. 
  • Recruit:
    • We will deploy $2 billion to support young Canadians with paid, job-ready placements that lead directly into registered apprenticeships.
    • This investment will also support the launch of the Build Canada Apprenticeship Service to provide up to $10,000 for an apprentice’s first-year salary, match apprentices to job opportunities, and offer direct navigation and support to help employers hire, train, and retain apprentices.
  • Train: 
    • We will boost and modernize apprenticeship training to expedite Red Seal certification with $331 million in funding over five years, starting in 2026–27, and $18 million ongoing.
    • We will digitize the Red Seal Program, introducing online exams, digital logbooks, and secure credentials to reduce certification timelines, including by creating a single national registered apprenticeship number.
    • We will expand the Union Training and Innovation Program to enable union-run training centres to upgrade facilities, expand capacity and invest in modern equipment.
  • Hire: 
    • We will provide $3.4 billion over five years, starting in 2026–27, and $468 million ongoing to address the challenges that can stop apprentices from completing their training and moving into permanent jobs.
    • We will offer a one-time $5,000 apprenticeship completion bonus to those who obtain certification in a Red Seal trade.
    • With the Apprenticeship Training Grant, we will provide a $400 weekly top-up while apprentices attend mandatory in-class technical training.
    • This represents a total payment of up to $16,000 per apprentice, paid in addition to Employment Insurance.

For those already in the workforce, we’re making it easier to find meaningful opportunities:

• Helping tradespeople go where the work is: Enhancing the Labour Mobility Deduction will make it more affordable for skilled workers to travel to where jobs are available.
• Encouraging shared ownership: Making the Employee Ownership Trust tax exemption permanent will help more workers share in the success of the businesses they help build.

As part of Budget 2025, young Canadians are gaining opportunities to work and build careers, with 175,000 placements supported in 2026–27 through Canada Summer Jobs, the Youth Employment and Skills Strategy, and the Student Work Placement Program.

The Government of Canada is transforming our economy from reliance to resilience. Spring Economic Update 2026 ensures all Canadians can participate in building Canada strong and share in its success.

A new report, released by The Staffing Agency titled Beyond the Boom: Canada’s Hospitality Labor Market in 2025 and the Road to 2030, shows spending in Canada hit $104 billion in 2025, with employment higher than pre-pandemic levels in 2019. Dining rooms are full again and travel has returned, yet the industry is still struggling to hold on to workers.

The Canada-focused report shows that hospitality operators are hiring, but not securing long-term staff. Termed as ‘labor paradox’, the report states that margins are getting strained by part-time roles where students, newcomers and temporary workers fill critical shifts. That keeps operations running, but drives turnover and weakens reliability.

Costs are compounding the issue. Labor is no longer just hourly pay. It now includes higher wage floors, added premiums in expensive cities, benefits and the ongoing cost of turnover and training. Margins are tightening even as demand holds. “In Canada, the wage increase isn’t a threshold; it’s the new baseline,” said Steven Kamali, CEO of The Staffing Agency. “The question now isn’t if we can pay more, but if we can make the model work.”

Another trend revealed in the report is that housing has emerged as the defining fault line. In major cities such as Toronto, Vancouver or Montreal, workers can’t afford to live near their jobs. So, commute becomes longer and shits go unfilled. Union activity is also rising in urban centers, reshaping scheduling, pay structures, and operations.

Kamali adds, “The pressure is not limited to Canada. In the United States also, wage growth is outpacing productivity in many markets, while housing constraints continue to shape labor availability. Canada’s reliance on international talent adds another layer of sensitivity to policy changes.”

The path forward should be to build a more reliable talent pipeline, address housing near job centers, and tailor workforce strategies by region. Without this, growth will remain uneven. You can view the full report here.

May 6, 2026 – Toronto, ON – Lactalis Canada, the Canadian dairy leader behind iconic brands like Cracker Barrel, Black Diamond, Balderson, Astro, and Lactantia, and part of France-based Lactalis Group, today released its 2025 Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Report, highlighting continued progress in delivering sustainable, responsible growth while strengthening its connection to Canadians, communities, and the broader dairy sector.

“In 2025, despite ongoing economic uncertainty, Lactalis Canada remained firmly anchored in our purpose: to enrich and nurture the lives of Canadians through sustainable, responsible growth,” said Mark Taylor, President & CEO, Lactalis Canada. “We continued to deliver trusted products, strengthen partnerships across our value chain, and advance our ESG priorities in practical and measurable ways. As we look ahead, we remain focused on building a resilient dairy sector, supporting communities, and advancing ESG priorities in collaboration with our employees, farmers, customers, partners and suppliers.

With more than 140 years of heritage in Canada, Lactalis Canada’s products are now found in 94% of refrigerators nationwide, reflecting the strong trust Canadians place in its brands. In 2025, the company reinforced its commitment to local production through Buy Canadian initiatives, including consumer campaigns and expanded use of the Blue Cow logo to help Canadians make informed purchasing decisions.

The company also demonstrated leadership across the industry by becoming the first supplier to formally sign the Grocery Code of Conduct, supporting greater transparency, accountability, and fairness across the grocery supply chain.

Aligned with Lactalis Group’s global ESG framework, the report focuses on three pillars of impact: People & Communities; Authentic Products & Heritage; and Land & Resources, underpinned by priorities in Climate, Circular Economy & Packaging, and Animal Welfare.

Key 2025 highlights include:

People & Communities

• Recognized on Forbes’ Canada’s Best Employers 2025 list
• Contributed $3.4 million in community investment and supported 125+ organizations nationwide
• Delivered 2,400 employee volunteer hours, a 21% increase year-over-year
• Continued partnerships with Kids Help Phone and The Grocery Foundation to support youth wellbeing and food security, along with partnering with Second Harvest on its Food Rescue App

Authentic Products & Heritage

• Expanded product innovation, including high-protein and lactose-free offerings aligned with evolving consumer needs
• Maintained strong food safety performance, with 100% of distribution centres certified to recognized standards
• Advanced responsible sourcing, achieving 100% cage-free egg sourcing across the portfolio

Land & Resources

• Entered a $10 million decarbonization partnership with SOFIAC to improve energy efficiency and reduce emissions at our Victoriaville and Laverlochère Quebec facilities.
• Awarded the Canadian Grocer 2025 Impact Award (sustainability category) for our Oshawa, Ontario distribution centre’s sustainable design
• Advanced circular packaging initiatives across our operations, including – among other projects – the conversion of the Balderson spreadable tub to a fully recyclable design and the replacement of foil on 45 million butter stick packs with a compostable parchment solution.

The report also highlights employee-driven innovation through the Next Ventures program, which generated more than 100 ESG-focused ideas in 2025.

To read Lactalis Canada’s 2025 ESG Report, click HERE.

Vancouver, BC, (May 5, 2026) — ACUYO, an elevated restaurant showcasing the depth, diversity, and sophistication of authentic Mexican cuisine, has officially opened, launching a new menu amongst Vancouver’s bustling dining scene. Currently in soft opening, the restaurant is celebrating Cinco de Mayo, a day celebrating Mexican history and culture, by announcing their official grand opening on May 15th, 2026. As part of the announcement, ACUYO releases its new menu, featuring a renewed culinary take on the country’s classic dishes and cocktails, translating the richness, tradition, and flavours of Mexico through thoughtfully crafted food and drink.

ACUYO was founded by four partners with roots in Guadalajara, Mexico, united by a shared vision to introduce Canada to authentic Mexican cuisine - grounded in tradition and presented with elegance, care, and intention. 

Owners Diego Ancona and Oscar Navarro set out to bring their dream of owning a restaurant in Canada to life, drawing from their experience building beautiful, thoughtfully designed restaurants in Mexico. Their long-standing relationship with Rodrigo Lopez, formed through years of collaboration in Mexico City, laid the foundation for a deeper partnership. Together with Chef Rodrigo G. de Quevedo, the group set out to celebrate the flavours, techniques, and dishes that defined their childhoods.

Sharing the same city, similar paths, and a deep cultural connection to food, all four partners aligned around one goal: to bring a truly authentic, elevated Mexican dining experience to Vancouver. Recognizing a gap in the market for refined, traditional Mexican cuisine, they saw an opportunity to bring their vision to life on a new stage.

ACUYO is the result of that vision. A place where heritage meets craftsmanship, and where guests are invited to experience the true flavours of Mexico, thoughtfully brought to life.

Head Chef Rafael Chavez leads Acuyo’s kitchen with a strong emphasis on collaboration, drawing inspiration from working alongside some of the most respected chefs and culinary influences across Mexico. 

“ACUYO is founded on honoring traditional techniques and regional diversity,” says Chef Rafael Chavez. “We’ve built our concept around the ‘calor’ of  every detail, from the food to the experience.” 

The tying of the restaurant to ‘calor’, the Mexican concept of heat linked to health, balance, and emotional energy, outlines the ACUYO team’s adoration for all things tradition. The name ‘ACUYO’ is the Indigenous word for the hoja santa, an aromatic Mexican herb that represents diversity, freshness, and the very roots of Mexico. 

“At its core, ACUYO is focused on delivering more than just a meal. We built a space focused on energy, connection, and providing genuine Mexican hospitality, where guests are welcomed in, encouraged to share, and immersed in a lively atmosphere. By combining traditional methods such as fire cooking and freshly prepared handmade tortillas, we offer a sophisticated yet approachable dining experience.” says ACUYO’s Diego Ancona.

Open for lunch, happy hour, dinner, and a late-night happy hour, ACUYO offers a full-day experience that transitions from relaxed daytime dining to vibrant evening service. The fluid menu is designed to grow and adapt, with new dishes and regional features introduced on a monthly basis, highlighting different regions of Mexico and varying seasonal ingredients.

The interior of ACUYO reflects the same philosophy as the food. Founded in elegance and warmth, the restaurant offers 84 seats with both dining tables and bar seating. Designed by ACUYO Rodrigo López, and adorned in décor sourced directly from Mexico, the space reflects typical restaurants of the country, featuring gentle earth tones, textured walls, and an intimate and vibrant atmosphere.