National Business

OTTAWA — COVID-19 relief measures pushed Canada's deficit up to $216.6 billion in the first seven months of the pandemic. The deficit figure is based on spending between April and October and compared with a deficit of $9.

VICTORIA — A high volume of online applications for the British Columbia COVID-19 recovery benefit has slowed the process. Some users have reported getting an error on the site when making their application for the benefit of up to $1,000.

TORONTO — The cannabis industry might be closing out a year full of massive cuts, but Aurora Cannabis Inc.'s chief executive says there is still plenty of money to be made in the pot business.

CALGARY — Canadian Pacific says it will pilot a new project to build a hydrogen-powered train.

TORONTO — While Karen Ward and her family cook takeout meals at the Grover pub, she often hears a knock at the windows or door of the east-end Toronto bar.

HALIFAX — Fewer Canadians plan to improve their diet as a New Year's resolution in 2021, and are thinking of donating to local food banks instead, a new survey reveals.

TORONTO — Sales fell at BlackBerry Ltd. in the three months that ended Nov. 30, but the technology company is banking on partnerships with Amazon and Zoom to bring in steady revenue going forward. The Waterloo, Ont.

TORONTO — The Weston family says it is selling some of its shares to George Weston Ltd. and Loblaw Companies Ltd. in an internal reorganization. The sale by W.

WASHINGTON — Federal authorities expressed increased alarm Thursday about a long-undetected intrusion into U.S. and other computer systems around the globe that officials suspect was carried out by Russian hackers.

Trans Mountain says it is shutting down construction on its pipeline expansion project until early January for safety reasons.