With 2025 just around the corner, several new laws and regulations in Ontario will be taking effect soon that will impact business owners, tenants, and those requiring childcare across the province. The Ontario government and the City of Toronto will both be introducing new rules in 2025, and here are some of the ones that you should keep on your radar. Drawing inspiration from a Hamilton bylaw enacted in 2024, Toronto formally adopted a in November to curb bad-faith evictions and protect tenants from “renovictions.” The bylaw officially comes into effect on July 31, 2025. Renovictions describe situations in which tenants are evicted under the false pretense of necessary renovations so that landlords can significantly increase rents or refuse tenants from returning to their homes. The City says the practice has become increasingly common in Toronto’s tight rental housing market and disproportionately impacts low-income and marginalized communities. Starting July 31, 2025, tenants who have been issued an N-13 notice should contact the City to verify that their landlord is in compliance with the new bylaw. Under the new regulations, landlords issuing an N-13 notice to end tenancy will require a Rental Renovation Licence. To apply for a licence, landlords will need to provide approved building permits, provide a copy of the N-13 notice, submit a $700 application fee, notify tenants of a licence application, post a tenant information notice in the building, and provide a report prepared by a qualified person noting that the renovation requires vacant possession. Landlords will also need to complete a tenant accommodation/compensation plan and provide tenants with prescribed severance compensation where the tenant chooses not to return to the unit. Starting January 1, 2025, the City of Toronto will be implementing updated licensing and zoning bylaws for restaurants, bars, and entertainment venues that seek to . Key changes include clarified criteria and new names for business licence categories, retired and merged business licence categories with existing re-named categories, increasing permitted maximum areas that bars and restaurants can use for entertainment, and permitting entertainment establishments and nightclubs city-wide in most commercial zones. As a result, restaurants, bars, and entertainment venues currently holding business licences might need to transition to a new licence type, depending on the activities and services they provide. The zoning bylaw changes for nightclubs are aimed at reducing the clustering of nightclubs in the downtown core. Still, entertainment establishments must be located in a non-residential building, the only nightclub in the building, and located on the first storey or in the basement. Starting January 1, 2025, Ontario’s Highway 407 ETR will be rolling out a new rate schedule that will affect how much you’ll have to pay depending on the vehicle you drive. The new vehicle classifications aim to better reflect each vehicle’s impact, including motorcycles (charged 0.8x of light vehicle rate) and medium-sized vehicles (charged 1.5x of light vehicle rate). The roll rate for light vehicles will range from three to 14 cents per kilometre, depending on the time of day and zone you travel on the highway. Instead of the highway’s current four zones, there will be 12 zones starting next year, which will allow the highway operator to set different toll rates for each section. The annual transponder lease in January 2025 will also cost $29.50 plus tax. Toronto residents will have to such as water and garbage collection in 2025. The 3.75% increase — which will take effect on January 1, 2025 — is intended to support the continued delivery of services such as waste management and water treatment while also funding ongoing projects. Next year, factoring in the increase, the yearly solid waste fee for a single-family household will be $306.36 for a small bin (an increase of $11.07), $371.91 for a medium bin (an increase of $13.44), $505.12 for a large bin (an increase of $18.26) and $585.89 for an extra-large bin (an increase of $21.18). For an average Toronto household that uses 230 cubic metres of water per year, the 3.75% increase equates to an increase of $39 yearly, for a total annual cost of $1,078 in 2025. The comes into effect on January 1, 2025, with a three-month grace period that lasts until March 31, 2025 for certain designs that are already underway. The new Building Code seeks to reduce regulatory burdens for the construction industry, increase the safety and quality of buildings, and make it easier to build housing. The latest addition streamlines processes for the sector and increases harmonization with the National Construction Codes by eliminating at least 1,730 technical variations between the provincial and national requirements. The provincial government says the new code was developed in consultations with partners in the sector, including building officials, fire prevention officials, architects, engineers, builders, and the construction industry. In 2025, the Ontario government says it is taking the next step in as part of the national Canada-wide Early Learning and Child Care (CWELCC) system with a new fee cap to reduce costs for families as well as a cost-based funding approach to provide more stability for operators. Starting in January 2025, parent fees will be capped at $22 per day for children under the age of six in CWELCC programs, which is estimated to result in additional savings of nearly $300 million in 2025 for families. Ontario’s cost-based funding approach for childcare operators — which also comes into effect on January 1 — replaces the “revenue replacement approach” the government used between 2022 and 2024, where operators were eligible for the amounts required to buy down the parent fees (plus cost escalation). “The new funding approach prioritizes a simple and easy-to-administer system that is consistent across the province and is representative of the true costs of operating child care,” the province says. Starting July 1, 2025, will take effect, which introduces a suite of new protections for workers in digital platform-based services like Uber and DoorDash. The new regulations apply to workers and operators of digital platforms, regardless of their employment status under the Employment Standards Act (ESA). Under the Act, operators must pay at least the ESA-prescribed minimum wage for each work assignment, provide details about how worker pay is calculated, and establish recurring pay. Operators are also barred from withholding tips, and workers cannot be removed from digital platform access without written notice (except in cases that involve public safety, legal restrictions, etc.). Ontario will be appointing compliance officers to investigate violations and issue penalties. Back in November, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced a on groceries for Canadians ahead of the pricey holiday season. The temporary tax break — which went into effect on December 15 — applies to several categories of products, including those related to childcare, alcoholic beverages like beer and wine, groceries, decorative items for the holidays, and books. The cuts also applied to restaurant meals and takeout. The federal government estimates that a family spending $2,000 on qualifying foods would see GST savings of over $100 over the two-month period. Along with this, the province also announced that it would be removing the HST from qualifying goods, meaning the same $2,000 basket of purchases would realize savings of $260 over the two months. However, this temporary tax break is set to expire on February 15, 2025. In October, Immigration Minister Marc Miller announced , which seeks to pause population growth in the short term. For the first time, the levels plan includes controlled targets for temporary residents (specifically international students and foreign workers), as well as for permanent residents. “In response to the evolving needs of our country, this transitional levels plan alleviates pressures on housing, infrastructure and social services so that over the long term, we can grow our economic and social prosperity through immigration,” the federal government said in a press release. “This unprecedented plan offers a comprehensive approach to welcoming newcomers— one that preserves the integrity of our immigration programs and sets newcomers up for success.” The 2025-2027 Immigration Levels Plan is expected to result in a population decline of 0.2% in 2025 and 2026, before returning to a population growth of 0.8% in 2027. Compared to 2024’s plan, the federal government will be reduced from 500,000 permanent residents to 395,000 in 2025. Along with the temporary resident reduction measures announced in September, the Canadian government expects to see the country’s temporary population decline by 445,901 in 2025.How co-writing a book threatened the Carters’ marriage
SINGAPORE: News emerged in late November that over 100 Singaporean public servants, including five ministers, received extortionary emails with deepfake images . The messages demanded US$50,000 of cryptocurrency in return for not publishing “compromising” videos. The emails contained purported screenshots of those videos showing the victim’s faces, which seemed to be taken from public sources such as LinkedIn. This is not the first extortion plot against public servants in Singapore. Earlier this year , several members of parliament received threatening letters containing obscene images manipulated in a similar way. Such incidents highlight concerns over the capabilities of artificial intelligence (AI) and its potential to augment blackmail attempts. DEEPFAKE BLACKMAIL ON THE RISE Similar attempts have also occurred in Asia. An extortion scheme in November targeted male politicians in South Korea, where victims’ faces were superimposed on explicit images and ransom was demanded in return for keeping the altered images private. In 2019, an alleged deepfake sex video targeting a Malaysian politician was circulated on WhatsApp. The capacity for AI to create realistic content carries significant risks for harmful exploitation. With AI-powered tools being widely available, anyone can easily and rapidly create a deepfake, using tactics such as face swapping to switch an individual’s likeness with another. Cybercriminals have also adopted deepfake technology for other malicious purposes such as investment scams . Such deepfakes affect not only politicians and celebrities but ordinary people. DEEPFAKES AS PART OF A CYBERCRIMINAL’S TOOLBOX Public figures such as politicians and businessmen are prime targets for deepfake extortion, given the wealth of images and videos of them available online. Malicious actors can utilise deepfakes not only for financial gain, but to obtain information or compromise their careers. This is cause for concern due to the influence and sensitive data politicians and businessmen have access to. Cybercriminals have also used similar strategies against ordinary people. In June 2023, the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) warned of “sextortion schemes” where bad actors create deepfake pornography using content posted on social media, to pressure victims either for payment or to send real explicit photos or videos of themselves. Such blackmail attempts could cause severe reputational harm and mental distress to individuals. Victims are afraid of the potential embarrassment from not paying ransoms and having their deepfakes leaked online. Even though they are aware that the content is fake, there remains the fear that the public might believe otherwise. Sadly, women make up the overwhelming majority of victims in deepfake pornography campaigns. A 2023 study by cybersecurity firm Security Hero analysing almost 100,000 deepfake pornographic videos found that 99 per cent of its victims were women. Another 2024 study by cybersecurity firm ESET UK revealed that nearly two-thirds of women worry about being a victim of deepfake porn. UNDERMINING CREDIBILITY AND SEEDING DOUBT In some respects, the authenticity of a video or image might not really matter to public perception. This calls to mind the notion of the “liar’s dividend”, where those who spread misinformation benefit from undermining credibility and casting doubt on what is being perceived. Deepfakes are a powerful tool in persuading people to believe in events that never happened, and can be co-opted by malicious actors to further their goals. The mere suggestion of scandal can already damage a victim's reputation. On the other hand, there is a risk that with the rise of deepfakes, those accused of misconduct could discredit legitimate photos and videos by alleging that they are manipulated. This presents certain challenges. For instance, if a whistleblower reports evidence of wrongdoing by a corporate entity, the company in question could claim that the content is fake. Public uncertainty over truthfulness could result in diminishing levels of trust, increased scepticism and even cynicism about information online. PREVENTATIVE MEASURES Advances in AI will make identifying deepfakes more difficult, further empowering them for malicious uses. Greater understanding of AI capabilities and the danger of deepfake sextortion will go a long way. When all our lives are online, there is an abundance of content available for malicious actors to exploit. We can be more cautious of what we post online or limit our privacy setting on social media accounts to trusted friends and people we know. Reporting any sextortion attempts or activity to the police and relevant social media platforms is also a good first step. In discerning whether something we see online is real or not, we can try to ascertain the motivation behind its creation and dissemination. One of the best strategies is to question content that elicits an emotional reaction. As deepfake technology evolves and malicious actors adapt, it is crucial that we stay updated on the latest developments and remain vigilant to such online threats. Dymples Leong is an Associate Research Fellow with the Centre of Excellence for National Security (CENS) at the S Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), Nanyang Technological University, Singapore.Banque Cantonale Vaudoise Reduces Stock Position in Cabot Co. (NYSE:CBT)
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Banque Cantonale Vaudoise cut its holdings in shares of Cabot Co. ( NYSE:CBT – Free Report ) by 35.0% during the 3rd quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The institutional investor owned 573 shares of the specialty chemicals company’s stock after selling 309 shares during the quarter. Banque Cantonale Vaudoise’s holdings in Cabot were worth $64,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Wolff Wiese Magana LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Cabot in the 3rd quarter worth about $25,000. CWM LLC raised its holdings in Cabot by 60.6% in the second quarter. CWM LLC now owns 416 shares of the specialty chemicals company’s stock worth $38,000 after purchasing an additional 157 shares in the last quarter. UMB Bank n.a. raised its holdings in Cabot by 53.9% in the third quarter. UMB Bank n.a. now owns 371 shares of the specialty chemicals company’s stock worth $41,000 after purchasing an additional 130 shares in the last quarter. Farther Finance Advisors LLC lifted its position in Cabot by 197.9% during the third quarter. Farther Finance Advisors LLC now owns 417 shares of the specialty chemicals company’s stock valued at $47,000 after buying an additional 277 shares during the period. Finally, EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Cabot by 33.4% during the 2nd quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 475 shares of the specialty chemicals company’s stock valued at $48,000 after buying an additional 119 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 93.18% of the company’s stock. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth A number of research analysts recently issued reports on the stock. Mizuho lifted their price target on shares of Cabot from $103.00 to $122.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Tuesday, November 5th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. downgraded Cabot from a “neutral” rating to an “underweight” rating and set a $105.00 price target on the stock. in a research note on Monday, November 11th. Finally, UBS Group reduced their price objective on Cabot from $103.00 to $98.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday, August 6th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, two have issued a hold rating and two have given a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Cabot presently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $105.00. Insiders Place Their Bets In other Cabot news, CEO Sean D. Keohane sold 25,617 shares of Cabot stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, September 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $101.55, for a total value of $2,601,406.35. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now owns 331,174 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $33,630,719.70. The trade was a 7.18 % decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink . Also, EVP Jeff Ji Zhu sold 1,201 shares of the stock in a transaction on Monday, August 26th. The shares were sold at an average price of $106.19, for a total value of $127,534.19. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 96,000 shares in the company, valued at $10,194,240. The trade was a 1.24 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here . In the last 90 days, insiders sold 93,398 shares of company stock valued at $10,188,968. 3.07% of the stock is owned by insiders. Cabot Trading Up 1.6 % Shares of NYSE CBT opened at $110.36 on Friday. The firm’s 50 day moving average price is $110.81 and its 200-day moving average price is $102.67. Cabot Co. has a 52-week low of $70.63 and a 52-week high of $117.46. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.68, a quick ratio of 1.36 and a current ratio of 2.08. The company has a market cap of $6.00 billion, a PE ratio of 16.37, a P/E/G ratio of 0.93 and a beta of 1.20. Cabot ( NYSE:CBT – Get Free Report ) last released its quarterly earnings data on Monday, November 4th. The specialty chemicals company reported $1.80 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.81 by ($0.01). The business had revenue of $1 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.01 billion. Cabot had a net margin of 9.51% and a return on equity of 26.60%. During the same period last year, the company posted $1.65 earnings per share. The business’s revenue was up 3.7% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, equities research analysts expect that Cabot Co. will post 7.67 EPS for the current fiscal year. Cabot Dividend Announcement The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, December 13th. Investors of record on Friday, November 29th will be issued a $0.43 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, November 29th. This represents a $1.72 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.56%. Cabot’s payout ratio is 25.52%. Cabot Profile ( Free Report ) Cabot Corporation operates as a specialty chemicals and performance materials company. The company operates through two segments, Reinforcement Materials and Performance Chemicals. It offers reinforcing carbons that are used in tires as a rubber reinforcing agent and performance additive, as well as in industrial products, such as hoses, belts, extruded profiles, and molded goods; and engineered elastomer composites solutions. Further Reading Want to see what other hedge funds are holding CBT? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Cabot Co. ( NYSE:CBT – Free Report ). Receive News & Ratings for Cabot Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Cabot and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .
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WEBSTER – Fredonia’s Elizabeth Pucci-Schaefer grabbed all the limelight at Friday’s girls state diving championship at the Webster Aquatic Center. The senior won with a stellar score of 503.50 to begin the weekend’s competition. Fredonia’s Elizabeth Pucci-Schaefer, shown earlier this season, won the state diving championship on Friday. At Saturday’s girls swim finals, a handful of Western New Yorkers grabbed some of the spotlight, as well. “The whole weekend, they did a very, very nice job,” Williamsville East coach Chris Miller said of his swimmers, as well as others from Section VI and the Monsignor Martin Athletic Association. “The experience is huge, and we don’t have any seniors.” Sacred Heart Academy-Hempstead won the team competition with 240 points. Williamsville East was the top Section VI team, placing 12th with 80 points. Lockport was 25th with 40 points, and Sacred Heart-Buffalo was 30th with 33.5. Williamsville South’s Bridget Reilly was the first WNY athlete to compete in the finals. Seeded 10th, the junior placed ninth with a time of 1:53.33 in the 200-yard freestyle. She steadily moved up throughout the race to earn a place on the medals stand. “It was her lifetime best,” Williamsville South coach Rick Graupp said. “She’s a gamer. She super-competitive, works very hard. And she was coming off a bit of a knee injury.” North Tonawanda junior Meredith Roberts finished 10th in the 200 IM in 2:10.09. It was slightly slower than her preliminary time Friday, but it was still strong against a deep lineup. The 50 free featured three WNY swimmers in the field of 10. Williamsville East’s Lauren Golden clocked 23.78 to place fifth, Sacred Heart’s Maya Huntress took sixth in 23:83 and Lockport sophomore Leah Gaskill wound up 10th in 24:02. “Leah broke the school record and her personal best time,” Lockport coach Ron Zugelder said after the meet. “She was a little tight today, and she was a little disappointed in her time. But it was a tight final. All 10 of the girls’ times were bunched, and every one of them thought they could win it, so there are nine of them who are probably disappointed. But I am so proud of her. She has two years to build on it.” Huntress was next for WNY finalists, and she placed sixth in the 100 butterfly. Her time of 56.93 was a big improvement from her prelim time, and served notice that the junior could contend for the crown in 2025. Lockport’s team of Ellie Gaskill, Burke, Samantha Call and Leah Gaskill took eighth in 1:39.67, and Williamsville East was 10th with a 1:39.78 in the 200 free relay. Roberts swam a stellar 1:04.72 in the 100 breaststroke to take fourth. The junior dropped her time by 1.3 seconds from the prelims. That set up the final race of the day, the 400 free relay. Williamsville East’s team of Phoebe Risch, Lennon Anderson, Isabelle Ocque and Golden clocked 3:42.52 for ninth. “I’m really proud of what we did as a team,” Golden said. “Personally, I wish I had a better time.” “I feel pretty good about my times and how the team rallied,” Risch said. “It’s a really exciting meet, and there are really, really good swimmers here.” Beside Pucci-Schaefer’s win, other local divers placed on Friday. Elayna Pitts was 13th for Frewsburg with 423.15, Fredonia’s Leah Marsh was 16th with 408 points, Niagara Falls’ Torianne Franke was 17th with a score of 402.70 and Clarence’s Ainslee Graham was 19th with 392.35 points. Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox!Garrett's comments about his future add wrinkle to Browns' worst season since 0-16 in 2017
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