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CTV News
2 minutes ago
- CTV News
B.C. man must pay $4,200 for ‘significant burn damage' to neighbours' hedge, fence: tribunal
A man who sparked a fire that engulfed his next-door neighbours' hedges and charred their fence has been ordered to pay $4,200 in damages. The blaze broke out in West Kelowna on Boxing Day 2023 – triggering a response form the local fire department and the RCMP, according to a recent decision from the Civil Resolution Tribunal. Terrance Molsberry and Susan Lobb filed a claim against Andrew Wingerak, alleging he 'set fire to their property,' and seeking reimbursement for the cost of replacing the burned hedges and fence, the decision said. It was 'undisputed' that Wingerak caused the fire, according to the decision. '(Wingerak) placed hot ashes along the fence dividing his property from the applicants'. He did so to kill weeds. The ashes caused the fence and hedges to catch fire,' tribunal member David Jiang wrote. The fire department responded to a 911 call from another neighbour who spotted the flames and put the blaze out with a garden hose. The decision said firefighters called in the police who looked into allegations the fire was set deliberately but were 'satisfied this was not the case.' However, the tribunal found Wingerak was liable for damages on the basis of negligence. 'I find that the respondent acted unreasonably by dumping hot ashes near the fence and hedges. This created a serious risk of harm to both property and people,' Jiang wrote. 'I am also satisfied that the respondent's actions caused damage, and that the damage was reasonably foreseeable. The hot ashes were clearly a fire hazard that could cause fire-related damage.' Molsberry and Lobb sought damages equivalent to a landscapers quoted cost for replacing three cedar trees and one fence panel, including the purchase of soil and rental of an excavator, according to the decision. Wingerak, on the other hand, argued the damage was relatively insignificant and repairing it would cost much less. A review of security camera photos ultimately weighed in favour of Molsberry and Lobb, the decision said. 'They show that that some of the applicants' tallest hedges caught fire and 'candled.' The depicted fire and smoke were considerable,' Jiang wrote. 'Photos of the fire's aftermath show the damaged hedges suffered significant burn damage. The wood fence also had blackened portions. The respondent says the damage was minimal, but the photos contradict this.' Wingerak was ordered to pay $4,222.05 in damages for negligence, as well as $175 in tribunal fees.
Calgary Herald
6 minutes ago
- Calgary Herald
Oil prices caught between a $70 summer and growing surplus fears
Article content (Bloomberg) — Oil traders are grappling with a tension — there's a growing chorus of warnings about the market weakening later this year and into 2026, but for now prices are holding strong near $70 a barrel. Article content France's TotalEnergies SE last week warned the market is facing abundant supply as the OPEC+ group unwinds output curbs, even as slowing global growth weighs on demand. Norway's Equinor ASA said its new Johan Castberg field is operating at full pelt, with a Brazilian offshore asset starting soon, a reminder of additional barrels expected from outside the producer group. Article content Article content Article content Both the International Energy Agency and the US Energy Information Administration earlier this month bolstered their estimates for the surplus they see next year. The two widely-followed forecasters expect supply to eclipse demand by the most since the pandemic, with the IEA's projection at 2 million barrels a day. Article content Article content A surplus that pushes prices lower will help tame inflation, hurt high-cost producers and likely please US President Donald Trump who has called for lower prices since taking office. Article content It's a stark contrast with the here and now, where inventories at key storage hubs remain low, reflected in a bullish market structure that indicates tight supplies. Profits from turning crude into fuels are also far above seasonal norms, underpinning demand for crude. 'One of the issues that has been supporting oil has been the seasonal strength of the summer months,' Francisco Blanch, head of commodities and derivatives research at Bank of America Corp. said in a Bloomberg TV interview. 'Second half of the year the surplus is going to be close to 200 million barrels,' which will ultimately weigh on prices, he added. Article content Article content While most of the IEA's revision of next year's outlook centered on output additions by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and its allies, who will meet to discuss output levels in early August, there were also some less obvious drivers. Forecasts for the supply of biofuels, which compete with conventional oil, are about 200,000 barrels a day higher than two months ago in the agency's estimates. Article content The US government now sees global oil supplies about 2.1 million barrels a day higher in the fourth quarter of this year than the first, the biggest increase it has seen over the period since February. The two bodies' forecasts constitute an important element in traders' evaluations of how the market will unfold. Article content For now, signs of robust demand remain. Article content Leading oil trader Vitol Group said last week that jet fuel demand has been steadily climbing, with flight numbers reaching all-time highs. US weekly oil-demand figures are the highest this year. That data has been revised higher in final monthly readings for four of the last five periods where complete figures are available.
Globe and Mail
6 minutes ago
- Globe and Mail
Better Quantum Computing Stock: IonQ vs. Rigetti Computing
Key Points IonQ and Rigetti Computing have developed fundamentally different methods to create quantum computers. IonQ aspires to build the internet of the future while Rigetti focuses on commercializing its superconducting qubit technology. Neither IonQ nor Rigetti are profitable, although they have amassed large sums of cash to fund their operations. 10 stocks we like better than IonQ › The quantum computing industry is a promising area to invest in. Quantum machines can complete complex calculations in minutes that would take classical computers centuries, thanks to the power of quantum mechanics. In the sector, IonQ (NYSE: IONQ) and Rigetti Computing (NASDAQ: RGTI) are among the prominent players. IonQ uses ions to power its quantum machines while Rigetti employs the traditional superconducting qubits process. Where to invest $1,000 right now? Our analyst team just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks to buy right now. Continue » Both have seen impressive share price increases over the past year. IonQ stock is up over 400% through July 23 while Rigetti climbed more than 1,000% in that time. Is one a better investment in the nascent quantum computing field? Examining these businesses in more detail can help to arrive at an answer. Rigetti Computing's tried-and-true tech Rigetti uses a proven method of producing qubits. Qubits are a quantum device's equivalent to a classical computer's bit. But while bits represent a zero or one, the properties of quantum mechanics mean qubits can be both at the same time, enabling orders of magnitude faster processing speeds. Superconducting qubits offer several advantages. They can be manufactured using existing semiconductor chip processes, and can complete calculations faster than ion-based quantum machines. Rigetti hopes to gain greater commercialization with the latest version of its quantum computer, the Ankaa-3 system, which launched at the end of 2024. However, the technology isn't cheap. Superconducting qubits require special cryogenic equipment to keep temperatures colder than outer space. This is necessary for qubits to maintain stability long enough to perform calculations before they break down. As a result, the company exited the first quarter with an operating loss of $21.6 million on sales of $1.5 million. The loss is 30% greater than the previous year while Q1 revenue plunged 52% year over year. This combination of falling revenue and rising costs is unsustainable over the long run. That's why Rigetti executed a $350 million equity offering that helped it build up a stockpile of $575 million in cash, cash equivalents, and investments with no debt as of June 11. This cash hoard should sustain the company's operations in the short term, but it will need to produce revenue growth to build a sustainable business. IonQ's lofty ambition to remake the internet IonQ's ion-based method holds several advantages over superconducting qubits. Its tech can operate at room temperature, eschewing the need for cryogenic equipment. The technology also offers low error correction rates. Because qubits quickly break down, quantum computers are prone to calculation mistakes that limit their ability to scale. IonQ's reduced error rates make scalability a possibility. Consequently, the company aims to construct a quantum computing network, reminiscent of the infrastructure that underpins today's world wide web. It pursued several acquisitions to achieve its goal of building "the next generation of the internet," in the words of IonQ Chairman Peter Chapman. But like Rigetti, IonQ's costs are rising. It posted a Q1 operating loss of $75.7 million, an increase from 2024's $52.9 million, on revenue of $7.6 million. So it, too, is pursuing an equity offering to the tune of $1 billion. In addition, IonQ believes it can hit revenue of $75 million to $95 million in 2025. This would be a strong increase over 2024, when sales soared 95% year over year to $43.1 million. Making the choice between IonQ and Rigetti Computing stock Although Rigetti's superconducting qubits technology is well established in the quantum computing industry, IonQ's approach is producing higher sales. On top of that, another factor to consider is share price valuation. This can be assessed using the price-to-sales (P/S) ratio, a metric commonly used when companies are not profitable. Data by YCharts. The chart reveals Rigetti's P/S multiple has skyrocketed from where it was a year ago, and is far higher than IonQ's as well. This suggests Rigetti stock is overpriced, making IonQ the better value. That said, IonQ stock is not cheap, given it has a P/S ratio exceeding 200. While quantum computers hold the promise of revolutionizing the computing industry, whether IonQ or Rigetti's approach will win out in the end is far from certain. After all, quantum computing is still in its infancy. Its market size was just $4 billion in 2024, although industry estimates predict rapid growth to $72 billion by 2035. As of now, IonQ's 2024 sales success coupled with an outlook of 2025 revenue growth, and a far better valuation compared to Rigetti, make its stock the superior quantum computing investment between these two businesses. Ideally, wait for a dip in IonQ's share price, and for its Q2 results to validate it's on a trajectory to hit 2025 sales targets before deciding to pick up shares. Should you invest $1,000 in IonQ right now? Before you buy stock in IonQ, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and IonQ wasn't one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $636,628!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $1,063,471!* Now, it's worth noting Stock Advisor's total average return is 1,041% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 183% for the S&P 500. Don't miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join Stock Advisor. See the 10 stocks » *Stock Advisor returns as of July 21, 2025
