Tariffs causing item shortages, price hikes in Winnipeg
Grocery stores are now seeing item shortages and price hikes due to tariffs. Jeff Keele reports.
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Globe and Mail
19 minutes ago
- Globe and Mail
IBN Technologies Delivers Offshore Bookkeeping Services to Strengthen USA Retail Operations
"Offshore Bookkeeping Services [USA]" Retail and eCommerce businesses across the U.S. are turning to offshore bookkeeping services to streamline operations, gain real-time financial visibility, and ensure regulatory compliance. IBN Technologies delivers specialized support tailored to the retail sector, helping companies reduce overhead, optimize cash flow, and simplify accounting workflows across digital and physical sales channels. Miami, Florida - 15 July, 2025 - Retail businesses across the United States are increasingly adopting offshore bookkeeping solutions to gain tighter control over finances while minimizing overhead. As retail operations continue to face the pressures of fast inventory turnover, seasonal variability, and rising compliance demands, offshore bookkeeping services provide a structured path to simplify financial management. With support for real-time tracking, reconciliations, and performance reporting, these solutions help retailers sharpen their decision-making while adapting to shifting market dynamics. Retailers with growing footprints—both online and in physical locations—are seeking greater financial visibility and depend on external service providers for clarity and consistency. Offshore bookkeeping partners play a vital role in streamlining vendor settlements, daily revenue summaries, and inventory oversight. Providers like IBN Technologies, a trusted bookkeeping services company, offer tailor-made financial services to help retail businesses remain accurate and responsive. With the flexibility to manage fluctuating volumes and deliver consistent outcomes, retailers benefit from reliable support that doesn't burden internal teams. Discover how streamlined offshore bookkeeping can power your retail growth. Start Free Trial: Retailers Turn to Offshore Expertise Amid Financial Process Challenges As the retail industry faces margin pressures and labor constraints, offshore bookkeeping is becoming a preferred option for business owners looking to streamline financial operations. For small businesses, common bookkeeping challenges —such as limited accounting knowledge, delayed reconciliations, inventory mismanagement, and payroll complexities—make in-house handling inefficient. Offshore solutions not only reduce overhead but also offer real-time insights, scalability, and relief from internal financial burdens. Yet, implementation remains key, as businesses must address system integration, workflow continuity, and secure data handling to ensure long-term efficiency. Many small retailers struggle with updated accounting practices and timely regulatory compliance. Accounts payable and receivable delays often lead to process inefficiencies. Inventory tracking mechanisms are often outdated or misaligned with actual stock levels. Inconsistent reconciliations lead to unreliable financial statements. Payroll complexities continue to increase with evolving staffing patterns. Cybersecurity gaps expose sensitive financial records to risk. To address these issues, small and mid-sized retailers are increasingly forming partnerships with offshore vendors who understand the operational intricacies of retail. Through outsourced accounting and bookkeeping, companies like IBN Technologies offer personalized support that reduces manual errors, reinforces reporting accuracy, and bolsters data protection. This allows retail businesses to remain compliant, focused on expansion, and free from routine financial burdens. IBN Technologies Delivers Targeted Offshore Bookkeeping for California Retailers IBN Technologies provides advanced offshore bookkeeping services developed to support the specific needs of retail and eCommerce companies across California. Drawing on over two decades of hands-on expertise, the company ensures accurate reporting, regulatory alignment, and insightful financial analysis—key elements for managing dynamic and high-transaction retail environments. Their offerings are designed to reduce administrative workload and create a smooth, transparent financial ecosystem. • End-to-end accounts payable workflows including invoice validation, vendor payment planning, and reconciliation • Accounts receivable processing to ensure timely billing, follow-up, and cash inflow continuity • Regular credit card and bank reconciliations for error-free financial tracking • Structured general ledger updates with timely entries to maintain audit-ready records • Payroll processing services inclusive of salary calculation, deductions, and benefits administration • Full financial reports—monthly, quarterly, and annually—covering P&L, balance sheets, and cash flows • Cash monitoring and forecasting to manage liquidity and improve financial foresight • Asset lifecycle tracking, including categorization, value adjustments, and depreciation records • Budgeting and forecasting to align fiscal plans with operational strategies IBN Technologies incorporates bookkeeping for small business software tools like QuickBooks, NetSuite, and Xero to integrate their services seamlessly with existing systems across California retail operations. This compatibility ensures fast deployment, uninterrupted performance, and enhanced accuracy. With a focus on expense tracking and compliance obligations, the firm's full-service bookkeeping model helps California retail businesses stay lean, informed, and ready for growth. Remote Financial Solutions Prove Effective for California Retail Brands Retail and eCommerce firms throughout California are now embracing online bookkeeping to gain sharper oversight and free up internal capacity. Equipped with professional skillsets and reliable systems, these services enable smoother operations, stronger compliance, and improved bottom lines. • Over 1,500 companies trust secure platforms designed for online bookkeeping for small business, achieving predictable and scalable performance. • Optimized workflows and disciplined reporting have helped many cut overhead costs by up to 50%. • A 95% client retention rate among top bookkeeping firms shows high satisfaction in retail, health, logistics, and tech sectors. • Service accuracy metrics consistently average 99%, affirming high standards in regulatory alignment and recordkeeping. With these measurable gains, remote services like those offered by IBN Technologies have become essential tools for retail financial management. Their solutions provide consistency, cost benefits, and deep operational insight that California businesses can rely on. Explore tailored pricing for offshore bookkeeping services today. View Pricing Options: Adapting to Change: Offshore Bookkeeping Drives Retail Efficiency The rapid evolution of both digital and physical retail spaces has intensified the demand for financial clarity and compliance-ready solutions. More organizations are turning into third-party experts for support in managing financial complexity and navigating evolving tax and regulatory environments. With structured, scalable services, IBN Technologies remains a go-to partner in this space. As more retailers turn toward offshore bookkeeping services, the benefits are becoming undeniable: reduced cost centers, improved accountability, and a stronger financial foundation for expansion. These services now represent a strategic investment in long-term sustainability and agile growth—far beyond their traditional role as operational aids. Related Services: Outsourced Finance and Accounting: About IBN Technologies IBN Technologies LLC, an outsourcing specialist with 25 years of experience, serves clients across the United States, United Kingdom, Middle East, and India. Renowned for its expertise in RPA, Intelligent process automation includes AP Automation services like P2P, Q2C, and Record-to-Report. IBN Technologies provides solutions compliant with ISO 9001:2015, 27001:2022, CMMI-5, and GDPR standards. The company has established itself as a leading provider of IT, KPO, and BPO outsourcing services in finance and accounting, including CPAs, hedge funds, alternative investments, banking, travel, human resources, and retail industries. It offers customized solutions that drive efficiency and growth.
National Post
21 minutes ago
- National Post
Hudson's Bay hearing on lease deal adjourned as B.C. billionaire Ruby Liu appears without lawyer
Article content Liu said she intends to hire a new lawyer. She was previously represented by both Cassels Brock & Blackwell LLP and Miller Thomson but has parted ways with each. Article content Gavin Finlayson, a Miller Thomson lawyer, appeared in court to confirm he was no longer representing Liu, but did not say why. Article content Speaking to reporters outside the courthouse later, Liu said she had been dropped by her lawyer 'all of a sudden' on Sunday after a disagreement over whether his firm should be paid $3 million more to represent her. Article content Liu said her legal counsel was the topic of a letter she sent Osborne, but declined to offer further details. Osborne had advised her during the court session that parties are not to communicate with the judge outside of the hearing. Article content Article content Osborne pressed Liu to find a lawyer in part because it will help her navigate the Bay's creditor protection case, which began in March, when the retailer admitted it was unable to cover bills and had no hope of finding lender support. Article content A sales process uncovered no one willing to buy the business, so it liquidated all 80 of its stores and 16 Saks locations. Article content The company got 12 bids for 39 leases but chose Liu to buy 28 because the terms she offered were 'the most favourable.' Article content A copy of the agreement she entered with the Bay was given to the court over the weekend but sealed. Prior filings, however, show Liu made a deposit of $9.4 million, which would equate to a purchase price of $94 million for 25 leases. Article content A package prepared by Liu's former lawyers and obtained by The Canadian Press early June shows she told landlords she could open stores within 180 days of receiving leases and would pour millions into rehabilitating properties. Article content Article content Landlords almost immediately panned her plans, saying she doesn't have the suppliers, financing or retail management experience to run a department store. Article content Bay lawyer Ashley Taylor told Osborne there has since been 'an ongoing dialogue' between Liu and stakeholders. David Bish, who represents Cadillac Fairview, disagreed and said the landlords remain 'deeply concerned.' Article content 'This is the hill to die on for landlords,' Bish said. Article content To aid in the Bay's wind down, Restore wants the court to appoint a 'super monitor' to subject the department store chain to even more oversight. If the court doesn't agree, Restore suggests appointing Richter Consulting Inc. as a receiver. Article content The Bay argued it doesn't need more oversight because it's properly governed. It maintains the Liu deal is the best shot it has at recovering more cash for creditors. Article content Pathlight Capital LP, one of the Bay's other lenders, supports the Liu transaction but won't finance the extra time it could take to close the deal. Article content Meanwhile, the monitor said more oversight may be appropriate at some point. It's prepared to step up, when necessary. Article content Its report also revealed the Bay has several other lease deals in the works. One has been reached with a landlord wanting to buy its own lease for less than $250,000. Another is with an unnamed party wanting seven leases. Article content
CBC
27 minutes ago
- CBC
Kitchener partners with local startup to lay groundwork for autonomous shuttles
The City of Kitchener has partnered with a local startup to prepare for the potential use of autonomous shuttles in the city's downtown. GeoMate Inc., which is located in downtown Kitchener, creates high-definition maps that are used by autonomous vehicles. The tech company approached the city to create an AI-driven map to provide up-to-date information about on-going construction projects, road closures and future infrastructure projects to autonomous vehicles. "We are kind of taking mapping to the next level with the city and we're mapping all of the key infrastructure that will be needed for autonomous vehicles in the future," said Robert MacGregor, director of partnerships at GeoMate inc. The project is funded by the provincial government through the Ontario Vehicle Innovation Network. The goal is for Kitchener to one day have autonomous shuttles downtown that will better connect residents to the LRT and public spaces. Brian Bennett is the manager of business development for the city and says the partnership with GeoMate will see city staff provide data and in-kind services in exchange for the mapping. He says the project gives the city "an opportunity to be at the forefront around new innovation, especially with respect to autonomous vehicles. It allows us and gives us an opportunity to be a test bed for autonomous vehicles by automotive manufacturers going forward." How the maps are made The process for creating a map begins with GeoMate Inc. taking aerial photos of the city. The photos are then processed through the company's in-house AI that has been trained to identify key features in transportation networks. These include things like crosswalks, sidewalks, bike lanes, lane changes and traffic lights. Factors like weather events can be added in real-time as they occur. Kitchener will provide the data about locations of road closures and construction projects that will then be added to the map. MacGregor says GeoMate started as a company that looked at how accessible sidewalks were for people in wheelchairs and with other mobility devices. Now, the company collects data that covers factors like how pedestrian and bike-friendly a part of the city is as well as how accessible a sidewalk is. This is done through a system MacGregor calls a "walking score" which is a rating from zero to 100 that indicates how pedestrian-friendly a location is, based on how close it is to places like grocery stores, schools, parks and restaurants. Testing site and shuttle services MacGregor hopes this project will bring autonomous vehicle testing to Kitchener. "The end goal is to make Kitchener the premier spot for automotive testing. We do a lot of work with automotive companies and a lot of that work happens in countries that aren't Canada," he said. MacGregor says the reason Kitchener is such an ideal spot for testing is because of its large tech hub, tight urban core, proximity to different types of infrastructure and the fact that it gets all four seasons. "For companies looking to test their solutions in the winter, for companies looking to, you know, test it in that slushy fall, spring season, Kitchener offers a really good place to do that," he said. Bennett says they see other practical uses, including shuttles that could move people from LRT and bus stops to other destinations. "We're looking at it from an opportunity to [have] autonomous shuttles downtown between our various structured parking facilities to businesses within the downtown or from the Borden Street LRT station to The Aud during events that are taking place," he said. The city is intrigued by autonomous shuttles, he added because they allow for "more flexibility and more frequency" than a traditional bus or shuttle. MacGregor adds that the maps have applications beyond autonomous vehicles. "These maps are also good for things like robot delivery. They are also just really good at identifying transportation barriers," MacGregor said. Full-fledged autonomy still years away The map is expected to be completed sometime next year. As for when autonomous vehicles will start being used in Kitchener, MacGregor says that the answer is complicated. With the Ontario government and the federal government, there are certain restrictions in place around autonomous driving," he said. MacGregor added that the regulations still allow for new technology to be developed while keeping people safe. "We're not just saying, 'Hey, put your autonomous vehicles on the road and let's see how it goes.' like some other places in North America might be," he said. Bennett says there's no timeline from the city's perspective but their hope is that automotive manufacturers see what they're doing and start planning their future research and development in Kitchener, growing the local economy. He noted before any testing were to take place in the city, though, there would be public consultations. "We want to ensure the safety and security of both the users of the vehicles as well as the general public going forward. So we would ensure that the appropriate safety measures are implemented and in place before this launches," Bennett said. Cities like Los Angeles and San Francisco already allow the autonomous ride-haling service Waymo to operate on their roads. MacGregor says he is more focused on testing in the near future. "For Ontario, I think we're a couple years away from full-fledged autonomy on the road. But we will see people start to test these vehicles sooner than later," he said.
