The Week in Canadian Press Releases: 10 Stories You Need to See

A roundup of the most newsworthy press releases from Cision Distribution this week

TORONTO, Jan. 5, 2024 /CNW/ - With thousands of press releases published each week, it can be difficult to keep up with everything on Cision. To help journalists and consumers stay on top of the week's most newsworthy and popular releases, here's a recap of some major stories from the week that shouldn't be missed.

The list below includes the headline (with a link to the full text) and an excerpt from each story. Click on the press release headlines to access accompanying multimedia assets that are available for download.

Cision Canada - The Weekly Round-Up (PRNewsfoto/Cision Canada)

1. Tim Hortons is turning 60! Get ready to join Tims for a year of festivities starting with the return of four retro donuts - the Dutchie, Blueberry Fritter, Cinnamon Sugar Twist and Walnut Crunch - on Jan. 10 for a limited time 
   New cups, donut and Timbit boxes, and other packaging with a Tims 60^th anniversary logo are being rolled out now to Tim Hortons restaurants across Canada, while the Dutchie, Blueberry Fritter, Cinnamon Sugar Twist and Walnut Crunch will be back starting on Jan. 10. "We're celebrating 60 Years of Keeping it Fresh throughout the year at Tims with a series of experiences for guests that will have a spirit of modern nostalgia – nods to the past but also celebrating the Tims of today and the future," said Hope Bagozzi, Chief Marketing Officer for Tim Hortons. "We wanted to kick off our 60^th anniversary year with a bang and we can't wait to re-introduce Canadians to four retro donuts that were most popular historically among our guests."
2. HEALTH CANADA APPROVES PFIZER CANADA'S GENE THERAPY IN HEMOPHILIA B 
   Health Canada's approval for BEQVEZ is based on the open label, single arm Phase 3 BENEGENE-2 study, to evaluate the efficacy and safety of fidanacogene elaparvovec in adult male participants (age 18–65) with moderately severe to severe hemophilia B (defined as FIX circulating activity of 2% or less). The main objective of the study was to evaluate the annualized bleeding rate (ABR) for participants treated with gene therapy versus FIX prophylaxis replacement regimen, administered as part of usual care. The study enrolled 45 participants. Based on the World Federation of Hemophilia, more than 38,000 people worldwide were living with hemophilia B in 2021¹. In Canada, hemophilia B affects over 700 individuals².
3. Calgary Co-op to Acquire Care Pharmacies 
   A wholly owned subsidiary of Calgary Co-op has entered into a definitive agreement to become the majority shareholder in Care Pharmacies, with the transaction expected to close in the first quarter of 2024, subject to the satisfaction or waiver of customary closing conditions, including the receipt of required regulatory approvals. Says Ali Reyhany, CEO of Care Pharmacies, "We saw a strong alignment of values between Care Pharmacies and Calgary Co-op. As hubs within our communities, we know that Care Pharmacies will continue to be strong beacons of trust and service for Canadians and their health and wellness. We have found a great partner in Calgary Co-op and we look forward to continuing to grow our business across Canada."
4. CELEBRATING THE PROUD LEGACY OF HEDDLE SHIPYARDS AND INTRODUCING ONTARIO SHIPYARDS - THE FUTURE OF SHIPBUILDING IN ONTARIO 
   It is important to respect and understand the past in order to ensure a successful future. On January 1^st, 2024, Heddle Shipyards became Ontario Shipyards to reflect the next phase of our company's growth and future success. The province of Ontario was once the epicentre of shipbuilding in Canada, with more than eighty commercial and government vessels built at the Port Weller Dry Docks and many more at the historic Thunder Bay Shipyard. The transition to Ontario Shipyards is both a signal and a commitment that we will harness the capacity of Ontario's shipyards and the industrial capabilities of the province to become the most reliable provider of ship repair and shipbuilding services in Canada so that our country has the vessels and skilled labour force it needs to be a maritime nation.
5. MORE LG SMART TV OWNERS SET TO ENJOY THE LATEST WEBOS UPGRADE, MAKING THEIR TVS FEEL BRAND NEW 
   With the latest version of webOS, LG Smart TV owners can enjoy an even more personalized TV experience with a Home Screen that greets users with recommendations according to their tastes. The user interface is highly customizable, which means viewers can personalize the selection of content and services and access them with even greater ease. And to make the process even more seamless, the Quick Card UI intuitively sorts diverse content and services into categories like music, games and sports within a user-centric interface that resembles mobile user interface design. What's more, courtesy of advanced security technology and an optimized operating system, users are protected with a high level of stability, security and seamlessness throughout the entire viewing experience.
6. 407 ETR announces 2024 rate schedule following four-year rate freeze 
   "407 ETR remains committed to providing the exceptional service we're known for both on and off the road," said 407 ETR President and CEO, Javier Tamargo. "Since 1999, traffic on the highway has grown by over 70 per cent. Ontarians continue to recognize the value of a safe, fast and reliable commute." 407 ETR's new rate schedule for light vehicles reflects an increase of one to 11 cents per kilometre depending on the time of day and zone travelled. The majority of 407 ETR's personal customers can expect a monthly bill increase of less than $5. The Company continues to invest in the operation of the highway including ongoing maintenance, 24/7 highway monitoring, roadside assistance, winter operations and policing and enforcement.
7. Simpson Oil Limited Announces Waiver of Nomination Agreement with Parkland Corporation 
   As a result of the resignations of Simpson Oil's nominees, and Simpson Oil's waiver of its nomination rights, the voting and other restrictions under the Nomination Agreement will terminate at 11:59 pm (Toronto time) on March 31, 2024. Simpson Oil disagrees with the statement in Parkland's press release that the Nomination Agreement terminates on April 2, 2024. Simpson Oil also disagrees with Parkland's statement that the voting support and standstill provisions set forth in the governance agreement between Simpson Oil and Parkland dated January 8, 2019 (the "Governance Agreement") continue to apply.
8. Unveiling Canada's Best Credit Cards And Finance Products For 2024, Powered By creditcardGenius and moneyGenius 
   Each year, moneyGenius and creditcardGenius experts meticulously research, review, and rate over 500 personal finance products in Canada to determine the best products for Canadians. All products are ranked using an unbiased, math-based system, including a sophisticated algorithm that compares over 126 features of all 200+ credit cards. "It's our mission to help Canadians see past all the noisy marketing and find the personal finance products that are actually best for them," says Stephen Weyman, Co-Founder of moneyGenius and creditcardGenius. "We want to be a place you can trust to be your one-stop-shop for all things finance, and love rewarding you with GeniusCash along the way."
9. 217% increase in the number of Canadian employers using apprenticeships to fill the labour and skills shortage
   Peninsula Group conducted a survey of 79,000 SMBs across 5 countries – Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, and the UK – to see what the top priorities and concerns were for employers in 2024. Growth is the main business goal for 44.7% of SMBs; a significant drop from 58.7% this time last year, reflecting the tough economic environment faced by businesses around the world. Australia and New Zealand appear hardest hit, with 22.4% and 26.6% respectively listing survival as their main goal for the year. It's more positive news for the UK and Ireland, however, with just 18.8% in both countries listing survival as their top goal, compared to 38.4% and 34.7% respectively a year ago.
10. What Not to Miss at CES 2024 
    CES^®, the world's most powerful tech event, returns to Las Vegas on January 9-12, bringing together 4000+ exhibitors, including global brands and startups, industry professionals, media and government leaders. "The CES platform is ALL ON for 2024. No other event in the world connects the full ecosystem of the tech industry like CES," said Gary Shapiro, president and CEO, Consumer Technology Association (CTA)^®. "This year at CES, we are excited to spotlight the critical role that technology is playing to improve every aspect of the human experience. CES 2024 will be the hub where business leaders meet, dream, and solve."

Read more of the latest releases from Cision, see our resources for journalists, and stay caught up on the top press releases by following @cnwnews.

About Cision Canada

Cision is a comprehensive communications platform enabling more than 100,000 public relations and marketing professionals around the world to understand, influence and amplify their stories. As the market leader, Cision enables the next generation of communication professionals to strategically operate in the modern media landscape where company success is directly impacted by public opinion. Cision has offices in 24 countries through the Americas, EMEA and APAC, and offers a suite of best-in-class solutions, including Newswire, Brandwatch, Cision Communications Cloud® and Cision Insights. To learn more, visit www.cision.ca and follow @CisionCA on Twitter.

SOURCE Cision Canada

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