Between B.C.’s plan to ration liquor, a lobster-related protest on the East Coast, and the Prairie farmlands suffering from sweltering heat, Canadians may begin to see some severe shortages in the not so distant future.
One thing Canadians won’t be running out of anytime soon is Baskin-Robbins ice cream after the company signed its largest franchise expansion agreement in more than half a century, and if you’re worried about what that will mean for your daily calorie count, you can always head to the Vancouver International Airport where smart vending machines are serving up healthy eats around the clock.
Catch up on these stories and more in this week's ICYMI.
BCGEU strike impacts hospitality industry
After almost 1,000 liquor distribution and wholesale workers joined a province-wide strike earlier this week, government officials recently imposed a new policy that restricts customers—including bars, pubs, and restaurants—from purchasing more than three of any individual items of liquor, with the exception of beer.
While the British Columbia General Employees’ Union strike continues to weigh heavily on all public sectors, many believe the hospitality industry will be among the hardest hit should the strike go on for much longer.
Head to Global News for more.
Lobster fishers protest price decline by refusing to fish
While most Canadians have been witnessing a seemingly never-ending series of price hikes at the grocery store, Atlantic lobster fishers have been speaking out against the opposite happening to the price of lobster meat.
Several reports indicate that lobster fisheries throughout the East Coast have been affected, but now some fisherman in New Brunswick have begun protesting the the low prices by refusing to fish at all.
Read the full story at CBC News.
Smart(er) vending machines land in Vancouver International Airport
A quintet of UpMeals' smart vending machines were installed in the Vancouver International Airport this week, offering what the company describes as a first-of-its-kind vending machine option for healthy individually-packaged and ready-to-eat meals.
The vending machines are active around the clock and are replenished daily with 30 different options for fresh meals, snacks, and beverages that range from power bowls to cold-pressed juices.
Find a full writeup on the new airport vending machines at Foodology.
Sweltering heat leaves Prairie pastures parched
Prairie farmlands are facing a third consecutive year of severe drought which, when combined with inflation, has forced many farmers and ranchers to decide between selling livestock at a loss or paying substantially more for feed while still losing money.
Find the full story at Global News.
Baskin Robbins announces Western Canadian expansion project
One of the world’s largest ice cream chains, Baskin-Robbins, is reportedly planning to set up 25 new shops in Vancouver and Calgary following a recent franchise development agreement signed with a large real estate and franchise operator.
According to Baskin-Robbins, the deal will be the company's largest franchise development agreement in more than half a century. So far, two locations have already opened in Burnaby and Surrey.
Visit Business Wire for more information.
