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Tyler Choi: Business editor, Sustainable Biz Canada

Mongrain expands into Vancouver with Cascade Roofing

BIZ  Real Estate  •  Industrial, Retail  •  Metro Vancouver, Greater Montreal

Mongrain Inc. has expanded into further into Western Canada via a new location in Vancouver, as a result of a joint venture with Cascade Roofing and Exteriors Inc. of Chilliwack, B.C.

Shell picks Canadian as CEO to lead green transition

Real Estate  •  Globe and Mail

Oil major Shell has turned to the head of its gas and renewables business to drive its transition to a lower-carbon future, picking Wael Sawan, a Canadian, to replace Ben van Beurden as chief executive.

BrainBox AI deploys proptech in Sleep Country stores

Real Estate  •  AIthority  •  SustainableBiz  •  SustainableBiz

Following successful pilot program and cross-country deployment, BrainBox AI will seek to reduce Sleep Country Canada’s carbon dioxide emissions equivalent to the emissions of nearly 4 million km driven by the average car.

Biden announces $900M for EV chargers

Transportation  •  CBS News

U.S. President Joe Biden showcased his administration’s efforts to promote electric vehicles during a visit Wednesday to the Detroit auto show, where he announced hundreds of millions of dollars to build roughly 500,000 charging stations across dozens of states.

GM plans $491M Indiana plant upgrade to support EVs

Real Estate  •  Globe and Mail

General Motors said Thursday it will spend $491 million to expand and upgrade an Indiana metal stamping plant for production of steel and aluminum stamped parts for “future vehicles,” including electric vehicles.

Air Canada buys 30 hybrid-electric passenger airplanes

Transportation  •  Electric Autonomy

Canada’s largest airline is snapping up some of the earliest hybrid-electric aircrafts to hit the market, putting in an order for 30 ES-30 airplanes made by Heart Aerospace of Sweden and snagging a $6.6 million stake in the company in the process

Calgary firm’s biofuel hopes to decarbonize air travel

Real Estate  •  Globe and Mail

Inside a nondescript building in an industrial park on the outskirts of Calgary, SixRing Inc. is hoping its unique biofuel technology can help decarbonize Canada’s airline industry.

Samsung to invest $5B to reach net-zero by 2050

Finance  •  Bloomberg

Samsung Electronics Co. will invest $5 billion in green initiatives and call on South Korea to tackle high costs of clean energy as the electronics giant looks to reverse a rise in emissions and zero out direct pollution by mid-century.

Crypto hopes etherum’s green switch brings clientele

Real Estate  •  Globe and Mail

Crypto companies in Canada are planning a rush of new offerings and hoping to boost their clientele as the blockchain network behind the world’s second-largest cryptocurrency, ethereum, switches to a different, greener operating model this week.

Will regulators force crypto to go green?

Carbon  •  Corporate Knights

If successful, Ethereum’s pivot to slash its emissions by 99.95 per cent could force a crackdown on other crypto systems’ energy use.

Startup launches real estate decarbonization blockchain

Real Estate  •  Commercial Observer

New proptech startup Carbon Title launched its online platform to provide carbon transparency to the real estate value chain and the public in its push for carbon neutrality.

Ways for municipalities to adapt to climate change

Real Estate  •  CBC

Newfoundland and Labrador municipalities can’t stop the impact of climate change, but two climate action consultants say more can be done prepare for extreme weather events.

Abbotsford gets $84.4M for climate resilient water system

Real Estate  •  Globe and Mail

The City of Abbotsford is getting funding help from the B.C. government to bolster its drinking water system against floods, wildfires and other climate-related disasters.

Developers building in fire, drought-prone areas

Real Estate  •  Bisnow

As developers spread out in search of new areas to build homes, a new report finds that more than half of all houses built in the last decade are in areas prone to fire risk, and nearly half are in areas at risk of drought.

Toronto’s ravines are in a critical state

Real Estate  •  Globe and Mail

Toronto’s ravine system makes up a significant part of the city’s green infrastructure, as natural parklands and urban forests provide countless environmental, health and recreational benefits. However, the city’s ravines are in a critical state.

Why storms are more destructive now

Real Estate  •  Globe and Mail

There seem to be a lot of serious storms these days, and those storms are causing more and more damage. The storm that hit southern Ontario in May claimed the lives of at least 10 people, and caused millions of dollars worth of damage.

The slow death of India’s tech hub from climate change?

Real Estate  •  Financial Post

India’s tech hub Bengaluru is facing fresh questions about the sustainability of rapid urban development, especially if weather patterns become more erratic and intense because of climate change.

Global stilling: How climate change affects wind speeds

Energy  •  Yale 360

Australian states keep up with climate law

Carbon  •  The Energy Mix

Australian states and businesses are moving in step with the country’s new climate policy, making their own leaps to decarbonization after a new climate change law pledged to slash the nation’s carbon emissions 43 per cent by 2030.