Things coming to Canada this year: Shake Shack, the Eras Tour, and… a unionized Amazon warehouse? 

What happened: The DXT4 Amazon warehouse in Laval, Québec, could soon be the first in Canada to unionize after the Confédération des syndicats nationaux (CSN) — one of Québec's largest trade union federations — filed an application to represent 200 workers there.

• The province’s labour tribunal will now ask for a list of employees from Amazon and work to determine if a 50% + 1 majority of employees have signed a union card.
  
  
• If the tribunal finds that this threshold has been met, it will officially ratify the union, though CSN has accused Amazon of using dubious union-busting tactics to interfere.

Big picture: Amazon warehouses have been a tough nut to crack for organized labour. Two B.C. warehouses were poised to be the first to unionize in Canada, but Unifor temporarily withdrew its application to represent workers there, implying Amazon was fudging employee numbers. 

Why it matters: Workers who voted to unionize have cited desires for higher wages — CSN claims wages are around ~$18 an hour compared to union factory gigs that pay up to $30 an hour — and concerns over health and safety measures and physically punishing workloads. 

• Amazon warehouses have come under fire for poor working conditions. Injuries in particular have spiked since 2020 and remain high.

• In Québec, the Liberal Party asked the province’s workplace health and safety board to launch a probe into Amazon warehouse working conditions.

Yes, but: Momentum from the initial wave of union drives is petering out. There’s still only one unionized U.S. warehouse — JFK8 in Staten Island — which, after two years, still hasn’t secured a collective bargaining deal with Amazon and is beset by internal struggles.—QH

Canada issues U.S.-dollar global bond. The federal government is issuing a U.S.-dollar bond today, a move that aims to maintain Canada’s liquid foreign reserves and stabilize the loonie’s value in international markets. Since it’s backed by Canada's AAA credit ratings, the bond is expected to be a relatively safe (and attractive) option for investors. (Canada)

Canada gets a new electoral map. Canada’s new electoral map is set to take effect today, with tweaks to the boundaries adding five new ridings and changing 293 existing ridings to different degrees. The changes — made by independent non-partisan commissions — are designed to better account for Canada’s fast-growing population. (Politico)

Gildan grabs a new board chair. The embattled Canadian clothing manufacturer tapped a former Goldman Sachs executive for the role. Gildan’s board — which will lose five directors and its current chair on May 1 — has been in fisticuffs with investors that have, for months, been lobbying for former CEO Glenn Chamandy to be brought back. (Financial Post)—LA

New laws in B.C. regarding pet custody are further proof that pets really are the new kids.

Driving the news: A provincial court ordered that custody of a golden retriever named Stella must be split week-to-week between her two owners who had broken up. It’s a landmark first ruling under new B.C. laws designating pets as family members, not property, in separation cases.

• In other provinces, pets are viewed as pieces of property, like a credenza or a snowmobile, with custody typically awarded simply to whoever bought the animal. 

Catch-up: Earlier this year, amendments to B.C.’s Family Law Act came into effect that determined pet custody based on several factors, including how the animal was acquired, who primarily cared for the animal, and who is best equipped to keep caring for the animal. 

Why it matters: Canada is a pet-loving nation. The pet population surged during the pandemic and, as of 2022, 60% of Canadian homes owned a dog or cat. Canadians are spending more than ever on food, veterinary care, and even psychic readings for their pets. 

• Per Rover.com, the average Canadian dog owner will spend between $956 and $4,020 a year — depending on breed, age, and other factors — while a cat owner will drop $956 to $2,400. That’s less than a child costs, but still, it’s comparable.

Bottom line: With many Canadians opting for fur babies instead of real babies, B.C.’s new law may better reflect how people view their pets — as family. But while legislative changes in one province can spark adoption in others, there’s no sign yet of that happening.—QH

A group of delegates will spend the week in the nation's capital comparing notes on why plastic is, in fact, not so fantastic. 

Driving the news: Ottawa will play host to delegates from 174 countries this week for the fourth round of United Nations plastic treaty negotiations. The committee will look to make progress on a plastic-reduction agreement ahead of final talks in South Korea in November. 

• On the eve of the summit, Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault announced a new requirement for Canadian businesses to report the type and amount of plastic they put into the Canadian market and how the plastic is managed at the end of its life. 

Catch-up: The global UN committee was created back in 2022 with the goal of putting together a legally binding treaty among all member nations by the end of 2024 that would, in the simplest terms, force countries to produce less plastic waste. 

• Without any intervention, plastic production is currently set to double in 20 years, and the amount of waste making its way into the ocean is projected to triple by 2040.
  
  
• Some countries are pushing back. The U.S. wants more voluntary measures, and other countries like China don’t want limitations on their production of plastics. 

Why it matters: Some experts argue that manufacturers will be more willing to shift to reusable products and use less plastic if everyone’s playing by the same rules under the treaty, particularly when it comes to plastic production limits and recycled material targets.

Zoom out: Microplastics — dangerous plastic particles that can cause serious health risks to humans — have become a major focus at these negotiations, with research suggesting more of them are turning up in the atmosphere, ocean, and even people.—LA