“This February jobs report was far weaker than I had hoped, particularly after a slight bump up for manufacturing in January,” Scott Paul, Alliance for American Manufacturing’s President, said in a statement. “There are many factors swirling around—[artificial intelligence], bad weather, tariff volatility, and much more. With a potential energy shock on the horizon, there may be even worse news to come.”

On top of the losses in the plastics and rubber products and transportation equipment sectors, wood products lost 2,400 jobs, followed by 2,100 losses in the beverage, tobacco, leather, and allied products sector, and 1,000 jobs in textiles, primary metals, and food sectors. There were some gains, however, with the fabricated metal sector adding 2,100 employees; and the chemical, machinery and electrical equipment and appliance and component sectors adding around 1,000.

The losses represent a 15.6 percent increase to manufacturing unemployment levels with a total of 527,000 workers, compared to 456,000 year over year. With additional tariff and war uncertainty, employment levels too could remain uncertain. S&P Global U.S. manufacturing PMI report indicated that U.S. manufacturers were restraining hiring.

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Canada intends on competing with companies like Starlink when it comes to a made-in-Canada low earth orbit (LEO) satellite network that will launch by next year to expand internet services across the nation, supporting improved access for Canadians as well as military operations and natural disaster response.

In December, a new strategic partnership was signed between the federal government and Canadian firms Telesat and MDA Space to develop military satellite communications for the Canadian Armed Forces in the Arctic, the Enhanced Satellite Communications Project—Polar (ESCP-P) project, a $5 billion project that is expected to come online in 2037 as part of Canada’s multi-billion-dollar NORAD modernization project.

One project, Telesat Lightspeed, will be composed of nearly 200 LEO satellites, which was made possible by a $2.14 billion federal loan in 2024 that aided the expansion of internet and 5G connectivity across Canada, particularly in underserved areas like remote and Indigenous communities.

The LEO satellites operate at a 1,300-kilometre altitude, above operators like Starlink, which dominates the 600-kilometre altitude. By operating higher, Telesat avoids any “traffic jams” in the sky.

The project has brought together what the Prime Minister called “like-minded partners who possess similar capabilities to build out a deep and resilient system we can all share and control in our territories,” removing reliance on companies like Starlink to fill the gaps in service.

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According to a survey of 101 senior figures across the UK commissioned by MyWorkwear, 63 percent, or nearly two-thirds of female manufacturing leaders, face discrimination, with women still worried about their personal security and harassment. Further, 35 percent of respondents identified specific areas where their safety felt compromised in the workplace including physical safety, personal security when working alone, and challenges associated with ill-fitting personal protective equipment (PPE), as well as limited protections against bullying and harassment.

Alternately, 72 percent of women felt that both sexes now receive equal pay, though Gayle Parker, Commercial Director at MyWorkwear, noted, “Workplace equality isn’t just about pay. It’s about safety, inclusion and ensuring women feel safe when they go, attend and come back from work. The results are clearly telling us that this is not the case, and industry needs to take action to turn this worrying trend around.

“We want to encourage the next generation of female engineers and leaders to believe they can achieve anything, and this must start with ensuring the workplace is safe, inclusive and that staff are fitted out with the right clothing. It’s the basic things that can make such a huge productivity difference.

“Ill-fitting PPE and workwear might seem minor, but it sends a wider message about whether women are fully considered in workplace planning,” explained Parker. “As a workwear provider, we are engaged in regular conversations with thousands of manufacturing firms about the need for a wide range of women’s workwear options. Our data shows that nearly three quarters of women (72 percent) have been expected to wear men’s fit or unisex fit items in the workplace at some point in their career.”

The report did show that companies were trying to do their part to overcome these challenges, with 87 percent of respondents now offered women’s fit clothing as standard and 78 percent commenting on how wide the range is.

For further information or to access the full survey, please visit: https://www.myworkwear.co.uk/the-myworkwear-workplace-equality-report.

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The $6 billion in charges include non-cash impairments and other non-cash charges of about $1.8 billion as well as supplier commercial settlements, contract cancellation fees, and other charges of approximately $4.2 billion.

In 2020, GM announced $27 billion of investment in electric and autonomous vehicles under the expectation that more than half of its factories in North America and China would be capable of making electric vehicles by 2030, but the elimination of the clean vehicle tax credit, which was worth $7,500 for new EVs and up to $4,000 for used ones, has dampened sales.

This pullback will also have implications for the supportive infrastructure for EVs, as GM pledged to increase its investment in EV charging networks alongside investment in shifting its production capacity from combustion to electric-powered engines. Its goal was to make the majority of its vehicles electric by 2035 and achieve carbon neutrality as a company five years after that.

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The investment will create 340 new jobs and will add $200 million in economic impact for the state, which is why it has received the support of state legislators who have adopted policies conducive to the construction of the facility. This includes the designation of the city as a foreign trade zone which will “streamline customs and cost-effective trade,” a major incentive for the company’s decision to locate and invest there.

The project will also receive US$5 million through the Local Economic Development Act (LEDA), a grant designed to “stimulate economic development and produce public benefits;” US$4.6 million through the Job Training Incentive Program (JTIP), which reimburses up to 90 percent of employee wages for classroom and on-the-job training for up to six months; and over US$5 million in tax credits through the state’s Rural Jobs Tax Credit (RJTC) and High-Wage Jobs Tax Credit programmes.

“Governor [Michelle] Lujan Grisham’s steadfast commitment to advancing zero-emission vehicles has provided a supportive policy environment that encourages companies like GreenPower to invest and innovate,” said GreenPower president Brendan Riley.

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The proposal passed the state House of Representatives 179-159 and will head to the state Senate for approval. The bill could make ‘hard labour’ a sentencing option, including manufacturing or assembly work that requires ‘significant physical exertion’ as a means of ‘punitive retribution and societal deterrence,’ particularly in cases involving capital murder or serious sexual assaults on children.

To receive a sentence of life imprisonment at hard labour without parole requires an affirmative vote of at least nine of 12 jurors. A commissioner of corrections would be tasked with hard labour assignments, which require no less than eight hours of work per day, five days per week, the settings of which (in the prison setting or otherwise) have yet to be determined. Medical exemptions will be considered but could result in alternative punishments, including 23 hours of daily isolation. There is also the option to include rehabilitation, vocational training, and other programs. Compensation follows the prevailing prison wage rate, which ranges from $1 to $4 per day in the state of New Hampshire.

State Rep. Jennifer Rhodes, who voted in favor of the legislation, described the hard labour as “the same daily tasks that many people call careers,” while on the other side of the debate, State Rep. Linda Harriott-Gathright, who was opposed to the bill, said it “mandates labour camps for life and creates constitutional concerns.” The American Civil Liberties Union of New Hampshire used the words “harsh, cruel, and archaic.”

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This year, Advance: Women in Manufacturing Awards will recognize women who have led major projects, introduced innovative processes, or strengthened operations in Canadian manufacturing in four categories: Emerging Leader of the Year; Leader of the Year; Lifetime Achievement; and Plant Manager of the Year. Nominations are open until February 14, 2026.

Winners will be announced during the Advance: Women in Manufacturing Breakfast on May 6^th at the Sandman Signature Hotel in Mississauga, Ontario, which will feature a keynote presentation, panel discussions, and networking opportunities in addition to the awards ceremony.

For event details or to submit a nomination for the awards program visit: Advance: Women in Manufacturing Breakfast – ANNEX Events.

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The automaker will move away from plug-in hybrid sales of its Jeep Wrangler and Grand Cherokee, as well as its Chrysler Pacifica in the U.S. amidst weak demand. It will also pause production at its assembly plant in Mexico as it shifts its strategy.

“Stellantis will phase out plug‑in hybrid programs in North America beginning with the 2026 model year, and focus on more competitive electrified solutions, including hybrid and range‑extended vehicles,” the company said in a statement.

Previously, the automaker leveraged the manufacture of its plug-in hybrids as part of a strategy to help satisfy federal fuel-economy requirements, including its offering of V8-powered models, which apparently were less popular amongst consumers who instead showed preference for traditional hybrids that did not require charging.

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With 18 temperature-controlled facilities coast to coast, Williams Pharmalogistics can expand its door-to-door, temperature-controlled ground and air transportation services, doing so in full compliance with GUI-0069 and Health Canada regulations across Canada.

“The Williams Pharmalogistics team has been working diligently over the last 18 months to expand our capabilities nationwide, allowing us to bring the same reliable, consistent, temperature-controlled services to customers across the country and to and from the United States,” said Stephane Elkin, President of Williams Pharmalogistics.

As Williams Pharmalogistics’ website notes, “Our expansion of our network to Western Canadian provinces now enables us to continue to provide the same excellent service in temperature-controlled transportation to our customers across all of Canada. Our commitment to quality and reliable solutions remains our top priority, and this expansion allows us to extend our ground and air services to new regions with the same level of excellence,” building on 50 years of doing so.

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