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Bill C-30 Just Passed: 5 Ways It Changes Your Wallet in 2026

  Canadian Money Brief Bill C-30 just received Royal Assent — and it touches your gas tank, your TFSA neighbour the RRSP, your CPP statement, and your tax return all at once. Here are the five changes that actually matter for your wallet. 1. The Federal Fuel Excise Tax Is Suspended Until September 7 The federal excise tax on gasoline and diesel is paused from April 20 through September 7, 2026 — shaving 10 cents per litre off gas and 4 cents off diesel at the pump. The tax break also extends to aviation fuel. If you're road-tripping this summer, the savings show up automatically; you don't need to do anything to claim it. Just don't expect it to last past Labour Day weekend, since the suspension is scheduled to expire September 7. 2. Home Buyers' Plan Repayment Window Triples — From 2 Years to 5 If you used your RRSP to fund a down payment through the Home Buyers' Plan, the grace period before you have to start repaying yourself is extending from two years to five, ...

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Global Technology Outage Causes Major Disruptions Worldwide

 


A widespread technology outage on July 19, 2024, has caused significant disruptions across various sectors globally. The outage, primarily affecting Microsoft services, grounded flights, knocked banks and hospital systems offline, and took media outlets off the air.

The issue, which was not a result of a cyberattack, stemmed from a faulty update deployed by cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike. This update affected computers running Microsoft Windows, leading to cascading problems in airline communications, banking systems, and media broadcasting.

Airlines in the U.S., Europe, and Asia experienced severe delays as they lost access to check-in and booking services. Banks in South Africa and New Zealand reported outages in their payment systems, while hospitals and doctor’s offices faced challenges with appointment systems. Media outlets in Australia were pushed off air for hours.

Microsoft has been working to reroute impacted traffic to alternate systems to alleviate the issue and has observed a positive trend in service availability. However, the disruptions have highlighted the global dependence on a few key technology providers and the potential vulnerabilities in such a centralized system.

This incident underscores the critical need for robust contingency plans and diversified technology solutions to mitigate the impact of such widespread outages in the future.


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