Connect with us

Technology

Minister Vandal announces investments to support infrastructure and economic development projects across Alberta

Published

2 years ago

on

More than $39 million to help Alberta communities attract investments, create jobs and transition to a sustainable green economy

WABAMUN,  AB, July 3, 2024 /CNW/ – Canada and the world are shifting away from coal-fired power, to protect our climate, and create a more sustainable and robust economy. The Government of Canada is investing in communities, workers and people impacted by the coal transition, and we are making sure that they are at the centre of our work.

Today, the Honourable Dan Vandal, Minister for PrairiesCan, announced $39,432,507 for 10 projects – through the Canada Coal Transition Initiative (CCTI) and Canada Coal Transition Initiative-Infrastructure Fund (CCTI-IF) – to support sustainable economic growth in coal affected communities across Alberta. This funding, through PrairiesCan, is supporting the building of new infrastructure to attract new investments, help business grow, and create strong and resilient communities with more well-paying jobs.

Examples of projects receiving support include:

Parkland County is receiving $17,500,000 to upgrade the Wabamun wastewater facility, develop a water feature and redevelop the existing public waterfront park in the Hamlet of Wabamun.Paul First Nation is receiving $850,000 for a transition, training, and employment centre for entrepreneurship training and business support.The Town of Castor is receiving $891,000 to reconstruct and convert a campground area into a year-round multipurpose venue.The Town of Coronation is receiving $891,000 to renovate and retrofit two buildings into business incubator and accelerator centres that offer business supports and programming to foster commercial growth.The Village of Forestburg is receiving $313,000 to develop land and underground utilities for the proposed Jeanne Lougheed Historic Park and to the Flagstaff County border to support a proposed joint industrial park.

Projects receiving funding will support more than 680 jobs and help Alberta communities take advantage of economic opportunities reflective of the increasingly diversified Prairie economy.

In line with the principles of the Government of Canada’s Framework to Build a Green Prairie Economy, these investments are about working together on common interests, to make a sustainable and prosperous net-zero economy achievable by enhancing capacity and skills development in these communities and providing support to grow their businesses.

Quotes

“Transitioning to a low-carbon economy is good for our environment, our economy, our health, and our future. This government’s support for these 10 projects represents our prioritization of workers and communities impacted by coal transition. These investments will help create good-paying jobs, attract new investment opportunities and build a stronger, more sustainable economic future in Alberta and across the Prairies.”
–The Honourable Dan Vandal, Minister for PrairiesCan

“As we transition from coal, the federal government is doing our part with municipal and regional partners to ensure Albertans receive the support they need. Driving economic growth, creating the jobs of the future, and opening opportunities that make transition easier for Alberta’s coal communities is what today’s investments are all about.”
–The Honourable Randy Boissonnault, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Official Languages

“These investments are key to encouraging the future growth of our community and improving the quality of life of our residents, businesses, and visitors. This funding supports improvements to County infrastructure and will boost local tourism and development while leading to future economic prosperity and a sustainable economy. We look forward to the many opportunities and economic development that will arise from these investments – Parkland County’s future is bright.”
–Allan Gamble, Mayor, Parkland County

“Paul First Nation is exceedingly pleased with the valuable contributions made towards our training and capacity building. With this assistance and support, we will greatly enhance our opportunities for economic and social development, as well as stimulate the economy while building good relationships and upstanding role model citizens. We would like to extend our thanks to PrairiesCan. It is our desire to take full advantage of this opportunity. By providing grass roots cultural teachings and rituals, we will provide our young people with the necessary tools to succeed.”
–Dennis Paul, Technical Advisor, Paul First Nation

Quick facts

Today’s investments bring total federal funding for Alberta communities to over $14 million invested since 2018 through the Canada Coal Transition Initiative (CCTI) and over $60 million invested since 2019 through Canada Coal Transition Initiative-Infrastructure Fund (CCTI-IF).The Canada Coal Transition Initiative (CCTI) supports skills development and helps communities adapt to a low-carbon economy.The Canada Coal Transition Initiative – Infrastructure Fund (CCTI-IF) aims to help communities move away from coal by investing in infrastructure.The Framework to Build a Green Prairie Economy is a long-term commitment to work differently, through stronger coordination among federal departments on investments for the Prairies and closer collaboration with Prairie partners on their priorities for a prosperous and sustainable Prairie economy.

Backgrounder

PrairiesCan is investing $39,432,507 for 10 Alberta projects to support skill development, infrastructure investment and economic diversification in impacted communities transitioning from coal-fired electricity generation. Projects receiving funding will have significant environmental and economic benefits, including supporting more than 680 jobs while enabling coal-affected communities to create new sources of economic growth.

PrairiesCan funding for these 10 projects is through the Canada Coal Transition Initiative (CCTI) and Canada Coal Transition Initiative – Infrastructure Fund (CCTI-IF).

Canada Coal Transition Initiative (CCTI) – $1,382,507

CCTI is an investment of $35 million over five years. It supports skills development and helps communities adapt to a low-carbon economy. The fund was launched on April 1, 2018, and ended March 31, 2023. Investments under CCTI have supported a total of 15 projects in Alberta.

Projects announced today as receiving support through the CCTI include:

Paul First Nation is receiving $850,000 to develop a transition, training, and employment centre for entrepreneurship training and business support.Paul First Nation is receiving $532,507 to conduct a feasibility and technical study for the requirements of a solar park development.

Canada Coal Transition Initiative-Infrastructure Fund (CCTI-IF) – $38,050,000

The CCTI-IF was launched on August 20, 2020. This $150 million fund aims to help communities move away from coal by investing in infrastructure. The initiative is set to end on March 31, 2025. To date, investments under CCTI-IF have supported a total of 14 projects in Alberta.

Projects announced today as receiving support through the CCTI-IF include:

County of Paintearth is receiving $2,300,000 to upgrade and develop wastewater and stormwater easement infrastructure for a mixed-use industrial park.Parkland County is receiving $17,500,000 to upgrade the Wabamun wastewater facility, develop a water feature and redevelop the existing public waterfront park in the Hamlet of Wabamun.Parkland County is receiving $12,400,000 to upgrade Spruce Valley and Pinchbeck-Bevington Road intersections on Highway 16A to increase access to Acheson Industrial Area.The Town of Castor is receiving $891,000 to reconstruct and convert a campground area into a year-round multipurpose venue.The Town of Coronation is receiving $891,000 to renovate and retrofit two buildings into business incubator and accelerator centres to offer business supports and programming to foster commercial growth.The Village of Forestburg is receiving $313,000 to develop land and underground utilities for the proposed Jeanne Lougheed Historic Park and to the Flagstaff County border to support a proposed joint industrial park.The Village of Forestburg is receiving $250,000 to develop the planning and design of the Forestburg South Industrial Subdivision.The Village of Forestburg is receiving $3,505,000 for design and construction of roadway and utility extensions in the industrial park in the Village of Forestburg.

Associated links

Prairies Economic Development Canada (PrairiesCan)Green Prairie EconomyPowering Past Coal Alliance: phasing out coalTask Force: Just Transition for Canadian Coal Power Workers and Communities

Stay connected

Follow PrairiesCan on Twitter and LinkedIn

Toll-Free Number: 1-888-338-9378 TTY (telecommunications device for the hearing impaired): 1-877-303-3388

SOURCE Prairies Economic Development Canada

Related Topics:
Continue Reading

Technology

LianLian Global and PayPal Power Cross-Border Payouts for Social Commerce, Marketplace, and eCommerce Customers

Published

37 minutes ago

on

October 23, 2026

By

Social commerce, marketplaces and eCommerce players served by LianLian Global can now pay creators, influencers, developers, and independent contractors directly to their PayPal and Venmo wallets.

NEW YORK, Oct. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — LianLian Global  today announced it has partnered with PayPal (NASDAQ: PYPL) to enable its social commerce, marketplace and e-commerce clients to send payouts directly to PayPal accounts globally and to Venmo accounts in the U.S.

The creator and gig economy runs on fast, low-friction payouts. Brands are expected to spend $32.6 billion on creators in 2026 and roughly 50 million people worldwide create content professionally or semi-professionally (Gigapay Global Creator Economy Report 2026). Many of these recipients already hold a PayPal or Venmo account: PayPal had over 400 million active accounts across approximately 200 markets at the end of Q2 2026, and Venmo reached 67 million monthly active accounts in Q4 2025.

Paypal Payouts is live in 96 global markets and 24 currencies. It allows merchants to send to any email address, mobile number, or Venmo user handle, with or without an existing PayPal or Venmo account.

To support enterprises expanding globally, LianLian Global provides digital payment services including pay-in, pay-out, acquiring, foreign exchange, virtual cards and payment aggregation. To date, its parent company Lianlian DigiTech has served more than 13.3 million clients. Its services reach more than 200 countries and regions, support transactions and settlement in more than 140 currencies, and connect with more than 180 global e-commerce platforms.

The partnership combines LianLian Global’s cross-border collection, FX and compliance infrastructure with PayPal’s global wallet network. Key offerings include:

Pay to PayPal: Payouts from LianLian Global clients to PayPal account holders in 96 markets, using only the recipient’s email or phone numberPay to Venmo: Domestic U.S. payouts to Venmo users, including creators, influencers and independent contractorsPayPal Payouts for Platforms: Mass disbursements for social commerce, marketplaces and affiliate platforms paying large numbers of sellers, creators and contractorsSpeed to settle: Save time and money by eliminating check runs and postage; no need for routing numbers and bank accounts.

Sandra Lam, Deputy CEO of US at LianLian Global: “Social commerce is creating a new economy, where creators, influencers and independent sellers drive discovery and sales alongside the platforms they sell on. Paying these participants fast, across borders and in small amount is what powers the network effect of social commerce. We see our work with Paypal as a key step in building the payout rails for the global gig economy.”

The collaboration expands LianLian Global’s payout coverage and supports its growth in the U.S. and global markets as cross-border platforms scale their creator and contractor programs.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/lianlian-global-and-paypal-power-cross-border-payouts-for-social-commerce-marketplace-and-ecommerce-customers-302917635.html

SOURCE LianLian Global

Continue Reading

Technology

Crab2B Debuts as Hong Kong’s First Dedicated B2B Platform for Mobile Electronics

Published

37 minutes ago

on

October 23, 2026

By

HONG KONG, Oct. 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — With the global population surpassing 8 billion, mobile electronics have become essential to modern life, with smartphones now used by billions of people. Across approximately 13,861 cities worldwide, electronics wholesalers play a vital role in the supply chain. Among the world’s three major wholesale hubs for digital electronics, Dubai serves the Middle East and Africa, Miami connects markets across Latin America, and Hong Kong draws strength from its unique position linking mainland China with global markets. According to Hong Kong Customs data, re-exports of used mobile phones from Hong Kong reached 51.5 million units in 2025, while the total value of electronics exports hit HK$3.9216 trillion. Yet despite its value running into the trillions of Hong Kong dollars, it has long lacked a dedicated online platform.

Crab2B was created to fill this gap as Hong Kong’s first B2B platform dedicated to mobile electronics. Inspired by Alibaba’s online B2B marketplace model, the platform focuses on consumer electronics, bringing together hundreds of thousands of buyers and sellers worldwide and enabling them to connect directly.

Crab2B covers a broad range of products, including smartphones, tablets, laptops and other smart devices. Listings span brand-new and used devices, as well as certified pre-owned (CPO) and as-is products. The platform also connects buyers and suppliers with service providers offering product inspection, international logistics and repair services. Users can search for products by brand and model, while all merchants undergo rigorous verification before joining the platform. With these safeguards in place, Crab2B is designed to meet the needs of businesses across the value chain, protect the interests of both buyers and sellers, and facilitate mutually beneficial transactions.

Building on Hong Kong’s established trading network, Crab2B made its debut at the HKICEC Global Mobile Exchange Pavilion during the Global Sources Hong Kong Shows, held at AsiaWorld-Expo from October 18 to 21, 2026, where it also launched the Crab2B app. Looking ahead, Crab2B will remain firmly rooted in Hong Kong while expanding its global reach, continuing to refine the platform to deliver a smarter, more comprehensive digital marketplace for mobile electronics. By helping international buyers identify suitable suppliers, simplifying cross-border sourcing and reducing transaction costs, Crab2B aims to support the continued growth of Hong Kong’s digital trade sector and contribute to the city’s long-term prosperity and stability.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/apac/news-releases/crab2b-debuts-as-hong-kongs-first-dedicated-b2b-platform-for-mobile-electronics-302917652.html

SOURCE CRAB 2B TECHNOLOGY INVESTMENT CO., LIMITED

Continue Reading

Technology

AiMOGA Launches Global Robot Innovation: Mobo Debuts from Wuhu, Empowering Homes and Businesses

Published

38 minutes ago

on

October 23, 2026

By

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, Oct. 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — AiMOGA Robotics has officially launched Mobo, its first consumer-grade humanoid family companion robot, marking a new chapter in intelligent living for Malaysian households and enterprises. Unveiled globally from AiMOGA’s headquarters in Wuhu, China, during a joint international users summit with its sister brands, this groundbreaking product reflects the company’s commitment to worldwide innovation and technological excellence.

Standing 0.9 meters tall with 22 degrees of freedom, Mobo supports over 20 languages—including Bahasa Malaysia—and delivers rich, personalized interactions. Designed for family life, it offers children interactive learning, storytelling, and object recognition, while providing elders with conversational companionship and customizable reminders. Powered by MoAgent, AiMOGA’s embodied intelligence system, Mobo features a dual-brain architecture enabling real-time responses, multi-tasking capabilities, and adaptive learning through facial recognition and secure MogaCloud integration.

Peng Xia, AiMOGA Robotics Executive Vice President, said Mobo’s spatial perception, interaction, execution, decision-making, and cognition layers form a perception-decision-execution-feedback loop. Spatial memory enables object retrieval, while social navigation recognizes pedestrian paths and interaction zones. Multimodal technologies coordinate language, facial expressions, and movement for natural interaction.

Beyond home use, Mobo shows strong potential in professional settings—from customer service to logistics—supporting AiMOGA’s vision of integrating robotics into everyday workflows.

Since its debut in August 2026, Mobo has attracted over 10,000 prospective users. Thirty-five were selected as Global User Experience Officers, receiving one year of complimentary use to help shape future improvements.

At the event, Guibin Zhang, AiMOGA Robotics General Manager, outlined strategies in R&D, cost optimization, sales and leasing. The “Platform Institute + Scenario Institute” model drives validation for bipedal, quadruped, and wheeled robots. Plans include 300 global experience centers and “Jia Tian Xia”, a robot leasing brand launching in Wuhu. Leveraging Chery’s manufacturing and platform resources enhances cost efficiency and scalability.

Notably, AiMOGA’s impact in Malaysia is amplified through strategic collaboration with sister brands Chery, OMODA & JAECOO, iCAUR, and LEPAS. Their partnership extends far beyond vehicle showrooms and daily operations—jointly developing integrated smart ecosystems that span mobility, retail, smart offices, and connected living.

As part of a global rollout with over 3,000 units deployed across 60+ markets, this initiative aims to bring intelligent, accessible robotics to more Malaysian families and businesses—enhancing productivity, convenience, and quality of life.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/apac/news-releases/aimoga-launches-global-robot-innovation-mobo-debuts-from-wuhu-empowering-homes-and-businesses-302917658.html

SOURCE AiMOGA Robotics

Continue Reading

Trending