Technology

Group of Seven Shatters Records at Heffel’s Landmark All-Canadian Auction

Published

1 year ago

May 23, 2025

Heffel’s watershed all-Canadian auction achieves $22M and shatters records for major artistsGroup of Seven masterpieces from University Club of Toronto collection dominate saleMultiple auction records smashed, including Franklin Carmichael, Arthur Lismer, A.Y. Jackson and Daphne Odjig

TORONTO, May 22, 2025 /CNW/ – Heffel Fine Art Auction House is honoured to celebrate the success of its record-breaking Spring live auction, a watershed evening dedicated exclusively to Canadian masterworks. The all-Canadian sale, held in Heffel’s Toronto saleroom, brought together collectors from across the country and around the globe, united in their pursuit of Canada’s most legendary artists. It was an electric night for the Group of Seven and Tom Thomson, whose major paintings shattered records and contributed to the evening’s overall total of $22 million. As the leader in Canada’s market and ranked among the top auction houses in the world globally, Heffel is proud to champion the nation’s cultural icons on the international stage.

The auction was led by three historic Group of Seven canvases by Lawren Harris, Franklin Carmichael and Arthur Lismer, consigned from the storied University Club of Toronto. These exceptional paintings by Canada’s first national art movement—steeped in institutional history and national pride—anchored a night of landmark results and celebrated a vital chapter in Canada’s cultural history. (All prices are in Canadian dollars and include a buyer’s premium.)

“Tonight was a true celebration of Canada,” said Robert Heffel, Vice President of Heffel. “To see such exceptional works by our country’s iconic artists resonate so deeply with collectors is incredibly rewarding. It’s an honour for our team to help steward these national treasures into their next chapters.”

Highlights from the Heffel Spring 2025 Live Auction

A landmark canvas by Lawren Harris led the evening, drawing serious interest from collectors. Northern Lake, a 1926 masterpiece from the University Club of Toronto collection, realized $3,121,250. The historic painting of international acclaim, awarded a gold medal at the 1926 Sesqui-Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia and exhibited at the Musée du Jeu de Paume in Paris, is a defining example of Harris’s celebrated vision and mastery (est. $2,000,000 – 3,000,000).Leaf Pattern, the dazzling 1922 canvas by Franklin Carmichael shattered both its presale estimate and the artist’s auction record and sold for $2,281,250 at the Heffel sale (est. $700,000 – 900,000). Also consigned from the University Club of Toronto, widely published and exhibited extensively throughout its lifetime, this stunning canvas truly captivated collectors.McGregor Bay Islands by Group of Seven artist Arthur Lismer achieved an exceptional price of $1,621,250, setting an auction record for the artist and marking Lismer’s entry first entry into the million-dollar club. Widely exhibited and long held at the University Club of Toronto, the stunning canvas stands as one of Lismer’s most important works and a quintessential example of the Group of Seven’s vision (est. $600,000 – $800,000).A.Y. Jackson’s phenomenal Night on the Skeena River set a deserving new auction record for the artist, soaring to $1,081,250 (est. $800,000 – $1,000,000). Painted during his pivotal Group of Seven years, the dramatic canvas is widely considered one of the finest canvases ever painted by the artist.Tom Thomson’s rare and coveted oil sketches continue to be among the most sought-after works in Canadian art. Three outstanding paintings each surpassed $1 million, showcasing his most iconic subjects and locations; Autumn, Algonquin Park sold for $1,201,250, Canoe Lake, Algonquin Park for $1,051,250 and Dawn on Round Lake (Kawawaymog Lake) for $1,021,250.Important works by Emily Carr realized strong prices in the Heffel auction, including her dynamic seascape canvas Shoreline, which sold for $901,250 (est. $750,000 – 850,000) and British Columbia Forest for $541,250 (est. $250,000 – 350,000), reaffirming the artist’s enduring global appeal. Heffel continues to champion Carr’s incredible legacy and unmatched place in Canadian art history. Carr’s masterworks, together with works by Lawren Harris and other Canadian greats, are on view in the global touring exhibition Northern Lights, currently on at Fondation Beyeler in Basel, Switzerland, before opening at the Buffalo AKG Art Museum in Buffalo, New York.Daphne Odjig’s beautiful Awakening of Spring set a new auction record for the artist and sold for $133,250. The powerful and distinctive canvas exemplifies Odjig’s ability to blend traditional themes with contemporary expression, solidifying her status as a pivotal figure in Canadian art (est. $50,000 – 70,000).

For more information on the works included in Heffel’s spring live auction, visit www.heffel.com.

Heffel is now welcoming consignments for the fall 2025 auction season. The deadline for fall consignments is August 2025.

About Heffel Fine Art Auction House
Since 1978, Heffel has connected passionate collectors across the world with outstanding works of art, with sales of more than $1 billion. Heffel is renowned for its expertise in effectively managing and handling the sale of works from estates, institutional collections, corporate collections and private collections, serving as trusted experts for navigating the complexities of art collections with precision and care. Notable results include the 2016 sale of Lawren Harris’ Mountain Forms for $11,210,000– the record for any Canadian artwork ever sold at auction – as well as Jean Paul Riopelle’s Vent du nord for $7,438,750 in 2017. With galleries and support facilities in Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal and Calgary, Heffel has the most experienced team of specialists in Canada and provides premium client service to both sellers and buyers internationally.

SOURCE Heffel Fine Art Auction House

Technology

SSC SECURITY SERVICES CORP. ANNOUNCES SHAREHOLDER APPROVAL OF PREVIOUSLY ANNOUNCED PLAN OF ARRANGEMENT

Published

58 minutes ago

July 22, 2026

REGINA, SK, July 22, 2026 /CNW/ — SSC Security Services Corp. (TSXV: SECU) (US: SECUF) (“SSC” or the “Company”) today announced the voting results from its special meeting of holders (the “Shareholders”) of common shares (the “Shares”) of the Company held today (the “Meeting”) in connection with the previously announced plan of arrangement under the Business Corporations Act, 2021 (Saskatchewan) (the “Arrangement”), pursuant to which Universal Protection Service, LP (the “Parent”), through its wholly-owned subsidiary, 102236724 Saskatchewan Ltd. (the “Purchaser”, and together with the Parent, “Allied Universal”), will acquire all of the issued and outstanding Shares for $4.4075 per Share in cash, and pursuant to which certain officers and directors of the Company (the “Management Purchasers”) will purchase the Company’s legacy assets and cyber security business in a management buy-out transaction (the “MBO” and collectively with the Arrangement, the “Transaction”).

The Arrangement requires (i) the approval of 66 2/3% of the votes cast by Shareholders (including the Management Purchasers) present or represented by proxy and entitled to vote at the Meeting and (ii) the approval of a simple majority (more than 50%) of the votes cast by Shareholders present or represented by proxy and entitled to vote at the Meeting, other than the Management Purchasers and any other person required to be excluded from such vote for the purpose of Multilateral Instrument 61-101 – Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions (the “Minority Shareholders”). At the Meeting, the resolution approving the Arrangement was approved by (i) 99.99% of the votes cast by Shareholders, and (ii) 99.97% of the votes cast by the Minority Shareholders.

Remaining Conditions to Completion of the Arrangement

Completion of the Transaction remains subject to the satisfaction or waiver of certain closing conditions that are set out in the arrangement agreement entered into between the Company and Allied Universal on May 26, 2026 (the “Arrangement Agreement”), including receipt of final court approval and approval of the TSX Venture Exchange. SSC intends to seek a final order (the “Final Order”) of the Court of King’s Bench for Saskatchewan to approve the Arrangement at a hearing to be held on July 27, 2026.

Subject to obtaining the Final Order and the satisfaction or waiver of the remaining conditions in the Arrangement Agreement, the Transaction is anticipated to close on July 31, 2026.

About SSC

SSC Security Services Corp. is Canada’s largest publicly traded security company. SSC acts as a public holding company investing in physical, electronic and cyber security businesses. The Company has one wholly-owned operating subsidiary: Logixx Security Inc., which provides physical, electronic and cyber security services to primarily commercial, industrial and public sector clients. The Company’s clients include federal and provincial governments, Crown corporations, and many high-profile corporate and public sector clients such as hospitals, airports, utility companies and police forces.

Forward Looking Statements

This release includes forward-looking statements concerning the future results, future performance, intentions, objectives, plans and expectations of the Company. Often, but not always, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as “plans”, “expects”, “is expected”, “estimates”, “intends”, “anticipates”, “believes” or variations of such words and phrases (including negative and grammatical variations) or state that certain actions, events or results “may”, “could”, “would”, “might” or “will” be taken, occur or be achieved. The forward-looking events and circumstances discussed in this release may not occur and could differ materially as a result of known and unknown risks, uncertainties affecting SSC, including risks regarding economic factors and the equity markets generally and many other factors beyond the control of SSC. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, this release contains forward-looking statements pertaining to: the anticipated timing of the Transaction; receipt of required court and stock exchange approvals; satisfaction of closing conditions; and the anticipated effective date of the Arrangement. Risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially include: failure to obtain court or stock exchange approvals; failure to satisfy closing conditions; failure of the parties to complete the Transaction for any reason, including termination of the Arrangement Agreement; legal challenges to the Arrangement; and risks and uncertainties discussed in SSC’s disclosure documents filed on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance. These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing the views of SSC as of any date after the date of this Release. Although SSC has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements, there can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements contained in this Release are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. The forward-looking statements included in this Release are made as of the date of this Release and SSC does not undertake to publicly update such forward-looking statements to reflect new information, subsequent events or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities laws.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

SOURCE SSC Security Services Corp.

Technology

GMI Cloud Announces Strategic Compute Collaboration With NVIDIA

Published

58 minutes ago

July 22, 2026

The collaboration advances GMI Cloud’s selective partnership strategy and supports its next phase of AI infrastructure growth

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., July 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — GMI Cloud, a leading AI-native cloud provider delivering high-performance GPU infrastructure and inference services, today announced a strategic collaboration with NVIDIA as part of its selective approach to building long-term compute partnerships.

In support of this strategy, GMI Cloud has committed $500 million in CapEx to expand its compute capabilities and serve growing customer demand. The commitment represents a significant investment in the company’s next phase of infrastructure development.

GMI Cloud has also secured nine-figure contracts with a leading U.S. frontier AI enterprise, providing a strong commercial foundation for its continued growth.

GMI Cloud is pursuing a selective partnership model centered on a limited number of strategic relationships. The collaboration builds on GMI Cloud’s continued partnership with NVIDIA and brings together long-term compute planning with contracted customer demand.

GMI Cloud is among the earliest cloud providers to adopt this new compute partnership model, marking an important step in the company’s expansion and partnership strategy.

The $500 million CapEx commitment, nine-figure customer contracts, and selective partnership strategy establish the foundation for GMI Cloud’s next stage of growth. The company is set to continue this trajectory as it expands its compute capabilities and supports the evolving needs of frontier AI customers. For more information, visit www.gmicloud.ai.

About GMI Cloud
GMI Cloud is an AI-native cloud infrastructure company powering the next generation of AI applications. The company provides high-performance GPU infrastructure, Model-as-a-Service, dedicated endpoints, and AI workload deployment solutions for developers and enterprises building production AI systems. GMI Cloud helps teams move from experimentation to production with scalable compute, flexible infrastructure, and an ecosystem built for modern AI builders. For more information visit gmicloud.ai.

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SOURCE GMI Cloud

Technology

ROKFORM Launches Rugged Case for Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 and Z Fold8 Ultra

Published

58 minutes ago

July 22, 2026

Complete foldable protection with six-foot drop rating, MAGMAX ™ magnetic grip, and RokLock ® twist-lock mounting

IRVINE, Calif., July 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — ROKFORM today launched its Rugged Case for the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 and Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra. Built with a slim, two-piece shell design — not just a backplate — the Rugged Case delivers six-foot drop protection, full hinge coverage, and secure RokLock® mounting across both foldable models.

“Users get the full ROKFORM experience with the Rugged Case, including incredible drop protection, RokLock® mounting, and MAGMAX™ magnetic strength, all in a design built specifically around the unique needs of a foldable device,” said Jeff Whitten, ROKFORM CEO.

The two-piece shell locks together to protect the outer screen, back, and spine of the Galaxy Z Fold8. In addition, the case is engineered to guard one of the most critical and vulnerable components on foldable phones — the hinge — from drops and impacts with full hinge coverage. The case exceeds military-grade drop protection standards from six feet, with a dual-layer build and reinforced corners designed to absorb real-world impact.

ROKFORM’s patented RokLock® twist-lock system delivers rock-solid, wobble-free connection to ROKFORM’s full ecosystem of car, bike, and motorcycle mounts. Combined with MAGMAX™ magnets, which deliver 3x more holding strength over standard MagSafe® magnets, users get an ultra-secure magnetic grip for mounting and use with other accessories.

The case is compatible with ROKFORM wireless chargers and compatible wireless charging accessories.

The Rugged Case for the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 and Z Fold8 Ultra retails for $79.99 and will be available August 5, 2026 at rokform.com.

About ROKFORM:
Founded in 2010, ROKFORM’s small but dedicated team has bootstrapped its way to becoming a leader in the design and manufacturing of innovative consumer electronics products. It is based in Irvine, California. With nearly 20 patents, ROKFORM remains a leader in the premium active lifestyle consumer electronics niche, with innovative designs to protect and enhance the world’s mobile devices. Products are designed and shipped directly from California headquarters, and customers can visit ROKFORM’s showroom to experience them. Learn more at rokform.com.

Contact:
Haley Lush
775-204-7975
419258@email4pr.com

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SOURCE ROKFORM