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Prime Minister Carney launches Digital Transformation Canada to deliver better, faster, more reliable government services to Canadians

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OTTAWA, ON, Sept. 3, 2026 /CNW/ — Canada must be more productive, competitive, and resilient to succeed in a rapidly changing world. Achieving that goal requires a government equipped with the tools and capabilities needed to deliver better results for Canadians – through services that are faster, more secure, and reliable.

Earlier this year, the government launched AI for All, Canada’s national AI strategy, to harness the transformative potential of artificial intelligence (AI) to improve services, boost productivity, and strengthen Canada’s economy. The strategy commits the federal government to lead by example in the responsible adoption of AI and to use government procurement as a strategic anchor customer for Canadian AI companies, helping them scale, strengthening domestic capacity, and reinforcing Canada’s digital sovereignty.

Today, the Prime Minister, Mark Carney, announced the launch of Digital Transformation Canada, a new federal organisation with a clear mission: to use digital solutions to make it easier for Canadians to access the support and services they need from government.

The Prime Minister is also pleased to announce the appointment of Patrick Pichette to spearhead this mission as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Digital Transformation Canada.

Mr. Pichette is a distinguished Canadian business leader with more than 30 years of experience in finance, technology, and corporate leadership. As Chief Financial Officer of Google from 2008 to 2015, he helped guide the company through a period of significant global growth and transformation. A Rhodes Scholar and former senior executive at Bell Canada, McKinsey, and Sprint Canada, he is internationally recognised for his expertise in innovation, digital transformation, and building high-performing organisations.

Under the responsibility of the Minister of Government Transformation, Public Works and Procurement, Joël Lightbound, Digital Transformation Canada will bring together Shared Services Canada and selected functions from the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat, Public Services and Procurement Canada, and Employment and Social Development Canada – specifically the Canadian Digital Service.

By combining digital expertise and delivery capacity from across government, the organisation will improve how government develops, buys, and uses technology. Its priorities will be to:

Scale shared solutions across government to reduce duplication and operating costs, making better use of emerging technologies such as AI, strengthening Canada’s digital sovereignty and security, and improving Canadians’ experience with federal services.Equip public servants with more modern, secure tools to reduce administrative burden, improve efficiency, and help departments focus on delivering their core programs and services.Use the Government of Canada’s purchasing power more strategically to help Canadian digital and AI companies test, scale, and commercialise new technologies – creating opportunities for Canadian firms to grow at home and compete globally.

To support its mandate, Digital Transformation Canada will also establish a fellowship model to bring specialised private-sector expertise into government for short-term assignments, including in advanced AI and other fast-moving digital fields. This model will focus on knowledge transfer – helping build the public service’s own technical capacity, commercial expertise, and ability to evaluate, procure, and deploy new technologies responsibly.

Launching Digital Transformation Canada builds on the government’s commitment to make the public service more productive and results-focused. By testing and scaling solutions that work, reducing duplication, and backing Canadian innovation, we will deliver better value for taxpayers and better services for Canadians, while helping Canadian technology companies grow at home and compete globally.

Quotes
“Canada’s future prosperity will be built by those who innovate, adopt new technologies, and move quickly to seize new opportunities. Digital Transformation Canada will ensure the federal government leads by example. By modernising public service delivery, reducing duplication, and supporting the growth of Canadian technology firms, we will strengthen our economy, improve outcomes for Canadians, and position Canada to lead in the digital age. The addition of Patrick Pichette will bring world-class expertise in digital transformation, innovation, and organisational change to help advance this crucial work.”
— The Rt. Hon. Mark Carney, Prime Minister of Canada

“Digital Transformation Canada marks a new chapter in how government delivers results for Canadians. By embracing digital innovation, investing in people, and leveraging Canada’s world-class AI ecosystem, we will improve services, strengthen digital sovereignty, and create new opportunities for Canadian companies to grow and compete globally. Our goal is clear: bring together the country’s brightest technologists to work with the public service to build a stronger, more effective federal government.”
— The Hon. Joël Lightbound, Minister of Government Transformation, Public Works and Procurement and Québec Lieutenant

Biographical note

Patrick Pichette

Associated links

Budget 2025: Canada StrongAI for All: Canada’s National Artificial Intelligence Strategy

This document is also available at https://pm.gc.ca

SOURCE Prime Minister’s Office

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Rho Launches Card Payments on Invoices, Letting Businesses Accept Credit Card, Debit Card, and Google Pay

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Rho Invoicing customers can now accept credit card payments on invoices alongside ACH and wire, from the same account they already use for banking, with invoices syncing automatically to QuickBooks Online

NEW YORK, Sept. 4, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Rho, the all-in-one finance platform for businesses, today announced that Rho Invoicing customers can now accept credit and debit card payments, including Google Pay, directly on their invoices. The feature is rolling out to eligible Rho Invoicing customers and adds to the existing ACH, domestic wire, and international wire options already available on Rho invoices. No separate merchant account, no new dashboard, and no waiting on a wire.

Here is how it works for the payer: your client opens the invoice, enters their card information, and pays in a few clicks. Card payments carry a processing fee of 2.9% plus $0.30 per transaction, paid by the business issuing the invoice and deducted from the payment before depositing into your account. Inbound ACH and wire stay free, and the payer never sees a surcharge at checkout. Card payments cover USD-denominated invoices and have a default daily limit of $10,000 across all of a business’s invoices, which can be raised on request.

An invoice is marked paid once the payout is initiated, and funds follow on card-network timelines rather than instantly. A business’s first card payment can take up to two weeks to deposit while Stripe, which powers Rho’s card payment features, completes its initial review.

Rho Invoicing remains free for all Rho customers, aside from card processing fees, and supports up to 100 line items per invoice with per-line sales tax, recurring billing, payment matching, and a fully white-labeled template that carries the business’s brand rather than Rho’s, with virtual account numbers that keep the business’s actual bank details private. Rho invoices sync into QuickBooks Online as accounts receivable through Rho’s direct integration, so AR aging stays accurate without duplicate entry.

Card payments run through the same Rho account a business already uses for banking, corporate cards, and bill pay. No merchant account. No second dashboard. No new password to add to a growing list. Getting paid should not add another tool to the financial stack.

Availability is limited to eligible Rho Invoicing customers for USD-denominated invoices. Access to and enablement of card payment functionality requires completion of Stripe’s verification process and is subject to third-party underwriting and approval, which is not guaranteed.

To learn more, read how to accept credit card payments with Rho Invoicing.

About Rho

Rho is the modern banking platform built for the AI era. Startups and growth-stage companies can open accounts in minutes, issue cards, manage expenses, pay bills, and close the books – all in one connected platform backed by real human support.

Rho is a fintech company, not a bank or an FDIC-insured depository institution. Checking account and card services provided by Webster Bank, a division of Santander Bank, N.A. Member FDIC.

Card payment features on Rho Invoicing, including credit card, debit card, and Google Pay options, are powered by Stripe, Inc. This content is for informational purposes only. It doesn’t necessarily reflect the views of Rho and should not be construed as legal, tax, benefits, financial, accounting, or other advice. If you need specific advice for your business, please consult with an expert, as rules and regulations change regularly.

Media Contact:
Justin Wolz
justin.wolz@rho.co
(919) 306-7084

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/rho-launches-card-payments-on-invoices-letting-businesses-accept-credit-card-debit-card-and-google-pay-302870490.html

SOURCE Rho

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Amwell Receives Frost & Sullivan’s 2026 United States Technology Innovation Leadership Recognition for Technology-Enabled Care Platforms

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Amwell® is transforming virtual care delivery through its unified Amwell Platform, combining interoperability, clinical integration, and intelligent orchestration to improve access, efficiency, and outcomes.

SAN ANTONIO, Sept. 4, 2026 /CNW/ — As healthcare organizations move beyond fragmented telehealth solutions toward connected virtual care models, Amwell is helping redefine how digital care is delivered at scale. Frost & Sullivan is pleased to recognize Amwell with the 2026 United States Technology Innovation Leadership Recognition in the Technology-Enabled Care Platforms industry for its ability to address healthcare fragmentation through a unified platform that connects patients, health plan members, clinicians, and partner ecosystems across the care continuum.

Frost & Sullivan evaluates companies through a rigorous benchmarking process across two core dimensions: strategy effectiveness and strategy execution. Amwell excelled in both, demonstrating its ability to align strategic initiatives with evolving healthcare needs while executing with flexibility, scalability, and measurable customer impact. “The combination of reliability, flexibility, and clinically integrated workflows positions the Amwell Platform as a strategic enabler for organizations seeking to reduce fragmentation, improve member engagement with covered programs, expand access to care, and create more connected healthcare experiences,” said Sagar Mukhekar, Industry Analyst, Frost & Sullivan.

Guided by a strategy centered on connected care, interoperability, and continuous, digital innovation, Amwell has positioned the Amwell Platform as an operating layer for next-generation healthcare delivery. Rather than relying on disconnected point solutions, the platform integrates technology, services, and clinical intelligence to orchestrate personalized care experiences across virtual primary care, urgent care, behavioral health, chronic condition management, and specialized digital programs.

Backed by 20 years of technology-enabled care innovation, more than 90 million covered lives, and over 38.7 million virtual visits, Amwell continues to help health plans and healthcare organizations modernize digital care delivery at scale.

“As healthcare becomes more digital, it risks becoming more fragmented. Health plans need more than point solutions. They need enterprise infrastructure, clinical integration, and an open platform that brings partners and programs together. Our vision at Amwell is that technology creates value when it improves access, engagement, quality, and efficiency, and produces measurable clinical and business outcomes. We’re honored by this recognition from Frost & Sullivan,” said Dan Zamansky, Chief Product and Technology Officer at Amwell.

Amwell’s enterprise scale includes supporting the digital transformation of the Defense Health Agency’s Military Health System, serving approximately 9.6 million beneficiaries. The company’s commitment to measurable outcomes is also reflected in a landmark National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)-funded study, published in Nature Human Behaviour and among the largest studies of its kind. The study found that students offered SilverCloud® by Amwell® engaged in mental healthcare at more than double the rate of traditional care, experienced lower rates of mental health disorders, and generated an estimated $1.18 million in avoided costs for the study population.

The company further differentiates its platform through intelligent orchestration and navigation, helping guide members to appropriate programs while giving clinicians visibility across care plans. Amwell also evaluates integrated third-party programs for clinical effectiveness, scalability, and enterprise readiness.

Frost & Sullivan commends Amwell for setting a high standard in competitive strategy, execution, and technological innovation. The company’s unified approach to digital care is helping reduce fragmentation, improve access, strengthen operational efficiency, and support more equitable and sustainable healthcare delivery.

Each year, Frost & Sullivan presents the Technology Innovation Leadership Recognition to a company that demonstrates outstanding strategy development and implementation, resulting in measurable improvements in market share, customer satisfaction, and competitive positioning. The recognition identifies forward-thinking organizations that are reshaping their industries through innovation and growth excellence.

Frost & Sullivan Best Practices Recognition

Frost & Sullivan’s Best Practices Recognitions honor companies across regional and global markets that exhibit exceptional achievement and consistent excellence in areas such as leadership, technological innovation, customer experience, and strategic product development. Each recognition is the result of a rigorous analytical process in which Frost & Sullivan industry experts benchmark performance through comprehensive interviews, deep-dive analysis, and extensive secondary research. The goal is to identify true best-in-class organizations that are driving transformative growth and setting new industry standards.
Contact us: Start the discussion.

Contact:
Ashley Shreve
E: ashley.weinkauf@frost.com 

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/amwell-receives-frost–sullivans-2026-united-states-technology-innovation-leadership-recognition-for-technology-enabled-care-platforms-302870492.html

SOURCE Frost & Sullivan

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Midea Brings “Simply ideal” to Life at IFA 2026

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BERLIN, Sept. 4, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — At IFA 2026, Midea brings its “Simply ideal” vision to life through the latest innovations, designed to bring greater intelligence, comfort, efficiency and ease to the home.

The exhibition also highlights Midea’s new five-year partnership with FC Barcelona.

The Midea Suites: Ways to Master the Home

The new SMART MASTER showcases Midea’s AI-powered home ecosystem. The AI Agent enables more natural, intuitive interaction with appliances across daily household scenarios. Midea Robot brings AI into the physical world through cooking, cleaning, laundry, care and whole-home control.

At IFA 2026, Midea unveiled its new AI voice-controlled air conditioner. Cliff Liang, General Manager of Enterprise Commercial for the China Region at Microsoft, joined the Midea event and shared Microsoft’s perspective on the next phase of AI.

AI ECOMASTER coordinates appliances and connected systems through intelligent power management. It learns household routines and adapts to changing needs for greater flexibility and comfort.

For homes where every inch counts, SPACE MASTER delivers more usable capacity within the same external dimensions, as demonstrated by the refrigerator’s expanded storage.

Alongside the MASTER Suites, the BUILT-IN Series includes the Milanese-inspired Ispira Series, combining cohesive design with intelligent functionality for an integrated cooking experience.

The Midea Scenarios: Innovation for Everyday Living

Comfort begins with the air around us. Midea’s R290 Series responds to growing demand for efficient cooling. It combines advanced compressor and safety-sealing technologies with ultra-low-GWP R290 refrigerant, delivering around 10% higher energy efficiency. Residential applications include H-Pack and PortaSplit, with PortaSplit set to adopt R290 in 2027.

In the kitchen, technology simplifies daily routines, from food storage and cooking to after-meal care. The Visionary Series refrigerators make food easier to see and access through GlassVision, hands-free lighting and clear, even illumination.

The InfiniteFit Series hobs feature an ultra-slim design for seamless integration into European kitchens, while OmniFlex enables flexible cookware placement. The PizzaPro built-in oven combines rapid heating with an 81L cavity, balancing speed with capacity.

After the meal, the Tri-GreenApex System brings washing, drying and storage together while using around 50% less energy than required for Europe’s highest A rating.

Laundry brings its own everyday needs. Midea’s family laundry room concept combines multi-drum solutions for different garment-care needs, allowing separate loads to run at the same time. The OMNI SERIES offers flexible combinations to suit different household routines.

Tobin Richardson, President and CEO of the Connectivity Standards Alliance, introduced Matter at Midea’s booth, highlighting its open, secure, interoperable framework and Midea’s role in advancing smart appliance connectivity.

Partnership and Brand Portfolio

At IFA 2026, Midea celebrated its partnership through an immersive FC Barcelona experience at its booth. FC Barcelona legend Carles Puyol made a special appearance, sharing insights from his career on leadership, teamwork and the pursuit of excellence. His presence reflected Midea and FC Barcelona’s shared commitment to world-class performance.

As part of Midea Group’s multi-brand portfolio, TEKA presents its latest innovations under the “Meaningful Experiences Through Technology” concept, including its new coffee machine range, the In-Line Series and Laundry Care solutions, bringing European design and functionality to modern living.

About Midea and Midea Group

Midea is one of over 10 brands within the Smart Home Business of Midea Group.

Founded in 1968, Midea Group is a leading global technology company and one of the world’s largest home appliance manufacturers. As a Fortune Global 500 enterprise, it ranked No. 231 in 2026. The Group has streamlined its core operations into seven high-growth business pillars to drive future growth: Smart Home, Industrial Technologies, Building Technologies, KUKA, New Energy, Midea Healthcare, and ANNTO Logistics.

www.midea-group.com

www.midea.com

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/midea-brings-simply-ideal-to-life-at-ifa-2026-302870435.html

SOURCE Midea Group

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