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Investing in solar solutions in Fort Frances

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FORT FRANCES, ON, April 22, 2026 /CNW/ – The Fort Frances Memorial Sports Centre will generate solar energy following an investment of $589,762 from the federal government through the Green and Inclusive Community Buildings (GICB) program.

This funding will reduce greenhouse gas emissions and annual electricity costs for the facility. A rooftop solar generation system will convert solar energy into clean electricity for direct on‑site use. These savings will ultimately be reinvested to enhance the building, as well as the programs and services offered to the broader community.

Projects like this are part of the Town of Fort Frances’s broader plan to promote clean energy adoption in homes and businesses throughout the community.

Quotes

“By reducing emissions, boosting energy efficiency, and lowering operating costs, projects like this in Fort Frances help make recreation more affordable and accessible while supporting activities that bring people together.”

Marcus Powlowski, Member of Parliament for Thunder Bay–Rainy River, Ontario

“The Town of Fort Frances is thrilled to have the support of the Green and Inclusive Community Buildings program to support the construction of a 500kW rooftop solar system on the Memorial Sports Centre. This system will support the reduction of utility costs for the centre as well as help the municipality shed emissions and promote sustainable energy consumption in our most energy intensive facility. This project further supports Council’s ambitions to position the community as a green energy centre.”

Andrew Hallikas, Mayor, Town of Fort Frances

Quick Facts

The federal government is investing $589,762 in this project through the Green and Inclusive Community Buildings (GICB) program.The GICB program was created in support of Canada’s Strengthened Climate Plan: A Healthy Environment and a Healthy Economy. It supports the Plan’s first pillar by reducing greenhouse gas emissions, increasing energy efficiency, and helping develop higher resilience to climate change.The program launched in 2021 with an initial investment of $1.5 billion over five years towards green and accessible retrofits, repairs or upgrades of existing public community buildings and the construction of new publicly-accessible community buildings that serve high-needs, underserved communities across Canada. Budget 2024 announced an additional $500 million to support more projects through GICB until 2029.At least 10% of program funding is allocated to projects serving First Nations, Inuit, and Métis communities, including Indigenous populations in urban centres.The Government of Canada is taking concrete actions to strengthen the economy by investing in Canadians and supporting Canadian businesses.Federal actions are creating good jobs, accelerating home building and helping communities grow across the country.Project funding is subject to the negotiation and signing of a contribution agreement between the Government of Canada and the recipient.

Associated Links

Green and Inclusive Community Buildings
https://housing-infrastructure.canada.ca/gicb-bcvi/index-eng.html

Strengthened Climate Plan
https://www.canada.ca/en/services/environment/weather/climatechange/climate-plan/climate-plan-overview.html

Housing and Infrastructure Project Map
https://housing-infrastructure.canada.ca/gmap-gcarte/index-eng.html

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SOURCE Department of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities

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PlanetiQ Selected for NOAA’s Space-Based Environmental Monitoring IDIQ

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Selection builds on PlanetiQ’s long-standing relationship with NOAA and adds thermospheric neutral density to its environmental data offerings

GOLDEN, Colo., Sept. 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — PlanetiQ, a leading provider of commercial satellite-based environmental data, today announced that it has been selected as an industry partner under NOAA’s new Space-Based Environmental Monitoring (SBEM) Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract. Through the SBEM IDIQ, PlanetiQ will be eligible to compete for task orders to provide NOAA with two types of commercial environmental data: Global Navigation Satellite System-Radio Occultation (GNSS-RO) observations for atmospheric profiling and ionospheric monitoring, and thermospheric neutral density data for satellite orbit prediction.

“This selection builds on our long-standing partnership with NOAA and expands the ways our data can support the agency, from high-resolution atmospheric and ionospheric observations to thermospheric neutral density for satellite orbit prediction,” said Ira Scharf, CEO of PlanetiQ.  

The SBEM IDIQ, established by NOAA’s National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service (NESDIS) through its Commercial Data Program. The contract has a five-year base period followed by a five-year option and is effective from September 1, 2026, through August 31, 2036.

Under SBEM, PlanetiQ will provide data from its existing satellite constellation as well as additional satellites planned for launch later this year. The company’s GNSS-RO observations provide high-resolution atmospheric profiles for numerical weather prediction and measurements of the ionosphere, including Total Electron Content (TEC) and scintillation. PlanetiQ will also introduce thermospheric neutral density data as a new commercial data product for NOAA NESDIS, supporting improved satellite orbit prediction and space-weather applications.

“PlanetiQ has built its business around delivering high-quality GNSS-RO data with the precision needed to improve weather forecasting,” said Ira Scharf, CEO of PlanetiQ. “This selection builds on our long-standing partnership with NOAA and expands the ways our data can support the agency, from high-resolution atmospheric and ionospheric observations to thermospheric neutral density for satellite orbit prediction. We look forward to continuing to work with NOAA to advance weather forecasting and space weather applications.”

Per NOAA’s own press release, NOAA is expanding its procurement and use of new commercial environmental satellite data streams that will enhance weather forecasting and space weather monitoring. The SBEM IDIQ contract is a key part in the agency’s ongoing effort to boost U.S. weather forecasting capabilities.

PlanetiQ currently provides GNSS-RO data to NOAA NESDIS under the agency’s previous commercial data contract vehicle. The company’s most recent task order, announced in August, provides GNSS-RO and ionospheric data and bridges the transition to the new SBEM contract.

About PlanetiQ

PlanetiQ provides the highest-quality GNSS radio occultation (RO) data available from a commercial constellation of satellites, offering unmatched temporal and spatial resolution. The data drive accurate, high-impact weather and climate forecast models, helping improve Numerical Weather Prediction and AI forecasts, safeguard lives and property from severe weather. In 2025, PlanetiQ was awarded NOAA’s largest-ever contract for satellite weather data, valued at $24.3 million. PlanetiQ is a space-tech company that serves the most mission-critical government, defense, and industry leaders, including international weather agencies, enabling more resilient operations across sectors. Founded in 2015 and privately owned, PlanetiQ designs, builds, and operates the preeminent commercial constellation of GNSS-RO satellites, setting the standard for precision and reliability in atmospheric monitoring. For more information, contact info@planetiq.com

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/planetiq-selected-for-noaas-space-based-environmental-monitoring-idiq-302876567.html

SOURCE PlanetiQ

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New Bloomberg Tax Projections Give Tax Professionals an Early Start on 2027 Planning

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ARLINGTON, Va., Sept. 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Bloomberg Tax & Accounting released its 2027 Projected U.S. Tax Rates, which indicates a 3.2% increase in inflation from 2026 (compared to the 2.7% increase from 2025). The full report is available at https://aboutbtax.com/bmN8.

Bloomberg Tax’s annual Projected U.S. Tax Rates Report provides early, accurate notice of the potential tax savings that could be realized due to increases in deduction limitations, upward adjustments to tax brackets, and increases to numerous other key thresholds.

In an unprecedented event, the Bureau of Labor Statistics did not report the data from October of 2025. Thus, the C-CPI-U has been computed on an 11-month average.

The report accounts for several new adjustments made under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) that affect tax planning for taxpayers in 2027 and beyond. For corporate taxpayers and passthroughs, they include an adjustment to the employer-provided child care credit, initially enhanced by the OBBBA. It also includes an adjustment to the threshold for information at source reporting requirements, which was initially increased by the OBBBA. For individuals, the report includes varied income tax rates with steeper adjustments for lower brackets.

“Tax professionals are being asked to make consequential planning decisions amid constant policy change and growing complexity,” said Evan Croen, head of Bloomberg Tax & Accounting. “By providing trusted projections before official figures are released and carrying those updates directly into the tools where professionals work, we can help them move from information to action sooner and spend more time applying their expertise to the decisions that matter most.”

The updated rates flow directly into Bloomberg Tax’s innovative software solutions including Bloomberg Tax Provision, Bloomberg Tax Fixed Assets, and Bloomberg Tax Workpapers. This is an example of the power and efficiency of Bloomberg Tax & Accounting’s integrated suite of solutions, which modernizes the corporate tax process, from data collection to tax calculations that power key deliverable.

Other key adjustments, with comparisons of the 2026 amounts and 2027 projections, include:

Individual Income Tax Rate Brackets 

Married Filing Jointly and Surviving Spouses

2026 Tax Rate Bracket Income Ranges

Projected 2027 Tax Rate Bracket Income Ranges

10% – $0 to $24,800

10% – $0 to $25,600

12% – Over $24,800 to $100,800

12% – Over $25,600 to $104,050

22% – Over $100,800 to $211,400

22% – Over $104,050 to $218,250

24% – Over $211,400 to $403,550

24% – Over $218,250 to $416,650

32% – Over $403,550 to $512,450

32% – Over $416,650 to $529,100

35% – Over $512,450 to $768,700

35% – Over $529,100 to $793,650

37% – Over $768,700

37% – Over $793,650

Unmarried Individuals (other than Surviving Spouses and Heads of Households)

2026 Tax Rate Bracket Income Ranges

Projected 2027 Tax Rate Bracket Income Ranges

10% – $0 to $12,400

10% – $0 to $12,800

12% – Over $12,400 to $50,400

12% – Over $12,800 to $52,025

22% – Over $50,400 to $105,700

22% – Over $52,025 to $109,125

24% – Over $105,7000 to $201,775

24% – Over $109,125 to $208,325

32% – Over $201,775 to $256,225

32% – Over $208,325 to $264,550

35% – Over $256,225 to $640,600

35% – Over $264,550 to $661,375

37% – Over $640,6000

37% – Over $661,375

Standard Deduction

Filing Status

2026

Standard Deduction

Projected 2027

Standard Deduction

Married Filing Jointly/Surviving Spouses

$31,500

$33,200

Heads of Household

$23,625

$24,925 ($24,950)

All Other Taxpayers

$15,7500

$16,600

Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT)

Filing Status

2026

AMT Exemption Amount

Projected 2027

AMT Exemption Amount

Married Filing Jointly/Surviving Spouses

$140,200

$144,700

Unmarried Individuals

(other than Surviving Spouses)

$90,100

$93,000

Married Filing Separately

$70,100

$72,350

Estates and Trusts

$31,400

$32,500

About Bloomberg Tax

Bloomberg Tax delivers a comprehensive suite of solutions designed to help tax and accounting professionals navigate a complex global landscape. By combining practitioner-driven insights with intelligent, AI-powered tools, we provide the expertise you need to ensure compliance, streamline workflows, and drive strategic decision-making. Our integrated solutions simplify intricate calculations and adapt to changing regulations in real time, empowering your organization to mitigate risk, optimize tax strategies, and achieve measurable results with confidence and precision.

Bloomberg Tax is part of Bloomberg Industry Group, an affiliate of Bloomberg L.P., a global leader in business and financial information, data, news, and insights.

For more information, visit bloombergtax.com.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/new-bloomberg-tax-projections-give-tax-professionals-an-early-start-on-2027-planning-302876568.html

SOURCE Bloomberg Tax

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o15 Capital Partners Announces Realization of $31 Million Senior Secured Credit Facility to Simplify Compliance

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ATLANTA, Sept. 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — o15 Capital Partners (“o15”), through its Emerging America Credit Opportunities (“EACO”) fund and its affiliates, is pleased to announce the successful exit of a $31 million senior secured credit facility provided to Simplify Compliance Holdings, LLC (“Simplify” or the “Company”), a diversified provider of B2B training, events, and subscription information backed by Leeds Equity Partners (“Leeds Equity”). Repayment followed the sale of the Company’s datacenterHawk business unit to S&P Global.

The successful realization reinforces o15’s continued conviction in the lower middle market, where disciplined underwriting, sector expertise, and close sponsor partnerships can drive strong investment outcomes. The facility provided flexible capital to support the Company’s strategic objectives and Leeds Equity’s ongoing value creation initiatives.

“Leeds Equity was an excellent partner throughout this investment, and the outcome speaks to their track record building durable businesses,” said Kenneth Saffold, co-CEO and Managing Partner at o15. “We were glad to underwrite behind the strength of Simplify’s digital-first product suite across compliance, workforce training, and data and information assets.”

“o15 was a thoughtful and responsive partner throughout this investment. Their speed and ability to tailor a solution to the Company’s needs were meaningful factors in our financing relationship,” said Chris Mairs, Managing Director at Leeds Equity.

The exit underscores o15’s differentiated investment approach, combining thoughtful structuring, sector expertise, and a focus on measurable impact. Business services and information platforms remain a core area of focus for o15, given the critical role these businesses play across the lower middle market.

About o15 Capital Partners

Based in Atlanta, o15 Capital Partners is an alternatives investment firm that provides growth capital to undercapitalized lower middle market businesses and communities in the Healthcare, Education and Business Services industries.

To learn more about o15 Capital Partners or discuss a new investment opportunity, please visit and follow us on LinkedIn, or reach out to a member of our investment team.

Disclaimer: The information herein should not be construed as investment advice or a recommendation of any security, investment, or investment strategy. References to this investment are for illustrative purposes only, are not representative of all investments made by o15, and should not be construed as a recommendation of any particular investment or investment strategy. Other investments made by o15 have had, and future investments may have different characteristics and results.

media@o15.com

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/o15-capital-partners-announces-realization-of-31-million-senior-secured-credit-facility-to-simplify-compliance-302876584.html

SOURCE o15 Capital Partners

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