SAINT-EUSTACHE, QC, March 21, 2024 /CNW/ - Nova Bus, a member of the Volvo Group and a leading North American transit bus manufacturer, is proud to announce it has been awarded a contract for 10 LFSe+, the 40' long-range battery electric bus model of Nova Bus, by the City of Brampton, Ontario. The buses are scheduled to be delivered in 2025.

Brampton Transit is committed to the transition of its fleet to zero-emission buses. The acquisition of these 10 Nova Bus LFSe+ battery electric buses is an important milestone in Brampton's electrification journey, supports the City of Brampton's plan to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 80 percent by 2050 and is in line with the Government of Canada's goal of becoming net zero emissions by 2050.

The Nova Bus LFSe+ long-range electric bus provides reduced maintenance costs and improves air quality by eliminating all emission of pollutants and greenhouse gases. The LFSe+ represents a smart mobility solution that combines Nova Bus's proven expertise with the latest innovations in clean and sustainable technologies, making it a first-choice solution for the transition to sustainable public transport.

"We are proud that Brampton Transit is a long-time partner of Nova Bus and an early adopter of our battery electric technology," said Ralph Acs, President of Nova Bus. "We make it our mission to support agencies such as Brampton Transit in their transition to electric buses, as we are committed to providing safe, innovative, and sustainable transport solutions at a pivotal time for transit agencies that are moving towards clean transportation."

About Nova Bus

Nova Bus, member of the Volvo Group, is a leading provider of sustainable transportation solutions in North America. Its portfolio includes electric, hybrid, CNG and clean diesel buses, high-capacity vehicles, as well as integrated intelligent transport systems. Nova Bus accompanies transit authorities and bus fleet operators in their transition to electromobility with its flagship LFSe+ long-range electric bus, combining the proven Nova Bus structure with the latest innovations in electric drive. Nova Bus is committed to helping reduce greenhouse gas emissions and positively contributing to a greener economy. For more information regarding Nova Bus products and services, please visit novabus.com.

SOURCE Nova Bus

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CALGARY, AB, Sept. 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ - High Tide Inc. ("High Tide" or the "Company") (Nasdaq: HITI) (TSXV: HITI) (FSE: 2LYA), the high-impact, retail-forward enterprise built to deliver real-world value across every component of cannabis, announced today that its Canna Cabana retail cannabis store located at 9025 Airport Rd, Brampton, Ontario will begin selling recreational cannabis products and consumption accessories for adult use on Thursday, September 14, 2023. This opening will mark High Tide's 156th Canna Cabana branded retail cannabis location in Canada and the 52nd in Ontario, Canada's largest province.

Brampton is a major city in the Greater Toronto Area, is the ninth most populous city in Canada, and the third most populous in the "Golden Horseshoe" of Ontario. Once famous for its large greenhouse industry, it retains the name "Flower City" in its slogan and is quickly rising as one of the most diverse municipalities in Canada. This second Canna Cabana location is in the city's southeast corner, near Mississauga, which recently approved legal cannabis stores. Located in a retail power centre with major national big box outlets in close proximity, this brand new Canna Cabana location will serve more ELITE and Cabana Club members in Brampton and neighbouring Mississauga.

"Given the success of our existing Canna Cabana location in Brampton, a city with a population of nearly 700,000, I am excited about opening our second store in this highly multicultural municipality, which is one of the fastest-growing among big cities in Canada. Our Cabana Club is rapidly growing across the country, and our innovative discount club model is exceptionally well received across Ontario. I am always thrilled to see another Canna Cabana location established in Ontario, as our average store in Canada's largest province does 3.4 times the provincial sales average," said Raj Grover, President and Chief Executive Officer of High Tide.

"Looking ahead to our third fiscal quarter earnings release, which will be filed after the close of markets on Thursday, I am looking forward to sharing even more news about High Tide's continuing upward trajectory. As you know, I have said several times that our objective is to achieve positive free cash flow by the end of this calendar year. I look forward to providing an update on this, as well as some innovative new offerings we have in the hopper. We are also closely monitoring the rapid pace of potential regulatory and legislative reform in the US and stand ready to bring our winning discount club model to the world's largest cannabis market as soon as permissible," added Mr. Grover.

ABOUT HIGH TIDE

High Tide is the leading community-grown, retail-forward cannabis enterprise engineered to unleash the full value of the world's most powerful plant. High Tide (HITI) is uniquely-built around the cannabis consumer, with wholly-diversified and fully-integrated operations across all components of cannabis, including:

Bricks & Mortar Retail: Canna Cabana™ is the largest non-franchised cannabis retail chain in Canada, with 155 current locations spanning British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Ontario and growing. In 2021, Canna Cabana became the first cannabis discount club retailer in Canada.

Retail Innovation: Fastendr™ is a unique and fully automated technology that integrates retail kiosks and smart lockers to facilitate a better buying experience through browsing, ordering and pickup.

E-commerce Platforms: High Tide operates a suite of leading accessory sites across the world, including Grasscity.com, Smokecartel.com, Dailyhighclub.com, and Dankstop.com.

CBD: High Tide continues to cultivate the possibilities of consumer CBD through Nuleafnaturals.com, FABCBD.com, blessedcbd.de and blessedcbd.co.uk.

Wholesale Distribution: High Tide keeps the cannabis category stocked with wholesale solutions via Valiant™.

Licensing: High Tide continues to push cannabis culture forward through fresh partnerships and licensing agreements under the Famous Brand™ name.

High Tide consistently moves ahead of the currents, having been named one of Canada's Top Growing Companies in both 2021 and 2022 by the Globe and Mail's Report on Business Magazine and was ranked number one in the retail category on the Financial Times list of America's Fastest Growing Companies for 2023. To discover the full impact of High Tide, visit www.hightideinc.com. For investment performance, don't miss the High Tide profile pages on SEDAR+ and EDGAR.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange ("TSXV") nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSXV) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This press release may contain "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities legislation. The use of any of the words "could", "intend", "expect", "believe", "will", "projected", "estimated" and similar expressions and statements relating to matters that are not historical facts are intended to identify forward-looking information and are based on the Company's current belief or assumptions as to the outcome and timing of such future events. The forward-looking statements herein include, but are not limited to, statements regarding: the timing of our new location beginning to sell recreational cannabis products and consumption accessories for adult use, the expected benefits of the store location, including the serving of the Company's ELITE and Cabana Club members, the growth and popularity of the Company's discount club model, the performance of the Company's stores compared to the provincial average; the Company providing its third quarter earnings release on the timelines as stated, and the Company's plans to bring its discount club model to the United States. Readers are cautioned to not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Actual results and developments may differ materially from those contemplated by these statements. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in these statements are reasonable, such statements are based on expectations, factors, and assumptions concerning future events which may prove to be inaccurate and are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, certain of which are beyond the Company's control, including but not limited to the risk factors discussed under the heading "Non-Exhaustive List of Risk Factors" in Schedule A to our current annual information form, and elsewhere in this press release, as such factors may be further updated from time to time in our periodic filings, available at www.sedarplus.ca and www.sec.gov, which factors are incorporated herein by reference. Forward-looking statements contained in this press release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement and reflect the Company's expectations as of the date hereof and are subject to change thereafter. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, estimates or opinions, future events or results, or otherwise, or to explain any material difference between subsequent actual events and such forward-looking information, except as required by applicable law.

SOURCE High Tide Inc.

Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - February 20, 2024) - good natured Products Inc. (TSXV: GDNP) (OTCQB: GDNPF) (the "Company" or "good natured®"), a North American leader in plant-based products, announced that it signed a definitive agreement with a major Canadian financial institution on February 13, 2024 to refinance the mortgage outstanding with Business Development Bank of Canada ("BDC") on the land and building located at the Company's Brampton, Ontario facility.

Under the terms of the agreement, the BDC mortgage will be refinanced with a $12.9 million 3-year fixed rate mortgage, featuring a 25-year amortization period. Principal and interest will be paid monthly at a rate within a range of 5.8% - 6.2% per annum. The rate will be fixed at closing. The Company anticipates receiving net proceeds of approximately $2.1 million following repayment of the BDC mortgage and the remaining vendor take back loan associated with the Shepherd Thermoforming & Packaging Inc. acquisition. The close of the transaction is expected to occur on or around February 26, 2024.

"This refinancing reduces our interest rate payable on this facility and will result in annual cash flow savings of approximately $300,000 without any material increase to our net debt," stated Paul Antoniadis, CEO of good natured®. "This action is consistent with our stated objective to restructure and renegotiate our debt obligations in order to reduce the burden of cash interest payments."

The good natured® corporate profile can be found at: goodnaturedproducts.com/pages/investor.

About good natured Products Inc. good natured® is passionately pursuing its goal of becoming North America's leading earth-friendly product company by offering the broadest assortment of plant-based products made from rapidly renewable resources instead of fossil fuels. The Company is focused on making it easy and affordable for business owners and consumers to shift away from petroleum to better everyday products® that use more renewable materials, less fossil fuel, and no chemicals of concern.

good natured® offers over 400 products and services through wholesale, direct to business, and retail channels. From plant-based home organization products to certified compostable food containers, bio-based industrial supplies and medical packaging, the Company is focused on making plant-based products more readily accessible to people as a means to create meaningful environmental and social impact.

Two of Brampton City Hall's highest paid employees don't even work there.

Ontario's recently released Sunshine List of public sector employees who make over $100,000 reveals that two former Brampton employees — one fired in 2018 and the other fired in 2022 — took home over $1.5 million combined between 2019 and 2023.

Per the list, David Barrick, who was fired two years ago from his role as chief administrative officer (CAO), made over $267,000 in severance and over $18,000 in benefits last year and $280,000 and $18,000 in benefits the year prior.

Meanwhile, Harry Schlange, who was CAO before Barrick and fired in 2018, took home nearly $300,000 every year from 2018 until 2021.

Neither Barrick nor Schlange responded to CBC Toronto's requests for comment.

Those figures, combined with the longevity of Schlange's severance pay, raises eyebrows for one employment lawyer, though he did say that CAO positions often come with a "healthy severance package.

"They are highly politicized positions," said Athanasios Makrinos, a partner with Whitten and Lublin.

The position is "precarious," Makrinos said, because it's at the whim of council and whoever gets elected next.

Brampton has had four CAOs since 2014. A CBC Toronto analysis shows that among nearby municipalities Toronto, Mississauga, Caledon and Oakville, Brampton's former CAOs are the only ones who appear on the Sunshine List for more than one year after being fired.

However, some could also receive or continue to receive severance below $100,000 — which is the threshold the Sunshine List captures.

"There are ways to make sure severance is spread over several years and doesn't appear on the Sunshine List," said Zachary Spicer, associate professor of public policy and administration at York University.

"Payments can be buried if they are just at $99,999," Spicer said.

Brampton spent $38M on severance over 11 years

Barrick was fired in 2022, and Schlange was fired in 2018.

Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown told CBC Toronto that Schlange's severance was guaranteed in a contract signed by the previous mayor, but he did not comment on Barrick's severance package. He directed further questions to the city — a spokesperson said the city won't comment on "individual personnel issues."

However, Brown said Schlange's severance was "too generous."

"All subsequent severance packages have been far more modest and in line with the private sector," he said.

A city report shows $9.5 million out of the city's $38 million severance spending between 2010 and 2021 was due to the exit of a "greater proportion of senior leaders" since Brown came to office in 2018.

That same report says the city spent over $24 million on severance from 2014 to 2018, which it attributes to the mass exit of employees after the city restructured administrative positions in 2016.

Coun. Martin Medeiros, who has been in council since 2015, attributes the costs to "previously divisive" councils. He apologized for his role in the decision-making.

Medeiros says City Hall is currently undergoing cost cutting for its "generous" severance packages, at the same time as its working on training and promoting from within so that it can retain employees.

"We want to ensure that we're competitive but not break the bank," he said. "We want to make sure that we will have people who we think will be here long term."

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The Ontario Hockey League’s Mississauga Steelheads are reportedly on the move.

They’re not going far, though.

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The Steelheads franchise is expected to bolt Mississauga’s Paramount Fine Foods Centre for Brampton, TSN hockey insider Darren Dreger said on the social-media site X, citing sources.

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Sources say the Mississauga Steelheads of the OHL are moving the franchise to Brampton, Ontario.

— Darren Dreger (@DarrenDreger) January 30, 2024

“Finalization of the move still requires league approval pending some details being worked out,” Dreger said.

The team confirmed the report in a message to season ticket holders, the news website Insauga.com reported, saying the move should be made in time for the start of the 2024-25 OHL season. The team reportedly plans to move into the nearby CAA Centre, which housed the Brampton Battalion until 2013 before the franchise marched to North Bay.

“We strongly believe that a relocation will allow us to not only continue to expand our reach, but also create new opportunities to engage with the team in fresh and exciting ways,” a message from the team said, according to Insauga.com “The decision to move was not made lightly and we are confident that this change will contribute to the continued growth and success of the hockey club.

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“Mississauga will continue to be part of our home territory.”

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When the Steelheads’ move becomes official, it would end a 26-year tradition of OHL hockey in Mississauga, which began hosting the IceDogs in 1998 before the franchise moved to St. Catharines in 2007. The Toronto St. Michael’s Majors immediately replaced the IceDogs in 2007-08 before being sold in 2012 and renamed as the Steelheads, who made the OHL final in 2017.

Brampton also entered the league in 1998, making a trip to the OHL final in 2009 before heading to North Bay amid declining attendance. The Steelheads have also struggled to draw fans, averaging a league-low 2,256 spectators per game this season, according to HockeyDB.com.

The Steelheads (23-18-4) are third in the OHL’s Central Division.