ETA Canada News

Canada celebrated its 159th anniversary on Wednesday (July 1), with events taking place across the country. However, the heightened separatist sentiment in Quebec and Alberta made this year’s Canada Day particularly significant. Prime Minister Carney attended community celebrations in Ottawa in the morning, followed by a midday performance on the main stage.

In the evening, he travelled to Edmonton to attend a local celebration and deliver a brief speech. The national celebrations, held in Ottawa, continued at LeBreton Flats Park, west of Parliament Hill, where the central Parliament building is still under renovation. Carney released a video on Wednesday morning calling for national unity, stating that Canada is built on the core belief that “we are strongest when we are united,” and using the construction of the national railway and the Trans-Canada Highway as examples to emphasize that Canadians are putting this belief into action today.

In the film, Carney says, “There will always be forces trying to divide us, but they have forgotten the fundamental wisdom of nation-building: unity is not the same as conformity, and our differences are an advantage to be cherished, not a risk to be managed.” Canadian Identity Minister Marc Miller said that Donald Trump’s repeated threats to annex Canada last year, as well as Canada’s goal in the World Cup last Sunday, were important moments that brought the nation together over the past year. He said, “The United States is bluffing and treating its former best friend in a way that we cannot condone.” He described Canada as “a beautiful project still under construction.”

Governor General Louise Arbour attended the Canada Day celebrations for the first time this year as the King’s representative and delivered a speech during the Ottawa midday performance, saying that no matter where she goes in the world, she is always proud to be Canadian.

Canada celebrated its 159th anniversary on Wednesday (July 1), with events taking place across the country. However, the heightened separatist sentiment in Quebec and Alberta made this year’s Canada Day particularly significant. Prime Minister Carney attended community celebrations in Ottawa in the morning, followed by a midday performance on the main stage.

In the evening, he travelled to Edmonton to attend a local celebration and deliver a brief speech. The national celebrations, held in Ottawa, continued at LeBreton Flats Park, west of Parliament Hill, where the central Parliament building is still under renovation. Carney released a video on Wednesday morning calling for national unity, stating that Canada is built on the core belief that “we are strongest when we are united,” and using the construction of the national railway and the Trans-Canada Highway as examples to emphasize that Canadians are putting this belief into action today.

In the film, Carney says, “There will always be forces trying to divide us, but they have forgotten the fundamental wisdom of nation-building: unity is not the same as conformity, and our differences are an advantage to be cherished, not a risk to be managed.” Canadian Identity Minister Marc Miller said that Donald Trump’s repeated threats to annex Canada last year, as well as Canada’s goal in the World Cup last Sunday, were important moments that brought the nation together over the past year. He said, “The United States is bluffing and treating its former best friend in a way that we cannot condone.” He described Canada as “a beautiful project still under construction.”

Governor General Louise Arbour attended the Canada Day celebrations for the first time this year as the King’s representative and delivered a speech during the Ottawa midday performance, saying that no matter where she goes in the world, she is always proud to be Canadian.

A WestJet flight scheduled to fly from Denver, Colorado to Calgary, Alberta on Thursday (18th) failed to take off, presumably due to a tire blowout. According to CTV, WestJet confirmed that flight WS1571 was forced to abort its departure due to an “incident” at Denver International Airport.

The airline stated, “The crew responded swiftly and strictly followed established procedures, declared a state of emergency, and rescue teams arrived at the scene immediately to handle the situation.” A Denver International Airport spokesperson confirmed to CTV that the incident involved a WestJet aircraft that occurred at 12:30 p.m. on Runway 8.

Airport spokesperson Ashley Forest said, “The passengers were subsequently taken back to the terminal by shuttle bus.” Footage from the scene shows that two tires of the passenger plane parked on the runway had burst.

In a recording of the tower conversation obtained by NBC News, the control tower can be heard informing the cockpit: “It looks like both landing gear tires on the left side have burst, and the tires are completely gone.”

When the crew asked if the aircraft had landed on its wheel hubs, the control tower replied, “That’s right, both tires on your left main landing gear have burst.”

WestJet stated that it has aided affected passengers and is rescheduling their travel plans as soon as possible. “All passengers have disembarked safely and have been returned to the terminal,” WestJet added.

Canadian LastPass password manager users who experienced a data breach in 2022 have only a few days left to file for a class-action lawsuit. Eligible users can receive up to $500 CAD. The final application deadline is June 23 (11:59 PM Pacific Time).

LastPass is a cloud-based password management service designed to store usernames, passwords, and sensitive information. In 2022, LastPass experienced a serious data security incident—hackers gained unauthorized access to the system by stealing senior employee accounts and obtaining encrypted and unencrypted data from some users. At the time, there were 1,102,688 LastPass accounts in Canada, although approximately 218,087 of these accounts did not contain user data. Details of the litigation and settlement proposal

Following the data breach, Canadian user Karan Keswani, representing those affected, filed a class-action lawsuit in the Supreme Court of British Columbia. The lawsuit targets four companies: GoTo Technologies USA, Inc., LastPass US LP, GoTo Technologies Canada Ltd., and LastPass Technologies Canada ULC, accusing LastPass of negligence in its security measures and failure to properly investigate and disclose the full details of the incident.

Ultimately, the two parties reached a settlement, with the court approving a US$3 million (approximately CAD$4.2 million) compensation package to cover all legal fees, taxes, and administrative expenses. The law firm KND Complex Litigation pointed out that this settlement does not represent a guilty plea or admission of negligence—they denied all charges from the outset and maintain that position.

LastPass data breach class-action lawsuit involves many Canadian users.

Who can apply? The compensation is divided into three categories.

If you reside in Canada and your personal information was compromised in the 2022 LastPass data breach, you can file a claim. Compensation is divided into three categories: Time loss: You can claim up to 5 hours of time lost in response to the data breach, with compensation of $34.01 per hour, up to a maximum of $170.05.

Out-of-pocket expenses: Up to $500 can be reimbursed for additional losses incurred due to the data breach (such as the purchase of security software, credit monitoring, etc.), but relevant expense receipts must be provided for expenses incurred before May 31, 2023.

Cryptocurrency losses: Claims can also be made if crypto assets are stolen or lost due to data breaches.

How to apply?

Eligible users must complete the online form on the LastPass class action website by 11:59 p.m. (Pacific Time) on June 23, submitting personal information, address, claim type, and required supporting documents, and select a payment method (cheque or Interac e-Transfer). For detailed procedures and frequently asked questions, please refer to the official application website: https://lastpasscanadiansettlement.ca/en In addition, the filing deadline for the class-action lawsuit against the genealogy website 23andMe is approaching, and affected Canadian users should pay attention to relevant announcements.

The Canada Revenue Agency will soon be able to automatically file your taxes, and eligible Canadians can receive over two thousand Canadian dollars in benefits without having to do anything.

Many people find filing taxes troublesome, especially those with little income, who feel that it’s pointless to file. However, the Parliamentary Budget Office of Canada has just calculated that those who do not file taxes regularly are losing an average of $2,212 CAD per year.

Congressional Budget Officer Annette Ryan released a report on June 18 about the federal government’s automatic tax filing program. Why can’t I receive money if I don’t file taxes? Many benefits in Canada are tied to tax returns. The government uses your tax records to determine your eligibility for benefits; if you don’t file, it’s as if you don’t exist. New benefits include the newly established Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit, which replaced the original GST/HST refund; and the Canada Child Benefit and the Canada Disability Benefit. Low-income families are the most eligible to receive benefits, but they are also the most likely to miss out because they don’t file taxes.

The report also clarifies where the money will come from and how much will be spent. Over the next five years, welfare payments alone will amount to CAD 342 million, with management costs an additional CAD 87 million. Together, the two projects bring the total expenditure for the five-year plan to 429 million yuan, with administrative costs alone reaching 22 million yuan this year. The Office of the Budget estimates that only 3,000 people will use automatic tax filing in the first year, but this number will increase to 50,000 by the 2027 tax year. But this figure doesn’t match what Prime Minister Mark Carney initially said.

Last October, Carney announced plans for automatic tax filing for low-income individuals. The Prime Minister’s Office stated at the time that the automatic filing system would be implemented starting in 2027, initially covering approximately one million people, with the number of beneficiaries expected to reach 5.5 million by the 2028 tax year.

The difference between 1 million and 3,000 is not small. In response, some people have begun to worry that if the government holds all the income data of the entire population, is it not far from the day when “everyone gets a paycheck” will become a reality? It needs to be clarified here that automatic tax filing and Universal Basic Income are completely different things.

Automatic tax filing simply helps the elderly, disabled, and low-income individuals receive the benefits they are entitled to; the government does not issue any new benefits, and the costs are relatively controllable. The basic income for all citizens is completely different.

Regardless of whether you work or not, or how much you earn, the government regularly gives money directly to everyone, with expenditures often reaching tens or hundreds of billions. That said, automated tax filing is indeed quietly building an underlying system. If there ever comes a day when everyone gets a free handout, this system will come in handy.

Prime Minister Carney that the U.S. government’s restrictions on foreigners’ use of advanced artificial intelligence models once again highlight the risks of Canada’s over-reliance on U.S. technology suppliers. Previously, the US artificial intelligence company Anthropic announced that, to comply with the Trump administration’s latest export control order, it had suspended services for its latest AI models, Fable 5 and Mythos 5. These measures prohibit foreign citizens from using the technology, and even Anthropic’ s own foreign employees are restricted.

Carney pointed out that the incident reflects the potential risks faced when a country becomes overly reliant on a few technology suppliers. He stated, “The Mythos and Fable incidents perfectly illustrate that problems can arise at any time when we rely too heavily on certain models.” He emphasized that no one did anything wrong in this incident, but the real mistake would be if countries failed to learn from it, strengthen their independent development and diversification strategies.

Anthropic announced the release of Fable 5 last week, while the more powerful Mythos 5 is limited to a select group of customers due to cybersecurity risks. The company has stated that Mythos possesses extremely high capabilities, even surpassing some cybersecurity experts, in automatically discovering and exploiting vulnerabilities in computer systems.

Carney stated that artificial intelligence will be one of the key topics at the G7 summit. He revealed that he recently held a 45-minute meeting with French President Macron, focusing on AI development and regulation. However, he pointed out that the AI issue is extremely complex, and the summit is unlikely to reach a conclusion that can be described as “mission accomplished.”

He reiterated, “I will emphasize again and again that having only one option is never a good thing.”

Carney compared the U.S. AI restrictions to Canada’s strategy of promoting economic diversification. Currently, more than 70% of Canada’s exports rely on the US market, and the Carney government has set a goal to double exports to non-US markets over the next decade. He believes that the trade war launched by Trump has had a chilling effect on the investment market, and Canada must reduce its dependence on a single market and a single source of technology.

Although the USMCA is about to enter the renewal negotiation stage, Carney said there are no bilateral talks scheduled with Trump during this G7 summit. He pointed out that Canadian U.S. Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc, chief negotiator Janice Charette, U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent will conduct formal negotiations during the summit.

Carney believes that at this stage, it is the most appropriate arrangement for dedicated negotiating officials to handle the relevant issues. Earlier that day, Carney also visited his ancestral home in Aghagower, County Mayo, Ireland, and interacted with residents.

The residents said they were proud of Carney and admired his recent efforts to defend Canadian interests in the face of pressure from the United States.

Global fertility rate has been declining for decades, with the rate of decline accelerating significantly over the past 20 years. Despite various explanations proposed by researchers, the underlying reasons remain unclear. Now, a new study has put forward a controversial new view: smartphones, especially iPhones, which have changed the lifestyles of modern people, may also be one of the factors contributing to the decline in birth rates.

The release of the iPhone coincided closely with a turning point in the birth rate.

In 2007, Apple released its first iPhone. Researchers found that the declining birth rate trend in the United States and several other countries took a significant turn during this period. This coincidence caught the attention of Caitlin Myers, an economist at Middlebury College in Vermont, USA. In an interview, she stated, “This is a very interesting question: why is the birth rate declining so rapidly?” She pointed out that since 2007, the number of births in the United States has declined by nearly a quarter. Mobile phone use increases or decreases opportunities for real-world contact.

Myers’ research focuses on the question: as people spend more time in the mobile and online world, is face-to-face social interaction decreasing, thus indirectly leading to a decline in pregnancy and birth rates? To test this hypothesis, she analysed birth rate changes in various counties in the United States during the early stages of the iPhone’s release. Because the iPhone was only sold through the US telecom operator AT&T at the time, it was available in some areas but not in others.

By comparing different regions and controlling for factors such as income level, education level, and contraception policies, the research team found that the birth rate was declining significantly faster in areas where people could afford to buy an iPhone. Myers stated, “We observed that birth rates are declining faster in areas where iPhones are readily available.” She believes the underlying logic is not complicated: “When people spend more time online, it means they spend less time together face-to-face.” She also jokingly said, “If two people never meet, it’s naturally difficult to get pregnant.” Canada’s birth rate has fallen to a historic low.

Currently, fertility rates in many countries are far below the “population replacement level” (approximately 2.1 children per woman) required to maintain population stability. Data shows that the fertility rate in the United States is approximately 1.6 children per woman. Canada’s fertility rate is even lower, at only about 1.25 children per woman. Moreover, this trend is not limited to developed countries; many regions around the world are experiencing declining birth rates. Experts: Smartphones are not the only reason

However, many experts caution that the declining birth rate should not be simply attributed to smartphones. Since the 2000s, many significant changes have occurred in the social and economic environment. These factors are generally considered to be important reasons for the global “baby bust,” including the global financial crisis, continuously rising housing prices, improved education levels, more widespread use of contraception, and the ever-increasing cost of raising children. Celia Chandler, an author who has long focused on the issue of “non-fertility options,” said: “It may be a bit far-fetched to directly link technological development with people’s unwillingness to have children.” She believes that one of the most important changes in the past few decades is that more people, especially women, have the right and ability to decide for themselves whether to become parents. She said, “I feel very lucky to have been born in an era where we have choices.”

Mobile phones may just be part of a larger social transformation.

Researchers also acknowledge that the iPhone alone cannot explain such complex global population trends. However, they believe that smartphones may be part of a broader social transformation. As people rely more on online communication, the ways people build relationships, develop intimacy, and plan their lives are changing, and these changes may ultimately have a profound impact on fertility intentions and birth rates.

In other words, the problem may not lie in the iPhone itself, but in how the smartphone era is reshaping people’s social patterns, intimate relationships, and lifestyles.

General Fusion, a renewable energy company headquartered in Richmond, British Columbia, was recently named the world’s best green technology company for 2026 by TIME magazine, topping the list of 250 companies.

Time magazine, in partnership with market research firm Statista, recently released its “2026 Global Top Green Technology Companies” ranking, recognizing innovative companies driving the global green transformation. The list includes companies that develop or provide green technologies, products, and services that help reduce or reverse the environmental impact of human activities.

Of the companies on the list, over 57% are from the United States, but General Fusion, founded in 2002, stands out to take the top spot. General Fusion is headquartered in Richmond, British Columbia. The second-ranked company on the list is also Canadian, headquartered in Calgary, Alberta.

Founded in 2017, the company aims to produce scalable baseload and dispatchable energy. Time magazine points out that General Fusion is a nuclear energy startup focused on Magnetized Target Fusion (MTF) technology and plans to go public in the United States in mid-2026 through a $1 billion special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) deal.

Nuclear fusion is considered an important direction for future clean energy. Its principle is the same as the process by which the sun generates energy, that is, releasing enormous energy through the fusion of atoms. Unlike traditional nuclear fission power generation, nuclear fusion can theoretically provide a virtually unlimited, zero-carbon emission, and safer energy source. General Fusion’s magnetized target fusion technology aims to achieve nuclear fusion power generation in a more practical way.

This technology does not rely on expensive superconducting magnets or high-power laser systems but instead utilizes existing industrial materials and equipment to attempt to induce a nuclear fusion reaction through the compression of ultra-high temperature plasma in liquid metal. The company stated that this technological approach helps reduce construction and operating costs and accelerates the commercialization of nuclear fusion energy.

Greg Twinney, CEO of General Fusion, said that being named the world’s number one green technology company by Time magazine is an affirmation of the team’s years of hard work. Twinney stated that the company has been continuously researching and validating related technologies for over 20 years and is currently moving towards several technological milestones with industry-leading significance, hoping to achieve practical nuclear fusion power generation within the next 10 years. He emphasized that this honour comes at a significant moment in the company’s development.

Earlier this year, General Fusion announced its merger with Spring Valley Acquisition Corp III, which, if successfully completed, would make it the world’s first publicly traded company focused on nuclear fusion energy.

Twinney stated that nuclear fusion technology has the potential to revolutionize the global energy market, but the key to success lies in pragmatic engineering design, sound financial investment, and a clear commercialization roadmap. He said, “This award reflects our development strategy—building nuclear fusion power plants that can provide stable, reliable, and zero-carbon-emission electricity on a large scale.”

As countries around the world actively seek carbon reduction solutions and energy transition, nuclear fusion technology is regarded as an important candidate for the next generation of clean energy. General Fusion’s international recognition has also placed Richmond in an important position on the global green technology landscape

More details have emerged from the daytime shooting in Surrey, British Columbia last month. The CBC’s “Fifth Class” investigative program confirmed that the victim was a key figure in the notorious Lawrence Bishnoi gang in Canada and had connections to cricket match-fixing.

The incident occurred at approximately 3 p.m. on May 4th, when a man was shot and killed inside an office building in Surrey. While the RCMP Integrated Homicide Investigation Team confirmed it was a targeted attack, they have not released the victim’s identity or motive, sparking much speculation in the community. The Fifth Estate has now identified the deceased as Gurvikramjeet Singh Warring, also known as “Satwell Singh Warring,” “Sam Canada,” or simply “Sam.”

Sources familiar with the matter revealed that the gunman calmly entered the building, carried out the attack, and quickly left. Waring was renting an office inside the Vancouver School of Management when he was shot and killed instantly. After his death, two memorial photos with different names circulated in the community.

According to multiple sources, the 35-year-old Surrey resident had close ties to the Bishnoi gang, which is designated a terrorist entity in Canada, and was a “key intermediary” for its leader, Lawrence Bishnoi. Bishnoi is currently being held in a federal prison in Gujarat, India. The day after the attack, a social media account claiming responsibility for the attack came from a rival gang leader, Rohit Godara.

Indian independent journalist Ritsh Raki points out that Godara was originally part of the Bishnoi gang but later broke away from it with Goddi Bharar, and the two sides are currently embroiled in a bloody feud. Ginny Sims, a former MLA for British Columbia and now a radio host, works in the same building. She described the case to The Fifth Rank as “feeling completely different,” noting that the gunman’s audacity in breaking and entering suggested a meticulously planned targeted killing.

Sims also revealed that some community members had reported information about “Sam” to Surrey police and were therefore puzzled by the police’s claim that the deceased was previously unknown to them. In its response, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) stated that information related to criminal investigations is typically not released to the public before formal charges are filed, regardless of whether the person involved is deceased. This case has exposed deeper issues.

In April of this year, The Fifth Rank investigated allegations of corruption and match-fixing within Cricket Canada, with sources already indicating that a figure named “Sam” was linked to threats against players and officials. These sources later confirmed that “Sam” was indeed the victim of the shooting, Warin. A social media post, purportedly from Godara, also claimed that Warin was involved in manipulating Canadian cricket matches and warned of action against match-fixers, betting brokers, and imposters. Warin had a close relationship with Arvinder Khosa, the new president of Cricket Canada.

The two appeared together at a cricket match last year, and Warin attended Khosa’s celebrations after being appointed interim president in April. Khosa previously admitted in an interview that he knew Warin, but only on a cricket level, denying any gang affiliation. Khosa’s lawyer recently sent a letter to The Fifth Estate, declining to comment on the connection between Khosa and Warin, accusing the report of “false and reckless statements.”

Sixteen days after Warin’s murder and again in early June, a residence owned by Khosa in Surrey was shot twice. Police stated that residents of the residence had received extortion threats, but did not link the two incidents to Warin’s death. Warin’s background in Canada is shrouded in mystery. He arrived in Canada from India in 2013 as a temporary foreign worker, ostensibly an electrician.

On the surface, he ran an education company, helping students obtain provincial government loans to pay for their tuition. Records show he owned at least two numbered companies, one of which was suspected of being involved in fraudulent farm operations and had been fined $135,000 CAD by the Canadian government for violations. According to multiple Indian media reports, several of Varin’s aliases appeared on a list published by the Indian government in April 2023, which listed more than twenty Punjab gang members hiding overseas. Reports indicate that the Indian government submitted a list of seven individuals to Canada that same year requesting their extradition, but the subsequent progress is unclear. The Federal Ministry of Justice responded that extradition requests fall under the category of secret communications between states.

Sims questioned why, given that the Canadian government might have had information about Warin’s warrant for arrest in India, it had never taken action to track him down. “Where is our system going wrong?” she said.

The Parliamentary Budget Officer (PBO) released its June outlook report on Thursday, showing that the federal deficit jumped to C$72 billion in the last fiscal year from C$36.3 billion, nearly doubling in size.

The agency attributed this sharp increase to only a modest rise in revenue, while new policy initiatives boosted overall spending. This data is based on the PBO’s estimates from public accounts; the federal government has not yet released its final accounts figures.

Net new spending will continue from 2025 to 2031, totalling C$68.4 billion. Short-term potential output has been revised downward due to fluctuating trade policies and slowing population growth. The report projects real GDP growth at 1.7% in 2025, plummeting to 1.1% in 2026, before recovering to 1.6% in 2027 and maintaining modest expansion in subsequent years.

Non-energy exports remain under pressure from existing US tariffs, while the conflict with Iran has pushed up fuel prices, casting a shadow over the economic landscape with trade headwinds and geopolitical uncertainty. The PBO projects an average inflation rate of 2.6% for 2026, as rising commodity prices offset downward pressure from oversupply and easing housing costs. The institution predicts that the Bank of Canada will keep its key interest rate at 2.25% this year.

If military pressure from the US and Israel on Iran subsides, the policy rate is expected to gradually rise to 2.5% by mid-2027. In the job market, the unemployment rate was 6.9% in April and may fall to 6.4% next year, and further to 6.1% between 2028 and 2030. Despite the government’s continued push for large-scale restructuring, personnel spending is showing a medium-term upward trend.

The estimated expenditure for fiscal year 2025-26 is CAD 69.2 billion, a decrease from CAD 73.9 billion in the previous fiscal year, but it will surge by CAD 10 billion in fiscal year 2026-27, reaching CAD 86 billion by 2031. Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne had already instructed cabinet departments to explore “aggressive” cost-cutting measures last July.

Prime Minister Mark Carney stated that the size of the federal workforce would be reduced through natural attrition, with the 2025 budget setting a potential cost-saving target of C$13 billion. A federal notice regarding layoffs stated that the goals would be achieved through restructuring operations, consolidating internal services, adjusting programs to improve efficiency, or terminating underperforming projects.

As of May 6, the Ministry of Employment and Social Development had already eliminated over 5,000 jobs, with nearly 1,000 others included in job adjustments and career transitions; the Ministry of Health had cut over 1,000 positions, impacting a wide range of ministries. Despite frequent layoffs, PBO estimates indicate that the upward trend in labour costs has not yet been reversed, and the gap between government spending control targets and actual spending trajectories is becoming increasingly clear.

Walmart Canada is also launching a membership service! On Thursday, Walmart Canada announced the official launch of its membership service, Walmart+, in Canada. This marks the first time Walmart has launched this service in an overseas market. Walmart+ was launched in the United States in 2020, and now it’s finally Canada’s turn. What exactly is the use of Walmart? Simply put, Walmart+ is comparable to Amazon Prime membership.

Walmart’s membership program is not like Costco’s, which requires membership to enter a physical store; instead, it focuses on online shopping. First, it let’s you say goodbye to the hassle of frequent trips to the supermarket. If your single order amount exceeds 35 Canadian dollars, you can enjoy free same-day delivery. If you need to buy something urgently, or if you suddenly realize you’re missing a seasoning while cooking at home, this membership can be a great help.

Members can enjoy exclusive discounts when choosing expedited delivery services with delivery times of two hours or less. In addition, if you usually place your orders through Walmart’s mobile app or official website, the benefits are even more direct.

All orders placed on these official online platforms are eligible for free shipping, and there is absolutely no minimum spending requirement. In terms of price, it’s clearly aiming to compete head-on with Prime. Walmart+ costs $8.97 per month and $89 per year; while Amazon Prime costs $9.99 per month and $99 per year. That works out to be about $1 cheaper per month, saving $10 per year.

The price difference might not seem like a big deal to many, but the real killer move is yet to come. Subscribing to Walmart+ is like getting a free Crave streaming membership, which normally costs $11.99 a month. Membership includes access to HBO and Max shows, as well as some live sports broadcasts.

This alone is enough to recoup the membership fee.

Existing Delivery Pass members don’t need to panic; Walmart has already discontinued it, and existing users will automatically be converted to Walmart+ members. Everyone can still use the same flexible pickup and delivery service. You can add items to your pre-ordered items up to 3 hours before pickup or delivery, and in-store pickup is still free. Want to try it but afraid of making a mistake?

Walmart is offering a 30-day free trial, and Canadians can try it for a month before deciding.

Catherine Theberge-Conner, Walmart Canada’s head of membership business, called the launch a “gamechanger.” She said that Walmart+ bundles unlimited fresh produce and groceries delivery with a variety of benefits beyond retail all together for just $89 a year, and “Canadians will love the convenience, choice, and value.”