National Business

MOOSOMIN, Sask. — An official with a town in southeastern Saskatchewan says its plan to offer $30,000 cheques to anyone building homes in the community is paying off.

MONTREAL — The Quebec Professional Association of Real Estate Brokers says Montreal-area home sales continued climbing in December, with 54.1 per cent more properties changing hands compared with the same month a year earlier.

LANGFORD, B.C. — Mounties in British Columbia say officers have seized more than $1.7 million worth of contraband tobacco after executing a search warrant at a property in Langford.

PARK CITY, Utah (AP) — Ski patrollers at the biggest U.S. ski resort have reached a deal with Utah's Park City Mountain Resort to end a strike that put a wrench in operations during the busy holiday season and into the new year.

TORONTO — Former CIBC chairman and chief executive John Hunkin has died. During his time in the top job, CIBC acquired Merrill Lynch's Canadian brokerage business, strengthening bank's position in wealth management.

WASHINGTON (AP) — A top policymaker at the U.S. Federal Reserve said Wednesday that he still supports cutting interest rates this year, despite elevated inflation and the prospect of widespread tariffs under the incoming Trump administration.

WASHINGTON (AP) — A top policymaker at the U.S. Federal Reserve said Wednesday that he still supports cutting interest rates this year, despite elevated inflation and the prospect of widespread tariffs under the incoming Trump administration.

VIENNA (AP) — Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg will serve as the country's interim leader while the far-right Freedom Party attempts to put together a new coalition government, the president's office said Wednesday.

VIENNA (AP) — Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg will serve as the country's interim leader while the far-right Freedom Party attempts to put together a new coalition government, the president's office said Wednesday.

BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — The Biden administration on Tuesday abruptly dropped its nascent plan to protect old growth forests after getting pushback from Republicans and the timber industry. The move was announced by U.S.