National Business

OTTAWA — Transport Minister Marc Garneau is entrenching lower speed limits for trains hauling large amounts of crude oil or liquefied gas through urban areas, but relaxing the definition of "higher risk" trains that are subject to the stricter rules.

ORLANDO, Fla. — Saying they don't know when they'll be able to re-open many of their businesses with the coronavirus spreading, Walt Disney Co.

WASHINGTON — A record-long streak of U.S. job growth ended suddenly in March after nearly a decade, as employers slashed hundreds of thousands of jobs because of the viral outbreak that has all but shut down the U.S. economy.

CALGARY — Athabasca Oil Corp. is suspending operations at its Hangingstone SAGD oilsands operation due to the drop in oil prices and the COVID-19 pandemic.

TORONTO — The number of shares traded on Canada's main stock exchange in March more than doubled compared with a year ago as the stock market plunged due to the COVID-19 pandemic. According to statistics released by TMX Group Ltd.

VANCOUVER — Business organizations across British Columbia say revenues have plunged among their members and that paints an "ominous picture" for the economy.

TORONTO — Google is preparing to dig into its trove of data to help Canada’s politicians and public health officials judge the success of measures aimed at ending the spread of COVID-19.

TORONTO — The Canadian Bankers Association says the country's six largest banks have allowed customers to defer payments on more than 10 per cent of the mortgages in their portfolios as borrowers affected by COVID-19 seek financial help.

Toronto Regional Real Estate Board says home sales were strong in the first half of March but then started to slow down because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Sales of 8,012 homes for the whole month was a 12.3 per cent climb from last year.

NEW YORK — The coronavirus outbreak has thrown 10 million Americans out of work in just two weeks in the swiftest, most stunning collapse the U.S.