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Canadian Tech in 100 Words

Medicine Hat Hosts Canada’s First Saltwater Battery Demonstration

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The City of Medicine Hat and Decentralised Energy Canada have concluded the demonstration phase of the Energy Innovation Challenge, a three-year program launched in 2023 that supported more than 40 businesses. Five winners — Aqua-Cell Energy, Arcobi, Edgecom Energy, Eguana Technologies and TAKEnergy — tested technologies for storage, building energy management and local generation.

The city also became the site of Canada’s first field demonstration of a saltwater flow battery, with Aqua-Cell Energy’s installed system now proceeding through commissioning. Mayor Linnsie Clark said the city gained equipment and practical experience to help plan reliable electricity service for homes and businesses.

Want to know more? Check out the source code on Calgary.tech.

Wealthsimple Brings Tetra’s Canadian Dollar Stablecoin to Retail Clients

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Wealthsimple has begun offering CADD, the Canadian dollar stablecoin issued by Tetra Trust Company, to a group of retail clients. The two companies announced the beta and plan to extend access to all Wealthsimple clients by year-end. Participants can buy, hold, sell, send and receive the token in its app, paying suppliers or sending money abroad without first converting to a U.S. dollar stablecoin.

Each CADD is redeemable for one Canadian dollar, with Tetra Trust holding a dollar in reserve for every token it issues. Wealthsimple will also fund a promotion paying eligible clients 3.25% annually on their CADD balances, with rewards paid weekly in CADD.

Want to know more? Check out the source code on Fintech.ca.

Uber Adds More Family Ride Controls

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Uber is rolling out three new ride features in Canada aimed at women, seniors, teens, and families. Women Driver Preferences will let women and non-binary riders request a woman driver, while expanded senior accounts add simpler navigation, pickup preferences, and optional family support. Teen livestreaming will allow linked parents and guardians to view eligible rides through a driver’s smartphone camera, with encryption and notifications for both the teen and driver.

Uber says the updates are designed to give riders more choice, independence, and reassurance while extending existing safety and accessibility features across its Canadian ride platform for everyday travel.

Want to know more? Check out the source code here.

Canadians Trust AI, But Not With Wallets

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AI is becoming a meaningful part of Canadian holiday shopping, but consumers remain cautious about letting agents spend for them. Salesforce found 16 percent of shoppers start with AI, while 75 percent trust its recommendations. Nearly one-third have tried a personal AI agent, yet only 5 percent have allowed one to make a purchase.

Privacy and accidental charges remain major concerns, and 53 percent are not interested in agent-led buying. Retailer agents perform better: one-third of shoppers have used one, 83 percent reported a good experience, and 63 percent said it increased brand loyalty afterward.

Want to know more? Check out the source code here.

Climate Institute Launches Tracker for Canada’s Energy Transition

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The Canadian Climate Institute has launched a Climate Progress Tracker to measure how Canada’s clean energy transition is actually going. Built by its 440 Megatonnes project, the tool tracks several dozen indicators in near real time.

Early signals are mixed: electric vehicles reached 13% market share, up from 7% in early 2025; wind and solar capacity has grown 40% since 2020; and battery storage is up sixfold to 900 megawatts. Emissions, however, remain far off the net zero path.

Want to know more? Check out the source code on CleanEnergy.ca.

LexisNexis Canada Maps Where Lawyer Oversight of AI Begins

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Oversight of agentic AI in a law firm begins before the software runs, LexisNexis Canada argues: it starts with the instructions a lawyer gives the assignment. Clear jurisdiction, facts, and questions set the guardrails.

The checks continue after: read the passages the tool relied on, confirm decisions are current, and weigh contrary cases. Cost, timing, or a client relationship can still outweigh a winning motion. Firms should also spell out which tools can touch client information and who hears about errors.

Want to know more? Check out the source code on LegalTech.ca.

One in Four Canadians Would Let AI Buy Their Holiday Gifts

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One in four Canadians would let an AI agent buy every holiday gift on their list, according to Mastercard’s 2026 Holiday Shopper Snapshot. Millennials were keener still, at 43%, ahead of Gen Z at 38%.

Shoppers still want guardrails: 67% want approval before an agent spends loyalty points or benefits, and three-quarters would accept extra security checks at checkout. Mastercard has already demoed the idea, testing Agent Pay with Flybits and Rogers Bank in September. The Harris Poll survey covered 1,005 Canadians.

Want to know more? Check out the source code on Fintech.ca.

Thomson Reuters Adds CUBE’s Regulatory Intelligence to CoCounsel

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Thomson Reuters has added CUBE’s regulatory intelligence to CoCounsel Legal, its AI platform for lawyers. The integration lets CoCounsel’s agents pull in rules, codes, and supervisory guidance alongside Westlaw and Practical Law content.

CUBE tracks more than 12,000 issuing bodies across 750 jurisdictions, with 250 subject-matter experts reviewing material. The point is context: regulators’ guidance often decides how a rule applies in practice. Canada is an early market for CoCounsel’s multinational tools, which compare requirements across more than 100 countries.

Want to know more? Check out the source code on LegalTech.ca.

WaitWell Expands From Queues to a Full Service Platform

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Calgary-based WaitWell has unveiled the next generation of its service operations platform, expanding beyond queue management and appointments. The company sells to government, healthcare, education, and retail organizations trying to cut waiting times.

New pieces include inventory management, point of sale, fuller employee scheduling, and Waillo, an AI layer for insights and chat. The aim is one system for lines, staff, sales, stock, and records. Founded in 2020, WaitWell says it has saved 14 million hours across 48 million customers and 1,700 organizations.

Want to know more? Check out the source code on Calgary.tech.

Mark Kerr Takes Over PureColo as It Targets 15 Data Centres by 2027

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Vancouver-based Carrier Connect Data Solutions has named Mark Kerr chief executive of PureColo, its colocation subsidiary. Kerr brings 17-plus years of data centre experience and will run day-to-day operations.

The hire backs a growth plan. PureColo runs seven data centres across Canada, the United States, and Australia, and Carrier Connect targets 15 by 2027, building on two Ottawa facilities acquired last December. In October, its U.S. arm signed a five-year deal for all four megawatts at its Georgia facility, worth an estimated $88.9 million in billings.

Want to know more? Check out the source code on DataCentre.ca.