🛜 B.C. is getting a major rural broadband expansion

The Canada Infrastructure Bank and partners are committing $379 million to expand broadband access in British Columbia.

As part of the agreement, the CIB will provide a $49.3 million loan to TELUS to help deploy fibre-to-the-home internet in underserved rural and Indigenous communities.

The project is expected to bring high-speed internet access to more than 17,000 households, including approximately 380 Indigenous households.

This is not a flashy phone-plan deal. It is the other side of Canada’s connectivity problem: basic access.

For rural households, better broadband can affect work, school, healthcare, business, emergency communication and whether a community can fully participate in the digital economy.

Apple is reportedly planning at least five new iPhone models between late 2026 and early 2027, including its first foldable iPhone.

The strategy looks simple: hit Android rivals from multiple angles at once.

A foldable iPhone would finally put Apple directly against Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold line, while a broader iPhone lineup could help Apple cover more premium and mid-premium buyers.

The supply-chain is just as interesting. Reports say Apple has increased its foldable iPhone production target to around 10 million units, even as Android manufacturers deal with pressure from memory shortages and rising component costs.

The question is not just “what new iPhone is coming?”

It is: how expensive is the next smartphone cycle going to get?

Foldables, AI features, premium screens and higher memory costs could push flagship phones even deeper into luxury-tech territory.

That makes BYOD plans, refurbished phones and last-year models more relevant than ever.

Amazon is preparing to launch its low-Earth-orbit satellite broadband service, now called Amazon Leo, later this year.

The company has now placed roughly 400 satellites into orbit, moving it closer to offering early internet service in select regions.

It is a direct challenge to Starlink, especially for rural, remote and underserved communities where traditional broadband is weak, expensive or unavailable.

For Canada, more satellite internet competition could eventually matter for northern communities, rural households, cottage regions, emergency connectivity and backup internet.

But there is still a big gap between “ready to launch” and “ready for everyone.”

Starlink already has a massive lead, while Amazon still needs to scale toward a planned constellation of more than 3,000 satellites. Pricing, Canadian availability, speeds and installation costs will decide whether this becomes a real consumer alternative or just another expensive sky pipe.

The satellite internet race is finally becoming a two-player game.

Source: Amazon Leo

Cogeco “Flash promo,” same 1Gig UltraFibre Internet, same $100 credit… but not the same price.

The $100 credit will be applied on the price of Internet packages UltraFibre 120 and up (QC) or UltraFibre 180 and up (ON), in 5 credit installments of $20 per month over the next 5 monthly invoices.

In Quebec, the offer shows $59.99/month + $100 in credits.
In Ontario, the same promo shows $69.99/month + $100 in credits.

Always check your address before signing up.

Anthropic has restored access to Claude Fable 5 and Mythos 5 after a temporary suspension linked to U.S. export-control concerns around its latest models. The issue centered on a technique reportedly found by Amazon researchers that could bypass some of Fable 5’s safeguards in software vulnerability-related tasks.

Anthropic says it has now added a new safety classifier that blocks the technique in more than 99% of cases. The company is also pushing for a shared industry framework to evaluate the severity of AI “jailbreaks,” alongside partners including Amazon, Microsoft, Google, and others.

Lenovo’s new AI Student Phone is built around a very different idea: what if a child’s first phone was not a tiny entertainment machine?

The device, launched in China, removes games, web browsers and social media apps. Instead, it focuses on voice and video calls, location tracking, emergency contact features, classroom mode and AI-assisted learning.

There is even a dedicated AI button that lets students ask questions or get homework help without opening a full browser.

For parents: keep kids connected without handing them an endless scroll portal.

Are we heading toward a new category of “controlled phones” for kids, where the device is designed around learning, safety and limits instead of maximum engagement?

After years of trying to manage screen time with apps and parental controls, Lenovo is trying the harder version: change the phone itself.

May your signal be strong, your data last, and your roaming fees stay asleep.

Australia is preparing to give its online safety regulator stronger powers and double the maximum penalties for platforms that fail to keep children under 16 off social media.

The maximum fine for major breaches would rise from $49.5 million to $99 million.

The new rules would also give the eSafety Commissioner more power to demand documents, evidence and information from social media companies, as well as third-party providers involved in age verification or app-store access.

The government says more than 5 million under-16 accounts have already been removed, deactivated or restricted since the ban began.

The platforms under investigation include Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok and YouTube.

This is becoming one of the world’s biggest tests for social media regulation.

PC Mobile is currently advertising a $25/month 5G plan with 25GB of data, plus 20,000 PC Optimum points as a welcome bonus and 10% back every month.

It is a telecom deal wrapped inside the PC Optimum ecosystem.

For budget shoppers, the math is interesting: lower monthly price, 5G data, prepaid-style flexibility, and rewards points that can be used across the PC Optimum network.

There is also a separate flash offer showing 10,000 PC Optimum points on a SIM card purchase in store until July 1.

Freedom Mobile is currently advertising a prepaid special with 25GB of data per month for $20/month.

The plan works in both Canada and the U.S., but you need to prepay for 6 months upfront.

That means the real upfront cost is $120 for 6 months, giving you 25GB per month during that period.

No Name Mobile is currently advertising a flash offer: get 50% off a SIM card in store until July 1.

prepaid mobile, no long-term contracts, no credit checks and no overages.

This is not a huge data-plan war story, but it is still useful for budget shoppers, newcomers, students, backup phones or anyone who wants a low-commitment mobile option.

Public Mobile is currently advertising a Canada-wide 5G plan with 80GB of data for $35/month.

The offer is listed as ending July 1, so this is a short-window promo for people looking to switch or upgrade before Canada Day.

80GB at $35 is aggressive for a 5G plan, especially for users who stream, hotspot, travel around Canada or just want more data without jumping into a premium Big 3 plan.

As always, check the fine print before switching: eligibility, speed details, province availability, autopay requirements and whether the price is promotional or ongoing.

Fizz is currently showing a $40 referral-code discount on its Quebec site, with the offer listed as available until July 7.

For Quebec users: sign up with a referral code and save $40, while still getting Fizz’s usual prepaid-style features like no commitment, no activation fee, and flexible plans.

Before switching, check the province selector, the checkout page and the final monthly price.

This is exactly why AI deepfakes are becoming a consumer-protection emergency.

An 86-year-old Ontario woman was reportedly targeted by a Facebook ad featuring an AI-generated deepfake of Prime Minister Mark Carney promoting a cryptocurrency investment scheme.

The scam started with a small “investment” pitch, then escalated over months. According to reports, she was convinced to drain retirement savings, mortgage her condo and take out credit-card debt before realizing the platform was fake.

It is an AI scam story, a Facebook ad story, a seniors’ safety story, a banking-warning story and a digital trust story all at once.

The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre has already warned that criminals are using AI to impersonate public figures and government officials to promote fake investment opportunities.

The new rule for 2026 should be brutal but simple:

If a politician, celebrity or CEO appears in a social media ad telling you to invest, assume it is fake until proven otherwise.

Quebecor is pushing back against Corus Entertainment’s proposed restructuring, arguing that the broadcaster should be taken over by experienced media players rather than effectively handed to creditors.

The fight is now before the CRTC.

Corus wants approval for a recapitalization plan that would see lenders forgive about $500 million in debt in exchange for 99% ownership of a new parent company. Canso Investment Counsel is expected to become the largest shareholder.

Quebecor CEO Pierre Karl Péladeau argues that Corus represents essential Canadian media infrastructure, and that weakening Corus as an independent media force could leave Bell in an even more dominant position in English-language broadcasting.

This is not just a corporate finance story.

Corus owns Global News, dozens of radio stations, specialty channels and conventional TV stations across Canada. The decision could shape local news, media concentration, Canadian content and who controls major English-language broadcasting assets.

The CRTC file is now one to watch.