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Montreal, QC (Oct. 3, 2025) – On Side Restoration Ltd. is pleased to announce that it has completed the acquisition of Excellence Rénovation. The acquisition will allow On Side to add a new Greater Montréal branch, which will serve as the South Shore regional office, marking a pivotal expansion into Québec’s dynamic restoration market. This strategic acquisition strengthens On Side’s national footprint and demonstrates the company’s commitment to delivering unparalleled restoration services from coast to coast. Since 1999, Excellence Rénovation has established itself as a leader in the industry within the province, bringing together renovation and restoration specialists with over 25 years of experience. The Company is also recognized for handling large and complex claims. The owners, Martin Gauthier, President, and more recently Alexandre Deslauriers, oversee operations with over 25 years of combined experience in disaster restoration and renovation. Excellence Rénovation has cultivated strong industry relationships, contributing to steady growth in the Québec market. The acquisition will enable On Side to leverage Excellence Rénovation’s local expertise, further enhancing service delivery and response times throughout Québec. “For On Side Restoration, this acquisition marks an important stepping stone towards further expansion in the province. We are bringing on board valuable new employees,...
London, ON (June 14, 2024) – WINMAR® (Canada) International, Ltd., is pleased to announce the opening of WINMAR® Central Newfoundland. Located at 150 Main Street, Springdale, NL (A0J 1T0), WINMAR® Central NL is owned and operated by Mark Hicks (phone number: 709-668-0505). Mark has nearly two decades of construction experience and business ownership that he brings to the WINMAR® network. Since 2005, he has been actively involved in the construction industry, launching his own general contracting company in 2017. His business expertise also extends into commercial cleaning—where his mother remains an active partner—and real estate, which he has successfully operated since 2017. A lifelong resident of Springdale, Newfoundland, Mark is deeply rooted in the community, where his family also resides. His general contracting company has built a strong reputation for managing projects from the ground up, earning trust through quality workmanship and dedication to service. These values will carry forward as he joins the WINMAR® family, providing restoration services to Central Newfoundland. “Opening WINMAR® Central NL is an exciting new chapter, and I look forward to bringing trusted restoration services to the people and businesses in our community,” said Mark Hicks, Owner of WINMAR® Central NL. “With my background in...
Article 0 Comments Special Contingency Risks (SCR), a WTW business, has launched an Enhanced Victim Support insurance extension (EVS) to support hostage victims. The SCR initiative launches as part of an exclusive partnership with the charity, Hostage International. This new offering underscores SCR’s commitment to providing comprehensive support to victims of kidnap, unlawful detention, or critical security incidents, and their families. The EVS extension, available to SCR policyholders, provides enhanced coverage for victims and their families, including support for rehabilitation, salary support, and medical and psychiatric care. As part of the partnership, for every Enhanced Victim Support extension purchased, Willis will make a donation to Hostage International, further bolstering their vital work. “Our Enhanced Victim Support extension is a significant step forward in our ongoing efforts to deliver innovative and effective solutions that support post trauma rehabilitation for victims and their families,” commented Mark Doust, director Special Contingency Risks, in a statement. “Our partnership with Hostage International aims to support and strengthen the fundamental work carried out by the world’s only dedicated charity in this field,” Doust added. Hostage International is a charity founded by Sir Terry Waite and Carlo Laurenzi to support families of hostages and former hostages. The...
Small and medium-sized business owners in Canada may dangerously underestimate the likelihood and complexity of a cyber breach, according to a new survey commissioned by Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC). Toronto, ON (Oct. 1, 2025) – Despite cyber crime hitting a global all-time high, fewer than half (48%) of respondents representing small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) believe their business is vulnerable to a cyber attack or data breach. Only 6% of them strongly agree that there is a chance their business is vulnerable to a cyber attack or data breach, despite research from Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) highlighting that 73% of small businesses have experienced a cyber security incident. Adding to this concern, 66% of respondents said they are confident in their business’s ability to withstand a data breach or website shutdown. These findings suggest that most SMEs may not fully understand the true impact and cost of recovering from a cyber attack. Other key findings from the survey include: Only 47% of respondents say their business is prepared for a cyber attack or data breach. Nearly seven-in-10 (69%) of respondents expressed confidence in their understanding of emerging cyber risks. Fewer than half (48%) have implemented any form...
Article 0 Comments Higginbotham has acquired Lubbock, Texas-based Stephens Insurance Services, a benefits specialist. The collaboration pairs on-the-ground relationships with added resources to enhance combined service offerings across West Texas and into eastern New Mexico, Higginbotham said. Stephens Insurance Services specializes in three key areas: group benefits, individual health and life benefits and Medicare advisory assistance. Topics Mergers & Acquisitions Texas Was this article valuable? Thank you! Please tell us what we can do to improve this article. Submit No Thanks Thank you! % of people found this article valuable. Please tell us what you liked about it. Submit No Thanks Here are more articles you may enjoy. Interested in Mergers? Get automatic alerts for this topic.
Article 0 Comments A North Carolina woman has been busy over the last three years, illegally obtaining weight-loss medication, administering it to people, and defrauding insurance companies of more than $87,400, the state Department of Insurance alleged this week. Heather Ann Robinson, 37, of Kenly, near Raleigh, was charged with 170 felonies, including insurance fraud, identity theft and credit card fraud. She also used stolen identity information to siphon some $46,614 from victims’ 401K retirement accounts, DOI officials said. The means by which Robinson allegedly obtained personal information was not spelled out, but some of the information came from family members, said Jason Tyson, communications director for the Department of Insurance. The investigation by DOI fraud examiners began in December 2024, after the department received tips that potential fraud was afoot. Investigators obtained a search warrant and raided Robinson’s home, collecting a plethora of evidence, including her laptop computer and cellphone, Tyson explained. The amount of information was so voluminous that it took investigators six months to comb through it. The scouring and other information showed that the woman, who has no medical training, obtained GLP-1 weight-loss drugs, which can go by the brand names of Ozempic and Wegovy, then...
[embedded content]Welcome to SEC Roundup, a bimonthly video series by former Securities and Exchange Commission senior trial counsels Nick Morgan and Tom Zaccaro, founders of the nonprofit advocacy group Investor Choice Advocates Network. In this episode, Zaccaro and Morgan are joined by Ross Cameron, the founder of Warrior Trading, one of the most recognizable voices in the day trading world, with nearly 2 million YouTube subscribers. Together, they tackle the long-standing — and long-criticized — Pattern Day Trading (PDT) Rule from FINRA, which requires U.S. traders to keep $25,000 in their accounts to make more than three day trades in a five-day period. FINRA is moving to reform the rule — reportedly lowering the minimum account balance from $25,000 to $2,000 — and will be seeking approval from the SEC. Ross shares his firsthand experience navigating this rule throughout his career and explains why it may actually increase risk for new traders. By unlocking four times leverage, the rule effectively encourages overexposure and high-stakes trading — especially for those just starting out. Worse yet, it pushes aspiring traders to use risky offshore brokers or borrow funds just to meet the minimum threshold. See the video for the discussion.
Ontario home insurance premiums rose 7.15% in 2025, driven mainly by climate change See which cities pay the most, why rates are climbing, and how to lower your home insurance costs Toronto, ON (July 16, 2025) – Home insurance costs in Ontario are climbing at an alarming rate, adding to the financial strain on homeowners. In 2025, the average home insurance premium in Ontario jumped by about 7.15% compared to 2024, a rise far above general inflation (2.3% for 2025), and above the national average of 5.3%. This surge continues a multi-year trend of escalating home insurance rates – in fact, Ontario premiums have increased 84% between 2014 and 2024, vastly outpacing the 28% growth in general consumer prices over the same decade. The culprit behind these steep hikes is largely the growing impact of climate-related disasters and higher rebuilding costs. Insured losses from extreme weather hit a record $8.5 billion in 2024 (the highest in Canadian history), including catastrophic events like the 2024 Jasper wildfires ($1.1 billion in insured damages) and Ontario’s 2024 summer flash floods (~$940 million in insured damages). Such frequent, severe disasters are driving up home insurance claims and expenses across the country, forcing insurers to raise premiums to...
Article 0 Comments A former Wyoming library director who was fired amid an uproar over books with sexual content and LGBTQ+ themes that some people complained were inappropriate for youngsters and who sought their removal from youth shelves will be paid $700,000 after settling a lawsuit. Terri Lesley was fired as the library system director in northeastern Wyoming’s Campbell County in 2023, two years into the book dispute at the library in Gillette. Lesley sued last spring over her termination and reached the settlement with county officials Wednesday. “I do feel vindicated. It’s been a rough road, but I will never regret standing up for the First Amendment,” Lesley said. A major coal-mining area on the Western high plains, Campbell County is among the most conservative areas in one of the most conservative states. Public officials there sided with the book objectors and violated Lesley’s First Amendment rights, Lesley claimed in her federal lawsuit against Campbell County, including its commission and library board. The county denied Lesley’s claims. Only Lesley’s performance — not the dispute over the books — played a role in her dismissal, the county argued in court documents. A private-practice attorney hired by the county for the...
