5 Things posted Apr 16, 2024 @ 08:00am by Iain Burns

5 things you need to know this morning: April 16, 2024

Start your day off right with five things you need to know this morning.

Five things you need to know

1. Budget set to be unveiled amid gloomy forecast by former BoC governor

Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland is set to unveil her government's 2024 budget today. She and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau have spent recent weeks advertising some of its features, particularly related to housing, but former Bank of Canada governor David Dodge has not been impressed, claiming it will "likely be the worst" budget in decades.

Ready to introduce Budget 2024 tomorrow, in my new Maguire Shoes — a great, women-owned, Montreal-based business! pic.twitter.com/Exx28GcTTs

— Chrystia Freeland (@cafreeland) April 15, 2024

2. Tim Hortons' pizzas to go national

Tim Hortons is launching a series of pizzas this week in an attempt to improve its afternoon offering. The restaurant's chief marketing officer, Hope Bagozzi, said "we are really strong in the morning" but "not tapping into the potential" of later in the day.

Tim Hortons launches pizza nationally to 'stretch the brand' to afternoon, nighthttps://t.co/6uvF1aqCdS
— CP24 (@CP24) April 16, 2024

3. Train station design mocked for looking like 'giant sanitary pad'

A proposed train station in China has been mocked because it looks like a "giant sanitary pad." The design for North Nanjing station was supposed to be influenced by plum blossoms, but internet users in the country quickly pointed out its resemblance to female hygiene products.

Proposed design for a train station in Nanjing is ridiculed by Chinese internet users - with one joking 'that is a giant sanitary pad!' https://t.co/s7Vnwkk4uX pic.twitter.com/51UJCrC0fS
— Daily Mail Online (@MailOnline) April 16, 2024

4. Half of Canadians living paycheque to paycheque: Equifax Canada

About half of all Canadians are living paycheque to paycheque, the president of Equifax Canada has said. Sue Hutchinson also said a third of Canadians have no, or limited, credit history.

5. North America at risk from Russia's targeting of undersea cables: NATO commander

About a billion people in Europe and North America are at risk from Russian attempts to sabotage underwater infrastructure, a NATO commander has claimed. Didier Maleterre said Russia has developed "a lot of hybrid warfare" and could target internet cables and pipelines to harm Western economies.