National Business

VANCOUVER — Boston Pizza International Inc. is temporarily laying off approximately half of its 192 corporate staff across its three offices in Canada.

WASHINGTON — Americans increased their spending by a modest amount in February but the expectation is that spending will be hit hard in coming months reflecting the shutdown of the American economy by the coronavirus.

MONTREAL — SNC-Lavalin Group Inc. is withdrawing its financial guidance for 2020 as it works to cut costs and manage its cash flow due the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact of the company's operations around the world.

VANCOUVER — Canfor Corp. is cutting production and reducing capital spending as it deals with the COVID-19 outbreak. The Vancouver-based lumber producer says it has reduced its planned capital spending by $20 million for Canadian and U.S. operations.

VICTORIA — The British Columbia government is expected to release its modelling information on COVID-19 today. Health Minister Adrian Dix says the report will be an indicator of how many people may become infected with the virus.

TORONTO — Netflix is lowering video quality for its subscribers in Canada as it attempts to reduce soaring demands on internet bandwidth in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Cancelling March Madness because of the coronavirus pandemic will cost the NCAA about $375 million that it would have distributed to 350 schools across the nation. Some will be able to absorb the losses better than others.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — The head of the United Nations told leaders of the world’s 20 major industrialized nations during an emergency virtual summit Thursday that "we are at war with a virus — and not winning it” despite dramatic measures by c

MONTREAL — Cirque du Soleil says it hasn't made a decision on steps it will take to stay afloat after cancelling all of its shows and laying off almost all of its employees due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

VANCOUVER — Athleisure retailer Lululemon Athletica Inc. declined to provide a financial outlook for its current fiscal year as the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic unfolds.