Jordan Timm

The Montreal-based company reported $5.11 billion in sales in its second quarter, which ended on March 14. Net earnings rose 12.1 per cent year on year to $246.6 million. The company credited its performance to growth in its discount store network as well as higher sales in its pharmacies. (The Logic) Talking point: As my colleague Aleksandra has reported, discount stores have become a key strategy for Canada’s grocers as rising living costs put pressure on household budgets.

The London-based company—co-founded by Canadian Jacomo Corbo, who remains its CEO—earned the valuation in a new US$135 million fundraising round that included investment from Siemens and Temasek. (Financial Times) Talking point: PhysicsX uses artificial intelligence to help improve the design and manufacture of engine components, drone parts and the like. While doing a PhD in computer science at Harvard, Corbo took time off to work for a Formula 1 racing team, where he met co-founder Robin Tuluie.

That was how Birgit Matthiesen, director of North American Manufacturing at D.C.-based law and lobbying firm ArentFox Schiff, assessed Washington’s priorities when it comes to the next U.S.-Canada-Mexico trade agreement. Matthiesen’s comments at the Great Lakes Sustainable Growth Forum in Toronto last week were timely, as Canada has launched a consultation on whether to hike tariffs on Chinese EVs.