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Robert Irving

Robert K. Irving: 1954-2026

Robert K. Irving has died.

The Irving family announced that the co-CEO of J.D. Irving, Limited, passed away Tuesday morning in Moncton.

He was 71.

Irving had been battling cancer.

The second-oldest son of James K. Irving and Jean Irving, he ran JDI along with his older brother James D. Irving.

After graduating from Acadia University with a business degree, he established JDI’s Moncton operations in 1977 and called the city home.

A statement from JDI described Robert Irving as an innovative and tireless entrepreneur.

He established and grew successful businesses in several sectors, including paper products, food processing, agriculture and transportation.

He remained humble despite his accomplishments, always crediting the team for a job well done.

In recent years, he embraced a new chapter, working alongside three of his children in the business.

Another of his passions was hockey.

He founded the Moncton Wildcats Hockey Club in 1996, combining his love for sport and competition with his commitment to youth development and community.

He took great pride in the team’s three QMJHL championships (2006, 2010 and 2025) and in hosting the Memorial Cup in 2006.

He rarely missed a game, cheered enthusiastically and built lasting relationships with the players.

A proud Canadian and New Brunswick, Irving had a strong commitment to his community.

He played a role in many health-care fundraising campaigns, most recently serving as campaign chair to build the Jean Elizabeth Saunders Irving Obstetrics and Newborn Care Unit at the Moncton Hospital.

He was an advocate for youth, education and literacy.

His support of a wide range of organizations made a lasting difference and he received a number of New Brunswick’s highest honours.

These included:

  • Boys and Girls Club of Moncton’s Builder of Youth Lifetime Achievement Award (2011)
  • Paul Harris Fellow by the Rotary Clubs of Greater Moncton (2014)
  • The Literacy Coalition of New Brunswick’s Champion of Literacy Award (2016)
  • The Centennial Paul Harris Fellowship Award on the 100th anniversary of four Rotary Clubs (2020)

He was also a strong supporter of his wife Jill’s passion for equestrian sport and was awarded Equestrian Canada’s highest and most prestigious national honour, the Gold Medal, in 2025.,

He was inducted into the New Brunswick Business Hall of Fame, the Canadian Agriculture Hall of Fame and the P.E.I. Business Hall of Fame.

He received the Order of Moncton and Order of New Brunswick in recognition of his community involvement, generosity and exceptional contributions to the province.

He’s survived by his wife Jill, daughters Megan, Meredith and Olivia, son Robert (RJ), grandchildren Warren, Sutton, Collins and Fraser, his brother James and sisters Mary-Jean and Judith, and 17 nieces and nephews.

Funeral arrangements will be announced at a later date.

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PetroService Limited expands further in Western Canada

An acquisition that will help to strengthen and expand coast-to-coast fueling solutions.

Saint John, New Brunswick-based PetroService Limited announced on Monday its partnership with Calgary-based MI Petro.

The western Canadian firm provides more than 30 years of experience delivering fueling infrastructure products and services across the country as a Gilbarco distributor.

“This acquisition represents a significant milestone in our growth journey,” said Laurent Frenette, President of PetroService. “MI Petro brings a highly skilled team, a strong reputation in western Canada, and long-standing relationships with some of the country’s most recognizable retail fueling brands. Together, we are better positioned to support our customers from coast to coast.”

PetroService Limited was founded in 1985, but has grown from rebuilding gas pumps to one of the country’s fastest-growing petroleum service providers, offering industry-leading solutions across the fueling landscape, including petroleum and electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure.

It employs 180 employees and has branches in Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Quebec, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta.

MI Petro is located in Calgary, Alberta, with a branch office in Maple Ridge, British Columbia.

It has 23 employees, including 10 technicians, who have helped deliver complex fueling projects for more than three decades.

“Joining PetroService allows us to build on our legacy while gaining access to expanded resources and a truly national platform,” said Kim Hansen, President, MI Petro. “Our customers will continue to receive the same high level of service they expect, while benefiting from enhanced capabilities and long-term investment.”

Ocean Capital Holdings is the parent company for PetroService Limited and also for Acadia Broadcasting Corporation, who operate this radio station.

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Tentative deal reached with Air Transat pilots

Operations with Air Transat are returning to normal after a tentative deal was reached with the union representing its pilots.

The airline says the agreement marks an important milestone in the process, and it lifts the risk of a strike.

It is expected to be submitted for ratification by union members in the coming days.

“We are pleased to have finally reached a tentative agreement with the union representing our pilots, marking a complete overhaul of their collective agreement,” said Annick Guérard, President and Chief Executive Officer of Transat, in a news release. “Our priority now is to quickly restore our operations.”

The Air Line Pilots Association, Int’l (ALPA), the union representing the pilots, says this comes following more than 11 months of intensive negotiations.

“Our pilots have been frustrated flying under a decade-old, outdated collective agreement,” said Captain Bradley Small, chair of the Air Transat ALPA Master Executive Council (MEC).

Some flights were cancelled today in anticipation of a potential walkout on Wednesday, which is when the union had threatened strike action if a deal wasn’t reached.

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New Brunswick, Ontario enter nuclear support partnership

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The only provinces operating nuclear power plants entered an agreement Friday to improve performance at the Point Lepreau generating station.

New Brunswick Energy Minister René Legacy was joined by his Ontario counterpart Stephen Lecce to make the agreement.

“New Brunswick and Ontario are known across Canada and around the world for their accomplishments in nuclear power generation,” Legacy said. “This partnership will bolster that reputation and, more importantly, allow our two provinces to strengthen a promising working relationship.”

The support services agreement was signed between NB Power and Laurentis Energy Partners, a subsidiary of Ontario Power Generation.

Under the agreement, Laurentis will provide expertise to improve performance at Point Lepreau. This will consist of:

  • performance benchmarking and excellence planning
  • structured performance oversight
  • on-site support and collaboration
  • flexible support services
  • personnel development

Lecce said the partnership will help New Brunswick ensure energy reliability for NB Power customers, and reinforce Ontario’s position as Canada’s clean energy engine.

“Ontario is proud to lead the world in nuclear excellence – and we’re now exporting that expertise to help New Brunswick succeed,” he said.

Legacy said by strengthening this nuclear alliance, New Brunswick and Ontario can eliminate another interprovincial wall and play a key role in supporting energy needs at home and across Canada.

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Feds Unveil More Details About Expanded Oceans Protection Plan

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Ottawa unveiled new details on Monday about its renewed and expanded Oceans Protection Plan.

Budget 2022 included a pledge of $2 billion over nine years, bringing the total investment to $3.5 billion.

It is described by the Liberals as the largest investment Canada has ever seen to protect our oceans.

Speaking in Saint John, N.B., on Monday, Transport Minister Omar Alghabra said $447 million will be earmarked to further protect and restore coastal ecosystems.

“It will allow us to build on our existing work and invest in new areas,” Alghabra said while speaking at Port Saint John.

That includes restoring aquatic ecosystems, investing in measures to reduce marine shipping impacts on mammals, preventing the spread of invasive species, and banning the transport of heavy fuel oil in the Arctic.

Alghabra did not have details about specific projects, noting that many of them have yet to be finalized.

“We are announcing the envelope or the objective of these projects, so it’s going to include working with local communities, local organizations on learning more about how to restore and protect the ecosystems in our waterways,” he said.

Alghabra noted that more than 50 initiatives have been implemented under the Oceans Protection Plan since it was first launched in 2016.

Among those initiatives are opening six Canadian Coast Guard search and rescue stations in British Columbia and Newfoundland and Labrador, protecting more than 200 endangered species, and funding more than 500 projects to and dispose of abandoned vessels across Canada.

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Kinder Chocolate Recall Expands

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Ferrero Canada has added more Kinder products to its recalled list.

The first recall announced on April 6th.

That list was updated on Monday to include Advent calendars and other mini eggs.

Products are being recalled because of concerns over salmonella.

If you find you have one of the recalled products, do not eat it.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is advising you throw it out or return it to the store where it was purchased.

A full list of the latest recalled products can be found HERE

(Photo: CFIA)

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Provinces Release Strategic Plan On Small Nuclear Reactors

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Four provinces have outlined their path forward when it comes to the development of small nuclear reactors.

The governments of Ontario, Saskatchewan, Alberta, and New Brunswick have released a strategic plan for small modular reactors.

It identifies five key priority areas for developing and deploying the reactors, also known as SMRs.

  • Positioning Canada as an exporter of global SMR technology
  • Promoting a strong nuclear regulatory framework
  • Securing federal government commitments on financial and policy support for new SMR technologies
  • Creating opportunities for participation from Indigenous communities and public engagement
  • Working with the federal government and nuclear operators on a robust nuclear waste management plan

SMRs are much smaller than traditional nuclear reactors, which means they are able to supply power to smaller electricity grids and remote off-grid locations — something traditional reactors cannot do.

The provinces say the report highlights how SMRs can provide “safe, reliable and zero-emissions energy” to residents while creating new opportunities to export Canadian knowledge and expertise around the world.

This report builds on a feasibility study that found that SMR development would “support domestic energy needs, curb greenhouse gas emissions, and position Canada as a global leader in clean technologies and the fight against climate change.”

Ontario, Saskatchewan and New Brunswick have been working together to advance SMRs in Canada through an inter-provincial memorandum of understanding signed in December 2019. Alberta joined the MOU in April 2021.

You can view the joint strategic plan by clicking here.

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McCain Foods Discontinues Plans For Russia Plant

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McCain Foods has put the kibosh on its potato processing facility under construction in central Russia.

It comes two weeks after the company stopped work on the facility on Feb. 24 — the same day Russia began invading Ukraine.

“We have now made the decision to discontinue the project entirely,” Charlie Angelakos, VP of Global External Affairs and Sustainability, said in a statement.

The New Brunswick-based company also announced that it has suspended all shipments of its products into the Russian market.

Angelakos said the Russian invasion of Ukraine has been “deeply concerning to all of us at McCain Foods.”

The news comes less than a year after McCain announced plans to invest 150 million Euros ($210 million CDN) into the production facility in the Tula Oblast region.

Around 200 people were expected to be employed at the plant once it was up and running.

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Tips To Help Save Money As Gas Prices Soar

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As gas prices soar, the Canadian Automobile Association has some tips to help ease the burden on your wallet.

CAA says there are ways to save hundreds of dollars at the fuel pumps each year even if you can’t control prices.

It recommends not pushing the pedal to the metal, saying softer and slower acceleration and coasting to slow down rather than braking hard will help gas last.

Another trick is to not let your car idle.

“You waste 1 litre of gas every 20 minutes you idle,” CAA says. “If you are going to be stopped for 60 seconds or more, try to turn off the engine.”

It also advises you to keep up on car maintenance, even underinflated tires can drive up your gas consumption.

Other ways to save include refraining from speeding, using cruise control when it’s safe to do so, and avoiding pothole-ridden roads. Driving at lower and consistent speeds can greatly reduce fuel consumption.

CAA also recommends combining your trips as several short commutes with a cold engine can use twice as much gas.

The Russian invasion of Ukraine has been fueling the recent spike in fuel prices. The national average price of gas is $1.81 per litre.

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Canada’s Premiers Renew Calls For Increase In Health Transfers

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Canada’s premiers have renewed calls for an increase in federal health care transfer payments.

British Columbia Premier John Horgan serves as chair of the Council of the Federation, which comprises all 13 provincial and territorial premiers.

“Of course, the global pandemic has tested us all. It has strained our public health care systems right across the country,” Horgan said at a virtual news conference on Friday.

“All 13 premiers agree we need a significant long-term increase in funding from the federal government to meet the challenges of coming out of the pandemic and ensuring that the services that people expect and deserve in Canada are uniformed from coast to coast to coast.”

Federal funding has been eroded over the last 50 years, now only covering about 22 per cent of the total funds needed to provide services in some jurisdictions, said Horgan.

Premiers are looking for a First Ministers meeting to ensure a boost in these transfers will cover 35 per cent of provincial-territorial health care costs.

“Through the pandemic, the federal government has been an outstanding partner, ensuring that we’re supporting businesses, workers and communities so we can all weather COVID-19, and now provinces and territories are coming together once again to call on the federal government to join with us and renew the partnership for public health care in Canada,” Horgan remarked.

Larger health transfers would be expected to improve services, wait times, human resources in the health care system. Additionally, Horgan said this would ensure they can provide high-quality diagnostics to address diseases like COVID-19 and cancer.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has not made a statement on the Council of the Federation’s latest announcement.

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