Caisse and DP World partner up for shipping port investments + MORE Dec 2nd

In 1901, the Italian entrepreneur, Marconi, stood on Signal Hill in St. John’s, Newfoundland and successfully received the first transatlantic wireless signal from the UK. The Newfoundland government rushed to embrace him, but the cable telegraph industry, fearing the impact of Marconi’s innovation on their monopoly, opposed.

The result? Marconi left Newfoundland and found another site for his telegraph station. His story remains as relevant in the 21st century as the 20th: You cannot stop innovation but you can decide how you respond to it.

Today, the financial services sector is experiencing something similar. Financial technology, or Fintech for short, is changing the way business is done. From contactless “tap and pay” systems to million dollar transactions by algorithms, Fintech is disrupting the way we buy and sell goods, transfer monies between individuals and families and the banking, insurance and pension sectors.

Instead of trying to blocking this disruption, major financial services organizations are embracing it and Fintech is becoming an exciting and growing part of the world economy…

Michelle Renee Dacyk, 39, Grand Prairie, Alta. (Photograph by Chris Beauchamp)
When I completed my masters degree two years ago the first question I asked myself was: “Now what?” I was an occupational therapist and had been in debt since age 18, having spent my money on cars, credit cards, lines of credit and even a mortgage. Still, I was fortunate. I had a five-figure nest egg from two previous employers sitting in a locked-in retirement account (LIRA) that I could access when I was 55. I also had access to a modest $20,000 cash payout.
But I was at a turning point. I couldn’t help thinking that there must be more to life than bills and debt. What I really wanted was a new adventure. So, I decided to go to a life coach. Those few visits helped me realize that what I really needed was to be in a profession with a purpose that also involved travel.

How I saved $5,000 a year »

Around this time is when I met a group of people who had started a crowdfunding website that encouraged women to create four-year projects on the subject of travel…

Investment platform starts with Quebec pension fund buying into Vancouver and Prince Rupert facilities owned by the Dubai-based marine terminal giant