By Richard Hubbard. LONDON (Reuters) - Bonds, shares and commodities fell sharply around the world on Thursday and the dollar rose after the U.S.

BURLINGTON, Ont. -- Bank of Canada Governor Stephen Poloz says Canadian consumers did their part for the economy by borrowing the country through the worst recession since the Great Depression and now it is the turn of businesses to start spending.

Verizon Communications Inc. is looking at a move into Canada's cellular telephone business, one of several possible new entrants whose arrival would salvage the federal government's ambitions for a fourth wireless player across the country.

HALIFAX - The Imperial Oil refinery in Halifax is being converted into a terminal operation. The company says in a news release today that it couldn't find a buyer for the facility after searching for a year.

TORONTO - Canada's growth outlook appears to be stronger than previously thought, thanks to an improving trade picture and the strength of corporate balance sheets, economists at the Royal Bank of Canada said Wednesday.

Canadian Natural Resources Ltd. (CNQ), the nation's third-largest oil and natural gas producer by market value, is evaluating acquisitions as a lack of export conduits and financing keeps industry share prices depressed.

MONTREAL - Convenience store operator Alimentation Couche-Tard is seen as a likely bidder to purchase retail assets from oil and gas giant Hess as it seeks to further boost its U.S.

TransLink is pitching regional road pricing as a means to generate up to $23 billion to maintain and upgrade Metro Vancouver's transit system over the next 30 years.

VANCOUVER -- The future of the viaducts at Georgia and Dunsmuir is once again up for debate at Vancouver city hall. But commuters and residents anxious to learn when or if the elevated roadways that lead in and out of the downtown core will come down ...

Premier Alison Redford says she's prepared for "frank" talk in New York on Wednesday as she promotes Alberta's energy sector in the face of environmental black eyes for the province and uncertainty over the proposed Keystone XL oil pipeline.