# Budget day, AMD's $2.9-billion Taalas price tag, and a $20-million phone scam in Edmonton > The federal budget lands at 4 p.m., AMD prices its Toronto chip deal, Gemini starts shopping for Canadians, Unifor targets Amazon, and Edmonton police bust a phone scam. - Published: 2026-11-05T12:00:00.000Z - By: The Circuit Staff - Type: Daily Briefing - Topics: Daily Briefing, Policy, Startups, AI, Security, Gaming - URL: https://thecircuit.ca/posts/2026-11-05-briefing/ Here's what happened in tech yesterday, and what's coming today. ## 1. It's budget day Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne tables the federal budget in the House of Commons around 4 p.m. ET, [The Hill Times reports](https://www.hilltimes.com/2026/11/04/finance-minister-champagne-tables-his-second-budget-on-nov-5/524468/). He has called it "a budget about entrepreneurs" and hinted at changes to the SR&ED research tax credit, [BetaKit reports](https://betakit.com/upcoming-federal-budget-will-be-all-about-entrepreneurs-finance-minister-hints/). [Follow our live coverage](https://thecircuit.ca/posts/2026-11-05-federal-budget-2026-live/) **Why it matters:** We'll pull out the tech, AI, telecom and startup measures as the documents land. ## 2. AMD is paying about $2.9 billion USD for Toronto's Taalas A securities filing puts a price on AMD's August deal for Toronto AI chip startup Taalas: about $2.9 billion USD (about $4.1 billion CAD) in cash and stock, with $1.4 billion USD tied to unspecified conditions, [The Globe and Mail reports](https://www.theglobeandmail.com/business/article-amd-to-pay-29-billion-for-ai-chip-firm-taalas/). The Globe calls it the largest known deal for a Canadian tech company since Ecolab's purchase of Calgary's CoolIT Systems in March. [Read the full story](https://thecircuit.ca/posts/2026-11-04-amd-taalas-price/) **Why it matters:** Taalas was founded in 2023. AMD says the team will stay part of its Canadian workforce. ## 3. Google's Gemini can now shop for you in Canada Google has started rolling out "direct checkout" in the Gemini app and AI Mode in Search, so Canadians can buy from Lululemon, Shoppers Drug Mart, Simons and some Shopify merchants without leaving Google, [Google Canada says](https://blog.google/intl/en-ca/products/explore-get-answers/a-new-way-to-shop-introducing-a-more-intuitive-agentic-shopping-experience-for-consumers-and-retailers-in-canada/). Payment goes through Google Pay, and the retailer stays the seller. [Read the full story](https://thecircuit.ca/posts/2026-11-04-google-gemini-checkout-canada/) **Why it matters:** AI shopping agents arrive just before the holidays. Check your default card in Google Wallet before you try it. ## 4. Unifor launches a union drive at Amazon warehouses in Ontario Unifor is trying to organize thousands of Amazon workers at warehouses in the Greater Toronto Area, with outreach at Amazon sites across Ontario, [The Globe and Mail reports](https://www.theglobeandmail.com/business/article-unifor-union-drive-amazon-warehouses-toronto/). "If there are workers in the world that need to be unionized right now, it is Amazon workers," Unifor president Lana Payne said. Amazon said it values "direct relationships between teams and their managers." **Why it matters:** Only two Amazon warehouses are unionized, in Delta, B.C. and on Staten Island, and neither has an enforceable contract, the Globe reports. In Ontario, a union needs cards from at least 40 per cent of workers to trigger a vote. ## 5. Edmonton police say a fake-carrier phone scam cost locals $20 million Edmonton police say a fraud network that posed as Rogers, Telus and Virgin Mobile is believed to be behind more than $20 million in losses in the city, [according to the Edmonton Police Service](https://www.edmontonpolice.ca/News/MediaReleases/CellScamNov3). Victims were offered free or cheap phones, ordered them through their real carrier, then were told the wrong device had shipped and to send it to another address. Police charged a 31-year-old man and say they helped disrupt call centres in Lahore, Pakistan. **Why it matters:** It's the same scam Thunder Bay police [warned about earlier this week](https://thecircuit.ca/posts/2026-11-03-briefing/). If your "carrier" calls with a deal, hang up and call the number on its website. ## 6. Google is fixing Nest devices that missed Canada's time change Some Nest Hub and Nest Thermostat owners in parts of Canada that stopped changing their clocks have had alarms going off late, broken automations and changed schedules, [9to5Google reports](https://9to5google.com/2026/11/04/google-will-fix-nest-devices-that-didnt-adjust-for-daylight-savings/). Google says it's "actively working on a fix" for "a small subset of devices," but hasn't given a date. **Why it matters:** If you live where the clocks no longer change, don't trust a Nest alarm for an early flight this week. Set a backup on your phone. ## 7. Switch 2 sales slow, while PS5 nears 100 million Nintendo sold 2.68 million Switch 2 consoles in the July-to-September quarter, bringing it to 26.35 million, [VGC reports](https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/nintendo-switch-2-sales-have-dropped-37-but-its-still-comfortably-beating-the-original-console/). Hardware sales for the first half of Nintendo's year fell 37 per cent. Sony sold 2.6 million PS5s in the quarter, for 97.9 million in total, and says PlayStation 6 development is "progressing as scheduled," [VGC reports](https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/sony-says-playstation-6-development-is-progressing-as-scheduled-as-ps5-sales-hit-97-9m/). **Why it matters:** Both companies are heading into the holidays with big games: Nintendo's [Ocarina of Time remake](https://thecircuit.ca/posts/2026-11-02-zelda-ocarina-of-time-canada/) is out today. ## One more thing BioWare fans have a House of Commons e-petition, [e-7898](https://www.ourcommons.ca/petitions/en/Petition/Sign/e-7898), asking Ottawa to give the Edmonton studio the capital to buy its independence from EA and "resume business as an independent, Canadian company," [VGC reports](https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/canadian-bioware-fans-are-calling-on-the-government-to-fund-the-studio/). Only Canadian citizens and residents can sign. --- That's the briefing. See you tomorrow, with the budget.