C anadian consumers and businesses’ thirst for on-demand access to data will only grow in the year ahead, says a report from Deloitte Technology, Media & Telecommunications Industry Group. But while connected mobile devices such as Apple’s iPhone and Amazon’s Kindle have captured Canadians’ attention, the cost of any-time access will continue to cause conflict, Deloitte’s Duncan Stewart says.

C ITY-TV is restructuring its operations – beginning, it appears, with layoffs at more than one of its stations. “Today’s changes, although difficult, are necessary to align our operations with the economic and regulatory realities of our industry,” the chief executive officer of Rogers Media Television Leslie Sole, wrote in a release.

Western National Life, an AIG Inc. subsidiary, emerged as the top fixed-annuity seller in the bank channel during the third quarter of 2009, displacing rival New York Life Insurance Co., according to data from Beacon Research Publications Inc. Western National racked up some $1.123 billion in bank channel sales, knocking New York Life to third place from first, with $672,863 in bank channel fixed annuity sales.

Exchange-traded-fund providers said today they are willing to consider joining a proposed ETF trade organization, but only if it could prove its value. “The bottom line is, we’re interested in having an entity represent the ETF industry as strongly as it can be represented,” said William H. Belden III, managing director of exchange-traded funds at Claymore Securities Inc.

The Managed Funds Association has formed an alliance with the Connecticut Hedge Fund Association as part of its efforts to unite with regional hedge fund associations. “With a large number of major hedge fund advisers headquartered in Connecticut, we look forward to sharing ideas and collaborating on key initiatives, including restoring investor confidence and fostering high standards of professional conduct and client services,” MFA president and chief executive Richard Baker said in a statement. Connecticut is home to the second-largest concentration of hedge fund firms in the United States, as well as large endowment funds, such as the Yale University Endowment, Bruce McGuire, president of the Connecticut Hedge Fund Association said in the statement

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V enezuelan officials said Tuesday they are occupying a French-owned chain of supermarkets after President Hugo Chavez announced plans to expropriate the stores. Valentina Querales, chief inspector for the consumer protection agency, said officials are temporarily occupying the Exito chain’s six stores for two days after authorities detected improper price hikes. Commerce Minister Eduardo Saman said it will now become a state-run “socialist company.” On Sunday, President Hugo Chavez announced plans to expropriate the chain controlled by France-based Casino Guichard Perrachon SA