Ontario to replace College of Trades with new Crown agency
The Ontario government is introducing new measures to help tradespeople get their certification from one destination through a new Crown agency, Skilled Trades Ontario, that would replace the Ontario College of Trades (OCOT). Under the proposed legislation, Skilled Trades Ontario would become the province’s industry-informed training authority to lead the promotion, research and development of the latest apprenticeship training and curriculum standards. It will also provide a seamless one window experience for client-facing services including apprentice registration, issuance of certificates and renewals, and conduct equivalency assessments all in one place with many services offered digitally.
Data suggests that the need to replace retiring workers is greater for skilled trades workers than for other occupations. In 2016, nearly one in three journeypersons were aged 55 years or older. There are 144 recognized skilled trades in Ontario.
Appointments available at Niagara Region Public Health vaccination clinics as eligibility expands
- Individuals turning age 50 in 2021 or older
- Individuals with high-risk health conditions. For details on who is included in this group, visit niagararegion.ca/covid-vaccine. One essential caregiver can also be immunized if the individual requires regular and sustained assistance with personal care and/or activities of daily living.
- People who cannot work from home who are in Group One (including remaining elementary and secondary school workers)
- First Nations, Inuit and Métis individuals (in addition to the other channels previously available to book their appointment)
- Those age 18+ with a postal code starting with ‘L2G’
- Pregnant individuals and an essential caregiver
- Highest-risk individuals with health conditions and an essential caregiver. For details on who is included in these groups, visit niagararegion.ca/covid-vaccine.
Reading Recommendations
Real estate frenzy to crest in 2021, CMHC says
, Bloomberg News
Activity in Canada’s residential real estate market will moderate from the “unsustainable” levels seen so far this year, though sales will remain at an elevated pace and prices will continue to climb for years to come, according to the latest forecast from the national housing agency.
The number of homes to change hands could climb as high as 602,300 this year from about 550,000 sales seen last year, according to a report released Thursday from Canada Mortgage & Housing Corp. That could push the average price for a home in Canada as high as $649,400 (about US$533,000), a 14 per cent rise from last year.
Designing Customer Journeys for the Post-Pandemic World
Gene Cornfield, Harvard Business Review
As vaccinated millions step tentatively back into an in-person economy poised for growth, the relationships they had with companies they preferred before will resume — but on a trial basis. Spending loyalties will be cemented (or potentially lost to others) based on how well companies understand customers’ new priorities that were forged by the degree of uncertainty, fear, strife, or loss each individual experienced. These considerations will influence not only what customers choose but also how they go about choosing. Your customer journeys must change to reflect your customers’ new preferences and behaviors.
Featured Content
Leaders Today Need Vulnerability, Not Ego
Nick Pollice, Pollice Consulting Group
Vulnerability is defined as a willingness to show emotions or to allow one’s weakness to be seen or known; the willingness to risk being hurt or attacked. Contrary to some beliefs, the omnipotent leaders are not always the one’s that can guide their organizations through turbulent and uncertain times. Rather, the most effective leader may be the person(s) who are ready, willing and able to show their vulnerabilities.
Vulnerability has quickly become a crucial leadership quality, one a leader must have in order to succeed in todays business world. When leaders show their vulnerability they open themselves up to be judged by others which places them at risk for feeling shame and embarrassment and both are powerful emotions. However, the more a leader knows of themselves to be worthy, regardless of their flaws, the less power shame and embarrassment has over them. Vulnerable leaders are aware that they make mistakes and in doing so they will be judged and be a topic of conversation.
Niagara COVID status tracker (May 1)
Niagara’s most up-to-date COVID statistics, measured against the targets for the various stages of the Ontario COVID-19 Response Framework, are presented below. This does not predict government policy, but is offered to give you an idea of where Niagara is situated and how likely a relaxation (or further restrictions) may be. These data are the most recent published by Niagara Region. The Grey-Lockdown level does not have its own metrics, but is triggered when the COVID-specific measurements in a Red-Control region have continued to deteriorate.
The Province of Ontario is currently under a stay-at-home order. The COVID-19 Response Framework does not apply during this order. Click here to review the restrictions currently in place.
▲: Metric has increased since last published measurement
▼: Metric has decreased since last published measurement
— : Metric has not changed since last published measurement
| December 18 | December 25 | January 1 | January 8 | January 15 | January 22 | January 29 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reproductive number | 1.4 | 1.8 | 1.4 | 1.1 | 1.0 | 0.7 | 0.9 |
| New cases per 100,000 | 101.2 | 267.3 | 469.8 | 575.8 | 507.1 | 295.5 | 250.6 |
| New cases per day (not including outbreaks) | 60.7 | 178.7 | 311.7 | 376.9 | 325.4 | 182.7 | 145.7 |
| Percent of hospital beds occupied | 97% | 95.2% | 98.2% | 103.2% | 104.5% | 103.6% | 106% |
| Percent of intensive care beds occupied | 78.8% | 77.3% | 87.9% | 87.9% | 90.9% | 89.4% | 93.9% |
| Percentage of positive tests | 6.1% | 15.6% | 28.1% | 28.6% | 26.6% | 21.2% | 16.2% |
Definitions:
- Weekly Incidence Rate: the number of new COVID-19 cases per 100,000 people per week
- Percent Positivity: the number of positive COVID-19 tests as a percentage of all COVID-19 tests performed
- Rt: the reproductive rate, or the number of people infected by each case of the virus
Niagara COVID vaccination tracker (May 6)
Niagara’s most up-to-date vaccination numbers are presented below, along with comparison data from Ontario, Canada, and G7 countries.
Total doses administered in Niagara: 193,402
Total doses administered in Niagara since yesterday: 2,261
| Percentage of population with one dose | Percentage of population fully vaccinated | |
|---|---|---|
| Niagara | 82.7% | 78.2% |
| Ontario | 84.6% | 79.1% |
| Canada | 84.7% | 78.6% |
| United States | 75% | 64% |
| United Kingdom | 78% | 72% |
| Germany | 76% | 74% |
| France | 80% | 77% |
| Italy | 83% | 76% |
| Japan | 80% | 79% |
| World | 63% | 53% |
Data are drawn from Niagara Region, the Government of Ontario, and Oxford University’s Our World in Data project.
