Survey on in-person events
The GNCC would like your feedback on attending in-person events this year. Please take a minute to complete our confidential survey. Results will be shared in the Daily Update next week.
Government extends COVID-19 benefits and business supports
Today, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, the Honourable Chrystia Freeland, and the Honourable Carla Qualtrough, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion, announced the extension of COVID-19 support measures for Canadians and Canadian businesses in recognition that uneven economic reopening across regions and sectors means workers and businesses continue to need support. These extensions include:
· Extending the eligibility period for the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy, the Canada Emergency Rent Subsidy and Lockdown Support until October 23, 2021, and increasing the rate of support employers and organizations can receive during the period between August 29 and September 25, 2021.
· Extending the Canada Recovery Benefit (CRB), the Canada Recovery Caregiving Benefit (CRCB), and the Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit (CRSB) until October 23, 2021.
· Increasing the maximum number of weeks available for the CRB, by an additional 4 weeks, to a total of 54 weeks, at a rate of $300 per week, and ensuring it is available to those who have exhausted their employment insurance (EI) benefits.
For more information, click here.
Government investing in Hamilton’s steel industry
The Honourable Chrystia Freeland, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, together with the Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, and the Honourable Filomena Tassi, Minister of Labour, announced a federal investment of $400 million in ArcelorMittal Dofasco G.P., Canada’s largest producer of flat-rolled steel. This investment will support a $1.765-billion project to convert the steel production process and phase out coal-fired steelmaking at its facilities in Hamilton, Ontario. For more information, click here.
Additional temporary support for Canadian families
The Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development, highlighted additional temporary support in 2021 through the CCB Young Child Supplement for families with children under the age of six. A payment of up to $300 for each child under the age of six will be issued today to families entitled to the CCB. For more information, click here.
Canada’s economy shrank for second month in a row in May
Canada’s gross domestic product shrank by 0.3 per cent in May, the second consecutive monthly contraction as most industries slowed down. Statistics Canada reported today that most industries shrank, especially construction, manufacturing and retail.
Even Canada’s real estate sector shrank for the second month in a row. The real estate and rental and leasing sector was down 0.4 per cent in May after falling by 0.8 per cent in April. For more information, click here.
First Nations and Ottawa agree to $8 billion settlement on drinking water advisories
A proposed settlement agreement worth nearly $8 billion has been reached in two national class action lawsuits launched against the federal government by First Nations living under drinking water advisories. About 142,000 individuals from 258 First Nations could be compensated, along with 120 First Nations. For more information, click here.
Budget 2021 measures under new Canada Student Financial Assistance Program begin August 1st
As of August 1, 2021, the Government is extending the doubling of Canada Student Grants (CSG) for an additional two years. This means that the maximum amount available for the CSG will be up to $6,000 for full-time students and $10,000 for students with disabilities until July 31, 2023. The Government is also making permanent the flexibility for students to use their current year’s income when applying for the CSG, so those in financial need will not have their previous workforce participation count against them. For more information, click here.
Featured Content
Tourism and Gender Employment Update
NWPB has released a new set of data on our tourism employment and gender-driven research hub. This update, which tracks employment and job demand in Niagara’s tourism supporting sectors, while also offering a gender-focused measure of local employment trends can be accessed through this link.
NWPB tracks these data because COVID-19 has significantly impacted employment across the tourism sector. Additionally, the pandemic has seen women experience greater employment losses than men, with employment still not returned to pre-pandemic levels.
Some trends from the latest update to data include:
- Slight employment decreases across all industries between May and June of 2021, with women seeing some employment gains while men experienced employment losses.
- Tourism-supporting industries reporting an increase in employment across this same period.
- Continued employment gains in the accommodations and food services sector.
- A 90.7% job post increase between May and June for tourism-supporting occupations. Jobs with the most demand included retail salespersons and cooks.
These reports as well as job demand tools for both employers and job seekers can be found at our website, www.nwpb.ca
Reading Recommendations
Canada’s big wireless companies spend nearly $9B on new 5G spectrum
The federal government raised $8.9 billion in a licence auction for a key band of 5G wireless spectrum in results announced after the close of markets Thursday.
Canada’s Big Three wireless companies led the pack, grabbing hundreds of licences for the 3,500-megahertz band of airwaves.
The 3,500 MHz band of spectrum will be important because carriers are using it as a building block for their 5G networks. More equipment for carriers and smartphone hardware is expected to work with that frequency band.
The Coming Creativity Boom: How human ingenuity will power the 2020s
RBC, Trinh Theresa Do, Sonya Bell, Andrew Schrumm
Welcome to the soaring ‘20s, where creativity is the new “it” skill. As Canada emerges from the COVID-19 crisis and enters a “two-dose summer,” there is an opportunity in the air: to harness the energy to rethink and rebuild in a new era of creativity.
Worried your COVID-19 vaccine won’t be accepted abroad? Here’s what you need to know
Fully vaccinated and ready to travel? Before booking your trip, make sure your destination recognizes your COVID-19 vaccine. As some Canadian travellers have already discovered, not all COVID-19 vaccines are considered equal.
Here’s the latest on which vaccines distributed in Canada might cause problems for travellers abroad.
Niagara COVID-19 data
These data show the status of the COVID-19 pandemic in Niagara. The Province of Ontario is now using a provincewide approach to reopening, and these data no longer have any influence on Niagara’s restrictions.
Current number of admitted Niagara Health patients with COVID-19: 3
Patients with COVID-19 in Niagara Health ICU’s: 1
Data are drawn from Niagara Region Public Health and Niagara Health.
Niagara COVID vaccination tracker
Last updated: July 30, 2021
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: 617,006
New daily doses administered to Niagara residents: 2,713
Data are drawn from Niagara Region, the Government of Ontario, and Oxford University’s Our World in Data project.
Free rapid COVID-19 testing kits are now available to businesses. Visit gncc.ca/workplace-self-screening-kits to learn more and reserve kits for your organization.
Information on government grants, resources, and programs, policies, forms, and posters for download and use, are available here. The GNCC is here to support you. Contact us with any questions you have.
