Q&A on “vaccine passport” system to be held with the Honourable Christine Elliott, Minister of Health
On September 23rd, the Ontario Chamber of Commerce will host a Q & A session with Ontario government officials to answer any of your questions and provide further clarity. Speakers will include the Honourable Christine Elliott, Minister of Health, and officials from the Ministries of Health; Solicitor General; and Labour, Training and Skills Development.
GNCC members are invited to join this webinar for free and to submit questions for the speakers.
Click here to register for the event.
Proof of vaccination required in Niagara municipal areas and facilities (updated)
From today, Ontarians will be required to prove their vaccination status before entering certain businesses and facilities. Here is a list of Niagara municipalities that have announced restrictions based on vaccine status.
Click here to learn more about COVID-19 vaccines.
Canada extends flight ban from India
As Canada prepares for the return of direct flights from India to Canada, Transport Canada is announcing an extension of the Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) that restricts all direct commercial and private passenger flights to Canada from India until September 26, 2021, at 23:59 EDT.
Click here for more information.
Job vacancies up as labour market adjusts to changes in public health measures
As the labour market adapted to challenges associated with the third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in late spring and early summer, there were 731,900 job vacancies in the second quarter of 2021. Previously released data from the Labour Force Survey (LFS) showed that during the quarter, employment fell in April (-207,000; -1.1%) and May (-68,000; -0.4%) as public health measures were tightened in several jurisdictions, and then rebounded in June (+231,000; +1.2%) as restrictions were eased (seasonally adjusted).
There were 25.8% (+150,300) more vacancies in the second quarter of 2021 than in the same quarter two years earlier.
Click here for more information.
Truth and Reconciliation
Canada’s first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation will be observed on September 30. It provides an opportunity for us to recognize and commemorate the history and ongoing legacy of residential schools and the trauma experienced by so many. From today until September 30, this section of the Daily Update will contain resources and information to aid and honour residential school survivors and their families, and to promote good relationships and economic reconciliation with Indigenous peoples. We believe the business community has an important role to play in reconciliation.
Help and Resources
For those who need support, a national Residential School Survivor Crisis Line is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week: 1-866-925-4419. For non-Indigenous people, Crisis Services Canada is available to help: 1-833-456-4566.
The Hope for Wellness Help Line offers immediate help to all Indigenous peoples across Canada.
The Indian Residential Schools Resolution Health Support Program provides mental health, emotional and cultural support services to eligible former Indian Residential School students and their families.
National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation schedule for Truth and Reconciliation Week
The NCTR is a place of learning and dialogue where the truths of the residential school experience will be honoured and kept safe for future generations. It derives its mandate from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s Calls to Action and from the agreements under which the Centre was established and the records of Residential School Survivors first entrusted to its care.
Click here for more information.
Reading Recommendations
COVID-19: The Unvaccinated Pose a Risk to the Vaccinated
Factcheck.org
An unvaccinated person who is infected with COVID-19 poses a much greater risk to others who are also unvaccinated. But vaccines are not 100% effective, so there is a chance that an unvaccinated person could infect a vaccinated person — particularly the vulnerable, such as elderly and immunocompromised individuals.
Click here to learn more about COVID-19 vaccines.
Ford says vaccine passports are the ‘best chance’ Ontario has to avoid another lockdown
Premier Doug Ford welcomed the launch of COVID-19 vaccine certificates in Ontario, saying the system is essential to prevent the province from entering into another lockdown.
The premier made the remarks at a news conference on Wednesday morning, just hours after the vaccine certificate system came into effect, noting the certificates are a temporary, but vital new measure to combat the disease.
Ontario’s new vaccine certificate system requires patrons at dine-in restaurants, nightclubs, cinemas, gyms, sports facilities and other venues to present a receipt of full vaccination along with government identification before entering.
Niagara COVID-19 statistics tracker
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. Lower numbers are better in all metrics.
| 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% |
Last updated: September 18, 2021
Click here for definitions of terms used in this table.
On September 21, there were 8 patients admitted to Niagara Health with COVID-19, of which 7 were unvaccinated, 0 were partially vaccinated, and 1 was fully vaccinated. There were 3 patients with COVID-19 in a Niagara Health Intensive Care Unit.
Over the last 28 days, a Niagara resident vaccinated with 1 dose was 4.1 times more likely to contract COVID-19, and an unvaccinated person was 7.7 times more likely.
Data are drawn from Niagara Region Public Health and Niagara Health.
Niagara COVID vaccination tracker
Niagara’s most up-to-date vaccination numbers are presented below, along with comparison data from Ontario, Canada, and G7 countries.
| 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% |
Total doses administered in Niagara: 692,505
New daily doses administered to Niagara residents: 1,541
Last updated: September 22, 2021
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.
Through the Daily Updates, the GNCC aims to deliver important business news in a timely manner. We disseminate all news and information we feel will be important to businesses. Inclusion in the Daily Update is not an endorsement by the GNCC.
