Capacity limits to be increased in indoor settings with proof of vaccination
Effective September 25, 2021, at 12:01 a.m., capacity limits will be increased in many of the indoor settings where proof of vaccination is required. Meeting and event spaces, such as banquet halls and conference/convention centres; sporting events; concerts, theatres and cinemas; racing venues (e.g., horse racing); and commercial and film television productions with studio audiences will be increased to up to 50 per cent capacity or 10,000 people (whichever is less) for indoor events.
For certain outdoor event venues where patrons stand, capacity limits will increase to up to 75 per cent capacity or 15,000 people (whichever is less). For certain outdoor event venues where patrons are seated, capacity limits will be increased to up to 75 per cent capacity or 30,000 people (whichever is less).
Click here for more information.
Fort Erie On-Demand Transit service begins October 4
The Town of Fort Erie will be officially switching to On-Demand Transit (ODT) service from a fixed-route service, starting October 4, 2021. This new service gives riders the ability to request a ride through a new On-Demand Transit app (available for download at the Apple Store and Google Play), by boarding an ODT vehicle or by calling 1-833-BUS-LINE (287-5463).
For more information about ODT, please visit fetransit.ca.
One quarter of Canadians report feeling high stress most days during the pandemic
During the period from April to June 2021, one-quarter of Canadians reported experiencing high levels of stress most days, and nearly half of Canadians considered that their stress levels were worse than prior to the pandemic. This was particularly true among women; those aged 25 to 54; the LGBTQ2+ population; and those living with children.
Click here for more information.
National mental health resources are available here.
Regional mental health resources are available here.
GO-VAXX mobile vaccination clinic returns to Niagara College on October 4
The GO-VAXX mobile vaccine clinic is coming back to Niagara College on Monday, October 4.
Niagara College students, staff, and members of the public born in 2009 or earlier will be able to receive a first or second dose of the Pfizer vaccine – no appointment required.
The converted Metrolinx bus will roll into place at the Daniel J. Patterson Campus in Niagara-on-the-Lake in the morning, and the Welland Campus in the mid-afternoon.
- 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Daniel J. Patterson Campus in Niagara-on-the-Lake in parking lot A (south side)
- 3:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Welland Campus in parking lot in parking lot A (east side).
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.
September 30 is a federal statutory holiday. If your business is federally-regulated, you must observe this holiday. For provincially-regulated businesses, observation is optional.
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.
Truth and Reconciliation Commission Chief Commissioner Senator Murray Sinclair speaks about the role of commissions in Canada
Reading Recommendations
Front-line workers shoulder burden of vaccine mandates
CBC News
Service industry workers in Canada say they’re bearing the brunt of anger, frustration and general confusion from clients over new vaccine mandates that they had nothing to do with creating, but are now responsible for enforcing.
Stocks wobble as China’s crackdown roils crypto
Bloomberg News
Stocks struggled for direction after China intensified its sweeping regulatory crackdown on cryptocurrencies. Bitcoin, Ether and other digital tokens tumbled.
In another blow to investor sentiment, the world’s second-largest economy said crypto-related transactions will now be considered illicit financial activity. Traders remained on guard for what Chinese regulators may target next as the government has also tightened its grip on sectors ranging from private education to digital gaming, e-cigarettes, property and insurance.
Featured Content
Diversity in the workplace
At NWPB, we believe diversity is essential to a successful workforce. Over the past year, we are proud to have participated in two Canadian partnerships to develop resources for employers that are freely available to use.
- Immigrant Employment Councils of Canada (IECC) launched a National Employer Online Learning Hub. This tool will help IECs promote innovative ideas and best practices in strategizing immigrant inclusion in the Canadian economy. Employers accessing the learning hub will realize a competitive advantage in attracting, hiring, training and retaining qualified, competitive immigrant talent.
- The #ImmigrantsWork campaign led by the World Education Services (WES) and IECC released the Immigrant Inclusion Employer Playbook. This playbook was created in response to employment impacts seen throughout the pandemic. The goal of this playbook is to highlight the importance and value of including immigrant talent, while also providing tools and strategies for employers seeking to create more inclusive workplaces.
In addition to the above work, NWPB offers a number of downloadable resources for newcomer professionals and other members of the community hoping to advance diversity and inclusion in the local workforce available here.
All of NWPB’s resources can be found on our website, www.nwpb.ca.
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 23, there were 9 patients admitted to Niagara Health with COVID-19, all of whom were unvaccinated. 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. The average weekly rate of hospitalized cases in unvaccinated Canadians was 38 times higher compared to fully vaccinated people.
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: 696,227
New daily doses administered to Niagara residents: 1,696
Last updated: September 24, 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.
