Bank of Canada increased investment by 17 percent

Investments increased by 17 percent to $458,195.8 million as of September 30, 2021. This increase was driven mainly by the following movements within the Bank’s holdings:

• Government of Canada securities, which include treasury bills, nominal bonds and Real Return Bonds, increased by $42,774.8 million during the nine-month period. An increase of $90,738.2 million in Government of Canada bonds was partially offset by a decrease of $47,963.4 million in treasury bills, largely as a result of maturities. This growth reflects the continuation of the GBPP, combined with the increase in the Government of Canada’s issuance of bonds. As the Bank continues to monitor the strength of the recovery, it will adjust the pace of net purchases of Government of Canada bonds as required.
• The Bank engages in security repurchase operations. These provide a temporary source of Government of Canada securities on an overnight basis to market participants. They also improve the availability of the Bank’s holdings of Government of Canada securities. The volume of securities repo operations continued to grow during the first nine months of 2021, resulting in an increase of $24,484.3 million compared with December 31, 2020.

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Ontario Chamber welcomes provincial government investments but calls for renewed business supports

“We welcome the government’s focus on investing in healthcare, infrastructure, and skills,” said OCC CEO Rocco Rossi. “However, ensuring a robust and inclusive economic recovery will not come immediately, particularly in absence of clarity and predictability for business. Further supports for business are still required because workers and the economy at large are better off if business prospers. Specifically, we would like to see the Province address businesses and sectors impacted by the unplanned minimum wage increase and Ontario’s labour crisis.”

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Statistics Canada: over 25,000 COVID-19 deaths suffered by July 2021

From March 2020 to the beginning of July 2021, there were an estimated 19,488 excess deaths in Canada, or 5.2% more deaths than what would be expected were there no pandemic, after accounting for changes in the population, such as aging. Over this same period, 25,465 deaths were directly attributed to COVID-19.

Today, Statistics Canada also launched a new portal, Life expectancy and deaths statistics, with all the information collected and compiled by the agency on death in Canada—including the causes of death, life expectancy, cancer survival, excess mortality and other related topics—provided in one convenient location. The portal features a Provisional deaths and excess mortality in Canada dashboard, which includes recent insights into trends in excess mortality as well as interactive data visualization tools.

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Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety offers free course for workplace mental health

The Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS) has developed a free online course to help organizations in Canada create awareness and recognize the importance of psychological health and safety in the workplace.

Psychological Health and Safety Awareness provides an introduction to workplace mental health including an overview of the six categories of psychosocial factors and how they impact the mental health of individuals and groups.

Recommended for anyone interested in learning about psychological health and safety at work, participants will develop an understanding of why workplace mental health is important and the roles and responsibilities of workers and managers in creating a psychologically healthy and safe environment.

Psychological Health and Safety Awareness is available on the CCOHS website.

Auditor-General: Lessons learned from Canada’s record on climate change – commitments

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A Guide to Pfizer/BioNTech’s Pediatric COVID-19 Vaccine for Kids 5-11

FactCheck.org

As with its adult vaccine, Pfizer/BioNTech was the first to cross the finish line and offer a Food and Drug Administration-authorized COVID-19 vaccine to children ages 5 through 11.

Here, we describe how it’s different from its grown-up cousin and what experts are saying about who should get it.

The vaccine contains a third as much mRNA — 10 micrograms instead of 30 — but it is otherwise virtually identical to the adult version, and is also given in two shots three weeks apart.

The FDA granted the pediatric vaccine an emergency use authorization, or EUA, on Oct. 29, after concluding that based on the collective evidence at this time, the known and potential benefits of the vaccine in kids 5 through 11 years old outweigh the known and potential risks. An independent panel of experts advising the agency came to the same determination in a 17-to-0 vote, with one abstention.

Vaccination is one of the most effective ways to help protect ourselves, and our families and communities against COVID-19. Learn more here.

‘Tremendous pent-up demand’: U.S. border reopens to Canadian land travelers

Reuters

Canadian travelers, particularly retirees headed to U.S. sunspots, flocked to the U.S. land border on Monday to drive across for the first time in 20 months, although testing requirements could dampen short-stay travel.

The United States first imposed a travel ban in early 2020 in response to the coronavirus pandemic, barring access to most non-U.S. citizens traveling from 33 countries – including China, India and much of Europe – and restricting overland entry from Mexico and Canada.

On Monday, packed intercontinental flights touched down, while the U.S. land borders with Mexico and Canada also saw families reunite.

Featured Content

How To Adapt To Our Employee Shortage Dilemma

Pollice Consulting Group

Supply chain bottlenecks are slowing international global growth in the Port of Los Angeles. Currently, port workers can offload 10 container ships per day. The problem is that 18 new ships are arriving daily, 62 ships are berthed in docks and there are already 81 other container ships waiting in the harbor. Considering that contain ships hold 18,000 containers which is equal to a freight train 36 miles long, the costs are staggering.  Adding to this is a lease cost of $ 200,000 per day per container ship. Several of my American clients have told me that the challenges plaguing the Port of Los Angeles is the employee shortage of dispatchers, off loaders and truck drivers.  The aforementioned challenges are not confined to the USA. Major Canadian Ports of Call from Vancouver to St. John report similar challenges and these challenges create inflationary consumer prices. Unfortunately this is only the “tip of the iceberg” and I use this example because port goods represent 68% of Canadian consumables.

Niagara COVID-19 statistics tracker