In this edition:
Norgen Biotek gifts Yousef Haj-Ahmad Department of Engineering at Brock University
Ontario to supply more protective equipment including rapid tests
EI claimants down 8.1% in December
Flood and snow warnings issued for Niagara
Health Canada authorizes Novavax’s Nuvaxovid COVID-19 vaccine
Norgen Biotek gifts Yousef Haj-Ahmad Department of Engineering at Brock University
Through a $5-million gift from the Haj-Ahmad Family Foundation, “Dr. Haj,” as he’s known to the 80 or so employees at Norgen, will have another game-changing impact in Niagara and beyond through the Yousef Haj-Ahmad Department of Engineering at Brock University.
The decision by Haj-Ahmad and his family to make a transformational gift to the University is the result of their lifelong collective connection to Brock, and their belief that their alma mater can play a major role in an emerging sector.
Officially launched in 2021 with the offering of a minor in Engineering, the newly-named Yousef Haj-Ahmad Department of Engineering now includes six faculty members (with more to be hired) and plans to welcome its first cohort of undergraduate Integrated Engineering students for the 2024-25 academic year.
Ontario to supply more protective equipment including rapid tests
In order to further support the gradual ease of public health measures, the province has implemented a response plan to strengthen Ontario’s pandemic supply chain and bolster the stockpile with 97,500 HEPA filters, an additional 79 million N95 masks, 200 million level one and level two surgical/protective masks annually for five years, 8.3 million child-sized three ply cloth masks for students and over 10 million N95 masks for teachers, a total of about 157 million rapid tests, including 126 million between December 2021 and January 2022, and an arrangement for fit-testing services that are available to all sectors where guidance requires the use of fit-tested N95 respirators.
EI claimants down 8.1% in December
Approximately 636,000 Canadians received regular Employment Insurance (EI) benefits in December, down by 56,000 (-8.1%) from a month earlier. December EI statistics reflect labour market conditions during the week of December 5 to 11, 2021.
On a regional basis, all census metropolitan areas (CMAs) recorded a decline in the number of regular EI beneficiaries in December. The CMAs of Guelph (-16.4%; -300), Hamilton (-15.6%; -2,000) and Vancouver (-13.1%; -4,000) posted the largest percentage declines in the month.
Flood and snow warnings issued for Niagara
The NPCA is upgrading from its Watershed Conditions Statement – Flood Outlook to a Flood Warning as of today. Our area is currently under a Rainfall Warning as issued by Environment Canada, which is calling for an additional 20 to 35mm of rain into Friday. Residents are urged to keep themselves, their children and their pets well away from streams and creeks as these watercourses may become hazardous. Local municipalities are advised to check for debris clogging culverts, catch basins and other storm infrastructure. Motorists are advised to not drive through flooded roadways due to potential hidden hazards.
This notice is in effect until 12:00 noon, Sunday February 20th, 2022, and will be updated as required.
A snowfall warning is in effect for north Niagara, with total amounts of 10 to 20 cm expected this evening through Friday morning. Environment Canada warns of near zero visibility at times in heavy snow and blowing snow with icy and slippery surfaces.
Health Canada authorizes Novavax’s Nuvaxovid COVID-19 vaccine
Today, Health Canada authorized Novavax’s Nuvaxovid COVID-19 vaccine for the prevention of COVID-19 in adults 18 years of age and older. This is the fifth COVID-19 vaccine authorized in Canada. After a thorough, independent review of the evidence, the Department has determined that this vaccine meets Canada’s stringent safety, efficacy and quality requirements.
Nuvaxovid is a protein-based vaccine that is administered as a two-dose regimen of 5 mcg per dose, 21 days apart.
Based on the clinical trials overall, Nuvaxovid is 90% effective at preventing symptomatic COVID-19 and 100% effective at preventing severe disease.
Reading Recommendations
Several provinces are dropping vaccine passports, but some businesses aren’t on board
CBC News
Several provinces are dropping their COVID-19 vaccine passport programs for entry to restaurants, gyms and other venues, leaving it up to individual businesses to decide if they want to open their doors to unvaccinated customers.
“You’re kind of making businesses choose one side of the fence themselves, where previously governments made that choice for them,” said Toronto-based retail consultant Bruce Winder.
“It’s going to be a tough one for businesses, because it’s such a polarizing topic right now.”
Although most businesses are expected to drop their vaccine requirements in line with the provinces, not all are following suit — despite the possibility that they could face a backlash.
Dave Kantor, owner of The Cave Beastro in Edmonton, said he decided to keep his restaurant’s vaccine mandate in place because he felt it was premature for Alberta to drop the requirement.
Inflation drop as supply crisis eases is ‘fairy tale economics’
BNN Bloomberg
A Canadian strategist said anyone who thinks inflation will be tamed by the easing of supply chain pressures is a believer in “fairy tale economics.”
In an interview on Thursday, Royce Mendes, managing director and head of macro strategy at Desjardins, said “inflation is clearly no longer just a supply issue.”
“Anyone hoping the easing of supply chains will push inflation all the way back down to the two per cent target this year is, I think, engaged in ‘fairy tale economics.’”
Mendes pointed to factors such as the price of 80 per cent of items measured by the consumer price index basket rising faster than two per cent a year, the price of two-thirds of those items rising more than three per cent a year, home prices continuing to surge, and services inflation rising at the fastest pace in years.
He also noted that the most recent reading of the unemployment rate, were it not for Omicron, would have fallen below six per cent.
Niagara COVID-19 statistics tracker
Niagara COVID vaccination tracker
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