In this edition:

Ontario cuts red tape for individuals and businesses
St. Catharines calls for additional market vendors for 2022
Grimsby Digital Main Street Service Squad program ends next week
Fort Erie Urgent Care Centre reopens Feb. 23

Ontario cuts red tape for license plate fees, business start-ups, roof-top solar and more

Ontario’s Spring 2022 Red Tape Reduction Package builds on successive semi-annual packages aimed at eliminating unnecessary burdens and opening doors to economic activity. The proposed Fewer Fees, Better Services Act contains, among others, the following proposals:

• Eliminate licence plate renewal fees and the requirement to have a licence plate sticker for passenger vehicles, light-duty trucks, motorcycles and mopeds, effective March 13, 2022. Eligible individual owners of vehicles for any licence plate renewal fees paid since March 2020 would receive a refund. License plate renewal will still be required but will no longer be fee-for-service.
• Provide a single website for entrepreneurs to access information and services they need to get up and running and grow their business, and provide businesses with realistic public-facing service standards on some approvals, permits and licences, with more services added on a regular basis (disclosure: the GNCC has lobbied for a one-stop-shop for business needs and requirements from government, including municipal governments).
• Enable more homeowners, farms and businesses to participate in net metering, including roof-top solar systems, to help lower their electricity bills. Clarifying the eligibility of third-party ownership arrangements such as leasing, financing, and power purchase agreements, the amendments would broaden access to net metering.
• Extend the deadline to release the 2022 Budget from March 31, 2022 to April 30, 2022 on the grounds that it would better reflect the economic effects of reopening.
• Provide companies in Ontario and Canada with greater business opportunities through public procurements (disclosure: the GNCC has lobbied for Ontario public procurement to provide greater opportunities for Ontario SMEs and suggested that efficiency-oriented mass-purchasing by the government necessarily freezes small businesses out of procurement contracts)
• Pilot a program that allows eligible car dealerships to register new vehicles online, and issue permits and plates (disclosure: the GNCC has lobbied for online car dealership vehicle registration and permitting)

Click here to learn more.

St. Catharines calls for additional market vendors for 2022 spring and summer market

The St. Catharines Farmer’s Market is calling for additional vendors for the 2022 spring and summer market, as well as interested musicians to apply to perform in this year’s Music in the Square series.

Farmer’s Market vendors and producers can apply for a market stall at stcatharines.ca/vendorapplication anytime before Mar. 14 to receive priority screening.

Musicians who are interested in applying for a spot at the market can apply at stcatharines.ca/musicianapplication. The deadline for applications is Mar. 7. Musicians who have previously applied do not need to re-apply, however, they do need to contact organizers to discuss availability.

Further details on the market, including a list of existing vendors, rules and regulations, selection criteria and market stall rental rates can be found online at www.stcatharines.ca/farmersmarket.

Grimsby Digital Main Street Service Squad program ends next week

The Town of Grimsby’s Digital Main Street Service Squad program ends February 28, 2022. This is the last chance for local brick-and-mortar businesses to take advantage of a free digital assessment and one-on-one digital support.

Since July 2021, Grimsby’s Digital Service Squad (DSS) member, Tianna Thomas, has connected with 97 local businesses owners who are eager to achieve their digital goals. Services include one-on-one support for social media and email marketing, branding, video creation and product photography, 360˚ photos of your business location, Google My Business listing and website improvements, and e-commerce setup (ShopHERE).

Local businesses who are interested in learning more about Digital Main Street and the Service Squad are encouraged to email Tianna (tthomas@grimsby.ca) before February 28^th.

Fort Erie Urgent Care Centre reopens Feb. 23

The Fort Erie Urgent Care Centre will fully reopen to provide 24/7 service beginning Wednesday, February 23, 2022 at 8 a.m. In early January, Niagara Health made the difficult decision to temporarily close the Fort Erie Urgent Care Centre to redeploy emergency-trained staff and physicians to Emergency Departments where they were most needed.

Niagara Health also wants to remind the community that there are different levels of care available in Niagara depending on their needs.

Learn more at www.NiagaraHealth.on.ca/KnowYourOptions.

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