In this edition:

Mask requirements in high-risk settings extended until June
Early signs COVID transmission may be nearing peak
Express Entry draws to resume for skilled immigrants
Earth Day Around Niagara

Mask requirements in high-risk settings extended until June

The Chief Medical Officer of Health is maintaining existing provincial masking requirements in select higher-risk indoor settings until June 11, 2022.

Provincial masking requirements which were set to expire on April 27, 2022 are being extended in current settings until 12:00 a.m. on June 11, 2022, including:

• public transit;
• health care settings (e.g., hospitals, doctors’ offices, clinics that provide health care services, laboratories, specimen collection centres, and home and community care);
• long-term care homes;
• retirement homes; and
• shelters and other congregate care settings that provide care and services to medically and socially vulnerable individuals.

A complete list of settings where masking requirements continue to apply is available online.

Early signs COVID transmission may be nearing peak

In a statement today, the Chief Public Health Officer of Canada reported that, while there are early signs that transmission may be nearing a peak in some jurisdictions, it is still too soon to tell whether a possible increase in in-person contact rates during the long weekend could impact this trend. Although concerning, the recent rise of hospitalisation rates in several jurisdictions appears to be still manageable, with critical care currently trending at low levels.

Currently, over 5 million eligible Canadians need one or more doses to complete their primary series and many others are eligible to get a booster dose to help improve protection that may have decreased since their second dose and to provide even better protection against severe illness from Omicron. In particular, getting a booster dose if you are eligible, and especially for those aged 50 years of age or older, is very important, given the risk of severe illness increases with increasing age.

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Express Entry draws to resume for skilled immigrants

Today, the Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, announced that Express Entry draws will soon resume and that invitations for candidates to apply for permanent residence will begin in early July.

Travel restrictions throughout most of 2020 and 2021 delayed the processing of overseas applications, which led to an increase in the size of the processing inventory. As a result of a temporary pause, the federal high-skilled processing inventory has been cut by more than half, decreasing from approximately 111,900 people in September 2021 to just 48,000 people by March 2022. This inventory will be further reduced by July 2022, allowing a resumption of service.

Minister Fraser also announced today a new temporary policy that will give recent international graduates with expiring temporary status an opportunity to stay in Canada longer, so that they can continue to gain work experience and have a better chance at qualifying for permanent residency. Starting in summer 2022, former international students who are in Canada and have a post-graduation work permit expiring between January and December 2022 will qualify for an additional open work permit of up to 18 months.

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Earth Day Around Niagara

Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority

Community members can join the celebration in a variety of ways, including:

• Visiting an NPCA Conservation Area and enjoying a hike.
• Making the transition to reusable everyday items.
• Creating a water conservation plan at home.
• Planting a backyard pollinator garden using only native plants.
• Heading out on a neighbourhood litter cleanup or backyard scavenger hunt.
• Participating in local Earth Day activities and events.

The NPCA has partnered with Knight Archives for their Earth Day paper shredding initiative. From April 22 to May 22, residents can bring their paper for secure shredding or call 905-563-0847 to arrange pick-up. All proceeds from the 30 days will be used to plant trees at the Two-Mile Creek Conservation Area this spring.

A community favourite — the St. Johns Trout Pond Opening— will make a come back on Sat. April 23 at 10 a.m. The pond will open officially for the trout fishing season, and visitors are welcome to gather with family and friends for a fishing day or to enjoy a scenic hike through the conservation area.

The celebration will continue Saturday, with the Great Lakes Watershed Cleanup of West Niagara, hosted by the Grimsby Rotary Club and the Town of Grimsby. Community members are invited to volunteer from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. to clean up any area of their choice, with more than 15 to choose from, including the NPCA’s Beamer Memorial Conservation Area.

Volunteers can also participate in this Saturday’s Earth Day Planting at Malcolmson Eco-Park, hosted by the Friends of Malcolmson Eco-Park. Advanced registration is not necessary, but attendees should bring a shovel and be prepared to plant trees, work in the gardens, and help clean up the park.

St. Catharines

Spring cleaning enthusiasts and community champions are invited to join the City of St. Catharines to volunteer with cleanup events across the city this month.

The Clean City Advisory Committee is leading its annual cleanup event on April 23. The organizers are hosting formal cleanup events at two locations: the Lake Street QEW on-ramp, in the Best Western Parking Lot at 9 a.m., and the Ontario Street QEW on-ramp, at 9 a.m. in Henley Square parking lot.

Niagara Falls

This April 22nd, celebrate Earth Day with the City of Niagara Falls, the Park in the City Committee, and earthday.ca, by participating in a Community Clean-Up, starting at MacBain Community Centre (located at 7150 Montrose Road) from 3PM to 7PM.

Niagara-on-the-Lake

Saturday, April 23, at 10:00 a.m.: The Niagara on the Green spring cleanup. Volunteers are asked to meet at the Niagara on the Green Park. More information can be found here.

Friday, April 29, at 1:00 p.m.: The Village Community Association, clean up (34 Brock Street) with volunteers being asked to assemble at MacDonnell Road and Coley Lane.

Sunday, May 1, from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.: Love your Lakes at Queen’s Royal Beach clean up. More information can be found at https://www.agreenerfuture.ca/events

Reading Recommendations

Macklem won’t rule out super-sized rate hike

CBC News

With inflation showing no signs of abating despite hitting its highest level in more than 30 years, the head of the Bank of Canada opened the door to bigger and faster rate hikes to try to rein in the runaway increase in the cost of living.

Speaking from Washington, D.C., on Thursday, where he was attending meetings of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank Group as well as meetings of G7 and G20 central bank governors and finance ministers, Bank of Canada Governor Tiff Macklem didn’t rule out increasing the central bank’s benchmark interest rate by 50 basis points or more at its next policy meeting in June.

Like most central banks around the world, the Bank of Canada slashed its interest rate when the pandemic started in March 2020 in an attempt to assuage fears and make sure borrowing was as affordable as possible to encourage investment. Typically, central banks lower their interest rate to encourage borrowing and investing to stimulate a sluggish economy, and they raise rates to cool things down amid high inflation.

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Update on Ukraine

Russia-Ukraine war: what we know on day 58 of the invasion

The Guardian

Fears are growing for hundreds of civilians holed up in the Azovstal steel factory in Mariupol, with the last remaining, outgunned contingent of Ukrainian fighters. Russia’s defence ministry said it was ready to allow civilians to leave the steelworks if Ukrainian forces surrendered. But according to Petro Andryushchenko, an adviser to Mariupol’s mayor, Russian forces are continuing to drop bombs on the plant.

The Russian military official Rustam Minnekayev said Russia planned to take full control of Donbas and southern Ukraine as part of the second phase of its military operation. Russia intends to forge a land corridor between Crimea and Donbas, he said, adding that control of Ukraine’s south will give Russia another gateway to Moldova’s breakaway region of Transnistria.

The president of the European Council, Charles Michel, held a call with Vladimir Putin this morning. An EU official said Michel urged the Russian leader to engage directly with Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy. The Kremlin said Putin accused the Ukrainian side of being “inconsistent” in negotiations.

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