In this edition:
- Canada to invest $.99m in wine growers
- Tam warns of flu upswing, new COVID-19 variants as viral triple threat continues
- PBO analysis says government could reap $4.4B from windfall tax in other sectors
- Five industries account for 80% of trade value: Statistics Canada
- How does climate change affect the grape and wine industry?
- St. Catharines sounds alarm over province’s proposed housing bill
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Your participation in our annual Business Confidence Survey is as important as ever. The results of the survey will inform the 2023 Ontario Economic Report: the landmark research platform of the OCC, offering a unique perspective on the experience of businesses of all sizes across the province.
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Canada to invest $.99m in wine growers
Today, Chris Bittle, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Canadian Heritage, and Vance Badawey, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Indigenous Services, announced on behalf of the Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, an investment of up to $990,866 to Wine Growers Canada.
The Canadian wine industry has over 800 winery establishments nationwide. While the wine industry continues to grow across the country, it is not immune to challenges, including climate change, labour shortages and supply chain issues.
This investment, under the AgriMarketing Program, will support Wine Growers Canada to further develop markets in North America, Europe and Asia, and increase awareness of and trust in Canadian-made wine to protect, maintain and enhance market access for Canadian wine producers.
Tam warns of flu upswing, new COVID-19 variants as viral triple threat continues
Canada’s top doctor is warning of “increased growth” in new COVID-19 variants and an upswing in seasonal influenza cases, just as a surge of respiratory syncytial virus inundates hospitals.
Chief public health officer Dr. Theresa Tam said Thursday in a virtual update that the triple threat of all three viruses is posing a challenge for the health system in several parts of the country and points to the need for “stepped up precautions.”
PBO analysis says government could reap $4.4B from windfall tax in other sectors
New analysis from the parliamentary budget officer suggests the federal government would pocket $4.4 billion in additional revenue if it extended the Canada Revenue Dividend to the oil and gas sector as well as big-box stores.
The dividend is a one-time 15 per cent windfall tax the Liberals plan to levy on excess profits made by banks and life insurers during the pandemic.
The PBO previously estimated that the dividend would bring in $3 billion in revenue from banks and life insurers over the next five years.
Five industries account for 80% of trade value: Statistics Canada
In 2020, exports and imports of commercial services were increasingly concentrated in five industries, with professional, scientific and technical services industries, information and cultural industries, finance and insurance industries, manufacturing industries and wholesale trade accounting for just over 80% of trade value.
By enterprise-size, small and medium enterprises continued to be responsible for a slightly higher share of Canada’s commercial services exports than large firms, while for imports, large firms accounted for the higher share. In addition, multinational enterprises accounted for three-quarters of all commercial services exports and 86% of all imports.
How does climate change affect the grape and wine industry?
St. Catharines sounds alarm over province’s proposed housing bill
The province’s More Homes Built Faster Act will have “severe” financial implications for St. Catharines and result in a loss of heritage buildings, environmental protections, design standards and accountability to the public, council heard this week.
St. Catharines director of planning and building services director Tami Kitay, with her department’s staff who showed up in solidarity, urged city councillors to champion the abolishment of Bill 23.
“There is nothing in this bill that advances more homes to be built faster or more affordability. Instead, this bill perpetuates a transfer of profit to the development industry at the expense of community,” Kitay said Monday night.
Focus on Equity, Diversity and Inclusion
How diversity and inclusion drive business transformation
Business leaders today recognize that agility and adaptability are essential to long-term success. To achieve that agility, companies must overcome organizational inertia, constantly looking for ways to reshape behaviors in order to promote a learning mindset. Strategies to implement change include process redesign initiatives, technology innovation centers and design thinking workshops that embrace psychological safety.
While these measures can have an impact, they’re often limited by the experiences of those involved. In other words, the perspectives of the people being asked to drive change have been shaped within the confines of the rigid and inefficient modes of operation that need changing.
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.
