In this edition:
- Dr. Moore: Ontario past the peak of respiratory illness season
- Payroll employment held steady in November
- Government of Canada launches new intake model for zero-emission vehicle infrastructure funding
- Montreal ‘smart factory’ aims to demonstrate potential of warehouse automation
- New Town of Lincoln website offers user-friendly and inviting digital experience for all
Dr. Moore: Ontario past the peak of respiratory illness season
Today, Dr. Kieran Moore, Chief Medical Officer of Health, issued the following statement providing an update on the province’s progress responding to this year’s respiratory illness season:
“Thanks to the ongoing resilience and commitment of Ontarians, we are seeing a decline in respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), flu and COVID activity throughout the province.
“RSV trends are beginning to stabilize and decline, and after the annual 12-week flu season, the number of cases of flu peaked at the end of November, case rates continue to decline, and the impact on our communities, hospitals and intensive care units is improving.
“On the COVID front, key indicators are showing signs of improvement after a rise over the holiday period due to the BQ.1 variant and its sub-lineages.”
Dr. Moore nevertheless advised caution and vigilance due to the more transmissible XBB.1.5 variant of COVID-19, and strongly recommended Ontarians keep up-to-date with their vaccinations.
Payroll employment held steady in November
The number of employees receiving pay or benefits from their employer—measured as “payroll employees” in the Survey of Employment, Payrolls and Hours—remained essentially unchanged in November (+7,100), new data released today by Statistics Canada has revealed.
Payroll employment in the services-producing sector increased by 13,500 (+0.1%) in November. Gains were recorded in 10 of the 15 sectors, led by professional, scientific and technical services (+5,600; +0.5%), public administration (+4,800; +0.4%) and finance and insurance (+4,700; +0.6%), while retail trade (-18,200; -0.9%) recorded a decline.
Payroll employment in the goods-producing sector was little changed in November, with a gain recorded in construction (+4,300; +0.4%).
Government of Canada launches new intake model for zero-emission vehicle infrastructure funding
Today, the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Natural Resources, announced that the Government of Canada is now accepting applications from not-for-profit organizations, public institutions and governments to locally deliver federal funding from the Zero Emission Vehicle Infrastructure Program (ZEVIP). Applications will be accepted throughout 2023 and 2024. This is yet another step the government is taking to make electric vehicle (EV) charging more accessible for Canadians and to help install over 84,500 chargers where Canadians live, work and play.
This open application process is seeking eligible not-for-profit organizations, public institutions and governments to redistribute up to a maximum of $5 million of ZEVIP funding for local EV infrastructure including EV chargers. These organizations will redistribute a maximum of $100,000 per project to local partners for the installation of EV chargers in public places, on street, in multi-unit residential buildings, at workplaces, or for on-road vehicle fleets.
Montreal ‘smart factory’ aims to demonstrate potential of warehouse automation
As a robotic arm at a Montreal demonstration facility attempts to pick up a small box, it senses that it doesn’t have a good grip, puts the package down, adjusts and tries again.
The robot, at Deloitte Canada’s Smart Factory in Montreal, is not only operating on its own, picking differently sized items off a pallet, it’s also learning from the experience.
Deloitte, a business consulting firm, plans to bring clients to the facility — which it bills as the first of its kind in Canada — to show them what’s possible with new technologies and allow them to better adapt to labour shortages and supply chain disruptions.
New Town of Lincoln website offers user-friendly and inviting digital experience for all
The Town of Lincoln is thrilled to announce the launch of its new and improved website, Lincoln.ca.
The new Lincoln.ca is designed to showcase the vibrant and dynamic community of Lincoln and make it easier to find information about the programs and services offered by the Town. The new website also expands the Town’s online offerings and services to be more engaging and most importantly, improve customer experience. The Town will continue to expand its online services in the coming months, through the introduction of online permitting software and more interactive tools, which will be seamlessly incorporated into this new, modern website.
Focus on Business Law
Consider these factors to reduce the legal risk and costs when cutting jobs in manufacturing
Cutting jobs is not easy. Any missteps may add legal disputes and substantial costs on top of an already stressful situation. Here are some factors employers should consider to reduce legal risk exposure and potential costs.
First, consider whether you will temporarily lay off employees and call them back later or terminate them. Where employment agreements permit, temporary layoffs can help employers defer an actual termination until operational needs are better determined.
When selecting employees to terminate, have proper and objective criteria for the selection, such as level of pay, length of service, positions, discipline records, skill sets, etc. Subjective or improper criteria may create risks of human rights claims.
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.
