In this edition:
- Ontario invests $2.6m in free job training for newcomers to fill labour market gaps
- Niagara Region staff and public works committee recommend that Niagara not continue recycling collection past January
- Half of Canadian small businesses affected by BC ports strike; three quarters call on government to end it immediately
- Canada watchdog to probe complaints against Nike, Dynasty Gold on use of Uyghur forced labour
- Reading Recommendations: Finance & Economy
Ontario invests $2.6m in free job training for newcomers to fill labour market gaps
The Ontario government is investing $2.6 million in four free training projects to help more than 300 newcomers, including displaced Afghans and Ukrainians, find meaningful jobs with local employers. Ontario welcomes more immigrants than any other province each year, and research has shown that helping internationally-trained newcomers work in the professions they studied for could increase Ontario’s GDP by up to $100 billion over the next five years.
Niagara Region staff and public works committee recommend that Niagara not continue recycling collection past January
Niagara Region’s Public Works Committee has approved a staff recommendation to not ‘opt in’ to providing curbside collection of recycling from residences, facilities and public spaces after Niagara Region’s transition to the new Producer Responsibility Blue Box Program on Jan. 1, 2024. This is one of several decisions to be made by the Region tied to the Provincial regulation moving the obligation for residential recycling from municipalities to the Producers of products and packaging that end up in the recycling program.
The decision made at the July 11 Committee meeting, if approved by Council on July 20, will set the direction for responsibility of residential recycling collection to be removed from the Region and placed solely in the hands of Circular Materials Ontario. Circular Materials Ontario is the organization responsible for setting up contracts to collect and receive recycling materials across the province, on behalf of Producers. The decision was made due to potential risks with the agreements being offered by Circular Materials Ontario that would have seen the Region maintain responsibility as a recycling collection provider, on Circular Materials Ontario’s behalf, until Dec. 31, 2025. Beyond 2025, Producers take full control (operationally and financially) of the residential Blue Box program across Ontario.
Half of Canadian small businesses affected by BC ports strike; three quarters call on government to end it immediately
More than half of business owners (53 per cent) say the strike at the Port of Vancouver will affect their operations, according to preliminary survey results from the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB). Three quarters of businesses (75 per cent) are calling on the federal government to make ending the strike quickly a top priority.
While 16 per cent of businesses said the strike would have no impact on them, another 31 per cent are unsure of how it would affect them.
Canada watchdog to probe complaints against Nike, Dynasty Gold on use of Uyghur forced labour
The federal government agency responsible for monitoring human rights abuses arising from Canadian companies’ operations abroad will investigate Nike Canada Corp. and Dynasty Gold Corp., a junior gold miner, for allegedly benefiting from the use of Uyghur forced labour in their supply chains and operations in China.
The Canadian Ombudsperson for Responsible Enterprise (CORE) said neither company provided a satisfactory response to the allegations of forced labour made against them. As such, the ombudsperson, Sherri Meyerhoffer, decided investigations through independent fact-finding were warranted.
Did you know?
90% of all international trade is carried by ship.
Focus on Finance & Economy
From telecoms to grocers, competition concerns keep bubbling up in federal politics
As Canadians grow more concerned about rising inflation, competition across different sectors of the economy has become a “kitchen-table issue” at a time when the federal government is reviewing the competition law.
The country’s two largest newspaper chains, Postmedia and the owners of the Toronto Star, recently confirmed talks about a potential merger, signalling more consolidation in an industry that already has a limited number of players.
In a highly anticipated report about food inflation last week, the Competition Bureau called for more competition in the grocery sector, tying the higher prices to the limited options for consumers.
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.
