In this edition:
- Niagara’s living wage rises to $20.38 per hour, the biggest jump since 2020
- Stellantis workers vote to accept new deal
- Canadian restaurants struggle to survive, diners turn away from skyrocketing prices
- Anand invites stakeholders to provide input on strengthening supply chains
- Ontario’s plan to tax vaping products get support from two advocacy groups
- Business leaders say halted trade talks harm India and Canada
- Focus on Technology
Niagara’s living wage rises to $20.38 per hour, the biggest jump since 2020: report
The wage needed to make ends meet in Niagara rose to $20.38, a surge larger than any preceding rise since 2020, according to a new report.
The Ontario Living Wage report was released Monday by the Ontario Living Wage Network.
The report, which divides the province into 10 living wage regions defined by Statistics Canada’s concept of geographic regions, painted a picture of the wage needed for three specific households to afford basic goods and services: a family of four, defined as two parents aged 35, two children, ages 7 and 3; a single parent with a child, 7; and a single adult.
Stellantis workers vote to accept new deal
Stellantis workers have voted to accept a new collective agreement, a move that caps off Unifor’s 2023 auto contract negotiations, which have secured double-digit wage increases for employees at each of the Detroit Three automakers.
At the Windsor and Brampton Assembly plants, as well as the Etobicoke casting plant in Toronto, 60 per cent of votes cast were in favour of accepting the deal, Unifor announced Monday evening.
The ratification rate was 85 per cent or higher in other segments of Unifor’s membership in office and clerical, among others.
Canadian restaurants struggle to survive as survey finds diners turning away from skyrocketing menu prices
A staggering 51 per cent of restaurants in Canada are operating at a loss, compared to only 12 per cent before the pandemic, according to Restaurants Canada. And one of the main reasons may be found in a new report released Tuesday by Dalhousie University showing Canadians tightening their belts and not dining out altogether due to shrinking portions and ballooning menu prices.
The Agri-Food Analytics Lab survey of more than 5,500 Canadians found that 80 per cent said higher menu prices have influenced their dining-out choices, with eight per cent refraining from dining out altogether because of food costs. And nearly 90 per cent say they have become more budget-conscious when selecting a restaurant compared to a year ago.
Anand invites stakeholders to provide input on strengthening supply chains
Today, the Honourable Anita Anand, President of the Treasury Board, announced the launch of a public consultation on regulatory opportunities to improve the efficiency and resiliency of Canada’s supply chains.
The consultation is open on the Let’s Talk Federal Regulations platform until January 15, 2024, and seeks feedback on supply chain issues related to critical minerals, transportation, and border operations.
This consultation, part of the third round of the government’s Targeted Regulatory Reviews, will gather feedback from Canadians, businesses, and stakeholders on opportunities to strengthen and modernize Canada’s supply chains.
Ontario’s plan to tax vaping products get support from two advocacy groups
The price of vaping products is set to rise in Ontario, with the province planning to add a tax as a way to reduce the prevalence of vaping, particularly among young people.
Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy’s fall economic statement on November 2 contained an announcement that Ontario will be adding a provincial excise duty to vaping products, which would double the current federal duty rates.
The federal government implemented a tax last fall, and since then British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Newfoundland and Labrador and Nova Scotia have implemented provincial taxes.
‘Doesn’t make sense’: Business leaders say halted trade talks harm India and Canada
Business leaders continue to grapple with the economic uncertainty fostered by the rift between the Canadian and Indian governments, saying the suspension of free trade talks hurts both sides.
The heads of several commercial groups say the souring relationship marks a major hurdle to boosting bilateral trade beyond last year’s $20.9 billion in goods and services and deters Indian students from studying in Canada.
Relations between the two countries eroded after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told Parliament on Sept. 18 that New Delhi may have been involved in the killing of Canadian citizen Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Sikh independence activist.
Did you know?
Copper was the only metal known to humans for almost five thousand years.
Focus on Technology
As intelligent applications become more popular, here’s what product leaders need to know
Organizations struggling with oversight over employees’ mobile devices: Report
A report released today by enterprise software provider SOTI found that 52 per cent of organizations do not have the budget to ensure real-time visibility over their employees’ mobile devices, including phones, tablets, printers and other mobile solutions.
The report, which seeks to examine the state of the mobility industry amid accelerated digital transformation and increasingly dispersed workforces, surveyed 3,650 full-time or part-time IT workers across the U.S, Mexico, Germany, France, Sweden and more, including 350 in Canada.
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.
