In this edition:
- Niagara unemployment rate edges down while labour market participation drops
- Doug Ford’s wage restraint legislation is unconstitutional, appeal court finds
- Ontario invests additional $16.5M in Black Youth Action Plan
- 407 ETR warns customers to beware of scam using fraudulent phishing texts
- Reeling B.C. wineries turn to Ontario for help filling the gap
- Conservation Ontario and Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative sign Memorandum of Collaboration
- Skills Ontario’s Howcroft optimistic about trades growth, apprenticeship programs
- Government departments ignored management practices, failed to oversee ArriveCan app: Auditor General
- Focus on Retail
Niagara unemployment rate edges down while labour market participation drops
Niagara’s unemployment rate ticked downward from 7.3% to 7.2% in January, Statistics Canada reported, while the participation rate (the percentage of the population either working or actively seeking work) fell from 61.9% to 60.6%. The overall size of the labour force dropped to 235,300 as 4,500 net workers left the workforce.
National employment increased by 37,000 in January, following three months of little change. The employment rate fell 0.1 percentage points to 61.6%, as population growth (+0.4%) outpaced employment growth (+0.2%).
The unemployment rate fell 0.1 percentage points to 5.7%, the first decline since December 2022.
Click here to access Statistics Canada’s interactive Labour Force Survey app.
Doug Ford’s wage restraint legislation is unconstitutional, appeal court finds
In a victory for nurses, teachers and thousands of unionized public sector workers, Ontario’s top court has upheld a ruling that Premier Doug Ford’s wage restraint legislation is unconstitutional.
The Court of Appeal released a long-awaited decision Monday finding the Progressive Conservative government infringed upon Charter rights to collective bargaining with Bill 124.
Ontario invests additional $16.5M in Black Youth Action Plan
The Ontario government is investing an additional $16.5 million in the Black Youth Action Plan (BYAP) to continue supporting more than 20 community-based and culturally focused organizations with a proven track record of empowering Black children and families. The funding, through the BYAP’s Economic Empowerment stream, will help Black youth and young professionals develop skills to help launch their careers in high-demand sectors such as the skilled trades, information technology, automotive, health, film and the arts.
Click here to read more.
407 ETR warns customers to beware of scam using fraudulent texts phishing for payment
407 ETR has issued a warning about scammers sending fake payment requests via text messages.
The phishing scam involves text messages impersonating the company asking recipients to click on a payment link, according to the company.
While 407 ETR does issue payment reminder texts to customers who have an outstanding balance, the legitimate messages contain a link to 407 ETR’s secure website to pay, and never a direct payment link.
Reeling B.C. wineries turn to Ontario for help filling the gap
Some B.C. wineries, facing more crippling winter damage to wide swaths of vineyards, are looking east to Ontario for help.
Frank Neufeld, who owns and operates the Niagara Wine Exchange, sent an email to his list of customers asking if anyone can offer Niagara wine to select B.C. wineries. The wine exchange matches those who have wine to sell with those in need of it.
“I’m sure you heard about the second devastating frost that happened back in mid-January in the Okanagan Valley in B.C.,” Neufeld wrote.
Conservation Ontario and Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative sign Memorandum of Collaboration
At the recent Rural Ontario Municipal Association conference, Conservation Ontario and the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative (GLSLCI) Mayor’s Commission on Coastal Resilience signed a Memorandum of Collaboration to help communities prepare for increasing risks from flooding, erosion and severe storms along the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River Basin.
This initiative aims to maximize the impact of combined resources by working together on implementation strategies, communications, fundraising and to bridge gaps in science. With their extensive capacity and expertise, Conservation Authorities in Ontario are vital partners in bolstering coastal resilience and assisting shoreline communities in addressing climate change vulnerabilities and risks.
Skills Ontario’s Howcroft optimistic about trades growth, apprenticeship programs
Skills Ontario has entered 2024 buoyed by strong apprenticeship numbers and with a refreshed set of apprenticeship programs and initiatives to offer Ontario students, parents and educators.
Statistics Canada reported in December that Ontario recorded a sizable gain in the number of new apprenticeship registrations in 2022, up 7.2 per cent from the previous year, with the number of women across the country entering apprenticeships jumping 28 per cent.
It’s a positive sign says Skills Ontario CEO Ian Howcroft but it must be viewed in the context of Ontario’s need to add 100,000 new skilled trades workers this decade.
Government departments ignored management practices, failed to oversee ArriveCan app: Auditor General
Three federal government agencies failed to follow good management practices in the contracting, development, and implementation of the $59.5 million ArriveCAN application, Canada’s auditor general said today.
As a result, concluded Auditor General Karen Hogan, it did not deliver the best value for taxpayer dollars spent.
But Hogan also said the lack of documentation makes it almost impossible to find out the exact cost of all the work paid for the app.
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Focus on Retail
Optimize your store’s layout for retail theft prevention in 2024
Retail theft continues to be a significant challenge for retailers worldwide. In 2023, retail theft increased significantly along with fears of violence during theft. Small business owners should consider investing in loss-prevention strategies to keep their stores and employees safe.
In this blog post, we’ll explore the extent of the problem, common misconceptions about retail theft, and various strategies to minimize it.
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.
