In this edition:
- Region moves forward with Post-secondary Student Housing Strategy
- Brock Pow Wow to highlight ‘brilliance and beauty’ of Indigenous cultures
- Government of Canada to open new intake period for Youth Employment and Skills Program
- Tourism spending fell in Q3 2024, but still up year-over-year
- Ford floats election campaign over Ontario’s response to Trump tariffs
- CRA to continue with capital tax changes despite prorogation
- Focus on Retail
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Picture credit: sommart / Adobe Stock
Region moves forward with Post-secondary Student Housing Strategy
Niagara Region is working to improve housing for post-secondary students by supporting a new Post-secondary Student Housing Strategy.
“This work is aimed at unlocking our existing housing supply,” said Matt Robinson, Director of Partnerships and Communication at Niagara Region, “and by building partnerships with key interested parties, we can ensure that the recommendations outlined in the strategy are not only practical but also innovative.”
Picture credit: Brock University / supplied
Brock Pow Wow to highlight ‘brilliance and beauty’ of Indigenous cultures
A powerful community-building tradition will return to Niagara next week as the second annual Pow Wow gears up to bring a vibrant celebration of Indigenous music, dance and art to Brock University.
Hosted by the Brock Hadiya’dagénhahs First Nations, Métis and Inuit Student Centre, in association with the Office of the Vice-Provost, Indigenous Engagement, the free public gathering will take place Friday, Jan. 17 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the University’s Ian Beddis Gymnasium.
Picture credit: Seventyfour / Adobe Stock
Government of Canada to open new intake period for Youth Employment and Skills Program
Today, the Honourable Lawrence MacAulay, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, announced that applications will open for the Youth Employment and Skills Program (YESP) on January 27, 2025.
Supported by an investment of approximately $13.5 million, YESP is an initiative aimed at helping young Canadians access employment opportunities and gain valuable work experience in the agricultural sector, while contributing to the growth of the agricultural community here in Canada.
Photo credit: Maksym Yemelyanov / Adobe Stock
Tourism spending fell in Q3 2024, but still up year-over-year
Tourism spending in Canada declined 0.3% in the third quarter, following a 0.6% increase in the second quarter. Foreign tourism demand was down 2.7% in the third quarter, while domestic tourism demand increased 0.5%.
Much of the decline was caused by a 2.6% drop in accommodation services, but the number of jobs attributable to tourism was unchanged.
Photo credit: Eurasia Group
Ford floats election campaign over Ontario’s response to Trump tariffs
Premier Doug Ford further fuelled election speculation on Wednesday by saying he’d have to “put tens of billions of dollars” into the economy if the incoming United States president hits Canada with prolonged tariffs — but that he currently doesn’t have the electoral mandate to do that.
Picture credit: hyotographics / Adobe Stock
CRA to continue with capital tax changes despite prorogation
The federal government says the Canada Revenue Agency will continue to administer the capital gains tax, even though it hasn’t passed in Parliament, which is prorogued until March 24.
In a statement, the Canadian Chamber of Commerce demanded that the CRA be directed not to enforce this measure, saying that “it is inappropriate—and, by our analysis, unprecedented—for a government to continue to implement a tax change solely based on a Ways and Means motion.”
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Focus on Retail
Ricki’s and Cleo to close stores while Frank and Oak seeks creditor protection
The new year is off to a rough start for Canada’s retail industry, with two companies seeking creditor protection and closing stores while they consider how to move forward.
Comark Holdings Inc., which owns apparel brands Ricki’s, Cleo and Bootlegger, and UCG Canada Holdings Inc., which operates as clothing brand Frank and Oak, both made court applications in recent weeks designed to give them reprieve from creditors and the space to consider the future of their businesses.
Comark’s filing under the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act was paired with a decision to shutter all of its Ricki’s and Cleo locations, which sell women’s apparel that is often suited for office environments.
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.
