Niagara College and Town of Lincoln Partner to Focus on Agri-Business

On January 28, Niagara College and the Town of Lincoln signed a formal memorandum of understanding that will see the municipality and college collaborate to explore, facilitate and support social and economic development. A main area of focus will be Niagara’s agri-business sector.

The partnership opens the door to collaborative ventures that leverage Niagara College’s world-leading research and educational capacities and Lincoln’s strong connections within the agri-business industry. Possible activities include joint research projects, seminars and lectures, community advancement initiatives, student placements and more, aimed at supporting economic development and creating hands-on learning for students.

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Nominations Open for T. Roy Adams Humanitarian of the Year Award

The prestigious, T. Roy Adams Humanitarian of the Year is awarded annually by Niagara Region to a current resident of Niagara to honour the memory of the late T. Roy Adams. Adams was an eminent Niagaran, well known throughout the Region, Canada, and abroad for his service to God, his country and his fellow citizens.

This is the 17th year of the Award. The recipient will be someone who best exemplifies Roy’s values and dedication to community service; a person who sees volunteerism as an integral part of their life.

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Join Habitat Niagara’s Board of Directors

Habitat for Humanity Niagara is seeking community-minded people who share the passion of the mission, vision and values of Habitat Niagara to join our Board of Directors. Experience in one of the following areas is considered an asset: Finance, Social Services, Homebuilding Construction, or Land Development.

Established locally in 1993, Habitat Niagara will be constructing its 65th home in Niagara by the end of this year, serving 71 families over the past 26 years, creating stable and secure housing for 258 children. Habitat for Humanity Niagara was recognized as one of Canada’s Top 100 Charities as captured by MoneySense’s Charity 100 for 2019. Please apply by February 28, 2019

Send your application to Mark Carl, CEO mark@habitatniagara.ca

Local Cable Station Opens the Vaults

From casino openings to celebrity interviews to historic announcements, local cable TV mainstay Jack Custers has seen it all in Niagara. And now he’s letting Niagara see it all again.

Starting Monday, he’ll be uploading vintage segments seen on YourTV Niagara over the past 30 years onto the station’s website at www.yourtv.tv/niagara. They’ll include fascinating clips not seen since their original broadcast, and watching them over has been a nostalgic joyride for Custers, YourTV’s manager of programming and community relations.

Read more in the Niagara Falls Review

Niagara District Airport Commission Members Wanted

St. Catharines is looking for three citizens to represent the city on the Niagara District Airport Commission. Applications are being accepted until 4 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 12, for four-year term appointments. Niagara District Airport is on Highway 55 in Niagara-on-the-Lake and is financially supported by St. Catharines, Niagara Falls and Niagara-on-the-Lake.

The airport commission manages the airport on behalf of the three municipalities and is made up of nine members. They are responsible for strategic direction, operating policies, developing and overseeing a budget and appointing the airport manager.

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Ontario CareerConnect Program Offers Wage Subsidy Opportunity

Employers in high-in-demand sectors offering full-time paid jobs could be eligible to receive a wage subsidy for hiring youth 30 or under for an Information or Communications Technology position. The program is offered by the The Information and Communications Technology Council (ICTC), a not-for-profit national centre of expertise for the digital economy.

This carefully designed wage subsidy program matches fast growth industries with young graduates and enables on-the-job learning path to potential full-time employment. The program has found success with employers; approximately 90% of participants have been retained by the employer after program completion.

Visit the website or email Meg Salvador for information

Fill the Pig, Feel Better Campaign Aids Children’s Mental Health

Adopting a piggy bank from any of Meridian Credit Union’s 17 Niagara locations in February can help Niagara children in need. Kim Rossi, director of philanthropy for Pathstone Mental Health, said there’s been a huge cry from the community for access to services for children. The Fill the Pig, Feel Better fundraiser aims to help that need.

Pathstone works to improve the quality of life for children, youth and families who are dealing with mental health challenges. The non-profit agency said mental illness in young children, pre-teens and adolescents is widespread and often goes undetected, and untreated.

Read more in the St. Catharines Standard

Alzheimer’s Walk Exceeds Goal by $25,000

With her family at her side, 85-year-old Ann Vanderzwet was one of hundreds of people who participated in the IG Wealth Management Walk for Alzheimer’s at Brock University on January 26. The walk, organized by the Alzheimer Society Niagara Region, raises funds for services for people who are living with the neurodegenerative disorder.

In the past, the organization has struggled to meet its goals and has occasionally fallen a few thousand dollars short of its targets. But this year, despite setting a substantially higher goal of $95,000, the organization managed to exceeded it — bringing in more than $120,000 through Sunday’s walk.

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Ontario Needs to Embrace the Greenbelt

Grape Growers of Ontario president Debbie Zimmerman says Ontario has more to gain by embracing greenbelt legislation, rather than looking for ways to circumvent it. “Supporting the greenbelt for us means giving us an economic leg up… It means supporting it to help growers and farmers within the greenbelt be economically sustainable,” she said.

Instead, the provincial government’s Restoring Ontario’s Competitiveness Act Bill 66 initially included a schedule that opponents say could have been used to skirt environmental protections such as the Greenbelt Act — until it was removed from the legislation last week in response to a public outcry.

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U.S. Lawmakers Don’t Want To Support Trump’s Steel Tariffs On Canada In USMCA

Some American politicians on both sides of the political divide won’t back the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement until President Donald Trump ends America’s punitive restrictions on steel and aluminum imports from Canada and Mexico, says a key congressional player in the unfolding North American trade drama.

“Key things in my discussions with members, Republicans and Democrats, is that they’re not really willing to consider this agreement until the steel and aluminum tariffs are ensured to be lifted off, including quotas,” said Texas Republican Kevin Brady on January 29 during a morning appearance at a trade conference in Washington.

Read more from the Huffington Post

Ontario’s Health and Safety Training Heading to 21st Century

The Government of Ontario is working to reduce burdens on job creators, as well as workers by improving training programs that certify those who promote health and safety at workplaces. The changes include promoting flexibility by allowing training to take place online, removing complicated rules and red tape, and providing more time for employers to schedule training.

“I am committed to creating fair and competitive processes for business, dynamic labour markets and safe workplaces for every worker in Ontario,” said Laurie Scott, Minister of Labour. “Our government will make Ontario Open for Business and Open for Jobs by making our province the best jurisdiction in North America to recruit, retain and reward the workers of today and tomorrow.”

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New Federal Government Program Promotes Northern Opportunities to Immigrants

In an effort to boost economic growth in rural and northern Canada, the federal government has launched a pilot program to attract immigrants to small, remote communities. On January 31, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada announced the start of the Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot, giving interested communities until March 1 to submit applications.

The goal of the program is to leverage public and private resources to spur growth in smaller centres in Ontario, Western Canada and the territories. They must partner with local economic-development organizations to submit an application, which must demonstrate how they meet the eligibility criteria and how immigration will support growth and development.

Read more in iPolitics

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