In this edition:
- Gale family sells gas bar empire
- NC teaching distillery takes two gold, one bronze medal in U.S. championship
- Port Colborne moving ahead with plans for daycare at former visitor centre
- Thorold launches new tourism website
- Bob Gale reappointed as Chair of the Niagara Parks Commission
- Rail transport revenues rise for third year despite strikes and fires
- PEI introduces legislation to reduce interprovincial trade barriers, B.C. premier tells government to cancel American contracts
- Gas prices tumble for third week; deeper discounts expected as oil drops to four-year low
- Ontario collects $260,000 from one-day electricity surcharge on U.S. exports
- Focus on Climate
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Picture credit: Gales gas bar
Gale family sells gas bar empire
It’s the end of an era. After serving the Niagara Region for over 58 years, the Gale family has decided to sell their empire of gas bars.
“It is with a great deal of emotion that I would like to announce the sale of Gales Gas Bars and Bob’s Fast & Fresh Convenience,” writes Jessica (Gale) Friesen, on Facebook. “For the past 58 years my family has led this organization through good times and challenging times. I am confident that this decision is what is right for this company, and for my family.”
Head Distiller David Dickson and Assistant Distiller Ian Bickle with NC Teaching Distillery’s latest medal-winning spirits | Picture credit: Niagara College
NC teaching distillery takes two gold, one bronze medal in U.S. championship
Three Niagara College Teaching Distillery Spirits 101 products have won medals at the 2025 U.S. Open Spirits Championship: Absinthe and Spiced Old Fashioned both won gold – in the Specialty Spirits and Bottled Cocktails categories, respectively – while Canadian Rum captured bronze in the Spiced/Flavoured Rum category.
“The awards for our Teaching Distillery are a testament to the outstanding applied education that continues to set Niagara College apart,” said Marc Nantel, PhD, Vice President, Research, Innovation and Strategic Enterprises.
Picture credit: bernardbodo / Adobe Stock
Port Colborne moving ahead with plans for daycare at former visitor centre
Port Colborne is moving ahead with plans to build a new daycare facility at the former visitor centre following months of community feedback and concerns over child care shortages.
Council approved a recommendation this week to proceed with a two-phase project to address what officials say is a growing need for child care spaces in the city.
Picture credit: Wilding / Adobe Stock
Thorold launches new tourism website
The City of Thorold has launched a new Thorold Tourism website. This platform is designed to promote Thorold’s rich cultural heritage, highlight the unique attractions that make the community special, and provide visitors with a comprehensive guide to all that Thorold has to offer.
Left to right: David Adames, CEO, Niagara Parks Commission; the Hon. Sam Oosterhoff, M.P.P.; Niagara Parks Commission Chair Bob Gale; the Hon. Stan Cho, M.P.P. | Picture credit: Niagara Parks Commission
Bob Gale reappointed as Chair of the Niagara Parks Commission
The Niagara Parks Commission has announced the reappointment of Bob Gale as Chair of its provincially appointed Board of Commissioners for a three-year term, effective Friday, April 11, 2025.
Photo credit: IanDewarPhotography / Adobe Stock
Rail transport revenues rise for third year despite strikes and fires
In 2023, operating revenues for the Canadian rail transportation industry rose 2.5% year over year to reach $20.9 billion. This marks the third consecutive year of growth.
Despite wildfires in June 2023 and labour disruptions at Canada’s West Coast ports in July, freight revenues increased 3.2% from 2022 to $18.8 billion. In 2023, freight revenues accounted for 90.1% of the rail industry’s total operating revenues.
Picture credit: Negro Elkha / Adobe Stock
PEI introduces legislation to reduce interprovincial trade barriers, B.C. premier tells government to cancel American contracts
Prince Edward Island has introduced legislation aimed at reducing barriers to interprovincial trade and labour mobility.
The bill is similar to legislation passed by Nova Scotia last month, and it will allow the Island to accept standards on goods coming from a Canadian jurisdiction that passes the same type of bill, and permit P.E.I. regulatory bodies to recognize licensed professionals who are properly certified in a reciprocating Canadian province or territory within 10 business days of receiving an application.
Meanwhile, British Columbia Premier David Eby said that B.C.’s Crown corporations, ministries and health authorities have been told to cancel American contracts “wherever viable,” in the province’s latest move to cut reliance on goods from the United States.
Image credit: Fxquadro / Adobe Stock
Gas prices tumble for third week; deeper discounts expected as oil drops to four-year low
Canada’s gas price average fell sharply for a third consecutive week, according to data from Kalibrate. Pump rates for regular fuel dropped in virtually every major city nationwide.
The average price per litre slid 9.1 per cent between April 3 and April 10. Kingston, Ont. led the declines, as prices there tumbled nearly 27 per cent. The next largest discounts were in Sarnia, Ont. and Vancouver.
Photo credit: digidreamgrafix / Adobe Stock
Ontario collects $260,000 from one-day electricity surcharge on U.S. exports
Ontario collected about $260,000 from the one day an electricity surcharge was in effect on exports to the United States, Energy Minister Stephen Lecce’s office said Friday.
Premier Doug Ford announced on March 10 that Ontario was placing a 25-per-cent surcharge on electricity the province sends to 1.5 million homes in three states as one retaliatory measure against tariffs imposed on Canadian goods by U.S. President Donald Trump.
Focus on Climate
Global breakthrough to tackle shipping emissions
Countries have agreed a global deal to tackle shipping emissions, after nearly ten years of negotiations.
The agreement covers the vast majority of the world’s commercial shipping and means that starting in 2028, ship owners will have to use increasingly cleaner fuels or face fines.
The deal was nearly derailed after Saudi Arabia forced a last minute vote and the US pulled out of talks in London – but it eventually passed on Friday.
Shipping accounts for around 3% of global emissions. But unlike many other sectors it has struggled to reduce its carbon footprint over the last decade and is reliant on fossil fuels like diesel.
But the agreement means it is now the first industry in the world with internationally mandated targets to reduce emissions.
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.
