In this edition:
Canada announces $68.5 million in relief support for southern Ontario tourism
Ontario expanding fourth-dose eligibility
Ontario announces PPE stockpiling legislation
Fort Erie appoints new CAO
Town of Lincoln will continue to expedite patio extensions and tent rentals throughout 2022
Gap in disposable income between rich and poor grows, remains below pre-pandemic level
Government of Ontario to announce hydrogen strategy with Atura Power
Government of Canada announces $68.5 million in relief support for southern Ontario tourism sector
Today, the Honourable Helena Jaczek, Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario), announced a Government of Canada investment of $68.5 million to support Indigenous Tourism Ontario and 11 Regional Tourism Organizations (RTOs) in southern Ontario.
The Tourism Partnership of Niagara will receive $8.5 million as part of this investment – the second-largest after the $10 million earmarked for the Toronto Convention & Visitor Association.
To learn more, visit FedDev Ontario’s web page. Applications will open in the coming weeks. Visit your local RTO or ITO website to learn more about eligibility and how to apply.
Ontario expanding fourth-dose eligibility
The Ontario government, in consultation with the Chief Medical Officer of Health, is expanding eligibility for fourth doses of the COVID-19 vaccine to individuals aged 60 and over as well as First Nation, Inuit and Métis individuals and their non-Indigenous household members aged 18 and over starting on April 7, 2022. Expanding booster eligibility will provide an extra layer of protection against the Omicron and BA.2 variants.
Starting on Thursday, April 7 at 8:00 a.m., eligible individuals will be able to book their fourth dose appointment through the COVID-19 vaccination portal or by calling the Provincial Vaccine Contact Centre at 1-833-943-3900, directly through public health units that use their own booking systems, through Indigenous-led vaccination clinics, participating pharmacies, and participating primary care settings. Booster doses are being offered to these individuals at a recommended interval of five months after receiving their last booster.
Ontario announces PPE stockpiling legislation
The first legislation of its kind in Canada, the Personal Protective Equipment Supply and Production Act, 2022 (PPESPA) will impose requirements for the province to maintain a significant minimum level of critical goods, ready to be deployed to withstand the challenges of extraordinary events without having to rely on unstable foreign supply. A part of Ontario’s Plan to Stay Open, the PPESPA will shore-up the domestic production of critical supplies.
Fort Erie appoints new CAO
Fort Erie Mayor Wayne Redekop, on behalf of Town Council, is pleased to announce that Chris McQueen has accepted the position of CAO (Chief Administrative Officer) for the Town of Fort Erie. The Recruitment Committee tasked with hiring the new CAO consisted of Mayor Redekop, Councillor Butler and Councillor McDermott.
Chris McQueen will take over the position from the current Interim CAO Jonathan Janzen on May 2, 2022. Chris is currently the Vice President, Operations at Vineland Research & Innovation Centre, and holds a Masters in Business Administration from Wilfrid Laurier University and a Bachelor of Science from McMaster University.
Town of Lincoln will continue to expedite patio extensions and tent rentals throughout 2022
The Town of Lincoln will once again be fast-tracking seasonal tent requests and temporary patio approvals for restaurants, bars, and wineries to help strengthen economic recovery and support an “Open for Business” message throughout the Town of Lincoln.
With the Province moving towards a post-pandemic environment, the Town of Lincoln staff would like to provide the utmost support for Lincoln’s tourism and hospitality sector, to support recovery and economic growth. Staff will provide a quick turnaround for tent permits and temporary patio extensions, with an expected approval within 24-48 hours. Application fees for the 2022 temporary patio program will be waived to support Lincoln’s tourism and hospitality sector further.
Tourism and hospitality operators looking to expand or create temporary patios can contact Matt Bruder, Director, Planning and Development, at mbruder@lincoln.ca.
Gap in disposable income between rich and poor Canadians grows slightly but remains below pre-pandemic level
Household disposable income grew at a slower pace for lower income households than those with higher incomes in 2021. As a result, the gap between the highest and lowest income households—calculated as the difference between the top two and bottom two quintiles’ respective shares of total disposable income—increased by 0.2 percentage points, from 40.6% in 2020 to 40.8% in 2021. Despite this recent increase in the disposable income gap, it remains well below levels observed prior to the pandemic (44.4% in 2019).
Government of Ontario to announce hydrogen strategy with Atura Power
Atura Power is pleased to share that tomorrow morning, they will announce the results of a recent feasibility study and the selected site for the first large-scale green hydrogen production facility in Ontario.
Atura Power will be joined by Ontario Minister of Energy Minister Todd Smith and Ontario Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks David Piccini as they announce the province’s hydrogen strategy.
The event will take place at 9:30am EST, Thursday, April 7th, 2022. If you would like to watch the event live, please connect with this link on Thursday. If you’re unable to tune in, the news release will be posted to aturapower.com after the event.
Reading Recommendations
The labour shortage isn’t over — and employers are having to lower their hiring expectations
CBC News
According to a recent survey of 510 Canadian hiring decision-makers, one in four employers have hired someone they normally wouldn’t have due to a shortage in workers. The survey was conducted between Nov. 10 and Dec. 2, 2021 on behalf of staffing agency Express Employment Professionals.
Even so, with employers outbidding each other on pay, Omond says it’s really easy to lose workers for a slight pay bump elsewhere. “There’s just no loyalty anymore,” he said.
The labour shortage that took off during the pandemic is far from over. According to Statistics Canada, there were 915,500 unfilled positions in the fourth quarter of 2021. That’s up by 63 per cent compared to 2020.
Jobs are also staying vacant for longer, with almost half of vacancies remaining unfilled for 60 days. In 2020, 36 per cent of job openings stayed vacant for that long.
Some of the hardest to fill occupations include servers, construction labourers and social workers.
Update on Ukraine
Government of Ontario offers support for Ukrainian refugees to access help and find work
Government of Ontario
The Ontario government is launching a suite of supports for Ukrainian families arriving under the new emergency travel authorization, including a dedicated hotline (1-888-562-4769) and email address (ukrainianjobs@ontario.ca) to connect new arrivals with job search supports and local employers in the community.
The suite of supports available to Ukrainian newcomers arriving under the new federal travel authorization also includes:
- Access to Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP) coverage
- Access to drug benefits for Ukrainians through OHIP eligibility or receiving emergency income assistance
- Access to emergency housing through settlement service agencies and Ukrainian community organizations
- Ensuring Ukrainian elementary and secondary school students can attend publicly funded schools for free
- Trauma-informed counselling and culturally responsive supports to students and families as well as the promotion of intercultural understanding and awareness of Ukrainian stories and history
- Support for persons who have been admitted to Canada on an emergency basis for humanitarian reasons studying at Ontario’s publicly assisted colleges and universities
- Financial support of up to $28,000 through our province’s Second Career Program, for those who apply and are eligible, for basic living allowances, tuition, transportation, and other critical needs.
U.S. hits Russia with ‘war crimes’ sanctions, Europe following
CTV News
The U.S. rolled out a new wave of financial sanctions on Wednesday against Russia that President Joe Biden said would place a lasting penalty on the country’s economy.
The United Kingdom quickly followed suit, and more pain was coming from the European Union as the allies pressed forward with an escalating campaign to tighten the economic screws on Russian President Vladimir Putin for “war crimes” in Ukraine.
Making it personal, the U.S. sanctions singled out the Putin’s family, targeting his two adult daughters in addition to blocking two key Russian banks.
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.
