In this edition:
- Canada and U.S. remain apart on tariff deal ahead of Aug. 19 deadline
- CT REIT buys St. Catharines Canadian Tire property for $13 million
- Niagara Falls opens another round of flood-recovery waste support
- Grimsby expands waste collection for flood-affected residents
- Canada–Michigan trade weakened in 2025 as Ontario remained the corridor’s anchor
- Ontario new home sales jumped 130% in the second quarter
- Canadian building permits jumped 18.5% in June
- Canada–U.S. trade fell $1.9 billion from early 2024 to early 2026
- Ontario opens fourth round of $5-million emergency preparedness grant
- Focus on Finance & Economy
Did you know you can get the GNCC’s Daily Update emailed to you? Click here to sign up.
Picture credit: freshidea / Adobe Stock
Canada and U.S. remain apart on tariff deal ahead of Aug. 19 deadline
Canada is unsatisfied with the latest U.S. tariff offer, according to CBC sources, with negotiators still apart ahead of an Aug. 19 deadline for 50% tariffs on hundreds of Canadian goods. Washington has reportedly offered some sectoral tariff reductions while seeking access to Canadian critical minerals.
Picture credit: eugen / Adobe Stock
CT REIT buys St. Catharines Canadian Tire property for $13 million
CT REIT acquired a Canadian Tire store and Gas+ property near the Pen Centre for about $13 million, adding 52,400 square feet to its portfolio. The deal comes as Canadian retail properties remain highly occupied and lease-renewal rents continue rising.
Picture credit: JHVEphoto / Adobe Stock
Niagara Falls opens another round of flood-recovery waste support
Flood-affected Niagara Falls residents have until 3 p.m. Thursday to register for additional curbside waste collection scheduled for Aug. 17. Eligible residents can also receive waste-depot passes valid through Aug. 22. The program applies to residential properties, not businesses.
Photo credit: Town of Grimsby
Grimsby expands waste collection for flood-affected residents
Grimsby residents affected by recent flooding can access expanded waste services, including lifted garbage limits through Aug. 14, unlimited flood-related large items and waived Niagara Road 12 Landfill tipping fees through Aug. 15. Contractors can also transport eligible material for affected households.
Picture credit: WMrapids / CC0
Canada–Michigan trade weakened in 2025 as Ontario remained the corridor’s anchor
Michigan’s goods exports to Canada fell from US$24.4 billion in 2024 to US$20.9 billion in 2025, a Business Data Lab report finds. Ontario nevertheless supplied about 80% of Canadian exports to Michigan, underscoring the importance of the Windsor-Detroit corridor and Gordie Howe bridge.
Picture credit: Oleksandr / Adobe Stock
Ontario new home sales jumped 130% in the second quarter
Ontario recorded 8,410 new-home sales in the second quarter, up 130% year over year. Building industry groups attribute nearly all of the increase to the enhanced HST rebate, which provides eligible buyers with up to $130,000 in tax relief.
Picture credit: Francesco Scatena / Adobe Stock
Canadian building permits jumped 18.5% in June
The value of Canadian building permits rebounded 18.5% to $14.9 billion in June, led by a $1.8-billion increase in non-residential permits. Ontario drove much of the institutional growth, while residential construction intentions rose 6.3% nationally.
Picture credit: Lazy_Bear / Adobe Stock
Canada–U.S. trade fell $1.9 billion from early 2024 to early 2026
Canada-U.S. goods and services trade was $1.9 billion lower in the first quarter of 2026 than two years earlier. Canadian exports fell while imports edged higher, with two-way motor vehicle and parts trade dropping $6.7 billion and iron and steel trade declining 43.5%.
Picture credit: michelsass / Adobe Stock
Ontario opens fourth round of $5-million emergency preparedness grant
Ontario is opening another $5-million Community Emergency Preparedness Grant round for eligible municipalities under 100,000 people and other organizations. Funding can support generators, pumps, sandbagging equipment, radio systems, emergency operations centres and training. Applications run Aug. 19 to Oct. 7.
Focus on Finance & Economy
New podcast: KPMG Canada’s manufacturing survey broken down by Anamika Gadia
Anamika Gadia, Canadian Manufacturing
Anamika Gadia, Partner, Turnaround & Restructuring and National Leader, Industrial Markets at KPMG Canada, sat down with Canadian Manufacturing for a conversation around the company’s recent survey, showing manufacturers are increasingly considering a relocation to the U.S.
The survey of 275 manufacturers reportedly found that 57 per cent have paused, reduced or cancelled capital expenditure projects due to economic uncertainty and trade and tariff threats, while 42 per cent have scaled back or paused research and development spending. More than half (52 per cent) say they are currently operating in “endurance mode.”
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.
