Government of Canada legalizes single-wager sports betting
Today, the Honourable Filomena Tassi, Minister of Labour, along with Irek Kusmierczyk, Member for Windsor—Tecumseh, on behalf of the Honourable David Lametti, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, highlighted that Criminal Code amendments relating to single event sport betting will come into force on August 27, 2021. The amendments to paragraph 207(4)(b) of the Criminal Code received Royal Assent on June 29, 2021.
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Ontario releases 2021–22 First Quarter Finances
While uncertainty related to the pandemic and the future pace of economic recovery remains, since the 2021 Budget private sector real gross domestic product forecasts for 2021 have been revised significantly upwards, reflecting significant progress on COVID-19 vaccinations and stronger than expected United States and global growth. In its first fiscal and economic update since the 2021 Budget, the government is projecting a deficit of $32.4 billion in 2021-22, an improvement of nearly $700 million from the outlook presented in the 2021 Budget.
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City of Welland sells 31 acres of surplus lands for development
The City of Welland has accepted an offer to purchase surplus city-owned land located at 469 Rice Road (formerly the location of the Welland Soccer Club). The development will feature future various housing types, including single-detached, semi-detached, townhouses, and multiple dwellings. A minimum density of 50 residents and jobs combined per hectare is required. The City will transfer proceeds from the sale into the Youngs Sports Complex (YSP) Sustainability Reserve.
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Canadian Chamber says governments must get ahead of fourth wave right now
The Canadian Chamber of Commerce is asking governments to urgently undertake four actions within our grasp to avoid future lockdowns:
- Digital vaccination certificates
- Business operations and vaccination status disclosure
- Rapid testing
- Vaccine uptake
Businesses, Canadians and governments have all worked hard to bring us close to the finish line. Another lockdown will be the final nail in the coffin for thousands of small businesses, especially in the hardest-hit sectors.
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Ontario to provide incentives to PSWs and nurses for retirement home work
The Ontario government is investing more than $2M over two years to provide new and recently hired personal support workers (PSWs) and nurses with financial incentives to encourage them to work in retirement homes. Through this initiative, PSWs will receive an incentive payment of $5,000 for a six-month commitment and nurses will receive $10,000 for a one-year commitment to work in a retirement home.
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One in four Canadian women report inappropriate sexualized behaviour at work
In 2020, one in four women (25%) and one in six men (17%) reported having personally experienced inappropriate sexualized behaviours in their workplace during the previous year. Inappropriate sexualized behaviours include inappropriate verbal or non-verbal communication, sexually explicit materials, and unwanted physical contact or suggested sexual relations.
One in ten women (10%) personally experienced workplace discrimination based on gender, gender identity or sexual orientation in the year prior to the pandemic, compared with less than one in twenty men (4%).
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Heat warning for Niagara continues
Hot and humid conditions are expected to continue today. Maximum temperatures will reach 28 to 31 degrees Celsius, with humidex values near 40. Cooler and less humid air is expected Friday.
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Scam Warning – Gift Cards
The Niagara Regional Police Service would like to warn members of the public about frauds involving people claiming to be bank representatives.
Always be wary of anyone asking for gift cards, Bitcoin or anything unusual as a form of payment or financial assistance. Scammers are able to spoof emails and phone numbers so they can pretend to be someone the victim knows.
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Reading Recommendations
B.C. orders mandatory COVID-19 vaccination for workers in assisted living and long-term care
CBC News
Everyone working in long-term care and assisted living in B.C. will now be required to be vaccinated against COVID-19.
Health officials announced Monday that a new public health order will make vaccination mandatory, and is a condition of employment for those working in those settings. They will need to be fully vaccinated by Oct.12, 2021.
Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said this will ensure all information on immunization status will be provided to the province for both residents and staff to assess risk and outbreak potential.
PM Trudeau expected to launch federal election on Sunday: sources
CTV News
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is expected to launch a federal election campaign this Sunday, with the vote set to be held as early as Sept. 20, sources have confirmed to CTV News.
After months of speculation over the prospect of a pandemic election, sources, speaking on a not-for-attribution basis, said that Trudeau is planning to visit Rideau Hall this weekend and ask Gov. Gen. Mary Simon to dissolve the 43rd Parliament and draw up the 338 writs, triggering a fall vote. However, sources indicated that it is still possible that the prime minister could adjust his plans.
Niagara COVID-19 statistics tracker
These data show the status of the COVID-19 pandemic in Niagara. The Province of Ontario is now using a provincewide approach to reopening, and these data no longer have any influence on Niagara’s restrictions. Lower numbers are better in all metrics.
| December 18 | December 25 | January 1 | January 8 | January 15 | January 22 | January 29 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reproductive number | 1.4 | 1.8 | 1.4 | 1.1 | 1.0 | 0.7 | 0.9 |
| New cases per 100,000 | 101.2 | 267.3 | 469.8 | 575.8 | 507.1 | 295.5 | 250.6 |
| New cases per day (not including outbreaks) | 60.7 | 178.7 | 311.7 | 376.9 | 325.4 | 182.7 | 145.7 |
| Percent of hospital beds occupied | 97% | 95.2% | 98.2% | 103.2% | 104.5% | 103.6% | 106% |
| Percent of intensive care beds occupied | 78.8% | 77.3% | 87.9% | 87.9% | 90.9% | 89.4% | 93.9% |
| Percentage of positive tests | 6.1% | 15.6% | 28.1% | 28.6% | 26.6% | 21.2% | 16.2% |
Last updated: August 7, 2021
Click here for definitions of terms used in this table.
There is currently 1 patient admitted to Niagara Health with COVID-19. There is currently 1 patient with COVID-19 in a Niagara Health Intensive Care Unit.
Data are drawn from Niagara Region Public Health and Niagara Health.
Niagara COVID vaccination tracker
Niagara’s most up-to-date vaccination numbers are presented below, along with comparison data from Ontario, Canada, and G7 countries.
| Percentage of population with one dose | Percentage of population fully vaccinated | |
|---|---|---|
| Niagara | 82.7% | 78.2% |
| Ontario | 84.6% | 79.1% |
| Canada | 84.7% | 78.6% |
| United States | 75% | 64% |
| United Kingdom | 78% | 72% |
| Germany | 76% | 74% |
| France | 80% | 77% |
| Italy | 83% | 76% |
| Japan | 80% | 79% |
| World | 63% | 53% |
Total doses administered in Niagara: 639,045
New daily doses administered to Niagara residents: 1,587
Last updated: August 12, 2021
Data are drawn from Niagara Region, the Government of Ontario, and Oxford University’s Our World in Data project.
Free rapid COVID-19 testing kits are now available to businesses. Visit gncc.ca/workplace-self-screening-kits to learn more and reserve kits for your organization.
Information on government grants, resources, and programs, policies, forms, and posters for download and use, are available here. The GNCC is here to support you. Contact us with any questions you have.
