In this edition:
- Canadian and U.S. negotiators race to avert 50% tariffs before midnight deadline
- Niagara farmers seek provincial help after devastating floods
- Niagara governments allocated $31.3 million in federal infrastructure funding
- Canadian businesses brace for 50% U.S. tariffs as Aug. 19 deadline nears
- Niagara Parks still reviewing competing observation wheel proposals
- Federal government moves to repeal EV sales mandate
- Niagara to host Taekwondo Ontario championships in 2026 and 2027
- St. Catharines flood supplies run out as hundreds seek assistance
- Focus on Canada-U.S. Business
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Picture credit: Valerii Evlakhov / Adobe Stock
Canadian and U.S. negotiators race to avert 50% tariffs before midnight deadline
Canadian and U.S. negotiators are expected to meet again Tuesday as Ottawa tries to prevent new 50% tariffs on roughly $30 billion in Canadian goods from taking effect Wednesday. Prime Minister Mark Carney is also expected to speak with U.S. President Donald Trump as negotiations come down to the final hours.
Picture credit: nejdetduzen / Adobe Stock
Niagara farmers seek provincial help after devastating floods
Niagara farm organizations are asking Ontario for changes to crop insurance, drone-spraying rules, temporary foreign worker housing deadlines and access to AgriRecovery following two major floods. Growers say disease pressures, lost plants and unharvested crops could make recovery a long-term challenge.
Picture credit: amazing studio / Adobe Stock
Niagara governments allocated $31.3 million in federal infrastructure funding
Niagara Region and its 12 local municipalities are scheduled to receive approximately $31.3 million through the federal Build Communities Strong Fund in 2026-27. Allocations include $15.7 million for Niagara Region, $4.5 million for St. Catharines and $3.1 million for Niagara Falls.
Picture credit: Allison / Adobe Stock
Canadian businesses brace for 50% U.S. tariffs as Aug. 19 deadline nears
Some Canadian businesses say the threatened 50% U.S. tariffs could make cross-border shipments uneconomical and sharply reduce sales. The new duties would cover about $28 billion in Canadian products and, unlike many earlier tariffs, would apply even to goods that comply with CUSMA.
Picture credit: HOCO Ltd.
Niagara Parks still reviewing competing observation wheel proposals
Niagara Parks says it is still reviewing both its procurement process for an observation wheel in Queen Victoria Park and HOCO Ltd.’s proposal to expand the existing Niagara SkyWheel. The latter would create Canada’s tallest observation wheel through private investment rather than adding a second wheel near the falls.
Photo credit: NVB Stocker / Adobe Stock
Federal government moves to repeal EV sales mandate
Ottawa has formally proposed repealing its electric-vehicle sales mandate, which would have required EVs to reach 20% of new vehicle sales this year and 100% by 2035. The government plans to replace it with tougher vehicle-emission standards, but consultations will not begin until the fall.
Picture credit: Sport Niagara
Niagara to host Taekwondo Ontario championships in 2026 and 2027
Sport Niagara has secured the Taekwondo Ontario Provincial Championships for Canada Games Park in October 2026 and October 2027. Hundreds of athletes, coaches, officials and families are expected to travel to Niagara for the events, generating activity for the region’s tourism, hospitality and local business sectors.
Picture credit: knelson20 / Adobe Stock
St. Catharines flood supplies run out as hundreds seek assistance
Two hundred dehumidifiers and cleaning kits intended for St. Catharines flood victims were gone shortly after distribution began Monday, as demand overwhelmed available supplies. The city is seeking additional materials while 605 households are now registered for vulnerable-assistance support following July and August flooding.
Focus on Canada-U.S. Business
Opinion: Canada’s tough talk is not reality-based
Harry Marguiles, Financial Post
After a hiatus following last year’s federal election, Canada seems to have rediscovered the joys of talking tough to America. Ontario Premier Doug Ford suggests we could “shut down” the United States by restricting electricity exports.
Really?
Canada could certainly make life uncomfortable in parts of the United States. But causing discomfort doesn’t automatically win you an economic confrontation. The Americans can inflict far more economic damage on us than we can on them. The two countries’ relationship is not symmetrical. Pretending otherwise does not make it so. Prime Minister Mark Carney appears to understand this. He says using electricity as a threat against the United States would be unwise — which is true.
It may also be clever negotiation. By publicly rejecting the use of electricity as a weapon, Carney appears responsible and reasonable while also ensuring Washington understands Canada has an important economic lever it could, in extremis, pull. Showing we have leverage while emphasizing we choose not to use it recklessly is much defter than threatening to “shut down” America.
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.
