In this edition:
- Atlas Steels waste site to transform into Vista Park
- ‘It will be shock and awe to businesses,’ Niagara BIAs say as recycling service ends in 2025
- Councillors propose 14 changes to Welland mayor’s 2026 budget
- St. Catharines to offer free weekday downtown parking for December
- Ontario carbon monoxide alarm rules changing January 1, 2026
- Unfilled job rate for health-related occupations nearly tripled between 2016 and 2024, report shows
- S&P Global Canada Manufacturing PMI shows continued downturn in operating conditions
- OBCT launches anti-discrimination, anti-harassment training program
- Ontario exempting training centres from municipal and planning laws
- Focus on Retail
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Delta4 Digital Merges with Hughes&Co to form Niagara’s Largest Digital and Creative Firm
Hughes&Co and Delta4 Digital have officially merged to form a single, expanded agency under the Delta4 Digital brand, creating the largest combined creative and digital team in Niagara. This merger brings together unmatched strategic, creative, and technical capabilities to strengthen Niagara’s role in Canada’s creative economy.
Hughes&Co has long been recognized for its strategy-led creative work, delivering campaigns that drive measurable growth without compromising design integrity or bold ideas. Delta4 Digital has been a leader in digital engineering, product design, UX, and enterprise-level development, powered in part by the proprietary Tymbrel CMS. Together, the merged agency offers a fully integrated solution built for scale, performance, and innovation.
“This merger gives us the scale to do even more,” said Allie Hughes, Hughes&Co Founder and Chief Strategy Officer, Delta4 Digital. “By bringing our teams together, we’re unlocking creative and technical strength that moves brands forward faster.”
Featured content by Hughes&Co
Picture credit: City of Welland
Atlas Steels waste site to transform into Vista Park
What was once an unsecured waste dump for former Atlas Specialty Steels — now sealed beneath layers of soil and tightly regulated — could soon become Vista Park, complete with walking trails, grass berms and scenic lookout points.
Picture credit: Curto / Adobe Stock
‘It will be shock and awe to businesses,’ Niagara BIAs say as recycling service ends in 2025
In the fall, Niagara Region councillors confirmed in a vote not to continue recycling services for more than 4,000 properties across Niagara. After Dec. 31, downtown property owners will have an unenviable choice: hire a contractor to remove the material, dump the stuff into the trash or truck it to a depot.
Businesses will continue to receive curbside waste and organic collection from the Region.
Picture credit: City of Welland
Councillors propose 14 changes to Welland mayor’s 2026 budget
Graham Speck wants to remove the $1.3-million Welland Civic Square plaza revitalization project from Mayor Frank Campion’s proposed 2026 budget.
It’s one of two amendments the Ward 5 councillor is bringing to city council’s special Wednesday meeting.
Photo credit: City of St. Catharines
St. Catharines to offer free weekday downtown parking for December
Picture credit: gabort / Adobe Stock
Ontario carbon monoxide alarm rules changing January 1, 2026
Starting January 1, 2026, the Ontario Fire Code will require carbon monoxide (CO) alarms on every floor of homes and buildings with a fuel-burning appliance, fireplace, or attached garage. These changes aim to help people detect carbon monoxide sooner and stay safer from this invisible, dangerous gas.
Photo credit: makyzz / Adobe Stock
Unfilled job rate for health-related occupations nearly tripled between 2016 and 2024, report shows
From 2016 to 2024, the vacancy rate (the proportion of all positions that are vacant) for health-related occupations nearly tripled, increasing from 2.1% to 5.8%. The vacancy rate was generally higher for nursing occupations and personal support workers compared with other health occupations and was highest among licensed practical nurses, at 12.8% in 2024, new data from Statistics Canada shows.
Photo credit: 安琦 王 / Adobe Stock
S&P Global Canada Manufacturing PMI shows continued downturn in operating conditions
Canada’s manufacturing economy experienced a modest contraction in operating conditions during November amid quicker contractions in both output and new orders, S&P Global reported in the November Canada Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI).
Picture credit: Seventyfour / Adobe Stock
OBCT launches anti-discrimination, anti-harassment training program
Ontario Building and Construction Tradeswomen (OBCT) has announced the launch of their Anti-Discrimination and Anti-Harassment (ADAH) training program, calling on government, employers, unions, training centres and industry partners to adopt it as a core training requirement for jobsites.
Picture credit: adrian_ilie825/ Adobe Stock
Ontario exempting training centres from municipal and planning laws
Companies and unions building worker training centres using money from Ontario’s embattled Skills Development Fund could soon bypass planning laws, raising “significant concerns” for the province’s municipalities and opposition parties.
Focus on Retail
Price vs. patriotism: Holiday season a test for buy Canadian sentiment
Tara Deschamps, The Canadian Press
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.
