In this edition:
- Niagara College enhances clean energy training with provincial investment
- Niagara-on-the-Lake OK’s paying for cardboard recycling for some businesses
- Niagara Regional Police Service Invites Community to Be a #HolidayHero
- 13 young women entrepreneurs lose everything in Welland Avenue blaze
- Niagara Transit releases holiday schedule, including free rides and extended New Year’s Eve hours
- Niagara Region approves Waste Management and Water and Wastewater 2026 budgets
- Government of Canada extends steel tariff remissions
- Ontario’s multi-family component leads residential sector building permit increases
- Canadian ZEV sales down over 42% year-over-year
- Focus on Retail
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Picture credit: Niagara College
Niagara College enhances clean energy training with provincial investment
As demand for skilled clean-energy professionals grows, Niagara College and the Province of Ontario are investing in the training tools needed to prepare tomorrow’s workforce.
New, leading-edge instructional equipment has arrived at the Welland Campus, enhancing learning for students in the two-year Renewable Energies Technician program.
Picture credit: happycreator / Adobe Stock
Niagara-on-the-Lake OK’s paying for cardboard recycling for some businesses
Niagara-on-the-Lake town council has approved a contract that will keep recycling services operating for a limited number of businesses in the business district for a year.
Councillors agreed during their Tuesday meeting to spend about $63,000 for a cardboard recycling service in what they are calling a “temporary” solution for local businesses.
Photo credit: Niagara Regional Police Service
Niagara Regional Police Service Invites Community to Be a #HolidayHero
As the holiday season approaches, the Niagara Regional Police Service (NRPS) is once again calling on the generosity of our community to support local families in need through the annual #HolidayHero campaign.
Community members are invited to participate by purchasing gift cards, which will be used to sponsor families through Community Care’s holiday programs. Even a small contribution can make a significant impact on a child’s holiday experience.
Picture credit: Beauty BarOne
13 young women entrepreneurs lose everything in Welland Avenue blaze
More than a dozen young women entrepreneurs in the beauty industry have lost the home of their St. Catharines businesses and everything in them as a result of a million-dollar building blaze sparked by a lithium-ion battery.
An online fundraiser has been launched to help the tenants of Beauty BarOne at 437 Welland Ave. buy new equipment so they can continue to work.
Picture credit: Niagara Transit
Niagara Transit releases holiday schedule, including free rides and extended New Year’s Eve hours
As the holiday season approaches, Niagara Transit is sharing a seasonal service reminder to help customers plan ahead. This year’s holiday schedule includes an early service end on Christmas Eve and free, extended service on New Year’s Eve.
On Dec. 24, Niagara Transit will end service earlier than usual to reflect traditionally lower demand. Customers are encouraged to check schedules before travelling.
Picture credit: Regional Municipality of Niagara
Niagara Region approves Waste Management and Water and Wastewater 2026 budgets
Niagara Region has approved both the Waste Management and the Water and Wastewater Services budgets for 2026.
For the Niagara Region 2026 Budget, a 1.15 per cent decrease for Waste Management Services and a 7.42 per cent increase for Water and Wastewater Services were approved.
Picture credit: jovannig / Adobe Stock
Government of Canada extends steel tariff remissions
Today, the Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Finance and National Revenue, announced the implementation of new measures announced by the Prime Minister on November 26, designed to provide immediate relief and long-term clarity for Canadian manufacturers.
An extended remission period will provide more predictability to businesses as they adjust their supply chains to transition from imported sources to Canadian domestic supply.
Picture credit: nipol / Adobe Stock
Ontario’s multi-family component leads residential sector building permit increases
In October, residential construction intentions increased $1.1 billion (+14.6%) to $8.6 billion. Ontario (+$882.6 million) contributed the most to the national growth.
The total value of building permits issued in Canada rose $1.8 billion (+14.9%) to $13.8 billion. The increase in construction intentions was led by the residential sector (+$1.1 billion). An increase was also observed in the non-residential sector (+$702.8 million).
Photo credit: NVB Stocker / Adobe Stock
Canadian EV sales down over 42% year-over-year
In October, 163,490 new motor vehicles were sold in Canada, a decrease of 0.7% from October 2024. In dollar terms, sales decreased 2.3% compared with one year earlier. Over the same period, sales of new passenger cars fell by 13.4%, while sales of new trucks increased slightly by 1.1%.
There were 14,475 new zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) sold in October, a decrease of 42.3% from one year earlier.
Focus on Retail
Winning winter: The retailer’s survival guide
Wendy Kadlovski, Canadian Convenience Store News
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.
