In this edition:
- Ontario investing $2.2million to unlock new markets for forest biocoal
- Niagara firms win construction industry awards
- Seaway says 32.6M tonnes of cargo shipped since March opening
- Asahi Kasei seeks heavy industrial rezoning for Port Colborne site
- Niagara-on-the-Lake modernizes Building Permit By-law and updates Planning & Building Fees
- Training 2,000 Canadian workers to help build Canada strong
- Ontario Chamber of Commerce calls for action to secure Ontario’s critical minerals advantage
- Canadian agricultural groups urging CUSMA renewal in letter to government
- Focus on Retail
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Picture credit: Sergey / Adobe Stock
Ontario investing $2.2 million to unlock new markets for forest biocoal
The Ontario government is investing $2.25 million through the Forest Biomass Program to help CHAR Technologies commercialize biocoal, a rapidly emerging low-carbon fuel derived from forest mill by-products and underused wood.
This work will develop a new supply chain for made-in-Ontario forest products, create new revenue streams to drive growth in forestry and empower heavy industries to adopt sustainable fuels. As part of its plan to protect Ontario, the government is making strategic investments to help forest sector businesses adapt, compete and grow to stay resilient in the face of U.S. tariffs.
Picture credit: Thongdee / Adobe Stock
Niagara firms win construction industry awards
Two Niagara firms recently won industry awards recognizing excellence in construction project execution.
E.S. Fox Ltd. and Salit Steel were honoured with awards presented by the Ironworker Management Progressive Action Cooperative Trust (IMPACT), which recognize achievements in construction excellence and celebrates projects that exemplify innovation, safety, quality and strong partnership.
Picture credit: Alexandre / Adobe Stock
Seaway says 32.6M tonnes of cargo shipped since March opening
Grain continues to be the main mover on the 3,700-kilometre St. Lawrence Seaway system, with shipments at 10.8 million tonnes year-to-date.
The latest figures released by St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corp. showed overall cargo shipments were up 0.94 per cent. More than 32.6 million tonnes of cargo has been shipped since the seaway opened in late March.
Picture credit: Takawira / Adobe Stock
Asahi Kasei seeks heavy industrial rezoning for Port Colborne site
Asahi Kasei is seeking to rezone 14 hectares of land to heavy industrial by the Welland Canal for a new hydro substation and stormwater pond on the western edge of its Port Colborne property.
The substation is to be built by Hydro One and power will come from the Crowland transformer station at 50 Humberstone Rd. in Welland to supply the company’s 185,800-square-metre building under construction.
Picture credit: Alexandre / Adobe Stock
Niagara-on-the-Lake modernizes Building Permit By-law and updates Planning & Building Fees
The new Building Permit By-law replaces the previous version to better align with the Building Code Act and the Ontario Building Code. It streamlines processes, enhances consistency with neighbouring Niagara municipalities, and improves clarity around application requirements, inspections, and service standards.
At the same time, updated Planning and Building fees ensure more accurate cost recovery for development review and permitting services. These adjustments help reduce the financial burden on taxpayers by ensuring that those using the services contribute appropriately to their delivery.
Picture credit:John Zerucelli / Facebook
Training 2,000 Canadian workers to help build Canada strong
Today, the Honourable John Zerucelli, Secretary of State (Labour), announced close to $9 million in funding for the Building and Construction Trades Department, commonly referred to as Canada’s Building Trades Unions. The project will include the development, delivery and evaluation of green training for unionized and non-unionized sheet metal apprentices and journeypersons. The development of this training program will help 2,000 sheet metal workers become better equipped for the transition to a low-carbon economy.
Picture credit: JHVEphoto / Adobe Stock
Ontario Chamber of Commerce calls for action to secure Ontario’s critical minerals advantage
Ontario needs to make policy changes, regulatory reforms and strategic shifts to achieve its ambition to be a leader in the global race for critical minerals, according to a new report from the Ontario Chamber of Commerce (OCC).
In its new report, Mining 2030: Unearthing Ontario’s Potential, the OCC identifies a narrow window for action amid global competition and recommends reforms to strengthen Indigenous partnerships, consolidate permitting processes, reduce investment risk, improve energy affordability and reliability, and develop long-term Northern infrastructure and workforce strategies.
Picture credit: Muskoka / Adobe Stock
Canadian agricultural groups urging CUSMA renewal in letter to government
Canadian agricultural groups have sent a letter to the federal government urging that the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) remain unchanged.
Signed by 98 Canadian food and agricultural value chain organizations, the letter mirrors one signed and submitted to Congress by 124 United States food and agricultural value chain organizations in October for the 2026 Joint Review of CUSMA public consultation, placing pressure on both governments to respect the agriculture industry’s support for the agreement.
Focus on Retail
LCBO unveils top beverage trends for 2025
Kaitlin Secord, Canadian Grocer
The LCBO took its annual look back at consumer alcohol trends and buying behaviours. Amidst restrictions on U.S.-produced products, new points of sale and innovative new product releases encouraged Ontario consumers to discover something new.
- Beer and ready-to-drink (RTD) coolers saw an increase in sales throughout the year, at 22% and21%respectively.
- Ontario winesbenefitedfrom the strong customer sentiment to support local, with VQA sales increasing by 56%.
- Within spirits, customers increasingly chose Canadian and Ontario alternatives. Canadian whisky led overall growth by value. This trend extended to other spiritcategories, including vodka,rumand liqueurs, where Canadian and Ontario options gained traction.
Through the Daily Updates, the GNCC aims to deliver important business news in a timely manner. Inclusion in the Daily Update is not an endorsement by the GNCC.
