In this edition:
- Two-thirds of businesses bracing for negative impact of U.S. tariffs
- Pelham Regional Councillor Diana Huson to resign
- Small business carbon rebate will be taxed for now despite government promise
- Save the Walker Y group launches petition
- Niagara breweries and cideries push for tax relief amid tariff concerns
- Prime Minister announces first Canadian high-speed rail project
- Ottawa taxi boss calls for action on U.S.-based ride-sharing apps
- Focus on Canada-U.S. Business
Did you know you can get the GNCC’s Daily Update emailed to you? Click here to sign up.
Picture credit: Pixel-Shot / Adobe Stock
Two-thirds of businesses bracing for negative impact of U.S. tariffs
Two-thirds of Ontario businesses expect U.S. tariffs to have a negative impact on their business in 2025, but almost half feel confident in their ability to adapt, according to a new survey for the Ontario Chamber of Commerce (OCC).
The survey, conducted for the OCC by Leger from February 4-10, 2025, also showed that notwithstanding the 30-day negotiating period agreed to by the Canadian and U.S. governments, even the threat of tariffs has damaged business confidence in Ontario.
Picture credit: Regional Municipality of Niagara
Pelham Regional Councillor Diana Huson to resign
Pelham’s directly elected Niagara Regional councillor, Diana Huson, is resigning her seat.
Huson was first elected in the 2018 anti-incumbent wave that saw a wholesale turnover in municipal and Regional officeholders, defeating both the longtime Regional Council incumbent Brian Baty, as well as former Pelham Mayor David Augustyn, who mounted a last-minute challenge for the seat.
Photo credit: Backcountry Media / Adobe Stock
Small business carbon rebate will be taxed for now despite government promise
The federal government has confirmed that small businesses will have to pay tax on their carbon rebate, despite government promises otherwise, because Parliament can’t currently pass legislation to make the payment exempt from income taxes.
But if legislation passes to do that the government says the businesses can apply for a rebate for the taxes paid on their rebate.
Photo credit: Alphabet / Google streetview screenshot
Save the Walker Y group launches petition
The group behind Save the Walker Family Facility has launched a petition to ask the City of St. Catharines to restart negotiations with the owners of the building to buy or lease it.
Owner Atria Development Corp. has applied for a demolition permit and has plans to build four residential towers on the property next to Fairview Mall.
Photo credit: romaset / Adobe Stock
Niagara breweries and cideries push for tax relief amid tariff concerns
With the craft beverage industry already grappling with record-high costs for materials such as aluminum and hops, the looming threat of U.S. tariffs only compounds the challenges facing beer, cider and ready-to-drink producers.
Picture credit: THINK b / Adobe Stock
Prime Minister announces first Canadian high-speed rail project
The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, today announced that Canada is developing a high-speed rail network in the Toronto-Quebec City corridor. This transformative rail network will span approximately 1,000 km and reach speeds of up to 300 km/hour, with stops in Toronto, Peterborough, Ottawa, Montréal, Laval, Trois-Rivières, and Quebec City.
Picture credit: Svitlana / Adobe Stock
Ottawa taxi boss calls for action on U.S.-based ride-sharing apps
As the tariff war with the United States continues, the head of Ottawa’s primary taxi companies is pursuing an aggressive social media campaign to have consumers and city government buy local when it comes to getting rides around town.
“It’s not just about not buying Heinz ketchup,” said Marc André Way, president and CEO of Coventry Connections, which includes Blue Line, Capital and Westway cab companies. “We’ve also got to think about who is providing the transportation.”
Focus on Canada-U.S. Business
U.S. ignoring 2019 deal to guide return of steel and aluminum tariffs
An agreement that sets out how levies can be reintroduced on steel and aluminum exports is being cast aside, adding to the growing number of trade commitments that United States President Donald Trump negotiated and is subsequently eschewing.
Amid the fractious NAFTA renegotiations during Trump’s first stint in the White House, Canada said it wouldn’t pass an updated North American pact if steel and aluminum tariffs the U.S. president imposed in 2018 remained in place. A deal was reached on May 17, 2019, to remove those Section 232 national security tariffs to smooth the way towards the pact’s ratification.
GameStop selling Canadian and French operations as CEO laments ‘wokeness and DEI’
GameStop Corp. is looking to sell its Canadian and French operations as it evaluates its international assets, the video game retailer said in a Tuesday news release.
CEO Ryan Cohen posted to X earlier in the day that the two business arms were for sale, adding, “High taxes, Liberalism, Socialism, Progressivism, Wokeness and DEI included at no additional cost if you buy today!”
GameStop did not provide further details on the decision, nor did it immediately respond to a request for comment on the sales and Cohen’s post.
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.
