In this edition:
- Over 25% of 2022 retail revenue was in auto and parts dealers: StatCan
- Ontario approves new school for south Niagara Falls
- Banning replacement workers “all about politics:” Canadian Chamber VP
- Millennials now outnumber baby boomers in Canada
- It’s ‘obvious’ that rules weren’t followed with ArriveCan development, Trudeau says
- Focus on Climate
Over 25% of 2022 retail revenue was in auto and parts dealers: StatCan
Customers spent $815.5 billion at Canadian retailers in 2022, of which $63.7 billion was e-commerce revenue, a new report from Statistics Canada revealed today.
More than half of retail operating revenue was generated in four subsectors: motor vehicle and parts dealers (25.7% of retail operating revenue), food and beverage retailers (18.6%), general merchandise retailers (12.2%), and gasoline stations and fuel vendors (11.3%).
There were broad-based increases in retail prices in 2022, with notable hikes in gasoline (+28.5%), food from stores (+9.8%) and passenger vehicles (+7.2%).
Ontario approves new school for south Niagara Falls
Niagara Falls’ growing south end will be getting a new school.
The provincial government announced Wednesday it has provided District School Board of Niagara approval to issue a tender for a new south Niagara Falls elementary school, which will create 608 elementary spaces and three new child-care rooms with 49 licensed spaces for local families.
Banning replacement workers “all about politics:” Canadian Chamber VP
The Government of Canada recently committed to introduce legislation by the end of 2023 to prohibit the use of replacement workers when a union employer in a federally regulated industry has locked out employees or is in a strike.
Robin Guy, Vice President & Deputy Leader of Government Relations at the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, responded in an op-ed.
“Although politicians claim to be addressing Canada’s productivity challenges,” Guy remarked, “they are advancing anti-replacement worker legislation that will reduce productivity, further erode our global reputation and keep Canada from simply getting things done.”
Millennials now outnumber baby boomers in Canada
On July 1, 2023, for the first time, the millennial generation (born between 1981 and 1996) comprised a greater number of people in the population than the baby boomer generation (born between 1946 and 1965), Statistics Canada reports.
The baby boomer generation became the largest in the population in 1958, seven years before the last baby boomer was even born. For 65 years, they remained the largest generation in the Canadian population.
It’s ‘obvious’ that rules weren’t followed with ArriveCan development, Trudeau says
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says it’s “obvious” contracting rules weren’t followed during the development of the controversial ArriveCan app.
Trudeau says the app was developed at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic when everything was in question, but there is still a need to follow rules even in difficult times.
He says investigations are ongoing and there will be consequences for instances in which public servants did not abide by the rules.
Disclosure: the GNCC lobbied for the abolition of the ArriveCan app requirement.
Did you know?
Silicon makes up over 94% of world semiconductor production.
Focus on Climate
Federal government scales back carbon tax rebates for small businesses
The federal government is cutting the amount of financial relief small businesses will receive from carbon pricing revenues so it can increase the size of the rebate it is providing to rural families.
That’s despite the fact the government still owes businesses more than $2.5 billion in promised carbon pricing revenues from the first five years of the program — and refuses to say when that money will flow.
Information posted to a federal government website last week shows Ottawa intends to return $623 million in carbon pricing revenues to businesses for the 2024-25 year.
In 2023-24, the government allocated almost $935 million for small business, which is 50 per cent more than it was when the carbon price itself was $15 less per tonne.
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.
