In this edition:
Canadian, US business associations call for immediate action to open Ambassador Bridge
New Ontario tax credits for workers, trainees, and childcare
Housing affordability task force releases report
Port Colborne vaccination clinic to open Feb 9-11
Brock launches Canada’s first accelerated nursing program
Canadian, US business associations call for immediate action to open Ambassador Bridge
Business associations including the GNCC, the Chambers of Commerce of Niagara-on-the-Lake, Hamilton, Lincoln, Niagara Falls, Fort Erie and Welland-Pelham, as well as the Canadian and Ontario Chambers, issued the following statement regarding the closing of the Ambassador Bridge today amid protesting blockades.
“Business associations on both sides of the border are calling for a swift and immediate clearing of the Windsor-Detroit Ambassador Bridge blockade and a timely re-opening of the bridge. The group also urges the federal, provincial, state, and local governments to work collaboratively to deliver rapid solutions to the illegal blockages of traffic, which now include the Ambassador Bridge and the crossing between Coutts, Alberta and Sweet Grass, Montana.
The Ambassador Bridge is the busiest trade crossing in North America and a vital enabler of our two economies. Given the importance of ensuring that the supply of food, medical products and industrial goods can continue, the disruption at the Ambassador Bridge is an attack on the well-being of our citizens and the businesses that employ them.
As our economies emerge from the impacts of the pandemic, we cannot allow any group to undermine the cross-border trade that supports families on both sides of the border.
We stand ready to provide whatever assistance may be required to expedite a speedy re-opening of the Ambassador Bridge.”
Click here for more information.
New Ontario tax credits for workers, trainees, and childcare
A new suite of provincial tax credits and benefits includes, among others:
- The Ontario Jobs Training Tax Credit helps workers get training that may be needed for a career shift, re-training or to sharpen their skills. The credit provides up to $2,000 in relief for 50 per cent of a person’s eligible expense. The government is extending this tax credit to the 2022 tax year, to help more workers continue to upgrade their skills and transition back to the labour force.
- The Low-Income Workers Tax Credit, known as Low-income Individuals and Families Tax (LIFT) Credit, provides up to $850 each year in Ontario personal income tax relief to low-income workers, and can be used to reduce or eliminate an individual’s Ontario personal income tax, excluding the Ontario Health Premium.
- The Ontario Child Care Tax Credit (known as Ontario Childcare Access and Relief from Expenses (CARE) Tax Credit), which puts more money in the pockets of families and provides the flexibility they need to choose the child care options that work best for them. The government is providing a 20 per cent top‐up to this tax credit for 2021, increasing support from $1,250 to $1,500, on average.
Individuals and families should also save their receipts for local travel in 2022, to claim the Ontario Staycation Tax Credit next tax season.
For more on this and other tax credits, click here.
Housing affordability task force releases report
Ontario has published the report from the Housing Affordability Task Force, which highlights expert recommendations for additional measures to increase the supply of market housing to address the housing crisis. The Task Force is part of Ontario’s ongoing three-part consultation with industry, municipalities, and the public to help the government identify and implement real solutions to address the housing supply crisis.
The Task Force report’s recommendations include five main areas to quickly increase the supply of market housing, to meet a goal of adding 1.5 million homes over the next 10 years:
- Make changes to planning policies and zoning to allow for greater density and increase the variety of housing.
- Reduce and streamline urban design rules to lower costs of development.
- Depoliticize the approvals process to address NIMBYism and cut red tape to speed up housing.
- Prevent abuse of the appeal process and address the backlog at the Ontario Land Tribunal by prioritizing cases that increase housing.
- Align efforts between all levels of government to incentivize more housing.
Port Colborne vaccination clinic to open Feb 9-11
There will be a vaccination clinic at the Port Colborne Visitor Information Centre, 76 Main Street W, from Feb. 9 – 11 from 9:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. serving ages 5+ (1st and 2nd dose) and ages 18+ (any dose). Appointments are available and walk-ins are welcome.
For more information and COVID-19 updates, visit www.portcolborne.ca/covid19.
Brock launches Canada’s first accelerated concurrent nursing program
Applications are now open for Brock University’s new concurrent Bachelor of Nursing/Master of Nursing (BN/MN) program — the first of its kind in Canada.
The concurrent BN/MN degree in Nursing is an innovative, course-based program designed to provide students with a high-quality alternative entry to practice that includes a hands-on and theoretical approach.
The program combines an undergraduate and graduate degree in Nursing, providing students with an opportunity to become nursing leaders upon graduation. Graduates of the program are also eligible to write the NCLEX-RN registration exam.
The Ontario Ministry of Colleges and Universities approved this one-of-a-kind program on Jan. 28, allowing for a quick turnaround start in May.
Reading Recommendations
U.S.-Canada border crossing blocked by truckers fighting COVID restrictions
Reuters
The busiest land crossing from the United States to Canada remained shut on Tuesday after Canadian truckers blocked lanes on Monday to protest their government’s pandemic control measures.
While traffic in both directions was initially blocked, U.S.-bound lanes have since reopened, Windsor Police tweeted.
Drivers demanding an end to federal COVID-19 vaccine mandates for cross-border traffic began blocking the streets of Canada’s capital, Ottawa, on Jan. 28. Since Sunday night, police have started slowly taking back control, seizing thousands of liters of fuel and removing an oil tanker truck.
Canada sends 75% of its exports to the United States, and the bridge usually handles around 8,000 trucks a day.
The owner of the bridge, the Detroit International Bridge Co, said international commerce on the bridge needed to resume.
How blocking the Ambassador Bridge shut down a quarter of U.S.-Canada trade
Financial Post
It didn’t take many protesters to shut down a major North American economic artery. The closure of one bridge straddling the U.S. and Canada exposes an alarming supply-chain vulnerability and has laid bare the grip one American family has over an effective monopoly.
A cluster of anti-lockdown demonstrators on the Canadian-side of the border blocked access to the Ambassador Bridge — a privately-owned link between Detroit, Michigan and Windsor, Ontario. As of Tuesday morning, local police said traffic bound to the U.S. had resumed — but not the other way around. But very little, if any, traffic appeared to be flowing.
There’s literally no bigger bridge for trade between the two neighbours. Built in 1929, the art-deco inspired structure carries on its slender steel build about a quarter of the total goods going back and forth between then the U.S. and Canada. The ties with Detroit’s car industry stretch decades. The bridge carries nearly as much trade as the U.S. does with all of the U.K.
Featured Content
The Top Threats Facing Canadian Businesses Today
Pollice Consulting Group
Canadian organizations are increasingly recognizing the importance of remaining relevant once we are through the COVID 19 pandemic and a new normal is established. Delivering value to customers, managing risk and navigating supply chain disruptions are the elements that we see however, underneath the iceberg are elements that we the public do not see.
In order to remain neutral and optimistic, I’ve attempted to integrate my views, the views of my clients, research and inputs from other corporate leaders and independent organizations in order to create a list of threats that Canadian businesses might like to consider as we enter the turning point year of 2022.
We as a public are astutely aware of some of our social issues that plague our society today. Mental health issues, addictions, violence, discrimination and perceived freedom of speech just to name a few are societal issues that will impact Canadian business for decades to come. However, Canadian business are hoping to be in business in the next decade to deal with these social issues.
The top threats facing Canadian businesses are Global Uncertainty, Accelerated Technology, Government Policies & Regulations, Innovation and Supply Chain Management.
Niagara COVID-19 statistics tracker
Niagara COVID vaccination tracker
Information on government grants, resources, and programs, policies, forms, and posters for download and use, are available here. The GNCC is here to support you. Contact us with any questions you have.
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.
