In this edition:
- Region’s 2026 budget process coming to an end — with an average tax hike above $200
- Alectra’s community giving recognized with Imagine Canada PRISM Certification
- Retail sales up 2.1% year-over-year
- Canada posted $583M merchandise trade deficit for October
- CBTU, Ontario work to harmonize national safety standards for construction workers
- Costco comparable sales for December rise 8.4 per cent in Canada
- Trump’s tariff fight at the Supreme Court could make for a messy refund battle for businesses
- Focus on Retail
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Picture credit: Regional Municipality of Niagara
Region’s 2026 budget process coming to an end — with an average tax hike above $200
If everything goes according to plan during Thursday’s special council meeting, Niagara Region’s 2026 levy budget will increase by 6.98 per cent.
This will result in a $225 property tax increase on the average market value home of $620,600. The increase laid out in a staff report for the meeting is less than last year’s 9.6 per cent, but well short of council’s self-imposed aspirational guidance of 3.5 per cent for 2026, with municipal elections scheduled for the fall.
Photo credit: Alectra
Alectra’s community giving recognized with Imagine Canada PRISM Certification
Alectra Inc. has been recognized for its leadership in corporate social responsibility, earning the Imagine Canada PRISM Community Impact Certification for the 5th consecutive year.
Picture credit: Prathankarnpap / Adobe Stock
Retail sales up 2.1% year-over-year
Retail sales reached $72.5 billion in October, Statistics Canada reported today – an increase of 2.1% compared with the same month one year earlier. Higher sales were recorded in 13 of the 18 commodity classes.
In October, the largest monthly increase in dollar terms came from sales of food and beverages, which rose 4.3% compared with the same month in 2024.
Picture credit: Negro Elkha / Adobe Stock
Canada posted $583M merchandise trade deficit for October
Canada’s imports outpaced the growth of exports in October as the country posted a merchandise trade deficit of $583 million for the month.
Statistics Canada said in a report that the result compared with a surplus of $243 million in September.
Picture credit: visoot / Adobe Stock
CBTU, Ontario work to harmonize national safety standards for construction workers
Canada’s Building Trades Unions (CBTU) is working with the Ontario government to harmonize national safety standards for construction workers by adopting best practices to ensure work is performed safely.
Picture credit: oasisamuel/ Adobe Stock
Costco comparable sales for December rise 8.4 per cent in Canada
Costco Wholesale Corporation is reporting sales of $29.86 billion for the retail month of December, the five weeks that ended January 4, 2026. This is an increase of 8.5 per cent from $27.52 billion last year.
Picture credit: freshidea / Adobe Stock
Trump’s tariff fight at the Supreme Court could make for a messy refund battle for businesses
Company executives, customs brokers and trade lawyers are bracing for a Supreme Court ruling on the legality of U.S. President Donald Trump’s sweeping global tariffs — and a potential fight over obtaining a possible $150 billion US in refunds from the U.S. government for duties already paid by importers if he loses.
Focus on Retail
Gen Z is opting out and retail is feeling the impact
Lee Rivett, Retail Insider
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.
