In this edition:
- Canada agrees to cut tariff on Chinese EVs in return for lower tariffs on Canadian farm products
- Former Lincoln Fabrics building slated for condo redevelopment now listed for sale
- Ontario proposes to pause rule that lets cities require affordable housing units
- Ontario investing $700M in water infrastructure
- 1 in 6 Canadian workers report doing unpaid work in their free time
- Focus on Finance & Economy
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Photo credit: Marius Faust / Adobe Stock
Canada agrees to cut tariff on Chinese EVs in return for lower tariffs on Canadian farm products
Breaking with the United States, Canada has agreed to cut its 100% tariff on Chinese electric cars in return for lower tariffs on Canadian farm products, Prime Minister Mark Carney said Friday.
Carney made the announcement after two days of meetings with Chinese leaders.
The Canadian Chamber of Commerce called it a “cautious first move” and reiterated the importance of the agriculture and agri-food sector. Premier Doug Ford called the trade agreement “lopsided,” saying that it is “inviting a flood of cheap Chinese electric vehicles with no guarantee of investments.”
Picture credit: Balcer, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Former Lincoln Fabrics building slated for condo redevelopment now listed for sale
Picture credit: Leonid Andronov / Adobe Stock
Ontario proposes to pause rule that lets cities require affordable housing units
Ontario is proposing to temporarily ban three major cities from requiring a certain percentage of affordable units in new buildings near transit stations, citing a downturn in the housing market.
Critics say now is not the time to pull away from affordable housing, but the government argues in its proposal that the policy known as inclusionary zoning works well in a strong housing market.
Picture credit: tuastockphoto / Adobe Stock
Ontario investing $700M in water infrastructure
The Ontario government is investing an additional $700 million to help 127 municipalities and First Nations communities upgrade and expand aging water infrastructure across the province. The funding comes from the province’s Municipal Housing Infrastructure Program (MHIP), which was increased to a total of $4 billion last year to support the province’s goal of getting more shovels in the ground and homes built across Ontario.
Picture credit: sebra / Adobe Stock
1 in 6 Canadian workers report doing unpaid work in their free time
In 2024-2025, 17.0% of workers reported doing unpaid work in their free time several times a month—that is, at times they were not originally scheduled to work.
Half (50.2%) of workers in management reported frequently working to tight deadlines (half of the time or more during the previous 12 months), a proportion nearly 20 percentage points higher than the share observed among workers in jobs that usually require a high school diploma or less (31.6%).
Focus on Finance & Economy
Canada could lose jobs and still see unemployment fall. Here’s why
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.
