In this edition:
- Competition Bureau seeks feedback on wage fixing and no-poaching agreements
- Ontario expands PRESTO credit payment options
- Welland digital engagement and educationwins awards
- Downtown pedestrian street program not making a comeback in St. Catharines
Competition Bureau seeks feedback on wage fixing and no-poaching agreements
The Competition Bureau is inviting interested parties to provide comments on new guidelines to address wage-fixing and no-poaching agreements following recent amendments to the Competition Act.
In June 2022, the Government of Canada added subsection 45(1.1) to the Act to protect competition in labour markets. The Bureau’s new guidelines describe its approach to enforcing subsection 45(1.1) which comes into force on June 23, 2023. They will supplement the Bureau’s current Competitor Collaboration Guidelines.
When the amendment comes into force, wage-fixing and no-poaching agreements will become illegal and subject to significant criminal penalties in Canada.
Interested parties can provide comments on the Bureau’s guidelines online, or to the address found here, by no later than March 3, 2023.
Ontario expands PRESTO credit payment options
Starting January 23, riders on Durham Region Transit, York Regional Transit, Burlington Transit and Hamilton Street Railway (HSR) can tap credit cards to pay fares on a PRESTO device, including credit cards on a smartphone or a smartwatch.
Welland digital engagement and education wins awards
The City of Welland’s effort to connect, engage, and inform the community has been recognized by the Association of Marketing and Communications Professionals (AMCP) with two AVA Digital Awards.
What’s Up, Welland?, the City’s municipal podcast, received a Gold, while a series of election education videos during last year’s municipal election received a Platinum standing.
Click here to read more (PDF link).
Downtown pedestrian street program not making a comeback in St. Catharines
The weekly summer road closures in downtown St. Catharines that created pedestrian-only walkways since 2020 will not be happening this year despite their popularity with visitors.
The St. Catharines Downtown Association has opted not to continue the closures because of feedback from some businesses who found closures problematic and other challenges related to the program.
Instead, the downtown will see up to four road closures this year for specific larger events.
Focus on Small Business
4 trends all small business owners should be aware of in 2023
The beginning of a new year often comes with a laundry list of goals and to-dos, which can quickly become overwhelming if you try to tackle too much, too fast. I’ve always approached resolutions by setting short and long-term goals spanning the entirety of the year — after all, we have 12 months to accomplish our goals, and there’s a reason they’re not called January Resolutions.
Now is an important time for business owners to reflect and set a course for the year ahead, but it’s easier than ever to get bogged down worrying about the challenges facing the economy.
I would encourage all small business owners to tackle 2023 with a splash of empathy and realism. Don’t bury your head in the sand — be mindful of the economic headwinds we’re facing, but don’t let them monopolize your attention. Instead, devote your time and energy to the challenges and operations that do fall within your control.
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.
