In this edition:
- Government of Ontario unveils plan to increase clean electricity delivery
- Value of building permits issued picks up by 10.5%, non-residential construction up 14.2%
- Niagara College breaks ground on new cutting-edge greenhouse
- Welland Canal power outage strands at least 17 ships between lakes Erie and Ontario
- Government of Canada announces new measures to improve commercial vehicle safety
- Ontario to pay 1/3 of incentives for both Stellantis, VW battery plants
Government of Ontario unveils plan to increase clean electricity delivery
For the first time since 2005, Ontario’s electricity demand is on the rise.
The Ontario government today released the Powering Ontario’s Growth plan, outlining the actions the province is taking to meet the increasing demand for electricity driven by strong economic growth and electrification through the 2030s and 2040s. These actions, which include new zero-emissions electricity generation, long duration storage and transmission lines aim to provide families and industries with reliable, low-cost and clean power.
Value of building permits issued picks up by 10.5%, non-residential construction up 14.2%
The total monthly value of building permits in Canada increased 10.5% in May to $10.5 billion. On a constant dollar basis (2012=100), the total value of building permits increased 10.0% to $6.2 billion.
The total monthly value of residential permits rose 8.5% to $6.8 billion in May, with Ontario contributing to 45.8% of Canada’s residential permit values. Ontario increased 16.3% month over month to $3.1 billion, led by multi-dwelling permits issued in urban areas.
The total monthly value of non-residential permits rose 14.2% to $3.7 billion in May.
To explore data using an interactive user interface, visit the Building permits: Interactive Dashboard.
Niagara College breaks ground on new cutting-edge greenhouse
Horticultural and environmental research and education will have a new place to flourish in Niagara.
Niagara College has broken ground on a new, state-of-the-art greenhouse, which will plant the seeds for more innovation to benefit students and industry.
“It is an exciting time for Niagara College as we break ground on a new, cutting-edge greenhouse that will support advancements in applied research and new, hands-on student learning opportunities,” said President Sean Kennedy.
The site of the future greenhouse was recently fenced off behind the existing Teaching Greenhouse at the College’s Daniel J. Patterson Campus in Niagara-on-the-Lake, and construction will soon be underway, scheduled for completion by March 31, 2024.
Welland Canal power outage strands at least 17 ships between lakes Erie and Ontario
A power outage on the Welland Canal damaged hands-free-mooring systems in locks 1 and 7, stranding vessels between Lake Erie and Lake Ontario, says the St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corp. and it remains uncertain when traffic will resume.
The seaway said the outage occurred at 5:50 p.m. Sunday, and immediate steps were taken to ensure the safety of the public, personnel, vessels, infrastructure and the environment.
Government of Canada announces new measures to improve commercial vehicle safety
Today, the Minister of Transport, the Honourable Omar Alghabra, announced that, in addition to existing measures, enforcement officers will be able to impose fines to drivers or companies who violate the Commercial Vehicle Drivers Hours of Service Regulations.
The change was made possible by amending the Contraventions Regulations, which provided new ways to spell out contraventions in the Hours of Service, including the amount of fines.
The Hours of Service Regulations are critical for promoting road safety as they mandate how long commercial drivers can operate their vehicles before they need rest. They also outline logging and reporting requirements for commercial vehicles and fleet operators.
Ontario to pay 1/3 of incentives for both Stellantis, VW battery plants
Ontario has agreed to an auto pact with the federal government, to pay not just one-third of the production incentives in a deal with Stellantis and LG Energy Solution but also for a Volkswagen battery plant.
Stellantis and LG stopped construction in May on a $5-billion electric vehicle battery facility in Windsor, Ont., as they pressed the federal government to match what the United States would offer under its new Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).
Did you know?
The first oil wells were drilled 2,500 years ago in what is now China using bamboo.
Focus on Small Business
Do you know your lone worker legislation? Tips to remain compliant for Canadians working solo
Safety compliance can be a challenge for a number of reasons including staying updated on changing or amended legislation and taking the appropriate steps to satisfy any modified OHS requirements. On top of that, it can be difficult incorporating new mandatory safety-related practices and protocol within a team — particularly one with a high number of lone workers performing their jobs in different geographic areas.
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.
