In this edition:
- Niagara unemployment rate falls to 6.3% as employment rises
- Grimsby council to consider final draft Official Plan on July 13
- Pelham moves to designate Old Pelham Town Hall as heritage property
- Ontario funds primary care expansion across South Niagara
- Canadian building permit values fall 1.7% in May
- Beamsville’s Al Borgo Estates Winery planning $10M expansion
- Focus on Trends
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Photo credit: stokkete / Adobe Stock
Niagara unemployment rate falls to 6.3% as employment rises
The unemployment rate in the St. Catharines–Niagara census metropolitan area fell from 6.6% in May to 6.3% in June, according to Statistics Canada’s latest Labour Force Survey.
Employment increased by 3,300 to 243,700, while the labour force grew by 2,900 to 260,100. The number of unemployed people declined by approximately 600. Niagara’s participation rate rose from 59.9% to 60.4%, while its employment rate increased from 55.9% to 56.6%. The figures are three-month moving averages and are seasonally adjusted.
Nationally, employment was little changed, rising by 18,000, while the unemployment rate declined by 0.1 percentage points to 6.5%. Ontario’s unemployment rate remained unchanged at 7.0%.
Picture credit: Town of Grimsby
Grimsby council to consider final draft Official Plan on July 13
Grimsby’s final draft Official Plan will go before council for consideration and adoption on July 13. The document will guide the town’s growth through 2051, setting policies for land use, housing, transportation, employment, parks, environmental protection, and community development.
Picture credit: Pelham Historical Society
Pelham moves to designate Old Pelham Town Hall as heritage property
Pelham council intends to designate the Old Pelham Town Hall at 491 Canboro Road under the Ontario Heritage Act, citing its architecture, civic history, and longstanding role as a community landmark. Built in 1887–1888, the property also includes a First World War cenotaph and German trench mortar, with objections to the designation due by 4:30 p.m. on August 10.
Photo credit: makyzz / Adobe Stock
Ontario funds primary care expansion across South Niagara
Ontario is investing more than $12.2 million to connect up to 23,667 people with primary care across Niagara and several neighbouring communities. In Niagara, five health organizations will receive funding, including Bridges Community Health Centre, which expects the expansion to improve access for nearly 9,000 residents in Fort Erie, Port Colborne and Wainfleet while creating new health and social care positions.
Photo credit: Francesco Scatena / Adobe Stock
Canadian building permit values fall 1.7% in May
The value of building permits issued in Canada fell 1.7% to $12.4 billion in May, as a 6.1% decline in non-residential construction intentions outweighed a 1.2% increase in the residential sector. Industrial permit values posted the largest drop, while stronger multi-unit residential activity, including gains in Ontario, helped moderate the overall decline.
Picture credit: Al Borgo Estates
Beamsville’s Al Borgo Estates Winery planning $10M expansion
Al Borgo Estates is looking to build a 2,800 square metre (30,000 square-foot) winery, restaurant and event centre on its 32-hectare (80-acre) site on Zimmerman Road near Fly Road on the Niagara Escarpment.
Focus on Trends
The State of Organizations 2026: Three tectonic forces that are reshaping organizations
McKinsey & Company
These are challenging times for organizations everywhere. Forces ranging from artificial intelligence, economic uncertainty, and geopolitical fragmentation to evolving workforce expectations, increasing customer demands, and tougher competitive dynamics are redefining how leaders create value and sustain performance.
This report, the second edition of McKinsey’s State of Organizations research initiative, seeks to help leaders better understand these dynamics and address them effectively. Read the report here. It draws on a survey of more than 10,000 senior executives across 15 countries and 16 industries. While leaders remain focused on driving performance, as in the first edition in 2023, the emphasis has moved from short-term resilience to sustained productivity and long-term impact, powered by technology and AI at the core of organizational transformation.
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.
