In this edition:
- Niagara Public Health releases clinic hours for boosters
- Manufacturing sales fall for first time in 8 months
- Strikes cause drop in construction investment
- College brewery wins silver with Ukrainian solidarity brews
- Moderna approved for children aged six months and older
- Mandatory random airport testing to resume July 19
- Government of Canada clarifies excise exemptions on cider and mead
Niagara Public Health releases clinic hours for booster shots
Those who are eligible for a fourth dose can receive it at a Public Health clinic, participating pharmacy, or participating primary care provider. Appointments are needed at a Public Health clinic for fourth doses. Walk-ins are still available for first to third doses. Upcoming clinics include:
- July 14-16, 19-23 – Niagara Falls, Canada One Outlet Mall (beside Urban Kids)
- July 14-16, 19-23 – St. Catharines, Pen Centre (By Stars Menswear, Tim Hortons and Booster Juice)
Please see the clinic schedule for a full list of dates, times and locations.
Niagara Region Public Health recommends waiting six months after your last dose to get the best immunity possible. Those who have recovered from COVID-19 recently should wait 90 days after their infection. However, anyone can get a fourth dose as early as 12 weeks after their third dose.
Manufacturing sales fall for first time in 8 months
Following seven consecutive monthly increases, manufacturing sales fell 2.0% to $71.6 billion in May, on lower sales in 11 of 21 industries. The decline was primarily driven by the motor vehicle (-31.9%), primary metal (-4.1%), and miscellaneous manufacturing (-10.8%) industries. Meanwhile, sales of petroleum and coal products (+5.4%) and machinery (+3.3%) increased the most.
Sales in the motor vehicle industry decreased 31.9% to $3.3 billion in May, following three consecutive monthly gains. The declines were attributable to retooling at auto assembly plants and semiconductor part shortages.
The miscellaneous manufacturing (-10.8%), plastic and rubber product (-3.9%) and non-metallic mineral product (-6.4%) industries also contributed to the monthly decline.
Strikes cause drop in construction investment
Investment in building construction edged down 0.2% to $20.6 billion in May, as many of Ontario’s unionized construction workers were on strike during the month. These strikes caused significant delays in numerous residential and non-residential construction projects throughout the province. Excluding Ontario, investment increased 1.1% at the national level.
At a sector level, non-residential investment fell 0.9% in May, while the residential sector edged up 0.1%.
Niagara College Teaching Brewery wins silver with Ukrainian-style solidarity brews
The 2022 U.S. Open Beer Championship announced its winners on July 11, which included three silver medals for the NC Teaching Brewery. In addition to a medal for its popular multi-award-winning Beer 101 Bitter (Bitter category), silvers were awarded for Ukrainian Golden Ale (Ukrainian Golden Ale category), and Resist – Anti Imperial Stout (Resist Anti Imperial Stout category), which were first brewed at the Teaching Brewery earlier this year.
Health Canada approves Moderna for children aged six months and older
Today, Health Canada authorized the use of the Moderna Spikevax COVID-19 vaccine in children 6 months to 5 years of age. This is the first COVID-19 vaccine authorized in Canada for use in this age group and marks a milestone in Canada’s response to COVID-19. As a result of this authorization, approximately 1.7 million children are now eligible for vaccination against COVID-19.
Vaccination is one of the most effective ways to protect our families, communities and ourselves against COVID-19. Evidence indicates that the vaccines used in Canada are very effective at preventing severe illness, hospitalization and death from COVID-19.
Mandatory random airport testing to resume July 19
The Government of Canada had paused mandatory random testing for those entering Canada by air on June 11, 2022, as part of a broader strategy to transition testing for air travellers outside of the airports.
Mandatory random testing will resume as of July 19, 2022, for travellers who qualify as fully vaccinated, arriving in Canada by air to the four major Canadian airports, Vancouver, Calgary, Montreal and Toronto. To qualify as a fully vaccinated traveller to Canada, travellers must have been vaccinated with a primary series of a COVID-19 vaccine accepted by the Government of Canada for the purpose of travel at least 14 calendar days before entering Canada.
All testing for air travellers, for both those who qualify as fully vaccinated and partially or unvaccinated people, will be completed outside of airports, either via an in-person appointment at select testing provider locations and pharmacies, or a virtual appointment for a self-swab test.
Government of Canada clarifies excise exemptions on cider and mead
Today, the Government of Canada announced clarifications relating to an amendment to Bill C-19. This amendment maintains the excise duty exemption for wine produced in Canada from apples or honey (i.e., cider and mead) and composed wholly of Canadian agricultural or plant product.
However, as this amendment was adopted without consequential amendments to other portions of Bill C-19, it would result in two unintended inconsistencies if left unaddressed:
- It would make it illegal for any person to possess exempt cider and mead;
- It would remove the labelling requirements for exempt cider and mead, which may result in downstream administration and enforcement issues.
To correct these inconsistencies, the government intends to introduce legislative proposals at a future date to clarify that restrictions on possession would not apply to exempt cider and mead and that certain regulatory labeling requirements for alcoholic beverages in respect of exempt cider and mead would be preserved.
Reading Recommendations
Bank of Canada would have hiked earlier had it known what it now knows
Reuters
The Bank of Canada likely would have raised interest rates sooner if it had known a year ago all the things it now knows, Governor Tiff Macklem said in a newspaper interview published on Thursday, the day after a shock 100-basis-point rate increase.
TSX today: Stocks tank as recession fears grip investors
BNN Bloomberg
Canada’s benchmark stock index fell by triple digits mid-day Thursday as investors grew increasingly concerned about a looming recession and reacted to negative earnings news from two big American financial services companies.
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.
