In this edition:
- Canada invests $33m in Skilled Trades Awareness and Readiness program
- Government of Canada announces measures to reduce airport congestion
- Lincoln to host first municipally-led Canada Games event on August 7
- Public Health hosting monkeypox vaccination clinics
- Cannabis conference returning to Niagara Falls
- Gates issues “early warning” about local health care
Canada invests $33m in Skilled Trades Awareness and Readiness program
Today, the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion, Carla Qualtrough, announced over $33 million over five years for the Skilled Trades Awareness and Readiness (STAR) program. The STAR program encourages Canadians—particularly those facing barriers, such as women, Indigenous people, visible minorities, newcomers, persons with disabilities and youth—to explore and prepare for careers in the skilled trades.
Approximately 700,000 skilled trades workers are expected to retire in Canada by 2028, creating an ever-growing need to recruit and train thousands more.
To further support hiring of new apprentices, the Government of Canada recently announced close to $247 million for 13 projects under the Apprenticeship Service that will help small and medium-sized enterprises hire more than 25,000 first-year Red Seal apprentices and provide them with the hands-on experience and training they need to become certified journeypersons.
Government of Canada announces measures to reduce airport congestion, ArriveCAN remains in force
Since April, more than 1,600 CATSA screening officers have been hired across Canada, the government announced today. The number of screening officers at Toronto Pearson International Airport and Vancouver International Airport are now over 100 percent of summer target levels. Efforts to increase screening officer staff levels at all airports continue.
The Greater Toronto Airports Authority and the CBSA are also adding 10 new eGates and 30 more primary inspection kiosks at Toronto Pearson International Airport by the end of this week.
Travellers arriving at Toronto Pearson International Airport or Vancouver International Airport, and later this month at Montréal-Trudeau International Airport, will be able to use the Advance CBSA Declaration optional feature in ArriveCAN to submit their customs and immigration declaration in advance of arrival.
Disclosure: The GNCC is currently lobbying for the lifting of all COVID-19-related border restrictions and the abolition of the ArriveCAN app.
Lincoln to host first municipally-led Canada Games event on August 7
The Town of Lincoln has teamed up with the Province of Newfoundland & Labrador to host a spectacular celebratory cultural event with activities for everyone as the next step in powering up the Niagara 2022 Canada Summer Games.
“Havin’ a Time in the Niagara Benchlands” is the first of 13 municipally led events across the Niagara region to showcase the 2022 Niagara Canada Summer Games and celebrate the beauty of the Region with residents and visitors. The cultural festival program pairs municipalities with provinces or territories to host local events is the first of its kind, and the Town of Lincoln is thrilled to partner with Newfoundland and Labrador. They will be the host province for the next Canada Summer Games to be held in St. John’s in 2025.
Various activities and musical performances are planned for people of all ages. View the event itinerary at the Havin’ a Time in the Niagara Benchlands.
Public Health hosting monkeypox vaccination clinics
Niagara Region Public Health (NRPH) is hosting monkeypox vaccination clinics for high-risk community members from Aug. 2 to Aug.4, 2022. Clinics will operate by appointment only at Niagara Region Sexual Health centers.
Cannabis conference returning to Niagara Falls
The Grow Up Conference & Expo will return to Niagara Falls this fall. The annual cannabis conference will be held Sept. 12 to 14 at Niagara Falls Convention Centre.
“We are excited to be back in the Niagara region, which has been the hub for cannabis growers for decades,” conference president Randy Rowe said in a statement.
Highlights will include presentations by master growers, licensed producers and equipment manufacturers. More than 40 sessions, featuring more than 80 speakers, are on the agenda.
Gates issues “early warning” about local health care
Niagara MPP Wayne Gates is calling for immediate action to meet Niagara’s health needs.
In 2021, during the last COVID-19 wave, Douglas Memorial Urgent Care was ordered closed leaving 32,000 residents in Fort Erie without health care service.
Gates says given the “alarming closure of emergency rooms across Ontario” he doesn’t want to see that situation happen again.
In a letter to the premier and health minister he’s calling on the Ministry of Health to assess the staffing situation in Niagara and take preventative measures now.
Focus on Climate
More sovereign wealth funds adopt a formal ESG policy – study
Reuters
Three quarters of the world’s sovereign wealth funds now have a formal policy on environmental, social and governance investing, yet just 30% have set a target to reduce carbon emissions across their investments, a study on Wednesday showed.
The policy move comes as institutions increasingly look to position for the shift to a low-carbon economy in the fight against climate change, and is up from 46% five years ago, the latest Invesco Global Sovereign Asset Management Study showed.
The study surveyed 81 sovereign wealth funds and 58 central banks with combined assets of around $23 trillion.
B.C. winery becomes first in Canada to join climate action organization
CBC News
Drinking wine might be a new way to reduce your carbon footprint — but it depends where you get it from.
A B.C. winery has become the first in Canada to join an international community of winemakers dedicated to reducing carbon emissions in the industry.
Okanagan Crush Pad in Summerland has been accepted into the International Wineries for Climate Action (IWCA) as an applicant member and it now has one year to meet the requirements to become a gold or silver member.
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.
