In this edition:
- Welland ‘growth spurt’ means ward boundaries must change, says consultant
- St. Catharines will not allow online voting in 2026
- Allie Hughes named 2025 United Way Niagara campaign chair
- Grimsby inaugurates members of the Business Ambassador Program
- Competition Bureau seeks feedback on algorithmic pricing and competition
- Ontario announces program to grow hydrogen energy sector
- Focus on Tourism
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The Hon. Prabmeet Sarkaria, Ontario Minister of Transportation (left) and the Hon. Kinga Surma, Ontario Minister of Infrastructure. | Picture credit: Hugo Chesshire / Greater Niagara Chamber of Commerce
Ontario to award contract for twinning of Garden City Skyway
The Ontario government is awarding a contract for the detail design of the Queen Elizabeth Way (QEW) Garden City Skyway Bridge Twinning Project. Skyway Bridging Partners will complete the design for the bridge, road, ramps and utility relocation. When finished, the new four-lane, 2.2-kilometre bridge will carry Toronto-bound traffic over the Welland Canal.
The Garden City Skyway is approaching the end of its life cycle and must be rehabilitated to maintain safety and use, Niagara West MPP Sam Oosterhoff explained. The entire span must be closed to rehabilitate and replace the deck of the current bridge. Without a second bridge to keep traffic moving, over 100,000 commercial vehicles per day would have to be redirected across lift-bridges crossing the Welland Canal.
GNCC Director of Policy & Government Relations Hugo Chesshire addresses St. Catharines City Council on June 9, 2025 | Picture credit: Kat Dodge / St. Catharines Downtown Association
GNCC warns of increased costs from proposed St. Catharines heritage district
On June 9, 2025, St. Catharines city staff presented a report to council advocating the creation of a Heritage Conservation District (HCD) covering the entire St. Catharines downtown core. All buildings within this proposed area would fall into the heritage district.
Of great concern to the GNCC’s downtown members are the increased costs that a heritage district would result in, and the increased difficulties it poses for their operation. As the GNCC noted in its presentation to St. Catharines City Council, businesses are already facing many burdens. We have urged St. Catharines to investigate other ways of doing this, such as voluntary heritage designations, that offer a way to protect our heritage and our economic prosperity at the same time.
Picture credit: abimagestudio / Adobe Stock
Niagara businesses in recycling limbo as province ponders blue box changes
Changes to blue box recycling collection put forth by the Ontario government aren’t all black and white for Niagara Region staff and councillors.
Before taking a five-month legislative vacation, the Doug Ford government signalled it is considering significant changes to the provincial blue box recycling program that critics say will increase pollution, reduce accountability for waste producers and increase costs for municipalities.
The changes would also leave 4,375 Niagara properties in recycling limbo.
Photo credit: Township of West Lincoln
West Lincoln Community Recognition Award nominations open July 1
West Lincoln’s annual awards program seeks to celebrate residents who, through personal involvement, leadership abilities and selfless giving of their time and talent, have positively impacted the West Lincoln community. Nominations will open on July 1 and run until September 8.
Picture credit: Alectra Inc. / supplied
Alectra Raises $185,000 for Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation
For the ninth consecutive year, Alectra team members geared up for the Ride to Conquer Cancer, cycling more than 200 kilometres from Toronto to Niagara Falls in support of life-saving cancer research at the Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation.
With a team of 60 riders, Alectra raised $185,000 for the cause, once again demonstrating its ongoing commitment to community and cancer care advancement.
Picture credit: Prostock-studio / Adobe Stock
Ontario launches new online tool for jobseekers and students
The Ontario government has launched My Career Journey, an interactive online tool which will connect students and job seekers to the information they need to begin fulfilling careers.
The website aims to help high school students, new Canadians and people looking to change careers find what education and training they need to prepare for in-demand careers.
Picture credit: Svjatoslav / Adobe Stock
Provincial housing starts at lowest level since 2009, financial watchdog says’
Ontario’s financial accountability officer says in a report today that the province’s housing starts for the first quarter of this year were at the lowest levels since 2009.
The FAO’s economic monitor report says the latest economic indicators are largely positive, with employment, retail and wholesale trade, manufacturing sales and exports all seeing gains, but there is “significant weakness” in the housing sector.
Photo credit: ChrisVanLennepPhoto / Adobe Stock
Ontario leads non-residential sector construction gains
Ontario’s non-residential construction intentions rose sharply by 20.8% to $2.0 billion in April, led by the commercial component and supported by construction intentions for office buildings in the Toronto CMA, Statistics Canada reported today.
While the total value of issued permits was down nationwide, this provincial surge created net positive growth in Ontario.
Photo credit: Summit Art Creations / Adobe Stock
Generative AI adoption surges to 91 per cent among middle market companies
The 2025 RSM Middle Market AI Survey reveals that artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly becoming a cornerstone in the operational strategies of middle market organizations across the U.S. and Canada. The report found an overwhelming 91 per cent of respondents affirmed their organizations’ use of generative AI in business practices, marking a notable rise from 77 per cent in the previous year’s survey.
Focus on Human Resources
Gen Z is facing the worst youth unemployment rate in decades. Here is how it’s different
Graduation cap in hand, Sarah Chung is posing for photos in school regalia ahead of her convocation ceremony. The campus atmosphere is joyful, but what comes next is sobering: this honours student is graduating into one of the worst youth labour markets seen in decades.
Chung is part of a generation facing Canada’s highest youth unemployment rate in about a quarter-century.
Apart from the pandemic, Canadian graduates between the ages of 15 and 24 are facing the highest unemployment rate this country has seen since the mid-1990s, according to first quarter data from Statistics Canada.
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.
