In this edition:
- Government of Ontario expands Digital Competence Centre for SMEs
- When is the last day of school for Niagara elementary and secondary students?
- Manufacturing sales rise 4.2% in April
- What is Canada’s $3.2B National Food Security Strategy and will it lower grocery prices?
- Ontario signs critical minerals agreement with United Kingdom
- Future of Toys “R” Us stores in Canada unclear as operating platform, brand split
- ‘It’s all going to be OK’: Canada’s U.S. ambassador tries to ease CUSMA anxiety
- Oil markets have a long way back, even with a US-Iran peace deal on the table
- Focus on Markets
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Government of Ontario expands Digital Competence Centre for SMEs
Niagara West MPP Sam Oosterhoff today announced that the Government of Ontario is expanding the Digital Competence Centre to help small and medium-sized businesses across Ontario adopt digital technologies, modernize operations, and improve productivity. New funding streams will provide matching grants of up to $50,000 for businesses developing digital adoption roadmaps, purchasing new technologies, and digitally modernizing retail operations.
Businesses can apply through the DCC, which is delivered by the Ontario Centre of Innovation. Applications are now open, and eligible applicants will receive funding on a first-come, first-served basis, while funds last.
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When is the last day of school for Niagara elementary and secondary students?
Ontario schoolchildren are counting down the days to the last day of school and in Niagara, that date depends on whether your child attends high school or elementary school.
Metroland staff have compiled the last day of school at each of the school boards serving Niagara region.
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Manufacturing sales rise 4.2% in April
Canadian manufacturing sales rose 4.2% to $77.1 billion in April, following a 3.4% increase in March, with gains in 17 of 21 subsectors. Petroleum and coal products led the increase, up 22.6% to $11.8 billion as refineries ramped up after maintenance shutdowns, while food manufacturing rose 2.9% to a record $13.9 billion. Inventories increased 0.5% to $125.0 billion, while unfilled orders reached another record high at $123.2 billion, led by transportation equipment and primary metals.
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What is Canada’s $3.2 billion National Food Security Strategy and will it lower grocery prices?
Canada has unveiled a $3.2-billion National Food Security Strategy aimed to boost access to local, affordable food.
Released on June 11, the federal government’s 10-year plan aims to enhance opportunities for independent retailers, kick-start domestic food production and build a more independent and affordable food system.
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Ontario signs critical minerals agreement with United Kingdom
Ontario has signed a new critical minerals agreement with the United Kingdom aimed at strengthening allied supply chains and reducing reliance on foreign adversaries for minerals used in advanced manufacturing, energy, defence and clean technologies. The province said the agreement will support new investment, trade and collaboration between Ontario and the U.K. as governments look to build more secure and reliable supply chains.
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Wholesale sales rise 0.6% in April
Canadian wholesale sales rose 0.6% to $89.3 billion in April, with increases in five of seven subsectors and sales up 6.3% compared with April 2025. Building materials and supplies led the gain, rising 4.3% to $12.7 billion on stronger steel product sales, while Ontario posted the largest provincial increase, up 0.7% to $46.5 billion. Inventories also rose 1.1% to $139.9 billion, led by motor vehicles and building materials.
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Future of Toys “R” Us stores in Canada unclear as operating platform, brand split among buyers
Toys “R” Us Canada could soon see its brands, store leases and operating assets divided among separate buyers as the retailer moves toward court approval of transactions that leave the future of its remaining stores unclear.
Court documents filed in Ontario Superior Court show that the retailer’s restructuring process has resulted in three successful bids, with ownership of the Toys “R” Us and Babies “R” Us brands, select store leases and other assets heading to different purchasers. The proposed transactions are scheduled to be considered by the court on June 22.
Picture credit: Kleet Bronson / CC0
‘It’s all going to be OK’: Canada’s U.S. ambassador tries to ease CUSMA anxiety
Canada’s ambassador to the United States says “it’s all going to be OK” with the renewal date for the North American trade pact just a few weeks away.
Ambassador Mark Wiseman told a crowd at Canadian Club Toronto to “take a deep breath” and remember the current agreement is set to end not in two weeks, but in 10 years, and the decision now in front of the three parties to the deal is whether to extend that expiration to 2042.
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Oil markets have a long way back, even with a US-Iran peace deal on the table
The market welcomed news on Sunday that the US and Iran had agreed to the terms of a peace deal to end the conflict that has roiled the global economy, sending oil prices sharply lower and equities higher.
That deal, which President Trump said on Sunday will reopen the Strait of Hormuz, is expected to be signed in Switzerland on Friday. But even if the signing goes off without a hitch, experts say the oil markets are staring at a long road back to normalcy.
Focus on Markets
Mineral processing is where Canada either captures the value chain — or gives it away
Karen Thompson, Canadian Manufacturing
Canada’s challenge in critical minerals is about execution.
The federal government’s multi-billion-dollar investments in critical minerals is a genuine signal, and one the private sector needs to match with disciplined, coordinated action. But the gap I see every day, both in Canada and around the world, is the distance between what gets announced and what happens on the plant floor. Closing that gap is the work, and it’s where Canadian manufacturers either step up or step aside.
I’ve spent more than 25 years at Haver & Boecker Niagara, a Canadian OEM with deep German engineering roots and a home in St. Catharines, Ontario. My role takes me from Niagara to Mexico, Brazil, Germany, Australia, the UK and Ireland, strengthening the supply chains that connect Canadian processing capabilities to global markets. What I’ve seen consistently is this: mineral processing is where Canada turns natural wealth into strategic strength. If we want to lead in critical minerals, we must lead in how they’re processed.
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.
