In this edition:
- ‘If you can’t sell them, why would you build them’: Niagara housing starts fall 23 per cent to start 2025
- DHL Express Canada suspends operations, shippers tap alternatives
- Federal replacement workers legislation now in force
- Town of Lincoln receives prestigious award for 2025 Budget
- Industrial raw material prices down 2.8% year-over-year as lumber costs continue to fall
- Number of EI claimants in Niagara up 15.3% since last year
- Steel industry groups call for more from Canada’s retaliatory plan
- Parliament set to rise today, with MPs to vote on controversial major projects bill
- Up to 4.8 million new homes needed over next decade to restore affordability, says CMHC
- Canada’s competition bureau wants to open domestic routes to foreign airlines
- Focus on Housing Solutions
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‘If you can’t sell them, why would you build them’: Niagara housing starts fall 23 per cent to start 2025
In a May report issued by Canadian Housing and Mortgage Corp., new housing starts in Niagara through the first half of 2025 dropped to their lowest levels since 2015.
From January through May, Niagara saw 628 housing starts across all dwelling types, including apartment, row, semi and single-detached homes. That is down 23 per cent from the same period one year ago, when housing starts — which means a project has reached the foundation stage of construction — was 812.
Picture credit: Belish / Adobe Stock
DHL Express Canada suspends operations, shippers tap alternatives
DHL Express Canada has begun its temporary suspension of operations as employees represented by the labor union Unifor continue their strike, a company spokesperson confirmed to Supply Chain Dive.
Any shipments in transit to Canada that weren’t delivered by Thursday evening will be held in DHL Express’ network, the company said in an update on its website earlier this week.
Photo credit: NVB Stocker / Adobe Stock
Federal replacement workers legislation now in force
As of today, Bill C-58, An Act to amend the Canada Labour Code and the Canada Industrial Relations Board Regulations, 2012, came into force. Among other changes, employers are now banned from using several types of people to do the work of striking or locked out workers.
Picture credit: Town of Lincoln
Town of Lincoln receives prestigious award for 2025 Budget
The Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada (GFOA) has awarded the Town of Lincoln a Distinguished Budget Presentation Award for the second year in a row, in recognition of its 2025 Budget.
Picture credit: Dmytro / Adobe Stock
Industrial raw material prices down 2.8% year-over-year as lumber costs continue to fall
In May, prices of products manufactured in Canada, as measured by the Industrial Product Price Index (IPPI), declined 0.5% month over month and increased 1.2% year over year. Meanwhile, prices of raw materials purchased by manufacturers operating in Canada, as measured by the Raw Materials Price Index (RMPI), fell 0.4% month over month and declined 2.8% year over year.
Picture credit: snowing12 / Adobe Stock
Number of EI claimants in Niagara up 15.3% since last year
The number of persons claiming Employment Insurance (EI) in the Niagara region fell by 150 between March and April 2025, but April’s figure was 830 higher than at the same point in 2024, Statistics Canada reported today, representing a 15.3% rise. This was a faster rate than the national average, recorded at 12.7%.
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Steel industry groups call for more from Canada’s retaliatory plan
The Canadian Steel Producers Association and United Steelworkers Union are panning Prime Minister Mark Carney’s response to U.S. President Donald Trump’s punishing tariffs.
Their response came hours after Carney announced a tariff countermeasure plan on Jun. 19 that includes retaliation against Trump’s steel and aluminum tariffs a month from now — depending on how much progress the two world leaders make in their trade discussions.
Picture credit: Rixie / Adobe Stock
Parliament set to rise today, with MPs to vote on controversial major projects bill
Prime Minister Mark Carney’s major projects and internal trade bill will be voted on today before the House of Commons rises until September.
A closure motion the government passed to limit debate says the House won’t adjourn today until debate wraps up on Bill C-5 and it clears the chamber.
Picture credit: Svjatoslav / Adobe Stock
Up to 4.8 million new homes needed over next decade to restore affordability, says CMHC
Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. says up to 4.8 million new homes will need to be built over the next decade to restore affordability levels last seen in 2019 based on projected demand.
The national housing agency released its latest supply gaps estimate report, which says between 430,000 and 480,000 new housing units are needed per year across the ownership and rental markets by 2035.
Photo credit: Imaging L / Adobe Stock
Canada’s competition bureau wants to open domestic routes to foreign airlines
In a market study report released June 19, Competition Bureau Canada recommended that the country open domestic flying to international airlines.
The bureau also suggests that domestic-only airlines be allowed to be fully owned by international interests. And it recommended that Canada’s limit of 25% ownership of Canadian airlines by a single investor be increased to 49%.
Focus on Housing Solutions
Removing GST and HST on all new housing would stir the market
Richard Lyall, Residential Construction Council of Ontario (RESCON)
Ontario builders appreciate that the federal government has taken steps to cut sales taxes on new homes for first-time homebuyers, as it signals much needed and long-awaited progress.
The feds recently passed legislation that eliminated the GST for first-time purchasers on new homes valued up to $1 million. Meanwhile, the government also reduced the sales tax for first-time buyers on a sliding scale for homes that are purchased between $1 and $1.5 million
Importantly, with the Ontario government thinking about following suit with a cut to the HST, it could amount to substantial savings of up to $130,000 in sales taxes on a home worth $1 million.
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.
