Free rapid COVID-19 testing kits are now available to businesses

Visit gncc.ca/workplace-self-screening-kits to learn more and reserve kits for your organization.

Partial re-opening of Canadian borders to begin on July 6

Beginning July 5, 2021 at 11:59 p.m. EDT, fully vaccinated travellers who are permitted to enter Canada will not be subject to the federal requirement to quarantine or take a COVID-19 test on day-8. In addition, fully vaccinated travellers arriving by air will not be required to stay at a government-authorized hotel.

To be considered fully vaccinated, a traveller must have received the full series of a vaccine — or combination of vaccines — accepted by the Government of Canada at least 14 days prior to entering Canada. Currently, those vaccines are manufactured by Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca/COVISHIELD, and Janssen (Johnson & Johnson). Travellers can receive their vaccine in any country, and must provide documentation supporting their vaccination in English, French or with a certified translation.

This phase will continue to restrict entry to Canada of foreign nationals, unless they already meet an exemption set out in the border restrictions, maintains pre- and on arrival testing for all travellers, and monitors for variants of concern.

Being fully vaccinated will not automatically exempt a traveller from quarantine, the mandatory hotel stay, or day-8 testing. Travellers must also electronically submit COVID-19-related information into ArriveCAN in advance of their arrival, meet the pre- and on-arrival test requirements, be asymptomatic, and have a suitable quarantine plan.

For travellers who are not fully vaccinated, there are no changes to Canada’s current border measures.

The Canadian Chamber of Commerce, speaking for Canada’s chamber network, remarked that Canadian businesses remain frustrated by the absence of a plan for how our country will eventually reopen borders, especially at a time when more domestic reopening plans are being published. Perrin Beatty, President and CEO of the Canadian Chamber, said that “the fact that it is easier for vaccinated Canadians to fly to Paris than it is to drive to Buffalo demonstrates how illogical the present policy is. It is time for common sense, guided by science, to dictate a well considered reopening plan.”

Government of Canada announces $33 million investment in Shop Local campaigns

Today, the Honourable Mary Ng, Minister of Small Business, Export Promotion and International Trade, announced the launch of Shop Local, a Canada-wide investment of $33 million to encourage Canadians to shop locally. Making the announcement from Butter Baker, a bakery in Markham, Minister Ng also stated that nearly $9 million of that total will be invested in Ontario, through the Ontario Chamber of Commerce, to support businesses in reopening and staying open so they can thrive as the economy recovers.

The funding will be provided through provincial and territorial chambers of commerce to support awareness-building campaigns that promote consumer confidence and local businesses. The amount of funding allocated to each region will be based primarily on the percentage of small businesses.

Further details will follow.

National Indigenous Peoples Day observed across Canada

June 21 marks National Indigenous Peoples Day, the national 25^th anniversary of celebrating the heritage, diverse cultures and outstanding achievements of First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples, and a day for all Canadians to recognize and celebrate the unique heritage, diverse cultures and outstanding contributions of First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples. The Canadian Constitution recognizes these three groups as Aboriginal peoples, also known as Indigenous peoples.

The Haudenosaunee and Anishinabek are the local Indigenous Peoples of the Niagara region. Statistics Canada has observed the day with a brief profile of First Nations, Métis and Inuit, as well as a look at the socio-economic impacts of the pandemic on Indigenous people. More information can be found on Statistics Canada’s Indigenous Statistics Portal, a central location where users can find links to data and information products related to First Nations people, Métis and Inuit, including community profiles. Brock University’s Aboriginal Student Services (AbSS) has planned more than a dozen virtual events for Indigenous Peoples Awareness Week, while Niagara College Indigenous student success leaders Ashley Buck and Emily Schutt have launched a social media campaign which highlights five virtual ways to celebrate the day.

Called the Iroquois Confederacy by the French, and the League of Five Nations by the English, the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, as it is properly called, means “People of the long house.” The confederacy was founded by the prophet known as the Peacemaker with the help of Aionwatha, more commonly known as Hiawatha. The exact date of the joining of the nations is unknown and said to be time immemorial, making it one of the first and longest lasting participatory democracies in the world.

The Anishinabek Nation represents 39 First Nations throughout the province of Ontario from Golden Lake in the east, Sarnia in the south, Thunder Bay and Lake Nipigon in the north. The 39 First Nations have an approximate combined population of 65,000 citizens, one third of the province of Ontario’s First Nation population. The Anishinabek Nation has four strategic regional areas: Southwest, Southeast, Lake Huron and Northern Superior. Each region is represented by a Regional Deputy Grand Council Chief.

More information on the Haudenosaunee Confederacy and Anishinabek Nation can be found on their respective websites.

More COVID-19 vaccination appointments available as shortened second dose eligibility expands

As of today, those who received their first dose of an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine on or before May 9, 2021 are eligible to book or rebook their second dose appointment at a shortened interval. A full list of those who are able to book an earlier second dose can be found on the provincial website. Those 12 and older who have not received their first dose are particularily encouraged to book an appointment as soon as possible.

Reading Recommendations

Soaring costs challenge Canadian retailers counting on post-COVID surge

Reuters

Canadian retailers are readying for a post-pandemic rebound as consumers emerge from lockdowns and open their wallets, but higher costs are eroding their profit margins and fanning inflationary pressures.

Skyrocketing transport and input costs – fueled by a global shipping container shortage and surging demand for raw materials – mean prices set a few months ago no longer make sense, especially when demand for goods is so high that certain products are selling out before they even arrive.

Many retailers and importers are sacrificing margins to try to weather what they hope is a temporary imbalance as the world snaps back from the pandemic. But some are also increasing their prices and that is helping feed Canada’s hottest inflation in a decade in May.

Should you take advantage of employer’s offer to work from home? Some say it could be a career-limiting move

CBC News

As vaccination rates rise and employers start to think about resuming regular working routines, many firms are considering adopting a hybrid policy — where workers will divide their time between time in the office and time spent working at home.

Tempting as it may sound to those who love working in their sweatpants and the freedom from a hassle-filled commute, others warn there could be negative career consequences.

“People who use flexible work practices such as telecommuting or working from home can be seen as less devoted to their career, and putting family and personal life first,” said Kimberly Eddleston, a professor of entrepreneurship and innovation at Northeastern University in Boston and co-author of a study that examined the relationship between remote work and career success, as measured by promotions and salary increases.