In this edition:
- Niagara College and Walker plant seeds for sustainable future
- Grimsby breaks ground on Downtown Reimagined
- Alectra Inc. named one of Canada’s Best 50 Corporate Citizens for 2026
- Travel to U.S. rises for first time in more than a year
- New report says climate-proofing Canadian infrastructure will save taxpayers billions
- Prime Day spending set to hit $5.4B in Canada as participation jumps from 52% to 65%
- Canadian Association for the Practice of Architecture launches
- Retailers seek clarity on forced-labour import bill
- Canada could be ‘sideswiped’ if global imbalances continue to widen, Macklem warns
- Focus on Municipalities
Did you know you can get the GNCC’s Daily Update emailed to you? Click here to sign up.
From left: Evan DiValentino (Dean, Business and Environment, NC), Geordie Walker (President and CEO, Walker Industries), Sean Kennedy (President, NC), Maddie Fullerton (Horticulture Technician student, NC), Gord Arbeau, (Vice President, External Relations, NC), and Navia Sharma (Senior Vice President, Marketing and Corporate Affairs, Walker Industries). | Picture credit: Niagara College
Niagara College and Walker plant seeds for sustainable future
A deeply rooted partnership between Niagara College and Walker Industries branched out into a new era with a formalized two-year agreement designed to cultivate real-world expertise in sustainable horticulture and drive circular economy innovation.
The collaboration brings premium, sustainable growing media into the hands of students from NC’s School of Environment and Horticulture while enhancing the College grounds. As part of the agreement, Walker Industries is contributing approximately 500 cubic yards of high-performance soil, mulch and growing media annually to the College.
Picture credit: Town of Grimsby
Grimsby breaks ground on Downtown Reimagined
The Town of Grimsby officially marked the beginning of Phase 1 of Downtown Reimagined today as work commenced on a critical water infrastructure renewal project, supported by a $1.9 million investment from the federal and provincial governments through the Green Infrastructure Stream of the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program (ICIP). The Government of Canada provided $1.05 million for the project, and the Government of Ontario provided nearly $875,000.
Picture credit: Alectra Utilities
Alectra Inc. named one of Canada’s Best 50 Corporate Citizens for 2026
Alectra Inc. has once again been recognized by Corporate Knights as one of Canada’s Best 50 Corporate Citizens, ranking #28 overall and #4 among Canadian transmission and distribution companies in 2026.
The annual Best 50 Corporate Citizens list evaluates the sustainability performance of Canada’s largest companies with more than $1 billion in annual revenue.
Photo credit: belyaaa / Adobe Stock
Travel to U.S. rises for first time in more than a year
Canadian travel abroad posted its first year-over-year increase since February 2025 in April, as residents returned from 3.8 million trips, up 2.1% from a year earlier. Return trips from the United States rose 1.8% to 2.4 million, driven by an 8.1% increase in automobile travel, while air travel from the U.S. fell 7.1%. U.S. visits to Canada also strengthened, rising 6.9% to 1.5 million and marking a third straight month of year-over-year gains, although overseas visits to Canada fell 6.7% as arrivals from Europe and Asia declined.
Picture credit: markobe / Adobe Stock
New report says climate-proofing Canadian infrastructure will save taxpayers billions
A report by the Canadian Climate Institute (CCI) says taxpayers will pay a steep price if our infrastructure doesn’t adapt to the changing climate.
That’s bad, but the good news is that investing upfront in climate-proofing public infrastructure could limit those impacts and save between $4 billion and $9 billion per year by 2100, according to Prepare or Repair: How climate-proofing public infrastructure pays off.
Photo credit: Sundry Photography / Adobe Stock
Prime Day spending set to hit $5.4B in Canada as participation jumps from 52% to 65% in a year
Despite ongoing economic uncertainty among households, demand for major sales events remains high. A new Omnisend survey of 1,029 Canadian consumers found that 65% plan to shop during Amazon Prime Day this year, up from 52% who report having shopped in 2025.
Spending intentions are also strong: 70% expect to spend the same amount (51%) or more (19%) than they did last year, while 66% anticipate spending up to $200.
Picture credit: adrian_ilie825/ Adobe Stock
Canadian Association for the Practice of Architecture launches with national advocacy mandate
A new national non-profit organization dedicated to advancing the business interests of architectural practice in the country has launched called the Canadian Association for the Practice of Architecture (CAPA).
CAPA will serve as a co-ordinated voice, advocating for fair and effective business conditions while reinforcing the value of architecture in strengthening Canada’s economy.
Picture credit: adekub / Adobe Stock
Retailers seek clarity on forced-labour import bill
The federal government has introduced Bill C-35, the proposed Ban on Importing Goods Made with Forced Labour Act, which would strengthen Canada’s existing prohibition on forced-labour imports. The bill would allow Ottawa to create a list of high-risk goods and require importers to provide prescribed information to customs officials before those products could enter Canada.
The Retail Council of Canada said it supports effective enforcement, but is calling for a targeted and transparent regime that gives importers clear information and avoids adding unnecessary costs and complexity to compliant trade.
Photo credit: Bank of Canada
Canada could be ‘sideswiped’ if global imbalances continue to widen, Bank of Canada’s Tiff Macklem warns
Widening global imbalances in trade and other economic flows pose a growing risk to financial stability that could “sideswipe” countries such as Canada despite their relatively stable policies, Bank of Canada Governor Tiff Macklem warned Monday.
In a speech to the Chambre de commerce France-Canada in Paris, Macklem said that imbalances were growing at a time when the financial system was also evolving and becoming faster and less regulated.
Focus on Municipalities
4 ways cities can make themselves more marketable for business
Ben Simpfendorfer, World Economic Forum
Many cities compete for business by providing a one-time subsidy for a marquee headquarters or a tax incentive for a new factory. In 2026, that often isn’t enough.
At a time of dizzying economic and geopolitical change, multinational corporations that are eager to diversify their geographic footprint are using a much broader set of factors to make location decisions.
Cities generate about 80% of global gross domestic product (GDP), according to the World Bank. About half of all people in the world currently live in urban areas. The UN says that’s expected to increase to 70% by 2050.
However, no two cities are identical. Companies increasingly want locations with deep talent pools, access to capital, world-class connectivity and plans for climate resilience, according to a new report by the Oliver Wyman Forum, which uses more than 50 metrics to rank 1,500 cities globally.
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.
