In this edition:
- Transportation equipment and chemical industries lead manufacturing sector uptick
- Charitable donations down for first time since 2016
- New strategy ‘major step’ toward ending poverty in Niagara
- Economists split on whether the federal government will meet its fiscal target
- Huge construction projects pipeline outlined for Ontario
- Head of Niagara Health describes future of hospital system
- Municipal data a click away from being stolen, cybersecurity expert says
- Focus on Equity, Diversity & Inclusion
Transportation equipment and chemical industries lead manufacturing sector uptick
Manufacturing sales rose 0.2% to $71.1 billion in January, Statistics Canada reported today, on higher sales in 11 of the 21 subsectors, led by the transportation equipment (+4.3%) and chemical (+3.5%) subsectors. The aerospace product and parts industry group (-16.7%) posted the largest decline.
Sales in constant dollars rose 1.1% in January, while the Industrial Product Price Index edged down 0.1%.
Charitable donations down for first time since 2016
Just under 5 million Canadian tax filers (17.1% of all tax filers) declared making charitable donations in 2022, 0.3% fewer than a year earlier, despite the number of tax filers increasing 3.0% year over year. The total amount donated fell for the first time since 2016, decreasing 3.1% to $11.4 billion. This decrease in total donations followed the previous year’s increase of 11.5%, the largest since 2005.
New strategy ‘major step’ toward ending poverty in Niagara
The Niagara Poverty Reduction Strategy is being hailed as a significant step in the battle to end poverty and increase well-being across the region.
The plan, based on exhaustive community engagement and research, took almost three years to develop before it was unveiled at Niagara Region headquarters last week..
Economists split on whether the federal government will meet its fiscal target
Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland has pledged that the government will meet its fiscal targets in the upcoming federal budget, but economists say achieving that goal will be challenging as the deficit tracks higher.
Amid mounting pressure to rein in spending, the Liberals unveiled new fiscal guardrails in the fall that aim to limit deficits. Among the government’s promises was that this year’s deficit will not exceed $40.1 billion.
In new reports previewing the federal budget, TD and Desjardins offer different takes on whether the government will meet its goal for the current fiscal year.
Huge construction projects pipeline outlined for Ontario
Ontario “is the place to be” with hundreds of billions worth of projects in the pipeline in the next decade, delegates heard in successive presentations during the recent Ontario Construction Secretariat conference held in Toronto.
First OCS director of research Katherine Jacobs provided a project preview compiled by BuildForce Canada tracking 155 large projects across the province valued at over $200 billion.
Head of Niagara Health describes future of hospital system
The pressures in today’s hospital system are worse than what Lynn Guerriero has ever seen in her 36 years in the sector, says the Niagara Health president and chief executive officer.
During a presentation to regional councillors and staff during a recent committee-of-the-whole meeting, she and other top brass from the health system outlined what the next few years will look like as it transitions to the three-hospital model.
Municipal data a click away from being stolen, cybersecurity expert says
Cybersecurity experts and intelligent technology officials are constantly on the lookout for that single email clicked on by an unsuspecting employee that could conceivably paralyze any business or government institution.
“I remember when cybercrime and ransomware wasn’t a thing,” said Matt Lewis, acting chief security officer at Field Effect. “The worst thing we had to worry about was keystroke clockers.”
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Focus on Equity, Diversity & Inclusion
‘No longer about muscle’: Female leaders share strategies to address labour shortage
Workers should be defined by ability, not gender, said Jamie McMillan, founder of Made in the Trades, who was part of an industry think-tank discussion at a recent Canadian Institute conference.
“Making the trades a friendly environment for everyone is not so much about promoting just a certain group. It’s not about being exclusive to one group. It’s about being inclusive to all groups and recognizing that we all have what it takes in us as humans to do whatever the heck we want. We should not be defined by gender. We should be defined by our ability,” McMillan told the audience.
“With the technical advancements that we have in the industry today, it’s no longer about muscle. It’s about using your brain, using your body mechanics, using your emotional, mental, physical intelligence. If we could get everybody to be on that same page, I think that would change the industry.”
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.
