In this edition:
- Empowering Women Through Entrepreneurship: THE TEN SPOT’s Women in Franchising Grant
- Inflation rises to 2.6% as tax holiday ends
- 29 Niagara residents receive King Charles III Coronation Medal
- Government of Canada announces $67M in funding to support green trades
- St. Catharines takes action to protect local economy amid U.S. tariffs
- Job vacancies hold steady in the fourth quarter
- Business confidence remains weak for third consecutive quarter
- Ford pushes for Ontario to be ‘first in line’ for U.S. tariff exemptions
- Focus on Finance & Economy
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Empowering Women Through Entrepreneurship: THE TEN SPOT’s Women in Franchising Grant
THE TEN SPOT® is Canada’s largest beauty bar franchise. For the past two decades, THE TEN SPOT® has been dedicated to building a brand that empowers women to feel confident and radiate their best selves. With expertly executed beauty bar services, every guest is made to #FeelLikeATen, because when they feel like a ten, they live #LIFEATATEN.
But the impact goes beyond beauty treatments. THE TEN SPOT® is passionate about growing the beauty of its impact by helping women step into entrepreneurship, take control of their lives, and unlock unlimited earning potential. Business ownership is one of the best ways to create a life filled with freedom, flexibility, and financial success.
Through franchising, aspiring entrepreneurs are guided through a step-by-step proven plan to fund, build, market, open, and run a thriving beauty bar business. Owning a franchise with THE TEN SPOT® means becoming a valued member of the community while creating a space where guests and staff alike feel like a ten every day. Franchise ownership also offers an exciting opportunity to build a sustainable business asset and achieve financial success.
The Women in Franchising Grant: $100,000 in Capital Support
THE TEN SPOT® is on a mission to empower women to become successful business owners. That’s why the Women in Franchising Grant was created—a dedicated initiative to help ambitious women kickstart their own THE TEN SPOT® franchise.
A total of $100,000 in grants will be awarded, with 10 successful applicants receiving $10,000 in capital support each. This funding provides a crucial boost to cover startup costs, making franchise ownership more accessible. Beyond financial support, grant recipients will receive expert mentorship and essential tools to confidently launch and grow their beauty bar business.
Featured content by The Ten Spot
Picture credit: Monster Ztudio / Adobe Stock
Inflation rises to 2.6% as tax holiday ends
The Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose 2.6% year over year in February, following an increase of 1.9% in January.
While faster price growth was broad-based in February, the end of the goods and services tax (GST)/harmonized sales tax (HST) break partway through the month contributed notable upward pressure to prices for eligible products. Slower price growth for gasoline prices (+5.1%) moderated the all-items CPI acceleration.
Picture credit: United Kingdom Department for Culture, Media and Sport / Open Government Licence 3.0
29 Niagara residents receive King Charles III Coronation Medal
29 recipients of the prestigious King Charles III Coronation Medal were announced at Brock University.
Retired CKTB host, Tim Denis, received the honour, along with current CKTB host, and former Mayor of St. Catharines, Walter Sendzik. Current Mayor Mat Siscoe was also honoured along with YWCA Executive Director Elisabeth Zimmerman.
Former Niagara College President, Dan Patterson and CEO of Community Care of St. Catharines and Thorold, Betty-Lou Souter, were also handed the medal, as were GNCC International Women’s Day Award winners Rochelle Bush and Dr. Tapo Chimbganda.
Picture credit: boonchok / Adobe Stock
Government of Canada announces $67M in funding to support nearly 30,000 green trades workers
Today, the Minister of Jobs and Families Steven MacKinnon announced more than $67 million across 10 projects to help equip approximately 29,300 tradespeople with high-demand skills as industries shift to greener, low-carbon alternatives. This funding will run from 2025 to 2030.
For-profit and non-profit organizations, as well as municipal and provincial governments, are eligible to apply in partnership with a union representing workers in the Red Seal skilled trades.
Picture credit: City of St. Catharines
St. Catharines takes action to protect local economy amid U.S. tariffs
At its meeting on March 17, City Council approved a temporary “Canada-First” procurement policy, prioritizing Canadian-made goods and services in municipal purchasing. The policy is part of a broader strategy to mitigate the economic impact of tariffs on local businesses and infrastructure projects.
The move echoes similar policies undertaken in cities such as Welland and Toronto.
Picture credit: Tamara Sales / Adobe Stock
Job vacancies hold steady in the fourth quarter
Job vacancies were virtually unchanged in the fourth quarter at 547,800, following nine consecutive quarters of decline since peaking at 983,600 in the second quarter of 2022.
Total labour demand (the sum of filled and vacant positions) rose by 24,900 (+0.1%) in the fourth quarter due to an increase in payroll employment (+24,700; +0.1%).
Photo credit: wichayada / Adobe Stock
Business confidence remains weak for third consecutive quarter
Canadian businesses are facing mounting economic uncertainty, and exporters are getting hit the hardest. The latest Business Insights Quarterly from the Canadian Chamber of Commerce’s Business Data Lab (BDL) shows that business confidence remains weak for the third consecutive quarter, with goods exporters now trailing other businesses in optimism.
Picture credit: Office of the Premier of Ontario
Ford pushes for Ontario to be ‘first in line’ for U.S. tariff exemptions
Premier Doug Ford says he will keep positioning his government as a key player in Canada’s response to looming U.S. trade tariffs.
On Tuesday, he said Ontario must be “first in line for exemptions.”
Focus on Finance & Economy
Will asset managers dash for cash? A summary of the implications for central banks
Dealers in Canadian fixed-income markets tend to match their clients’ orders to buy or sell securities. However, when several asset managers need cash at the same time, market liquidity relies increasingly on dealers’ willingness to buy securities and hold them on their own balance sheets. When this happens, selling liquid securities to generate cash becomes costly for asset managers.
Thus, asset managers may occasionally anticipate a potential limit in dealers’ capacity to hold securities and decide to sell securities as a precaution. In severe scenarios, this precautionary selling of securities can spread across market participants and lead to a dash for cash, overwhelming dealers’ balance sheet capacity, and warrant central bank interventions.
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.
