Ontario colleges accepting applications for accelerated PSW programs
Ontario colleges are now accepting applications to Ontario’s new accelerated training program for personal support workers (PSWs). The Ontario government is providing $115 million to train up to 8,200 new personal support workers for high-demand jobs in the health and long-term care sectors. This is part of the government’s Long-Term Care Staffing Plan.
In collaboration with Colleges Ontario, all 24 publicly-assisted colleges are offering this innovative, fully funded program. Registration for the program is available through the Ontario College Application Service.
The province is also offering tuition assistance to in-process PSW students who started the program at one of Ontario’s publicly-assisted colleges in January 2021. These students will be eligible to receive a $2,000 tuition grant to help them complete their studies, as well as a stipend to complete the clinical placement part of their training.
Niagara College is participating in the program. Their PSW course can be viewed here.
Ontario launches consultation to strengthen municipal codes of conduct
The Ontario government is launching consultations with the municipal sector to strengthen accountability for council members. The province wants to ensure that councillors and heads of council maintain a safe and respectful workplace and carry out their duties as elected officials in an ethical and responsible manner.
Jill Dunlop, the Associate Minister of Children and Women’s Issues will be leading the consultations to hear from members of council, municipal associations as well as municipal staff on how to ensure that municipal staff and officials are supported and respected in the workplace.
Under the Municipal Act, 2001, all municipalities are required to establish a code of conduct for councillors and certain local boards. They are also required to provide access to an integrity commissioner.
Total investment in building construction reaches record high
Investment in residential building construction, January 2021
Total investment in building construction reached $16.0 billion for the first time on record, up 2.8% from the previous month, based on continued strength in the residential sector, while non-residential construction remained flat for the fourth consecutive month. On a constant dollar basis (2012=100), investment in building construction increased 3.0% to $12.6 billion in January.
Investment in residential construction rose 3.9% to $11.6 billion in January, following a record high in December 2020. Gains were reported in every province except Manitoba. Ontario was the largest contributor, accounting for over one-third of the growth.\
Investment in residential construction rose 3.9% to $11.6 billion in January, following a record high in December 2020. Gains were reported in every province except Manitoba. Ontario was the largest contributor, accounting for over one-third of the growth.
A fourth consecutive monthly increase was reported in single-unit construction investment, up 4.0%. With the exception of a large drop in April 2020 related to the COVID-19 pandemic, this component has increased eight times in the last nine months. While Ontario remained as the provincial leader in this component, Nova Scotia and Quebec both reached record highs.
Multi-unit construction investment increased 3.7% on sustained growth in new construction and renovations in large condominium apartment projects. Multi-unit construction investment has been rising in Ontario from May 2020 to January 2021, with the majority of the investment reported in the census metropolitan area of Toronto.
Non-residential construction investment held steady for the fourth consecutive month at $4.4 billion in January. Industrial construction investment dipped 0.4% to $804 million. This was the second consecutive monthly decline, with Alberta (-5.1%) and Manitoba (-2.9%) posting the largest decreases. Investment in this component fell to its lowest level since January 2018, excluding the low level reported in April 2020 related to COVID-19 shutdowns.
Reading recommendations
‘It was a very simple thing’: This tax return from 1953 shows just how complex our tax system has become
Jamie Golombek, Financial Post
For decades, Sam Cass, 98, did his own tax return — by hand. But he had to give that up when he turned 80. In a video interview last week from his retirement home in Thornhill, just north of Toronto, Sam explained that tax filing had become too complicated over the years.
“It got to the point where I couldn’t handle it anymore,” Sam said. “In the old days, it was a very simple thing. The whole tax return was: What was my income and what was my outcome? Nothing else!”
Data delay means Ontario reports 1,631 new COVID-19 cases, as final stay-at-home orders lift
CBC News
Ontario is reporting 1,631 new COVID-19 cases on the same day stay-at-home orders lift in three regions, including Toronto and Peel — which have consistently seen the province’s highest number of infections throughout the pandemic.
Monday’s cases mark the highest number of new infections in over a month, though Ontario’s Ministry of Health says today’s case count is higher than expected due to a “data catch-up process.”
Asked how much Monday’s figure was inflated by the data delay, Public Health Ontario said it couldn’t provide a specific number “due to the way the data are pulled for the reports.”
Of the new cases, 568 were reported in Toronto, 322 were reported in Peel Region and 119 were reported in York Region.
Provincewide, the Ontario government is reporting that some 626 people are in hospital with COVID-19. Of those, 282 are in intensive care, and 184 require a ventilator to breathe.
Niagara COVID status tracker
Niagara’s most up-to-date COVID statistics, measured against the targets for the various stages of the Ontario COVID-19 Response Framework, are presented below. This does not predict government policy, but is offered to give you an idea of where Niagara is situated and how likely a relaxation (or further restrictions) may be. These data are drawn daily from Niagara Region. The Grey-Lockdown level does not have its own metrics, but is triggered when the COVID-specific measurements in a Red-Control region have continued to deteriorate.
| December 18 | December 25 | January 1 | January 8 | January 15 | January 22 | January 29 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reproductive number | 1.4 | 1.8 | 1.4 | 1.1 | 1.0 | 0.7 | 0.9 |
| New cases per 100,000 | 101.2 | 267.3 | 469.8 | 575.8 | 507.1 | 295.5 | 250.6 |
| New cases per day (not including outbreaks) | 60.7 | 178.7 | 311.7 | 376.9 | 325.4 | 182.7 | 145.7 |
| Percent of hospital beds occupied | 97% | 95.2% | 98.2% | 103.2% | 104.5% | 103.6% | 106% |
| Percent of intensive care beds occupied | 78.8% | 77.3% | 87.9% | 87.9% | 90.9% | 89.4% | 93.9% |
| Percentage of positive tests | 6.1% | 15.6% | 28.1% | 28.6% | 26.6% | 21.2% | 16.2% |
Definitions:
- Weekly Incidence Rate: the number of new COVID-19 cases per 100,000 people per week
- Percent Positivity: the number of positive COVID-19 tests as a percentage of all COVID-19 tests performed
- Rt: the reproductive rate, or the number of people infected by each case of the virus
