In this edition:
- Ford government adds power to cut more Niagara councils to strong-chair bill
- Oosterhoff announces over $1M in funding for Niagara festivals
- Canada’s economic growth slows in 2025
- Remote work opportunities rise for rural service businesses
- Trump gives go-ahead to major new Canada-US oil pipeline
- Focus on Housing Solutions
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Navigating Real Estate Decisions Amid Market Uncertainty
The question of “When is the right time to buy?” has never been more relevant for Canadians considering a real estate purchase. With the housing market constantly in the headlines, prospective buyers and homeowners face a barrage of conflicting reports and opinions. One day, the market is booming; the next, it’s cooling or predicted to decline. This uncertainty leads to understandable hesitation among consumers, who are left wondering how to make the best decision.
Industry experts at Home & Condo Market, Brokerage advise that the real focus should not be on trying to time the market, but rather on personal financial readiness. “Real estate is cyclical,” says Co-Founder, Mary Marrello, “If you spend too much time attempting to pinpoint the perfect moment, you risk missing out on your own ideal opportunity. The smart move is to buy what you can comfortably afford, when you are financially prepared to do so.”
Featured content by Home & Condo Market Brokerage
Call 416-551-5020 for Free Market Insights
Picture credit: Brad Demers / Greater Niagara Chamber of Commerce
Ford government adds power to cut more Niagara councils to strong-chair bill
At least three more Niagara municipalities could have fewer councillors in the fall as the Ford government moves ahead with a bill proposing sweeping changes to Ontario’s regional governance model.
In committee hearings Thursday, Progressive Conservative (PC) MPPs voted through amendments to Bill 100 that would give the minister of municipal affairs and housing the power to determine the number of council members in Thorold, Port Colborne and Niagara-on-the-Lake.
File photo | Picture credit: Brad Demers / Greater Niagara Chamber of Commerce
Oosterhoff announces over $1M in funding for Niagara festivals
Today, Sam Oosterhoff, MPP for Niagara West, announced that the Ontario government is investing $1,015,130 through the 2026 Experience Ontario Program to support nineteen festivals and events across Niagara. This is part of a more than $20 million government investment to help municipalities and event organizers deliver high-quality programming and experiences for people of all ages.
Picture credit: Who is Danny / Adobe Stock
Canada’s economic growth slows in 2025
Canada’s real GDP by industry grew 1.6% in 2025, with growth recorded in every province and territory except the Northwest Territories, according to new Statistics Canada data. Ontario’s economy grew 1.3% and was the largest single contributor to national growth, adding 0.49 percentage points, largely on the strength of services-producing industries. However, StatCan noted that services growth slowed in every jurisdiction, while manufacturing declined in 10 jurisdictions, including Ontario, where output fell 1.6%. For Niagara businesses, the figures point to a slower-growth environment in Ontario, with service-sector activity still supporting expansion but manufacturing weakness remaining a concern for trade-exposed and supply-chain-linked firms.
Photo credit: tirachard / Adobe Stock
Remote work opportunities rise for rural service businesses
Statistics Canada reports that 26.6 per cent of rural services-producing businesses expected to offer remote work arrangements in the fourth quarter of 2025, up 8.5 per cent from the same quarter in 2024. The new data, drawn from the Canadian Survey on Business Conditions, provide detailed estimates for 483 rural labour markets across Canada and may be useful for communities assessing workforce attraction, retention, and access to talent outside major urban centres.
Photo credit: serikbaib / Adobe Stock
Trump gives go-ahead to major new Canada-US oil pipeline
President Donald Trump granted a key approval Thursday for a major new oil pipeline that would carry oil from Canada into the U.S. where it would be exported and refined.
The three-foot-wide Bridger Pipeline Expansion would carry up to 550,000 barrels (87,400 cubic meters) of oil a day from the Canadian border with Montana down through eastern Montana and Wyoming, where it would link with another pipeline.
Focus on Housing Solutions
Why a salary of $115K isn’t enough to purchase a house in some parts of Canada
Mark Gollom, CBC News
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.
