In this edition:
- Queen’s Park approves council size reductions in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Port Colborne, and Thorold
- Niagara unemployment rate falls in April
- Ontario delivers nearly $44M to upgrade aging water infrastructure in Niagara
- Garden City Skyway twinning project ramping up
- Algoma Central reports higher Q1 revenue and returns to profit
- Welland secures more than $10.6M in provincial funding for Broadway infrastructure renewal
- Town of Lincoln’s HR Team recognized nationally as one of Canada’s Leading HR Teams for 2026
- Niagara-on-the-Lake receives thirteenth consecutive National Financial Reporting Award
- Federal government proposes faster approvals for major projects
- Warehouse One Clothing to shutter 128 stores across country
- Focus on Health & Safety
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Photo credit: bizoo_n / Adobe Stock
Queen’s Park approves council size reductions in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Port Colborne, and Thorold
Following a late night debate and despite impassioned arguments against the move from opposition MPPs, including Wayne Gates of Niagara Falls, Bill 100, the Better Regional Governance Act, passed at Queen’s Park on Thursday.
The passage of the bill means that municipal councils in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Port Colborne and Thorold will all be reduced in size from eight councillors to six. And that change will be reflected on the ballot for the municipal election on October 26.
Picture credit: skrotov / Adobe Stock
Niagara unemployment rate falls in April
St. Catharines–Niagara’s unemployment rate fell to 6.0 per cent in April, down from 6.5 per cent in March, according to Statistics Canada’s three-month moving average, seasonally adjusted data. Employment was little changed at 238,800, while the labour force declined by 1,700 month-over-month and was down 12,900 from April 2025, suggesting that the lower jobless rate was driven more by fewer people in the labour market than by job growth. The region’s employment rate edged down to 55.7 per cent, below March’s 55.9 per cent.
Picture credit: Office of the Hon. Sam Oosterhoff
Ontario delivers nearly $44M to upgrade aging water infrastructure in Niagara
The Ontario government is investing nearly $44 million to help rehabilitate drinking water, wastewater and stormwater infrastructure in Niagara. The funding is being delivered through the Municipal Housing Infrastructure Program’s Health and Safety Water Stream and will support access to safe drinking water, housing, job creation and protection for communities in the event of extreme weather events.
Image credit: Infrastructure Ontario
Garden City Skyway twinning project ramping up
The design of the new QEW Garden City Skyway is more than halfway complete, with the team behind the project anticipating construction in 2027 and the new bridge open to traffic in 2031.
While “slight tweaks” to the details could be made, Jeff Fellman, project director of Skyway Bridge Partners, said the plan is in place and moving ahead.
Picture credit: Algoma Central Corporation
Algoma Central reports higher Q1 revenue and returns to profit
St. Catharines-based Algoma Central reported first-quarter revenue of $127.8 million, up from $107.2 million a year earlier, and net earnings of $2.2 million after a $23.3 million loss in Q1 2025, though the company noted earnings included $18.9 million in one-time net gains. The marine carrier said demand is strengthening across the Great Lakes and East Coast, with higher domestic dry-bulk volumes, stronger product tanker results, and improved ocean self-unloader earnings. Algoma expects higher grain and salt volumes in 2026, steady tanker demand, and continued cost pressure from tariffs and global supply-chain risks.
Photo credit: Harold Stiver / Adobe Stock
Welland secures more than $10.6M in provincial funding for Broadway infrastructure renewal
The City of Welland has successfully secured $10.7 million through the Government of Ontario’s Health and Safety Water Stream (HSWS) under the Municipal Housing Infrastructure Program (MHIP) to support critical infrastructure improvements in the Broadway neighbourhood.
Picture credit: Town of Lincoln
Town of Lincoln’s HR Team recognized nationally as one of Canada’s Leading HR Teams for 2026
The Town of Lincoln is proud to announce that its Human Resources team has been recognized by Canadian HR Reporter as one of Canada’s Leading HR Teams for 2026, earning national recognition for innovation, employee experience, workplace culture, and forward-thinking people strategies.
Picture credit: Town of Niagara-on-the-Lake
Niagara-on-the-Lake receives thirteenth consecutive National Financial Reporting Award
The Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada (GFOA) has awarded the Town of Niagara-on-the-Lake the Canadian Award for Financial Reporting (CAnFR) for its annual financial report for the thirteenth consecutive year.
Picture credit: andranik123 / Adobe Stock
Federal government proposes faster approvals for major projects
The federal government has launched a 30-day consultation on regulatory reforms intended to ensure federal reviews and decisions for major projects take no longer than one year once proponents have submitted all required information. Proposed changes include a single comprehensive federal decision for permits and approvals, a Crown Consultation Hub for Indigenous consultation, federal economic zones, and measures to modernize trade corridors and port governance. The emphasis on faster approvals, supply-chain efficiency, port modernization, and reduced regulatory duplication could be relevant to future infrastructure, trade, manufacturing, logistics, and clean-energy investment.
Picture credit: Warehouse One / Facebook
Warehouse One Clothing to shutter 128 stores across country
Warehouse One Clothing Ltd., the operator of 95 Warehouse One stores, 25 Bootlegger stores and eight stores with a combination of both banners, is seeking a court order to liquidate and close all retail stores under Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act (CCAA) proceedings.
Focus on Health & Safety
Is Canada really one of the world’s most dangerous places to work?
Shane Mercer, Canadian Occupational Safety magazine
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.
