In this edition:
- Downtown Woolverton highrise gets final approval
- Indications of massive Welland residential development moving forward
- Fort Erie development shifting to ‘stable and normalized growth’
- GNCC announces new members of the Board of Directors
- Dunkin’ coming back to Canada, following deal with Foodtastic
- Auditor General flags risks in truck licensing and AI use
- Consumer insolvencies surge in first quarter to highest level since 2019
- Rising energy costs will likely affect Ontario’s produce prices this summer, analyst warns
- Canada’s mortgage debt hits record high as delinquency rate creeps up
- Focus on Infrastructure
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Picture credit: Studio JCI
Downtown Woolverton highrise gets final approval
The much discussed and debated Woolverton residential/commercial development at the corner of Mountain and Elm streets in downtown Grimsby has received final approval from town council.
Councillors voted 5-4 on Monday to greenlight the seven-storey building with 150 rental units that has already been approved by the Ontario Land Tribunal (OLT).
Picture credit: LIV Communities
Indications of massive Welland residential development moving forward, without requested grant
A substantial payment is a clear signal that one of the largest projects by a single developer in the City of Welland’s history is in the works.
Two years ago, Burlington-based LIV Communities purchased just over 61.2 hectares of land owned by the City of Welland for $35 million. The purchase is in an instalment plan, with the developer recently making a $10.6 million payment.
Picture credit: Town of Fort Erie
Fort Erie development shifting to ‘stable and normalized growth’
It may not have been the frenetic pace of a few years ago but building activity in Fort Erie remained strong in 2025, thanks in part to significant projects in the industrial and commercial sectors.
The nine building permits for the industrial sector represented $19.9 million in activity, a nearly $13.5 million increase from 2024.
GNCC announces new members of the Board of Directors
The Greater Niagara Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors was confirmed at its 2026 Annual General Meeting.
The GNCC welcomed new directors Danijel Augustinovic of Hodgson Russ LLP; Tim Oldfield of the Niagara Falls Convention Centre; and Janet Madume of the Welland Heritage Council and Multicultural Centre. Patricia Menear of Toronto Metropolitan University, Chair of NEXTNiagara, joins the Board in an ex-officio capacity.
Members returned Bruce Peever of KPMG, Laura Tolhoek of EssentialHR, Christian Wulff of YMCA of Niagara, and outgoing Chair Stephen Otten of Meridian Credit Union to the Board. Otten will now serve as Past Chair.
Picture credit: jetcityimage / Adobe Stock
Dunkin’ coming back to Canada, following deal with Foodtastic
In a country dominated by Tim Hortons, will anyone run to Dunkin’? Montreal-based restaurant operator Foodtastic thinks so, and plans to bring hundreds of the doughnut shops to Canada as early as this year.
The company said Tuesday it has signed a master franchising agreement with Inspire Brands to bring one of America’s largest coffee chains back to Canada.
Picture credit: Yakobchuk Olena / Adobe Stock
Auditor General flags risks in truck licensing and AI use
Ontario’s Auditor General says the province needs stronger oversight of large commercial truck driver licensing and the use of artificial intelligence across government. The reports found weaknesses in driver training and testing controls, along with cases of unsecured AI use by public servants, raising concerns for road safety and public-sector cybersecurity.
Picture credit: Prostock-studio / Adobe Stock
Consumer insolvencies surge in first quarter to highest level since 2019
Consumer insolvencies rose in the first quarter of 2026, with 37,121 Canadians filing a consumer insolvency, according to the latest data from the Office of the Superintendent of Bankruptcy (OSB). The Canadian Association of Insolvency and Restructuring Professionals (CAIRP) said this is the highest quarterly volume of consumer insolvencies since 2009 and is equivalent to roughly 17 Canadians filing for insolvency every hour during the quarter, on average, reflecting the sustained financial strain many households continue to face amid higher living costs, elevated debt loads, and heightened economic uncertainty.
Picture credit: puhimec / Adobe Stock
Rising energy costs will likely affect Ontario’s produce prices this summer, analyst warns
The cost of gasoline is still high across Canada, and it’s about to start fuelling higher food costs here, says one grocery analyst.
“Essentially, we are starting to see some prices impacted by energy costs,” Sylvain Charlebois, the director of the Agri-Food Analytics Lab at Dalhousie University, told Metroland Media. “Produce is a big one and the frozen aisle is also a big one.”
Picture credit: kamon_saejueng / Adobe Stock
Canada’s mortgage debt hits record high as delinquency rate creeps up
Canada’s total residential mortgage debt surpassed $2.4 trillion in January 2026, up 4.8 per cent year over year, “showing early but contained signs of strain,” Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) said Tuesday.
Focus on Infrastructure
Canada’s energy blind spot – The infrastructure gap behind our energy ambitions
Victoria Mancinelli, Daily Commercial 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.
