In this edition:
- Border Services union receives positive strike vote
- Government of Ontario expands retail alcohol sales; all convenience, grocery and big-box stores to be included by November
- Algoma reports successful first year of biofuel trials
- Gold and quadruple bronze wins for Niagara College at Skills Ontario
- Premier declines to commit to June 2026 Ontario election
- Seven of nine retail subsectors see declines in March data, with losses in total volume and total value
- Financial sector posts 4.9% income gains in Q1, offsetting non-financial sector losses
- Competition Bureau probes alleged anticompetitive conduct by Loblaws, Sobeys owners
- Focus on Technology
Border Services union receives positive strike vote
Today, the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) informed the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat (TBS) that it has received a positive strike vote from the membership of the Border Services (FB) group.
The Government of Canada is hopeful that a strike can be avoided, citing important upcoming opportunities where both parties can make real progress toward an agreement. By the end of May, the government will receive recommendations from an independent party—the Public Interest Commission—which will help bring both sides together. On June 3, guided by those recommendations, both parties will begin mediation.
In the event of strike action, Canadians should know that 90% of front-line border services employees are designated as essential, meaning they must continue providing services during a strike.
Government of Ontario expands retail alcohol sales; all convenience, grocery and big-box stores to be included by November
Starting in August, consumers will be able to purchase new products like coolers and other ready-to-drink beverages alongside more pack sizes at grocery stores that currently sell wine or beer, followed by new retailers being able to sell an increased selection of local, domestic and international alcohol products in a safe and responsible manner. By the end of October 2024, every convenience, grocery and big-box store in Ontario will be able to sell beer, cider, wine and ready-to-drink alcoholic beverages if they choose to do so.
Algoma reports successful first year of biofuel trials
Algoma has completed its first year of biofuel trials, successfully operating five vessels on biofuel for approximately 7,500 hours, with no unexpected costs or out-of-service time, the company reported today.
Marine transportation, representing only 3% of global greenhouse gas emissions yet accounting for 90% of traded goods, is by far the most environmentally efficient way of transporting cargo. As part of a global industry wide effort to continue to decarbonize and reduce overall emissions, in 2022, Algoma declared a 40% reduction target in carbon intensity for its fleet by 2030. Reducing its fleet’s carbon footprint is one of Algoma’s strategic priorities.
Gold and quadruple bronze wins for Niagara College at Skills Ontario
Hairstyling student Rikaya Santik from Niagara Falls brought home a gold medal win for Niagara College at the Skills Ontario competition in Toronto, May 6-7, and four fellow students earned bronze medals.
Bachelor of Arts Honours Game Design student Ben Cohen of Richmond Hill, Computer Programming & Analysis program student Doaa Awan of St. Catharines, Esthetician program student Kazzel Vibar, and Hairstyling student Trinity Ptashnyk of Chippawa joined Santik atop the provincial stage, winning third place in their respective competitions.
Premier declines to commit to June 2026 Ontario election
Ontario Premier Doug Ford is fuelling early election speculation by declining multiple times Friday to commit to sticking to the planned June 2026 date.
Ford took reporters’ questions after the announcement of his plan to expand sales of beer, wine, cider and ready-to-drink cocktails to all grocery stores and eligible convenience stores, and was asked if he is speeding up the timeline in order to set the stage for an early election call.
Seven of nine retail subsectors see declines in March data, with losses in total volume and total value
Retail sales decreased 0.2% to $66.4 billion in March, Statistics Canada has reported. Sales were down in seven of nine subsectors and were led by decreases at furniture, home furnishings, electronics and appliances retailers.
In volume terms, retail sales decreased 0.4% in March.
Financial sector posts 4.9% income gains in Q1, offsetting non-financial sector losses
Canadian corporations reported an increase of $898 million (+0.6%) in net income before taxes (NIBT) in the first quarter of 2024, reaching $160.1 billion. NIBT for the financial sector increased by $2.3 billion (+4.9%) to $48.2 billion in the first quarter of 2024. Increases were recorded in 6 of the 13 financial industries.
Meanwhile, the non-financial sector’s NIBT saw a decline of $1.4 billion (-1.2%) from the fourth quarter of 2023 to $111.9 billion in the first quarter of 2024. Overall, NIBT was down in 18 of 39 non-financial industries.
Competition Bureau probes alleged anticompetitive conduct by Loblaws, Sobeys owners
Canada’s Competition Bureau has launched investigations into the parent companies of grocery chains Loblaws and Sobeys for alleged anticompetitive conduct, court documents reveal, with Sobeys’ owner calling the inquiry “unlawful.”
The Federal Court documents show the Commissioner of Competition launched the probes on March 1, saying there’s reason to believe the firms’ use of so-called property controls limits retail grocery competition.
Did you know?
Focus on Technology
The automation agenda: Unlocking potential and building resilience
anada is on the cusp of seismic change in manufacturing. Innovative technologies, advancements in sustainability and a new generation of talent are reshaping the industry. They’re also creating new opportunities for Canadian companies to scale and build resiliency through technology. This change is desperately needed after several years of historic disruption.
Geopolitical unrest, high energy prices, rising materials costs and demand fluctuations during the pandemic – each of these and more have challenged businesses like never before. Globally, businesses missed out on more than $2 trillion CAD in revenue growth, according to a recent Accenture report. These disruptions have also exposed dangerously low levels of resiliency within engineering, supply chains, manufacturing and operations.
As a result, businesses are taking action to rebalance operations closer to home, localizing sourcing and production, to reduce risk and cost. By 2026, 73 percent of Canadian companies plan to buy key items from regional supplies, while 91 percent plan to produce and sell most products in the same region.
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.
