In this edition:
- Throne Speech sets economic priorities amid global uncertainty
- Ontario supporting recipients of disability benefits
- Cuvée made a big splash in celebration of Ontario VQA wines
- Niagara approves Climate Change Action Plan
- Niagara Region chair breaks tie, allowing $10.6M 911 backup centre to proceed in Welland
- Niagara-on-the-Lake Council to consider agreement for Garden City Skyway Bridge Twinning Project
- Niagara-on-the-Lake recognized for environmental leadership with Wege Award
- Canadian Survey on Business Conditions, second quarter 2025
- Telus to invest over $50 billion in Canada over next five years
- Khalil Ahmad, most decorated basketball player in CEBL history, returns to Niagara
- Focus on Retail
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Photo credit: HaydenSoloviev – Wikimedia Commons CC4.0
Throne Speech sets economic priorities amid global uncertainty
Today, King Charles III laid out the priorities for the newly re-elected Liberal government in the traditional Speech from the Throne, focusing on fortifying the Canadian economy in the face of global turbulence.
The speech, prepared by the governing Liberals, painted a picture of an uncertain world facing its steepest challenges since the Second World War but promised swift action to defend Canadian sovereignty and build new trading relationships outside of North America.
Highlights included:
- Building new relationships with the United States and the world
Canada is renewing its partnership with the United States and like-minded global allies to strengthen economic and security ties, promote shared values, and lead on the world stage, including through its upcoming leadership at the G7 Summit. - Building a more affordable Canada
The Government will lower costs for Canadians by cutting taxes, expanding housing affordability measures, and protecting essential programs like child care, pharmacare, and dental care. - Building a stronger Canada
To unlock Canada’s full economic potential, the Government will remove internal trade barriers, accelerate major national projects, support housing innovation, and position Canada as a leader in energy, skilled trades, and global competitiveness. - Building a safer and more secure Canada
The Government will enhance national and community safety through stronger border controls, expanded RCMP resources, modernized defence capabilities, and tougher laws targeting repeat offenders and violent crime. - Building a united Canada
The Government will advance reconciliation, protect cultural and linguistic identity, invest in conservation, support farmers, reform immigration, and uphold the Charter to reflect the values that unite Canadians. - Building Canada Strong by spending less and investing more
The Government will adopt a new fiscal discipline by reducing operational spending while directing strategic investments toward long-term national growth, productivity, and economic resilience.
Read the full text of the Speech from the Throne
Photo credit: JHVEPhoto – stock.adobe.com
Ontario supporting recipients of disability benefits
The Ontario government intends to exempt the Canada Disability Benefit (CDB) as income so that social assistance recipients would receive the benefit without seeing a reduction in their provincial social assistance payments or entitlements. The changes would help recipients of the Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP), Ontario Works and the Assistance for Children with Severe Disabilities (ACSD) program receive their maximum entitlements.
The CDB offers up to $200 each month ($2,400 each year) for eligible low-income, working-age Canadians with disabilities. By exempting the CDB, social assistance recipients will be able to fully benefit from the new program.
Photo Credit: Brock University
Cuvée made a big splash in celebration of Ontario VQA wines
Brock University’s Cool Climate Oenology and Viticulture Institute put on quite a show last Saturday as 500 guests gathered for an evening that featured world-class Ontario VQA wines and Niagara’s top culinary talent.
It was the 33rd edition of the Cuvée Grand Tasting featuring selections from the province’s top winemakers combined with delicious food pairings from the region’s leading chefs.
“The big takeaway here is although we have been celebrating VQA winemaking excellence for 33 years, it is now top-of-mind for so many people, including everyone at Cuvée,” said event manager Barb Tatarnic. “There’s this emergence of a ‘support-local’ movement that everyone is truly celebrating while recognizing the impressive talent we have right here in Ontario.”
Photo credit: skyf – stock.adobe.com
Niagara approves Climate Change Action Plan
Niagara Regional Council has approved a Climate Change Action Plan, which aims to achieve net-zero corporate emissions by 2050.
The plan’s goal is to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions across the Region’s corporate operations and facilities.
Its short-term goal is to reduce corporate emissions by 17.9 per cent by 2028. The plan targets major emission sources, such as buildings, and water and wastewater systems.
Photo credit: Harold Stiver – stock.adobe.com
Niagara Region approved $10.6M 911 backup centre to proceed in Welland
Niagara Region councillors approved a $10.6-million contract Thursday to build a standalone Next Generation 911 (NG-911) backup facility on Niagara Regional Police property in Welland.
The CRTC has mandated NG-911 for public safety and emergency response services. The process still connects callers to a 911 communicator; however, moving from analog to internet protocol provides data that determines the caller’s precise location and phone number.
Photo credit: Joanne Dale – stock.adobe.com
Niagara-on-the-Lake Council to consider agreement for Garden City Skyway Bridge Twinning Project
Town Council will consider a staff report recommending that the Town enter into an agreement with the Ministry of Transportation (MTO) in support of the Garden City Skyway Bridge Twinning Project. Representatives from the MTO will be in attendance to deliver a presentation and provide further details on the initiative.
Should Council approve the report, the agreement would outline responsibilities related to the design, construction, inspection, and maintenance of the project. All costs associated with the work, including road realignments and utility relocations affecting municipal infrastructure, would be fully funded by the Ministry of Transportation.
Photo credit:Town of Niagara-on-the-Lake
Niagara-on-the-Lake recognized for environmental leadership with Wege Award
The Town of Niagara-on-the-Lake has been selected as one of two second-place winners of the 2025 Wege Small Cities Sustainability Best Practices Award by the Board of Directors of the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Cities Initiative.
This award recognizes Niagara-on-the-Lake as a leading small community in environmental stewardship and sustainability, honouring its tangible contributions to protecting and preserving vital water resources within the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River Basin, the largest source of surface freshwater in the world.
Photo credit: fizkes – stock.adobe.com
Canadian Survey on Business Conditions, Q2 2025
Businesses continue to anticipate a variety of obstacles over the next three months, mainly related to costs and labour. While these pressures have continued to endure into the second quarter of 2025, the proportion of businesses with a positive outlook has dropped to 70%, the lowest since the first quarter of 2024.
Recent months have seen a rise in business uncertainty due to both the potential imposition and actual imposition of tariffs on Canadian goods and services imported by the United States.
Photo credit: TOimages – stock.adobe.com
Telus to invest over $50 billion in Canada over next five years
Telus is investing more than C$70 billion ($50.88 billion) in Canada over the next five years to expand its network infrastructure in the country, the telecom company said on Tuesday.
The investment will go towards launching two new artificial intelligence data centers as well as help increase Telus’ wireless coverage and capacity across more regions, particularly the rural areas, the company said.
Photo credit:Niagara River Lions
Khalil Ahmad, most decorated basketball player in CEBL history, returns to Niagara
The Niagara River Lions announced today the re-signing of 6-foot-4 American guard Khalil Ahmad for the 2025 Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) season.
Hailing from Corona, California, Ahmad rejoins the River Lions following a standout 2024 campaign, where he played a pivotal role in securing the franchise’s first ever championship.
Focus on Retail
Hudson’s Bay to lay off more than 8,300 employees by June 1
Jenna Benchetrit, CBC
Hudson’s Bay will lay off more than 8,300 employees — about 89 per cent of its workforce — by Sunday, according to documents published Monday evening, at which point the retailer will have closed all its stores and its liquidation sale will have run its course.
Some employees will be kept on staff to help sell any in-store furniture and to shut down the remaining locations. Once the company’s distribution centres close on June 15, an additional 899 employees are expected to be laid off.
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.
