In this edition:
- Niagara unemployment rate falls in October
- Free info session on business tariff relief funding on offer
- Grimsby hires new Director of Planning and Development
- Niagara Falls introduces new customer service centres and online portal
- St. Catharines mayor tables city budget with slight tax increase
- Sharp drop in Niagara housing listings may indicate market returning to normalcy
- Will Canadian snowbirds snub U.S. travel? Here’s what a new survey reveals
- Liberals survive second confidence vote amid Tory caucus turmoil
- Canadians gaining confidence in personal finances despite pessimism about the economy
- Focus on Infrastructure
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Photo credit: Tamara Sales / Adobe Stock
Niagara unemployment rate falls in October
The October 2025 edition of Statistics Canada’s Labour Force Survey shows that Niagara’s unemployment rate fell from 7% to 6.5% in October, unadjusted for seasonality. When adjusted for seasonality, the drop was reduced to 0.4 percentage points month-to-month, but a full 1.2 percentage points lower than the same time in 2024.
National employment increased by 67,000 (+0.3%) in October, the second consecutive monthly increase, and the employment rate rose 0.2 percentage points to 60.8%.
Picture credit: Government of Canada
Free info session on business tariff relief funding on offer
The Government of Canada, through the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario), in collaboration with Niagara Region Economic Development, is hosting an information session on the Regional Tariff Response Initiative (RTRI). Register now by clicking here.
Picture credit: Town of Grimsby
Grimsby hires new Director of Planning and Development
The Town of Grimsby is excited to announce that Kirsten McCauley will be joining the Grimsby team as our new Director of Planning and Development, effective December 1, 2025.
Kirsten served the Town of Niagara-on-the-Lake as Director of Community and Development Services for the last four years.
Picture credit: Maurizio De Mattei / Adobe Stock
Niagara Falls introduces new customer service centres and online portal
Photo credit: Brad Demers / Greater Niagara Chamber of Commerce
St. Catharines mayor tables city budget with slight tax increase
Photo credit: Tinnakorn / Adobe Stock
Sharp drop in Niagara housing listings may indicate market returning to normalcy
“The sharp drop in new listings this October — nearly 20% and earlier than we’d typically expect — may prove to be a well-timed adjustment. If speculative listings are pulling back, it leaves behind a more motivated and realistic seller pool, helping to create a healthier environment for serious buyers ,” said Lisa Taylor, Chair of the Niagara Association of REALTORS®.
Picture credit: Dilok / Adobe Stock
Will Canadian snowbirds snub U.S. travel? Here’s what a new survey reveals
As a U.S. government shutdown cancels flights and raises concerns for Canadian travellers, new data from the Angus Reid Institute suggests Canadians plan to make far fewer trips south of the border.
Citing tariff tensions, Angus Reid said the once reliable Canada-U. S. relationship has become even more hostile.
Photo credit: Wangkun Jia / Adobe Stock
Liberals survive second confidence vote amid Tory caucus turmoil
The Conservatives helped the minority Liberal government survive a second confidence vote on the budget this afternoon. The House of Commons recorded a vote of 307 against a Bloc Quebecois motion to reject the budget, and 30 in favour.
On Thursday, the Bloc and NDP teamed up to vote against a Conservative motion that also called on MPs to reject the budget.
Picture credit: olga_demina / Adobe Stock
Canadians gaining confidence in personal finances despite pessimism about the economy
Many Canadians are feeling more optimistic about their personal finances even as their faith in the broader economy declines, according to IG Wealth Management’s latest Financial Confidence Index.
The report indicates that confidence in personal finances has surpassed its historical average for the first time since 2021, despite ongoing affordability challenges and low trust in government and economic institutions.
Focus on Infrastructure
In the wake of Sunoco’s Parkland acquisition, what does foreign ownership mean for Canada’s fuel landscape?
Linda Thompson / Fuel Partners/Convenience Store 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.
