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Greater Niagara Chamber of Commerce

Daily Update: September 15th, 2021

The Ministry of Health has released an FAQ document for businesses detailing the requirements of the Proof of Vaccination rules.

Ministry of Health offers clarifications for businesses on Proof of Vaccination rules

The Ministry of Health has released an FAQ document for businesses detailing the requirements of the Proof of Vaccination rules which will take effect on the 22nd. Topics addressed include affected businesses, government support, vaccination policies for employees, retention of information, acceptable proof of vaccination, medical exemptions, and more.

Click here to see the list of clarifications.

Learn more about COVID-19 vaccines here.


Five major Niagara employers announce mandatory employee vaccination policy

Andrew Peller Ltd., Vintage Hotels, Arterra Wines Canada, Rankin Construction Inc., and Great Wolf Lodge Niagara Falls have announced that they will be introducing new health and safety policies to further protect employees and customers that make it mandatory for all employees to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

Each firm will develop its own individual policies in compliance with legislation, but all five firms recognize that vaccination is the most effective way to protect both employees and customers. Each company will fulfill its duties to accommodate employees who, for valid reasons such as medical conditions, cannot be vaccinated. Proven accommodations that do not put others at risk will be considered.

Click here to read the announcement (PDF link).


St. Catharines approves development charges bylaw

St. Catharines City Council has approved the re-introduction of development charges. After extensive public engagement with the community and stakeholders – including the development industry and the City’s Development Studies Task Force, Council approved a development charges background study and bylaw Monday night, paving the way for development charge bylaw to come into effect January 1, 2022. Development charges are fees imposed on land development and redevelopment projects to help pay for the cost of infrastructure required to provide municipal services to new development, such as roads; transit; water and sewer infrastructure; fire services infrastructure; and park amenities and community centres.

Click here for more information.


Inflation grows at fastest rate since 2003

The Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose 4.1% on a year-over-year basis in August, the fastest pace since March 2003, up from a 3.7% gain in July. The increase in prices mainly stems from an accumulation of recent price pressures and from lower price levels in 2020. Excluding gasoline, the CPI rose 3.2% year over year.

Click here for more information.


The Election Section

Reading Recommendations

Inflation rate spikes to 4.1% in August, highest since 2003

CBC News

Canada’s consumer price index touched its highest level in almost two decades last month, as the price of just about everything is up sharply compared to the lows of a year ago.

Statistics Canada reported Wednesday that the inflation rate hit 4.1 per cent in August, the highest level since 2003. That’s up from 3.7 per cent in July, which was already the highest rate in a decade.

Just about every type of good or service was a lot more expensive in August than it was a year earlier, including shelter (up 4.8 per cent), transportation (8.7 per cent) and food (2.7 per cent).

The homeowners’ replacement cost index, which is related to the price of new homes, rose by 14 per cent in the year up to August. That’s the sharpest jump in that metric since 1987.


Salaries set to rise the most in five years in 2022 — and these sectors will see the biggest raises

Financial Post

Canadian employers are planning to boost salaries in 2022 as the war for talent continues apace — but pay may no longer be what employees value most.

Employers are projecting salary increases in line with pre-pandemic levels and a sharp drop in salary freezes, reflecting growing certainty with the economic recovery and a need to compete for top talent, according to new surveys by consultancies Normandin Beaudry and Lifeworks Inc.

Normandin Beaudry found the national salary increase is expected to rise to 2.8 per cent, excluding freezes, in 2022, while Lifeworks projected 2.7 per cent increases, excluding freezes. Lifeworks said the actual base salary increase minus freezes in 2021 was 2.6 per cent.


Niagara COVID-19 statistics tracker

These data show the status of the COVID-19 pandemic in Niagara. The Province of Ontario is now using a provincewide approach to reopening, and these data no longer have any influence on Niagara’s restrictions. Lower numbers are better in all metrics.

December 18December 25January 1January 8January 15January 22January 29
Reproductive number1.41.81.41.11.00.70.9
New cases per 100,000101.2267.3469.8575.8507.1295.5250.6
New cases per day (not including outbreaks)60.7178.7311.7376.9325.4182.7145.7
Percent of hospital beds occupied97%95.2%98.2%103.2%104.5%103.6%106%
Percent of intensive care beds occupied78.8%77.3%87.9%87.9%90.9%89.4%93.9%
Percentage of positive tests6.1%15.6%28.1%28.6%26.6%21.2%16.2%

Last updated: September 4, 2021

Click here for definitions of terms used in this table.

On September 14, there were 13 patients admitted to Niagara Health with COVID-19, of which 12 were unvaccinated, 0 were partially vaccinated, and 1 was fully vaccinated. There were 4 patients with COVID-19 in a Niagara Health Intensive Care Unit.

Over the last 28 days, a Niagara resident vaccinated with 1 dose was 4.2 times more likely to contract COVID-19, and an unvaccinated person was 7.5 times more likely.

Data are drawn from Niagara Region Public Health and Niagara Health.


Niagara COVID vaccination tracker

Niagara’s most up-to-date vaccination numbers are presented below, along with comparison data from Ontario, Canada, and G7 countries.

Percentage of population with one dosePercentage of population fully vaccinated
Niagara82.7%78.2%
Ontario84.6%79.1%
Canada84.7%78.6%
United States75%64%
United Kingdom78%72%
Germany76%74%
France80%77%
Italy83%76%
Japan80%79%
World63%53%

Total doses administered in Niagara: 682,181

New daily doses administered to Niagara residents: 1,138

Last updated: September 14, 2021

Data are drawn from Niagara Region, the Government of Ontario, and Oxford University’s Our World in Data project.


Free rapid COVID-19 testing kits are now available to businesses. Visit gncc.ca/workplace-self-screening-kits to learn more and reserve kits for your organization.

Information on government grants, resources, and programs, policies, forms, and posters for download and use, are available here. The GNCC is here to support you. Contact us with any questions you have.

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.

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