In this edition:
- Minister of Red Tape Reduction looking at all options to reduce burdens on businesses
- Inflation rises to 1.9% in August
- St. Catharines launches downtown forgivable loan program to boost housing supply
- Liberals will table the federal budget on Nov. 4, Champagne says
- Ontario to invest $400M in small, rural and Northern community infrastructure
- Number of unfilled jobs falls again as labour market continues to ease
- Ontario provides $8 million to support First Nations economic opportunities
- Air Canada flight attendants’ union asks to cancel mediation process, sending wage issue to arbitration
- Focus on Human Resources
Did you know you can get the GNCC’s Daily Update emailed to you? Click here to sign up.
Picture credit: Brad Demers / Greater Niagara Chamber of Commerce
Minister of Red Tape Reduction looking at all options to reduce burdens on businesses
At a GNCC event held at Sue Ann Staff Winery, Ontario Minister of Red Tape Reduction Andrea Khankin spoke to an audience of local business leaders about the government’s past and future work reducing the red tape that businesses face in Ontario. Members of the audience asked her about planning and permitting, provincial and municipal barriers, development, long timelines, and more.
After many bills to lower red tape, the government is still looking at further actions. Something on the Minister’s radar is applying the “shock clock” – meaning that applications for permits would be automatically approved if no objections were raised in a timely manner. “It takes Ontario fifteen years to open a mine,” the Minister said, “and Europe is lapping us – and laughing at us.”
The government is looking at a “one window” approach to government where businesses can upload applications, documents, and more to a single portal to be shared among different departments, and is aiming to begin with the mining sector, but also looking at aggregates, farming, development, and permitting in general.
Click here to submit your ideas for red tape reduction.
Photo credit: Monster Ztudio / Adobe Stock
Inflation rises to 1.9% in August
The Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose 1.9% on a year-over-year basis in August, up from a 1.7% increase in July.
Gasoline prices fell to a lesser extent year over year in August (-12.7%) than in July (-16.1%), leading to faster growth in headline inflation.
Picture credit: sommart / Adobe Stock
St. Catharines launches downtown forgivable loan program to boost housing supply
The City of St. Catharines has officially launched the Downtown Forgivable Loan Program (DFLP), a new financial incentive designed to stimulate residential development in the city’s downtown core, while advancing inclusive and sustainable housing goals.
Under the DFLP, eligible property owners in the Downtown Priority Neighbourhood may receive a one-time, interest-free, forgivable loan of up to $100,000 per property ($50,000 per unit) to offset project costs associated with creating new dwelling units.
Picture credit: Dean Calma / IAEA
Liberals will table the federal budget on Nov. 4, Champagne says
Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne says the government will table the federal budget on Nov. 4.
The long-awaited spending plan will be the federal Liberals’ first under Prime Minister Mark Carney and comes as Ottawa’s budget watchdog says he’s worried about a lack of fiscal prudence.
Picture credit: andreysha74 / Adobe Stock
Ontario to invest $400M in small, rural and Northern community infrastructure
The Ontario government is investing $400 million to help renew and rehabilitate critical infrastructure in small, rural and Northern communities. The funding is being delivered through the 2026 Ontario Community Infrastructure Fund (OCIF) as part of the government’s more than $200 billion capital plan to protect Ontario by investing in key public infrastructure.
Picture credit: Tamara Sales / Adobe Stock
Number of unfilled jobs falls again as labour market continues to ease
Job vacancies fell by 18,900 (-3.6%) to 505,900 in the second quarter of 2025, following a decrease of 20,000 (-3.7%) in the first quarter. Compared with the second quarter of 2024, job vacancies were down by 72,900 (-12.6%) in the second quarter of 2025. The number of vacancies in the second quarter was the lowest recorded since the first quarter of 2018 (501,500).
Picture credit: Summit Art Creations / Adobe Stock
Ontario provides $8 million to support First Nations economic opportunities
The Ontario government is providing $8 million to the Ontario First Nations Economic Developers Association (OFNEDA) over the next three years to support their work delivering training, mentorship and professional networks for First Nation economic development officers and entrepreneurs. As part of the government’s plan to protect Ontario, this investment will help boost local economic development, business opportunities and job creation in First Nations communities across the province.
Photo credit: TOimages / Adobe Stock
Air Canada flight attendants’ union asks to cancel mediation process, sending wage issue to arbitration
he union representing Air Canada’s flight attendants requested a cancellation of mediation after members voted against a wage agreement earlier this month, a spokesperson said Tuesday.
A representative for the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) confirmed the request to CBC News, saying that the union “saw no evidence” that mediation would yield an acceptable result on wage increases for its members.
Focus on Human Resources
Canada should drop immigration levels even further, think tank says
Naimul Karim, Financial Post
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.
