In this edition:
- Vance Badawey appointed President of Council of the Great Lakes Region
- Desjardins invests $500K to support new south Niagara Falls hospital
- Niagara Community Benefits Network to host info session on Skyway twinning
- Staggering costs and no easy fixes to Niagara’s homelessness crisis, says report
- Welland looking at making developers pay fee for each non-affordable housing unit they build
- Government of Canada issues statement on International Equal Pay Day
- Niagara EI claimants up 1.1% year-over-year
- Canadian retailers grapple with excess inventory amid economic pressures as tariffs ease
- Canadian retailers grapple with excess inventory amid economic pressures as tariffs ease
- Canada Post sending new offers to union with aim of moving talks forward
- Focus on Housing Solutions
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Picture credit: Council of the Great Lakes Region
Vance Badawey appointed President of Council of the Great Lakes Region
The Council of the Great Lakes Region (CGLR) through its Canadian nonprofit corporation (CGLR Canada) is pleased to announce the appointment of Vance Badawey as President and Chief Executive Officer, effective September 15th, 2025. A lifelong advocate for the region and a proven leader in both the public and private sectors, Badawey will guide CGLR into its next chapter of growth and transformation. The announcement was made today by Marie-Hélène Sicard, Chair of the Board of Directors of CGLR.
Photo credit: Niagara Health System
Desjardins invests $500K to support new south Niagara Falls hospital
Desjardins Ontario Credit Union has donated $500,000 toward the new south Niagara Falls hospital.
The contribution is to the It’s Our Future campaign, Niagara Health Foundation’s capital fundraising initiative to support construction of the hospital at Montrose and Biggar roads.
Picture credit: Niagara Community Benefits Network
Niagara Community Benefits Network to host info session on Skyway twinning project
Picture credit: Erman Gunes / Adobe Stock
Staggering costs and no easy fixes to Niagara’s homelessness crisis, says report
With growing encampments and ever-climbing rent for a one-bedroom apartment, which has reached a 2024 monthly average of $1,669 in St. Catharines and $1,750 in Niagara Falls, the Niagara Region responded by ramping up homelessness programming and now has 427 supportive housing spaces.
However, with precisely zero specialized supportive housing units, the Region is still missing an important piece of the puzzle — spaces that assist the hardest-to-serve population exit homelessness.
Photo credit: karamysh / Adobe Stock
Welland looking at making developers pay fee for each non-affordable housing unit they build
Welland city staff and the affordable housing advisory committee will explore requiring or requesting developers contribute toward affordable housing initiatives.
Mayor Frank Campion used his strong-mayor powers last week to issue a directive that could lead to developers contributing as much as $500 per non-affordable residential unit they build.
Photo credit: BullRun / Adobe Stock
Government of Canada issues statement on International Equal Pay Day
Today, the Honourable Patty Hajdu, the Honourable Rechie Valdez, and the Honourable John Zerucelli issued the following statement marking International Equal Pay Day:
“Paying people fairly is not just the right thing to do—it is how we make the economy work for everyone. In this country, no matter who you are or where you come from, you deserve equal pay for equal work. Pay gaps show us where the system is not working as it should. In 2024, women between 25 and 54 were working more than ever—with a record 85.1% participation rate in the labour force. Yet, they still earned only 87 cents for every dollar earned by a man. The gap is even wider for Black, Indigenous and racialized women.”
Picture credit: skrotov / Adobe Stock
Niagara EI claimants up 1.1% year-over-year
The number of people claiming Employment Insurance (EI) benefits in St. Catharines-Niagara increased by 1.1% since July 2024, Statistics Canada reported today.
Compared with July 2024, the number of recipients receiving regular EI benefits increased among all major demographic groups in July 2025, with the largest proportional increases among core-aged women (+22.9%; +28,000), women aged 55 and older (+14.1%; +7,000) and core-aged men (+10.0%; +19,000).
Picture credit: Martin Barraud/Caia Image
Canadian retailers grapple with excess inventory amid economic pressures as tariffs ease
As consumer spending slows and inflationary pressures persist, Canadian retailers are facing a growing challenge: managing excess inventory in a volatile economic environment.
“Retailers are sitting on a lot more stock than usual,” said Alex Hennick, an industry expert who specializes in inventory and product distribution. “Lower consumer spending, driven by inflation and high interest rates, means products just aren’t moving the way they used to. That’s tying up cash flow, increasing warehousing costs, and creating major logistical headaches.”
Photo credit: Kevin Brine / Adobe Stock
Canada Post sending new offers to union with aim of moving talks forward
Canada Post says it will be sending new offers to the Canadian Union of Postal Workers in an effort to move negotiations forward.
The Crown corporation said the new terms will allow the two sides to return to the bargaining table next week, with work already underway to make that happen.
Focus on Housing Solutions
Taxing empty rooms is a bad idea, but our addiction to too much house is a problem, too
Garry Marr, 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.
