In this edition:
- Niagara Falls launches new Planning, Building & Development chat service
- Wainfleet issues RFP for consultants on new official plan
- Canada launching consultations in advance of CUSMA trade pact review
- Only alcohol retailers escape retail sales decline in July
- U.S. tariffs on Canadian autos, parts jumped to US$380 million in July
- Prime Minister Carney announces new partnership with Mexico
- New RESCON report will probe whether municipalities are making the grade on housing
- Trump administration ponders adjusting scope of auto part, steel and China tariffs
- NPCA report shows only 1% of watershed has good water quality
- Hamilton port studying Lake Ontario commuter boat service
- Pearl Morrissette only restaurant in Toronto and environs to earn second Michelin star
- Focus on Small Business
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Picture credit: Svjatoslav / Adobe Stock
City of Niagara Falls launches new Planning, Building & Development CityView Chat service
The City of Niagara Falls has introduced a new way to support builders, developers, and residents navigating the City’s Planning, Building, and Development application and permit process. Starting today, the department has launched CityView Chat, a live online service dedicated exclusively to users of the CityView Portal.
To access CityView Chat, visit the CityView Portal through the MyCity Dashboard at www.niagarafalls.ca/cityview.
Picture credit: Township of Wainfleet
Wainfleet issues RFP for consultants on new official plan
The Township of Wainfleet invites qualified professional consulting firms to submit Bids to prepare a new Official Plan for the Township of Wainfleet, replacing the existing 2016 Plan, in conformity with the 2022 Niagara Region Official Plan.
The Request for Proposals can be accessed here.
Photo credit: Victor Moussa / Adobe Stock
Canada launching consultations in advance of CUSMA trade pact review
The federal government says it is launching public consultations on the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement, or CUSMA, ahead of next year’s planned review of the North American trade pact.
Canada-U.S. Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc announced the consultations Friday in Mexico City, where he and Prime Minister Mark Carney were wrapping up two days of meetings with Mexican officials.
Picture credit: jobi_pro / Adobe Stock
Only alcohol retailers escape retail sales decline in July
Retail sales decreased 0.8% to $69.6 billion in July. Sales were down in eight of nine subsectors and were led by decreases at food and beverage retailers. Beer, wine and liquor retailers (+3.2%) were the only store type within this subsector to post an increase in July.
Moving Brand New Vehicles From Factory to Dealerships Across Country. Car Carrier Semi Truck Trailer on the Road. Automotive and Transportation Industry Theme.
U.S. tariffs on Canadian autos, parts jumped to US$380 million in July
Canadian vehicle and auto part exports faced more than US$380 million in tariffs in July, a sharp jump from previous months as U.S. levies kicked in.
A data analysis released last week by Anderson Economic Group showed US$1.1 billion in tariffs were imposed on assembled vehicles from Canada and Mexico in July, including more than US$311 million on Canadian autos alone.
Picture credit: Oleksii / Adobe Stock
Prime Minister Carney announces new partnership with Mexico
Today, the Prime Minister, Mark Carney, alongside the President of Mexico, Claudia Sheinbaum, launched a new Comprehensive Strategic Partnership to deepen ties between our countries and make North America the most competitive, dynamic, and resilient economic region in the world.
With the Canada-Mexico Action Plan as our roadmap, our countries will drive progress in strategic areas, particularly in shared prosperity, security, inclusion, and sustainability – advanced by frequent meetings at the leader and ministerial levels.
Photo credit: adragan / Adobe Stock
New RESCON report will probe whether municipalities are making the grade on housing
The Residential Construction Council of Ontario (RESCON) will be releasing a comprehensive and extensive report Sept. 22 that will grade how municipalities in the Greater Golden Horseshoe (GGH) have fared in building new homes, condos and rental units.
The report will provide a rundown of housing starts, reveal the sales numbers for several municipalities in the GGH and do a deep dive into the effect that the crisis has had on employment.
Photo credit: romaset / Adobe Stock
Trump administration ponders adjusting scope of auto part, steel and China tariffs
The Trump administration will consider whether to alter the scope of tariffs on car parts, steel and aluminum and certain levies on imports from China, per Federal Reserve notices published this week.
The notices detail the process by which federal agencies will accept public input and decide which items to add to the list of products currently subject to Section 232 levies on car parts, steel and aluminum.
Picture credit: Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority
NPCA report shows only 1% of watershed has good water quality
The Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority (NPCA) released its 2024 Watershed Monitoring Technical Report, offering valuable insights into the health of the local waterbodies and ecosystems.
Key findings from this year’s report indicate that 39% of the surface water sites show poor water quality, 46% show marginal quality, and only 1% of sites demonstrate good and excellent quality. Best water quality was found in areas like Upper Twelve Mile Creek and areas influenced by parts of the Great Lakes, while poorer quality was linked to high levels of phosphorus, E. coli, and chloride. Most groundwater wells meet Ontario’s drinking water standards.
HOPA CEO Ian Hamilton (at right) | Picture credit: Brad Demers / Greater Niagara Chamber of Commerce
Hamilton port studying Lake Ontario commuter boat service
Hamilton’s port authority is studying the potential for cross-lake commuter ferry service — a decades-old dream once again growing in popularity alongside highway gridlock.
The largest Canadian port on the Great Lakes is better known for shipping steel and grain, rather than people, acknowledged port authority head Ian Hamilton.
Photo credit: Jim Norton Photography / Town of Lincoln
Pearl Morrissette only restaurant in Toronto and environs to earn second Michelin star
For the past three years in a row, Yorkville’s high-end omakase restaurant Sushi Masaki Saito was the most decorated restaurant in the Toronto guide with two stars (the most a restaurant can earn is three). This year, the restaurant received one.
Instead, another restaurant received top honours. Restaurant Pearl Morissette in Jordan Station, Ont., which also received top billing on this year’s Canada’s 100 Best Restaurants list, was the only restaurant to receive two stars this year.
Focus on Small Business
Canadians’ desire to own a business hits eight-year high despite economic challenges
Noella Ovid, 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.
