In this edition:
- Macklem warns new U.S. tariffs could halve fourth-quarter growth
- Welland development disputes cost taxpayers nearly $200,000 over six years
- Ontario farmers say record diesel prices are making operations unsustainable
- Ontario manufacturers still face skilled-trades shortages despite lower vacancies
- $1.5B rental protection fund opens intake for community housing providers
- Team Canada Strong programs open new skilled-trades hiring and training supports
- Niagara College, NPCA and Pelham receive funding to fight invasive phragmites
- Ontario population grows 0.1% as non-permanent resident count falls
- GO and VIA say record diesel prices are not raising fares for now
- Bell and Cohere deploy Canadian-hosted AI model for cybersecurity operations
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Bank of Canada Governor Tiff Macklem | Photo credit: Bank of Canada / CC BY 2.0
Macklem warns new U.S. tariffs could halve fourth-quarter growth
Bank of Canada Governor Tiff Macklem says the latest escalation in U.S. trade policy could roughly halve Canadian economic growth in the fourth quarter to below 1%. He also warned prolonged high oil prices could push inflation higher and make it harder for businesses to absorb rising costs.
Photo credit: City of Welland
Welland development disputes cost taxpayers nearly $200,000 over six years
Five zoning and bylaw disputes have cost Welland taxpayers $197,054 in legal, consulting and other Ontario Land Tribunal expenses over six years, with two files still lacking final cost figures. The disputes ultimately cleared the way for hundreds of new apartments, townhouses and other homes.
Picture credit: rostovdriver / Adobe Stock
Ontario farmers say record diesel prices are making operations unsustainable
Ontario farmers say record diesel prices are making some operations unsustainable, with one Bruce County farmer reporting that filling his combine now costs $2,800, up from $1,800. The province says its risk-management program will grow from $150 million to $250 million next year.
Picture credit: Seventyfour / Adobe Stock
Ontario manufacturers still face skilled-trades shortages despite lower vacancies
Ontario manufacturers continue to report shortages in welding, mechatronics, electrical and other skilled trades even as the sector’s job-vacancy rate fell from 4.7% in 2022 to 1.7% at the end of 2025. CME says roughly 20,000 manufacturing workers retire in the province each year.
Photo credit: Andrii Yalanskyi / Adobe Stock
$1.5B rental protection fund opens intake for community housing providers
The federal government has selected the Canadian Housing Acquisition Fund to deploy $1.5 billion through the Canada Rental Protection Fund. Community housing providers can now begin pre-qualification for financing intended to acquire and renew at-risk affordable rental properties, with a target of protecting 7,000 homes in five years.
Picture credit: Kzenon / Adobe Stock
Team Canada Strong programs open new skilled-trades hiring and training supports
New Team Canada Strong skilled-trades programs are beginning to open, including an $880-million youth placements program and support of up to $10,000 for employers hiring first-year apprentices in eligible Red Seal trades. A $400 weekly training top-up for eligible apprentices is expected to follow in 2027.
Photo credit: Niagara College
Niagara College, NPCA and Pelham receive funding to fight invasive phragmites
Niagara College, the Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority and the Town of Pelham are among 119 recipients sharing $5 million in provincial funding to control invasive phragmites. Projects will include campus management, watershed mapping and treatment of environmentally sensitive stormwater ponds.
Picture credit: Dmytro / Adobe Stock
Ontario population grows 0.1% as non-permanent resident count falls
Ontario’s population reached 16,262,121 on July 1, up 0.1% from April, while the province’s estimated non-permanent resident population fell 1.5% to 1,246,301. Nationally, Canada’s population rose 0.2% in the quarter to 41.8 million.
Picture credit: SockaGPhoto / Adobe Stock
GO and VIA say record diesel prices are not raising fares for now
Diesel prices around $2.60 per litre in southern Ontario have not yet translated into higher GO or VIA Rail fares. Metrolinx says a long-term fixed-discount fuel arrangement is helping manage costs, while VIA says fuel prices are not currently affecting fares, schedules or service.
Photo credit: JHVEPhoto / Adobe Stock
Bell and Cohere deploy Canadian-hosted AI model for cybersecurity operations
Bell Canada and Cohere have deployed a specialized cybersecurity AI model inside Bell Cyber’s Autonomous Security Operations Centre. The model is designed to speed threat investigations and standardize workflows, with AI processing and sensitive security information kept within a Canadian-hosted environment.
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.
