Horizon signs merger with GTA utilities

March 24, 2016 | In The News

Max Cananzi, president and CEO of Horizon Utilities, and Mishka Balsom, president and CEO of the GNCC, at the Niagara Business Leadership Series

St. Catharines homeowners should expect multi-year savings following a blockbuster hydro utility merger deal.

That merger of Hydro One Brampton with Horizon Utilities, PowerStream, and Enersource was announced Thursday, and followed municipal shareholder approvals.

If formally approved by regulators, it will create second-largest electricity distributor in Ontario.

At a Hamilton media conference, the move was forecast to push down annual electricity rates $40 per year for the average homeowner customer.

It will also add millions of dollars in dividends to municipalities, who own the respective utilities to be merged.

Municipal councils for the cities of Barrie, Markham, Vaughan, Mississauga, Hamilton and St. Catharines all voted in favour with the merger.

“This is a very historic moment,” said St. Catharines Mayor Walter Sendzik, who joined those mayors at the official signing held at Horizon Utilities’ office.

“The effects will have a generational impact,” said Sendzik, one of the speakers at the live-streamed event. “Those of us that have families (and children) that are young and really on the cusp of wanting to stay in their communities, this creates that opportunity.

Sendzik said the city’s strategic plan is built on the “four pillars of sustainability — economic, social, cultural and environmental.”

“When our council reviewed this merger opportunity it hit all the marks,” he said, pointing to dividends coming back to the city and allowing it to reinvest in culture.

He said environmentally, the merger is sensitive to climate change by “(exploring) alternative energy by looking at the different forms of energy distribution.”

In his speech, Sendzik said customers can also expect 5.9 per cent lower annual rates “through the entire 25-year forecast.” St. Catharines homeowners should average-out at $40 per year in bill savings over that period.

Annual dividends to the city should also bump up to $4.5 million, from $3.5 million, over that time.

The new company — which was called “Mergeco” as a placeholder name at the news conference — is subject to post-closing adjustments and regulatory approval from the Ontario Energy Board, anticipated to occur late this year.

Meanwhile, Ontario has now executed a Share Purchase Agreement with PowerStream (represented Thursday by Barrie, Markham, Vaughan), Enersource (Mississauga), and Horizon.

The purchasers have agreed to pay $607 million for Hydro One Brampton, which was represented at Thursday’s event by Ontario Energy Minister Bob Chiarelli.

“What we’re doing here today is a very significant transformation,” said Chiarelli at the event. “We’re celebrating a leap of wisdom … leadership and vision.”

Net revenue gains from the Hydro One Brampton sale will be dedicated to the province’s Trillium Trust to help fund transit, transportation and other priority infrastructure as part of the “Moving Ontario Forward” initiative.

“I think this will be a case study for universities to look at how to do this,” Sendzik said. “When you look at how this merger will have an impact on Ontario, we’re hoping other municipalities and other distributors will see how this will have a net positive impact.

“It will make us more competitive and provide relief for ratepayers that have been asking for it.”

Max Cananzi, Horizon Utilities’ president and CEO, said it’s possible the merged utility, when approved, could possibly add jobs to St. Catharines with the “shifting of some locations and functions.”

He said St Catharines “will be maintaining the current call centre location and the many jobs currently there. Service levels will be the same or better as a result of the merger.”

“It’s a really historic event,” said Cananzi, in that interview. “This is a milestone in the electricity sector in the province. We’ll look back at … the creation of an exciting, dynamic new company that St. Catharines is part of.”

In an interview after the event, Sendzik said the merger “will actually allow for a better customer experience.”

“We’ll have greater access to greater technology and the utility to address major concerns related to power outages,” he said.

Sendzik adds it provides local and regional “competitive advantage” with lower energy rates for all Horizon customers, including businesses.

Mishka Balsom CEO of the Greater Niagara Chamber of Commerce said the merger “results in reduced electricity costs and improved service for St. Catharines ratepayers.”

“Plus, it holds the promise of increased dividends for the City of St. Catharines, while maintaining the current jobs here,” Balsom said.

“One can only call this a true win-win situation.”

Thursday morning’s event was attended by Chiarelli, mayors for the shareholder communities of Mississauga (Enersource), the cities of Hamilton and St. Catharines (Horizon Utilities), the cities of Barrie, Markham and Vaughan (PowerStream)

donfraser@postmedia.com
Twitter: @don_standard

Original article: http://www.stcatharinesstandard.ca/2016/03/24/horizon-signs-merger-with-gta-utilities

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GNCC Comments on Budget 2016

March 23, 2016 | Blog, Municipal Advocacy

Background

Now that the dust has cleared a little on Budget 2016, it’s time to take a good look at what the good news is for the business community – and at what’s not so good. The government does not have the resources to satisfy every interest group and every aspect of Canadian society, and every budget is a bit of a balancing act.

Overall, the budget is decent for Canadian businesses. There are some smart investments that will support key aspects of the Canadian economy, although they don’t always go as far as we would like or as far as we advocated for. There is definitely a solid foundation for Canadian prosperity, and there is also room for future improvement.

The Good

  • The budget invests $50 million over two years, starting in 2016-2017, in Destination Canada to seize new tourism opportunities in important international markets. Tourism is hugely important to us. In 2012, Niagara had 12 million visitors who spent $1.8 billion here, supporting 1 in 10 local jobs. Travel and tourism contributes $85 billion every year to the national economy. However, previous governments have cut marketing budgets for tourism and neglected this sector. We advocated strongly for the Government of Canada to restore marketing funds for Canadian tourism, and it was great to see this in the budget.
  • Public transit is a top priority for the business community in Niagara, and we’ve been advocating for better and more accessible public transit for some time. The budget announced an investment of $3.4 billion over three years in transit and infrastructure, which is very welcome. It has not been announced where that money will go – we hope that funds will be made available for enhancing Niagara’s transit system, and perhaps for projects like expanding VIA Rail and GO train service.
  • The GNCC has also recently advocated for VIA and the Government of Canada to investigate restoring VIA Rail service to Niagara, which was cut back in 2012 owing to blanket budget reductions imposed on all Crown corporations. Budget 2016 allocates $7.7 million to VIA in support of technical studies and other pre-procurement activities, which we hope will be the first step to service restoration.
  • Affordable housing is addressed in this budget, with $2.3 billion over two years starting in 2016-17. This is good news for organizations like Niagara Regional Housing, and also for the construction industry. The proposed Affordable Rental Housing Financing Initiative could support the construction of more than 10,000 new rental units over five years, which will benefit those on low- and fixed incomes as well as developers, contractors, and property managers.
  • Investing significant funds in green infrastructure and addressing climate change is a good idea, with global temperatures and emissions continuing to endanger all our futures. This budget invests $5 billion over the next five years in infrastructure to transition to a green economy, and an additional $75 million for local governments to address climate change. Firms working and researching in green technology fields will benefit. Industries and sectors affected by climate change, like Niagara’s wine industry, will have more resources to adapt. A serious attempt at tackling this problem means serious investment.
  • Although no concrete announcements on the Canada Pension Plan (CPP) were made in the budget, it repeated the government’s commitment to working with the provinces and territories for an enhanced CPP. Although the laws on reforming CPP make this task difficult, by the end of the year, a viable alternative to the flawed Ontario Retirement Pension Plan (ORPP) could be found.
  • Budget 2016 made major public-sector R&D investments, with $2 billion over three years going to post-secondary institution strategic investment and $141 million in new annual funding for the research granting councils. This will be very beneficial to Brock University and Niagara College, two major research institutions and large local employers.

The Not-So-Good

  • Everyone’s talking about the deficit. The 2016 budget projects a 2016-17 deficit of $29.4 billion, larger than we all expected. TD Bank believes the federal government will run $150 billion in budget deficits over the next five years. Deficit spending is not necessarily a problem as long as the debt-to-GDP ratio doesn’t change too much (as it did in Greece, for instance, where it rocketed from 105% to 179% in just a few years). Canada’s debt-to-GDP is around 86%, comparable to the G20. Balancing the budget over a year doesn’t make much sense – it would be smarter to balance it over the course of a business cycle. Running a deficit is an acceptable policy option, however, any government choosing that option should have a plan and a timeline for getting back in the black.
  • Reducing small business taxes from 11% to 10.5% on the first $500,000 of active business income was definitely a step in the right direction. Unfortunately, it stopped there. We were promised a gradual reduction to 9% by 2019, but Budget 2016 postponed any cuts past 10.5% indefinitely. Small businesses are very important to the economy, representing around a quarter of Ontario’s economic activity. In Niagara, small- and micro-businesses are 98% of all firms. Supporting and nurturing them is vital. The tax cut is a good step, but it doesn’t go as far as it should have.
  • In the private sector, the government has only made $800 million available over four years, beginning in 2017-2018, to support innovation networks and clusters, plus $50 million for companies served by the National Research Council’s Industrial Research Assistance Program, and $4 million over two years to renew the Canadian Technology Accelerator Initiative. This is much less than public-sector R&D investment, but it is private-sector R&D where Canada lags behind. The level of investment in the budget is insufficient to close the gap. Taiwan, for instance, now out-spends Canada on R&D by $6.7 billion USD per year. South Korea out-spends us by $65.9 billion, and the United States by $447.7 billion, and all three spend around twice as much as Canada per capita. In terms of per capita expenditure on R&D, Canada invests less than Ireland, Iceland, Australia, Belgium, Finland, Israel, Sweden, Singapore, and many more countries we’d consider our peers. We will continue to advocate for much greater investment in R&D, especially in the private sector.
  • The budget does not contain any new programs or investment in agriculture, merely opting to continue the existing investment that the previous government put in place. Agriculture is an important sector, especially in Niagara, and it is facing many serious challenges such as climate change and resource depletion. A $30 million investment over six years in advanced research in agricultural genomics is a good start, but we should have had a stronger response to support this vital sector – perhaps the most vital sector in the entire economy.
  • $25 million in 2016-2017 was promised to support faster and more predictable processing times for family-class immigration, and $56 million over three years to support higher admissions levels of permanent residents and to help newcomers integrate. Immigrants bring significant talent to Canada and are valued by the business community, so encouraging immigration is welcome. However, the government should also have invested in faster and more predictable processing times for tourist visas, as well as reducing the costs, both of which are currently significant burdens and both of which we recommended addressing in the budget. These issues affect not only Canadian tourism but trade missions and the international conference business, both of which are made more costly and difficult as a result.

About the Greater Niagara Chamber of Commerce
The Greater Niagara Chamber of Commerce (GNCC) is dedicated to the success of businesses and organizations in order to ensure the long-term prosperity of the Niagara region. Our vision is to give a credible and definitive voice to Niagara enterprises and economic interests. The GNCC has over 1,500 members and represents 45,000 employees. It is the largest business organization in Niagara and the third largest Chamber of Commerce in Ontario.

Prepared by the Greater Niagara Chamber of Commerce
@The_GNCC l www.facebook.com/NiagaraChamber
www.gncc.ca l info@gncc.ca l 905-684-2361

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Niagara Liberal MPs mum on budget until Wednesday

March 22, 2016 | In The News

Niagara’s Liberal MP offices contacted by The Standard have deferred comment about the federal budget until Wednesday morning.

This, as the Liberal government is planning to add more than $100 billion in public debt in coming years as part of an ambitious strategy to revive economic growth over the long haul.

The Liberals tabled a budget Tuesday that predicts big spending on investments like infrastructure will boost the country’s real gross domestic product over two years.

To help get it there, the government has nixed its election promise to run “modest deficits” of no more than $10 billion before balancing the public books in four years.

That budget includes a number of spending highlights.

There will be $10 billion more over two years for a new Canada child benefit.

Over two years, there will be $2.5 billion over two years on changes to employment insurance.

Other measures include an increase the guaranteed income supplement top-up benefit for single seniors, and restore the old age security eligibility age to 65 from 67.

Over three years, $2 billion is planned for a new strategic investment fund for infrastructure improvements at colleges and universities, in partnership with provinces and territories.

There will be an end to income splitting for couples with children, the children’s fitness tax credit and the children’s arts tax credit.

A promised cut to the 10.5 per cent small business tax rate has been deferred indefinitely.

The offices of St. Catharines MP Chris Bittle and Niagara Centre MP Vince Badaway advised The Standard their respective Liberal MPs would be able for comment by Wednesday morning.

In the view of Niagara Falls MP Rob Nicholson, “we all are going to pay the price for the huge deficit that they are predicting.”

Nicholson said he was also looking for something that might benefit the region’s fruit industry or border infrastructure “but I didn’t see anything on that.”

The MP said eliminating the child fitness/ arts tax credit was something he “always liked” and he also pointed to the elimination of income splitting for couples with children.

“They’re also getting rid of the federal Balanced Budget Act, which we had put through,” he said.”And these are all going to be issues we are going to be raising with them.”

Nicholson was also disappointed by a promised cut to the 10.5 per cent small business tax rate has been deferred indefinitely.

“They’ve got money for all different types of groups,” he said. “But they’ve indicated that after the 2017 budget there is no money allocated for national historic sites and that is a shame.”

Niagara West MP Dean Allison said he’s concerned for how the budget might affect small business.

Measures such as enhancing the Canadian Pension Plan and making it easier to collect E.I. “can make it tough on small businesses that already have a lot of tax burden,” said Allison who also criticized the freezing of small business tax cut and the huge deficit, “with no plan in place to get us back to balanced budgets.”

He provided some praise to continuing to commit “spending for innovation and (post secondary institutions) .. and incubators” he said.

“We’ll be looking for the details on how those roll out over the next six months to a year.”

Niagara College president Dan Patterson praised “a number of positive programs announced in today’s budget.

“We are encouraged to see the support for young people in the student aid program, this will help greater numbers of students get access to college,” Patterson said in an e-mail.

Patterson said the college is “especially pleased” with the investment of $2 billion over three years in the Strategic Investment Fund to modernize on-campus research, commercialization and training facilities.

Mishka Balsom, CEO of the Greater Niagara Chamber of Commerce, commented on a number of things in the budget

Among them was tourism. She notes the budget invests $50 million over two years, starting in 2016-17, in Destination Canada “to seize new opportunities in important international markets.”

“The Chamber strongly advocated for this investment,” Balsom said in an e-mail. “We are pleased that our request was heeded … (and also) feel that the small business tax cuts and the research and development investment should have gone further.”

Niagara Region Chair Al Caslin said he liked what a number budget measures could portend for the region.

“It’s consistent with what we’ve been looking for in our asks with the federal government,” Caslin said.

Among them are billions in infrastructure spending that “bodes well for us” in areas including in intermunicipal transit, the quest for a GO Train to Niagara Falls and Niagara airports.

Money for water and waster projects are a good match for “shovel-ready projects” in Niagara. Funds for affordable housing, post-secondary education and training are also promising, he said.

The budget also provides money for harbours, “which we’ll be applying for in money to try to help us with our Port Dalhousie Piers (rehabilitation),” Caslin said.

-with files from The Canadian Press

Original article: http://www.stcatharinesstandard.ca/2016/03/22/niagara-liberal-mps-mum-on-budget-until-wednesday

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Previously in GNCC Advocacy

March 10, 2016 | Advocacy, Blog, Municipal Advocacy, Provincial Advocacy

Introduction

At the GNCC, we work hard to influence policy and build alliances and partnerships that will help your business prosper. In a new series of entries, we’ll try and tell you more about that aspect of our work, and how we’re working for you in the field of policy, advocacy, and government relations.

GO Train

Recently, we had some success on the GO front. The GNCC has been a strong supporter of the initiative to bring all-day, year-round GO train service to Niagara since its inception. When we made our budget recommendations to Queen’s Park, GO train for Niagara was one of them. The Government of Ontario’s budget reflected our recommendation, promising that they’d work towards bringing that service to Niagara and Bowmanville. The budget mention is the first real acknowledgement from the province of Niagara’s GO case, and it’s a positive one.

We’ve got to sustain that momentum and make sure Queen’s Park delivers. We’re working on that with a number of groups in Niagara, and we’ve held meetings with diverse groups like Niagara Region, the Mayor of St. Catharines, the Brock and Niagara College student unions, and the YMCA. MPP Jim Bradley, with whom we recently met to discuss the GO case, said we should get an announcement by the end of June.

VIA Rail

While that’s going on, we didn’t want to lose sight of long-haul rail service. VIA Rail used to run commuter trains to Niagara until 2012, when, due to a federally imposed 10% budget cut on all Crown corporations, it was stopped. We helped St. Catharines city councillor Bruce Williamson on his motion calling for VIA to investigate restoring service to Niagara, which passed unanimously. We recruited the assistance of Transport Action Ontario, an NGO that advocates for sustainable public and freight transportation, who provided expert advice.

We followed up by meeting with St. Catharines MP Chris Bittle and Niagara Centre MP Vance Badawey to ask for their help on VIA. They were both enthusiastic and are working to support this motion in Ottawa. Grimsby city council endorsed the demand for VIA Rail made in St. Catharines during their March 7th meeting, as did Pelham on March 9th.

Sharing Economy, Microdistilleries, & Provincial Issues

We met with Niagara West-Glanbrook MPP Tim Hudak and talked about a few topics, including GO, the Ontario Retirement Pension Plan (ORPP), Cap-and-Trade, and ride-sharing. We had previously endorsed Mr. Hudak’s bill that proposed a regulatory framework for “sharing economy” firms at the provincial level, which we think is very necessary. Mr. Hudak also told us about his new bill, nicknamed “FreeMyRye,” which aims at extending the same perks to microdistilleries that have been given to wineries and microbreweries – the right to sell by the glass on the premises, and the right to sell directly to restaurants. Seeing the boost that these practices had given to Niagara’s wineries and microbreweries, we endorsed this bill as well.

Ontario Chamber of Commerce Policy Resolutions

We sent three policy resolutions to the Ontario Chamber of Commerce (OCC) for their AGM. Firstly, we proposed that the government re-invest in promoting Canadian tourism, which has been sadly neglected in recent years to the effect that tourist numbers are actually in decline.

Secondly, we advocated that the government restore the SR&ED grant, which is a grant that the government gives to firms conducting research and development (R&D) and encourages Canadian innovation. As Canada is falling behind in R&D, we felt this was very important.

Thirdly, we proposed that if the Government of Canada ends up legalizing recreational marijuana use, they should do so under a regulatory framework that protects Canadians, especially our youth, and preserves consumer choice and competitiveness in the market for distribution and sale.

The Ontario Chamber approved all three policy resolutions at the committee level, and they will be sent up to the AGM for discussion. If successful, they will become part of the OCC’s advocacy platform for the next three years.

St. Catharines Budget 2016

We also offered our opinion on the debate surrounding the proposed 2016 St. Catharines budget, specifically, on the infrastructure levy. You can read our position statement here. In summary, while we don’t like tax hikes, we also understand that there is a $140 million infrastructure gap in St. Catharines, and we’ve got to address this if it isn’t to become a massive problem in the future. Further, if there are to be increased taxes, we prefer that they be small, incremental, and predictable, rather than huge and sudden as the result of deferred maintenance or the lack of a reserve.

On that basis, we supported the infrastructure levy as a reasonable step towards solving a problem that was only going to get worse the longer it was ignored. The budget passed on March 8th, and the motion to remove the infrastructure levy was lost.

Ontario Budget 2016

Going back earlier this year (normally these updates will be of very recent events, but since this is the first, we will go back further), we also participated in the budget processes for the Governments of Ontario and Canada. When we made our case to Ontario Finance Minister Charles Sousa, we called for infrastructure spending, particularly on transit in Niagara, and reiterated the case for GO train service in Niagara. We were pleased to see the results of that lobbying in the 2016 budget.

Federal Budget 2016

At the federal level, we wrote to Minister of Finance Bill Morneau and asked him to reinvest in Canadian research and development and in tourism (the same research was behind our policy proposals to the Ontario Chamber of Commerce). We also made these requests in person at the public budget consultations held by Niagara MPs Chris Bittle and Vance Badawey. The federal budget is expected on March 22, and we hope that our concerns will be reflected in the federal budget as they were in the province’s.

Ontario Retirement Pension Plan (ORPP)

The ORPP has become deeply unpopular with Ontario businesses for its high projected cost to businessowners, and for the lack of information about obligations and details. The GNCC has been working with the Ontario Chamber of Commerce, seeking to have the ORPP cancelled or at least to have its launch delayed until further details can be hammered out. Our efforts paid off when the Government of Ontario announced that the launch of the ORPP was being delayed a year, until January 1st, 2018.

Can GNCC Advocacy Help Your Business?

The GNCC works in advocacy and government relations on behalf of its members. If your business has an opportunity or a challenge where the GNCC advocacy staff could help, please get in touch. Call us at the number above, or e-mail our policy and government relations manager at hugo@gncc.ca.

About the Greater Niagara Chamber of Commerce
The Greater Niagara Chamber of Commerce (GNCC) is dedicated to the success of businesses and organizations in order to ensure the long-term prosperity of the Niagara region. Our vision is to give a credible and definitive voice to Niagara enterprises and economic interests. The GNCC has over 1,500 members and represents 45,000 employees. It is the largest business organization in Niagara and the third largest Chamber of Commerce in Ontario.

Prepared by the Greater Niagara Chamber of Commerce
@The_GNCC l www.facebook.com/NiagaraChamber
www.gncc.ca l info@gncc.ca l 905-684-2361

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GNCC Federal Policy Brief: Investing in Canadian Tourism

March 8, 2016 | Advocacy, Federal Advocacy

Background

Niagara is one of Canada’s premier tourist destinations, and the health of the tourism industry is vital to the health of Niagara’s economy. In 2012, Niagara was the third most visited region in Ontario, with over twelve million visitors spending approximately $1.8 billion in the region and generating $1.2 billion in regional GDP.1 Tourist spending alone amounted to 6.8% of Niagara’s GDP and supported 21,600 jobs, or 10% of Niagara’s total employment, while tourism raised $657 million in tax revenues for all levels of government.2 The travel and tourism sector is one of Canada’s largest generators of GDP, contributing nearly $85 billion to the national economy every year, accounting for 4.5% of national GDP and more than 600,000 Canadian jobs, and generating $22.7 billion in tax revenue.3

The economic impact of tourism stretches beyond the sector itself. Some major industries that benefit from tourism, directly or indirectly, include accommodation, transportation, food and beverage service, and retail trade. Each $1 million spent by visitors to Ontario creates 14 jobs and generates $553,400 in wages and salaries in the province.4 On average, an overseas visitor to Ontario spends more than $1,200 while they are here.5

Unfortunately, the Canadian tourism industry is suffering from a number of problems. While there are several external factors that have challenged Canada’s tourism industry, there are also significant public policy barriers that impede the industry’s ability to grow. Through a combination of high transportation costs, steadily reduced marketing efforts, and cumbersome visitor visa requirements, Canada’s position as a world tourism destination is slipping. In 2002, we were the eighth most visited country in the world, with over 20 million visitors; by 2013 we ranked seventeenth, with only 16.5 million.6

Canada’s borders have thickened considerably in the 21st century, much to the detriment of legitimate business and leisure travellers. There is a strong correlation between the increased security measures put in place after 9/11 and lessened travel, especially by air, in North America. The U.S. Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) of 2007 requires all people entering the U.S. (including U.S. citizens) to present a passport or equivalent document, and has also contributed negatively. In addition, the recent global financial crisis further exacerbated the negative impact on tourism across Canada.

Current Status

The eTA is a program that was devised to simplify border crossings and to alleviate the time and effort necessary to legally visit Canada. The process is relatively easy, involving the completion of a small number of forms in advance of travel. Should the application be accepted, the visitor may enter and exit the country freely for a set period of time, providing the stay does not extend beyond three months.

Canadian visa-exempt countries, 2015

Canadian visa-exempt countries, 2015

Canada and Australia use the eTA system to encourage tourism and business, while the United States employs a similar system known as ESTA. The Canadian eTA system extends to fifty-eight countries. The U.S. system covers thirty-seven, while Australia’s covers thirty-four. From March 15, 2016, all visa-exempt foreign nationals visiting Canada by air will be required to obtain an eTA.

The eTA is valid for up to five years and costs a nominal $7. A visitor visa, however, costs $100 per person and up to $500 for a family. There may also be an additional fee of $85 per individual and $170 for a family if biometrics are required. To add insult to injury, the application process is lengthy and onerous. These factors are considerable deterrents for would be visitors to Canada, and may partially account for the fact that 74% of foreign nationals who visit Canada by air (not including U.S. citizens) are visa-exempt.7

Countries requiring biometrics for Canadian visas, 2015

Countries requiring biometrics for Canadian visas, 2015

The governments of Canada and Mexico have confirmed that Mexico will soon be added to the list of eTA-eligible countries. The volume of incoming visitors and tourists from Mexico is growing rapidly, with 20.6% more Mexicans visiting Ontario in Q1 of 2015 than in the same quarter of 2014.8 Extending the eTA to Mexico can only accelerate this growth.

However, of the top five countries by growth in provincial tourist volume, only Italy is currently in the eTA program, and only Mexico is slated to be added. The others include China, with a 31.8% increase in arrivals Q1-2015 over Q1-2014, Hong Kong at 31.6%, and Brazil, at 20.1%. China now represents the second-largest origin country for Ontario visitors, just behind the U.K. and ahead of Germany, Japan, and France. The volume of visitors from India is also growing, and currently about as many Indians as Mexicans visit Ontario.9 India is also not an eTA-eligible origin country.

In 2016, if current rates of change hold true, Chinese nationals will be the largest group of visitors to Ontario. By 2025, Hong Kong residents will be second, Brazilians will be fourth, Mexicans sixth and Indians seventh, and only half of Canada’s top ten tourist origin countries will fall under the eTA system.

As the economies of countries such as Brazil, India, and China continue to grow, their middle classes will grow too. These middle classes will have disposable incomes and leisure time, and a new interest in foreign travel and tourism. Canada has an opportunity to position itself as a premier tourist destination to these emerging markets. This opportunity is particularly important for a region such as Niagara, and with much of our economy dependent on tourism, we also have much to gain from increased visitor volume.

Recommendations

The GNCC recommends that:

  • The federal government honour its commitment to extend the eTA program to visitors from Mexico as soon as possible, and extend the same offer to Brazil, India, and the People’s Republic of China (including Hong Kong) as high-priority countries.
  • The federal government re-invest a portion of the $400 million collected annually from visa administration fees into expanding Canada’s visa processing capacity for non-eTA visitors.
  1. Statistics Canada, Travel Survey of the Residents of Canada 2012; Ontario Ministry of Tourism, Culture & Sport, International Travel Survey 2012 (http://www.niagarasrto.com/sites/default/files/presentations/2014.10_region_2_2012_statisitics_1.pdf).
  2. Ibid.
  3. Canadian Chamber of Commerce, Barrier VII: Canada is uncompetitive in the world’s tourism sector (http://www.chamber.ca/advocacy/top-10-barriersto-competitiveness/150205_Barrier_7.pdf)
  4. The Ontario Competitiveness Study, Discovering Ontario – A Report on the Future of Tourism, 2009 (http://www.mtc.gov.on.ca/en/publications/Discover_Ontario_en.pdf).
  5. Conference Board of Canada, Canadian Tourism Industry Benchmark Study: Where Do We Rank in the Context of the Canadian Economy?, 2009.
  6. World Bank, International tourism, number of arrivals (http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/ST.INT.ARVL).
    Expanding the eTA Program 2016
  7. CIC News, Canada to Introduce Pre-Approval System for Visa-Exempt Visitors (http://www.cicnews.com/2015/04/canada-introduce-preapprovalsystem-visaexempt-visitors-045096.html)
  8. Ontario Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport, Quarterly Tourism Performance Q1 2015 (http://www.mtc.gov.on.ca/en/research/performance/ON%20TOURISM%20V1-4.pdf).
  9. Ibid.

About the Greater Niagara Chamber of Commerce
The Greater Niagara Chamber of Commerce (GNCC) is dedicated to the success of businesses and organizations in order to ensure the long-term prosperity of the Niagara region. Our vision is to give a credible and definitive voice to Niagara enterprises and economic interests. The GNCC has over 1,500 members and represents 45,000 employees. It is the largest business organization in Niagara and the third largest Chamber of Commerce in Ontario.

Prepared by the Greater Niagara Chamber of Commerce
@The_GNCC l www.facebook.com/NiagaraChamber
www.gncc.ca l info@gncc.ca l 905-684-2361

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Avoid short cuts, Ehm tells Women’s Day crowd

March 4, 2016 | In The News, WIN

Shortly after starting at MuchMusic in the mid ’80s, Erica Ehm told a school audience everything she had to do to get to that point.

Being rejected. Being stubborn. Starting on radio, then City-TV. Being turned down once because she was a “distraction to the men.” It eventually led to MuchMusic, where she was one of the original VJ’s when the station debuted in 1984. None of it was easy, she says.

After relaying the story, a girl put up her hand and asked a question: “Well, Is there a short cut?”

Ehm was dumbfounded.

“I said, you don’t want a short cut, ever in life. It’s the path that takes you there that gives you all your learning.”

And the learning continues for Ehm, who was the keynote speaker Friday for the Greater Niagara Chamber of Commerce’s annual International Women’s Day luncheon. Just last week, she e-mailed singer Jann Arden about doing something for Ehm’s wildly successful website YummyMummyClub.ca. Arden loved the idea but said she was too busy. Ehm was crushed.

“I felt like a loser,” she told a sold out crowd at the Americana Conference Resort & Spa.

Until she changed her mindset and reminded herself it wasn’t a rejection of her, just a conflict of schedules.

“I get told no all the time, still to this day,” she said.

After leaving MuchMusic in 1994, Ehm explored acting, writing and music (even winning a couple Juno Awards). She returned to TV to host the Life Network show Yummy Mummy, about the trials and tribulations of motherhood, and created a website out of it when the show ended after two seasons. She wanted to connect with other mothers and give them content which didn’t insult them.

“(I asked) why are we so afraid to talk about feeling like failures as mothers?”

It was humbling at first. The woman who interviewed major celebrities on a national music station was now calling people and asking for a measly $100 in sponsorship. Most said no. She still remembers the ones that said yes.

YummyMummyClub.ca now employs 70 people and is one of Canada’s largest independent online magazines. Much of her staff works from home.

“I run my business in a way that allows us to have a life and career at the same time.”

Ehm stressed patience to Friday’s crowd of mostly women, but also directness – traits instilled by her mother. When she was eight, living in Montreal, Ehm recalls telling her mom she wanted pizza. Fine, her mom said – you order it. When she refused, her mom replied “If you don’t order the pizza, you won’t have supper.”

She eventually made the order, and as they ate that night her mom reminded her that even if the pizzeria said no, simply call the next one “and give them my money.”

Friday’s luncheon also recognized longtime Niagara volunteer Pamela Minns with the International Women’s Day Award. For 25 years, Minns has dedicated herself to the designation and preservation of buildings in Thorold, and was key in enhancing Thorold’s Front Street.

“We are recognizing a woman who has watched over Niagara’s historical landmarks,” said Greater Niagara Chamber of Commerce president Mishka Balsom.

Minns said she came to volunteering late, but made it as important as any career.

“I needed to retire to something, not from something,” she said.

She added that preserving a town’s past ensures it never looks like everything else.

“Community livability is key to community survival.”

john.law@sunmedia.ca

Original article: http://www.niagarafallsreview.ca/2016/03/04/avoid-short-cuts-ehm-tells-womens-day-crowd

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Honouring a leader in historic site preservation

March 3, 2016 | In The News

Pamela Minns, a leader in Niagara historic-site preservation, is set to receive a prestigious regional honour.

At a Friday event, Minns will be named this year’s recipient of the ‘International Women’s Day Award’.

The presentation takes place at the ‘International Women’s Day Luncheon’ at the Americana Conference Centre and Resort in Niagara Falls.

The awards, now in their 15th year, are spearheaded by the Women in Niagara council of the Greater Niagara Chamber of Commerce.

Minns, a Thorold resident, has long been active in the preservation of historical sites the region.

She is a veteran volunteer member with Heritage Thorold and helped with the designation and preservation of sites in that city, including the former Thorold Post Office, the historic former L.G. Lorriman School, and Front Street streetscapes.

Minns said she got into historic preservation after retiring from Domtar Fine Papers, where she’d worked for 39 years as a secretary.

In the background, she’d acquired an interest in history through an antique collection hobby.

“Thorold, at that time, was just starting to exit from its past as an industrial town into an new era,” she said in a Thursday e-mail interview.

“What gives our cities and towns their distinctive character is their history, traditions and the heritage buildings which have been preserved.”

Minns said following this philosophy “makes our communities unique, appealing and livable.”

Meanwhile, international tourists are also gravitating more to “cultural heritage experiences” featuring archaeological treasures, local festivals and events, she said.

“Allowing our heritage buildings to deteriorate and possibly require demolition, is not good for our environment and is certainly not a wise use of our resources.

“What we have today we have inherited from the past and we are borrowing it from the future — it is a stewardship and we have a responsibility to leave it in good condition – even better than we found it.”

Mishka Balsom, president and CEO of the Greater Niagara Chamber, said Minns “recognizes the value of heritage and has volunteered endlessly for this cause.

“Having hundreds of people from across Niagara acknowledging her contributions will be a special moment for all of us.

Last year, more than 400 attended the chamber council’s International Women’s Day, which recognizes inspiring local women who demonstrate top leadership qualities.

WIN’s International Women’s Day event attracted over 400 attendees from across Niagara last year.

Erica Ehm — creator of Canada’s largest independent online magazine YummyMummyClub.ca — is the distinguished guest speaker for the event.

Women In Niagara represents more than 18,000 women in business across Niagara. It is a Council of the Greater Niagara Chamber of Commerce, with a mission to foster the growth and success of women in business in the region.

Its luncheon is jointly sponsored by PenFinancial Credit Union and Meridian Credit Union and is being held from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Tickets are $60, plus tax for members. For details and registration visit www.gncc.com

donfraser@postmedia.com
Twitter: @don_standard

Original article: http://www.stcatharinesstandard.ca/2016/03/03/honouring-a-leader-in-historic-site-preservation

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Position Statement: Proposed St. Catharines Infrastructure Levy 2016

March 3, 2016 | Advocacy, Municipal Advocacy

The Greater Niagara Chamber of Commerce (GNCC) wishes to comment on the current budget debate over the proposed infrastructure levy, namely, that the city is raising taxes by 4.16%, and then adding an infrastructure levy of a further 1% on top, to create a 5% total tax rate.

The 5% figure is part of a whole, not a definitive figure. The rise in St. Catharines municipal taxes must be balanced against the zero raise from the Niagara Region. The total tax bill is a combination of taxes from the City, the school boards, and the Region. The total increase in taxes – including the infrastructure levy — is 2.16%, which is barely above the rate of inflation.1 This is the actual increase that city residents will see on their tax bill, and translates to an average of $69.65 a year.2

The infrastructure levy represents 0.98% of the city’s tax levy, and 0.4% of the total combined levy.3 St. Catharines currently faces a $140 million infrastructure gap on the city’s roads, bridges, and sewers.4 The business community understands that tax hikes are not good for business; however, deteriorating infrastructure is also not good for business. Business depends upon effective public services. These systems and organizations cannot be allowed to fall into neglect without risking the health of the business community.

St. Catharines’ tax bill is currently one of the lower burdens in Ontario. The median residential tax burden in 2015 was $3,377; St. Catharines paid $3,097.5 The median water and wastewater rate was $938; St. Catharines paid $842.6 While the St. Catharines municipal tax burden as a percentage of household income is slightly above average, this must be balanced against the cost of living.7 Office building property taxes are about 9% less in Niagara than the average in Ontario, industrial property taxes about 12% less, and vacant industrial land rates 29% less.8 The Canadian Taxpayers Federation gave St. Catharines a grade of B— on its municipal report card, the highest grade awarded, in 2013, citing St. Catharines’ excellent ratio of high-income public servants to households and successful efforts to keep public-­‐sector salaries down.9

Comparisons have been made between the infrastructure levies in Guelph and St. Catharines, but the GNCC does not believe this is a straightforward comparison. The Guelph infrastructure levy will be two percent, as opposed to the St. Catharines levy of one percent. Guelph’s tax burden is almost 20% greater than that of St. Catharines.10

The GNCC understands that an asset management plan and a full service review — neither of which has been conducted in Guelph — are either complete or underway in St. Catharines.11 In the 2015 Budget, for instance, the asset management plan revealed that savings in Category 3 facilities (which are rated relatively low in service life, building condition, and current/future use and would be good candidates for sale, demolition, or decommissioning) could be $82,673. Additional partnership or sales possibilities might add another $264,288.12 It is clear that savings in the budget alone could not come close to addressing the $140 million infrastructure gap without being accompanied by deep cuts that would have a serious impact on the quality of life for residents and businesses — or increased taxes.

A $1,000,000 commercial property in St. Catharines pays $34,589 in total property taxes.13 The infrastructure levy would cost the owner of this property an additional $107.14 per year. This is not, as has been alleged, a full-time equivalency (FTE) and is very unlikely to lead to layoffs or job losses.

Given the need to address the sizable St. Catharines infrastructure gap, the infrastructure levy seems reasonable. While the GNCC and the business community do not applaud tax hikes by any means, we also recognize that government services are necessary to the functioning of society and must be provided.

  1. City of St. Catharines, 2016 Draft Operating Budget (http://www.stcatharines.ca/en/governin/2016-­‐Draft-­‐Operating-­‐ Budget.asp?_mid_=34789)
  2. Ibid.
  3. Ibid.
  4. Walter Sendzik, Hard work, consultation went into city budget (http://www.stcatharinesstandard.ca/2016/03/02/sendzik-hard-work-consultation-went-into-city-budget)
  5. BMA Management Consulting Inc. Municipal Study – 2015 (http://guelph.ca/wp-content/uploads/2015FinalMunicipalStudyGuelph.pdf)
  6. Ibid.
  7. Ibid.
  8. Niagara Region, Property Tax Comparisons to Other Municipalities (https://www.niagararegion.ca/government/budget-taxes/Municipal-Tax-Comparisons.aspx)
  9. Canadian Taxpayers Federation, Ontario Municipal Report Card 2013 (https://www.taxpayer.com/media/Ontario%20Municipal%20Report%20Card(1).pdf)
  10. BMA, op. cit.
  11. City of St. Catharines, Asset Management Plan 2013 (https://stcatharines.civicweb.net/document/13953)
  12. City of St. Catharines, Budget 2015 Asset Management – Category 3 (https://www.stcatharines.ca/en/governin/resources/15Category3Assets-Feb23.pdf)
  13. Niagara Region, Property Tax Calculator (https://www.niagararegion.ca/government/budget-taxes/prop-tax-calculator.aspx?c=St.+Catharines&t=Commercial&p=1000000)
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Pamela Minns Named as Recipient of 2016 International Women’s Day Award

February 29, 2016 | Media Releases, WIN

The Women In Niagara (WIN) council in concert with the Greater Niagara Chamber of Commerce has announced Pamela Minns, a leader in the preservation of historical sites in Thorold– as this year’s recipient of the International Women’s Day Award.

The award will be bestowed to Minns, a native of Niagara, during the 15th Annual International Women’s Day Luncheon, to be held on Friday, March 4, 2016 at the Americana Conference Centre and Resort in Niagara Falls.

“Examples of Minns dedication and leadership shine throughout her volunteer career with Heritage Thorold, coupled with her roots here in the Niagara region, make her story of achievement one that is an ideal fit for our International Women’s Day celebration,” says Ruth Unrau, Chair of WIN.

Pamela Minns is a resident of Thorold, Ontario and takes great pride in her community. For over 25 years she has been a leading activist in the preservation of historical sites in the Niagara Region. As a long time volunteer member with Heritage Thorold, Minns has worked tirelessly to assist in the designation and preservation of multiple buildings such as, the former Thorold Post Office and the historic former L.G. Lorriman School of Thorold, along with many years of enhancing the streetscapes on Thorold’s Front Street.

“We have been privileged to work with Pam for the past 15 years. She has been a tireless advocate for heritage preservation and adaptive reuse in both the city of Thorold and the region of Niagara at large. It is in my opinion that the city of Thorold is enjoying it’s downtown redevelopment success in part because of the effort of Pam”, said Phil Ritchie, President of Keefer Developments in a letter nominating her for the June Callwood Outstanding Achievement Award for Voluntarism in Ontario.

“Pamela Minns has shown the passion and dedication needed to be successful in making community change,” continues Unrau. “She has always understood the value and beauty in Thorold and Greater Niagara’s historical heritage. We look forward to celebrating her impressive achievements across the region, on March 4.”

WIN’s International Women’s Day event attracted over 400 attendees from across Niagara last year. The event is a chance to recognize local women who exemplify all the best qualities of leadership and whose sense of strength and ingenuity serve as an inspiration to others.

In January, the Greater Niagara Chamber of Commerce announced Erica Ehm, creator of Canada’s largest independent online magazine YummyMummyClub.ca, as the distinguished guest speaker for the event.

The luncheon, jointly sponsored by PenFinancial Credit Union and Meridian Credit Union, will be held on Friday, March 4, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Americana Conference Centre and Resort on 8444 Lundy’s Lane in Niagara Falls. Tickets are $60 plus tax for members. For details and registration please visit: www.gncc.com

Women In Niagara represents more than 18 000 women in business across Niagara. A Council of the Greater Niagara Chamber of Commerce, its mission is to foster the growth and success of women in business in Niagara.

The Greater Niagara Chamber of Commerce is the champion for the Niagara business community. With over 1,500 members representing more than 45,000 employees, it is the largest business organization in Niagara and the third largest Chamber in Ontario. The Chamber Accreditation Council of Canada has recognized the Greater Niagara Chamber of Commerce with its highest level of distinction.

For more information and interviews please contact:
Mishka Balsom
CEO, Greater Niagara Chamber of Commerce
905-684-2361 ext. 227 or mishka@gncc.ca

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