Daily Update: December 22, 2021

December 22, 2021 | Daily Update

The governments of Canada and Ontario will offer new and extended financial assistance to affected businesses.

Governments of Canada and Ontario offer financial support to businesses affected by capacity limits

In response to the economic threat posed by the Omicron variant, the governments of Canada and Ontario will offer new and extended financial assistance to affected businesses.

The Government of Canada will use its regulatory authority granted by Bill C-2 to temporarily expand the Local Lockdown program. From December 19, 2021, until February 12, 2022, businesses will be able to qualify for federal support if:

  • one or more locations are subject to a public health order that has the effect of reducing the entity’s capacity at the location by 50 per cent or more, and
  • activities restricted by the public health order accounted for at least 50 per cent of the entity’s total qualifying revenues during the prior reference period.

In addition, the government intends to temporarily lower the current-month revenue loss threshold from 40 per cent to 25 per cent. Employers would continue to need to demonstrate current-month losses only, without the requirement for a historical 12-month revenue decline.

The rate would start at 25 per cent for eligible organizations with a 25-per-cent current-month revenue decline, increasing thereafter in proportion to current-month revenue loss up to a maximum rate of 75 per cent for those with a current-month revenue decline of 75 per cent or higher.

The Government of Canada will also expand the Canada Worker Lockdown Benefit to help workers affected by lockdowns.

For more information on the federal assistance programs, click here.

The Government of Ontario announced today that it will:

  • Offer rebates equal to 50% of property taxes and energy bills incurred by businesses subject to capacity limits, while those limits are in place
  • Provide a six-month interest- and penalty-free period to make payments for most provincially administered taxes from January 1, 2022 to July 1, 2022.

Online applications for the rebate program will open in mid-January 2022, with payments to eligible businesses provided retroactive to December 19, 2021. Businesses will be required to submit property tax and energy bills as part of the application process.

Click here for more information on these provincial relief programs.

Niagara transit amalgamation green-lit after Thorold Council passes deciding vote

Thorold City Council became the seventh Niagara municipal government to vote in favour of Niagara transit amalgamation, following supportive votes from Fort Erie, Niagara Falls, St. Catharines, Grimsby, Port Colborne and Niagara-on-the-Lake. With a majority of Niagara municipalities supporting amalgamation, representing a majority of the electorate, and following a majority vote at Niagara Region on November 25th, the transit amalgamation plan now has the triple majority needed to proceed.

Ontario calls for businesses willing to offer employer-led vaccination clinics

In an effort to head off a fifth wave of COVID-19 prompted by the highly contagious Omicron variant, the Government of Ontario is making all efforts to increase the rate of vaccination in the province.

As more mass-vax sites, hospital clinics, pharmacies and primary care clinics come online, Ontario is asking the province’s businesses, workers and union leaders to support the vaccine rollout by hosting employer-led clinics. Employer-led clinics must be set up, operated and funded by employers and meet established criteria to vaccinate employees aged 18 and over, their families and retirees, as well as members of the local and neighbouring communities as capacity allows.

Businesses can call the Ontario Together Contact Centre at 1-888-777-0554 to learn more about hosting a vaccination clinic. Community groups and places of worship interested in arranging a GO-VAXX mobile bus clinic visit, can contact GOVAXX@ontario.ca.

Click here for more information.

Vaccination is one of the most effective ways to help protect ourselves, and our families and communities against COVID-19. Learn more here.

Fort Erie will waive 2022 business license fees

Town Council recently approved recommendations from staff to temporarily waive all business licence fees, save and except short-term rentals, for 2022 to offer continued support to the Fort Erie business community. New and existing businesses that require an annual licence renewal are still required to apply for a 2022 business licence from the Town of Fort Erie as in the past.

It is estimated that waiving business licencing fees for 2022 will result in a business licencing revenue reduction of about $20,000. The plan is to recoup this financial impact through COVID-19 funding the Town received from Provincial grants.

Click here for more information.

Vaccine clinic to be opened at Lincoln’s Fleming Centre on December 23

From 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on December 23rd, a vaccination clinic will take place at the Fleming Centre to administer the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine to eligible individuals 5 years of age and older, and eligible booster doses while supplies last. No appointment is required. The province of Ontario operates the vaccination clinic being held at the Fleming Centre.

Click here for more information.

Niagara Health extends hours at COVID-19 assessment centres

Niagara Health’s COVID-19 Assessment Centres are temporarily extending their hours due to an increased demand in booking for COVID-19 tests. Self-referrals have steadily increased over the last week to a high of 1,800 on Dec. 20. Please note that Niagara Health does not accept walk-ins for COVID-19 testing.

Holiday hours of operation for the St. Catharines and Niagara Falls assessment centres are as follows:

Dec. 21-23: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Dec. 24: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Dec. 25: Closed
Dec. 26-30: 8 a.m. to 6 p .m.
Dec. 31: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Jan. 1: Closed

After Jan. 1, regular hours will resume at both locations.

Click here for more information.

Reading Recommendations

Canada should temporarily ban foreign home buyers, rezone cities – housing minister

Reuters

Municipalities should rezone broadly to allow more density and Canada should temporarily ban foreign buyers to help alleviate the housing affordability crunch faced by residents, the country’s housing minister said on Tuesday.

Ahmed Hussen told Reuters in an interview that housing should be for Canadians to live in, not passive foreign investment, and that he backs Canadian cities implementing density measures like those recently rolled out in New Zealand, which allow up to three homes to be built on most single-family lots.

“I support that,” he said. “That’s one of the ways to easily increase housing supply by using the same land for single-family dwelling and creating more units.”

How work perks are shifting during the pandemic

CBC News

Employers and experts say the COVID-19 pandemic has made companies focus on the challenges this shifting landscape poses for them and what they need to do to retain staff.

For some, that effort involves offering key perks to their people — including mental health and well-being supports and allowing more flexible working arrangements — as they make their way through this trying time.

Niagara COVID-19 statistics tracker

Niagara COVID vaccination tracker

Free rapid COVID-19 testing kits are now available to businesses. Visit gncc.ca/workplace-self-screening-kits to learn more and reserve kits for your organization.

For information on rapid testing kits for individuals, click here.

Information on government grants, resources, and programs, policies, forms, and posters for download and use, are available here. The GNCC is here to support you. Contact us with any questions you have.

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.

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Daily Update: December 17, 2021

December 17, 2021 | Daily Update

The Government of Ontario has announced new public health restrictions that will take effect on December 19th.

Government of Ontario announces new public health measures starting December 19

From 12:01 a.m. on December 19, the Government of Ontario will impose new public health restrictions to slow the spread of the Omicron variant until the vaccination program can ramp up. The restrictions will include:

  • A 50% capacity limit on indoor settings bars such as restaurants, gyms, retailers, or personal care services
  • Restaurants and bars must close at 11 p.m. except for take-out and delivery. No alcohol may be served after 10 p.m.
  • Private indoor social gatherings are limited to ten people. Outdoor gatherings are limited to twenty-five
  • Only ten people may be seated per table in restaurants and meeting spaces
  • Patrons at restaurants, bars, etc. must remain seated at all times
  • Singing and dancing at venues is prohibited except for workers and performers
  • Venues such as stadiums, theatres, casinos, and so forth will not be permitted to serve food or drink

No decision has yet been made on whether schools will be closed or restricted in January, the Premier said.

Ontario has joined Quebec in asking for federal measures to support businesses and workers, and promised that they would look at future options to offer their own supports, although no specifics were offered during the media briefing.

Click here for more information.

Niagara Medical Officer of Health offers COVID-19 update

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HG-uDJ56u54

Sectoral Initiatives Program to offer $67 million in support for tourism and hospitality sector

Today, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion, Carla Qualtrough, announced up to $67 million in funding to support Canada’s tourism and hospitality sector through the Sectoral Initiatives Program (SIP). This funding supports 24 projects that will help employers and industry stakeholders in the tourism and hospitality sector to attract and retain skilled workers, and build capacity through training and resources.

Click here for more information.

Niagara Regional Council approves 2022 budget

At its meeting of Dec. 16, 2021, Niagara Regional Council approved an expenditure increase of $23 million for 2022. With the utilization of $6 million in reserves, the net increase totals $17 million, which maintains the property tax increase to 2.87 per cent.

For the average property assessed at $278,764, the Regional portion of the tax bill will increase by $46, totalling $1,684 in 2022.

Click here for more information.

Brock cancels in-person exams, will offer courses online for beginning of winter term

Brock University has announced that on-campus exams for the Fall Term will be cancelled or will move to alternative modes of delivery, and that it will move to online course delivery for the beginning of the Winter Term to enable students, staff and faculty to receive their booster dose of COVID-19 vaccine. On-campus classes are currently planned to resume on Jan. 31, 2022. During the period of online course delivery, the campus will remain open.

A work-from-home arrangement will be made for all Brock employees whose role does not require their presence on campus.

The university has asked all eligible staff and students to get their booster shots as soon as possible.

Click here for more information.

Canadian COVID-19 case load up 45% in one week

Over the past seven days, an average of over 5,000 new cases were reported daily across Canada, reported Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Tam, which is 45% higher than the previous 7-day period. Severe illness trends have begun to increase in the most heavily impacted provinces, which may be more associated with rising levels of Delta variant activity over the preceding weeks. Over the past week, on average 1,450 people with COVID-19 were being treated in our hospitals each day, with over 450 in intensive care units and 19 deaths were reported daily.

Click here for more information.

All travellers will once again need a molecular COVID-19 test before arriving in Canada

Canada is increasing testing requirements for international travellers and dropping its travel ban on flights from 10 African countries as the government tries to quash the spread of the highly transmissible Omicron variant, CBC news reports.

Starting Tuesday, all travellers will once again need to get a COVID-19 molecular test before returning to Canada. The announcement from Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos rolls back an exemption announced last month that fully vaccinated Canadians and permanent residents taking short trips abroad, under 72 hours, wouldn’t need proof of a negative test before returning home.

Click here for more information.

Reading Recommendations

Canada’s TD Bank delays office return over Omicron fears

Reuters

Canada’s Toronto-Dominion Bank is directing staff who are able to do so, to work from home until further notice, according to a memo on Friday, as concerns over the Omicron coronavirus variant mount globally.

The new directive would also apply to all staffers participating in the bank’s voluntary return to office program, the memo from Kenn Lalonde, senior executive vice president of human resources, said.

Organizational support: The key to employee commitment and well-being during the pandemic

The Conversation

For nearly two years, the COVID-19 pandemic has made it increasingly difficult for people to do their jobs. In addition to regular work duties, people have had to worry about their health and that of their loved ones. They have faced increased uncertainty about the future and have had to learn new ways of working.

Considering this additional pressure, it is not surprising that employees have reported feeling less happy at work since the start of the pandemic.

The pandemic has also damaged employees’ commitments to their organizations. With companies increasingly adopting remote work models, employees have fewer and fewer reasons to feel attached to their workplaces, as the usual human interactions have been replaced by video calls.

In the face of all this change, employers have been asking: what can organizations do to reduce these negative effects of the pandemic on their employees?

Niagara COVID-19 statistics tracker

Niagara COVID vaccination tracker

Free rapid COVID-19 testing kits are now available to businesses. Visit gncc.ca/workplace-self-screening-kits to learn more and reserve kits for your organization.

For information on rapid testing kits for individuals, click here.

Information on government grants, resources, and programs, policies, forms, and posters for download and use, are available here. The GNCC is here to support you. Contact us with any questions you have.

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.

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Daily Update: November 24, 2021

November 24, 2021 | Daily Update

Government of Canada unveils three new support programs for business, extends hiring program and worker benefits

Today, the Honourable Chrystia Freeland, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, introduced Bill C-2 in Parliament to implement the recently announced measures. This bill would:

  • Extend the Canada Recovery Hiring Program until May 7, 2022, for eligible employers with current revenue losses above 10% and increase the subsidy rate to 50%. The extension would help businesses continue to hire back workers, increase hours, and create the additional jobs Canada needs for a robust recovery.
  • Deliver targeted support to businesses still facing significant pandemic-related challenges. Support would be available through three streams:
    • Tourism and Hospitality Recovery Program, which would provide support through wage and rent subsidies to, for example, hotels, tour operators, travel agencies, and restaurants, with a subsidy rate of up to 75%. The types of business that would be eligible are detailed in the proposed legislation and in the backgrounder associated with today’s announcement.
    • Hardest-Hit Business Recovery Program, which would provide support through wage and rent subsidies to other businesses that have faced deep losses, with a subsidy rate of up to 50%.
    • Local Lockdown Program, which would provide businesses that face temporary new local lockdowns up to the maximum amount available through the wage and rent subsidy programs.

To ensure workers continue to have support and that no one is left behind, the proposed legislation would:

  • Extend the Canada Recovery Caregiving Benefit and the Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit until May 7, 2022, and increase the maximum duration of benefits by 2 weeks. This would extend the caregiving benefit from 42 to 44 weeks and the sickness benefit from 4 to 6 weeks.
  • Establish the Canada Worker Lockdown Benefit which would provide $300 a week in income support to eligible workers who are directly impacted by a COVID-19-related public health lockdown in their region up until May 7, 2022. Eligible workers would be able to apply to receive this support retroactively from October 24, 2021.

Click here for more information.

Ontario invests $90 million in skilled trades career promotion

Ontario is investing an additional $90 million over three years to further promote the skilled trades to young people. This investment responds to the Apprenticeship Youth Advisors report, released today, which includes several recommendations to help solve the shortage of skilled workers Ontario is currently facing.

As part of today’s announcement, the government is also investing an additional $2.9 million, for a total of $20 million annually, to expand the Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program (OYAP) and provide more opportunities for students. The OYAP now has 63 recruiters across more than 800 schools so that students can learn about the skilled trades at a younger age.

Click here for more information.

Reading Recommendations

Chapman’s Ice Cream faces backlash and boycott over vaccination policy

CBC News

When Ashley Chapman announced a new vaccine policy at his Ontario ice cream company, he never expected people would boycott his product, send him hate mail, and call his elderly father a Nazi.

Chapman is the vice-president of Chapman’s Ice Cream, a family business in Markdale, Ont., that has been distributing ice cream products across Canada for 48 years.

His company is now at the centre of what he calls a “nasty” campaign by some anti-vaccine organizations and activists.

“The reaction was pretty brutal, actually very, very aggressive. People were calling us, leaving messages after hours. I’ve been sent, the only thing I can say is hate packages in the mail,” Chapman told As It Happens host Carol Off.

“Even my father, my 78-year-old father, got a voicemail on his phone, telling him he was like Hitler, and obviously a Nazi, and we should be convicted of war crimes, essentially.”

Becoming a More Humane Leader

Harvard Business Review

As a leader, how do you do the hard things that come with taking on the responsibility of leadership, while remaining a good human being? This is an eternal conundrum for all leaders. Most of us think we have to make a difficult, binary choice between being a good person or being a tough, effective leader. This is a false dichotomy. Being human and making hard leadership decisions are not mutually exclusive. In truth, doing hard things is often the most human thing to do. There are two key ingredients: wisdom and compassion.

Niagara COVID-19 statistics tracker

Niagara COVID vaccination tracker

Free rapid COVID-19 testing kits are now available to businesses. Visit gncc.ca/workplace-self-screening-kits to learn more and reserve kits for your organization.

Information on government grants, resources, and programs, policies, forms, and posters for download and use, are available here. The GNCC is here to support you. Contact us with any questions you have.

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.

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Daily Update: November 22, 2021

November 22, 2021 | Daily Update

As of 8:00 a.m. on Tuesday, November 23, 2021, children aged five to 11 will be eligible to schedule a COVID-19 vaccine appointment.

COVID-19 vaccine bookings to open for all children aged five to eleven

As of 8:00 a.m. on Tuesday, November 23, 2021, children aged five to 11 across Ontario will be eligible to schedule a COVID-19 vaccine appointment through a variety of channels including the COVID-19 vaccination portal and contact centre, directly through public health units using their own booking system, participating pharmacies which individuals can find on Ontario’s website using the pharmacy locator, and select primary care providers.

To book an appointment online, children must be turning five years old by the end of 2021 (born in 2016).

Parents, caregivers and children with questions about the vaccine are encouraged to call the Provincial Vaccine Confidence Line that can be accessed by calling the Provincial Vaccine Contact Centre at 1-833-943-3900, or visit COVID-19 Vaccine Consult Service to book a confidential phone appointment with a SickKids clinician.

Vaccination is one of the most effective ways to help protect ourselves, and our families and communities against COVID-19. Learn more here.

Auditor General finds Ontario Government “deliberately ignored” right to be heard on significant environmental issues, kept public in the dark

Some Ontario ministries – including the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks – deliberately avoided consulting the public on environmentally significant decisions in 2020/21, bypassing the Environmental Bill of Rights, Auditor General Bonnie Lysyk says in her Annual Report of Environment Audits.

“The Environment Ministry’s actions amount to undermining the Environmental Bill of Rights, a law that we would expect the Ministry to be championing,” Lysyk said, “This has been consistent over the last three years.”

The Auditor General concluded that the Government of Ontario spent millions of dollars managing hazardous spills but did not bill polluters, is in danger of running out of landfill space, is making little effort to protect at-risk species, and had left the public in the dark as a result of poor reporting.

Click here to download a summary of the Auditor General’s report (PDF link).

Financial experts find fear of financial shock is low, but cyber risks remain a concern

The Bank of Canada conducts the Financial System Survey (FSS) twice a year to solicit the opinions of senior experts who specialize in risk management of the financial system.

Respondents believe the risk of a shock that could impair the financial system is low. However, this risk is viewed as slightly higher in the medium term than in the short term because of the prospect of rising interest rates, inflation, and geopolitical tensions.

Cyber risks remain the top risk that organizations face. Asset pricing risks—the potential for asset price corrections—are the second most frequently cited. These top risks faced by organizations are also relevant for the financial system as a whole, as highlighted in the Bank of Canada’s 2021 Financial System Review.

Overall, the prolonged period of low interest rates over the past decade has worsened respondents’ abilities to meet their profit or return goals. As a result, asset managers, pension funds and insurers have increased their exposures to riskier assets and may have taken on more leverage.

Click here for more information.

Uber enters booming cannabis market with orders in Ontario

Uber Technologies Inc. will allow users in Ontario, Canada, to place orders for cannabis on its Uber Eats app, marking the ride-hailing giant’s foray into the booming business, a company spokesperson said on Monday.

Uber Eats will list cannabis retailer Tokyo Smoke on its marketplace on Monday, following which customers can place orders from the Uber Eats app and then pick it up at their nearest Tokyo Smoke store, the spokesperson said.

With more than three years into Canada’s legalisation of recreational cannabis, the country is trying to fix its ailing pot market, where illegal producers still control a large share of total annual sales.

Cannabis sales in Canada will total $4 billion in 2021 and are forecast to grow to $6.7 billion in 2026, according to data from industry research firm BDS Analytics.

Click here for more information.

Second Career program to be expanded in spring

The Second Career program provides financial support to laid-off and unemployed workers. By Spring 2022, the Second Career program will begin supporting unemployed individuals with little or no work experience, those who are self-employed and those in the gig economy.

The government is also proposing to extend the temporary, refundable Ontario Jobs Training Tax Credit to 2022, which was originally introduced in the 2021 Ontario Budget to help workers affected by the COVID-19 pandemic get back into the workforce. The extension would provide an estimated $275 million in additional support to about 240,000 people, or $1,150 on average, to help Ontario workers continue to upgrade their skills.

Click here for more information.

Reading Recommendations

Workers want a flexible future at work. What do employers want?

CBC News

Across Canada, employers are trying to map out what’s best for their organizations in a post-pandemic era, in terms of how they’ll structure their working arrangements going forward and how that will affect employees.

Yet employers are under pressure to embrace a more flexible future, and it seems some larger organizations are listening.

At Microsoft Canada, there’s an expectation the future will be different for its more than 4,000 Canadian employees.

“We believe extreme flexibility and hybrid work will define the post-pandemic workplace,” Microsoft spokesperson Lisa Gibson told CBC News via email.

Gibson said Microsoft was equipped for remote work before COVID-19 and some of its staff did work outside the office occasionally. But she said the pandemic saw “the overwhelming majority” work from home full-time.

As the pandemic eases and the company fully reopens its operations, the majority of staff will be able to work from home at least half the time — and they won’t need managerial approval to do so.

Job searches rise in Canada as COVID aid winds down

Bloomberg News

The number of Canadians searching for work jumped last month, just as pandemic-related government support programs were wound down, a survey by Indeed Canada showed.

The share of people actively looking for employment rose to 30 per cent last month, up from 25 per cent in September, according to a report published Monday by the job posting site. The increase was largely driven by unemployed workers who described their search as immediate. Among those looking for work, 39 per cent characterized the situation as “urgent,” up from 32 per cent in September.

The data illustrate some of the potential impacts of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s decision last month to terminate his government’s key income support programs. The move will raise financial strains on many Canadians who have yet to find work during the pandemic, while also encouraging them to enter the labor force at a time of growing worker shortages.

The survey also showed a “statistically significant” increase in searches by people already employed, which is a sign that job switching is on the rise. That too could be a product of worker shortages.

Niagara COVID-19 statistics tracker

Niagara COVID vaccination tracker

Free rapid COVID-19 testing kits are now available to businesses. Visit gncc.ca/workplace-self-screening-kits to learn more and reserve kits for your organization.

Information on government grants, resources, and programs, policies, forms, and posters for download and use, are available here. The GNCC is here to support you. Contact us with any questions you have.

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.

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Daily Update: November 19, 2021

November 19, 2021 | Daily Update

Pfizer-BioNTech COVID vaccine authorized for younger children

Today, Health Canada authorized the use of the Pfizer-BioNTech Comirnaty COVID-19 vaccine in children 5 to 11 years of age. This is the first COVID-19 vaccine authorized in Canada for use in this age group and marks a major milestone in Canada’s fight against COVID-19.

Health Canada has authorized a two-dose regimen of 10 micrograms to be administered three weeks apart, which is a lower dose than the 30 micrograms two-dose regimen authorized for people 12 years of age and older.

In keeping with the Department’s commitment to openness and transparency, Health Canada is publishing multiple documents related to this decision, including a high-level summary of the evidence it reviewed.

The Government of Ontario and Niagara Public Health declared their readiness to begin vaccinating 5-11-year-olds with this approved vaccine, but noted that supplies are not yet available, although every 5-11-year-old can be vaccinated before Christmas.

Parents or guardians who have questions or concerns about their child receiving the COVID-19 vaccine are invited to register for a virtual town hall, hosted by Public Health, on Tuesday, Nov. 23 from 7-8 p.m.

Niagara Public Health has a web page of FAQs related to vaccination of children as well as a general FAQ page, both of which will continue to be updated.

Vaccination is one of the most effective ways to help protect ourselves, and our families and communities against COVID-19. Learn more here.

Government of Canada announces adjustments to Canada’s border measures

Effective November 30, 2021, fully vaccinated individuals with right of entry to Canada who depart and re-enter the country within 72 hours of leaving Canada will not have to present a pre-entry molecular test. This exemption is only for trips originating in Canada taken by fully vaccinated Canadian citizens, permanent residents or individuals registered under the Indian Act, who depart and re-enter by land or by air and can demonstrate that they have been away from Canada for less than 72 hours.

The Government of Canada is also announcing that as of January 15, 2022, certain groups of travellers, who are currently exempt from entry requirements, will only be allowed to enter the country if they are fully vaccinated with one of the vaccines approved for entry into Canada.

The Canadian Chamber of Commerce said that the move put a “one-way door” on the border, noting that the policy is at odds with the advice of the government’s Expert Advisory Panel, which recommended doing away with the tests for fully-vaccinated travellers. The Chamber’s concerns are that the rules permit cross-border shopping for Canadians in time for the busy holiday season, while maintaining punitive restrictions that discourage fully-vaccinated Americans from vacationing or shopping in Canada. At the same time, the Chamber added, business meetings will now increasingly take place in the U.S., not Canada, which is bad news for our beleaguered hotel sector.

Click here for more information.

Lower sales at car dealerships led overall retail decline in September

Retail sales were down 0.6% to $56.6 billion in September. The decline was led by lower sales at motor vehicle and parts dealers (-1.6%) as new car dealer sales (-2.8%) continued to struggle amid global supply shortages for semiconductor chips.

Sales decreased in 7 of 11 subsectors, representing 63.5% of retail trade.

The New Motor Vehicle Sales Survey noted a 19% decline in unit sales of new motor vehicles compared with September 2020. This was primarily driven by a decline to light trucks and SUVs where unit sales fell 23% from the year prior. Total unit sales were down 17% compared with September 2019 levels, before the pandemic.

Click here for more information.

Reading Recommendations

Trudeau comes up short on U.S. EV tax credits, says will keep pushing

Reuters

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau returned to Ottawa on Friday after failing to convince U.S. President Joe Biden to scrap proposed electric-vehicle tax credits that would favor American-based manufacturers, but said he would keep seeking a solution.

Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives on Friday passed here the $1.75 trillion domestic investment bill that includes the tax credits, sending it to the Senate where negotiations will continue.

Canada fears the credits will undermine its own efforts to produce electric vehicles (EVs) in Ontario – the country’s industrial heartland – where General Motors Co, Ford Motor Co and Stellantis NV already assemble cars and trucks and plan a pivot to electric.

COVID-19 accelerated many changes impacting rural communities — we need to support their resilience

The Conversation

Rural Canada is vital to the socio-economic fabric of this country.

Rural communities are places of employment, food production, energy generation, resource extraction, environmental stewardship, cultural production and leisure. They are also home to millions of people. The COVID-19 pandemic, however, has illuminated many new and existing inequities, which are shaping the realities of life in rural Canada.

In our work with the Canadian Rural Revitalization Foundation, we co-edited the 2021 State of Rural Canada Report. The report provides a snapshot of key rural issues while also highlighting opportunities, recovery and resiliency in each province and territory.

Rural communities across Canada are facing unprecedented changes — from demographic shifts and economic restructuring to the impacts of climate change and weak rural development policies and programs.

Niagara COVID-19 statistics tracker

Niagara COVID vaccination tracker

Free rapid COVID-19 testing kits are now available to businesses. Visit gncc.ca/workplace-self-screening-kits to learn more and reserve kits for your organization.

Information on government grants, resources, and programs, policies, forms, and posters for download and use, are available here. The GNCC is here to support you. Contact us with any questions you have.

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.

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Daily Update: November 16, 2021

November 16, 2021 | Daily Update

The $2,500 Grimsby Digital Transformation Grant application deadline is November 30th, 2021, and businesses have two weeks to apply.

Two weeks left to apply for Grimsby Digital Transformation Grant

The Digital Transformation Grant application deadline is November 30th, 2021.  Businesses have two weeks to get their applications in for the $2,500 grant.

Grimsby’s Digital Service Squad (DSS) member is here to help your business apply for the $2,500 so that you can create a Digital Transformation Plan, adopt online technologies and digitally transform sales.

While the grant deadline is November 30th, the Digital Main Street program will be running until February 28, 2022.

Since July, Grimsby’s DSS member has worked with 34 local businesses to introduce them to online training modules that will build their knowledge and skills, assists businesses with developing their Digital Transformation Plan and apply for a one-time $2,500 grant to implement it.

Local businesses who are interested in learning more about Digital Main Street are encouraged to contact the Town’s Digital Service Squad member.

Click here for more information.

Lincoln approves budget with tax increase of 2.68%

On November 10, the Town of Lincoln’s Budget – Committee of the Whole (COW) approved the 2022 Budget, which was ratified by Town of Lincoln Council at its meeting on November 15.

The budget represents a 2.68% increase on the Town’s portion of the tax bill, below the current inflation rate of 4.4%. The increase is further broken down to an increase of 2.18% towards Municipal services including all Town departments and Lincoln Public Library, plus a special infrastructure levy of 0.5%, totalling 2.68%.

Visit SpeakUpLincoln.ca/Budget-2022 to learn more about the Town of Lincoln’s 2022 Budget, including details about projects in 2022, information on the budget process and tax dollar distribution by service area.

Niagara Health intensive care research projects may improve patient care nationwide

Niagara Health has two new Intensive Care Unit (ICU) research studies underway, one to better understand health outcomes for COVID-19 patients and the other to inform the development of a national strategy to expand clinical research in community hospitals in Canada.

Niagara Health is conducting a two-year study on health outcomes of patients with COVID-19 in Ontario ICUs that will examine demographics, clinical characteristics, life support therapies and outcome data for patients with COVID-19, and a three-year study on the role community hospitals play in filling the gaps in Canada’s clinical research infrastructure.

Click here for more information.

Industrial prices up 16.7% year-over-year

According to flash estimates, the Industrial Product Price Index (IPPI) was up 1.3% month over month in October. Year over year, the index rose 16.7%.

Energy and petroleum products (+7.6%) led the monthly growth in the IPPI. The gain in this group was driven mostly by higher prices for refined petroleum energy products (including liquid biofuels) (+8.1%). This rise is partially attributable to a supply-demand imbalance for petroleum.

The lumber and other wood products group (+5.4%) was the second largest contributor to the month-over-month gain in the IPPI in October, after posting four consecutive monthly declines. The upward movement was mainly due to higher prices for softwood lumber (+11.1%).

Primary non-ferrous metal products (+2.2%) also supported the monthly gain in the IPPI in October. The growth in this group was mainly driven by higher prices for other unwrought non-ferrous metals and non-ferrous metal alloys (+9.6%), unwrought aluminum and aluminum alloys (+4.6%), and basic and semi-finished products of aluminum and aluminum alloys (+7.2%).

Click here for more information.

Moderna requests authorization from Health Canada to use SpikeVax COVID-19 vaccine in children 6 to 11 years of age

Today, Health Canada received a submission from Moderna seeking authorization for the use of its Spikevax COVID-19 vaccine in children 6 to 11 years of age. Health Canada will only authorize the use of Spikevax in children if its independent and thorough scientific review of the data in the submission shows that the benefits of the vaccine outweigh the risks in this age group. The assessment will include a detailed review of clinical trial results, as well as other evolving data and information about the health impacts of COVID-19 and variants of concern on children in Canada.

Click here for more information.

Vaccination is one of the most effective ways to help protect ourselves, and our families and communities against COVID-19. Learn more here.

Niagara Medical Officer of Health to offer briefing and take questions

Tomorrow at 11am, Niagara Medical Officer of Health Dr. Mustafa Hirji will deliver an update on the COVID-19 pandemic in Niagara and take questions from the live audience at a GNCC webinar. A video of the webinar will also be available for later viewing. Attendance is free; interested parties can register and pose questions here.

Reading Recommendations

Trudeau risks stoking inflation with more big spending, Scotiabank warns

The Financial Post

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government is at risk of adding to Canada’s inflation problem if it unveils more big-ticket spending measures this fall, a Bank of Nova Scotia economist said in a note to clients.

Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland is expected to give the government’s first major statement on taxes and spending since Trudeau’s Liberal Party won re-election, including tens of billions in new spending. She should refrain from adding that stimulus to an already hot inflationary environment, Scotiabank’s Rebekah Young said Monday.

Canada has reported inflation of higher than 3 per cent — the upper end of the Bank of Canada’s control range — for six straight months. That streak is almost certain to reach seven months when October’s inflation numbers come out on Wednesday: Economists are expecting a 4.7 per cent price rise.

The Globe and Mail

Payroll taxes are set to surge next year as the pandemic economy’s dynamics amplify the costs for companies and their employees for the Canada Pension Plan and Employment Insurance.

Both contribution rates and maximum contributions will rise sharply for the CPP in 2022, according to recently released information. For EI, rates are frozen for the second year, but maximum contributions will jump.

The dual increases mean that employers face accelerating growth in the combined EI and CPP maximum contributions, which will hit $4,833.64 – an increase of 18 per cent in just two years.

Those soaring costs are an expensive intersection of political decisions to boost pension benefits in coming decades, the statistical quirk of rising average wages during the pandemic, and a funding model that dumps the costs of recessions onto employees and employers.

Niagara COVID-19 statistics tracker

Niagara COVID vaccination tracker

Free rapid COVID-19 testing kits are now available to businesses. Visit gncc.ca/workplace-self-screening-kits to learn more and reserve kits for your organization.

Information on government grants, resources, and programs, policies, forms, and posters for download and use, are available here. The GNCC is here to support you. Contact us with any questions you have.

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.

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Daily Update: October 12th, 2021

October 12, 2021 | Daily Update

The GNCC and the Niagara-on-the-Lake Chamber of Commerce are partnering on a new campaign to encourage people to shop locally.

GNCC and Niagara-on-the-Lake Chamber launch NiagaraMyWay

The Greater Niagara Chamber of Commerce (GNCC) and the Niagara-on-the-Lake Chamber of Commerce are partnering on a new campaign designed to encourage people to shop locally.

The multi-media initiative is asking Niagara residents to shop locally and share their experiences on social media with the hashtag #NiagaraMyWay. It is a unique and self-personalizing hashtag that invites people to participate and will trigger a personal response among users to fill in their own Niagara experiences. It will ultimately paint a broad mosaic of what Niagara means to different people, and help build a sense of community where people are encouraged to shop locally.

The campaign is being launched October 14th with a series of social media ads, which will be followed in subsequent weeks with advertising in local Niagara newspapers and radio. Ads will also appear in select Toronto media outlets over the course of the three-month campaign.

Businesses interested in participating in #NiagaraMyWay and seeing their organization featured,  are encouraged to register their company at GNCC’s website https://gncc.ca/niagaramyway/ or with the Niagara-on-the-Lake Chamber https://www.chambernotl.com/shop-local.

Participation is free.

Read the media release here.

Ontario raises capacity limits for arenas, meeting spaces, theatres, and some other venues

The Government of Ontario, in consultation with the Chief Medical Officer of Health, is cautiously lifting capacity limits in select indoor and outdoor settings where proof of vaccination is required, as well as certain outdoor settings that have a capacity below 20,000.

Effective Saturday, October 9, 2021, at 12:01 a.m., capacity limits have been lifted to allow 100 per cent capacity in the following settings:

  • Concert venues, theatres and cinemas;
  • Spectator areas of facilities for sports and recreational fitness (would not include gyms, personal training);
  • Meeting and event spaces (indoor meeting and event spaces will still need to limit capacity to the number that can maintain physical distancing);
  • Horseracing tracks, car racing tracks, and other similar venues; and
  • Commercial film and television productions with studio audiences.

This announcement was made late on October 8th (and thus was not featured in that day’s Daily Update).

No mention of raising capacity limits for other venues or businesses has been made. The GNCC has asked for an evidence-based review of capacity limits for all businesses.

Click here for more information.

Niagara mourns Councillor Sandie Bellows

Regional Councillor Sandie Bellows passed away on the evening of October 10th.

Councillor Bellows dedicated her life to the people of Niagara and was a fierce victims’ rights advocate. This advocacy saw her serve as a keynote speaker for many government and law enforcement agencies, including conferences for the Ontario and Canadian Police Chiefs, hostage negotiators, and American law enforcement agencies. In recognition of her work in this area, Councillor Bellows was invited by Prime Minister Harper to the Victims Bill of Rights ceremony in 2015.

Click here to read the full statement by Regional Chair Jim Bradley.

Reading Recommendations

Canada’s overworked healthcare sector braces for staff shortages as vaccine mandates loom

Reuters

Canada’s health and long-term care industries are bracing for staff shortages and layoffs, as deadlines for vaccine mandates loom across the country, with unions pushing federal and provincial governments to soften hard-line stances.

For hospitals and nursing homes, a shortage of workers would strain the already overburdened workforce dealing with nearly two years of the pandemic. The uncertainty sparked by vaccine mandates underscores the challenges on the road to recovery.

Devon Greyson, assistant professor of public health at the University of British Columbia, said officials are steering into uncharted waters with mass vaccine mandates, and it’s not clear how workers will respond.

“A shortage of workers can mean people’s health and well being. It’s scary,” Greyson said.

Cannabis has been legal almost 3 years, yet retailers say banks are shutting them out

CBC News

Nearly three years after Canada legalized cannabis, many retailers in B.C. say they still struggle to find access to basic financial services from banks.

International pressure and decades of stigma around cannabis still plague the fledgling industry, forcing shop owners to dig into their savings to open their small businesses and limiting the sector’s growth, industry experts told CBC News.

The Association of Canadian Cannabis Retailers (ACCRES) says 50 of its 52 members in B.C. have been denied access at traditional banks, and have turned to local credit unions instead.

“We’re not even talking about loans or credit cards,” said Jaclynn Pehota, executive director of ACCRES.

“We’re talking about very basic financial services like a chequing account. My members are still struggling, three years post-cannabis legalization in Canada.”

Niagara COVID-19 statistics tracker

These data show the status of the COVID-19 pandemic in Niagara. The Province of Ontario is now using a provincewide approach to reopening, and these data no longer have any influence on Niagara’s restrictions. Lower numbers are better in all metrics.

December 18December 25January 1January 8January 15January 22January 29
Reproductive number1.41.81.41.11.00.70.9
New cases per 100,000101.2267.3469.8575.8507.1295.5250.6
New cases per day (not including outbreaks)60.7178.7311.7376.9325.4182.7145.7
Percent of hospital beds occupied97%95.2%98.2%103.2%104.5%103.6%106%
Percent of intensive care beds occupied78.8%77.3%87.9%87.9%90.9%89.4%93.9%
Percentage of positive tests6.1%15.6%28.1%28.6%26.6%21.2%16.2%

Last updated: October 2, 2021

Click here for definitions of terms used in this table.

On October 11, there were 13 patients admitted to Niagara Health with COVID-19, 11 of whom were unvaccinated and 1 of whom was fully vaccinated. There were 5 patients with COVID-19 in a Niagara Health Intensive Care Unit.

Over the last 28 days, a Niagara resident vaccinated with 1 dose was 3.6 times more likely to contract COVID-19, and an unvaccinated person was 6.6 times more likely. The average weekly rate of hospitalized cases in unvaccinated Canadians was 36 times higher compared to fully vaccinated people. Niagara Health has reported that no vaccinated patients have required intensive care to date.

Vaccination is one of the most effective ways to help protect ourselves, and our families and communities against COVID-19. Learn more here.

Data are drawn from Niagara Region Public Health and Niagara Health.

Niagara COVID vaccination tracker

Niagara’s most up-to-date vaccination numbers are presented below, along with comparison data from Ontario, Canada, and G7 countries.

Percentage of population with one dosePercentage of population fully vaccinated
Niagara82.7%78.2%
Ontario84.6%79.1%
Canada84.7%78.6%
United States75%64%
United Kingdom78%72%
Germany76%74%
France80%77%
Italy83%76%
Japan80%79%
World63%53%

Total doses administered in Niagara: 715,114

New daily doses administered to Niagara residents: 130

Last updated: October 12, 2021

Data are drawn from Niagara Region, the Government of Ontario, and Oxford University’s Our World in Data project.

Vaccination is one of the most effective ways to help protect ourselves, and our families and communities against COVID-19. Learn more here.

Free rapid COVID-19 testing kits are now available to businesses. Visit gncc.ca/workplace-self-screening-kits to learn more and reserve kits for your organization.

Information on government grants, resources, and programs, policies, forms, and posters for download and use, are available here. The GNCC is here to support you. Contact us with any questions you have.

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.

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Daily Update: September 20th, 2021

September 20, 2021 | Daily Update

Millions of Canadians will vote today, casting their ballot to help decide which party will form the next government.

Where to vote in Niagara

Polling stations in Niagara will remain open until 9:30pm. Click on the links below to access polling station addresses and other necessary information to exercise your right to vote.

Niagara Centre

Niagara Falls

Niagara West

St. Catharines

Canada votes today. Here’s what to watch when results roll in.

CBC News

Millions of Canadians will vote today, casting their ballot to help decide which party will form the next government.

The CBC’s Poll Tracker shows a statistical tie between the Liberals and Conservatives in the popular vote, but today is when that political cliché becomes the truth — the only poll that matters is the one on election night.

Here are a few things to watch when results start to come in.

The Election Section

Niagara federal vote projections

Votes (Percentage)
[visualizer id=”27072″ lazy=”no” class=””]

Seats (Projection)

Niagara CentreNiagara FallsNiagara WestSt. CatharinesCanada (338canada)Canada (CBC)
Bloc Quebecois7% (32 seats)6.8% (31 seats)
Conservative Party30%38%46%32%31.4% (126 seats)31% (119 seats)
Green Party3%3.7%3.9%3.5%3.4% (2 seats)3.5% (1 seat)
Liberal Party35%31%29%36%31.9% (148 seats)31.5% (155 seats)
New Democratic Party24%21%14%23%19.3% (31 seats)19.1% (32 seats)
People's Party7.6%6%6.5%5.8%6% (0 seats)7% (0 seats)
Christian Heritage--1.1%---

Data are provided by 338canada.com and the CBC using an aggregate of polls. Projections are updated daily. Click here for more information and margins of error.

Download the Canadian Chamber’s policy tracker, which summarizes party commitments made to date.

Niagara’s Prosperity Matters: Create a sustainable future

Canada’s future economy must be socially responsible and environmentally sustainable. We must build on our promises to deliver equity, to build prosperity for all Canadians, and to safeguard our environment so that future generations may enjoy that same prosperity.

The GNCC asks all parties to commit to delivering affordable childcare. A huge amount of Canadian labour and entrepreneurship is deterred by the unavailability of affordable childcare. The next government of Canada should follow through on or even aim to improve commitments to deliver affordable childcare to working Canadians.

The GNCC asks the next Government of Canada to incentivize environmentally responsible business. Businesses are willing to transform and transition to more sustainable models, but many need help doing so. Solutions can range from the simple, such as incentivizing homeworking to take commuter vehicles off the roads, to complex, such as transitioning impactful industries to new models. The government should explore all avenues that enable and encourage businesses to preserve the environment.

Click here to read more about the GNCC’s Niagara Prosperity Plan.

Final polls show deadlocked race, but Liberals favoured to win more seats

CBC News

Most of the last polls published before election day put the margin between the Liberals and Conservatives at two percentage points or less, suggesting a national race that is effectively tied. But how the vote breaks down regionally gives the Liberals the advantage in the seat count — just as it did back in 2019 when the Liberals lost the popular vote but won more seats than the Conservatives. The NDP is holding in third and is poised to make some seat gains, while the Bloc Québécois has returned to 2019-levels of support. The People’s Party ends the campaign on a polling high but might struggle to win a seat. The Greens’ support stands at half of what it was two years ago, but the party could still capture some seats.

Get live results from the Federal Election

Niagara COVID-19 statistics tracker

These data show the status of the COVID-19 pandemic in Niagara. The Province of Ontario is now using a provincewide approach to reopening, and these data no longer have any influence on Niagara’s restrictions. Lower numbers are better in all metrics.

December 18December 25January 1January 8January 15January 22January 29
Reproductive number1.41.81.41.11.00.70.9
New cases per 100,000101.2267.3469.8575.8507.1295.5250.6
New cases per day (not including outbreaks)60.7178.7311.7376.9325.4182.7145.7
Percent of hospital beds occupied97%95.2%98.2%103.2%104.5%103.6%106%
Percent of intensive care beds occupied78.8%77.3%87.9%87.9%90.9%89.4%93.9%
Percentage of positive tests6.1%15.6%28.1%28.6%26.6%21.2%16.2%

Last updated: September 11, 2021

Click here for definitions of terms used in this table.

On September 20, there were 7 patients admitted to Niagara Health with COVID-19, of which 6 were unvaccinated, 0 were partially vaccinated, and 1 was fully vaccinated. There were 3 patients with COVID-19 in a Niagara Health Intensive Care Unit.

Over the last 28 days, a Niagara resident vaccinated with 1 dose was 4.2 times more likely to contract COVID-19, and an unvaccinated person was 7.5 times more likely.

Data are drawn from Niagara Region Public Health and Niagara Health.

Niagara COVID vaccination tracker

Niagara’s most up-to-date vaccination numbers are presented below, along with comparison data from Ontario, Canada, and G7 countries.

Percentage of population with one dosePercentage of population fully vaccinated
Niagara82.7%78.2%
Ontario84.6%79.1%
Canada84.7%78.6%
United States75%64%
United Kingdom78%72%
Germany76%74%
France80%77%
Italy83%76%
Japan80%79%
World63%53%

Total doses administered in Niagara: 688,683

New daily doses administered to Niagara residents: 1,032

Last updated: September 20, 2021

Data are drawn from Niagara Region, the Government of Ontario, and Oxford University’s Our World in Data project.

Free rapid COVID-19 testing kits are now available to businesses. Visit gncc.ca/workplace-self-screening-kits to learn more and reserve kits for your organization.

Information on government grants, resources, and programs, policies, forms, and posters for download and use, are available here. The GNCC is here to support you. Contact us with any questions you have.

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.

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Daily Update: August 27th, 2021

August 27, 2021 | Daily Update

Regional Council will create a COVID-19 vaccination policy for staff, and asked the Province and Feds for a proof-of-vaccination program.

Niagara Regional Council approves staff vaccination policy, calls on Province and Feds to produce proof-of-vaccine certificate

At yesterday evening’s meeting, Niagara Regional Council voted to direct the creation of a COVID-19 vaccination policy for staff, while also calling on the Provincial and Federal governments to create a proof-of-vaccination certificate program.

The staff vaccination policy will require all Regional staff to provide proof that they have received both doses of an approved COVID-19 vaccine. Staff who cannot provide proof of full vaccination will be required to be tested regularly and provide those results.

Council also voted to ensure the relevant parts of the staff policy will apply to members of council if they wish to attend in-person council meetings, conduct business at Regional facilities or attend official events in their capacity as a Councillor.

Later in the meeting, Regional Council passed a motion calling on the Provincial and Federal government to create a universal proof-of-vaccination certificate program to help residents easily prove their vaccination status.

Click here for more information.

Learn more about COVID-19 vaccines here.

Canadian economy continued to contract in May

Real gross domestic product contracted 0.3% in May, following a 0.5% decline in April. Total economic activity was about 2% below the level in February 2020, before the COVID-19 pandemic. Over the next three months, over one-quarter of businesses expected their profitability to decrease, 14.8% expected their sales to decrease, over one-fifth expected to increase the prices they charge and nearly four-fifths expected their number of employees to remain the same.

Click here for more information.

Brock amends fall term, classes on Sep 7-10 to be held online

Brock has decided that courses beginning between Tuesday, Sept. 7 and Friday, Sept. 10 will start online for those days only. On-campus instruction will resume on Monday, Sept. 13 for all courses except those already designated for online delivery in the Fall Term.

Courses that begin prior to Sept. 7, such as some in the Faculty of Education, are not affected and will proceed as planned between Sept. 7 and 10.

Click here for more information.

Heat warning in effect for Niagara this weekend

After a brief reprieve from the humidity today and tonight, hot and humid conditions return again on Saturday and last through Sunday. Weekend daytime maximum temperatures are 29 to 31 degrees Celsius, with humidex values of 37 to 42. Saturday nighttime minimum temperatures are 20 to 23 degrees Celsius.

Click here for more information.

The Election Section

Niagara federal vote projections

[visualizer id=”26744″ lazy=”no” class=””]

Niagara CentreNiagara FallsNiagara WestSt. CatharinesCanada (338canada)Canada (CBC)
Bloc Quebecois7% (32 seats)6.8% (31 seats)
Conservative Party30%38%46%32%31.4% (126 seats)31% (119 seats)
Green Party3%3.7%3.9%3.5%3.4% (2 seats)3.5% (1 seat)
Liberal Party35%31%29%36%31.9% (148 seats)31.5% (155 seats)
New Democratic Party24%21%14%23%19.3% (31 seats)19.1% (32 seats)
People's Party7.6%6%6.5%5.8%6% (0 seats)7% (0 seats)
Christian Heritage--1.1%---

Data are provided by 338canada.com using an aggregate of polls. Projections are updated daily. Click here for more information and margins of error.

Download the Canadian Chamber’s policy tracker, which summarizes party commitments made to date.

GNCC Niagara Prosperity Plan: Getting everyone over the COVID finish line

Many small enterprises and businesses in the hardest-hit sectors, including tourism, travel and hospitality, will not recover until public health restrictions are lifted and economic activity returns to normal. Until that time comes, these fellow Canadians require ongoing support.

The GNCC is asking all parties to return to pre-pandemic deficit-to-GDP ratio levels by the end of the business cycle. We must ensure GDP growth exceeds pre-pandemic levels by a substantial margin and public spending is focused on generating economic growth. While we hope that the pandemic is a once-in-a-lifetime crisis, the additional debt incurred should be paid down before the end of the business cycle.

Click here to read more about the GNCC’s Niagara Prosperity Plan.

Polls now indicate Liberal minority likely

CBC News

The Liberals are still heavily favoured to win the most seats but their chances of winning a majority government have fallen sharply since the beginning of the campaign and they are now poised to win fewer seats than in 2019. The Conservatives’ chances of winning the most seats have improved to one-in-four. The NDP could nearly double the size of its caucus compared to 2019, while the Bloc looks likely to retain most of its seats.

Click here for more information.

Cross country healthcare checkup

Enterprise Canada

The privatization of healthcare, a staple of federal elections going back generations, resurfaced in Week 2 of the campaign. The issue was raised by Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland who tweeted an edited video of an interview with Conservative Leader Erin O’Toole during his leadership race last year.

Over the past six years, the Trudeau government has allowed private companies to participate in the public system without penalizing provinces under the Canada Health Act.

Conservative Leader Erin O’Toole reiterated this week that he is proud of and supports the Canadian public health system. He pointed to his election platform commitment to provide an unconditional $60 billion in healthcare funding to the provinces over the next 10 years.

NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh argued there is no difference between the Conservatives and Liberals on the question of healthcare privatization.

Click here for more information.

Singh seen as most likeable leader in election as Trudeau’s popularity craters: poll

Global News

NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh has emerged as the most likable of the federal party leaders as Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau’s popularity sinks amid the election campaign, a new poll suggests.

The Ipsos poll conducted exclusively for Global News found Singh was the only party leader who was viewed more positively than negatively, with 45 per cent approval versus 39 per cent disapproval among those surveyed.

Trudeau, by contrast, had the highest unfavourability rating of any leader at 53 per cent, while 41 per cent said they viewed him favourably.

Click here for more information.

Reading Recommendations

Canada’s ruling Liberals promise C$1 bln to help provinces with vaccine passports

Reuters

Canada’s ruling Liberals on Friday said that if re-elected they would provide C$1 billion ($792 million) to help the 10 provinces create special passports for people to prove they had been inoculated against COVID-19.

Polls show the Liberals, led by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, are narrowly ahead of their Conservative rivals. The election is on Sept 20.

Learn more about COVID-19 vaccines here.

Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine approved for 12- to 17-year-olds in Canada

CBC News

Health Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada said Friday that Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine is now approved for use in adolescents.

“After a thorough and independent scientific review of the evidence, Health Canada has determined that the vaccine is safe and effective at preventing #Covid19 in youth aged 12 to 17,” the agencies said in a social media post.

The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine was approved for Canadians in early May for those aged 12 to 15. That vaccine was approved for those 16 and older in December 2020, the same month Moderna’s shots got the go-ahead for Canadians over 18.

Learn more about COVID-19 vaccines here.

What will our eco-friendly homes of the future look like?

The Guardian

To reach net zero, we are going to have to change how we heat our houses. The way they are built will probably have to change, too. Perhaps the ubiquitous squat brick suburban house will become a thing of the past. Hopefully so will our Victorian pipe system and, for those of us who rent, our ancient boilers which make a disturbing noise.

We spoke to experts at the Centre for Alternative Technology (CAT) to find out what the eco-friendly house of the future could look like.

Niagara COVID-19 statistics tracker

These data show the status of the COVID-19 pandemic in Niagara. The Province of Ontario is now using a provincewide approach to reopening, and these data no longer have any influence on Niagara’s restrictions. Lower numbers are better in all metrics.

December 18December 25January 1January 8January 15January 22January 29
Reproductive number1.41.81.41.11.00.70.9
New cases per 100,000101.2267.3469.8575.8507.1295.5250.6
New cases per day (not including outbreaks)60.7178.7311.7376.9325.4182.7145.7
Percent of hospital beds occupied97%95.2%98.2%103.2%104.5%103.6%106%
Percent of intensive care beds occupied78.8%77.3%87.9%87.9%90.9%89.4%93.9%
Percentage of positive tests6.1%15.6%28.1%28.6%26.6%21.2%16.2%

Last updated: August 21, 2021

Click here for definitions of terms used in this table.

There are currently 4 patients admitted to Niagara Health with COVID-19. There are currently 3 patients with COVID-19 in a Niagara Health Intensive Care Unit.

Data are drawn from Niagara Region Public Health and Niagara Health.

Niagara COVID vaccination tracker

Niagara’s most up-to-date vaccination numbers are presented below, along with comparison data from Ontario, Canada, and G7 countries.

Percentage of population with one dosePercentage of population fully vaccinated
Niagara82.7%78.2%
Ontario84.6%79.1%
Canada84.7%78.6%
United States75%64%
United Kingdom78%72%
Germany76%74%
France80%77%
Italy83%76%
Japan80%79%
World63%53%

Total doses administered in Niagara: 657,050

New daily doses administered to Niagara residents: 1,002

Last updated: August 27, 2021

Data are drawn from Niagara Region, the Government of Ontario, and Oxford University’s Our World in Data project.

Free rapid COVID-19 testing kits are now available to businesses. Visit gncc.ca/workplace-self-screening-kits to learn more and reserve kits for your organization.

Information on government grants, resources, and programs, policies, forms, and posters for download and use, are available here. The GNCC is here to support you. Contact us with any questions you have.

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