Daily Update: June 23rd, 2021

June 23, 2021 | Daily Update

Doug Ford and his cabinet are reported to be considering moving Ontario into Step 2 of the government’s reopening plan next Wednesday.

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.

Ford, cabinet considering moving Ontario into next phase of COVID-19 reopening 2 days early

Premier Doug Ford and his cabinet are considering moving Ontario into Step 2 of the government’s reopening plan next Wednesday, two days ahead of schedule, CBC News has learned.

Sources with knowledge of the discussion said Ford and cabinet are meeting this afternoon. If approved, the announcement is expected to be made tomorrow.

The sources spoke to CBC News on the condition of confidentiality because they weren’t authorized to speak publicly.

At a news conference Wednesday afternoon, Ford said provincial officials are currently reviewing data and are “working hard to get to Stage 2 as quickly as possible, and Step 3 as soon as it’s safe after that.”

GNCC calls for more detail in border reopening plans

In a media release, the Greater Niagara Chamber of Commerce has stated that the announcement of a partial re-opening for fully-vaccinated people with right of entry gives Canadians the opportunity to travel and will result in a boost for the tourism sectors of other countries, but not our own.

This change has been dubbed “Phase 1,” yet the government’s announcement contained no details as to what Phase 2 would be, when it would start, what public health measurements would indicate that it could start, or even how many total phases were in the border reopening plan.

The government’s own expert advisory council on this issue put forward extensive suggestions in April. However, we have yet to make any distinction between countries where the COVID-19 situation is similar to or better than that found in Canada and those where infection is rampant and healthcare systems are overwhelmed. The existence of different rules for fully vaccinated Canadians and fully vaccinated foreigners has also not been explained.

Border communities, families and devastated tourism operators are rightfully asking to see the complete plan for border reopening. We fully agree that it needs to be guided by public health metrics such as COVID-19 case counts, vaccination rates, hospital capacity, and so forth, but it is time for a clear plan with a roadmap to a full reopening of the border, along with timelines and measurements for each stage of the process.

Ontario releases Tourism Economic Recovery Report

Today, the Ontario government released a report prepared by the Tourism Economic Recovery Ministerial Task Force, which makes recommendations on how to support the province’s $36-billion tourism industry in recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

The report provides 10 key recommendations about how to rebuild and reshape the future of Ontario’s tourism industry. The recommendations include reducing red tape for tourism businesses, restoring consumer confidence in visitors through collaboration between public health officials and the tourism industry and encouraging Ontarians to experience the province through industry co-ordinated travel days. The report also suggests new opportunities to showcase the best Ontario has to offer through itineraries, packages and trails that will make it easier to find local Ontario products and experiences.

Ontario introduces new Code of Ethics for homebuilders

The Ontario government is introducing a new Code of Ethics for builders and vendors of new homes, clarifications to the simplified warranty and protections claims process for defects in new homes, and a mediation process for homeowners who dispute a warranty claim assessment. These changes come into effect on July 1, 2021 and will support a standard of work and professionalism that reflects the best of Ontario’s homebuilding industry.

The Niagara Homebuilders Association and Ontario Homebuilders Association were extensively involved in developing the Code of Ethics and are supportive of it, noting that reputable homebuilders already hold themselves to high ethical standards.

Town of Lincoln launches COVID-19 Business Support Page

In response to feedback gathered in the town’s Business Retention & Expansion (BR&E) initiative, a COVID-19 Business Support page, which can be found under the “Let’s Talk Business” tab on the Town’s website, has been launched to connect local businesses with valuable information regarding:

  • Federal, Provincial & Municipal business grants
  • Sourcing Personal Protective Equipment vendors
  • Scheduling training & well-being workshops that focus on mental health in the workplace
  • Regional and Provincial guidelines for businesses during COVID-19.

Local Grimsby businesses are invited and encouraged to participate in the BR&E survey now available on the Town’s Let’s Talk Business portal and engage in an ongoing dialogue by subscribing to the project page.

Town of Lincoln designated as Bicycle Friendly Community

For the first time, the Town of Lincoln has been awarded a Bicycle Friendly Community Award for 2021-2025 at the Bronze designation. The Bicycle Friendly Community Award Program is an initiative of the Share the Road Cycling Coalition to help communities evaluate how bicycle friendly their community is, celebrate progress, and work toward achieving higher-level awards over time.

Moving forward, the Town will continue to work closely with the Active Transportation Citizen Advisory Committee to provide ongoing support and improvement to the Active Transportation Network.

The Committee is currently working with Town staff to launch an Active Transportation Network page on the Town’s public engagement site, SpeakUpLincoln.ca, to share valuable knowledge and information to both locals and visitors to the area.

Retail sales fall in April

Retail sales were down 5.7% to $54.8 billion in April, Statistics Canada reports. The decline coincided with the third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic and was the largest decline in retail sales since April 2020 during the first wave of the pandemic. The largest declines were observed in clothing and clothing accessories stores (-28.6%) and general merchandise stores (-8.1%).

Sales decreased in 9 of 11 subsectors, representing 74.2% of retail trade.

Based on respondent feedback, 5.0% of retailers were closed at some point in April, compared with approximately one-third of retailers being closed at the same time last year. The average length of the shutdown was one day, compared with eight days in April 2020.

Niagara College to focus on safety, with significant increase in on-campus learning this fall

With a strong focus on ensuring a safe learning environment, Niagara College will see a significant increase in on-campus learning when Fall term classes begin in September.

Recognizing that students need ample time to plan for their studies, delivery modes for all programs and courses have been finalized, with more than 80 programs offering on-campus learning this fall. Many programs will mix remote and in-person learning, while a limited number of programs will see a continuation of fully-remote learning for the fall. Should changes in COVID trends or government restrictions require further changes in program delivery, students will receive updates directly from their program area.

Reading Recommendations

Canada’s Senate vote opens way for single event betting

Reuters

Canada’s Senate on Tuesday passed a bill that will open the way to legalize betting on single games or sporting events, which is currently illegal except for on horse racing.

The vote sent gambling shares higher as it is seen helping them win back customers from offshore websites and U.S. casinos.

After the bill receives royal ascent from the chief justice of the Supreme Court in coming days, it will be up to each of Canada’s provinces and territories to decide how to implement legal betting on sports events.

Disclosure: The GNCC has advocated for single-wager betting to be legalized since the summer of 2016.

Canada races toward key milestone for border opening

BNN Bloomberg

Canada’s accelerating vaccination effort has put the country on track to reach key benchmarks for reopening the U.S. border as early as next month.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government has begun citing a 75 per cent two-dose vaccination rate as the threshold to lift border restrictions. That number is about 20 per cent now.

As wide as that gap is, the latest vaccine delivery schedule suggests it could close considerably within the next month, raising the prospect that Canada could move ahead with a comprehensive reopening before the end of the critical summer tourism season.

Niagara COVID Stats Tracker (June 19)

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%

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.

Data are drawn from Niagara Region Public Health.

Guide

Reproductive number: the average number of new cases each case causes. If each person infects one other person, the rate is 1; if each person infects two people, the rate is 2. Under the outdated COVID-19 response framework, the target for “green-prevent” was less than 1. Niagara Public Health has indicated that this number should be consistently below 1 for Section 22 orders to be lifted.

New cases per 100,000: the total number of new cases per week identified per 100,000 population. Under the outdated COVID-19 response framework, the target for “green-prevent” was less than 10. Niagara Public Health has indicated that this number should be consistently below 15 for Section 22 orders to be lifted.

New cases per day: the total number of new cases identified per day over seven days using a rolling average. This number does not include identified outbreaks.

Percent of hospital beds occupied: the total percentage of the Niagara Health System’s hospital beds currently in use. The average occupancy rate of both acute care beds and total hospital beds in Ontario was 96 per cent in 2018-19. It should be noted that this rate was the highest (worst) in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

Percent of intensive care beds occupied: the total percentage of the Niagara Health System’s intensive care hospital beds currently in use. The average occupancy rate of both acute care beds and total hospital beds in Ontario was 96 per cent in 2018-19. It should be noted that this rate was the highest (worst) in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

Percentage of positive tests: the percentage of COVID-19 tests that were positive. Under the outdated COVID-19 response framework, the target for “green-prevent” was less than 0.5%.

Niagara COVID vaccination tracker (June 23)

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

Total doses administered in Niagara: 403,333

Total doses administered in Niagara since yesterday: 6,617

Step Two of the Roadmap to Reopen will begin when Ontario has vaccinated 70% of adults with one dose, 20% of adults with two doses, has positive public health indicators, and has been in Step One for at least 21 days.

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%

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

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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Daily Update: June 18th, 2021

June 18, 2021 | Daily Update

Travel restrictions at the border will remain in place until July 21 at the earliest, Public Safety Minister Bill Blair has indicated.

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.

Canada extends U.S. travel restrictions through July 21

Travel restrictions at the Canada-U.S. border will remain in place for at least another month, the CBC has reported. Public Safety Minister Bill Blair said the Canadian and American governments are extending restrictions on non-essential international travel until July 21.

He added in a tweet that the government will provide details Monday of plans to let fully vaccinated Canadians and permanent residents enter the country.

The measures at the border have been in place since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020. The pressure to relax the restrictions has been building from businesses on both sides of the border — and increasingly from American lawmakers — as vaccination rates climb in Canada.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has said that 75 per cent of Canadians would have to be vaccinated before restrictions could be lifted. To that condition, Trudeau also added the caveat that the outbreak needs to be at a stage where minor flare-ups can be handled without the risk of wider spread.

Premier Ford announces changes to cabinet

Changes to the Executive Council include the following:

  • Jill Dunlop, MPP for Simcoe North, becomes Minister of Colleges and Universities.
  • Dr. Merrilee Fullerton, MPP for Kanata-Carleton, becomes Minister of Children, Community and Social Services.
  • Parm Gill, MPP for Milton, becomes Minister of Citizenship and Multiculturalism.
  • Rod Phillips, MPP for Ajax, becomes Minister of Long-Term Care.
  • Dave Piccini, MPP for Northumberland-Peterborough South, becomes Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks.
  • Greg Rickford, MPP for Kenora-Rainy River, assumes a merged role as Minister of Northern Development, Mines, Natural Resources and Forestry, as well as remains Minister of Indigenous Affairs. This new northern and economic focused ministry will enhance development potential and sustainability in the North. Energy will transfer to a new separate ministry.
  • Todd Smith, MPP for Bay of Quinte, becomes Minister of Energy.
  • Rosario Romano, MPP for Sault Ste. Marie, becomes Minister of Government and Consumer Services.
  • Prabmeet Singh Sarkaria, MPP for Brampton South, becomes President of the Treasury Board.
  • Kinga Surma, MPP for Etobicoke Centre, becomes Minister of Infrastructure.
  • Lisa Thompson, MPP for Huron Bruce, becomes Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.
  • Stan Cho, MPP for Willowdale, becomes Associate Minister of Transportation, reporting to Minister Mulroney.
  • Jane McKenna, MPP for Burlington, becomes Associate Minister of Children and Women’s Issues, reporting to Minister Fullerton.
  • Nina Tangri, MPP for Mississauga Streetsville, becomes Associate Minister of Small Business and Red Tape Reduction, reporting to Minister Fedeli.
  • Kaleed Rasheed, MPP for Mississauga East-Cooksville, becomes Associate Minister of Digital Government, reporting to Minister Bethlenfalvy.

Peter Bethlenfalvy, MPP for Pickering-Uxbridge and Minister of Finance, will assume responsibility for Ontario’s digital government strategy within the Ministry of Finance.

Housing market continues to moderate in May

Statistics released today by the Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) show national home sales and new listings were both down between April and May 2021.

Home sales recorded over Canadian MLS® Systems fell by 7.4% month-over month in May 2021, building on the 11% decline recorded in April. Activity nonetheless remains historically high, but in contrast to March’s all-time record it is now running closer to levels seen in the second half of 2020. (Chart A)

Month-over-month declines in sales activity were observed in close to 80% of all local markets. It was a mixed bag of results, with a slowdown in sales observed in most large markets across Canada.

With May 2021 activity setting a record for the month, and May 2020 sales marking the worst May since the late 1990s, the actual (not seasonally adjusted) number of transactions this year represented a 103.6% increase on a year-over-year basis.

Ward 3 by-election campaigns begin in Welland

Campaigning has begun for the Welland Ward 3 By-Election (PDF link). At the request of Council, staff have prepared safe campaigning practices for the candidates. During the COVID-19 Pandemic information regarding Safe COVID-19 Practices for Campaigning is included in the candidates’ nomination package they receive when they file nomination papers with the City Clerk.

Nominations close June 25, 2021 at 2:00 p.m. (Nomination Day). Voting Day is August 9, 2021. All information is available by visiting this link.

Brock’s 109th Convocation goes live with a message of resiliency

In his final Convocation as President of Brock University, Gervan Fearon sent the Class of 2021 off with words of encouragement, reminding them that they are uniquely prepared to deal with life’s unanticipated developments.

“In my video message to last year’s graduates, I spoke about how the past few months had brought remarkable challenges, compelled us to make astonishing changes and to accept many compromises in our normal routines. But that despite all these considerations, we have collectively persevered and grown from the experience,” said Fearon, whose tenure as Brock President concludes on June 30. “However, I did not foresee at the time that graduates one year later would have completed the past year and a half virtually, through online classes. It is an accomplishment that makes you, the Class of 2021, remarkable, outstanding and, indeed, very special.”

With the pandemic continuing to place restrictions on the size of public gatherings, the University’s Spring Convocation — Brock’s 109th overall — was delivered as a personalized online portal for the nearly 3,300 graduands.

Reading Recommendations

Canadian mortgage debt grew by $18 billion in April, biggest monthly gain ever, StatsCan says

CBC News

Canadians took out almost $18 billion worth of new mortgage debt in April, the fastest monthly increase on record and enough to bring total housing debt to almost $2 trillion.

Statistics Canada reported Friday that while consumers appear to be tightening their belts when it comes to other forms of debt, they seemingly have an inexhaustible appetite to borrow money to purchase and renovate homes.

Canadians had a total of almost $1.69 trillion worth of mortgage debt at the end of April after a $12.9 billion increase in March followed by an even larger one — $17.7 billion — in April. That means total mortgage debt in Canada has grown by 7.8 per cent in the past year.

To stop the ransomware pandemic, start with the basics

The Economist

The first attempt at ransomware was made in 1989, with a virus spread via floppy disks. Cybercrime is getting worse as more devices are connected to networks and as geopolitics becomes less stable. The West is at odds with Russia and China and several autocracies give sanctuary to cyber-bandits.

Trillions of dollars are at stake. Most people have a vague sense of narrowly avoided fiascos: from the Sony Pictures attack that roiled Hollywood in 2014, to Equifax in 2017, when the details of 147m people were stolen. The big hacks are a familiar but confusing blur: remember SoBig, or SolarWinds, or WannaCry?

Featured Content

NWPB project seeks to break barriers to employment

NWPB is conducting a project designed to identify and break down barriers to employment. We are asking employers to encourage their staff to complete a brief questionnaire that will lead to new insights on how employers can retain their current workforce and attract quality new hires as we move into a time of growing labour competition. The questionnaire can be completed here.

Unsure how this project will help your business? We know that COVID-19 has:

  • Accelerated retirements
  • Made it harder for women to find full-time work
  • Shrunk commutes so that local employers have more competition with the GTA and beyond

Recognizing how each of these realities can delay projects and create turnover costs, NWPB wants to use this project to support Niagara employers with potential low/no-cost strategies to retain existing talent and attract a new workforce. NWPB will begin publishing the results of this project over the summer. If you have any questions, please feel free to connect directly with Adam Durrant (adam@nwpb.ca) at the Niagara Workforce Planning Board.

Niagara COVID Stats Tracker (June 12)

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%

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.

Data are drawn from Niagara Region Public Health.

Guide

Reproductive number: the average number of new cases each case causes. If each person infects one other person, the rate is 1; if each person infects two people, the rate is 2. Under the outdated COVID-19 response framework, the target for “green-prevent” was less than 1. Niagara Public Health has indicated that this number should be consistently below 1 for Section 22 orders to be lifted.

New cases per 100,000: the total number of new cases per week identified per 100,000 population. Under the outdated COVID-19 response framework, the target for “green-prevent” was less than 10. Niagara Public Health has indicated that this number should be consistently below 15 for Section 22 orders to be lifted.

New cases per day: the total number of new cases identified per day over seven days using a rolling average. This number does not include identified outbreaks.

Percent of hospital beds occupied: the total percentage of the Niagara Health System’s hospital beds currently in use. The average occupancy rate of both acute care beds and total hospital beds in Ontario was 96 per cent in 2018-19. It should be noted that this rate was the highest (worst) in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

Percent of intensive care beds occupied: the total percentage of the Niagara Health System’s intensive care hospital beds currently in use. The average occupancy rate of both acute care beds and total hospital beds in Ontario was 96 per cent in 2018-19. It should be noted that this rate was the highest (worst) in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

Percentage of positive tests: the percentage of COVID-19 tests that were positive. Under the outdated COVID-19 response framework, the target for “green-prevent” was less than 0.5%.

Niagara COVID vaccination tracker (June 18)

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

Total doses administered in Niagara: 376,764

Total doses administered in Niagara since yesterday: 5,243

Step Two of the Roadmap to Reopen will begin when Ontario has vaccinated 70% of adults with one dose, 20% of adults with two doses, has positive public health indicators, and has been in Step One for at least 21 days.

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%

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

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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Daily Update: June 10th, 2021

June 10, 2021 | Daily Update

Niagara Health inpatient COVID-19 activity is at its lowest since April 8, and some postponed surgical services will resume.

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.

Ontario will move to Step One of the Roadmap to Reopen on June 11, 2021

Visit gncc.ca/roadmap-to-reopen-step-one-what-you-need-to-know for a guide on what to expect and what your obligations are.

Niagara Health gradually lifting COVID-19 emergency measures

Niagara Health inpatient COVID-19 activity is at its lowest since April 8. ICU capacity is stabilizing, which enables the surgical program to ramp up services postponed during the third wave. The system will be at approximately 70% capacity with surgical procedures by the end of next week. Based on provincial direction, Niagara Health is planning to reintroduce inpatient non-emergent and non-urgent surgeries and procedures.

“The demands and stresses on our staff, physicians and the community have been significant, especially during the third wave,” says Dr. Johan Viljoen, Chief of Staff at Niagara Health. “We’d like to acknowledge the hard work and compassion of our staff and physicians during this uniquely challenging time as well as the support and commitment from the community by following public health measures and getting vaccinated.”

Note: Niagara Health and Niagara Public Health are separate organizations. This announcement does not affect public health restrictions related to COVID-19.

Feds to lift 14-day quarantine requirement for fully vaccinated Canadian travellers

The federal government has announced that fully vaccinated Canadian travellers will no longer need to spend 14 days in quarantine upon arriving home, the Canadian Press and 680 News have reported.

It will apply to Canadian citizens and permanent residents who have had a full course of a COVID-19 vaccine.

Health Minister Patty Hajdu made the announcement during a news conference, saying affected travellers will still have to take a COVID-19 test on arrival — and stay in isolation until the test comes back negative.

Ontario launches applications for 2021-22 Seniors Community Grant

The Ontario government is investing $5 million in the 2021-22 Seniors Community Grant program to help enable municipalities and local organizations to deliver programs for older adults to stay active in their communities.

This funding is an increase of $1 million from last year’s grants, allowing the province to help more grass-roots organizations positively impact the lives of older adults. Beginning Friday, June 11th, applicants can apply through Transfer Payment Ontario (formerly Grants Ontario) online at Ontario.ca/GetFunding. The deadline for all applications is July 15, 2021 at 5PM EST.

Ontario Further Accelerates Second Doses in Delta Hot Spots

As Ontario prepares to move to Step One of its Roadmap to Reopen at 12:01 a.m. on Friday, June 11, 2021, the province is further expanding eligibility for accelerated second doses in Delta hot spots to ensure a strong level of protection against COVID-19 and variants.

Beginning 8:00 a.m. on Monday, June 14, 2021 individuals who live in Delta hot spots in Halton, Peel, Porcupine, Toronto, Waterloo, Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph and York public health units and also received their first dose of an mRNA vaccine on or before May 9, 2021 will be eligible to book their accelerated second dose appointment through the provincial booking system (for Peel and Toronto public health units), directly through public health units that use their own booking system and through participating pharmacies.

Employment programs from social assistance to be merged into Employment Ontario

A new provincial system will combine employment programs from social assistance, such as Ontario Works Employment Assistance and Ontario Disability Support Program Employment Supports, into Employment Ontario.

This new approach includes the establishment of service system managers, who will oversee the planning, design and delivery of employment services in each catchment areas. This initiative builds on the success of three prototype regions in Peel, Hamilton-Niagara and Muskoka-Kawarthas, which began in 2020.

Niagara Region confirms membership of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Advisory Committee

Niagara Regional Council has appointed two councillors and eight community members to its new Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Advisory Committee (DEIAC). They will be joined by representatives from the Women’s Advisory Committee and the Accessibility Advisory Committee.

Canadian Chamber raises alarm on potential for wave of closures after COVID is beaten

The Canadian Chamber of Commerce has cautioned that Canada’s travel, hospitality, and tourism industry sectors will remain unable to reach their full activity for many quarters. Several factors are converging to limit their recovery, including the likely uneven rollback of travel restrictions; public health regulations that limit capacity in venues; and the need to build customer confidence after a long campaign by governments to encourage Canadians to stay home and avoid large gatherings. The runway to recovery is much longer for businesses in these sectors than for others that no longer need government support.

The Canadian Chamber of Commerce provided a 12-point plan (PDF link) to help policymakers tailor their supports for these sectors.

Investment in building construction increases again in April

Total investment in building construction increased 6.3% to $19.9 billion, Statistics Canada reports. Residential construction investment performed strongly in April, rising for a 12th consecutive month. In contrast, non-residential construction has not fully returned to pre-COVID-19 levels. However, it increased by 0.9% this month.

Residential construction reported an 8.1% gain, bringing total investment to $15.3 billion in April.

Investment for single-family homes was up 8.9%, as all provinces except Nova Scotia posted increases. Ontario accounted for the majority of the growth (+12.8%), driven by renovation projects in the census metropolitan area (CMA) of Toronto and new construction in the CMA of Hamilton.

Brock updates Stages of Recovery, will move to new stage Monday

With the Province of Ontario moving into Step 1 of its new Roadmap to Reopen plan on Friday, June 11, Brock University has updated its own reopening procedures. The updated Brock Stages of Reopening/Recovery (PDF link) document better aligns with the new provincial framework and follows all current regulations set by Niagara Region Public Health.

The document also supports the University’s continued planning for a significant return to campus in September, with most classes offered in person and some offered online or in a hybrid format. Brock is also planning for the reopening of student residences, dining facilities and other amenities on campus.

Reading Recommendations

Thanks to a coming boost to Canada’s vaccine supply, pandemic victory is finally in sight

The Globe and Mail

Forget about “one-dose summer, two-dose fall.” It was already out of date when Prime Minister Justin Trudeau coined the phrase less than a month ago, and with Public Services and Procurement Minister Anita Anand’s announcement on Wednesday of pending deliveries of millions of Moderna doses, it’s now ancient history.

This country is on the verge of having enough juice to give a first and second shot to every Canadian who wants it by early August, or even late July.

Canada’s vaccination campaign leads the G7, the G20 and the OECD in the share of population with a first dose. That remarkable performance is because of this country’s early focus on first shots, and the eagerness with which Canadians have lined up to get them. The United States has a far larger vaccine supply – enough to have double-dosed everyone weeks ago – yet suffers from a debilitating shortage of willing arms.

Ontario to introduce legislation invoking notwithstanding clause Thursday

CTV News

The Progressive Conservatives are set to introduce legislation Thursday that would invoke the notwithstanding clause, giving the Ontario government the ability to restore changes to election finance law that a judge had declared unconstitutional.

The notwithstanding clause is a rarely-used power that gives government the ability to override certain laws in the charter for a five-year term.

MPPs are being called back to the Legislature from their summer break so the government can introduce the bill.

The government is expecting to pass the bill, with the notwithstanding clause, as early as Monday, marking the first time in Ontario‘s history that section 33 of the Canadian charter will be used to override a court ruling.

Four things we need to get right for the reopening of offices

Canadian Chamber of Commerce

Canadians all want to return to a semblance of normal as quickly as possible, and for many, that includes going back to the office. The nature of work has changed significantly in the last 18 months however, and our workplaces need to adapt quickly.

The Canadian Chamber of Commerce today released a 21-point plan to provide guidance for businesses and policy recommendations for governments on four key areas for the re-opening of the economy: health/safety, teleworking, skills/training and the future of customer engagement.

Niagara COVID Stats Tracker (June 5)

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%

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.

Data are drawn from Niagara Region Public Health.

Guide

Reproductive number: the average number of new cases each case causes. If each person infects one other person, the rate is 1; if each person infects two people, the rate is 2. Under the outdated COVID-19 response framework, the target for “green-prevent” was less than 1.

New cases per 100,000: the total number of new cases per week identified per 100,000 population. Under the outdated COVID-19 response framework, the target for “green-prevent” was less than 10.

New cases per day: the total number of new cases identified per day over seven days using a rolling average. This number does not include identified outbreaks.

Percent of hospital beds occupied: the total percentage of the Niagara Health System’s hospital beds currently in use. The average occupancy rate of both acute care beds and total hospital beds in Ontario was 96 per cent in 2018-19. It should be noted that this rate was the highest (worst) in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

Percent of intensive care beds occupied: the total percentage of the Niagara Health System’s intensive care hospital beds currently in use. The average occupancy rate of both acute care beds and total hospital beds in Ontario was 96 per cent in 2018-19. It should be noted that this rate was the highest (worst) in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

Percentage of positive tests: the percentage of COVID-19 tests that were positive. Under the outdated COVID-19 response framework, the target for “green-prevent” was less than 0.5%.

Niagara COVID vaccination tracker (June 10)

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

Total doses administered in Niagara: 334.334

Total doses administered in Niagara since yesterday: 5,016

Step Two of the Roadmap to Reopen will begin when Ontario has vaccinated 70% of adults with one dose, 20% of adults with two doses, has positive public health indicators, and has been in Step One for at least 21 days.

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%

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

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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Daily Update: June 7th, 2021

June 7, 2021 | Daily Update

The Ontario government has announced that it will move the province into Step One of its Roadmap to Reopen on Friday, June 11, 2021.

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.

Ontario to begin reopening on June 11

The Ontario government has announced that it will move the province into Step One of its Roadmap to Reopen at 12:01 a.m. on Friday, June 11, 2021.

In order to safely enter Step One of the Roadmap to Reopen, Ontario needed to have vaccinated 60 per cent of adults with at least one dose for two weeks or longer, ensuring the first dose offers a strong level of protection against COVID-19. As of June 6, 2021 at 8:00 p.m., 72 per cent of the 18+ population in Ontario had received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine with over 10 million doses now having been administered.

Click here for a business guide to Step One of the Roadmap to Reopen.

Deputy Prime Minister clarifies new Canada Recovery Hiring Program and extension of business support measures

Once the Budget Implementation Act, Bill C-30, receives Royal Assent, it will be retroactive to June 6. In effect, it will apply as of this Sunday and will cover up to 50 per cent of the increase in payroll paid by eligible employers, through November 20 of this year.

The Canada Recovery Hiring Program has been carefully targeted to help employers whose revenue continues to suffer because of the pandemic. It can offset up to half the new labour costs incurred by eligible employers. A for-profit company would only be eligible for the Hiring Program if it is a Canadian-controlled private company. Other eligible employers are individuals, non-profit organizations, and registered charities. The government estimates that this program will cost $595 million dollars in 2021-22.

The types of remuneration eligible for the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy would also be eligible for the Hiring Program. These generally include salaries, wages and other remuneration on which employers are required to withhold income tax. However, it does not include severance pay or employee stock option benefits. In addition, the remuneration for these employees must be paid during the qualifying period.

Niagara Regional Councillor Diana Huson elected to FCM board of directors

At their annual general meeting on June 4, 2021, Pelham Regional Councillor Diana Huson was elected to the Board of Directors, Ontario Caucus for the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM). FCM has been the national voice of municipal government since 1901 and plays an important role in advocating to ensure the needs of municipalities are reflected in federal policies and programs.

Councillor Huson was selected by FCM members from around Ontario and will serve a one-year term. The FCM Board of Directors sets policy priorities that reflect the concerns of municipal governments around the country. The board meets quarterly to develop policy positions on key national municipal issues.

Of the 444 municipalities in Ontario, there are only 14 seats for the Ontario Caucus. Prior to Councillor Huson’s appointment, Niagara Region had not been fully represented on the board by a voting member.

Reading Recommendations

Canada’s Freeland says G7 deal shows it’s possible to end ‘race to the bottom’ on taxes

Reuters

A landmark deal by the Group of Seven advanced economies to pursue higher global taxation on large companies shows it is possible to end the “race to the bottom” and will benefit Canada, Canada’s finance minister said on Saturday.

Chrystia Freeland spoke with reporters after a meeting in London, where G7 countries agreed to back a minimum global corporate tax rate of at least 15%. read more

“We’ve shown today that it is possible to end the global race to the bottom on taxation,” Freeland told reporters. “Multinational companies need to pay their fair share of taxes. Jurisdiction shopping allowed them to avoid doing that.”

Freeland said the issue was of particular importance to Canada as a “relatively high-tax country.”

Employers put to the test on work-from-home post-COVID

BNN Bloomberg

Once the initial shock of working from home at the onset of pandemic wore off, it became a game-changer for many Canadians who quickly realized a morning commute from the bedroom to a home office is much more enjoyable and cost effective than traffic jams and crowded transit rides.

Spending more time at home also allowed many people to narrow in on what was truly important to them in a home: more space.

Remote work capabilities have opened up new living possibilities for many Canadians; and suddenly, small towns across the country have found themselves engulfed in a housing boom usually reserved for major cities.

Now, with vaccination rates accelerating across the country and economic reopenings on the horizon or already underway in some provinces, those who moved out of urban cores might have to start commuting back into city for all or some of the work week.

Niagara COVID Stats Tracker (May 29)

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%

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.

Data are drawn from Niagara Region Public Health.

Guide

Reproductive number: the average number of new cases each case causes. If each person infects one other person, the rate is 1; if each person infects two people, the rate is 2. Under the outdated COVID-19 response framework, the target for “green-prevent” was less than 1.

New cases per 100,000: the total number of new cases per week identified per 100,000 population. Under the outdated COVID-19 response framework, the target for “green-prevent” was less than 10.

New cases per day: the total number of new cases identified per day over seven days using a rolling average. This number does not include identified outbreaks.

Percent of hospital beds occupied: the total percentage of the Niagara Health System’s hospital beds currently in use. The average occupancy rate of both acute care beds and total hospital beds in Ontario was 96 per cent in 2018-19. It should be noted that this rate was the highest (worst) in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

Percent of intensive care beds occupied: the total percentage of the Niagara Health System’s intensive care hospital beds currently in use. The average occupancy rate of both acute care beds and total hospital beds in Ontario was 96 per cent in 2018-19. It should be noted that this rate was the highest (worst) in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

Percentage of positive tests: the percentage of COVID-19 tests that were positive. Under the outdated COVID-19 response framework, the target for “green-prevent” was less than 0.5%.

Niagara COVID vaccination tracker (June 7)

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

Total doses administered in Niagara: 318,927

Total doses administered in Niagara since yesterday: 2,114

Step Two of the Roadmap to Reopen will begin when Ontario has vaccinated 70% of adults with one dose, 20% of adults with two doses, has positive public health indicators, and has been in Step One for at least 21 days.

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%

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

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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Daily Update: June 4th 2021

June 4, 2021 | Daily Update

Employment numbers in Niagara rose by 3,900 in May, while the national employment rate dropped by 68,000, or 0.4%.

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.

Niagara employment rises by 3,900 in May, national employment drops 0.4%

May 2021 saw 3,900 more people in employment compared to April 2021, Niagara Workforce Planning Board reports (PDF link). These gains were the result of 5,700 more people in full-time employment and 2,000 fewer people in part-time employment.

Niagara’s unemployment rate decreased from 12.5% to 11.3%. At the same time, the employment rate increased from 50.1% to 51.2%. The employment rate rising as unemployment falls is generally an ideal pairing of labour market indicators. This positive trend is now supported by three months of data that show employment gains despite the third COVID-19 lockdown.

May 2021 saw 1,800 more youth employed in Niagara. Similar to the general labour force, youth saw a declining unemployment rate and an increasing employment rate. However, overall youth employment has only improved 3% in May 2021 compared to May 2020.

Month over month, May 2021 saw 2,200 more women in employment and 1,500 more men in employment compared to April 2021.

Labour force characteristicsApril 2020May 20202020March 2021April 2021May 2021
Labour force204,100198,400211,200208,900213,600215,200
Employment182,000172,300190,600181,600186,900190,800
Full-time employment142,200135,800147,200142,500148,200153,900
Part-time employment39,80036,50043,40039,10038,80036,800
Unemployment22,10026,10020,60027,20026,60024,400
Unemployment rate10.8%13.2%9.8%13.0%12.5%11.3%
Participation rate55.1%53.5%56.9%56.1%57.3%57.7%
Employment rate49.1%46.5%51.3%48.7%50.1%51.2%

Nationally, employment fell by 68,000 (-0.4%) in May. Almost all of the decline was in part-time work (-54,000; -1.6%). The number of self-employed workers was virtually unchanged in May, but remained 5.0% (-144,000) below its pre-pandemic level.

Among people working part time in May, almost one-quarter (22.7%) wanted a full-time job, up from 18.5% in February 2020 (not seasonally adjusted). The number of Canadians working from home held steady at 5.1 million.

The unemployment rate was little changed at 8.2% in May, as the number of people who searched for a job or who were on temporary layoff held steady. The unemployment rate among visible minority Canadians aged 15 to 69 rose 1.5 percentage points to 11.4% in May (not seasonally adjusted). Long-term unemployment—the number of people unemployed for 27 weeks or more—held relatively steady at 478,000 in May.

The Canadian Chamber of Commerce observed that the data “yielded no surprises as the labour market stagnation continues” and cautioned that “the coming rebound in jobs is not a recovery in jobs. The rate of unemployment as a result of COVID is roughly 70% greater than that of the Great Recession where it took more than 10 years for the labour market to fully recover. It’s more than likely a labour market recovery from the pandemic could take years if not decades. We are nowhere near out of the woods.”

Ontario expanding accelerated second dose booking

Due to an increasing supply of vaccines, the province is inviting individuals aged 70 and over as well as individuals who received their first dose of an mRNA vaccine (Pfizer or Moderna) on or before April 18, 2021, to book an accelerated second dose appointment ahead of schedule.

Ontario expects to receive approximately 4.7 million doses of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine in June and approximately 3.54 million doses in July. The province has also received 193,000 doses of the Moderna vaccine.

Reading Recommendations

Your questions answered about Canada’s residential school system

CBC News

The discovery of what is believed to be the remains of 215 children at the site of a former residential school in Kamloops, B.C., has stunned Canadians and renewed focus on what Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called a “dark and shameful chapter of our country’s history.”

It is also another reminder for Indigenous peoples living in Canada of a painful history they’ve known about all along.

The Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc First Nation said last week that preliminary findings from a ground-penetrating radar survey at the former Kamloops Indian Residential School detected the remains, a confirmation of what the community already understood from oral history.

Since the news broke, CBC readers have reached out with questions about Canada’s residential school system and its aftermath. Below are answers to some of your questions.

Canada loses more jobs in May but summer hiring boom looms

Reuters

Canada lost more jobs than expected in May amid continued lockdowns to curb a harsh third wave of COVID-19, data showed on Friday, but economists were quick to predict a rush of hiring in June as those restrictions ease.

Some 68,000 jobs were lost in May, Statistics Canada said, more than the average analyst forecast for a loss of 20,000. The unemployment rate climbed to 8.2%, in line with expectations. Employment is now 3% below pre-pandemic levels, Statscan said.

“I am hopeful that this is the last down-print we have before we release a fury of hiring activity starting in June,” said Derek Holt, vice president of Capital Market Economics at Scotiabank.

Niagara COVID Stats Tracker (May 29)

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%

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.

Data are drawn from Niagara Region Public Health.

Guide

Reproductive number: the average number of new cases each case causes. If each person infects one other person, the rate is 1; if each person infects two people, the rate is 2. Under the outdated COVID-19 response framework, the target for “green-prevent” was less than 1.

New cases per 100,000: the total number of new cases per week identified per 100,000 population. Under the outdated COVID-19 response framework, the target for “green-prevent” was less than 10.

New cases per day: the total number of new cases identified per day over seven days using a rolling average. This number does not include identified outbreaks.

Percent of hospital beds occupied: the total percentage of the Niagara Health System’s hospital beds currently in use. The average occupancy rate of both acute care beds and total hospital beds in Ontario was 96 per cent in 2018-19. It should be noted that this rate was the highest (worst) in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

Percent of intensive care beds occupied: the total percentage of the Niagara Health System’s intensive care hospital beds currently in use. The average occupancy rate of both acute care beds and total hospital beds in Ontario was 96 per cent in 2018-19. It should be noted that this rate was the highest (worst) in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

Percentage of positive tests: the percentage of COVID-19 tests that were positive. Under the outdated COVID-19 response framework, the target for “green-prevent” was less than 0.5%.

Niagara COVID vaccination tracker (June 4)

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

Total doses administered in Niagara: 305,798

Total doses administered in Niagara since yesterday: 5,662

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%

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

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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2021-06 employment

June 4, 2021 |

[[“Labour force characteristics”,”April 2020″,”May 2020″,”2020″,”March 2021″,”April 2021″,”May 2021″],[“Labour force”,”204,100″,”198,400″,”211,200″,”208,900″,”213,600″,”215,200″],[“Employment”,”182,000″,”172,300″,”190,600″,”181,600″,”186,900″,”190,800″],[“Full-time employment”,”142,200″,”135,800″,”147,200″,”142,500″,”148,200″,”153,900″],[“Part-time employment”,”39,800″,”36,500″,”43,400″,”39,100″,”38,800″,”36,800″],[“Unemployment”,”22,100″,”26,100″,”20,600″,”27,200″,”26,600″,”24,400″],[“Unemployment rate”,”10.8%”,”13.2%”,”9.8%”,”13.0%”,”12.5%”,”11.3%”],[“Participation rate”,”55.1%”,”53.5%”,”56.9%”,”56.1%”,”57.3%”,”57.7%”],[“Employment rate”,”49.1%”,”46.5%”,”51.3%”,”48.7%”,”50.1%”,”51.2%”]]

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Daily Update: June 3rd 2021

June 3, 2021 | Uncategorised

Ontarians who have had their first dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine can choose a second dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine or an mRNA vaccine.

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.

Ontario Updating AstraZeneca Second Dose Guidance

Effective June 4, 2021 and in alignment with NACI’s recommendation, Ontarians who have received their first dose of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine can choose to either receive a second dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine, or an mRNA (Pfizer or Moderna) vaccine for their second dose.

Ontario government to invest in raising high-school student interest in skilled trades and technology careers

The Ontario government is investing almost $440,000 to help more than 2,000 high school students learn more about available skilled trades and technology careers. The project, led by not-for-profit Junior Achievement (JA), will help local communities recover more quickly from COVID-19 by addressing a shortage of workers in jobs like electrician, plumber, carpenter, computer analyst and software developer.

St. Catharines residents asked to give feedback on Development Charges

The City of St. Catharines Development Charges Background Study is now available for public review and feedback, as the City considers introducing Development Charges (DCs) for residential and non-residential projects. DCs are a revenue tool that are charged to developers for the City to recover the capital costs associated with residential and non-residential growth. While the Niagara Region have upper-tier DCs in place, St. Catharines is currently the only municipality in Niagara that does not have lower-tier DCs.

A video presentation of the Development Charges Background Study along with the complete study and a public feedback survey can now be found at www.EngageSTC.ca/DevelopmentCharges.

Public feedback will be compiled for Council prior to a public meeting to be held on July 12.

Niagara Health shows excellence in Laboratory Medicine with Accreditation in Diagnostics

Niagara Health’s Laboratory Medicine Program (LMP) has received the highest accreditation award by Accreditation Canada Diagnostics for all five lab sites for the second time in a row.

Accreditation is a mark of excellence acknowledged around the world.

A wide variety of laboratory services exist at Niagara Health including hematology, coagulation, clinical chemistry, surgical pathology, cytology, autopsy service and transfusion medicine. This past year, the team also processed over 10,000 COVID-19 tests to support the COVID-19 response in the region.

CRTC seeks input on three-digit number for mental health crisis and suicide prevention services

The CRTC is inviting all interested persons to comment on whether there is a need for a three-digit number, such as the 9-8-8 three digit code in the United States, for a national mental health crisis and suicide prevention service. The CRTC is examining the advantages, challenges and costs associated with the deployment of this three-digit number.

The CRTC is welcoming comments until September 1, 2021. Canadians can participate by:

  • filling out the online form;
  • writing to the Secretary General, CRTC, Ottawa, Ontario K1A ON2; or
  • sending a fax to (819) 994-0218.

Reading Recommendations

Ottawa ups fine to $5,000 for travellers who refuse to quarantine in a hotel

CBC News

Air passengers entering Canada who refuse to quarantine in a designated hotel will soon be subject to a $5,000 fine.

The federal government has announced that, starting Friday, international air passengers who decline to take their required COVID-19 tests or who refuse to check into a quarantine hotel could be hit with a $5,000 fine for each offence — a $2,000 increase from the current fine.

On Feb. 22, the government said air passengers entering Canada must take a COVID-19 test upon arrival and spend up to three days of their 14-day quarantine at a government-approved hotel to wait for their test results. Passengers must foot the bill for their stay, which can cost up to $2,000.

The New York Times

The tumultuous events of the past year have challenged the merits of paring inventories, while reinvigorating concerns that some industries have gone too far, leaving them vulnerable to disruption. As the pandemic has hampered factory operations and sown chaos in global shipping, many economies around the world have been bedeviled by shortages of a vast range of goods — from electronics to lumber to clothing.

In a time of extraordinary upheaval in the global economy, Just In Time is running late.

Featured Content

Make the most of your wi-fi

YourTV

The past year has been difficult for each and every entrepreneur and at Cogeco, we are well aware of this. That’s why it is important to continue to improve and invest in our infrastructure. One main solution to face the hurdles ahead is continuing to adapt the tech expertise and develop initiatives to make your life easier when outages or slowness occur. Your time is precious, we get that.

While the situation is still difficult for the entrepreneurs, please find here a few easy and quick tips to make the most out of your internet services.

Niagara COVID vaccination tracker (June 3)

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

Total doses administered in Niagara: 300,116

Total doses administered in Niagara since yesterday: 5,080

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%

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

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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Daily Update: May 13th, 2021

May 13, 2021 | Daily Update

Ontario has extended the Stay-at-Home Order until at least June 2. The provincewide emergency brake will also remain in effect.

Government of Ontario extends stay-at-home order to June 2nd

The Ontario government has extended the Stay-at-Home Order (O. Reg. 265/21) until at least June 2, 2021. All public health and workplace safety measures under the provincewide emergency brake will also remain in effect. During this time, the government will prepare to administer the Pfizer vaccine to youth between the ages of 12 and 17, beginning the week May 31, 2021, as the province also finalizes plans to gradually and safely re-open the province.

Despite improvements, key indicators remain high and more time is required before the province can safely lift the Stay-at-Home Order. From May 3 to 9, the provincial cases rate remained very high at 134.9 cases per 100,000 people, and per cent positivity was above the high alert threshold of 2.5 per cent. Hospitalization and ICU admissions also remain too high and well above the peak of wave two.

Province launches new Ontario Tourism and Travel Small Business Support Grant

The Ontario government is providing one‐time payments of $10,000 to $20,000 to support eligible small tourism and travel businesses struggling to recover from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic through the new $100-million Ontario Tourism and Travel Small Business Support Grant. The launch of the program was announced today by Lisa MacLeod, Minister of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Industries.

This grant will support eligible small tourism and travel businesses that did not receive the Ontario Small Business Support Grant (OSBSG), such as travel agents, hotels, motels, resorts, and bed and breakfasts. To qualify, businesses must have fewer than 100 employees and demonstrate they have experienced a minimum 20 per cent revenue decline between 2019 and 2020.

For information on eligibilty and how to apply: www.ontario.ca/covidsupport.

Ontario Chamber calls for evidence-based metrics for reopening & clarity around AstraZeneca

The provincial Chamber of Commerce is calling on the Province to help restore public and business confidence in the government’s management of the COVID-19 crisis by providing Ontarians with clarity on:

  • Evidence-based metrics for reopening, namely thresholds related to daily case counts, capacity within our healthcare system, and how rapidly the virus is spreading. For instance, Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer said he would like to see the number of new daily COVID-19 cases for Ontario “well below” 1,000 before easing public health restrictions. Will this be the threshold for reopening?
  • When and how Ontarians who received their first dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine will receive their second dose, or at least when that decision will be made and what information it will be based on.
  • How public health measures will adapt when the majority of Ontarians will have received their first vaccine dose. For instance, other jurisdictions like Saskatchewan have provided a clear plan and roadmap for what can open and when, accompanied by an expected timeline.

Niagara Medical Officer of Health offers COVID-19 update

Dr. Hirji, Niagara’s Acting Medical Officer of Health, will also join the GNCC for a live webinar and take questions on May 18.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FrDikl6408I

Auditor General of Ontario finds inconsistent and late reporting of actual spending on initial COVID-19 emergency relief programs

Most of the province’s early health-related COVID-19 expenditures were properly authorized by Treasury Board, but better processes to track, monitor and report on the proper use of funds and the timely distribution of payments were needed for mainly Ministry of Health initiatives, Ontario Auditor General Bonnie Lysyk states in her latest chapter of the Special Report on COVID-19 Preparedness and Management (PDF link).

Reading Recommendations

WE Charity: Trudeau cleared of ethics wrongdoing in political scandal

BBC News

Canada’s ethics watchdog has cleared Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of wrongdoing in the WE Charity scandal. The charity had been tapped by his government last year to oversee a volunteer programme for students during the pandemic. Mr Trudeau later faced scrutiny when it was revealed he had personal ties to the organisation. But the report found former finance minister Bill Morneau had breached federal ethics rules in the scandal. Mr Morneau resigned in August, although he denied it was because of this case.

Greyhound Canada to cut all routes, end operations

Brett Bundale, Canadian Press/Bloomberg News

Greyhound Canada is permanently cutting all bus routes across the country, shutting down the intercity bus carrier’s operations in Canada after nearly a century of service. The motor coach company said its remaining routes in Ontario and Quebec will cease permanently on Thursday.

Its American affiliate, Greyhound Lines, Inc., will continue to operate cross-border routes to Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver once the border reopens. The decision comes a year after Greyhound Canada temporarily suspended all service due to a sharp decline in passengers and mounting travel restrictions amid the first wave of COVID-19.

The global chip shortage is starting to have major real-world consequences

Sam Shead, CNBC

The severity of the global chip shortage has gone up a notch over the last few weeks and it’s now looking as though millions of people will be impacted.

As technology has advanced, semiconductor chips have spread from computers and cars to toothbrushes and tumble dryers — they now lurk beneath the hood of a surprising number of products.

But demand for chips is continuing to outstrip supply, and car makers are no longer the only companies feeling the pinch.

Niagara COVID status tracker (May 8)

Niagara’s most up-to-date COVID statistics, measured against the targets for the various stages of the Ontario COVID-19 Response Framework, are presented below. This does not predict government policy, but is offered to give you an idea of where Niagara is situated and how likely a relaxation (or further restrictions) may be. These data are the most recent published by Niagara Region. The Grey-Lockdown level does not have its own metrics, but is triggered when the COVID-specific measurements in a Red-Control region have continued to deteriorate.

The Province of Ontario is currently under a stay-at-home order. The COVID-19 Response Framework does not apply during this order. Click here to review the restrictions currently in place.

▲: Metric has increased since last published measurement

▼: Metric has decreased since last published measurement

— : Metric has not changed since last published measurement

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%

Definitions:

  • Weekly Incidence Rate: the number of new COVID-19 cases per 100,000 people per week
  • Percent Positivity: the number of positive COVID-19 tests as a percentage of all COVID-19 tests performed
  • Rt: the reproductive rate, or the number of people infected by each case of the virus

Niagara COVID vaccination tracker (May 13)

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

Total doses administered in Niagara: 212,414

Total doses administered in Niagara since yesterday: 3,212

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%

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

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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Daily Update: May 7th, 2021

May 7, 2021 | Daily Update

The COVID-19 Rapid Screening Initiative for small and medium-sized businesses has launched across the province.

COVID-19 rapid testing for businesses

The Ontario government, in partnership with the federal government and the Ontario Chamber of Commerce, has launched the COVID-19 Rapid Screening Initiative for small and medium-sized businesses across the province.

The COVID-19 Rapid Screening Initiative will provide free rapid antigen tests for employees of small and medium-sized businesses through participating local chambers of commerce and other organizations. Businesses (including non-chamber members) with 150 employees or less are welcome to participate in this program. The goal of the program is to identify asymptomatic cases of COVID-19 in the workplace that might otherwise be missed, helping to curb the spread in the workplace, at home and around the community.

The GNCC is pleased to be a partner in this initiative and more information on the distribution of these kits will be available on our site and in our Daily Updates early next week. Questions can be directed to rapidtesting@gncc.ca.

Niagara sees full-time employment gains in April

April 2021 saw 5,300 more people in employment compared to March 2021, reports Niagara Workforce Planning Board. These gains were the result of 5,700 more people in full-time employment and 300 fewer people in part-time employment.

Niagara’s unemployment rate decreased from 13.0% to 12.5%. At the same time, the employment rate increased from 48.7% to 50.1%.

The employment rate rising as unemployment falls is generally an ideal pairing of labour market indicators. Given how past lockdowns impacted local employment trends, these are unexpected outcomes that are not aligned to provincial and national trends that reported overall employment declines, fewer average hours worked, an increase in people working from home, and employment declines in the accommodations and food services sector – which is the sector where Niagara saw its largest month-over-month employment gains.

If these data hold steady in next month’s Labour Force Survey release, it will be an indicator that Niagara has managed to weather the third wave of COVID-19 with an unexpected level of success. However, it is also quite possible that the full impact of the third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic is not captured in April’s employment data. As such, the May Labour Force Survey data, scheduled to be released on June 4, 2021, will offer essential insights on the state of Niagara’s employment landscape.

Labour force characteristicsMarch 2020April 20202020 AnnualFeb 2021March 2021April 2021
Labour force211,200204,100211,200206,400208,900213,600
Employment192,800182,000190,600179,900181,600186,900
Full-time employment149,500142,200147,200137,500142,500148,200
Part-time employment43,30039,80043,40042,40039,10038,800
Unemployment18,40022,10020,60026,50027,20026,600
Unemployment rate8.7%10.8%9.8%12.8%13.0%12.5%
Participation rate57.0%55.1%56.9%55.4%56.1%57.3%
Employment rate52.1%49.1%51.3%48.3%48.7%50.1%

Reading Recommendations

Amazon postpones Prime Day in Canada due to COVID-19 outbreaks

The Canadian Press/CBC News

Amazon’s annual Prime Day marketing event in Canada has been put on hold this year amid ongoing COVID-19 outbreaks at its facilities in Ontario’s Peel Region.

The postponement of the event was put in place to protect the health and safety of employees and customers, Amazon said in a notice to sellers obtained by The Canadian Press.

“As we continued to monitor the impact of COVID-19 in Canada, we have decided to pause plans for Prime Day 2021 in Canada,” said the company.

Air Canada pleads with Trudeau for plan to ease travel rules

Sandrine Rastello, Bloomberg News

Flush with bailout funds, Air Canada called on the government of its home country to lay out a plan for reopening borders as vaccination progresses.

Canada’s biggest air carrier is in a position to ramp up operations after reaching a deal for nearly $5.9 billion (US$4.8 billion) in debt and equity with the federal government last month. Chief Executive Officer Michael Rousseau said it’s now “essential” for officials to follow the U.S. in easing rules that have stopped most air travel.

Niagara COVID status tracker (May 1)

Niagara’s most up-to-date COVID statistics, measured against the targets for the various stages of the Ontario COVID-19 Response Framework, are presented below. This does not predict government policy, but is offered to give you an idea of where Niagara is situated and how likely a relaxation (or further restrictions) may be. These data are the most recent published by Niagara Region. The Grey-Lockdown level does not have its own metrics, but is triggered when the COVID-specific measurements in a Red-Control region have continued to deteriorate.

The Province of Ontario is currently under a stay-at-home order. The COVID-19 Response Framework does not apply during this order. Click here to review the restrictions currently in place.

▲: Metric has increased since last published measurement

▼: Metric has decreased since last published measurement

— : Metric has not changed since last published measurement

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%

Definitions:

  • Weekly Incidence Rate: the number of new COVID-19 cases per 100,000 people per week
  • Percent Positivity: the number of positive COVID-19 tests as a percentage of all COVID-19 tests performed
  • Rt: the reproductive rate, or the number of people infected by each case of the virus

Niagara COVID vaccination tracker (May 7)

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

Total doses administered in Niagara: 195,738

Total doses administered in Niagara since yesterday: 2,295

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%

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

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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