Daily Update: February 10th, 2021

February 10, 2021 | Daily Update

Ontario government releases 2020-21 Third Quarter Finances

Today, the Ontario government released the province’s 2020-21 Third Quarter Finances. The report shows that the government is projecting to spend $25 billion more than last year, including an additional $2.6 billion since the 2020 Budget. The government has remarked that the increase was due to funding for the Ontario Small Business Support Grant, hospital supplies and PPE, and COVID measures for long-term care homes and child care settings.

Additionally, the government is now using the fiscal reserve to top up the standard contingency fund, making an additional $2.1 billion available for spending before the end of the year. This added contingency is aimed at ensuring that the government can continue to respond with flexibility during the second wave, as well as to the emergence of new, concerning variants of COVID-19.

The 2020-21 Third Quarter Finances project a deficit of $38.5 billion in 2020-21, unchanged from the deficit outlook projected in the 2020 Budget and the 2020-21 First Quarter Finances.

Ontario extends off-peak electricity rates

The Ontario government is once again extending electricity rate relief for families, small businesses and farms. The government will continue to hold electricity prices to the off-peak rate of 8.5 cents per kilowatt-hour until February 22, 2021. This lower rate is available 24 hours per day, seven days a week for Time-Of-Use and tiered customers.

The off-peak rate came into effect January 1, 2021, providing families, farms and small businesses with immediate electricity rate relief. The off-peak rate will now be extended until the end of day February 22, 2021, for a total of 53 days of emergency rate relief. During this period, the off-peak price will continue to be automatically applied to electricity bills of all residential, small business, and farm customers who pay regulated rates set by the Ontario Energy Board and get a bill from a utility.

The online application portal will also now allow businesses to apply for rebates on energy costs for one additional billing cycle.

Niagara Region warns of vaccination telephone scam

Niagara Region Public Health has received a number of reports of a phone scam in the area about the COVID-19 vaccine. Please note that the Region is not calling residents to schedule vaccine appointments at this time, and will never ask for payment for COVID-19 immunization. If you receive a call like this, please hang up immediately and do not provide any personal information such as your health card or credit card number.

Lincoln approves 2021 budget

At their meeting on February 8, Town of Lincoln Council approved the 2021 Budget with an overall increase of 1.9% on the Town’s portion of the tax rate. This is broken down as an increase of 0% on the capital side, 0.9% in the operating budget, and 1% money in the bank dedicated to the special infrastructure levy, at a blended rate of 1.75% on the tax bill. For more information visit, https://lincoln.ca/budget/2021-budget.

Niagara Falls approves 2021 budget

Niagara Falls City Council approved the 2021 Operating Budget with a gross expenditure of $128,482,661, equaling a net tax levy increase of 1.7 per cent. The budget limits the municipal tax increase to 1.7%, amounting to an extra $23.75 annual increase for the average residential household ($279,854). The actual tax bill for each property owner will depend on the assessed value of the property. These estimates also reflect the City’s portion of taxes only.

Thorold approves 2021 budget

Thorold City Council approved the 2021 Operating and Capital Budgets at its Council meeting of February 9, 2021 with the City’s levy increase at 1.8%. The approved budget continues to make investments in the community, support growth and deliver core essential services to residents.

The average home valued at $258,800 will see an estimated impact of $23.76 to the City General portion of the tax bill. The estimated change in the overall tax bill including City, Region, Education, Urban Service Area and Hospital is $47.16.

Oxford-AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 shot OK to use despite variant questions, WHO panel says

The Oxford-AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine is safe and effective and should be deployed widely, including in countries where the variant of the coronavirus first identified in South Africa may reduce its efficacy, a World Health Organization panel said on Wednesday.

In interim recommendations on the shot, the Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization (SAGE) panel said the vaccine should be given in two doses with an interval of eight to 12 weeks, and should also be used in people aged 65 and older.

Even in countries such as South Africa, where questions have been raised about the AstraZeneca vaccine’s efficacy against a newly emerged variant of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, “there is no reason not to recommend its use,” SAGE’s chair, Alejandro Cravioto, told a briefing.

Reading recommendations

Crypto is here to stay, but bitcoin is in a ‘massive bubble’: Rosenberg

Ian Vandaelle, BNN Bloomberg

Bay Street veteran David Rosenberg isn’t buying into the hype swirling around bitcoin.

In a television interview, Rosenberg, Chief Economist and Strategist at Rosenberg Research & Associates Inc., said that while cryptocurrencies are here to stay, there’s no rational explanation for the massive run-up in the price of bitcoin.

“Crypto is here to stay. It has a function in the capital markets. But valuing it is next to impossible,” he said. “So all you really have to do is look at the price, and look at the chart, and you can see it’s a massive price bubble. The chart itself is telling you that.”

The roots of Canada’s COVID-19 vaccine shortage go back decades

Joel Lexchin, The Conversation

As of Feb. 5, Canada had administered 2.7 COVID-19 vaccination doses per 100 people compared to 61.7 for Israel and 16.2 for the United Kingdom. By contrast, Canada has signed contracts with seven different companies for a total of 234 million doses with options for tens of millions more.

What’s going on?

To understand the problem, we need to go back to the 1980s. At that time, the government-owned Connaught Labs was producing vaccines here in Canada and decision-making was in the public realm. But Connaught was partially privatized and then finally allowed to be sold to the French company Merieux (now part of Sanofi) by the Conservative government of Brian Mulroney.

Niagara COVID status tracker

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 drawn daily from 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.

Note that the Provincewide Shutdown is not the same as the Grey-Lockdown level listed in the Ontario COVID-19 Response Framework, which has been suspended for the duration of the shutdown. Additional restrictions for businesses apply during the Shutdown. Businesses should not use the Response Framework as a guide during this time, but should instead refer to the Shutdown guidelines.

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
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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COVID-19 Business Update: January 29th, 2021

January 29, 2021 | Daily Update

Ontario Chamber of Commerce releases fifth annual Ontario Economic Report

The Ontario Chamber of Commerce (OCC) has released the fifth annual Ontario Economic Report (OER), providing the latest data on Ontario’s economy and business confidence, highlighting the unprecedented year that was 2020 and the unpredictability that lies in the year ahead.

Key highlights from the OER include:

  • Ontario witnessed a steep decline in real GDP growth (-5.6 percent) in 2020 but is projected to see a moderate rebound of 4.8 percent in 2021, fuelled largely in part by expectations for vaccination rollout and the eventual re-opening of the economy.
  • In 2020, only 21 percent of survey respondents expressed confidence in Ontario’s economic outlook. Fewer than half of Ontario businesses (48 percent) are confident in the outlook of their own organizations.
    • Small businesses are more pessimistic about Ontario’s outlook than larger ones. Only 20 percent of small businesses expressed confidence in Ontario’s economy, compared to 27 percent of medium and large businesses.
  • The majority (58 percent) of survey respondents said their organizations shrank between April and September, while only 17 percent grew.
  • Employment growth declined throughout the province in 2020, with 47 percent of organizations indicating they let employees go due to COVID-19.
  • Sectors most negatively impacted by the crisis included: accommodation and food services; arts, entertainment, and recreation; and retail. Businesses in these sectors were among those most pessimistic about the economic outlook and most likely to have shrunk and let go of staff in 2020.
  • Businesses’ priorities for governments during economic recovery included enhancing access to capital, reforming business taxes, encouraging Ontarians to buy local, and investing in broadband infrastructure.

Dine Niagara offers no-commission online service to Niagara restaurants

Dine Niagara is pleased to offer a no-commission online ordering services to restaurants in the Niagara region. The service charges a flat monthly rate to its restaurant partners, with no commissions or hidden fees. 100% of every customer’s bill goes directly to their local restaurant. Restaurateurs can get more information and sign up here.

Minister Lisa MacLeod to hold business support townhall

Join Lisa MacLeod, Ontario’s Minister of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Industries to discuss an overview of supports available to businesses and the government’s response to COVID-19. This event is specific to Niagara, and all Niagara businesses are welcome to attend. Registration is free.

Government of Ontario announces new plan for COVID-19 variants

The Ontario government has unveiled a six-point plan to prevent and stop the spread of new COVID-19 variants. The plan will help to minimize case importation resulting from travel, require screening of all positive case samples to identify variants, and will enhance the public health response to reduce the spread of the virus in communities across the province.

In recent weeks, three new variants of the COVID-19 virus have been identified as posing a significant threat to public health due to high rates of transmission, severity of illness and increased risk of reinfection. The variants are:

  • B.1.1.7 (501Y.V1) – variant first identified in the United Kingdom in late November 2020.
  • 501Y.V2 – variant first identified in South Africa at the end of December 2020.
  • P.1 – variant first detected in travelers from Brazil who arrived in Japan in January 2021.

The UK variant has been identified in multiple health units across the province, with cases believed to be linked to both travel-related and community transmission. While information about the UK variant is still emerging, evidence has indicated that it is more easily spread between people, with a 56 per cent higher transmission rate, and carries a potentially higher risk of severe illness or death. Recent modelling suggests that by March 2021, the UK variant could become the dominant strain of the virus in Ontario.

The plan includes:

  1. Mandatory Testing of Travellers
  2. Enhanced Screening and Sequencing
  3. Maintain Public Health Measures
  4. Strengthen Case and Contact Management
  5. Enhancing Protections for Vulnerable Populations
  6. Leveraging Data

Government of Canada announces new restrictions on international travel

Today, the Government of Canada announced new rules on international travel, in addition to the multi-layered approach on COVID-19 already in place. The government and Canada’s airlines have agreed to suspend all flights to and from Mexico and Caribbean countries until April 30, 2021. This will be in effect as of January 31, 2021.

Further, effective midnight (11:59 PM EST) February 3, 2021, in addition to proof of a negative pre-departure test, Transport Canada will expand the existing international flight restrictions which funnel scheduled international commercial passenger flights into four Canadian airports: Montréal-Trudeau International Airport, Toronto Pearson International Airport, Calgary International Airport, and Vancouver International Airport. The new restrictions will include scheduled commercial passenger flights arriving from the United States, Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean and South America, which were exempted from the previous restriction. Private/Business and charter flights from all countries will also be required to land at the four airports. Flights from Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon and cargo-only flights will remain exempt.

As soon as possible in the coming weeks, all air travellers arriving in Canada, with very limited exceptions, must reserve a room in a Government of Canada-approved hotel for three nights at their own cost, and take a COVID-19 molecular test on arrival at their own cost. More details will be available in the coming days.

Government of Canada temporarily waives waiting period for Employment Insurance claims

In response to the increase in people needing support, the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion, Carla Qualtrough, today announced EI regulations will be amended to temporarily waive the waiting period for EI claimants who establish a new claim between January 31, 2021 and September 25, 2021. This includes claimants of regular, fishing and special benefits. This temporary change will allow people who are applying for benefits to be paid for their first week of unemployment.

This temporary measure will not change the total weeks of EI benefits which claimants are entitled to, nor the service standard for payment. Claims will be automatically processed with this new waiver, meaning workers are not required to take additional steps.

This temporary measure means that people who open a new EI claim after January 31, 2021 and return to work before exhausting all of their weeks of entitlement will benefit from an additional week of income support, due to the removal of the waiting period.

Niagara Health to open new COVID-19 vaccination clinic for healthcare workers

Niagara Health will open a new COVID-19 Vaccination Clinic at the Seymour Hannah Sports and Entertainment Centre in St. Catharines, effective Wednesday, February 17.

The hospital will continue to focus on first and second doses of the Pfizer vaccine for healthcare workers, including long-term care and high-risk retirement home staff and essential caregivers, and Niagara Health staff and physicians. This is consistent with the provincial government’s priority framework to begin with vaccination of highest risk groups.

Canadian GDP sees seventh consecutive monthly gain

Chart 1: Real gross domestic product grows in November

Real gross domestic product grows in November

Real gross domestic product (GDP) grew 0.7% in November, following a 0.4% increase in October. This seventh consecutive monthly gain continued to offset the drops in March and April in Canadian economic activity, which were the steepest on record. However, total economic activity was about 3% below the pre-pandemic level in February.

 

Both goods-producing (+1.2%) and services-producing (+0.5%) industries were up, as 14 of 20 industrial sectors posted gains in November.

Following a 0.5% contraction in October, the manufacturing sector grew 1.7% in November, largely as a result of higher inventory formation. Both durable and non-durable manufacturing were up. This was the sixth increase in seven months, bringing the sector’s output to within 3% of its pre-pandemic level of activity.

Finance and insurance increased 1.3% in November on widespread growth across all subsectors. As market sentiments improved, following multiple global COVID-19 vaccine announcements, activity in equity and mutual funds markets drove increased activity on the Toronto Stock Exchange in November.

The retail trade sector grew 1.1% in November as 8 of 12 subsectors were up. Food and beverage (+6.1%) led the growth as higher activity at supermarkets and other grocery stores, along with beer, wine and liquor stores, contributed to the increase. Building material and garden equipment and supplies (+3.4%) grew for the fourth consecutive month, and non-store retailers rose 3.1% following two months of decline. Clothing and clothing accessories stores (-5.4%), and health and personal care stores (-1.8%) offset some of the growth, as did motor vehicle and parts dealers, which contracted 0.6% following six months of growth.

Reading recommendations

Worrisome New Coronavirus Strains Are Emerging. Why Now?

Megan Molteni, Wired

All viruses mutate. They are, after all, just autonomous bits of protein-encased, self-replicating strings of code equipped with imperfect internal spell-checkers. Make enough copies and there are bound to be mistakes. Coronaviruses actually make fewer mistakes than most. This one, SARS-CoV-2, evolves at a rate of about 1,100 changes per location in the genome annually—or about one substitution every 11 days.

The predictable pace at which the coronavirus’s genetic building blocks shift around can be detected by genomic sequencing, which allows scientists to identify new strains and follow them as they spread through a population or fade away. For most of 2020, those random changes didn’t have much of an effect on the way the virus behaves. But recently, three notable mutations have begun to show up alone or in combination with each other. And everywhere they do, these versions of the virus tend to quickly outcompete other circulating strains.

Canada’s economy looks like it shrank by 5% last year, says Statistics Canada

CBC News

Canada’s economy expanded by 0.7 per cent in November, Statistics Canada said Friday

The data agency said the country’s gross domestic product grew seven months in a row after steep drops in March and April. But despite that streak, the numbers mean the economy was still three per cent smaller in November than it was in February, before COVID-19 really took root in Canada.

For the full year of 2020, Statistic Canada’s preliminary estimate shows the economy contracted by 5.1 per cent.

Niagara COVID status tracker

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 drawn daily from 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.

Note that the Provincewide Shutdown is not the same as the Grey-Lockdown level listed in the Ontario COVID-19 Response Framework, which has been suspended for the duration of the shutdown. Additional restrictions for businesses apply during the Shutdown. Businesses should not use the Response Framework as a guide during this time, but should instead refer to the Shutdown guidelines.

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
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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COVID-19 Business Update: January 12th, 2021

January 12, 2021 | Daily Update

Information on government grants, resources, and programs, as well as policies, forms, and posters for download and use, are available here.
The Government of Canada has a support page with summaries of current programs and application portals.

Vital updates

  • At a press conference this afternoon, Premier Ford declared a state of emergency in the province of Ontario, to last no fewer than 28 days. Owing to the deteriorating COVID-19 situation in the province, a stay-at-home order will take effect on Thursday, January 14th, at 12:01 a.m. Everyone will be required to remain at home with exceptions for essential purposes, such as going to the grocery store or pharmacy, accessing health care services, for exercise or for essential work.
    • Schools in some regions will remain closed longer, although Niagara schools are still scheduled to re-open on January 25th. Masks will be required for Grades 1-3 and must also be worn outdoors.
    • An “inspection blitz” of big-box stores will start in the coming days, the Premier warned, with businesses found in violation of regulations to be punished under the law.
    • Residential evictions will be suspended for the duration of the state of emergency.
    • Outdoor organized public gatherings and social gatherings are further restricted to a limit of five people, with limited exceptions.
    • All non-essential retail stores, including hardware stores, alcohol retailers, and those offering curbside pickup or delivery, must open no earlier than 7 a.m. and close no later than 8 p.m. The restricted hours of operation do not apply to stores that primarily sell food, pharmacies, gas stations, convenience stores, and restaurants for takeout or delivery.
    • Non-essential construction is further restricted, including below-grade construction, exempting survey.
    • Non-essential workers in offices must now work from home.
    • Health care services, including dental offices, physiotherapy and chiropractors remain open.
    • These restrictions are in addition to those already announced in the Provincewide Shutdown.
    • Under the declaration of a provincial emergency, the province will provide authority to all enforcement and provincial offences officers, including the Ontario Provincial Police, local police forces, bylaw officers, and provincial workplace inspectors to issue tickets to individuals who do not comply with the stay-at-home-order, or those not wearing a mask or face covering indoors as well as retail operators and companies who do not enforce. Those who decide not to abide by orders will be subject to set fines and/or prosecution under both the Reopening Ontario (A Flexible Response to COVID-19) Act, (ROA) and EMCPA.
    • Businesses with questions about the restrictions and their obligations under them can call the Stop the Spread Business Information line at 1-888-444-3659.
  • At a morning briefing, the Ontario COVID-19 Science Advisory Table revealed that the existing measures had failed to restrict mobility and contacts between people. Another 2,903 cases of COVID-19, including 246 in Niagara, and 41 more deaths of people with the illness were reported today. At the current rate of spread, the provincial healthcare system would be overwhelmed before vaccination has a chance to be effective.
  • The Government of Ontario has released further details of the Ontario Small Business Support Grant. The Grant will provide a minimum of $10,000 and up to $20,000 to help eligible small business owners during this challenging period. Small businesses required to close or significantly restrict services will be able to apply for this one-time grant. The business must demonstrate they experienced a revenue decline of at least 20 per cent when comparing monthly revenue in April 2019 and April 2020. This time period was selected because it reflects the impact of the public health measures in spring 2020, and as such provides a representation of the possible impact of these latest measures on small businesses. New businesses established since April 2019 will also be eligible. Each eligible small business will be able to use the support in whatever way makes the most sense for their individual business. For example, some businesses will need support paying employee wages or rent, while others will need assistance maintaining their inventory. Applications will open soon. Eligible small businesses include those that:
    • Are required to close or significantly restrict services due to the Provincewide Shutdown, which began at 12:01 a.m. on December 26;
    • Have fewer than 100 employees at the enterprise level; and
    • Have experienced a minimum of 20 per cent revenue decline in April 2020 compared to April 2019.
  • Today, the Honourable Filomena Tassi, Minister of Labour and Member of Parliament for Hamilton West–Ancaster–Dundas, on behalf of the Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Economic Development and Official Languages and Minister responsible for FedDev Ontario, announced that 111 businesses and organizations in the Hamilton and Niagara regions received a total of $16.4 million in combined RRRF funding, protecting more than 1,600 jobs in the area in 2020. Businesses and organizations in southern Ontario that have applied for other federal COVID-19 programs, but were unable to access sufficient relief, are encouraged to review RRRF eligibility requirements or contact FedDev Ontario for more information.
  • Last night, Fort Erie Town Council approved recommendations from staff to temporarily waive all business licence fees (PDF link), save and except short-term rentals, for 2021 to assist businesses during COVID-19. However, new businesses and businesses that require an annual licence renewal are still required to apply for a 2021 business licence from the Town of Fort Erie as in the past. It is estimated that waiving business licencing fees for 2021 will result in a business licencing revenue reduction of about $20,000. The Town plans to recoup this financial loss through money received in Phase 1 of the Government of Canada’s Safe Restart Agreement.
  • The gap between the adjusted price index and the official Consumer Price Index (CPI) widened in September, Statistics CAnada has revealed, corresponding with the increase in COVID-19 cases that marked a resurgence of the pandemic. Higher food prices, particularly for meat and vegetables, in October and November became more important in the adjusted price index, contributing to the gap between the adjusted price index and the official CPI. At the same time, transportation prices became less important in the adjusted price index, reflecting reduced air travel and low domestic and international demand for gasoline amid the tightening of public health restrictions. As a result of the food and transportation components, the adjusted price index remained higher than the official CPI in September, October and November. In November, the adjusted price index rose 1.4% on a year-over-year basis, while the official CPI increased 1.0%.
  • Total investment in building construction declined for a third consecutive month, edging down 0.1% to $15.3 billion in November. Slight decreases in both residential and non-residential construction led to minimal change overall. Gains in Ontario and Nova Scotia were offset in large part by declines in six provinces. Non-residential investment was mostly unchanged in November, remaining at $4.4 billion. Slight declines in six provinces were offset by small gains in Ontario (+0.4% to $1.8 billion) and British Columbia (+1.0% to $665 million).  As lockdowns and working from home continued across many parts of the country, reduced investment in office buildings, hotels and restaurants led to an overall reduction in commercial building investment (-0.5%). Commercial building investment was the lone component of non-residential construction to decline in November and remained below pre-COVID-19 levels (-13.5% compared with March 2020).
  • The Canada-U.S. border will remain closed to non-essential travel until at least Feb. 21. Public Safety Minister Bill Blair today announced the latest extension to international travel restrictions to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The Canada-U.S. agreement bars entry to most travellers who are not Canadian citizens, permanent residents or people entering from the U.S. for “essential” reasons.

Reading recommendations

Inflation is probably running a little hotter than the official estimate suggests, but not by so much that the Bank of Canada will be forced to rethink its plan to leave the benchmark interest rate unchanged until 2023. Statistics Canada on Jan. 12reported that its “adjusted price index” increased 1.4 per cent in November from a year earlier, compared with a one per cent gain in the official Consumer Price Index (CPI) for the same period.

In an effort to address the ongoing wage gap in federally regulated employers, new measures that went into effect on Jan. 1, will provide a more fulsome look at exactly how much those employees are getting paid. As a part of amendments made to the Employment Equity Act, businesses with more than 100 employees will be mandated to provide more detailed salary data that will be made public beginning in 2022, says a Toronto employment lawyer.

Niagara COVID status tracker

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 drawn daily from 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.

Note that the Provincewide Shutdown is not the same as the Grey-Lockdown level listed in the Ontario COVID-19 Response Framework, which has been suspended for the duration of the shutdown. Additional restrictions for businesses apply during the Shutdown. Businesses should not use the Response Framework as a guide during this time, but should instead refer to the Shutdown guidelines.

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 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

 If you are showing symptoms, contact your health care provider, call the Public Health Info-Line at 905-688-8248, or chat to Public Health online. For testing, call 905-378-4647 ext. 42819 (4-CV19) for information on test centres in Niagara and to book an appointment.

Previous updates can be accessed here.

The GNCC is here to support you. Contact us with any questions you have.

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COVID-19 Business Update: January 4th, 2021

January 4, 2021 | Daily Update

Information on government grants, resources, and programs, as well as policies, forms, and posters for download and use, are available here.
The Government of Canada has a support page with summaries of current programs and application portals.

Vital updates

  • Legislative and regulatory changes have come into force as of January 1, 2021. Employers and other workplace parties are encouraged to consult Canada.ca/labour or to contact the Labour Program at 1-800-641-4049 for more information or for support in implementing these changes in their workplace. A summary of the changes is as follows:
    • The anti-harassment and violence legislation (Bill C-65) puts in place a regime that aims to take all forms of harassment and violence into consideration.
    • Employers in federally regulated workplaces and parliamentary workplaces must conduct a workplace assessment, develop a workplace harassment and violence prevention policy, develop and implement violence and harassment training, and establish a thorough process for dealing with incidents.
    • The new Part IV (Administrative Monetary Penalties) of the Code establishes an administrative monetary penalties system, which penalizes employers who do not comply with the Code’s health and safety or labour standards.
    • Employers who do not comply with the Code’s occupational health and safety or labour standards provisions could face a monetary penalty of up to $250,000. Monetary penalties will be calculated based on the type of violation, the size of the business and any previous monetary penalties for violations of the same or higher classification.
    • To provide employers with more time to adjust to these changes, monetary penalties for administrative violations—for example, record keeping and reporting requirements—will not be imposed until January 1, 2022.
    • The amendments to the Employment Equity Regulations introduce new pay transparency measures to raise awareness of the wage gaps experienced by women, Indigenous Peoples, persons with disabilities and members of visible minorities in federally regulated workplaces. With the leadership of employers, the Government of Canada expects these measures to help shift business culture and expectations toward greater equality and better outcomes for workers and their families.
    • The first release of aggregated wage gap information is expected in the winter of 2023.
  • The Ontario government is providing a guide on how to start a home-based food business, which includes an overview of public health requirements that need to be followed as a food operator. To further support these entrepreneurs, the government has also made regulatory changes to allow more flexibility to sell low-risk, home-prepared foods. Low-risk foods are considered non-hazardous and do not require refrigeration. They include items such as baked goods, pickles, jams and preserves, chocolates, hard candies and brittles, fudge and toffees, granola, trail mix, nuts and seeds, and coffee beans and tea leaves. All food premises, including home-based food businesses, must adhere to requirements under the Health Protection and Promotion Act (HPPA) and the Food Premises Regulation, as well as periodic inspections by their local public health unit. Home-based food businesses that prepare only low-risk foods are exempt from certain regulatory requirements, such as specified handwashing stations in food premises, compliance with commercial dishwashing requirements and food handling training certification. The full guide can be downloaded here (PDF link).
  • The Provincewide Shutdown took effect on December 26th, 2020 at 12:01 a.m. The shutdown will last a minimum of 28 days in southern Ontario, and could be lifted later in some regions, thus ending no earlier than January 23rd, 2021. If the pandemic situation does not improve sufficiently, an extension seems likely. A summary of measures applicable to businesses can be downloaded here or viewed online here. Some of the more important points are listed below. Businesses should review the full list of rules and requirements. Questions can be directed to the Stop the Spread Business Information Line at 1-888-444-3659.
    • Closure of non-essential retail stores and malls (stores selling groceries, pharmacies, and liquor stores are considered essential; safety and medical stores or establishments and car dealerships are by appointment only), save for curbside pick-up and delivery, with capacity limits imposed on those stores that may remain open
    • No organized indoor events, with exceptions where all attendees are from the same household; outdoor events are limited to ten attendees. Weddings, funerals, and other religious ceremonies are permitted with up to ten people indoors
    • Child care facilities are open, including for the children of non-essential workers, but day camps are closed
    • Short-term rentals are only permitted for people without other housing
    • Restaurants, bars, and other food-and-drink establishments are closed except for pick-up and delivery. Alcohol may be included with pick-up and delivery orders.
  • The Government of Canada has suspended all flights from the United Kingdom until January 6, 2021. On December 26, the first confirmed Ontario cases of the new COVID variant first identified in the UK were reported. Starting January 7, 2021, at 12:01 a.m. EST, air travellers 5 years of age or older will be required to present a negative COVID-19 test result to the airline prior to boarding international flights bound for Canada. Anyone who receives a negative test result and is authorized to enter Canada must still complete the full, mandatory 14-day quarantine. Violating any instructions provided when entering Canada is an offence under the Quarantine Act and could lead to up to six months in prison and/or $750,000 in fines. More information, including frequently asked questions, is available here.

Reading recommendations

The “McTrain,” as it is unofficially known, reportedly got its start in 1992, when the Deutsche Bundesbahn (German Federal Railway) agreed to try outsourcing catering on long-distance routes to McDonald’s. The DB allowed McDonald’s to refit two of its dining cars for the program, installing deep fryers, coffee machines, soda fountains, water heaters, and multiple walk-ins in a 269 square-foot kitchen—still reportedly more than half the car. Despite the popularity of American cultural exports in former Eastern Bloc states and the regions surrounding them, the McTrain did poorly with German travelers. McDonald’s reputation for cheapness made it a hard sell to German travelers, especially the wealthy, by then accustomed to better meals on other routes. And despite the perception of fast food being cheap to produce, service proved anything but inexpensive for the DB and McDonald’s to provide.

A year into the pandemic, STAT is outlining a portrait of SARS-CoV-2 based on what scientists learned as the virus raced around the world, crippling some economies, societies, and health systems in its wake. There are still lots of questions about SARS-2, as scientists call the virus for short, from basic biological queries to multifaceted mysteries, like why certain people get so sick. But for a virus that’s sometimes portrayed as bestowed with superpowers, experts point out that SARS-2 is in many ways, well, pretty normal.

Featured Content

Change, is traumatic and for some it can be good while for others – it can be frightening. Change by nature can challenge employment, make people feel somewhat threatened by any alteration in the status quo or give organizations a path forward to a more prosperous future. Disruption accompanies change and these disruptions affect employees, leaders, resources, vendors and perhaps some clients. Organizations by their very being must change, and managers must implement changes and overcome resistance to them. This of course has never been more pronounced than the situation we find ourselves in today. From a positive perspective, COVID 19 has forced organizations to make changes that should have been made three to five years ago however, some of these changes are being conducted with little or no well thought out future goals or objectives in mind.

 If you are showing symptoms, contact your health care provider, call the Public Health Info-Line at 905-688-8248, or chat to Public Health online. For testing, call 905-378-4647 ext. 42819 (4-CV19) for information on test centres in Niagara and to book an appointment.

Previous updates can be accessed here.

The GNCC is here to support you. Contact us with any questions you have.

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COVID-19 Business Update: December 23rd, 2020

December 23, 2020 | Daily Update

Our Daily Updates will take a short break from December 24, 2020 until January 01, 2021. All major announcements during that time, will be posted on our LinkedIn Twitter Facebook and Instagram pages.

Health Canada announced the COVID-19 vaccine from U.S. biotech firm Moderna is safe for use in Canada

Our Daily Updates will take a short break from December 24, 2020 until January 01, 2021. All major announcements during that time, will be posted on our LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram pages.

Information on government grants, resources, and programs, as well as policies, forms, and posters for download and use, are available here.

  • On December 26, 2020, the province of Ontario will go into a province-wide shutdown. Business measures can be viewed here.
  • The Government of Canada has a support page with summaries of current programs and application portals.

Vital updates:

  • Today, Health Canada announced the COVID-19 vaccine from U.S. biotech firm Moderna is safe for use in Canada. The vaccine is the second to be greenlit in Canada, following the Pfizer-BioNtech vaccine on Dec. 9. Moderna anticipates starting shipments to Canada within the next 48 hours. Up to 168,000 doses are set to arrive by the end of December, and two million by the end of March. Canada is to get 40 million doses of Moderna’s vaccine in 2021, enough to vaccinate 20 million people, or about two-thirds of the Canadian adult population.
  • The Honourable Bill Blair, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, and the Honourable Patty Hajdu, Minister of Health, announced that the Government of Canada will provide up to an additional $70 million to the Canadian Red Cross (Red Cross) to support its ongoing relief efforts. Specifically, the Government of Canada will provide federal funding this fiscal year (April 1 to March 31) to the Red Cross for the following:
    • up to $35 million for Red Cross personnel to support Outbreak Crisis Management activities; and,
    • up to $35 million for testing-related activities led by the Red Cross COVID-19 Testing Assistance Response Teams (CTART).
  • Statistics Canada reported that Canada’s economy expanded more than forecast in October. The numbers suggest economic activity in October was about 96 per cent of output levels in February. Real GDP grew for the sixth consecutive month, up 0.4 per cent in October following a 0.8 percent increase in September. Both goods-producing (+ 0.1 per cent) and service producing industries (+0.5 per cent) were up as 16 of 20 industrial sectors posted increases in October. A more detailed report can be found here.
  • Today, Lisa MacLeod, Minister of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Industries announced that the Ontario government is providing nearly $41 million to help 486 non-profit organizations across the province to rebuild and recover from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. These grants are part of the first round of funding through the Ontario Trillium Foundation’s new $83-million Resilient Communities Fund. The Resilient Communities Fund provides grants of up to $150,000 to eligible non-profit organizations. They can apply for a broad and flexible range of needs, such as mental and physical health and wellbeing supports for staff or volunteers, identify new health and safety processes or purchasing of new technology and personal protective equipment. For more information on the OTF’s Resilient Communities Fund, and for a full list of recipients, please visit the OTF website.
  • Effective immediately, Niagara Health will provide temporary management support to Oakwood Park Lodge, a long-term home in Niagara Falls that is in a home-wide outbreak of COVID-19. The outbreak was declared on December 12, 2020. A total of 97 residents have tested positive for COVID-19. Eight residents who tested positive have passed away. In addition, 91 staff have tested positive as part of surveillance testing. Dr. Mustafa Hirji, Acting Medical Officer of Health at Niagara Region Public Health, issued an order pursuant to Section 29.2 of the Health Protection and Promotion Act due to concerns with the outbreak. Niagara Health is awaiting confirmation of next steps from the Ministry of Long-Term Care. In-person visiting restrictions are in place at Oakwood Park Lodge. Only essential caregivers are permitted at this time.

Reading recommendations:

LG Electronics Inc. plans to spin off some its electric-car components business into a new joint venture with Canada’s Magna International Inc. Magna will buy a 49 per cent stake in the new unit for 501.6 billion won (US$453 million) while the remainder will be owned by LG Electronics, a South Korean company.

Welcoming the new year may feel a bit different this year, given the challenges of 2020 and the inability to celebrate together. As the year draws to an end, it puts a greater focus on long-term goals. The pandemic has given people a different experience of time. It has not only served as a visceral reminder that something unexpected can land in our well-envisioned path, halting all progress. It has also made the path beyond the pandemic unclear. Discover tips for setting goals.

From providing simple scheduling tools to better breathing exercises, here is a list of apps that might have helped make 2020 a bit more bearable.

 If you are showing symptoms, contact your health care provider, call the Public Health Info-Line at 905-688-8248, or chat to Public Health online. For testing, call 905-378-4647 ext. 42819 (4-CV19) for information on test centres in Niagara and to book an appointment.

Previous updates can be accessed here.

The GNCC is here to support you. Contact us with any questions you have.

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COVID-19 Business Update: December 22nd, 2020

December 22, 2020 | Daily Update

Today, the Government of Ontario announced new financial supports to help during the province-wide shutdown which takes effect on December 26. Premier Doug Ford, Christine Elliott, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health, Stephen Lecce, Minister of Education, and Bill Walker, Associate Minister of Energy offered the following details:
Information on government grants, resources, and programs, as well as policies, forms, and posters for download and use, are available here.
  • As of 12:01 a.m. on December 26, 2020, the province of Ontario will go into a province-wide shutdown. Business measures can be viewed here.
  • Information on the new Ontario Small Business Support Grant can be found here.
  • The Government of Canada has a support pagewith summaries of current programs and application portals.

Vital updates:

  • Today, the Government of Ontario announced new financial supports to help during the province-wide shutdown which takes effect on December 26. Premier Doug Ford, Christine Elliott, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health, Stephen Lecce, Minister of Education, and Bill Walker, Associate Minister of Energy offered the following details:
    • To assist parents and guardians with remote learning, students aged 13 through Grade 12 will be eligible for funding under an expanded Support for Learners program. Parents or guardians will receive a one-time payment of $200 per eligible student to help offset education expenses. Support will be available for those who attend a public or private school or who are homeschooled. Application instructions will be available on the Support for Learners web page starting in January 2021. The application deadline for Secondary school students will be open January 11, 2021 – February 08, 2021. The application deadline for Support for Learners for children or youth aged 0 to 12 and for children or youth aged 0 to 21 with special needs is being extended to February 8, 2021.
    • The government will hold electricity prices to the off-peak rate of 8.5 cents per kilowatt-hour for all time-of-use and tiered customers on a temporary basis starting January 1, 2021. This rate will be available 24 hours per day, seven days a week for a 28-day period. The off-peak price will automatically be applied to bills of all residential, small business, and farm customers who pay regulated rates.
    • Any residential, small business, or registered charity customer with an overdue electricity or natural gas bill will be eligible to apply to get support to pay their energy bills through the COVID-19 Energy Assistance Program (CEAP) . A residential customer can receive up to $750 to help cover their electricity bill and an additional $750 for their natural gas bill. Small businesses can receive up to $1500 for each. Newly eligible customers can apply for these enhanced benefits through their local utility, starting in January 2021.
  • Today, the Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Economic Development and Official Languages and Minister responsible for FedDev Ontario, highlighted nearly $490 million in FedDev Ontario investments made this year. Details on some of the key investments can be found here. Businesses and organizations that have not been able to access sufficient relief, or are in need of complementary support to the measures they have already accessed, are encouraged to contact FedDev Ontario   or their CFDC Community Futures Ontario for more information on the RRRF or for help navigating other Government of Canada relief measures. Those looking to grow or expand are encouraged to contact us for more information on available funding opportunities.
  • Canada’s newly appointed Taxpayers’ Ombudsperson, François Boileau, issued a statement on the response from Canadians regarding the service provided by the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) on the emergency benefit programs throughout the pandemic. Individuals are encourage to first try to resolve service issues with the CRA, or  formally through CRA’s Service Feedback Program.
  • The City of St. Catharines has announced their holiday closures set to begin December 24, with several facilities remaining closed after the holiday break as part of the province-wide COVID-19 shutdown.
  • The Town of Pelham announced their administrative and facility closures during the holiday break here.

Reading recommendations:

Canada is introducing extra measures to screen people who have spent time in Britain to check for a fast-spreading mutated COVID-19 variant. Although Ottawa imposed a 72-hour block on flights from Britain on Sunday, Public Safety Minister Bill Blair said more steps were needed to handle people who had been in the country and then flown to Canada via Europe or the United States. Visitors to Britain during the previous two weeks prior to arrival in Canada will be referred to health officials for additional assessments, screening and questions. They will also have to go into quarantine for 14 days.

The International Monetary Fund’s top 10 charts of compelling facts and figures of 2020, everything from global uncertainty, personal wealth, tourism trauma, low internet access, fiscal stimulus impact and more.

Apple Inc is moving forward with self-driving car technology and is targeting 2024 to produce a passenger vehicle that could include its own breakthrough battery technology.

 If you are showing symptoms, contact your health care provider, call the Public Health Info-Line at 905-688-8248, or chat to Public Health online. For testing, call 905-378-4647 ext. 42819 (4-CV19) for information on test centres in Niagara and to book an appointment.

Previous updates can be accessed here.

The GNCC is here to support you. Contact us with any questions you have.

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COVID-19 Business Update: December 15th, 2020

December 15, 2020 | Daily Update

The Honourable Diane Lebouthillier provided additional details on how the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) has made the home office expenses deduction available to more Canadians
Information on government grants, resources, and programs, as well as policies, forms, and posters for download and use, are available here.
The Government of Canada has a support page with summaries of current programs and application portals.

Vital updates:

  • The Honourable Diane Lebouthillier, Minister of National Revenue, today provided additional details on how the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) has made the home office expenses deduction available to more Canadians, and simplified the way employees can claim these expenses on their personal income tax return for the 2020 tax year. Employees with larger claims for home office expenses can still choose to use the existing detailed method to calculate their home office expenses deduction. Employees who worked from home more than 50% of the time over a period of a least four consecutive weeks in 2020 due to COVID-19 will now be eligible to claim the home office expenses deduction for 2020. A new temporary flat rate method will allow eligible employees to claim a deduction of $2 for each day they worked at home in that period, plus any other days they worked from home in 2020 due to COVID-19 up to a maximum of $400. Under this new method, employees will not have to get Form T2200 or Form T2200S completed and signed by their employer. For more information, visit Canada.ca/cra-home-workspace-expenses.
  • The Ontario government is allocating an additional $120 million to help municipalities and Indigenous community partners protect the health and safety of vulnerable people during COVID-19. This investment builds upon the second phase of social services relief funding announced this fall and brings the government’s total allocation to $510 million. Municipalities and Indigenous community partners can use the discretionary funding to improve the delivery of critical services, protect homeless shelter staff and residents, renovate and purchase facilities to create longer-term housing solutions, add to rent banks and support plans to prepare for potential future outbreaks and/or emergencies. The funding is part of the Social Services Relief Fund, itself a part of the up to $4 billion being provided to Ontario municipalities under the federal-provincial Safe Restart Agreement.
  • Today, the Honourable Anita Anand, Minister of Public Services and Procurement, announced that following successful negotiations and contingent on Health Canada authorization of the vaccine, Canada will be able to access 168,000 doses of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine in December 2020. These are part of the guaranteed 40 million doses, and up to a total of 56 million doses, that Canada has secured through its existing agreement with Moderna. As with all COVID-19 vaccine candidates, the Moderna vaccine must be authorized by Health Canada before being administered to Canadians.
  • In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) recognizes that for many employers and employees, there have been changes in the way that work is being conducted. Consequently, employers may provide certain benefits, allowances, or reimbursements to ensure that their employees are not unduly subject to harm when performing their employment duties. Under these extraordinary circumstances, the CRA has adopted new positions for employer-provided benefits pertaining to commuting and home office costs. These positions are effective from March 15, 2020 to December 31, 2020.
  • On Monday, St. Catharines City Council approved the 2021 Operating and Capital Budgets, representing a 1.86 per cent increase to the municipal portion of property tax in the year ahead for the median home. In 2021, the City projects non-tax revenue decreases of roughly 4.5 per cent, while at the same time an increase in operational costs of roughly $574,000, both largely related to the pandemic. In addition, other revenues related to City facility operations, such as the Meridian Centre and parking operations, are also being impacted. In total these items amount to a roughly $4.2 million impact on the 2021 budget, representing a roughly 3.9 per cent increase to the budget over 2020. The City used increased transfers from reserves — $2.7 million from the Civic Project Fund; $160,000 from the Hydro Reserve Fund; and $157,700 from the Tax Stabilization Reserve — in addition to a $1.9 million decrease in capital project funding from the Operating Budget to offset COVID-19 related costs to mitigate the pandemic’s impact on taxes. For the average homeowner, with a property value assessed at $254,000, the City portion of the property tax bill will increase by 1.86 per cent, amounting to an additional $29.98 for the year.
  • Statistics Canada reported today that manufacturing sales rose 0.3% to $54.1 billion in October, following a 2.2% increase in September. The increase in October was almost entirely attributable to non-durable industries, led by the paper, and petroleum and coal industries. Year over year, sales were down 5.2%. Motor vehicle sales rose 1.9% to $4.6 billion in October, following a 2.8% decline in September. Despite the increase, sales were 3.8% below the pre-pandemic level in February and were down 11.7% year over year. In October, motor vehicle inventories were at their lowest level since January 2018 and contributed to the slow recovery in motor vehicle sales. Production in the aerospace product and parts industry were down 5.9% to $1.6 billion in October, following a 15.3% increase in September. Aerospace manufacturers ramped down production due to the collapse in demand and uncertainty surrounding the length of global travel restrictions during the second wave of COVID-19. Production in the industry was one-quarter (-25.1%) below pre-pandemic levels in February.

Reading recommendations:

Maintaining social distancing inside retail stores during the COVID-19 pandemic has become a daily source of contention between retail workers and customers. Yet this distance is more than a safety regulation to front-line retail workers. Inside the store, this two-metre space has become a sign of respect and an acknowledgement of their humanity. Throughout the summer and fall of 2020, and as part of an ongoing research, we’ve been interviewing retail workers and customers in North America, asking them about how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected retail stores, employees and customers. One common story we kept hearing was how many customers disregard social distancing when in the vicinity of store employees.

Bank of Canada Governor Tiff Macklem said a second wave of virus cases risks deepening the country’s economic damage in the short term, even as vaccine developments provide optimism there’s “light at the end of the tunnel.” In a speech Tuesday to the Vancouver Board of Trade, Macklem said uncertainty remains elevated, with the next few months expected to be “difficult” and new restrictions potentially reversing recent economic gains. On the plus side, “news on vaccines provides some reassurance that more normal activities can resume sometime later next year.”

 If you are showing symptoms, contact your health care provider, call the Public Health Info-Line at 905-688-8248, or chat to Public Health online. For testing, call 905-378-4647 ext. 42819 (4-CV19) for information on test centres in Niagara and to book an appointment.

Previous updates can be accessed here.

The GNCC is here to support you. Contact us with any questions you have.

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COVID-19 Business Update: December 11th, 2020

December 11, 2020 | Uncategorised

The Ontario government is moving seven public health regions to new levels with stronger public health measures.
Information on government grants, resources, and programs, as well as policies, forms, and posters for download and use, are available here.
The Government of Canada has a support page with summaries of current programs and application portals.

Vital updates:

  • The Ontario government is moving seven public health regions to new levels with stronger public health measures. No regions have been moved into a less restrictive status. Niagara’s status remains unchanged, in Orange-Restrict, although the region’s acting medical officer of health, Dr. Mustafa Hirji, has expressed concerns that Niagara could be moved into Red-Control by as early as the end of next week, as several key metrics are already very close to the red threshold and trending in the wrong direction. The GNCC advises businesses to review the changes in the Red-Control status and make their contingency plans for a possible change now. Effective Monday, December 14, 2020 at 12:01 a.m., the following regions will have their status changed:
    • Grey-Lockdown
      • Windsor-Essex County Health Unit
      • York Region Public Health
    • Red-Control
      • Middlesex-London Health Unit
      • Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit
      • Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health
    • Orange-Restrict
      • Eastern Ontario Health Unit
    • Yellow-Protect
      • Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit
  • Between Sept. 18 and Nov. 28, Regional bylaw officers conducted 251 inspections of businesses across Niagara, including bars, restaurants, retail locations and others. Those inspections have resulted in 32 Part I Provincial Offence tickets ($750 fine) and three Part III summons (elevated fine) being issued for infractions under the Reopening Ontario Act, O.Reg. 364/20. Officers also issued 48 formal warnings and conducted 178 educational conversations. These inspections are in addition to those conducted by local area municipal bylaw offices. The GNCC recommends that all businesses review their legal obligations and suggested best practices, and implement them immediately, if they have not already done so, to protect the health of the public and avoid legal penalties. Questions can be directed to the Stop the Spread Business Information line at 1-888-444-3659.
  • The Ontario government is investing an additional $21 million in pre-apprenticeship training programs for up to 2,000 people, including at-risk youth, new Canadians, Indigenous peoples and women, to help them pursue the hands-on experience they need to begin careers in the skilled trades. Eligible organizations can apply for the funding now, with the call for proposals ending on January 5, 2021. Pre-apprenticeship training programs last up to one year and combine classroom training with an eight- to 12-week work placement. Last year this program helped train 1,800 people in 91 programs across the province. Training is free for participants and always includes a paid work placement. Eligible union and non-union training centres, colleges, employment agencies and other community organizations can submit their training proposals now.
  • The provincial government has announced that Infrastructure Ontario (IO) has entered into new commitments to provide financing through its Loan Program to four eligible organizations, including the Town of Lincoln, which received a $1,756,000 loan for multiple projects including a fire station, storm water management project and a community centre generator.
  • Alectra Utilities has clarified that, beginning in January 2021, it will reduce the average cost of electricity for Class A customers by 14 per cent and for Class B customers by 16 per cent, through a reduction of the Global Adjustment portion of the bill, under the Government of Ontario’s Comprehensive Electricity Plan. Businesses impacted by these changes will be larger business customers, typically classified as “Class A” or “Class B.” Most Class A customers are industrial and large-scale commercial customers. Class B customers are medium and larger-sized businesses, such as conference centres and medium-sized supermarkets.
  •  Statistics Canada’s national balance sheet and financial flow accounts for Q3 2020, released today, found that national net worth, the sum of national wealth and Canada’s net foreign asset position, had increased $572.6 billion from the previous quarter to $13,236.9 billion in the third quarter, largely fuelled by gains in the value of non-financial assets and an improvement in Canada’s net foreign asset position, which represents the difference between the value of Canada’s assets and liabilities with the rest of the world.
  • On a seasonally adjusted basis, total credit market borrowing increased from $7.2 billion to $38.4 billion in the third quarter. After reducing non-mortgage debt by $19.2 billion in the second quarter, households returned to accruing this type of debt, with a net increase of $9.7 billion. Demand for mortgage loans rose to $28.7 billion, setting a new high after record mortgage borrowing in the second quarter. The stock of credit market debt (consumer credit, and mortgage and non-mortgage loans) totalled $2,417.4 billion at the end of the quarter. Mortgage debt was $1,627.8 billion. Non-mortgage loans stood at $789.5 billion. Overall, the amount of debt in deferral as a result of the various relief measures provided by lenders had dropped significantly by the end of the third quarter.
  • The demand for funds by non-financial private corporations was $24.0 billion in the third quarter, up from $10.5 billion in the previous quarter. The funds were raised primarily through the issuance of equity, a marked shift from the reliance on bond issuances in the previous quarter. Borrowing in the form of non-mortgage loans continued to decline from the record level reached during the first quarter of 2020. This retrenching was mainly due to reduced loans with chartered banks (-$22.4 billion), with a return to pre-pandemic levels of debt with this lending sector. On the other hand, non-residents (+$8.9 billion) and the federal government (+$3.9 billion) continued to provide funds to non-financial private corporations, including through government programs, such as the Canadian Emergency Business Account, which extends loans to businesses. The program is ongoing until the first quarter of 2021.

Reading recommendations:

Less than 2 months ago, the US Department of Justice (DOJ) smacked Google with an antitrust case. In perhaps the greatest “hold my beer” ever, another government agency — the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) — just launched an antitrust case of its own against Facebook. And, unlike the Google case, this case is aiming for a breakup of its Big Tech target, according to the New York Times. The meat of the case concerns Facebook’s history of buying on-the-rise social apps, snuffing out future competition and reducing the end users’ experience.

Between 40 per cent to 70 per cent of employees currently working remotely due to COVID-19 restrictions want to go back to the office, with safety measures in place. Having a dedicated, distraction-free work space can keep workers on task and foster deeper cognitive processing. It can also help separate work hours from non-work hours. Nonetheless, returning to the office isn’t likely an option since many businesses might remain closed well into 2021, or some might have moved permanently to a work-from-home model. Some workers might also be facing a lengthy commute if they’ve moved away from cities during the lengthy pandemic. Similar to the “shop local” messaging encouraging consumers to buy from small neighbourhood retailers, working remotely from a nearby hotel could be a solution that benefits both remote workers and local hotels until the pandemic has passed.

 If you are showing symptoms, contact your health care provider, call the Public Health Info-Line at 905-688-8248, or chat to Public Health online. For testing, call 905-378-4647 ext. 42819 (4-CV19) for information on test centres in Niagara and to book an appointment.

Previous updates can be accessed here.

The GNCC is here to support you. Contact us with any questions you have.

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COVID-19 Business Update: December 10th, 2020

December 10, 2020 | Daily Update

The Ontario government is extending all orders currently in force under the Reopening Ontario Act, 2020 (ROA) until January 20, 2021
Information on government grants, resources, and programs, as well as policies, forms, and posters for download and use, are available here.
The Government of Canada has a support page with summaries of current programs and application portals.

Vital updates:

  • The Ontario government, in consultation with the Chief Medical Officer of Health, is extending all orders currently in force under the Reopening Ontario (A Flexible Response to COVID-19) Act, 2020 (ROA) until January 20, 2021. The list of orders under the ROA that have been extended can be found online on the Government of Ontario’s website.
  • The Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, has launched the 50 – 30 Challenge to advance and recognize diversity, inclusion and economic prosperity from coast to coast to coast. Minister Bains announced a $33-million investment in the Challenge, including for the development of tools and resources to help participating organizations advance diversity and inclusion in workplaces across Canada. Additionally, Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED) will leverage its programs to encourage companies that receive ISED funding to advance diversity and inclusion within their organizations. At the heart of the 50 – 30 Challenge are two goals for the board(s) and senior management of each organization: gender parity (50%) and significant representation (30%) of under-represented groups. To address the unique needs of various sectors in Canada, the Challenge offers three streams for participation: large corporations; small and medium-sized enterprises; and post-secondary institutions, not-for-profit organizations and charities.
  • The Ontario government has made the sale of alcohol with food takeout and delivery orders permanent. Additional permanent reforms for the hospitality sector will allow:
    • alcohol service on docked boats by operators with a liquor sales licence;
    • reduced minimum pricing of spirits consumed on-site, to align with the reduced pricing introduced for takeout and delivery orders;
    • the length of time for temporary patio extensions to be set out by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO); and,
    • for a requirement that ensures third parties delivering from licensed restaurants and bars have a delivery licence.
  • The province is also acting to support businesses by:
    • removing restrictive rules to allow for the delivery of alcoholic beverages in food boxes and meal kits;
    • allowing eligible alcohol manufacturers to deliver their own products and charge a delivery fee;
    • allowing restaurants and bars to offer mixed cocktails and growlers as part of a takeout or delivery order; and,
    • permitting eligible manufacturers to sell spirits and 100 per cent Ontario wine at farmers markets.
  • Canada’s Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion, Carla Qualtrough, and Monte McNaughton, Ontario’s Minister of Labour, Training and Skills Development, highlighted that the Government of Canada is investing an additional $1.5 billion in the Workforce Development Agreements (WDAs) with provinces and territories. The Government of Ontario has received $614 million to help respond to the increased number of Ontarians looking to re-enter the workforce, particularly those in hard-hit sectors and groups disadvantaged as a result of the pandemic.
  • Today, the Honourable Patty Hajdu, Minister of Health, and the Honourable Joyce Murray, Minister of Digital Government, announced that COVID Alert has been updated with two new features. The first app update allows users to clear the screen that indicates exposure to COVID-19. After receiving a negative COVID-19 test result, the screen can be cleared enabling the app to alert the user of a new exposure. Users should follow public health guidance, and only clear the screen that indicates exposure following a negative test result or after they receive instructions provided by their public health authority. The second feature allows users to turn COVID Alert on and off without disabling Bluetooth. This change was made after listening to feedback from health care workers, who need flexibility to turn off COVID Alert while they are at work wearing their personal protective equipment (PPE).
  • The Honourable Mary Ng, Minister of Small Business, Export Promotion and International Trade, introduced Bill C-18, An Act to implement the Canada-United Kingdom Trade Continuity Agreement (Canada-UK TCA), in the House of Commons. Subject to parliamentary approval, by preserving the main benefits of the Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), including the elimination of tariffs on 98% of products exported to the United Kingdom, this agreement will maintain preferential access to the U.K. market for Canadian exporters, even as the United Kingdom exits CETA. British officials have expressed concern that the legislation may not be passed before the House rises for its year-end recess on Friday, meaning that tariffs would be imposed on January 1st.
  • Hudson’s Bay Co. is asking an Ontario court to review the province’s decision to temporarily close non-essential retailers in Toronto and Peel Region. In a judicial review filed on Thursday, the Toronto-based retailer called the province’s approach “unreasonable” and “unfair” and asked to recognize that there is a need for a solution that prioritizes health and safety without jeopardizing the livelihood of thousands of retail workers and the future of many businesses.
  • Canada on Wednesday approved its first COVID-19 vaccine and said initial shots will be delivered and administered across the country starting next week, while every Canadian will be able to be inoculated as early as the end of September. Canada is the third country after Britain and Bahrain to give the green light to Pfizer Inc’s vaccine, developed with Germany’s BioNTech SE. General inoculations for all Canadians will begin in April after priority populations are taken care of, the government said in a vaccination plan also released on Wednesday.
  • The office of Wayne Gates, M.P.P. has compiled a list of available business support programs, which has been reproduced with his kind permission below. A list of business programs and resources can also be found on the GNCC’s website. Businesses are encouraged to review the list and apply for any and all programs that would be useful and for which they may be eligible. Questions about programs can be directed to the Ontario Stop the Spread Information Line at 1-888-444-3659, the Government of Canada Business Enquiries Line at 1-800-959-5525, your Member of Parliament or Provincial Parliament, or the GNCC.

Federal COVID-19 Resources for Businesses

Managing your business during COVID-19

A Government of Canada guide to reopening, financial support, loans and credit. This guide has a detailed list of programs open to businesses.

Provincial COVID-19 Resources for Businesses

Businesses: Get help with COVID-19 costs

A guide to government programs such as personal protective equipment cost recovery and rebates for expenses such as property tax and energy bills.

Small business recovery resources

An Ontario Government guide to resources available to businesses with fewer than 100 workers.

COVID-19: Help for businesses in Ontario

An Ontario Government for all businesses – including reopening guidance and financial relief.

Available funding opportunities from the Ontario Government

The following programs from this Ontario Government directory may be of interest:

Ontario Together

The province’s COVID-19 equipment supplier portal.

Ontario Pandemic Response Partnership Programs

Ontario Business Centres

Ontario announced it was providing $2,040,000 to support Small Business Entreprise Centres to create a Small Business COVID-19 Recovery Network to enhance services.

Digital Main Street Grants

Resources to help businesses transition to digital services (training and grants).

Advocis Connect

Available professional financial advisory sessions focused on questions about government relief programs and business continuity.

Ontario small business financial literacy resources

CPA Canada Financial Literacy Program guide to resources for small businesses.

General Resources for Businesses

Regional Development Program

Program invests in businesses, through funding or services, for programs developing the region (job creation, private investment attraction, business growth etc.).

Small Business Access

A government guide to support, information and advice for running a small business.

Small business: advice, support services, regulations

A government guide to support for small businesses and government regulations.

Ministry of Finance Credits, Benefits and Incentives 

A list of tax credits for businesses.

Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario

This Government of Canada agency delivers funding programs for innovation and economic growth in southern Ontario.

Business grants and financing

A Government of Canada guide to grants, loans, private and public sector financing and how to leverage personal assets. The following funding directory allows businesses to filter information based on their personal business attributes and needs.

Community Futures Development Corporation

These offices offer services and financing to small and medium startup companies. Businesses can search an interactive map to find their local office.

Recent Ontario Press Releases & Plans

Ontario Supports Businesses, Workers and Families during COVID-19

Ministry of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade, December 4, 2020

Province Proposes Cap on Delivery Fees to Support Local Restaurants

Ministry of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade, November 26, 2020

Rebuilding Main Street: Helping Ontario Businesses Reopen Safer, Rehire Faster and Recover from COVID-19

Ministry of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade, 2020

Ontario Supporting Small Businesses with Financial Advice and Training

Ministry of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade, November 19, 2020

Ontario’s Action Plan: Protect, Support, Recover Promotes Job Creation by Reducing Taxes on Employers

Office of the Premier, November 10, 2020

Reading recommendations:

Some of the oldest companies cannot definitively trace their history back to their founding, but their timelines are accepted by the government and scholars. The businesses, known as “shinise,” are a source of both pride and fascination. Regional governments promote their products. Business management books explain the secrets of their success. And entire travel guides are devoted to them. Most of these old businesses are small, family-run enterprises that deal in traditional goods and services. But some are among Japan’s most famous companies, including Nintendo, which got its start making playing cards 131 years ago, and the soy sauce brand Kikkoman, which has been around since 1917.

Meet the clean supermajors. They have the clout and financial might of the energy behemoths that plumbed the world over for oil and gas before them. But instead of digging mines and drilling wells, they’re leading the race to electrify the global economy. These four companies—Enel, Iberdrola, NextEra Energy and Orsted—prioritized the building or buying of clean-power plants when those assets were still considered alternative and expensive. Now they’re on the cusp of a breakthrough.

 If you are showing symptoms, contact your health care provider, call the Public Health Info-Line at 905-688-8248, or chat to Public Health online. For testing, call 905-378-4647 ext. 42819 (4-CV19) for information on test centres in Niagara and to book an appointment.

Previous updates can be accessed here.

The GNCC is here to support you. Contact us with any questions you have.

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