In this edition:

• Business Data Lab analyzes latest business conditions report
• Price of manufactured goods down 6.3% year-over-year, raw materials drop 18.4%
• Canada invests $350 million in national sustainable aviation innovation network
• New PPE, jobsite toilet rules take effect July 1
• Independent grocers criticize Ottawa’s deal to lower interchange fees
• New transitional housing announced for Fort Erie
• Electric vehicle supply company moving to Welland

Business Data Lab analyzes latest business conditions report

“Concerns regarding inflation and input costs remain high,” said Business Data Lab Senior Director Patrick Gill in the institution’s latest report. “These are identified as the most significant business challenges in the upcoming quarter, with half of businesses anticipating an increase in operating expenses. Despite the slowdown in headline inflation, a notable share of businesses plan to raise their prices next quarter, contributing to an ongoing ‘pricing predicament.'”

Click here to read more.

Price of manufactured goods down 6.3% year-over-year, raw materials drop 18.4%

Prices of products manufactured in Canada, as measured by the Industrial Product Price Index (IPPI), fell 1.0% month over month in May and were 6.3% lower than May 2022. In May 2023, prices of raw materials purchased by manufacturers operating in Canada, as measured by the Raw Materials Price Index (RMPI), decreased 4.9% on a monthly basis and fell 18.4% year over year.

Click here to read more.

Canada invests $350 million in national sustainable aviation innovation network

Today, the Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, announced an investment of $350 million to support Canada’s new Initiative for Sustainable Aviation Technology (INSAT) aimed at accelerating the green industrial transformation of the aerospace industry.

This investment, via the Strategic Innovation Fund, will establish a pan-Canadian, industry-led aerospace network focused on funding collaborative research and development projects with companies of all sizes across the Canadian supply chain, from coast to coast to coast.

Click here to read more.

New PPE, jobsite toilet rules take effect July 1

New Ontario regulations to upgrade toilet and washstand facilities at construction sites and require proper-fitting work clothing should not be overly onerous to comply with says one construction lawyer but they represent a major step for female empowerment says another advocate.

The revisions to the Construction Projects Regulation take effect July 1, prompting construction employers to seek legal advice and take steps to ensure compliance.

Click here to read more.

Four industry associations – the Canadian Federation of Independent Grocers (CFIG), Association des détaillants en alimentation du Québec (ADA), Retail Council of Canada (RCC) and Convenience Industry Council of Canada (CICC) – have joined together in a public affairs campaign criticizing the deal on interchange fees with Visa and Mastercard.

A letter signed by the presidents of CFIG, ADA, RCC and CICC was submitted this week to Liberal committee chair Peter Fonseca, expressing their disappointment at the low thresholds, which leave medium-sized businesses out in the cold.

Click here to read more.

New transitional housing announced for Fort Erie

Today, Niagara Region in partnership with Niagara Regional Housing and Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation announced more than $6 million toward new supportive housing for women and their children fleeing violence.

Federal and local contributions totalling $6,316,296 will go to build and operate an 18-unit transitional housing project on Crescent Road in Fort Erie.

Click here to read more.

Electric vehicle supply company moving to Welland

Did you know?

The first digital camera was invented by Eastman Kodak engineer Steve Sasson in 1975. It weighed 4 kilograms and recorded a black-and-white image on digital tape.  

Focus on Small Business

Ask a 7-year-old what they want to be when they grow up and they will tell you. “YouTuber.” Being paid to create online sounds like great fun, but most people don’t make it big. For every 100 people that start showing up on YouTube, Twitter, Instagram, or LinkedIn, 90 will drop out before the first year is up. They’ll say it wasn’t for them and they’ll join another bandwagon, never committing and never seeing real success online.

Click here to read more.

Through the Daily Updates, the GNCC aims to deliver important business news in a timely manner. We disseminate all news and information we feel will be important to businesses. Inclusion in the Daily Update is not an endorsement by the GNCC.

In this edition:

• • Labour market stats holding steady, Niagara still near record-low unemployment rate
  • Job market shows sign of softening, but economists say more needed to stop rate hikes
  • Canada extends waiving of tariffs on Ukrainian goods
  • Casino Woodbine’s new 5,000-seat concert venue will ‘absolutely’ have negative impact on OLG Stage at Fallsview: Diodati
  • Brock and Goodman community event to honour Indigenous business leader
  • New funding powers up Niagara College program for Indigenous students
  • Niagara Falls looking to crackdown on 1,000 illegal vacation rentals

Labour market stats holding steady, Niagara still near record-low unemployment rate

Niagara’s unemployment rate edged up from 4.4% to 4.5% last month, according to the latest Labour Force Survey data from Statistics Canada. The regional rate still remains well below the provincial rate of 5.2% and the national average of 5%. The local participation rate edged up slightly, indicating more people entering the workforce, while the employment rate also increased, showing that most of them were successful in finding work.

Nationally, overall employment was virtually unchanged in May (-17,000; -0.1%). Employment growth has moderated in recent months and monthly increases averaged 33,000 from February to April. This followed strong employment gains totalling 326,000 from September 2022 to January 2023.

Click here for more visualizations of labour market data.

Click here to access Statistics Canada’s interactive labour market app.

Canada’s unemployment rate ticked up in May for the first time in nine months, but forecasters say the Bank of Canada will have to see more softening in the economy before it takes it takes a step back from raising interest rates.

Statistics Canada reported Friday that a weaker summer hiring season for youth drove Canada’s unemployment rate to 5.2 per cent, up from 5.0 per cent. Overall employment was little changed last month as the economy lost a modest 17,000 jobs.

“Today’s negative print ends a streak of eight months of job gains,” said TD director of economics, James Orlando in a client note.

Click here to read more.

Canada extends waiving of tariffs on Ukrainian goods

The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, the Honourable Chrystia Freeland, today announced that Canada will extend the Ukraine Goods Remission Order until June 9, 2024. This will ensure the continued tariff-free import of Ukrainian goods to Canada, including steel and in-quota supply-managed goods.

The Ukraine Goods Remission Order, in force since June 9, 2022, supports the Ukrainian economy by increasing exports to Canada through the temporary and exceptional remission of customs and trade remedy duties on imports of goods originating in Ukraine.

Click here to read more.

Casino Woodbine’s new 5,000-seat concert venue will ‘absolutely’ have negative impact on OLG Stage at Fallsview: Diodati

Already worried about what a glitzy new, billion-dollar Vegas-style resort and casino in northwest Toronto could mean for the two casinos in Niagara Falls, local officials will have taken note of Great Canadian Entertainment’s announcement Wednesday it has reached an exclusive partnership with Live Nation Canada on a new 5,000-seat concert venue at the Etobicoke site.

Click here to read more.

Brock and Goodman community event to honour Indigenous business leader

Entrepreneur and consultant Karen MacKenzie will share insight into how she incorporates traditional knowledge of Indigenous ways into the workplace when she’s honoured during Brock University’s third annual Indigenous Leader Speaker Series.

Taking place on National Indigenous Peoples Day, Wednesday, June 21 from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m., the online event is a partnership between Brock’s Indigenous Engagement Office and the Goodman School of Business.

Click here to read more.

New funding powers up Niagara College program for Indigenous students

A groundbreaking program from Niagara College to support Indigenous students transitioning to postsecondary education will return with an expanded outreach for fall 2023.

The College’s My Path of Worthwhile Educational Re-engagement (MPOWER) program, which was introduced last year to its first cohort of students, was recently approved for more than $59,000 in funding from The Ontario Council on Articulation and Transfer (ONCAT). The agreement came into effect at the beginning of April 2023.

Click here to read more.

Niagara Falls is raising awareness about rules surrounding its vacation rental properties in the city, saying there are 1000 illegal ones operating in the city.

The illegal vacation rental units are listed on websites like AirBnb, VRBO, and Kijiji.

While rentals are allowed in the city, they must meet three requirements including being located in a Tourist Commercial, General Commercial, or Central Business zone.

Click here to read more.

Did you know?

The population of Tokyo, Japan is about a million less than the population of Canada. 

Focus on Human Resources

Ensuring the safety of employees is crucial for any business. If health and safety risks are not addressed, there can be immediate consequences that go beyond employee safety such as legal action, imprisonment, and fines.

The three most common health and safety risks in the workplace include slips and falls, exertion, and workplace harassment or violence, says Wendy Irwin, health and safety consultant at BrightHR Canada.

Click here to read more.

Through the Daily Updates, the GNCC aims to deliver important business news in a timely manner. We disseminate all news and information we feel will be important to businesses. Inclusion in the Daily Update is not an endorsement by the GNCC.

In this edition:

• • Bank of Canada raises policy rate 25 basis points, continues quantitative tightening
  • Persistent inflation, higher interest rates will weigh on global economy, OECD predicts
  • City of Welland adopts new strategic plan
  • Niagara Falls GO train service interrupted this weekend
  • Fort Erie officially asks Niagara Health to reverse urgent care decision
  • Poor air quality prompts total open-air burn bans in Niagara

Bank of Canada raises policy rate 25 basis points, continues quantitative tightening

The Bank of Canada today increased its target for the overnight rate to 4¾%, with the Bank Rate at 5% and the deposit rate at 4¾%. The Bank is also continuing its policy of quantitative tightening.

Globally, consumer price inflation is coming down, largely reflecting lower energy prices compared to a year ago, but underlying inflation remains stubbornly high. Canada’s economy was stronger than expected in the first quarter of 2023, with GDP growth of 3.1%. Consumption growth was surprisingly strong and broad-based, even after accounting for the boost from population gains. Demand for services continued to rebound. In addition, spending on interest-sensitive goods increased and, more recently, housing market activity has picked up.

The labour market remains tight: higher immigration and participation rates are expanding the supply of workers but new workers have been quickly hired, reflecting continued strong demand for labour.

Overall, the bank said, excess demand in the economy looks to be more persistent than anticipated.

Click here to read more.

The global economy must steer through a precarious recovery this year and next as inflation keeps dragging on household spending and higher interest rates weigh on growth, banks and markets.

That was the takeaway Wednesday from the latest economic outlook by the Paris-based Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. The group, made up of 38 member countries, raised its growth forecast this year to 2.7% from an estimated 2.2% in November and foresaw only a tiny acceleration to 2.9% next year.

Click here to read more.

City of Welland adopts new strategic plan

Adopted by Council at the June 6 council meeting, the City of Welland’s 2023-2026 Strategic Plan: Charting our Future is the culmination of engagement and collaboration by city staff, Council, and the community. Authentic and impactful conversations were had with a wide range of individuals who attended in-person sessions, and businesses, organizations, agencies, and city staff had the opportunity to provide input with an online survey. The resident feedback summary had 241 respondents, businesses and organizations had 20 respondents, and city staff had 30 respondents.

Click here to read more.

Niagara Falls GO train service interrupted this weekend

GO Transit train service to Niagara Falls will be impacted this weekend, with train service ending at Aldershot GO in Burlington.

Weekend GO Transit train service between Niagara Falls and Burlington will be impacted this weekend, due to infrastructure work that needs to be done to prepare for upcoming construction of the Burloak Drive grade separation in Oakville.

Metrolinx, the provincial agency that oversees road and public transit planning in the Golden Horseshoe region, said the impacts affecting the Lakeshore West line between Oakville and West Harbour GO will start at 9 a.m. Friday and last until the end of Sunday, June 11.

Click here to read more.

Fort Erie officially asks Niagara Health to reverse urgent care decision

On Monday, June 5, 2023, the Town of Fort Erie called a Special Council Meeting to discuss the reduction of Urgent Care service hours at Douglas Memorial and its Port Colborne site by half.

A resolution by Council of the Town of Fort Erie requested, among other things, that Niagara Health reverse its decision to reduce hours are Fort Erie Urgent Care Centre effective July 5, 2023, and a continuation of full-service hours, 24 hours a day, seven days per week.

Click here to read more.

Poor air quality prompts total open-air burn bans in Niagara

Click here to read more.

Did you know?

World governments spent a total of $1 trillion subsidizing fossil fuels last year, equal to more than half of Canada’s GDP.

Focus on Climate

With New York City being ranked briefly this morning as the city with the world’s worst air pollution, mayor Eric Adams warned that climate change has accelerated the conditions surrounding the smokey haze that has shrouded the city.

“While this may be the first time we’ve experienced something like this on this magnitude…it is not the last. Climate change accelerated these conditions.”

Adams went on to urge for more action towards addressing climate change issues, saying:

“New York City is clearly a national leader on public health and climate action and these dangerous air quality conditions are clearly an urgent reminder that we must act now to protect our city, our environment and the future of our children.”

Click here to read more.

Through the Daily Updates, the GNCC aims to deliver important business news in a timely manner. We disseminate all news and information we feel will be important to businesses. Inclusion in the Daily Update is not an endorsement by the GNCC.

In this edition:

• Tourists from 13 new countries now eligible for electronic travel authorization
• Issued value of building permits drops to lowest level since 2020
• Ontario Chamber of Commerce and Medavie launch initiative to address mental health “echo pandemic”
• Grimsby and LinkedIn partner on free courses for employees and residents
• Fire & Flower files for court protection from creditors
• Heat up your safety game: Tips to keep cool in the summer sun
• Museum lecture takes deep dive into Niagara’s Indigenous history

Tourists from 13 new countries now eligible for electronic travel authorization

The Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, has announced the addition of 13 countries to the electronic travel authorization (eTA) program. Travellers from these countries who have either held a Canadian visa in the last 10 years or who currently hold a valid United States non-immigrant visa can now apply for an eTA instead of a visa when travelling to Canada by air.

Click here to read more.

Issued value of building permits drops to lowest level since 2020

The total monthly value of building permits in Canada dropped 18.8% to $9.6 billion in April, the lowest level since December 2020, Statistics Canada reported today.

Following a record high in March, the total monthly value of non-residential permits fell 34.6% to $3.4 billion in April. The total monthly value of residential permits declined 6.1% to $6.1 billion, sliding for the second consecutive month. Declines were posted for both the single-family and multi-dwelling components.3

Ontario (down 10.5% or -$296.4 million) greatly contributed to the monthly decrease in the residential sector.

Click here to read more.

Ontario Chamber of Commerce and Medavie launch initiative to address mental health “echo pandemic”

The Ontario Chamber of Commerce (OCC) and Medavie are pleased to announce the launch of a new research project aimed at accelerating health and economic solutions to tackle the surge in mental health challenges since the onset of COVID-19, known as the mental health “echo pandemic.” This initiative reflects the OCC’s commitment to supporting businesses, the health system, and the overall resilience of the economy.

With mental health challenges and illnesses increasingly impacting individuals and communities, the OCC recognizes the urgent need for comprehensive solutions. Through this policy project, the OCC will delve into the socioeconomic impacts of the mental health crisis, from rising health care costs to lost productivity, absenteeism, and presenteeism.

Click here to read more.

Grimsby and LinkedIn partner on free courses for employees and residents

The Town of Grimsby, along with the Grimsby Public Library, has announced a new collaboration with online learning platform LinkedIn Learning. This partnership provides free access to LinkedIn Learning’s vast library of high-quality courses to all employees and residents of Grimsby who possess a valid library card.

With the labour market landscape rapidly evolving, the demand for continuous learning and upskilling has become more critical than ever. Recognizing the importance of continuous education, the Town of Grimsby has taken a step forward by joining forces with LinkedIn Learning to offer unparalleled learning opportunities to its employees.

Click here to read more.

Fire & Flower files for court protection from creditors

Cannabis retailer Fire & Flower Holdings Corp. says it has received a court order for creditor protection under the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act CCAA), reported The Canadian Press (CP) on Tuesday.

According to the report, the company had been pursuing additional financing to raise capital to fund its operations.

Click here to read more.

Heat up your safety game: Tips to keep cool in the summer sun

With warmer weather arriving across Canada, we’ll soon be in the thick of summer heat. That means employers, and workers, need to prepare to avoid heat-related illnesses in the workplace.

While this is no surprise, it is worth mentioning that heat-related hazards can, and do, pop up much more unexpectedly than many of the predictable occupational hazards that are seen year-round.

MJ MacDonald, CEO of Construction Safety Nova Scotia (CSNS), said that — compared to other hazards in construction such as speeding drivers — heat is something that we tend to be less aware of as a risk.

Creating a plan to address heat can make a big difference when it comes to safety and there is a need for employers to step in and monitor conditions closely.

Click here to read more.

Did you know?

Philadelphia cream cheese was actually invented in New York.

Focus on Finance & Economy

The Securities and Exchange Commission filed a lawsuit against cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase Global (COIN) as the regulator turns up its pressure on the crypto world.

The SEC alleges Coinbase, the largest crypto exchange in the US, violated securities laws by acting as an exchange, a broker and a clearing agency without registering with the agency. It also offered and sold securities without registering its offers and sales, the SEC said.

Click here to read more.

Through the Daily Updates, the GNCC aims to deliver important business news in a timely manner. We disseminate all news and information we feel will be important to businesses. Inclusion in the Daily Update is not an endorsement by the GNCC.

In this edition:

• Ontario now requires naloxone kits in at-risk workplaces
• Strong consumer protection and consumer education will be important for open banking in Canada: FCAC
• Air Canada flight communicator system breaks down, causing widespread delays
• Almost one in four businesses offers at least one type of service in English and French: StatCan
• St. Catharines eyes affordable housing partnerships for Facer Street property
• Government of Canada supports Indigenous economic development in southern Ontario

Ontario now requires naloxone kits in at-risk workplaces

The Ontario government is now requiring at-risk employers to ensure their workplaces have a life-saving naloxone kit on hand and workers trained on how to use them. As of April, more than 1,000 free nasal spray naloxone kits have been distributed to businesses around the province through Ontario’s Workplace Naloxone Program, while businesses may also obtain their own kits.

In 2022, over 2,500 people died from opioid-related causes in Ontario.

Click here to read more.

Strong consumer protection and consumer education will be important for open banking in Canada: FCAC

Today, the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada (FCAC) published a report on the results of its public opinion research into Canadians’ awareness and understanding of open banking and financial technology (fintech) services.

Open banking is not yet available in Canada, but many Canadians are already using fintech apps that use screen scraping to access financial data. Screen scraping is different from open banking because consumers must share their online banking username and password. Sharing this information may violate consumers’ electronic access agreements with their banks and expose them to security, privacy, and liability risks.

The report’s findings provide evidence that strong and consistent consumer protections and education will be essential to build trust, understanding and interest in open banking among Canadians.

Click here to read more.

Air Canada flight communicator system breaks down, causing widespread delays

Air Canada is experiencing an issue with one of its internal systems, leading to flight delays across its network.

The airline said Thursday it is “experiencing a temporary technical issue with its communicator system, one of the systems that we use to communicate with aircraft and monitor operational performance.”

The issue is causing delays across the system, with 227 flights delayed so far on Thursday, according to FlightAware.com. That’s about 43 per cent of the airline’s daily load.

Click here to read more.

Almost one in four businesses offers at least one type of service in English and French: StatCan

In 2022, more than 250,000 private business establishments (23.3%) in Canada offered at least one type of bilingual service or conducted at least one business activity in both English and French.

However, variations were observed, for example, by business size. About one in six (17.1%) businesses with one to four employees offered some bilingual services, compared with nearly half (49.5%) of establishments with 100 or more employees. All businesses that offered bilingual services employed 41.0% of the workforce in Canada’s private sector.

Click here to read more.

St. Catharines eyes affordable housing partnerships for Facer Street property

The Queen Elizabeth Centre property owned by the City of St. Catharines is being eyed as a possible location for affordable housing.

City council wants to explore potential partnership models for building affordable housing at 2 Facer St. that would also allow the existing tenant, Boys and Girls Club of Niagara, to remain.

St. George’s Coun. Kevin Townsend, who made a motion Monday directing staff to explore options, said in an interview Wednesday he chose the location in part because of timing — the building is due for renovations.

Click here to read more.

Government of Canada supports Indigenous economic development in southern Ontario

Today, the Honourable Filomena Tassi, Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario), announced that a dedicated team and resources are now available to help guide Indigenous-owned businesses and organizations in southern Ontario on programming and services available to them. This team is connecting with Indigenous-led businesses, organizations and entrepreneurs to encourage them to visit FedDev Ontario’s new webpage and contact the Agency by telephone or email to learn more about government funding and support available to help them reach their potential, and achieve their goals.

Click here to read more.

In this edition:

• • Feds announce funding for second phase of Port Weller Dry Docks Cargo Terminal Project
  • Province to provide free training for auto workers
  • Canadian corporate income down in Q1 2023
  • ConnectLinc Summer Youth Skills Programs prepare local youth for bright future in Lincoln
  • Electric vehicle showcase being held in Niagara this weekend
  • Niagara College-led Greenhouse Technology Network expands membership by 2

Feds announce funding for second phase of Port Weller Dry Docks Cargo Terminal Project

Today, the Minister of Transport, the Honourable Omar Alghabra, announced an investment of up to $5.2 million, under the National Trade Corridors Fund, for the second phase of the Port Weller Dry Docks Cargo Terminal Project.

This project will improve the areas of the port that are being used for the handling of cargo. It will also develop around 11 acres of land that is available, but not being used, from the dockside to the cement trans-loading facility, as well as around the cargo laydown and handling area.

As demand for cement continues to rise, and there is less land for port development, this project will increase capacity in the Niagara ports network. It will also improve transportation connections between Niagara ports, making it easier and more efficient to deliver goods to different markets.

Click here to read more.

Province to provide free training for auto workers

The Ontario government is investing more than $4.7 million to support two innovative projects to help over 360 people land full-time jobs in the province’s growing automotive manufacturing sector. These free programs will provide participants with skills for rewarding careers in machine operation, assembly, quality control, and logistics while also preparing automotive technicians and those interested in the industry for work in the emerging electric vehicle field.

Click here to read more.

Canadian corporate income down in Q1 2023

The combination of higher interest rates, inflationary pressures, and labour challenges have impacted Canadian enterprises in several different ways. Collectively these macroeconomic headwinds drove down net income before taxes (NIBT) in the first quarter.

Canadian corporations reported a 5.6% decrease (or -$9.8 billion) to $165.9 billion in NIBT in the first quarter, impacting both the financial sector (-11.3%) and the non-financial sector (-3.1%).

Click here to read more.

ConnectLinc Summer Youth Skills Programs prepare local youth for bright future in Lincoln

Following the success of the 2022 Summer Youth Skills Program and the 2023 March Break Youth Skills Program, ConnectLinc is offering seven specialized camps focused on industries that play a crucial role in the tourism sector here in Lincoln and across Niagara. These industries include technology, events, public works, agriculture, hospitality, food service and media.

Registration for summer programs is now open to individuals ages 12 to 16 at www.civiconnect.ca/connect-linc.

Click here to read more.

Electric vehicle showcase being held in Niagara this weekend

CAA Niagara is excited to present its first-ever EV Showcase, taking place outside the Pen Centre in St. Catharines on May 27 & 28, 2023.

Throughout the two-day event, there will be EV vendors and experts onsite, showcasing their products and services, providing demonstrations and sharing their knowledge on e-mobility. The event will also feature test drives from Plug ‘N Drive and Tesla, giving attendees the opportunity to get behind the wheel of the latest electric vehicles on the market, as well as a special EV panel with presentations from various industry experts and enthusiasts.

Click here to read more.

Niagara College-led Greenhouse Technology Network expands membership by 2

Brock University and the University of Windsor are the newest members of Greenhouse Technology Network (GTN), a Niagara College-led consortium of academic research institutions supporting the research needs of greenhouse and related technology businesses through applied projects.

In 2019, the new network for research and technology in southern Ontario’s greenhouse sector was established with support from a $5-million Government of Canada investment through the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario).

GTN is a consortium of research-focused centres that increases innovation capacity to grow the Ontario greenhouse industry.

Click here to read more.

Did you know?

The world’s oldest known profession is dentistry. A 14,000-year-old skull found in Italy had had dental work.

Focus on Climate

‘Don’t F&*! The Planet’: Atlassian issues net zero guide for companies cutting climate impact

As corporate reports go, the title of Aussie tech firm Atlassian’s guide for other companies to cut their greenhouse gas emissions is as direct and flavoursome as they come: “Don’t F&*! The Planet.”

The firm, founded by Australians Mike Cannon-Brookes and Scott Farquhar, says it is already running its operations on 100% renewable electricity and has a “science-based target” to reach net zero emissions no later than 2040.

But the guide lays out the company’s steps in adopting its target and warns companies that the issue of using offsets to meet targets “is facing an enormous amount of blowback”.

The guide says any company that commits to a science-based target “can’t make net zero claims” until they have cut their emissions directly by 90%, with carbon offsets used to make up the balance.

Click here to read more.

Through the Daily Updates, the GNCC aims to deliver important business news in a timely manner. We disseminate all news and information we feel will be important to businesses. Inclusion in the Daily Update is not an endorsement by the GNCC.

In this edition:

• Ontario invests $12.5m in business health and safety
• Residential building construction fell in March while industrial construction posted gains
• CIP tax incentives approved for residential projects in St. Catharines
• Pelham to craft living wage policy for town employees
• Highway 413: Needed to address growth or just a plan to push sprawl?
• Higher tech in the grocery store

Ontario invests $12.5m in business health and safety

The Ontario government is investing an additional $12.5 million in Ontario’s six health and safety associations, which provide safety training and resources to businesses and workers across the province.

Ontario is also updating standards for mandatory working at heights training to address one of the leading causes of workplace deaths in industries like construction. These updates will help improve the quality of training and safety knowledge of participants when working in various settings including with ladders, skylights and damaged equipment. Over one million workers have completed this training since it began in 2015.

Click here to read more.

Residential building construction fell in March while industrial construction posted gains

Investment in building construction declined 1.3% to $20.3 billion in March. The residential sector fell 2.1% to $14.6 billion, while the non-residential sector went up by 0.9% to $5.7 billion.

Investment in single family homes was down 1.8% to $7.9 billion for March, with seven provinces posting declines. Multi-unit construction fell 2.4% to $6.7 billion in March. Ontario (-4.7%; -$135.6 million) played the largest role in the decline, more than offsetting notable gains in Quebec (+4.8%; +$58.9 million) and Saskatchewan (+28.6%; +$22.8 million).

Industrial construction investment increased for the 16th consecutive month, up 3.4% to $1.2 billion in March. Overall, eight provinces posted gains, led by Ontario (+5.0%; +$27.4 million).

Click here to read more.

CIP tax incentives approved for residential projects in St. Catharines

Two major residential projects planned for downtown St. Catharines and the former GM property on Ontario Street have been approved for tax incentives.

City council approved the tax breaks for 88 James St. and 10 Pleasant Ave. through the city’s community improvement plan (CIP) following a two-hour discussion Monday night.

Click here to read more.

Pelham to craft living wage policy for town employees

Pelham is making the move toward becoming a living wage employer but will not seek certification from the Ontario Living Wage Network (OLWN).

Instead, town politicians directed staff to develop a living wage policy for council to consider in August. One of the main issues for councillors was that certification required that contractors the town deals with must also pay their employees a living wage.

Click here to read more.

Highway 413: Needed to address growth or just a plan to push sprawl?

Highway 413 is not a transportation plan, but it is an arm of a plan to push sprawl into places where it otherwise wouldn’t happen, said Environmental Defence’s Phil Pothen, during a recent Transport Futures webinar.

But proponents say it’s needed to accommodate expansive growth in Ontario.

“It is really a publicly subsidized loss leader to prop up an offer from sprawl developers which otherwise wouldn’t be very appealing,” said Pothen, the program director with the environmental advocacy group, at the session, Highway Stakeholders: Diverse perspectives on the future of highways.

Click here to read more.

Higher tech in the grocery store

During the pandemic, grocers big and small made significant strides in improving their e-commerce platforms to make online shopping a viable way to buy groceries. But now that shoppers are back in-store again, they’re looking for the same conveniences they’ve become accustomed to online.

With brick-and-mortar stores still being the primary sales channel and driver of long-term loyalty in grocery, analysts say retailers who want to keep tech-savvier customers coming back will need to use technology tools that help meet evolving in-store shopping expectations. That means implementing solutions that will create a frictionless and more engaging in-store experience.

Click here to read more.

Did you know?

The Dutch East India Company is the largest company to have ever existed. At its peak in 1637, it was worth $8.28 trillion. The largest company in the world today is Apple, with a market cap of $2.65 trillion.

Focus on Climate

Changing weather requires changes to planning and response for emergencies

As weather patterns change and climate emergencies become more common, so too does the planning and response that municipalities have for them.

“The weather has changed in the last 10 years. It’s changed in the last 20 years, 30 years, so what we used to plan for…is not necessarily what we plan for now,” Rick Bernard, manager of emergency management with the City of Brampton, told those in attendance at the Good Roads conference session Which Comes First: Emergency Preparedness or Disaster Recovery.

Bernard spoke about an emergency that occurred last February in the city, an ice jam that caused widespread flooding in the neighbourhood of Churchville.

In Ontario, all 444 municipalities need to have a hazard identification risk assessment list that identifies threats and hazards the community may face and they are prioritized.

Click here to read more.

Through the Daily Updates, the GNCC aims to deliver important business news in a timely manner. We disseminate all news and information we feel will be important to businesses. Inclusion in the Daily Update is not an endorsement by the GNCC.