Daily Update: May 9, 2023

May 9, 2023 | Daily Update

Your Niagara: Commitment to people drives Welland businesses, U.S. debt limit looming, may have spillover effects for Canada, and more.

In this edition:

Your Niagara: Commitment to people drives Welland businesses

This new series from the GNCC in partnership with Niagara Economic Development showcases the businesses in your community, uncovering both the hidden gems and the famous brands all across the region.

At first glance, a printing company, florist, insurance broker, building supply store, and vertical farm might seem like they have little in common. But what unites these Welland businesses is their unwavering commitment to delivering something better for people.

In a world where the bottom line often seems to be the only priority, Welland-based businesses like Vision Greens, D’Angelo Printing, Goodman’s Florist, Youngs Insurance, and Build It Again Ron are refreshing reminders of the power of commitment to people. Whether it’s through sustainability, personalization, or community engagement, these businesses demonstrate that success can be about more than just profits.

Click here to learn more about these Welland firms!

U.S. debt limit looming, may have spillover effects for Canada

Experts say a default would spell disaster for the domestic economy, with dramatic spillover effects for allies, such as Canada, whose own economic fortunes are closely tied to the U.S.

President Joe Biden will meet with congressional leaders on May 9 as the race against the clock to raise the U.S. debt limit gets underway in earnest.

Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has warned that the country could run out of cash as early as June 1 without an agreement.

Click here to read more.

Ontario residential building permits declined in 2022

For the first time in three years, Ontario saw the number of residential building permits drop after reaching all-time highs during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a recent report from the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation (MPAC).

Last year, 108,080 building permits were issued across Ontario for new development as well as home improvement. This represents an approximate 11.6 per cent decrease from the previous year, ending a trend of year-over-year increases and returning to 2020 levels, stated a release.

Click here to read more.

New national framework intended to help individuals enter the workforce faster

Colleges and Institutes Canada (CICan) released a national framework that will support lifelong learning, help streamline skills upgrading for Canadians and support workforce development across the country. The Canadian expertise brought together in the framework will be also shared with international partners to help bridge skills gaps and support vulnerable individuals entering the workforce.

The Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR) Reference Framework outlines the well-developed national tools, processes, and quality practices that allow people to receive recognition for what they bring from previous formal and informal training and work experience, known as Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR), Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL), or Recognition of Acquired Competencies (RAC).

Click here to read more.

Niagara Region seeking applicants for Committees

The Council of The Regional Municipality of Niagara is seeking community members to join a number of its Committees. Serving on a Committee is a great way to provide valuable insight, get involved and play a key role in the future of your community.

Members of the public interested in applying for a committee may complete the online application form.

Click here to read more.

Pillitteri named as one of Brock’s Co-op Employer of the Year winners

Julia Zhu, associate director of co-op education and workplace partnerships at Brock University, said there are three co-op employer awards given out: one for non-profits, one for large businesses, and one for small and medium businesses.

Jamie Slingerland of Pillitteri Estates Winery said he was very proud to accept the award. “It is a really prestigious award,” he said.

Click here to read more.

Meridian OneCap and motusbank Donate $25k to Alberta Wildfire Relief Efforts

Meridian Credit Union’s national subsidiaries, Meridian OneCap Credit Corp. and motusbank, have donated $25,000 to the Canadian Red Cross 2023 Alberta Fires Appeal in support of those affected by the disasterhis donation will support the Canadian Red Cross’s work to provide ongoing relief, recovery and resilience efforts for those impacted by the wildfires, and community preparedness and risk reduction for future disaster events.

Click here to read more.

Coca-Cola to invest $8M+ in Hamilton distribution centre

Coca-Cola Canada has announced its plans to invest more than $8 million in its local distribution centre in Hamilton, Ont.
“We are a family-owned business and are guided by our Mission to deliver optimism and create a better future for our customers, consumers, and communities,” said Todd Parsons, Coke Canada Bottling CEO. “As Hamilton’s Local Bottler, I’m proud that these investments set us up for continued growth, while ensuring we meet best practices for our facilities.”

Hamilton is home to more than 150 Coke Canada employees who work to distribute, merchandise, and sell the brand from Fort Erie and the Niagara region through Hamilton to Brantford.

Click here to read more.

Neil Campbell Rowing Centre wins Wood WORKS! design award

The St. Catharines Neil Campbell Rowing Centre has won a Wood WORKS! award. The awards program honours the people and organizations that, through design excellence, advocacy, and innovation, are advancing the use of wood in all types of construction.

Ontario Wood WORKS! presented the awards at a reception held at the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto, an event hosted in conjunction with the Ontario Forest Industries’ 80th AGM.

Click here to read more.

Did you know?

Candy Crush generated $1.2 billion in 2021.

Focus on Finance & Economy

Canadian annual merchandise exports increased 22.5% in 2022

In 2022, the value of Canada’s annual merchandise exports increased 22.5% to $779.2 billion, while the value of annual imports rose 19.9% to $757.4 billion. As a result, Canada’s merchandise trade surplus with the world widened from $4.6 billion in 2021 to $21.8 billion in 2022. Compared with the value of total trade (imports and exports combined, totalling $1.54 trillion), the trade surplus represented about 0.01% of the total trade value in 2022.

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.

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Daily Update: May 8, 2023

May 8, 2023 | Daily Update

In this edition:

Bank of Canada launches public consultations on a digital dollar

The Bank of Canada is launching an online public consultation on the features that could be included in a digital Canadian dollar. The consultation opened today and runs until June 19.

The way Canadians pay for everything from the daily necessities to major purchases is evolving rapidly. As the world becomes increasingly digital, the Bank—like many other central banks—is exploring a digital version of Canada’s national currency.

“As Canada’s central bank, we want to make sure everyone can always take part in our country’s economy. That means being ready for whatever the future holds,” said Senior Deputy Governor Carolyn Rogers.

Click here to read more.

Click here to offer your input in the consultation.

Ontario passes health-reform bill that expands private delivery of care

Ontario has passed a health-reform bill that will allow more private clinics to offer certain publicly funded surgeries and procedures in an effort to cut long wait lists for care.

Cataract surgeries and diagnostic imaging and testing will be expanded while the government will create an entirely new system to perform hip and knee replacement surgeries.

The moves are part of the government’s plan to decrease wait times and reduce a massive backlog of surgeries, which stands at more than 200,000 procedures.

Click here to read more.

Meta has team working to block news on Facebook, Instagram from Canadian users

Tech giant Meta has learned from the mistakes it made blocking online news from Facebook in Australia, when it accidentally limited access to emergency services pages, a company representative said Monday.

Rachel Curran, head of public policy for Meta Canada, said the company has put together a content-blocking team that is getting ready to end the availability of news on its social media platforms Facebook and Instagram should the Liberal government’s online news bill pass.

Curran told the House of Commons heritage committee the company will remove news in a way that is careful, responsible and transparent.

Click here to read more.

Arterra acquires Angels Gate and Kew

Arterra Wines Canada, Inc. announced that it has acquired Angels Gate Winery and Kew Vineyards Estate Winery, two beautiful wineries located in the Beamsville Bench, the westernmost part of the Niagara Peninsula wine-growing area and home to some of the best vineyards in Ontario.

“We are excited about the future of Angels Gate and Kew now that they are part of Arterra Wines Canada. We are confident Arterra will continue the development of both wineries as producers of premium quality wines while maintaining the values that have always been at the heart of our culture,” said John Young, President of Angels Gate and Kew Vineyards.

Click here to read more.

St. Catharines fire deparment reminds businesses that permits are needed to sell fireworks

St. Catharines Fire Department would like to remind businesses ahead of Victoria Day that only licensed businesses with a permit are allowed to sell fireworks in the city.

Anyone interested in a permit to sell fireworks can apply by contacting the city. The by-law in St. Catharines only allows the use of fireworks around Victoria Day, Canada Day, and Diwali.

For more information visit stcatharines.ca/fireworks.

To apply for a permit contact 905.688.5601 ext. 4224 or fire@stcatharines.ca.

Click here to read more.

Did you know?

Shell, the world’s second-largest investor-owned oil company, began its life as an antiques store.

Focus on Small Business

Canadian SMBs are confident about the future, but rising costs remain a concern

Sage, the leader in accounting, financial, HR, and payroll technology for small and mid-sized businesses (SMBs), today unveiled the results from its annual global survey Small Business, Big Opportunity of approximately 12,000 SMB business leaders worldwide; including 1,200 in Canada. The new study finds that the majority of Canadian SMBs (72%) are confident in their current business1 success, up from 63% in 2022.

Click here to read more.

Want to position a small business to scale up—or get acquired? Here’s one easy step you can take to improve the odds of success

Dave Meadows and Mike Sovie are co-founders of ColdCallRX, a provider of outsourced cold-calling and lead generation services based in Tampa Bay, Fla., that they started in 2020.

One way they’ve positioned their company to scale up is by creating standard operating procedures, or SOPs. Entrepreneurs use these documents to describe how they do things in the business—whether it’s answering a customer service call or entering information into a database—so it is easier to train new hires.

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.

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Daily Update: May 2, 2023

May 2, 2023 | Daily Update

In this edition:

Why more Canadians are leaving a gift to charity in their Wills

Often people think about contributing to the causes they care about with monthly donations or volunteering time, but there is a growing number of people who are going one step further to leave a gift to charity in their Wills. These are ordinary Canadians who’ve realized they can make a powerful contribution that will last for generations to come, without taking away from the resources they or their families need.

This new mindset among Canadians of all ages has been triggered, to some extent, by the intensity of recent global events and the realization that it’s possible to do more just by giving in a different way.

In fact, if more Canadians left even a minuscule percentage of their estate to charity, the sum of all their efforts could represent as much as $40 billion to advance organizations like NCF.

When you look into it, you may be surprised to learn that a donation of as little as a 1% of your estate can result in a bigger contribution than you ever thought possible. You are still leaving 99% of your estate to support your loved ones, and you’re not using any of the money you need now. The best part is that leaving a gift in your Will can be a very simple process.

Click here to read more.

Sponsored content from Niagara Community Foundation

Average income in 2021 grew despite lingering pandemic: StatCan

Although many sectors of the economy continued to be impacted by the pandemic in 2021, the median market income of families and unattached individuals grew by 7.3% to $61,700. This growth more than offset the decline observed in 2020 and brought the median market income 3.5% higher than its 2019 level.

With the easing of economic shutdowns related to the COVID-19 pandemic, the market income increase 2021 was led by a rebound in employment income and a reduced reliance on COVID-19 relief programs. Despite relatively stable after-tax income, Canada’s official poverty rate increased by 1.0 percentage point to 7.4% in 2021, but remained well below the pre-pandemic poverty rate (10.3% in 2019).

Click here to read more.

Ontario breaks ground on long-term care home in Welland

Construction is underway at the new Foyer Richelieu Welland, a long-term care home in the Niagara Region. This is part of the Ontario government’s $6.4 billion commitment to build more than 30,000 new beds by 2028 and 28,000 upgraded long-term care beds across the province. The home is one of 39 long-term care projects in development across the province where services for Francophone residents will be provided.

Foyer Richelieu Welland is expected to finish construction and start welcoming its first residents in summer 2025.

Click here to read more.

St. Catharines makes business licence applications available online

St. Catharines businesses no longer need to waste printer ink or stop by City Hall to pick up a paper copy of a business licence application, as they can now be filled out entirely online.

There are five applications now available on stcatharines.ca. Applicants can fill out forms to apply for a general business licence, a licence to run a business as a master plumber, a licence to operate a second-level lodging house, as well as general hawker and peddler and hawker and peddler event promoter licences.

Online business licence applications can be found at stcatharines.ca/BusinessLicences along with further business resources and assistance including information on business definitions, existing licence renewals, taxes and fees.

Click here to read more.

NWIC deploys Next Generation Wireless Network across Lincoln’s rural & urban areas

Niagara Wireless Internet Company (NWIC) announced today the completion of their Next Generation Wireless Network infrastructure investment in Lincoln, serving the majority of Beamsville, Vineland and Jordan rural and urban residents. The new broadband technology offered by NWIC will have the ability to match the speed and performance of fibre-to-the-home services.

The deployment of NWIC’s Next Generation Wireless Network marks a significant milestone in the company’s ongoing commitment to providing fast and reliable internet services to the residents of Lincoln. Next Generation is the fastest fixed wireless technology available in the world today.

Click here to read more.

Niagara Falls Farmers’ Market to kick off 2023 market season

Niagara Falls’ award-winning Farmers’ Market kicks off the 2023 market season at MacBain Community Centre on Saturday, May 20th, from 7 am – 1 pm.

The Farmers’ Market will relocate to its new, permanent home at the Niagara Falls Exchange later this summer upon substantial completion of the construction project. The Exchange is the City’s new 10,000-square-foot Arts & Culture hub and indoor/outdoor event space, located in the Main Street & Ferry Street neighbourhood adjacent to the Niagara Falls History Museum. In addition to the Farmers’ Market, The Exchange will also feature a café, artist & woodworking studios, an event and performance space, and two courtyards featuring public art and murals. For more information, visit nfexchange.ca.

Click here to read more.

$4-million donation helps Niagara Health launch Knowledge Institute

A significant donation from the McCall MacBain Foundation is serving as a catalyst to help Niagara Health launch a new program that will change how research and academic activities are organized and conducted at community hospitals.

Launched in St. Catharines Tuesday, May 2, the Niagara Health Knowledge Institute (NHKI) is on a mission to lead community hospital-based research in Canada and advance healthcare and health service delivery through research, quality improvement and education. The NHKI will transform healthcare in Niagara through knowledge generation and mobilization, and help position Niagara Health as a national leader in research at community hospitals.

Click here to read more.

Apartment building planned for St. Catharines property vacant for more than 20 years

A proposed five-storey apartment building on a long vacant St. Paul Street West lot got a green light from city council Monday, though some councillors expressed concerns the building is too short and doesn’t have enough parking spaces.

The empty lot at the corner of 47 St. Paul St. W. and Flummerfelt Street is set for a 20-metre-tall building with 16 one- and two-bedroom apartments and a small main floor commercial space.

Click here to read more.

‘There is still so much that people should learn’: Red Dress Day walk to be held in downtown St. Catharines

While we may have come a long way with how Indigenous people are treated, there is still a long way to go.

In honour of Red Dress Day on May 5, there will be a walk in downtown St. Catharines starting from city hall and ending at the Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts.

The walk will begin at 5:30 p.m. at city hall, with a performance from the Strong Water Singers.

At the end of the walk, the Strong Water Singers will be performing again, and there will be an Indigenous artisan market inside of the school for people to shop at.

Click here to read more.

Did you know?

Michael Dell founded Dell Computer in his college dorm room with a thousand dollars from his family.

Focus on Finance & Economy

As prices soar, Canadians find new ways to save

Inflation has driven up costs across categories. Meanwhile, the Bank of Canada’s interest rate hikes is making borrowing money more expensive.

It’s no wonder Canadian consumers are highly cognizant of rising prices at the supermarket. The latest numbers from Caddle show that shoppers aren’t just aware of inflation’s impact in the grocery store in the past three months, but they’ve been actively changing their shopping habits to soften the blow.

Surveying a panel of 3,126 primary shoppers across generations, Caddle’s shopper intelligence insights found that soaring costs are top of mind from coast-to-coast. A whopping 92% of Canadians agree food is more expensive than it was just three months ago.

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.

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Daily Update: April 28, 2023

April 28, 2023 | Daily Update

In this edition:

Economy ticked upward in February, but may have shrunk in March

Real gross domestic product (GDP) edged up 0.1% in February, following a 0.6% increase in January. Both services-producing industries and goods-producing industries edged up 0.1%. Overall, 12 of 20 subsectors increased.

The public sector (educational services, health care and social assistance, and public administration combined) expanded 0.2% in February, up for the thirteenth consecutive month, with increases in all three subsectors. The professional, scientific, and technical services sector also posted gains, rising 0.6% in February.

Wholesale trade contracted 1.3% in February, partially offsetting the large January gain, with five of nine subsectors decreasing in the month, while retail trade retreated 0.5% in February, recording its first decline in three months.

Advance information indicates that real GDP edged down 0.1% in March. Decreases in retail and wholesale trade sectors, as well as in the mining and quarrying (except oil and gas) subsector were partially offset by increases in the public sector, in professional, scientific and technical services, and in administrative and support, waste management and remediation services.

Click here to read more.

Ontario hospital nurses awarded additional pay after Bill 124 struck down

Ontario hospital nurses should get retroactive pay for three years during which they were subject to a wage restraint law that has since been ruled unconstitutional, arbitrators have ruled.

The 2019 law, known as Bill 124, capped wage increases for the nurses and other public sector workers at one per cent a year for three years.

It was ruled unconstitutional in November and though the government is appealing that, the Ontario Nurses’ Association sought retroactive pay through an arbitrator, since the contracts were subject to be reopened if Bill 124 was repealed or declared invalid.

Click here to read more.

Canadian foreign investments grow

Canada’s net direct investment position with the rest of the world reached $725.7 billion at the end of 2022, up $128.2 billion from 2021, as growth of Canadian direct investment abroad continued to outpace growth of foreign direct investment in Canada.

The stock of Canadian direct investment abroad increased 11.2% (+$199.8 billion) to $1,989.6 billion at the end of 2022, following valuation gains from a weaker Canadian dollar, notably against the US dollar.

Click here to read more.

Vendors wanted for family-friendly event in Port Colborne

The Main Street BIA is planning a party at Lock 8 Gateway Park and are looking for food and market vendors who would like to come.

“So far, we have had an overwhelming response for vendors which is exciting. We are hoping for more handmade makers to add to the line up as well,” BIA member Carey Benvenuti said.

Mainstreet BIA Day in the Park will be held at Lock 8 Gateway Park on June 10 from noon until 4 p.m.
For more information about the event, or to apply as a vendor send an email to lock8dayinthepark@gmail.com or call 289-968-0043.

Click here to read more.

It’s past time to rebuild our health human resources: Niagara Health CEO

We don’t have enough physicians to continue operating as we always have.

Some people claim COVID-19 created this problem. I disagree. The pandemic exposed, and accelerated, challenges our industry has faced for years, even decades. Fewer health-care workers helping more and more people. Increased wait times. Burnout.

Because of these challenges, and the unique needs of Niagara’s growing and aging population, we are driving transformational change at Niagara Health, change that will increase our capacity, enhance patient care and encourage more people to pursue careers in health care in our community.

When it comes to health human resources, the ‘do nothing and hope for the best’ approach simply won’t work. We’ve made tough decisions to cope with staffing shortages, including temporarily closing the Port Colborne and Fort Erie urgent care centres. Most recently, an ongoing anesthesiologist shortage caused a wind-down of after-hours emergency surgeries at Welland hospital. For the past few summers, we’ve asked physicians to forgo vacations, work overtime and stretch themselves thin. We can’t keep doing that. We won’t.

Click here to read more.

National Day of Mourning for Fallen Workers observed

The National Day of Mourning is not only a day to remember and honour those lives lost or injured due to a workplace tragedy, but also a day to collectively renew our commitment to improve health and safety in the workplace and prevent further injuries, illnesses and deaths.

Traditionally on April 28th the Canadian flag has flown at half-mast on Parliament Hill and on all federal government buildings. Employers and workers have observed Day of Mourning in a variety of ways over the years.

Click here to read more.

Focus on Technology

A rise in self-service technologies may cause a decline in our sense of community

Automation, once hidden behind closed doors in factories, is increasingly moving into public view. Customers can pay for groceries or clothing at a self-checkout machine, order fast food from a touchscreen kiosk or even pickup coffee from a “robo-café.”

These technologies, which substitute human contact for robot-based interactions, are examples of self-service technologies — innovative public-facing automation which “enable customers to perform entire services on their own without direct assistance from employees.”

While self-service technologies have the potential to improve efficiency, reduce costs and improve user experience, these technologies raise complex economic and political questions.

Click here to read more.

Why do electronics manufacturers need to optimize quality control?

Quality control is a critical step in any manufacturing line. Mistakes or inefficiencies at this stage can lead to considerable losses, delays and waste, so optimizing it as much as possible is essential. Electronics manufacturers face more pressure to optimize their quality control than most.

The electronics industry’s rapid growth is one of the most significant reasons quality control is crucial in this sector. There are almost 4,000 consumer electronics manufacturers alone as of early 2023, which has steadily grown since 2020. As the industry becomes increasingly crowded, product quality will become a more important differentiator between competitors.

Click here to read more.

Should we automate the CEO?

Last August, NetDragon Websoft — a Hong Kong-based online gaming firm with $2.1B in annual revenue — appointed a CEO to helm its flagship subsidiary.

The new chief, Tang Yu, was responsible for all of the typical duties of a company figurehead: reviewing high-level analytics, making leadership decisions, assessing risks, and fostering an efficient workplace. 

She worked 24/7, didn’t sleep, and was compensated $0 per year.

But there was a catch: Yu wasn’t a human. She was a virtual robot powered by artificial intelligence.

Click here to read more.

Did you know?

The first oil company in North America was founded just southeast of Sarnia in 1854.

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

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Lunch & Learn: Maximize Your Business’s Online Visibility for Local Success

April 26, 2023 | Event Recordings, Lunch and Learn

Unlock the potential of your online presence and pave the way for local success!

You will learn:

  • Essential strategies for local search optimization
  • Keyword targeting and Google Business Profile management
  • Online review tactics
  • How to stand out in the digital landscape

Sponsored by YMCA of Niagara

About our speaker:

Maggic McTavish, mango media

Maggie McTavish is a seasoned digital marketing professional with over a decade of experience. As the Founder and SEO Expert at Mango Media, Maggie has been the driving force behind many successful SEO campaigns. Her mastery of search engine algorithms and keen insights into organic search optimization has established her as a true industry expert. Passionate about helping businesses maximize their online visibility, Maggie brings a wealth of knowledge and experience that is sure to inspire and empower all the participants at the session.

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Daily Update: April 25, 2023

April 25, 2023 | Daily Update

In this edition:

Government of Ontario creates Advanced Manufacturing Council

As announced in the 2022 Budget, Ontario is establishing an Advanced Manufacturing Strategy to help boost the long‐term competitiveness and resilience of the sector. As a next step, the government is creating the Advanced Manufacturing Council to help inform the strategy and provide input into its development.

Click here to read more.

BlackBerry report shows banks, healthcare providers and food companies are top targets for cybercrime

BlackBerry Limited released its latest Quarterly Global Threat Intelligence Report, highlighting an increase in cyberattacks directed at financial institutions, food retailers and healthcare providers, with 60 percent of all attacks targeting these three key industries.

BlackBerry’s Global Threat Intelligence Report also notes that ongoing tensions between Western and Eastern countries are fueling a more fragmented world, which has consequences for the cybersecurity threat landscape as Western governments call for more cyber defenses to protect their citizens and infrastructure.

Click here to read more.

Almost one third of mortgages now have amortization periods longer than 30 years

Almost one third of homeowners with a mortgage will pay off that debt over a more than 30-year period due to higher interest rates — a significant increase over the once standard 25-year amortization period.

These lengthy amortization periods have recently come under scrutiny, including by Canada’s banking industry regulator in its latest report.

Amortizations — the length of time it takes to pay off a mortgage in full — are climbing at many of the major banks. At CIBC, the proportion of mortgages with amortization periods longer than 30 years is 30 per cent. At RBC it’s 25 per cent, and at BMO it’s more than 32 per cent, according to their latest regulatory filings.

Click here to read more.

Health Canada proposes restrictions on marketing food and beverages to children

Health Canada’s new policy update proposes an approach to restricting the advertising of food and beverages to children, starting with advertising on television and digital media. This approach prioritizes media where children spend much of their time and where they are highly exposed to food advertising, including ads that air during a children’s program or on a children’s website.

To inform this work, Health Canada has been monitoring the nature and extent of advertising of food and beverages to children in Canada. The data demonstrates that television continues to be a large source of exposure to food advertising. Most children report seeing ads for fast food, snacks, sugary drinks, desserts/treats, and sugary cereals at least once a week.

Click here to read more.

Ontario industrial, commercial, institutional construction sector (ICI) will grow to peak in 2028

BuildForce Canada forecasts Ontario’s ICI construction sector will continue to grow towards a peak in 2028, putting pressure on already tight recruiting conditions in the province.

Ontario’s largest market, the Greater Toronto Area, will be supported by a series of large-scale projects that bring non-residential employment to a max in 2027, says BuildForce. Meanwhile, the GTA’s residential sector is expected to emerge from a short contraction by 2024. Overall construction employment in the GTA should grow by 27,200 workers (16 per cent) over 2022 levels by 2032.

The forecasts are found in the 2023–2032 Construction and Maintenance Looking Forward report for Ontario, released today.

Click here to read more.

Brock awarded funding for research on youth and social media, and biases in health care

Renata Dividino and her colleagues are concerned about how social media algorithmic bias is shaping young people’s engagements with political and social issues.

In less than a generation, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and others have evolved to become “platforms of fake news, disinformation and propaganda that empower disruptive, divisive voices and conspiracies,” says the Brock University Assistant Professor of Computer Science.

Supported by the federal government’s New Frontiers in Research Fund (NFRF), announced April 25 by Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry François-Philippe Champagne and Minister of Health Jean-Yves Duclos, Dividino and her research team aim to help young Canadians develop ‘digital citizenship’ skills on social media.

Click here to read more.

Niagara College Broadcasting Professor Peter VandenBerg receives two awards of excellence

A respected professor from Niagara College’s School of Media has achieved national and global recognition for his dedication to student success both in and outside of the classroom.

Peter VandenBerg – affectionately known to students, colleagues and friends as “Dutch” – received two prestigious 2023 Awards of Excellence this week – a gold Leadership Excellence Award for Faculty from Colleges and Institutes Canada (CICan) and an Outstanding Educator Award at the silver level from the World Federation of Colleges and Polytechnics (WFCP). Both awards were presented at World Congress, a global postsecondary leadership event co-hosted by CICan and WFCP from April 23 to 25 in Montreal.

VandenBerg, who is Program Coordinator of NC’s Broadcasting – Radio, Television and Film (BRTF) program, noted he was humbled and honoured to be recognized for his work.

Click here to read more.

Independent bookstores ‘have deeper meaning in community’

Saturday, April 29 marks Independent Bookstore Day in Canada.

“The things that (independent bookstores) sell have a kind of a deeper meaning in the community and we’re supporting the artists and writers who live (in the community),” said Jessica Walker, vice-chair of the board of directors for the Canadian Independent Bookstore Association. “Our bookstores are kind of information hubs. And so being an independent bookstore, we all do things incredibly differently.”

Walker points out Amazon started as a bookstore, and the giant it has grown into is one of the biggest threats to the industry.

“Bookstores were really one of the industries that was threatened by the kind of big box and online shopping experience,” she said. “So (Independent Bookstore Day) is a way to raise awareness of what independent bookstores do contribute to the literary and artistic community in the country. It’s bigger than just kind of the retail bookselling part of it.”

Click here to read more.

Developer behind 77-storey condo tower says foreign investors ‘looking for something spectacular’ in Niagara Falls

Pawel Fugiel says he envisions the future as the developer behind a 77-storey condominium tower proposed for Niagara Falls.

“This city will change massively. We need to bring something spectacular,” said the president and chief executive officer of Fugiel International Group.

Its official plan and zoning bylaw amendment applications were approved by city council last week, thereby permitting the 962-unit building.

Fugiel is looking to invest $1.6 billion during the next decade to build 7,000 residential-condo units through several developments in Niagara Falls.

Click here to read more.

Focus on Finance & Economy

How will Canada meet housing targets when there’s a construction slowdown?

Canada faces a construction conundrum.

For housing to be affordable for Canadians, the industry needs to build more homes in the near future. Ontario projects 1.5 million new homes will be needed in the province over the next decade, and the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) anticipates over 22 million housing units will be needed by 2030 “to help achieve housing affordability for everyone living in Canada.”

The problem?

Rising interest rates, a skilled-labour shortage and what many in the industry call red tape at the municipal level have contributed to a stagnating construction industry over the last number of months.

Click here to read more.

Canadian investors reduce exposure to foreign securities for third month running

Foreign investment in Canadian securities totalled $4.6 billion in February, led by acquisitions of corporate bonds. Meanwhile, Canadian investors reduced their exposure to foreign securities by $1.6 billion, a third consecutive month of divestment. As a result, international transactions in securities generated a net inflow of funds of $6.2 billion in the Canadian economy in the month.

Non-resident investors bought $10.9 billion of private corporate bonds in February, the largest investment since July 2022. The activity in February 2023 was led by new issuances of US dollar denominated bonds abroad by financial corporations.

Click here to read more.

Did you know?

Canada has more donut shops per capita than any other country in the world. 

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

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Beyond generic WHMIS. Is your workplace compliant?

April 24, 2023 | WSPS

Employers are responsible for providing workplace-specific WHMIS training. Elizabeth Lofthouse, a Senior Consultant with WSPS, explains exactly what that means. 

When we think about WHMIS—the Workplace Hazardous Material Information System—what probably comes to mind are those universal symbols that illustrate the harm chemicals can do to us. We may associate WHMIS with the training we’ve done numerous times over the course of our working lives. WHMIS is used in all workplace settings across all sectors, which makes the training one of the most common health and safety training courses in Canada. Most workers know what WHMIS is, are familiar with the labels and symbols, and can tell you when they last completed training. These are all good things; however, the gap that many health and safety professionals see is with the workplace-specific component of WHMIS training.

“The reason we do WHMIS training is to make sure workers are protected from the health impact of the chemicals they use at work,” says Elizabeth Lofthouse, a Senior Health and Safety Consultant with WSPS. “This cannot be accomplished if workers don’t know the specific chemicals they will encounter and how they will interact with them.” This is precisely why the workplace-specific component of WHMIS is required. A generic WHMIS course on its own is not enough.

“The potential health impact of working with a specific chemical is a hazard and employers are required to communicate hazards to their employees,” reminds Elizabeth. “Generic WHMIS training gives employees the tools to interpret the product labels and safety data sheets, but it doesn’t provide them with the specific information employees need to work safely.” Elizabeth outlines three questions that your workplace-specific WHMIS training should cover:

1) What will the chemical do to me if I’m exposed?

2) What can I do to avoid exposure?

3) What steps do I take if I have been exposed?

Here are some tips to help you answer those questions for your employees as you develop your workplace-specific WHMIS training program.

1) Read Safety Data Sheets

Most of the information that Elizabeth recommends including in your workplace-specific WHMIS training can be found in the Safety Data Sheets. “Most employers have the applicable safety data sheets available in their workplace, but often they haven’t read through them in detail,” says Elizabeth. She explains that it is the employer’s responsibility to review and interpret the information on the safety data sheets, and then communicate that information to employees through training. “The safety data sheets should really drive the workplace-specific WHMIS training.”

2) Explain Chemical-Specific Risks and Control Measures

Elizabeth emphasizes that employers need to do more than simply tell employees the chemicals they will use on the job. They also need to clearly communicate the specific risks to their health and the controls that are in place to protect them from those health risks. When dealing with chemical exposure, common controls are general and local ventilation, process engineering measures, and use of personal protective equipment. “When workers are aware of the hazards and aware of the control measures, then it is much less likely they will experience occupational exposures to the degree that will harm them,” explains Elizabeth.

3) Review Emergency Response Measures

Elizabeth goes on to discuss the importance of including emergency response measures in your workplace-specific WHMIS training. “Even with effective controls in place, sometimes something goes wrong. In those cases, it’s important for workers to know what the emergency response plan is and what steps to take,” says Elizabeth. For example, workers need to understand what type of first aid to apply if exposure occurs. What should a worker do if they get the chemical in their eyes, on their skin, or on their clothes? If the chemical ends up in their eyes, do they know where the eye wash station or emergency showers are located within the facility? Another example is a chemical spill. Workers need to know the procedure for how to safely clean it up.

4) Consider Updating Training Material and Retraining 

The legislation does not state that WHMIS training must be repeated annually. It requires that the employer, in consultation with the Joint Health and Safety Committee or Health and Safety Representative, consider whether or not retraining is necessary. “The employer needs to determine if workers have the answers to those three key questions we outlined earlier. If your employees can’t answer those questions, then a repeat of training is likely required,” says Elizabeth. An employer may evaluate the level of knowledge their employees have about the chemicals they are using by having them complete a brief quiz or asking them questions during safety meetings. When evaluating the effectiveness of your WHMIS training, consider the content of your program and the delivery method as well. Repeating training that was ineffective doesn’t make sense from a business or safety perspective.

How WSPS Can Help

Consulting

Connect with a WSPS consultant for assistance with hazard identification and assessment.

Training

WHMIS 2015 (online, 1 hour)

WHMIS 2015 Train the Trainer (classroom, 1 day)

WHMIS 2015 Self-Paced for Workers (USB)

Managing Hazards and Risks (classroom, 3.5 hours)

Resources

What you need to know about hazardous chemicals in the workplace (article)

Safety Check: Chemical Safety

How can an employee work with a designated substance safely (video)

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Daily Update: April 21, 2023

April 21, 2023 | Daily Update

In this edition:

Retail sales fall as rising prices lead consumers to pull back

Retail sales decreased 0.2% to $66.3 billion in February. Sales decreased in 4 of 9 subsectors, representing 48.0% of retail trade. The decrease was led by lower sales at gasoline stations and fuel vendors (-5.0%) and general merchandise retailers (-1.6%).

An advance estimate of retail sales suggests that sales decreased at the faster rate of 1.4% in March.

“We’re starting to see consumers tighten their belts,” retail analyst Bruce Winder said. “Canadian consumers are incredibly cautious right now.”

The annual rate of inflation in Canada dropped to 4.3% in March, but grocery prices climbed 9.7% on a year-over-year basis, Statistics Canada reported on Tuesday.

Click here to read more.

Niagara Region moves forward with sale of Material Recycling Facility in Niagara Falls

Niagara Region is proceeding with the sale of the Material Recycling Facility in Niagara Falls. Following a public procurement process initiated in December 2021, Halton Recycling, doing business as Emterra Environmental, is the successful proponent for the purchase of the Region’s facility with a closing date of April 21, 2023.

In June 2021, the Province of Ontario introduced a new Blue Box regulation under the Resource Recovery and Circular Economy Act.
The new regulations will make producers of products and packaging fully responsible for the cost and operation of the residential Blue Box program in Ontario.

Starting July 1, 2023, all Ontario municipalities will begin to transition out of the collection and processing of residential recycling programs, with the last municipalities transitioning out by Dec. 31, 2025. Niagara Region is set to transition out on Jan. 1, 2024.

Click here to read more.

Welland community invited to provide input on strategic plan

The City of Welland is seeking input from its residents on the draft Strategic Plan (2023-2026). The plan outlines the city’s vision and priorities for the next four years, seeking input from residents, businesses, service agencies and not-for-profit organizations, to ensure the plan reflects your collective needs and aspirations.

The Strategic Plan is an important document that will guide the city’s decision-making and resource allocation over the next four years. It includes key priorities such as improving health and wellbeing, economic growth, and livability while promoting the need to care for our environment.

Click here for more information, the online survey, and to find open house times and locations.

Premier and Prime Minister highlight VW battery plant, but others question subsidy costs

The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, and the Premier of Ontario, Doug Ford, were joined today by the Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, François-Philippe Champagne, and Ontario’s Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade, Vic Fedeli, to highlight Volkswagen’s $7 billion investment to establish its first overseas electric vehicle battery manufacturing plant in St. Thomas, Ontario.

The plant, Volkswagen’s largest to date, will create up to 3,000 direct jobs and up to 30,000 indirect jobs. Once complete in 2027, the plant will produce batteries for up to one million electric vehicles per year.

A Canadian Press story, however, highlighted the $13 billion subsidy that was necessary to secure the plant. The subsidy closely mirrors what’s offered in the U.S. Inflation Reduction Act that contains some $370 billion in funding to create a cleaner economy, but Rob Gillezeau at the University of Toronto’s Rotman School of Management remarked that the auto industry and the economy in general is already humming, and Canada has numerous wins on electric vehicles already that secure an electric vehicle manufacturing base.

Meridian launches new corporate strategy, Meridian for Good

Meridian’s new corporate strategy, Meridian for Good, ushers in a new day for Ontario’s largest credit union and second largest in Canada.

“We’re leaning into our bedrock values as a financial cooperative to better integrate our purpose into everything we do,” said Jay-Ann, President & CEO, Meridian. “The end goal of Meridian for Good is to deliver on our purpose – “helping you achieve your best life” and on our vision “to be recognized as an inclusive, transparent, and people-focused financial partner.”

As part of the strategy, Meridian will focus on growing Business Banking through expansion into new industries and partners, including Indigenous communities. The new strategy puts emphasis on working with small and medium sized enterprises that are on the path to growth and are purpose-led, looking for trusted relationships with their financial partners.

Click here to read more.

Niagara College CICE program shines with Star Award from Habitat for Humanity

A Niagara College program that enhances employability for students with disabilities has won a Star Award from Habitat for Humanity Niagara.

The award was announced on the evening of April 19 at Habitat Niagara’s Volunteer Dinner and Awards Ceremony in St. Catharines, in recognition of the work CICE students do at Habitat ReStore locations for their program field placements.

“Habitat Niagara works with many educational partners across the region in different ways. The CICE program is special; it’s designed to provide individuals with disabilities and other learning challenges the opportunity to experience college life and enhance their employability, academic and social skills,” said Manager, Volunteer Recruitment and Engagement Amanda Laprise.

Click here to read more.

CUPE members in Port Colborne and Wainfleet reach tentative deal

CUPE 2276 has announced that it reached a tentative deal last night on behalf of its roughly 100 members in Port Colborne and Wainfleet.

After more than a year of bargaining with Community Living Port Colborne-Wainfleet, the union local went on strike on April 4th.

The main outstanding issue was what workers call being “stuck on shift” – coming to the end of a scheduled shift, but being unable to leave for hours or even days because no replacement has arrived.

Click here to read more.

Mother Earth Day returns for 2023, presented by PenFinancial Credit Union

Mother Earth Day, presented by PenFinancial Credit Union and hosted by the Park in the City Committee, returns to Firemen’s Park on Saturday, May 13, from 10 am until 4 pm (rain or shine).

The free admission event offers a free tree giveaway, environmental demonstrations, youth activities, earth-friendly vendors, food & drinks and fun for the entire family – an excellent opportunity for residents to come together to learn, interact, and celebrate positive environmental action. Visit motherearthday.ca for a complete list of programming.

Click here to read more.

Human Resources

The art of due diligence in workplace safety: Don’t learn the ‘right’ way the ‘hard’ way

We have all experienced it: We hear something in the news or through the grapevine that send chills up our spines, and plants fear into our very cores.

A workplace incident or accident has occurred. A horrific and tragic sequence of events led to a terrible mishap, and a worker — or workers — have been injured. Or worse, have died. Perhaps all workers were thankfully safe but there is significant damage to property, the result of some freak event. Business owners everywhere shutter at the thought: “What if this happened to me?”

Employers spend time and resources making sure they are compliant in the law. The hassle associated with a visit from authorities that results in orders or fines is something they wish to avoid at all costs.

Click here to read more.

Employee resilience isn’t the magic bullet solution to adversity that organizations think it is

The combination of supply chain issues, rising inflation and labour challenges has had wide-ranging impacts on businesses. In order to deal with these obstacles, many organizations have turned to employee resilience to the weather the storm.

Studies have found that managers respond to business turbulence by emphasizing employee resilience in the workplace. Employee resilience is an individual’s ability to adapt to and cope with stressors and challenges in the workplace. The better an individual is at bouncing back from adversity, the more resilient they are.

While employee resilience seems appealing — especially in such uncertain and unpredictable times — it isn’t a cure-all for adversity. Rather than being beneficial, the overuse of employee resilience can actually jeopardize an organization’s effectiveness.

Click here to read more.

Did you know?

90% of the world’s data was generated in the last two years. 

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

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Daily Update: April 18, 2023

April 18, 2023 | Daily Update

In this edition:

Inflation rate falls to lowest since August 2021

The Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose 4.3% year over year in March, following a 5.2% increase in February. This was the smallest increase since August 2021 (+4.1%). On a year-over-year basis, Canadians paid more in mortgage interest costs, which was offset by a decline in energy prices.

As a result of the steep monthly increase in prices in March 2022 (+1.4%), base-year effects, notably gasoline prices, continued to have a strong downward impact on consumer inflation, contributing to the year-over-year deceleration in March 2023.

Click here to read more.

BDC launches $150M sustainability venture fund to help net-zero transition

On Apr. 18, BDC announced the creation of its new $150-million Sustainability Venture Fund dedicated to investing in businesses developing technologies that will support Canada and the world to meet sustainability and climate targets.

The Fund is a key component of BDC’s commitment to sustainability and part of its contribution to help advance Canada’s 2050 net-zero ambition. It will invest in technologies in line with four key United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) leveraging Canada’s strengths and areas of opportunity: sustainable communities and cities, responsible production and consumption, climate action as well as clean and affordable energy.

Click here to read more.

Here’s where to expect picket lines in the event of a PSAC strike

The Public Service Alliance of Canada has set a deadline of 9 p.m. ET Tuesday to reach a deal with the federal government or else a nationwide strike will begin at 12:01 a.m. Wednesday.

The union representing 155,000 workers has released its list of locations where workers will be picketing in the event a deal isn’t reached by the Tuesday night deadline.

The list online includes hundreds of locations across Canada. They include federal government buildings, Service Canada locations, and the offices of MPs. The site includes links to RSVP for a picket line, and the time a picket is supposed to begin.

Click here to read more.

Brock project to remember historic Black community in Niagara-on-the-Lake

Through a collaborative Brock project, work is underway to share the lived experiences and community contributions of African descendants in Niagara-on-the-Lake and across the Niagara region.

Brock University Professor Lissa Paul, artist Quentin VerCetty and PhD candidate Hyacinth Campbell have been working to memorialize those buried in Niagara-on-the-Lake’s historic Niagara Baptist Church Burial Ground, formerly known as the Negro Burial Ground and to restore the memory of Niagara’s African diaspora community to the landscape.

Click here to read more.

Weston to step back from day to day operations at Loblaw as company announces new CEO

Galen Weston is stepping back from day-to-day operations of Loblaw Companies Ltd. in a senior leadership shuffle that will see a European retail executive take over as president and CEO. Per Bank, the chief executive of Denmark’s leading grocery retailer, Salling Group A/S, will join the company in early 2024.

The hiring will see Weston step aside from the president role, which he took on in 2021 when Sarah Davis retired from the job. He will remain Chairman of Loblaw, and Chairman and CEO of holding company George Weston Ltd.

Click here to read more.

Residential builders object to rushing new green building construction standards

The Residential Construction Council of Ontario (RESCON) is concerned that the provincial government is rushing to implement new green building standards related to building construction at the same time it is proposing to build 1.5 million new homes by 2031.

“The residential construction industry, its builders, designers and manufacturers have a lot on their plates just now due to higher interest rates and a perfect storm of issues and it would be unfair to expect them to adapt on short notice to significant changes to green building standards that are above the minimum requirements in the Ontario Building Code (OBC),” says RESCON president Richard Lyall. “We are all for improvements but they need to be incremental so the industry can get it right and we can continue to build the houses and condos that are necessary to meet demand.”

Click here to read more.

Focus on Finance & Economy

Affordability issues in Canada’s housing market could impact consumer spending: Economist

One chief economist said the lack of affordability in Canada’s housing market could potentially weigh on future consumer spending as households allocate more of their income to shelter.

Charles St. Arnaud, the chief economist at Alberta Central and a former economist at the Bank of Canada, said in an interview with BNN Bloomberg Monday that over the next few years, there will likely be increased pressure on housing prices. St. Arnaud said mounting pressure will also impact the rental market and stems from weak housing starts coupled with strong immigration.

Click here to read more.

‘Good time to be adding’: TD stock gets analyst upgrade

Despite recently being crowned the world’s most shorted bank, Toronto-Dominion Bank (TD) got a rating upgrade from analysts at CIBC Capital Markets.

Analyst Paul Holden upgraded Canada’s second-largest lender to outperform, from neutral, in a note to clients on Monday, partly driven by better-than-expected earnings from Charles Schwab and the underperformance of TD Bank’s stock relative to its peers.

Although Holden trimmed his 12-month price target to $97 per share from $100, he still says “this is a good time to be adding to TD.”

Click here to read more.

Did you know?

In September 2000, Blockbuster Inc. turned down an offer to buy a startup named Netflix for $50 million.

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

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