Daily Update: October 7th, 2021

October 7, 2021 | Daily Update

Today, Nina Tangri, Associate Minister of Small Business and Red Tape Reduction, announced Ontario’s Fall Red Tape Reduction Package.

Ontario government introduces Supporting People and Businesses Act

Today, Nina Tangri, Associate Minister of Small Business and Red Tape Reduction, announced Ontario’s Fall Red Tape Reduction Package and introduced the Supporting People and Businesses Act.

Some of the proposed changes in the Act include:

  • Proposing changes to set the groundwork for the government to allow licensed restaurants, bars and other hospitality businesses to create or extend outdoor patio spaces.
  • Permanently enabling cannabis retail stores to offer delivery and curbside pick-up services.
  • Launching a new Ontario Business Registry that will offer businesses across the province direct online access to over 90 services 24/7 and will allow them to complete electronic transactions immediately.
  • Removing barriers for Ontario businesses that limit the use of virtual services such as calling and hosting meetings and voting.
  • Setting Regulated Price Plan (RPP) electricity prices once per year instead of twice.
  • Increasing financial supports and simplifying the application process for the Second Career program to help those looking for employment, train for occupations in high demand.
  • Implementing digital productivity tools, such as eSignatures, eApprovals, Binder Browser and OPSdocs.
  • Expediting planning approval timelines by providing municipal councils with greater authority in deciding what planning decisions can be made by committees of council or staff.

Click here for a full list of proposed changes.

Click here for more information.

Brock scores high marks for student support, satisfaction in national university rankings

For the fourth-straight year, Brock has earned the No. 1 ranking among all comprehensive universities in Canada for mental health supports while making improvements in other important areas in the 2022 Maclean’s University Rankings released Thursday, Oct. 7.

For the second year Brock has improved one spot in the overall rankings to 12th among comprehensive universities. Compared to all Canadian universities, Brock moves up three spots to 29th in the nation, an improvement of nine spots in the past two years.

Click here for more information.

Government of Canada warns of scams using fake Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) credentials

The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) is warning the public about ongoing email, web, text messages and telephone scams in which people posing as officials from the CBSA are asking for payment or personal information.

In some cases, these scams use false CBSA information. Telephone calls may display numbers and employee names that falsely appear to be from the CBSA. Emails may contain CBSA logos, email addresses or employee names and titles to mislead the public.

The public should also look out for fraudulent webpages and mobile applications posing as ArriveCAN or the Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) and asking for money.

The CBSA never initiates a request for social insurance number and credit card number by telephone or email. If an individual receives a telephone call or an email asking for this information, or requesting payments from the CBSA, it is a scam. If this happens, please ignore, hang up, don’t answer the text or email and report the incident to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.

Click here for more information.

Canada endorses OECD joint statement on supporting global economic recovery from COVID-19

Over the last two days in Paris, the Honourable Mary Ng, Minister of Small Business, Export Promotion and International Trade, and the Honourable Mona Fortier, Minister of Middle Class Prosperity and Associate Minister of Finance, attended the 2021 Ministerial Council Meeting of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

OECD members, including Canada, endorsed a joint statement on their commitment to supporting the global economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, and to building a more sustainable, inclusive and resilient future.

Click here for more information.

Reading Recommendations

Employment lawyers brace for first wave of COVID-19 layoffs as vaccine mandates kick in

CBC News

Canada is facing a potential wave of terminations tied to mandatory workplace vaccine policies as a growing number of employers require workers to be fully inoculated against COVID-19 — or risk losing their jobs, legal experts say.

Governments, institutions and companies have spent months hammering out vaccine mandates in a bid to curb an unrelenting pandemic fuelled by variants.

As employer deadlines to be fully vaccinated approach, unvaccinated workers could soon be placed on unpaid leave or terminated altogether, lawyers say.

Can an employer reduce an employee’s pay if they’re permanently working remotely?

CTV News

With many companies making remote work a permanent aspect of certain jobs, experts say employers cannot reduce a current employee’s salary without consent and face legal risks if they do.

However, employers can hire new, remote employees at lower wages, if they so desire.

Stephen Wolpert, a partner at Canadian employment law firm Whitten & Lublin, told CTVNews.ca an employer can change an employee’s pay if both parties agree to the reduction.

Niagara COVID-19 statistics tracker

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

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

Last updated: October 2, 2021

Click here for definitions of terms used in this table.

On October 6, there were 14 patients admitted to Niagara Health with COVID-19, 13 of whom were unvaccinated and 1 of whom was fully vaccinated. There were 4 patients with COVID-19 in a Niagara Health Intensive Care Unit.

Over the last 28 days, a Niagara resident vaccinated with 1 dose was 3.6 times more likely to contract COVID-19, and an unvaccinated person was 6.6 times more likely. The average weekly rate of hospitalized cases in unvaccinated Canadians was 38 times higher compared to fully vaccinated people. Niagara Health has reported that no vaccinated patients have required intensive care to date.

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

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

Niagara COVID vaccination tracker

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

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

Total doses administered in Niagara: 711,728

New daily doses administered to Niagara residents: 1,052

Last updated: October 7, 2021

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

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

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

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

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

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Daily Update: October 6th, 2021

October 6, 2021 | Daily Update

The WSIB is cutting premium rates in 2022 by $168 million, bringing the total reduction in premiums since 2018 to $2.4 billion.

Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) will cut premium rates in 2022

Ontario’s Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) is cutting premium rates in 2022 by $168 million, bringing the total reduction in premiums since 2018 to $2.4 billion. In addition, the government is intending to introduce legislation that, if passed, would allow for a significant portion of the WSIB’s current reserve, currently valued at $6.1 billion, to be distributed to safe employers. Distributing surplus WSIB funds was a recommendation from the WSIB Operational Review that was released in November 2020.

Closures in low-wage sectors due to the pandemic have resulted in a spike in Ontario’s Average Industrial Wage. As a result, the ceiling for worker benefits will be increasing by 9.45 per cent. To prevent some businesses from having to pay thousands of dollars a year in additional premiums, Ontario is capping the growth of premiums to an increase of 3.2 per cent (close to the normal range) through a regulation under the Workplace Safety and Amendment Act.

Click here for more information.

Prime Minister announces mandatory vaccination for federal workforce and federally regulated transportation sectors

The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, and the Deputy Prime Minister, Chrystia Freeland, today announced details of the government’s plans to require COVID-19 vaccination across the federal public service and federally regulated transportation sectors.

Under the new policy, federal public servants in the Core Public Administration, including members of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, will be required to confirm their vaccination status by October 29, 2021. Those who are unwilling to disclose their vaccination status or to be fully vaccinated will be placed on administrative leave without pay as early as November 15, 2021.

Employers in the federally regulated air, rail, and marine transportation sectors will have until October 30, 2021, to establish vaccination policies that ensure employees are vaccinated. Effective October 30, 2021, travellers departing from Canadian airports, and travellers on VIA Rail and Rocky Mountaineer trains, will be required to be fully vaccinated, with very limited exceptions. The government is working with industry and key partners to put a strict vaccine requirement in place for cruise ships before the resumption of the 2022 cruise season.

Click here for more information.

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

Welland pursues Truth and Reconciliation with new land acknowledgement

The City of Welland has updated its land acknowledgement to improve local understanding and relationships with First Nations communities and those living off-reserve in Welland. It is enacted based on consultation, led by the Niagara Region, with the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation, Six Nations of the Grand River Elected Council, and leaders from the Niagara Indigenous Community Executives.

Click here for more information and to read the new acknowledgement (PDF link).

Canada’s Indigenous population projected to increase between now and 2041

New demographic projections suggest that the Indigenous identity population in Canada, which has grown steadily in recent decades, is projected to continue to increase between now and 2041.

The Indigenous population in Canada, which includes First Nations, Métis and Inuit, was estimated at 1,800,000 in 2016, and could reach 2,495,000 in 2041 under the low-growth scenario, 2,848,000 under the medium-growth scenario, and 3,182,000 under the high-growth scenario.

Click here for more information.

Reading Recommendations

Closure of U.S. land border may hamper Canadians’ winter travel plans once again, experts say

CTV News

With the United States’ land border still closed to non-essential travel, experts say some Canadian snowbirds may be staying home for a second consecutive winter.

Oct. 21 is the deadline for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to declare whether it plans to ease these travel restrictions at the Canada-U.S. land border, or extend the prohibition for another 30 days.

The Canadian government eased travel restriction for U.S. citizens and permanent residents fully immunized against COVID-19 on Aug. 9.

The Biden administration announced in September that most adult foreign nationals will have to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 in order to travel to the United States by early November. However, there were no details provided on how this new policy would specifically impact travel at the land border.

Facebook flounders in the court of public opinion

The Economist

“You are a 21st-century American hero,” gushed Ed Markey, a Democratic senator from Massachusetts. He was not addressing the founder of one of the country’s largest companies, Facebook, but the woman who found fault with it. Frances Haugen, who had worked at the social-media giant before becoming a whistleblower, testified in front of a Senate subcommittee for over three hours on October 5th, highlighting Facebook’s “moral bankruptcy” and the firm’s downplaying of its harmful impact, including fanning teenage depression and ethnic violence.

The public has long suspected Facebook of two-faced toxicity. What was lacking were the damning internal communiqués to prove it. That changed when Ms Haugen released a trove of corporate documents to regulators and to the Wall Street Journal.

Niagara COVID-19 statistics tracker

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

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

Last updated: October 2, 2021

Click here for definitions of terms used in this table.

On October 6, there were 14 patients admitted to Niagara Health with COVID-19, 13 of whom were unvaccinated and 1 of whom was fully vaccinated. There were 4 patients with COVID-19 in a Niagara Health Intensive Care Unit.

Over the last 28 days, a Niagara resident vaccinated with 1 dose was 3.6 times more likely to contract COVID-19, and an unvaccinated person was 6.6 times more likely. The average weekly rate of hospitalized cases in unvaccinated Canadians was 38 times higher compared to fully vaccinated people. Niagara Health has reported that no vaccinated patients have required intensive care to date.

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

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

Niagara COVID vaccination tracker

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

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

Total doses administered in Niagara: 710,666

New daily doses administered to Niagara residents: 989

Last updated: October 6, 2021

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

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

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

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

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

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Daily Update: October 5th, 2021

October 5, 2021 | Daily Update

The Ontario government is providing more than $46 million to support 648 non-profit tourism, culture, sport and recreation organizations.

Ontario pledges $46 million to support tourism, culture, sport and recreation non-profits

The Ontario government is providing more than $46 million to support 648 non-profit tourism, culture, sport and recreation organizations experiencing significant financial pressures due to COVID-19. Funding is being delivered through the Community Building Fund’s Operating stream to help these non-profits operate their facilities so they can provide much-needed programs and services in their communities.

For a full list of Community Building Fund Operating stream recipients, please visit the Ontario Trillium Foundation’s website (spreadsheet file download link).

For organizations interested in applying for the Community Building Fund, OTF will provide support through information sessions and one-on-one application coaching calls. More information about eligibility requirements, deadlines for applications and OTF supports is available at otf.ca.

Click here for more information.

Brock launches Canada’s first PhD in Sustainability Science

Brock University’s Environmental Sustainability Research Centre (ESRC) has launched a PhD in Sustainability Science, the first program of its kind in the country.

Offered by only a few leading institutions internationally, the PhD in Sustainability Science marks Brock’s 10th doctoral program and will welcome its first cohort next September.

The program is the latest addition to the ESRC’s academic offerings, which include a master’s program in Sustainability Science and Society, an undergraduate minor in Sustainability and a new micro-certificate in Environmental Sustainability.

Click here for more information.

Residential building permits continue to trend down since March peak

The total value of building permits in Canada decreased 2.1% to $9.7 billion in August. Although most provinces reported increases, notable declines in Ontario and British Columbia pulled the national results lower compared with July.

Residential permits decreased 8.3% to $6.4 billion in August, the lowest level since March. Ontario and British Columbia drove most of the decline.

Construction intentions for multi-family units fell 15.9%, largely reflecting Ontario’s decline (-24.3%). This was despite the approval of high value condominium projects in the city of Toronto.

Click here for more information.

Reading Recommendations

Canada’s trade surplus widens in August as imports fall

Reuters

Canada’s trade surplus with the world widened in August, easily beating analyst expectations, as strong exports of energy products outweighed a drop a two-way trade for motor vehicles and parts, data showed on Tuesday.

The country’s trade surplus was C$1.94 billion ($1.54 billion) in August, well ahead of the average analyst estimate of a surplus of C$430 million and up from a surplus of C$736 million in July.

Exports rose 0.8%, led by energy products – which rose to their highest level since March 2014 – and metal and non-metallic mineral products, which outweighed a drop in motor vehicle and parts exports.

For these Instagram-only business owners, Monday’s outage was a rude awakening

CBC News

Daniel Tsai, a lecturer on law and technology at the University of Toronto, says the influence of social media giants like Facebook has only become larger during the pandemic as so much of every day life has moved online.

“The pandemic has actually exacerbated the reliance on using Facebook and online venues to sell their products and get out to the customers,” he said in an interview. “They really are hostage to a situation created by COVID-19.”

While Instagram has been a great venue for sales, that over-reliance brings with it danger.

“Businesses that rely solely on Facebook are going to find themselves extremely vulnerable because they have a 80 per cent duopoly on all the advertising,” he said.

Featured Content

Where has all the talent gone?

Pollice Consulting Group

In another drastic reminder as to how the labour market has become so distorted, the number of job openings in the USA hit an all time hire of 10.1 million in July and the Canadian job market experienced 1.2 million job openings in that same period of time.

As the North American economy begins to rebound, even as the Delta Variant of Covid is spreading in poorly vaccinated parts of the continent – businesses are scrambling to add employees.  Manufacturing jobs beginning at entry level through to supervisory positions are all in play. Fork Lift Truck Operators, Quality Assurance Technicians, skill trades such as Welders, Electronic Process Control Technicians, Electricians, Gas Fitters and Plumbers are all in great demand. Add to this Advanced Medical Technologists, Manufacturing Technologists and Assembly personnel we have the perfect storm. At no time since 1944 have we seen such a demand. Even Global Affairs Canada reports that clerical positions are available at a starting salary of $ 1,100 per week.

Employee shortages in Canada are not really a new challenge for employers however, the landscape in which the competition for talent is taking place is very different. This is in part due to a strong demand for employees generated by robust economic growth, employees who have used the pandemic as an stimulus to alter their careers and potential employees who have decided to start up their own companies. Completing the perfect storm scenario is the fact that employees today are more informed about the world surrounding them and where they fit, a demand for a better working environment, alternative opportunities, a reconfigured employee market, employees who value their worth and corporate failure to hire during recessionary times.

Click here to read more.

Niagara COVID-19 statistics tracker

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

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

Last updated: September 25, 2021

Click here for definitions of terms used in this table.

On October 4, there were 13 patients admitted to Niagara Health with COVID-19, 12 of whom were unvaccinated and 1 of whom was fully vaccinated. There were 2 patients with COVID-19 in a Niagara Health Intensive Care Unit.

Over the last 28 days, a Niagara resident vaccinated with 1 dose was 4.3 times more likely to contract COVID-19, and an unvaccinated person was 7.9 times more likely. The average weekly rate of hospitalized cases in unvaccinated Canadians was 38 times higher compared to fully vaccinated people. Niagara Health has reported that no vaccinated patients have required intensive care to date.

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

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

Niagara COVID vaccination tracker

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

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

Total doses administered in Niagara: 709,785

New daily doses administered to Niagara residents: 1,242

Last updated: October 5, 2021

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

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

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

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

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

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Daily Update: October 4th, 2021

October 4, 2021 | Daily Update

In a response to the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario’s throne speech of October 4, the GNCC has called for more support for businesses.

Ontario Throne Speech prioritizes health care, recovery

The Honourable Elizabeth Dowdeswell, Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, today delivered a Throne Speech for the Government of Ontario.

Highlights included:

  • Maintaining public health measures and emphasizing mass vaccination
  • A stressed need to avoid future lockdowns
  • Investment in hospitals and long-term care homes
  • Calling on the Government of Canada to increase the Canada Health Transfer to 35 per cent of provincial-territorial health-care spending
  • Noting the issues of precarious work and low wages, especially for young adults, students, and hospitality workers
  • Commitment to a return to fiscal balance through economic growth rather than tax increases or service cuts
  • Continued partnership with Indigenous communities and a commitment to meaningful reconciliation
  • Building and expanding transit across the province.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bvxKuQbwQa0

Read the transcript here.

GNCC responds to Throne Speech, calls for more support and certainty for businesses

In a response to the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario’s throne speech of October 4, the GNCC has called for more support for businesses, noting that, while the speech called for better wages and more stable jobs, these depend on thriving and profitable businesses. With investment and relief, especially for heavily-affected sectors such as hospitality, the business community would be able to help deliver the recovery that the Government is looking for. Recovery depends in large part upon blunting the impact of the fourth wave, and the emphasis on health care will hopefully deliver that and save businesses from having to endure further restrictions.

The GNCC also called for more action on child care and public transit, recognizing that solving these problems will go a long way to relieving the labour shortage that so many businesses face. The Chamber also expressed a hope to see more specifics of an end to deficit spending and the growth-led recovery that we look forward to.

Read the full statement here.

Minister McLeod to deliver Tourism Recovery Fund briefing

Join Lisa MacLeod, Ontario’s Minister of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Industries, for a technical briefing on the Ontario Tourism Recovery Program to be held tomorrow afternoon.

Register for free here.

St. Catharines seeks public input on 2022 municipal election

More individuals are participating in and engaging with their community at a distance, be it by phone, mail or online. With increasing resident comfort in new means of engagement the City wants to ensure voters can not only cast their ballot securely for City Council, Regional Council and school boards, but also that they can vote in a way that is both convenient and comfortable for them.

Residents are invited to learn more about alternative voting methods and complete the short survey at EngageSTC.ca/Vote2022.

The survey will be open for responses until Oct. 18 at 4 p.m..

Reading Recommendations

Canada formally invokes 1977 pipeline treaty with U.S. over Line 5 dispute

Reuters

Canada on Monday formally invoked a 1977 treaty with the United States to request negotiations over Enbridge Inc’s (ENB.TO) Line 5 pipeline, escalating a long-running dispute over one of Canada’s major oil export pipelines.

Line 5 ships 540,000 barrels per day of crude and refined products from Superior, Wisconsin, to Sarnia, Ontario, but the state of Michigan wants it shut down over worries that a leak could develop in a four-mile section running beneath the Straits of Mackinac in the Great Lakes.

Enbridge ignored Michigan’s order to halt operations earlier this year. The sides are embroiled in a legal battle, and took part in court-ordered mediation. The government of Canada has been pushing counterparts in the United States to intervene to help keep the pipeline open.

Postmortem: Why restaurant workers are fleeing the industry

Financial Post

The shortage of restaurant workers has replaced the price of lumber as everyone’s favourite post-pandemic talking point. Even famous chains such as McDonald’s Corp. and Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc. are struggling to fill jobs. Many industries are struggling with elevated vacancy rates, which measures the proportion of unfilled positions to the total number of occupied and unoccupied jobs (chart below). But the situation is most extreme at hotels, restaurants, and bars. 

A knee-jerk explanation is that COVID-19 benefits are too generous. Why wash dishes when the government will pay you almost as much to stay at home and do nothing? There’s something to that notion, but probably not as much as the critics who land on that answer think. “After years of investing in an exploitative promise, the dining industry’s best and brightest workers, the cooks and floor staff whose poorly remunerated passion subsidized our luxury dinners, are fleeing the business,” Chris Nuttall-Smith, one of the country’s best food writers, observed in latest edition of Toronto Life magazine. 

The restaurant industry is facing the highest vacancy rates in the country. And yet the average offered hourly wage had increased only five per cent in the second quarter from the same period in 2019, according to Statistics Canada data. It was by far the smallest increase among industries with above-average vacancy rates. Why wouldn’t restaurant workers flee? They aren’t being offered a reason to stay. 

Niagara COVID-19 statistics tracker

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

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

Last updated: September 25, 2021

Click here for definitions of terms used in this table.

On October 4, there were 13 patients admitted to Niagara Health with COVID-19, 12 of whom were unvaccinated and 1 of whom was fully vaccinated. There were 2 patients with COVID-19 in a Niagara Health Intensive Care Unit.

Over the last 28 days, a Niagara resident vaccinated with 1 dose was 4.3 times more likely to contract COVID-19, and an unvaccinated person was 7.9 times more likely. The average weekly rate of hospitalized cases in unvaccinated Canadians was 38 times higher compared to fully vaccinated people. Niagara Health has reported that no vaccinated patients have required intensive care to date.

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

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

Niagara COVID vaccination tracker

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

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

Total doses administered in Niagara: 708,532

New daily doses administered to Niagara residents: 674

Last updated: October 4, 2021

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

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

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

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

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

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Daily Update: October 1st, 2021

October 1, 2021 | Daily Update

The Linking Niagara Transit Committee seeks your input on consolidating and improving public transit in Niagara.

Have your say on Niagara transit consolidation

Built on years of public consultation and feedback, Niagara’s proposal for a consolidated transit system includes a governance structure and a Service Standards Strategy that would provide service to all of Niagara. It also includes a financial model that aligns with this plan.

An efficient and effective public transit system is vitally important to businesses and the economy. It enables people to access jobs, education, stores, and leisure, driving business activity across the region.

Please help to improve public transit service in Niagara by completing this survey from the Linking Niagara Transit Committee.

Province celebrates Manufacturing Day

The Ontario government, in partnership with Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters (CME), has announced October 1 as Manufacturing Day. The day celebrates Ontario’s manufacturers, their hard-working employees, and a collective commitment to ensuring that Ontario maintains its status as the economic engine of Canada.

The celebration will lead up to a virtual event on October 29, with virtual open-door plant tours, allowing young people and educators to learn about the sector’s successes and strengths from local manufacturers and suppliers, as well as an industry panel discussion

The government is encouraging young people to consider an exciting career in a sector that in 2020 accounted for 650,000 jobs and close to 12 per cent of the province’s Gross Domestic Product.

Click here for more information.

2022 Budget Engagement begins at City of Niagara Falls

As the City of Niagara Falls prepares for the 2022 budget, members of the public are invited to participate in a public engagement process to gather feedback on priorities and key considerations.

The 2022 Budget page on Let’s Talk Niagara Falls is a one-stop shop for the latest news, updates, and engagement opportunities relating to next year’s budget.

Engagement kicks off today with an online survey.

Click here for more information.

Lieutenant Governor to deliver Ontario Speech from the Throne

Her Honour the Honourable Elizabeth Dowdeswell, Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, will deliver the Speech from the Throne to open the Fall Session of the 42nd Parliament of Ontario at 9:00 a.m. on Monday, October 4th.

Watch the livestream with English closed captioning on the Government of Ontario YouTube Channel or with French closed captioning at Chaîne YouTube du gouvernement de l’Ontario.

Ontario recommends the use of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for individuals aged 18-24

Out of an abundance of caution, Ontario is issuing a preferential recommendation of the use of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for individuals aged 18-24 years old effective immediately based on the current available analysis from Ontario’s adverse events following immunization (AEFI) surveillance system.

This recommendation was based on the advice of Ontario’s Children COVID-19 Vaccine Table, Ontario Vaccine Clinical Advisory Group, and Public Health Ontario and is due to an observed increase in Ontario of the very rare heart condition called pericarditis/myocarditis following vaccination with Moderna compared to Pfizer in the 18 to 24 year old age group, particularly among males. The majority of reported cases have been mild with individuals recovering quickly, normally with anti-inflammatory medication. Symptoms have typically been reported to start within one week after vaccination, more commonly after the second dose.

Click here to read the statement from Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health.

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

Reading Recommendations

Canada’s economy seen rebounding on hospitality sector growth

Reuters

Canada’s economy likely rebounded in August from a slight contraction in July, buoyed by growth in the hospitality industry, though a withering drought will continue to drag on the important agriculture sector, data showed on Friday.

The Canadian economy contracted 0.1% in July, just beating analyst estimates of a decline of 0.2%, but likely grew by 0.7% in August on jumps in services and manufacturing, Statistics Canada said. The August number is a preliminary estimate.

With the expected rise in August, total economic activity is about 1% below pre-pandemic levels, Statscan said.

“The slightly smaller-than-expected setback in July and nice pop in August suggest that the economy managed to grind out some moderate growth in the summer quarter as a whole,” Doug Porter, chief economist at BMO Capital Markets, said in a note.

Kingston pub loses liquor licence for breaking pandemic rules

CBC News

A Kingston, Ont., sports pub can no longer serve alcohol as Ontario’s alcohol licensing agency, the AGCO, has removed its licence for breaking pandemic rules.

The decision comes about a week after J.A.K.K. Tuesdays shared on Facebook it wouldn’t enforce the province’s proof-of-vaccine rules, which came into effect Sept. 22.

The AGCO said in a Thursday news release officials with the pub told the agency on Sept. 10 it wouldn’t enforce the Reopening Ontario Act, which covers vaccine rules along with what’s allowed under Step 3 of the province’s reopening plan.

The pub also posted signs saying it wouldn’t follow the rules.

Featured Content

The Workforce Equation

Niagara Workforce Planning Board

Recently, job vacancies have become a common topic of conversation surrounding the world of work. This week, the Financial Post published an article demonstrating that difficulties finding employees are not only experienced in one particular sector, but is a trend seen across multiple industries – likely for a variety of reasons. NWPB has been hearing similar insights from employers, and our local job demand project shows that there are available jobs across many industries.

Pairing these employer experiences with local unemployment rates, which still surpass those seen prior to the pandemic, points to further conversations that may need to occur around workforce development. These conversations should incorporate strategies such as working collaboratively with employers and job seekers on ways to meet the unique needs of both sides of the “workforce equation” through workplace education, policy development, addressing barriers to employment, and beyond.

For more insights on local labour force trends, visit our website at www.nwpb.ca.

Niagara COVID-19 statistics tracker

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

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

Last updated: September 25, 2021

Click here for definitions of terms used in this table.

On September 30, there were 15 patients admitted to Niagara Health with COVID-19, 13 of whom were unvaccinated and 2 of whom were fully vaccinated. There were 2 patients with COVID-19 in a Niagara Health Intensive Care Unit.

Over the last 28 days, a Niagara resident vaccinated with 1 dose was 4.3 times more likely to contract COVID-19, and an unvaccinated person was 7.9 times more likely. The average weekly rate of hospitalized cases in unvaccinated Canadians was 38 times higher compared to fully vaccinated people. Niagara Health has reported that no vaccinated patients have required intensive care to date.

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

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

Niagara COVID vaccination tracker

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

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

Total doses administered in Niagara: 705,703

New daily doses administered to Niagara residents: 1,210

Last updated: October 1, 2021

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

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

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

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

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

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Daily Update: September 29th, 2021

September 29, 2021 | Daily Update

The GNCC is conducting a survey to find out what businesses that require proof-of-vaccination from patrons are experiencing.

Proof-of-Vaccination: Tell us how it’s affected your business

The GNCC is conducting a survey to find out what businesses that require proof-of-vaccination from patrons are experiencing in the early days of the program. We are looking to hear from businesses in the categories identified by the Government of Ontario below, as well as any others who may have voluntarily adopted a proof-of-vaccination policy.

  • Restaurants, bars, and nightclubs
  • Meeting and event spaces
  • Sports and fitness facilities
  • Casinos, bingo halls, gaming establishments and racing venues
  • Concerts, music festivals, theatres and cinemas
  • Adult entertainment

If you are running a business in these categories, please complete the survey – it will take only a few minutes. Your answers will be kept anonymous.

The results from the survey will be released in the Daily Update, although no information that could identify a business or individual is gathered. Feedback from this survey will be passed on to governments and industry associations.

Take the survey now!

Ontario legislature to reconvene Monday, Speech from the Throne to be delivered

Ontario Premier Doug Ford confirmed that the Honourable Elizabeth Dowdeswell, Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, will deliver a Speech from the Throne when the legislature convenes on October 4, 2021 at 9:00 a.m.

Niagara Public Health offers advice for employers to stop the spread of COVID-19 in the workplace

Niagara Region Public Health recently issued a letter to all Niagara employers with advice and recommendations to keep workplaces safe during the fourth wave. With the Delta variant currently driving a fourth wave in Niagara, there have been 13 workplace outbreaks so far in September.

Vaccination polices, screening and rapid tests are the first lines of defence that keep infection out of the workplace.

Further COVID-19 guidance for businesses can be accessed on Niagara Region Public Health’s website. Business that have questions are invited to call the COVID-19 Info-Line at 905-688-8248 press 7, then press 3 or toll-free at 1-888-505-6074.​

Click here for more information.

Wainfleet to require proof-of-vaccination for access to Township facilities

The Township of Wainfleet is the latest Niagara municipality to announce proof-of-vaccination requirements for access to municipal facilities. The Township reports that these requirements came into effect on Wednesday, September 22, 2021, and impact some Township facilities, including the Wainfleet Community Centre, the Moore Room, Wainfleet Seniors’ Room and the Wainfleet Arena. Staff will be on site at these locations during operating hours, to verify proof of vaccination and proof of identity of patrons. Proof of vaccination is required each time a patron enters the facility, as vaccination information will not be recorded or stored.

Click here for more information.

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

Government of Ontario invests $53 million in Niagara Health

To help strengthen the financial stability of public hospitals across the province, the Government of Ontario is providing up to $696.6 million this year to help cover historic working funds deficits of qualifying hospitals, with a focus on small, medium as well as specialty and rehabilitation hospitals. This includes $53,383,900 for Niagara Health.

This funding is a part of the over $1.2 billion investment previously announced to help hospitals recover from financial pressures created and worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic, while ensuring they can continue providing the high-quality care Ontarians need and deserve. This funding will also help to ensure that Ontario’s hospitals are able to respond to any scenario as the COVID-19 pandemic evolves.

Click here for more information.

Canadian tourist spending up in Q2 2021

Tourism spending in Canada increased 4.2% in the second quarter, following a 2.5% decrease in the first quarter. Tourism gross domestic product (GDP) (+4.0%) and jobs attributable to tourism (+1.0%) also increased in the second quarter.

The COVID-19 pandemic had a continued economic impact in the second quarter. Throughout this period, restrictions were both expanded and eased in many regions, similar to the previous quarter. The vaccination campaign that began late in the fourth quarter of 2020 also ramped up throughout the second quarter of 2021.

The increase in tourism spending in the second quarter was mostly driven by spending on accommodation services (+6.1%) and food and beverage services (+4.3%). Overall, tourism spending in Canada in the second quarter was 55.4% lower than the pre-pandemic levels in the fourth quarter of 2019.

Click here for more information.

Truth and Reconciliation

Canada’s first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation will be observed on September 30. It provides an opportunity for us to recognize and commemorate the history and ongoing legacy of residential schools and the trauma experienced by so many. From today until September 30, this section of the Daily Update will contain resources and information to aid and honour residential school survivors and their families, and to promote good relationships and economic reconciliation with Indigenous peoples. We believe the business community has an important role to play in reconciliation.

September 30 is a federal statutory holiday. If your business is federally-regulated, you must observe this holiday. For provincially-regulated businesses, observation is optional.

Help and Resources

For those who need support, a national Residential School Survivor Crisis Line is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week: 1-866-925-4419. For non-Indigenous people, Crisis Services Canada is available to help: 1-833-456-4566.

The Hope for Wellness Help Line offers immediate help to all Indigenous peoples across Canada.

The Indian Residential Schools Resolution Health Support Program provides mental health, emotional and cultural support services to eligible former Indian Residential School students and their families.

Court dismisses Ottawa’s appeals of Indigenous kids rulings

CTV News

The Federal Court has dismissed Ottawa’s attempts to appeal a pair of rulings about providing services and compensation to First Nations children.

In September 2019, the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal ruled Ottawa didn’t properly fund child and family services, which resulted in it “wilfully and recklessly” discriminating against Indigenous children living on reserve.

It ordered the federal government to pay $40,000 each to about 50,000 First Nations children as well as their relatives, but the Liberal government appealed the ruling.

Reading Recommendations

YouTube moves to block and remove anti-vaccine content

CBC News

YouTube is moving to block and remove all content that spreads misinformation about vaccines against COVID-19 and other illnesses, such as measles, hepatitis and chicken pox.

The Google-owned online video company said in a blog post on Wednesday that any content that “falsely alleges that approved vaccines are dangerous and cause chronic health effects” will be removed.

“This would include content that falsely says that approved vaccines cause autism, cancer or infertility, or that substances in vaccines can track those who receive them.”

Since 2020, Google says it has taken down 130,000 videos for violating the company’s COVID-19 vaccine policies, and says it is stepping up those efforts.

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

‘State of crisis’: Canadian Medical Association calls for lockdowns in Alberta and Saskatchewan

CBC News

The Canadian Medical Association is calling for lockdowns in Alberta and Saskatchewan to protect their “crumbling” health-care systems.

Both western provinces are setting hospitalization records for COVID-19, with intensive care capacity running slim.

Dr. Katharine Smart, president of the national association, is urging the federal and provincial governments to take immediate action.

The association is calling for short, controlled lockdowns, often called “firebreakers” or “circuit-breakers,” which would close schools and non-essential businesses.

Niagara COVID-19 statistics tracker

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

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

Last updated: September 25, 2021

Click here for definitions of terms used in this table.

On September 28, there were 14 patients admitted to Niagara Health with COVID-19, 12 of whom were unvaccinated and 2 of whom were fully vaccinated. There were 2 patients with COVID-19 in a Niagara Health Intensive Care Unit.

Over the last 28 days, a Niagara resident vaccinated with 1 dose was 4.3 times more likely to contract COVID-19, and an unvaccinated person was 7.9 times more likely. The average weekly rate of hospitalized cases in unvaccinated Canadians was 38 times higher compared to fully vaccinated people. Niagara Health has reported that no vaccinated patients have required intensive care to date.

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

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

Niagara COVID vaccination tracker

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

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

Total doses administered in Niagara: 703,099

New daily doses administered to Niagara residents: 1,079

Last updated: September 29, 2021

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

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

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

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

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

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Daily Update: September 28th, 2021

September 28, 2021 | Daily Update

The Ontario government is providing an additional $83 million to help upskill workers and prepare job seekers for work.”

Ontario to invest $83 million in Skills Development Fund

The Ontario government is providing an additional $83 million towards the Skills Development Fund to help support training projects that upskill workers and prepare job seekers for meaningful work in their communities. Beginning tomorrow, the fund will begin accepting proposals for the second round of funding and is expanding its eligibility to allow an even wider range of organizations to apply.

Organizations applying for the second round of the Skills Development Fund can also receive funding to accommodate trainees and workers with disabilities. This includes travel costs for people who require mobility support, including site-to-site job travel for both participants and support persons. Employers can receive up to $5,000 per job placement if they support a trainee with a disability.

Funding applications will be accepted starting at 9:00am on September 29, 2021, for as long as funds are available or until the fiscal year ends on March 31, 2022. Interested organizations can apply through Transfer Payment Ontario.

Click here for more information.

Niagara Region Public Health reminds employers to screen and test employees

Niagara Region Public Health is reminding local employers to use health screening and rapid testing to prevent COVID-19 from entering the workplace.

With the Delta variant currently driving a fourth wave in Niagara, there have been 11 workplace outbreaks so far in September. This has required many employees to isolate as close contacts, disrupting business and impeding the economic recovery so many businesses need.

The Greater Niagara Chamber of Commerce is partnering with the province of Ontario to distribute rapid tests for free to interested workplaces in Niagara.

Click here to read the Region’s media release.

Click here for more information on the GNCC’s free rapid testing kit program.

St. Catharines to require vaccination for all City employees

All City of St. Catharines employees — with the exception of those unable to receive the vaccine due to a Human Rights Code exemption — will be required to be fully vaccinated. With scientific data demonstrating the effectiveness of vaccines in curbing the spread of COVID-19 and the increased risk of the Delta Variant to unvaccinated individuals, the City is adding vaccine requirements to its existing COVID-19 employee safety protocols such as mask requirements, daily screening and increased disinfection efforts.

The City is instituting the policy with a phased-in approach, providing employees who have not yet been vaccinated adequate time to receive a two-dose vaccine regimen.

Click here for more information.

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

Payroll employment rises by 325,000 in July

Payroll employment—or the number of employees receiving pay or benefits from their employer—increased by 324,800 (+2.0%) in July, the largest monthly increase since September 2020, Statistics Canada reports. The increase was driven mainly by gains in the services-producing sector in Ontario, Alberta and British Columbia.

Click here for more information.

Truth and Reconciliation

Canada’s first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation will be observed on September 30. It provides an opportunity for us to recognize and commemorate the history and ongoing legacy of residential schools and the trauma experienced by so many. From today until September 30, this section of the Daily Update will contain resources and information to aid and honour residential school survivors and their families, and to promote good relationships and economic reconciliation with Indigenous peoples. We believe the business community has an important role to play in reconciliation.

September 30 is a federal statutory holiday. If your business is federally-regulated, you must observe this holiday. For provincially-regulated businesses, observation is optional.

Help and Resources

For those who need support, a national Residential School Survivor Crisis Line is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week: 1-866-925-4419. For non-Indigenous people, Crisis Services Canada is available to help: 1-833-456-4566.

The Hope for Wellness Help Line offers immediate help to all Indigenous peoples across Canada.

The Indian Residential Schools Resolution Health Support Program provides mental health, emotional and cultural support services to eligible former Indian Residential School students and their families.

Native Land Indigenous digital map

Native Land Digital strives to create and foster conversations about the history of colonialism, Indigenous ways of knowing, and settler-Indigenous relations, through educational resources such as our map and Territory Acknowledgement Guide. They strive to go beyond old ways of talking about Indigenous people and to develop a platform where Indigenous communities can represent themselves and their histories on their own terms.

Click here to view an interactive map of Indigenous territories and languages.

Reading Recommendations

Canada’s Trudeau says cabinet coming next month; finance minister to stay

Reuters

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Tuesday he will swear in his new cabinet next month, with Chrystia Freeland returning as his finance minister and deputy, after his Liberals were re-elected for the third time.

Trudeau, speaking with reporters in Ottawa at his first full news conference since the Sept. 20 election, also said lawmakers would be back in parliament this fall – without giving a date – and that putting previously announced vaccine mandates in place would be a priority.

Housing market at high risk of sharp correction, CMHC says

Financial Post

Canada’s housing agency said the country is now at high risk of a sharp correction in home valuations as the continued appreciation in prices becomes unmoored from economic fundamentals.

The Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. raised its market risk assessment to high from moderate on Tuesday, in a report showing both activity and prices remain near record levels reached earlier this year amid rock-bottom mortgage rates and a frenzy for bigger living spaces driven by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Though Canada has seen a rising vaccination rate and an improving economy since then, the strength in the housing market is still far beyond what’s warranted by these developments, with prices further detached from labor incomes, the agency said.

Niagara COVID-19 statistics tracker

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

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

Last updated: September 18, 2021

Click here for definitions of terms used in this table.

On September 27, there were 11 patients admitted to Niagara Health with COVID-19, 10 of whom were unvaccinated and 1 of whom were fully vaccinated. There were 2 patients with COVID-19 in a Niagara Health Intensive Care Unit.

Over the last 28 days, a Niagara resident vaccinated with 1 dose was 4.1 times more likely to contract COVID-19, and an unvaccinated person was 7.7 times more likely. The average weekly rate of hospitalized cases in unvaccinated Canadians was 38 times higher compared to fully vaccinated people.

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

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

Niagara COVID vaccination tracker

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

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

Total doses administered in Niagara: 701,214

New daily doses administered to Niagara residents: 1,188

Last updated: September 28, 2021

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

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

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

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

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

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NEXTNiagara Presents: Jump Start your Job Search

September 28, 2021 | Event Recordings, NEXTNiagara, NEXTNiagara Videos

The global pandemic turned work as we knew it on its head and technological advancements changed hiring. Things aren’t what they used to be.

Join Kristen Nilsen and Venessa Magny from The Career Shop (@the.careershop) in this one-hour session to learn about how to launch and maintain an effective job search, from the initial decision to start looking at opportunities all the way to the interview process.

As many workers plan to return to the office for the first time in months, we’ve already begun to see evidence of the “Great Resignation”, with HR experts and economists expecting workers to leave their current roles for new employment at record rates. Whatever the reason for seeking new employment, having a plan, and being prepared is the best way to ensure the experience is as coordinated, and manageable as possible.

Topics to be discussed:

  • Identifying what you want
  • Activating your plan
  • Communicating who you are
  • Staying motivated

Career paths, recruitment, and best practices have changed. From the global pandemic that turned work as we knew it on its head, to technological advancements in the recruitment process, things aren’t what they used to be. Why should the job search stay the same?

Download Post-Event Worksheet

Presenters:

Kristen Nilsen
Kristen has spent much of her professional life working in higher education, supported by an academic background in Business (BBA) and Education (MEd). Her work experiences have consistently had a client-centric approach, seeking solutions to problems, and providing tailored support to stakeholders. Her work in supporting clients in their career development began while working as a Career Coach in 2017 but advising, coaching, and encouraging individuals of all backgrounds had been integral to her work throughout her career. Her coaching philosophy focusses on providing clients with the tools to be successful and empowering them to maneuver situations with confidence, in relevant and relatable ways. During the pandemic, in addition to her day job at Brock University, she co-founded The Career Shop to provide personalized career coaching to clients who may be established in their careers but are now looking for new opportunities.

Venessa Magny
Venessa has over 7 years of experience in working in post-secondary career education, from working one on one with individuals to working with employers to create innovative recruitment strategies. She holds a degree in Psychology from the University of Ottawa, and an HR Certificate from Humber College. Having experienced her own challenging career transitions, she saw an opportunity to support other mid-career professionals who were ready for their next step but not quite sure how to get there. She co-founded The Career Shop as a resource for professionals to find answers to questions they have, and help people love what they do. Venessa continues to work for Brock University in Career Education as the employer consultant and is also on the Board of Directors for the John Howard Society of Niagara.

Contact:

hellocareershop@gmail.com
Instagram: @the.careershop
Facebook @the.careershop
LinkedIn – The Career Shop

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Daily Update: September 27th, 2021

September 27, 2021 | Daily Update

Ontario to invest $100 million in Tourism Recovery Program

The new Tourism Recovery Program will help for-profit tourism businesses in the attraction, accommodation, and leisure travel sectors protect critical jobs in communities across the province and help them prepare to reopen and safely welcome back visitors.

Businesses that have experienced a loss of at least 50 per cent of eligible revenue in 2020-21 compared to 2019 will be eligible to apply from October 13, 2021.

Click here for more information.

Niagara joins Consider Canada City Alliance

At its Annual Fall Meeting on Sept. 22, The Consider Canada City Alliance (CCCA) accepted Niagara as its newest member. The Alliance unites 14 of Canada’s largest municipal regions —Vancouver, Surrey, Edmonton, Calgary, Winnipeg, London, Waterloo, Hamilton, Niagara, Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, Quebec City and Halifax— to build a sustainable and globally competitive national economy built upon the collective strength of each member’s ecosystem.

As a partner, Niagara will work with other leading regions as well as with national and international networks of partners to make Canada the preferred location for foreign investment and trade.

Click here for more information.

Government of Ontario deploys 100 new health and safety inspectors to educate businesses about vaccine certificate

More than 100 new health and safety inspectors are graduating today and will be visiting workplaces in construction, industrial and health care settings. With the support of provincial offences officers, the inspectors will be deployed to help educate workers and businesses about the newly-launched vaccine certificate.

The addition of these graduates means Ontario now has a total of 507 labour inspectors, the largest ever number in provincial history.

To help businesses stay on top of health and safety guidance, the province has also launched the new Workplace Safety Plan Builder, a free interactive tool making it easier for workplaces to create and update their COVID-19 safety plans.

Click here for more information.

New mental health support available to farmers

The Ontario government is committing more than $385,000 to expand “In the Know”, a mental health literacy program tailored to support the well-being of the farming community. The In the Know program is an important mental health literacy program tailored to the needs of the agricultural community offered at 16 Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) branches in rural and agricultural communities by approximately 30 facilitators. The expansion of the program to more branches will help improve access to mental health supports in rural areas, reduce the stigma around mental health, encourage more open discussion, and help connect the farm community with the resources and support they need.

Click here for more information.

Visible minorities found communities became less safe and inclusive during pandemic, Statistics Canada reports

To examine how the pandemic influenced Canadians’ views on their communities and affected their economic and financial situation, Statistics Canada conducted its second survey from the Portrait of Canadian Society series (PCS2) from July 19 to August 1, 2021. The survey covers the experiences of the Canadian population during the first 16 months of the pandemic.

This study highlights the social and economic impacts of the pandemic on groups designated as visible minorities and those born abroad. The results show that during the pandemic, these populations have seen their communities as being less inclusive and consider their neighbourhoods less safe for people with a different skin colour, ethnic origin or religion. They have also reported more of an impact on their financial situation and their ability to meet essential needs compared with other Canadians.

Click here for more information.

Niagara Medical Officer of Health offers COVID-19 update

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bDg2PKgYNrQ&feature=youtu.be

Niagara College announces all programs will offer on-campus learning this winter

With a strong focus on ensuring a safe learning environment, Niagara College is planning to increase on-campus learning in January for the Winter 2022 term, including the opportunity for on-campus learning for all students.

Recognizing that students need ample time to plan for their studies, Niagara College is planning to provide on-campus learning experiences in every program this winter. While many programs will continue to mix remote and in-person learning, students in all programs will be able to have at least a partial on-campus learning experience.

Click here for more information.

Truth and Reconciliation

Canada’s first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation will be observed on September 30. It provides an opportunity for us to recognize and commemorate the history and ongoing legacy of residential schools and the trauma experienced by so many. From today until September 30, this section of the Daily Update will contain resources and information to aid and honour residential school survivors and their families, and to promote good relationships and economic reconciliation with Indigenous peoples. We believe the business community has an important role to play in reconciliation.

September 30 is a federal statutory holiday. If your business is federally-regulated, you must observe this holiday. For provincially-regulated businesses, observation is optional.

Help and Resources

For those who need support, a national Residential School Survivor Crisis Line is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week: 1-866-925-4419. For non-Indigenous people, Crisis Services Canada is available to help: 1-833-456-4566.

The Hope for Wellness Help Line offers immediate help to all Indigenous peoples across Canada.

The Indian Residential Schools Resolution Health Support Program provides mental health, emotional and cultural support services to eligible former Indian Residential School students and their families.

Interactive map of residential schools

Reading Recommendations

Canada’s Green Party chief resigns, calling it ‘worst period’ of her life

Reuters

Annamie Paul announced her resignation as head of Canada’s Green Party on Monday after losing in her own district in last week’s parliamentary election, stepping aside just under a year after becoming the nation’s first Black leader of a mainstream national party.

Paul, 48, said she felt she was never truly allowed to lead the fractious environmentally focused party and was not interested in going through a fight to remain its chief. She called her time as party leader “the worst period in my life.”

“When I was elected and put in this role, I was breaking a glass ceiling,” Paul told reporters in Toronto. “What I didn’t realize at the time is that I was breaking a glass ceiling that was going to fall on my head.”

Alberta health-care system sets another record with 312 patients in intensive care

CBC News

Alberta has set yet another record for the number of patients requiring critical care as the health-care system buckles under the pressure of the pandemic’s fourth wave.

There are currently 312 patients in intensive care units, the vast majority of whom are COVID-19 positive, an Alberta Health Services (AHS) spokesperson said in a statement Monday morning.

AHS continues to open additional ICU spaces and redeploy staff to meet patient demand, including opening another 38 surge beds in the past week, the statement said.

Niagara COVID-19 statistics tracker

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

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

Last updated: September 18, 2021

Click here for definitions of terms used in this table.

On September 27, there were 11 patients admitted to Niagara Health with COVID-19, 10 of whom were unvaccinated and 1 of whom were fully vaccinated. There were 2 patients with COVID-19 in a Niagara Health Intensive Care Unit.

Over the last 28 days, a Niagara resident vaccinated with 1 dose was 4.1 times more likely to contract COVID-19, and an unvaccinated person was 7.7 times more likely. The average weekly rate of hospitalized cases in unvaccinated Canadians was 38 times higher compared to fully vaccinated people.

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

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

Niagara COVID vaccination tracker

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

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

Total doses administered in Niagara: 700,025

New daily doses administered to Niagara residents: 694

Last updated: September 27, 2021

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

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

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

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

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

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