Daily Update: August 12th, 2021

August 12, 2021 | Daily Update

Canadian Criminal Code amendments legalizing single event sport betting will come into force on August 27, 2021.

Government of Canada legalizes single-wager sports betting

Today, the Honourable Filomena Tassi, Minister of Labour, along with Irek Kusmierczyk, Member for Windsor—Tecumseh, on behalf of the Honourable David Lametti, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, highlighted that Criminal Code amendments relating to single event sport betting will come into force on August 27, 2021. The amendments to paragraph 207(4)(b) of the Criminal Code received Royal Assent on June 29, 2021.

Click here for more information.

Ontario releases 2021–22 First Quarter Finances

While uncertainty related to the pandemic and the future pace of economic recovery remains, since the 2021 Budget private sector real gross domestic product forecasts for 2021 have been revised significantly upwards, reflecting significant progress on COVID-19 vaccinations and stronger than expected United States and global growth. In its first fiscal and economic update since the 2021 Budget, the government is projecting a deficit of $32.4 billion in 2021-22, an improvement of nearly $700 million from the outlook presented in the 2021 Budget.

Click here for more information.

City of Welland sells 31 acres of surplus lands for development

The City of Welland has accepted an offer to purchase surplus city-owned land located at 469 Rice Road (formerly the location of the Welland Soccer Club). The development will feature future various housing types, including single-detached, semi-detached, townhouses, and multiple dwellings. A minimum density of 50 residents and jobs combined per hectare is required. The City will transfer proceeds from the sale into the Youngs Sports Complex (YSP) Sustainability Reserve.

Click here for more information (PDF link).

Canadian Chamber says governments must get ahead of fourth wave right now

The Canadian Chamber of Commerce is asking governments to urgently undertake four actions within our grasp to avoid future lockdowns:

  1.  Digital vaccination certificates
  2. Business operations and vaccination status disclosure
  3. Rapid testing
  4. Vaccine uptake

Businesses, Canadians and governments have all worked hard to bring us close to the finish line. Another lockdown will be the final nail in the coffin for thousands of small businesses, especially in the hardest-hit sectors.

Click here for more information.

Ontario to provide incentives to PSWs and nurses for retirement home work

The Ontario government is investing more than $2M over two years to provide new and recently hired personal support workers (PSWs) and nurses with financial incentives to encourage them to work in retirement homes. Through this initiative, PSWs will receive an incentive payment of $5,000 for a six-month commitment and nurses will receive $10,000 for a one-year commitment to work in a retirement home.

Click here for more information.

One in four Canadian women report inappropriate sexualized behaviour at work

In 2020, one in four women (25%) and one in six men (17%) reported having personally experienced inappropriate sexualized behaviours in their workplace during the previous year. Inappropriate sexualized behaviours include inappropriate verbal or non-verbal communication, sexually explicit materials, and unwanted physical contact or suggested sexual relations.

One in ten women (10%) personally experienced workplace discrimination based on gender, gender identity or sexual orientation in the year prior to the pandemic, compared with less than one in twenty men (4%).

Click here for more information.

Heat warning for Niagara continues

Hot and humid conditions are expected to continue today. Maximum temperatures will reach 28 to 31 degrees Celsius, with humidex values near 40. Cooler and less humid air is expected Friday.

Click here for more information.

Scam Warning – Gift Cards

The Niagara Regional Police Service would like to warn members of the public about frauds involving people claiming to be bank representatives.

Always be wary of anyone asking for gift cards, Bitcoin or anything unusual as a form of payment or financial assistance. Scammers are able to spoof emails and phone numbers so they can pretend to be someone the victim knows.

Click here for more information.

Reading Recommendations

B.C. orders mandatory COVID-19 vaccination for workers in assisted living and long-term care

CBC News

Everyone working in long-term care and assisted living in B.C. will now be required to be vaccinated against COVID-19.

Health officials announced Monday that a new public health order will make vaccination mandatory, and is a condition of employment for those working in those settings. They will need to be fully vaccinated by Oct.12, 2021.

Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said this will ensure all information on immunization status will be provided to the province for both residents and staff to assess risk and outbreak potential.

PM Trudeau expected to launch federal election on Sunday: sources

CTV News

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is expected to launch a federal election campaign this Sunday, with the vote set to be held as early as Sept. 20, sources have confirmed to CTV News.

After months of speculation over the prospect of a pandemic election, sources, speaking on a not-for-attribution basis, said that Trudeau is planning to visit Rideau Hall this weekend and ask Gov. Gen. Mary Simon to dissolve the 43rd Parliament and draw up the 338 writs, triggering a fall vote. However, sources indicated that it is still possible that the prime minister could adjust his plans.

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: August 7, 2021

Click here for definitions of terms used in this table.

There is currently 1 patient admitted to Niagara Health with COVID-19. There is currently 1 patient with COVID-19 in a Niagara Health Intensive Care Unit.

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: 639,045

New daily doses administered to Niagara residents: 1,587

Last updated: August 12, 2021

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

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.

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Daily Update: August 11th, 2021

August 11, 2021 | Daily Update

The provincial government has released guidelines around testing and self-isolation for those who might be exposed to the virus.

Ontario introduces new self-isolation rules for vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals

With Ontario facing a delta variant-driven fourth wave of COVID-19, the provincial government has released guidelines around testing and self-isolation for those who might be exposed to the virus — with the rules dependent on vaccination status.

Though the new rules are complex, they contain one basic theme: vaccinated Ontarians will be subject to fewer restrictions and more lenient isolation requirements compared to people who are unvaccinated.

Ontarians who are vaccinated, asymptomatic and exposed to a confirmed case are “likely” (depending on their specific public health unit) not required to self-isolate, but should get tested, the province says. Those people should also self-monitor for any symptoms for 10 days, as well as follow public health measures like wearing masks outside their home. An unvaccinated person has to self-isolate for 10 days and immediately get tested.

Click here for more information.

Canada moving forward with a proof of vaccination for international travel

The Government of Canada is collaborating with the provinces and territories to develop a proof of vaccination that will facilitate cross-border travel, while reducing the risk of spread and importation of COVID-19. Travellers will be able to submit their proof of vaccination in ArriveCAN (mobile app or Canada.ca/ArriveCAN) when coming back to Canada. While the focus is on a digital proof of vaccination, the government will also make sure that these documents are accessible for all Canadians who may need to use them.

Click here for more information.

Ontario Minister of Finance to release Quarterly Fiscal Update

Peter Bethlenfalvy, Minister of Finance, will release Ontario’s 2021-22 First Quarter Finances and provide an update on Ontario’s economic and fiscal outlook at 9 a.m. tomorrow.

Click here for more information.

Government of Canada invests in first made-in-Canada electric vehicle

Today, the Government of Canada announced a $5-million FedDev Ontario investment in the Automotive Parts Manufacturers’ Association (APMA) to support Project Arrow, the automotive industry’s first Canadian-made, zero emission concept vehicle.

Click here for more information.

Second phase of Connecting Families program announced, bringing high-speed internet to more low-income families and seniors

Today, the Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, and the Honourable Deb Schulte, Minister of Seniors, announced the second phase of Connecting Families, which will help connect hundreds of thousands of low-income seniors and families to affordable high-speed home Internet in 2022.

Connecting Families 2.0 is introducing significantly faster speeds and increasing the data usage amount. At 50/10 megabits per second (Mbps), the download and upload speeds will be five and ten times faster respectively than Connecting Families 1.0, with 200 GB of data usage for $20 a month. This new phase will also broaden eligibility from families receiving the maximum Canada Child Benefit (CCB) to include low-income seniors.

Click here for more information.

Welland will apply for new federal intake program to fund Dain City infrastructure improvements

On Tuesday, August 10, Welland City Council directed staff to apply for two streams of funding to assist with infrastructure in Dain City. Resulting from a significant storm event in mid-July that saw over four inches of rainfall in a 14-hour timeframe, the City received reports of more than 80 flooding incidents; noticeably in Ward 6.

Options for funding to mitigate future significant wet weather events include the Council-approved small-scale ($1M – $20M) application for the Disaster Mitigation Adaptation Fund (DMAF) to support the City’s inflow and infiltration reduction efforts within Dain City. The other opportunity is through the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program (ICIP) – Green Stream, which prioritizes drinking water projects associated with water infrastructure Projects subject to a $5 million funding cap for total eligible costs.

Click here for more information (PDF link).

Heat warning for Niagara continues

Daytime temperatures will reach the high twenties to low thirties today and Thursday. These high temperatures will combine with high humidity to result in humidex values near 40 each day. High temperatures Friday may also reach the upper twenties with humidex values again approaching 40 before cooler and less humid air arrives.

Click here for more information.

Reading Recommendations

U.S. lawmakers introduce bill to rein in Apple, Google app stores

Financial Post

A bipartisan trio of senators introduced a bill that would rein in app stores of companies they said exert too much market control, including Apple Inc and Alphabet Inc’s Google.

Senators Richard Blumenthal and Amy Klobuchar, both Democrats, teamed up with Republican Senator Marsha Blackburn to sponsor the bill, which would bar big app stores from requiring app providers to use their payment system. It would also prohibit them from punishing apps that offer different prices or conditions through another app store or payment system.

Lumber drops to nine-month low, extending retreat from record

BNN Bloomberg

Lumber futures slid to the lowest in more than nine months after sawmills ramped up production and demand from builders stabilized.

September futures in Chicago fell as much as 4.4 per cent to US$482.90 per thousand board feet, the lowest for a most-active contract since Oct. 30. Prices have dropped more than 70 per cent from the record high reached just three months ago.

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: August 7, 2021

Click here for definitions of terms used in this table.

There are currently 0 patients admitted to Niagara Health with COVID-19. There are currently 0 patients with COVID-19 in a Niagara Health Intensive Care Unit.

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: 637,432

New daily doses administered to Niagara residents: 1,331

Last updated: August 11, 2021

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

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.

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Daily Update: August 10th, 2021

August 10, 2021 | Daily Update

The Government of Canada has established an MOU with Moderna, Inc. to build a state-of-the-art mRNA vaccine production facility in Canada.

Moderna, Inc. to build mRNA vaccine facility in Canada

Today, the Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, announced that the Government of Canada has established a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with leading COVID-19 vaccine developer Moderna, Inc. to build a state-of-the-art mRNA vaccine production facility in Canada.

Click here for more information.

Government of Canada launches consultations on proposed Luxury Tax

A proposed Luxury Tax would apply on the sale of new luxury cars and aircraft with a retail sale price over $100,000, and new boats over $250,000. The tax would be calculated at the lesser of 20 per cent of the value above these thresholds ($100,000 for cars and aircraft, $250,000 for boats) or 10 per cent of the full value of the luxury car, boat or aircraft. The tax is proposed to come into force on January 1, 2022.

Today, through the Department of Finance, the Government of Canada is launching consultations with stakeholders on the design of the proposed Luxury Tax. Interested parties are invited to send written submissions on the proposed elements to the Department of Finance Canada, Tax Policy Branch, on or before September 30, 2021, at fin.luxury-luxe.fin@fin.gc.ca.

Click here for more information.

Chief Public Health Officer of Canada: COVID-19 cases up 58% week-over-week

The latest national 7-day moving average of 1,294 new cases reported daily (Aug 3-9), is an increase of 58% over the previous week. With early signs of a Delta-driven wave beginning and the fall approaching, efforts to increase the proportion of fully vaccinated Canadians and reinforce individual precautions per local public health advice are crucial to reducing virus spread and lowering the risk of a resurgence that could lead to healthcare capacity being exceeded this coming fall and winter.

Click here for more information.

Government of Canada targets zero emission bus transportation with launch of new fund

Today, the Honourable Catherine McKenna, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities announced the launch of a $2.75 billion Zero Emission Transit Fund − a five year national program that will help communities invest in zero emission public transit and school transportation options by switching to cleaner electrical power and supporting the purchase of zero emission public transit and school buses and associated infrastructure.

Click here for more information.

Wainfleet passes development charges by-law

The Council of the Township of Wainfleet passed municipal-wide development charges By-law No. 025-2021 on the 27th day of July, 2021 under section 2(1) of the Development Charges Act, 1997, S.O. 1997 c.27, as amended.

Please click here to read the full notice.

Heat warning in effect for Niagara

Hot and humid conditions continue this week, with humidex values reaching 40 expected for the next 3 days..

Daytime temperatures will reach the high twenties to low thirties Wednesday and Thursday. These high temperatures will combine with high humidity to result in humidex values near 40 each day. High temperatures Friday may also reach the upper twenties with humidex values again approaching 40.

Cooler and less humid air is expected to arrive Friday or by this weekend.

Click here for more information.

Reading Recommendations

Long delays as Canada opens border to fully vaccinated American tourists after 16 months

Reuters

Long delays were reported at the border on Monday as Canada finally opened to fully vaccinated American tourists for the first time in 16 months, causing a rush of travelers during the busy summer season – and bottlenecks for a desperate tourism industry.

Prior to the pandemic, tourism was the fifth-largest industry in Canada, contributing C$105 billion ($83.4 billion) to GDP and providing one in 10 jobs, according to the Tourism Industry Association of Canada.

Regions in Alberta, Manitoba reporting lowest vaccination rates across Canada

CTV News

As Canada enters the beginning of a Delta-variant-driven fourth wave, health officials across the country are saying its severity will depend predominately on vaccine uptake.

And there are some rural or remote areas where vaccination rates are lagging compared to other parts of the country, stifling efforts to control the virus.

While Canada’s vaccination rates are among some of the highest in the world, some of the country’s lowest can be found in the Prairies.

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: July 31, 2021

Click here for definitions of terms used in this table.

There are currently 0 patients admitted to Niagara Health with COVID-19. There are currently 0 patients with COVID-19 in a Niagara Health Intensive Care Unit.

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: 636,256

New daily doses administered to Niagara residents: 1,693

Last updated: August 10, 2021

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

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.

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Daily Update: August 9th, 2021

August 9, 2021 | Daily Update

Residents who need a first or second dose of a COVID-19 vaccine are invited to an upcoming Niagara Region Public Health clinic in Fort Erie.

Pop-up clinic to open Saturday in Fort Erie (Crystal Beach)

Residents who need a first or second dose of a COVID-19 vaccine are invited to an upcoming Niagara Region Public Health clinic at the Crystal Ridge Community Centre in Fort Erie. This pop-up clinic will be available for walk-ins only, and both Moderna and Pfizer vaccines will be offered. Anyone aged 12 years or older can be vaccinated. The clinic will be open on August 14th from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Crystal Ridge Community Centre, 99 Ridge Rd S, Fort Erie, ON L0S 1B0.

Click here for more information.

Canada loosens more travel restrictions for fully vaccinated travellers

For more than a month, fully vaccinated Canadian travellers have been allowed to skip quarantine when returning home from abroad. In a continuation of its phased reopening of the border, effective today, fully vaccinated Americans can both enter Canada and skip the mandatory 14-day quarantine.

To be considered fully vaccinated, Americans must have received all required doses of a Health Canada-approved COVID-19 vaccine 14 days prior to entering Canada. Only U.S. citizens and permanent residents residing in and travelling from the United States will be permitted entry.

Click here for more information.

Ontario to invest in training 350 young people for creative industries

The Ontario government is investing almost $1 million to expand on-the-job training for 350 young people in creative industries like film, music, gaming and animation. The initiative is focused on youth over 16 with disabilities, who are newcomers to Ontario, Indigenous or Black.

Click here for more information.

Canada to impose additional financial and trade sanctions on Belarus

Today, new sanctions against Belarus were announced under the Special Economic Measures Act. The targeted sectors include transferrable securities and money market instruments, debt financing, insurance and reinsurance, petroleum products and potassium chloride products. The new measures impose restrictions on certain activities relating to Belarus’s financial sector, including transferrable securities and money market instruments, debt financing, insurance and reinsurance, petroleum products and potassium chloride products. These measures are being taken in solidarity with those of international partners. These measures are being taken on the first anniversary of the fraudulent August 2020 Belarusian presidential election, which followed a campaign marred by systematic voter repression, including state-sponsored violence against protestors, activists and journalists.

A full list of the sanctions can be found here.

Ontario invests $7 million into agri-food research

The Ontario government is investing $7 million into agri-food research projects that will support greater environmentally friendly agricultural practices, protect livestock health and welfare, and stimulate economic growth within the agri-food sector and Ontario’s rural communities in collaboration with the University of Guelph.

Click here for more information.

Over 23,000 deaths attributed to COVID-19 between March 2020 and May 2021

From March 2020 to mid-May 2021, there were an estimated 19,979 excess deaths in Canada, or 6.0% more deaths than what would be expected were there no pandemic, after accounting for changes in the population, such as aging. Over this same period, 23,050 deaths were directly attributed to COVID-19.

Over the first 15 months of the COVID-19 pandemic, Canada experienced significant overall excess mortality over two distinct periods: the first in the spring of 2020 (from the onset of the pandemic in March, to June 2020), and the second from the fall of 2020 to the winter of 2021 (from the end of September 2020 through to the end of January). These periods corresponded with elevated levels of deaths directly attributable to COVID-19 itself.

Click here for more information.

Reading Recommendations

UN sounds alarm on ‘irreversible’ climate impacts, but offers hope

CBC News

The UN climate panel sounded a dire warning Monday, saying the world is dangerously close to runaway warming — and that humans are “unequivocally” to blame.

Already, greenhouse gas levels in the atmosphere are high enough to guarantee climate disruption for decades if not centuries, scientists warn in a report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).

That’s on top of the deadly heat waves, powerful hurricanes and other weather extremes that are happening now and are likely to become more severe.

Describing the report as a “code red for humanity,” UN Secretary General António Guterres urged an immediate end to coal energy and other high-polluting fossil fuels.

Posthaste: As Canada welcomes back Americans, our late summer tourism boom could be disrupted by Delta variant — and labour shortages

Financial Post

Opening [the] borders to fully vaccinated U.S. residents will be a boost, but there’s a growing concern that the rise of the Delta variant could stall progress, particularly in parts of the U.S. where vaccination rates are low, RBC economists Nathan Janzen and Rannella Billy-Ochieng said in a note on Friday.

“Still, with over 80 per cent of eligible Canadians at least partially vaccinated, another round of domestic lockdowns looks less likely — and much of the travel/tourism recovery to date has been driven by domestic tourists,” the economists noted.

In July, RBC estimated that the stock of potential tourists within Canada is around 1 million people larger than usual.

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: July 31, 2021

Click here for definitions of terms used in this table.

There are currently 0 patients admitted to Niagara Health with COVID-19. There are currently 0 patients with COVID-19 in a Niagara Health Intensive Care Unit.

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: 634,529

New daily doses administered to Niagara residents: 960

Last updated: August 9, 2021

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

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.

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Niagara Business Leadership Series with Andrea Horwath

August 9, 2021 | Event Recordings


Join us for a conversation and Q&A with Andrea Horwath, Leader, Official Opposition of Ontario. Filmed on location at Lundy Manor Wine Cellars, 9941 Lundy’s Lane, Niagara Falls. Powered by TD.

From her early career in community development to today, Andrea has always believed that government should be about giving people the opportunity to build a good life no matter where in Ontario they live, or when this province became home.

She spends time travelling the province she loves, seeing and hearing first-hand the challenges Ontarians are facing – and proposing solutions.

Also a mom, Andrea believes all Ontarians deserve healthcare they can count on, high quality seniors care and public schools that give kids a great start. She’s fighting for good jobs and real opportunities, and a more affordable life for everyone.

For more information on the NDP, their affordable housing initiatives, and their Green New Deal, please visit:
https://www.ontariondp.ca/homes-you-can-afford
https://www.ontariondp.ca/greennewdeal

For more information about our host, please visit lundymanor.ca or email info@lundymanor.ca. Lundy Manor is open Saturday 11-6pm and Sunday 11-5pm.

If you would like further information, please feel free to reach out to our sponsors:

Jennifer Monaco
Relationship Manager, TD Commercial Banking
40 King St., St. Catharines, ON L2R 3H4
T: 905-685-7631 | F: 905-685-7053
jennifer.monaco@td.com

Scott Galbraith
District Vice President, TD Commercial Banking
T: 905 521 6520 | F: 905 529 5451
scott.galbraith@td.com

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Espresso Live: COVID Workplace Safety Plan

August 6, 2021 | Espresso Live Webinars, Event Recordings

Guidance and information on developing your COVID-19 Workplace Safety plan. Ensure your business is compliant with the Reopening Ontario Act legislation.

Did you know it is mandatory to develop a COVID-19 Workplace Safety Plan under the Reopening Ontario Act legislation? Join us to get guidance on developing your plan and get information on how to properly screen your patrons, manage your capacity limits, and more.

In this session, we will review:

  • Workplace Safety Plan Development – templates and step-by-step instructions on how to complete.
  • Proper Screening Protocols – how to implement and what changes are required at different levels.
  • Posting Capacity Limits – tips to determine what they are at each level and suggestions for how to control this.
  • Free health & safety resources for small business
  • Q&A

Resources mentioned during webinar: https://gncc.ca/workplace-safety-and-prevention-services-webinar/
WSPS Enrolment Form: https://gncc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/WSPS-Advisory-Service-Enrolment-Form.pdf
Additional Resources: https://www.ontario.ca/page/resources-prevent-covid-19-workplace

 

Presented by Stella Nicastro-Greenough, Account Representative, Small Business, Workplace Safety & Prevention Services and Vicky Waldick, Account Representative, Small Business, Workplace Safety & Prevention Services with a Q&A with Sheryl Johnson, Partner, Sullivan Mahoney

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Daily Update: August 5th, 2021

August 5, 2021 | Daily Update

The Governments of Canada and Ontario are investing $42.4 million in Niagara recreational infrastructure projects.

Canada and Ontario invest $4.4 million in Niagara recreation infrastructure projects

The Government of Canada is investing over $2.4 million in four recreational infrastructure projects through the Community, Culture, and Recreation Stream of the Investing in Canada plan. The Government of Ontario is providing more than $2 million, while recipients are investing more than $1.6 million in their respective projects.

Among the projects announced are upgrades to the existing tennis courts and playground at Bogart Street Park in St. Catharines, the rehabilitation of the Marlene Stewart Streit Park in Pelham, renovations to the Wainfleet Community Complex, and the the Play Space Resurfacing Project in the Town of Lincoln.

Click here for more information.

Ontario provides free training to Niagara youth for information technology jobs

he Ontario government is investing over $2 million to provide over 90 youth in the Niagara Region with free, paid training for high-demand information technology (IT) jobs. Participants will get practical experience by assisting local businesses with their technology-based needs to help them recover by expanding online.

The Town of Lincoln is partnering with the non-profit training organization Civiconnect, at a Youth Skills Studio in Beamsville, Ont., to offer at least 90 Niagara-area youth ages 15-29 with 15 weeks of in-class and on-the-job learning. Technical skills taught include IT marketing, web development and systems administration as well as soft job skills such as communication, decision-making and teamwork.

Interested candidates from the Niagara Region can apply for the training by contacting Civiconnect at Info@civiconnect.ca

Click here for more information.

Food and beverage processor support projects receive $6 million in provincial and federal funding

The governments of Canada and Ontario are investing up to $6 million in projects to help Ontario food and beverage processors improve their operations, increase their competitive edge and adapt to challenges.

Some examples of projects eligible for support under the first phase of applications for food and beverage processors include:

  • implementing new technology to improve food safety
  • developing new products to increase sales
  • improving animal health through preventing the introduction and spread of disease throughout an operation

Click here for more information.

Statistics Canada sketches profile of work-from-home employees

From April 2020 to June 2021, 30% of employees aged 15 to 64 who worked during the Labour Force Survey (LFS) reference week had performed most of their hours from home. In contrast, about 4% of employees did so in 2016.

As expected, the propensity to work from home varied substantially across industries. Roughly 7 in 10 individuals in the finance and insurance and professional, scientific and technical services sectors worked from home from April 2020 to June 2021. At the other end of the spectrum, 5% of workers in accommodation and food services performed their jobs from home during that period.

In many industries, employees in large firms—those with 500 employees or more—were more likely to work from home than those in small firms (those with fewer than 20 employees).

Virtually all self-employed workers who could work from home did so.

Click here to read the report.

Total value of Canadian building permits rose to $10.3 billion in June

The total value of building permits rose 6.9% to $10.3 billion in June. Seven provinces contributed to the gain, led by Ontario, which jumped 22.7%. Construction intentions in the residential sector were up 9.1%, while the non-residential sector advanced 2.2%.

On a constant dollar basis (2012=100), building permits increased 5.2% to $7.2 billion.

High-value permits for new apartment buildings in the census metropolitan areas (CMA) of Toronto and Hamilton helped push multi-family permits up 13.5% to $3.7 billion nationally in June. Provincially, Ontario led the way, rebounding 67.8% to $1.8 billion.

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Niagara Medical Officer of Health offers COVID-19 briefing

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ldZHGUD-CsI&feature=emb_logo

Quebec becomes latest province to sign affordable childcare agreement

The governments of Quebec and Canada have announced an asymmetric agreement for the federal transfer of nearly $6 billion over five years. The agreement follows the Government of Canada’s plan announced in the last federal budget to provide parents across Canada with early learning and child care spaces for an average of $10 a day for children under the age of six.

The announcement follows similar agreements with Newfoundland & Labrador, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, and British Columbia.

Click here for more information.

Reading Recommendations

Canada unexpectedly posts huge trade surplus in June, biggest since 2008

Reuters

Canada unexpectedly posted a trade surplus of C$3.23 billion ($2.58 billion) in June, the largest in almost 13 years, as exports jumped on higher shipments of oil and autos, Statistics Canada data indicated on Thursday.

Analysts polled by Reuters had forecast a trade deficit of C$0.68 billion in June. The surplus was the largest since the C$3.45 billion recorded in September 2008.

Quebec to implement vaccine passport system

CBC News

Quebec will implement a vaccine passport system in the coming weeks, Premier François Legault announced today.

Details of the system will be released soon, Legault said. But he said the rising case numbers in Quebec and the prospect of more hospitalizations and deaths have made the vaccine passport system necessary.

The system will allow the province to avoid the widespread closures that have marked its pandemic response to date, he said.

PM says he’s considering making COVID-19 vaccines mandatory for federal workers

CTV News

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Thursday that he’s considering whether to make COVID-19 vaccines mandatory for federal employees.

Speaking alongside Quebec Premier Francois Legault, who announced his province would be instituting a vaccine passport amid concerns over rising case counts, the prime minister said he’s also looking at whether new requirements to either require or encourage vaccination would be necessary in federal workplaces or in federally-regulated industries such as banking, rail and air travel, and Parliament.

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: July 31, 2021

There are currently 0 patients admitted to Niagara Health with COVID-19. There are currently 0 patients with COVID-19 in a Niagara Health Intensive Care Unit.

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: 629,374

New daily doses administered to Niagara residents: 1,603

Last updated: August 5, 2021

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

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.

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Daily Update: August 4th, 2021

August 4, 2021 | Daily Update

For the first time since September 2020, Niagara Health does not have any COVID-19 patients admitted in the hospital.

Zero patients with COVID-19 at Niagara Health

For the first time since September 2020, Niagara Health does not have any COVID-19 patients admitted in the hospital. This achievement is the result of the efforts and dedication of the entire Niagara Health team, said the Executive Lead of the Niagara COVID-19 Vaccination Task Force.

Getting vaccinated against COVID-19 is critical to preventing a fourth wave and ending this pandemic. The GNCC and Niagara Health encourage anyone who has not yet been vaccinated with a first and/or second dose to do so as soon as possible.

The Seymour-Hannah vaccination clinic in St. Catharines is open for walk-ins and for booked appointments.

Click here for more information.

Government of Ontario to make announcement about youth job training in Niagara

Monte McNaughton, Minister of Labour, Training and Skills Development, will be joined by MPP Sam Oosterhoff, MPP for Niagara West, and Sandra Easton, Mayor for the Town of Lincoln, to make an announcement about youth job training in the Niagara Region tomorrow at 10 a.m. in Vineland.

Click here for more information.

Government of Canada launches consultations on reducing credit card transaction fees

Canada has amongst the highest interchange fees in the world.

Payments Canada data indicates that 32 per cent of Canadians are reporting greater use of credit cards since the start of the pandemic, and Statistics Canada reports seasonally adjusted e-commerce retail increased by roughly 100 per cent between February 2020 and May 2021. For a typical small or medium-sized business without access to preferential rates, online payments can attract interchange fees that are over twice as high as those for in-store payments. With the increase in e-commerce, this trend could result in a permanent increase to the cost of doing business for Canadian small businesses.

Today, the Department of Finance Canada is launching consultations with the aim of lowering the cost of doing business by reducing credit card transaction fees. These savings will allow small and medium-sized businesses recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic to direct financial resources toward growth and job creation.

The Government of Canada encourages all businesses processing credit card transactions to share their thoughts by emailing fin.payments-paiements.fin@fin.gc.ca with “Reducing Credit Card Transaction Fees” as the subject line by September 10, 2021.

Ontario to invest $49 million in festivals and events

The Ontario government is investing nearly $50 million to help festival and event organizers deliver innovative and safe experiences. The government is providing $43 million to support 439 festivals and events through the Reconnect Festival and Event Program, representing a record number of supported events in the program’s 14-year history. This investment also includes $6 million to Celebrate Ontario Blockbuster events.

Click here for more information.

Government of Canada highlights support for approximately 1,300 projects under the Supporting Black Canadian Communities Initiative

Today, the Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development, highlighted federal investments of up to $96 million through the Supporting Black Canadian Communities Initiative.

This includes $82 million in funding to support approximately 1,300 projects to improve Black-led organizations’ workplaces and community spaces over two years. This funding will be made available in 2021–2022 to assess and fund additional renovation/retrofit and equipment projects from existing applications from an initial call for proposals announced in January 2021.

The Government of Canada will also provide funding of approximately $14 million to the intermediaries to help organizations build the necessary infrastructure they need to better serve Black Canadian communities.

Click here for more information.

Canadian healthcare system ranks second-to-last in 11-country report

A new report from The Commonwealth Fund found that the top-performing countries in healthcare overall are Norway, the Netherlands, and Australia. The United States ranks last overall, despite spending far more of its gross domestic product on health care. Notably, however, the U.S. is an outlier: its performance falls well below the average of the other countries and far below the two countries ranked directly above it, Switzerland and Canada.

Compared to the other countries, the United States and Canada had larger income-related inequities in patient reported experiences.

Click here to read the report.

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AstraZeneca recipients frustrated after being forced to cancel international travel plans

CBC News

Some Albertans who received the AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine are having to cancel their international travel plans, again.

Several countries and tour operators, including many cruise lines, don’t recognize the Covishield version of AstraZeneca, which is made in India. Others are not accepting travellers who received different types of vaccines for their first and second shots.

How will classrooms be kept safe? PHAC says back-to-school guidelines coming

CTV News

As schools get ready to welcome students back to the classroom in September they’re outlining measures to keep everyone safe from COVID-19, but there’s growing concern about what that means for the youngest cohort.

Canada hasn’t approved a vaccine yet for children under the age of 12. And only about 37 per cent of children between the ages of 12 and 17 have been fully vaccinated.

That means precautions are needed. And the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) plans to release guidance for schools, including those with children under the age of 12, in the next few weeks, agency spokesperson Anne Génier said on Wednesday.

Should menstrual products be free at work?

Canadian HR Reporter

Ottawa is seeking feedback from Canadians on the subject of free menstrual products in the workplace.

The government says it wants to ensure women in federally regulated workplaces have access to menstrual products to reduce the physical and psychological health risks, the prevalence of harassment and violence in the workplace and the prevalence of missed work due to a lack of access to menstrual products.

This will also support the federal government’s commitments to gender equity, it says.

Featured Content

Strategies For Engaging Employees

Pollice Consulting Group

Tasks have sped up in the Canadian workplace at an accelerated rate. The Covid 19 aftermath, the raging war on attracting and retaining the right talent, the quest for better business practices, technological advances and client expectations – just to name a few; are placing tremendous pressure on businesses often to the extent of disruption and performance. Amid this turbulent and unstructured landscape is the fact that several employees are already burnt out, frustrated, disengaged, overworked and struggling for some sort of work life balance. All these factors are forcing businesses to take a fresh approach at how their people experience work.

A 2021 Gallup pole research shows that 85 % of employees consider themselves to be disengaged at work. That is an alarming statistic when you think that only 15 % of the world’s one billion employees are engaged at work. Lower engagement leads to lower productivity, slower economic growth and a downward spiral of human capital.

Employee engagement is the extent to which employees feel passionate about their jobs, are committed to the organization, and put discretionary effort into their work. Employee engagement goes beyond activities, games, and events; employee engagement drives performance.

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: July 31, 2021

There are currently 0 patients admitted to Niagara Health with COVID-19. There are currently 0 patients with COVID-19 in a Niagara Health Intensive Care Unit.

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: 627,764

New daily doses administered to Niagara residents: 1,856

Last updated: August 4, 2021

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

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.

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Social exclusion experiences, and strategies to promote inclusion among immigrant women in the Niagara Region.

August 3, 2021 | COVID-19 Resources and Subsidies

Principal Investigator: Dr. J. Crawford, Department of Nursing, Brock University

If you are a community service provider or support worker currently employed at a community organization that involves interacting with immigrant women in the Niagara Region, I would like to invite you to participate in this community-based study. The purpose of this research is to learn from the perspectives of community service providers/support workers working with immigrant communities, specifically immigrant women, about social exclusion and inclusion in the Niagara Region. Social inclusion reflects the outcome of an individual being engaged in community activities and experiencing equal access to opportunities including material, psychosocial and political domains to achieve health and wellness. Social exclusion focuses on the “structure and dynamic processes of inequality” that exclude some groups from participating in community because of inequitable access to social, economic, political and cultural resources. This research aims to benefit immigrant women in the Niagara community as we hope to develop strategies or programs that support social inclusion. You will be asked about programs/services or specific activities that are available at your organization that aim to promote social inclusion among immigrant women, where immigrant women feel a sense of community belonging and connected to their community or Canadian society. You will answer questions about the specific and unique need for social inclusion activities for immigrant women in Niagara.  As well, you will be asked about the structural processes of social exclusion, details of local program/services or activities, and promising interventions and processes that support social inclusion.  Should you choose to participate, you will be asked to take part in a short survey, and you will be asked if you would be interested in a follow-up interview held online or by telephone with one of our research team members. The expected duration of the online survey is 4 – 8 minutes. If you wish to participate in a follow-up interview, this requires 30 – 60 minutes of your time.

You are not obligated to participate in this study. This is only an invitation, and you are welcome to complete the survey or contact Joanne Crawford (joanne.crawford@brocku.ca) if you have any questions about the survey. This study has been reviewed and received ethics clearance through the Research Ethics Board at Brock University (File # 20-238). If you have any comments or concerns about your rights as a research participant, please contact the Office of Research Ethics at (905) 688-5550 ext. 3035 or at reb@brocku.ca

If you agree to participate, please complete the survey by clicking on the link; it is accessible by computer or a mobile device. https://brock.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_3XcNKBQNNdbrDTw

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