Daily Update: February 24th, 2021

February 24, 2021 | Daily Update

Niagara Public Health offers clarification to businesses

In response to inquiries from the GNCC, Acting Medical Officer of Health Dr. Mustafa Hirji offered greater clarity on recent public health decisions in Niagara.

The two recent Section 22 orders for food service establishments and retailers would be lifted once infections are under control. The most reasonable expectation would be that once Niagara is moved into Green-Prevent, and if there has been no increase in the infection rate for 3-4 weeks, the orders could be lifted, while paying close attention to infection rates. If rates then begin to rise, the orders could be reinstated.

The orders also reflect those made in Hamilton and Halton. Lifting those orders could be done in coordination with those regions, even if that means lifting them earlier, in order to keep the business environment similar for all three regions.

The primary concern for public health is the possibility of a third wave, which modelling indicates could be imminent if reopening is not careful and cautious. Additionally, a third wave could be fueled by new variants of the virus which are more contagious, and against which vaccines may be less effective. The hope is that vaccination and warmer weather will allow us to get COVID-19 under control and allow a safe re-opening and a lifting of the restrictions on business.

The Medical Officer of Health stated that Niagara had not developed and was not following an independent reopening framework. He noted that such a framework was unlikely to be helpful since the province does not always heed local advice (for example, in June 2020, when Dr. Hirji advocated for moving to Stage 2 reopening more rapidly but was ignored). The provincial public health agency has put out science-based conditions for reopening, effectively requiring having metrics similar to the Green-Prevent level. The province appears not to be following this advice with more rapid reopening in some parts of the province, but cautious reopening for Niagara and other regions (e.g. North Bay Parry Sound’s metrics are consistent with the Yellow-Protect level, yet they continue under a stay-at-home order).

Finally, in December, the province prioritized vaccine to regions in Grey and Red. Niagara was Orange at the time, and thus did not receive vaccine doses until a month later. If the province adopts a similar targeted approach again, the Medical Officer of Health is hopeful that Niagara’s status in Grey would mean prioritization.

Ontario details provincial vaccination plan

Ontarians aged 80 and older are set to start receiving COVID-19 vaccines in the third week of March as the province expands its immunization campaign. Retired Gen. Rick Hillier, the head of the province’s vaccine task force, announced a specific timeline for distributing the shots today, noting the schedule depends on vaccine supply. An online booking system and service desk will become available March 15. Ontario then aims to vaccinate adults aged 75 and older starting April 15. Shots will go to those 70 and older beginning May 1, while people aged 65 and older will be vaccinated starting June 1 and those 60 and older the following month.

The UK, for comparison, has now vaccinated over 18 million people, and has already begun offering vaccines to those aged 60 and above, having already vaccinated older age groups and vulnerable populations. Vaccination of every willing person aged 50 and older in the UK will almost be complete by the time Ontarians aged 80 and older are offered the vaccine. Israel expects 95% of its population to be vaccinated by the second week of March. The successful Israeli vaccination program has already resulted in significant loosening of restrictions. Malls and zoos are open, as well as gyms and hotels for those who can prove vaccination. Concerts and sporting events are now being permitted with up to 500 people in attendance.

The GNCC has repeatedly pointed the dire state of Canada’s vaccination program out and called for provincial and federal governments to do better, understanding that widespread vaccination is the only permanent and sustainable solution to the current pandemic and its economic fallout.

Ontario offers funds to help municipalities prepare for extreme weather

The Ontario government is providing up to $2 million in additional funding to extend the Build Back Better pilot project through 2023, and help eligible municipalities rebuild infrastructure that was damaged by extreme weather to a higher standard. This investment is part of Ontario’s Municipal Recovery Assistance (MDRA) program.

Under Build Back Better, municipalities are eligible to receive up to 15 per cent above the estimated cost of rebuilding damaged infrastructure to make it more resilient to extreme weather. Municipalities can use the additional funding to make improvements such as raising roads to ensure better overland flow of water, improving the columns or footings of a bridge, or enlarging the size of ditches and catch basins to increase the capacity to hold water.

Government of Canada releases the first annual report from the National Advisory Council on Poverty

Yesterday, the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development, Ahmed Hussen, tabled in Parliament the first report on Canada’s progress, entitled Building Understanding: The First Report of the National Advisory Council on Poverty.

The Poverty Reduction Strategy included concrete poverty reduction targets and established Canada’s Official Poverty Line to measure poverty and track progress toward the targets. It also created the National Advisory Council on Poverty to provide independent advice to the Government on poverty reduction; to submit an annual report on the progress achieved toward the Government’s poverty reduction goals; and to continue a dialogue with Canadians on poverty.

The report tabled yesterday highlights that if progress made toward poverty reduction is maintained, the Government of Canada will meet its overall poverty reduction targets. The report also notes that the impacts of COVID‑19 on poverty reduction efforts remain to be seen, and there is more to do to ensure that every Canadian has a real and fair chance to succeed. It also provides key recommendations on how to improve poverty reduction efforts to ensure that the 2030 target is met, which include: continuing existing measures to reduce poverty; specific measures to address poverty among Indigenous people; more inclusive data gathering to support better decision making; incorporating an equity lens in policy development to meet the needs of marginalized groups; and working with the provinces and territories to ensure a robust social safety net that provides benefits at the level of Canada’s Official Poverty Line.

St. Catharines moving forward on living-wage designation

On Monday City Council approved a motion that will see the City certified as a living wage employer. St. Catharines already meets the support level of requirements, meaning all its full-time employees are paid a living wage of at least $18.12 an hour. As part of this certification, the City has pledged to meet champion level requirements by 2024. These requirements would see all part-time staff and employees of City contractors brought up to at least this minimum threshold for a living wage by 2024.

A living wage is calculated by the Ontario Living Wage Network to show how much a household – two adults working full-time supporting two small children – must earn per hour in order to make ends meet and enjoy modest participation in their civic and cultural community.

The City is the fifth Ontario municipality to undergo certification, joining 16 other Living Wage employers across St. Catharines and 50 across the region.

St. Catharines hopes to lead other employers in the community by example, but private-sector and non-profit certification remains strictly optional.

Canadian Chamber welcomes Canada-U.S. relationship reset, shares what businesses want from roadmap

The Canadian Chamber of Commerce’s Vice President, Policy and International, Mark Agnew, issued the following statement today in response to the announcement today by the Canadian and American governments on the Canada-U.S. Partnership Roadmap.

“No relationship in Canadian foreign policy is more important than our partnership with the United States, whether it is on economic or security issues. The Roadmap announced today by Prime Minister Trudeau and President Biden is a welcome reprieve from the past four years, and the business community is eager to usher in the next phase of the relationship between the two countries.

The intent of the plan announced today signals a positive outlook for workers and businesses on both sides of the border, but its success hinges on the ability of both countries to deliver on the details.

As Canada looks to return to more normalized relations with the US, there are opportunities for both countries to help each other build a sustainable and inclusive economic recovery. Since we know that every recovery is a business-led recovery, Canadian businesses need certainty on three critical trade-related issues:

Given how integrated and interdependent our supply chains are, there should be a carve out for Canadian companies on Buy American rules.
Both countries should coordinate approaches to carbon border adjustments to reduce unnecessary costs associated with regulatory overlap for businesses on both sides of the border. The approach should recognize the realities of our integrated supply chains and existing price on carbon.
Business also needs a forward-looking plan that provides predictability for the eventual unwinding of border restrictions, which includes clear milestones and consultations with industry on the new normal.

It will be critical to ensure these issues are addressed in the Roadmap’s delivery given their broad impacts on both Canadian and US businesses. Strengthening the relationship is important for Canada at the best of times, but even more critical now as a means to support a business-led recovery on both sides of the border.”

Niagara Health patients part of numerous COVID-19 clinical trials

Since the early weeks of the pandemic, the Niagara Health team has been creating opportunities for their patients to participate in clinical trials related to COVID-19. Clinical trials are research studies involving patient participants that aim to find out whether a medical treatment is safe and effective for people.

Examples of COVID-19 clinical trials and studies currently happening at Niagara Health:

CATCO Study: Evaluating the clinical effectiveness and safety of ritonavir/lopinavir (kaletra) and remdesivir in hospitalized patients. The clinical trial is being conducted in conjunction with the World Health Organization’s Solidarity trial. Solidarity is one of the largest international trials for COVID-19 treatments.
REMAP-CAP Study: Evaluating the clinical effectiveness and safety of various COVID-19 treatment in patients admitted to the Intensive Care Unit, including the use of corticosteroid.
COVI-Prone Study: Examining the benefits of prone positioning (lying on stomach) for COVID-19 patients with respiratory failure, and whether it reduces the need for mechanical ventilation.
ACT (Anti-Coronavirus Therapies to prevent progression of COVID-19 Trial): Studying whether treatment with certain medicines can prevent the need to be admitted to hospital or for an intensive level of care.

Statistics Canada releases quarterly financial statistics for enterprises for Q4 2020

Corporate net income before taxes (seasonally adjusted)

In the fourth quarter, Canadian corporations reported a 7.9% increase in net income before taxes to $82.5 billion, a growth of $6.1 billion. Operating revenues rose 1.8% to $1,080.4 billion during the quarter.

Net income before taxes in the non-financial sector increased by 12.8% (or $6.0 billion) to $53.2 billion in the fourth quarter.

Net income before taxes in oil and gas extraction and support activities increased by $3.7 billion (+56.5%) in the fourth quarter. This increase is attributable to higher oil prices and volumes for the quarter. Nonetheless, the industry reported losses for a fourth consecutive quarter, recording a loss of $2.9 billion in the fourth quarter. This was an improvement from the loss of $6.6 billion in the third quarter.

Net income before taxes in the manufacturing industry edged down by $120 million (-0.9%), reaching $12.6 billion in the fourth quarter. Petroleum and coal manufacturing led the decrease in net income before taxes, down $870 (-187.1%) million as expenses related to asset revaluations increased in the fourth quarter. Net income before taxes in motor vehicle and trailer manufacturing decreased by $536 million (-45.8%) as revenues were down this quarter. Exports of motor vehicles and parts decreased by 9.9% in the fourth quarter.

Mostly offsetting these decreases in net income before taxes for the manufacturing industry was wood and paper manufacturing, which rose by $711 million (+32.4%), on increased prices and robust demand in the panels segment of the industry. Net income before taxes in the retail trade sector decreased (-17.8%, or -$776 million) to $3.6 billion. The food and beverage stores industry led the decrease in net income before taxes, down $2.6 billion (-187.8%) on lower revenues. Motor vehicles and parts dealers recorded an increase in net income before taxes (+$755 million, or +126.9%).

Net income before taxes for financial corporations edged up 0.1% (+$37 million) to $29.4 billion in the fourth quarter. Life, health and medical insurance carriers led the increase, up $873 million (+56.2%) because of higher premium revenues. The banking and depository credit intermediation industry saw continued growth from the prior quarter, with net income before taxes reaching $9.5 billion in the fourth quarter—a rise of 6.2% (+$553 million). Mostly offsetting those increases in net income before taxes for the financial sector were the property and casualty insurance carriers that decreased by $1.4 billion (-50.7%) in the fourth quarter.

Reading recommendations

Bank of Canada warns buyers of ‘early signs’ of overheating in housing market

Don Pittis, CBC News

Despite early signs of overheating in Canada’s housing market, Bank of Canada Governor Tiff Macklem so far has no plans to raise interest rates until the economy and employment are back on track following the slump caused by COVID-19.

Speaking remotely to the combined Calgary and Edmonton chambers of commerce on Tuesday, Canada’s top central banker said that the economy would continue to need monetary stimulus, likely until 2023, even though there are already signs it could be distorting the residential real estate market.

What a 3rd wave of COVID-19 could look like in Canada — and how we can avoid it

Adam Miller, CBC News

COVID-19 levels are declining from the devastating peaks of the second wave across much of Canada, but experts say the threat of more contagious coronavirus variants threatens to jeopardize our ability to prevent a third wave.

Canada has close to 850 confirmed cases of the variants first identified in the U.K., South Africa and Brazil, with at least six provinces now reporting community transmission — meaning there’s probably a lot more spreading beneath the surface than we know.

But as variant cases increase, overall COVID-19 numbers have dropped steadily in Canada, with just over 31,000 active cases across the country, and an average of about 2,900 new cases and 54 deaths daily.

Making the Hybrid Workplace Fair

Mark Mortensen & Martine Haas, Harvard Business Review

The pandemic has upended much about how we work, and what comes next is neither the death of the office nor a return to the way things were. Instead, our new reality will be hybridity: working with employees who are co-located in the same physical space as well as employees working remotely.

Hybridity promises organizations the benefits of remote working (increased flexibility, reduced carbon footprint, labor-cost optimization, and increased employee satisfaction) alongside the critical strengths of traditional, co-located work (smoother coordination, informal networking, stronger cultural socialization, greater creativity, and face-to-face collaboration). But hybridity is also inextricably tied to power — it creates power differentials within teams that can damage relationships, impede effective collaboration, and ultimately reduce performance. To lead effectively in a hybrid environment, managers must recognize and actively manage the two distinct sources of power that can impede — or facilitate — hybrid work: hybridity positioning and hybridity competence.

Niagara COVID status tracker

Niagara’s most up-to-date COVID statistics, measured against the targets for the various stages of the Ontario COVID-19 Response Framework, are presented below. This does not predict government policy, but is offered to give you an idea of where Niagara is situated and how likely a relaxation (or further restrictions) may be. These data are drawn daily from Niagara Region. The Grey-Lockdown level does not have its own metrics, but is triggered when the COVID-specific measurements in a Red-Control region have continued to deteriorate.

	December 18	December 25	January 1	January 8	January 15	January 22	January 29
Reproductive number	1.4	1.8	1.4	1.1	1.0	0.7	0.9
New cases per 100,000	101.2	267.3	469.8	575.8	507.1	295.5	250.6
New cases per day (not including outbreaks)	60.7	178.7	311.7	376.9	325.4	182.7	145.7
Percent of hospital beds occupied	97%	95.2%	98.2%	103.2%	104.5%	103.6%	106%
Percent of intensive care beds occupied	78.8%	77.3%	87.9%	87.9%	90.9%	89.4%	93.9%
Percentage of positive tests	6.1%	15.6%	28.1%	28.6%	26.6%	21.2%	16.2%

Definitions:

Weekly Incidence Rate: the number of new COVID-19 cases per 100,000 people per week
Percent Positivity: the number of positive COVID-19 tests as a percentage of all COVID-19 tests performed
Rt: the reproductive rate, or the number of people infected by each case of the virus

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

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Daily Update: February 18th, 2021

February 18, 2021 | Daily Update

New Section 22 orders announced for Niagara restaurants, bars, and retailers

As of February 22nd, Niagara’s restaurants, bars, and other establishments serving food and drink must comply with a new order from Niagara Public Health, in effect until further notice. The order requires that establishments must:

gather contact information, symptom screening, time, and table number for every patron aged 16 or older, refuse dine-in service (indoors or outdoors) to anyone refusing to give this information, and retain records for at least a month, to be provided to an inspector or medical officer of health upon request
interactively screen employees for symptoms daily and retain records for at least a month
take all possible steps to keep employees two metres from each other and from patrons
keep patrons seated whenever possible
separate tables by two metres, or an impermeable barrier
provide hand sanitizer at every table and entrances/exits, with signage encouraging its use
make employees aware of any benefits or pay to which they may be entitled if they are required to self-isolate

The full order is accessible here (PDF link).

Retailers, malls, and other businesses selling directly to the public must:

ensure that two metres of distance are maintained between staff, between patrons, and each other, at all times. This does not apply to people from the same household
maintain two-metre distancing in all queues or line-ups
ensure all persons are masked unless exempted under the Reopening Ontario Act
conduct daily interactive symptom screening of all employees and retain records for at least a month
provide hand sanitizer at entrances/exits, with signage encouraging its use
make employees aware of any benefits or pay to which they may be entitled if they are required to self-isolate

The full order is accessible here (PDF link).

The GNCC has made resources such as screening tools and posters available on its website. You can also contact Niagara Public Health for any questions about your responsibilities under the order.

The GNCC has reached out to Niagara Public Health to ask:

what metrics would need to be met before the Section 22 order could be lifted
whether a new framework for Niagara has been developed that differs from the Ontario framework, under which Niagara appears to fall into the Orange-Restrict or Red-Control categories, and
if that framework can be shared with the public.

Niagara College and Niagara Region to hold digital fundraising webinar

Niagara College and Niagara Region will hold a webinar on digital fundraising, focusing on:

Digital fundraising strategies and best practices
Low cost or FREE tools available to implement digital fundraising
Guidance on donor stewardship principles and best practices

The event will be held on February 23rd between 11am and 12pm. To register, please contact Michelle Johnston at michelle.johnston@niagararegion.ca

Empty tables don’t pay bills: new data reveals ongoing decline in food services

The Canadian Chamber of Commerce today commented on newly released data from Statistics Canada reconfirming that the food service sector has been disproportionally harmed by the ongoing pandemic.

Today’s data speaks to the stark year-over-year comparisons for the sector, revealing a precipitous drop in sales between December 2019 and December 2020:

Total food service sales are down over 35% ($6.5b vs $4.2b)
Full service restaurant sales are down over 50% ($2.9b vs $1.4b)
Drinking place sales are down over 64% ($221m vs $78m)

“Restaurants were some of the very first businesses to be hit by the pandemic and broad-based business restrictions last March. As this new data shows, the food services sector continues to be severely weakened,” commented Alla Drigola, Director of Parliamentary Affairs and SME Policy. “Canada’s restaurants are predominantly small businesses that have limited cash reserves and are at their debt limits. The need for targeted supports to help them weather the storm is urgent.”

An example of a targeted support includes providing a temporary and targeted consumption tax holiday to boost consumer spending for this and other hard hit sectors.

Patrick Gill, Senior Director of Tax and Financial Policy, adds: “At the very minimum, government policies right now must do no further harm to this sector. Ottawa’s looming alcohol excise tax increase, currently scheduled for April 1, would only exacerbate the challenges these businesses are facing. Freezing the alcohol tax and using tax policies to help these businesses survive – and eventually recover – is vital.”

Reading recommendations

Liberal pledge to get GST from goods in Amazon warehouses could net $600M: PBO

Canadian Press/BNN Bloomberg

The parliamentary budget officer estimates the Trudeau Liberals’ pledge to collect federal sales tax on some goods sitting in Amazon warehouses could net Ottawa just over $600 million. The extra tax revenue is spread over five years, starting this year and ramping up every year thereafter for a total of $604 million over that time.

The proposal would try to close a loophole for unsold goods foreign-based sellers ship to Canada, then house until they are sold and shipped domestically to local buyers. GST is collected on the wholesale value of the goods when they come across the border but the federal sales tax isn’t always collected by sellers when the goods are sold to consumers. That creates a gap the Liberals want to close by either making sellers registered to collect the GST do so on the final sale price, or making platforms like Amazon responsible for it instead.

The Liberals are promising to have the policy come into effect on July 1.

Why 7-Eleven’s plan to serve alcohol in Ontario sparks concern — and curiosity — in business community

Trevor Dunn, CBC News

7-Eleven’s new plan to sell wine and beer at several Ontario stores is raising both eyebrows and concern in the business community.

Already struggling with COVID-19 restrictions, Ontario bars and restaurants may soon be facing new competition from a powerful, multinational chain of convenience stores. That’s right: it will be restaurants and bars competing with 7-Eleven if its applications are successful.

The company is applying for licences to sell beer and wine for in-store consumption only. Corner store alcohol sales remain prohibited in Ontario.

Niagara COVID status tracker

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

	December 18	December 25	January 1	January 8	January 15	January 22	January 29
Reproductive number	1.4	1.8	1.4	1.1	1.0	0.7	0.9
New cases per 100,000	101.2	267.3	469.8	575.8	507.1	295.5	250.6
New cases per day (not including outbreaks)	60.7	178.7	311.7	376.9	325.4	182.7	145.7
Percent of hospital beds occupied	97%	95.2%	98.2%	103.2%	104.5%	103.6%	106%
Percent of intensive care beds occupied	78.8%	77.3%	87.9%	87.9%	90.9%	89.4%	93.9%
Percentage of positive tests	6.1%	15.6%	28.1%	28.6%	26.6%	21.2%	16.2%

Definitions:

Weekly Incidence Rate: the number of new COVID-19 cases per 100,000 people per week
Percent Positivity: the number of positive COVID-19 tests as a percentage of all COVID-19 tests performed
Rt: the reproductive rate, or the number of people infected by each case of the virus

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Daily Update: February 17th, 2021

February 17, 2021 | Daily Update

Government of Canada invests in training to help Canadians become certified in the skilled trades

The Government of Canada is making targeted investments, so that key groups facing barriers – like women, newcomers, Indigenous people, persons with disabilities, and Black and racialized Canadians – can better find work in the skilled trades through projects led by unions and their partner organizations.

Today, the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion, Carla Qualtrough, announced $63.5 million, over five years, for 68 projects as part of the Union Training and Innovation Program (UTIP) 2020 call for proposals. This investment will help certify skilled tradespeople and prepare them to fill available jobs as the economy restarts.

Canada’s 2030 Agenda National Strategy

The goals of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development aim to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure all people are able to live in peace and prosperity. Today, the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development, Ahmed Hussen, and the Minister of International Development Karina Gould, launched Moving Forward Together – Canada’s 2030 Agenda National Strategy, in an effort to implement the 2030 Agenda and make progress on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s) in Canada and abroad.

To support the strategy’s whole-of-society approach, Minister Hussen also announced approximately $11.3 million in funding to 32 organizations through the 2020-2021 SDG Funding Program. For questions or additional information on Canada’s 2030 Agenda National Strategy contact Programme2030-2030Agenda@canada.gc.ca

COVID-19 activity statement from Canada’s Chief Public Health Officer, Dr. Theresa Tam

Since the start of the pandemic, there have been 831,577 cases of COVID-19, including 21,397 deaths reported in Canada. Routine national surveillance data shows a steady decline in COVID-19 activity. Currently, there are 35,669 active cases across the country. The latest national-level data show a continued downward trend in daily case counts, with a 7-day average of 2,969 new cases daily (Feb 10-16). Over the past week (Feb 7-13), there were on average of 101,072 tests completed daily across Canada, of which 3.1% were positive for COVID-19. As of February 16, all provinces have reported detections of variants of concern. The emergence and spread of certain SARS-CoV-2 virus variants is a cause for concern.

While surveillance data and modelling forecasts suggest that community-based measures are having an effect and that our collective effort is continuing to make a difference, it is crucial that strong measures are kept in place in order to maintain a steady downward trend.

Ontario announces Greenbelt consultation

The Ontario government has launched a 60-day consultation seeking input on how to grow the size and quality of the Greenbelt and help protect more of the province’s natural environment – including farmlands, forests, wetlands and watersheds – from future development. The consultations could result in the largest expansion of the greenbelt since its creation in 2005.

“This is truly a unique opportunity to grow the Greenbelt and protect Ontario’s environmental, groundwater and agricultural resources for future generations,” said Steve Clark, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing. “The Premier has been steadfast in his commitment to protect the Greenbelt and our government will not consider any proposals to remove or develop any part of it.” Comments are welcome by email: greenbeltconsultation@ontario.ca or through the Environmental Registry of Ontario by April 19, 2021.

New legislation to help Ontarians resolve legal matters faster

The Ontario government has introduced legislation with the goal to improve access to justice for people across the system by modernizing processes and breaking down barriers in the province’s courts, tribunals, estates law, family law and child protection sectors. The Accelerating Access to Justice Act, 2021, if passed, would also fill judicial vacancies faster.

In response to COVID-19, Ontario implemented a number of urgent measures to move more justice services online and closer to communities. If passed, the Accelerating Access to Justice Act, 2021 would build on these modernization initiatives by:

Helping fill judicial vacancies faster so people will be able to have their matters heard by a judge more quickly and with fewer delays. These changes would maintain current legislated qualifications to become a judge, as announced in February 2020, and reflect feedback received from justice partners and lawyers. Changes will also support broader efforts to encourage more lawyers to apply by moving the applications process online.
Permanently allowing the virtual witnessing of wills and powers of attorney to make it easier for people to get these important affairs in order, without the limitations of travelling to access these services in-person.
Promoting the interests of children by giving them a greater voice in the court process, and better focusing resources of the Office of the Children’s Lawyer.
Increasing access to justice in French by expanding and guaranteeing the ability of Francophones to file documents in French at all Ontario courthouses and for all matters, including civil and family law.

Niagara Health resumes vaccinating healthcare workers against COVID-19 at St. Catharines arena

Today, Niagara Health reopened its COVID-19 Vaccination Clinic for high-risk healthcare workers at the Seymour Hannah Sports and Entertainment Centre in St. Catharines. The larger clinic space will allow the hospital to get more needles into arms, as vaccine supply becomes available.

The Niagara Health clinic will continue its work administering first and second doses of the Pfizer vaccine to long-term care and high-risk retirement home staff and essential caregivers, as well as hospital staff and physicians. At the same time, Niagara Region Public Health will continue its work deploying mobile teams to vaccinate residents at long-term care and high-risk retirement homes.

Niagara Health plans to vaccinate 500 people today and another 500 people on Thursday February 18. Following this initial launch, the clinic staff will then move to vaccinate 1,000 people per day and will stay at that level pending vaccine supply and provincial direction. As the Province of Ontario provides further updates on expected vaccine shipments, Niagara Health and the Region will provide information on what this means at a local level.

At this time, the new clinic will only be in use for highest-risk healthcare workers, and any future updates about mass immunization planning for the general public will be made available on Niagara Region Public Health’s website: www.niagararegion.ca/covid-vaccine

Reading recommendations

Planting crop – and carbon, too

The Washington Post

To prevent climate change from irrevocably damaging human civilization and the world’s ecosystems, humans must reduce carbon emissions enough to prevent the average global temperature from rising more than 1.5 degrees Celsius above preindustrial levels, scientists say.

As scientists came to appreciate the threat posed by climate change over the past few decades, some wondered whether carbon already in the atmosphere could be captured and returned to the soil. They estimated in early 2020 that if soil was protected and replenished globally, it could provide nearly 10 percent of the carbon dioxide drawdown needed to avert near-term climate catastrophe.

Investor who pushed for GameStop’s rise, sued for securities fraud

Financial Post

Keith Gill, one of the most influential voices that pushed GameStop on the WallStreetBets Reddit forum, was hit with a lawsuit that accused him of misrepresenting himself as an amateur investor and profiting by artificially inflating the price of the stock.

Niagara COVID status tracker

	December 18	December 25	January 1	January 8	January 15	January 22	January 29
Reproductive number	1.4	1.8	1.4	1.1	1.0	0.7	0.9
New cases per 100,000	101.2	267.3	469.8	575.8	507.1	295.5	250.6
New cases per day (not including outbreaks)	60.7	178.7	311.7	376.9	325.4	182.7	145.7
Percent of hospital beds occupied	97%	95.2%	98.2%	103.2%	104.5%	103.6%	106%
Percent of intensive care beds occupied	78.8%	77.3%	87.9%	87.9%	90.9%	89.4%	93.9%
Percentage of positive tests	6.1%	15.6%	28.1%	28.6%	26.6%	21.2%	16.2%

Definitions:

Weekly Incidence Rate: the number of new COVID-19 cases per 100,000 people per week
Percent Positivity: the number of positive COVID-19 tests as a percentage of all COVID-19 tests performed
Rt: the reproductive rate, or the number of people infected by each case of the virus

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Daily Update: February 11th, 2021

February 11, 2021 | Daily Update

Canada United Small Business Relief Fund to take new applications

The Canada United Small Business Relief Fund (CUSBRF) was established to help small businesses offset the cost of expenses to open safely or adopt digital technologies to move more of their business online. Over $14 Million has been contributed by the Federal Government, RBC, and Canada United partners to support recovery efforts due to COVID-19. The fund has already provided relief to over 2,000 small businesses across the country. Relief grants can now be extended to more small businesses, with grant applications from small businesses across all provinces for expenses incurred no earlier than March 15, 2020 being accepted from February 16th. For more information, eligibility requirements, and to apply, click here.

March break delayed

Ontario’s Minister of Education is postponing March break until April 12-16, 2021. The Government of Ontario has stated that it is taking this precaution based on advice from health experts, including the province’s Science Table and the Chief Medical Officer of Health, to help protect against the emerging COVID-19 variants of concern. The government also asks that Ontarians refrain from travelling, particularly given the increase in new variants that pose a direct risk to our country, stay at home as much as possible, and continue following the direction of public health officials so that the province can keep schools open and protect seniors, frontline health workers and all families.

GNCC issues position statement on vaccination

Vaccination is our best defence against the COVID-19 virus and our greatest chance at a return to normalcy and an economic recovery. We also believe that we are in a race against new variants of the vaccine, trying to vaccinate enough of the population to achieve herd immunity and eradicate the virus before new variants evolve against which our vaccines are useless.

Canada’s rate of vaccination has fallen far behind that of our peer countries. In the early days of the vaccine rollout, we were in the top ten for vaccinations per capita. Data gathered by Oxford University’s Our World in Data on February 11th indicates that Canada is now 57^th. We have not only fallen behind our peers, but behind countries such as Nepal, Bahrain, or Chile – countries with a fraction of our national wealth and resources. There is no good reason why Canada, a G7 country with a per-capita GDP of over $45,000 USD, one of the 20 wealthiest countries in the world, ranks 57^th in vaccination of its people.

Canadians and businesses have sacrificed much in the interest of public safety since the start of this pandemic. Delays in vaccination are not only inflicting additional and unnecessary harm on the Canadian economy. They are causing additional and unnecessary deaths. We ask the government to take all necessary actions to begin vaccinating Canadians at a rate commensurate with the country’s wealth and infrastructure.

Ontario improves Commodity Loan Guarantee Program

The Government of Ontario is making improvements to the Commodity Loan Guarantee Program to extend repayment deadlines, increase lending capacity and provide farmers with greater flexibility to purchase essential crop growing supplies, such as seed and fertilizer. The Commodity Loan Guarantee Program’s loan repayment deadlines are being permanently extended from February 28 to September 30 to better align repayment dates with the growing season. The extended deadlines will reduce paperwork and costs for farmers who would otherwise have to transfer their loans to other financing options until the sale of their crops. The program’s maximum guaranteed loan limit is also being permanently increased from $120 million to $200 million to allow extended loan repayment deadlines and accommodate an increase in lending capacity.

Government of Canada to invest $100 million to support women impacted by the pandemic

Today, the Honourable Maryam Monsef, Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Rural Economic Development, launched a new call for proposals through Women and Gender Equality Canada’s Women’s Program. The call, entitled “Feminist Response and Recovery Fund”, will provide $100 million for projects helping those in greatest need. The funding will allow recipient organizations to launch new projects or scale up past projects that increase women and girls’ participation in Canada’s economic, social, democratic and political life. Eligible projects will tackle barriers, address harmful gender norms and attitudes, or improve policies, practices, resource distribution, networks and relationships.

The call for proposals is open until March 25, 2021 at 12:00 p.m. (Noon) Pacific Standard Time). Visit women.gc.ca for more information and for details on how to apply.

Canada extends and increases compensation to the audiovisual sector

$50 million has been added to the initial funding for the Short-Term Compensation Fund for Canadian Audiovisual Productions (STCF). The fund was launched last fall to support audiovisual industry productions during the COVID-19 pandemic. The STCF funding has increased to $100 million, which allows more productions to make use of the program during the busiest time of the year for the industry. Telefilm, which administers the program, can now compensate a production company whose project had to be abandoned or interrupted due to a confirmed COVID-19 diagnosis on the set or an outbreak on the production team. For more information and to apply, click here.

Niagara Region Public Health now using text messaging to reach positive cases and close contacts

To quickly reach positive COVID-19 cases and their close contacts, Niagara Region Public Health has recently started using a text messaging service. The service is part of a larger provincial system that is helping to improve case and contact management. The one-way messages will go out to individuals who have tested positive for COVID-19 or who have been identified as close contacts. For those who have tested positive, the message will include a link to a safe and secure web-based form where they can fill in their symptoms and close contacts, as well as receive guidance on how to self-isolate. This form will be voluntary to complete.

Questions about a text received can be directed to the COVID-19 Info-Line at 905-688-8248 or 1-888-505-6074 (press 7).

Reading recommendations

What are the coronavirus variants and how should we respond to them? Your COVID-19 questions answered

CBC News

Canada’s chief public health officer, Dr. Theresa Tam, warned Wednesday that variant strains of the coronavirus had been found in eight provinces, and that they could quickly reverse the gains the country has made in recent weeks in the battle against COVID-19.

At least two of three variants of concern are spreading in Canada, in some cases with no known link to travel, and have already led to devastating outbreaks in long-term care homes.

Here’s a look at some of the most common questions Canadians have about the variants.

Ontario set for years of post-pandemic deficits without new policy: FAO

Canadian Press/BNN Bloomberg

Ontario’s fiscal watchdog says the province is on track for years of post-pandemic deficits barring a change in government policy. The Financial Accountability Officer says in a report today that a series of factors including the pandemic and aging demographics will contribute to the deficits. The FAO says Ontario will have a $35.5 billion deficit in 2020-2021 that is projected to drop to $16 billion by 2024-2025.

But the FAO says barring any service cuts or tax increases, the province will continue to have annual deficits at that level going forward. By law, when Ontario is in deficit, it must develop a recovery plan that charts a path to balanced budgets. The province is expected to deliver its 2021-2022 budget by March 31.

Niagara COVID status tracker

	December 18	December 25	January 1	January 8	January 15	January 22	January 29
Reproductive number	1.4	1.8	1.4	1.1	1.0	0.7	0.9
New cases per 100,000	101.2	267.3	469.8	575.8	507.1	295.5	250.6
New cases per day (not including outbreaks)	60.7	178.7	311.7	376.9	325.4	182.7	145.7
Percent of hospital beds occupied	97%	95.2%	98.2%	103.2%	104.5%	103.6%	106%
Percent of intensive care beds occupied	78.8%	77.3%	87.9%	87.9%	90.9%	89.4%	93.9%
Percentage of positive tests	6.1%	15.6%	28.1%	28.6%	26.6%	21.2%	16.2%

Definitions:

Weekly Incidence Rate: the number of new COVID-19 cases per 100,000 people per week
Percent Positivity: the number of positive COVID-19 tests as a percentage of all COVID-19 tests performed
Rt: the reproductive rate, or the number of people infected by each case of the virus

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Daily Update: February 10th, 2021

February 10, 2021 | Daily Update

Ontario government releases 2020-21 Third Quarter Finances

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

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

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

Ontario extends off-peak electricity rates

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

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

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

Niagara Region warns of vaccination telephone scam

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

Lincoln approves 2021 budget

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

Niagara Falls approves 2021 budget

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

Thorold approves 2021 budget

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

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

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

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

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

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

Reading recommendations

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

Ian Vandaelle, BNN Bloomberg

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

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

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

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

Joel Lexchin, The Conversation

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

What’s going on?

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

Niagara COVID status tracker

	December 18	December 25	January 1	January 8	January 15	January 22	January 29
Reproductive number	1.4	1.8	1.4	1.1	1.0	0.7	0.9
New cases per 100,000	101.2	267.3	469.8	575.8	507.1	295.5	250.6
New cases per day (not including outbreaks)	60.7	178.7	311.7	376.9	325.4	182.7	145.7
Percent of hospital beds occupied	97%	95.2%	98.2%	103.2%	104.5%	103.6%	106%
Percent of intensive care beds occupied	78.8%	77.3%	87.9%	87.9%	90.9%	89.4%	93.9%
Percentage of positive tests	6.1%	15.6%	28.1%	28.6%	26.6%	21.2%	16.2%

Definitions:

Weekly Incidence Rate: the number of new COVID-19 cases per 100,000 people per week
Percent Positivity: the number of positive COVID-19 tests as a percentage of all COVID-19 tests performed
Rt: the reproductive rate, or the number of people infected by each case of the virus

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Daily Update: February 8th, 2021

February 8, 2021 | Daily Update

Ontario extends stay-at-home order

In consultation with the Chief Medical Officer of Health, the government is moving to a regional approach and maintaining the shutdown in the majority of the public health regions in Ontario, including the Stay-at-Home order and all existing public health and workplace safety measures. When it is safe to do so, the province will gradually transition each region from the shutdown measures to a revised and strengthened COVID-19 Response Framework: Keeping Ontario Safe and Open (the “Framework”).

Limited in-person shopping, including non-essential stores, in Grey-Lockdown zones will be permitted with public health and safety measures, such as limiting capacity to 25 per cent in most retail settings. Retailers must therefore use the smaller of either the number of people their space can accommodate with 2 metres distancing (i.e. 1 person per 4 square metres) or 25% of the building code capacity. In addition, public health and safety measures in retail settings will be strengthened for other levels of the Framework. Individuals will also be required to wear a face covering and maintain physical distance when indoors in a business, with limited exceptions.

It is proposed that the Stay-at-Home order will continue to apply to 28 public health regions, including Niagara, until Tuesday, February 16, 2021. For Toronto, Peel and York regions, it is proposed that the Stay-at-Home order will continue to apply until Monday, February 22, 2021. Final decisions will be subject to review of the trends in public health indicators at that time.

The provincial emergency declared under s 7.0.1 of the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act (EMPCA) will be allowed to terminate at the end of February 9, 2021.

The following measures will be added to of the Framework to protect the health and safety of retail patrons and workers:

Grey-Lockdown Level

In person shopping permitted for retail sales, with capacity limits;
In addition of the previous restriction of 50 per cent capacity limit for supermarkets and other stores that primarily sell groceries, convenience stores, and pharmacies:
- 25 per cent capacity limit for all other stores that engage in retail sales to the public, including, big box stores;
Curbside pick-up and delivery permitted;
Require store capacity limit to be posted publicly;
Require businesses and organizations to screen in compliance with any advice, recommendations and instructions issued by the Office of the Chief Medical Officer of Health or other public health official by, among other things:
- Posting signs at all entrances to the premises, in a location visible to the public, that informs individuals on how to screen themselves for COVID-19 prior to entering the premises;
- Actively screening every person who works at the business or organization before they enter the premises; and
- Actively screening patrons entering indoor malls;
Require individuals to maintain at least two metres of physical distance and wear a face covering, including when attending organized public events and other gatherings, with limited exceptions.

Red-Control Level

In person shopping permitted for retail services, with capacity limits;
- 75 per cent capacity limit for supermarkets and other stores that primarily sell groceries, convenience stores, and pharmacies; and
- 50 per cent capacity limit for all other retail businesses that engage in retail sales to the public, including big box stores;
Curbside pick-up and delivery permitted;
Require store capacity limit to be posted publicly;
Require all retailers and other sectors to have a safety plan and post it;
Require businesses and organizations to screen in compliance with any advice, recommendations and instructions issued by the Office of the Chief Medical Officer of Health or other public health official by, among other things:
- Posting signs at all entrances to the premises, in a location visible to the public, that informs individuals on how to screen themselves for COVID-19 prior to entering the premises;
- Actively screening every person who works at the business or organization before they enter the premises; and
- Actively screening patrons entering indoor malls;
Require individuals to maintain at least two metres of physical distance and wear a face covering, with limited exceptions.

Green-Prevent, Yellow-Protect, and Orange-Restrict Levels, and Other Sectors

Require businesses and organizations to screen in compliance with any advice, recommendations and instructions issued by the Office of the Chief Medical Officer of Health or other public health official by, among other things:
- Posting signs at all entrances to the premises, in a location visible to the public, that informs individuals on how to screen themselves for COVID-19 prior to entering the premises;
- Actively screening every person who works at the business or organization before they enter the premises; and
- Actively screening patrons entering indoor malls in the Orange-Restrict zone;
Require passive screening except for indoor malls and other sectors required to screen in accordance with advice, recommendations and instructions from the Office of the Chief Medical Officer of Health as per the original Framework;
Require all retailers and sectors to have safety plan and post it;
Require individuals to maintain at least two metres of physical distance and wear a face covering, including when attending organized public events and other gatherings, with limited exceptions.

Further changes to measures in the COVID-19 Response Framework (e.g. opening of additional businesses, loosening of public health and workplace measures) will be restricted for at least 28 days following the last public health unit returning to the Framework.

Fort Erie Town Council approves 2021 Budget (PDF link)

Fort Erie Town Council approved in principle the 2021 proposed budget with an increase of 0.32 per cent for the Town’s portion of the residential property tax. When the Niagara Region and the Boards of Education levies are included, the combined increase for residential taxpayers in Fort Erie is 0.90 per cent.

For the average median home (includes town homes, apartments & detached homes) assessed at $200,300, this increase translates to an additional $2.22 monthly. The assessed value is provided by MPAC and is different than the market value of homes.

Total investment in building construction increases in December

Total investment in building construction increased 1.5% in December, following three consecutive months of declines. Investment in the residential sector reached a record high of $11.1 billion.

In December, non-residential construction investment remained at $4.4 billion for the third consecutive month. Ontario reported the largest gain—up 2.0% from November—but this growth was offset by declines reported in five provinces. Investment in commercial building construction edged up 0.3% in December, driven in large part by Ontario’s growth in this sector (+3.6% to $1.1 billion). The construction of large projects, such as Amazon’s Project Python being built in Ottawa, contributed to the rise.

Investment in residential construction reached a record high in December, up 1.9% to $11.1 billion. Single-unit investment continued to show strength for the third straight month, up 2.6%. Eight provinces posted gains, with Ontario (+2.8%), Quebec (+3.1%) and Alberta (+4.6%) accounting for the majority of the growth.

The total value of investment in building construction edged up 0.3% to $46.2 billion in the fourth quarter, driven by gains in the residential sector (+5.0%). Investment in residential buildings reported a record quarter, with both single-unit (+7.9%) and multi-unit (+2.2%) investment posting gains.

Reading recommendations

Eye on Employment – February 2021

Niagara Workforce Planning Board

NWPB’s monthly Eye on Employment is a regular breakdown of the latest data from Statistics Canada’s Labour Force Survey. In this feature, NWPB provides you with a summary of changes in local labour market indicators month to month, and offer comparisons to historical benchmarks.

The Eye on Employment is available to read in a compact 4-page infographic PDF, which can be viewed here, or downloaded by clicking here.

What does it mean to short a stock?

Zachary Crockett, The Hustle

Late last month, a truly bizarre scene unfolded in the market.

GameStop ($GME) — a stock that began the year trading at ~$17 per share — rocketed up to $483, then came crashing back down to Earth a few days later.

The saga began when a bunch of hedge funds (“hedgies”) heavily speculated that GameStop would plummet.

The hedgies’ idea was to short the stock –– or bet against its future success. Their plan was foiled when Redditors and newly minted day traders snapped up millions of shares, momentarily sending the beleaguered consumer electronics retailer “to the moon.”

Niagara COVID status tracker

	December 18	December 25	January 1	January 8	January 15	January 22	January 29
Reproductive number	1.4	1.8	1.4	1.1	1.0	0.7	0.9
New cases per 100,000	101.2	267.3	469.8	575.8	507.1	295.5	250.6
New cases per day (not including outbreaks)	60.7	178.7	311.7	376.9	325.4	182.7	145.7
Percent of hospital beds occupied	97%	95.2%	98.2%	103.2%	104.5%	103.6%	106%
Percent of intensive care beds occupied	78.8%	77.3%	87.9%	87.9%	90.9%	89.4%	93.9%
Percentage of positive tests	6.1%	15.6%	28.1%	28.6%	26.6%	21.2%	16.2%

Definitions:

Weekly Incidence Rate: the number of new COVID-19 cases per 100,000 people per week
Percent Positivity: the number of positive COVID-19 tests as a percentage of all COVID-19 tests performed
Rt: the reproductive rate, or the number of people infected by each case of the virus

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COVID-19 Business Update: February 1st, 2021

February 1, 2021 | Daily Update

Ontario extends Community Support Program until 2022

The Ontario government is extending the Ontario Community Support Program (OCSP) until 2022 to ensure that low-income seniors and people with disabilities have access to food, medicine and other essentials during COVID-19. The program was established in April 2020, and involves an innovative partnership with the Ontario Community Support Association (OCSA) and its large volunteer base in communities across the province. During that period nearly 800,000 deliveries have been made.

The OCSP operates in communities across the province by matching volunteer services with seniors, people with disabilities and other vulnerable Ontarians through an online registration system. Volunteers are stepping up in significant numbers to give their time and efforts to fellow Ontarians who need support to meet the challenges of COVID-19.

To sign up for Meals on Wheels in your local community or get essentials such as medicine delivered, visit www.ontariocommunitysupport.ca.

Services can also be arranged by dialing 211 or 1-877-330-3212 (toll free). TTY service is also available by dialing 1-888-340-1001.

Canada and Ontario invest to improve accessibility of Historic Park in Thorold

Today, the Honourable Catherine McKenna, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities; Vance Badawey, Member of Parliament for Niagara Centre; Sam Oosterhoff, Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Education and Member of Provincial Parliament for Niagara West, on behalf of the Honourable Laurie Scott, Ontario’s Minister of Infrastructure; and His Worship Terry Ugulini, Mayor of the City of Thorold announced funding for the renovation of the Battle of Beaverdams Park.

The Government of Canada is investing $267,366 in this project through the Community, Culture and Recreation Infrastructure Stream (CCRIS) of the Investing in Canada plan. The Government of Ontario is providing $222,783, while the City of Thorold is contributing $178,266.

Reading recommendations

This Is How February Became Black History Month

Julia Zorthian, Time

It was in 1964 when the author James Baldwin reflected on the shortcomings of his education. “When I was going to school,” he said, “I began to be bugged by the teaching of American history because it seemed that that history had been taught without cognizance of my presence.”

Baldwin’s thoughts echoed those of many before and after him. Half a century earlier, when Carter G. Woodson had the same frustration, he set the foundation for what would become today’s national Black History Month, observed each February.

Could climate policy become climate trade?

Aaron Henry, Canadian Chamber of Commerce

One of the most compelling and least reported elements of the federal government’s recently announced plan to meet its ambitious 2030 climate targets is the commitment to pursue greater collaboration with Canada’s trading partners and allies on climate policy. In its Healthy Environment and a Healthy Economy plan, the government signalled it will seek partners “to drive common objectives including green recovery, net-zero goals, carbon market alignment, and harmonization of regulatory frameworks for climate action.”

This could be the start of significant reshaping of global trade relations. Commentators have consistently remarked that COVID-19 is transformative in part because of its role as an accelerator of dynamics that were already in play. The taken-for-granted nature of globalization, for example, has become increasingly fragile in recent years, especially in the wake of the Trump administration and Brexit. There is a plausible and highly possible scenario where COVID accelerates a move away from global trade structures like the European Union (EU) common market, the World Trade Organization and North American free trade. The new reality may be a form of bilateralism or smaller regional markets in which Canada will be expected to compete, particularly when it comes to climate policy.

Over one decade, Canadian youth mental health switched from the most to the least positive

Statistics Canada

Canadians aged 15 to 30 are less obese, more active and smoke less than older Canadians. However, when compared with Canadian youth 20 years ago, they are more obese, less active and eat fewer servings of fruit and vegetables.

In 2019, about 70% of males and 66% of females aged 15 to 30 reported excellent or very good general health. This is higher than for males (47%) and females (53%) aged 47 and older. In addition, compared with older Canadians, Canadian youth had lower daily smoking rates and obesity rates. Youth were also more active.

A decade ago, young Canadians reported more positive mental health than their older counterparts. In 2011/2012, for example, 74% of females aged 15 to 30 reported excellent or very good mental health, compared with 69% of females aged 47 and older.

However, this picture has reversed since then, and, in 2019, a lower proportion of Canadian youth reported having excellent or very good mental health than older Canadians. The difference was essentially driven by young females: 54% reported excellent or very good mental health, compared to 69% of females aged 47 and older.

Niagara COVID status tracker

	December 18	December 25	January 1	January 8	January 15	January 22	January 29
Reproductive number	1.4	1.8	1.4	1.1	1.0	0.7	0.9
New cases per 100,000	101.2	267.3	469.8	575.8	507.1	295.5	250.6
New cases per day (not including outbreaks)	60.7	178.7	311.7	376.9	325.4	182.7	145.7
Percent of hospital beds occupied	97%	95.2%	98.2%	103.2%	104.5%	103.6%	106%
Percent of intensive care beds occupied	78.8%	77.3%	87.9%	87.9%	90.9%	89.4%	93.9%
Percentage of positive tests	6.1%	15.6%	28.1%	28.6%	26.6%	21.2%	16.2%

Definitions:

Weekly Incidence Rate: the number of new COVID-19 cases per 100,000 people per week
Percent Positivity: the number of positive COVID-19 tests as a percentage of all COVID-19 tests performed
Rt: the reproductive rate, or the number of people infected by each case of the virus

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COVID-19 Business Update: January 29th, 2021

January 29, 2021 | Daily Update

Ontario Chamber of Commerce releases fifth annual Ontario Economic Report

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

Key highlights from the OER include:

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

Dine Niagara offers no-commission online service to Niagara restaurants

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

Minister Lisa MacLeod to hold business support townhall

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

Government of Ontario announces new plan for COVID-19 variants

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

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

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

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

The plan includes:

Mandatory Testing of Travellers
Enhanced Screening and Sequencing
Maintain Public Health Measures
Strengthen Case and Contact Management
Enhancing Protections for Vulnerable Populations
Leveraging Data

Government of Canada announces new restrictions on international travel

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

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

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

Government of Canada temporarily waives waiting period for Employment Insurance claims

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

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

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

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

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

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

Canadian GDP sees seventh consecutive monthly gain

Real gross domestic product grows in November

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

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

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

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

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

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Worrisome New Coronavirus Strains Are Emerging. Why Now?

Megan Molteni, Wired

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

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

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

CBC News

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

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

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

Niagara COVID status tracker

	December 18	December 25	January 1	January 8	January 15	January 22	January 29
Reproductive number	1.4	1.8	1.4	1.1	1.0	0.7	0.9
New cases per 100,000	101.2	267.3	469.8	575.8	507.1	295.5	250.6
New cases per day (not including outbreaks)	60.7	178.7	311.7	376.9	325.4	182.7	145.7
Percent of hospital beds occupied	97%	95.2%	98.2%	103.2%	104.5%	103.6%	106%
Percent of intensive care beds occupied	78.8%	77.3%	87.9%	87.9%	90.9%	89.4%	93.9%
Percentage of positive tests	6.1%	15.6%	28.1%	28.6%	26.6%	21.2%	16.2%

Definitions:

Weekly Incidence Rate: the number of new COVID-19 cases per 100,000 people per week
Percent Positivity: the number of positive COVID-19 tests as a percentage of all COVID-19 tests performed
Rt: the reproductive rate, or the number of people infected by each case of the virus

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COVID-19 Business Update: January 26th, 2021

January 26, 2021 | Daily Update

Highly Affected Sectors Credit Availability Program (HASCAP) launched

Today, the Honourable Mary Ng, Minister of Small Business, Export Promotion and International Trade, announced the launch of the Highly Affected Sectors Credit Availability Program, or HASCAP. As first outlined in the 2020 Fall Economic Statement, HASCAP will provide financial support to businesses that have been hardest hit by the pandemic.

Through HASCAP, the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) will work with participating Canadian financial institutions to offer government-guaranteed, low-interest loans of up to $1 million. Hard-hit businesses, like a chain of hotels or restaurants with multiple locations under one related entity, could be eligible for up to $6.25 million.

HASCAP is available to businesses across the country, in all sectors, that have been hit hard by the pandemic. This includes restaurants, businesses in the tourism and hospitality sectors, and those that rely on in-person service.

To be eligible for HASCAP, businesses need to show a year-over-year revenue decline of at least 50% in three months, within the eight months prior to their application. They must also be able to show their financial institutions that they have previously applied for either the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy or the Canada Emergency Rent Subsidy.

Eligible businesses can start applying as early as February 1 at principal financial institutions and more widely by February 15. Interested businesses should contact their primary lender to get more information and to apply.

More information is available at www.bdc.ca/hascap.

Chambers of Commerce, governments oppose U.S. “Buy American” policy

U.S. President Joe Biden imposed new rules for U.S. government spending, mandating the government to buy made-in-the-U.S.A. products and allowing exceptions in “very limited circumstances.”

The GNCC has always been opposed to trade protectionism on the grounds that beggar-thy-neighbour trade policies are intrinsically unable to increase the creation of wealth and prosperity. Retaliatory policies from other countries are likely, which decreases the overall volume of international trade – always an unsound policy, but especially wrongheaded during an economic downturn.

The Canadian Chamber of Commerce stated that “Buy American restrictions remain a perennial problem for Canadian businesses seeking to access government contracts with our largest trading partner. The rules have progressively tightened over the years, and today’s announcement represents another unhelpful step to make it more difficult for Canadian businesses to secure contracts in the U.S.”

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has historically opposed all Buy American policies, and noted yesterday that previous Buy American directives had, generally speaking, failed to reshore any substantial industry to the United States in any event.

The Honourable Vic Fedeli, Ontario Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade, said that the Ontario government was “disappointed that the U.S. Administration has chosen to move ahead with a new Executive Order on Buy American which would restrict access to the U.S. government procurement.” Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland opined that the Government of Canada “knows how to deal with” U.S. protectionism.

Government of Ontario to invest in modernizing small and rural municipalities

The Ontario government is investing over $40 million during COVID-19 to help small and rural municipalities improve the delivery of critical programs and services. The funding, under the Municipal Modernization Program, is part of the government’s $125 million investment through 2022-23 to help small and rural municipalities become more efficient and save taxpayers’ dollars.

The Municipal Modernization Program helps Ontario’s 405 small and rural municipalities find better, more efficient ways to operate and serve their residents. Municipalities can use the funding to conduct reviews of service delivery and administrative expenditures to find efficiencies or implement a range of projects, including developing an online system to improve the local process for approving residential and industrial developments or setting up new shared services with neighbouring municipalities.

Last year, Ontario funded 184 modernization projects led by small and rural municipalities, including service delivery reviews which found $3 million in potential annual savings for Elgin County and up to $5 million in savings over 10 years in the Township of Douro-Dummer.

New visitor restrictions at Niagara Health to begin Thursday, January 28

Beginning Thursday, January 28, Niagara Health will restrict general visitation across all sites to limit traffic in the hospital as part of their ongoing COVID-19 response.

As of Thursday, visitation at the hospital will be permitted if the individual:

is supporting a patient in exceptional circumstances; or
has been designated as an Essential Care Partner (ECP) for a patient.

Support persons may accompany outpatients and visit with inpatients to provide support in exceptional circumstances. Exceptions would also be made for patients coming to our Emergency Departments/Urgent Care Centres. Among the factors the care team may consider are: supporting patients in life altering circumstances, experiencing a mental health crisis, are at end of life, or are vulnerable (cognitive, developmentally delayed, language impairment, physical challenges). In the case of outpatients and inpatients, support persons should contact the care team in advance to discuss the process. In the case of our Emergency Departments and Urgent Care Centres, the triage nurse will assess a patient’s eligibility for a support person.

To learn more about these guidelines, please call the unit directly where the patient is receiving care, visit our website or call our Switchboard at 905-378-4647.

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Working from home is starting to fall apart, top bankers warn

Silla Brush, Bloomberg News/Financial Post

Senior bankers are sounding the alarm: working from home is at risk of not working anymore.

“I don’t think it’s sustainable,” Barclays Plc Chief Executive Officer Jes Staley said Tuesday at the World Economic Forum. JPMorgan Chase & Co.’s asset- and wealth-management boss, Mary Erdoes, agreed.

Both executives spoke by videoconference as the pandemic has meant the WEF has gone virtual for the first time, rather than its usual mass gathering of prominent corporate and government figures in the Swiss ski resort of Davos.

The Emotional Tax of Essential Work

Gabrielle Drolet, The Walrus

COVID-19 outbreaks keep occurring at customer-facing businesses, and case numbers are surging as a result. Although Canada does provide a federal COVID-19 sickness benefit, it is inaccessible or inadequate for many essential workers, who are exposed to workplace outbreaks at higher rates—the list of affected businesses has grown to include restaurants, fast-food chains, and big-box stores.

The belief that employees should keep their heads down and do what they’re told—even if it involves being mistreated by customers—is a problem that existed long before the pandemic. The customer-service industry is built on emotional labour, a culture in which employees are expected to smile and be kind no matter the cost. Most customer-service employees likely don’t have the financial stability to leave a job because of unsafe conditions or for their mental health. Speaking up may mean getting fired—and, during a recession, the stakes of losing work are even higher.

Niagara COVID status tracker

	December 18	December 25	January 1	January 8	January 15	January 22	January 29
Reproductive number	1.4	1.8	1.4	1.1	1.0	0.7	0.9
New cases per 100,000	101.2	267.3	469.8	575.8	507.1	295.5	250.6
New cases per day (not including outbreaks)	60.7	178.7	311.7	376.9	325.4	182.7	145.7
Percent of hospital beds occupied	97%	95.2%	98.2%	103.2%	104.5%	103.6%	106%
Percent of intensive care beds occupied	78.8%	77.3%	87.9%	87.9%	90.9%	89.4%	93.9%
Percentage of positive tests	6.1%	15.6%	28.1%	28.6%	26.6%	21.2%	16.2%

Definitions:

Weekly Incidence Rate: the number of new COVID-19 cases per 100,000 people per week
Percent Positivity: the number of positive COVID-19 tests as a percentage of all COVID-19 tests performed
Rt: the reproductive rate, or the number of people infected by each case of the virus

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Niagara Public Health offers clarification to businesses

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Niagara COVID status tracker

New Section 22 orders announced for Niagara restaurants, bars, and retailers

Niagara College and Niagara Region to hold digital fundraising webinar

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Niagara COVID status tracker

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Niagara COVID status tracker

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Niagara COVID status tracker

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Niagara COVID status tracker

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Niagara COVID status tracker

Reading recommendations

Niagara COVID status tracker

Reading recommendations

Niagara COVID status tracker

Reading recommendations

Niagara COVID status tracker