Your Business Guide to Lockdown

December 21, 2020 | Daily Update

The Government of Ontario has been forced to announce that the Niagara region, along with the entire province of Ontario, will be locked down under the COVID-19 Response Framework, effective as of 12:01am on Saturday, December 26th. These restrictions will end no sooner than January 23rd. Not all areas may move out of lockdown at the same time. Premier Ford has asked all Ontarians to stay at home and leave only when absolutely necessary.

The GNCC offers this summary of the new measures which your business may have to implement. If you have any questions, please contact the Ontario Stop the Spread business information line at 1-888-444-3659.

  • All organized indoor public events, meetings, and gatherings are now banned. Members of the same household may still gather, and people who live alone can gather with one other household.
  • All meeting and event spaces are closed. Exceptions may be made for childcare and day camps for children, court services, government services, mental health and addiction support services, or provision of social services. In these cases, attendance is limited to ten people with a strict minimum of two metres distance between attendees.
  • Outdoor organized public events are limited to ten people. “Organized public events” means events and gatherings where there is a staff complement who are not guests at the event and can supervise physical distancing, mask usage, hand hygiene, and so forth. A two-metre distance between all people must be maintained. If the space is not large enough to accommodate ten people with a two-metre distance, occupancy must be reduced.
  • The following retail stores may remain open at 50% capacity:
    • Supermarkets
    • Convenience stores
    • Indoor farmer’s markets
    • Other stores that primarily sell food
    • Pharmacies
  • The following retail stores may remain open at 25% capacity:
    • Liquor stores
    • “Big-box” stores offering groceries
  • The following retail stores may remain open by appointment only:
    • Motor/recreational vehicle sales
    • Safety supply stores
  • All other retail stores must close. Delivery and curbside pick-up are permitted for all stores.
  • Malls must close. Stores within malls that may remain open are excluded subject to screening and distancing requirements (e.g. grocery stores or pharmacies). Malls may designate pick-up areas outside for stores offering pick-up service.
  • Schools will be closed until January 8th. All elementary students will learn online from January 8th until January 11th, when they are expected to return to school. Secondary students will learn online from January 8th until they are expected to return on January 25th.
  • All indoor and outdoor dining at bars, restaurants, mall food courts, and other food and drink establishments is banned. Take-out and delivery may continue.
  • All employees able to work remotely should immediately begin doing so. Only employees whose work is both essential and cannot be performed remotely should be on-site, and should continue to be screened for symptoms upon reporting for work.
  • All personal services are banned. This includes (but is not limited to) hairdressing/barbering, tattooing, estheticians and other beauty services, personal trainers and personal shoppers, and house sitters.
  • Realtors may continue to operate. Showings must be by appointment only.
  • Tours and tour guides are not permitted to operate.
  • No new short-term rental reservations made after November 22, 2020 are permitted. Exceptions will be made for individuals who have no other housing.
  • Domestic and cleaning and maintenance services are permitted. This includes housekeepers, cooks, maids and butlers, personal affairs management, nanny services and babysitters, other domestic personnel, and house cleaning.
  • Outdoor cleaning and maintenance services are permitted. This includes indoor or outdoor painting, pool cleaning, and general repairs.
  • Hotels and motels may remain open. Any pools, fitness centres, meeting rooms and other recreational facilities must be closed.
  • Marinas, boating clubs, and golf courses are open for outdoor use only. All indoor facilities are closed.
  • All casinos, bingo halls, and gaming services are closed.
  • Amusement parks and water parks are closed.
  • Bathhouses and sex clubs, including strip clubs, are closed.
  • Campgrounds are only open to owners of a trailer or recreational vehicle who have no other housing or who have a full season contract. Campgrounds without electricity, water service and facilities for sewage disposal must close. All recreational facilities in campgrounds and all other shared facilities, other than washrooms and showers, must be closed. No new reservations after November 22, 2020 are permitted, except for individuals who have no other housing.
  • Boarding kennels and stables are only open to animal owners. Access is restricted to care, feeding, or (if applicable) riding of the animal.
  • Only essential trips outside the home should be made. This includes work, school, groceries/pharmacy, health care, assisting vulnerable individuals or exercise and physical activity.
  • Religious services, weddings, and funerals are limited to ten people indoors or outdoors.
  • All indoor gyms, fitness studios, and other athletic/recreational facilities must close. Exceptions will only be made for high-performance and professional athletes using facilities alone, or for specified purposes such as child care or day camps.
  • Outdoor recreational facilities may remain open. No team or contact sports may be played.
  • It is strongly recommended that retail stores and malls limit their capacity. This is not a requirement beyond existing policies on occupancy limits and physical distancing.
  • Community centres and multi-purpose facilities may open for limited activities. This includes child care services, day camps, or social services.
  • Child care remains open. Non-essential workers are able to utilize child care services. Operators of before and after school programs that are required to close from January 4-8, 2021 are prohibited from charging fees or penalizing parents during this time period.
  • All cinemas are closed. Drive-in theatres may remain open.
  • Theatres are closed and performances for a live audience are banned. Rehearsal or performance for recording or broadcast is permitted, but singers and performers using brass or wind instruments must be separated by an impermeable barrier such as plexiglass.
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A Holiday Greeting from the Greater Niagara Chamber of Commerce

December 21, 2020 | Media Releases

We are drawing near the end of a year that was shaped by the challenges of a pandemic that rocked the world. It proved — and still does — to be a challenge for our health systems and economy. At the same time, it has given us moments of inspiration as organizations innovatively adapted to new realities, individuals displayed unimaginable courage, and our community rose to support those most vulnerable among us.

Dear members of the GNCC,

We are drawing near the end of a year that was shaped by the challenges of a pandemic that rocked the world. It proved — and still does — to be a challenge for our health systems and economy. At the same time, it has given us moments of inspiration as organizations innovatively adapted to new realities, individuals displayed unimaginable courage, and our community rose to support those most vulnerable among us.

Early in March, we celebrated International Women’s Day with Autumn Peltier, which unknown to us at the time, would become our final in-person event for the year. With the impact of COVID-19, only days later, our offices closed to the public and we started the quick transition to a virtual world.

To help organizations navigate new and rapidly evolving programs and policies, we launched the Daily Updates, a 4 p.m. brief filled with timely and relevant information about the latest government policies, subsidies and resources. Within weeks, its readership had increased to the thousands, resulting in record-high engagement to guide businesses through this new reality. This update was complimented by a regular webinar series called GNCC Espresso Live, a platform that allows for interactive dialogues with experts from every sector and explores how COVID-19 has impacted our life so far, and shape our societies tomorrow.

This was a year filled with rapid policy decisions and we took your concerns and accelerated all of our efforts to attain the policy changes needed at this time. Your input has been critical to achieving important policy changes and some of the Chamber network successes include expanding the wage subsidy from 10% to 75%, enhancing the commercial rent assistance program, larger loans to businesses through the CEBA program and the new HASCAP program, restaurant sales of beverage alcohol through delivery and pick-up, or the Digital Main Street initiative to help businesses transition to an online model. Through it all, we developed a three-phase recovery plan and a re-imagine Niagara initiative focused on regional economic recovery opportunities and sector specific relief.

During the pandemic, we were able to deliver our key signature events virtually such as the State of the Region, Niagara Economic Summit, Small Business Month and Women in Business Awards Gala. In addition, we have held smaller roundtables, Business After Five gatherings, town halls and many more. These virtual gatherings exceeded our expectations, clearly indicating that it was important to you to continuously connect with others.

We also launched Niagara Shop Local on Facebook and Instagram, a regional campaign encouraging Niagarans to buy local. This campaign is supporting local businesses in an effort to accelerate their recovery and it will continue in the new year in an even bigger format. Please stay tuned.

Digital marketing and communication became a critical tool for you, and we are pleased to have launched a host of opportunities for you to reach customers in a new way.

Looking at 2021, our business community is still facing uncertainty and challenges. We are committed to continuously advocate on your behalf for policies and programs that ensure an accelerated recovery and help you manage the disruption caused by COVID-19. Our digital marketing offerings are expanding along with our virtual events in support of your efforts.

On behalf of our board, my colleagues and councils, our sincerest thanks for your support of the GNCC and your commitment to Niagara. We look forward to working with you, and for you, to build a stronger Niagara for all.

We wish you a joyous and safe holiday season, and a wonderful new year.

Mishka Balsom
CEO
mishka@gncc.ca MishkaBalsom GNCC

Greater Niagara Chamber of Commerce
80 King Street, Suite 3, St. Catharines, ON   L2R 7G1
905-684-2361 ext. 227 www.gncc.ca

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COVID-19 Business Update: December 18th, 2020

December 18, 2020 | Daily Update

Niagara is moving to the Red-Control zone of the COVID-19 Response Framework. Additional restrictions may be announced Monday at 1 p.m.
Information on government grants, resources, and programs, as well as policies, forms, and posters for download and use, are available here.
The Government of Canada has a support page with summaries of current programs and application portals.

Vital updates:

  • As the province engages with public health experts and frontline partners on what additional measures may be necessary to break trends in increased cases and hospitalizations, the Ontario government, in consultation with the Chief Medical Officer of Health and local medical officers of health, is moving six public health regions to new levels per the Keeping Ontario Safe and Open Framework. Based on the latest data, the following public health regions will move from their current level in the framework to the following levels effective Monday, December 21, 2020 at 12:01 a.m. with Peel Public Health and Toronto Public Health remaining in lockdown until at least January 4, 2021:
    • Grey-Lockdown
      • City of Hamilton Public Health Services
    • Red-Control
      • Brant County Health Unit
      • Niagara Region Public Health
    • Orange-Restrict
      • Kingston, Frontenac and Lennox & Addington Public Health
    • Yellow-Protect
      • Timiskaming Health Unit
    • Green-Prevent
      • Public Health Sudbury & Districts

    All other public health regions will remain at their current level. Please visit Ontario.ca/covidresponse for the full list of public health region classifications.

  • Premier Ford is expected to announce additional restrictions on Monday at 1 p.m. The Premier may be considering a province-wide lockdown of three weeks, or one applied to southern Ontario from Boxing Day, and a mandatory work-from-home order until January 11th. Quebec is closing all non-essential businesses and issuing a mandatory work-from-home order for nearly all office employees until Jan. 11 and asking all schools to go online-only for the first week that classes resume in the new year. Insiders indicate that the Premier is considering this option for Ontario. The Ontario Hospital Association, including the Niagara Health System, is calling for new four-week lockdowns in all areas where the weekly incidence rate is 40 cases per 100,000 people or more, which would include Niagara, currently at 66.
  • Today, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, the Honourable Chrystia Freeland, announced that the government has concluded the necessary regulatory changes to raise the maximum wage subsidy rate to 75 per cent for the period beginning Sunday, December 20, 2020, until March 13, 2021. The wage subsidy is now more flexible and targeted, allowing employers to access the maximum subsidy rate based on a single month’s revenue decline instead of having to demonstrate three months’ decline, giving employers support that better reflects their current or evolving needs.
  • For employers with non-unionized employees, the government is extending regulatory changes brought forward under the Employment Standards Act to July 3, 2021. The regulation’s changes include putting non-unionized employees on job-protected leave during the COVID-19 outbreak any time their hours of work are temporarily reduced by their employer due to the pandemic to prevent temporary layoffs from becoming permanent. Under the Act, temporary layoffs become terminations when they exceed the permitted period. Previously set to expire on January 2, 2021, the extension of this amendment ensures that workers remain employed while providing relief to employers. To support the hospitality industry and other hard-hit industries, the government is creating a special industry regulation allowing employers to negotiate alternative arrangements with unions for putting termination and severance pay into trust for laid-off employees.
  • The Ontario government is providing $77 million to help people who were laid off due to the impact of COVID-19 find in-demand jobs in their local communities. This funding is being provided through the redesigned Second Career grant program and will help more than 2,750 job seekers with up to $28,000 for tuition, training materials and living expenses. Enhancements will focus on training initiatives with a duration of 52 weeks or less, helping more people get trained quicker and get back to work faster. These changes will also remove existing caps on the funding amount available to cover tuition at a wider range of institutions.
  • The Supporting Local Restaurants Act, 2020 will come into effect tomorrow, December 19, at 12:01 a.m. Food delivery companies will be required to limit the rates they charge to 20% for each transaction with no more than 15% for commission for food delivery services. The cap applies in areas where indoor dining is prohibited, to help restaurants stay in business and continue contributing to their communities. If indoor dining is prohibited in new regions, the cap will also apply in those locations. Food delivery companies found to be in noncompliance could be hit with fines of up to $10 million. Restaurants and food delivery company employees or contractors may file online complaints if they are charged fees that exceed the cap or if their compensation or payments are reduced.
  • At its meeting held Thursday, Dec. 17, Niagara Region Council approved an operating budget increase for water and wastewater services, and waste management. Rate budget increases of 2.0 per cent for water and wastewater services combined and 4.5 per cent for waste management were adopted for 2021.
  • Retail sales edged up 0.4% to $54.6 billion in October, marking the sixth consecutive monthly increase since the record decline in April. The sales growth was led by motor vehicle and parts dealers. Year over year, sales of new passenger cars declined 23.2%, while new trucks, an aggregate group which includes light trucks, heavy trucks and buses, increased 4.1% from October 2019. Core retail sales—which excludes gasoline stations and motor vehicle and parts dealers—edged up 0.3%, on higher sales at sporting goods, hobby, book and music stores (+11.8%), furniture and home furnishings stores (+6.6%), as well as building material and garden equipment and supplies dealers (+2.9%). Retail sales increased in 6 of 11 subsectors, representing 50.9% of retail trade. In volume terms, sales edged up 0.2% in October. On an unadjusted basis, retail e-commerce sales reached $3.1 billion in October, accounting for 5.2% of total retail trade. The share of e-commerce sales out of total retail sales fell 0.3 percentage points from September, but was up 1.8 percentage points year over year. When adjusted for basic seasonal effects, retail e-commerce declined 5.0%.
  • Premier Ford has declared Santa to be an essential service, reassuring Ontario’s children “that Santa is still coming this year despite the COVID-19 pandemic. As Premier,” he continued, “I have requested that the Lieutenant Governor issue a proclamation designating Santa Claus as an essential service provider and authorized to deliver toys, treats and good cheer to the children of Ontario. The Elves’ Toy Workshop is also proclaimed an essential manufacturing business and authorized to supply Santa Claus with toys and gifts. Finally, Santa’s Reindeer, including Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen and Rudolph, are proclaimed essential transportation service providers and permitted to pull Santa’s sleigh across every part of Ontario.”

Reading recommendations:

Driven by steeply falling prices and technological progress that allows batteries to store ever-larger amounts of energy, grid-scale systems are seeing record growth. Many of the gains are spillovers from the auto industry’s race to build smaller, cheaper, and more powerful lithium-ion batteries for electric cars. In the US, state clean-energy mandates, along with tax incentives for storage systems that are paired with solar installations, are also playing an important role. The mass deployment of storage could overcome one of the biggest obstacles to renewable energy – its cycling between oversupply when the sun shines or the wind blows, and shortage when the Sun sets or the wind drops. By smoothing imbalances between supply and demand, proponents say, batteries can replace fossil fuel “peaker” plants that kick in for a few hours a day when energy demands soar.

Five years ago antitrust was a backwater. In America complacent trustbusters had failed to spot the rise of big tech firms. In the European Union they noticed it, but didn’t do much. But the competition cops have at last sprung. On December 15th the EU unveiled two draft digital-services laws that would create a sweeping supervisory apparatus to control Silicon Valley. In America the federal government has just launched antitrust cases against Google and Facebook. These moves mark the biggest shift in competition policy in a generation, so you might expect investors to be worried that big tech firms are under serious threat. Instead, their reaction has been Olympian indifference.

 If you are showing symptoms, contact your health care provider, call the Public Health Info-Line at 905-688-8248, or chat to Public Health online. For testing, call 905-378-4647 ext. 42819 (4-CV19) for information on test centres in Niagara and to book an appointment.

Previous updates can be accessed here.

The GNCC is here to support you. Contact us with any questions you have.

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COVID-19 Business Update: December 17th, 2020

December 17, 2020 | Daily Update

The GNCC is calling for revisions to federal business aid eligibility requirements so that more new and seasonal businesses can be included.
Information on government grants, resources, and programs, as well as policies, forms, and posters for download and use, are available here.
The Government of Canada has a support page with summaries of current programs and application portals.

Vital updates:

  • The GNCC is calling for revisions to federal business aid eligibility requirements so that more new and seasonal businesses can be included. Many new businesses do not qualify for some support programs because revenue loss is generally used to establish need, but growing businesses often do not experience significant revenue loss because their revenues were very small to begin with, and rather than shrinking, are simply not growing with anything like the speed that was anticipated before the pandemic. The eligibility dates for some programs have also effectively eliminated the possibility of support for highly seasonal businesses. In the rent subsidy program, for example, a business may use either the corresponding period of 2019 or January-February 2020 as a baseline to establish eligibility. The problem is that if a business is highly seasonal and does most of its business during the warmer months, the revenue in these comparison periods will be close to zero, making them ineligible. The GNCC has pointed out these shortcomings to Minister Freeland and to Niagara’s Members of Parliament, and offered policy suggestions that would address them.
  • The Ontario government is providing over $147 million to immediately expand access to the provincial mental health and addictions system for people of all ages and address capacity issues in response to COVID-19. This funding builds upon the $176 million provided earlier this year as part of Roadmap to Wellness, the government’s comprehensive plan aimed at high-quality care and a modern, connected and comprehensive mental health and addictions system.
  • Niagara College is pleased to announce the appointment of five members to the Niagara College Board of Governors.  The new members include Janet Allan, a retired partner from KPMG LLP; Mishka Balsom, CEO of the Greater Niagara Chamber of Commerce; Michael Mann, a partner at Lancaster Brooks & Welch LLP; and Carolyn Hurst, a seasoned business executive and board member. Emily Irwin will also join the board for a one-year term as student representative.
  • Today, the Honourable Chrystia Freeland, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, announced the Government of Canada will provide a record $83.9 billion in transfer funding for provinces and territories in 2021-22. This represents an increase of over $2.2 billion from 2020-21. All provinces and territories are expected to see a year-over-year increase in total major transfer amounts. Major transfers include: the Canada Health Transfer (CHT); the Canada Social Transfer (CST); Equalization; and Territorial Formula Financing (TFF).
  • The City of Welland is partnering with the city’s service agencies (PDF link) to ensure that masks donated by MedSup Canada are distributed to various demographics. The Welland Library branches are now distribution hubs where people can access the free non-medical grade face masks. Library visitors are welcome to pick-up a package at any of the three branches while supplies last. Library locations and times of service can be found at wellandlibrary.ca. The City of Welland is seeking more partnership opportunities with Welland’s organizations and agencies to act as distribution hubs for the non-medical masks. To learn more about becoming a distribution hub, call the City of Welland’s Manager of Fleet, Equipment & Purchasing at 905-735-1700 ext. 3017.
  • New data from Statistics Canada has shown that in October, on a seasonally adjusted basis, 1.4 million Canadians received regular EI benefits, more than triple the number in February (446,000). This was the highest number of EI recipients in Canada since comparable data became available in 1997. In comparison, immediately following the recession of 2008/2009, the number of EI beneficiaries peaked at 822,000 in June 2009. To support Canadians facing the labour market impact of the COVID-19 economic shutdown, CERB was introduced in March 2020. The number of regular EI beneficiaries increased in March and April, as those with active claims remained in the EI program. It then declined sharply beginning in May, as all new claims were redirected to CERB, and reached a low of 160,000 in August.
  • The Ontario Superior Court of Justice has heard a request from the Hudson’s Bay Co. which claims that Ontario’s regulations forcing some retailers to close while others with similar merchandise remain open are “irrational and arbitrary.” A lawyer representing HBC noted, for example, that large swaths of Walmart and Costco sell very similar products to HBC, while discount retailer Dollarama sells substantially non-essential goods with its food offerings consisting mostly of candies, sweets and some canned goods — but no fresh groceries. HBC is asking the court to review the province’s decision to temporarily close non-essential retailers in Toronto, Peel and more recently York and Windsor-Essex.
  • Dozens of states filed an anti-trust lawsuit against Google today, following yesterday’s similar filing, alleging that the search giant has an illegal monopoly over the online search market that hurts consumers and advertisers. The lawsuit, announced by Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser, was filed in federal court in Washington, D.C. by states represented by bipartisan attorneys general. The lawsuit was joined by the attorneys general of 34 other states as well as the District of Columbia and the territories of Guam and Puerto Rico. The case is the third antitrust salvo to slam Google during the past two months. CBC News opined that the flurry of U.S. antitrust suits represents an attempt to catch up with European regulators who have spent the past several years trying to crack down on Google, mostly with huge fines, to little noticeable effect so far.

Reading recommendations:

The move to a cash-lite society has been happening for a while. Payments Canada, the non-profit that owns and operates this country’s payment clearing and settlement systems, found that the number of overall payment transactions by cash declined to 18.4 per cent in 2019 from 32.8 per cent in 2014. COVID-19 appears to have accelerated the trend. Some grew fearful of handling cash amid reports that it could be a conduit for the virus, but there has also been a shift to e-commerce fuelled by the forced closure of brick-and-mortar stores. Online sales by traditional retailers increased more than 74 per cent from a year earlier in September, according to Statistics Canada.

There’s no doubt that stories are powerful tools. In Sapiens, historian Yuval Harari argues that the ability to craft stories helped humans cooperate to achieve unprecedented progress and ultimately dominate the world. Today, it’s inconceivable that a product launch, a startup pitch, a popular documentary, or a TED Talk doesn’t feature captivating stories. And with good reason: Stories offer multiple advantages. They help us discern complex matters, remember ideas, communicate with others, and make predictions about the future. It’s important for managers and entrepreneurs to harness these benefits and HBR offers a wide range of content designed to improve storytelling skills. But, precisely because of their potent and lasting effects, it’s crucial for decision makers to recognize the different ways in which stories can be misleading.

 If you are showing symptoms, contact your health care provider, call the Public Health Info-Line at 905-688-8248, or chat to Public Health online. For testing, call 905-378-4647 ext. 42819 (4-CV19) for information on test centres in Niagara and to book an appointment.

Previous updates can be accessed here.

The GNCC is here to support you. Contact us with any questions you have.

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COVID-19 Business Update: December 16th, 2020

December 16, 2020 | Daily Update

Information on government grants, resources, and programs, as well as policies, forms, and posters for download and use, are available here.
The Government of Canada has a support page with summaries of current programs and application portals.

Vital updates:

  • The employer application period for the Canada Summer Jobs Grant 2021 will open on Monday, December 21, 2020, and close on Friday, January 29, 2021. Not-for-profit organizations, public-sector employers, and private-sector employers with 50 or fewer full-time employees can start preparing their applications now to hire a young Canadian. Employers interested in applying for CSJ 2021 funding are encouraged to prepare their applications in advance of next week’s launch. Applicants who do not have an account on the secure Government Grants and Contributions Online Services portal are encouraged to create one prior to the launch of the application process. Similar temporary flexibilities introduced for CSJ 2020 will be applied this year to help small businesses operate. These include:
    • a wage subsidy, so that private and public-sector employers can receive up to 75 percent of the provincial or territorial minimum hourly wage for each employee (not-for-profit organizations will continue to receive 100 percent);
    • an extension to the end date for employment to February 26, 2022; and
    • allowing employers to hire staff on a part-time basis.
  • The Ontario government released its new Poverty Reduction Strategy today which is intended to help more people get back to work and participate in the province’s economic recovery from COVID-19. The five-year strategy outlines the following key initiatives:
    • Encouraging job creation and connecting people to employment – making investments in education, employment services, and training programs so people can get the skills and experience they need.
    • Connecting people with the right supports and services – improving access to supports that address health and well-being and enabling access to education, training, and employment, leading to increased community participation.
    • Making life more affordable and building financial resiliency – reducing the cost of living, protecting consumers, and helping people keep more of their hard-earned money.
    • Accelerating action and driving progress – using evidence and working across sectors to support economic recovery and developing integrated solutions that better connect the province’s health, social, and economic systems.
  • The Ontario government is encouraging people to “show your love for local” by exploring new and creative ways to reconnect with the unique small businesses and places that make the province’s communities special. To promote this effort Destination Ontario, an agency of the Ministry of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Industries, is launching a new “Support Local” campaign. The new campaign will launch on TV, radio, digital and social media starting mid-December and run until mid-January 2021. The GNCC’s own Shop Local campaign, powered by Meridian Credit Union, can also be found on Facebook and Instagram.
  • The Ontario government is allocating an additional $695 million to provide financial relief for municipalities and help ensure they do not carry operating deficits into 2021. This investment builds upon the first phase of the federal-provincial Safe Restart Agreement announced this summer. Of the $695 million announced today, $299 million is being allocated across all 444 municipalities to help provide more financial relief, as 2021 operating budgets are finalized. An additional $396 million is also being allocated to 48 municipalities that have been hardest hit by COVID-19 and have demonstrated a need for additional assistance in covering their 2020 operating deficits. Regional Chair Jim Bradley formally thanked the province, noting that “this critical and welcomed funding will provide both much needed financial relief for the numerous unexpected costs related to the pandemic, as well as a significant boost for our affordable housing and homelessness infrastructure in Niagara.” The following Niagara municipalities are receiving funding under the Safe Restart Agreement:
    • Niagara Region: $2,441,000 ($5.45 per capita)
    • Fort Erie: $191,000 ($6.22 per capita)
    • Grimsby: $137,000 ($5.01 per capita)
    • Lincoln: $113,000 ($4.75 per capita)
    • Niagara Falls: $466,000 ($5.29 per capita)
    • Niagara-on-the-Lake: $105,000 ($6.00 per capita)
    • Pelham: $86,000 ($5.03 per capita)
    • Port Colborne: $125,000 ($6.83 per capita)
    • St. Catharines: $726,000 ($5.17 per capita)
    • Thorold: $104,000 ($5.53 per capita)
    • Wainfleet: $39,000 ($6.12 per capita)
    • Welland: $283,000 ($5.41 per capita)
    • West Lincoln: $66,000 ($4.55 per capita)
  • The City of Port Colborne unanimously voted to donate Chestnut Park to Port Cares in order to build affordable housing units for the community. Council had previously asked staff to explore innovative approaches and strategic partnerships to address affordable housing shortages. After reviewing several options, it was determined that Chestnut Park, located between Lock Street and Clarke Street, could be repurposed and redeveloped for a broader community benefit. Port Cares will acquire the Chestnut Park property from the City of Port Colborne and construct a multi-unit, low rise affordable housing structure. The City will transfer Chestnut Park to Port Cares for $1, as its contribution to this affordable housing project.
  • Welland City Council approved the 2021 municipal budgets (PDF link) at last night’s City Council Meeting. The 2021 Budgets will focus on essential infrastructure and investments in additional road resurfacing. The budgets will also invest in capital projects, such as replacing ageing water and wastewater infrastructure to reduce infiltration into the city’s wastewater system.
    The 2021 Tax Supported Operating Budget presents a 1.96 % tax increase (municipal portion) after assessment growth and includes $44.4 million in capital next year.
  • Today, the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business, Canadian Federation of Independent Business, and Retail Council of Canada, are together launching the Pan-Canadian Strategy to Manage COVID-19. Additionally, the four groups are asking all Canadians to show their support for this effort by signing a petition, which calls on our governments to implement the Pan-Canadian Strategy to Manage COVID-19.
  • New data from Statistics Canada, released today, has shown that year over year, the Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose at a faster pace in November (+1.0%) than in October (+0.7%), with shelter prices (+1.9%) contributing the most to the all-items increase. Excluding gasoline, the CPI rose 1.3% in November, up from a 1.0% increase in October. Although consumer confidence remains below pre-pandemic levels, increased consumer spending on household durable goods supported higher prices for furniture (+2.8%) and household appliances (+2.9%), which remain above pre-pandemic levels. Rent prices rose 1.5% in the 12 months to November, up from a 1.0% increase in October, while gasoline prices fell 11.9% year over year in November, with domestic and international demand remaining low.
  • Texas, backed by nine other states, filed a lawsuit against Alphabet Inc.-owned Google today, accusing it of breaking antitrust law in how it runs its online advertising business. The Texas lawsuit is the fourth in a series of federal and state lawsuits aimed at reining in alleged bad behaviour by the big tech platforms that have grown significantly in the past two decades. The lawsuit was filed in the Eastern District of Texas. The nine states that joined Texas are Arkansas, Indiana, Kentucky, Missouri, Mississippi, South Dakota, North Dakota, Utah and Idaho.
  • The Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, today announced that the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) and NASA have signed the Gateway Treaty, a historic agreement that confirms Canada’s participation in the next major international collaboration in space exploration, the planned Lunar Gateway space station. Under the Treaty, a Canadian will be part of the Artemis II mission, the first crewed mission to the Moon since 1972. This mission, planned to launch in 2023, positions Canada to make history as the second country to have an astronaut travel to deep space and fly around the Moon. Fourteen Canadian astronauts have been recruited since 1983, and nine of them have flown in space a total of seventeen times. Hundreds of Canadian companies are expected to be involved in the development of Canadarm3 for the Lunar Gateway, working with the prime contractor MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates Ltd. (MDA) and research organizations, to drive innovation and Canadian excellence in emerging technologies. Canada’s Industrial and Technological Benefits (ITB) Policy applies to the development and build of the Canadarm3, which will generate significant economic benefits in the Canadian space sector. In addition, the Canadarm3 control station will be located on Canadian soil.
  • Transport Canada is pleased to announce that the Minister of Transport, the Honourable Marc Garneau, has cleared Santa for take-off in Canadian airspace this Christmas season. Transport Canada safety experts have also conducted their routine sleigh and reindeer inspections and validated Santa’s pilot license. Santa has been washing his hands, maintaining a distance of two metres from the elves in the workshop, and has been wearing his face covering when unable to physically distance. Santa has also installed the COVID Alert app on his smartphone.

Reading recommendations:

Electrifying transport has become a top priority in the move to a lower-carbon future. In Europe, car travel accounts for around 12% of all the continent’s carbon emissions. To keep in line with the Paris agreement, emissions from cars and vans will need to drop by more than a third (37.5%) by 2030. The EU has set an ambitious goal of reducing overall greenhouse gas emissions by 55% by the same date. To that end, Brussels and individual member states are pouring millions of euros into incentivising car owners to switch to electric. Some countries are going even further, proposing to ban sales of diesel and petrol vehicles in the near future (as early as 2025 in the case of Norway). If all goes to plan, European electric vehicle ownership could jump from around 2m today to 40m by 2030. But Europe has a problem. At present, almost every ounce of battery-grade lithium is imported. More than half (55%) of global lithium production last year originated in just one country: Australia. Other principal suppliers, such as Chile (23%), China (10%) and Argentina (8%), are equally far-flung.

With the hopeful news that Canada will be receiving COVID-19 vaccine doses in the near future, embattled employers might face potentially thorny legal questions around the issue. Canadian HR Reporter spoke with Shaun Parker, employment and labour associate at Osler in Calgary, about some of the issues organizations should keep in mind.

 If you are showing symptoms, contact your health care provider, call the Public Health Info-Line at 905-688-8248, or chat to Public Health online. For testing, call 905-378-4647 ext. 42819 (4-CV19) for information on test centres in Niagara and to book an appointment.

Previous updates can be accessed here.

The GNCC is here to support you. Contact us with any questions you have.

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COVID-19 Business Update: December 15th, 2020

December 15, 2020 | Daily Update

The Honourable Diane Lebouthillier provided additional details on how the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) has made the home office expenses deduction available to more Canadians
Information on government grants, resources, and programs, as well as policies, forms, and posters for download and use, are available here.
The Government of Canada has a support page with summaries of current programs and application portals.

Vital updates:

  • The Honourable Diane Lebouthillier, Minister of National Revenue, today provided additional details on how the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) has made the home office expenses deduction available to more Canadians, and simplified the way employees can claim these expenses on their personal income tax return for the 2020 tax year. Employees with larger claims for home office expenses can still choose to use the existing detailed method to calculate their home office expenses deduction. Employees who worked from home more than 50% of the time over a period of a least four consecutive weeks in 2020 due to COVID-19 will now be eligible to claim the home office expenses deduction for 2020. A new temporary flat rate method will allow eligible employees to claim a deduction of $2 for each day they worked at home in that period, plus any other days they worked from home in 2020 due to COVID-19 up to a maximum of $400. Under this new method, employees will not have to get Form T2200 or Form T2200S completed and signed by their employer. For more information, visit Canada.ca/cra-home-workspace-expenses.
  • The Ontario government is allocating an additional $120 million to help municipalities and Indigenous community partners protect the health and safety of vulnerable people during COVID-19. This investment builds upon the second phase of social services relief funding announced this fall and brings the government’s total allocation to $510 million. Municipalities and Indigenous community partners can use the discretionary funding to improve the delivery of critical services, protect homeless shelter staff and residents, renovate and purchase facilities to create longer-term housing solutions, add to rent banks and support plans to prepare for potential future outbreaks and/or emergencies. The funding is part of the Social Services Relief Fund, itself a part of the up to $4 billion being provided to Ontario municipalities under the federal-provincial Safe Restart Agreement.
  • Today, the Honourable Anita Anand, Minister of Public Services and Procurement, announced that following successful negotiations and contingent on Health Canada authorization of the vaccine, Canada will be able to access 168,000 doses of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine in December 2020. These are part of the guaranteed 40 million doses, and up to a total of 56 million doses, that Canada has secured through its existing agreement with Moderna. As with all COVID-19 vaccine candidates, the Moderna vaccine must be authorized by Health Canada before being administered to Canadians.
  • In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) recognizes that for many employers and employees, there have been changes in the way that work is being conducted. Consequently, employers may provide certain benefits, allowances, or reimbursements to ensure that their employees are not unduly subject to harm when performing their employment duties. Under these extraordinary circumstances, the CRA has adopted new positions for employer-provided benefits pertaining to commuting and home office costs. These positions are effective from March 15, 2020 to December 31, 2020.
  • On Monday, St. Catharines City Council approved the 2021 Operating and Capital Budgets, representing a 1.86 per cent increase to the municipal portion of property tax in the year ahead for the median home. In 2021, the City projects non-tax revenue decreases of roughly 4.5 per cent, while at the same time an increase in operational costs of roughly $574,000, both largely related to the pandemic. In addition, other revenues related to City facility operations, such as the Meridian Centre and parking operations, are also being impacted. In total these items amount to a roughly $4.2 million impact on the 2021 budget, representing a roughly 3.9 per cent increase to the budget over 2020. The City used increased transfers from reserves — $2.7 million from the Civic Project Fund; $160,000 from the Hydro Reserve Fund; and $157,700 from the Tax Stabilization Reserve — in addition to a $1.9 million decrease in capital project funding from the Operating Budget to offset COVID-19 related costs to mitigate the pandemic’s impact on taxes. For the average homeowner, with a property value assessed at $254,000, the City portion of the property tax bill will increase by 1.86 per cent, amounting to an additional $29.98 for the year.
  • Statistics Canada reported today that manufacturing sales rose 0.3% to $54.1 billion in October, following a 2.2% increase in September. The increase in October was almost entirely attributable to non-durable industries, led by the paper, and petroleum and coal industries. Year over year, sales were down 5.2%. Motor vehicle sales rose 1.9% to $4.6 billion in October, following a 2.8% decline in September. Despite the increase, sales were 3.8% below the pre-pandemic level in February and were down 11.7% year over year. In October, motor vehicle inventories were at their lowest level since January 2018 and contributed to the slow recovery in motor vehicle sales. Production in the aerospace product and parts industry were down 5.9% to $1.6 billion in October, following a 15.3% increase in September. Aerospace manufacturers ramped down production due to the collapse in demand and uncertainty surrounding the length of global travel restrictions during the second wave of COVID-19. Production in the industry was one-quarter (-25.1%) below pre-pandemic levels in February.

Reading recommendations:

Maintaining social distancing inside retail stores during the COVID-19 pandemic has become a daily source of contention between retail workers and customers. Yet this distance is more than a safety regulation to front-line retail workers. Inside the store, this two-metre space has become a sign of respect and an acknowledgement of their humanity. Throughout the summer and fall of 2020, and as part of an ongoing research, we’ve been interviewing retail workers and customers in North America, asking them about how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected retail stores, employees and customers. One common story we kept hearing was how many customers disregard social distancing when in the vicinity of store employees.

Bank of Canada Governor Tiff Macklem said a second wave of virus cases risks deepening the country’s economic damage in the short term, even as vaccine developments provide optimism there’s “light at the end of the tunnel.” In a speech Tuesday to the Vancouver Board of Trade, Macklem said uncertainty remains elevated, with the next few months expected to be “difficult” and new restrictions potentially reversing recent economic gains. On the plus side, “news on vaccines provides some reassurance that more normal activities can resume sometime later next year.”

 If you are showing symptoms, contact your health care provider, call the Public Health Info-Line at 905-688-8248, or chat to Public Health online. For testing, call 905-378-4647 ext. 42819 (4-CV19) for information on test centres in Niagara and to book an appointment.

Previous updates can be accessed here.

The GNCC is here to support you. Contact us with any questions you have.

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COVID-19 Business Update: December 14th, 2020

December 14, 2020 | Daily Update

Ontario has begun to vaccinate frontline healthcare workers today, with over 2,500 healthcare workers in hospitals and long-term care homes to be vaccinated in the coming days and weeks.
Information on government grants, resources, and programs, as well as policies, forms, and posters for download and use, are available here.
The Government of Canada has a support page with summaries of current programs and application portals.

Vital updates:

  • Ontario has begun to vaccinate frontline healthcare workers today, with over 2,500 healthcare workers in hospitals and long-term care homes to be vaccinated in the coming days and weeks. Premier Ford has asked the province to be patient, and meanwhile, to continue following public health measures to keep everyone safe and healthy, especially during the holiday season.
  • A new report by Statistics Canada conducted in June, 2020 examines gender differences in the self-reported division of parental tasks during the pandemic. Women reported that they were the ones who mostly performed the parental tasks in their household during the pandemic, including homeschooling. Further, employment status and work location affected the division of parental tasks within couples. For example, men who worked from home reported a more equal division of parenting tasks, but it was the opposite for women who worked from home as they were less likely to report sharing tasks equally and more likely to take on the bulk of the parenting responsibilities.
  • Canada Post has moved up deadlines for pre-Christmas parcel delivery within Canada in response to unprecedented holiday demand caused by COVID-19 but is still telling Canadians to expect delays. While all deadlines for mail remain unchanged, the local deadline is Friday for Priority, Xpresspost, flat rate box and regular parcel services. The regional deadline is Friday for Priority and Xpresspost, Wednesday to Friday for flat rate box and Monday to Wednesday for regular service. The national deadline is Friday for Priority, Thursday for Xpresspost, Thursday for flat rate box and Tuesday for regular parcel services, though the regular parcel delivery deadline depends on the destination and may have already passed in some locations.
  • A new briefing note from Niagara Workforce Planning Board (NWPB) focuses on the link between retail trade and tourism as part of a series on COVID-19 and its impact on the retail trade industry. Throughout 2019, the tourism sector in Niagara housed an estimated 40,741 full- and part-time jobs, including employees and self-employed individuals. These tourism-related jobs represented approximately 18.6% of all jobs in Niagara. Comparatively, the retail trade sector housed approximately 27,278 full- and part-time jobs in 2019 – approximately 12.4% of all jobs in Niagara (excluding self-employment). While an exact number of jobs lost to tourism due to COVID-19 is not available, we can estimate the potential impacts locally. Pairing current employment trends and 2019 job count data, NWPB estimates that Niagara saw an estimated 16,327 people lose employment in tourism. This would be a decrease of 42.3% in tourism-related employment between February and July 2020. This decrease is particularly troubling as it comes at a time when tourism is usually at its peak in Niagara. For more information, review the full briefing note here.

Reading recommendations:

With the pandemic, our world seemed to change overnight and suddenly, the state of our finances became more salient, more pressing, and for many, perilous. Some of us have adopted behaviours when it comes to spending, saving, borrowing and investing that are unique to this time — ranging from helpful to harmful. But with officials touting light at the end of the tunnel, how will the pandemic have affected our money habits and financial values on the other side of it? Will the trauma of financial tumult change us forever? More importantly, how can we leverage the lessons for our own good?

Britain has only 17 days to kowtow to Europe’s wishes. Regardless of what happens, the country will face difficulties that could tear the kingdom apart. Brexit will go down as one of the biggest mistakes in British history and recent polls show that 70 per cent of Britons agree. The country has already lost manufacturing, head offices and research opportunities during the lead-up to the departure. What’s astonishing is that there was no strategy in place then, or even now, as to how the country will retain its living standards. The idea of Britain becoming a free-trade, low-regulatory “Singapore on the Thames” is laughable. Europe will not allow the U.K. to undermine its rules, and the country’s structural flaws — a poor work ethic plus large income and educational disparities — will be exacerbated by going it alone.

Once someone is vaccinated, do they still have to wear a mask and physically distance? Can you still carry and spread the virus if you’ve been vaccinated? Will those who have tested positive for COVID get the vaccine or will they be deemed to have immunity? Is there any danger if they do get the vaccine? Can a person that has an active case of COVID-19 get the vaccine, and will it be effective while they are ill? What if only half the population is vaccinated? How much of the population has to be vaccinated to achieve herd immunity?

 If you are showing symptoms, contact your health care provider, call the Public Health Info-Line at 905-688-8248, or chat to Public Health online. For testing, call 905-378-4647 ext. 42819 (4-CV19) for information on test centres in Niagara and to book an appointment.

Previous updates can be accessed here.

The GNCC is here to support you. Contact us with any questions you have.

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COVID-19 Business Update: December 11th, 2020

December 11, 2020 | Uncategorised

The Ontario government is moving seven public health regions to new levels with stronger public health measures.
Information on government grants, resources, and programs, as well as policies, forms, and posters for download and use, are available here.
The Government of Canada has a support page with summaries of current programs and application portals.

Vital updates:

  • The Ontario government is moving seven public health regions to new levels with stronger public health measures. No regions have been moved into a less restrictive status. Niagara’s status remains unchanged, in Orange-Restrict, although the region’s acting medical officer of health, Dr. Mustafa Hirji, has expressed concerns that Niagara could be moved into Red-Control by as early as the end of next week, as several key metrics are already very close to the red threshold and trending in the wrong direction. The GNCC advises businesses to review the changes in the Red-Control status and make their contingency plans for a possible change now. Effective Monday, December 14, 2020 at 12:01 a.m., the following regions will have their status changed:
    • Grey-Lockdown
      • Windsor-Essex County Health Unit
      • York Region Public Health
    • Red-Control
      • Middlesex-London Health Unit
      • Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit
      • Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health
    • Orange-Restrict
      • Eastern Ontario Health Unit
    • Yellow-Protect
      • Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit
  • Between Sept. 18 and Nov. 28, Regional bylaw officers conducted 251 inspections of businesses across Niagara, including bars, restaurants, retail locations and others. Those inspections have resulted in 32 Part I Provincial Offence tickets ($750 fine) and three Part III summons (elevated fine) being issued for infractions under the Reopening Ontario Act, O.Reg. 364/20. Officers also issued 48 formal warnings and conducted 178 educational conversations. These inspections are in addition to those conducted by local area municipal bylaw offices. The GNCC recommends that all businesses review their legal obligations and suggested best practices, and implement them immediately, if they have not already done so, to protect the health of the public and avoid legal penalties. Questions can be directed to the Stop the Spread Business Information line at 1-888-444-3659.
  • The Ontario government is investing an additional $21 million in pre-apprenticeship training programs for up to 2,000 people, including at-risk youth, new Canadians, Indigenous peoples and women, to help them pursue the hands-on experience they need to begin careers in the skilled trades. Eligible organizations can apply for the funding now, with the call for proposals ending on January 5, 2021. Pre-apprenticeship training programs last up to one year and combine classroom training with an eight- to 12-week work placement. Last year this program helped train 1,800 people in 91 programs across the province. Training is free for participants and always includes a paid work placement. Eligible union and non-union training centres, colleges, employment agencies and other community organizations can submit their training proposals now.
  • The provincial government has announced that Infrastructure Ontario (IO) has entered into new commitments to provide financing through its Loan Program to four eligible organizations, including the Town of Lincoln, which received a $1,756,000 loan for multiple projects including a fire station, storm water management project and a community centre generator.
  • Alectra Utilities has clarified that, beginning in January 2021, it will reduce the average cost of electricity for Class A customers by 14 per cent and for Class B customers by 16 per cent, through a reduction of the Global Adjustment portion of the bill, under the Government of Ontario’s Comprehensive Electricity Plan. Businesses impacted by these changes will be larger business customers, typically classified as “Class A” or “Class B.” Most Class A customers are industrial and large-scale commercial customers. Class B customers are medium and larger-sized businesses, such as conference centres and medium-sized supermarkets.
  •  Statistics Canada’s national balance sheet and financial flow accounts for Q3 2020, released today, found that national net worth, the sum of national wealth and Canada’s net foreign asset position, had increased $572.6 billion from the previous quarter to $13,236.9 billion in the third quarter, largely fuelled by gains in the value of non-financial assets and an improvement in Canada’s net foreign asset position, which represents the difference between the value of Canada’s assets and liabilities with the rest of the world.
  • On a seasonally adjusted basis, total credit market borrowing increased from $7.2 billion to $38.4 billion in the third quarter. After reducing non-mortgage debt by $19.2 billion in the second quarter, households returned to accruing this type of debt, with a net increase of $9.7 billion. Demand for mortgage loans rose to $28.7 billion, setting a new high after record mortgage borrowing in the second quarter. The stock of credit market debt (consumer credit, and mortgage and non-mortgage loans) totalled $2,417.4 billion at the end of the quarter. Mortgage debt was $1,627.8 billion. Non-mortgage loans stood at $789.5 billion. Overall, the amount of debt in deferral as a result of the various relief measures provided by lenders had dropped significantly by the end of the third quarter.
  • The demand for funds by non-financial private corporations was $24.0 billion in the third quarter, up from $10.5 billion in the previous quarter. The funds were raised primarily through the issuance of equity, a marked shift from the reliance on bond issuances in the previous quarter. Borrowing in the form of non-mortgage loans continued to decline from the record level reached during the first quarter of 2020. This retrenching was mainly due to reduced loans with chartered banks (-$22.4 billion), with a return to pre-pandemic levels of debt with this lending sector. On the other hand, non-residents (+$8.9 billion) and the federal government (+$3.9 billion) continued to provide funds to non-financial private corporations, including through government programs, such as the Canadian Emergency Business Account, which extends loans to businesses. The program is ongoing until the first quarter of 2021.

Reading recommendations:

Less than 2 months ago, the US Department of Justice (DOJ) smacked Google with an antitrust case. In perhaps the greatest “hold my beer” ever, another government agency — the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) — just launched an antitrust case of its own against Facebook. And, unlike the Google case, this case is aiming for a breakup of its Big Tech target, according to the New York Times. The meat of the case concerns Facebook’s history of buying on-the-rise social apps, snuffing out future competition and reducing the end users’ experience.

Between 40 per cent to 70 per cent of employees currently working remotely due to COVID-19 restrictions want to go back to the office, with safety measures in place. Having a dedicated, distraction-free work space can keep workers on task and foster deeper cognitive processing. It can also help separate work hours from non-work hours. Nonetheless, returning to the office isn’t likely an option since many businesses might remain closed well into 2021, or some might have moved permanently to a work-from-home model. Some workers might also be facing a lengthy commute if they’ve moved away from cities during the lengthy pandemic. Similar to the “shop local” messaging encouraging consumers to buy from small neighbourhood retailers, working remotely from a nearby hotel could be a solution that benefits both remote workers and local hotels until the pandemic has passed.

 If you are showing symptoms, contact your health care provider, call the Public Health Info-Line at 905-688-8248, or chat to Public Health online. For testing, call 905-378-4647 ext. 42819 (4-CV19) for information on test centres in Niagara and to book an appointment.

Previous updates can be accessed here.

The GNCC is here to support you. Contact us with any questions you have.

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COVID-19 Business Update: December 10th, 2020

December 10, 2020 | Daily Update

The Ontario government is extending all orders currently in force under the Reopening Ontario Act, 2020 (ROA) until January 20, 2021
Information on government grants, resources, and programs, as well as policies, forms, and posters for download and use, are available here.
The Government of Canada has a support page with summaries of current programs and application portals.

Vital updates:

  • The Ontario government, in consultation with the Chief Medical Officer of Health, is extending all orders currently in force under the Reopening Ontario (A Flexible Response to COVID-19) Act, 2020 (ROA) until January 20, 2021. The list of orders under the ROA that have been extended can be found online on the Government of Ontario’s website.
  • The Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, has launched the 50 – 30 Challenge to advance and recognize diversity, inclusion and economic prosperity from coast to coast to coast. Minister Bains announced a $33-million investment in the Challenge, including for the development of tools and resources to help participating organizations advance diversity and inclusion in workplaces across Canada. Additionally, Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED) will leverage its programs to encourage companies that receive ISED funding to advance diversity and inclusion within their organizations. At the heart of the 50 – 30 Challenge are two goals for the board(s) and senior management of each organization: gender parity (50%) and significant representation (30%) of under-represented groups. To address the unique needs of various sectors in Canada, the Challenge offers three streams for participation: large corporations; small and medium-sized enterprises; and post-secondary institutions, not-for-profit organizations and charities.
  • The Ontario government has made the sale of alcohol with food takeout and delivery orders permanent. Additional permanent reforms for the hospitality sector will allow:
    • alcohol service on docked boats by operators with a liquor sales licence;
    • reduced minimum pricing of spirits consumed on-site, to align with the reduced pricing introduced for takeout and delivery orders;
    • the length of time for temporary patio extensions to be set out by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO); and,
    • for a requirement that ensures third parties delivering from licensed restaurants and bars have a delivery licence.
  • The province is also acting to support businesses by:
    • removing restrictive rules to allow for the delivery of alcoholic beverages in food boxes and meal kits;
    • allowing eligible alcohol manufacturers to deliver their own products and charge a delivery fee;
    • allowing restaurants and bars to offer mixed cocktails and growlers as part of a takeout or delivery order; and,
    • permitting eligible manufacturers to sell spirits and 100 per cent Ontario wine at farmers markets.
  • Canada’s Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion, Carla Qualtrough, and Monte McNaughton, Ontario’s Minister of Labour, Training and Skills Development, highlighted that the Government of Canada is investing an additional $1.5 billion in the Workforce Development Agreements (WDAs) with provinces and territories. The Government of Ontario has received $614 million to help respond to the increased number of Ontarians looking to re-enter the workforce, particularly those in hard-hit sectors and groups disadvantaged as a result of the pandemic.
  • Today, the Honourable Patty Hajdu, Minister of Health, and the Honourable Joyce Murray, Minister of Digital Government, announced that COVID Alert has been updated with two new features. The first app update allows users to clear the screen that indicates exposure to COVID-19. After receiving a negative COVID-19 test result, the screen can be cleared enabling the app to alert the user of a new exposure. Users should follow public health guidance, and only clear the screen that indicates exposure following a negative test result or after they receive instructions provided by their public health authority. The second feature allows users to turn COVID Alert on and off without disabling Bluetooth. This change was made after listening to feedback from health care workers, who need flexibility to turn off COVID Alert while they are at work wearing their personal protective equipment (PPE).
  • The Honourable Mary Ng, Minister of Small Business, Export Promotion and International Trade, introduced Bill C-18, An Act to implement the Canada-United Kingdom Trade Continuity Agreement (Canada-UK TCA), in the House of Commons. Subject to parliamentary approval, by preserving the main benefits of the Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), including the elimination of tariffs on 98% of products exported to the United Kingdom, this agreement will maintain preferential access to the U.K. market for Canadian exporters, even as the United Kingdom exits CETA. British officials have expressed concern that the legislation may not be passed before the House rises for its year-end recess on Friday, meaning that tariffs would be imposed on January 1st.
  • Hudson’s Bay Co. is asking an Ontario court to review the province’s decision to temporarily close non-essential retailers in Toronto and Peel Region. In a judicial review filed on Thursday, the Toronto-based retailer called the province’s approach “unreasonable” and “unfair” and asked to recognize that there is a need for a solution that prioritizes health and safety without jeopardizing the livelihood of thousands of retail workers and the future of many businesses.
  • Canada on Wednesday approved its first COVID-19 vaccine and said initial shots will be delivered and administered across the country starting next week, while every Canadian will be able to be inoculated as early as the end of September. Canada is the third country after Britain and Bahrain to give the green light to Pfizer Inc’s vaccine, developed with Germany’s BioNTech SE. General inoculations for all Canadians will begin in April after priority populations are taken care of, the government said in a vaccination plan also released on Wednesday.
  • The office of Wayne Gates, M.P.P. has compiled a list of available business support programs, which has been reproduced with his kind permission below. A list of business programs and resources can also be found on the GNCC’s website. Businesses are encouraged to review the list and apply for any and all programs that would be useful and for which they may be eligible. Questions about programs can be directed to the Ontario Stop the Spread Information Line at 1-888-444-3659, the Government of Canada Business Enquiries Line at 1-800-959-5525, your Member of Parliament or Provincial Parliament, or the GNCC.

Federal COVID-19 Resources for Businesses

Managing your business during COVID-19

A Government of Canada guide to reopening, financial support, loans and credit. This guide has a detailed list of programs open to businesses.

Provincial COVID-19 Resources for Businesses

Businesses: Get help with COVID-19 costs

A guide to government programs such as personal protective equipment cost recovery and rebates for expenses such as property tax and energy bills.

Small business recovery resources

An Ontario Government guide to resources available to businesses with fewer than 100 workers.

COVID-19: Help for businesses in Ontario

An Ontario Government for all businesses – including reopening guidance and financial relief.

Available funding opportunities from the Ontario Government

The following programs from this Ontario Government directory may be of interest:

Ontario Together

The province’s COVID-19 equipment supplier portal.

Ontario Pandemic Response Partnership Programs

Ontario Business Centres

Ontario announced it was providing $2,040,000 to support Small Business Entreprise Centres to create a Small Business COVID-19 Recovery Network to enhance services.

Digital Main Street Grants

Resources to help businesses transition to digital services (training and grants).

Advocis Connect

Available professional financial advisory sessions focused on questions about government relief programs and business continuity.

Ontario small business financial literacy resources

CPA Canada Financial Literacy Program guide to resources for small businesses.

General Resources for Businesses

Regional Development Program

Program invests in businesses, through funding or services, for programs developing the region (job creation, private investment attraction, business growth etc.).

Small Business Access

A government guide to support, information and advice for running a small business.

Small business: advice, support services, regulations

A government guide to support for small businesses and government regulations.

Ministry of Finance Credits, Benefits and Incentives 

A list of tax credits for businesses.

Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario

This Government of Canada agency delivers funding programs for innovation and economic growth in southern Ontario.

Business grants and financing

A Government of Canada guide to grants, loans, private and public sector financing and how to leverage personal assets. The following funding directory allows businesses to filter information based on their personal business attributes and needs.

Community Futures Development Corporation

These offices offer services and financing to small and medium startup companies. Businesses can search an interactive map to find their local office.

Recent Ontario Press Releases & Plans

Ontario Supports Businesses, Workers and Families during COVID-19

Ministry of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade, December 4, 2020

Province Proposes Cap on Delivery Fees to Support Local Restaurants

Ministry of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade, November 26, 2020

Rebuilding Main Street: Helping Ontario Businesses Reopen Safer, Rehire Faster and Recover from COVID-19

Ministry of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade, 2020

Ontario Supporting Small Businesses with Financial Advice and Training

Ministry of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade, November 19, 2020

Ontario’s Action Plan: Protect, Support, Recover Promotes Job Creation by Reducing Taxes on Employers

Office of the Premier, November 10, 2020

Reading recommendations:

Some of the oldest companies cannot definitively trace their history back to their founding, but their timelines are accepted by the government and scholars. The businesses, known as “shinise,” are a source of both pride and fascination. Regional governments promote their products. Business management books explain the secrets of their success. And entire travel guides are devoted to them. Most of these old businesses are small, family-run enterprises that deal in traditional goods and services. But some are among Japan’s most famous companies, including Nintendo, which got its start making playing cards 131 years ago, and the soy sauce brand Kikkoman, which has been around since 1917.

Meet the clean supermajors. They have the clout and financial might of the energy behemoths that plumbed the world over for oil and gas before them. But instead of digging mines and drilling wells, they’re leading the race to electrify the global economy. These four companies—Enel, Iberdrola, NextEra Energy and Orsted—prioritized the building or buying of clean-power plants when those assets were still considered alternative and expensive. Now they’re on the cusp of a breakthrough.

 If you are showing symptoms, contact your health care provider, call the Public Health Info-Line at 905-688-8248, or chat to Public Health online. For testing, call 905-378-4647 ext. 42819 (4-CV19) for information on test centres in Niagara and to book an appointment.

Previous updates can be accessed here.

The GNCC is here to support you. Contact us with any questions you have.

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