As of Saturday, November 7, 2020 at 12:01 a.m., the Niagara public health unit region will be moved to the Yellow-Protect level of the new provincial COVID-19 response framework.
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.
Limiting operating hours and closing establishments at midnight
Liquor to be served or sold between 9am and 11pm only
No consumption of liquor between 12am and 9am
Contact information required for all seated patrons
No more than six people seated together
Volume of music to be limited to conversational level
Safety plans to be prepared and provided upon request
Face coverings required at sport and recreational facilities except when exercising
Increase spacing between patrons to 3m for areas of a sport or recreational facility where there are weights/weight machines and exercise/fitness classes
Recreational programs limited to 10 people per room indoors and 25 outdoors
Require contact information for all patrons and attendance for team sports
Require appointments for entry; one reservation for teams
The Government of Ontario has released its 2020 budget, which sets out a total of $45 billion in support over three years to individuals, businesses, and health systems. There will be a total of $187 billion in spending this year, with $38.5 billion of that being deficit spending, and no path to fiscal balance included. The government has stated that a plan for returning to fiscal balance will follow by the end of March, 2021.
The government is making available $300 million in relief for eligible businesses in regions where the Province determines modified Stage 2 public health restrictions are necessary, or going forward, in areas categorized as Control or Lockdown. This is intended to help cover fixed costs such as property taxes and energy bills. The government is also providing an additional $1.8 billion in the Support for People and Jobs Fund over the next two years. It also plans to reduce electricity prices and “taxes on jobs,” connect unserved and underserved communities through investment in broadband infrastructure, and provide more workers with skills training. It has earmarked $4.8 billion for these investments.
Provincial business property tax rates will be lowered to a rate of 0.88 per cent for 94 per cent of all business properties in the province, saving businesses an estimated total of $450 million in 2021.
The Government of Ontario is also proposing to provide municipalities with the ability to cut property tax for small businesses, with a provincial commitment to consider matching these reductions. This could provide small businesses as much as $385 million in total municipal and provincial property tax relief by 2022-23, depending on municipal adoption.
The province is also ending a tax on jobs for an additional 30,000 employers by proposing to make permanent the Employer Health Tax (EHT) exemption increase from $490,000 to $1 million. This would save private-sector employers an estimated $360 million in 2021-22. The government reports that approximately 90 per cent of employers would pay no EHT with this additional relief.
From January 1, 2021, a portion of the cost of renewable energy contracts will be funded by the Province. This funding aims to reduce electricity bills for medium-size and larger industrial and commercial employers by about 14 and 16 per cent respectively, on average.
$100 million is allocated over two years for the Community Building Fund to support community tourism, cultural and sport organizations, as well as one-time emergency funding of $25 million for Ontario’s arts institutions to help cover operating losses incurred as a result of COVID-19. Ontario residents will be provided with support of up to 20 per cent for eligible Ontario tourism expenses to encourage tourist activity in 2021.
$7.5 billion will be spent on the healthcare sector over the next three years, with an additional $2.5 billion for hospitals to be spent next year than was spent this year. However, the government’s previous promise of four hours of direct care for every Ontario long-term care resident was not delivered. The government stated that it needed to conduct further consultations with stakeholders before providing more information on this policy.
Families will receive $200 for each child under 12 years old, or $250 for children with special needs under 21 years old, for education costs. Home renovations to increase accessibility for seniors will be eligible for a 25% tax credit on up to $10,000 of expenses.
On October 9, the Government of Canada proposed the new Canada Emergency Rent Subsidy to provide direct relief to businesses, non-profits, and charities that continue to be economically impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The new rent subsidy would be available retroactive to September 27, 2020, until June 2021. The government is providing the proposed details for the first 12 weeks of the program, until December 19, 2020. The proposed program would, in many ways, mirror the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy. The new rent subsidy would provide benefits directly to qualifying renters and property owners, without requiring the participation of landlords. This backgrounder provides information for organizations that have experienced a revenue decline and may qualify for the Canada Emergency Rent Subsidy.
Statistics Canada has released its monthly Labour Force Survey Data for September. The unemployment rate declined for the fourth consecutive month in September, falling 1.2 percentage points to 9.0%. As a result of the COVID-19 economic shutdown, the unemployment rate more than doubled from 5.6% in February to a record high 13.7% in May. By way of comparison, during the 2008/2009 recession, the unemployment rate rose from 6.2% in October 2008 to peak at 8.7% in June 2009. It then took approximately nine years to return to its pre-recession rate. The Canadian Chamber of Commerce has urged governments to create significant reskilling and upskilling programs for those long-term unemployed Canadians who do not have jobs to go back to, noting that today’s numbers also demonstrate that there are more prolonged effects to our labour force as long-term unemployment – individuals unemployed for 27 weeks or longer – has seen the sharpest increase in recorded history.
Employment rose by 378,000 (+2.1%) in September, bringing employment to within 720,000 (-3.7%) of its pre-COVID February level. Most of the employment increase in September was in full-time work, which rose by 334,000 (+2.1%), building on gains of 206,000 (+1.4%) in August. The number of Canadians who were employed but worked less than half their usual hours for reasons likely related to COVID-19 fell by 108,000 (-7.1%) in September. Among Canadians who worked most of their usual hours, the proportion working from home edged down from August to September, from 26.4% to 25.6%. There were 1.8 million unemployed Canadians in September, down 214,000 (-10.5%) from August and continuing the four-month downward trend from the record-high 2.6 million unemployed people in May. The majority of unemployed people (approximately 1.5 million) were looking for work.
In services, monthly gains were led by accommodation and food services (+72,000), educational services (+68,000) as well as information, culture and recreation (+56,000). In the goods sector, employment gains were largest in manufacturing (+68,000). Employment was 3.6% below its pre-COVID February level in the services sector, and 4.3% below in the goods-producing sector. Employment in construction remained little changed for the second consecutive month in September, and was down by 120,000 (-8.1%) compared with its pre-COVID level.
The labour market impact of the COVID-19 economic shutdown has been particularly severe for low-wage employees (defined as those who earned less than $16.03 per hour, or two-thirds of the 2019 annual median wage of $24.04/hour). From February to April, employment among low-wage employees fell by 38.1%, compared with a decline of 12.7% for all other paid employees (not seasonally adjusted). Employment increased among youth aged 15 to 24 in September, including gains for young women (+62,000; +5.7%) and young men (+66,000; +6.0%). Despite these monthly increases, employment remained further from full recovery for youth than for other major age groups, with female youth employment being 10.4% below February levels and male youth being 10.2% below.
Employment in Ontario increased by 168,000 in September (+2.4%), largely in full-time work, and building on gains of 670,000 over the previous three months. The largest employment gains in September were in accommodation and food services, manufacturing, and educational services. The unemployment rate fell 1.1 percentage points to 9.5%, the fourth consecutive monthly decline.
Niagara Workforce Planning Board (NWPB) reports that in Niagara, while there are some positive indicators in the data, there are nevertheless deeper challenges with Niagara’s post-COVID recovery. Month-over-month, October 2020 saw 6,300 more people in employment. However, all of those employment gains were in part-time work. Although Niagara’s unemployment rate fell to 7.2% in October 2020, it is still well above the 5.0% that we saw this time last year. Compared to October 2019, October 2020 sees 9,300 fewer people in full-time employment and 3,100 more people in part-time employment. While women saw the majority of Niagara’s employment gains in October of 2020, the vast majority of those gains were in part-time work. The youth unemployment rate fell to 19.3% in October 2020 from 25.5% in September 2020; however, this rate is well above seasonal norms. NWPB’s full report will be available on Monday.
Niagara labour force characteristics
2019
2020
Sept 2019
Oct 2019
Sept 2020
Oct 2020
Labour force
215,500
215,000
210,200
213,400
Employment
203,100
204,300
191,800
198,100
Full-time employment
158,300
158,500
150,000
149,200
Part-time employment
44,900
45,800
41,800
48,900
Unemployment
12,300
10,700
18,400
15,300
Unemployment rate
5.7%
5.0%
8.8%
7.2%
Participation rate
60.2%
60.0%
58.1%
59.0%
Employment rate
56.7%
57.0%
53.1%
54.8%
Niagara labour force characteristics (youth aged 15-24
2019
2020
Sept 2019
Oct 2019
Sept 2020
Oct 2020
Labour force
35,800
33,000
30,200
27,000
Employment
31,700
28,900
22,500
21,800
Full-time employment
18,400
15,500
13,300
11,500
Part-time employment
13,300
13,400
9,200
10,400
Unemployment
4,100
4,000
7,700
5,200
Unemployment rate
11.5%
12.1%
25.5%
19.3%
Participation rate
71.6%
67.1%
71.9%
69.1%
Employment rate
63.4%
58.7%
53.6%
55.8%
To gain more insight on COVID-19’s impact on the retail sector, Niagara Workforce Planning Board (NWPB) is conducting one-on-one engagements and focus groups with local retailers. If you are a local retailer and would like to participate, please contact NWPB Project Manager Thalia Semplonius at thalia@nwpb.ca.
The Atelier Collective has upped the ante for their second digital conference, held on November 12, with expanded programming to include two tracks: one for tenacious entrepreneurs who are looking to expand their business in a year of significant change and one for ambitious women in careers who are looking to climb and adapt to the new work environment. Click here to learn more.
Canadian businesses added 84,000 jobs in October compared with 378,000 the month before, signalling a marked slowdown in economic growth as some provinces reinstated COVID-19 restrictions to fight a surging second wave. The unemployment rate slipped to 8.9 per cent from nine per cent in September, the lowest it has been since the pandemic-high of 13.7 per cent in May that captured the effects of a government-triggered recession at the beginning of spring, Statistics Canada said on Friday.
In the United States, democratic norms are breaking down. The president, Donald Trump, baselessly claimed at a White House press conference on Friday morning, Australian time, that the presidential election has been stolen from him by fraudulent and corrupt electoral processes. This confronted the television networks, whose job is to report the news, with an acute dilemma. In an already volatile political atmosphere, do they go on reporting these lies, laced with an undertone of veiled incitement to violence? Or do they cut away on the grounds that by continuing to broadcast this stuff, they are helping to propagate lies and perhaps to oxygenate a threat to the civil peace?
Niagara Economic Summit Series 2020
Where are we now, how did we get here, and where do we go? This year’s summit, taking place between November 10 and November 24, brings experts and leaders together from across the country to identify where we are economically, what our future opportunities are, and how we can seize them. Find out more and get a calendar save-the-date here.
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.
Statistics Canada has reported that Canada’s merchandise trade deficit grew to $3.3 billion in September, against $3.2 billion in August, with both imports and exports still below pre-pandemic levels.
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:
Statistics Canada has reported that Canada’s merchandise trade deficit grew to $3.3 billion in September, against $3.2 billion in August, with both imports and exports still below pre-pandemic levels. Canada’s trade surplus with the United States fell to $2.0 billion in September compared with $2.9 billion in August as exports to the country’s largest trading partner fell 1.6 per cent and imports from south of the border rose 1.2 per cent.
Downtown Port Colborne will hold a Christmas Open House on November 13th between 12pm and 8pm, and on November 14th between 10am and 4pm. All residents are welcome to attend.
The Atelier Collective has upped the ante for their second digital conference, held on November 12, with expanded programming to include two tracks: one for tenacious entrepreneurs who are looking to expand their business in a year of significant change and one for ambitious women in careers who are looking to climb and adapt to the new work environment. Click here to learn more.
Biden appears on track to win the electoral college, which would represent a victory for decency over an administration that encouraged misogyny, racism and serial lying. Biden would be also a constructive participant in the global fights against the pandemic and climate change, and would probably end Donald Trump’s efforts to sabotage the World Trade Organization. But Biden won’t be able to erase the past four years. There is no going back, at least not all the way back.
Biden is on track for a close victory, but Trump still has a chance. The results hinge on a handful of swing states that may not finish counting votes until the end of the week; in the Rust Belt, Trump’s early leads look to be morphing into narrow Biden victories as absentee ballots get counted. Meanwhile, Trump has indeed declared that “as far as I’m concerned, we already have won it.” In other words, everything is turning out just as we’d been told. So why does it all feel so surprising?
Niagara Economic Summit Series 2020
Where are we now, how did we get here, and where do we go? This year’s summit, taking place between November 10 and November 24, brings experts and leaders together from across the country to identify where we are economically, what our future opportunities are, and how we can seize them. Find out more and get a calendar save-the-date here.
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.
Dr. Mustafa Hirji has stated that Niagara is likely to move into the yellow “protect” or the orange “restrict” level in the province’s new framework.
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:
Niagara Region Acting Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Mustafa Hirji, has stated that Niagara is likely to move into the yellow “protect” or the orange “restrict” level in the province’s new framework. The framework now includes publicly-available metrics, which the GNCC has been requesting from the Government of Ontario for some time. The higher levels of restriction for businesses under the “protect” level would include:
Limiting operating hours and closing establishments at midnight
Liquor to be served or sold between 9am and 11pm only
No consumption of liquor between 12am and 9am
Contact information required for all seated patrons
No more than six people seated together
Volume of music to be limited to conversational level
Safety plans to be prepared and provided upon request
Face coverings required at sport and recreational facilities except when exercising
Increase spacing between patrons to 3m for areas of a sport or recreational facility where there are weights/weight machines and exercise/fitness classes
Recreational programs limited to 10 people per room indoors and 25 outdoors
Require contact information for all patrons and attendance for team sports
Require appointments for entry; one reservation for teams
If Niagara is moved to the orange “restrict” level, the following additional restrictions would apply to businesses, over and above those required under the “protect” level:
50 person indoor capacity limit
Limit operating hours, establishments close at 10 p.m.
Liquor sold or served only between 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
No consumption of liquor between 10 p.m. and 9 a.m.
Require screening of patrons at businesses and/or mall entrances (e.g. a questionnaire)
No more than four people may be seated together
Closure of strip clubs
Maximum 50 people at any event, sport or recreational venue (revoke CMOH approved plan) in all combined recreational fitness spaces or programs (not pools, rinks at arenas, community centres, and multi-purpose facilities)
Limit duration of stay (e.g. 60 minutes) at sport and recreational facilities; exemption for sports
No spectators at sporting venues or events permitted (exemption for parent/guardian supervision of children)
Personal care services requiring removal of face coverings prohibited
Change rooms & showers closed
Bath houses, other adult venues, hot tubs, floating pools and sensory deprivation pods closed (some exceptions)
The Ontario government is investing nearly $1 billion over six years to improve and expand broadband and cellular access across the province. The $680 million being announced today is on top of the $315 million to support Up to Speed: Ontario’s Broadband and Cellular Action Plan. This funding will be used for shovel-ready projects starting in 2019-20, will create jobs, and connect unserved and underserved communities during COVID-19 and beyond.
The Atelier Collective has upped the ante for their second digital conference, held on November 12, with expanded programming to include two tracks: one for tenacious entrepreneurs who are looking to expand their business in a year of significant change and one for ambitious women in careers who are looking to climb and adapt to the new work environment. Click here to learn more.
It’s been called a “second pandemic” — the mental health implications of the global health crisis, political unrest, economic uncertainty, rising unemployment, social isolation, remote work, home schooling, and so much more. And while it can feel like the first pandemic has been with us long enough for employees to have accessed the necessary resources and strategies for handling their stress, the fact is, many of us are struggling more, not less. You may have checked in with your employees back in April when the crisis was acute, but you need to keep doing it.
After a surreal election campaign in the midst of a pandemic, we’re still not sure of the outcome — either Donald Trump won a second term, or Joe Biden will become the next president. Although pre-election polls showed Trump heading for certain defeat, he once again defied pollsters. Viewed by many as a referendum on Trump’s first term, and indeed on the man himself, the election was one of the most tumultuous in American history. The outcome is still not clear because ballots are still being counted in key battleground states.
Niagara Economic Summit Series 2020
Where are we now, how did we get here, and where do we go? This year’s summit, taking place between November 10 and November 24, brings experts and leaders together from across the country to identify where we are economically, what our future opportunities are, and how we can seize them. Find out more and get a calendar save-the-date here.
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.
In consultation with the Chief Medical Officer of Health and other health experts, the Ontario government has developed the Keeping Ontario Safe and Open Framework.
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:
In consultation with the Chief Medical Officer of Health and other health experts, the Ontario government has developed the Keeping Ontario Safe and Open Framework. It aims to ensure that public health measures are targeted, incremental and responsive to help limit the spread of COVID-19, while keeping schools and businesses open, maintaining health system capacity and protecting vulnerable people. The framework takes a gradual approach that includes introducing preventative measures earlier to help avoid broader closures and allow for additional public health and workplace safety measures to be introduced or removed incrementally. It categorizes public health unit regions into five levels: Green-Prevent, Yellow-Protect, Orange-Restrict, Red-Control, and Lockdown being a measure of last and urgent resort. The Ontario government is making $300 million available to businesses required to close or significantly restrict services in areas subject to modified Stage 2 public health restrictions (Ottawa, Peel, Toronto, and York Region) or, going forward, in areas categorized as Control or Lockdown.As of November 7, 2020, the province will transition public health unit regions to the new framework. The following proposed classifications for public health unit regions are based on data for the week of October 26, 2020. Updated data will be used for final review by the Chief Medical Officer of Health and approval by Cabinet on Friday, November 6, 2020.
Lockdown:
No public health unit regions
Red-Control:
No public health unit regions
Orange-Restrict:
Eastern Ontario Health Unit;
Ottawa Public Health;
Peel Public Health;
Toronto Public Health (may be delayed in entering Orange-Restrict level until November 14, 2020); and
York Region Public Health.
Yellow-Protect:
Brant County Health Unit;
City of Hamilton Public Health Services;
Durham Region Health Department; and
Halton Region Public Health.
Green-Prevent:
Algoma Public Health;
Chatham-Kent Public Health;
Grey Bruce Health Unit;
Kingston, Frontenac and Lennox & Addington Public Health;
Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit;
Haldimand-Norfolk Health Unit;
Hastings Prince Edward Public Health;
Huron Perth Public Health;
Lambton Public Health;
Leeds, Grenville & Lanark District Health Unit;
Middlesex-London Health Unit;
Niagara Region Public Health;
North Bay Parry Sound District;
Northwestern Health Unit;
Peterborough Public Health;
Porcupine Health Unit;
Public Health Sudbury & Districts;
Region of Waterloo Public Health and Emergency Services;
Renfrew County and District Health Unit;
Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit;
Southwestern Public Health;
Thunder Bay District Health Unit;
Timiskaming Health Unit;
Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health; and
Windsor-Essex County Health Unit.
The Town of Lincoln is now using the bids&tenders eProcurement system to streamline procurement posting, evaluation and contract management online. Staff and suppliers can now oversee no-contact procurement projects entirely online, allowing them to comply with social distancing restrictions. Suppliers looking to find their next opportunity with the Town of Lincoln can create an account on the town’s bids&tenders portal to review opportunities and submit responses. Suppliers will receive notifications of relevant opportunities posted by the Town, as well as from hundreds of other public, private and non-profit organizations using the platform. The automated bid compliance checker ensures bids are fully compliant before they can be submitted, minimizing the risk of disqualification due to minor errors.
The Canadian Chamber of Commerce, speaking for the Chamber network across Canada, has welcomed the rent and CEWS legislation introduced yesterday and called upon all parties to see it passed as soon as possible. Although broadly supportive, the Chamber hopes that the government will increase the wage subsidy back to 75% for the most-affected employers, and asks that the rent program be provided on a per-location basis.
The Government of Canada has proposed new changes to the Broadcasting Act which would extend rules currently applied to traditional Canadian broadcasters to their online counterparts such as Netflix and Spotify.
With a pandemic, a minority government in Ottawa and a crumbling energy sector, the Canadian economy is already in a period of great uncertainty. This week’s election in the United States only makes things more fraught. Besides the butterflies in the tummies of those who fear the victory of one side or the other, Canadians trying to make economic, investment or even government policy decisions will likely find that not knowing the final outcome as our neighbours vote has an inevitably paralyzing effect.
The election will be weird, no matter what. If the polls are right, and Joe Biden wins the states where he’s favored, tonight could bring the most resounding defeat of an incumbent president since Herbert Hoover lost to Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1932. If the polls are wrong, and Biden concedes to President Donald Trump early tomorrow morning, it would mark the most catastrophic polling disaster in modern history. If the race is close, and no clear winner emerges by midday tomorrow, it might trigger a protracted legal battle and constitutional crisis that could send the national election to the Supreme Court for the second time in as many decades.
Niagara Economic Summit Series 2020
Where are we now, how did we get here, and where do we go? This year’s summit, taking place between November 10 and November 24, brings experts and leaders together from across the country to identify where we are economically, what our future opportunities are, and how we can seize them. Find out more and get a calendar save-the-date here.
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.
Today, the Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister, the Honourable Chrystia Freeland, introduced Bill C-9, An Act to Amend the Income Tax Act (Canada Emergency Rent Subsidy and Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy)
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:
Today, the Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister, the Honourable Chrystia Freeland, introduced Bill C-9, An Act to Amend the Income Tax Act (Canada Emergency Rent Subsidy and Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy), which would implement new, targeted support to help hard-hit businesses. These measures are designed to help businesses get through the second wave of the virus so they can protect jobs, continue to serve their communities, and be positioned for a strong recovery. As previously announced, the business supports include:
The new Canada Emergency Rent Subsidy, which would provide direct and easy-to-access rent and mortgage interest support to tenants and property owners until June 2021 for qualifying organizations affected by COVID-19. The new rent subsidy would support businesses, charities, and non-profits that have suffered a revenue drop by providing support up to a maximum of 65 per cent of eligible expenses until December 19, 2020. The government is proposing to allow claims retroactively for the period that began September 27 and ended October 24, 2020.
The new Lockdown Support, which would provide an additional 25 per cent through the Canada Emergency Rent Subsidy for qualifying organizations that are subject to a lockdown and must shut their doors or significantly limit their activities under a public health order issued under the laws of Canada, a province or territory (including orders made by a municipality or regional health authority under one of those laws). Combined, this would mean that hard-hit businesses subject to a lockdown could receive rent support of up to 90 per cent.
The extension of the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy until June 2021, which would continue to protect jobs by helping employers keep employees on the payroll and re-hire their workers. The wage subsidy would remain at the current rate of up to 65 per cent of eligible wages until December 19, 2020.
Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Marie-Claude Bibeau announced today that the Mandatory Isolation Support for Temporary Foreign Workers Program will be extended until November 30, 2020. The decision follows the Government of Canada’s announcement to extend the Quarantine Act to the same date. The Act requires anyone arriving from outside Canada, including temporary foreign workers, to undergo a mandatory 14-day isolation period upon arriving in Canada. The $50-million Mandatory Isolation Support for Temporary Foreign Workers Program is helping employers in the farming, fish harvesting, and food production and processing sectors with some of the incremental costs incurred to support the safety and health of foreign workers during that 14-day period. Under the Program, the federal government will provide a maximum support of $1,500 for each temporary foreign worker, to employers who are required to isolate workers under the Quarantine Act. The funding is conditional on employers not being found in violation of the mandatory 14-day isolation protocols or any other public health order. More information on the Program, including how to apply, can be found here.
Solicitor General Sylvia Jones has tabled a report in the Legislature providing details of the emergency measures put in place by the province to stop the spread of COVID-19. The report focuses on the 47 emergency orders made between March 17 and July 24, 2020 when the Declaration of a Provincial Emergency was in effect under the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act (EMCPA). The EMCPA requires that the government table a report in the Legislature within 120 days after a provincial emergency ends. The Reopening Ontario (A Flexible Response to COVID-19) Act, 2020 (ROA) came into force on July 24, 2020. Many of the orders made under the EMPCA were continued and remain in effect under the ROA.
Clearly, there’s more to Tupperware™ than leftovers. The story of the ubiquitous plastic container is a story of innovation and reinvention: how a new kind of plastic, made from an industrial waste material, ended up a symbol of female empowerment. The product ushered women into the workforce, encouraging them to make their own money, better their families, and win accolades and prizes without fear of being branded that 1950s anathema, “the career woman.”
A very 2020 thing is that we now have a group of people who’ve become pandemic celebrities. They’d probably prefer not to have that moniker. But the fact is, public health experts are now well-known faces on TV news and well-known voices on your favorite podcasts. Among them is Ashish Jha, who’s now dean of Brown University’s School of Public Health. He has more Twitter followers than STAT’s Adam Feuerstein and Damian Garde combined. And he’s particularly helpful at cutting through the noise and explaining what’s happening with Covid-19.
Niagara Economic Summit Series 2020
Where are we now, how did we get here, and where do we go? This year’s summit, taking place between November 10 and November 24, brings experts and leaders together from across the country to identify where we are economically, what our future opportunities are, and how we can seize them. Find out more and get a calendar save-the-date here.
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.
The Government of Ontario has provided guidance for a safe and fun Halloween for regions in Stage 3, such as Niagara.
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 Government of Ontario has provided the following guidance for a safe and fun Halloween for regions in Stage 3, such as Niagara:
avoid gatherings with people outside of your household
stay home if you are feeling ill, even if you have mild symptoms, or if you are at higher risk for serious illness from COVID-19
turn off your porch light and don’t hand out treats if you are sick, even with mild symptoms, or self-isolating
stay within your public health unit region
only go out with members of your household
only trick-or-treat outside
both trick-or-treaters and people handing out candy should wear a face covering — a costume mask is not a substitute and should not be worn over a face covering because it may make it difficult to breathe
do not congregate or linger at doorsteps and remember to line up two metres apart if you are waiting
avoid high-touch surfaces and objects, such as railings and doorbells
whether you are collecting or handing out treats, wash your hands often and thoroughly, or use hand sanitizer
Consider printing one of these posters to let your neighbours know that you are handing out treats (version 1version 2), or these alternatives if you are not handing out treats (version 1version 2).
The Ontario government is providing municipalities with $500 million through the Ontario Municipal Partnership Fund (OMPF). The province is maintaining the overall structure of the fund, keeping a commitment made at the Association of Municipalities of Ontario annual conference in August 2020. Municipalities are being informed of their specific 2021 funding allocations today, which will provide much needed stability and support. The OMPF is the Province’s main general assistance grant, used to support the local priorities and specific needs of 389 municipalities, with a special emphasis on northern and rural communities.
Niagara Health’s COVID-19 Assessment Centre in St. Catharines will be ending its drive-through service as of end of day Monday, Nov. 2. Beginning Tuesday, Nov. 3, people requiring a COVID test will access the centre through a dedicated entrance located behind the Walker Family Cancer Centre in the Outpatient Mental Health area at the St. Catharines Site. Testing at Niagara’s three Assessment Centres is available by appointment only and testing is prioritized for those most at risk for the virus.
On November 4, 2020, grade nine students will have the opportunity to job shadow their parent or another adult for the day, to get an up-close glimpse of work life. Take Our Kids to Work day is going virtual this year, and employers can get more information and sign up to take part here. More information, resources, and tools to promote workplace health and safety on Take Our Kids to Work day are available at www.ccohs.ca/youngworkers.The Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS) reminds workplaces that health and safety can still form part of their virtual programs. CCOHS recommends organizations incorporate the following activities while hosting students virtually this year:
Host a virtual workplace orientation with participating students that focuses on health and safety issues relevant to the organization
Today, the Government of Canada announced that the COVID Alert app has been updated to send notifications based on a more precise timeline. With this update, users who have tested positive for COVID-19 and have entered a one-time key from their respective public health authority will now have the option to enter the date of their symptom onset or their testing date. This will provide a better estimation of the period when they may have been most infectious to others. Any information users provide about their symptom onset and testing date will stay on their phone and will not be shared. Canadians can still input their one-time key without sharing any additional information about symptom onset or testing date if they prefer. COVID Alert can be downloaded for iOS and Android here.
Winter at the Market will return as an in-person event at St. Catharines Market Square this year for seven weeks, every Thursday from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m., beginning this coming Thursday Nov. 5. Visitors can plan their trip to Winter at the Market with the handy vendor map available on the website at www.stcatharines.ca/farmersmarket. For fresh local produce, the St. Catharines Farmers Market will also continue to run on its regular days, Thursdays and Saturdays from 7 a.m. until 1 p.m. More information, including a full list of health and safety guidelines, is available at www.stcatharines.ca/farmersmarket.
In addition to its staggering impact on physical well-being and mortality, COVID-19 is also taking an unprecedented toll on our mental health. Numerous recent studies have shown global increases in the prevalence and severity of depression and anxiety as well as increases in post-traumatic stress disorder and substance abuse. These increases likely stem from the changes to daily life we have all been asked to make in attempts to mitigate viral spread. Yet conventional mental health approaches and diagnoses do not fully capture the nuanced mental health impacts of this pandemic.
A group from Ontario’s restaurant industry is calling on the provincial government to explain its decision to impose tighter COVID-19 restrictions on the sector. A coalition that includes the industry association Restaurants Canada and a number of food service businesses has issued an open letter to Premier Doug Ford, asking to see what data the province relied on in setting its health measures. The letter says no data have been provided so far that would suggest restaurants are a major point of transmission for the virus. It notes restaurants have had to make significant investments in safety procedures and training, personal protective equipment and other measures, yet those in some regions are nonetheless being forced to stop serving customers indoors.
Halloween is the spookiest night of the year. It’s also a boon to the retail industry — even during a pandemic. According to the National Retail Federation, Halloween spending in the US is projected to reach $8 billion in 2020, with 58% of people planning on celebrating. But where did all these strange practices come from? Turns out, a lot of these customs date back centuries. The holiday has changed over time, transforming from an ancient tradition to the flashy fright fest we know and love today.
Niagara Economic Summit Series 2020
Where are we now, how did we get here, and where do we go? This year’s summit, taking place between November 10 and November 24, brings experts and leaders together from across the country to identify where we are economically, what our future opportunities are, and how we can seize them. Find out more and get a calendar save-the-date here.
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.
The Government of Ontario announced that the Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters (CME)’s SupportOntarioMade.ca website has now registered more than 4,600 products from over 1,200 local manufacturers.
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 Government of Ontario announced that the Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters (CME)’s SupportOntarioMade.ca website has now registered more than 4,600 products from over 1,200 local manufacturers. Consumers can find made-in-Ontario goods in the new online, searchable directory at SupportOntarioMade.ca. This includes products that are made in local communities, participating retailers and company profiles. Ontario’s manufacturing sector is the economic engine of Canada, directly accounting for over 12 per cent of the province’s economy, with nearly $300 billion in annual shipments and $200 billion in exports. At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, manufacturers across the province stepped up to innovate by ramping up or shifting their production lines to produce more food, personal protective equipment, and other essential supplies. In September alone, an increase of 51,700 jobs pushed Ontario’s manufacturing employment 17,000 jobs above pre-COVID levels. Since its launch, the SupportOntarioMade.ca website received over 25,000 visits and over 3,800 subscriptions to the Ontario Made newsletter. If your products are not yet listed on the site, manufacturers can do so here, and retailers here.
The Ontario government has launched a new public education campaign to increase awareness about accessibility needs and responsibilities, and help organizations identify and remove barriers for people with disabilities. There are 2.6 million people in Ontario who have a disability, and most disabilities are invisible. The campaign is intended to help people learn more about accessibility, inclusion and hiring people with disabilities. It also explains what people with disabilities can expect under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) along with guidelines and resources to help make it easier for businesses and employers to understand and implement their requirements under the AODA. Organizations can apply here for a complimentary accessibility rating of their building. More information about the various programs in this campaign can be found here.
Canada’s chief central banker, Tiff Macklem, has warned of a long, slow recovery as successive rounds of COVID-19 lead to a “scarring” of the domestic and world economy. After what some see as a false dawn this summer as the economy resurged, Macklem, governor of the Bank of Canada, and his senior deputy, Carolyn Wilkins, offered a gloomy outlook for an economy that they say is unlikely to get back on track until 2023.
Although studies continue to show that the novel coronavirus can be detected on contaminated objects after days or weeks, a consensus has emerged among scientists that the virus is rarely transmitted through contact with tainted surfaces and that it’s safe to stop taking such extreme measures as quarantining your mail and wiping down your groceries.
Niagara Economic Summit Series 2020
Where are we now, how did we get here, and where do we go? This year’s summit, taking place between November 10 and November 24, brings experts and leaders together from across the country to identify where we are economically, what our future opportunities are, and how we can seize them. Find out more and get a calendar save-the-date here.
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.
The governments of Ontario and Canada are providing up to $1.05 billion in combined federal-provincial funding through the new COVID-19 Resilience infrastructure stream.
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:
Statistics Canada has released its July data on business openings and closings. In the St. Catharines-Niagara CMA (which does not include Grimsby and West Lincoln), 513 new businesses opened in July, while 347 closed, and 6,216 continued. June also saw more openings than closures, a stark contrast to the three months before. Of the 7,687 businesses operating in February, only 5,676 remained by May – a loss of 2,011 – while new businesses 881 had opened. The Canadian Chamber of Commerce Chief Economist and Vice President of Policy, Dr. Trevin Stratton, has stated that Canada needs to recoup 100,000 new businesses if it is to recover to pre-pandemic economic levels.
The governments of Ontario and Canada are providing up to $1.05 billion in combined federal-provincial funding through the new COVID-19 Resilience infrastructure stream to build or renovate health and safety related projects in long-term care, education and municipalities. The funding is part of the federal government’s Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program and reinforces the commitment of both the federal and provincial governments to protect the health and well-being of individuals and families during the pandemic. Eligible projects must begin by September 30, 2021 and be completed by December 31, 2021. Additional details about the COVID-19 Resilience stream and intake opening dates will be available in the days and weeks ahead. Eligible projects under the COVID-19 Resilience stream will fall under four main categories:
Community, recreation, health and education renovations (e.g. retrofits, repairs or upgrades to long-term care homes, publicly funded schools and co-located childcare centre facilities, recreation centres or shelters);
COVID-19 response infrastructure (e.g. heating, ventilation, air-conditioning, new builds or renovations to enable physical distancing);
Active transportation (e.g. parks, trails); and
Disaster mitigation, adaptation, or remediation (e.g. flood mitigation).
Niagara Health has launched a new online COVID test booking tool. Previously, appointments for test had to be booked by phone. From today, patients will be able to book online at Niagara Health’s Assessment Centre webpage. Patients will fill out their information and choose from a list of available appointment times at the centre they wish to be tested at. Upon completion, those with an appointment will receive instructions on how to access the centres and other important reminders. The option to book by phone remains, and patients can call 905-378-4647 ext. 42819 (4-CV19) to make an appointment.
The Bank of Canada says it has no plans to change its benchmark interest rate until inflation gets back to two per cent and stays there, something it says isn’t likely to happen until 2023. The central bank said Wednesday it has decided to keep its benchmark interest rate steady at 0.25 per cent. The news was expected by economists, as although the economy is showing signs of recovering from the impact of COVID-19, things are still a long way from normal, so cheap lending will be needed for a long while yet.
While business experimentation is — rightfully — framed as a gold standard by scholars and leading practitioners, the practice has yet to find its way into most firms’ day-to-day advertising strategy. Many firms are used to non-experimental approaches to advertising measurement, such as marketing mix models, and hesitate to adopt experimentation-based measurement in part because they overestimate its complexity.
Niagara Economic Summit Series 2020
Where are we now, how did we get here, and where do we go? This year’s summit, taking place between November 10 and November 24, brings experts and leaders together from across the country to identify where we are economically, what our future opportunities are, and how we can seize them. Find out more and get a calendar save-the-date here.
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.
Niagara Health is encouraging the community to be a Flu Fighter this fall by getting the influenza vaccination. The flu shot provides protection against contracting influenza and adds a layer of protection for those around you.
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 Government of Canada has begun consultations with provinces and territories, employers, workers, worker support groups, and other interested parties on a proposal to establish minimum requirements for employer-provided accommodations for the Temporary Foreign Worker (TFW) Program across Canada. As a first step, the Government of Canada is seeking input until December 22, 2020 on proposed accommodation requirements in the TFW Program’s primary agriculture stream. The Government is also seeking feedback on potential approaches to strengthen oversight of worker accommodations, both prior to and after workers’ arrivals. Agricultural employers in Niagara utilizing the TFW program should strongly consider providing their input to this consultation, and can do so by emailing Employment and Social Development Canada at NC-TFWP-APT-PTET-EPA-EPA-GD@hrsdc-rhdcc.gc.ca before December 22, 2020.
Niagara Health is encouraging the community to be a Flu Fighter this fall by getting the influenza vaccination. The flu shot provides protection against contracting influenza and adds a layer of protection for those around you. It also helps reduce strain on healthcare systems responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. A list of Community Flu Clinics can be found here. The shot is also available at many pharmacies. The GNCC recommends that employers encourage their staff to get vaccinated in order to reduce workplace absenteeism and sickness.
The City of St. Catharines will hold a public meeting on November 16, 2020 at 6:00 p.m. to discuss a proposed City initiated Zoning By-law Amendment to consider short term rental usage of properties, such as bed-and-breakfasts or AirBnB rental of properties or rooms. More information, including how to attend the virtual meeting, is available here.
The Town of Niagara-on-the-Lake is developing a Transportation Master Plan (TMP) which will serve as a long-range strategic plan for the Town that addresses existing challenges and opportunities, supports growth, and recommends policies that support an efficient, multi-modal transportation network – including vehicular, bicycle, pedestrian, and transit mobility.
New dates have been announced for the Niagara 2022 Canada Summer Games, which was previously pushed back owing to the pandemic. The Canada Summer Games in Niagara have been officially rescheduled for August 6-21, 2022. These new dates were identified after consultation with each provincial/territorial team, National Sport Organizations (NSOs), sport/non-sport venues and all levels of government.
The Bank of Canada will release its rate setting and Monetary Policy Report at 10 a.m. tomorrow, followed by a press conference at 11 a.m. with Governor Tiff Macklem. The Bank has recommitted to keep interest rates at historic lows, and will use its policy decision Wednesday to reinforce that guidance. It will hold the overnight interest rate at 0.25 per cent, possibly for years, and will continue purchasing government bonds worth $5 billion per week as part of a quantitative easing program.
Tech company Reddit has announced that it will offer its 600 staff the opportunity to work remotely, with exceptions such as IT support and facility maintenance. Shopify had previously announced that the vast majority of their staff would work remotely on a permanent basis, while other tech firms Twitter and Square had, like Reddit, offered their staff a permanent remote work option.
Although scientific research has historically highlighted the benefits of remote working—including a boost in employee morale, health and well-being, and productivity—that was before the pandemic. The research assumed that working from home was a choice rather than a necessity and that organizations offered alternatives between telecommuting or coming to the office. But what happens when there is no choice and people who never worked from home are forced to do so?
As the second wave of COVID-19 has now officially hit Central Canada (Québec and Ontario), we can expect health-care system resources to again be disproportionally demanded by COVID-19 patients. Addressing the direct health implications of the pandemic is clearly necessary, but doing so may come at an indirect cost for non-COVID patients who may struggle to access needed care.
Niagara Economic Summit Series 2020
Where are we now, how did we get here, and where do we go? This year’s summit, taking place between November 10 and November 24, brings experts and leaders together from across the country to identify where we are economically, what our future opportunities are, and how we can seize them. Find out more and get a calendar save-the-date here.
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.
