Daily Update: February 28, 2023

February 28, 2023 | Daily Update

In this edition:

Economic growth flat in Q4, declined in December

Real gross domestic product (GDP) was nearly unchanged in the fourth quarter, according to data released today by Statistics Canada, following five consecutive quarterly increases. Slower inventory accumulations along with declines in business investment in machinery and equipment and housing offset higher household and government spending and improved net trade.

After reaching a record-high level in the second quarter, the incomes of non-financial corporations declined in both the third and the fourth quarters. This followed a continuing decline in the value of energy exports, which fell 13.5% in nominal terms in the fourth quarter, primarily because of weakening energy prices, after peaking in the second quarter.

Real GDP edged down 0.1% in December, following a 0.1% uptick in November. Goods-producing industries (-0.6%) declined, while service-producing industries (+0.0%) remained essentially unchanged.

A recession is usually defined as negative GDP growth for two successive quarters.

Click here to read more.

MPs summon Google CEO to Ottawa for blocking news access for some Canadians

The CEO of Google and other top executives are being summoned to appear before a parliamentary committee after the company decided to temporarily block some Canadians from accessing news through its search engine.

They are expected to testify at a meeting of the House of Commons heritage committee on Monday.

The committee is also requesting documents related to Google’s news ban.

Click here to read more.

Meridian Credit Union makes $10,000 donation to end period poverty in Niagara

The campaign to end period poverty in Niagara has received a big boost.

United Way Niagara has announced Meridian Credit Union has joined the 2023 Period Promise campaign as a presenting sponsor with a $10,000 donation.

The agency says inflation has affected many women, and in 2019, roughly one in three, or 34 per cent, of women and girls in Canada had to often or occasionally make budgetary sacrifices in order to afford menstrual products.
Click here to read more.

Minister Bibeau to tour Clean Works Corporation in St. Catharines

The Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, the Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau, the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Canadian Heritage and Member of Parliament for St. Catharines, Chris Bittle, and the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Indigenous Services and Member of Parliament for Niagara Centre, Vance Badawey, will tour Food Waste Reduction Challenge finalist, Clean Works Corporation. Clean Works’ innovative solution to prevent spoilage of pre-harvest crops has secured them as a finalist in the ‘novel technologies’ stream of the challenge.

Click here to read more.

St. Catharines water/wastewater bills to increase by average of $85

On Monday, St. Catharines City Council approved rates for water-wastewater services in its 2023 water and wastewater budget. The new rates, represent a $84.58 increase over the year for the average ratepayer – or the equivalent of less than a quarter a day. The increase comes as Niagara Region continues to increase its water and wastewater rates annually to ensure program sustainability (the Region controls about 45 per cent of water expenditures and 72 per cent of wastewater expenditures), resulting in increased costs charged to the City for both the purchase of water and treatment of wastewater.

In a statement, city staff highlighted their work to reduce the infrastructure deficit with critical investments in infrastructure. Between replacement of City and Region watermains and sanitary sewers, the City is contributing more than $14.8 million to water and wastewater capital infrastructure in 2023 – with $11.6 million to be funded through the City’s water and wastewater budget.

Click here to read more.

Focus on Finance & Economy

‘Bottom not falling out of economy:’ What the experts are saying about GDP

Statistics Canada reported flat GDP for the fourth quarter of 2022, surprising analysts who called for 1.6 per cent annualized growth.

Declines were reported in several sectors including inventories, housing and business investment.

“Inventories applied significant downward pressure on GDP. In the manufacturing retail, and wholesale sectors, the build of goods inventories was significantly lower, following record builds in 2022 Q3 and Q4,” said TD Economic’s James Orlando in a note on Feb. 28.

Housing investment fell 8.8 per cent in the quarter registering the “third consecutive decline after the Bank of Canada started to raise interest rates more aggressively at the beginning of 2022,” said Claire Fan, an economist at RBC Economics.

However, “a far bigger concern,” for Stephen Brown at Capital Economics, was “the 27 per cent annualized slump in machinery and equipment investment.” Overall, quarterly business investment fell 5.5 per cent.

Click here to read more.

Flat economy suggests Bank of Canada rate hikes are working: Economists

A flat Canadian economy at the end of 2022 is a promising sign that monetary policy is working to bring down inflation, economists said Tuesday as Statistics Canada reported real gross domestic product (GDP) for last year’s fourth quarter.

StatsCan said real GDP was unchanged in the last three months of the year, following five quarters of growth.

Pedro Antunes, chief economist at the Conference Board of Canada, told BNN Bloomberg that it’s “good news” to see no growth in the numbers.

“What that’s telling us is that hopefully monetary policy will continue to have success in taming down the economic activity so that we can get the inflation numbers down,” Antunes said.

Click here to read more.

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

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Daily Update: February 24, 2023

February 24, 2023 | Daily Update

Regional council finalizes budget with 7.58 per cent tax increase, inflation rate expected to fall significantly this year, and more.

In this edition:

Regional council finalizes budget with 7.58 per cent tax increase

Niagara Region council completed its most challenging budget in years Thursday night, settling on a 7.58 per cent increase to the upper-tier municipality’s portion of property tax bills.

The increase means that for the average property assessed at $278,764, the Regional portion of the tax bill will increase by $120 to $1,740 in 2023. While the average property value for Niagara may seem low, Regional staff makes the calculation using assessments from the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation or MPCA assessments, not the current sales value of the home.

“While every budget is challenging, it has been well over two decades since the Niagara Region has been required to pass such a difficult budget,” Regional Chair Jim Bradley said in a publicly released statement.
Click here to read more.

Inflation rate expected to fall significantly this year

After a steep and rapid climb in prices, Canada’s inflation rate is expected to fall significantly this year, giving comfort to economists worried about untamed price growth but little relief to Canadians who have fallen behind.

Inflation, which first began creeping higher in 2021, took off dramatically last year and peaked at 8.1 per cent in the summer.

That’s well above the two per cent inflation target the Bank of Canada is supposed to maintain.

The run-up in prices was sparked by what Desjardins’ chief economist Jimmy Jean called a “perfect storm” — the reopening of economies after COVID-19 restrictions, the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the disruptions in supply chains.

As that storm continues to dissipate, price pressures have relented, giving glimmers of hope that normalcy in price growth may be restored.

Click here to read more.

St. Catharines food truck and vendor applications open on March 1

Starting on March 1, applications are being accepted for food truck and mobile vending cart operators to set up shop at City of St. Catharines parks and facilities for the season.

Launched last year, the policy was developed in response to resident and business requests and allows businesses to apply for a dedicated space each year.

Vendors can request a specific location by suggesting it on their application form based on the criteria outlined in the policy. Parking availability and proximity to other food services will also be considered. The application process will give preference to accessible, environmentally friendly, and Niagara-based organizations.

Successful applicants will need to obtain their Hawkers and Peddlers Licence, a food truck and mobile vending cart park permit, and they will need to pay an environmental fee.

Interested businesses can fill out an application anytime between March 1 and 31 at stcatharines.ca/VendorPermit.

Click here to read more.

Government revenue from control and sale of alcohol almost ten times that of recreational cannabis in 2022

In total, federal and provincial governments earned $15.2 billion from the control and sale of alcohol ($13.6 billion, +1.1%) and recreational cannabis ($1.6 billion) in the fiscal year ending March 31, 2022. This includes net income from provincial liquor and cannabis authorities, excise taxes, retail sales taxes, other specific taxes, and licenses and permits.

Overall, liquor authorities and other retail outlets sold $26.1 billion worth of alcoholic beverages in the fiscal year ending March 31, 2022, up 2.4% from a year earlier. The increase in sales of alcoholic beverages was driven by inflation, which rose 2.8% for alcoholic beverages purchased from stores from March 2021 to March 2022.

By volume, wine sales decreased 4.0% to 516 million litres in 2021/2022, which is equivalent to 2.4 standard glasses of wine per week per person of legal drinking age. This was the largest decrease in the volume of wine sold since Statistics Canada began tracking alcohol sales in 1949.

Click here to read more.

Niagara Region declares state of emergency over homelessness, mental health and opioid addiction

There was an emotional debate over whether to declare a state of emergency over homelessness, mental health and opioid addiction in Niagara.

Niagara’s public health and social services committee brought the issue to Regional Council last night asking to declare states of emergency for the three areas of concern, while also declaring homelessness a federal humanitarian crisis.

Council agreed and voted to make the moves.

St. Catharines Mayor Mat Siscoe asked for a recorded vote on the matter saying residents should know who is willing to take action.

St. Catharines Coun. Laura Ip voted against the motion saying she won’t support a feel-good public relations move, “When we declare these states of emergency and the province continues to ignore us we need the public to understand that what we’ve done and have been doing is everything that we can do. I don’t want to give people the impression that declaring states of emergency actually mean something, I don’t want to give them a sense of false hope and then when nothing happens they blame us for the lack of results when there were no results to be had from such a move.”

Click here to read more.

Focus on Human Resources

The art of due diligence in workplace safety: Don’t learn the ‘right’ way the ‘hard’ way

We have all experienced it: We hear something in the news or through the grapevine that send chills up our spines, and plants fear into our very cores.

A workplace incident or accident has occurred. A horrific and tragic sequence of events led to a terrible mishap, and a worker — or workers — have been injured. Or worse, have died. Perhaps all workers were thankfully safe but there is significant damage to property, the result of some freak event. Business owners everywhere shutter at the thought: “What if this happened to me?”

Employers spend time and resources making sure they are compliant in the law. The hassle associated with a visit from authorities that results in orders or fines is something they wish to avoid at all costs.
Click here to read more.

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

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Daily Update: February 16, 2023

February 16, 2023 | Daily Update

Downward trend in EI recipients continues, Cannabis Store reduces margins to help pot shops compete, Fort Erie approves budget, and more.

In this edition:

Downward trend in EI recipients continues

The number of Canadians receiving regular Employment Insurance (EI) benefits in December fell by 8,100 (-2.0%) to 398,000, continuing the downward trend in the number of regular EI beneficiaries observed since July 2022.

According to the Labour Force Survey (LFS), the unemployment rate declined 0.1 percentage points to 5.0% in December, just above the record low of 4.9% observed in June and July.

In general, variations in the number of EI beneficiaries can reflect changes in the circumstances of different groups, including those becoming beneficiaries, those going back to work, those exhausting their regular benefits and those no longer receiving benefits for other reasons.

Click here to read more.

Ontario Cannabis Store reduces price margins to help pot shops compete

The Ontario Cannabis Store says it will be reducing its price margins in a bid to help pot retailers compete with the illicit market.

The provincial pot distributor says the pricing changes will be implemented in September and will contribute about $35 million into the marketplace this fiscal year.

The OCS expects the contributions to hit $60 million in the 2024 fiscal year and compound annually in the years thereafter as the legal cannabis market grows.

Click here to read more.

Oppose Canada’s ‘xenophobic’ foreign property tax, U.S. critics urge Biden admin

A New York congressman wants to enlist the U.S. secretary of state to oppose what he calls Ottawa’s “discriminatory” campaign against foreign property owners.

Rep. Brian Higgins is asking Secretary of State Antony Blinken to officially object to Canada’s new federal tax on underused, foreign-owned housing, which is coming due in April.

The one per cent levy applies to certain foreign non-resident owners of Canadian property located in areas with a core population of at least 10,000 people.

Click here to read more.

Perk or necessity? Hybrid work expectations differ between employers, employees

Many companies are transitioning to hybrid work schedules from the work-from-home policies that developed by necessity in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Yet how to strike a balance between office life and remote work remains an enduring challenge for many businesses nearly three years after lockdowns upended how many Canadians work — one that’s made more difficult by the differing expectations between employers and employees.

Some organizations offer workers the freedom to choose which days they go into the office.

Others have a set number of office days, with attendance varying from informal guidelines to rigid mandates.

“Everyone is trying to find that happy medium or that hybrid work sweet spot to make this really work,” said Maria Pallas, director of strategy and optimization for Lauft, a network of on-demand workspaces.

“But everyone’s not always on the same page.”

Click here to read more.

Government releases blueprint for Canada Innovation Corporation

Today, the Honourable Chrystia Freeland, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, and the Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, released a blueprint that will guide the operations of the new Canada Innovation Corporation (CIC).

In creating the CIC, the government is following through on its Budget 2022 commitment to establish an innovation agency to drive Canadian business investment in research and development (R&D) and foster economic growth. The CIC will operate with an initial budget of $2.6 billion over four years, and is expected to begin its operations in 2023.

Click here to read more.

Food Processing Skills Canada launches national workforce program

Food Processing Skills Canada – the Canadian food and beverage manufacturing industry’s non-profit workforce development organization – announced a new program, Achieving Our Workforce Destination: Qualified People, Successful Careers & Competitive Business.

Food Processing Skills Canada received an investment of $7.7 million for this project from the Government of Canada’s Sectoral Workplace Solutions Program (SWSP) which is a program that helps sectors of the economy implement solutions to address their current and emerging workforce needs.

Click here to read more.

Fort Erie Town Council approves 2023 budget

Fort Erie Town Council approved in principle the 2023 budget with an increase of 0.88 percent for the Town’s portion of the residential property tax. For the median household, this increase translates to an additional $12 per year.

When the Niagara Region and the Boards of Education levies are included, the combined increase for residential taxpayers in Fort Erie is 6.9 percent.

“Strategic financial planning is extremely important as we continue navigating past the pandemic. We are preparing for the next 10 years and beyond to ensure that future generations are not left carrying a tax burden properly payable by current property owners. This budget represents Council’s and staff’s continued commitment to the services that our residents need, the long term sustainability of our infrastructure and addressing the challenges of a growing community, while appreciating the affordability concerns of our residents. Responsible financial planning has given us a strong foundation and the ability to be flexible with our future needs, projects and initiatives,” said Mayor Wayne Redekop.

Click here to read more (PDF link).

Focus on Markets

Dow sheds 350 points as stocks turn lower after another hot inflation report

Stocks fell Thursday after another hot inflation report, and a decline in jobless claims, showed the economy is holding up amid the Federal Reserve’s rate hikes.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average shed 353 points, or about 1%. The S&P 500 dipped 1.09% and the Nasdaq-Composite fell 1.48%. Microsoft and Disney contributed the most to the Dow’s decline, down more than 2% each.

January’s producer price index, another inflation measure, rose 0.7% on the month while economists surveyed by Dow Jones expected a 0.4% increase. Initial jobless claims unexpectedly fell for the week ending February 11, per a Labor Department report.

Click here to read more.

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

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Daily Update: January 30, 2023

January 30, 2023 | Daily Update

In this edition:

Ontario hospital nurses start contract talks, plan ‘escalating actions’

The Ontario Nurses’ Association has started bargaining a new contract today for hospital nurses and the union is planning a series of actions to bolster its push for higher wages.

The nurses, and other broader public sector workers, have been subject for three years to a wage restraint law known as Bill 124, which capped increases at one per cent a year.

Bernie Robinson, the interim president of the ONA, says the last contract left nurses feeling disrespected and devalued, and in this round of negotiations the union is seeking “far more.”

Click here to read more.

Survey: 51% of Canadian firms plan to add staff in first half of 2023

Despite market volatility, more than half of companies across the country have plans to hire early this year, research from talent solutions and business consulting firm Robert Half shows. According to the company’s State of Canadian Hiring Survey of nearly 1,450 managers, 51 per cent of respondents anticipate adding new permanent roles during the first half of the year, up from 40 per cent six months ago; another 42 per cent expect to fill vacated positions. Managers in administration and customer service (62 per cent) and marketing and creative (60 per cent) have the greatest full-time staffing needs.

While many companies are eager to hire, nine in 10 managers said it’s challenging to find skilled professionals, on par with results from the prior State of Canadian Hiring Survey. Employers also reported it can take up to 14 weeks, on average, to hire for an open position, up from eight weeks in 2021.

Click here to read more.

Federal departments failed to spend $38B on promised programs, services last year

The federal government failed to spend tens of billions of dollars in the last fiscal year on promised programs and services, including new military equipment, affordable housing and support for veterans.

Federal departments are blaming a variety of factors for letting a record total of $38 billion in funding lapse in 2021-22, including delays and disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

They also say much of the money remains available for future years.

The unspent funds also played a big part in the Liberal government posting a smaller-than-expected deficit in the year ending March 31, 2022.

Canada rang up a $90.2 billion deficit — $23.6 billion less than had been projected in the budget.

Click here to read more.

Port Colborne launches survey to support new strategic plan

The City of Port Colborne has launched a community engagement survey to help inform and identify key themes for the development of its new strategic plan.

With the first months of a new council term underway, setting a direction for the next four years will be crucial for addressing the challenges and opportunities ahead. It calls for a focus on making sure the response to the knowns and unknowns is approached from a position of strength. The city’s current (2020-2023) strategic plan was adopted in May 2021. It contains 40 priority projects that align with six key pillars and provides a line of sight for staff to work towards in their day-to-day responsibilities.

Click here to read more.

Gates to hold emergency healthcare townhall

Niagara Falls Member of Provincial Parliament Wayne Gates will host an emergency healthcare townhall on Thursday, February 9th from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m at the Gale Centre (5152 Thorold Stone Road, Niagara Falls, L2E 0A2) in the Memorial Room.

The townhall will feature a panel of health care experts & front-line workers to discuss the crisis, the continued growth of privatization, and to listen directly to the concerns and stories of residents.

This event is open to the public. Light refreshments will be provided. For the safety of all community members, the organizers ask that people wear a mask indoors.
For more information, please contact the office of Wayne Gates at (905)357-0681 or wgates-co@ndp.on.ca, or visit the event’s Facebook page.

Focus on Small Business

Laid off? This is your blueprint for starting your own business

When you go through a messy breakup, some might tell you that “it’s for the best.” While no one is likely to say that after a layoff, it truly can be “for the best.” Here’s how to go from feeling dejected to feeling delighted.

As someone who left executive roles in marketing and media to start her own business, I quickly realized being accomplished or having skills is only half the battle once you’re your own boss. Whether you’re envisioning your layoff as a first step on your path to self-employment or a moment to catch your breath and re-examine your career, the process is the same and here are some tips to keep in mind.

Click here to read more.

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

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7 tips for meeting your OHS legal duties for contract workers

January 28, 2023 | WSPS

The shortage of skilled labour is prompting more employers to seek out contractors for services such as cleaning, sanitation, general labour (temp agencies), electrical, plumbing and deliveries. But before signing the dotted line, make sure you have a clear understanding of your health and safety responsibilities for contract workers on your site, warns WSPS Consultant Kellie Harrison.

  •  “This is where a lot of employers have misunderstood and gotten themselves in trouble.” Trouble, in this case, means penalties or prosecutions under the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA).
  • “Often, the employer thinks, ‘I contracted this out to Bill’s Plumber, so that company is responsible for their workers’ health and safety.’ But that’s not the way it’s looked at under the OHSA.”

The OHSA defines an employer as someone ‘who employs or contracts for the services of one or more workers,’ which indicates the contract employer and the host employer have shared responsibility for the health and safety of the contract workers. When the work is being done onsite, the employer who hires for contracted services has the lion’s share of the responsibility, says Kellie.

How do you work with the contract employer to ensure workers are safe from injury? And what steps must you take to reduce your own liability? Kellie provides 7 tips.

Develop a contractor safety program

Whether you are working with one – or several – contract employers, you need to take a thorough and consistent approach by developing a contractor safety program. Elements of your program should include:

  • the scope of the project
  • the employer’s health and safety record
  • training of contract workers
  • personal protective equipment (PPE) requirements and who will provide it
  • how occupational health and safety duties will be shared between you and the contract employer
  • who will supervise the contract workers
  • what happens if an incident or an accident occurs

“All these matters will be discussed during pre-contract planning,” says Kellie, “and then included in the signed contract to ensure that everyone is on the same page.”

7 essential tips for keeping everyone safe

Follow Kellie’s 7 tips for ensuring you and the contract employer are doing everything required by law to protect contract workers.

  1. Check out the contractor’s safety record. Use the WSIB’s Safety Check tool. Just enter a company name and you can see their accident performance.
  2.  Ensure the contractor has a written health and safety policy and program in place. Ask for copies.
  3. Confirm that the contract workers have received general health and safety training and have been advised that site specific training will also be needed when they begin the work.  A sign in sheet is not sufficient proof of training, says Kellie. “Ask the contract employer for an evaluation sheet or formal record of training.”  In addition, make sure the training received meets your standards. Review the contract employer’s training programs and/or provide your own training. Consider all potential work, tools and equipment that will be involved in the project, and pay special attention to high-risk tasks, such as working at heights and machine lockout, says Kellie, where the consequences of an injury can be severe. Kellie remembers an incident where a sanitation worker was injured after a failed lockout. The employer of the site was prosecuted, and fined $60,000, plus legal costs.
  4. Determine who will provide workplace-specific training. Is it you or the contract employer? For example, contract workers may have received general WHMIS training, but not workplace specific training. They need to know the chemicals they will be working with at your workplace and related handling, storage and emergency procedures.  Likewise, contract delivery people need to know the rules and procedures around driving trucks in the yard and unloading. “This could change at every workplace. And if they enter the workplace, they need to know where they can safely walk.
  5. Spell out who will be supervising the contract workers. If it’s the contract employer, it’s still good practice from a due diligence standpoint for your supervisors to monitor the health and safety aspects of the work. “Your joint health and safety committee should also keep an eye out during inspections to ensure contact employees are following safe work procedures.”
  6. Clearly communicate your health and safety expectations and standards to the contractor and to their employees. Provide orientation training to the workers. Discuss your culture, your hazards, your safety programs, tools, reporting requirements, fire safety and emergency plans, and more.
  7. Ensure the contractor, contact employees and your employees understand their responsibilities under the OHSA.

How WSPS can help

Contact a consultant to find out how WSPS’s Contractor Safety Management Program can help your workplace manage the onsite health and safety of contract employees.

Training

Videos

Resources and Guides

Events

Session: Effective Contractor Management for Warehousing and Distribution Centres

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Daily Update: January 17, 2023

January 17, 2023 | Daily Update

2022 inflation reached 40-year high, Bank of Canada announces appointment of non-executive Deputy Governor, and more.

In this edition:

2022 inflation reached 40-year high

Statistics Canada’s annual inflation review showed an average annual inflationary rate of 6.8% in 2022, following gains of 3.4% in 2021 and of 0.7% in 2020. The increase in 2022 was a 40-year high, the largest increase since 1982 (+10.9%). Excluding energy, the annual average CPI rose 5.7% in 2022 compared with 2.4% in 2021.

The Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose 6.3% year over year in December, following a 6.8% increase in November.

Excluding food and energy, prices rose 5.3% on a yearly basis in December, following a gain of 5.4% in November.

The headline CPI grew at a slower pace largely due to slower growth in prices for gasoline. Additional deceleration came from homeowners’ replacement cost, fuel oil and other owned accommodation expenses, as well as from various durable goods. Slower price growth was offset by increases in mortgage interest cost, clothing and footwear and personal care supplies and equipment.

Consumers paid 13.1% less at the pump in December compared with November, the largest monthly decline since April 2020. This reflected lower prices for crude oil amid concerns of a slowing global economy, as well as reduced demand following an increase in COVID-19 cases in China.

Click here to read more.

Bank of Canada announces appointment of non-executive Deputy Governor

The Board of Directors of the Bank of Canada today announced the appointment of Nicolas Vincent as the Bank’s new external, non-executive Deputy Governor for a term of two years, effective March 13, 2023. Mr. Vincent’s appointment, which is the result of an open external search process, fills the vacancy created by the departure of Timothy Lane in September 2022.

Click here to read more.

St. Catharines city council approves 1.12% tax increase

St. Catharines residents will pay 1.12 per cent more in 2023 than 2022 on the city portion of their tax bills, despite council adding 24 new full-time employees, enhancing service levels and tackling other budget pressures, thanks to the uploading of city transit services to Niagara Region.

City council adopted the 2023 operating budget Monday night, which sees $13.5 million in transit service obligations removed from the city’s portion of the property tax bill due to the new amalgamated system run by the Region.

“The 2023 operating budget presents a one-time opportunity for the city to regain some of its financial sustainability,” said financial management services director Kristine Douglas, referring to the impacts of COVID-19, which included revenue hits, deferred projects, reduced contributions to capital and increased reliance on reserves.
Click here to read more.

Welland Economic Development partners with Niagara Catholic DSB to promote trades

Welland’s Economic Development Department is pleased to partner with the Niagara Catholic District School Board to promote apprenticeship pathways and re-education to the public about the value of skilled tradespeople.

Two events are scheduled in the first half of 2023 – January 19 and May 17, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. – and are open to students and their families. Stemming from discussions with industry leaders in the city, Welland’s Economic  Development team is well-versed in the needs of industries operating in Welland.

“We know there will be a shortage of skilled trades workers,” said Lina DeChellis, manager of economic development. “Partnering with the Niagara Catholic and offering a line into what industries are looking for will hopefully shine a light on this very needed, lucrative career path.”

Click here to read more (PDF link).

Focus on Finance & Economy

Deloitte calls for a Canadian recession in 2023

Deloitte is forecasting an economic contraction in Canada in the months ahead.

The firm’s 2023 Economic Outlook report released on Tuesday cited the Bank of Canada’s aggressive stance on monetary policy and an expected recession south of the border as the driving forces behind the cool down.

“Our forecast predicts the steady diversion of household income toward interest payments and a U.S. recession will push down Canadian economic growth for three consecutive quarters, resulting in an overall contraction of 0.9 per cent,” the report said.

While the report assumes the BoC’s rate-hiking cycle has come to end, it stated the full effects are yet to be reflected.

Click here to read more.

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

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Daily Update: December 8, 2022

December 8, 2022 | Daily Update

Ontario to hold consultations on Budget 2023, Ontario pharmacists to prescribe Paxlovid from December 12, and more.

In this edition:

Ontario to hold consultations on Budget 2023

The Government of Ontario is seeking ideas from workers, families, business owners and communities on what they need and what they want to see in the next phase of the government’s plan as part of Ontario’s 2023 Budget.

“As we visit communities across the province, we want to hear from the people and businesses of Ontario on how our government can continue to build the province,” said Minister Bethlenfalvy. “Together we have made great progress on our plan to build and by continuing together we can create a prosperous Ontario for today and tomorrow.”

Minister Bethlenfalvy, President of the Treasury Board Prabmeet Sarkaria, and Parliamentary Assistants Stephen Crawford and Rick Byers will hold in-person consultations across the province from January 11 to February 10, beginning in Brampton.

People and organizations are also welcome to submit their ideas by email or mail to the Ministry of Finance. In January, the government will also launch an online survey.

Visit Ontario.ca/budgetconsultations for more information about how to participate.

Click here to read more.

Ontario pharmacists to prescribe Paxlovid from December 12

The Ontario government is giving people more convenient access to care by allowing pharmacists to prescribe Paxlovid, an antiviral treatment option used to reduce severe outcomes from COVID-19. All Ontarians are strongly encouraged to keep up to date with vaccinations, which remains the best way for people to stay healthy this flu and respiratory illness season and prevent unnecessary visits to the hospital.

Starting December 12, 2022, pharmacists will be able to prescribe Paxlovid to eligible individuals in-person or virtually (such as by telephone) at no cost. Eligible individuals should contact their local pharmacy to confirm if they prescribe Paxlovid and how to get a prescription for Paxlovid.

Click here to read more.

U.S. business executives’ confidence in the Canadian economy weakens: study

The American Chamber of Commerce in Canada (AMCHAM Canada) announced the results of the ‘AmCham-Nanos American Investment in Canada Index (ANAIC Index),’ conducted by Nanos and presented by PNC Bank. The semi-annual study suggests that U.S. business executives’ sentiment on the Canadian economy is at an all-time low.

The report notes red tape or regulatory uncertainty (65%), followed by monetary policy, costs, rising interest rates and inflation (50%) and labour shortages (35%) are their top concerns for conducting business in Canada. However, sentiment regarding Canada’s business investment environment continues to track upwards – in fact, it’s up 11 points since April 2021.

“In addition to growing concerns around regulatory uncertainty, monetary policy and labour, nearly 50% of participating U.S. business executives predict the Canadian economy is moving in the wrong direction,” said David Olsen, regional president for PNC Bank in Canada and chair of AmCham Canada. “In the current environment, it has never been more critical to provide companies that operate within the U.S. and Canada with the insights and advice they need to make smart business and financial decisions.”

Click here to read more.

CRTC rejects Telus’ request to charge credit card processing fee for home phones

Today, the CRTC refused Telus’s request to introduce a processing fee in Alberta and British Columbia on payments made by credit card. The request only applied to services that are regulated by the CRTC, which are generally home telephone services in certain smaller communities.

On October 17, 2022, Telus began to charge a 1.5% fee to clients paying by credit card in areas where services are not regulated by the CRTC, which includes its wireless and Internet customers outside of Quebec.

While Telus didn’t need the CRTC’s approval to add the surcharge to its unregulated services, the CRTC is very concerned about this practice as it goes against affordability and consumer interest. In addition, this practice impacts the most vulnerable consumers who rely on credit cards to pay their everyday bills, especially when prices for essential goods and services are rising due to inflation.

Click here for more information and to register.

Government of Canada introduces bill to enshrine early learning and child care into law

Today, the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development, Karina Gould, introduced an Act to respecting early learning and child care in Canada in parliament.  If passed, the bill would enshrine the principles of a Canada-wide early learning and child care system into federal law. This bill marks an historic milestone in the Government’s commitment to ensuring families in Canada have enduring access to affordable, inclusive and high-quality early learning and child care. This includes a commitment to maintain long-term federal funding for provinces, territories and Indigenous peoples to support the provision of early learning and child care under a Canada-wide system.

Bill C-35 builds upon the vision and principles of the federal/provincial/territorial Multilateral Early Learning and Child Care Framework, as well as the Indigenous Early Learning and Child Care Framework that was co‑developed and endorsed by Indigenous leadership and the Government of Canada. If passed, the bill would respect provincial and territorial jurisdiction and Indigenous rights, including the right to self‑determination.

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Focus on Equity, Diversity and Inclusion

Study: women still underrepresented in leadership positions

Despite decades of gains in the workplace, women continue to be underrepresented in leadership and decision-making positions, a new Statistics Canada study released today has found.

The study, titled “Immigrant women among board directors and officers: From admission in Canada to executive roles,” provides the first socioeconomic profile of immigrant women at admission who have reached management positions in their careers once employed in Canada. From an intersectional lens, exploratory estimates on disparities by gender and immigrant status for family, work and income characteristics are presented. The types of businesses where immigrant women executives contribute to corporate governance and strategic decision making were also examined.

Click here to read more.

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

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Daily Update: December 6, 2022

December 6, 2022 | Daily Update

FedDev Ontario invests $3 million in Smithville manufacturer, residential sector building permits cool off for second month, and more.

In this edition:

FedDev Ontario invests $3 million in Smithville manufacturer

Today, the Honourable Filomena Tassi, Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario), announced an investment of $3 million for Niagara Pallet and Recyclers Ltd. (Niagara Pallet) to adopt new technologies that will allow the company to respond to wood pallet shortages across Canada and support the transition to a more sustainable and circular economy. This investment will also create 30 skilled jobs across the Niagara Region.

Located in Smithville, Niagara Pallet is a rural, family-run company that manufactures and repairs wood-related shipping materials, including wood pallets, for suppliers and distribution centres. With this investment, through the Jobs and Growth Fund (JGF), the company will implement new, first-in-Canada, custom automated systems to measure, sort and cut used wood pallets—allowing them to process more recycled pallets and identify a higher proportion for repair.

Click here to read more.

Residential sector building permits cool off for second month

The value of residential permits declined 6.4% to $6.5 billion nationally in October. Similarly, the number of new residential units decreased 4.6%, mainly due to single-family dwellings (-9.3%) which fell for the fifth consecutive month.

The value of building permits in the multi-family component decreased 6.9%, with Ontario posting its second consecutive decline after reaching its peak in August.

The total permit value of the non-residential sector increased 9.5% to $3.5 billion in October.

Construction intentions in the commercial component sharply increased by 18.0% in October. Ontario posted the largest gain, with multiple projects valuing over $20 million, while in September, one permit was reported above this level.

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Canada’s trade surplus doubles in October

In October, Canada’s merchandise exports rose 1.5%, while imports increased 0.6%. As a result, Canada’s merchandise trade surplus with the world widened from $607 million in September to $1.2 billion in October.

A large proportion of import and export transactions are completed in US dollars and must be converted to Canadian dollars to compile monthly trade statistics. When the Canadian dollar depreciates against the US dollar, converted monthly trade values in Canadian dollars are higher.

Total exports rose 1.5% to $67.0 billion in October. Gains were observed in 8 of the 11 product sections. In real (or volume) terms, total exports edged up 0.1% in October, while export prices rose for the first time in five months.

Exports of consumer goods (+9.7%) were the largest contributor to the overall increase in exports in October. Pharmaceutical products (+20.7%) contributed the most to the gain, led by higher exports of medicinal products to the United States. After falling 36.7% from June to September, exports of miscellaneous goods and supplies rebounded in October (+ 30.7%), mainly on higher exports of gold bars and coins to the United States.

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Towns of Lincoln and Fort Erie comment on Bill 23

The Town of Lincoln and Fort Erie Mayor Wayne Redekop (PDF link) today issued statements on how Bill 23, the More Homes Built Faster Act, 2022, will affect their communities.

“Changes to the Development Charges Act and the Planning Act will inevitably result in loss of revenues that will need to be recovered,” said Lincoln CAO Mike Kirkopoulos, “and will very likely result in construction delays to support growth and pay for community amenities. It is my hope that if the Provincial changes result in municipalities forgoing revenue that they might otherwise receive, there should be a compensatory investment in municipal projects to make them whole.”

“In Fort Erie alone, about 2,800 housing units have been approved or draft approved. This represents the equivalent an over 8 year supply of housing at the current rate of issuance of building permits,” commented Mayor Redekop. “re the Premier and Minister [of Municipal Affairs and Housing] not aware that one-third of their housing target has already been met if the government simply required developers to build what has already been approved?”

Mayor Redekop joined Kirkopoulos in raising concerns over changes to the Development Charges Act, adding that “the elimination or reduction of development charges will significantly benefit developers with no guarantee that it will result in reduced housing prices. It will also shift the financial burden of growth from new development to existing residents/taxpayers.”

As a result of Council direction, the Town of Lincoln is preparing a letter to the Provincial government to be sent in December 2022, expressing concerns specific to how Bill 23 affects the Lincoln community. Mayor Redekop has personally corresponded with the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing about the Town of Fort Erie’s concerns and what they perceive to be unintended consequences of Bill 23.

St. Catharines launches filmSTC to promote city as destination for film, TV, and streaming industries

The launch of the filmSTC campaign through a dedicated website, filmSTC.ca, comes as St. Catharines gains interest as a choice filming location. According to Ontario Creates, the film and TV industry contributed a record-breaking $2.88 billion to the province’s economy in 2021, creating 48,135 high-value full-time equivalent direct and spin-off jobs.

FilmSTC.ca showcases the diverse amenities that make St. Catharines the picture-perfect setting for any film production. Residents and property owners can also use the website to find out how to register to promote their homes, buildings and properties as an ideal backdrop for upcoming film opportunities.

The City received more than 40 inquiries for filming in 2021.

To learn more about filming opportunities and support available in St. Catharines, how you can register your property, or how you can support the industry visit filmstc.ca.

Click here to read more.

Port Colborne bistro receives $10,000 through My Main Street

Port Colborne-based Bambi’s Bistro has received a non-repayable contribution of $10,000 through the My Main Street, Local Business Accelerator program.

This contribution will allow the business to support findings from the market research provided by My Main Street to drive economic growth and attract new customers to the business and the entire Port Colborne community.

Bambi’s Bistro is an eclectically decorated café, serving fresh home-made food. Owner Jacquie Vezeau is happy she chose Main Street as home for her bistro, as this area of Port Colborne boasts an impressive array of restaurants with several more opening in the next few months. Vezeau was even happier after receiving the results of her custom market report that indicated the average spend on food from restaurants in her area is $3,080, or 12 percent higher than the rest of Port Colborne, with a whopping $813 being spent at bakeries.

Click here to read more.

Government quickly delivered COVID-19 benefits to Canadians, but post-payment verification work is falling short: AG

A report from Auditor General Karen Hogan tabled today in the House of Commons concludes that the Canada Revenue Agency and Employment and Social Development Canada effectively delivered COVID‑19 emergency programs to provide relief to individuals and employers affected by the pandemic and help the economy rebound. However, the agency and department have not followed through on the need to undertake comprehensive post-payment verification work.

The audit found that the Canada Revenue Agency and Employment and Social Development Canada’s post-payment verification plans did not include verifying payments made to all identified recipients at risk of being ineligible for COVID‑19 benefit programs. As the COVID‑19 pandemic evolved, the department and agency delayed their plans for post‑payment verifications. This means that the government may be running out of time to identify and recover amounts owing because of legislated time frames to verify recipients’ eligibility.

Click here to read more.

PCB levels remain high at former GM property in St. Catharines

The level of PCBs around the former GM property in St. Catharines remains high, the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation, and Parks remarked in an update provided to St. Catharines City Council last night.

The ministry says testing done in the first half of 2022 shows that PCB levels in some locations around the property are still significantly higher than the Provincial Water Quality Objectives (PWQO).

Click here to read more.

Ministry of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade offers free webinar on Accessing International Markets

Are you a technology company looking to scale internationally? The Ministry of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade is hosting a webinar with key experts in Canada’s export ecosystem.

Key insights will be offered into:

  • International market entry strategies
  • Financing and insurance solutions
  • Export planning programs and resources
  • An Ontario tech company success story

Click here to register.

Focus on Finance and Economy

Costco CEO weighs in on the great recession debate

Costco (COST) has had an awesome year in a challenging economic climate. But even the CEO of Yahoo Finance’s Company of the Year is seeing a few storm clouds taking shape going into 2023.

“You know, a little bit,” longtime Costco CEO Craig Jelinek told Yahoo Finance (video above) when asked if he sees signs of a recession forming in the U.S. “Our jewelry business has slowed down. If you look at the really high-end television sets, they’ve slowed down. I think right now people are very, very value-conscious. They’re always value-conscious, but I think more so now than ever.”

Costco didn’t have a perfect sales record in November (though sales were still relatively impressive) as shoppers spent more cautiously amid news of increasing layoffs and stubbornly high inflation.

Click here to read more.

Consumer debt tops $2.36 trillion in third quarter, up 7.3% from last year

Equifax Canada says an increase in borrowers helped push total consumer debt to $2.36 trillion in the third quarter for a 7.3 per cent rise from last year, even as mortgage volumes decline.

It says average non-mortgage debt rose to $21,183 for the highest level since the second quarter of 2020, with early signs of strain starting to show in auto loans and credit cards.

Overall non-mortgage debt came in at $599.9 billion for a 5.3 per cent climb from last year, and up 1.9 per cent from the third quarter of 2019, as the number of borrowers rose by 3.1 per cent.

Click here to read more.

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

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Daily Update: December 5, 2022

December 5, 2022 | Daily Update

First Canadian full-scale EV manufacturing plant opens in Ontario, CUPE school staff vote to ratify contract with government, and more.

In this edition:

First Canadian full-scale EV manufacturing plant opens in Ontario

The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, was joined today by Premier of Ontario, Doug Ford, to open Canada’s first full-scale EV manufacturing plant, General Motors of Canada Company’s (GM) CAMI assembly plant in Ingersoll, Ontario. Starting today and going forward, the plant will build fully electric delivery vans – the BrightDrop Zevo 600 – which will help cut pollution and keep our communities healthy for our children and grandchildren.

Thanks in part to a $259 million investment from the Government of Canada, GM’s CAMI assembly plant was able to retool its operations to build these electric vans. By 2025, the plant plans to manufacture 50,000 EVs per year. This investment has helped secure thousands of well-paying, high-quality jobs across GM facilities, and is helping advance the electrification of Canada’s automotive sector.

Click here to read more.

Ontario CUPE school staff vote to ratify contract with government

Ontario education workers represented by the Canadian Union of Public Employees have voted to ratify a contract with the government.

Laura Walton, president of CUPE’s Ontario School Board Council of Unions, said about 73 per cent of those who voted were in favour.

Walton — who had said she didn’t like the deal because it didn’t come with staffing level guarantees — said about 76 per cent of the union’s 55,000 education worker members voted during the ratification process.

Click here to read more.

Niagara Climate Change Action Network holds inaugural meeting

The Niagara Climate Change Action Network held its inaugural meeting on Thursday, Dec. 1, 2022, putting action to the call to action that was signed at the Niagara Climate Change Summit in June 2022 and launching a commitment to form partnerships, share critical data and reduce greenhouse gas emissions in Niagara.

Four local organizations – Niagara Region, Brock University, Niagara College and the Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority – worked together to establish the Niagara Climate Change Action Network. Over 50 individuals from educational institutions, environmental groups, Indigenous organizations, municipalities and businesses from sectors including energy, agriculture, development and engineering attended the kick-off meeting as members of the network.

Click here to read more.

Ontario attracts economic opportunities with trade mission to India

The Ontario government has concluded a successful trade mission to India to strengthen relationships with economic partners and attract new investments in key sectors, including manufacturing, technology and life sciences. The mission, led by Vic Fedeli, Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade, resulted in renewed commitments to collaborate with the states of Maharashtra and Telangana, and in an announcement by 88 Pictures, an animation and media entertainment company based in Mumbai, to expand to Ontario.

From November 25 to December 2, Ontario’s delegation met with leading companies based in India to showcase the province as a global hub for innovation and an ideal place for companies to invest. This included a meeting with 88 Pictures, that together with Toronto Global, announced it has selected Ontario as the first location for the company’s international expansion. This investment will create 150 new jobs for workers in Ontario over the next two years.

Click here to read more.

Food prices in Canada to continue to rise in 2023: report

Canadians won’t escape food inflation any time soon.

Food prices in Canada will continue to escalate in the new year, with grocery costs forecast to rise up to seven per cent in 2023, new research predicts.

For a family of four, the total annual grocery bill is expected to be $16,288 — $1,065 more than it was this year, the 13th edition of Canada’s Food Price Report released Monday said.

Click here to read more.

Focus on Small Business

Canadian small businesses term 2022 holiday season important for their financial health

A new survey has found that shopping locally could make or break the holiday season for small business retailers, with 72 percent of Canadian small businesses saying the 2022 holiday season is more important to their overall financial health compared to last year.

However, holiday spending with Canadian small businesses could hit up to $10 billion if Canadian consumers shop small.

The results of the new Intuit QuickBooks Holiday Shopping Survey, which surveyed 1,700 Canadian consumers and 700 Canadian small businesses, also highlight how fragile consumer confidence and demand for competitive pricing could spoil the holiday season for retailers.

If the economy worsens this year, 84 percent of Canadian consumers plan to reduce their holiday spending. This comes at a time when inflation is making consumers more price-sensitive, with 67 percent of consumers planning to buy fewer gifts for friends and family to mitigate financial impact.

Click here to read more.

New hires are ‘ghosting’ small businesses already under pressure from labour shortages

A new report by the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) found that in the last 12 months, more than one-third of small businesses surveyed have hired people who either never showed up, stopped going to work shortly after starting the job and/or had job candidates who stopped responding during the application or interview process.

The shortage of skilled, semi-skilled and unskilled labour is hurting small businesses, limiting their growth at a time when just half of small businesses have returned to normal revenue levels and 58 per cent haven’t repaid their pandemic debt, the report said.

Click here to read more.

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

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