Daily Update: May 10

May 10, 2024 | Daily Update

In this edition:

  • Unemployment rate in Niagara increases again, now close to 8%
  • Badawey announces funding for tender fruit growers to develop climate resilient fruit
  • Niagara’s water treatment plants earn A+ from Province
  • Cybersecurity, geopolitical concerns top list of market risks: Bank of Canada
  • Thorold developer suggests land leasing as way to cut housing costs
  • Focus on Human Resources

Unemployment rate in Niagara increases again, now close to 8%

The latest Labour Force Survey data released by Statistics Canada today indicates that Niagara’s unemployment rate is continuing to increase, and hit 7.9% in April. This is the third consecutive increase since January, 2024, when the rate was 7.2%. Both the employment and participation rates were down, indicating that people may have left jobs or quit the workforce entirely.

National employment increased by 90,000 (+0.4%) in April, and the unemployment rate was unchanged at 6.1%. The employment rate held steady at 61.4%, following six consecutive monthly declines.

Click here to read more.

Click here to access Statistics Canada’s Labour Force Survey interactive app.

Badawey announces funding for Ontario Tender Fruit Growers to develop climate resilient fruit varieties

To keep the tender fruit sector strong, competitive, and resilient in the face of more extreme weather events, today, Vance Badawey, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Transport and Member of Parliament for Niagara Centre, on behalf of the Honourable Lawrence MacAulay, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, announced up to $1,099,624 to the Ontario Tender Fruit Growers through the AgriScience Program – Projects Component, an initiative under the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership. Ontario Apple Growers is a project partner.

Click here to read more.

Niagara’s water treatment plants earn A+ from Province

Niagara Region’s six water treatment facilities have obtained a 100 per cent rating from the Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks (the Ministry) during their inspections for the period of 2022-2023.

A 100 per cent rating demonstrates Niagara Region’s commitment to going above and beyond the multi-barrier, health-based drinking water quality standards mandated by the province.

Click here to read more.

Cybersecurity, geopolitical concerns top list of market risks: Bank of Canada

The Bank of Canada has released the latest results of the Financial System Survey (FSS), and found that respondents believe the risk of a shock that could impair the Canadian financial system has decreased since the 2023 survey. Cyber incidents remained the top risk that organizations face. Geopolitical risks and risks associated with a slowdown in the global economy were the second most important risks, while market liquidity risks ranked third.

Click here to read more.

Thorold developer suggests land leasing as way to cut housing costs

The proponent behind a 39.84-hectare residential development in Thorold’s Rolling Meadows area, with a potential for over 600 mixed-use residential homes, suggested land leasing may be the key to making those homes more affordable.

In a presentation during Tuesday’s Thorold city council meeting, representatives from Bousfields Inc., the development planner, and Parkbridge Lifestyle Communities, the property owner, showed their plan for the development to be built along the future extension of Upper’s Lane.

Click here to read more.

Did you know?

The world’s first search engine was invented by a Canadian graduate student named Alan Emtage around 1988.

Focus on Human Resources

Ongoing feedback key to employee experience: workplace psychologist

Pivotal events like the COVID-19 pandemic have catalysed both continuity and transformation in employee expectations, creating new priorities such as flexibility and trust in leadership, which have reshaped the employee experience landscape.

That’s according to Benjamin Granger, chief workplace psychologist at Qualtrics.

The pandemic spurred changes in certain priorities, but Granger notes that certain “universal truths about what humans expect from the construct of work,” including the need for affiliation and self-efficacy and career progression, have remained consistently important.

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: April 30

April 30, 2024 | Daily Update

In this edition:

  • Mayor Siscoe presents Key to the City to Niagara’s Morning Man – Tim Denis
  • Niagara College awarded $266,000 investment from Intellectual Property Ontario
  • Time-of-use or tiered electricity rates? Alectra explains Summer Rate options for 2024
  • When is the next Ontario gas price jump expected? Energy analyst weighs in
  • Ontario moves ahead with Highway 413 project
  • Service industries lead GDP growth for second month in a row as 12 of 20 sectors report gains
  • Canadian businesses plan to focus more on product positioning than on cost cutting
  • Focus on Finance & Economy

Mayor Siscoe presents Key to the City to Niagara’s Morning Man – Tim Denis

On April 30th, St. Catharines Mayor Mat Siscoe presented the Key to the City to Tim Denis in honour of his accomplished career on the airwaves. The presentation was made at the conclusion of the Mayor’s long-standing post-Council wrap up interview conducted with Tim, which was all part of Denis’ final day on air.

Affectionately known as Niagara’s morning man, Tim Denis has been waking up Niagara for the last 29 years on 610 CKTB. Tim recently celebrated 47 years in radio and through much change in the media landscape, Tim has been a constant and trusted source for local news, verified content, as well as open and honest conversations about some of the hot topics in Niagara.

Click here to read more.

Niagara College awarded $266,000 investment from Intellectual Property Ontario

The Southern Ontario Network for Advanced Manufacturing Innovation (SONAMI), led by Niagara College, has been awarded $266,000 from Intellectual Property Ontario (IPON) for year two of its pilot program, further augmenting the capacity of Ontario postsecondary institutions’ innovation and commercialization efforts.

This program is part of the Commercialization Mandate Policy Framework, which was first introduced by the Government of Ontario in January 2022 to help colleges and universities advance the shared goal of ensuring that “made-in-Ontario” research and innovation benefit Ontarians.

Click here to read more.

Time-of-use or tiered electricity rates? Alectra explains Summer Rate options for 2024

Under the Ontario Energy Board’s (OEB) Regulated Price Plan (RPP), Alectra is reminding customers about important changes to their electricity rates during the upcoming summer season. Starting on May 1, 2024, until October 31, 2024, customers on Time-of-Use (TOU) and Tiered pricing will experience altered price periods compared to the winter season.

There is no requirement for Alectra’s customers to change their current rate plan unless they prefer a different option.

Click here to read more.

When is the next Ontario gas price jump expected? Energy analyst weighs in

The president of Canadians for Affordable Energy, who operates the gaswizard.ca website, says we’re likely headed for increased prices at the pump in the second half of the month.

Prices traditionally rise 6 to 10 cents per litre across the country in mid-May, as the unofficial summer driving season kicks off with the long weekend in Canada and the United States. In Canada, that’s around the Victoria Day long weekend — this year the holiday falls on May 20 — and in the U.S. the long weekend is a week later with Memorial Day on May 27.

Click here to read more.

Ontario moves ahead with Highway 413 project

The Ontario government is moving ahead to get shovels in the ground on Highway 413 after having reached an agreement with the federal government for the project to proceed. The province is currently undertaking fieldwork, including borehole drilling and engineering, to evaluate soil composition and bedrock depth.

The province will be meeting with property owners to acquire land at fair market value and following the coming into force of the Get it Done Act, if passed, will begin expediting land acquisitions in the fall.

Click here to read more.

Service industries lead GDP growth for second month in a row as 12 of 20 sectors report gains

Real gross domestic product (GDP) increased 0.2% in February, following a 0.5% gain in January. Services-producing industries (+0.2%) led the growth for a second month in a row, fuelled by gains in transportation and warehousing. The goods-producing industries aggregate was essentially unchanged as the mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction sector expanded while the utilities and manufacturing sectors contracted in February. Overall, 12 of 20 sectors increased in the month.

Click here to read more.

Canadian businesses plan to focus more on product positioning than on cost cutting

In 2022, Canadian business strategies for the next five years showed a preference for product positioning over cost cutting, a new Statistics Canada report has found. Specifically, just over half of businesses (51.2%) chose product positioning as their key long-term strategy, while 45.2% of businesses valued both product positioning and cost leadership equally. A small portion (3.6%) prioritized cost leadership for the period from 2023 to 2027.

In 2022, over half (54.1%) of the businesses that had competitors in their main market planned to focus on product positioning as their main long-term strategy, while 44.7% of the businesses that indicated they had no competitors reported product positioning as their main long-term strategy.

Click here to read more.

Did you know?

Canada’s first railway was opened in 1836 between La Prairie and Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Quebec. Test runs of the locomotive were conducted at night so as not to frighten locals.

Focus on Finance & Economy

Economy loses momentum after strong start to year

The Canadian economy lost momentum after a roaring start to the year, reinforcing economists’ expectations that the Bank of Canada is on track to cut interest rates in the coming months.

Statistics Canada reported on Apr. 30 that real gross domestic product rose 0.2 per cent in February. That followed a 0.5 per cent gain in January.

“Today’s GDP report confirmed our expectations that the January surge in output was temporary, and in no way marked an inflection point for the growth backdrop in Canada that remains very weak,” said RBC economist Claire Fan in a client note.

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: April 24

April 24, 2024 | Daily Update

In this edition:

  • Highway 406 speed limit permanently raise to 110km/h
  • Bob Gale appointed Niagara Parks Commission Chair
  • Declining gasoline sales leads retail downturn in February
  • Ontario pushing forward on modular home plans, invites businesses to participate in market sounding
  • Bank of Canada governors link stronger-than expected economic growth to population increase
  • Focus on Climate

Highway 406 speed limit permanently raise to 110km/h

The Ontario government is raising the speed limit permanently from 100 km/h to 110 km/h on 10 additional sections of provincial highways in northern and southern Ontario. The change builds on the safe and successful increase to six sections of provincial highways in 2022 and aligns with posted speed limits in other jurisdictions across Canada. Among those being raised is Highway 406 from Thorold to Welland, a stretch of approximately 13 km.

Click here to read more.

Bob Gale appointed Niagara Parks Commission Chair

The Niagara Parks Commission is pleased to announce the appointment of Bob Gale as the new Chair of the provincially appointed Board of Commissioners, effective April 11, 2024. Gale replaces outgoing chair April Jeffs who previously served as Vice-Chair and Chair respectively from 2019 to 2024.

Click here to read more.

Declining gasoline sales leads retail downturn in February

Retail sales decreased 0.1% to $66.7 billion in February, Statistics Canada reports. Sales were down in five of nine subsectors and were led by decreases at gasoline stations and fuel vendors (-2.2%).

Statistics Canada is providing an advance estimate of retail sales, which suggests that sales were unchanged in March. Owing to its early nature, this figure will be revised.

Click here to read more.

Ontario pushing forward on modular home plans, invites businesses to participate in market sounding

Associate Minister of Housing Rob Flack today announced that the Government of Ontario is moving forward with the next steps in their plan to build more modular homes.

“Modular housing will be an important part of the solution to Ontario’s housing supply crisis by building high-quality homes of all types that are manufactured at scale off-site, providing the opportunity to build more homes faster and at a lower cost,” Minister Flack said.

Modular housing developers and providers can participate in the market sounding exercise on Infrastructure Ontario’s webpage.

Click here to read more.

Bank of Canada governors link stronger-than expected economic growth to population increase

In a summary of the Bank of Canada Governing Council’s deliberations this month, the Bank noted that a sizable upward revision to projected growth in the first half of this year is largely supported by stronger-than-expected population growth. After stalling in the second half of 2023, economic growth was expected to strengthen in early 2024.

With both GDP and potential output growing at roughly the same rate in 2024, the economy was expected to remain in excess supply through the year. The output gap was expected to begin narrowing in 2025 as GDP growth picks up slightly and potential output growth slows due to lower population growth in 2025 and 2026.

Click here to read more.

Did you know?

Champagne bottles are pressurized to about 90 PSI – about three times the pressure in a car tire.

Focus on Climate

Climate change causes extreme weather events across the world that endanger people’s lives and disrupt the businesses on which they depend. In Africa, for example, recurring droughts, floods and cyclones due to climate change might cause crop failures and food insecurity. As businesses make plans to mitigate climate risks such as extreme weather events, they have an opportunity to innovate with new business models and demonstrate leadership by implementing more sustainable practices.

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.

Share this:

Daily Update: April 12

April 12, 2024 | Daily Update

In this edition:

  • Government of Canada unveils Canada’s Housing Plan
  • Hints of active spring market in March housing data: realtors
  • NotL chamber president steps down, search on for interim leader
  • 610 CKTB’s Tim Denis announces his replacement
  • UNF welcomes first students on campus for inaugural Spring Term
  • Cogeco releases financial results for Q2 2024
  • Focus on Equity, Diversity & Inclusion

Government of Canada unveils Canada’s Housing Plan

The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Chrystia Freeland, and the Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities, Sean Fraser, today unveiled the federal government’s ambitious housing plan, Solving the housing crisis: Canada’s Housing Plan, supported by new investments from the upcoming Budget 2024.

The plan lays out a strategy to unlock 3.87 million new homes by 2031. This includes a minimum of 2 million net new homes, on top of the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation’s forecast of 1.87 million being built anyway by 2031. Federal actions in this plan, in Budget 2024, and taken in fall 2023 will support at least 1.2 million new homes, and the Government of Canada calls on all orders of government to build at least 800,000 more homes by 2031.

Click here to read more.

Hints of active spring market in March housing data: realtors

While there are expectations the Canadian housing market will pick up on some level this year, home sales and prices were mostly unchanged on a month-over-month basis in March 2024, according to the latest data from the Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA).

Home sales activity recorded over Canadian MLS® Systems edged up 0.5% between February and March 2024, holding around 10% below an average of the last 10 years.

Click here to read more.

NotL chamber president steps down, search on for interim leader

After two years at the helm and being a major player in Niagara-on-the-Lake’s post-COVID business recovery, NOTL Chamber of Commerce and Tourism Niagara-on-the-Lake president and CEO Minerva Ward has left her post.

In a media release dated April 9, board chair Andrew Niven said the search for an interim president and CEO has already begun.

Click here to read more.

610 CKTB’s Tim Denis announces his replacement

We now know who will be waking Niagara up when CKTB’s Tim Denis retires.

Denis, who has hosted Niagara in the Morning for 29 years, announced his retirement last month after a successful 47-year broadcasting career.

Denis announced that Steph Vivier will be taking over after his last broadcast on April 30th.

Click here to read more.

UNF welcomes first students on campus for inaugural Spring Term

A new chapter in higher education began this week, as the University of Niagara Falls Canada opened its doors to students for the first day of classes at its newly renovated downtown campus.

The country’s newest university marked the start of its inaugural spring term on Monday, April 8. The first intake of students was welcomed into two graduate programs: Master of Management and Master of Data Analytics.

Click here to read more.

Cogeco releases financial results for Q2 2024

Cogeco Communications Inc. announced its financial results for the second quarter ended February 29, 2024. Cogeco Connexion reported a fifth consecutive quarter of strong Internet subscriber growth, driven by a mix of new customers added under the Cogeco brand, which include fibre-to-the-home network expansions, and its digital oxio brand.

Revenue declined by 0.8% compared to the same period last year to $730.5 million, as revenue growth at Cogeco Connexion was offset by lower revenue at Breezeline.

Click here to read more.

Did you know?

Humans are responsible for only 49% of all internet traffic.

Focus on Equity, Diversity & Inclusion

The backlash against diversity, equity and inclusion in business is in full force − but myths obscure the real value of DEI

Few ideas in business are as misunderstood as DEI.

While opposition to DEI – diversity, equity and inclusion – has a long history, it has picked up steam recently.

In 2023, when Silicon Valley Bank collapsed, detractors claimed that the bank’s focus on DEI was responsible – rather than the bank overinvesting in bonds that suddenly lost much of their value.

Not long afterward, when a wall panel detached from an Alaska Airlines flight at 16,000 feet, opponents claimed without evidence that DEI’s corrosive effects were to blame.

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.

Share this:

Daily Update: April 10

April 10, 2024 | Daily Update

In this edition:

  • Ontario announces raft of red tape reduction measures projected to save 1.5 million hours per year
  • Bank of Canada maintains policy rate, expects “bumpy progress” in inflation reduction
  • NiagaraOpenData.ca relaunches to better serve Niagara’s open data community
  • Ontario Chamber launches new Artificial Intelligence hub
  • Non-residential building construction surges in Ontario
  • Brock business prof named among top global researchers making an impact
  • Seniors retirement complex gets green light from St. Catharines council
  • Restaurant transactions increased 404% in Niagara Falls on solar eclipse day, Square finds
  • Focus on Finance & Economy

Ontario announces raft of red tape reduction measures projected to save 1.5 million hours per year

Today, the Ontario government introduced the Cutting Red Tape to Build More Homes Act, 2024, as part of its ongoing commitment to cut red tape, speed up government processes and build at least 1.5 million homes by 2031.

This spring 2024 red tape reduction package includes a variety of measures that would improve service delivery while saving people and businesses time and money. These targeted steps would build on the actions Ontario has taken to cut red tape to date, which are expected to save people and businesses over 1.5 million hours and $1.2 billion every year.

Click here to read more.

Click here for a full list of measures in the Act.

Bank of Canada maintains policy rate, expects “bumpy progress” in inflation reduction

The Bank of Canada today held its target for the overnight rate at 5%, with the Bank Rate at 5¼% and the deposit rate at 5%. The Bank is continuing its policy of quantitative tightening.

The Bank expects the global economy to continue growing at a rate of about 3%, with inflation in most advanced economies easing gradually. The Bank has revised up its forecast for global GDP growth to 2¾% in 2024 and about 3% in 2025 and 2026. Inflation continues to slow across most advanced economies, although progress will likely be bumpy. Inflation rates are projected to reach central bank targets in 2025.

Click here to read more.

NiagaraOpenData.ca relaunches to better serve Niagara’s open data community

Entering its eighth year of providing a single point of access to Niagara’s open data, today the Niagara Open Data Community Consortium marks another milestone with the relaunch of NiagaraOpenData.ca, a community data catalogue where users can access data from across the region.

Open data is data that can be freely used, re-used and redistributed by anyone with very few restrictions. The data is provided to support transparency and accountability of organizations or to drive innovation and innovative approaches to address challenges faced in our community.

Click here to read more.

Ontario Chamber launches new Artificial Intelligence hub

Today, the Ontario Chamber of Commerce (OCC) announced the launch of its Artificial Intelligence (AI) Hub, an industry-academic collaboration to drive AI adoption among Ontario businesses – and evidence-based policymaking from government.

“The Ontario Chamber of Commerce aims to maintain Ontario’s global leadership in AI and emerging technologies,” said Daniel Tisch, President and CEO of the OCC. “By bringing together industry, academia, and policymakers, the OCC’s AI Hub will advance dialogue and action to maximize the benefits of AI for businesses, workers and communities across the province.”

The GNCC will host Nick Romano, CEO of Deeplite.ai, on April 24th at a Niagara Business Leadership Series event. Business and community leaders interested in learning more about the business applications of AI can sign up here.

Click here to read more.

Non-residential building construction surges in Ontario

Month over month, the total value of building permits in Canada increased 9.3% to $11.8 billion in February, new data released today by Statistics Canada shows. The non-residential sector grew 12.3% to $4.7 billion due to the issuance of several major construction permits. Ontario (+21.7% to $5.0 billion) led the growth, with gains occurring across all components.

 

The total monthly value of residential permits increased 7.4% to $7.1 billion in February. Ontario (+14.2% to $2.8 billion) contributed the most to the rise in value of both single-family and multi-family dwelling permits.

Click here to read more.

Brock business prof named among top global researchers making an impact

Brock University Professor Samir Trabelsi is one of 22 business school faculty members from around the world named to AACSB International’s 2024 Class of Influential Leaders.

AACSB (Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business) is the longest-serving accrediting body for business schools, accrediting less than six per cent of business schools globally. Their annual Class of Influential Leaders highlights faculty at accredited institutions who are advancing new knowledge and creating impact in business and society through their research.

Trabelsi is the CPA Ontario Distinguished Scholar and a Professor of Accounting and Governance at Brock’s Goodman School of Business. His research bridges the gap between academic insights and real-world applications, promoting better governance and sustainability reporting in the corporate world.

Click here to read more.

Seniors retirement complex gets green light from St. Catharines council

City council has cleared the way for a new seniors retirement complex with 430 units on a vacant field in west St. Catharines.

Councillors unanimously approved zoning bylaw amendments for 1298 Fourth Ave. where Shannex Inc. wants to build a facility in two phases west of St. Catharines hospital.

The first phase will consist of a total 255 units in an eight- and 10-storey tower. The units will offer a mix of 105 lifestyle suites for independent living, 72 all-inclusive suites for people who want light to moderate assistance and 78 supportive suites for those who require assisted living, memory care or enriched care services.

Click here to read more.

Restaurant transactions increased 404% in Niagara Falls on solar eclipse day, Square finds

Square, a point-of-sale system provider, says restaurants along the path of totality saw a spike in business activity on the day of the solar eclipse.

In Niagara Falls, sales revenue at restaurants that use Square’s tools and services increased by 404 per cent on Monday, compared to the average Monday in 2024. The data doesn’t account for sales at restaurants using other POS providers or cash sales. The company didn’t say how many businesses in Niagara Falls use its tools.

Elsewhere in Canada, Hamilton saw an increase of 67 per cent and Montreal saw a 55 per cent increase, Square said.

Click here to read more.

Did you know?

The lowest-grossing movie in history is officially 2006’s Zyzzyx Road, which made $30.

Focus on Finance & Economy

Economists react to Bank of Canada interest rate decision

The Bank of Canada’s latest interest rate announcement came as no surprise to experts who say the move highlights incoming cuts this summer.

On Wednesday, the central bank held rates at five per cent for the sixth consecutive announcement, although Governor Tiff Macklem noted that he is now seeing the necessary conditions for a cut, but wants to see sustained progress before lowering rates.

The decision to hold fell in line with unanimous expectations from economists tracked by Bloomberg, including Warren Lovely, chief rates strategist and managing director at National Bank Financial, who called the announcement “pretty appropriate.”

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: April 5

April 5, 2024 | Daily Update

In this edition:

  • Niagara unemployment rate ticks up to 7.6%, following provincial and national trends
  • Queen’s Park issues Request for Proposals on Garden City Skyway project
  • Lincoln businesses encouraged to apply for 2024 Niagara Benchlands Destination Development Fund
  • Prime Minister announces new Homebuilding Technology and Innovation Fund
  • Government of Canada “disappointed” at border services strike vote
  • Niagara Regional Police announce road closures for April 8 eclipse event
  • Niagara needs to double down on primary care: NHS President
  • Focus on Equity, Diversity & Inclusion

Niagara unemployment rate ticks up to 7.6%, following provincial and national trends

Niagara’s unemployment rate increased to 7.6% in March 2024, Statistics Canada reported today. This was the second consecutive increase after a slight dip in January. The unemployment rate has been slowly increasing since a low of 4% one year ago, in March 2023.

Canada’s unemployment rate jumped to 6.1 per cent in March as more people looked for work. The figure is up from 5.8 per cent in February and marks the largest increase in the unemployment rate since summer 2022. Statistics Canada says the rise in the jobless rate was driven by an increase of 60,000 people searching for work or temporarily laid off.

Today’s report shows job losses last month were concentrated in accommodation and food services, followed by wholesale and retail trade and professional, scientific and technical services.

Youth are particularly feeling the chill in the labour market. Employment among those aged 15 to 24 declined by 28,000 in March and the jobless rate for the group rose to 12.6 per cent, the highest it’s been since September 2016, outside of 2020 and 2021.

While Ontario’s unemployment rate also increased, Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade Vic Fedeli highlighted Ontario’s 26,100 new jobs created last month, including 11,400 jobs in the construction sector and 7,100 jobs in the manufacturing sector.

Click here to access Statistics Canada’s interactive Labour Force Survey app.

Queen’s Park issues Request for Proposals on Garden City Skyway project

The Ontario government has issued a Request for Proposals to advance the expansion of the Queen Elizabeth Way (QEW) Garden City Skyway.
The Skyway expansion includes construction of a new four-lane, 2.2-kilometre bridge across the Welland Canal, as well as the rehabilitation and full deck replacement of the current bridge. Once complete, each bridge will have four lanes with the new bridge carrying Toronto-bound traffic and the upgraded existing bridge carrying Niagara-bound traffic.

Click here to read more.

Lincoln businesses encouraged to apply for 2024 Niagara Benchlands Destination Development Fund

The Niagara Benchlands Destination Development Fund is now open for the 2024 season!

The Fund will be used to help support new and expanded projects and foster innovative, capacity-building tourism products and initiatives that have a measurable impact on Lincoln’s tourism economy.

Eligible for funding are tourism-based businesses and organizations within the municipal boundaries of the Town of Lincoln. These include for-profit businesses, not-for-profit businesses, public sector agencies, and private sector agencies contributing to Lincoln’s diverse tourism economic value chain.

Applications for the 2024 Niagara Benchlands Destination Development Fund are being accepted until Monday, May 6, 2024, at 5:00 p.m. Interested parties can find the application form and guidelines at Lincoln.ca.

Click here to read more.

Prime Minister announces new Homebuilding Technology and Innovation Fund

The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, today announced a package of over $600 million to make it easier and cheaper to build more homes.

These measures, from the upcoming Budget 2024, include:

  • Launching a new $50 million Homebuilding Technology and Innovation Fund.
  • Delivering $50 million to modernize and expedite home building through the regional development agencies.
  • Delivering $500 million to support rental housing.
  • Launching a modernized Housing Design Catalogue.

This announcement follows similar news this week, including a $15 billion top-up to the Apartment Construction Loan Program, a new $6 billion Canada Housing Infrastructure Fund, a new $1.5 billion Canada Rental Protection Fund, and a $400 million top-up to the Housing Accelerator Fund.

Click here to read more.

Government of Canada “disappointed” at border services strike vote

In a media release issued today by the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat, the Government of Canada said that “it is disappointing to see that the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) has chosen to call a strike vote for employees from the Canada Border Services Agency (Border Services FB group).”

On April 10 and 22, 2024, the employer and PSAC are attending Public Interest Commission (PIC) hearings at the Federal Public Sector Labour Relations and Employment Board. Following these hearings, the PIC, a third-party body that includes a union nominee, will make recommendations to the employer and PSAC to help reach a settlement.

The union represents six hundred Canada Border Services workers stationed in Niagara, who could potentially walk off the job after a successful strike vote.

Click here to read more.

Niagara Regional Police announce road closures for April 8 eclipse event

Planning for the April 8, 2024, solar eclipse remains ongoing in the Niagara Region to have a safe and enjoyable event. To allow for the safety of pedestrians, traffic management, and the movement of emergency vehicles, the Niagara Regional Police have announced that there will be planned road closures in the City of Niagara Falls and the Town of Fort Erie.

The police also noted that unplanned road closures could also occur on the day itself, according to their ongoing assessment of the event.

Click here to see the list of planned road closures.

Niagara needs to double down on primary care: NHS President

According to the Ontario College of Family Physicians, by 2026, an estimated four million Ontarians will be without a family doctor, Niagara Health President and Chief Executive Officer, Lynn Guerriero and ED physician at the Marotta Family Hospital in St. Catharines, Dr. Ryan Chadwick wrote in an op-ed published today.

Currently, 2.3 million individuals are navigating the complexities of their health without a primary care provider, and the strain on hospitals is palpable.

In order to see positive, long-term change in the health care system, Guerriero and Chadwick said, we have to double down on what we know is the best primary care, and that is comprehensive, team-based care.

Click here to read more.

Did you know?

The latest generation of MOSFETs – silicon chips – are made on a 3 nanometre process. At their thinnest points, 3,750 of the traces in these chips put together would be the width of a human hair.

Focus on Equity, Diversity and Inclusion

Neurodiversity in the workplace: a strengths-based approach

Promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in the workplace is a priority for ethical employers who want to optimize productivity and leverage the full potential of their workforce.

Fairness and inclusion in the workplace also provide a sense of psychological safety for all employees, which helps them thrive at work.

With that in mind, how should we embrace neurodiversity in the workplace?

How can the workforce in general be more accepting and understanding, and how can management promote a neuroinclusive workplace?

To help employers, managers, and HR professionals out, we’ve created this special article on neurodiversity in the workplace. It explains the neurodiversity paradigm and different neurotypes.

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.

Share this:

Daily Update: March 26

March 26, 2024 | Daily Update

In this edition:

  • Minister of Finance delivers Budget 2024 for Ontario
  • Need to improve Cdn. business productivity rises: BoC official
  • Niagara Parks and local municipalities announce traffic management and safety plan for upcoming total solar eclipse
  • Niagara Region council stays neutral in home heating dispute
  • Plans for Welland hospital include emergency care: Guerriero
  • Brock opens facility dedicated to enhancing adaptive physical activity
  • Focus on Finance & Economy

Minister of Finance delivers Budget 2024 for Ontario

Today, Minister of Finance Peter Bethlenfalvy released the 2024 Budget: Building a Better Ontario. Like the rest of the world, Ontario continues to face economic uncertainty due to high interest rates and global instability.

Highlights of the Province’s actions include:

  • Investing $1 billion in the new Municipal Housing Infrastructure Program and quadrupling the Housing-Enabling Water Systems Fund to a total of $825 million.
  • Connecting approximately 600,000 people to primary health care with a total additional investment of $546 million over three years.
  • Launching a new $200 million Community Sport and Recreation Infrastructure Fund.
  • Proposing to extend the temporary cuts to the gasoline tax rate by 5.7 cents per litre and the fuel (diesel) tax rate by 5.3 cents per litre until December 31, 2024.
  • Helping workers and job seekers, including apprentices, get the skills they need to advance their careers with an additional $100 million investment in 2024–25 through the Skills Development Fund Training Stream.
  • Supporting individuals facing unstable housing conditions and dealing with mental health and addictions challenges by investing an additional $152 million over three years towards various supportive housing initiatives designed to support vulnerable people.

“Our responsible approach allows us to support Ontario families, workers and municipalities while retaining a path to balance,” said Minister Bethlenfalvy.

Click here to read more.

Need to improve Cdn. business productivity rises: BoC official

A senior Bank of Canada official says the need to improve productivity has reached an emergency level as the economy faces a future where inflation may be more of a threat than in the past few decades.

In a speech, senior deputy governor Carolyn Rogers says an economy with low productivity can only grow so quickly before inflation sets in.

But, she says, an economy with strong productivity can have faster growth, more jobs and higher wages with less risk of inflation.

Click here to read more.

Niagara Parks and local municipalities announce traffic management and safety plan for upcoming total solar eclipse

In anticipation of high visitation levels in Niagara Falls and Fort Erie with guests traveling to the area to view the upcoming total solar eclipse on Monday, April 8, 2024, a road closure plan will be implemented to reduce challenges due to vehicular congestion and increase the safety of pedestrians.

Click here to read more.

Niagara Region council stays neutral in home heating dispute

Concerns about housing affordability versus protecting the environment collided at in Niagara Region council chambers over a motion in support of an Ontario Energy Board (OEB) decision ending subsidies for new natural gas pipeline construction in housing developments.

The OEB decision would require developers to pay upfront for new connections in 2025, which it said would incentivize builders to choose the most cost-effective and energy-efficient option, such as heat pumps.

Click here to read more.

Plans for Welland hospital include emergency care: Guerriero

Paramedics will continue to deliver patients to Welland hospital.

Despite some residents’ concerns the Welland emergency department will become an urgent care centre, Niagara Health president and chief executive officer Lynn Guerriero said the Third Street building will continue to operate with an emergency department offering most of the services it now does.

“It’s not going to be a UCC (urgent care centre),” she said.

In some cases, she said, patients arriving at the hospital may need to be transferred to another site.

Click here to read more.

Brock opens facility dedicated to enhancing adaptive physical activity

After three decades of offering programming at community locations across the region, the Brock-Niagara Centre of Excellence in Inclusive and Adaptive Physical Activity (CAPA) has officially opened its own space.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony and open house was held for the Centre on Thursday, March 21 at 130 Lockhart Dr. in St. Catharines. Members of the local community, Brock employees and student volunteers, CAPA members and their families, and representatives from all levels of government attended the celebration.

Click here to read more.

Did you know?

It takes 2,700 litres of water to make a cotton t-shirt.

Focus on Finance & Economy

Ontario deficit will triple as economy weakens, 2024 budget shows

High interest rates are expected to take a toll on Ontario’s economy this year, the province said in its 2024 budget, which includes projections of weak economic growth and a ballooning deficit.

Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy tabled the government’s $214-billion budget at Queen’s Park Tuesday, saying it is investing in housing, roads and public services during a time of uncertainty without raising taxes.

The 200-page document forecasts Ontario’s deficit will more than triple from $3 billion last year to $9.8 billion in 2024-2025 — the highest non-COVID budget deficit since former premier Kathleen Wynne’s 2014 spending plan.

Last year’s budget predicted Ontario would be back in the black with a modest surplus of $200 million by 2024-2025. Now, the province doesn’t expect to return to balance until 2026-2027, when a $500 million surplus is projected.

The outlook for economic growth has “deteriorated significantly” over the last year, the government says, with gross domestic product (GDP) expected to slow to 0.3 per cent in 2024, down from the estimate of 1.2 per cent in last year’s budget.

Desjardins principal economist Marc Desormeaux says Desjardins and others are forecasting an economic slowdown, but Ontario should be able to weather the storm.

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: March 21

March 21, 2024 | Daily Update

In this edition:

  • Ontario passes fourth Working for Workers Act
  • Federal minimum wage rising to $17.30 per hour on April 1
  • Competition Bureau asks Dept. of Finance to reconsider mortgage stress test, adopt consumer-driven banking
  • framework
  • Queen’s Park announces $1.8B investment in housing-related infrastructure
  • Niagara Falls Council declines to take a position on quarry moratorium
  • Niagara Health beats national average of women in hospital leadership roles
  • 82% of internet users now bank online, but socioeconomic barriers prevent greater adoption
  • Despite what province says, Niagara Falls adamant it met its 2023 housing target
  • Focus on Equity, Diversity & Inclusion

Ontario passes fourth Working for Workers Act

The Working for Workers Four Act, 2023 has received Royal Assent, and its components are now law, including:

Click here to read more.

Federal minimum wage rising to $17.30 per hour on April 1

the federal minimum wage will increase from $16.65 to $17.30 per hour on April 1, 2024. This adjustment reflects the 3.9% increase in Canada’s annual average Consumer Price Index for 2023 and is aligned with inflation.

Approximately 30,000 employees in the federally regulated private sector will be affected by this raise. Employers are required to adjust their payroll information accordingly to ensure that all employees, including interns, receive the correct hourly wage starting April 1, 2024. Should the provincial or territorial minimum wage rate exceed the federal rate, employers must pay the higher of the two.

For more information, please refer to the Pay and minimum wage, deductions, and wage recovery webpage or contact the Labour Program at 1‑800‑641‑4049.

Click here to read more.

The submission makes two recommendations to lower switching costs for consumers and meaningfully advance competition. Notably, the Bureau:

  • encourages Finance to swiftly adopt a consumer-driven banking framework that will boost competition and innovation by challenging established providers and enabling new service providers; and
  • urges policymakers to reconsider the application of the stress test at mortgage renewal for uninsured borrowers, to allow them to switch lenders and benefit from competition.

Click here to read more.

Queen’s Park announces $1.8B investment in housing-related infrastructure

The Ontario government is investing more than $1.8 billion in housing-enabling infrastructure funding to advance its goal of building at least 1.5 million homes by 2031, including $1 billion for the new Municipal Housing Infrastructure Program and $625 million more for the Housing-Enabling Water Systems Fund, bringing its total funding to $825 million.

This new funding complements existing and ongoing provincial investments in housing- and community-enabling infrastructure, including the $1.2 billion Building Faster Fund, the original $200 million investment in the Housing-Enabling Water Systems Fund and the investment of nearly $2 billion for the Ontario Community Infrastructure Fund since 2021–22.

Click here to read more.

Niagara Falls Council declines to take a position on quarry moratorium

After receiving a request on February 6, 2024, to write a letter to the Province of Ontario requesting a moratorium on quarries from an interested resident, Niagara Falls City Council directed Staff to review the request and report back. Council then resolved in open session to take no position (i.e. neither accept nor deny) the request for a moratorium or an interim control by-law at this time.

The City has an active Official Plan and Zoning By-law Amendment application that is to be brought to a future Council Public Meeting. Supporting a moratorium or issuing an interim control by-law at this stage means that Council would effectively issue a decision denying the quarry application in advance of the process under the Planning Act that the City must follow and that is designed to evaluate these applications based on their merits.

Click here to read more.

Niagara Health beats national average of women in hospital leadership roles

Health care has historically been a sector with a predominantly female workforce. When it comes to leadership, it’s also one where the glass ceiling is showing cracks.

Women represent 82 per cent of Niagara Health’s staff. At the executive level, seven of nine leaders gathering around the table are women, some of whom began their career trajectory on the front lines of health care. The Board of Directors is also chaired by a woman, Marylee O’Neill.

Based on numbers alone, Niagara Health is above average when it comes to female representation at the decision-making tier in Canadian hospitals.

Click here to read more.

82% of internet users now bank online, but socioeconomic barriers prevent greater adoption

Internet use in Canada is prolific, with 94% of Canadians going online for personal use in 2022, up from 91% in 2018, Statistics Canada reported today. Not only are more Canadians using the Internet since the COVID-19 pandemic, but more are managing their personal and household finances online.

Based on data from the Canadian Internet Use Survey, 82% of Internet users conducted online banking in 2022, representing a small but significant increase from 80% in 2018.

Lack of Internet access has been consistently linked to socio-economic disparities. The lowest-income families had the lowest rates of Internet access, meaning reduced opportunities to manage finances online. Racialized populations were also less likely to bank online compared with the non-racialized, non-Indigenous population.

Click here to read more.

Despite what province says, Niagara Falls adamant it met its 2023 housing target

Municipal officials in Niagara Falls feel left out as they recently watched Welland and St. Catharines receive a combined $4 million from the province for hitting or exceeding 2023 housing targets.

The Building Faster Fund rewards municipalities based on overall targets and contributions to Ontario’s goal of 1.5 million starts by 2031.

During Tuesday’s Niagara Falls city council meeting, Coun. Mona Patel brought up the province’s housing supply tracking website that showed Niagara Falls at 68 per cent of its target.

“We’re not so sure about that (number),” said Mayor Jim Diodati, adding city officials have spoken to Paul Calandra, the province’s municipal affairs and housing minister, about the matter.

Click here to read more.

Did you know?

In 2022, Algoma carried 41% (23 million metric tonnes) of the cargo that was transported through the Welland Canal.

Focus on Equity, Diversity & Inclusion

Toxic positivity could be a problem in your workplace

It’s not too often the words ‘toxic’ and ‘positivity’ find themselves side by side. But one emotional intelligence expert argues that not only do they belong together, but the combo is finding its way into workplaces, potentially making them less healthy and less safe.

“Toxic positivity manifests in various forms within workplaces,” explains Joshua Freedman, CEO and co-founder of Six Seconds, a global think tank dedicated to leveraging emotional intelligence. “We often attempt to motivate people by urging them to maintain a positive outlook, yet workplaces frequently struggle to acknowledge emotions authentically.”

Freedman says health and safety professionals, pivotal in fostering safe and supportive work environments, can benefit significantly from understanding and addressing this phenomenon. He elucidates toxic positivity as the denial of difficult or unpleasant feelings, which inadvertently conveys the message that experiencing normal human emotions is somehow wrong.

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: March 18

March 18, 2024 | Daily Update

In this edition:

  • Canadian home prices see sudden end to declines in advance of spring market
  • Raw material prices down almost 5% year-over-year: StatCan
  • $228M decline in Ontario leads fall in January construction investment
  • Brock research farm to grow future of sustainable agriculture in Canada with $3.5M CFI grant
  • Chamber program helps Niagara charities
  • Focus on Technology

Canadian home prices see sudden end to declines in advance of spring market

Canadian home prices as measured by the seasonally adjusted Aggregate Composite MLS® Home Price Index (HPI) were flat on a month-over-month basis in February 2024, ending a streak of five declines that began last fall, according to the latest data from the Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA).

Click here to read more.

Raw material prices down almost 5% year-over-year: StatCan

The prices of raw materials purchased by manufacturers operating in Canada, as measured by the Raw Materials Price Index (RMPI), increased 2.1% month over month in February 2024 and decreased 4.7% year over year, Statistics Canada reported today.

Higher prices for crude energy products (+5.7%) led the increase in the RMPI in February. Conventional crude oil prices were up 6.1% and synthetic crude oil rose 10.1%. Despite the six-week consecutive increase in US crude inventories, the sustained high crude prices this month were partly influenced by the ongoing tensions in the Middle East and the expectation of OPEC+ to extend production restrictions into March. Furthermore, greater-than-anticipated demand from Asia influenced the upward trajectory of oil prices.

Click here to read more.

Click here to read more.

Brock research farm to grow future of sustainable agriculture in Canada with $3.5M CFI grant

Brock University’s cutting-edge research that advances Canada’s grape and wine industry is expanding from lab to field to other areas of agriculture thanks to a $3.5-million grant from the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI).

The funding supports the Clean Agriculture for Sustainable Production (CASP) Field Infrastructure project, which will include the establishment of a Brock-led research farm where scientists from Brock, other institutions and industry will develop agricultural innovations.

Click here to read more.

Chamber program helps Niagara charities

An initiative that grew out of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce’s group insurance benefits program to help small businesses offer benefits to their employees is now helping grassroots community organizations in Niagara.

The Johnston Group’s Higher Purpose Program contributes to community organizations by matching donations made by their local advisers to Niagara businesses. As part of the program, last week, the Garrett Insurance Group’s charitable Agape Fund presented cheques totalling $11,000 to Red Roof Retreat, Big Brothers Big Sisters Niagara and Youth Unlimited.

Click here to read more.

Did you know?

The first bricks were used for construction around 9,000 years ago. 

Focus on Technology

KPMG’s Generative AI Adoption Index provides fresh insights to help your organization drive a strong AI strategy and capture business value.

Ever since ChatGPT launched publicly on November 30, 2022, generative AI has caught the attention of users around the world – including Canada. One year after its launch, KPMG in Canada conducted a survey about generative AI use in Canada’s workplaces and compared the results to those from a survey we conducted earlier in the year. In just six months, the number of Canadians using generative AI at work rose 16 per cent, representing a 32 per cent annual growth.

In KPMG’s latest Generative AI Adoption Index, we examine Canada’s progress in adopting generative AI, the benefits it unlocks, use cases and risks at work. Whether you’re exploring or fully entrenched in AI, the Index report will help you make informed decisions, manage risks, and develop an AI strategy that drives business value for the long term.

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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