October 13th Newsletter

Niagara Region advocating for basic income guarantee as food costs rise

Niagara Region is calling on upper-tier governments to launch a basic income guarantee project as the increasing cost of nutritious food exceeds the budgets of low-income residents.

It’s one of several recommendations in a report presented at Tuesday’s public health and social services committee meeting based on a Nutritious Food Basket survey conducted in May. The survey looked at the cost of nutritious food at nine grocery stores in Niagara, and compared those costs to income, while also taking housing costs into consideration.

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Region must increase water rates by 7.15% per year for next decade

Niagara Region will need to increase its wholesale water and wastewater rates charged to lower-tier municipalities by 7.15 per cent annually for the next decade in order to keep its older facilities running while investing in new ones.

The increase is included in a new water and wastewater financial plan — municipalities are required to produce every five years to retain licences to operate facilities. That’s up from the last financial plan approved in 2019 that set annual investment targets at 5.5 per cent.

While the majority of the Region’s infrastructure is in good shape, a report to councillors listed 20 per cent of water assets and 28 per cent of wastewater facilities as in poor or very poor condition.

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Small Business Month, October 24, 8:00am

Get Set for Success with Small Business Month! Featuring power talks, topical sessions, resources, networking and more! Click here for information about our speakers!

Lunch & Learn: Sales Mastery – Connecting with Your Customers to Maximize Sales, October 25, 12:00pm

Learn how to become more effective at every stage of the sales process, from prospecting to service after the sale.

Niagara Economic Summit – Shaping a Better Future, November 1, 8:00am

We invite you to join us for crucial conversations examining the future of Niagara, and how we get there. 

Business After 5, November 7, 5:00pm

BA5 travels to Habitat for Humanity Niagara ReStore in Grimsby for an evening of networking, food, fun, and prizes! 

2023 Women in Business Awards, November 16, 11:00am

Since 2000, the WIBAs have been honouring enterprising women whose businesses and community contributions have made a significant difference in the region, and in the lives of Niagara residents. The awards are a symbol of achievement for those women who are an inspiration for others, exemplifying excellence, commitment and vision.

Media Release

City of Welland kicks off Fire Prevention Week October 8

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

October 10, 2023

Welland, ON – From October 8 to 14, the City of Welland recognizes Fire Prevention Week to help educate the community on fire safety and preparedness. This year’s theme, as announced by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), is “Cooking Safety Starts With You: Pay Attention to Fire Prevention”.

The campaign works to educate about the simple but important actions residents can employ when cooking to keep themselves and those around them safe.

“The City of Welland’s Fire and Emergency Services encourages all residents to learn more about fire safety, especially when cooking,” said Michael Atkins, fire prevention officer. “Because cooking fires spread quickly, too many homes have been damaged, and easily preventable fires have injured people.”

According to Statistics Canada, the leading cause of home fires is the result of cooking at home. While they account for 30 per cent of residential fires, cooking-oil fires account for half of all cooking-related fires.

In addition to their upcoming fire safety social media campaign, the Welland Fire and Emergency Services department kicked off Fire Safety Week, speaking with residents at Rona on Sunday. The department will also do a French presentation at Centre De Sante Communautaire Du Niagara on Thursday, October 12.

A recent Ontario study showed that residential fires have steadily decreased year-over-year, but residential still accounts for 74 per cent of structure loss.

Follow Welland’s Fire and Emergency Services social media accounts during Fire Prevention Week for fire safety and cooking tips. To learn more about fire prevention programs and activities, please contact Welland’s Fire and Emergency Services. For more general information about Fire Prevention Week and cooking safety, visit www.fpw.org.

For media inquiries, please contact:

Michael Atkins

Fire Prevention Officer

905-735-1700 x2407

zvpunry.ngxvaf@jryynaq.pn     

Grocery code of conduct nears the finish line

Canada’s first-ever grocery code of conduct, which is aimed at improving the industry’s supplier-retailer relationships, should be in operation early next year.

Though the rules of engagement of the code were completed in July, its governance—which includes the bylaws and operating procedures to get a not-for-profit organization up and running– remains a work in progress.

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Ontario announces creation of Canada’s first-ever Occupational Exposure Registry

The Ontario government has committed to creating Canada’s first-ever Occupational Exposure Registry to track harmful exposure levels, help diagnose workplace diseases faster, improve worker compensation, and reduce costs to the healthcare system. The registry will help address many of the 41 recommendations resulting from the province’s first-ever review of the occupational illness landscape, released in a report today.

Many workplace illnesses currently go undiagnosed or unreported because of the delay between exposure and symptoms, making it difficult to identify occupational disease risks and for workers to get financial support when they fall ill. The new registry would include comprehensive exposure records, identify at-risk workers, help with earlier diagnoses, and potentially contribute to expanding the list of presumptive illnesses in Ontario to improve worker compensation.

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