Labour market news

The Centre de services scolaire des Samares opened the expansion at the Saint-Alphonse-Rodriguez elementary school. The investment of over $13M included adding five classes, a double gymnasium, and staff rooms.

The Government of Quebec is investing $106M in rehabilitating the Quebec Central Railway  between Vallée-Jonction and Thetford Mines. Work is expected to be complete for 2025.

FLO, an electric charging station manufacturer based in Québec, received $6M from the Government of Quebec. This funding will contribute to the overall project cost of $23.8M in optimizing its charging stations. This project will create 25 jobs.

The Corporation Ski & Golf Mont-Orford is investing $2M in devices to cover the ski slopes in snow faster. Work is scheduled to begin this summer and should be complete by the next season.

Prevost, a bus manufacturer in Sainte-Claire, is looking to hire around 50 people to join 900 current employees by the end of the year. Over 150 more jobs will also be available in 2024.

Exceldor Cooperative , a poultry processing company, permanently closed the Agri-Bio slaughterhouse  in Saint-Agapit on April 21. This decision resulted in 67 employees losing their jobs.

The Cégep de Drummondville unveiled its new pharmacy labs. The investment of over $1M will allow students to get hands on experience working in a laboratory.

Les Matelots, a daycare in Pont-Rouge, began construction on its 100-spot facility on March 6. This project requires an investment of around $3M.

Three real estate developers  from Chaudière-Appalaches are investing $15.5M in building 76 luxury apartments in Disraeli. Work is scheduled to begin this fall.

A real estate developer invested $4.5M in building two commercial buildings in Thetford Mines. Work has already begun and should be complete by the end of fall 2023.

The Société québécoise du cannabis (SQDC) will open a new store in Montréal in the borough of Plateau-Mont-Royal by April

The Ville de Laval is investing $25M in building the Simonne-Monet-Chartrand community centre in the Val-Martin neighbourhood

The Ville de Val-des-Sources will invest $2.3M in rehabilitating a road and its water infrastructure. The project is scheduled to begin soon, and will receive $1.1M of funding from the Government of Quebec.

The Centre de services scolaire (CSS) de Portneuf is currently hiring to fill numerous positions, especially for childcare services

Following a $14M investment in a drinking water supply project in Nova Scotia, the Sherbrooke-based seawater desalination specialist Oneka  will create around 40 jobs within two years, doubling  its workforce

Logiflex, an office furniture manufacturer in Sherbrooke, will create 50 jobs in addition to 210 existing positions. This follows a $40M investment in building a new factory and automating production. The Government of Quebec is investing $10M in the project.

The three levels of government are investing $115M in renovating and rebuilding seven buildings in the Val-Martin neighbourhood in Laval, which will accommodate 359 households

Centre de Quilles 440 will close next April 30th after 33 years of activities

The Cégep de Saint-Félicien is investing $3M in building a new pavilion that will house the Service aux entreprises et aux collectivités (SEC). The project is scheduled to be delivered in August 2023.

MIGI Construction will soon begin the third phase of construction on Félicia, its residential project in Granby. This phase involves building 110 new units at a cost of $42M. The total project will have 234 units, and will require over $80M in investments.

Maison François, a restaurant in Sainte-Thérèse, closed on March 1 due to the pandemic and labour shortage

The Ecorecreo Group , a specialist in developing and operating creative activities, will be operating an aquarium at the Royalmount complex in Montréal in 2024. The construction of the project is estimated at tens of millions of dollars.

The Centre intégré universitaire de santé et de services sociaux de l’Estrie – Centre hospitalier universitaire de Sherbrooke is building senior and alternative housing, valued at $40M, in Magog. Work began in September 2021.

The Société québécoise du cannabis (SQDC) opened a store  in Montréal in the borough of Montréal-Nord, making it the 20th in the city

The Journée de l’emploi will take place on Thursday, March 23 from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the Palace Convention Centre  in Laval. Nearly 1,500 jobs will be available from around 90 employers.

COlab, a digital innovation hub  in Alma, opened its new volumetric  recording studio. This project required an investment of $1M.

The Ville de Gatineau received $51M in grants from the Government of Quebec to improve its water treatment  infrastructure

Boulangerie St-Méthode will close its plant in Magog at the end of April due to its inability to increase production. Around 20 employees will be affected by the closure.

The B.C. government is providing $1M in funding to support nearly 140 sport organizations throughout the province. The funding aims to aid sport-related events that attract visitors to B.C. and enable athletes to compete locally.

The B.C. government is providing 150 affordable homes, including transition houses, a short-term shelter and housing, for women and children. The new homes are opening or are under construction in four different locations, including New Hazelton, Lower Post, Duncan and Port Coquitlam.

Cool House Filipino Fusion opened its restaurant in Vancouver in February.

Kind Cafe and Eatery, a vegan cafe in Vancouver, will permanently close in April.

The Government of Canada is providing $840K in funding to support the development of a 1.5km multi-use path along Prairie Avenue in Port Coquitlam.

The Government of Canada is providing $1.2M towards 12 projects across the West Kootenays to support businesses, upgrade infrastructure and enhance tourism experiences. The projects aim to grow economic opportunities, create jobs and improve community wellness.

The B.C. government has issued an Environmental Assessment certificate for the construction and operation of the Cedar LNG project, a liquefied natural gas facility and marine export terminal located on Haisla-Nation-owned land in Kitimat. Nearly 500 people are expected to be employed at the facility during construction and approximately 100 people would be employed full-time when operational.

37 new affordable rental homes for low- or moderate-income seniors, individuals, and families, are under construction in Tofino. The jointly funded project is supported by the provincial and federal governments and municipal organizations.

The B.C. government and Telus are providing approximately $529K in joint funding to expand access to high-speed internet in more than 130 households on Westham Island, a community located in Delta.

The Government of Canada and TransLink are providing the City of Surrey with $21.8M towards the widening of 152 Street and Nicomekl bridge project to protect the transportation route from flooding. The City of Surrey approved spending $46M towards the project. The construction is expected to begin this month and completed by summer 2025.

The B.C. government has approved the development of the Blackwater Gold project, a planned open-pit gold mine located in central British Columbia, approximately 160 km southwest of Prince George. The project is expected to create 825 direct full-time jobs per year during the construction and expansion phases of the mine's development.

Le Parfait, a new Lebanese sweets restaurant, opened in Vancouver this month.

The Government of Canada is providing over $2.5M in funding to support 10 projects throughout the Fraser Valley and Fraser Canyon region, which aims to revitalize public spaces and support tourism related businesses. The project aims to improve community wellness, create jobs and grow the local economy.

North Vancouver’s Shipyards Night Market (SYNM), a seasonal night market, is reopening from May 12 to September 15, 2023. The night market features a beer garden, live music, market vendors and food trucks.

The City of Trail is seeking individuals interested in working as pool staff and lifeguards. Full and part-time work is on the offer, and potentially subsidized training.

The B.C. government has provided $40.9M in funding to support an expansion project at the Kwantlen Park Secondary School located in Surrey. The project aims to provide new learning spaces for 500 additional students.

Kent’s Kitchen, a restaurant located in Vancouver’s Chinatown, announced plans to permanently close in April.

The One Sixty, a wine bar and café, plans to open Port Moody’s first wine bar soon. The city currently has six craft breweries and one establishment for spirits.

The City of Vancouver is expecting an all-time record of 331 cruise ship visits with up to 1.3M passengers for the 2023 cruise ship season at Canada Place. The cruise ship passengers boarding and disembarking will support jobs and provide economic support to local restaurants, shops, hotels, and entertainment businesses.

Karen's Diner, an Australia-based restaurant, announced a pop-up experience in Vancouver from May 13 to 21.

The Government of Canada is providing over $1.7M in funding to support three Indigenous-led active transportations projects in Northern B.C., including the Nisga’a Village of Gitlaxt’aamix and Wiset First Nation for safer and accessible transportation. The infrastructure projects include new sidewalks, pedestrian pathways/bridges, bike lanes, trails and solar-powered lighting.

The B.C. government has provided a $700K grant to the B.C. division of the Canadian Mental Health Association, to support the development of free online resources and enhanced training programs which aim to facilitate safe and inclusive workplaces.

The Government of Canada is providing $30M in funding to continue supporting the implementation of Canada’s National Dementia Strategy and accelerate innovation in aging and brain health to support the well-being of older adults facing cognitive, emotional, and physical challenges.

JYSK, a Danish home goods retailer, will permanently close one of it Coquitlam locations this May. The closure is due to the expiring lease.

The B.C. government plans to expand the Provincial Tuition Waiver Program to all B.C. former youth in care at any age beginning on August 1, 2023. The program originally waived tuition and fees for post-secondary education for former youth in care between the ages of 19 and 26.

The B.C. government is providing $25M over three years for the creation of dedicated police-prosecutor-probation officer teams aimed at supporting the Repeat Violent Offending Intervention Initiative and enhance community safety. Over 55 jobs are expected to be created.

Sempre Uno, a new Italian restaurant, opened in North Vancouver this month.

BC Transit will be halting bus services in the Fraser Valley region, including Agassiz-Harrison, the Central Fraser Valley, Chilliwack and Hope from March 9 to 11. The handyDART services will remain at full capacity.

Trees Coffee, a BC-based café chain, opened a new location in Surrey this month.

Gas Liquids Engineering Ltd. has commenced engineering on a major carbon sequestration project near Weyburn. The project will transport carbon dioxide from industrial emitters to Whitecap Resources’ Carbon Capture Utilization and Storage.

Government of Canada’s Future Skills Centre provided $1.75M in funding to the Johnson Shoyama Graduate School (JSGS) of Public Policy to help advance sustainability goals in Saskatchewan municipalities. JSGS staff will work with municipalities to identify barriers and opportunities in sustainability planning.

The Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative based at the University of Saskatchewan will lead national efforts in wildlife disease surveillance. The Government of Canada will provide $2.1M over three years for the projects to improve the management of issues related to wildlife diseases.

Prairie South School Division is looking at creating its own bus drivers’ school. The initiative would see the division bring in groups of bus drivers to train together as opposed to one-on-one training that is currently provided.

The Southeast College in Estevan is working on a new on-campus sustainable innovation centre. The college is hoping to begin offering classes at the centre in the fall of 2023. The primary staff for the centre is in place, but as the program progresses there will be opportunities for instructors, researchers and custodians.

The City of Prince Albert will not be able to extend its transit hours as planned due to a shortage of available bus drivers. The extended-hours trial was set to begin March 13 and run for a year. A new date has not been set. The city is working with First Bus Canada to hire more drivers.

Great Plains College has partnered with International Council of E-Commerce Consultants, a leader in cybersecurity education, to offer cybersecurity programs. The online programs begun fall 2022 and offer industry-recognized certifications.

Alliance Health’s mental health and addiction treatment centre in Moose Jaw is set to double its beds. The centre will begin operating at full capacity in the next two months.

A new treatment for patients with blood cancer and lymphomas is now available in Saskatoon. The Government of Saskatchewan supplied $2.1M to launch the program and will be providing $6.7M annually to operate it and cover patient costs.

The Governments of Saskatchewan and Canada have reached an agreement on healthcare funding. The province will receive a one-time $61M investment and an additional $111M annually to the $6.4B healthcare budget.

Construction is underway on the new Holiday Inn Express hotel in Prince Albert. The hotel is expected to open in November 2023 and create about 20-full time and 5 part-time jobs once completed. Other developments confirmed for Prince Albert include a food service hub and a new aquatic and arena centre.

Square One Community Inc. is moving ahead with plans to open a drop-in warming centre and emergency overnight women’s shelter in Moose Jaw’s downtown. The new shelter will be located at the William Milne Place, owned by Moose Jaw Non-Profit Housing Corporation.

The Saskatchewan government plans to spend an additional $178.5M in unbudgeted money by the end of this fiscal year. The funds will go towards a variety of ministries and programs including health care, government relations, policing and advanced education.

The City of Prince Albert is looking to fill a new tourism coordinator position. The purpose of the position is to market the Prince Albert area, build advertising and tourism programs and enhance visitor centre operations.

NexGen Energy Ltd. has commenced its expanded 2023 exploration program in Saskatchewan. This program will follow-up the exploration drilling conducted in 2022. NexGen has also planned a major geophysical program in 2023 to identify drill targets in the southwest Athabasca Basin.

Minihkwe Brewery, Saskatchewan’s first Indigenous brewery, has opened in Saskatoon.

DEEP Earth Energy Production Corp. will begin construction this year on Canada’s first commercial-scale facility for producing electricity from geothermal heat. The company started engineering and procurement activities for the first phase of a 25-megawatt power facility in southeast Saskatchewan.

The Government of Yukon has launched a new service called MyYukon, which offers residents the convenient option to access certain government services online. This especially benefits smaller communities whose residents were previously required travel to Whitehorse to obtain certain services.

The Government of Yukon is proposing amendments to the Public Service Act and the Coroners Act to remove requirements for new employees and coroners to swear an oath of allegiance to the Crown, and instead swear a general oath of office. The proposed changes will support Yukon government's efforts to be an inclusive employer and remove barriers from the hiring process.

An Australian diamond mining company, Burgundy Diamond Mines, plans to acquire the Ekati diamond mine for $187M from Arctic Canadian Diamond Company. With the transition, Ekati’s mine plan is anticipated to support a mine life until 2028. Ekati mine employs 1,100 people, including 486 northerners.

Parks Canada is hiring for positions in the Nunavut Field Unit in Iqaluit, Pangnirtung, Pond Inlet, Qikiqtarjuaq, Repulse Bay, and Resolute. The positions include resource conservation, finance and administration, visitor experience and human resources. Candidates may be eligible for subsidized government housing, relocation assistance, and training and career development.

The Government of NWT, through the 2023 Healthy Choices Fund, is supporting healthy communities by providing up to $400,000 for health promotion and prevention. An additional $410,000 is available to support seniors, and help families and youth reduce harmful alcohol usage.

The Government of Canada is providing $120M from the Harvesters Support Grant and the new Community Food Programs Fund to support 112 northern and isolated communities. The two-year investment will help communities improve food sovereignty. Since 2020, the Harvesters Support Grant has supported over 5,500 harvesters in northern communities.

The federal and NWT governments are investing an additional $20M to replace the Dehk’è Frank Channel bridge. The new bridge will support the mining industry by supporting heavier loads and larger commodities. Pre-construction activities will start later this year, and major construction is expected to begin early next year, pending regulatory approvals.

The Government of Yukon is allocating an additional $3.5M per year in core funding for the RCMP, to hire more police officers, upgrade equipment, and cover operating costs. Part of the funding will hire 6.5 new full time officers and 1 staff member.

The Government of Canada is providing $402,157 to the Yukon Aboriginal Women's Council to prevent and address gender-based violence (GBV) against Indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people. The increase in capacity of Indigenous women's and 2SLGBTQQIA+ organizations will enable them to address the root causes of GBV and support Indigenous women and their communities.

The Government of Canada is providing $384,000 in funding, via the IDEANorth program, in support of infrastructure upgrades to Techi?Q Ltd.’s Grey Goose Lodge.

The Government of Canada is providing $405,000 to the Nunavut Inuit Wildlife Secretariat to conduct professional development workshops for Hunters and Trappers Organizations (HTOs). The two-year program will train HTO managers in 24 Nunavut communities on programs, policies and procedures.

Assiniboine Community College is offering a second intake at its Practical Nursing program in Virden. The rural rotating site will accept 25 students in 2024, with priority given to those living within 100km of Virden.

The Government of Manitoba is providing $450,000 to Indigenous Tourism Manitoba. The non-profit organization will use the funding to offer coaching and training to its members and host a Manitoba Indigenous Tourism Conference.

Winnipeg School Division is hiring 25 new educational assistants and six bilingual language teachers in 2023-2024. The division received a funding increase this year, but not enough to reinstate 130 teaching positions eliminated in previous years due to budget shortfalls.

The Winnipeg Regional Health Authority recently launched a recruitment drive to address the shortage of home care workers in Manitoba. The health authority is offering a free, four-week training program with the goal of adding 300 new staff.

The Government of Manitoba is spending $2.1M to create a province-wide child abuse investigation unit. It will begin work in June 2024 and will be located at the Toba Centre for Children and Youth’s new facility in Winnipeg.

Construction has concluded on upgrades to the Wawanesa and District Recreation Centre. Federal funding of $832,000 allowed the Rural Municipality of Oakland-Wawanesa to replace the facility’s two ice plants and upgrade its HVAC system.

The Government of Canada is providing over $1M to five Indigenous tourism initiatives across Manitoba. Projects include launching new exhibits at the Winnipeg Art Gallery, reopening a fishing lodge in Norway House, and supporting the work of the Manitoba Indigenous Tourism Association.

The Brandon School Division will increase staffing in 2023-2024, adding 27 full-time equivalent teaching positions and 23 educational assistants. The division also reinstated four previously-cut positions, including a psychologist and research and evaluation specialist.

The Government of Manitoba is providing a total $323,000 to 67 community events across the province. These include winter festivals, sporting events, concerts, celebrations, and art exhibitions.

The Government of Manitoba is increasing the number of skilled immigrants that can come to the province in an effort to address labour shortages. As many as 9,500 people may be nominated through the provincial nominee program in 2023, a record high and an increase of 3,175 over last year.

Activate Games is opening a second Winnipeg location this month, in the Transcona neighbourhood. The Winnipeg-based interactive gaming company has 10 facilities across Canada and the U.S., and its newest will employ about a dozen staff.

The provincial government released a $4.1B, five-year infrastructure plan that outlines more than 800 capital projects. Highway projects account for over $2.5B and include expanding the highway to Ontario to four lanes, and converting Winnipeg’s Perimeter Highway to a freeway.

In its 2023 budget, the Government of Manitoba is allocating $81M to help disability services organizations raise wages for their support workers. The average hourly funding rate will increase to $19 from the current $15.11 per hour.

Winnipeg’s Health Sciences Centre is opening a new minor-treatment clinic to reduce stress on its emergency room. Staff will initially consist of one doctor and one nurse, and eventually social workers and nurse practitioners. The provincial government is providing $2.4M toward annual operating costs.

The provincial government is budgeting $7.9B for health care in 2023, up $668M from the previous year. This includes the first stages of a $1.2B multi-year capital campaign that will add capacity to nine health care facilities across the province.

The Manitoba Government is providing a total $2M to nine women’s resource centres across the province. The funding will help with operating costs and programming related to preventing family violence.

The City of Winnipeg is providing $12.6M to restore the Carnegie Library. The building was damaged by flooding in 2013, requiring the City of Winnipeg Archives to be temporarily housed elsewhere. The renovations will take about three years to complete.

The Government of Alberta is hoping to address labour shortages in sectors like skilled trades, health care, food service and hospitality, accounting, engineering and technology through a second round of its "Alberta is Calling" campaign. The campaign has launched in northern and southwestern Ontario and the Maritimes.

Ribeye Butcher Shop in Edmonton is expanding to two new locations this spring and another location is in the planning stage, bringing its total footprint in the city to five stores. Ribeye is among several local butcher shops that have recently opened.

Employers in Banff, Canmore and Lake Louise are continuing to struggle with staff recruitment and retention amidst a competitive job market. Some employers have increased wages along with other benefits including staff housing, and discounts on gym memberships, airport parking and car rentals.

The Government of Alberta is allocating more than $820M in new funding in its budgets over the next three years to support enrollment growth in schools. The flexible funding could be used by local school authorities to hire teachers, educational assistants, bus drivers and school support staff.

The Government of Alberta is expanding the office of the Chief Firearms Officer (CFO) from 30 to 70 employees this year along with an annual budget of $5.8M.

Mc Cain Foods, the world’s leading French fry maker is making the largest investment in its history, a $600M expansion of its potato processing facility in Coaldale, near Lethbridge. The expansion will create two new state-of-the-art production lines, double production and create about 260 new jobs. Construction on the expansion is expected to start later in 2023.

Borea Construction, a renewable energy construction company, is one of several businesses actively recruiting for wind turbine technicians in the Lethbridge area in a job market facing staff shortages.

Rita’s Sandwiches, a restaurant and catering service operating in Calgary for the past 19 years, is closing permanently on March 24, 2023.

Calgary-based E3 Lithium Ltd. has been awarded $3.545M through Natural Resources Canada's Critical Minerals Research, Development and Demonstration program. The funding will be allocated in its entirety towards the design, construction and operation of E3's field pilot plant, which is slated to begin operations in Q3 2023.

Calgary-based Lynx Air is launching new air service three times per week between Fredericton International Airport (YFC) and both Calgary International Airport (YYC) and Toronto Pearson International (YYZ). Lynx plans to grow its fleet from 6 to 9 aircraft over the next 3 months in anticipation of a busy summer in Canada.

Canadian Pacific Railway Ltd. has received U.S. rail regulator approval for the US$31B takeover of the Kansas City Southern Railway Company. The merged railway, creating the only single-line rail network linking Canada, the U.S. and Mexico, will be named Canadian Pacific Kansas City, with Calgary as the global headquarters.

The City of Calgary is planning to start construction this summer on a pedestrian tunnel and bridge associated with preliminary work on the planned Ogden Station, part of the Green Line LRT Project.

Calgary-based WestJet is acquiring Sunwing Airlines and Sunwing Vacations. The tour operations will be merged at the current Sunwing Vacation home base of Toronto, while WestJet will manage Sunwing Airlines from its Calgary headquarters.

Edmonton-based Aurora Hydrogen, a hydrogen technology company, is hiring five new employees with plans to add approximately seven more staff once its planned demonstration facility is operational later in 2023. Aurora recently received $3.9M in funding from Sustainable Development Technology Canada and $2M from Alberta Innovates.

The Government of Canada is providing approximately $3.72M for four projects in Edmonton to help improve tourist attractions through infrastructure improvements, new programming and technology aids. The funding is expected to support 55 jobs in the city.

The Alberta Enterprise Corporation is investing CAD$2.5M into the $14.4M Sprout Fund II. Sprout is a venture capital fund designed to provide seed-stage capital to business-to-businesss software startup companies.

The Government of Alberta is providing $414 million over the next three years to support school transportation improvements. This includes increased funding for driver training that will support 1,250 drivers, including 350 new drivers, and increase the driver workforce by six per cent.

EDP Renewables North America LLC, a renewable energy company headquarterd in Madrid, and Invest Alberta Corporation (IAC) are partnering to continue the development of one wind farm and two solar parks in the province. The agreement includes a committment to create a talent pipeline through Alberta’s post-secondary institutions to support EDPR NA’s expansion plans.

Calgary-based Eguana Technologies Inc., a manufacturer of technologically advanced residential and commercial energy storage systems, has increased its production capacity by installing additional testing equipment for its inverter systems. Eguana has also transitioned its 10kW Full Home Evolve solution to full scale production and started initial customer shipments.

Costco Wholesale Canada Ltd. is planning a new warehouse location at the Bingham Crossing development near the Springbank Airport in Rocky View County. Costco has applied for a development permit from the county but there is currently no timeline for construction.

Fitzsimmons Brewing Company, a micro-brewery located in Airdrie, is closing on April 29, 2023 after five years of operation. In addition to their beer offerings, the brewery also hosted live comedy and other weekend entertainment events.

The Government of Alberta is providing $54M through the Affordable Housing Partnership Program to support 17 projects in nine communities across the province.The funding will develop new affordable housing units, convert existing office or hotel space into housing and enable major renovations to improve existing units.

The Government of Alberta is providing $10.7M to Women Building Futures, a non-profit organization, to support women looking to build a career in the skilled trades.

The Government of Alberta is providing $10M annually in operational funding to The Summit, a new $39M mental health centre for children and youth in Calgary. Summit will provide three programs — no-cost, walk-in therapy sessions; services to address escalating symptoms to keep youth out of acute care; and a day hospital to transition patients out of round-the-clock treatment.

The federal government is committing more than $2M to improve search and rescue (SAR) standards in Alberta. The funding will support training, accreditation and certification for SAR personnel.

The Government of Alberta is allocating almost $200M in its recent budget for more than 3,400 new spaces in health care programs at universities and colleges. The funding will also increase residency training spaces for physicians among other health care initiaitves.

Telsec Property Corp. is renovating a former car dealership building in Calgary to develop a retail footprint on the site. Lammle’s Western Wear is moving to the building from its current Chinook Centre location and the remainder of the building is dedicated to a Homes Alive Pets store.

The Government of Alberta is creating a Gang Suppression Unit and a Firearms Investigative Unit under Alberta Law Enforcement Response Teams (ALERT) along with $4.4M for the province-wide units.

PanTHERA CryoSolutions, which designs and manufactures cryopreservation solutions, is receiving advisory services and up to $395,700 in funding from the National Research Council of Canada Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC IRAP) to accelerate research, development, and commercialization of its patented ice recrystallization inhibitors.

The Government of Alberta is providing $11M to develop an aviation hub in partnership with WestJet. The funding includes $6M over three years to help Mount Royal University establish a bachelor of aviation management program and $4.5M for an air access bursary for students in high-demand aviation programs.

More than 100 stakeholders have come together to address labour shortages within Canada's agriculture workforce. Canada's agriculture industry contributes over $130B to the national economy, but needs a stable and skilled workforce to remain competitive.

As P.E.I. deals with a health-care crisis, the use of physician assistants is being discussed as a way to ease the workload of doctors. Three universities in Canada offer the two-year graduate level program and physician assistants are in high demand.

Results from a 2022 national CFIA soil sampling survey show that no potato wart was detected in samples taken from fields in N.S. and N.B. Seed potatoes from P.E.I. are still not allowed in the U.S. after potato wart was found in two fields in 2021.

P.E.I. housing prices have had three straight years of double-digit price increases, having gone up 10.0% in 2020, 24.8% in 2021, and 16.8% in 2022. The benchmark price for a P.E.I. home in 2022 reached $353,308, while P.E.I. wages remain the lowest.

More than 100 stakeholders have come together to address labour shortages within Canada's agriculture workforce. Canada's agriculture industry contributes over $130B to the national economy, but needs a stable and skilled workforce to remain competitive.

Provincial registry figures for March show 137,587 people (about 14% of the population) currently looking for a family doctor or nurse practitioner, up about 4,000 from February, setting a new all-time high. The central zone, which includes Halifax, saw the largest increase at 4.7%.

The N.S. Government has announced a $2.1M investment in the Westville Miners Sports Centre. The upgrade will replace the existing ice plant, cement flooring, refrigeration system and humidification system with more modern and efficient alternatives.

The Government of Canada announced combined Federal, Provincial and Municipal funding of over $28.8M to upgrade wastewater and active transportation infrastructure in the Town of Lunenburg and the Municipality of the District of Lunenburg.

Snow crab prices plunged by 60% in 2022 due to a drop in US consumer demand due to inflation resulting in a glut of supply in storage which is expected to continue to depress prices. Atlantic lobster prices also fell about 30% in 2022 but a rebound is predicted in the upcoming season with little inventory currently available.

The N.S. Government announced $37.4M in funding for St. Francis Xavier University to help launch a new health research institute. The university currently has 75 health-focused researchers and expects this will lead to more research positions. The new building will cost $63.1M and is expected to open in 2026.

New/Coming Soon Businesses: Zesty Pizza (Spryfield), Dodo’s Chicken (Halifax); Closures: Local Jo Cafe (Halifax), Mark’s Work Warehouse (Sunnyside Mall), World Gym (Dartmouth).

Over $7.1M in one-time provincial funding grants will be distributed to community groups providing mental health programs. The Mental Health Foundation of N.S. will receive $3M to administer the grants for mental health and addictions projects and services across the province.

Michelin, one of Nova Scotia’s largest employers, has announced a major $302.7M expansion that will modernize and expand its manufacturing facility in Bridgewater and create more than 70 new jobs. Michelin will receive a provincial tax credit of about $61.3M over 5 years and Federal funding of $44.3M.

The Port of Argentia has secured its second major contract in support of US offshore wind development and is experiencing unprecedented demand for marshalling support as part of the US energy transition.

The N.L. government has announced it will open an urgent-care clinic in St. John's by the end of April 2024 at a cost of $900k and an annual operating cost of $4M. Staff will include about 15 full-time positions including doctors, RN’s, LPN’s, nurse practitioners, x-ray and lab technicians and administration.

Eastern Health has added urgent care to the Dr. William H. Newhook Community Health Centre in Whitbourne in addition to its current status as a primary care centre. The centre’s hours of operation will be increased as demand requires and based on staff recruitment.

More than 100 stakeholders have come together to address labour shortages within Canada's agriculture workforce. Canada's agriculture industry contributes over $130B to the national economy, but needs a stable and skilled workforce to remain competitive.

The N.L. Government is proposing to build a new 276-bed correctional facility in St. John's through a public-private partnership with Avalon Corrections Partners. The completion is at least 3-5 years in the future and there is currently a well-documented shortage of correctional officers throughout the province.

Lynx Air will begin offering a non-stop route starting in June from St. John’s International Airport to Montreal, with a through flight service to Calgary. The low-fair airline first launched in St. John’s in summer 2022 with direct flights to Toronto.

A Calgary-based low-cost airline, Lynx Air, plans to fly into the Fredericton International Airport beginning on June 12. The airline plans to offer flights into the Calgary International Airport and Toronto Pearson International Airport.

Work will begin in late March to build a 49-unit apartment building at 50 Technology Drive in Saint John. NextPort Properties is developing the project, which will be called Burlington Flats.

N.B.-based McCain Foods announced that it will spend $600M to expand its potato processing facility in southern Alberta, creating 260 new jobs. McCain has spent $157M over the past five years expanding its two facilities in New Brunswick.

Results from a 2022 national CFIA soil sampling survey show that no potato wart was detected in samples taken from fields in N.S. and N.B. Seed potatoes from P.E.I. are still not allowed in the U.S. after potato wart was found in two fields in 2021.

Fredericton council has approved the proposed construction of a 147-unit apartment building at 111 Duncan Lane. Some councillors expressed concern about the lack of public transit and sidewalks in that area.

More than 100 stakeholders have come together to address labour shortages within Canada's agriculture workforce. Canada's agriculture industry contributes over $130B to the national economy, but needs a stable and skilled workforce to remain competitive.

U-Haul intends to buy the property at 1382 Hickey Road in order to build a 20,000-square-foot self-storage facility in Saint John. It is estimated that at least 15 temporary construction jobs will be created and will require 10 people to staff the store.

Talize, a Canadian thrift store chain, is opening a new location in Windsor this summer

BarBurrito opened a location in Fort Erie with seven staff members

Resolute Forest Products (RFP) hired 31 Ukrainian employees at the Sapawe mill in the Atikokan-area for a variety of roles in production cleanup and support, quality control, and supervisory capacities. A new shift is also being added at the mill, generating 15 more jobs.

Origin Materials, a California-based manufacturing company, is constructing a $130M biomass plant in Sarnia that is expected to begin operations in the second quarter of 2023, employing 50 workers

The Government of Canada is investing over $11M in Nanowave Technologies Inc., NWI Precision Tube ULC, RAMPF Composite Solutions Inc., and Women in Aerospace - Canada, to increase manufacturing capacity, green operations, and provide support for over 180 jobs

The Government of Canada is investing over $1.7M into PARO Centre for Women's Enterprises to support 171 businesses, create and maintain 190 jobs and provide access to services for business development to over 1,500 women

Collège Boréal in Timmins, in partnership with the Canadian Welding Bureau, will offer a free pre-employment program in June to help women enter the welding trade. The program includes practical training and a work placement.

The City of Barrie and the County of Simcoe are hosting a Commercial Trucking Job Fair on March 29, 2023, at the Allandale Recreation Centre in Barrie

Volkswagen, a German automaker, will establish an electric vehicle (EV) battery manufacturing facility in St. Thomas. Production is set to begin in 2027, creating approximately 2,500 direct jobs.

Zellers, a lifestyle goods retailer, opened nine locations across Ontario

The Business & Education Partnership of Waterloo Region will host a career expo in Cambridge on April 13, 2023 for students in grades 7 to 12

Doughbox, a pizza chain, is opening two locations in Toronto

The Thunder Bay Community Tennis Centre is constructing six new indoor courts with the help of a $3M joint investment from the city, Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation and FedNor

Postmedia Network Inc., eliminated its advertising sales departments in North Bay, Sault Ste. Marie, Sudbury and Timmins

The Governments of Canada and Ontario are providing Bell Canada with over $13M to bring high-speed internet access to more than 6,400 homes across Eastern Ontario

Pusateri's Fine Foods will open a new location in Toronto this summer

Avidbots Corp., a Kitchener-based robotics company, laid off 14 percent of its global staff, which is around 50 employees

The Block Public House, a pub and restaurant, opened in North Bay

The Great Canadian Casino Resort will open this summer in Toronto with 400 hotel rooms and a 5,000-seat venue

FedNor is investing approximately $2.2M in Muskoka Aircraft Refinishing, Sawdust City Brewing Company, Muskoka Arts & Crafts Inc. and Muskoka Chautauqu in the Muskoka region, creating and maintaining 92 jobs

KFT Wholesale Cash and Carry, a warehouse discount store, opened in Vaughan

Inertia Fibre, a business specializing in fibreglass repair, boat accessories manufacturing, and boat maintenance is looking to fill laminator positions in Saint-Justin

Sonder, a short-term rental manager, laid off around 12 employees at its branch in Montréal

Boulangerie Toujours Dimanche opened on March 2 in Matane. The business invested over $500,000 in renovating its café and grocery store, which employ 20 people.

Two entrepreneurs from Saguenay are investing $700,000 in the Espaces de l’Hybride project, which is a commercial building in Saint-Ambroise. The project should be completed by May 1.

Auberge Presqu'île, a lodging company in Notre-Dame-de-Pontmain, was completely destroyed by a fire on March 7. Their employees have been laid off as a result.

The Ville de Val-D’Or invested $5.34M in the third phase of revitalizing its city centre and rehabilitating its sewers. The Duroking Construction company from Mirabel is due to start work in April and complete the project in October.

The Centre intégré universitaire de santé et de services sociaux de l’Est-de-l’Île-de-Montréal is investing over $139M in expanding the operating suite and parking lot at the Hôpital Santa Cabrini. The project is scheduled to be complete in 2025.

The Université du Québec à Rimouski received $63M from the Government of Quebec to build a veterinary medicine building, which will be located on the Saint-Hyacinthe campus. Work is scheduled to begin this summer and be complete in the fall of 2024.

The Ottawa Boat Cruise company received $3.2M from the Government of Quebec to build two electric boats

Entreprises AM, a door and window manufacturer in Saint-Tite, announced that it will close permanently on June 30. The company employs 26 people.

The Ville de Cowansville is investing $7M in adding an ultraviolet system to its waste water treatment equipment

The Centre de services scolaires des Hauts-Cantons is investing $9.8M in expanding École Louis-Saint-Laurent in Compton. Work is in progress and should be completed in the spring.

Sappi, a wood fibre processing company, is looking to hire several permanent production workers for its pulp mill in Matane

Goodyear, a tire manufacturer, is looking to fill at least 30 positions at its factory in Salaberry-de-Valleyfield, which currently has 225 employees

The Old Brewery Mission, a resource for homeless people, will convert a building in the Lachine borough of Montréal into 18 social housing units. Work is scheduled to begin this summer and be complete by the summer of next year. The TENAQUIP Foundation is funding the project.

Salon emplois de Québec, an event for job seekers, will take place from March 31 to April 1 at the Laurier Québec shopping centre. An event is also planned for October.

Chez Doris is investing over $10M in converting a former hotel into transitional housing within two years in Montréal’s Ville-Marie borough. The federal and municipal governments are funding the project, which is intended to house around 20 women who have experienced homelessness.

The Centre de services scolaire des Chênes opened Deux-Rivières elementary school in Saint-Lucien. The investment, valued at nearly $18M, will accommodate up to eight classes as of March 7.

Kentucky Fried Chicken, a fast-food chain, closed its restaurant in Sainte-Thérèse

Beta Technologies, an American electric aircraft manufacturer, opened an engineering centre in Montréal, which employs around 50 people

The governments of Quebec and Canada are granting nearly $2.8M to 15 businesses in Gaspésie–Îles-de-la-Madeleine to support Quebec’s fish and seafood sector. The total investment in these 15 projects is estimated at over $5.7M.

Chantiers Chibougamau, a company operating in the forestry sector, is investing over $20M in expanding its facilities and upgrading its equipment. The Government of Quebec contributed $7.5M to the total amount, which has created over 50 jobs.

Avril, a supermarket chain, announced that a store will be built in Repentigny. The project, estimated at $8M, is scheduled to be complete this fall.

The Centre de services scolaires Kamouraska - Rivière-du-Loup announced that construction has begun on a new elementary school on Alice-Savard Street in Rivière-du-Loup. The project, valued at nearly $31M, should be finished before the fall of 2024.

Les 3 Sphères, a private seniors’ residence in Granby, will close at the end of June. The residence’s 20 employees will lose their jobs.

Hydro-Québec invested nearly $60M in repairing the Rapide-7 generating station located near Rouyn-Noranda. The project includes the spillway, deck for vehicle traffic, and bridge. EBC, a company from Lévis, was awarded the contract.

Bois Buckland, a hard wood flooring manufacturer, is temporarily closing its factory in Notre-Dame-Auxiliatrice-de-Buckland. This decision has led to around 20 employees losing their jobs.

The Regroupement des Centres de la petite enfance de la Côte-Nord estimates that there are around 30 educator positions to fill within the region. This number is expected to grow to around 100 because 500 additional spots will be created by the end of 2025.

The Nunavut government is accepting applicants for the Nunavut Prospectors Program, which provides up to $8,000 for eligible applicants. The funding can help cover field expenses, sample analysis costs, assistant wages, materials and project supplies.

The Government of Yukon is strengthening their buildings and infrastructure. The Budget 2023-24 includes $52.4M towards bridge repairs, inspections, and bridge replacements, $26M for airport improvements, $27.8M for road improvements and $25.9M for land development to increase housing options.

The federal government is providing $1M towards a two-year project led by Tu Cho Fisher’s Cooperative Limited. The project aims to improve the capacity of the winter fishery, create jobs in Great Slave Lake commercial fishery and help maintain progress towards growing NWT’s fishing industry.

The Nunavut government hopes to expand its new colorectal cancer screening pilot program is to other Nunavut communities within the next 6 months. Currently, the pilot runs in Gjoa Haven, Arviat and Pond Inlet. The cancer screening program is a proactive approach to improving the health of the Nunavummiut.

The Government of Yukon has announced the transition of three schools to the First Nation School Board in the 2023-24 school year. The schools remain under public school curriculum and will have the additional opportunities to learn and engage in First Nations culture.

Appian Capital Advisory LLP is investing $100M over four years to Osisko Metals-owned Pine Point lead/zinc mine, which has been closed for 35 years. The potential reopening of the mine will support NWT with new job opportunities.

The Government of Yukon is providing $59.2M towards their Our Clean Future's climate change commitments. The funding aims to reduce emissions, increase resilience and enhance energy security.

Effective April 1, 2023, the Government of NWT is exempting additional income received from Indigenous Governments from the calculation of Income Assistance benefits. The exemption is a further step towards advancing reconciliation and supporting residents.

The Government of Yukon is providing $10M towards their Putting People First's health and social system initiatives. The funding aims to support substance-use health emergencies and to strengthen the territory’s healthcare system.

The federal government will provide up to $7.2M per emergency shelter in support of four projects in Northern Canada developed by Pauktuutit, the organization representing Inuit women in Canada. One of the shelters will be located in Nunavut. In the long-term, Pauktuuit aims to set up 13 emergency shelters, with locations including one in Nunavut and one in Northwest Territories.

The federal government and municipality of Hay River is providing $622,600 towards the new fully serviced business park, Sundog Business Park. The investment will attract new businesses, create local jobs and support strong economic development opportunities.

Vionell Holdings Partnership began Phase One of a new housing development in Brandon. The Edge, a seven-building, 252-suite complex at the southeast end of the city, is expected to be completed in fall 2023.

The Keewatin Tribal Council and Four Arrows Regional Health Authority recently graduated 12 new emergency responders from seven northern First Nations under a specialized medical training and transportation program. Thirteen communities also received new transport vehicles, equipment, and supplies.

Manitoba health care officials extended nearly 350 job offers on a recent recruitment trip to the Philippines. Potential recruits include about 240 nurses and 110 health care aides.

Bahay Kubo, a tiki-themed Filipino restaurant, recently opened in Winnipeg’s Exchange District. The restaurant began as a pop-up but now operates out of the Royal Albert Arms Hotel.

The Government of Manitoba is providing $780,660 to 21 projects aimed at protecting fish and wildlife in the province through the Fish and Wildlife Enhancement Fund. Non-profits, academic institutions, and community organizations may apply for funding that will cover eligible expenses that promote sustainability.

The federal government is providing $10.7M to Main Street Project, a Winnipeg non-profit that serves people experiencing homelessness. The funds will enable the organization to upgrade its Martha Street facility, adding a withdrawal management space.

The provincial government is allocating $3.6M from Budget 2023 to safety initiatives in downtown Winnipeg. The funds will go to the Downtown Community Safety Partnership, which works with community groups, government departments, and mental health providers to offer support services.

The Government of Manitoba will begin offering regulated child care at a maximum $10 a day for children under 12 in April 2023, three years ahead of schedule. The province is inviting post-secondary institutions to apply for funding to develop new training programs for early childhood educators and assistants.

The City of Steinbach has begun construction on the $66.2M Southeast Event Centre and anticipates its completion by fall of 2024. The project includes an indoor rink, concert venue, walking track, and multi-use hall.

The Government of Manitoba recently issued funding letters to personal care homes, indicating that they may begin hiring new direct care staff. The new jobs are part of a $16M funding increase that was announced in 2022 to increase the number of health-care aides, licensed practical nurses, and registered nurses.

The St. James-Assiniboia School Division in Winnipeg will eliminate 12 full-time teaching positions in 2023-2024 due to declining enrolment, according to its draft budget. The school division will maintain class sizes and programs despite financial constraints.

Alamo Gold received approval from the federal government for its Lynn Lake Gold Project. The company will extract gold from two Northern Manitoba mines over a 13-year period. The project is expected to create more than 400 jobs during both construction and operation.

The City of Winnipeg has begun construction on the $52M St. Vital Bridge Rehabilitation Project. The first phase of construction is expected to be complete in November 2023, and the second phase in October 2024.

Merit Functional Foods, a Winnipeg plant protein processor, recently closed. Its facility opened in 2021 to extract protein from peas and canola, but global market conditions have limited its success. The number of employees affected is not yet known.

The City of Winnipeg is spending $5M to hire and train 24 transit security officers by the end of 2023. The team will patrol city buses and bus stops, focusing on five routes that have been found to have the most serious safety incidents.

Red River College Polytechnic is launching a series of free micro-credential programs; short courses that allow workers to upgrade their skills quickly without interrupting their careers. Three of the new microcredentials are in environmental technology and three focus on building relationships with Indigenous communities.

The Government of Manitoba has finalized a health care deal with the federal government. The province will receive an additional $6.7B in health care funding over 10 years. This includes $1.2B for priority areas for which the province needs to account for its spending.

The Government of Manitoba is providing a total $1.7M to five mineral exploration projects through its Manitoba Mineral Development Fund. The approved projects are in Northern Manitoba, near Lynn Lake, Snow Lake, and Flin Flon.

Crampton’s Market, a Headingley grocer specializing in locally grown food, is closing permanently this month due to rising costs and low profitability.

The Government of Canada and the Federation of Canadian Municipalities are providing $487K in joint-funding to the City of Prince Rupert, to support a pilot project to install a new wastewater treatment technology and study how it can be integrated with local soils, plants, and other features of the natural landscape.

The Governments of Canada and British Columbia have signed an agreement in principle which aims to provide $27.47B in federal funding over 10 years to improve health care services in B.C. Funding also includes $3.32B aimed at supporting shared health care priorities and immediate funding of $273M to address urgent needs, especially in pediatric hospitals and emergency rooms, and surgery backlogs.

Mishmish, a new Middle Eastern bakery and café, plans to open in Vancouver this year.

Wonderworld Montessori Academy is planning to build its second location in Vancouver, with the facility accommodating up to 86 children. A total of 16 licensed staff will operate the 11,730 sq. ft. facility.

The B.C. government is providing $586M in funding to health-care treatments and recovery services. The funding aims to add over 195 treatment and recovery beds throughout B.C. and establish improved supports for people with concurrent mental-health and addiction challenges.

Mama Said Pizza Co., a brick-and-mortar restaurant, announced plans to open a 1,100 sq. ft. location in Port Moody.

The B.C. government through the Growing Communities Fund is providing over $15M to the City of Kamloops for new infrastructure. The new amenities include recreation facilities, transit services, parks and water treatment plants.

IKEA, a Swedish home goods retail chain, is seeking to expand its store location in Richmond to a total floor area of more than 507,000 sq. ft. The City of Richmond is currently considering the proposed project.

The B.C. government is providing $200M in funding for food security to ensure residents have better access to an increased supply of affordable, local food. The funding aims to boost both the province's food bank system and agricultural production. Funding for Indigenous communities will also help with food availability, cost and food security.

Nordstrom, an upscale U.S.-based retailer will permanently close of all its Canadian stores by the end of June, impacting 643 jobs in B.C.'s two locations. The closures include 230,000 sq. ft. Nordstrom store in Vancouver and the Nordstrom Rack in Langley.

The B.C. government is allocating $150M for upgrades to the province's 911 emergency communications system. The project aims to build a technologically enhanced emergency network which includes accessibility features and provides public safety for people living and travelling in rural, remote, and Indigenous communities.

Good Earth Coffeehouse, a Canadian-founded coffee chain, has opened a new location in downtown Victoria.

The Government of Canada is providing $3.9M in funding to four projects to support B.C.'s Francophone and Francophile communities. The projects will contribute to Francophone and Francophile businesses, support and maintain jobs, aid tourism operators and enhance cultural hubs.

Salina Cheng Music Academy, located in Coquitlam, permanently closed this month. The closure is due to financial pressures from the COVID-19 pandemic and the recent loss of two piano teachers and a receptionist.

The B.C. government, through the Growing Communities Fund, is providing $37M in funding to Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam, Port Moody, Anmore and Belcarra. Funding will support local services, infrastructure and community amenities.

Cobs Bread, an Australian bakery chain, announced plans to open a new location in Vancouver.

The Chinese Canadian Museum, located in Vancouver, is expected to officially open in July 2023. The jointly funded facility aims to help revitalize the city’s Chinatown district.

The Government of Canada is providing $300K in funding to the Daylu Dena Council of the Kaska Nation for their Capacity Building Strategy project, which aims to plant 10,000 trees to help rehabilitate and restore lands impacted by the Lutz Creek Wildfire, near Lower Post.

Local developer Marcon is proposing a 32-storey hotel with 578 rooms in downtown Vancouver to support tourism. The building will include the hotel, a restaurant as well as retail and office space.

The Government of Canada is providing over $233K in funding to expand Young Entrepreneur Leadership Launchpad (YELL) Canada programming in Terrace, Smithers, Vanderhoof, Prince George and Quesnel. The programming aims to provide access for over 180 students to entrepreneurship and leadership opportunities.

Vanprop has partnered with Bosa Properties to redevelop Lansdowne Shopping Centre, located in Richmond, into a residential centre with 1,075 residential units in the first phase, including 150 affordable rental units and 150 market rental units. If the first development phase is approved, construction is expected to start in March 2025.

The Government of Alberta is moving forward with a $60.5M project to replace the Vince Bridge - a critical piece of infrastructue serving the Industrial Heartland region near Edmonton. The new bridge will be able to handle overweight and oversize loads destined for large industrial facilities in the area.

Edmonton-based Flair Airlines is adding two new direct flights in Canada this summer and also increasing the frequency of some of its flights out of Edmonton this winter.

Portage College is currently recruiting for administrative, housekeeping, athletics and recreation, academic and finance positions across its seven campus locations in Alberta. The college also has student, contract and external employment opportunities available.

The Sporting Life Group, a Toronto-based sporting goods retailer, is opening two Team Town Sports stores in Calgary during May 2023, as part of a nation-wide roll-out of 25 stores. Team Town is launching an e-commerce platform at the same time.

Invest Alberta and the National Association of Software and Service Companies (nasscom) in India have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to promote innovation, investment, and technological exchange. As part of the agreement MacEwan University will provide 180 days of complementary office space for nasscom members looking to permanently establish themselves in the province.

The Town of Coaldale, located just east of Lethbridge, joined the Alberta Advantage Immigration Program on March 1, 2023. The provincial program nominates new Canadians for permanent residency as long as they have the skills to fill job shortages or are planning to open a business.

Pipestone Energy Corp. is planning to install a new gathering pipeline to tie Pipestone’s existing 12-14 battery to wells that it is currently drilling and completing on a new pad south of Grande Prairie. By April 2023, Pipestone expects to have increased its producing well count by 14 since December 31, 2022.

Nordstrom, a US-based luxury department store chain, is closing all its stores in Canada resulting in 2,500 job losses. In Alberta there is a Nordstrom store at Chinook Centre Mall and a discount Nordstrom Rack at Deerfoot Meadows Mall, both in Calgary, and a Nordstrom Rack at South Edmonton Commom.

The Government of Alberta is providing $1B over three years to increase the hours of care for continuing care home residents. The funding also targets supports for caregivers, and access to care and supports through home and community care, rather than through facility-based care.

Alberta Enterprise Corporation has invested USD $7.5M into Alpaca VC's third fund to provide early-stage capital to Alberta technology companies. An investment from Alpaca into local start-up technology companies opens up access to US capital and markets.

The Government of Alberta is allocating an extra $330M over three years to support front-line social services workers. The funding includes $25M in increases to operational funding as well wage top-ups for more than 21,000 front-line social service workers, including disability support workers, homeless shelter workers and about 175 family violence prevention workers.

Alberta Health Services (AHS) is extending the reduced hours of service at Boyle Healthcare Centre, due to high vacancies among nursing staff and an inability to secure sufficient temporary coverage.

Rural areas around Alberta are facing an ongoing pharmacist shortage in local town and village pharmacies, according to the Alberta College of Pharmacy. There is greater per-capita demand for pharmacists in small communities, according to the College.

Calgary-based PTW Energy Services Ltd. is hiring all levels of electricians and instrumentation technicians, including indentured Electrical Apprentices and Certified Journeypersons. PTW also offers an Apprenticeship Tuition Program.

Bilton Welding and Manufacturing is working with CP Rail to convert three diesel locomotives to hydrogen power at its facility in Innisfail. CP is already testing the first hydrogen-powered engine to move cargo in the Calgary-area.

Grande Prairie City Council has voted to transition to a municipal police service from its current contract model with the RCMP. The transition is estimated to cost around $19M, with the province already committing $9.7M over the next two years.

Pine Cliff Energy Ltd. is planning to spend $27.9M in its 2023 capital budget to drill four oil wells and three natural gas wells, all in Alberta. The capital budget includes $6.5M on well and pipeline abandonments and reclamation work.

Terrestrial Energy, an advanced nuclear technology company, has opened an office in Calgary to support the commercial development of the company’s Integral Molten Salt Reactor (IMSR) plant. The $18M investment by Terrestrial will create 29 jobs over the next two years.

Swoop, an ultra-low-cost airline, is expanding its summer schedule to select Canadian cities, with several new routes and added flight frequencies. Swoop is also extending its seasonal service, through to the end of June, to Puerto Vallarta (PVR) and Los Cabos (SJD) in Mexico.

The Government of Alberta is allocating $8B for the Ministry of Transportation and Economic Corridors’ in its three-year Budget 2023 capital plan. The government plan includes $2B for planning, design and construction of major highway and bridge projects.

Lakeland Co-op is hiring for a variety of full-time and part-time positions at its new gas bar location in Cold Lake.

Calgary-based Parkland Corporation, an international energy and retail company, has cancelled its plans for $600M in renewable diesel projects at its Burnaby, BC location. Parkland estimated that the work would have created 1,000 jobs.

The Government of Alberta is funding three schools in Edmonton - one new K-9 public school and two replacement francophone schools. Sherwood Park will see funding for a new school to consolidate students from two existing sites. The province is also funding planning and design work for additional schools.

Chinook’s Edge School Division is planning to build a new middle school in Penhold to replace the current Penhold Elementary School facility following Budget 2023 funding allocations from the province. Construction is expected to start in early fall 2023 with completion projected for 2025. Other school divisions in the region have various design and modernization projects in the works.

The Calgary Co-operative Association Limited is planning a new grocery store in Cochrane. The development also includes a pharmacy, a wine, spirits, beer, and cannabis store, a six-pump gas bar, convenience store, and a double touchless car wash. Construction is expected to start in spring 2024 with an opening in 2025. The total development is anticipated to create about 200 jobs.

Bonjour Bakery in Edmonton has relocated to its own building in the Old Strathcona area, allowing it to expand its product lines beyond baked goods. In April 2023 the company will start offering custom sandwiches made in-house.

The Government of Alberta is allocating more than $15M over three years to create 1,000 new apprenticeship spaces at post-secondary institutions. Apprenticeship opportunities are available in Alberta in 47 different trades across 11 institutions and are fully funded by provincial dollars.

The Red Deer Regional Airport, in partnership with the City and County, is set to start an expansion project this summer following $30M in support from the province. The project, which will improve access to the airport, is expected to create 200 jobs over two years and 350 jobs once the commercial land adjacent to the runway is developed.

The Government of Alberta is providing $92M over three years to provide mental health supports for children and youth in partnerships with CASA Mental Health. The funding includes $25M in capital dollars for new facilities in Calgary, Fort McMurray and in an unspecified community in central Alberta.

The Town of Pincher Creek is leaving Alberta’s community peace officer (CPO) program following the departure of its two CPOs in 2022. Municipal bylaws will be enforced by a forthcoming dedicated bylaw officer and the town is also hiring a full-time bylaw and safety co-ordinator to handle training requirements and enforcement priorities.

The Government of Alberta is allocating $310M over three years through the Continuing Care Capital Program to further expand continuing care capacity in the province. The Bridgeland Riverside Continuing Care Centre in Calgary will add 198 new continuing care spaces.The Gene Zwozdesky Centre in Edmonton will add 145 new spaces and renovate 205 existing spaces

Home Depot is hiring over 500 people across Alberta for the spring and summer season. The positions include full-time and part-time roles in customer service, sales, store support, freight, merchandising, and warehouse operations.

The City of Saskatoon is looking to develop a new recreation facility as part of the White Buffalo Youth Lodge development. An early cost estimate of the facility is between $15M and $20M.

According to a report released by the Saskatchewan Realtors Association, housing sales in the province are down 19% from last year. Sales activity was higher than the 10-year average, but the inventory levels were noticeably lower.

A new hair salon, Boreal Colours, opened its doors in La Ronge.

The Government of Canada has announced $1.24M in funding to three organizations to advance 2SLGBTQI+ equality in the province.

The Farmers Business Network has opened a new farmer fulfillment centre in Saskatoon. The new facility will allow the organization to meet the demand for farming items faster. The facility is organization’s primary hub in Western Canada.

The Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities and industry partners have jointly issued a call for immediate support for the cattle industry. The industry faces several issues, including low profits, drought conditions and a shortage of veterinarians.

The Government of Saskatchewan hosted the second annual Indigenous Business Gathering in Saskatoon. Over 500 people from Indigenous and non-Indigenous businesses attended the event to discuss collaborations and partnerships.

The Government of Canada has announced $4M in funding for organizations advancing gender equality in Saskatchewan. This funding is part of the $601.3M provided through federal Budget 2021 to increase efforts to end gender-based violence.

The federal government is providing $1M in funding to support crisis hotlines in Saskatchewan. Crisis hotlines will use the funding to offer more robust services, resources and supports for survivors of gender-based violence.

OUTSaskatoon has laid off nine staff members due to pressures from the COVID-19 pandemic and decrease in funding. OUTSaskatoon’s education and support services are on hold until further notice.

The University of Regina is facing budgetary challenges due to ongoing COVID-19 factors, including decrease in enrolments and reduced revenue. The university is determining ways to decrease base budgets between 5 and 7 per cent.

The Government of Saskatchewan has announced $500K of additional funding for the Saskatchewan Apprenticeship and Trade Certification Commission. These funds will support the Indigenous Apprenticeship Initiatives program, which helps attract people into the skilled trades.

Faculty at UPEI are concerned about the university’s long-term financial stability, with the amount of money required to establish a faculty of medicine on campus. Estimated infrastructure costs total over $100M and annual operating costs of $11M a year.

The UPEI Faculty Association says it is prepared to go on strike by March 20, if a contract can’t be reached with the university by then. Both sides have been negotiating since April 2022.

ESDC has a new Skilled Trades apprenticeship program, which will help small to medium-sized employers to hire first-year apprentices in 39 Red Seal trades. Included are plumbers, gasfitters, refrigeration and A/C mechanics, and steamfitter/pipefitters.

P.E.I. horse owners state that there is a shortage of Island veterinarians, an issue made worse when a vet clinic in Kensington stopped treating horses. Concerned Equine Owners of P.E.I. say about 800 horses are affected by the lack of veterinarians.

The Construction Association of P.E.I. states that residential development has been on the decline over the past two years, due mainly to the number of major projects on the Island. It claims the industry needs up to 2,000 additional workers to catch up.

The Government of Canada has announced $1,006,223 for the Centre for Entrepreneurship Education & Development (CEED) and the Centre for Women in Business (CWB). The funding to CEED will assist over 850 startups and 200 existing N.S. businesses while the CWB funding will support two projects.

The N.S. Government has announced a $25M investment to support the creation of new health data analytics and health system administration programs at Saint Mary’s University to help Nova Scotia become a national leader in leveraging data and analytics to improve patient care.

The South End Family Practice has announced it is closing its Halifax medical clinic on August 30, 2023. The clinic has four doctors which currently serve over 4,100 patients. As of February 1, 2023, just over 133,000 Nova Scotians (13.5% of the population) are in need of a doctor.

Nova Scotia is the first province to recognize credentials of US board-certified doctors without exams. The change will remove a barrier for doctors who trained in the United States but would like to practice in the province.

ESDC has a new Skilled Trades apprenticeship program, which will help small to medium-sized employers to hire first-year apprentices in 39 Red Seal trades. Included are plumbers, gasfitters, refrigeration and A/C mechanics, and steamfitter/pipefitters.

Halifax has approved $11M in spending for an affordable housing development in the city's north end to build a 38-unit project backed by the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul. The development project will include on-site health and social services for residents. The society will have 18 months beginning in May to complete the project.

N.S. has launched a new tourism campaign "Your Ocean Playground" that will run through the end of summer in Ontario, Quebec, and the northeastern US. The province will invest an additional $2.7M in 2023 campaigns to support earlier and extended marketing of N.S. with a total budget of $8.6M for 2023.

The N.S. Government has announced a $58.9M investment to develop a new medical school campus at Cape Breton University (in collaboration with Dalhousie University). The new medical school campus will train 30 new doctors each year with plans to open by fall 2025. Funding also includes a new collaborative care clinic at the NSCC Marconi campus.

The Province of N.S. has sold 27,000 mineral claims in 2022, a solid increase compared to the past five years. Of these, at least half are held by companies looking for lithium. The two biggest buyers were Brunswick Exploration and Australia-based Continental Lithium.

Nova Scotia's Department of Education and Early Childhood Development has cited supply chain and labour pressures for the delay in meeting its pledge to add 1,500 new daycare spaces by the end of 2022. 400 new licensed daycare spaces were created between July 2021 and Dec. 31 2022.

New/Coming Soon Businesses: McJolly (Halifax), Chicken, Burgers, Spaghetti (Halifax), The Big Leagues Brew Pub (Bayers Lake), Bluenotes/Aeropostale (Halifax), Desto Binz (Dartmouth); Closures: Steak & Stein (Halifax/Dartmouth).

The N.S. Government has announced $8M to help organizations supporting women experiencing gender-based violence meet an increased demand for their services and address rising operating costs.

Halifax has been chosen to host the 2024 Juno Awards on March 24, 2024 for the first time since 2006.

The Touquoy open pit gold mine in Moose River is expected to wrap up mining operations in early 2024 rather than late 2024. Owner Atlantic Gold is a subsidiary of Australian-based St Barbara which has proposed 3 other N.S. gold mines.

ESDC has a new Skilled Trades apprenticeship program, which will help small to medium-sized employers to hire first-year apprentices in 39 Red Seal trades. Included are plumbers, gasfitters, refrigeration and A/C mechanics, and steamfitter/pipefitters.

The N.L. Government has announced a $1.4M investment to improve two tennis facilities in St. John's in anticipation of the 2025 Canada Summer Games. The funding will be used for the installation of a new air dome at the Green Belt Tennis Club, improvements to seating arrangements and court upgrades.

The anticipated opening of the recreational facility to replace the Mews Centre in St. John’s has been pushed back to spring 2024 with construction about 60% complete. Cost of construction has remained on budget at $33.5M.

The N.L. Teachers Association says that the shortage of teachers is significant though it has not been quite enough to close schools down for any length of time. The association also indicated that using retired teachers to help fill the gaps is not a long term or sustainable plan.

The N.L. Government has announced a $225M budget for highway construction projects for 2023-24 that is expected to result in a good year for those working in the paving industry, such as contractors and workers. Most of the contracts will be for upgrades to the Trans-Canada Highway.

Eastern Health announced that Smith's Ambulance Services would no longer be providing ambulance services to the Whitbourne area due to concerns with the operator's ability to meet its contract obligations. Eastern Health stated that service to the region would continue with no change to service levels.

N.L. Hydro are hopeful the multibillion-dollar hydroelectricity project at Muskrat Falls will be able to run at high power by mid-April 2023 despite recent software related issues that have resulted in setbacks in testing, which has been delayed to early April from February.

Fewers Ambulance Service says that the company hasn't given notice that it's terminating its ambulance services in Ferryland and Cape Broyle despite provincial announcements. They acknowledge having ongoing staffing issues but remain committed to providing ambulance services in the area.

The N.B. Government is reviving the New Brunswick Housing Corporation in order to address the housing crisis in the province. Fifteen positions will be created at the corporation, which will bring all stakeholders together to tackle the housing situation.

Medavie has donated $100K to NBCC’s School of Health and Wellness, which will go into technology to help reach more learners. The school trains lab assistants, personal support workers, pharmacy techs, practical nurses and respiratory therapists.

West Jet has announced that it will be discontinuing flights between Toronto and Moncton as of April 30, 2023. The airline will begin service from Moncton to both Calgary and Edmonton.

Work has begun to expand the ambulatory care clinic at the Saint John Regional Hospital. The space will be doubled in size to 14,700 ft2 and is expected to be completed by the summer of 2024. The hospital foundation raised $12M for the project.

Layoff notices were issued to about 75 food service workers at the University of New Brunswick (UNB) in Fredericton. UNB is currently looking for a new company to take over food services, when the current contract with Sodexo Canada ends on May 31.

Saint John provided $200K each to four affordable housing projects, through the city’s Affordable Housing Grant Program. The successful recipients were Kaleidoscope Social Impact, Kindred Works, Rehabitat, and Steepleview Developments, Inc.

ESDC has a new Skilled Trades apprenticeship program, which will help small to medium-sized employers to hire first-year apprentices in 39 Red Seal trades. Included are plumbers, gasfitters, refrigeration and A/C mechanics, and steamfitter/pipefitters.

Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre is adding 200 parking spaces this spring

Mohawks of the Bay of Quine are proceeding with a $1M housing development, with construction starting in late spring and completion expected by mid-fall. The project is partly funded by the federal government.

Mining Innovation, Rehabilitation, and Applied Research Corporation in Sudbury received $1.6M from the Government of Ontario and Vale Mining for bio-mining and remediation efforts in tackling mine waste

The Government of Ontario hired 119 correctional officers for various facilities in Ontario

The Government of Ontario has increased its funding to over $1M for the Belleville Nurse Practitioner-led Clinic for the hiring of additional medical staff

Nordstrom will close all 13 of its stores in Canada, laying off approximately 2,500 people. Ontario will see eight locations close down.

The Government of Canada announced $1.6M in investments towards four community infrastructure projects in the Chatham-Kent area

Flixbus, intercity bus provider, is adding a route from Kitchener-Waterloo to Kingston in March

The $245M expansion of Hydro One's Merivale Transmission Station in Ottawa will begin this spring

The Arena, a 2,500-seat live entertainment venue at the Pickering Casino Resort will open in April

AstraZeneca will expand its research and development hub and launch a rare-disease research hub in Mississauga, creating 500 jobs

The Government of Canada will invest $4.5M in 22 projects in London and across southwestern Ontario to enhance public spaces and support tourism recovery

Electric Island, a music festival, will take place at the Toronto Islands in May

The Governments of Canada and Ontario are investing over $48M to bring high-speed internet access to 3,800 homes in 31 Ontario communities

The Home Depot Canada is hiring almost 2,000 people across Ontario for both full-time and part-time positions

Bell Canada Inc. received an investment of over $61M from the federal and provincial governments for six projects to bring high-speed Internet access to rural communities and First Nations communities in Northern Ontario

Mango, a fashion retailer, opened a new location at Toronto's Eaton Centre and will open six more locations across the City by July 2023

University of Ottawa and McMaster University will lead the Canadian Pandemic Preparedness Hub with a $2M investment from the federal government

The City of Kawartha Lakes Family Health Team opened a new patient care clinic in Lindsay

Construction of the New Providence Manor, a long-term care home redevelopment in Kingston, will start in the fall of 2023 with a completion date of 2026

The City of Kingston plans to hire 20 new firefighters this year

A career fair for over 100 positions in the childcare sector took place on March 9 in Sarnia

The federal government invested nearly $16M to support over 160 small and medium enterprises and create or maintain 945 jobs in manufacturing sector and electric vehicle supply chain

Argonaut Gold is in the final stages of construction at Magino Mine, its open-pit mining project outside Dubreuilville, with a targeted start of commercial mining operations later this year

The Ontario Provincial Police plans to hire over 400 police officers in 2023 with a focus on women and under-represented members of the community

Cambrian College received $350K from Glencore Canada, a mining company, to help cover construction, operating and equipment costs of its Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV) Lab

The Maison Akhwà:tsire, a shelter that can accommodate up to 22 Indigenous people experiencing homelessness, has opened in downtown Montréal. The project represents an investment of nearly $7M, which includes a contribution from the Government of Canada.

The Ville de Joliette announced a $20M investment in repairing its drinking water and sewer pipes in 2023. The Government of Quebec is contributing over $5.7M to the project.

The Maison des Aînés de Rivière-du-Loup, which has started to welcome its first residents, is looking to hire staff. The establishment includes 10 households and can accommodate 96 seniors and 24 adults with physical disabilities.

Hydro-Sherbrooke will invest $5.2M in rehabilitating the hydroelectric power plant in Rock Forest. The project will be carried out from this summer until the summer of 2024.

The Ville de Coaticook will invest $8.7M in repairing four roads in the summer of 2023. The project includes sewer, water systems, and road repairs. The Government of Quebec is contributing financially to the project.

The Coalition pour une relève en assurance de dommages anticipates that 10,000 positions will be available throughout Quebec over the next three years

La Ronde, an amusement park in Montréal, is looking to hire 1000 employees to work in the summer

The Centre de formation professionnelle de la Baie-James in Chibougamau is investing over $1.1M, including $534,600 from the Société du Plan Nord, in offering a course in electric and hybrid vehicle maintenance and repair for the mining sector

Uptaste, a company that manufactures sample-tasting machines, inaugurated its factory in Saint-Hyacinthe. The company, which currently has four employees at this site, is looking to hire more people, including quality assurance staff.

The Ville de Granby is investing $15.6M in three major road projects scheduled to begin in June. The Government of Quebec is contributing $8.8M to the project.

Corporation LACtivité (CLAP), a sport fishing organization in Dolbeau-Mistassini, invested over $500,000 with contributions from various partners, in building 21 artificial spawning grounds in Lac Saint-Jean

Anormalt, a new microbrewery, announced that its location in Chicoutimi is open. The project required an investment valued at between $1.25M and $1.5M.

Maxi, a grocery store chain, will build a new store at the Cité 3000 commercial development in Contrecœur. The multi-million dollar project is scheduled to begin in the spring of 2023 and be complete in the summer of 2024. The project will also create around 100 jobs.

The Centre de transformation et de valorisation de bioproduits at the Université du Québec à Chicoutimi is officially open. The university invested $1M in the project, which was funded with over $4.5M from Canada Economic Development.

diaMentis, a Quebec-based business specializing in tools that aid in diagnosing mental health disorders, announced that 29 employees have been laid off indefinitely

The Port of Saguenay announced that the first phase of construction on the mechanized bulk shipping system will take place this summer. The overall project is valued at $100M and is scheduled to be complete in 2025.

The Ville de Victoriaville announced a $2.9M investment in installing approximately 5000 LED street lights in 2023

TGTA and Maître Carré, Montréal-based real estate developers, are converting the former Grace Dart hospital into 299 housing units thanks to a $135M investment. The first tenants will be able to move in as of March 2025.

The Cégep de Saint-Hyacinthe is investing $5.7M, including $1,379,522 from the city and $2,492,043 from the Government of Quebec, in renovating its pool. Work is scheduled to begin in the summer of 2024.

The Service de police de la Ville de Gatineau is looking to fill around 20 positions

Centre du rasoir, a business that sells and repairs small electrical appliances, is closing the majority of its 34 retail locations in Quebec. As a result, 150 employees will lose their jobs.

The Centre intégré de santé et de services sociaux de la Montérégie-Centre announced that a server laboratory will be built at a cost of $91.2M in Saint-Bruno-de-Montarville. The project, which will be funded by the Government of Quebec, is scheduled to begin in March 2023 and be complete in the fall of 2025.

The Association coopérative forestière de Saint-Elzéar, a sawmill, inaugurated its new planing mill after having invested $21.4M. The provincial government contributed $10M.

The Comité sectoriel de main-d’œuvre de l’industrie maritime received $3.5M from the Government of Quebec to update some of the courses offered at the Institut maritime du Québec in Rimouski

The Government of Canada invested over $28M in the Racine Vaudreuil residential rental project in Vaudreuil-Dorion, which will have 81 units

Porter Airlines is investing $200M in building a terminal and improving infrastructure at the Aéroport Saint-Hubert in Longueuil. The project, which is scheduled to be complete at the end of 2024, will also include a hotel.

Zeal Motor, an off-road utility vehicle manufacturer, will create around 15 jobs in addition to 30 existing positions. This follows the construction of its new factory valued at $7.5M in Cowansville.

Groupe Isbf Inc., an investment firm, spent $28M on Phase 1 of the Vallensis project, which includes four buildings with 20 condos each in Salaberry-de-Valleyfield. The first building should be completed in December 2023, and the other buildings should be finished next year.

The federal government, through PrairiesCan, is providing $1.3M over three years to the Business Council of Manitoba’s new Workplace Integrated Learning Program. The program arranges summer work placements for Indigenous students and offers cultural competency training for employers.

The Manitoba Métis Federation is opening a 20-unit residential facility in downtown Winnipeg in March, offering affordable housing and wraparound supports for Métis citizens facing homelessness.

The Portage Centennial Academy for the Arts, a community arts space, recently opened in Portage la Prairie. The centre offers programming in dance, theatre, crafting, painting, and culinary arts, and has space available for community events.

A new health centre is now open in Lake Manitoba First Nation. Construction began in August 2021 on the facility, which received $6.9M in funding from Indigenous Services Canada.

The City of Winnipeg is planning to build an $89.2M recreation complex in the Transcona neighbourhood. The East of the Red Rec Plex will include a pool, waterslide, track, and gym. A recent feasibility study set the construction start date in 2026.

Festival du Voyageur, a French cultural festival in Winnipeg, hosted its first fully in-person event since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Attendance at the 10-day festival exceeded pre-pandemic levels.

Manitoba health care officials extended more than 100 job offers on a recent recruitment trip to the Philippines. The College of Registered Nurses of Manitoba has developed a new licensing process that will allow applicants to begin working shortly after arriving in the province this summer.

The provincial government is providing $2.1M to Assiniboine Community College, allowing it to offer its practical nursing program in Neepawa. The two-year program will train 25 nurses in an effort to staff the new Neepawa hospital, scheduled to open in 2025.

The federal and provincial governments are providing a total of $5.3M to two projects at the Université de Saint-Boniface in Winnipeg. The first involves the management of student records and the second involves promoting the university and recruiting new students.

The Government of Canada is providing more than $13M to 16 Indigenous-led community development initiatives, creating an estimated 270 jobs. A total $6.3M is earmarked for Winnipeg non-profit Ka Ni Kanichihk, to expand its campus and programming.

Tantalum Mining Corp. of Canada Ltd., is spending $176M to build a lithium concentrator in Manitoba, increasing processing capacity from 500 to 3,000 tonnes per day. This will allow the company to extract additional lithium from tailings at its Tanco Mine near Lac du Bonnet, as well as do processing for other companies.

The City of Winnipeg is hiring for hundreds of seasonal positions this summer, including recreation technicians, wading pool attendants, gardeners, labourers, meter readers, and office support.

The provincial government is accepting applications for the 2023-2024 intake of its Teachers’ Idea Fund. Project proposals are developed by educators across Manitoba, with priority given to submissions that focus on mental health.

The federal and provincial governments are providing $60M in grants to Manitoba child care providers. The funds can be used for infrastructure and equipment improvements, curriculum development, and staff recruitment and retention initiatives.

The Government of Manitoba is implementing a new homelessness strategy, adding $58M in funding to $68M in previously announced measures. The plan will create 700 social housing units this year, fund emergency shelters for 24/7 service in winter months, and increase support for youth exiting the child and family services system.

The provincial government is adding $12.6M in funding to its Self and Family Managed Care program, which helps people coordinate home care services. It is also spending $1.3M to expand palliative care in Manitoba, beginning in the Southern Health-Santé Sud health region.

Seven Oaks School Division, which serves northwest Winnipeg, may cut up to 50 teaching positions during its March budgeting process. Division administrators say provincial funding has not kept pace with operating costs, and staffing and programming will be affected.

Effective April 1, 2023, the Yukon government is increasing the minimum wage to $16.77 per hour. The increase is based on the 2022 Consumer Price Index for Whitehorse (6.8%) and is expected to help low-wage earners deal with inflation, as well as help businesses attract and retain employees.

The Whitehorse Premier and Consul General of Japan for Vancouver discussed priorities to strengthen Yukon-Japan relationships. The topics included opportunities for economic cooperation, critical minerals, tourism, immigration and cultural exchange.

The federal government is providing over $2M towards the T???ch? Trades Apprenticeship Program, who will provide funding to small and medium-sized businesses so they can hire 30 first-year apprentices. The apprentices must be in eligible Red Seal trades over the next two years. Some of the eligible trades include carpentry, construction, gas fitting and drywall finishing.

The Government of Yukon is partnering with Connective Support Society's (Connective) to operate a new community housing program that provides 24/7 supervised housing and programming services. Connective is further partnering with the Council of Yukon First Nations on the program, which will help transition women in the justice system back into the community.   New staff will be recruited and trained to work with program participants.

The Government of Canada is providing $2M to First Kaska Construction Limited Partnership to purchase, relocate, and expand a timber home manufacturing company to Watson Lake, Yukon. The project brings an innovative approach in home production to the remote location, where construction is expensive and options limited . The initiative will support local jobs, economic growth and business development.

The federal government and NWT are providing $24M over five years to support ongoing patient-oriented research through the SPOR SUPPORT Unit (Hot??? ts’eeda). The research will help improve health care systems and patient care.

The Government of Nunavut (GN) is projecting a modest $8M deficit in their 2023-24 budget. The $2.85 billion budget continues GN’s commitment to addressing socio-economic issues including care of Elders, housing, education and healthcare.

Rio Tinto is investing $40M into the expansion of underground mining of Diavik diamond mine’s A21 pipe, extending the operation’s life to early 2026. The first phase of the project is expected to produce  an extra 1.4M carats, and phase two, subject to approval in 2024, should produce another 800,000 carats. The mine employs over 1,100 employees, with 17% who are Northern Indigenous people.

The federal and Nunavut governments are providing $1.9M towards the design phase for two new water treatment plants in Rankin Inlet and Grise Fiord. The water treatment facilities will provide safe and clean drinking water to the northern communities.

EPCOR, the City of Edmonton, the Alberta Motor Association and Walmart are among 22 employers currently hiring for hundreds of positions, across a range of roles, in Edmonton.

The Government of Alberta is committing $7M in new funding over three years for language and settlement services to support Ukrainian evacuees. An additional $20.3M is being allocated for housing and direct financial support.

The Government of Alberta has awarded $9.6M from Alberta’s Partnership for Research and Innovation in the Health System to university research teams in Edmonton and Calgary.

Lynx Air launched service to Las Vegas on February 24, 2023 from Calgary International Airport (YYC) to Harry Reid International Airport (LAS). Lynx will operate four flights per week between Calgary and Las Vegas.

Prairie Rose Public Schools has launched its new South Alberta Fire Rescue Academy that will begin this fall in partnership with Bow Island and Cypress County. Firefighter training will be offered to Grade 11 and 12 students with a focus on firefighting and rescue training, and over the course of two years students will complete modules toward earning Firefighter 1 and 2 certifications.

The federal government is providing $17.8M to support 50 museums, tourist attractions, businesses and events around Alberta in an effort to boost tourism. The funding is expected to support 2,800 jobs.

The Government of Alberta has signed a $24B, 10-year health-care funding deal with the federal government. The agreement includes $233M in an immediate, one-time top up to the Canada Health Transfer to address urgent needs, which include help for pediatric hospitals and emergency rooms and to address long wait times for surgeries.

The Government of Alberta is committing $125M over four years toward the cost of a new building for MacEwan University’s School of Business in Edmonton. Construction is expected to start later in 2023 and the building opening is anticipated in 2027.

The Government of Alberta is providing $5M in grants to the Aboriginal Business Investment Fund (ABIF). Part of the funding will help Fort Chipewyan Métis with the Elders’ Housing and Rental Suites Project. It is expected to create 50 construction jobs with 15 of the positions being filled by Indigenous Peoples.

Roam Transit is in the process of hiring 38 drivers prior to the busy summer season. In a move to improve hiring and employee retention, the Bow Valley Regional Transit Services Commission has approved the purchase of staff accommodation in Canmore.

Calgary-based Gas Liquids Engineering Ltd. (GLE) has started FEED (Front End Engineering and Design) work on a major CO2 pipeline, compression, and sequestration system in Saskatchewan for Whitecap Resources.

Tolko Industries Ltd. is hiring for mill workers in High Level, Slave Lake and High Prairie.

The Government of Alberta is allocating $9.5M in funding to support upgrades and improvements at Calgary’s Telus Spark Science Centre over the next three years.

Ontario-based Splitsville Entertainment and its parent company, Hollywood Bowl Group (HBG) out of the U.K., have purchased all three 10-pin bowling facilities in Calgary for $12M. HBG plans to refurbish and modernize each of the alleys at an estimated cost of $1M per project.

Imperial Oil Ltd. is reducing the number of contractors working at its Kearl oil sands site in northern Alberta as part of measures to cut operating costs at the project. Imperial is deferring some non-critical work or moving it off site.

The Ledcor Group, a construction company, is working on the reconfiguration of Northland Village in Calgary for Primaris REIT. A portion of the mall has already been demolished to make way for parking and new retail opportunities. Winners and GoodLife Fitness are relocating to make way for the transformation of the development to a refreshed open air shopping centre.

Chinook Honey Company, based in Okotoks, is closing its doors on February 28, 2023 as the owners are retiring. The owners had planned on selling the business and are still fielding inquiries.

The Government of Alberta is spending $68.3B in its 2023-24 budget on priority areas such as health care, education, infrastructure, diversification, justice, public safety and emergency services. The government expects that Alberta Health Services will add 3,600 staff from April 2023 to March 2024, and the education sector will add 650 full-time equivalent teachers and 1,375 support workers.

Thompson Rivers University, located in Kamloops, plans to begin offering a new Master of Nursing-Nurse Practitioner program this year. The full-time, two-year program will allow graduates to work as independent nurse practitioners who can assess a patient’s health, prescribe medications, order, and interpret tests and refer patients to specialists.

Tree Hugger-Wellness Bar, a new restaurant located in Hope, opened in February.

The Oak Bay Marina restaurant, located in Victoria, permanently closed in March due to labour shortages, supply issues and pressures from inflation.

The Government of Canada is providing $5M in funding to support 25 research projects which aim to examine existing standards, best practices, and guidelines for the delivery of mental health and substance use services for children, youth and young adults, and provide improved care and service delivery.

Seabridge Gold, a Canadian resource exploration company, has partnered with the Nisga’a and Tahltan First Nations on the Seabridge KSM Project located in near Stewart. The mining project is expected to create over 1,550 onsite jobs annually during the five-year construction phase, and 1,400 onsite jobs once the mine is in full production.

Air Canada plans to introduce direct route from Vancouver to Washington, D.C. The service is expected to seasonally operate five flights per week starting on June 1, 2023.

The Government of Canada is providing $2.5M in funding to the Canadian Coalition for Seniors Mental Health, for the development and dissemination of guidelines, training, tools and resources for health care providers, caregivers, and seniors, in order to promote and protect the mental health of older adults.

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada is allocating $13M in funding to enhance the Youth Employment and Skills Program, which aims to help support approximately 1200 jobs for youth in the agriculture sector. The program is now open and accepting applications.

The B.C. government is providing $440M in funding to BC Cancer to support the improvement of cancer care delivery. The funding aims to expand cancer-care teams and service hours, revise pay structures for medical staff, improve cancer screening, support cancer research, increase Indigenous patient support, and aid patients who must travel for care.

The B.C. government is providing $500M in funding to BC Ferries, to prevent double-digit fare increases due to inflation and maintain annual average fare increases below 3% a year.

The Royal BC Museum will commence construction this summer on its collections and research building, located in Colwood. The $270M project is funded by the B.C. government and is expected create over 1,000 direct and indirect jobs until its completion in Summer 2026.

The B.C. government is increasing the budget of its Employment Standard Branch by nearly $12M over the next three years to hire up to 33 additional full-time employees to support increased demand its services.

The B.C. government is providing $65.3M to support the development of a new 485-seat elementary school in Kamloops. Construction on the school is anticipated to start in spring 2024 and open in summer 2026.

The B.C. government is implementing measures to reduce emergency room wait times for people facing mental-health crises. The changes include quicker access to care and expanded authority for assessment from physicians to nurse practitioners.

Canfor Corporation, a BC-based forest products company, has begun exploring alternative uses for its pulp mill located in Taylor, as the company does not expect the operations to restart.

Wicked Café opened a new café and bakery location in Vancouver.

Malaysia Street Milk Tea & Dessert opened a new restaurant location in Richmond in February.

BC Parks is currently seeking experienced individuals interested in working as park rangers and other related roles.

The Canadian Blood Services plans to open a new plasma donation centre location in Abbotsford this April, to increase the national plasma supply.

The Coombs-Hilliers Volunteer Fire Department, located near Qualicum Beach, is currently seeking new volunteer firefighters to provide fire and emergency response support to the community.

Pot Empire, a new hot-pot restaurant, opened in Burnaby in February.

The only pediatric gastroenterologist in the province is closing their practice as of May 12. The Saskatchewan Health Authority has said it is actively recruiting to fill pediatric vacancies with targeted recruitment strategies.

According to Statistics Canada’s Labour Force Survey, the Saskatoon Census Metropolitan Area (CMA) had the highest year-over-year employment growth in Canada in 2022, at 9.6%. Saskatoon CMA also recorded the country’s highest employment rate at 68.3%. Employment growth was led by the wholesale and retail trade industry, followed by healthcare and construction.

Weston Family has provided $1.4M to the University of Saskatchewan for developing land-based training workshops for First Nations communities, land managers, and farming producers. The funding is a part of a $10M Weston Family Soil Health Initiative.

The Holy Rosary Community School in Regina will close by June 2024 due to the building’s structural issues.

The Saskatchewan First Nations Natural Resource Centre of Excellence signed a memorandum of understanding with SupplierLink Saskatchewan. The partnership will help connect Indigenous businesses to major projects in the province.

Cameco Corporation, a Saskatoon-based company, has announced a multi-billion-dollar contract with Ukraine’s state-owned nuclear energy organization SE NNEGC Energoatom. Cameco will supply uranium to Ukraine’s energy provider from 2024 to 2035. The agreement will allow Cameco to increase uranium production in Saskatchewan.

The Regina Flying Club is looking to increase its flight training capacity to address province’s pilot shortages. The organization is seeking partnerships to finance more aircraft for students, fleet standardizations and more instructors. The club trains around 10 commercial pilots per year but its goal is to double or triple that number.

Saskatchewan Government Insurance is providing a $85K increase to annual funding for Students Against Drinking and Driving (SADD) Saskatchewan. The additional funding will help SADD develop new initiatives, expand to more schools and communities, and hire an outreach coordinator.

The Makwa Sahgaiehcan First Nation has purchased a pork processing facility, Country Choice Meats, in the town of Duck Lake. The facility will sell pork products across Saskatchewan.

Into the Streets, a mentorship program for trans feminine youth, is commencing in Regina. The program will pair up transgender girls and women with mentors who can help them build community advocacy and employable skills.

Saskatchewan’s trade to Mexico exceeded $1B in 2022, for the first time in provincial history. Agri-food exports account for over 97% of total exports, particularly canola oil, canola seed and non-durum wheat.

The P.E.I. government will partner with Holland College and the Construction Assoc. of P.E.I. to build 32 tiny homes for the social housing inventory. Sudents will be involved from trades programs, such as carpentry, construction, electrical and plumbing.

Whitecap Entertainment’s request to hold a two-day rock concert on the weekend following the Cavendish Beach Music Festival, was approved by council after being denied initially. Local businesses questioned if it was beneficial to have back-to-back concerts.

Work has begun to repair the east wharf at Red Head Harbour in Morell, that was damaged by post-tropical storm Fiona. Engineers are hoping to have the wharf in working order by the start of the lobster season at the end of April.

Atlantic musicians are concerned about proposed changes to increase the cost of temporary work visas from $460 to $1,615. That would triple the cost for Canadian musicians that want to perform in the U.S., on top of their other travelling expenses.

The Government of Canada has announced over $6.4M in joint Federal-Provincial-Municipal funding to improve Cumberland County’s water and wastewater infrastructure.

Halifax Transit is hoping to launch new services this fall, but the Amalgamated Transit Union representing workers, says about 100 staff would be needed to meet those demands. Chronic staff shortages continue to be experienced with 14 driver resignations since January 1.

The N.S. Government has given Melford International Terminal Incorporated’s proposed shipping container terminal in the Strait of Canso a deadline of October 2024 to begin construction on the $350M project.

The Halifax Shipyard is looking for over 350 people as new projects ramp up at the shipbuilding facility. Positions include apprentice and red seal welders, electricians, millwrights, metal fabricators and pipefitters, along with labourers, riggers, stage builders and spray painters.

Atlantic musicians are concerned about proposed changes to increase the cost of temporary work visas from $460 to $1,615. That would triple the cost for Canadian musicians that want to perform in the U.S., on top of their other travelling expenses.

The N.S. Government has announced $28,755 in funding to health and wellness organization Tajikeimik that will work in collaboration with the L’nu Nursing Initiative at Dalhousie University to help recruit Indigenous healthcare workers in Mi’kmaw Communities.

The N.S. Government has announced $559k for the Axis Point Program operated by the Elizabeth Fry Society of Cape Breton for a new supportive housing initiative for adult women. The funding will help support operations and on-site services that include 24-hr. staffing and mental health and employment services.

Eastern Health has announced funding for 4 new positions in Bonavista and will soon be posting two family physician positions, and two nurse practitioner jobs.

Members of the Memorial University of N.L. Faculty Association have ratified a new 4-year collective agreement that includes the establishment of a committee to review collegial governance at the university, an extra month of pay for contract workers, and a 12% raise over 4 years.

The federal government has announced $27M in funding to help train N.L.’s workforce in the technology sector. The funding will be administered by Tech-NL with a focus on equity-deserving groups.

A new unidentified buyer plans to reopen the insolvent St. Lawrence fluorspar mine and bankruptcy protection for Canada Fluorspar Inc. has been extended to May 31 to allow time to convert the binding letter of intent into a formal sales agreement. The mine previously employed nearly 300 people.

Atlantic musicians are concerned about proposed changes to increase the cost of temporary work visas from $460 to $1,615. That would triple the cost for Canadian musicians that want to perform in the U.S., on top of their other travelling expenses.

The N.L. Government has announced plans for the construction of a new Cardiovascular and Stroke Institute at the Health Sciences Centre site in St. John’s. This is in addition to the construction of the new adult mental health and addictions hospital and an expanded emergency department there.

The Department of Fisheries and Oceans 2022 N.L. snow crab stock assessment shows stocks have rebounded, a few years after nearly collapsing. Despite this, N.L.’s most valuable fishery has a bleak outlook due to current market uncertainty. Quota decisions are expected in March with an April harvest.

The $95M Burchill wind farm project in Saint John has eight of its 10 turbines installed, with one already producing electricity. It’s expected that the remaining turbines will be producing electricity in the spring. Global supply chain issues caused delays.

The H&M store at McAllister Place mall in Saint John will close at the end of March, after seven years at the location. It is unknown how many staff will be affected, but the clothing store had expected to hire about 40 people when it opened in 2016.

New Brunswick has reached an agreement with Ottawa, which will see the province receive $3.64B in health-care funding over 10 years, including $900M for a new bilateral agreement. A one-time top-up of $42M will also be issued to address urgent needs.

Fredericton’s 12 Neighbours Community, a not-for-profit group that builds tiny homes for the homeless, will receive over $13M in funding to build 60 new tiny homes. The new homes will be 200 square feet and will be built in Fredericton’s north side.

Saint John's Imperial Theatre will go through a $2.69M retrofit to replace the heating and ventilation system in the 120-year old building. The federal government will provide $2.1M in funding, allowing the theatre to make additional improvements.

The federal and N.B. government will invest nearly $15M to make improvements and extend the life of the Saint John Harbour Bridge. The bridge is a major trade route for the flow of goods to Saint John, the U.S. and the rest of the Maritimes.

Miramichi city council has approved a compressed 4-day work week for 20 non-unionized employees as a pilot project, in an attempt to better attract and retain top talent by offering better flexibility. The project will be re-evaluated in August.

Insiders within New Brunswick’s film and TV industry state that despite its successes, the sector is faced with labour gaps and needs help to build the infrastructure necessary to attract large, multi-million-dollar productions.

Two Saint John Bakery locations are permanently closed after the landlords changed the locks at the Westmorland Road and Lancaster Plaza properties. The other two locations in City Market and in Grand Bay-Westfield presumably remain temporarily closed.

New Brunswick unveiled a new $13.3M pilot program designed to help home care workers upgrade their credentials without leaving their job. Personal support workers can upgrade their skillset and become licensed practical nurses (LPNs), whereas LPNs can become registered nurses.

Three levels of government will invest $36.3M in order to upgrade Moncton’s infrastructure, with more storm sewers, extending its municipal services for its growing downtown, raise its streets to offset rising sea levels, and relocate aerial lines underground.

Atlantic musicians are concerned about proposed changes to increase the cost of temporary work visas from $460 to $1,615. That would triple the cost for Canadian musicians that want to perform in the U.S., on top of their other travelling expenses.

Gowest Gold Ltd. will resume underground development work in April at its Bradshaw Gold Deposit north of Timmins

I Heart Beer and Taco Tour, an international food festival, will be held in 13 different cities in Ontario from February until June

The Victorian Order of Nurses opened a new nurse practitioner clinic in North Bay

The New Sudbury Centre is launching an open-concept marketplace for small businesses in April

Weeneebayko Area Health Authority, Queen’s University and the Mastercard Foundation partnered to provide healthcare education to Indigenous youth in the James and Hudson Bay areas

Toronto’s Taste of the Danforth will be held in August this year

Northwestern Ontario Métis Child and Family Services opened a new office in Fort Frances

Queen's University and the Weeneebayko Area Health Authority received an investment of $31M from the Mastercard Foundation to offer health professions training program as early as 2025 in Moosonee

Hydro One announced the 25 charitable organizations, Indigenous communities and municipalities that will each receive a grant of $25K from the Energizing Life Community Fund

The Municipality of Markstay-Warrenexp received $612K from the federal government to expand and upgrade its water infrastructure, creating three new jobs and maintaining eight more

Algonquin College's Pembroke Campus launched a new Business Fundamentals program starting September 2023

Cambrian College is introducing a three-year bachelor of business administration program to meet the growing demand for business professionals

Windsor-Essex, Chatham-Kent and Sarnia-Lambton will receive nearly $6M in funding from the federal government to support 26 projects and to enhance public spaces and attract visitors

Cucini Xpress, a Sri Lankan restaurant, will be opening a location in Toronto

Stanpac Inc., a paperboard and glass packaging manufacturer in Niagara region, will receive $5M from the federal government to scale up the manufacturing, creating 30 jobs

The City of Kingston is receiving over $250k in funding from the Government of Canada for tourism-related projects

Sagatay Co-Generation Limited Partnership energy facility received $35M from the federal government to deploy a combined heat and power facility in Whitesand First Nation, cut pollution, and create good jobs

Phase two of the Downtown Loop construction project started in London and is expected to be completed by the summer of 2023

The Centre d'éducation des adultes de New Liskeard in Temiskaming Shores received over $185K from the federal government to support their Francophones project while maintaining or creating 12 jobs

Hoy's Chinese Cuisine restaurant reopened in Simcoe under new ownership

Drayton Entertainment in Cambridge received $370K from the federal government to use towards facility upgrades and additional live theatre productions

Curex Medical Centre walk-in clinic recently opened in Cambridge

The Mule, a new restaurant in old downtown London opened in February and hired 50 staff

A reconstruction project started at Garrison Petawawa's main arteries and is expected to be completed by September 2023

Legion Park in Fort Frances received $499K from the provincial government for infrastructure improvements

Pass Lake truck stop restaurant west of Thunder Bay closed

The City of North Bay is hiring for up to 15 lifeguards and other summer employment positions for its three beaches

The Government of Ontario hired 193 new long-term care inspection staff, including 156 new inspectors

Hamilton Mental Health Outreach will close down at the end of June

The newly expanded Storrington Centre in South Frontenac reopened on February 23

Canada's Largest Ribfest will take place in Burlington from September 1 to September 5

The Government of Ontario is investing over $159B over the next decade to support critical infrastructure projects

Windsor’s Market Square Food Market will be Closing After 25 Years

The Government of Ontario is providing more than $379.5M to support 107 municipalities to operate and improve local transit

Completion of the construction on the Centre Culturel La Ronde in Timmins is expected this summer

The Government of Canada invested over $22M in six projects in Ontario's aerospace sector to green operations, train future workforce and support over 400 jobs

Insomnia Cookies, an American-based cookie chain, will open its first Canadian location in Toronto

Adanac Ski Club opened its new headquarters in Sudbury

The YMCA of Simcoe/Muskoka is opening a new licensed preschool program in Parry Sound high school in April

The City of Welland is hiring eight full-time firefighters

Héma-Québec, an organization responsible for collecting blood donations, opened a donor centre in Saint-Bruno-de-Montarville on October 31, 2022, creating 21 jobs

The Chambre de Commerce du Grand Joliette has announced the return of the Journée de l'Emploi in Joliette. The event is scheduled for March 18 and is expected to bring together about 40 companies.

Accroche-coeur, a Chandler-based social pediatrics centre, is looking for physicians and a new special education or psychoeducation person for its new Pointe-à-la-Croix facility, which will open in 2024

The Centre de la petite enfance Entre Fleuve et Montagnes has announced the construction of two daycare centres in Saint-Michel-de-Bellechasse and Saint-Damien-de-Buckland. The project, scheduled for delivery in 2024, will create approximately 30 educator positions.

Groupe Robert, a transport company, is investing more than $150M to build a distribution centre in Varennes. Contractor Construction Sorel was awarded the contract, which is expected to be completed in the fall of 2023.

Imprimerie Vincent in Gatineau will close its doors on April 3, mainly due to the lack of workforce. Another issue raised is the cost of raw materials and recent supply problems. The 14 current employees will lose their jobs.

Ricova, a recycling, recovery and reuse company, has injected $6M to modernize its Saint-Michel sorting centre located in Montréal

Bishop's University in Sherbrooke has inaugurated a new building housing a student residence. Over 90 students will be accommodated in this $16M project.

The Centre de services scolaires des Trois-Lacs broke ground for the future elementary school to be located in Les Cèdres. The $45M building is expected to be completed for the start of the 2024 school year and will include 26 classrooms housing 624 students.

Rémabec, a company specialized in forestry, has announced the temporary layoff of 42 workers

The Cégep de Rivière-du-Loup has invested more than $2.2M to purchase equipment and build new laboratories for pharmacy techniques

The Ministère de la Culture et des Communications has granted $4.3M in assistance over three years to 10 museum institutions in the Lower St. Lawrence region to help them carry out their mission

Traitements d'acier ST, a Trois-Rivières-based company specializing in the heat treatment of steel parts, is investing $2.5M to purchase two new, better performing and energy-efficient boilers

Fromagerie Victoria, which is also a restaurant franchise, has announced the opening of a new branch in Berthierville at the beginning of April. The employer is hiring.

L'Angélaine, a knitted goods store located in Bécancour, has announced that it will close in May due to a difficult economic situation.

The City of Trois-Rivières has announced an investment of $3.9M to repair the sports fields at Martin-Bergeron Park. Work is scheduled to begin this fall.

Bombardier, a business aircraft manufacturer, is looking to hire 400 people to work in its branches in Quebec. There will be 3,000 positions to fill over a 5-year period.

The Dolbeau-Mistassini job fair will be held on March 16 from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Promenades du Boulevard shopping centre

The Société protectrice des animaux (SPA) will open an office in Rivière-du-Loup thanks to a $6M investment. About ten positions will be available upon completion of the work, which should begin next spring.

Hydro-Québec is investing approximately $560M to replace three generating units at the Outardes 2 generating station, which will add 90 megawatts of power. The work, which began in 2022, is expected to be completed in 2027.

Resolute Forest Products, a forestry company, has announced that it will close its Saint-Thomas-Didyme sawmill on a temporary basis for a period of 18 to 20 weeks

The City of Montréal wants to recruit more than 50 people to work in information technology

The City of Sorel-Tracy received $10M from the Government of Quebec to revitalize its industrial park and industrial-port zone

The Association coopérative forestière de Saint-Elzéar, a sawmill located in Saint-Elzéar-de-Bonaventure, inaugurated its planing mill built at a cost of $22M. The provincial government contributed over $10M to the project.

Bishop's University in Sherbrooke has renovated its swimming pool. The work required an investment of $5.3M, financed by the governments of Quebec and Canada.

The City of Montréal is looking to fill 300 positions as counsellors, sports instructors, lifeguards and recreation coordinators for its day camps to be offered this summer in the Saint-Laurent borough

Airbus, an aeronautics manufacturer, wants to hire 700 people in Quebec, in particular for its Mirabel plant, which has 3,000 employees. The positions to be filled include assembly, engineering, IT and customer service.

The Sept-Îles Uashat mak Mani-Utenam Chamber of Commerce will hold its first job fair on April 27. The event targets job seekers in this city as well as in Port-Cartier.

Groupe TVA, NumériQ, Québecor Expertise Médias and Québecor Contenu, companies belonging to the Québecor Corporation that operate in the media, telecommunications and printing sectors, will cut approximately 240 jobs in Québec

Resolute Forest Products, a forestry company, wishes to hire about 20 people for its operations in the Outardes sector, on the North Shore. More than half of them will come from abroad and will join more than 150 employees.

DO2 Contrôle, an automation company located in Dolbeau-Mistassini, inaugurated its new facilities. The company, which has about 30 employees and is currently recruiting, invested $1.2M to complete this project.

The Centre intégré universitaire de santé et de services sociaux (CIUSSS) du Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean is injecting $6M to renovate the C wing of the Centre d'hébergement et de soins de longue durée (CHSLD) de Métabetchouan-Lac-à-la-Croix

The federal government has awarded $2.7M through the Arctic Inspiration Prize to seven innovative projects across the North. The NWT recipients include a new research governance organization to advance Inuit self-determination in research and a youth project that produces a virtual exhibition of rare artifacts and stories.

The federal government has pledged $185,000 in funding towards two Yukon businesses to support the territory’s agri-food sector. The funding will be used to construct a passive solar greenhouse and a new food processing facility in Whitehorse.

The federal government has awarded $2.7M through the Arctic Inspiration Prize to seven innovative projects across the North. A land-based healing camp, Shäwthän Näzhì, that focuses on intergenerational trauma is one of the recipients in Yukon.

The NWT government has joined the federal government's Economic Mobility Pathways Pilot program to help employers connect and hire skilled refugees overseas. The program will help employers to partner with non-government organizations in the territory to find and hire overseas candidates.

The federal government is providing $108,0000 to support two community projects that aim to improve the Northern food systems. The funding will help Pangnirtung Fisheries Ltd. to upgrade equipment in its fish processing facility. The Hamlet of Cambridge Bay will receive funding to support a feasibility study to develop a greenhouse in the community.

The federal government has earmarked $2.04M through the Green and Inclusive Community Buildings program towards a new men's shelter and a wellness centre in Pond Inlet. The new facilities are expected to provide emergency shelter service, health and wellness counselling services, and cultural programming to residents.

The federal, territorial, and municipal governments announced $4.2M in joint funding to help improve infrastructure and municipal services in Whitehorse. The funding will be used to purchase two new transit buses and upgrade the Whitehorse Waste Management Facility Transfer Station.

The Nunavut Food Security Coalition is accepting funding proposals for projects that can help improve food security in Nunavut in 2023-24. Non-profit organizations, societies and municipal organizations are eligible to apply.

The Saskatchewan RCMP held a three-day Indigenous recruitment session in Regina. The RCMP is planning to hold another session this spring.

Parkland CPAP Services Inc. is opening a sleep apnea clinic in Tisdale. The company selected Tisdale to provide easier access to services for northeastern residents.

The new Saskatchewan Distance Learning Corporation (Sask DLC) is opening nine regional campuses this fall. The main Sask DLC office will be in Kenaston, with regional campuses in Estevan, La Ronge, Moose Jaw, Neilburg, Nipawin, Prince Albert, Saskatoon, Swift Current and Yorkton. Recruitment for positions at campuses will begin in March 2023.

Munch Catering is planning to expand operations to a new café and a food cart in Regina. The non-profit catering company employs people with disabilities and provides them with service industry training.

The provincial government has started the second stage of procurement for the La Ronge Long-Term Care Centre. The facility will be built next to the existing Health Centre, which will remain open during the renovation work. Construction is expected to begin in the Spring/Summer of 2023.

Super Thrifty Drugs recently opened a new retail store and pharmacy in Brandon.

The federal government is providing over $3M to eight tourism projects across the province. These include cabin renovations near Flin Flon, winter recreation outings in Pinawa, and a new four-season Nordic Spa near Riding Mountain National Park.

Housewares retailer Bed, Bath & Beyond is closing all of its Canadian stores, including its Winnipeg location near CF Polo Park mall. The company is also shutting down its buybuy Baby locations, including a store on St. James Avenue in Winnipeg.

The provincial government is spending $123M on initiatives to recruit and retain nurses, part of a plan outlined last fall to hire 2,000 more health care staff and end mandatory overtime. The new incentives include a referral program, weekend shift premiums, and payments to nurses who work full-time, delay retirement, or travel to work in remote locations.

The governments of Canada and Manitoba are providing $94M to add 1,004 child care spaces in rural and First Nations communities. This is the second phase of a ready-to-move pilot project, and brings the total new spaces to 1,670 since 2022.

Manitoba Health is closing its COVID-19 vaccine clinic on Winnipeg’s Notre Dame Avenue at the end of February. The site is the last provincially-run vaccine clinic still operating in Manitoba.

The Government of Manitoba is spending $1.4M to hire 10 new prosecutors, as well as support staff to manage caseloads and work with victims and witnesses. The new positions will be part of the firearms working group and criminal organization unit.

Wittypeg, a gift shop specializing in Manitoba-made goods, recently opened in Winnipeg’s Transcona neighbourhood.

Construction is underway on the expansion of the Western Manitoba Cancer Centre in Brandon. The project will add 7,000 sq. ft. of treatment and examination space to the facility.

Campus Suites is on track to complete the second phase of its student rental housing development by summer 2024. The 397-unit residential mixed-use building, located in southwest Winnipeg, began construction last spring.

Pembina Trails School Division has released its draft budget, adding 28.7 full-time teaching positions. The division, which serves southwest Winnipeg, anticipates 16,000 new learners in 2023-2024.

Attendance at The Forks in Winnipeg has returned to pre-pandemic levels, with more than 250,000 visitors in January. The gathering and event space includes restaurants, shops, and outdoor attractions such as a skating trail.

Exchange Income Corp. is providing $1M to a new urology centre scheduled to open in Winnipeg next year. The facility will be located in the former women's hospital building at 735 Notre Dame Avenue.

Bed Bath & Beyond, a US-based home goods retail chain, plans to shutdown its operations this year in Canada, which includes the permanent closure its store locations in Kamloops and Kelowna.

130 new affordable rental homes for low- or moderate-income seniors, individuals, families, and people living with disabilities, opened in Langford and Victoria in February. The joint-funded projects were completed in partnership with the B.C. government and municipal organizations.

The B.C. government is providing $5.3M in funding to 49 non-profit groups for capital projects in 2023. Projects include upgrading arts and recreation facilities and providing improved services for vulnerable communities.

The Government of Canada is providing $46.3M in funding to support Trucking Human Resources Canada’s Driving Economic Recovery project, which aims to provide training subsidies and wage subsidies to support the recruitment, training and onboarding of up to 1,400 new truck drivers and 1,200 workers for other in-demand occupations within the trucking sector.

The B.C. government plans to allocate $25M to support forest management measures in collaboration with First Nations, and double the BC Manufacturing Jobs Fund to $180M that aims to helps mills transition to manufacturing high-value wood products.

The Ocean Legacy Foundation opened its new Ocean Plastic Depot in February, a marine waste sorting site at the Seven Mile Landfill and Recycling Centre in the North Island, between Port McNeill and the Port Alice.

The B.C. government is providing over $460K to the Complete School of Truck Transportation in Victoria, to support occupational training and work experience for eligible individuals interested in becoming professional truck drivers in the Greater Victoria Area.

The B.C. First Nations Forestry Council is seeking interested applicants for the Indigenous Forestry Scholarship Program, which exposes Indigenous talent to BC forestry sector through work, study, and mentorship opportunities.

Baroness Bubble Tea, a speciality beverage chain, opened its second location in Vancouver in February.

Bed Bath & Beyond, a US-based home goods retail chain, plans to shutdown its operations this year in Canada, which includes the permanent closure its store location in Victoria.

The B.C. government is providing over $1.6M to the Young Women’s Christian Association in Vancouver, to support occupational training and work experience for 50 eligible women interested in becoming professional truck drivers in the Lower Mainland.

The B.C. government is providing a further $180M in funding to the Community Emergency Preparedness Fund, which aims to support projects that help local governments and First Nations reduce risks from future disasters related to natural hazards and climate change.

The B.C. government is providing $1.7M in initial funding and $1.7M annually to the University of British Columbia to establish 20 additional seats for midwifery programs.

Conifex Timber Inc., a BC-based forest products manufacturer, plans to temporarily curtail production at its sawmill in Mackenzie for two weeks, as of February 21, 2023, due to rail transportation challenges.

Arc’teryx, a Canadian outdoor equipment retailer, is seeking to hire for 100 job openings, including 70 hybrid or remote roles at is headquarters located in North Vancouver.

Lotus Pond, a Chinese restaurant located in Victoria, plans to permanently close at the end of April 2023.

Tamaly Shop, a new Mexican grocery market and café, opened in February.

Bed Bath & Beyond, a US-based home goods retail chain, plans to shutdown its operations this year in Canada, which includes the permanent closure of all locations in the Lower Mainland.

Cake It Easy, a new bakery located in Vancouver, opened in February.

The Government of Canada is providing nearly $1.2M in funding to Biathlon Canada, to support the promotion of biathlon across Canada and to support high-performance athletes at the national and international levels.

The B.C. government is providing $8.2M in funding to the Canadian Mental Health Association of British Columbia, to support the Links to Employment program and to expand the program into new communities. The program provides supports and services, including employment, for people who face multiple and persistent barriers to employment.

The B.C. government is providing $20M in funding to support 74 local and First-Nations-led active transportation projects in the province. The projects include multi-use pathways, protected bike lanes, pedestrian bridges, and regional connections, as well as lighting, sidewalks and other safety improvements.

The Government of Canada is providing $46.5M in funding for the Canadian Colleges for a Resilient Recovery, an organization aimed at developing workforce training solutions for a net-zero economy. The funding will support the Quick Train Canada project, to provide training for 10,000 Canadians with access to fully funded micro-credentials to help increase their skills and competencies.

Interior Health has signed a contract to begin construction on the Cariboo Memorial Hospital redevelopment project located in Williams Lake. The $366M project is expected to be completed in 2029, with the first phase of construction beginning in Spring 2023.

The Government of Alberta is providing more than $38M in community grants to help non-profits upgrade or build 226 public-use facilities across the province. The facilities include local food banks, recreation centres, animal shelters, parks and other non-profit facilities.

Fairmont Hotels is hiring for summer jobs at its Banff Springs, Lake Louise and Jasper Park Lodge locations. There are a variety of positions available including cooks, porters, fitness instructors and more.

The Alberta Hydrogen Centre of Excellence (HCOE) is awarding $20M to 18 successful projects to advance innovations in hydrogen through its first funding competition. The projects span a range of research areas across industry and academia including hydrogen manufacturing processes, hydrogen transportation, fuel cells, hydrogen storage and ammonia production.

The Government of Alberta is providing an additional $6M over the next three years to support the Alberta Off-Highway Vehicle Association and the Alberta Snowmobile Association in maintaining, repairing, and improving trails across the province.

The Town of Westlock has approved a 2023 capital budget that includes carry-over projects with $2.678M allocated for the municipality’s new public works shop and cold storage facility and $1.475M for the continued rehabilitation of 108th Street.

Calgary-based?Kathairos?Solutions is planning to start deploying 1000 methane elimination systems to remote well sites in March 2023. The program plans to focus its efforts in the Grande Prairie, Fox Creek and Rimbey regions.

The Good Samaritan Society Southgate Care Centre in Edmonton, a long-term care facility, is planning to cut 44 jobs as a result of reduced funding from Alberta Health Services (AHS). AHS is moving away from shared rooms and in the process eliminating 77 spaces, which were second beds in semi-private rooms.

The federal government is providing more than $5M through the Rapid Housing Initiative Project Stream for the construction of 10 tiny homes for the Mikisew Cree Nation on the Allison Bay Reserve near Fort Chipewyan, and 10 modular homes on the Fort McMurray 468 First Nation at Gregoire Lake.

Pipestone Energy Corp. currently has two rigs drilling eight wells that will be completed during the first quarter of 2023. All the wells are expected to come on-stream during the second quarter.

The City of Calgary is providing $13.7M through three programs for affordable housing initiatives. One program will allocate $7.5M in capital grants for non-profits looking to build housing on three new parcels of land, which the city will make available to them.

Lynx Air launched new scheduled service from Calgary International Airport (YYC) to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) on February 16, 2023. Lynx plans to operate three flights per week between Calgary and Los Angeles.

Applexus Technologies, a global expert in SAP software, is investing $3M to establish its Canadian headquarters in Calgary along with 125 new local jobs over the next five years. Applexus is also providing training to local talent, including new graduates, in the latest SAP technologies.

JBS Canada, a multi-national food company, is providing $250,000 to deliver automation training at the Brooks campus of Medicine Hat College. The grant will provide job skills training to JBS employees and the general community in the automation field. The program will cover electrical and motor systems, operations and maintenance.

The Government of Alberta is providing more than $4M to the Calgary Drop-In Centre to create overdose response teams and establish 35 medical detox and pre-treatment beds. A one-time allocation of about $450,000 for capital improvements is included in the funding.

Dow has awarded a contract to Fluor Corporation to provide front-end engineering and design (FEED) and engineering, procurement and construction management (EPCM) services for the world’s first net-zero carbon emissions ethylene cracker and derivatives complex in Fort Saskatchewan. The project is subject to regulatory approval and a final investment decision (FID) by Dow.

Lethbridge Fire and Emergency Services is adding two ambulances and 10.8 new full-time positions that will provide Advanced Life Support, which is the highest level of care possible on an ambulance. Alberta Health Services is providing $304,954 for the ambulances, which will be operational by May 1, 2023.

Future Energy Park, a $1.2B bioethanol plant that will use non-food grade waste wheat to produce renewable natural gas, ethanol and cattle feed, is now fully funded following an agreement between Green Impact Partners and Amber Infrastructure Group of London. Construction is expected to start this spring or summer and create 800 construction jobs over two years, with full operations beginning in 2025.

The Government of Alberta is providing $900,140 through the Apprenticeship Learning Grant for 134 new trade seats at the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT). The trades include heavy equipment technician, millwright, machinist, plumber, welder and others.

The Government of Alberta is committing $158M in its upcoming 2023 budget for a Health Workforce Strategy designed to ease staff shortages in the medical sector. The funding will support rural and remote care delivery and surgical staffing, more support for intensive care unit and emergency department staffing, dedicated immigration pathways, and other initiatives..

The Pathways Alliance, a consortium of Canada's largest oil sands companies, has awarded a $10M contract to Wood, a global engineering and consulting company. Wood will develop plans for a 400-kilometre CO2 transportation line that will eventually link more than 20 oil sands facilities with a hub for permanent carbon storage in the Cold Lake region.

The Government of Alberta is providing $2.1M in grants to support rural economic development and diversification and an on-farm apprenticeship education and skills training program, among other initiatives.

The Government of Alberta is committing $243M over three years in Budget 2023 to support primary health care networks. Part of the funding will be used to help recruit and deploy non-physician staff.

Atco and Qualico are partnering to build houses in the proposed Bremner community in Strathcona County, Canada's first fully hydrogen-powered community. Qualico will start preparing the site this spring with construction starting in 2024. Residents will start moving into their new homes in 2024.

The Government of Canada has announced $1.95M in funding for Charlottetown-based biotechnology company Somru BioScience Inc. to purchase new advanced equipment and expand existing facilities by 15,000 square feet to support high-skilled job growth and strengthen the bioscience sector in P.E.I.

The $98M contract to renovate the Veterans Affairs Headquarters in Charlottetown has been awarded to EllisDon Corporation. Construction is expected to begin in March and be completed by spring 2026. The project includes a plan that will see 10% of all subcontracts awarded to Indigenous businesses.

Prince Edward Island is set to expand its public transit service. This includes a year-round route connecting the North Rustico area to Charlottetown that will begin this spring as well as new routes to expand transit in Charlottetown, Cornwall and Stratford.

Doctors living and working within the four Atlantic Provinces will be able to work within the region without additional licensing requirements with the new Atlantic Physicians Registry that is expected to launch on May 1. This will allow the four provinces to draw from a larger pool of specialists to fill gaps.

Saint Mary's University Faculty Union, which represents 300 full-time professors, librarians, and instructors, has reached a tentative agreement with the school following 98% of the union's members voting in favour of a strike mandate late last month.

Doctors living and working within the four Atlantic Provinces will be able to work within the region without additional licensing requirements with the new Atlantic Physicians Registry that is expected to launch on May 1. This will allow the four provinces to draw from a larger pool of specialists to fill gaps.

The N.S. Government is adding $12M in funding for additional supports for child-care operators through the Canada-Nova Scotia Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care Agreement. Under the new annual agreements they will receive more funding for infant spaces, which should help compensate for rising operational costs and staff wages.

Screen Nova Scotia is partnering with the province to explore the film industry's potential spin-offs on our tourism industry. 2022 was a very busy year for the NS film industry, which generated $180M in new economic activity. Similar results are expected in 2023.

Cape Breton University is launching a fast-tracked 16-month bachelor of social work program, which is set to begin this fall and will welcome 30 students to help meet the growing demand for workers. There are currently at least 30 positions in the child-welfare and mental-health systems in N.S. posted on various job boards.

The Federal and Provincial governments have announced a combined investment of over $1.22M to support two rural public transit projects in Antigonish County. The funding will support new vehicle purchases and supporting infrastructure.

A $5,571,844 contract for replacing the bridge in Lantz has been awarded to Dexter Construction to replace the one-lane structure with a two-lane bridge. Construction is scheduled to start this June and should be completed by the fall.

Bear Head Energy is proposing to build a green hydrogen production and exportation plant in the industrial park in Point Tupper. This is the second proposal for the area after the province approved a proposal by EverWind Fuels in January. Both plan to use wind energy to power their projects.

The N.S. Internet Funding Trust will invest $10.6M in Pictou County to bring high-speed internet to more than 4,700 homes and businesses. The municipality’s fibre expansion project will cost about $53M with the additional funding coming from The Federal Government ($31M) and Pictou County ($10.6M).

N.L. crab processors are anticipating a loss of at least $100M from the 2022 season due to declining demand and prices. In response, the Association of Seafood Producers and the Fish, Food & Allied Workers union are working together to look at industry issues such as pricing, scheduling and trip limits.

Equinor is signaling its preference to build the production vessel for the massive Bay du Nord project outside of N.L., but states that the increased project size will lead to expanded local long term fabrication work at yards, along with marine operations and the drilling of wells.

Doctors living and working within the four Atlantic Provinces will be able to work within the region without additional licensing requirements with the new Atlantic Physicians Registry that is expected to launch on May 1. This will allow the four provinces to draw from a larger pool of specialists to fill gaps.

A massive multibillion-dollar wind project proposed by the Exploits Valley Renewable Energy Corp. would see 300 windmills scattered across central N.L.. The project would result in 500 permanent jobs with 2,000 workers needed during the construction phase. The project is still a proposal in the early stages.

The N.L. Government is funding a $910,649 expansion of the Office for Indigenous and Northern Skilled Trades to Corner Brook and St. John’s, while maintaining the existing office in Happy Valley-Goose Bay. Their mandate is to promote, recruit, support and advance the economic development of Indigenous peoples in the skilled trades.

Despite ongoing recruitment efforts, N.L.'s family doctor shortage is intensifying, with 136,000 people signalling that they don't have a family physician. N.L. has had a net loss of 7 doctors from 2021 through 2022 and a lot of young doctors are choosing not to enter family medicine.

Joint Federal ($271,393), Provincial ($226,138) and Municipal ($180,951) funding has been announced to support an energy efficiency project for the Town of Stephenville through the Climate Change Challenge Fund.

The N.B. Government has granted conditional designations to Beal University and Oulton College to deliver Bachelor of Science in Nursing programs in the province to help address the critical shortage of nurses in the province.

Ski hill Crabbe Mountain has tripled the size of its lodge through a $1M repayable contribution from the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, in anticipation of its role as co-host of the 2023 Canada Winter Games which open on February 18. Sports tournaments have been a big economic draw in recent years.

Moncton city council has approved $1.6M in funding to replace the Moncton Coliseum’s arena ice plant during the summer of 2023 to extend the rink’s life for years to come. The contract has been awarded to Cimco Refrigeration.

The Government of Canada announced $437.5k in funding to Envirem Organics Inc. to help reduce costs while also reducing its environmental footprint. They specialize in manufacturing organic bio-products for lawn and garden, turf and landscape, organic agriculture and biofuel markets.

Over $36M in joint Federal, Provincial and Municipal funding has been allocated to expand and upgrade downtown infrastructure in Moncton. The project will replace aging infrastructure, improve resiliency to the effects of climate change, and prepare for private sector development.

Caraquet’s Bolero Shellfish Processing Inc., which processes sea cucumber, has had to suspend this year's sea cucumber season, leaving 89 people without work. The company lost its last supplier to a buyer who ships and processes the product in Asia.

Doctors living and working within the four Atlantic Provinces will be able to work within the region without additional licensing requirements with the new Atlantic Physicians Registry that is expected to launch on May 1. This will allow the four provinces to draw from a larger pool of specialists to fill gaps.

An Ottawa Diversity Virtual Job Fair will take place on March 20th

A Kanata Entry-Level Virtual Job Fair will take place on March 15th

The Canadian Bushplane Heritage Centre received $65K from the provincial government to support programming at the centre for children and seniors

City of Greater Sudbury Council approved hiring the equivalent of 10 full-time paramedics

A 40-unit transitional housing complex is under construction in Sudbury and is expected to open in November

Reconstruction of the Halleck's Road South overpass along Highway 401, west of Brockville, will begin in April

Mill Market Sault Ste. Marie received $1.7M from the federal government to revitalize two buildings

A Nepean Diversity Virtual Job Fair will take place on March 10th

Queen's University in Kingston received $30M from alumnus Bruce Mitchell, to increase research and hire new faculty members

Ready, Set, Go, a child welfare program, received $68M from the Government of Ontario to provide youth with life skills and supports they need to pursue post secondary education, skilled trades training and employment opportunities

Laurentian University is spending $8.4M on multiple roofing projects, residence renovations, and various accessibility improvements in 2023

A Shopper's Drug Mart opened in Port Hope

A Kanata Healthcare Virtual Job Fair will take place on March 10th

A Kanata Veterans Virtual Job Fair will take place on March 17th

PepsiCo Beverages Canada hosted a job fair in February to hire up to 300 people for summer jobs at their warehouse in Kingston

The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) is seeking to hire 400 people in 2023 and were at Brighton's career fair on February 21

CarePartners and Community Nursing Services signed a four year deal with Chatham-Kent City Council to provide a mobile health care clinic in Bothwell

Ziter Pharmacy is opening a new location in Windsor

An Ottawa Veterans Virtual Job Fair will take place on March 15th

The John Howard Society of Belleville will receive $270K from the provincial government to support job training for at-risk youth

EllisDon Infrastructure Healthcare will receive $3.6B from Niagara Health and Infrastructure Ontario to design, build, finance and maintain the new South Niagara Hospital project. Construction is expected to start in July 2023.

A healthcare virtual job fair will be held in Ottawa on March 08

Taco Bell, Mary Brown's and Burger King are opening in Thunder Bay this year

A Kanata Entry-Level Virtual Job Fair will take place on March 8th

Discover Technata 2023 Career Fair by Kanata North Business Association will take place on March 28 at the Brookstreet Hotel

Matawa Training and Wellness Centre, Confederation College and Lakehead University in Thunder Bay will receive $2.1M from the federal government for skill development, and innovation initiatives

The town of Espanola received $3.6M each from the federal and provincial governments to initiate phase two of replacing the original water main over two years. Construction is expected to begin in spring.

Port Rowan's only gas station, Esso, is closing on March 31st

Northern Community Centre in Sault Ste. Marie opened its twin-pad arena on March 6th

A new walk-in clinic opened in Huntsville on February 21

The Canadian Mental Health Association Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge (CMHA HKPR) has launched a new mobile wellness clinic called “The Road Ahead” to provide services in underserved rural areas

A Nepean Veterans Virtual Job Fair will take place on March 17th

A Nepean Entry-Level Virtual Job Fair will take place on March 17th

Launch Kawartha Innovation and Entrepreneurship Centre officially opened on February 11

SIS Manufacturing Corp. and Apex Cranes Ltd. received a combined $596K from the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corp. to create jobs and stimulate economic development

A Nepean Healthcare Virtual Job Fair will take place on March 21st

Toronto Comicon 2023 will be held from March 17th to 19th at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre

A Kanata Healthcare Virtual Job Fair will take place on March 10th

A new fire station is under construction in Peterborough, with completion expected by fall 2024

Seven Generations Education Institute (SGEI) in Fort Frances opened its first Makerspace, a creative space to learn new tools and technologies

Cyclic Materials, a metals recycling company in Kingston, received $3.6M from Sustainable Development Technology Canada and plans to hire 20 employees by mid-2023

The Federation of Black Canadians received over $1.3M from the Government of Ontario to support 170 Black youth entrepreneurs and create 70 full-time jobs

The Centre de services scolaire de la Région-de-Sherbrooke is investing approximately $3.5M in setting up 14 modular classrooms in two of its schools. Construction should begin as soon as possible for a handover in mid-August.

Yokohama, a manufacturer of Japanese tires, will set up a warehouse in Laval by May 1.

The Ville de Québec, in partnership with the Réseau de transport de la Capitale (RTC), invested more than $56M in integrating operating and mobility systems for the tramway project and bus electrification

Biodextris, a pharmaceutical laboratory based in Laval, will invest $25M in a new centre that will be operational this summer. The provincial and federal governments are contributing financially to the project. About 15 positions will be created in the next few years.

Explorance, a global provider of analytics solutions, is looking for staff in development, management, engineering and database administration to join 325 current employees. Two hundred people work in their headquarters in Montréal.

Nouveau Monde Graphite, a graphite mining and processing company in Saint-Michel-des-Saints, announced that the Government of Quebec will invest up to $3.6M in funding its process optimization

LA Renaissance des Îles, which specializes in seafood product processing, is officially bankrupt. The company employed 300 people in its two plants in the Îles de la Madeleine during the fishing season.

The regional county municipality (RCM) of La Matapédia is looking for about 20 volunteer firefighters

The Centre de collaboration MiQro Innovation (C2MI), an electronics research and development centre in Bromont, will expand its facilities thanks to a $17M contribution from the Government of Quebec

The Government of Canada announced that a new weather radar has been put into service on Mont-Apica, which is in the regional county municipality (RCM) of Lac-Saint-Est, following a $4M investment

Bois Francs Bio Serra, a flooring manufacturer, will invest $20M in updating and automating its plant in Sainte-Monique

The Clinique médicale de L'Érable announced that its complex in Plessisville will open on March 13. The building owners, who invested $7M, are also looking to attract new physicians.

Alouette, an aluminum producer, is investing $170M in upgrading two anode baking furnaces at its plant in Sept-Îles. The project, which should begin in March, will employ 300 people.

The Tarquti Energy Corporation, a renewable energy company, received $5.5M from the federal government to develop clean energy sources for 12 Nunavik communities

The Ville de Forestville received $5.4M from the provincial government and $1.1M from the federal government to repair the municipal wharf. The $11M project will be carried out by R&G Saint-Lauren in Baie-Comeau and should be completed by July.

The Maison des aînés et alternative de Saint-Étienne-de-Lauzon was inaugurated following a $73M investment from the Government of Quebec. The 120-room facility will create 250 jobs, and more than half of them are available.

Produits Gilbert, a manufacturer of forestry, planing, construction and trail grooming equipment with 130 employees, invested $5.5M in improving its robotic systems and purchasing an additional robot

The Government of Yukon and Victoria Gold Yukon Student Encouragement Society have committed $350,000 in funding for student attendance improvement projects for the 2023-24 school year. The "Every Student, Every Day" initiative will support Yukon educators, schools, community organizations and First Nations to improve student attendance.

An Inuit-designed and led project, Pilimmaksaijuliriniq Project, was awarded $1M from the Arctic Inspiration Prize. The project offers traditional Inuit wellness teachings and programs that aims to support suicide prevention.

B2Gold Corp. has signed an agreement to acquire the Sabina Gold and Silver's Back River Gold District located in Kitikmeot for $1.1B. The most advanced project in the district, the Goose mine, is fully permitted and construction ready. The Goose mine is expected to produce an average of 223,000 ounces of gold starting in 2025, with a mine life of 15 years.

The NWT government is accepting proposals from artists and organizations planning for visual, literary, media and performing arts projects and events in the territory. Successful applicants will each receive up to $15,000 in funding from the NWT Arts Council Grants. The program is available from April 2023 to March 2024.

The federal government through CanNor is earmarking $1.1M towards five community infrastructure projects that help create spaces that strengthen culture and promote arts, health and wellness. The projects include outdoor community spaces, trails, community centres and theatres.

The Northwest Territories Geological Survey is accepting applications for the 2023-2023 Northwest Territories Mining Incentive Program. The program provides up to $25,000 in funding to prospectors and exploration companies who propose a new exploration project or are already carrying out mineral exploration work in NWT.

The Governments of Newfoundland and Labrador and Nunavut signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to enhance economic and social development through governmental collaboration and partnerships. The MOU is expected to help both governments to set priorities to improve in areas such as climate change, health care, housing and tourism.

The NWT government released the annual increase for child care rates under the 2023/2024 Child Care Fee Reduction subsidy. Effective April 1, licensed child care programs will receive an increase in their Child Care Fee reduction subsidy. This increase will help the territorial government to move closer towards its goal of $10 per day for child care.

In an effort to address its physician shortage, the provincial government is offering financial incentives to doctors who increase patient hours. It is also adding 80 physician training seats and spending $450,000 to fund a peer support program.

The owners of A Maze in Corn, a tourist attraction near St. Adolphe, recently opened a seasonal eatery on the site of their snow maze. The Den Restaurant is carved out of snow and seats about 100 diners.

The Government of Manitoba is providing $600,000 to Indigenous non-profit Ma Mawi Wi Chi Itata for two projects aimed at reducing gender-based violence.

Fast food chain Arby’s is opening a new location in Winnipeg’s Seasons at Tuxedo mall. This will be the company’s sole Winnipeg location following its exit from the city in 2020.

Home sales in Winnipeg were down 16% last month, according to data from the Winnipeg Regional Real Estate Board. There were 582 sales in January 2023 compared with 690 in January 2022, and the average price of a residential detached home fell 8% in the same period.

Pizza Depot recently opened its fourth Winnipeg location, replacing a former Little Caesar’s Pizza in the Charleswood neighbourhood.

PTI Transformers is recruiting staff for the second shift at its manufacturing plant in Winnipeg. The company, which makes power transformers, has recently hired some workers from Ukraine.

Farm and ranch retailer, Peavey Mart, is opening a store in Steinbach, its sixth in Manitoba. The company expects to hire 18-25 workers at the new location. Construction on the new building will begin this summer, and is expected to be completed in spring 2024.

The City of Winnipeg is allocating $5M to create a transit security service; a team of individuals trained to respond to violence on city buses. Details have not yet been released on the number of new staff required for the service.

New Age Metals Inc. has acquired a new property near Leaf Rapids, in Northern Manitoba. The company plans to explore the area for lithium.

The Royal Canadian Mint is indefinitely laying off 56 people at its Winnipeg facility, citing falling demand for foreign coins. The Mint employed 351 people in Winnipeg prior to the layoffs.

The MS Clinic at Winnipeg’s Health Sciences Centre recently hired three neurologists. The clinic, which was on the verge of closing altogether last spring, can now reduce its wait times. The centre is recuiting two more doctors, which will bring the centre to full capacity.

The Government of Canada signed an agreement with SaskPower to power federal operations in the province with renewable electricity. Most of the electricity will come from the new Saskatchewan-based wind energy generation project, which is expected to be operational by 2024.

WestJet will offer more flights from Saskatchewan this summer, including direct flights from Saskatoon to Minneapolis, Regina to Vancouver, and from the two Saskatchewan cities to Kelowna.

The Spot Restaurant & Lounge is closing its Tisdale location. Some employees will be transferred to the restaurant's Nipawin location and the rest will be laid off.

Construction has started on the $30M elementary school in La Loche. The school will accommodate 475 students when completed in 2025.

The Government of Saskatchewan and Star Group Ind. Co., Ltd. have signed a memorandum of understanding to further develop the rare earth element supply chain in the province. The agreement lays plans to begin tech sharing between the manufacturer and the provincial government.

The Government of Saskatchewan has started accepting proposals for construction of a new parkade at the Regina General Hospital.

The City of Prince Albert has approved a subdivision request from One Sky Forest Products for the proposed development of a $250M oriented strand board pulp mill. Approval of the development is still pending. If approved, the mill is expected to create over 700 jobs in the area.

According to its director of education, the Northern Lights School Division is in a state of “crisis” due to teacher shortages. On average, the division has 15 unfilled teaching positions each month. Schools with persistent shortages started having teachers connect to classes remotely.

The town of Wilkie has received over $1.9M in combined federal and provincial funding for the construction of a new pool. The town will cover the remaining $713,729 required to complete the project. Construction is expected to start later this year.

The Government of Canada is providing $6.6M to build 25 affordable housing units in Regina. The City of Regina is currently reviewing project proposals. Units are required to be completed by November 2024.

Uranium producer Orano Canada has gifted $1M to Saskatchewan Polytechnic’s Women in Trades and Technology program. The school will use the funding to deliver additional programs in northern and rural communities and provide an annual scholarship to a female student. Between now and 2025, Orano is looking to increase the number of women in senior roles by 10%.

The Legion Veterans Village, which comprises of approximately 100 new affordable rental homes for veterans, first responders, legion members, families and individuals, opened in Surrey this month. The B.C. government provided $12M in funding to support project.

WestJet plans to introduce a direct route from Vancouver to Nashville, Tennessee. The service is expected to operate twice a week from May to October.

The community of Fort Nelson has approved the development of a McDonalds restaurant just off the Alaska Highway at Airport Drive. Construction is expected to begin once a building permit has been issued and could be completed as early as October 2023.

The B.C. government is providing $4.5M in funding to support the Rural Business and Community Recovery Initiative, a provincial program which helps to hire advisers that work with local communities and businesses to access economic development services and strategies.

The Government of Canada is providing over $830,000 in funding to support six projects throughout the Skeena-Bulkley Valley which aim to revitalize public spaces and enhance tourism.

The City of Burnaby is seeking to develop a 21-acre organic waste recycling facility in Foreshore Park. The $182M project is awaiting approval to begin construction in 2024.

The B.C. government has implemented the Growing Communities Fund, which aims to provide a one-time $1 billion fund in grants to all B.C.’s municipalities and regional districts, to fund community infrastructure and amenities. Funding is expected to be distributed by the end of March 2023.

The City of Vancouver is providing nearly $2.5M in grant funding for organizations to hire individuals experiencing homelessness, and other low-income people, to perform street cleaning.

The B.C. government is providing $17M in funding to support the construction of 155 new affordable rental homes in Burnaby for seniors with low to moderate incomes. The jointly funded project is expected to be completed by 2025.

The Government of Canada is providing $14.5M in funding to support two projects with the British Columbia Institute of Technology, located in Burnaby. Over $9.3M will support a training for gas turbine maintenance, repair, and overhaul, which is expected to create 160 new jobs. And, over $5.3M will be used to create a Biomanufacturing Training Centre.

Flair Airlines plans to introduce a direct route from Kamloops to Edmonton. The service is expected to operate three times weekly beginning June 15, 2023.

Our Place Society, located in Saanich, opened this month. The building comprises of 52 new homes with 24/7 support services for people experiencing homelessness. The project has received over $18M in provincial funding and will receive approximately $1.26 million in annual operating funding.

The Government of Canada is providing $225K in funding over two years for AthletesCAN, to support national athletes through the development of an online platform that can provide centralized information and resources concerning the Canadian sport system.

The B.C. government is providing $16.2M in funding over three years to expand youth peer support services and social work job training at Foundry centres across the province, which offer integrated health and wellness services for young people between 12 and 24 years.

The Government of Canada is providing over $2.3M in funding to the Skills Centre Society, a social development organization based in Trail. The funding will facilitate the Skills Centre Eco-Renovation Project, which aims to provide utility and accessibility upgrades for the facility.

The B.C. government is providing $5M in funding to support shoreline stabilization and dike projects along the Fraser River, which aim to help ensure flood protection for communities including the Sqwá First Nation, Shxwhá:y Village and Chilliwack. Construction is expected to begin in 2024.

The Government of Canada is providing over $700K in funding to Squash Canada, to support the promotion of squash across Canada and high-performance athletes at the national and international levels.

The Government of Canada is providing $50,000 in funding to the British Columbia Economic Development Association for the development of educational services to support underrepresented groups with economic recovery from the impact of COVID-19 and highlight best practices for supporting Indigenous, women, and youth entrepreneurs.

The Government of Canada is providing over $1.8M to the Vancouver Chinatown Foundation, to support community revitalization projects in Vancouver’s Chinatown that includes new lighting, signage, and other building improvements. The funding is expected to create up to 50 jobs for underrepresented groups.

The Forest Enhancement Society of BC has provided $500K in funding to the City of Quesnel, to provide training on wildfire mitigation and support the creation of new jobs.

The Government of Canada provided $98,000 in funding to Gabriola Island Recycling Organization, which aims to launch a textile repurposing project for Indigenous, women and youth entrepreneurs on Gabriola Island and Central Vancouver Island. The funding is expected to create eight jobs and help 30 local small businesses.

The new Tech Collider, a multi-purpose learning centre and collaboration space, at the British Columbia Institute of Technology in Vancouver opened this month. The B.C. government provided $9.85M in funding to support the development.

The Government of Alberta is providing the Citadel Theatre in Edmonton with $4M to help fund its renewal project. The work includes replacing elevators, window glazing and skylights, flooring and mechanical systems and improving accessibility to the venue.

Three Sixty Solar Ltd., a developer of vertical commercial solar energy towers, is partnering with Alberta-based Foremost Energy Equipment for engineering and fabrication work.

US-based Air Products, a global industrial gases company, is hiring over 40 employees for a new Project Delivery office in Edmonton. The Global Engineering and Manufacturing Technology Equipment (GEMTE) office will be a cross-functional space including executives, engineering, product, process gas, and air separation unit (ASU) product line functions.

TC Energy has started construction on the Saddlebrook Solar and Storage Project, located south of Aldersyde. During construction, 140 employees will be on site. The facility will have two full-time employees when operational in late 2023.

Hitman’s Bar, a restaurant and bar concept, opened in Calgary on February 10, 2023.

Accident Support Services International, which operates vehicle collision reporting centres, has hired more staff and added kiosks and more space to two centres that opened in Edmonton in September 2022.

The Government of Alberta is providing up to $58M from the TIER fund through Emissions Reduction Alberta (ERA) to help technology in recycling, waste reduction and the circular economy through various stages of development. If successful, these projects have the potential to create about 1,800 jobs.

Calgary-based SNDL, a cannabis grower and formulator, is cutting 85 jobs at its Olds production facility. The company said its downsizing strategy is partly a result of its recent $138M acquisition of cannabis extraction company Valens.

Edmonton-based Stantec, a global engineering and design firm, has been selected to provide construction and engineering services for the US$2.5B Qcells solar power manufacturing facility in Georgia, United States.

Bed Bath & Beyond Canada is going out of business and closing 54 Bed Bath & Beyond stores and 11 buybuy BABY stores across the country. There are currently 17 Bed Bath & Beyond stores in Alberta and three buybuy BABY stores.

PhatBar Bakery & Café, a retro bakery and cafe concept, opened in Edmonton on February 11, 2023.

The City of Calgary and the federal government are jointly providing $4.9M to build protected bike lanes and other infrastructure improvements to increase accessibility in the Beltline District of the city.

Entropy Inc. has started expanding its staff numbers with a focus on commercial growth in the United States. Entropy has four projects in the pipeline that are expected to advance to procurement and construction during 2023. Entropy will also be providing technology, engineering and development expertise for a project in California.

Bonterra Energy Corp. has drilled eight wells to date in 2023 - all eight are expected to be completed, equipped and placed on production during the first quarter of 2023.

Edmonton-based Jobber, a developer of subscription software (SaaS) for small businesses, has raised $134M in venture capital funding. Jobber will use the new funding to focus on customer acquisition, research and development, and product improvements.

The City of Cold Lake plans to spend $1.85M to buy the Glacier Gate Medical Clinic, from two physicians who are leaving Cold Lake, in an effort to attract new physicians to the community. The four physicians who remain at the clinic and the current staff are expected to continue in their roles after the transition, expected by April 1, 2023.

The Government of Alberta is providing an additional $10M for students in Grade 1 who need help catching up in both math and literacy. School authorities can use the funds to hire additional teachers and educational assistants, provide more training to their staff or purchase resources like books.

Keyera Corp. has sanctioned a $60M to $70M capacity expansion of its Pipestone gas plant, subject to final regulatory approval anticipated to be forthcoming in March 2023. The expansion is expected to be complete in Q1 2024.

The Government of Alberta is investing $150,000 in a partnership with SafeGen's JobSafe program and other organizations to provide free safety training to students as they explore possible career paths.

Calgary-based CEMATRIX Corporation has booked $5.3M in new contracts, primarily for geotechnical and tunnel infrastructure projects across North America.

Lynx Air launched its inaugural flight from Calgary International Airport (YYC) to Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX) on February 7, 2023. Lynx is operating three flights per week between Calgary and Phoenix. Lynx is also planning to launch services out of Calgary to Los Angeles and Las Vegas over the next several weeks.

Alberta Motor Transport Association (AMTA) is leading a multi-partner demonstration project with industry and government support to develop and evaluate hydrogen-fuelled vehicles on Alberta roads. The project is designed to collect user data over a two year period.

WestJet is creating a flight hub in Edmonton with plans to add 150 crew jobs based out of the Edmonton International Airport: 50 pilots and 100 in-flight cabin crew. WestJet is also adding new flights to the US and Canada that will increase service by 50 percent this summer over 2022 levels.

The Government of Alberta is providing $15.1M to expand a bursary and loan program for internationally trained nurses. The funding will also create more than 600 new seats for registered nurse and licensed practical nurse bridging and licensing programs, starting in the 2023-24 academic year.

The Government of Alberta is appointing five judges and four justices of the peace to the provincial court, filling vacancies in Calgary and Edmonton.

Greedy Donut, a bakery and café concept, is slated to open soon in Chinook Mall in Calgary.

The UPEI Faculty Association voted 83% in favour of striking if they are unable to reach a collective agreement. Faculty demands include reasonable workloads, more full-time faculty, better health and safety conditions and higher pay.

Bed Bath & Beyond Canada is closing all 54 stores and 11 buybuy BABY stores including its stores in Fredericton, Moncton, Halifax, Dartmouth, Charlottetown, and St. John’s. The company has nearly 400 full-time and over 1,000 part-time workers.

The P.E.I. and federal governments will invest $50M to build a 75,000 ft2 biomanufacturing facility, the BioAccelerator, in the BioCommons Research Park in Charlottetown. The project is expected to create highly-skilled jobs and opportunities.

P.E.I.’s Construction Association says that the goal of having the Island’s vacancy rate at 4% within two years, would require an extra 1,500 to 2,000 skilled tradespeople. Construction on the Island employs around 7,200 workers and could lose many to retirement.

Porter Airlines will begin offering daily non-stop flights between Charlottetown and Ottawa, starting in May and ending in October. P.E.I. is currently the only Atlantic province not served by Porter.

Canada’s premiers and territorial leaders have accepted the new federal health care transfer, which will result in the provinces getting an extra $49B over 10 years. The funding will help address priorities like the doctor shortage and surgical backlogs.

The paramedics' union and Island EMS have reached a tentative agreement, which will need to be ratified by its 200 members. Key agreement aspects include salary increases and improving working conditions, and other initiatives to improve staff retention.

Health P.E.I. states that work has begun to create a new centralized online referral system, which will allow health-care providers to view wait times for a specific specialist when referring a patient. It is expected to take 12 to 18 months to complete.

Combined Federal and Provincial Government funding of $8M has been announced to support energy efficiency upgrades to over 200 public housing properties in the Cape Breton Regional Municipality.

A new survey from the CFIB shows that 52% N.S. small business owners and 62% of N.B. owners have pandemic-related debt. In both provinces the average debt level is around $100K, and up to 16% report they are at risk of closure.

The Grape Growers Association of N.S. has reported that it will take years for vineyards to recover from the recent cold snap that destroyed over 95% of some of the most prized varieties of grapes.

Joint Federal Provincial funding of $593,931 was announced for Pictou County Transit’s fixed-route transit system, which provides public transit service in New Glasgow and Stellarton. The funding will enable two new bus purchases and establish new bus stops to improve accessibility.

The N.S. Government has renewed two agreements with Port Hawkesbury Paper that will result in less timber being cut on Crown lands which will result in a shift to the private sector. This was recommended in the 2018 Lahey Report on forestry that called for a shift to ecological forestry.

Some nurses early in their careers are leaving Nova Scotia hospitals and signing contracts with travel nursing agencies to work elsewhere in Canada. These nurses are citing higher pay and more flexible schedules. N.S. Health is currently trying to fill 1,024 vacant nursing positions.

New/Coming Soon: Mary Brown’s (Bedford); Closures: Kam-Moon (Halifax) and Bed Bath and Beyond/Buy Buy Baby are closing all stores in Canada.

Bed Bath & Beyond Canada is closing all 54 stores and 11 buybuy BABY stores including its stores in Fredericton, Moncton, Halifax, Dartmouth, Charlottetown, and St. John’s. The company has nearly 400 full-time and over 1,000 part-time workers.

Statistics Canada data shows that one in five properties across much of Canada are owned by investors. N.S. and N.B. have fairly high levels of investor-owned properties, which can make it harder for first-time homeowners to find an affordable home.

Marchand Developments is planning a major housing development that will bring 886 new housing units to a 36-acre site in Bridgewater over the next 20 years or more. Phase 1 construction is expected to start by the end of 2023 or early 2024 and will see 492 units built.

Canada’s premiers and territorial leaders have accepted the new federal health care transfer, which will result in the provinces getting an extra $49B over 10 years. The funding will help address priorities like the doctor shortage and surgical backlogs.

The N.S. Government has approved two new wind farm projects from Natural Forces Developments: The Benjamins Mill development (near Windsor) with 28 turbines and the Westchester Wind Project (near Oxford) with 12 turbines. Construction will begin in winter 2023 and be operational by 2025.

Memorial University's faculty association and administration have reached a tentative deal after a nearly 2-week strike. The faculty association prioritized three items: improved job security for temporary staff, post-retirement health benefits, and collegial governance.

Canada’s premiers and territorial leaders have accepted the new federal health care transfer, which will result in the provinces getting an extra $49B over 10 years. The funding will help address priorities like the doctor shortage and surgical backlogs.

Bed Bath & Beyond Canada is closing all 54 stores and 11 buybuy BABY stores including its stores in Fredericton, Moncton, Halifax, Dartmouth, Charlottetown, and St. John’s. The company has nearly 400 full-time and over 1,000 part-time workers.

Bed Bath & Beyond Canada is closing all 54 stores and 11 buybuy BABY stores including its stores in Fredericton, Moncton, Halifax, Dartmouth, Charlottetown, and St. John’s. The company has nearly 400 full-time and over 1,000 part-time workers.

Saint John council has approved the proposed development of Teneo Ventures Ltd. to convert a former daycare into a pharmacy and construct 54 residential units nearby on Dever Road. The residential construction is expected to begin later this year.

The town of Saint Andrews will contribute $500K towards the construction of a 42-unit apartment building by the end of 2021. The developer states that the lack of housing is impacting businesses, the community college, as well as families and seniors.

ACOA will invest over $876K in Fredericton’s Thermtest Inc., which will help support a marketing strategy, purchase production machinery, and the hiring of a digital business systems analyst. Thermtest will continue to grow in its new 15,000 ft2 HQ facility.

Horizon Health reports that improvements have been made to improve ambulance offload delays, an increase in some surgeries, and a reduction in wait time for mental health services. The health network has over 70 improvement projects underway.

Statistics Canada data shows that one in five properties across much of Canada are owned by investors. N.S. and N.B. have fairly high levels of investor-owned properties, which can make it harder for first-time homeowners to find an affordable home.

A former Roman Catholic church in the south end of Saint John will be converted to a space for artists, non-profits and social entrepreneurs. An affordable housing complex with 38 units will be built on the empty space next to the church.

Moncton’s latest newcomer job fair saw nearly 1,000 job-seekers meet with employers in fields ranging from banking to manufacturing. N.B. is faced with high job vacancies, while immigrants and non-permanent residents now make up about 8.8% of the workforce.

ARC Clean Energy reports that its small modular nuclear reactors (SMRs) will not match the 450 MWs of electricity created annually by the Belledune coal-fired power station. Belledune must stop burning coal by 2030 and the first SMR will generate 100 MWs.

Poley Mountain, a N.B. ski and mountain biking resort near Sussex, has received $95K through the federal government’s Tourism Relief Fund (TRF). The money will go towards upgrades and equipment, and help expand its year-round experiences.

A new survey from the CFIB shows that 52% N.S. small business owners and 62% of N.B. owners have pandemic-related debt. In both provinces the average debt level is around $100K, and up to 16% report they are at risk of closure.

The New Brunswick Human Rights Commission has had to hire a significant number of new staff to deal with an increased number of complaints, primarily due to COVID-19 issues and housing complaints.

Canada’s premiers and territorial leaders have accepted the new federal health care transfer, which will result in the provinces getting an extra $49B over 10 years. The funding will help address priorities like the doctor shortage and surgical backlogs.

The owner of Sackville’s Cattail Ridge Family Market will permanently close its market due to fatigue from long hours and high local demand during the pandemic. Two potential attempts to sell the business failed, which supported over 100 small local businesses.

Food Island Supermarket, an Asian grocery store, has closed down in London

Bed Bath & Beyond Canada is closing its operations nationwide, shuttering 27 stores in Ontario

The Hamilton Children's Aid Society is laying off 19 workers

Canopy Growth Corporation in Smith Falls and Ottawa will stop cannabis cultivation, laying off a 350 workers immediately and another 450 in the coming months

A 40-unit transitional housing complex is under construction at the Apex Modular facility in New Sudbury. It is expected to be operational by November.

Options Skilled Trades Career Fair will take place on May 31 at the Pembroke Memorial Centre

Canadore College is launching a free 23-week pre-apprenticeship carpentry program in April for low-income women with at least 16 high school credits

Flair Airlines announced it will offer flights between Windsor and Vancouver starting in June, with plans to grow its fleet to 50 planes by 2025

Lake of the Woods hospital in Kenora received $976K from Government of Canada to initiate a training program aimed at combating racism

The Wildlife Preservation Canada received $423K from the provincial government to undertake work to protect species within the Ojibway Prairie

The Youth Wellness Hub, a community resource for mental health, substance abuse and primary care, is opening locations in Sudbury and Algoma this spring

Oneida Energy storage project in partnership with the Six Nations of the Grand River Development Corporation, Northland Power, NRStor and Aecon Group, received $50M from the federal and provincial governments

Ottawa's Rapid Housing Initiative will build at least 48 new affordable housing units an $18.5M investment from the Government of Canada

The Government of Ontario invested $6M in 32 remote First Nation communities and the Town of Moosonee to build and operate 3,200 kilometres of temporary winter roads for the 2022-23 season

Billings Township is constructing a new pedestrian bridge at the Kagawong River, with completion expected by September 2023

Mill Market in Sault Ste. Marie received over $1.7M from the federal government to revitalize two buildings in downtown

Pet Valu, a large pet food store chain, is opening a new location in Windsor

Cucina 360, a new restaurant, opened in downtown Windsor

Suswin Village, a transitional housing centre in North Bay, is opening in May with space for 30 individuals. It will hire a staff of six full-time and four casual employees.

Juno College of Technology, The Leadership Agency, and Alida are hiring in Toronto

The Hot Chocolate Fest will take place in Peterborough from February 17 to February 27

The Birds on the Niagara International Winter Festival will take place from February 17 to 21

Andriani SpA, an Italian pasta manufacturer, will build a plant in London’s Innovation Park by 2024, with construction expected to begin this year. The plant expects to bring 50 jobs to the region once operational.

Toronto's shopping centres welcomed 33 new stores

Mango, a clothing retail store, opened its location at Toronto's Yorkdale Shopping Centre

Wet'n'Wild Toronto is hiring for 500 seasonal positions this summer

Farm Boy, a Canadian food retailer, opened a new location at Queens Quay East in Toronto

Magna International invested $471M along with $23.6M from the provincial government to expand its operations in Ontario, resulting in 560 new jobs in Brampton and 475 new jobs across the province

A new restaurant, Erben, opened in Downtown Peterborough

Career Edge is hosting a Prince Edward County Career Fair on March 9 at Prince Edward Community Centre. More than 50 employers will be looking to fill 150 positions in the county at the event.

The federal government is investing over $16.5M in Eastern Ontario by supporting three manufacturers and 27 tourism and community projects, creating over 150 jobs

The Hamilton YWCA is providing 500K to renovate Carole Anne's Place, an overnight drop-in centre for unsheltered women and non-binary individuals

The Hamilton Children's Aid Society is laying off 19 workers

Bed Bath & Beyond Canada is closing its operations nationwide, shuttering 27 stores in Ontario

Options Skilled Trades Career Fair will take place on May 31 at the Pembroke Memorial Centre

Billings Township is constructing a new pedestrian bridge at the Kagawong River, with completion expected by September 2023

Flair Airlines announced it will offer flights between Windsor and Vancouver starting in June, with plans to grow its fleet to 50 planes by 2025

The Wildlife Preservation Canada received $423K from the provincial government to undertake work to protect species within the Ojibway Prairie

Oneida Energy storage project in partnership with the Six Nations of the Grand River Development Corporation, Northland Power, NRStor and Aecon Group, received $50M from the federal and provincial governments

Ottawa's Rapid Housing Initiative will build at least 48 new affordable housing units an $18.5M investment from the Government of Canada

The federal government is investing over $16.5M in Eastern Ontario by supporting three manufacturers and 27 tourism and community projects, creating over 150 jobs

The Government of Ontario invested $6M in 32 remote First Nation communities and the Town of Moosonee to build and operate 3,200 kilometres of temporary winter roads for the 2022-23 season

Lake of the Woods hospital in Kenora received $976K from Government of Canada to initiate a training program aimed at combating racism

Wet'n'Wild Toronto is hiring for 500 seasonal positions this summer

Mill Market in Sault Ste. Marie received over $1.7M from the federal government to revitalize two buildings in downtown

Mango, a clothing retail store, opened its location at Toronto's Yorkdale Shopping Centre

Farm Boy, a Canadian food retailer, opened a new location at Queens Quay East in Toronto

Food Island Supermarket, an Asian grocery store, has closed down in London

Magna International invested $471M along with $23.6M from the provincial government to expand its operations in Ontario, resulting in 560 new jobs in Brampton and 475 new jobs across the province

Juno College of Technology, The Leadership Agency, and Alida are hiring in Toronto

The Youth Wellness Hub, a community resource for mental health, substance abuse and primary care, is opening locations in Sudbury and Algoma this spring

The Birds on the Niagara International Winter Festival will take place from February 17 to 21

Career Edge is hosting a Prince Edward County Career Fair on March 9 at Prince Edward Community Centre. More than 50 employers will be looking to fill 150 positions in the county at the event.

Canadore College is launching a free 23-week pre-apprenticeship carpentry program in April for low-income women with at least 16 high school credits

A 40-unit transitional housing complex is under construction at the Apex Modular facility in New Sudbury. It is expected to be operational by November.

Suswin Village, a transitional housing centre in North Bay, is opening in May with space for 30 individuals. It will hire a staff of six full-time and four casual employees.

Pet Valu, a large pet food store chain, is opening a new location in Windsor

The Hot Chocolate Fest will take place in Peterborough from February 17 to February 27

The Hamilton YWCA is providing 500K to renovate Carole Anne's Place, an overnight drop-in centre for unsheltered women and non-binary individuals

Canopy Growth Corporation in Smith Falls and Ottawa will stop cannabis cultivation, laying off a 350 workers immediately and another 450 in the coming months

A new restaurant, Erben, opened in Downtown Peterborough

Cucina 360, a new restaurant, opened in downtown Windsor

Andriani SpA, an Italian pasta manufacturer, will build a plant in London’s Innovation Park by 2024, with construction expected to begin this year. The plant expects to bring 50 jobs to the region once operational.

Toronto's shopping centres welcomed 33 new stores

The Université du Québec à Rimouski (UQAR) is hosting the Journée Carrières UQAR, a recruitment event that will take place on February 15, 2023, at the UQAR’s sports centre. Over 60 employers will be on site.

The Cégep de Rimouski received over $4.85M from the Government of Quebec to renovate the facilities for the Technologie de radiodiagnostic program and acquire new equipment

Google Canada, a global leader in technology, will cut 21 positions from its Montréal office as of April 7

The two Ville-Marie and Viger tunnels, which serve downtown Montréal, will be under construction until the fall of 2026

Blue Solutions Canada, a battery manufacturer, will cease production at its factory in Boucherville, resulting in the loss of 55 jobs out of a total of 165 employees

Atmosphere, a chain of outdoor equipment stores, plans on creating many jobs this spring after its Sherbrooke store is relocated to a larger building

The Sureté du Québec has over 90 emergency dispatcher positions to fill in its call centres throughout the province

Olymel, a meat product manufacturer, announced that its Blainville plant will close on April 28 due to economic reasons. The company plans to reassign the 134 employees affected.

The eleventh Trois-Rivières–Bécancour job fair will take place on February 22, 2023, at the Bâtisse industrielle in Trois-Rivières. Over 110 employers will be on site with 1,500 jobs available.

Mitacs, an organization that provides research and training programs related to industrial and social innovation, received around $65M from the provincial government to fund paid student internships in companies until 2027

Aliments Triomphe, a division of Olymel, will close its pork processing plant in Laval. The 36 employees affected may be reassigned to other company locations.

Transport Memphré, a transportation and storage company in Magog, will create 15 jobs, in addition to 45 existing positions, following the construction of a new warehouse that is expected to begin next year and will be worth at least $6M

The eleventh Trois-Rivières–Bécancour job fair will take place on February 22, 2023, at the Bâtisse industrielle in Trois-Rivières. Over 110 employers will be on site with 1,500 jobs available.

Alstom, a transportation company, received $3M from the Government of Quebec, out of an overall project cost of $8M, to pilot its hydrogen-powered train in the National Capital Region

SSENSE, an online clothing retailer, laid off 130 employees in Montréal

Rio Tinto received $7.8M from the Government of Quebec to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions generated by its aluminum division throughout the province

Bel Canada, which owns a cheese factory in Sorel-Tracy, invested $180,000 in new equipment. This amount will create 20 to 25 additional jobs at the factory, which currently has 155 employees.

Enim, an electronic waste management and recovery company, invested $13M in implementing a pilot processing plant in Thetford Mines

Tata Steel Canada is resuming operations at its iron mine in Schefferville in partnership with Construction & Expertise PG. The companie is looking to hire around 50 people, including Indigenous people, to join about 100 employees already assigned to the project

The Ville de Saint-Bruno-de-Montarville is having the first Montarvillois job fair on February 22, 2023. There will be 26 employers on site with over 400 jobs available.

The Société des traversiers du Québec invested $191.5M in acquiring three electric ferries, including two to connect Sorel-Tracy–Saint-Ignace-de-Loyola. The first boat will be delivered in 2029, and it will be operational the following year.

Mer et monde écotours, a tourism company owned by the Innu Essipit First Nation, received a $1,105,400 subsidy to build a visitor centre, new accommodation sites and a parking lot

The Centre intégré de santé et de services sociaux (CISSS) de la Montérégie-Est received $13M from the Government of Quebec for development work around the future Centre régional spécialisé pédiatrique at the Hôpital Pierre-Boucher in Longueuil

The Municipalité de Saint-Denis-de-Brompton is looking to fill over 20 counsellor positions, in addition to coordination positions, in preparation for its summer day camp

Meunerie Robitaille, a feed manufacturer for the poultry and pork sectors, will resume operations in Farnham in April. This follows a $35M investment made by the company in construction work on one of its buildings that had burned down.

The Ville de Mont-Tremblant opened the Centre Sportif Mont-Tremblant on February 3. In total, the investment is valued at nearly $14M.

Mitsubishi Chemical Group decided to completely close its subsidiary, Québec Medicago, which worked on manufacturing a COVID-19 vaccine. This decision will lead to the loss of 350 jobs at the headquarters in Québec.

KRAFTON, a video game company, will establish a studio in Montréal. Within three years, the location will hire around 150 employees who will join approximately 12 current staff.

The Ministère de la Culture et des Communications provided over $4.4M in funding to seven museums in Gaspésie for the 2022-2025 period to support their objectives

Groupe Maison de l’Auto, which includes several car dealerships, invested $1.5M in expanding its location in Saint-Félicien. The project is scheduled to be complete in July, and it will create four jobs.

The Centre communautaire de Weedon, which houses 11 organizations, will be undergoing renovations until the end of June. This project is possible thanks to an investment of nearly $2.2M from the municipality and the Government of Quebec.

A new overhead ramp connecting Highways 15 and 440 in Laval will be under construction until December 2024

Gate Gourmet, a food services provider for airline and railway companies, will cease operations at the airport in Dorval, which will result in about 50 layoffs

IGA Famille Lambert, a supermarket in Clermont, invested $4M in modernizing and expanding its facilities. The project will begin in March.

The Musée de la santé Armand-Frappier, an establishment in Laval dedicated to interpreting human health sciences, reopened following renovations valued at $14M

Lightspeed, a point-of-sale systems and e-commerce software company, is looking to hire up to 200 employees in Montréal

The NWT government started piloting the Northern Studies 30, a grade 12 course with focus on land, governance, wellness and reconciliation. The curriculum covers topics including Indigenous history, sovereignty, mental health and addictions, cultural appropriation, missing and murdered peoples and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. The course will be finalized by September 2023.

The Nunavut Coroner's Office is recruiting coroners on an as-needed basis. Community coroners require previous education or experience, while knowledge of Inuit language as an asset. Classroom and practical training will be provided to successful candidates and services will be paid for each case.

The federal, territorial and municipal governments provided over $22M towards Boreal Commons' completion of an 87-unit rental development in Whistle Bend, the largest residential development in the city in the past 30 years. Some affordable units will be provided to young adults, newcomers, seniors and people with mobility challenges.

The NWT government has extended the timeline of its NWT Indigenous Languages Action Plan to 2024-2025. The two year extension will allow the government to align the renewed plan including: revitalizing NWT's official languages and providing access to public services in NWT's Indigenous languages.

The Yukon Environmental and Socio-Economic Assessment Board has rejected Silver47 Exploration's mineral exploration proposal in Peel River watershed. The five-year project would result in adverse effects to wildlife habitats, First Nations wellness and culture, water resources and heritage resources.

The Nah?? Dehé Dene Band Office in Nahanni Butte and Gonezu Energy is exploring the potential for a district heating system powered by geothermal energy. The research study is expected to be complete in a year, with benefits to regional Indigenous and community governments and Indigenous community members.

YWCA NWT launched the Welcome Home Campaign, a $250,000 campaign to raise funds to furnish the new 21-unit family housing building. The new housing will provide a home for individuals who experienced job loss, family violence, homelessness or are living in unsafe or unsuitable housing.

Yukon University has partnered with Whitehorse Chamber of Commerce to provide skills training and employment opportunities for students and graduates. The Small and Medium Enterprise Training and Development Program begins March 2023. The one-year certificate is offered with flexible classes and can be completed while working.

The federal government through CanNor is providing $210,900 to support three projects through innovation and diversification. The initiatives will help businesses, community organizations and Indigenous corporations with training, skills development and creating jobs for economic growth.

The NWT government through Environment and Natural Resources is projecting to collar 30 wolves this year. The project helps biologists track wolf numbers and migratory patterns in NWT. The project is expected to conclude in 2025.

The federal government through CanNor is providing $300,000 to expand Arctic Eider Society's multi-purpose community research centre in Sanikiluaq. The Inuit organization is dedicated to support Becher Island's unique ecosystem for future generations and developing jobs related to culture and protecting the environment.

Arctic Fresh Projects and Panorama Aviation are offering more affordable flights between communities to Nunavummiut. Currently flights go to Iglulik, Clyde River and Sanikiluaq, with the goal of expansion to more communities in upcoming years.

Team Power Solutions and STC Industrial Contracting announced a new manufacturing company, STCI Power Solutions, in Saskatoon. The company will supply custom power and controls products for the province’s mining and utility industry.

Lloydminster and District Co-op (Lloyd Co-op) announced construction of a new development in the city, which will house a car wash, a pet wash and a small convenience store. The construction is expected to commence in early 2023. Lloyd Co-op plans to open the facility in 2024 and employ up to 10 people.

Genesis Fertilizers has selected Belle Plaine as the site for its new urea fertilizer plant. The company is in the process of raising equity and debt capital for the $1.7 billion project. The proposed plant would support over 130 full time jobs when the production begins.

The Regina Chamber of Commerce and FHQ Developments signed an agreement to increase Indigenous participation in the local economy. The agreement includes creation of networking opportunities for Indigenous people and development of Regina Indigenous business directory.

According to the provincial auditor, the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) will need to hire 137 more staff to run the new long-term care facility in LA Ronge by the end of 2024-25 fiscal year. SHA expects to begin building the new facility in spring 2023.

The provincial and federal governments have announced $44 million in new grants for regulated childcare centres and homes. The funding will help offset inflation costs, buy winter play equipment, and support maintenance and repairs of centres.

The Regina Food Bank announced that it will be opening a second location in downtown Regina. The food back acquired the former Saskatchewan Liquor and Gaming Association building and is transforming it into a new facility. The current food bank location on Winnipeg Street will continue to operate and will still act as the shipping hub for the city.

The Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) is adding 24.5 new full-time paramedics positions for Regina Emergency Medical Services. SHA will create the new positions over the next three month for two ambulances and two smaller paramedic response units. Additionally, two new EMS coordinators will be hired to support paramedics throughout the province.

SaskTel is planning to expand its 5G wireless network into the Battlefords area. The crown company expects most of Battleford and North Battleford will have access to the 5G network by summer 2023. The network expansion is part of SaskTel’s plan to invest $1.5 billion of capital across the province.

A new investment business, the Wiyotisiwin Investment Management Firm, has opened in Saskatoon. The Nekaneet First Nation and Meckelborg Financial Group collaborated to create the Indigenous-owned project. The firm aims to improve First Nation communities’ access to investors and capital funds. The company is hoping to have more Saskatchewan First Nations join as the project develops.

Glenboro Health Centre temporarily suspended emergency services due to staffing shortages. The health authority did not announce a timeline for services to resume. Prairie Mountain Health is actively recruiting physicians, nurses and health care staff for the region.

The provincial government is providing $7.1M toward integration supports for newcomers in 2023-2024. Of this, $3M is earmarked for the settlement agency Manitoba Start, and $4M is available for projects by other non-profits and service providers.

Granola Heights, a five-storey multi-use development, is under construction in Winnipeg’s West Broadway neighbourhood. The project includes 28 units of affordable housing and 3,000 sq-ft. of commercial space, and is slated for completion in fall 2023.

The federal government is providing $363,000 towards Canadian Fossil Discovery Centre's new facilities and Dig Tour program. The centre anticipates increased tourism, following a trend of rising attendance. A paleontologist is being recruited to lead the Dig Tours in the spring.

The Manitoba government is permanently increasing the budget for school divisions by $106M to support student learning and supports. There will be an additional 6.7% (approx. $100M) increase for the 2023-2024 school year for k-12 schools across all school divisions, including $62.9M in operating support.

The Killarney-Turtle Mountain municipal government is hiring a recruiter to find two community physicians to fill vacancies that have been open since last spring.

The Søbr Market, a non-alcholic beverage business, has opened a brick-and-mortar shop in Winnipeg's Exchange District. The company has been selling its products online since last summer.

Four new restaurants recently opened in Portage la Prairie. Taste of Spice, Benvenuto Pizzeria, Prairie Donair, and BarBURRITO all set up shop within two weeks of one another.

Flair Airlines is adding routes to and from Winnipeg this year. Flights to Victoria, Kelowna, and London, Ont. are set to begin in June. The low-fare airline is also expanding the number of flights it offers from Winnipeg to Toronto, Vancouver, and Calgary.

The B.C. government is providing $23.4M in funding through the Community Emergency Preparedness Fund to 49 Indigenous and local governments in the province, to support projects aimed at improving climate change resiliency.

The Government of Canada is providing $485,410 in funding for Community Futures North Okanagan to expand the Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot project in the Southern Interior of B.C., which aims to help smaller communities attract newcomers and provide settlement services and mentoring opportunities.

Cariboo Pulp and Paper, a pulp mill in Quesnel, announced plans to curtail operations in mid-April for a month and then for another month in the third quarter due to fibre supply challenges.

The BC Children’s Hospital in Vancouver has been approved to develop a new $222M Centre for Children and Youth Living with Health Complexity facility. Work on the new centre is expected to begin in 2025, with completion in 2028.

The B.C. government is providing approximately $5M in funding through the Indigenous Resilience and Recovery Grant Initiative, to support 23 Indigenous-led non-profit organizations that deliver critical programs and services to individuals and families.

The City of Fernie is planning to conduct a wildfire fuel management in the Ridgemont area to reduce the risk of wildfire to the community. The $185K jointly funded project is expected to be completed over an 8-week period beginning this month.

The Oak Bay Library branch of the Greater Victoria Public Library will be closed for up to 12 weeks to remove asbestos.

The City of Prince George will host the 2025 Special Olympics B.C. Summer Games. The event is expected to host around 1,100 athletes, 300 coaches and support staff.

The B.C. government has implemented its Integrated Child and Youth teams in a number of smaller BC communities to provide new services and supports for children and youth facing mental-health and substance-use challenges.

The B.C. government is providing nearly $170K in funding to support the development of a composting facility on Salt Spring Island, that will process the community’s organic materials.

Kanaka Pizza permanently closed its pizza restaurant in Maple Ridge this month.

TransLink is planning to develop a new transit depot on 20-acres of vacant land in Vancouver, to provide operations, maintenance, and a parking hub for a future fleet of over 400 electric-battery buses.

Sunnyside Elementary School, located in Surrey, has added ten new classrooms through a $11.4M project funded by the B.C. government. The project has enabled a 250-seat expansion and space for additional childcare services.

The B.C. government has provided approximately $2 million in funding to the Justice Institute of B.C., to expand its paramedic training programs for over 130 students in communities around the province

The Government of Canada is providing $46.5M in funding over five years to Ocean Networks Canada, an initiative of the University of Victoria, to support the enhancement of ocean monitoring systems for data collection and observation.

Cafe D’Lite Express, a Singaporean and Malaysian restaurant located at the Aberdeen Centre food court in Richmond, plans to permanently close in March.

The District of Kitimat will receive over $910K in joint funding through the Organics Infrastructure Program, to support the development of a new composting facility. The facility is expected to reduce waste and create jobs while improving soil health.

Skeena Sawmills Ltd. is indefinitely closing its sawmill and pellet plant in Terrace, B.C. on February 8, due to high operating costs from a combined lack of a secure fibre supply and weak markets. Over 150 employees are expected to be impacted, in addition to the mill’s logging contractors and other suppliers.

Hudson's Bay, a Canadian department store, announced plans to permanently close its retail location at Londonderry Mall in Edmonton this August, due to market changes.

The Government of Canada provided over $2.1M in funding to support six projects in the Fort McMurray - Wood Buffalo region and northern Alberta that focus on community revitalization, tourism and economic growth. The funding is expected to create over 50 jobs.

The Government of Alberta will provide $15M in funding to support low-income transit programs in 12 municipalities which aim to make public transit more accessible and affordable.

Fahr Brewery, an Alberta-based brewery, is planning to develop a new 25,000 sq.ft. production facility this summer in Diamond Valley, which also includes a restaurant and event space. The new facility is estimated to create over 30 jobs.

The Station on Jasper, a concert venue in Edmonton, permanently closed this month due to poor economic conditions.

The Operation Friendship Seniors Society, a drop-in program and rooming house for seniors in Edmonton, permanently closed this month due to financial difficulties from rising costs.

Honjin Izakaya , a new Japanese restaurant in Calgary, plans to open soon.

5.85 million passengers travelled through Edmonton International Airport last year, an increase of 109% over 2021. Cargo volumes also increased by just over 7% from the previous year.

The federal and provincial governments are providing more than $1.5M to improve existing trails and construct a new footbridge, lighting, and crosswalks throughout the Town of Penhold. The Government of Canada is investing $915,077 in this project through the Active Transportation Fund. The Town is contributing $610,051.

Strathcona County is is allocating $1.17M in Social Framework Community Grants this year. The funds will support a variety of non-profit service organizations and social programs.

The Government of Alberta is allocating $5M to increase supports for students with disabilities. The funds will allow eligible schools to purchase new assistive technology as well as as to hire specialized professionals.

Canmore is experiencing a shortage of maternity staff, resulting in the temporary halting of obstetrics services at Canmore General Hospital.

Louis Bull Tribe has signed a two-year agreement with the federal government, becoming the first Alberta First Nation to take control of its own child and family services.

The federal government is providing $13M through the Rapid Housing Initiative to support projects in three southern Alberta Indigenous communities. Forty-four new homes will be constructed and four others renovated at O’Chiese First Nation, Goodstoney First Nation, and Chiniki First Nation.

Hudson's Bay, a Canadian department store, announced plans to permanently close its retail location in Banff this August, due to market changes.

Big Box Outlet Store, a BC-based liquidator store, opened a new location in Edmonton this month.

P.E.I.'s Aquabounty will no longer be producing genetically-engineered salmon for market, but will continue to farm brood stock and harvest eggs. The change will not result in any layoffs for the 37 staff at the facilities in Rollo Bay or Bay Fortune.

P.E.I. will receive an additional $48M in federal health care spending next year, as part of the new health care deal unveiled this week. The premier states that the province will spend about $1B in total on health care next year.

Port Charlottetown is expecting a record-breaking season in 2023, with 91 ships, and over 150,000 passengers and 63,000 crew arriving. The Island’s cruise industry had a $42.2M economic impact in 2019 and 2023 is expected to surpass that in passengers.

P.E.I. real estate agents state that the commercial real estate market is starting to stabilize, but is still faced with a limited number of properties. Charlottetown has a shortage of commercial properties, but has high demand coupled with high rent.

Statistic Canada's census of agriculture, shows that P.E.I. lost 12.3% of its farmland between 2016 and 2021, a big jump compared to the average loss of 3.6% over the previous three censuses. It is believed to be due to suburban growth and development.

The Kari ride-booking app has seen more growth and popularity on the Island than originally anticipated, providing 1500-1800 rides a week and has successfully attracted drivers. The pandemic has impacted the taxi industry, who struggle to find drivers.

There is a growing concern over the level of care being provided by private long-term care homes on P.E.I. There is a long wait-list and many facilities are understaffed. Private care workers are paid $12-$19/hr, while public care workers make $21-$22/hr.

The N.S. Government has announced $75,000 in funding the Municipality of Shelburne to support efforts to recruit and retain healthcare professionals, through its new $2M Office of Healthcare Professionals Recruitment Community Fund.

The N.S. Government has announced a new $500k Abattoir Enrichment and Efficiency program for licensed abattoirs and meat processors to help upgrade their facilities and grow the local food sector. The application deadline for this year is February 28.

The Halifax Regional Municipality has approved plans to build sidewalks for 17 rural communities over the next 10 years. Projects could also include paved shoulders and multi-use pathways. The first five projects could cost between $4-$19M for the city.

The N.S. Government has approved a green hydrogen project for Point Tupper to produce hydrogen powered by renewable electricity from local wind-energy suppliers. EverWind Fuels Company plans to begin operations at the former NuStar oil and gas storage facility in Point Tupper by 2025.

A 10-year, $196B federal health-care plan recently proposed by the Federal Government promises an influx of about $46.2B in new funding for the provinces and territories to improve struggling medical systems. This would amount to an additional $102M a year in immediate federal health funding for N.S.

The N.S. Government has announced $61,343 in funding The Yarmouth Region Medical Professional Recruitment Partnership to support efforts to recruit and retain healthcare professionals in Yarmouth, through its new $2M Office of Healthcare Professionals Recruitment Community Fund.

The N.S. Government has purchased an unfinished hotel in Bedford for $34M from Cresco Holdings Ltd. to convert it into a transitional care unit for some Halifax area hospital patients. The property has been under construction since 2019 and was to be a Marriott-branded hotel.

Over half of the long-term nursing homes in N.S. can now provide increased hours of daily care (4.1 hours) for their residents as a result of staffing level increases stemming from $25.1M in recent funding. 1,000 people will be graduating from continuing care assistant programs in the next 6 months.

New/Coming Soon: Guitar Central (Halifax), Sunny Fresh Market (Bedford), Freak Lunchbox (Dartmouth), PetValu (Timberlea); Closures: Rugova Pizza (Halifax).

Cape Breton University faculty members have ratified a new contract, ending a 12-day strike in Sydney. The agreement includes a nearly 9% salary increase over 3 years, along with room for annual bonuses. The contract affects librarians, archivists, lab instructors, nursing practice educators and research chairs.

The NS Government is increasing the minimum wage, currently at $13.60/hour, to $14.50 on April 1 and then to $15 on October 1, 6 months earlier than scheduled. It will also increase annually based on the national consumer price index plus 1%, effective April 1, 2024.

The N.S. film and TV industry is anticipating another banner production season. It has rebounded in large part to increases in the N.S. Film and TV Production Incentive Fund which has been topped up to $41M to meet growing demand and the creation of a $15M N.S. Content Creator Fund productions in 2022.

N.S. exported $2.5B in seafood in 2021, an increase of 21% from five years ago. The N.S. Fisheries Loan Board has seen increasing demand from new entrants, making up 38% of the applications approved in the 2021-22 fiscal year, and trending even higher year-to-date for 2022-23 at 42.4%.

New estimates released by the Canada-N.L. Offshore Petroleum Board reveal that the recoverable oil linked to Equinor's Bay du Nord project is now 1 billion barrels, doubling prior estimates. If approved, it is expected to create 16,000 person-years of employment during the field’s life span.

The N.L. government is planning a new 30-bed emergency shelter in downtown St. John's to help address homelessness and relieve some pressure from the emergency shelter system. The request for proposals asking companies or registered non-profits to submit bids closes Feb. 20.

A 10-year, $196B federal health-care plan recently proposed by the Federal Government promises an influx of about $46.2B in new funding for the provinces and territories to improve struggling medical systems. This would amount to an additional $100M a year in immediate federal health funding for N.L.

RCMP in N.L. have been struggling to fill 30 vacant positions and have introduced measures to entice new recruits, and attract experienced officers from other police services in the country. There is currently an 8% vacancy rate among the RCMP in N.L. with staffing of about 470 officers across its 42 detachments.

New federal funding is expected to add $229M to New Brunswick’s health-care system this year. Health-care organizations say the priority should be to address recruitment and retention issues.

The Agricultural Alliance of New Brunswick (AANB) has launched a new agricultural job bank on its AgriNB website, to help connect employers with job seekers in New Brunswick. It is hoped the site will help bridge the labour shortage gap.

ArtsLink NB received over $300K in funding to support programs that help artists learn how to develop a successful business. The arts sector contributes almost $550M to the provincial economy and the success of professional artists can lead to more jobs.

NB Liquor and Cannabis NB report an increase in sales during the third quarter. Cannabis NB sales increased by 5% and its net income jumped by 21.5% to $4.8M. NB Liquor sales rose 1.8% and its net income increased by 9.2% to $54M.

Fredericton’s Educated Beards has expanded its global reach into Poland and South Africa, and has also invested in new production equipment, which is expected to increase its scale from about 39,000 units per 20 calendar days to about 900,000.

W.E. Acres Crabmeal Ltd., a seafood processing plant in Portage, N.B., was totally destroyed in a fire this month. Four workers were in the plant at the time, with two suffering minor burns. The building produces fertilizer and animal feed.

The city of Miramichi will receive $13.3M in funding, which will go toward 49 housing units over three projects on Waterfront Dr., Wellington and Water Street. Each building will have affordable units and will help vulnerable members of the community.

The Timay & Fils Garage in Edmundston was destroyed from a fire, which was a challenge to fight due to extremely cold temperatures. It is unknown how many employees are impacted.

Pisciculture Acadienne, an aquaculture farm in northern N.B. , has lost 95% of its Arctic char after weather caused a power outage at the facility. It took the company two years to build its inventory and has told its five staff it may have to close.

The N.B. Maple Syrup Association is waiting to hear from the province about its request for additional land, so the industry can increase its production. The maple syrup producers want to expand after having a record-breaking year in 2022.

The NWT government has restored funding for the Arctic Energy Alliance, which resumes rebates for electric vehicle purchases. With combined federal and territorial incentives, buyers can obtain up to $10,000 off electric vehicles and up to $500 for home charging stations.

The NWT and Indigenous governments promoted the territory’s mineral resource, exploration and development sector at the Association for Mineral Exploration Roundup in Vancouver. NWT currently has six critical mineral projects and has half of Canada’s 31 critical minerals.

The federal and Yukon governments are implementing the Extended Producer Responsibility model, a recycling program that puts the financial responsibility on companies that produce waste in the territory. Yukon is committed to fulfil this plan by 2025.

Due to an absence of half of the operating room staff available, the Yukon Hospital Corporation has postponed 150 elective surgeries to April or May. The impacted surgeries were originally scheduled between February 13 and March 31.

The federal and Yukon governments provided $16M to Safe At Home Society to purchase Northern Vision Development's hotel and provide 20 temporary housing from mid-February to June. There are also plans to provide 60 units to Indigenous people, women and youth.

After intitially closing in the 1980's, Pine Point, NWT could have a fully operational lead and zinc mine within the next five years with 450 employees. Pine Point Mining Limited plans to begin construction in 2026, after conducting a feasability study this year.

The federal government and the GNWT announced $14 million in joint funding for the rehabilitation of the Inuvik to Tuktoyaktuk Highway. Funding will go to improvements that will increase road safety and reliability. The highway is critical to ensure residents have access to essential services and also improves access to the north for the tourism industry.

The federal government is earmarking $25M over 5 years towards Qikiqtani Inuit Association's mine-focused Inuit training program to all 13 Qikiqtani communities. The Qikiqtani Skills and Training for Employment Partnership hopes to increase Inuit employment with certified and transferrable skills.

The City of Iqaluit is contracting EnGlobe Corp. for $23,669 to perform a virtual site inspection and to later write the tender for a call for proposals to construction companies to bid on the repair work to fix Arnaitok Arena’s lobby and washroom. The arena repairs are expected to be completed this summer. This work is part of the $300,000 set aside in the capital plan for repairs.

Postmedia is closing its StarPhoenix building in Saskatoon and transitioning employees to working remotely. The company is also closing its Saskatoon print facility and moving printing operations to Estevan, resulting in layoffs.

A local café, Drift Saskatoon, has closed on January 29. Junior Cafe coffee shop will expand into the first floor of the former Drift Saskatoon building.

The Government of Saskatchewan is providing over $5.5M to help create over 550 new post-secondary training seats for 18 health care programs. The funding will increase programs capacity in the province and reserve seats for Saskatchewan students in highly specialized programs in other provinces.

Saskatchewan is experiencing a shortage of veterinary professionals. Some clinics in the province are reducing their working hours due to staffing issues. The University of Saskatchewan has recently expanded its class sizes from 78 to 88 veterinary students and is looking into ways to further expand the program to address the increasing demand.

The Government of Saskatchewan is providing $500,000, as part of its Targeted Sector Support Initiative, for 15 new municipal projects. The initiative covers up to 75% of cost for projects focused on promoting good governance, capacity building and regional co-operation.

La Ronge council allotted $21,000 in grants to six community groups involved in education, animal rescue, and the arts. The 2023 municipal grant program will allot $42,000 in total.

Hall Lake celebrated the grand opening of an education centre and a cultural site in the community. The Elder Kate Hamilton Adult Education Center will be a permanent space for various training. The Uwasisuk Nekan Cultural Site will help teach cultural traditions such as hunting, snowshoe making, and hide preparation.

Evraz North America will be temporarily laying off over 100 workers at its pipe mill in Regina in February. The company cites the reason for layoffs is low production demand due to cheap imports.

The Government of Saskatchewan and Sask Pork announced $1M in funding to support the creation of a cull line at the new sow processing facility in Moose Jaw. The specialized cull line will be used in the event of a serious animal disease outbreak. Donald’s Fine Foods is currently building the facility.

Women Building Futures is collaborating with BHP Group Limited to offer a new course in Saskatoon. The course aims to give women the hands-on experience they need for a long-term career in the mining industry. BHP made the program free for participants and is offering a minimum wage for students to support them during the training.

An Indigenous software company, PLATO, is recruiting in Prince Albert for its Software Tester Training Program. The company expects to create 25 new jobs in the area for First Nations, Métis, and Inuit applicants. Following the training, PLATO ensures full-time well-paying jobs for successful graduates.

South East Cornerstone Public School Division is facing a shortage of bus drivers. In 2022, 438 full days and 108 half days routes were canceled due to a lack of substitute drivers. There are currently unfilled bus driver positions for two routes in Oxbow and Oungre. More routes may halt in the future, as the current roster of bus drivers retire.

The federal and provincial governments announced $19.7M in joint funding for 25 infrastructure projects in the province, including the construction of new facilities at the Land-based Learning Centre of the First Nations University of Canada, improvements to Estevan’s Leisure Centre, and projects in rural areas.

The federal and provincial governments announced $6M for livestock and forage research in Saskatchewan, provided through the Agriculture Development Fund. The fund will support 34 new research projects in 2023. Seven industry co-founders provided additional $288K towards 12 research projects.

Steinbach-based software company RocketRez plans to increase staffing by about 50% this year. The company currently employs about 60 people, including 35 in Steinbach. Its clients are tourism attractions such as aquariums and theme parks.

The provincial government is accepting applications for its Manitoba Accessibility Fund. Businesses, organizations, schools, and non-profits can receive up to $50,000 for initiatives that remove barriers for people with disabilities.

The provincial government is allocating $100M to water and wastewater projects in eight communities. These include Portage la Prairie, Morden, Brandon, Winkler, Letellier, Powerview-Pine Falls, and the rural municipalities of Springfield and St. Francois-Xavier.

Over three million passengers flew through Winnipeg’s Richardson International Airport in 2022. This total was 2.5 times higher than the previous year, but still well below the 4.5 million people who flew in and out of the airport in 2019.

The City of Winnipeg earmarked $180,000 from a federal grant for local tree-planting efforts. Community groups can apply for up to $20,000 for tree-planting projects, with preference given to those who work with underserved communities or in higher poverty areas.

The Government of Manitoba is opening a new K-8 school in Winnipeg’s Waverly West neighbourhood. The $32M Bison Run School, which can accommodate up to 800 students, opens at the end of January.

The Southern Chiefs' Organization is launching a land-based healing fund, providing up to $25,000 to projects that address problematic substance use. Community-led initiatives from member nations and organizations are eligible for the funding.

Manitoba health and immigration officials will visit the Philippines in February in an effort to recruit hundreds of internationally educated nurses to work in the province. Preference will be given to those with at least two years experience in acute or long-term care.

The Government of Manitoba is spending $893,000 to open a Rapid Access to Addictions Medicine clinic at Winnipeg’s Aboriginal Health and Wellness Centre. The Indigenous-led clinic will open this spring, offering up to 2,300 patient visits per year.

The federal government is providing $3.3M for upgrades to Winnipeg’s Mount Carmel Clinic. The expansion will include new programming space as well as an energy efficiency retrofit.

A new nightclub, Club 1202, has opened in Brandon. The establishment is the city’s first sober bar, which offers only alcohol-free beverages and is open to all ages.

A Maze in Corn, the world's largest snow maze, has opened for the season just south of Winnipeg. About 65 staff work at the attraction, which has recently expanded with support from the Tourism Innovation and Recovery Fund.

Castle View Developments recently acquired an acreage near Pelican Lake and is planning to create an overnight destination for weddings, camping, and corporate retreats. The $30M project would be among the largest developments in the area.

St. Louis Bar and Grill, a Canadian sports bar chain, is opening locations in Brandon and Winnipeg.

Manitoba Hydro is planning to build a new distribution supply centre north of Altona. Construction is scheduled to begin this spring or summer and the project should be operational by the fall.

The Maritime Museum of B.C., located in Victoria, has received a $17K grant from the Federal government, to support the purchase of a large-format scanner, which aims to digitalize collections and exhibits for the public.

The governments of Canada and B.C. provided $140K in funding to the Parksville and District Chamber of Commerce, to support the delivery of the Prep Chef Certificate program by North Island College. The program aims to support occupational training and work experience for individuals interested hospitality careers.

The Town of Sidney is seeking to provide $10M over the next 10 years to improve active transportation networks, including sidewalks, bike paths, and trails. The project is currently awaiting community feedback.

The B.C. government is providing $3M in funding to support the launch of the Passenger Transportation Accessibility Program, which aims to offset the extra costs that taxi owner-operators face in providing wheelchair-accessible vehicles.

The governments of Canada and B.C. are providing $5.2M in joint funding to Foresight Canada, which aims to use the funding to establish the BC Net Zero Innovation Network and drive the development of clean technology solutions B.C.’s forestry, mining, and water sectors. The project is expected to create over 240 new jobs.

The City of Terrace is seeking funding for roadway improvements for Lanfear Hill in Terrace, including new transportation pathways for pedestrians, cyclist, and vehicles.

Canfor Corporation, a BC-based forest products company, announced plans to temporarily close its sawmill in Houston this spring for an extended period, to facilitate a major redevelopment project.

Western Forest Products announced the closure this month of its Alberni-Pacific Division facility, located in Port Alberni, British Columbia. The mill, which employs over 100 workers, has been curtailed since last fall due to weak lumber markets.

The governments of Canada, B.C., and Fort St. James have provided $8M in joint funding to support the development of 36 new rental units for low and fixed-income seniors in in Fort St. James. Construction is expected to be complete by summer 2023.

Petpls Café & Supply, a new café and pet retail store in Richmond, opened in January.

The governments of B.C. and Canada provided $540K in joint funding to four BC-based companies, to support projects focused on food security and innovation in agriculture. The funding is expected to create over 30 full-time jobs.

Katsuya, a Japanese chain restaurant, permanently closed its Vancouver location in January.

Wildlight Kitchen + Bar opened its new restaurant location in Vancouver this February.

Family Place, childcare centre that can accommodate 36 children on Mayne Island, opened this month. The project received approximately $1.3M in joint funding from the Government of Canada and B.C, through the ChildCareBC New Spaces Fund.

The B.C. government is providing $30M in funding to Island Health, to support the improvement of health-care services, including emergency care, in Port Hardy and the Mount Waddington region.

The B.C. government is providing over $350K to Self Rise Training Society in Surrey, to support occupational training and work experience for about 15 eligible individuals interested in becoming medical laboratory assistants in the Lower Mainland.

The Government of Canada is providing $500K in funding to iFood Packaging Systems Corporation, a BC-based company that aims to develop innovative solutions to improve food safety and plant health.

Canfor Corporation, a BC-based forest products company, announced plans to permanently close its sawmill and pellet plant in Chetwyn, due to limited long-term fibre supply.

The Government of Canada and B.C. announced plans to install up to 50 earthquake early warning sensors in high seismic risk areas by 2024, to strengthen emergency readiness infrastructure for coastal communities.

The Government of Canada provided over $800K in funding to support Safi Enterprises Inc., a BC-based company which aims to research and develop conversion systems for organic waste, known as biomass, that can serve rural and Indigenous communities.

The Government of Canada is providing approximately $39 million over three years, starting in 2023, to support proposals from Indigenous-led organizations and groups that aim to advance Indigenous early learning and childcare programs.

888 Caffe Express, a café located in Vancouver, announced plans to permanently close this February.

The B.C. government announced plans to build a new Plant and Animal Health Centre in the Fraser Valley, to provide laboratory services to the province’s agricultural and veterinary sectors. The business plan is expected to be completed in late 2023.

Garmin Canada is expected to add more than 200 jobs in an expansion to its Canadian headquarters in Cochrane. Garmin employs a diverse team of software, electrical, and mechanical engineers.

Westbridge Renewable Energy Corporation is moving forward with the Red Willow solar energy project located in Stettler County No. 6. The project, currently making its way through stakeholder consultations and the regulatory process, will consist of a solar array on private land and a battery energy storage system.

The provincial and federal governments have agreed on funding for further subsidized, private childcare spaces that is expected to add up to 22,500 additional for-profit childcare spaces over the next three years. The province will be working with operators to finalize the details for opening up the private spaces.