“Employer One is NWPB’s annual online survey for employers, capturing a snapshot of workforce issues ranging from workplace mental health, to recruitment and retention, to skills matching, and more. The data we collect from this survey provides current and reliable data on issues that matter to employers, which we can then take to local educators, policymakers, job seekers, and employment services providers. This allows Niagara's employers to take an active role in how their workforce grows going forward, and helps job seekers target their skills training to the current needs of the labor market.
 
Quick and easy, the survey takes an average of 7 minutes to complete and can be taken online at your convenience. Your feedback as an employer helps the right people find the right jobs.”
 
 
The survey can be taken at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/E1NIA2020

A Look Back on Major Developments in 2019  The City of Niagara Falls has seen record years in Tourism, Residential Growth and Business Investments. Not only is Niagara Falls a Global Brand for business it is also a wonderful place to live, and have a family. The following newsletter explores this past years most exciting developments that will lay the foundation for future growth in 2020 and years to come.

The Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care revealed the new Niagara Falls Hospital will provide health care to more than 434,000 people through state-of-the-art facilities designed to meet the region’s changing health-care needs. Patients will have access to emergency and urgent care, laboratory services, ambulatory clinics, and full diagnostics including MRI, CT scans, ultrasounds and X-rays. The hospital will also feature traditional healing spaces and will continue to facilitate Niagara Health’s role in educating medical and other health professionals. When complete, patients will also have access to general surgical services; a regional stroke program; seniors’ wellness and aging programs; breast-screening services; integrated chronic disease management programs; mental health and addictions programs; and outpatient services for children, youth and adults.

https://www.niagarahealth.on.ca/site/future

Metrolinx weekday and year-round weekend GO Train Service to Niagara Falls is part of the Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe and will be in full force by 2023. Design and retrofit of the existing VIA Rail Stations is underway. Effective January 7, 2019, GO announced the first of this transit expansion providing two trains for weekday service to/from Niagara Falls spurring on a better way to travel for commuters living in Niagara and working in the GTA. Summer GO Train service has proven to be a great success and will continue with year-round weekend trains to better service the tourism market. Metrolinx expects Niagara to grow to 610,000 residents by 2041. 

The OLG, through their Niagara Casino modernization plan have partnered with the private sector and, selected Niagara Falls Entertainment Partners to enhance the entertainment experience for visitors. Bird Construction Ltd. won the construction bid and have almost completed building a 5,000 seat entertainment centre located adjacent to the Fallsview Casino Resort at the Niagara Falls Hilton Fallsview Hotel. This $130 million capital investment is anticipated to create more than 800 direct jobs associated with the facility, host larger concerts, shows and attractions and is expected to draw more visitors to the City of Niagara Falls and OLG’s Niagara casinos. Since the Casino’s inception (1996-2019), Niagara Falls has received more than $150 million in non-tax gaming revenue and I00% of OLG’s proceeds are invested in Ontario. The Entertainment Centre is set to open in the Spring of 2020.

https://www.fallsviewcasinoresort.com/

The Federal Government announced funding of up to $3 million for the City of Niagara Falls Culture Hub. This funding will support the creation of a new multi-use creative hub designed to bring together professional artists, artisans, and arts and heritage organizations from a variety of creative disciplines. The creative hub will include one of the only mid-sized professional performance spaces in the city, which will be available to professional and non-professional arts and heritage organizations and individuals at an affordable rate.

https://niagarafallsmuseums.ca/

FedDev Ontario announced an investment of nearly $3 million for the Niagara Falls-Ryerson Innovation Hub (NFRIH), over the next 4 years. Council agreed to match funding by the City during the next 4 year period. The NFRIH will be a business incubator focused on digital media technologies. Ryerson's successful Digital Media Zone will serve as the model and key resource for designing NFRIH programming and services, while Spark Niagara's existing partnership and company pipelines will help attract and refer clients.

https://niagarafallsryersonhub.ca/

Bayfield Realty Advisors Inc., have invested $25 million to redevelop the property at 7555 Montrose Road in the west end of Niagara Falls.

Enclosed areas of the mall closed permanently May 1, 2017 in Niagara Square’s 36,392 sq. m (391,720sq.ft.) property. These changes were necessary to ensure Bayfield is offering retail spaces and providing ample parking that meets the evolving needs of the community including easy accessibility by vehicle and public transit and a strong tenant mix. Several stores that remain open but may be or have been relocated within the Shopping Centre property are the following: Mandarin, The Brick, JYSK, Michael’s, Winners, World Gym, CIBC, BMO, Cineplex Odeon Theatre, Choom, and Hoops Sports Bar & Grill.

Costco was announced in 2019 as the new anchor tenant at the Niagara Square Shopping Centre. This significant project is over 100,000sq.ft. and includes additional amenities to serve customers. The new store is currently under construction and is expected to open in 2020.

Located on a large piece of Prestige Industrial Land in the Southwest corner of Niagara Falls – behind the former Niagara Square redevelopment site, and between the Queen Elizabeth Highway and Heartland Forest Road. The nearly sold out 60-acre Montrose Business Park in Niagara Falls includes space for advanced manufacturing, logistics and e-commerce.

Niagara Falls Council committed funding in 2019 to develop Blackburn Parkway and create and service 13 lots in its new 60 acre industrial park. The City retained Centennial Construction Limited to perform the work that is nearing completion.  Infrastructure project funding ensures the city has an inventory of serviced industrial land. With almost all lots already sold, the City’s Business Development Department believes the City must have land available to meet anticipated demand over the next several years.

www.niagarafallsbusiness.ca