June, 2015

Your Business. Your Community.

Volume 5, No. 10, June 2015

Inside:

• Aylmer & Area Chamber of Commerce Pages 18 and 19

Tara McCaulley and Ronda Stewart Minding your business

Pages 20 and 21

Cover story: Page 3

• Port Stanley • Starting A Small Business Pages 22 to 28

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June, 2015

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Starting in business? Need advice? Contact SBEC

by Terry Carroll

So we’ve connected with people Founding a successful small busiwho do have the expertise.” This ness is an adventure, and not for translates into 18 business owners the faint of heart. It requires a good and professionals on a list of Menidea at the right time, marketing to tors. “That’s 18 people willing to create awareness, financing to get take phone calls, offering free adthrough the rough patches, not to vice,” Ronda says. mention less tangible qualities such Sean Dyke, general manager at as determination and courage. As St. Thomas Economic Developmost beginning entrepreneurs disment Corporation (the parent orcover, the game itself is constantly ganization to SBEC) says, “Most changing, usually before the venmentors don’t feel like they are ture gets off the ground: A new doing enough. They want to help competitor shows up, somebody even more. What they don’t realelse has an outstanding marketing ize is that the little things help so idea, everything takes twice as long much.” and cost twice as much as it should.

When asked what younger or The good news is that entreprenew businesspeople most comneurs in St. Thomas / Elgin don’t monly need to learn, Ronda says, have to go through the agony and “It’s understanding the power the ecstasy alone. Resources are of the first impression.” (In fact, available, and one such resource Ronda has a column on this topic is the Small Business Enterprise in the Starting A Small Business Centre (SBEC) now located at SBEC business advisor Tara McCaulley (left) meets with client Ashley Jackson, feature section of this issue of Elgin 10 Mondamin Street, Suite 104, in owner of The Loft Hair Refinery on Ross Street in St. Thomas.

This Month). “We don’t care how downtown St. Thomas. (For those who have been in St. Thomas for a few years, it’s a small business for the summer and another people look when they first come to see us. But the former bowling alley west of City Hall, now $1,500 upon completion. They must be Canadian they need to quickly learn that you don’t show citizens or permanent residents living in Ontario up in your pajamas.” And that advice applies to renovated into offices). whatever business owners are doing, wherever Getting assistance or exploring connections who are starting a new business in the province.

Starter Company is an ongoing program that they go. “You need to dress professionally from doesn’t have to be complicated. An owner of any small business, whether new or established, is wel- offers up to $5,000 in grants for whatever an On- the time you start exploring your business idea.”

Tara agrees with this and adds that failing to do come to drop in to discuss business issues, ideas, tario entrepreneur between ages 18 and 29 (not problems and possible solutions. The staff, while attending school full time) needs most to take his complete financial projections, or underestimatsmall in number (two people actually) is mighty or her business to the next level. Here are some ing the amount of financing required is another on enthusiasm and knowledge. Manager Ronda general guidelines for what’s available to Starter big problem. “Projections can be so off,” she says.

“Very few businesses make money in the first six Stewart and business advisor Tara McCaulley have Company participants: • One-on-one guidance from a Small Business months or the first year.” In extreme circumstanca wide range of experience in the private sector, es, people have to look at options. “You may realnot-for-profits and community. They also “get it” Enterprise Centre advisor • Mentoring with a local successful entrepreneur ize that ‘Yikes, I may have to find some way to when it comes to the incredible challenges people • Access to business workshops on topics from support this business.’” face as they juggle business, personal and family The Small Business Enterprise Centre is the responsibilities. Ronda and Tara live it every day. writing a business plan and budgeting, to executresult of a partnership between St. Thomas EcoWhile they make themselves available to all sorts ing a marketing campaign • Funding of up to $5,000 nomic Development Corporation, Elgin County, of entrepreneurs, SBEC has a certain division of • Experience running a business that will bet- and the Ontario government, with guidance from responsibilities: Ronda focuses more on community partnerships, event sponsorship and mentor- ter position the owner to obtain more traditional Elgin Business Resource Centre. SBEC is a member of the Ontario Network of Entrepreneurs. ing. Tara devotes more of her time and attention financing, such as a bank loan Whether it’s working with these two main pro“We offer advisory service and help, including to youth grants and business ideas and strategies.

Summer Company is one program targeted grams, or with small business owners of all ages lots of resources,” Ronda says.

And business owners shouldn’t be afraid to ask. directly at developing youth entrepreneurs. Tara needing assistance, the staff at SBEC recognizes says applicants to this program between ages 15 that they can’t be all things to all people. “We’re “I’m an eye-opener, not a dream crusher,” Tara and 19 are eligible for a $1,500 grant to start not experts in everything,” Tara says. “We can’t be. says.

Elgin This Month Manager Linda Axelson Section Editor Business Beat – Bob Hammersley Freelance Editor Terry Carroll

Regional Sales Manager Nelson Parreira Graphic Design / Production Metroland Media Group Sales Representative Greg Minnema

Elgin This Month is a monthly magazine focusing on business and lifestyle issues and includes Business Beat, the St. Thomas & District Chamber of Commerce newsletter.

The publication is available for pickup at no charge at news stands and other locations around Elgin County, as well as distribution to businesses and selected households.

Published monthly by Metroland Media Group Ltd., 15 St. Catharine Street, St. Thomas, ON N5P 2V7 519-633-1640 www.theweeklynews.ca/etm June, 2015

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INNES As I see It

Finding our way through rhetorical landmines

by Jim Innes Some language, especially religious language, not only fails the test of pragmatism but can leave one feeling skeptical, if not completely turned off.

Sometimes this is called rhetoric (at its best eloquent and pointed … at its worst, insincere and shallow).

I was watching a show depicting a community baptism in a cold river. A 13-year-old young man was immersed while the pastor pronounced, “I baptize you in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. You have died to your old life and have arisen to a new life.”

The 13-year-old is later interviewed. “It was the most wonderful experience of my life. I have died to my old life and I have been raised to a new life.”

...the impressionable teenager’s half grin made me uneasy...

The impressionable teenager’s half grin made me uneasy. I couldn’t fail but to judge the influence of the crowd milling about him. And his repeating the pastoral language, word-for-word, stirred in me an undefined awkward concern.

Language, especially religious or theological language, can be like that. A bunch of words spread too thinly on life. Though such rhetoric may arise from sincere devotion and be stated with great enthusiasm, it can fail at having much substance, and by its often intimate (yet vague) undertones provoke a self-conscious unease. I use the word intimate because much rhetoric, especially religious rhetoric, intends guidance, often wanting to touch us at a deeply personal level.

An example many of us have experienced is being unexpectedly confronted with the often insistent, “Have you been born again?” The vagueness of the question, and the deeply personal intention behind it, can provoke a desire to be somewhere else!

I have come to feel comfortable with the liturgical formats of my church, and most of the

language used to describe the ‘mystery of faith’ (more rhetoric). However, I dare say that many new comers find that some phrases and wording in our creeds, prayers and Eucharistic rites provoke a disconnected awkwardness.

Rhetoric is everywhere. When it’s working it conveys a message not otherwise easily communicated. Unfortunately at other times it can, as one philosopher said, “disturb the clarity of rational thought.” And in our well-educated, wellconnected, post (post) modern world, there is an increasing demand for churches and other such person-centered institutions to express themselves with rational clarity.

I like rhetoric, we all like a bit of rhetoric. It tickles our senses and rolls smoothly off the tongue, but if we want our message understood and accepted we must, at times, go deeper. For those of us in the church this becomes an evangelical necessity especially when conveying our religious notions and theological concepts such as the trinity, being reborn in the spirit, and many other sacramental symbols.

The use of rhetoric, and indeed the acceptance of rhetoric, does not need one to fully understand the principles (and underlying agendas) involved.

This is dangerous.

It is good that in these days people are rightly skeptical of institutional rhetoric and are demanding greater accountability. And I do pray that the above-mentioned 13-year-old has come to know the real heart of being “born anew” (in its deeply psycho-social pragmatism). If not, he may become foolishly entrenched within a community-driven fog of obscurity.

As I see it, rhetoric can open our minds to possibilities by engaging us in a provocative dance.

However, when the rhetoric itself becomes the fact of the matter, it can fuel shallow devotion and elicit or trigger energy that will backfire.

Jim Innes is a clinically trained therapist and a priest at St. Johns’ Anglican Church in St. Thomas.

Learn more at jiminnes.ca.

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4

Business & Community Our COmmunity

100th Anniversary Ontario Women’s Amateur Golf Championship July 6-10 at St. Thomas club

by Jim Waite, Committee Chair

The St. Thomas Golf and Country Club will host the One Hundredth Anniversary of The Ontario Women’s Amateur Golf Championship in July of this year. The St. Thomas club was chosen for this event by the Golf Association of Ontario because of the recognition the course has received from golf publications and associations across Canada.

It is currently ranked in the top 50 courses in the nation and 37th in Ontario. It is in perfect condition, thanks to our green’s superintendent Wade Beaudoin, and will present a challenging test in a very beautiful setting.

The top 90 provincial women amateur players will converge on the St. Thomas area on Monday July 5 for a practice round. The actual tournament will start the next day on Tuesday July 6 and will run through Friday July 10. Play will begin in threesomes each day at 8:00 am with tee times continuing until just after 1:00 pm. There will be a cut to the low 54 scores and ties following the first two rounds. The course will play at about 6,000 yards and the players will find this a real test of their abilities. George Knudson, after winning the Ontario Open here years ago, called the St. Thomas course one of the five best tests of golf in the country.

The St. Thomas club will be well represented with four players competing. Sarah Westaway and Ashley Unrau are exempt from qualifying for the event and will be among the local favourites. Our top two women club members, Sandra Dunn and Sharon Blaxall, will also be seeking the Ontario title at their home course.

Because we are celebrating the 100th Anniversary event, several innovations will be in place to make this a very special championship. All past winners will be invited to play on the Monday practice round date followed by a dinner on Monday evening to honour their wins. Our major sponsors for the tournament will also be invited to attend this dinner. Investors Group is the main

sponsor of golf in Ontario and the company will be well represented. Aviva Insurance and EllisDon have also joined the committee as sponsors of the championship. Many local businesses and members have become financial supporters which will make it possible to host the event with all the extras expected for a hundredth anniversary tournament. Transportation for the competitors will be made available through the generosity of St. Thomas Ford.

The club is offering billeting to any player wishing to take advantage of this offer. Members of the club will supply bed and breakfast to the competitors. This has never been done before at a Provincial Championship and the Golf Association of Ontario is excited about this possibility for the players.

The event has 25 host chairs in charge of different committees, and we have close to 90 volunteers working now and during the July 6-10 week to make this event a smash success.

The public is welcome to come out and watch these great women athletes. Many of the players are young and are on golf scholarships in both Canadian and the USA Universities. Brook Henderson, the 2014 winner, has turned professional and thus is ineligible to compete at the event this year. She is playing great on the Professional Tour and is a reflection of the type of player who will be in St. Thomas in July.

There is no cost to come out and watch.

Parking is free. Our Manager Rob Mason

and Club Professional Andrew Pearson invite you to join us at the St. Thomas Golf and Country Club. You will be welcomed there to view these players in a very competitive setting, have a refreshment with a bite to eat and enjoy the beautiful surroundings.

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Jim Waite, committee chair for the 100th Anniversary Ontario Women’s Amateur Golf Championship at St. Thomas Golf & Country Club, is a National and Olympic Gold Medal Curling Coach for Canada and Head Coach of the University of Western Ontario Golf Team.

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5

Healthy Living SELF DISCOVERY

Got a coach? If not, maybe it’s time

by Anouschka Van den Bosch

Way back when, over 14 years ago when I first already done some of that anyway. became I a life and career coach the coaching inWhen do you coach employees? dustry was still up and coming. Coaching was There are coaching opportunities all something that people were only somewhat famil- the time. Remember when your suiar with and organizations were just beginning to pervisor Ted had to conduct a disciunderstand the power of coaching. Fast forward pline meeting and fumbled his way to today, and you will be able to find coaches for through it? What if you were to ask businesses, personal goal setting, organizing, ca- him what he thought went well durreer transition etc. Coaching has become a part of ing the conversation and what did not everyday life for personal growth as well as orga- go well. Then ask him what he would nizational development. have done differently or could he do For me coaching is a conversation without judg- different in future discipline converment and opinions. It is not about giving advice, sations. not about telling Often people what they you will have to do, and it get “I don’t know” and certainly is not ther- “the coaching conversation allowed then you can throw it apy. Coaching helps Ted to work it through with his own right back: “What if you move forward, you did know?” Why thoughts and ideas” get unstuck, get to do you ask that? Well that next step, next because it is my belief goal. Coaching is about asking the right ques- that we all have the answers, we are just afraid to tions, to show a different perspective, to bring say them out loud out of fear of what the other out what the person being coached already knows person might think. If you build trust with your but is afraid to speak out or even think about. To employees, they will feel comfortable in saying be a coach with your own coaching practice, it is what they want to say, and the conversation just important to have some type of training behind opens up. you. Having said that, I do believe that you as a So Ted is telling you that next time he would small business owner can definitely be a coach to have the conversation in an office and maybe not your employees, and I would think that you have on the sales floor. Great idea! And then ask for the next step. Have him go through the discipline conversation with you and write it all down so he has a script that he could use next time. I can guarantee you that the next discipline conversation will be easier for him and the person being disciplined. The coaching conversation allowed Ted to work it through with his own thoughts and ideas because you asked him the right questions and gave him feedback along the

way.

What are good coaching questions? I love asking questions that will help the coachee see things from a different perspective. Open-ended questions are always good: “What can you do different next time?” “What did you learn?” “What is stopping you from going for that sale?” “What if you did nothing?” And then the best part comes when you listen and then bring in another question that will help the coachee dig a bit deeper.

How do you start the coaching conversation?

Not everyone is open to be coached so it is important to ask permission with a simple question: “Wondering if you would be open to a (coaching) conversation around what just happened with that customer?” or use words that resonate with you that indicate to your employee that you would like to support her or him in being a better salesperson. This conversation does not have to be an hour; it can be 5-10 minutes away from the customers, but from my experience, you will see results if you look for these opportunities on a regular basis.

Coaching can be very powerful, it will make your employees feel supported and allow for career development. So what is stopping you?

Anouschka Van den Bosch is a Human Resources Professional and Certified Life and Career Coach.

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BUSINESS & COMMUNITY FINANCIAL PLANNING

Making something out of nothing

Money is available for your child’s future. Make it work!

by Stephanie Farrow

RESP, an additional $20 will be provided in grant money. While there may be additional grants available to some families, we will assume the 20% grant amount in our example.

If you are someone who is able to consider these government benefits as something extra, something you will not need to use for day-to-day living, this might be an idea for you. If you are someone who can stick to a monthly plan equivalent to the value received through the benefit programs, you can create something of great value for your child’s future.

Now let’s put these two programs together. Let’s say you saved all of this UCCB money for your child in an RESP from birth to age 6 and then let it grow. You would be saving $160 per month in UCCB benefits until age 6, which amounts to

a portfolio with an average investment return of 4%, you would have $25,182 at age 18. At 5% it becomes $29,268, and at 6% it becomes $34,023.

To amp this scenario up a notch, there is also a new element of the UCCB which could provide up to a $60/month tax credit to families for each child from ages 6 to 17. These amounts could also be added into the plan after age 6 to increase the RESP investment even further.

Now that’s making something out of nothing.

This is just saving what is given to you in a smart way. With a simple idea to save your government benefit dollars, it can really add up to something big.

Speak to your financial advisor about your personal situation and how to make a plan to make the most of these government benefits for postsecondary education.

➡

Sometimes we need a fresh way to look at something available to us and consider how we can use it to our best advantage. Small savings can build to something big, if only we would make the plan to save, and stick to the plan and let it grow. Just imagine.

In light of the Enhanced Universal Child Care Benefit (UCCB) for children announced in late 2014, it would be fitting to illustrate how to combine some of the benefits from the UCCB available and multiply it even further by using those funds in an RESP to save for postsecondary education and qualify for RESP grant money as well.

If you have kids under the age of six, there is money available to you.

Are you making the most of it?

The Universal Child Care Benefit (UCCB) will provide families with $160 per month for each child under 6 (currently $100). Although the new benefits will go into effect on January 1, 2015, in practice, you won’t receive your first cheque until July 2015, but it will be retroactive to January for the full amount.

There is also grant money available through the Registered Education Savings Program. On average, for every $100 a family saves inside an

Stephanie Farrow, B.A., C.F.P., is a Certified Financial Planner and co-owner of Farrow Financial Services Inc., in Belmont

Prearranging Funerals gives You and Your Family Peace of Mind • Lets your wishes be known.

• Reduces stress for friends and family $192/month if saved in the RESP after the 20% grant is added.

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• Saves money (Guarantees your family will never have to pay more for your funeral, no matter what happens with inflation.)

We invite you to discuss Funeral Preplanning with any of our qualified Funeral Directors

7th Annual Crime Stoppers

Golf Tournament

Thank you to all of our Participants, Prize Donators, Hole Sponsors and everyone who helped make the 7th Annual Crime Stoppers Golf Tournament a Great Success!!

A special Thank you to our Platinum Sponsors:

Allan Hughson

Gary Hughson

Owen Boughner

Craig Harwood

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We Couldn’t do it without the support of the Community June, 2015

45 Elgin Street, St. Thomas (519) 631-0850

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Business & Community Our COmmunity

The 75 most influential in St. Thomas

Sean Dyke, general manager of St. Thomas Economic Development Corporation and Rob Mise, general manager of 94.1 myFM Radio are co-chairing a new event called The 75 Most Influential in St Thomas.

The two men outlined their approach to The 75 Most Influential on stthomastoday, the 94.1 myFM website. An edited version appears below.

According to the Oxford Concise Dictionary, influence is a matter of cause and effect; of push and pull; of leading and following. In this city, influential people help shape our view of business, politics, education, the environment … even the rest of the world. In the best cases, these people exemplify courage, vision and leadership. They may hold unpopular opinions. They may champion unsung causes. But whatever they do, when St. Thomas’ 75 Most Influential People wield their influence, things happen. They shape our city’s destiny.

Influence, after all, is a bit like happiness – you know when it’s there, but it’s not something you can measure or weigh. It has a relationship with power, and you will see plenty of chief executives and senior politicians on this year’s list, but the two concepts are not synonymous.

The more compelling definition of influence is the idea that it describes the effect a person has over others, and this year’s list is full of people who may not be headline-makers or widely recognized names but who have had an undeniable –

and an undeniably positive – influence on others.

Each person was assessed in three ways: how much institutional power do they hold, how innovative are they, and how much is happening right now, or soon, that puts their power in play?

With the help of a panel of advisors, we present without further ado, St. Thomas, meet your makers.

Top 75 Most Influential People: Sponsored by 94.1 myFM and St. Thomas Economic Development Corporation Bagshaw, Deb – Publisher at Relish Elgin Bond, Steve – Pharmacy Manager at Yurek Pharmacy Bowsher, Stu – Partner at Bowsher & Bowsher Law Firm Broome, Dennis – President of St. Thomas Economic Development Corporation Brown, Liz – Executive Director of Violence Against Women Bunnell, Eric – Columnist at St. Thomas Times Journal Carpenter, Renee – Owner of Jennings Furniture Carroll, Terry – Writer and Volunteer (Editor’s note: Why is he here?)

Champion, Marla – Executive Director of YWCA Coad, Steve – Owner of Coad Plumbing, Heating, & Air Corriveau, Paul – Volunteer Dale, Dan – Dealer Principal of Elgin Chrysler DeWeger, Ron – President of GCW Kitchens Fair, Ross – Chair of Fanshawe College St. Thomas Campus Forrester, Sherry – President of Pets 4 Life Furneaux, Robert – Managing Director of Gorman-Rupp Canada Geerlinks, Harry – President of Geerlinks Home Hardware Giles, Brian – Owner of Briwood Farm Market Graham, Bill – Managing Partner at Graham Scott Enns Greenway, Dick – President of Donwest Custom Homes & Inn Services Gunn, Andrew – Trustee for Dorothy Palmer Estate Hammersley, Bob – CEO of St. Thomas & District Chamber of Commerce Harper, Justin – President of HIRA Contractors Hughson, Al – Owner of Williams Funeral Home Intven-Casier, Pauline – Vice President of Canadale Nurseries Jackson, Heather – Mayor of St. Thomas Jackson, Kevin – General Manager of Elgin Business Resource Centre Jackson, Shawn – Owner and Funeral Director of Shawn Jackson Funeral Home

THANK YOU ST. THOMAS AND AYLMER FOR MAKING US AN AWARD WINNING OFFICE IN CANADA. Debbie Hamilton & Associates Ltd. became a Canada Wide Award Winning agency in 2014. This was attained through exceptional customer service and sales.

Thank you for your generous support.

Our commitment to you is that we will continue to give back to the community who has placed their trust in us throughout the years. Without you, this goal would not have been possible. In keeping with the Debbie Hamilton & Associates Ltd. tradition, we will be making various donations throughout the year to help local charities.

Janes, Matt – Partner at Railway City Brewery Jenkins, Paul – Executive Director of St. Thomas Elgin General Hospital Foundation Johnson, Karen – Dealer Principal of Disbrowe Chevrolet Buick GMC Cadillac Karn, Dave – Owner of Dowler Karn Fuels Kohler, Jeff – Councillor for City of St. Thomas Lajoie, Michele – Principal at St. Anne’s Catholic Elementary School Lavoie, Serge – Director of United Way Lerikos, Andy – Owner of Legends Tavern Malloy, Rod – Owner of Canadian IPG Matthews, Barb – Executive Director of Big Brothers Big Sisters St. Thomas Elgin McCaig, Bob – Retired McCormick, Dave – Volunteer Miskelly, Dawn – Museum Manager at Elgin County Railway Museum Monteith, Ken – Volunteer Muma, Barb – Owner of Muma Manufacturing O’Brien, Jerry – Volunteer Osborne, Ron – CEO of Ascent/St. Thomas Energy Peters, Steve – Consultant Pfingstgraef, Daniel – Team Leader for ThunderStamps Robotics Team 4907 Potgieter, Rod – Executive Director of Family & Children Services Preston, Joe – MP for Elgin-Middlesex-London Quai, Jamie – Winemaker at Quai Du Vin Estate Winery Reith, Dan – Principal Broker at Reith & Associates Riddell-Laemers, Patricia – Executive Director of Early Learning Centre Schmitt, Kristina – Plant Manager at GKN Sinter Metals Scott, Kellie – Family Physician Shields, Hugh – Executive Director of Great Lakes International Air Show Smith, Craig – CEO of Buckland Customs Brokers Smith, Paul – President of PJ Smith & Associates Smith, Scott – Lieutenant Colonel, Commanding Officer at 31CER Elgin Regiment Sprague, Todd – President of HWC Insurance St. John, Cynthia – Executive Director of Elgin St. Thomas Public Health Stollery, John – Co-President of St. Thomas Ford Tarry, Doug – Partner at Doug Tarry Homes Taylor, Earl – Chair of Downtown Development Board Upsdell, Judy – Volunteer Vandergoot, Carl – Broker/Owner of Remax Centre City Vernackt, Dan – Chair of Port Stanley Terminal Rail Vivieros, Ken – Manager of Real Canadian Superstore Vonk, Louise – Owner of Messenger Freight Systems Wakefield, Diane – President of St. Thomas Minor Baseball Whitmore, Nancy – Chief of Staff at St. Thomas Elgin General Hospital Whitten, Mark – General Manager of Presstran Industries Woermke, Laura – Executive Director of St. Thomas Elgin Public Art Centre Wood, Jeff – Owner of Boston Pizza Woodhouse, Liam – Volunteer at Talbot Teen Centre Yurek, Jeff – MPP for Elgin-Middlesex-London

Join us for our

From Debbie and the team, a heartfelt Thank You!

VISION STATEMENT 2014

Success is not measured by the amount of money in the bank, but by the number of lives that are changed.

Debbie Hamilton & Associates Ltd. 555 Talbot St. St. Thomas, On 519-633-3600 June, 2015

Unit 1-17 King St. Aylmer, ON 519-765-3636

Fireworks display at 10 p.m.

Wednesday, July 1st 2015

For Vendor opportunities please contact the parks & rec department at 519-633-7112 ELGIN THIS MONTH

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Complete celebration

• June 2015 •

All smiles

Elgin Business Resource Centre (EBRC) general manager Kevin Jackson (left) presents Barry Darbishire from Darbishire Home Inspection with his lucky door prize during the May 6 Chamber Business After 5 hosted by EBRC. The June Business After 5 is hosted by Silverthorn Landscape Supply. See details below.

Business After 5 Wednesday June 10 Site & Sponsor: Silverthorn Landscape Supplies, 46400 Talbot Line An ideal indoor/outdoor opportunity to explore Silverthorn’s site and incredible product selection!

Free admission to all personnel from any business or organization that is a Member of the St. Thomas & District Chamber of Commerce.

The Chamber’s 2015 presentations of the Free Enterprise Awards are complete.

Since 1974, the St. Thomas & District Chamber of Commerce has worked to recognize local businesses and organizations that are more than just financial successes. They are the organizations that employees tell us are great places to work, that are celebrated by customers for service and quality, and they’re the places we see actively engaged in social,

presented annually, on the second Wednesday in May. Details on nomination criteria are available at any time from the Chamber office.

Nominations are welcome year ‘round and the Chamber works to actively solicit them each year, January through March.

The selection process is never easy, and falls to our Awards & Recognition Committee – a team led by the Immediate Past Chair of the Chamber’s Board of Directors.

The Master Award to Reith & Associates is the 59th to be presented, and the first given to an insurance/ financial services agency or brokerage.

Our 2015 Awards presentations also included 3 Free Enterprise Awards of Merit. Photos of those Free Enterprise Master Award winners appear on page With over 100 years of community and business success and an extensive list of awards 14 along with another and honours from their peers in the insurance and financial services world, the manage- presentation the Chamber made to recognize volunteers ment and staff at Reith & Associates Insurance and Financial Services were given the who have recently completed Chamber’s 2015 Free Enterprise Master Award on May 13. terms of service with the Pictured here at the Free Enterprise Awards Reception, l to r, Darren Reith, his son Chamber’s committees and Alexander, Brian Helmer, Dan Reith, and St. Thomas Mayor Heather Jackson.

Board of Directors.

Participate in Our Series on Small Business July – Financing a Small Business August – Running a Successful Small Business

Business Beat Table of Contents New regs ................... Page 10 Puckett coming ......... Page 11 Boating time ............. Page 12 Canada wins ............. Page 13 FE Awards ................. Page 14 Don’t say that ........... Page 15 New Members........... Page 16 June, 2015

cultural and community activities.

Free Enterprise Awards are

Greg Minnema, Advertising Sales

To take advantage of excellent advertising opportunities give me a call at 519-633-1640 (ext. 222) or email me at gregthismonth@theweeklynews.ca July Edition Advertising Deadline is June 17th

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9

Member News Events and News of Interest to our Members

Regulatory update – Spring 2015 In co-operation with the Ontario Chamber of Commerce, the St. Thomas & District Chamber provides our Members with a quarterly update on recent and pending changes to the regulatory environment for business.

Easing the regulatory burden for Ontario businesses is one of our top priorities. Your continued membership support makes our work possible as we advocate for a business climate that fosters investment and growth. The information below is a summary. The Chamber office has additional information available, including web links and data download paths, to give Members easy access to detailed support and information on everything listed.

Effective May 20, 2015, a 30-day window opened that requires employers in Ontario to provide all current employees with a copy of version 6.0 of the Ministry of Labour’s Employment Standards poster. Any new hires after May 20, 2015 must be given a copy within 30 days of their date of hire. Ministry-prepared multi-language translations of the poster are available. Here’s the online path to the English version: http://www.labour.gov.on.ca/english/es/pdf/ poster.pdf Members are welcome to call the Chamber for links to additional information on this requirement.

Employers now have direct access to Express Entry (EE) through Job Match, a revamped version of the Job Bank, the federal government’s job database. Job Match facilitates direct connections between employers and candidates. EE is the federal government’s new electronic application management system for recruiting highly skilled immigrants.

holding public consultations on the changing nature of the modern workplace. The consultations will focus on how the Labour Relations Act, 1995 and Employment Standards Act, 2000 could be amended to keep pace with the changing needs of workers and employers. The consultations will address a number of topics, including the increase in non-standard working relationships (e.g. parttime work and self-employment) and accelerating technological change. The closest local event is in London on Wednesday July 8.

- Ministry of Labour consulting to address the changing nature of the - Direct employer access to ‘Express workplace Entry’ applicants now available This month and next, the Ontario government is

- New Employment Standards poster requirement in effect

Chamber Merchant Services

-Minimum wage to increase in October

Ontario raises the general minimum wage from $11 to $11.25 per hour, effective October 1, 2015. Minimum wages for jobs in special categories (liquor servers, homeworkers, students, etc.) are also increasing at the same time.

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Submissions are due by June 30. The WSIB is reviewing how its rates are set. They have developed a proposed preliminary Rate Framework which aims to address fundamental issues with the current employer classification structure and premium rate setting processes. The current round of consultations is with employers. Written submissions are welcome by the June 30 deadline.

- Ontario Retirement Pension Plan Bill passed by Legislature

This is still an ongoing issue. On April 29, the Ontario Retirement Pension Plan Act, 2015 was approved by the Ontario Legislature. This Act forms the foundation of the government’s news Ontario Retirement Pension Plan (ORPP) and requires that the pension plan be implemented by January 1, 2017. Important details of the plan, such as which workplace pension plans will be exempt from the ORPP, have yet to be worked out.

The ORPP will be a standalone, mandatory pension plan requiring employers and employees to contribute 1.9 percent of an employee’s yearly earnings (up to a maximum of $90,000) per year.

In its 2015 Budget, the government committed to establishing a body (the ORPP Administration Corporation) that will be responsible for administering the plan and investing contributions.

Before approval by the Legislature, the Act was amended to require the Minister of Finance to prepare a cost-benefit analysis of the new pension plan by the end of this 2015 calendar year.

Please note that the information in this article connects to third party websites. Although the Ontario Chamber of Commerce (OCC) and the St. Thomas & District Chamber of Commerce (STTDCC) make reasonable efforts to obtain reliable content from third parties we cannot guarantee the accuracy of any third part content. The OCC and the STTDCC do not necessarily endorse the legislative or regulatory changes listed in this article.

Business Beat Published by Metroland Media Group Ltd., and delivered to businesses in St. Thomas and Elgin Country For complete information on the St. Thomas and District Chamber of Commerce, reach us at: 115-300 South Edgeware Rd., St. Thomas, Ontario N5P 4L1 Telephone: 519-631-1981 Fax: 519-631-0466 E-Mail: mail@stthomaschamber.on.ca Website: www.stthomaschamber.on.ca President & CEO Bob Hammersley Accounting Coordinator Susan Munday Member Services Warren Allen

For complete details, contact the Chamber

115 - 300 South Edgeware Road, St. Thomas Phone: 519-631-1981 Fax: 519-631-0466 Email: mail@stthomaschamber.on.ca www.stthomaschamber.on.ca

June, 2015

-Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) consulting on rate reform

ELGIN THIS MONTH

St. Thomas & District Chamber of Commerce 2015 Board of Directors Chair: Ross Fair Fanshawe College Vice-Chair: Dan Kelly, CPA, CGA Dowler-Karn Ltd. Treasurer: Mark Lassam, CPA, CA Lassam & Co. Past Chair: Laura Woermke St. Thomas Elgin Public Art Centre Director: Sean Dyke St. Thomas Economic Development Corp.

Director: Robert Furneaux Gorman-Rupp of Canada Ltd. Director: Brian Helmer Reith & Associates Insurance & Financial Director: Kevin Jackson Elgin Business Resource Centre Director: Jeff Kohler City of St. Thomas Director: Phil Mauer Phil Mauer & Associates Inc. Director: Ginette Minor Alexelle Slipcovers & Décor Director: Rob Mise myFM Radio 94.1

10

Chamber News Events and News of Interest to our Members

Attracting and retaining: “The next great employer challenge” In discussions the Chamber has recently been part of, a group of major St. Thomas employers shared concerns about issues affecting their businesses. Two of the key issues are (1) attracting top talent to St. Thomas and (2) issues surrounding employee retention, attendance, attrition & engagement.

These issues affect all businesses so, to help our entire community, the St. Thomas & District Chamber of Commerce and Express Employment Professionals are working together to co-host a special event that we feel can benefit to all local employers.

On Friday June 5, we will welcome Steve Puckett for a special presentation to employers at the CASO Railway Station in the main hall. One of the top Human Resources professionals in the staffing industry, Steve draws on 30 years of experience as an HR practitioner to provide advice, guidance, and training to businesses on a variety

of HR related issues. Steve’s interactive presentation style and energetic delivery keeps audiences engaged during his presentations regarding today’s top HR concerns.

CEOs, managers and business owners across North America are turning their attention to their next great challenge, protection of their greatest asset: the knowledge of their people. St. Thomas and Elgin are not alone. Retention of the most talented employees has become the #1 agenda item of employers. Recent surveys indicate up to 80% of your employees are open to the opportunity of a job change and 50% have already mentally checked out or are actively looking.

Studies also show that up to 60% of the workforce leave their jobs within the first six months and make their decision to leave within the first 30 days. We will discuss the need and methods to increase employee engagement and retention, and why up to 80% of turnover can be attributed

to poor hiring that is costing employers up to 150% of the first year’s salary to reverse the damage. This session will raise each On Friday June 5, the leader’s effectiveness Chamber welcomes Steve to the benefits and Puckett for a special tools of retention as presentation to employers well as implementing at the CASO Railway fool-proof hiring techStation. niques to maximize your investment.

Seating is limited. Advance sale only. General admission $25 + HST; Chamber Members $18 + HST. Contact Sharon Mercer at Express Professionals to register. Call 519-672-7620 or email sharon.mercer@expresspros.com

First Data announces rate changes – good ones!

James Meadows – with his wife, Mary, and daughter, Sarah – addresses a capacity crowd at Elgin Business Resource Centre during the May 6 St. Thomas & District Chamber of Commerce Business After 5. Catering by James Meadows was the featured caterer for the event.

Earlier this year, the federal government negotiated new interchange rates and policies for merchants with Visa and MasterCard. As a result, First Data Canada in partnership with the Canadian Chamber of Commerce and the provincial chambers has modified our local Chamber offer by lowering our Visa and MasterCard rates, which means even greater savings for our Members.

Those changes mean that, effective April 2015, merchant discount rates are as follows: • The new Visa rate is 1.49% reduced from 1.55% • The new MasterCard rate for Everyday Spend is 1.49%* reduced from 1.60% * As determined by MasterCard, the rate for those not qualifying for Everyday Spend will have a rate of 1.55% Also, any of our Members wanting to move to the new Chamber Merchant Services program, and whose current provider has not passed on these savings, can cancel their contract with no penalty for a 90-day period after April 2015.

Existing Members on our program may call our customer support team at 1-888-263-1938 to inquire about their rate changes.

Not yet in the Chamber program? Sell More and Save More by calling First Data now for a free business analysis and have your costs reviewed by First Data’s business consultants. St. Thomas & District Chamber Members can call direct at 1-888-265-4117.

You can also visit the First Data Chamber Merchant program website for more information: www.chambermerchantservices.ca/save-more/preferred-pricing/

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11

Pro Text Events and News of Interest to our Members

It’s boat time!

by Crystal Underhill

Growing up in Northern Ontario, I found June was always an amazing month. The waterways were (hopefully) free of ice and snow and even though it still might be too cold to swim, June marked the beginning of boating season.

Even as a young girl I can still remember the excitement in my father’s eyes on the first day he was able to unwrap the boat and start getting it ready for the season. For many boaters, the few months we have of warm weather are what they wait for all year.

Truth be told, my father let me in on a secret this year. During the winter months, when he misses the open water and is not sure how he is going to make it through the next 3 months of -40, he goes out to the boat shed to ‘check on’ the boat. What he really has been doing is just going out there to sit and have his coffee and dream of the coming season.

My family, like many others, enjoys the open water, the fresh breeze of the lake, the thrill of landing the ‘big one’ only to have it – just as you’re about to get it into the boat – slip away without anyone else to get a good look how big it actually was.

Ensuring you are able to have an enjoyable experience on the water comes down to a few key safety items.

Your pleasure craft operator’s licence is in the same category as your motor vehicle licence – you require one to drive. Once you obtain the pleasure craft operator’s licence, there are many courses you can take to learn more about boat navigation and safety. As an added bonus, some courses are also credited to give you discount on your boat insurance!

One of the most important safety items is to be weatherwise. Always check your local weather conditions before departure and if you notice darkening clouds, changing winds and sudden drops in temperature, play it safe and get off the water.

In your automobile, a seatbelt is able to save your life. In your boat, a lifejacket is the key.

The majority of drowning victims resulting from boating accidents were found not be wearing a lifejacket. Last year, in Ontario alone, 20 people died on OPP patrolled waterways and 17 of those deaths were linked to not wearing a personal flotation device.

Motorized boats are not the only vessels that lead to fatal incidents. Last year, there were five deaths that involved four canoes and one kayak. Be sure to assign and fit each of member of your onboard team with a lifejacket prior to departing.

If you are taking part in water activities including waterskiing, wake boarding and tubing, there are extra precautions that you must take. You must have at least two people on any pleasure craft used for

waterskiing or towing a person: one to steer and one to watch the skier. Allow extra maneuvering room when towing a skier, stay in deep water away from buoy markers, and all water skiers must wear a lifejacket and should be competent swimmers.

Drinking alcohol on a boat, and having it on board are against the law in Ontario. Open alcohol is only allowed on boats with permanent sleeping, cooking and washroom facilities built in, and only when those boats are docked or at anchor. The probability of a boating accident doubles when alcohol is involved and studies have shown that the effect of alcohol is exacerbated by external effects such as sun and wind. According to the Ontario Marine Operators Association, “boaters who blow close to the legal limit on a breathalyzer test can have their license suspended for 12 hours, and those convicted of being drunk while boating can lose their license for a year.”

Best advice? Play it safe and keep the alcohol on land.

As long as you remember to follow safe boating tips you can have many wonderful years and create amazing memories out on the water.

This column appears regularly in Business Beat and has been submitted by Crystal Underhill RIB (ON), CIP, a New Business Development Broker/ Advisor at Reith & Associates Insurance and Financial Services Limited, 462 Talbot Street, St. Thomas. Questions and comments on this column are welcomed by the writer at 519-631-3862 or via e-mail: info@reithandassociates.com

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Chamber News Events and News of Interest to our Members

A Canada that wins On Tuesday May 26, the St. Thomas & District Chamber of Commerce joined with the Canadian Chamber in Ottawa and hundreds of other local Chamber offices across Canada to release our 2015 federal election platform. It’s called A Canada that Wins, and it’s our voice to Ottawa and the candidates to share what thousands of businesses across the Chamber network agree is the best path along four elements that are vital to our economy.

The national release of our platform was ceremonially conducted at an event on Parliament Hill.

Following the release, members of the Canadian Chamber’s Board of Directors met with parliamentarians to discuss the measures needed to increase the ability of Canadian businesses to compete in a global market. Television service CPAC has been recording, and will continue to record, a series of interviews with Canadian Chamber executives and Members of Parliament from the major political parties to capture their comments on our election platform. On the local front, the St. Thomas & District Chamber will follow a similar path with local candidates using social media tools including YouTube.

While there are a great number of issues hindering the success of Canadian businesses, our election platform focuses on four critical elements and outlines the necessary measures the future government must take to allow businesses to compete and win in domestic and global markets. These four main elements are: access to a powerful workforce, access to capital, access to technology and innovation and access to markets.

Policy improvements in all of these areas are needed for Canadian businesses to get an edge on their competitors, allowing them to create quality jobs for young people, reinvest in new technology and generate the wealth necessary to improve schools, infrastructure and social programs that will benefit all Canadians in communities large and small.

We encourage you to get involved in making business issues matter on the election trail. We will use the power of the Chamber network and make the voice of business heard locally just as other Chambers of Commerce across the country do the same.

Here are some excerpts from our platform.

First, on the need for business to have access to a powerful workforce: Specifically, the Canadian Chamber requested that the federal parties commit to the following: • Investing in more and better labour market information • Ensuring immigration changes stop unduly limiting employers’ access to the international talent they need • Addressing the serious processing issues and inflexible features of the Temporary Foreign Worker Program that are negatively affecting employers’ access to workers in a range of sectors • Providing incentives for employers to offer more post-secondary co-op placements and internships • Creating a financial incentive for employers to retain employees through to completion of their apprenticeship training Access to capital is the second of our four critical concerns. Capital is essential for the growth and expansion of businesses. We must strengthen and develop our venture capital industry so that we can support and foster local start-ups.

Specifically, we are requesting that the federal parties commit to the following: • Introducing better tax incentives for venture capital and angel investors • Changing regulations to encourage insurance companies and pension plans to invest a modest part of their funds in venture capital • Forming an impartial panel of experts to review the tax system and recommend measures to simplify Canada’s tax system • Increasing the income threshold for the (11%) small business tax rate to $1,000,000 from $500,000 to encourage small companies to continue growing • Simplifying the

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Capital Cost Allowance rules from 52 separate asset classes to a few broad categories Technology and innovation is our third platform issue. Access to new technology can be a real gamechanger for many businesses. Innovative manufacturing and export methods can significantly reduce costs and help create new products. The issue of access to markets is our fourth platform component. So many of Canada’s – and Southwestern Ontario’s – businesses depend on international trade that we need to focus on trade agreements and modernizing our export infrastructure.

Exports, imports and foreign investment create and sustain jobs in our communities, stimulate competition and innovation and give families affordable choices in the marketplace.

Space limits our capacity for more detail in this article, but those limits don’t apply on the Chamber’s website. For more information, a look at our complete platform document, and news on our local pre-election plans and activities, see us at: www.stthomaschamber.on.ca Across the Chamber of Commerce network we all want the same result. We want our communities to be vibrant and we want our citizens to succeed. We hope you will join us as we reach out to those who will shape Canada’s next Parliament to ensure the conditions are in place to foster business success.

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CHAMBER NEWS Events and News of Interest to our Members

Celebrating business success & community service

Kathy Cook, a member of the Chamber’s Board of Directors and Chair of our Public Sector Liaison Committee, presenting a 2015 Free Enterprise Award of Merit to Sandra DiMeo of Ferguson DiMeo Lawyers.

Chamber Vice-Chair Dan Kelly presents a 2015 Free Enterprise Award of Merit to Marion Rose, owner of Elgin Travel & Cruises. The annual Free Enterprise Awards Reception was May 13 at St. Anne’s Centre.

➤

LISTEN TO R....

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2015 Chamber Board of Directors Chair Ross Fair, right, presented three special awards to Chamber volunteers recently retired from our Board of Directors. L to r, lawyer Monty Fordham; former Public Sector Liaison Committee Chair Allan Weatherall; and former Board of Directors Chair Jason White.

Rob Mise, of the Chamber’s Board of Directors and Chair of our Member Services Committee, is shown in the centre of this shot holding the 2015 Free Enterprise Award of Merit he presented to the staff and volunteers of the St. Thomas Elgin General Hospital Foundation.

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14

Legal Business Events and News of Interest to our Members

Conduct off the field

by Monty Fordham A number of years ago, a friend who had recently relocated here from Britain, was describing the deplorable conduct of certain fans of professional football (that’s soccer to you and me) Monty Fordham back home. In fact, we’ve seen on TV some of the shenanigans of these beerfueled, over-exuberant sports fanatics. They regularly commit acts of vandalism, fight with opposing team supporters, shout obscenities, and create general havoc. My friend referred to these folks as “lager louts.” They’ve become a fixture in England, but, at least until recently, our soccer fans were comparatively well-behaved.

On May 10, (Mother’s Day), a CityTV reporter, Shauna Hunt, was reporting live at a professional Toronto FC soccer match at BMO field in Toronto. Groups of male fans had gathered outside the stadium, and Ms. Hunt was in the process of interviewing one such fan. Many of you will have watched the video on-line. The interview seemed to be going rather smoothly, when, suddenly, another male interjected in the conversation with a vulgar and obscene phrase. It is unclear whether the phrase was directed at Ms. Hunt or simply meant to sabotage her interview. In either case, Ms. Hunt was completely justified in being offended by the remark, although it’s probably not the first time she heard the phrase, at least in that environment.

The offensive phrase has, apparently, been around for over a year, and has been rather routinely shouted by pranksters in an effort to high-jack reporters’ live broadcasts. In any event, Ms. Hunt noticed a group of males who appeared to be amused by the incident and decided to address them on it. It’s unclear what happened to the guy who actually made the remark. However, the interview that followed has created a great deal of conversation among employment lawyers.

Shawn Simoes, TFC soccer fan, and former player of some repute, when asked by Ms. Hunt about the remarks of the other fan, very unwisely opined that he, in effect, endorsed the comments of the other man. He even suggested, when asked, that his mother would find the remark “hilarious

eventually.” He then wandered into some very pre- ment before an arbitrator. In such circumstances, carious verbal territory with Ms. Hunt. Nothing post-incident behaviour may be relevant as well as said by Mr. Simoes appears to have been threaten- any previous discipline involving the employee. At ing, nor does Ms. Hunt seem to be threatened by the time of writing, it was not known if Mr. Simoes it. Nevertheless, the video of the interview went belonged to a union. He had, however, sent Ms. viral, as they say, and Mr. Simoes, who worked for Hunt a written apology, which she indicated she Hydro One, was promptly fired for, in the words of accepted.

Employers’ control over ema spokesperson, “violating our ployees’ extra-curricular activcode of conduct.” ity is a grey area in employSo, the question is: Can “he then wandered into ment law. Employers should Hydro One fire Mr. Simoes for maintain and enforce codes of his actions outside of his worksome very precarious conduct, and provide training place, when he is on his own verbal territory” and guidance with respect to time and in no way representemployment policies, so that ing his employer? Does it make a difference if he belongs to a union? Generally, if employees have a clear understanding of their the employee is not unionized, the employer may rights and obligations both inside and outside the terminate him at any time, for no particular reason workplace.

Or, maybe the boys could just behave themselves. at all. All that is required is that the employer provide adequate notice under the Employment StanLawyer Monty Fordham prepares this monthly dards Act , or pay in lieu thereof, and pay severance column for the St. Thomas & District Chamber compensation where required. This is termination of Commerce and our Members. Monty is also a without cause.In the case of termination for cause, volunteer serving on the Chamber’s Board of Direcno notice is required or severance payable, but the tors. Questions, comments and suggestions for future employer must demonstrate conduct on the part columns are welcomed by Monty at his office: Fordof the employee sufficiently egregious to constitute ham & Brightling Associates – Lawyers, 4 Elgin cause under the Act. To take Mr. Simoes’s case, Street, St. Thomas. Telephone 519-633-4000, FAX courts have held that where an employee’s conduct 519-633-1371 or e-mail: montyfordham@4elgin.ca outside the workplace is likely to damage the employer’s reputation or brand, this can constitute cause for termination under the Employment Standards Act. (Hydro One’s brand has been taking a rough enough ride lately without this). But, what if the employee belongs to a union?

Unionized employees are governed by the Labour Relations Act and the terms of the collective agreement between the employer and the union.

Terminated employees may grieve the termination and seek lesser sanctions including reinstate-

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15

Member News Events and News of Interest to our Members

New Members The St. Thomas & District Chamber of Commerce proudly welcomes the following businesses and individuals as our newest Members. Those listed below were accepted as registered Members to May 15, 2015. Once an organization registers with the Chamber, all personnel (owners/managers/ staff) within the organization have full access to all Chamber programs, projects, events and services.

Kilbank Metal Forming & Turning 4 Barrie Boulevard St. Thomas, ON N5P 4B9 Phone: 519-631-4470 Email: kcook@kilbank.com Website: www.kilbank.com Contact: Mr. Jay Honsinger, President Ms. Kathy Cook Noble, Marketing/Administration Buyers Guide Categories: Manufacturing Products & Services: Kilbank Metal Forming & Turning provides their customers CNC Machine (Turning and Milling), Automatic Screw Machine and Deep Draw Stamping processes. Kilbank serves

a variety of markets and sectors including, but not limited to, Automotive, Heavy Equipment, Medical/Healthcare and Forging & Casting companies.

They offer flexible capacity and a variety of precision manufactured metal components. Kilbank's CNC Machine, Screw Machine and Press manufacturing capabilities allow fabrication of components from simple to complex configurations in steel fitting commodities, alloy fittings, finished forging and castings, and deep drawn / stamped eyelets. Rounding out their services, Kilbank Metal Forming & Turning offers value-added processes ranging from support in engineering expertise to quality assurance and integrated shop floor planning. When you think CUT, TURN, FORM, think KILBANK. The Beanery Café & Bistro 625 Talbot Street St. Thomas, ON N5P 1C6 Phone: 519-633-6461 Email: ewartroy@gmail.com

Lucy Jeffrey Independent LegalShield Associate 647 Wellington Road South London, ON N6C 4R4 Phone: 519-709-5139 Email: info@brightonspa.ca Web: lucyjeffrey.legalshieldassociate. com Contact: Ms. Lucy Jeffrey, Independent Associate Buyers Guide Categories: Lawyers; Legal Services Products & Services: LegalShield offers personal and small business legal plans plus identity theft protection. LegalShield provides a variety of affordable services that connect clients to local, licensed, legal professionals. Their dedicated Provider Law Firms and identity restoration specialists are committed to providing the best service possible. LegalShield has been in business for 40 years and is committed to offering highquality, cost effective legal and identity theft services. They believe everyone has the right to worry less and live more.

Continued on Page 17

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Web: N/A Contact: Mr. Roy Ewart, Proprietor Buyers Guide Categories: Restaurants; Banquet, Event, Meeting Spaces & Halls Products & Services: The Beanery Café & Bistro is now under completely new ownership since December 2014. Roy Ewart has created a comfortable casual fine dining atmosphere that is unique to St. Thomas. Renowned Chef Rhys Lloyd has created a menu that is not only family friendly but features popular Bistro lunch specials and evening casual fine dining experiences found nowhere else in St. Thomas. Sundays are also hit with a specially priced dinner of Roast Chicken or Pork Loin served family style. The Beanery Café & Bistro also has a private room for those special celebrations with friends and family or for business gatherings.

An amazing menu delivered with personalized service, all in a family friendly atmosphere. The Beanery Café & Bistro is easy to find in the centre of St. Thomas near the new Railway City Tourism L&PS Railway Station.

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16

Business & Community Business This MonTh

Business updates for St. Thomas Elgin Smart Dental Hygiene: “Keeping

Your Smile Healthy”

Did you know you have a choice? You can choose where and when you receive dental hygiene services. Oral health problems have a direct impact on overall health and most dental diseases are preventable. Smart Dental Hygiene provides a care plan that includes disease prevention, therapeutic treatment and appropriate referrals. As with other health care professionals, health needs are addressed safely, effectively and efficiently.

Owner and independent dental hygienist Sarah (Teichroeb) Foshay, speaks Low German, and offers evening and Saturday appointments, direct billing to insurance, and an impressive fee schedule. Services include: disease prevention, dental cleanings, whitening, sealants, all with a holistic focus.

Elgin 1card The Elgin 1card (www.elgin1card.ca) website is a community shopping website where local businesses can advertise their businesses for free in exchange for offering a discount to Elgin 1card members. Membership cards are sold to consumers at the low cost of $25 per year.

Members simply present their membership to the participating businesses when making a purchase or acquiring a service. All discounts are at the business owner’s discretion. The only requirement of business owners is the offer has to be exclusive to Elgin 1 members.

Business owners can change their Elgin 1 discount offer at any time.

Elgin 1card promotes small business owners ... contributing to their success. Elgin 1card also inspires and encourages entrepreneurs to embark on new business ventures knowing they have an affordable avenue that promotes them in their own community.

The goal of Elgin 1cards is to keep shoppers local by keeping consumers aware of what's available to them within their own community.

“It is a win-win for the consumer, business owners and St. Thomas/Elgin as a whole,” says website Elgin 1card business owner Kim Davis.

Butter Me Up Soap Company

Butter Me Up Soap Company has an on-line presence and a store at 30 Talbot Street W, Aylmer.

Business This Month is a service of Elgin This Month. If you own or operate a business in St. Thomas-Elgin that has just opened, is moving or has a major new line, email your news to terry@carrollgroup.ca by mid-month for the next month’s issue.

In May, Butter Me Up Soap Company opened in downtown Aylmer, offering freshly made, hand-made, natural bath and beauty products.

This new business is dedicated to providing all natural bath & body products made with only the best, quality, plantbased oils and butters.

Continued from Each ingredient has page 16 been carefully selected for its specific benefit in the final product. Goodwill Industries “We take special care St. Thomas Community Store & Donation Centre in our work from re- 321 Elm Street search to manufac- St. Thomas, ON N5R 5X6 turing to packaging, Phone: 519-631-5200 to ensure you get top Email: abrasil@goodwillindustries.ca quality with competi- Web: www.goodwillogl.ca tive prices. We make Contact: Ms. Angela Brazil, Store Manager small batches to guar- Buyers Guide Categories: Community Services; Agencies & Associations; antee freshness,” says Appliances – Sales & Service; Clothing/Fashion Products & Services: Goodwill Industries, Ontario Great Lakes is an $8 owner Betty Teichroeb.

Consumers may also million, non-profit, social enterprise that recycles donated goods to create book a home spa party meaningful work for persons who face disabilities and other barriers to emto receive a free gift and ployment. Their core mission is dedicated to providing work opportunities, percentages off their skills development and employment supports for those who are excluded purchase. “It's a fun and from work and social opportunities because of challenges such as disability, relaxing way to shop in language barrier, age or race. Goodwill's longstanding commitment to the your own home. You reuse and recycling of millions of pounds of household goods plays a critical and your guests can role in helping to sustain the environment - a cause that is becoming increasenjoy soaking your ingly relevant in our throw-away society. feet in our Lemongrass Peppermint Foot Soak www.teleticom.com 1-888-537-5335 followed by our rich, moisturizing Lemongrass Peppermint Foot Butter,” Betty says.

“Try out and sniff our bath and body before you buy, including testing out the makeup on your skin MOBILE FRIENDLY WEB DESIGN to be sure of the right colours for you.”

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Aylmer & Area Chamber of Commerce Join the Aylmer & Area Chamber of Commerce aylmerchamber.on.ca The Aylmer & Area Chamber of Commerce offers many advantages for local businesses, both directly and indirectly, through networking, learning and Chamber programs. Here are some highlights.

Business After Business socials Every month, the Chamber organizes Business After Business socials. These events normally fall on a Wednesday evening from 5-6:30pm, and we do try and mix up the days throughout the year to allow flexibility for all of our members. Socials are a great way to get connected with other business people in the area, learn more about our host businesses and meet new people.

Member Advantage Benefits program To encourage shopping local and within our membership, the Chamber has designed a program to help our members. For those businesses choosing to offer a discount to other members, they are able to create brand awareness, loyalty and increase sales. Members using their Member Advantage card are able to save money and perhaps work with a new-to-them business.

Social Media We understand that running and marketing a business as well as networking can take a great deal of time. The Chamber is here to help. Every day we are networking on social media on behalf of our members. Whether it's Twitter, Facebook or our own website, the Chamber is consistently partnering, cross promoting and raising the profile of our community.

Where Home Begins

Town of Aylmer photo courtesy of aylmer.ca Being a member of the Chamber offers a great deal of benefits to you directly as a business. Here are just a few: • Business Profile Page on our website • Monthly Networking & Educational Opportunities • Business support from respected committee and membership panel • Being a part of a network of businesses with a common goal of community improvement • Social Media Cross Promotion • Member-to-member referrals • Local and regional distribution of business listings • Access to Group Insurance Benefits Membership discount benefits And more!

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Building your dream home?

Deconstructing construction mortgages By: Karyn Silliker

Whether you’re building your new home on a fresh plot of land or undergoing a major renovation or addition to an existing home, a construction mortgage may help address key home financing issues that arise with major construction projects.

Unlike builder mortgages, which fund the purchase of a newly built home from a builder, a construction mortgage funnels multiple draws of money over stages of the home’s construction.

More importantly, throughout the construction, the mortgage consists of interest-only payments until the property is 100 per cent complete.

Here are some key elements to keep in mind when considering a construction mortgage: • Understand the time and costs associated with your construction: When considering a construction mortgage it is important to work with your builder to get a realistic sense of the costs and timelines associated with your home construction. As unexpected costs often occur in construction projects, it’s highly recommended that you allot an additional 15% for contingencies.

• Understand how the funds will be advanced: While many lenders advance funds (this is known as draws) for a maximum of three instalments during the construction, Meridian offers unlimited draws on its construction mortgages.

It’s important to note that once a request for a draw is made, the construction completed so far must be inspected by an appraiser.

Karyn Silliker is Meridian’s Aylmer Branch Manager.

• Understand the process for applying for a construction mortgage: Unlike traditional mortgages, construction mortgages take more time to review and approve and require more than just a recent notice of assessment.

Many financial institutions require construction permits, blueprints, builder cost/contracts and land deeds to start the adjudication process.

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Port Stanley: Stanley: Port A Summer Summer Destination Destination A

Summer time and the livin’ is Port Stanley

Sun, sand and summer … you can’t beat a day, or a week in Port Stanley.

For starters, the beach is unsurpassed in this area. Port Stanley beach is a Blue Flag Beach, the only beach on Lake Erie to be awarded this exclusive eco-label given to only qualifying beaches and marinas meeting certain environmental criteria across Europe, South Africa, Canada and the Caribbean.

While the main beach and Little Beach are the main draws for the young and the young at heart, Port Stanley is also noted for its fishing boats, its sailing and pleasure crafts and the joys the downtown and the harbour offer for those taking a break from tanning, swimming or sailing. The village offers a change of pace, a get-away-from-it-all ambience including theatre, art galleries and artists, music, dining, accommodations, cottages and homes.

Continued on Page 21...

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Port Stanley: Stanley: Port A Summer Summer Destination Destination A

Continued from Page 20...

Harbourfest 2015 is one of the highlights of a summer of special attractions. The Tall Ships are returning August 8 and 9 during Harbourfest, an event that again promises a really fun atmosphere.

In addition to the opportunity to take a cruise on

a tall ship, enjoy a dockside tour or even sleep aboard ship, this August extravaganza includes street performers such as Fire Guy, Silver Elvis and Pirate Captain Thom Bedlam. Watch for pirate crafts and face painting, antique train rides, live music, vendor boutiques and patio performers throughout Port Stanley.

On the theatre front, Port Stanley Festival Theatre’s performance of Rhinestone Cowgirl: A Tribute to Dolly Parton runs until June 6 and the staging of Norm Foster’s Hilda’s Yard begins June 10.

Jeep Night is June 12 at GT’s and throughout the summer, Port Stanley Terminal Rail offers train rides for railways buffs and kids of all ages on a summer schedule.

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STARTING A SMALL BUSINESS

Life hacks from a virtual assistant 3. Store stuff where it's used, not where Everyone has heard about life hacks ... we've all there is room - Orgot a couple of favourites we like. ganizers call this conAs a virtual assistant, my job is to make other cept 'point of use.' people's lives and work life easier. Here are some Do you feel like every work-orientated life hacks that I use regularly and day is a treasure hunt will give you back some precious time in your day. in your office? If you 1. One Notebook - It may seem more organized have files that you use to have several notebooks, or agenda's for differ- every day, keep them ent projects or clients, but it really isn't. Make organized on your sure you get a notebook that can accommodate desk in a tray, or in a your needs or can be modified to suit your work- desk drawer, not in a ing style. Use colour coded tabs or removable di- filing cabinet. If you viders to organize the notebook. There are great are mobile and on the supplies like post-it plastic pockets that can hold go, keep pens in the business cards and receipts that help you keep car, in your purse, and clipped to your notebook. your notebook organized. If you track your time Keep an extra supply of business cards in the car by project or client, keep in case you end up somewhere withsmall sticky notes on pages out your bag or wallet. and record your time and 4. Use your smart phone – smarter what it was for. This will “use your smart phone - If you meet someone networking make billing easier later.

– smarter” and ask for his or her business card, 2. To Do List - Whether take a picture of it so it's in your you use a traditional post-it phone. (This also works for all of those cards for note, or an app on your phone, setting goals for doctor's appointment, hair appointments, etc.). the day and scheduling in things to do in your If you are shopping for new office supplies or furday keeps you organized and on-track. It also al- niture, take pictures of things and their price tags lows you to plan the most efficient route in order so you can comparison shop later. Don't have a to get your tasks done in a timely fashion so you pen to take notes, use your phone - either type it can get on with your day. or record it. Need to remember a password, use

by Lisa Jibson

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Mark Lassam, CPA, CA 115 Curtis Street, St. Thomas 519-631-1631 mark@lassam.ca June, 2015

a password keeper app on your smart phone so you have access to all your passwords in one place, and only need to remember one password: the one to access your app.

5. Group your tasks together Your day will be more organized and you will save time if you group your tasks together. Save all of your filing and do it all at once. Gather all your bills, and sit down and pay them all at once and record the payments, then put your bills in your filing tray.

Make all your phone-calls at the same time. If you have writing to do, set aside the time and get all your thoughts together at once and you will be more productive.

Lisa Jibson is the owner of a virtual assistant business, Ross Street Agency, in St. Thomas.

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ELGIN THIS MONTH

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Starting a Small buSineSS

Good first impressions mean a lot

by Ronda Stewart

Come as you are. Our philosophy at the Small Business Enterprise Centre is to offer business support that meets you where you are when you walk through our door, regardless of whether you are clean shaven, dressed casually or have messy hair. We understand that not all people are born entrepreneurs and that you may quite literally wake up one day with an idea that you want to start your own business.

However, to give yourself the best start possible, it’s important to realize that not all business contacts will be as forgiving or will take your ideas seriously if you approach them in a less than professional manner.

During any stage of business – whether research, start-up or growth – it is important for you take inventory of how you may be presenting yourself to new connections. As you establish or broaden your business network, keep in mind

June, 2015

that you have 4 seconds to make a first impres- prepared and ask open questions to learn about sion and have 4 minutes to leave a lasting one. what’s important to others and uncover if they Most impressions are non-verbal and visual have a need that you can help them with. in nature so be mindful of how you appear. We 6. If a business card is presented, carefully exhave all met those people who hold a new con- amine the card. Take a moment to actually read tact hostage and download too much informa- the spelling of the individual’s name and comtion about his/her product or service during pany name. This technique may even help you an introduction. to remember the name, if you To make the most out of are among the multitude that your first impressions, here could use a memory boost are some tips to consider: when it comes to matching “you have 4 seconds to 1. A little background renames with faces. search can go a long way. Un- make a first impression” The good news is that no derstanding the atmosphere matter what goes wrong duryou’ll be connecting in can ing your introduction — your help you prepare, adapt and feel at ease. buttons come undone, you spill your water on 2. Pay attention to your grooming, fragrance, yourself or have broccoli stuck in your teeth — attire and posture. Offer a firm (and dry) hand- you can usually recover. By keeping a light sense shake. Lead with your most confident self when of humour and maintaining that genuine interest establishing relations. in the person you are speaking with, you can so3. Greet people with direct eye contact and pair lidify your first impression in a positive way. it with a genuine smile to show that you are engaged and looking forward to learning about the other person.

4. Quickly assess body language and proximity preferences of your new connection. The sooner Ronda Stewart is the manager of the you are aware of this, the easier it is for you to Small Business Enterprise Centre adapt and ensure the other person’s comfort reManager www.SBECinnovation.ca. mains intact.

5. Be courteous, curious and attentive. Be

ELGIN THIS MONTH

23

Starting a Small buSineSS

Starting a business is a lot like having a baby

By Sarah Foshay

People are lying if they tell you it was easy. Nine months in and I’m in love. Which one you may ask, business or baby? Well, it’s really one and the same, your business is your baby.

Plan, plan and then plan some more. Everyone talks about the business plan as being an invaluable tool for any new business entrepreneur, and it is. The more in depth the plan, the less likely something will come up that you hadn’t thought about. The plan won’t cover everything, much like a birth plan can’t prepare for the unexpected either.

Writing my business plan took approximately one year. This was written in my ‘spare time,’ while working full-time, being a wife and a mother to a teen and a tween. The value of a business plan is not the quality of the writing (unless you are submitting it formally for a grant), but rather the value of the questions it generates. Every topic entails connecting and researching with other

professionals who have the answers.

Some of the obvious details like product/ service, location, and quotes seem obvious. But what about the less obvious and sometimes unpredictable like the market, change in government, and plans for infrastructure in the future business area? Plan for the obvious and the ‘what-if.’ This will set the stage for successful follow-through instead of emergencies and contingencies that make you feel like you’re fixing your business instead of running it.

Build a positive support system. These supports go beyond the traditional birth coach telling you to breathe. The planning, building and launch of your new business will stress all areas in your life, including your relationships. Is your spouse okay with stepping up to the plate when you’re not there to take the kids to soccer, cut the grass, grocery shop or cook dinner? For this week, okay. But what about for fifty weeks? ...a new businesses is You will need positive people in your life who are cheering you on when you’re tired fragile and vulnerable, and stressed. Stay clear of the nay-sayers. I much like a newborn... don’t mean the people who say, “How will this work?” Welcome genuine questions from friends and family because their questions will likely be the same questions that arise from the public. I mean the people in Sarah (Teichroeb) Foshay, RDH, the owner of Smart your life that hear Dental Hygiene (inside the Absolute Health & Wellness your struggles and their first and only Clinic in Aylmer), with Violet, a three year old client. advice is “Maybe fragile and vulnerable much like a newborn. The for the Growth and Success of Your this isn’t going to work quality you invest into it right from the start paves … how long are you the way for later.

Business and Personal Wealth going to try this for?”

While having a baby that is unplanned can still A new business is not work (it has to, you’re forced to make it work), it • Consultations and advise for small business a hobby, it’s an invest- is a lot easier to begin something new: whether it’s ment. Come to terms life or a business with detailed preparation. Never • Bookkeeping & government forms with the fact that you underestimate the power of organization and sup• Financial statement preparation will have to be putting port; these will will refuel your empty tank after your baby (business) many long days and even shorter nights. I guaran• Tax planning & succession planning first for quite a long tee it will help you on your road to success.

• Incorporating your small business time. A new business is

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STARTING A SMALL BUSINESS

Telephone etiquette – 12 Easy Tips

by Sharen Symondson

Making a good impression over the phone may be the difference between gaining a new customer or spurring them to call a competitor. The initial call may be the only opportunity you have to prove your interest in obtaining their business.

Too often however, those who answer calls as part of their jobs forget the basic courtesies required to create a favourable image.

Telephone Tips: 1. Always identify yourself at the beginning of all calls and when you answer the call.

2. Be sensitive to the tone of your voice: do not sound anxious, aggressive or pushy. It is important that your tone conveys authority and confidence.

A tip – Smile as you answer the phone & do not lean back in your chair 3. Remove all food & gum from your mouth before you answer the phone.

4. Try to answer your phone on the second or third ring.

– If you answer on the first ring, the caller may not be ready to speak and after three rings, the caller will begin to feel annoyed and impatient.

– Keep the mouthpiece at least an inch away from your mouth. If it is too close your words may sound garbled.

5. Think through exactly what you plan to say and discuss before you place a call.

– Jot down a few points that you wish to discuss

or questions you wish to ask.

6. Do not allow interruptions to occur during conversations.

– Do not carry on side conversations with other people around you. The person on the telephone takes precedence over someone who happens to walk into your office. If you must interrupt your call, say to the person “Please excuse me for a moment.” Put the caller on hold. When you resume the call, thank them for holding.

7. When leaving a message, speak clearly and slowly.

– Identify yourself and your organization/company and a reason for the call.

– When leaving the return phone number, leave it at the beginning of the message and again at the end.

– Make sure you pause after the area code, and first three digits. This allows time to write the numbers down.

– You may also wish to leave the date and time of the call.

8. Avoid the use of slang words and poor language.

9. Turn the ringer off on your mobile before entering a meeting, restaurant, theater, etc.

10. Always speak into the telephone receiver with an even and low tone.

– This makes it easier for the person on the other end to understand you.

– Also if you are on a cell phone, you will not be a disturbing to people around you.

11. Avoid distractions.

– Do not allow yourself to be distracted by rustling papers, chewing, eating, working on the computer, etc. while engaged on the telephone.

12. Return phone calls promptly.

– Customers quickly become frustrated if they leave numerous messages and do not receive a response.

Remember to always treat all callers with the utmost courtesy and respect by giving them your undivided attention.

Sharen Symondson is CED officer with Elgin Business Resource Centre

If you’re thInkIng of startIng a small busIness... contact us

www.elgincfdc.ca (519) 633-7597 ext #337 kjackson@elgincfdc.ca June, 2015

ELGIN THIS MONTH

25

Starting a Small buSineSS

Business venture success linked to managing the ‘business of Self ’

by Cheryl Lester

Starting a new business venture can be exhilarating, challenging, frustrating, risky, exhausting … and rejuvenating … all at the same time. As a business owner you’ve likely (hopefully) spent time doing a SWOT — or some variation of it — as part of your planning process. It’s one way to identify, then effectively manage, the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats related to your business.

Equally important to the success of your business, is the attention and priority you place upon understanding your own SWOT, i.e. your own strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.

You play a key role — if not the most important role — in influencing the culture, attitudes, values, behaviours, practices, and success (or failure) of your business. Whether physically present on the front lines, or working behind the scenes, how you manage the ‘business of Self ’ has a lot to do with how well your business manages.

The same level of attention and rigor spent planning, assessing, developing, and managing a successful business should ideally also be given to your own Self development, i.e. the business of Self. There is much to be gained from an increased understanding of who you are, what you do best, what you aren’t as good at, and the things

that help, hinder, or hurt your effectiveness. Your work — and your personal life — will benefit.

Without such awareness, you’re unable to make informed decisions about what may need to change to increase your effectiveness, fulfillment, and success in life, in work, and in relationships.

The following SWOT questions are just a starting point to help you examine the ‘business’ of Self and make decisions about what you can or need to do in order to ensure that you’re bringing the best of yourself into your business venture.

STRENGTHS: • What are your most natural gifts or abilities?

• What skills have you developed exceptionally well?

• What would people around you identify as your special gifts, abilities, and skills?

• What generates joy in you?

• As a child what did you dream about being or doing when you grew up?

WEAKNESSES: • What skills or abilities are weaker or non-existent for you?

• What would the people closest to you say were your ‘weaker points?’

• What things, circumstances, or types of people ‘trigger’ you?

OPPORTUNITIES:

Knowing You, To Know what works best forYou

• What opportunities to make a positive difference in your life, work, or relationships are beckoning you now?

• How can you bring more of your natural gifts, abilities, skills, dreams, and joy-generating activities into your life, work, and relationships?

THREATS: • What are the greatest threats to your personal health, wealth, fulfillment, success, and relationships with Self and others?

In developing and managing your business venture — whatever it is — always keep in mind the importance of also developing and managing the ‘business of Self ’. You, your staff, your customers, and your business venture will be better served for it.

Available Properties to start Your Small Business Ideal situation for any start up business 10 Mondamin St., St. Thomas

When you’re an accounting and business service firm who prefers to see clients “getting ahead” rather than just “getting by”, really getting to know the people you serve is the most important thing you do. And while we know the numbers count, at Graham Scott Enns, we also know the life those numbers belong to is what matters most.

Get to know us better by visiting our new website at grahamscottenns.com

Cheryl Lester, Eagle Tree Leadership, is an international leadership coach known for her ability to help people improve their performance and effectiveness. Reach her at clester@eagletree.ca.

Quality office space offered in convenient downtown location.

Close to city hall. Gross lease offered with all heat, hydro, property tax, building insurance and janitorial included in rent. Owner willing to accommodate various size offices from 250 - 3000 square feet.

Immediate possession available.

Attractive, highly visible location in the heart of downtown St. Thomas

Then consider letting us get to know your business — by getting to know you.

9 Princess Ave., St. Thomas 1800 square feet of bright, clean commercial space with large windows, plenty of parking and has good signage areas. Ideal for a wide variety of Business uses. Quick occupancy available.

Preferred terms and dates of long term tenant.

Contact Nick Visscher for more information 450 Sunset Dr., ST.THOMAS 519-633-0700 June, 2015

25 John Street S., AYLMER 519-773-9265 ELGIN THIS MONTH

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Nick Visscher

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Broker of Record

Real Estate Brokerage

www.elginrealty.ca 26

STARTING A SMALL BUSINESS

Go all in, but keep your head about you

by Mark McIntosh

Many think and dream about owning their own life. Set parameters that work for you to allow you business. We think it gives us freedom financially, time to live. and with our time; for example: taking vacation When I started my business I knew going in that whenever we want. This couldn’t be further from this was all I wanted to do. After two major layoffs the truth. There is some freedom in your time and with age creeping up, I knew another layoff when you don’t need authorization from someone later in life would make things very difficult. I alelse to leave early or come in late. But starting ways wanted my own business and the time was and running a small business is not an easy task. now. Either do it or don’t … but … I had to look However, it can be most rewarding. within myself to make sure I would be “all in.”

Have you ever watched the television shows, So I ventured into the world of entrepreneurship Shark Tank and Dragon’s Den? Very often you with the attitude that this was the only option and will hear them tell those presenting their busi- it will work … no turning back. nesses that “You need to be ALL in.” What does However, being all in has to also be a calculatthat mean exactly? To hear them explain this ed risk. If you go in blind, saying unrealistically, term may frighten away many thinking of start- “I’m starting a business and it will work,” without ing a business. Basically, what they are saying is proper planning, you do set the stage for possible that you need to be serious and failure. fully committed. This will be Now that you’ve made the big ...you are your fulltime job that you want decision that you want to be a working to live … business owner, there are some to count on as your career and for financial survival. Some guidelines I suggest (from my not living to take this further by thinking own experience) that you look work... they need to work 24/7 and at using: put the business above all else 1) Seek professional business in life. Not true! Keep in mind advice from a business counselthat you are working to live … not living to work. lor. A counsellor will help guide you through the As an entrepreneur, you will find that it takes a whole process. The Elgin Business Resource Cenlot of time, energy, and work to get started and tre right here in St. Thomas is good place to start. propel momentum. Just don’t let it become your 2) Market research: understand your market.

Who is your competitor? What is the need for your goods or service you are providing?

3) How will you enter your marketplace? Advertising, other professional services needed, such as lawyers, accountants, etc.

4) Start-up cost. This is important because if you don’t have the capital to fund the start-up, this will become a major road block in your success.

5) Do you have support from those in your personal life?

These are just a few considerations, but I have found to be important. There is so much more, but this is where assistance from a place like the Elgin Business Resource Centre can help you ensure a positive beginning.

I have found being a small business owner both tough and most rewarding. I may not have met every financial target I had set for myself (yet), but the reward of starting something, watching it grow, and succeeding are awesome. I can honestly say that I never want to go back to regular employment, and I have never looked back.

Mark McIntosh owns markIT Technology Solutions Group in St. Thomas.

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Starting a small business is hard enough. We

TD Canada Trust understands the unique challenges of starting a small business or farm in the St. Thomas area and is committed to helping you by providing services, products and advice tailored specifically to your needs.

Drop by the branch to talk to an Advisor and discover how we can make your business banking easier.

We look forward to seeing you soon.

June, 2015

ELGIN THIS MONTH

can help.

TD Canada Trust 378 Talbot St. St. Thomas (519) 631-7070 417 Wellington St. St. Thomas (519) 633-4640 27

Starting a Small buSineSS

There comes a time when

cisions, the following be considered: 1. Do you have all the facts to make a decision (half facts can be disastrous)?

We have all been in situations where we have 2. Are you making the decihad to make decisions in our business life, our sion for the correct reason or careers and our personal lives. If we make one dereasons? cision, it causes us to turn left in life or another 3. Have you condecision, it causes us to turn right. Of course, we sidered all of the can make no decision and the steering wheel does ramifications of the not turn in any direction, and in this case we acdecision when you cept the status quo. Not a good or bad thing. make it?

We have all made some good decisions and, yes, 4. Are you prewe have all made some bad decisions. But most pared to live with the importantly, did we learn from those decisions. decision or decisions Was there a meaningful lesson learned? Not all once you make it or bad decisions should be treated negatively. They them? should be treated as a lesson in learning, so that After considering all we will not make that same bad decision in the of the above, you can future. By treating it this way, we are one step make a decision based closer to making a good or better decision. As we upon facts and figures, know in sales, one more no can be treated as a step and you can justify in your closer to the next yes. own mind the decision or There are many courses, journals, books, audio decisions you have made. tapes and videos for us coaches to acquire our Are business coaches ever information. There are many coaching sessions confronted with making where coaches learn real life lessons from clients. some of those difficult deciThis real life information can be stored in a coach’s sions I alluded to above? Well mind and used in the future to share with other of course we are, every day just clients down the road (of course confidentiality is like everyone else. We turn right of utmost importance with all coaching). or left after making good or bad I would suggest before making any business dedecisions.

My wife and I have recently made a life-changing decision and a business decision.

After analyzing all of the above, we are moving to Burlington, OnSmall Business tario to be closer to our three grown daughters Specialists and our two wonderful grandchildren. We Kee, Perry & DeVrieze offers a want to enjoy our famfull range of public accounting ily while we are healthy services for your Small Business. and our grandchildren can enjoy our company • Audits & Reviews • Tax Planning & Preparation in their formative years.

Swimming, soccer, gym• Consulting & Business Evaluations nastics, school plays and • Buying / Selling a Business family time. Is there • Bookkeeping (monthly/quarterly/annually) anything in life more We can help you set up the Accounting system for important than this, to your Small Business be near and close to your grandchildren?

At Kee, Perry & DeVrieze, we are committed to providing the professional My wife and I say no, customer service our clients need to succeed. Please make a call to our there is nothing more office, the first step on your road to success. important. Of course there are many sacrifices one makes when this type of decision is made. Leaving friends, leaving service organiza15 Barrie Boulevard tions and leaving emSt. Thomas, ON ployers and customers behind are a few of those 519-631-6360 • www.kpdcpa.ca

by Bryan Vine vinebryan@gmail.com

It’s not what you earn...

It’s what you keep.

June, 2015

ELGIN THIS MONTH

“we turn right or left after making good or bad decisions” decisions we made. We have both changed employers, living accommodations and most importantly made a decision to be closer to our families.

We feel honoured to have served in our community with both Rotary Clubs in St. Thomas and the famous CASO Station. We have met so many nice people, reacquainted with old friends and established many new friendships that I know will continue on no matter where we live.

I want to thank Terry Carroll and Elgin This Month for the opportunity to share articles with you over the last four years.

I wish everyone all the best in the future and leave you with a motto that I live by: “The more one gives, the more one will receive.”

This is Bryan Vine signing off for the last time as a contributor to Elgin this Month.

Bryan Vine is a business coach in St. Thomas and Southwestern Ontario.

28

BUSINESS & COMMUNITY OUR COMMUNITY

St. Thomas needs a clear vision for the future

by Serge Lavoie

Communities are complex, made up of citizens holding all sorts of varying, often contradictory opinions about how to manage their affairs.

I’ve always been intrigued by the differences in civic culture from one community to the next, often within a relatively small region such as Southwestern Ontario. Some communities are seen as progressive while others appear rooted in the past.

When I think of St. Thomas, I think of a community fiercely proud of its past accomplishments and status, its outstanding rail heritage, its status as a manufacturing hub, its vibrant main street.

What I don’t always see in St. Thomas is a community with any clear vision for the future or the collective risk-taking necessary to achieve it.

This sounds harsh, I know.

In fact, there are numerous examples of visionary thinking which have resulted in some of our most cherished assets. I’ve always been impressed by the incredibly strong core of individuals in this community who have taken the bull by the horns and shown remarkable entrepreneurial spirit by rebuilding St. Thomas almost solely through volunteer effort.

Without them, we wouldn’t have the CASO station, the Elgin County Railway Museum, the Princess Avenue Playhouse, the Iron Horse Festival, Day Out With Thomas, even the Horton Farmers Market (owned by the city but managed, at a profit, by volunteers). The list goes on from there.

Rather sadly, if we had a bigger pool of those visionaries, we might still have Alma College, or one of the locomotive roundhouses, or a walkingbiking trail right through the city on the MCR rail line. More civic pride and more vision might have led to fewer gaps and fewer derelict buildings on Talbot Street.

While I’ve lived here for only 16 years, others concur with me that our civic government has not historically displayed either strong vision or strong leadership when it comes to community building. Investments in infrastructure have been minimal, leading to a large and growing infrastructure deficit almost too large to comprehend.

Decades of inconsistent planning and lax bylaw enforcement have led to a main street and

other community assets that are rundown and in need of attention. There are certainly wonderful clusters of innovative developments, the popular L&PS corridor and replica station being the most recent. The planned update of the far west end of Talbot Street is another. Several property and business owners are doing their part as well.

Consider K&K Locksmiths, Jennings Furniture, the retail level of the Engineers’ Building and Masonic Temple, or the tiny Diamonds and Toads decorative paint store as examples of improved facades that bring back the character and ambience of our unique main street.

...it celebrates future possibilities, rather than what we used to have and lost...

For every one of those examples, however, there are two or three examples of properties which look abandoned, are allowed to deteriorate to the point of inevitable demolition. Who is to blame?

When you think about it, this is not a community devoid of good ideas, or pride, but it does seem to be a community at war with itself.

There are those who see a different future and want to invest in it, one idea and one property at a time. Equally, there are those who see no value in

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Serge Lavoie has a 35-year career managing associations, most recently the Southwest Economic Alliance. He lives in St. Thomas.

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new investments, or who resist every attempt to invest municipal dollars in simple maintenance or new infrastructure. To many, and it’s quite understandable given the economic situation, the lowest possible taxes are the most important things a municipal government can deliver.

Given that, how do you achieve change?

Governments everywhere rely on a strong voter mandate to deliver change. If a community wants vision or redevelopment, it has to help build a constituency in favour of that. All sorts of legislative tools are available to municipalities wishing to encourage investment or demand minimum property standards. Elected officials need to know they will be supported when they pursue new investments and innovative planning policies.

There are positive signs of change in this community. We should all support the #stthomasproud campaign, especially when it celebrates future possibilities, rather than what we used to have and lost.

When people talk about the glories of the past, they should immediately begin to think about how to reclaim them, rebuild them or duplicate them in a way that is consistent with current realities.

When people complain about the poor state of repair of our main street, they should demand and support better property standards with stronger enforcement, and they should agree to investments in infrastructure like roads, sidewalks, lighting and street amenities.

Municipal councillors and property owners alike need to be held to account for the neglect, indifference and lack of vision of the past decades.

This will take strong leadership from all quarters.

If we want a better community, we have to build it.

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We Couldn’t do it without the support of the Community

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29

Dining & Entertainment Food & Wine

Alcohol in stores, Part Three

Evolution versus Intelligent Design

by Jamie Quai

In his book The Greatest Show on Earth – The Evidence for Evolution, Richard Dawkins makes an analogy that has always stuck with me, when there is talk of alcohol reform.

To paraphrase his comments: The creators of the jet engine would never have succeeded in their endeavours if they had been told that they must incorporate (the only existing form of propulsion at the time) a propeller into their design. They believed that there was something better, and to achieve that they needed to start from nothing. The argument is that evolution is a messy process and along the way there are missteps, design mistakes, or inefficiencies that would easily have been corrected if nature had been able to simply go back to the drawing board with a clean sheet to start again. Any form of intelligent design (ID) would have avoided these inefficiencies.

Our system of alcohol production, distribution and sales is a textbook example of evolution. It is a series of relative adjustments to re-tune, rather

Join us for

than an intelligent design to minimize the errors and inefficiencies. In this final look on the occasion of expanding alcohol sales in the province, I am going to put out a few comments on the issues that hinder meaningful change with the hope of inspiring some intelligent designers to go back to the drawing board.

The first thing to consider is that, as local as we endeavour to be, alcohol sales and production are a global issue. We need to recognize that an ID-system that benefits everyone has to honour the international trade treaties we have committed to as Canadians. Low cost jug wine from California’s central coast has every right to exist on the same shelves as a wine produced under Ontario’s wages and working conditions.

The taxation and reporting systems in On...the package tario are burdensome, and should tell the truth very idiosyncratic. I am in no way suggesting that we pay in plain-speak... less taxes; rather the process of reporting could be rede-

Music in the Park Concert Series 2015

Showcasing local musical talent each Sunday this Summer.

Morris F Jones Bandshell, Pinafore Park.

June 7, 6pm – 8pm • Sophisticated Swing (big band) June 14, 6pm – 8pm • Bee Music Studios (various) June 21, 6pm – 8pm • Retreads Country Music (country) June 28, 6pm – 8pm • John & Carol (folk) July 5, 6pm – 8pm • The Country Classics Band (country) July 12, 6pm – 8pm • Stevie’s Sliders (trombone choir) July 19, 6pm – 8pm • Traci Kennedy (country) July 24 – 26 • RibFest Weekend (various musical entertainment all weekend long) August 2, 6pm – 8pm • Sing Along with Suzy Q (various) August 9, 6pm – 8pm • The Crop Dusters (classic country rock) August 16, 1pm – 8pm • Meg & Friends, ALS Concert (various) August 23, 6pm – 8pm • Dennis Wiley & Friends (various and country) August 30, 6pm – 8pm • The Derrick Drover Band (various)

Your thoughtful goodwill donations are collected by the performers

For more information call the Parks and Recreation Department 519-633-7112 June, 2015

signed. Here is an example that I hope will illustrate my comment: Every month I have to fill out a Federal Excise Form to report how much foreign content I produced in a month (for taxation purposes).

Setting aside the fact my licence makes it illegal to use foreign content … because it is a federal from, it must be filled out by hand, sealed in an envelope, affixed with a federallyissued postage stamp, and physically mailed.

Producing Ontario content means that the excise tax rate is zero. Every month I have to fill out a tax form and mail it, saying I pay no excise tax.

Any ID-system must be based on transparency in labelling. We

ELGIN THIS MONTH

have developed a system of labelling that can be misleading to consumers. There is nothing wrong with having wines blended from all over the world. But one of the fundamentals of wine is that the package should tell the truth in plain-speak. Most core consumers of these international-domestic blends wouldn’t care, but those who wish to make informed choices shouldn’t have to decode the label to find the answers to their origin questions. Transparency in labelling should not be left to a branding department.

More access to consumers, if desired by the public at large, should be available to all parties regardless of size, or influence. Saying that alcohol should only be available at a grocery store and not a convenience store is an example of evolution and not intelligent design. Saying that only staple brands get preferred access at monopoly stores over craft products is an example of evolution over ID. The only metrics I personally feel should be considered are the businesses’ social and professional behaviour. This would include things like not marketing/selling to minors, not evading taxes, etc.

An ID system with a foundation based on open access for all consumers, an emphasis on producers’ corporate responsibility, greater transparency in labelling, a reporting/taxation system that is less cumbersome, and sales channels that allow for equal access would be revolutionary. Ontario needs a jet engine. We have gone almost as far as we can on this propeller.

Jamie Quai is head winemaker at Quai du Vin Estate Winery in Elgin County 30

Dining & Entertainment TOURISM

The Shedden Rosy Rhubarb Festival

Slow down and listen to the rhubarb grow

by Katherine Thompson

For over 20 years, visitors have been coming from far and wide each June to pay tribute to the plant that put Shedden, Ontario on the map – rhubarb.

This leafy vegetable with red celery-like stalks is one of the earliest local produce items to make an appearance in Elgin County gardens and farmers’ markets each spring. Rhubarb stalks are tart in taste and are usually cooked with sugar and used in in pies and other delicious desserts.

The Shedden Rosy Rhubarb Festival that takes place each year on the second weekend in June is part street festival, part carnival and part coun-

try fair. The kick-off event each year is a fierce competition between locals to bake the best pies, cakes and tarts – all using rhubarb of course.

These delicious confections are judged and the winners are auctioned off to the public. The locals are crazy about rhubarb, competing not only in baking contests but also to see who can pull the longest stalk from lush patches of rhubarb that fill the gardens of Shedden, making the village the Rhubarb Capital of Ontario.

The idea for a festival was originally conceived by a small group of Shedden locals who wanted to do something to promote their community while raising money for a new community complex. At the time, the Shedden Country Club was nearly 50 years old and the community needed something larger and more modern. As a result of the

success of the Rosy Rhubarb Festival and other community groups, the Shedden Keystone Complex is now a reality and members of the Rosy Rhubarb Committee have turned their fundraising efforts towards a new library for Shedden.

Now in its 23rd year, The Shedden Rosy Rhubarb Festival has grown to a three-day extravaganza of family fun! Events include old favourites like baking contests, yard sales, petting zoos, pony rides and local musical entertainment as well as new and exciting additions like helicopter and monster truck rides, air bouncers and a breakfast sponsored by Denny’s.

This year’s event starts on June 12 and runs until June 14 at various locations in and around Shedden. For a full schedule of events visit: http://www.rosyrhubarbfestival.com/schedule. html Katherine Thompson is Marketing & Communications Coordinator with The County of Elgin

Delighted winner

Mary Meadows (left) presents a Catering by James Meadows gift certificate during the May St. Thomas and District Chamber of Commerce Business After 5 to Debra Burgess with the St. Thomas Elgin campus of Fanshawe College. Catering by James Meadows was the featured caterer at the event.

June, 2015

ELGIN THIS MONTH

31

LIFESTYLE THAT’S LIFE

First catch requires time, patience

by Elizabeth VanHooren

“Fishing takes time and patience,” my husband repeated as he baited another hook for my son.

My sons each received a shiny new fishing pole, rod and tackle box from their grandfather. “Poppa V”, an avid fisherman himself, had thought of everything as the tackle box was fully stocked: line, hooks, bobbers, even a scale. And two very excited boys had been waiting since March to use all that gear.

After weeks of pushing the excursion off because of other priorities, we had committed to a Saturday morning of fishing. But the poles were new and had to be fitted with line and set up with hooks and sinkers, and that takes time. Even more time, when you have two redheaded boys asking questions and eagerly unwrapping every item in their tackle box. When I heard my husband declare emphatically, “those poles are not swords, boys,” I intervened and directed the young fishermen to hunt down some worms for their bait.

An hour later, I looked outside to see the boys digging large cavernous holes in the as-yet-unplanted vegetable garden. It looked like a mine field. I headed out to re-direct their energy to But half an hour later, we were still waiting for overturning rocks around our back deck. By the a nibble and the excitement was waning. My eltime we found a dozen or so worms, my husband dest forfeited his pole to my husband in favour had the gear ready to go. of sitting down to take some notes (draw) in his We loaded up the truck and headed to Lake notebook. My youngest was still hanging on to Whittaker Conservation Area. Whittaker is a hidhis pole but he was either reeling his line in or den gem. Tucked into the rolling landscape just jerking his pole and line up out the water, “just east of Belmont, it is the headwaters of Kettle checking to see if my worm is still there. Yep it is.”

Creek and the most southerly in-land lake in Side discussions about worm guts ensued, and Ontario. With a healthy bass population, it offers breaks to check out the Garter snake slithering in some of the best local sport the brush line … and more waiting. fishing in Elgin County.

And then my youngest son’s bobUpon arrival, the boys ber disappeared below the surface. He “those poles are screamed, grabbed their poles from the “I’ve got one. I’ve really got back of the pick-up truck and not swords, boys” one!” He reeled his line in so fast the headed down to the fishing bobber was sucked tight to the first platform. Actually, my husband and I each took eyelet of his pole. And there glistening in the early a pole and let the boys carry the tackle boxes – to May sun was a small sunfish. avoid the poles being jabbed in the air or dragged My eldest son leaped to his feet and grabbed the in the grass. scale. “Let’s see how much he weighs!”

We baited hooks, tossed in the lines and then That sunfish didn’t register on the scale. Its waited. While we waited, we saw a pair of loons mouth wasn’t big enough to fit the scale’s hook. land on the lake, tried to spot the resident beaver Nonetheless, the catch was recorded in my son’s and talked to another fisherman who had great notebook and returned to Lake Whittaker … success in the same spot the day before.

Have a Safe and Happy Canada Day

where someday soon, with a little time and patience I hope other young fishermen might share in the thrill of the catch!

Tall Tales Fishing Derby

The Lake Whittaker Tall Tales Fishing Derby is scheduled for Saturday, July 11. The derby is part of a province-wide initiative to get young people interested in fishing and the outdoors. The Ontario Government designated July 4-12, 2015 (12:01 a.m. Friday to 11:59 p.m. Sunday) as Ontario Family Fishing Week. During this time period, individuals can fish without a fishing licence.

During all other time periods, Canadian residents between the ages of 18 and 64 years must purchase an OUTDOORS card and a fishing licence to legally fish in Ontario.

Elizabeth VanHooren is General Manager of Kettle Creek Conservation Authority

VisitWE our new location at 1241 Talbot St. Thomas HAVE IT St., ALL. RENTALS & SALES

519-631-5450

JEFF YUREK, MPP

ELGIN-MIDDLESEX-LONDON

Office Hours:

Monday-Friday 10am-4:30pm 750 Talbot St., (CASO Station Suite 201) St. Thomas, ON N5P 1E2 519-631-0666 email: jeff.yurekco@pc.ola.org www.jeff yurekmpp.com June, 2015

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32

HOMESTYLE DECORATING

Container gardens: inexpensive and attractive

by Renée Carpenter

If your furniture isn’t arranged right, even the most beautiful of rooms can fall short. So how do you create a successful layout? For starters, avoid these mistakes. But if you’re guilty (we’ve all been there!), fear not – it’s easy to rectify with these tricks.

Mistake: Wallflower Furniture – Your room may feel bigger with all the furniture pushed up against the wall but if you find yourself having to shout across the room to have a conversation, it may be time to rearrange. I love the look of a sofa floating in the middle of a room, maybe snuggled up closer to the fireplace and the chairs pulled to create a cozier conversation area.

Mistake: Not Considering Space Constraints –

...try growing your spring greens in an old wagon...

Let’s face it: our itty-bitty living rooms won’t magically grow an extra 50 square feet. The sooner you figure out how to work with what you have, the sooner you’ll arrive at an arrangement that works.

There are a few tricks for living rooms to get on the accelerated track to furniture-arrangement bliss.

We can help you with that!

Mistake: Foregoing Zoning – In large, open rooms, bring order by establishing zones for different activities: a seating arrangement for conversations and TV-watching, and a work area with a desk or table for homework, paperwork, and art projects for example. Set up your space according to your needs, rather than the labels a builder may have assigned.

Mistake: Beds that Partially Block a Window -- A bed that peeks over a window frame looks odd from the street and can lead to uneven fading. However, what if it’s the only place for your bed? Make it look better with these tricks: Hang floor-length curtain panels that fall behind the headboard and block the back of the headboard from the window, or install top-down, bottom-up shades, which will allow light to come in but be a backdrop for the

protruding headboard edges. If your style is modern, go with a platform bed with a headboard that’s low enough to fit beneath the window trim. You can also install an entire wall of curtains as a fabric backdrop.

Mistake: Wrong Starting Point – A general rule of thumb for your bedroom: Start with the bed placement. It’s the most important furniture piece in the space.

Mistake: Sticking to Conventions – Yes, If that isn’t possible, aim to have the front legs of conventions are good to stick by much of the time, the furniture placed on the rug. but occasionally a shake-up is in order. For example, an oblong dining table sat square in the idle of a room can leave space for little to incorporate a Renée Carpenter owns buffet and potentially more.

Jennings Furniture & Mistake: Forgetting Creature Comforts – Think about what you’ll be doing in the room as you Design & Stage It With use the furniture. Having a coffee table and side Jennings in St. Thomas. tables within reach of all seats for drinks puts convenience at the forefront.

Mistake: Off-Balance Rooms – My nightmare!

Shoving the furniture to one side of a room is like a seesaw with only one person. But achieving balance doesn’t mean you have to go completely symmetrical. For example, balance a loveseat on Call for your Free Consultation with one end of an arrangeBrandi Pisek, DD or Mike V. Pisek, DD! ment with two chairs on Walk in patients and new patients are the opposite end. always welcome and all insurance Mistake: Poor Rug Relationships – Ideally, all plans are accepted legs of your furniture (financing available). should be on the area rug.

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33

LIFESTYLE TIME ON MY HANDS

Speak your truth! Show the love!

Poetry Slam competition revels in paradox

by Duncan Watterworth

“This is for the losers,” said the young man, holding the “L” finger sign to his forehead, and glaring over the microphone. He launched into a bitter rant on behalf of the bullied students who get pushed into lockers, or have their heads shoved down toilets. But then his message began to swing around, like a sail in a new breeze, and soon it was billowing in the opposite direction.

By the end, it soared to a triumphant: “The Geek shall inherit the earth!”

Not just the science geek, but the poetry geek too.

Not all of London’s young adults were partying on that recent Friday night. Some were reciting their powerful poems for an enthusiastic audience at the Palace Theatre in the Dundas East Village.

Welcome to the London Poetry Slam competition.

A poetry slam is a curious beast. Poets are exhorted to “Speak Your Truth,” bare your soul, and share your innermost thoughts, then to be promptly judged on a scale of one to ten.

Before the show starts, the host explains the rules and etiquette. No costumes or props. Three minutes max. No hate. The audience is encouraged to berate the judges, but be respectful of the performers. Appreciation during a performance is expressed by groans of approval, or snapping of fingers – a nod, I think, to the beatnik poetry readings of old. Each performance is kicked off by the audience members raising their arms in the air and shouting “Show The Love.”

And in case all that is not odd enough, the judges are picked at random from the audience, grounding the competitive aspect firmly in thin air. The host wandered through the theatre, found five groups of three or four people, and gave each group a scorecard to hold up after each performance. On this night, one group of judges had never been to a slam before, so were dubbed poetry slam virgins. Another group self-identified as queer feminists. On with the show.

We heard nine poets, mostly women, mostly under 21 years of age. Each performed twice.

One spoke of clinging to her dreams. One railed against being seen as an object by men. There was a rant against an absentee father that brought tears to my eyes. They focused on social issues and life experiences with idealism, and much youthful

...coarsely mingled, with a dash of the absurd... angst. They were intelligent and thoughtful; they spoke with courage and passion.

The performances were often intense; a steady stream might have been overwhelming. But the slam’s antidote for that was effective, if discordant. Each poet was promptly followed by a string of goofy or nerdy jokes from the host. Here’s a knock-knock joke, or philosophy joke, or physics joke, she would gleefully warn. An example: “Schrodinger’s cat walks into a box. Or not.” (Funny, for fans of quantum mechanics.) Then the judges around the room would hold up their scorecards for the poet, usually to a barrage of catcalls.

The humour after each performance cleansed our emotional palates. And the seesawing between poems and levity turned the entire evening into an emotional rollercoaster. The poetry slam proved to be an inspired format – poetry and competition, drama and comedy, coarsely mingled, with a dash of the absurd.

By the end of the evening I was drained, entertained, and a fan of the sport. And if these young people inherit the earth, that’s fine by me.

Duncan Watterworth is a lifelong resident of Elgin County and a retired lawyer. He can be reached at duncanetm@gmail.com.

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Healthy Living EvEryday HEaltH

CEO responds: Let’s keep priorities straight

by Dr. Greg Johnston B.H.K., B.Ed., D.C.

anced and appropriate response to this argument.

I received permission from the Ontario Chiropractic Association to publish Dr. Haig’s response in this edition of Elgin this Month and have included it below.

In April this year, The Toronto Star published an article examining rising costs in health benefits.

The article was titled, “The rise of the ‘Three Amigos’ of healthcare.” A quick on-line search should April 15, 2015 yield the Star article in its entirety, but here’s a Re: The rise of the ‘Three Amigos’ of health care, summary of the issues at play here.

April 14 The article discusses a study commissioned by Canada’s health care philosophy is changing.

Green Shield Canada that claims that rises in We are moving from a mindset of merely treating health care spending in the areas of massage, chi- sickness, to a health care system that encourages ropractic and physiotherapy are responsible for Canadians to prevent sickness from happening in changing how benefits are being spent. It goes on the first place. Green Shield’s assessment of the to criticize this change indicating that if benefit health care landscape is too narrowly focused on money is being spent on these healthcare services outdated, pharmaceutically centred approaches to then there is less to be spent on new drugs. David our health, when global thinking has evolved to Willow, vice president of Strategic Market Solu- focus on preventative, patient driven strategies. tions at Green Shield states, “Isn’t this what insurIn fact, Ontario’s own government is prioritizing ance is supposed to be for, the catastrophic stuff? preventative, patient-focused approaches to health Not massages.” care, not just a reliance on expensive diagnostics, The article exemplifies divergent philosophies pharmaceuticals and specialists. in healthcare especially This is reflected in the investment with regard to preventative in programs like the Primary Care healthcare as opposed to Low Back Pain pilot which explore treating sickness. Dr. Bob “paramedical costs evidence based, interprofessional Haig, Chief Executive Ofare only about 10 per teams where chiropractors work ficer of the Ontario Chiroalongside other health care practicent of all spending” practic Association, wrote tioners. a letter to the editor of the Chiropractors not only provide Toronto Star in response manual therapy to immediately help relieve pain to this article. I believe his letter represents a bal-

and restore mobility, but they can also educate and guide patients through exercises and strategies that help prevent their issues from reoccurring, saving the health care system money in the long run.

Over 80 per cent of us experience low back pain at some point in our lives, which explains why musculoskeletal issues can be a major cost driver to our health care system. There are also mobility, pain and musculoskeletal components to chronic health issues such as diabetes and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

If you assume that benefit plans should focus on supplying expensive drugs to plan holders, then the shift from spending 70 per cent on drugs and 30 on benefits, to the current 60-40 mix will be viewed as a negative trend. This approach is especially frustrating when you consider that paramedical costs are only about 10 per cent of all spending, while the price of providing high cost drugs has increased by about 60 per cent in the past four years alone.

Dr. Bob Haig Chief Executive Officer Ontario Chiropractic Association Dr. Greg Johnston is a Chiropractor and partner in Family Health Options Treatment & Resources Centre in St.Thomas

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