March, 2015

Your Business. Your Community.

Volume 5, No. 7, March 2015

Inside:

• Jamie Quai Why oak a wine? Page 25 • Dr. Greg Johnston Tech neck Page 29 • Duncan Watterworth Guys with knives Page 30 • Income Tax Pages 17-19

Todd Sprague and Kathy Hartwell HWC: Business with spirit Cover story: Page 3

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HWC wins Spirit award and grows again

by Terry Carroll

When Hamilton Ward & Cathers (HWC) Insurance welcomed G. Taylor & Associates through a merger earlier this year, the newest location was already on the main street of Straffordville. That was a good thing, because HWC owners Todd Sprague and Kathy Hartwell take their business slogan – “Your Main Street Insurance Brokers” – quite literally. All five HWC locations are on the main streets of the communities in which they are located.

Also being a permanent part of each community is very important to HWC. So in St. Thomas, when they made the decision to move from a leased premises on Talbot Street to ownership, they had to find another building on Talbot Street and the former Tommy White’s Source for Sports location near St. Catharine Street was the perfect fit. The purchase closes at the end of April, and, following renovations, the owners plan to open that office before the end of 2015.

...in this industry, nothing beats experience...

The new St. Thomas location includes large, second-storey space that HWC will not need for insurance purposes in the immediate future. Todd Sprague says he and Kathy Hartwell are exploring the possibility of turning all or part of that second storey into community meeting space offered free to non-profit groups. This commitment to community was a deciding factor when Meridian and the Aylmer & Area Chamber of Commerce presented its 2014 Spirit Award to HWC Insurance for “showing true community spirit.”

This growing insurance business and its people have been involved as volunteers or sponsors, or both, in an impressive list of community projects including the East Elgin Community Complex, the Timken Centre in St. Thomas, lights for East Elgin Secondary School football field, Aylmer Kinsmen, United Way, Aylmer Cemetery Board, Relay For Life, MainStreet Aylmer, Aylmer Corner Cupboard, Ducks Unlimited, Belmont and Springfield Lioness, Minor Hockey, Youth Soccer

and Minor Baseball, coaching and sponsoring sports events and teams, and more. A few years ago, Todd Sprague was at a hockey game in Port Dover where the Tillsonburg HWC team was playing the Aylmer HWC team.

He laughs at the memory and says, “That was fantastic.”

While maintaining this remarkable level of community involvement, HWC Insurance has managed to also be successful at two business challenges that confound some owners who attempt them. From its Aylmer head office, HWC operates insurance offices in four other locations. And the business runs successfully with two owners.

What are their secrets of success?

Sprague is very clear about the main ingredient in the recipe for operating in different locations.

“You can’t force yourself on a community. Tillsonburg is not St. Thomas and Port Stanley is quite different from Straffordville. You have to hire people from that community.” Kathy Hartwell points out that they have developed a set schedule for visits with all their offices. HWC deals with funds in trust, and those funds need to be deposited within three business days of receipt. Funds could be transferred to the Aylmer office by a bonded courier for example, but instead, “We have people making the rounds,” Hartwell says. It’s a great way for the Aylmer head office to regularly stay in touch with the branches about issues large and small.

Experienced management and staff also make a tremendous difference. When the current owners purchased the business from Kim Black in 2007, they brought with them a wealth of experience.

Co-owner Kathy Hartwell started with the office on the accounting side when she was 18, and she’s been there 42 years. In May, Todd Sprague will have been 25 years with the business. Many of the nearly 30 staff members and associates have been with HWC ten years or more, and four of them exceed the 20-year mark. “In this industry, nothing beats experience,” Sprague says.

To make co-ownership work successfully, Sprague and Hartwell have divided the areas

Elgin This Month Manager Linda Axelson Section Editor Business Beat – Bob Hammersley Regional Sales Manager Nelson Parreira

of responsibility, with some overlap as needed.

Hartwell concentrates on the financial side while Sprague focuses more on the client and policy aspects of the business.

The merger of HWC with an existing insurance office – for example, the recent one with G. Taylor & Associates in Straffordville – can often result in additional insurance products for a community because a larger office like HWC usually has a wider range of insurance partners than a smaller one. That being said, the G. Taylor merger was a win-win because G. Taylor also brought a couple of new insurance partners to HWC. And it’s a full-service business. An operating agreement with Certified Financial Planner Harvey Tribe and Investment Associate Roxanne Husser means that HWC offers all types of insurance and related products, including life insurance and financial planning, from one office.

While the office maintains some liability certificates in paper format, HWC went paperless nearly three years ago. Employees back up everything on local servers and HWC also contracts for two additional off-site back-up services in Canada, giving three levels of security. With a paperless system, all files and policy documents can be accessed from any HWC office. In addition, HWC is implementing a new phone system for all offices … a company that respects the main street traditions of the past while continually planning for future growth and opportunities.

Cover photo by Philip Bell, Shutter Studios

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 March, 2015

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3

INNES As I see It

Serenity House: A model of compassion

by Jim Innes Editor’s note: Jim Innes is taking a writing course at Western called Non-Fiction: Writing for Fun and Profit. This column was written as part of that course. While it represents a departure in style from Jim’s usual column writing style, the topic aligns with his many ongoing interests and concerns: life, death and everything else.

...there had to be a better way...

nurse at Elgin General in St Thomas Ontario, Gillespie realized that a dying patient needed “closer “I thought there had to be a better way,” says observation and more specialized attention” than Peggy Gillespie, full time nurse and cofounder of was available. “It’s more time than a staff nurse Serenity House. could afford to give.” Opening Serenity House In the spring of 2002, working as a staff was her creative response.

Serenity House is newly located at St Johns Anglican Church, 20 Flora St., St. Thomas and provides an emotional support system for those who have been diagnosed with terminal illness.

Services also include outreach to their families and caregivers. Gillespie contends, “More people have passed away without our help then I care to count. We can make some people’s journey a little better.”

Serenity House was established on the principles of holistic care and is accredited through the Ontario Hospice Palliative Care Association. And through a seat at table with the Elgin Hospice Palliative Coalition, it maintains professional ties within the community.

“We focus not on the disease but everything that matters to the person with the disease,” Gillespie explains. “In so many ways a person’s life is changed by a terminal diagnosis, and it is our intention to bring quality to the remaining time in their lives.”

Serenity House offers a caring and compassionate place to connect with needed resources. The Francine Yolkowskie (left) and Peggy Gillespie at Serenity House. staff is knowledgeable and office

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walls are lined with referral pamphlets and informative material. Serenity House provides ongoing palliative training for its entire staff.

Serenity House is set up to assist family and friends who are attending to a loved one with terminal illness. Gillespie, who also teaches a Palliative Care program at the local college says, “People can be adversely affected, for the rest of their lives, by the experience. Often it takes someone skilled through specialized training to help the caregivers.”

Francine Yolkowskie, vice-principal at a local public school, came to St. Thomas 2 years ago to support her terminally ill sister. And after “having lived the hospital experience,” she was greatly appreciative for the support of Serenity House.

“I never had to be a caregiver like this before.

Everybody at Serenity had a story to share, and you felt someone was available who understood what you were going through.”

Yolkowskie, an experienced charities volunteer, and the current Director of Human Resources at Serenity, decided “to give back” to the agency. She says, “Taking care of the caregivers is an important task and is an increasing focus of the agency.”

She feels strongly that one of the agencies biggest hurdles is educating the public about the available resources. “Too many are going through the dying process and know of nowhere to turn for help.”

The Board of Directors is looking to the future with hopes of hiring a Coordinator of Volunteers.

And within 5 years, establish a residential Hospice to meet the needs of Elgin County.

Funding is always an issue and, as shared by Yolkowskie, so is the need for volunteers.

“Death is a part of life. It’s not a dark subject but a fact of life. The work is not all doom and gloom.

There is a lot of joy here too!”

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4

BUSINESS & COMMUNITY OUR COMMUNITY

Facing the future as a bedroom community

by Serge Lavoie

Is St. Thomas becoming a bedroom community and, if so, is that a good or bad thing?

This is a question that generates heated discussion when I bring it up with colleagues. After all, St. Thomas has a long and proud community history based on manufacturing and heavy industry.

For decades it punched well above its weight as a railway then automotive centre. St. Thomas was for decades a significant part of the Canadian economy.

Now, bit by bit, many of the legacy companies that built this city have disappeared along with the good jobs they supported. It’s a common theme across Southwestern Ontario. Yet, unlike many other communities in the region, our population continues to grow. Thanks to the home builders’ association super successful ’25 percent more’ campaign, the city is clearly seen as a good place to put down roots and raise a family.

Let’s face it though, proximity to the city of 370,000 to the north of us has played a major role in our slow conversion to satellite community. Despite the hopes of our civic and business leaders, not everyone comes to St. Thomas to ‘live, work and play.’ Our residents work at jobs throughout the region. In addition, they increasingly gravitate to London as the retail, entertainment, educational and government hub for the region.

The consequences of this transformation are challenging. Our downtown merchants find it difficult to reinvest in their buildings and businesses. New investments are hard to attract. Our mall and power centre, initially seen as a challenge to downtown, aren’t faring too much better. The big competition is 20 minutes north on Wellington Road and Wonderland.

The challenges for our municipal corporation are no less daunting. We have more people living in more houses but a diminishing retail, commercial and industrial sector to contribute to services and infrastructure.

The challenges aren’t all financial however. If more people are living here, while working and playing elsewhere, the task of building a cohesive community spirit becomes especially difficult.

Just ask the hard working folks at our service clubs

and community organizations how difficult it is to attract new volunteers. How challenging is it to organize community events such as Festival of Lights, the Santa Claus parade, Iron Horse Festival and all the other wonderful events that add value to our life in this city?

Eventually, given the new realities, everything in St. Thomas will require a complete re-think. This doesn’t have to require us to give up on a dream of attracting more What kind of future do people imagine for St. Thomas? industry, but it may require us city administration remain open and supportive to embrace a new role as an attractive community in a much larger regionalized of new ways of seeing and doing things.

St. Thomas was built on the broad shoulders of economy. heavy industry and manufacturing. On the eviThe solutions to our challenges may come from surprising places. What can we learn from Strat- dence, the city will continue to build as a comford which, despite proximity to both London munity. The only question is: based on what? and Kitchener-Waterloo, has managed to carve Is a future as a bedroom community really such out a prosperous and attractive community? a bad thing?

Perhaps we can look at the grass-roots community building taking place in London’s Old East Serge Lavoie has a 35-year career managing neighbourhood, home to some of the city’s old- associations, most recently the Southwest Economic est industrial infrastructure but now rebuilding Alliance. He lives in St. Thomas. itself into a self-reliant community based on small enterprises. In fact, Toronto is full of neighbourhoods which lost autonomy decades Visit our website using ago but have made the your smartphone, tablet transition to vibrant communities within a or computer for relevant larger municipality. financial information at your I think I’m already seeing evidence of this fingertips. kind of re-think right Providing after-tax www.farrowfinancial.ca across St. Thomas and planning for: Elgin County. What we need to ensure is that • investment our citizens, our mu• insurance nicipal council and our

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5

AGRICULTURE ON THE FARM

n … on the farm w o D

by Janine Lunn

There is a popular notion that farm life is a pleasant mix of wide open spaces and appreciating the value of a hard day’s work. But what happens when the days get too hard? We’ve all known someone struggling with emotional or mental strain, but until recently there has not been a lot of recognition of the concept of mental health, especially in the farm community.

The Canadian Institute of Health Research states 1 in 5 Canadians will experience a form of mental illness at some point in their lives. This affects farmers too, but it’s not easy to admit. The combination of weather variations, tough seasons, pricing lows and long hours can be stressful, to be sure, but some situations can drive us down more than others, and some of us are genetically predisposed. My extended family is not immune, and I struggle with the dark days of winter. Despite good intentions, motivation is hard to come by when the days are short, and the sunlight hours are never enough to keep my energy up.

The concept of work ethic is also difficult. On the one hand, hard work can be what makes or breaks a farm, but it can also be what drives a person to the breaking point. As a counter-argument to the value of so much hard work, I’ve heard it said that when we take the time to review our life

that “dirt don’t care.”

Livestock could fit in there as well. That is to say, too much hard work can put us at risk of missing out on the love and support of people and relationships that really matter.

I was active on Twitter on January 28, when the conversation revolved around #BellLetsTalk.

It’s a Bell Canada-promoted day to reduce the But what do farmers do when they feel as if they have nothing to crow about? negative stigma about disthese cases, but the options to help still exist: fincussing mental health. I was amazed to see how ishing an unwelcome chore together, a listening much my agricultural following opened up. Some ear, company over coffee on a long day, and, yes, said they retreat to the barn to avoid family issues, food always help. while others admit they needed to ask for help Some people question if mental health issues are in order to care for their families and businesses. becoming more prevalent, and suspect our sociOthers pointed out the solitary nature of farming ety is becoming too stressed out and as a result, can mean people suffer in silence too long, fearing unable to cope. I wonder if, in our quest to be shame and judgment. such an independent, self-sufficient society, with Farmers tend to support each other in times of specialized (often, competitive) farming practices, need. But it’s easier to know what to do in times we’ve eroded some of the community support of a physical crisis. If someone is injured on the that functioned as a safety net to keep people up job, experiences a death when they were feeling down. in the family or a barn If we’re truly ready to work towards improving fire, we react by offermental health, we need to be ready to strive for ing help with chores, balance both on and off the farm. This means visits, or food during making time for family and friends, spiritual practhe crisis. When the tices, fitness, hobbies and recognizing that some problem is not so obsituations do require medical support and counvious, I would wager selling. It means checking in on each other to that we tend to judge see how we’re doing. And this time, really listen. the person who is not Let’s talk. “keeping up” with the farming game – assuming that a lack of drive we can save your business time and money, Janine Lunn lives on the or interest is at fault, family farm near not realizing how stress like we have done for many of our clients Belmont, Ontario. or depression can hide behind a mask. It may not seem as clear cut in • Business/Technology Consulting

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BUSINESS & COMMUNITY FINANCIAL PLANNING

What you should know about RESPs

by Ellen Luft, Certified Financial Planner®

All Canadian children under six years of age are eligible for the Federal government’s Universal Child Care Benefit (UCCB) of $100 a month. If you deposit this amount into your child’s RESP from birth to age six, the account will grow by an additional $7,200!

Some frequently asked questions are: 1. How many RESPs can I have?

There is no limit to the number of plans from different institutions your child can have, but there

is still a lifetime contribution limit of $50,000 per beneficiary for all of the plans combined.

2. How does my child use RESP funds?

As many contributions as you like can be withdrawn to pay for your child’s qualifying postsecondary education program. Withdrawals of CESG (and other grants) received or interest earned is called an Education Assistance Payment and can be used to pay for tuition, books or transportation.

3. Can I transfer an RESP to another child?

Yes. If, for example, one child decides not to attend university, you may change the beneficiary named on the RESP. Or you can simply add the child to an existing RESP family plan.

4. What happens to unused RESP funds?

RESPs mature after 35 years and any unused contributions are returned tax-free to the contributor. Any income

March, 2015

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from the contributions can be transferred up to $50,000 into the contributor’s (or spouse’s) RRSP or taxed at the marginal rate plus a 20% surtax.

Any unused CESG funds must be repaid to the government.

5. Can I withdraw RESP funds?

Contributions can be withdrawn tax-free at any time by the contributor, but restrictions may apply on future CESG payments.

An investment advisor can help you select the right investment products for your needs within your RESP. This article was prepared solely by Ellen Luft who is a registered representative of HollisWealth (a division of Scotia Capital Inc., a member of the Canadian Investor Protection Fund and the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada). The views and opinions, including any recommendations, expressed in this newsletter are those of Ellen Luft alone and not those of HollisWealth. TM Trademark of The Bank of Nova Scotia, used under license.” HollisWealth is a trade name of HollisWealth Insurance Agency Ltd. Insurance products are provided

by HollisWealth Insurance Agency Ltd.

7

BUSINESS & COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP

Self-leadership and your DMQ

by Cheryl Lester

Those things are all honYou’ve heard of IQ and EQ and maybe even SQ. ourable, and definitely Now, I want to introduce you to DMQ. DMQ stands for Difference Making Quotient have the potential to gen— one of the terms that my life and business erate some positive outpartner Doug and I have created for a concept we comes; however, there is include in our book on Self-leadership to be pub- a way that the differencemaking potential of those lished this year.

As a business owner, organizational leader, or things could become even the leader of your own life, you make a difference. greater.

Effective Self-leadership Like a boat or other water craft, you leave a wake.

Some of you are aware of your wake; some of you involves taking ownership are not. Your wake may make a positive difference and responsibility for asfor you and the people and systems around you, sessing, developing, and or generate a negative one. Either way, you make a managing your own unique difference. You get to choose the nature and mag- blend of Souldna — another one of our Self-leadership nitude of your DMQ. Most people have a desire to make a positive dif- terms — plus the Facts plus ference in the world. Some people dream of mak- the Influences that together make you ing a difference through who you heroic acts. Some through are. Efsacrificial giving. Others through random acts “notice your strengths ‌ f e c t i v e of kindness, or teaching, notice your weaknessesâ€? Self-leadership intentionally harnesses brilliant academic scholarand manages the creativity, ship and research, raising responsible and caring children, business suc- wisdom, and power of these parts in order to incess, winning a lottery and donating large sums crease their Difference Making Quotient and the of money to worthy causes, inventing something contribution they make to the greater good of the whole. new ... the list goes on.

Awareness is where the process of increasing your DMQ begins.

Create a safe inner space where you can simply observe your actions, attitudes, and relationwith Self and othOur office is now located at: ships ers. Intentionally refrain from trying to instantly change. Just notice.

Notice your strengths.

Notice your weaknesses.

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stress or how you experience joy. Invite an inner part of yourself to serve as a wise observer who can add value by viewing your interactions with others, then giving you feedback about what they noticed.

Leaders have unique opportunities to make a positive difference through awareness and effectiveness that start with Self, and then add value to the people and systems around them.

So, regardless of whether you see your leadership role as informal or formal, taking steps to discover, develop, manage and leverage your unique blend of Souldna, Facts, and Influences through effective Self-leadership will increase your DMQ and make a positive difference – individually and collectively.

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

March, 2015

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8

MP & MPP luncheon April 9

• March 2015 •

Vicki Fenn from GV Healthy Vending was one of the lucky door prize winners at the annual Valentine’s Day Business After 5 at Boston Pizza in St. Thomas February 11. Boston Pizza and the St. Thomas Soccer Club co-hosted the event.

Business After 5

It’s a spring tradition – Business After 5 on the Wednesday before St. Patrick’s Day! St. Thomas Golf & Country Club will be our host and sponsor.

Wednesday March 11 St. Thomas Golf & Country Club 42325 Sparta Line, Union Doors open at 5:00 Door prizes and remarks at 6:15 Admission free for all Chamber Members!

Our elected federal and provincial representatives will take the Chamber’s stage on Thursday April 9 as we host our annual luncheon event with MP Joe Preston and MPP Jeff Yurek.

The Chamber has challenged our federal and provincial representatives to offer individual and joint comments on activities that impact ElginMiddlesex-London from provincial and federal perspectives but the most important element of the event will be dialogue with the audience: questions and answers from everyone attending.

Spring is Coming!

Business Beat Table of Contents

Take part in our Golf feature coming up in the April edition of Elgin This Month

Pages 10, 11 .. Top 10 barriers

To take advantage of excellent advertising opportunities like this, give me a call at 519-633-1640 (ext. 222)

Page 12 .......... Legal Business Page 13 ..............Get engaged Page 14 ..................... Pro Text

Thomas. Doors open at 11:15 a.m.

Buffet food service will be open from 11:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. Keynote remarks from the MP and the MPP start at 12:15, followed by the question-andanswer session.

Tickets are $32 per person, advance sale only, from the ChamMPP Jeff Yurek and MP Joe Preston ber.

This event is The pending retirement of MP made possible Joe Preston also means this will be thanks to sponsorship by Catering our last opportunity to see him on by James Meadows, Dowler-Karn the Chamber stage as our federal Limited and Phil Mauer & AssociMember. ates Inc. Our location will be St. Anne’s Additional details are on our webCentre on Morrison Drive in St. site now at stthomaschamber.on.ca

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or email me at gregthismonth@theweeklynews.ca April Edition Advertising Deadline is March 17th

Page 15 .................SafeComm Page 16 ...........New Members March, 2015

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9

Chamber News Events and News of Interest to our Members

Top 10 barriers to competitiveness The Canadian Chamber of Commerce and the St. Thomas & District Chamber of Commerce, along with nationwide network of other Chambers, associations and businesses, have released our Top 10 Barriers to Competitiveness list for 2015.

The Top 10 Barriers to Competitiveness is an initiative the Canadian Chamber network undertook in 2012 to draw attention to the barriers that are holding back Canada’s progress and to urge all levels of governments to act more swiftly in increasing our country’s ability to compete globally.

Local Chamber President & CEO Bob Hammersley explains the list as being “like a navigation aid – a chart to reference danger points and map paths for action.”

“Since launching this initiative, we have made great progress in furthering our competiveness agenda on a number of issues. However, the barrier our Members continue to identify as being the greatest impediment to the success of Canadian business is the skills gap,” said Canadian Chamber President and CEO Perrin Beatty. “There is a lot of work ahead. The federal government and several provincial and territorial governments have also named this issue as the country’s biggest challenge. We need to work together and make real progress in 2015. ” Addressing the Top 10 Barriers to Competitive-

ness will go a long way towards restoring Canada’s competitiveness. The Canadian Chamber is calling on its own membership, on governments, on educators, on labour organizations and others to tackle and overcome these barriers. Effectively addressing these 10 barriers will sharpen Canada’s competitive edge and allow us to prosper in the global economy.

“Tolerating these barriers, or self-inflicted wounds as we call them, is not an option,” concluded Beatty. “The challenge for 2015 is to build on this progress and start closing the gap between Canadian businesses and our international competitors.”

2015 top 10 barriers to be addressed Silos in skills development Canada is not producing enough graduates with the skills needed for its economy. There are shortages and high demand forecast in a wide range of occupations. As a result of dramatic restrictions, the Temporary Foreign Worker Program no longer presents an effective path to meet short-term labour shortages. In the medium to long term, our education and training systems play a pivotal role in equipping us with people with the right skills.

With a demographic reality about to hit our labour market, we need stronger efforts to coordinate between the silos of education and employers. Improving the links between education and employment is not the responsibility of educators and governments alone. Employers are directly implicated. We need to break the silos.

Entrepreneurs lack capital for Canada’s

fastest growing companies One of the most critical determinants of competitiveness is access to capital, especially for startups and companies moving from innovation to commercialization. These fast-growing companies often depend upon venture capital (VC) as the lifeblood needed to take a company from idea to market. Canada’s VC industry is still small and punching below its weight, particularly when compared to much larger VC industries in the U.S. During the course of 2014, the Canadian Chamber spoke with dozens of entrepreneurs leading fast-growing companies who say one of the biggest hurdles they face is securing capital to take their companies to the next level. In 2015, the Canadian Chamber will advocate a number of initiatives to boost incentives to expand the overall pool of capital and to attract more angel investors and international funds to Canada.

Lack of clarity regarding Aboriginal land title Canadian governments have a fiduciary duty to consult and accommodate Aboriginal peoples when proposed developments have the potential to impact their constitutionally protected rights.

However, governments are increasingly relying on project developers to assume responsibility for large parts of community consultation and accommodation.

Continued on page 11

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

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March, 2015

Stability & Predictability for Small Businesses

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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

Top 10 barriers to competitiveness Continued from page 10 This has led to situations where proponents have no clear direction on the extent of the consultation and accommodation required. This year, the Canadian Chamber will explore alternatives to the current scenario for resolution of the development consultation process, which currently seems headed towards lengthy court challenges to produce jurisprudence that guides proponents, opponents and governments.

Internal barriers to trade The lack of a single domestic market in Canada is a serious and self-imposed weakness in the Canadian economy. Tariff barriers between provinces are banned by the Canadian constitution, yet the national economy is fractured by a host of nontariff barriers, particularly in procurement, energy, agriculture and transportation, and in the mobility of labour. The federal government must promote more meaningful sanctions against jurisdictions that practice protectionism against other Canadians while supporting those that embrace free internal trade.

Canada’s tax system is too costly and complex Canada over-relies on income and profit taxes rather than on taxes on consumption, which are relatively easy to collect and are least harmful to growth. Canada’s tax code is also overly complex and imposes significant compliance costs on businesses and consumers while governments spend billions of dollars each year administering and enforcing convoluted tax laws. Canada must undertake a comprehensive review of its tax system with the aim of reducing its complexity and improving the way it raises tax revenue.

Canada’s export infrastructure is not meeting our needs Public investment in infrastructure has not kept up with Canada’s economic needs. Now Canada’s investment needs far exceed the availability of public funds. Bringing infrastructure in Canada back to the level needed to support prosperity will require an ongoing commitment by all levels of government, an active engagement with private sector stakeholders and a greater appreciation of the opportunities that exist for Canada to be more competitive through more modern public infrastructure.

Canada is uncompetitive in the world’s tourism sector Canada has slid from the seventh largest tourist destination in the world to the 18th. Today, it is too often a high-cost, high-hassle destination with aging attractions infrastructure and inadequate marketing. Canada’s travel and tourism sector is critical to its economy, and the government must both invest in national marketing initiatives and address Canada’s inefficient visa system, the very high cost of air travel in Canada and its layers of regulations, fees and taxes.

March, 2015

Innovation rate is not sufficient to help manufacturing rebound The best way for Canadian companies to compete and win in modern manufacturing is through a strong commitment to innovation.

This appears to be a continuing challenge as Canada’s innovation rank, a key component of competitiveness, is troublesome. Canada is ranked 22nd by the World Economic Forum for its capacity for innovation. Canadian manufacturers will need to invest more aggressively in disruptive technologies. However, the innovation policy framework that exists in Canada is not sufficient to overcome a number of serious barriers for the manufacturing sector. The Canadian Chamber of Commerce will explore recommendations to reconcile the disconnect between industry and institutions, find a mechanism to support the commercialization of new technology and look at options to support business in the adoption of new technology.

Territorial businesses don’t have the tools they need The federal government has a critical decision to make regarding Canada’s territories if it is to fully leverage their economic potential. That decision is whether or not to provide territorial businesses with the tools necessary to increase their economic footprint. The result would be more financial independence for the territories and a more competitive Canada.

Canada is missing out on foreign trade opportunities Canada’s prosperity depends on access to international customers and participation in global supply chains. Faced with a small domestic market, exporting is often the only way to grow sales and build economies of scale. Moreover, sourcing from and investing abroad allows companies to exploit unique technologies, skill sets and cost advantages.

However, Canadian businesses are not globalizing as quickly as their peers. To support the expansion of Canadian companies abroad, the federal government needs to build on recent success and take steps to conclude the next wave of high-quality trade agreements and strengthen Canada’s sys-

tem of trade promotion and economic diplomacy.

You can consult the complete Top 10 Barriers to Competitiveness document at the national chamber website: Chamber.ca The Canadian Chamber of Commerce The Canadian Chamber of Commerce is the vital connection between business and the federal government. It helps shape public policy and decision-making to the benefit of businesses, communities and families across Canada with a network of over 450 chambers of commerce and boards of trade, representing 200,000 businesses of all sizes in all sectors of the economy and in all regions.

News and information are available at Chamber. ca or follow the Canadian Chamber on Twitter @CdnChamberofCom.

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Legal Business Events and News of Interest to our Members

Left Sharking in 3D what’s the big deal, you say? It’s a shark! Heck most sharks don’t dance at all, let alone very well.

Unless you were on vacation On the contrary, viewers found the aquatic gyanywhere but North America rations of the left shark so knee-slappingly funny on the first Sunday in February, there was immediately a market for left-shark you probably witnessed one of memorabilia. And this is where the more sombre the best Superbowl games ever, topic of copyright comes in. Fernando Sosa is a one of the craziest offensive Monty Fordham 3D printer artist who, upon seeing all the attenblunders ever, and one of the tion the dancing shark was getting, decided to most controversial half-time shows ever. More fashion a “left shark doll” using a 3D fallout than Janet Jackson’s wardrobe malfunc- printer. But he didn’t stop there. tion. Yes, I’m referring to the now infamous Left He proceeded to upload a Shark in the Katy Perry half-time show. digital blueprint on the Now, I must admit, not being a dance aficio- internet so anyone, yes nado, I was paying more attention to Ms. Perry even you and I, could and her singing, it being her show and all. How- make their own left ever, it seems many, many others were focused on shark doll for posthe dancer to her left during her Teenage Dream terity, using only and California Gurls numbers. Dressed in a very our very own 3D bright blue and white coloured shark costume, he printer. and his improvised dance moves managed to swim Now, you may all the way across the internet by show’s end. So have guessed that this was not Mr. Sosa’s first rodeo. A while back, he appar“you may have guessed ently manufactured an iPod docking stathat this was not Mr. Sosa’s tion using his 3D printer. first rodeo” No problem there you say?

We l l , this docking station bore an uncanny resemblance to a certain piece of furniture featured prominently on the T.V. series, Game of Thrones.

Not surprisingly, .ca HBO, the producers of n Employment i lg the series, took excepServicesElgin ecsae c . i v n tion to his activities, r i ge @jobselgin netsl and demanded he cease e s mb y o and desist, claiming o j l . mwp copyright infringement e w . ww on the item depicted. ww So, it’s not too surprising that the attorneys for Ms. Perry and Mr. Sosa have been exchanging some rather uncomplimentary correspondence over the last few weeks. Ms. Perry claims ownership rights over the shark, and Mr. Sosa claims it FREE Services for Employers & Job Seekers to be in the public doEmployment main, just like all the Employment Services Services Elgin Elgin other sharks. But be400 400Talbot TalbotStreet, Street,St. St.Thomas Thomas||(519) (519)631-5470 631-5470 fore this saga is ended, Aylmer Community Services there may be other players in the game.

25 Centre Street, Aylmer | (519) 765-2082 West Elgin Support Services What about the rights ElginWest Support 160 West Main Street, Lorne | Services (519) 768-0020 of the NFL who owns 160 Main Street, West Lorne | (519) 768-0020 the performance? Or ESPN who owns the “Building Prosperity for St. Thomas & broadcast? Would the

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situation be any different in Canada?

A few years ago, the federal government strengthened our copyright laws in response to international complaints of intellectual property piracy. The Copyright Modernization Act sought to address the potential copyright issues posed by various new technologies including 3D printing.

For those of us who are somewhat technologically challenged, a

f e w words about 3D printing.

3D printing is not really printing at all, at least in the conventional sense. The technology involves the use of a 3D scanning device which scans a 3D item, and creates a 2D design file. This is, in turn, used to prompt the printer to create the 3D object. The object is created using layer upon layer of extremely thin material such as extruded plastic to eventually fashion the object.

Like so many other technologies, 3D printers have improved in quality and have come down in price. In a few years, you will be able, using a digital blueprint and a 3D printer, to reproduce just about anything, even dancing sharks. International intellectual property law is about to go through a transformational process the like of which we have never seen.

As for the left shark case, my money’s on Brian Gaw. So, who’s Brian Gaw? Well, he’s the guy in the shark suit that started all this. Without his artistry, we’d just be talking about any old shark.

And we know there’s no copyright on them. Is there?

Badum ... Badum ... Badum Lawyer Monty Fordham prepares this monthly column for the St. Thomas & District Chamber of Commerce and our Members. Monty is also a volunteer serving on the Chamber’s Board of Directors. Questions, comments and suggestions for future columns are welcomed by Monty at his office: Fordham & Brightling Associates – Lawyers, 4 Elgin Street, St. Thomas. Telephone 519-633-4000, FAX 519-633-1371 or e-mail: montyfordham@4elgin.ca

Elgin County Residents & Employers.”

March, 2015

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Chamber News Events and News of Interest to our Members

Would you like to get engaged?

Let's talk about relationships and an engagement. Community engagement, that is.

The St. Thomas & District Chamber of Commerce is looking for people who take community support and participation seriously. People who can take programs and activities to the next level and grow opportunities at professional and personal levels.

The Chamber always welcomes interest and participation from our Members, and we firmly believe our relationships should always be win-winwin. A win for our participating volunteers, a win for the Chamber, and a win for the people on the receiving end of projects and services we deliver.

Here are a couple of opportunities that exist on the Chamber's volunteer team right now: Committee Chair - Public Sector Liaison Committee We're inviting applications from people with an interest in leading and chairing our Public Sector Liaison Committee, as a volunteer working with a team of 7 to 10 other volunteers who connect the Chamber and our Members to public sector func-

tions in government, health, employment services and education. The ideal team leader should have interests in public affairs and the Chamber's role to represent the interests and needs of our Members at local, provincial and federal levels. Knowledge or experience in advocacy and government policy processes, along with strong communication skills, are essentials. Previous Chamber of Commerce experience at a local, provincial or national level is an asset. Should be willing to serve an initial term of up to three years, and a maximum term that cannot exceed six years, reporting to, and holding a seat on, the Chamber's Board of Directors plus committee meetings set on a schedule agreed by the committee – usually consisting of 8 to 12 meetings per year.

Co-Chair of Members Golf Day Some Chamber volunteer work can be task or project based, and this opportunity is a perfect example. Working with staff and other volunteers from our Member Services Committee, the challenge is to produce and deliver a first-class experience for our Members while reaching operational goals agreed by the Chamber's Board &

Management. Start date: this month. End date: early June (or longer if there's a good fit and the team couldn't bear to see you go). It's a fun task to create and deliver a fun and rewarding experience for our Members but part of the job gets down to business and can sharpen and expand skills in marketing, event design and delivery, and in motivating a project team to meet and exceed goals.

Let's talk! If you'd like to consider volunteer work and service with the region's biggest business association, speak with our senior staff officer, President & CEO Bob Hammersley at 519-631-1981 Ext 524, or connect directly and privately via email. Ross Fair, Chair of the Chamber's 2015 Board of Directors, also welcomes calls and questions on working with us. Reach Ross by telephone at Fanshawe College - 519-633-2030 Extension 228 or connect directly and privately via email.

Thanks for your consideration! Our entire community wins when we work together!

Our 41st Annual Members Golf Day It's time to think about things that don't involve snow!

The Chamber's 41st annual Members Golf Day is set for Thursday May 28 with an 11:00 a.m. shotgun start at one of Ontario's best courses - St. Thomas Golf & Country Club.

Register before May 1 and save. Single entry $149 or a foursome for $575. Price includes 18 holes of golf on the premium course, cart, BBQ lunch, all-you-can-eat dinner buffet, post-game social mixer, amazing prizes and a giant silent auction.

Registration is open now! Details are posted in the Events column on the Chamber website or you’re invited to contact Member Services Representative Warren Allen at the Chamber office.

Call direct at 519-631-1981 Extension 526.

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Pro Text Events and News of Interest to our Members

New wheels? Protect against possible depreciation loss

by Brendon Soetemans

Purchasing a new vehicle is an exciting and thrilling time for anyone. Whether it’s a family van for taking the kids to their many recreational activities, a 2015 sports car to “one-up” your neighbour, or a fully loaded truck for driving through the harsh Canadian winter, new vehicles provide an important service in our daily lives.

For many of us, a new car is one of the biggest purchases of our lifetime, and one of the largest costs associated with that new car is depreciation.

Have you ever heard the phrase; “the value of a brand new vehicle depreciates the very moment it’s driven off the dealership’s lot?” Car depreciation is the amount of value an auto loses over time, and that figure can vary dramatically from car to car. For consumers who keep their car for five years or less, depreciation should be one of the main factors to consider. Those looking to hold on to their car for the long haul may benefit by paying less upfront because the resale value really won't matter five or 10 years later.

The good news is that extra protection may be available through your insurance provider to protect you from the loss of this depreciated value in the event of an accident, and it can extend to pre-

serve the purchase value on your policy.

Two options your insurance company may provide are: 1.

Removing Depreciation Deduction: It removes the insurer’s right to deduct depreciation from the value of your automobile. This is available for two years from the date of purchase. The most the insurance company will pay is the actual purchase price of the vehicle and its equipment, the manufacturexclusively for members of the er’s suggested list price of the automobile and St. Thomas & District Chamber of Commerce its equipment on the original date of purchase or the cost of replacing the auto with a new automobile of the same make and model, similarly equipped.

Most insurers will have conditions applied including that the vehicle must be new at the time of delivery and the loss on Visa® credit on Interac® Direct on Mastercard® credit or damage must occur receipts with Payment receipts with receipts with before the expiry date of electronic deposits electronic deposits electronic deposits the policy that is in force.

2.

Replacement Cost Endorsement: In the event of a loss the insurer will pay for the replacement of the described automobile. If unavailable, For complete details, contact the Chamber the insurer will replace 115 - 300 South Edgeware Road, St. Thomas Phone: 519-631-1981 Fax: 519-631-0466 with another automobile of like, kind and Email: mail@stthomaschamber.on.ca www.stthomaschamber.on.ca

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...what if a new car written off is worth less than the amount owing on a lease or bank loan?... quality. Many insurance companies who offer this coverage may offer for times up to 5 years.

It is common for new vehicles to be leased or financed. Consider what could happen if a new car is written off in an accident and is found to be worth less than the amount owing on a lease or bank loan. In that event, the vehicle owner is legally liable to cover the difference paid by the insurer versus what is owed on the loan or lease value. With depreciation protection the vehicle differential is covered and the vehicle owner is not responsible for the deficiency.

The additional cost for depreciation protection through your insurer is inexpensive in comparison to the service it provides. You can take pride in knowing that your brand new vehicle is being fully protected as you hit the roads in your new wheels!

This column appears regularly in Business Beat and has been submitted by Brendon Soetemans, a Broker/Advisor at Reith & Associates Insurance and Financial Services Limited, 462 Talbot Street, St. Thomas. This month’s column is Brendon’s first with us. He joined the Reith & Associates team last December. Questions and comments on this column are welcomed by the writer at 519-631-3862 or via e-mail: info@reithandassociates.com 14

Member News Events and News of Interest to our Members

St. Thomas and Elgin re-designated as a Safe Community

Community leaders are celebrating the re-designation of St.Thomas - Elgin as a Safe Community in Canada.

Established in 2004, the local Safe Communities Coalition (often known as SafeComm) is the result of a joint project of Elgin St. Thomas Public Health and the St. Thomas & District Chamber of Commerce. Today, SafeComm brings over 30 community agencies, services and organizations together for work focused on preventing unnecessary deaths and injuries and improving the quality-of-life to benefit local residents and make the region more a more attractive place to live, work and play.

An initiative of Parachute, a national not-forprofit organization dedicated to an injury-free Canada with Canadians living long lives to the fullest, Canadian Safe Communities believe that a safe life is a basic right. 45 other communities across Canada have participated in prescribed activity to earn a current Safe Community designation.

The latest local recognition is the third consecutive designation achieved by the local SafeComm team. It reflects hundreds of volunteer hours dedicated to local activities in recent months.

Last May, SafeComm produced and organized a local priority-setting event and determined five essential needs. Attendance of 91 people at the planning session was recognized nationally as being the best attendance at such an event anywhere in the country. Another example of SafeComm success is found the production and delivery of a video program used to raise awareness of safety issues to multiple groups ranging from students to seniors. The video has been seen by over 7,200 people.

“The Safe Communities St.Thomas Elgin Coalition is proud to successfully complete the re-designation process with Parachute Canada. We have a strong commitment from the members of this coalition and community to reach the goals established in our Community Safety Action Plan,” said Stacy Wraight, Chair of the Safe Communi-

ties St.Thomas-Elgin and Public Educator with the Alzheimer Society Elgin-St.Thomas. “This redesignation reflects our desire to be successful at injury prevention within our community."

Communities that choose pursue designation and certification as a Safe Community are committed to a collaborative relationship with Parachute, members of the Parachute network and others in the domain of health and safety. They have brought together local officials from their municipalities at a leadership table, including representatives from local government, public health, police, fire and emergency services, educational institutions, local business, and health and safety organizations.

As has been the case in St. Thomas – Elgin, Designated Safe Communities have completed a formal Priority Setting Exercise that includes activity to identify, then act, on local priorities.

Community input locally has confirmed five key priorities: 1. Motor Vehicle Collisions & Transportation Safety 2. Falls 3. Self-Harm/Suicide 4. Assault & Abuse 5. Sports & Recreation The identified priorities have multiple levels of impact across the community. Sports and recreation, for example, might not appear as an issue impacting businesses and employers but the impact from injuries and resulting lost work time is a valid concern. Further validation on our #1 priority comes from Health TFSAs* •• Long Longterm termcare careinsurance insurace TFSAs* & Safety Ontario statis-

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tics that show 30% of worker fatalities are from motor vehicle incidents, making them the biggest risk Ontarians face each day. The number leaps to 45% when workplace incidents are included.

About SafeComm & Parachute: The St. Thomas Elgin Safe Communities Coalition is a committee of the St. Thomas & District Chamber of Commerce.

Parachute Canada is dedicated to preventing injuries and saving lives. A national charity, Parachute officially formed in July 2012, when the former Safe Communities Canada, Safe Kids Canada, SMARTRISK and ThinkFirst Canada joined together to become one leader in injury prevention. Parachute’s injury prevention solutions, knowledge mobilization, public policy, and social awareness efforts are designed to help keep Canadians safe. Parachute’s vision is an injury-free Canada with Canadians living long lives to the fullest. For additional information on activities and services across Canada visit parachutecanada. org For more local information, contact Stacy Wraight, Chair, Safe Communities St. ThomasElgin via her office 519-633-4396 or swraight@ alzheimerelgin.ca.

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brighter under the sun 15

Chamber News Events and News of Interest to our Members

Mayors’ luncheon serves up hot items on cold day

Mayors Grant Jones (left) from Southwold, Heather Jackson from St. Thomas and Dave Marr from Port Stanley face Chamber Members’ questions at St. Anne’s Centre in St. Thomas February 18.

The St. Thomas & District Chamber’s 5th annual lunch with our 3 district Mayors took place February 18 as we welcomed over 130 attendees for a buffet meal at St. Anne’s Centre plus more than 60 minutes of questions, answers and comments. The annual event, our State of the Municipalities Luncheon, gives the Mayors of St. Thomas, Central Elgin & Southwold a chance for two-way dialogue with each other and with representatives from a broad cross-section of local employers in both the public and private sectors.

The Chamber will host a similar event featuring MP Joe Preston and MPP Jeff Yurek on April 9. Details on page 9.

Over 130 people attended the annual Chamber forum, getting an update on three municipalities.

Realtor Jim Harris asks a question at the State of the Municipalities luncheon.

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Residential • Commercial • Industrial 16

income tax

Top things families should know about taxes From the Canada Revenue Agency website There are lots of benefits, credits, and deductions to help families with their expenses throughout the year and reduce the amount they owe at tax time.

The following tips may help you or your family: Canada child tax benefit (CCTB) You may be entitled to a tax-free monthly payment that helps eligible families with the cost of raising children under the age of 18. To receive this benefit, it's important for you (and your spouse, if applicable) to file an income tax and benefit return every year, even if you did not receive income in the year.

Universal child care benefit (UCCB) If you have children under the age of 18, you may be eligible for this taxable benefit, which supports child care choices for families. Under proposed changes, this benefit is being increased for children under the age six. Effective January 1, 2015, parents will be eligible for a benefit of $160 per month for each eligible child under the age of six – up from $100 per month. Under proposed changes to expand the UCCB, parents may also receive a benefit of $60 per month for eligible children aged six through 17. Payments of the additional amount and expanded amount will start

in July of 2015.

Goods and services tax/harmonized sales tax (GST/HST) credit The GST/HST credit is a tax-free quarterly payment that helps individuals and families with low and modest incomes offset all or part of the GST or HST that they pay. To receive this credit, you must file an income tax and benefit return every year, even if you did not receive income in the year. If you have a spouse or common-law partner, only one of you can receive the credit. The credit will be paid to the person whose return is assessed first. The amount will be the same, regardless of who (in the couple) receives it.

Working income tax benefit (WITB) Working individuals and families with low income may be able to claim this refundable tax credit. The WITB includes a supplement for individuals who are eligible for the disability tax credit. Eligible individuals and families may be able to apply for the 2015 advance payments.

Family Tax Cut Under proposed changes, a non-refundable tax credit of up to $2,000 is available to eligible couples with children under the age of 18, and is effective starting with the 2014 tax year.

Children's fitness tax credit If your children played soccer, took golf lessons, or participated in some other eligible program

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of physical activity in 2014, you may be able to claim up to $1,000 per child, of the cost of these programs. You can claim an additional $500 for each eligible child who is eligible for the disability tax credit and for whom you have paid at least $100 in registration or membership fees towards an eligible program.

Children's arts tax credit If your children participated in a program of artistic, cultural, recreational, or developmental activity (such as tutoring) in 2014, you may be able to claim up to $500 of the fees paid, per child, on these programs. You can claim an additional $500 for each eligible child who is eligible for the disability tax credit and for whom you have paid at least $100 in registration or membership fees towards an eligible program.

Continued on page 18

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income tax

Top things families should know about taxes Continued from page 17 Child care expenses Did your children attend daycare or a child care program such as a summer day camp in 2014?

You or your spouse or common-law partner may be able to claim what you spent on eligible child care in 2014.

Disability amount If you or a family member have a severe and prolonged impairment in physical or mental functions, you may be entitled to claim the disability tax credit (DTC). To determine eligibility, you must complete Form T2201, Disability Tax Credit Certificate and have it certified by a qualified practitioner (medical doctor, optometrist, audiologist, etc.). Once complete, send the certified original form to the disability tax credit unit at your tax centre.

Family caregiver amount (FCA) If you are caring for a dependant with impairment in physical or mental functions, you may be able to claim up to an additional $2,058 in calculating certain non-refundable tax credits.

Public transit amount Did you or your eligible dependant use public transit in 2014? You may be able to claim the cost of certain public transit passes or electronic payment cards for this 15% non-refundable tax credit.

Home buyers' amount

Did you buy a home in 2014? You may be able to claim a non-refundable tax credit of up to $750 for the purchase of a qualifying home.

Provincial and territorial programs Most provinces and territories have child and family benefit and credit programs that are issued with your Canada child tax benefit and the goods and services tax/harmonized sales tax (GST/ HST) credit.

Child disability benefit (CDB) You may be eligible for this tax-free benefit if you care for a child under the age of 18 who is eligible for the disability tax credit.

Medical expenses You may be able to claim a non-refundable tax credit based on the medical expenses paid for you, your spouse or commonlaw partner, and your children born in 1997 or later for any 12-month period, ending in 2014.

Registered retirement savings plan (RRSP) If you saved for your retirement in 2014 by contributing to an RRSP, you may be able to deduct the amount of your contributions to reduce your income.

Registered education savings plan (RESP) You can start saving for your child's

Tax Planning is the Key to Saving Tax Dollars

future now. An RESP is a contract between you (the subscriber) and another individual or organization (the promoter) that allows you to make contributions toward your child's future education. Programs such as the Canada education savings grant (CESG) and the Canada learning bond (CLB) are other great incentives to create an RESP for your child.

Registered disability savings plan (RDSP) A RDSP is a savings plan to help families save for the financial security of a person who is eligible for the disability tax credit. RDSP contributions are not tax deductible and can be made until the end of the year in which the beneficiary turns 59.

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We keep up to date on current tax legislation to identify key tax planning opportunities that minimize both current and future tax liabilities.

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The Tax-Free Savings Account (TFSA) can help all Canadians work towards their short- and longterm financial goals. The TFSA is a flexible registered savings account, available to all Canadians 18 years of age and older. Investment income, including capital gains, earned within the account is not taxed; and withdrawals are tax-free.

Canadians can contribute up to $5,500 per year, and unused room is carried forward to the next year.

For example: If John became eligible to open a TFSA in January of 2014 and contributed $2,000 that year, he will have room to deposit $9,000 in 2015 (i.e. the leftover $3,500 from 2014 plus the full amount of $5,500 for 2015).

It’s important to remember that withdrawn money can only be recontributed in future years. It cannot be re-contributed in the same year without penalty (e.g. if Jane has used all her contribution room and withdraws $1,000 in April 2014, she cannot re-contribute that $1,000 until January 2015 at the earliest).

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income tax

Canada Revenue Agency introduces on-line mail Courtesy of the CRA website The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) has introduced a new service that allows individuals to receive some of their correspondence from the CRA directly in My Account.

Once people are registered for online mail, eligible correspondence will no longer be printed and mailed. Instead, an email notification will be sent to the email address provided, when new mail is available to view in My Account.

On-line mail has the following advantages: Paperless — Viewing correspondence online means less paper clutter around the home. The CRA even sends an email notification when there

is new mail in your secure online account, so you won't miss a thing.

Convenient — When there is correspondence to view, you only need to log in to My Account to see it. You can access your tax information whenever you need it, wherever you are. To register, go to My Account.

Secure — The CRA takes the protection of Canadians' tax information very seriously. The CRA uses the same high levels of security that financial institutions use to protect your banking information.

Currently, only the following correspondence items will generate an email notification when a new item is ready to be viewed in My Account: Notices of assessment (issued after February 9, 2015) Notices of reassessment (issued after February 9, 2015) You will continue to receive other correspondence items from CRA on paper through the mail. As more correspondence items become available, you will be automatically registered to receive them online rather than by mail.

CRA will send email notifications when correspondence is available to view in My Account.

Once you are registered, the CRA will send a registration confirmation email to the address you provided. Depending on the method you

New tax credit for first-time charitable donors

With files from a Joe Preston MP brochure The Canadian government has introduced the temporary First-Time Donor’s Super Credit (FDSC) to encourage new donors to give to charity. The FDSC will increase the value of the federal Charitable Donations Tax Credit by 25 percentage points if neither the taxpayer nor their spouse has claimed the credit since 2007. Donors will receive a 40% credit for donations of $200 or less, and a 54% credit for the portion of donations over $200 but not exceeding $1,000.

The deadline for donations to qualify for the federal tax credit is December 31 of each year. The new credit can only be claimed once from the 20132017 taxation years.

Local volunteer tax preparation clinics from the CRA website A Volunteer Tax Preparation Clinic runs in St. Thomas every Monday from March 2 to April 28 from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and every Tuesday during the same period from 2:00 p.m. to 6 p.m.

The clinic operates at the St. Thomas Public Library, 153 Curtis Street. The site is wheelchair accessible, and appointments are not necessary. Walk-ins or wheel-ins are welcome. Current and previous tax returns are accepted. For information, call Sheila Rodaway 519-633-0167 or email stt.cvitp.com.

In Aylmer, volunteer income tax preparation is possible through an appointment with Richard Kisuule, RD Kisuule Accounting Services, 75 Moore Avenue. Contact 519-639-3767 or rdkisuule@yahoo.ca. Please use current tax year only and returns will only be completed with prior appointment and drop off.

March, 2015

used to register, you should receive your confirmation email within the following timelines: Immediately if you used the “Manage online mail” service in My Account.

Immediately if you called the Individual Income Tax and Trust Enquiries call centre.

Within 8 business days if you filed your return electronically.

Within 4-6 weeks if you filed your return by paper.

If you do not receive a registration confirmation email, log in to My Account and review the email address in your profile. If the email address is incorrect, update it. If it is correct, check your junk mail or trash folder for an email from the CRA. As with your mailing address, it is your responsibility to ensure CRA has your correct email address at all times.

Similar to the system employed by banks, no sensitive or confidential information is sent by email, nor does CRA request to receive such information through email.

When your new mail is available online, you will be advised to log in to My Account, to view and, if required, print it. My Account is the only place to view your online mail. To register, go to My Account.

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19

Aylmer & Area Chamber of Commerce

A letter from our President to our local agri-businesses and farmers.

Great turnout for Mayors’ Breakfast Over 105 people representing over 50 different organizations and businesses attended the Aylmer & Area Chamber of Commerce Mayor's Breakfast in early February. The Chamber would like to extend thanks to all who attended, to those who asked questions, and to the mayors / deputy mayor of Aylmer, Malahide and Bayham who presented their timely forecasts for 2015. See Mayors’ remarks on pages 21 and 22

Spring is just around the corner and with warmer weather comes a busy time for our farmers. It is a privilege to have the opportunity to commend our local farming and agribusiness community on their dedication and hard work.

Our family farms are the hub of our community and play an integral role in sustaining our local economy. Family farms are the foundation of our area.

On behalf of the Aylmer & Area Chamber of Commerce, we thank you for your hard work and commitment to producing safe, high quality products.

The long days, countless hours and huge responsibility of farming does not go unnoticed. We value you!

As more farm land is being converted to big city dwellings, younger generations are missing out on the connection between food and farming. It clouds respect for not only our farmers that produce the product but, the land that makes it all possible.

We appreciate the Aylmer Sales Arena and the seasonal produce it showcases to visitors in our area. Our local grocery stores are increasing the local products they are able to source which helps our local agribusinesses. Drive down our back roads and you will see produce, animals, fields for production and our family farms. Support our local family farms for a bright future.

Karyn Silliker President

Another good turnout for the monthly Aylmer & Area Chamber of Commerce Chat & Chew, this time on February 18 at Pinecroft Tearoom.

We Work to help you protect What you can’t afford to lose

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IGPC Ethanol Inc. 89 Progress Drive, Aylmer, On. 519-765-2575 1-866-211-0435 www.igpc.ca

March, 2015

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rjenken@westelgin.com Looking forward to seeing you at the ayLmer home & garden show ELGIN THIS MONTH

20

Aylmer & Area Chamber of Commerce Bayham Deputy Mayor Greg Currie, Tom Southwick Town of Aylmer

As I am sure is similar for all of the Municipalities in Elgin County and throughout Ontario, many challenges exist for the 2014-2018 term of Council. Our Council and Administration look forward to the challenge and opportunity to sustainably represent the residents of Bayham.

2015 has seen the approval of a ten-year capital budget for the first time in Bayham, which outlines our financial commitments and how to achieve the in a sustainable manner into the future. The Municipality is also deep into a facilities review, with an eye on holistic facility accessibility, and staff and Council are working diligently towards finding efficiencies to deliver better services in a more effective manner.

In 2015, Bayham is adding to its Public Works and Emergency Services Vehicle Fleets to improve service. The additions will be in conjunction with strategic efforts to improve the road network in the Municipality based off the recommendations of the Roads Needs Study.

In line with the nautical past of the Municipality of Bayham, specifically Port Burwell, Bayham will continue its commitment to heritage and cultural tourism. Museums in Bayham have many exciting programs planned for 2015. These efforts are in conjunction with the beach area, which the Municipality is proud to encourage the public to attend and a developing trail system all with convenient access to the Port Burwell Provincial Park.

When viewed in conjunction with the efforts of the County Tourism and Economic Development Departments efforts, something special is truly happening in Bayham, the creative economy in Bayham is on the precipice of a major evolution.

On the energy conservation front, Bayham is commencing a Streetlight conversion program, which will see mercury vapour and compressed sodium streetlights converted to high efficiency LED. The project is estimated to save the Municipality 1.5 million dollars over the 20 year lifetime of the LED lights, while significantly reducing carbon emissions through reductions in energy use.

Bayham is also in the midst of a website relaunch and an administrative operating structure rejuvenation, which will be completed in the first half of 2015 and will bring Bayham’s website and operating systems in line with the quality, look and feel of the rest of the County of Elgin’s municipal partner’s.

Like Bayham, the County and its municipal partners appear to have a number of exciting projects on the horizon, and we look forward to seeing those come to fruition. For Bayham, the 2015-2016 Operating budget is just around the corner and we look forward to the opportunity for Bayham to work with its municipal partners to continue to improve the quality of place in both Bayham and Elgin County.

As a new mayor, Greg reported that he is learning a lot, and staff have been great to work with. He wanted to talk about the four pillars they are going to look at over the next little while.

Strategic planning meetings have begun as well as general discussion in council.

1. Complex – something needs to be done. Working with their partner in Malahide, they are moving forward with that. They have made some inroads in looking at how the plan has shifted but also the importance of going forward.

2. Library – near and dear to Greg’s heart because literacy and numeracy are very important. We are in need of a new Library and updating it to 2015 standards. He has spoken with the county to working on expanding and updating the library needs of Aylmer and surrounding area.

3. Police Budget – it is the item that is the highest on the budget so they have to look at that and see where the costs are. He does know the Chief and Police Services board review the budget to ensure it is in line. But it’s important to get an understanding from the local residents/businesses of what they want and need and what is associated with the costs. Not that they aren’t top drawer, but different style. Local police vs. provincial police looks different 4. Costs – the Town staff and council are diligently looking at how we can cut costs throughout the budget and services.

Council is just starting budget deliberations and he and his council are committed to getting to work.

SM

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21

Aylmer & Area Chamber of Commerce Malahide Mayor Dave Mennill

Malahide is committed to economic development; it is essential that we maintain the jobs and businesses we currently have as well as cultivate new opportunities for our community and give our children a place in which they can live and work. The new information age is positive for our rural future. More and more people can work from home and they are looking for a quiet, safe place without traffic jams and air pollution. The trend is the jobs will come to you, not you go to the job. What are we doing to make Malahide

attractive?

- We are starting a pilot project in Springfield where our goal is to clean up the main street using low cost incentives such as flowers, benches, murals on vacant store fronts and buildings, simply making Springfield visually appealing to someone driving through who might say, ‘This is pleasant.

I would like to move here.” If that is successful, the County is prepared to spread a Community Improvement Plan across the County.

- The condition of Port Bruce Provincial Park has been a thorn in my side for a number of years. I remember a time when the beach was groomed. Cars were parked from the bridge all the way to the pavilion. Today, one may see four or five people there on a good day. I have spoken with the local level and the regional level.

I hope in February I am successful in convincing the Minister of Natural Resources to clean up the beach or lease it to our Township so we can clean it up.

- We continue to work with the Town of Aylmer at the Elgin Innovation Centre to expand services to the warehousing on the north side of John Street North to allow redevelopment of the property.

- Staff has worked closely with Underhill Brothers and Hartung Brothers out of Michigan to redevelop the old McConnell nursery. It is now a vegetable process-

ing plant with over 1000 aces of produce going there.

-Malahide is supporting the initiative of the Western Wardens to bring high speed fibre optics communication to all of South Western Ontario.

Our future needs the high speed ability if we are going to compete in the future.

-The Council of Malahide recognizes that agriculture and small business is its primary source of economic activity. The Council has made decisions over the past few years in support of our local small business community. It recognizes that without serviced commercial/industrial land, a large scale industrial development such as CAMI or Toyota plant is not realistic. Instead Malahide is working diligently to continue to provide the necessary services and support to be able to attract new business and retain our existing small businesses. Some of these include: developing and enhancing our local transportation networks, investing in community facilities, and ensuring our infrastructure is maintained to facilitate growth and development opportunities.

In closing, we must be doing something right.

Our building permits were over 14 million in 2014, almost back to 18 million level of 2008.

A recent strategy planning session showed Malahide is in front of all Elgin County in new jobs, mostly in construction and building trades, increasing in three years from 1348 jobs to 1481 jobs or a 9.9 percent increase.

BUSINESS & COMMUNITY BUSINESS THIS MONTH

TIMELY Look forward New Talbot Street look for Jennings to carefree MAINTENANCE Jennings Furniture, the second oldest privately owned furniture store in spring driving!

BEFORE YOU Canada, is undergoing a front window makeover for its 130th anniversary.

Jennings Furniture & Design owner Renee Carpenter reports that a Talbot Street-facing renovation, started last October and finishing when the weather allows, will open up the façade, allow much more light into the store and give a whole new impression from the street of the size and scope of the store.

During the Great Depression, the store was divided into two entrances, with one leading to variously an ice cream store and a hardware store. When the economy later picked up, and the store once again became all furniture, the front continued to have some of the look of two different store fronts. A bonus was the discovery of what Carpenter refers to as “three gorgeous windows, including stained glass, that had been covered over for years.” A search is on Jennings owner Renee Carpenter (left) with for beautiful rounded brick to Chamber president and CEO Bob Hammersley maintain the character of the at a recent Business After 5 at the store. original store.

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Van Pelt’s environmental clean-up

Van Pelt’s Print Plus at 800 Talbot Street in St. Thomas has had small power shovels in the Talbot Street side of its parking lot during February. The lot was formerly owned by Canadian Tire, and Floyd Van Pelt said, “We’re cleaning up the last of the environmental issues from Canadian Tire.” He said the original environmental clean-up was in 2003, and that, contrary to rumour, The Beanery is not moving to this location.

March, 2015

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22

BUSINESS & COMMUNITY EMPLOYMENT

Local Employer One survey: 79% were hiring in 2014

by Justin Dias

According to the third annual Employer One conducted across Elgin-St. Thomas in 2014, around two-thirds of employers said they planned to hire during the year. A 2015 survey confirmed that hiring exceeded these expectations: 79 percent of employers said that they had hired during 2014. Additionally, of the 23 local employers who reported that they had hired over the past year, 13 responded that they had hired graduates from post-secondary institutions. Eight of these employers hired university graduates and five reported hiring college graduates.

The third annual Employer One survey was conducted in Elgin-St. Thomas, as well as Oxford and Middlesex Counties and the City of London. The survey asks employers about a range of workforce-related issues including: turnover, recruitment methods, plans to hire, skills and education requirements. It was conducted by the Elgin Middlesex Oxford Workforce Planning and Development Board in partnership with 40 other organizations. There were 162 completed surveys across the region with 25 coming from Elgin and St. Thomas.

In terms of recruitment, local employers are still doing most of their own recruitment actheir personal networks and ensure that they are cording to the survey respondents. Only five not just relying on those jobs that are posted but percent of employers responded that they used a actively seeking out those positions in the hidden paid recruitment agency, down slightly from 7.5 job market. percent last year. Looking at how employers were There continues to be a number of hard to fill recruiting, the most common method involved positions in Elgin-St. Thomas with approximately using personal and informal networks (27.8 per- 35 percent of employers reporting such positions. cent) to fill positions. This Skilled trades, engineers and social was followed by job search workers were among the specific powebsites at 17.8 percent sitions that were identified as hard to “80% plan to hire in fill. This group of employers with and using a company’s own website at 13.3 percent. the next 12 months” hard-to-fill positions is slightly lowThis echoes the results er than the 45 percent of employers from the 2014 Employer who had hard-to-fill positions in the One survey in which the same three methods of larger survey region. recruitment were cited as chosen methods by emLooking forward to 2015, there seems to be opployers in the same order. This further emphasizes timism from the Elgin-St. Thomas employers as the need for job seekers to continue to expand 80 percent said that they plan to hire in the next

Volunteers needed for Snow Angel Program Excellent opportunity for students looking for volunteer hours.

And it feels great to help out our community.

If you are interested in volunteering for this program or in receiving assistance from a Snow Angel, please call 519-631-1680 ext. 0 or email info@stthomas.ca — Watch for our Hydrant Program coming soon — March, 2015

12 months. Even more encouraging is that only six employers who responded stated that the reason they would be hiring was due to replacement, parental leaves or seasonality. The vast majority responded that they would be hiring due to expansion or restructuring.

More detailed survey results are available at the Elgin Middlesex Oxford Workforce Planning and Development Board website workforcedevelopment.ca or by visiting worktrends.ca. Worktrends.ca provides local labour market information, business data, jobs and local resources for Elgin, Middlesex & Oxford counties.

Justin Dias is with the Elgin Middlesex Oxford Workforce Planning and Development Board

Office Space Available

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ELGIN THIS MONTH

23

LIFESTYLE LocaL Landmarks

Elgin County “goes to the dogs” at the Kettle Creek Dog Park

by Katherine Thompson

It is no secret that we love our four-legged, furry friends like family, and finding them a place to run, jump and play off-leash is a priority for many devoted pet owners. Recently, Elgin County became a little more dog-friendly with the opening of the Kettle Creek Dog Park.

The dog park is a partnership between the Kettle Creek Conservation Authority, the St. Thomas Dog Owners Association, the Municipality of Central Elgin and the City of St. Thomas. The idea for a park came about as a result of the Kettle Creek Conservation Authority’s desire to find additional uses for a piece of land adjacent to the Dan Patterson Conservation Area, located on Highbury Road south of Mapleton Line, and the public’s desire for more dogfriendly facilities.

The conservation authority donated the use of the land, a 5-acre Romping at Kettle Creek Dog Park.

Photo credit – John Blake

42nd Annual

Honours and Awards Banquet Thursday April 23, 2015, 6 pm at Memorial Arena.

NOMINATIONS ARE NOW BEING ACCEPTED

Pay tribute to the hardworking volunteers, athletes, artists, and heroes who bring pride and distinction to St.Thomas. Nomination forms and eligibility criteria are available on the City’s website: www.stthomas.ca or at the Parks and Recreation Department, 2 Third Avenue (Timken Centre), the City Clerk’s Office and Mayor’s Office at City Hall.

Completed forms must be received at the Parks and Recreation Department Office inside the Timken Arena, 2 Third Ave. no later than 4 pm, Friday March 20, 2015.

For information please contact:

Parks and Recreation Department 519-633-7112 agazda@stthomas.ca March, 2015

parcel of open field, for the park. The land is used once a year for the Kettle Valley Pioneers’ Historical Show but remains vacant for the remainder of the year, making it the perfect location for a dog park.

The St. Thomas Dog Owners Association pitched in $10,000 in funding they received from a grant and the Municipality of Central Elgin and the City of St. Thomas provided the remaining funds for construction of the park. The Kettle Creek Conservation Authority maintains the park year-round in partnership with the Municipality of Central Elgin and the City of St. Thomas.

“This collaborative effort between several partners provides a great recreational facility that will improve quality of life for resi-

ELGIN THIS MONTH

dents in our community,” said Joe Gordon, Director of Operations at the Kettle Creek Conservation Authority.

The park is comprised of a large open field of well-manicured grass divided into three areas: a main area open to all dogs, another area devoted to smaller more timid dogs and a third area for one-on-one play or specialized training. Toys are discouraged in the main and small dog areas as they may create possessive or aggressive behaviour but are allowed in the one-on-one area which has also been used for rehabilitation of rescue animals.

In addition to a large area where dogs can run free and play with other dogs, the park is home to shade shelters for owners, a tap for fresh drinking water, a paw washing station and several waste disposal centres.

The park is open dawn until dusk seven days a week. For more information and the rules of the Kettle Creek Dog Park, visit the Kettle Creek Conservation Authority website.

Katherine Thompson is Marketing & Communications Coordinator with The County of Elgin 24

dining & entertainment

How winemakers use oak … and why

by Jamie Quai

Why oak a wine? It seems like such a simple question but the answer is far from simple. From a consumer perspective, using oak is one of the most misunderstood winemaking techniques, and it can be very polarizing. It’s either the oakier the better, or no oak at all. This month’s article is all about understanding how a winemaker uses oak, and let’s try to answer that question of why oak at all.

There are three reasons why a wine sees some oak. The first is the one that most consumers tend to get fixated on: flavour. When white oak heartwood is toasted, it releases several natural aroma compounds that our senses enjoy. Oak contains the chemical building blocks for dill, coconut, clove, ginger, mocha, vanilla, smoke, pepper, toast (bread), and nutmeg. This is in addition to the wood taste we come to refer to as oaky. The science behind how these flavours are created is really well understood. Modern barrel cooperage houses are able to effectively separate staves of wood based on the chemical makeup, and then accurately toast the wood to release a specific flavour profile. Notice that several of the aromas are used in moderation to enhance a recipe?

You don’t want vanilla to overwhelm the fruit but vanilla is used in cooking to lift fruitiness, a little pepper makes food pop. A decent winemaker will use oak to boost the wine’s natural flavours. It is a seasoning, not the main flavour. A wine that tastes only of oak is as faulty as a food that was over-salted.

The next reason is all about a wine’s structure.

The oak tree has a group of subset of compounds called phenolics, several of which are recognized as tannins. Tannins, if used properly, will create volume and will also keep the wine fresher longer (tannins are tremendous anti-oxidants). Much like flavour, select toasting regimes will improve a wine’s tannin profile. The trade-off for winemakers is that the more intense the toasting the bigger the flavours, but the tannins are easily degraded in heat. A great tannin barrel is low intensity for flavour, and vice versa. Tannins are just one more tool to build a complex wine and oak aging is one of the best ways to achieve this.

The last main reason a wine sees some oak contact is to heighten the wines texture. Texture is best often described as a cohesive taste experience from the moment the wine hits your lips to the last wisps of the flavour leaving your mind.

March, 2015

This one is about bringing together all of the compounds that contribute to texture (including acidity, tannins, alcohol, sugars, and proteins). A wine with good texture is harmonious. Oak barrels are obviously made of wood, and when the wine ferments in barrels, the wood traps the heat of the fermentation and as a result the yeast will produce several compounds that create a very complex and elegant texture. While flavour can be dialed in using oak chips or powder, and tannins can be extracted from oak then blended into

...a wine that tastes only of oak is as faulty as a food that was .over-salted...

wine in a powdered form, texture results from an authentic barrel aging regime. The best way to illustrate the effect of texture on a wine is to buy an under-$11 Chardonnay from the general list section of your local wine store and then go to the premium section and spend $30 plus on a bottle of barrel fermented French, Ontario, or New Zealand Chardonnay. The low cost wine does not use barrels for texture, and hides fault with flavour.

The expensive wines use barrels for texture.

In answering the how of using oak, hopefully the why has become obvious. Oak, when used properly, just makes a better wine. And any serious winemaker always seeks to make a better wine.

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

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ELGIN THIS MONTH

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Amount subject to HST. Certain Restrictions Apply.

25

Homestyle

HOMESTYLE DECORATING

All that glitters is now brass

by Renée Carpenter

It’s official. Brass is back, making frigid finishes passé. After years of stainless steel and chrome dominating as the must-have metals, the trend is swinging towards the warmer and softer shades of brass, burnished gold, hammered bronze and even copper.

Brass, in warmer, softer finishes, has made a strong comeback in both home furnishings and accessories. One of the largest brass furniture item I’ve seen was a huge 4-poster bed and dresser as well as a dining and side tables with brass bases and legs, along with loads of lighting and accessories. I had the privilege of seeing all of this at market in October. Wow! And what a show-stopper.

For now though – at this time but that can change quickly – we are seeing more of a brass return in the brushed brass and non-lacquered antique brass. The end result is classic and beautiful! I love the richness it immediately adds to a room – not to mention it has a timeless feel.

But not only is brass being featured as the next greatest thing since Wite-out at all the trade show markets, it is also entering the mainstream and is featured in catalogues and stores across the nation. And there is more to come.

Images of vintage swivel chairs with brass bases

are a hot item. Designers are buying up and ordering everything they can get their hands on as quickly as it becomes available through our North American manufacturers. And although some have never stopped doing furniture with brass or brass accents for several years, it is now considered a hot trend, and they cannot catch up.

Brass lighting and plumbing fixtures, along with brass hardware is being used extensively throughout many design projects. Brass can look retro and contemporary on a chandelier, sconce, pendant, table lamp or light switch.

The warmth of this metal makes it well-suited for pieces that illuminate – reflect illumination such as mirrors.

As far as light fixtures and lamps, the satin nickel is still used, but brass is coming into play with clients who are a bit more design savvy and who look through shelter magazines like Veranda, Elle Décor, House Beautiful, Canadian House & Home, etc. and see it being used all over.

Following are some tips for incorporating brass into your home design: - Mix brass with black or bronze as an ideal or easier transition.

- If you do not have a Century Sound Sales and Service lot of the ‘shiny’ brass and can’t afford to replace everything, mix in some polished chrome.

- Brass can give a room a more ‘formal’ look so use it in accents in your master bath and dining rooms.

- Replace kitchen cabinet knobs and pulls.

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thrown in to the tie it all together.

- Add accessories: picture frames, gold fabrics, mirrors, drapery hardware, trays, candleholders, cocktail tables, side or martini tables, bowls, vases, boxes, sculptures and bookends.

I’m a huge fan of incorporating brass into kitchens and bathrooms. It can be a little scary for clients to mix it up with a brass metal but the accent is super chic and very unique. Having always loved brass, there is no doubt that customers are now very receptive to its enlivening glow. There is magic and warmth to brass that is right for now.

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26

Homestyle

BUSINESS & COMMUNITY Career ChoiCes

Recognition and celebration – keep it simple

by Laura Pavilonis and Nancy Annett

Recognition and celebrating successes both in our personal and professional life is a large piece of building and maintaining the important relationships we need to succeed in life. But that’s not the only benefit. Research shows us that if we continuously focus on even the smallest things that lead to a positive feeling, it broadens our mindset, and, over time, builds our resourcefulness, resiliency and connectedness. How would you rate the recognition you’ve been given by your boss, partner or friends on a scale of 0-10? Such an important thing and yet why do we do it so poorly?

Here are some pointers to help you along the way:

...a simple phone call, sticky note or email can be all that’s needed...

1. To start, don’t wait for the right time. Recognize someone as soon as possible, making the effect much more impactful. If you see or hear something that you want to acknowledge, a simple phone call, sticky note or email can be all that’s needed. There’s never enough time to get to the small things we know make a difference, so keep it simple and just do something.

2. Make sure it has value for them. Whether it’s for employee recognition or a significant life event like a birthday, giving a gift card seems

simple and easy. But, even this can be fraught with danger. The recipient may not shop at that particular store, preferring to shop more locally depending on where they live. We’ve found that most people prefer kind words over a gift, ideally something in writing and given to them by someone important to them. The acknowledgement should be specific to the individual and their contributions.

3. Make it something unexpected.

It could be as simple as a coffee, or dropping by when no one expects it. Think about what it would be like to show up to a meeting or your child’s extracurricular events with treats, or if someone showed up unexpectedly at your home with supper on a busy week night. A simple flower delivered to your work or home, whether it’s from your garden or the local florist, can have a profound effect, particularly if others are witness to it, an invitation to be part of the celebration.

4. Take the time to find what’s good or right.

Our brains are naturally wired to focus on the negative regarding ourselves and others. Spend time catching people doing good things and find ways to spread the wealth. You might have to work hard to find reasons to recognize

some people, but that's okay. A little encouragement may be all someone needs.

Think of how many things people have done for you to make your life a little richer this week. Be grateful for those people and try to take the time to acknowledge them in some small but meaningful way. And remember, the more we give to others the more it comes right back.

Nancy Annett, MBA, CHRP owns Ignite Career Life Solutions, and Laura Pavilonis, MBA, CHRP owns Reach Beyond Limits. Together, they form Rock Your Career Club.

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HealtHy living

Healthy Living Self DiScovery

You should read this column!

by Anouschka Van den Bosch

I have this great little book on my bookshelf: “If life is a game, these are the rules” by Chérie Carter-Scott, PhD. I love simple books like this, with short chapters that get to the point and make you think. In one particular chapter she talks about willingness, wanting to do something and thus making a choice to do so. This is very different from making a decision because you think you should do something and then feeling it was more a sacrifice and thus feeling less attached or committed to it.

Chérie Carter-Scott puts in this way: WANT leads to CHOICE, which leads to COMMITMENT. SHOULD leads to DECSION, which leads to SACRIFICE And so as you sit here in March thinking back about your January goals that have fizzled away, again, can you see how maybe you decided to quit smoking because your spouse said you should? Or you started that exercise program because you thought you should lose some weight? How many times do we have conversations with friends, colleagues, and family members and that word “should” creeps in there?

the choice to quit, you have that As I was enjoying a cup of tea internal feeling of wanting to and a good book yesterday, the thought did cross my mind that “maybe you decided change your habit and that will lead you to the commitment I should be vacuuming. Some to quit smoking quitting once and for all. It might call that procrastination, because your spouse of has to come from you – your yup probably was. The book was said you should” willingness and desire to have a awesome and the comfy couch is healthier life style. really where I wanted to be. HowCan you see how one little ever later in the afternoon my friend was going to stop by for a visit and I chose word can make such a big difference in how you to get up and vacuum. I wanted the dust bunnies respond to wanting to change something? I read to be gone and was committed to my 15 minutes this little book at least 10 years ago, and since of vacuuming. It was not a chore and it was not reading the above statement from Carter-Scott, a sacrifice. See how that changed my perspective? I have been very conscious about not using the word “should” in conversations, especially when you want to tell someone they really should just stop dating that guy, or you really should drink more water and less Coca-Cola.

I realize that those statements are coming from my own judgements, opinions and how I think this person should behave. In reality it is up to each individual to choose to make those changes in his or her own life. When friends are ready to So let’s look again at the “should” of having make choices, they can let me know and I will to quit smoking. You support them in their choices. The key is that it have had your doctor is now their choice and I can support them with tell you to quit, and their commitment to quit smoking or to leave a your spouse, your co- difficult relationship and I know that they will workers and even the stay with that commitment since it comes from neighbours are saying the heart and their desire to change.

Sometimes it seems we live in the world of something about your smoking on the porch “should.” To me, it is a word that feels heavy with every morning. So ask obligations and judgment. I choose to live with yourself: how willing choices that allow me to be willing and commitare you to quit? What is ted to change and thus able to move forward. driving you to quit? The people find doctor or you? Are you going to choose to quit Anouschka Van den because you are tired Bosch is a Human of the smelly clothes, Resources Professional the cost or the fact that and Certified Life and you are coughing up a Career Coach. lung every morning?

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HEALTHY LIVING

HEALTHY LIVING EVERYDAY HEALTH

Tech neck – a problem for phone geeks

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

that help us with communication their smartphones. A recent while changing our lives and changstudy from the University of A recent article in the newspaper titled “Watch- Missouri studied the effects ing society as well. Alongside all the ing TV on smartphone a dumb move” caught my of students being required to good things that our smartphones attention. The article chronicles how a London- check their smartphones at provide, there is a price to pay for area teen actually became temporarily blind as the door when entering certheir use. the result of binge-watching programs on her tain classes or when writing Finding a balance between our smartphone. What had happened? The muscles of exams. Many students actuwants and needs seems to be in orher eyes that were required to focus on the small ally displayed classic signs der. Although we love our phones screen had become strained, and it affected her vi- of separation anxiety when and have countless uses for them, sion temporarily. Eventually, her vision returned, asked to be separated from remember to put them down and but it was a stark example of some of the health their phones. Further to the walk away from time to time. Think problems that our reliance on our smartphones is classic signs, researchers also about how often you find yourself causing. with your shoulders slouched forfound that the anxiety of this Besides the very real and serious vision problems situation was so great that the ward and neck strained in a day that can develop, people are also developing prob- cognitive ability of many of and try to cut back on the number lems with neck pain, poor postural habits and the participants was affected. of times you find yourself in this even psychological disorders due to overuse of our position. Even further, make a conIf the above information smartphones. We are all familiar with the images isn’t bad enough, it appears scious effort to take postural breaks of people with their shoulders slouched forward, that our phones may also be during the day. Consulting with a necks straining at an uncomfortable angle, eyes affecting our appearance as well. A recent study by qualified healthcare provider that can instruct you squinting and thumbs tapping away as they mad- a group of dermatologists found that, in a study on some simple postural exercises can be a great ly text or scan the web using their phones. group of participants under the age of 40 who way to start.

This habit has led to what is now being termed stared down at their phones up to 150 times a day, “Tech Neck.” People are developing chronic neck a measureable loss in skin elasticity was evident reDr. Greg Johnston is a Chiropain and poor postural habits from constant, and sulting in neck creases and dropping jowls. This is practor and partner in Family what some might describe considered part of the normal agHealth Options Treatment & as over, use of their smarting process in older people but it Resources Centre in St.Thomas phones. Poor postural habits seems that our use of the smartsuch as this can have devasphone “a measureable tating short and long term m a y loss in skin elasticity affects. Initially, people may actually was evident resulting experience neck pain and be acin neck creases and stiffness which may also be celeratWe can help you Overcome your Allergies accompanied by headaches. dropping jowls” ing this These symptoms are telling process.

Call for your FREE 15 minute consultation us that we are placing too S o to find out how much mechanical strain on w h a t the joints, muscles and connective tissues of our does all this bad news I can help you: necks, upper backs and shoulders. In the long mean? There is no doubt • Reduce sneezing term, however, it is this very same mechanical that technology will constrain that can eventually lead to conditions such tinue to evolve and de& watery eyes as degenerative disc disease and spondylosis (os- velop. The smartphone • Combat the runny nose teoarthritis) of the spine. has given us all access Equally disturbing are the psychological chang- to our own individual, • Reduce wheezing es that are taking place as people seemingly are handheld computers & coughing becoming addicted and unhealthily attached to

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LIFESTYLE Time On my Hands

Beware of strangers with edged weapons Or maybe not. I’ve done a survey.

by Duncan Watterworth

I was about seventeen years old, on a family trip to Jamaica. My father was driving our rented car, I was in the back, and the windows were down. On a rural road we pulled over to watch some farm labourers cutting sugar cane with machetes. Suddenly, one marched out of the cane and straight toward us, machete still in hand. He was muscular, black, and stripped to the waist.

We didn’t move, and he came right up to the window. Then he handed us a piece of peeled sugar cane – the local candy. He wanted to show us how sweet it tasted. If dad had stomped on the gas, if I had rolled up my window, how rude and mistaken we would have been.

I think of that encounter as a Rorschach ink blot test; what you see or expect depends more on what’s inside your head than in front of your eyes.

Does that indistinct blot look like licorice candy, or a dangerous spider?

They say that things often come in threes. For me, there have been three strangers with edged weapons in foreign lands. The second one I faced

was about five years later, as I was wandering alone through the crowded market of Old Delhi, India.

Out of nowhere, a man stepped in front of me and blocked my way. His face was brightly painted, his hair was wild, and he held in each hand a long shard of broken glass, like two curved swords. I folded my arms across my chest and stood perfectly still as he waved his swords in front of me in a prolonged dance. Finally he stepped aside, and let me pass. What was that about? I’ll never know, but I walked away unscathed.

The third sharp-edged encounter occurred last winter, 3,000 metres up a mountain in southern Mexico. Starting from a village, I was hiking up a trail to El Mirador, a lookout at the top of the mountain. Cold, damp clouds were sifting through the forest, causing the trees to drip like rain. Coming toward me was a man with a straw hat, thick mustache, and an axe. My first thought: this is like Jamaica; I should be okay.

We greeted each other, and were soon conversing. He spoke no English, and I spoke no Zapotec – my guess at his mother tongue, one of the eighteen indigenous languages in the state of Oaxaca.

But pantomime and good intentions go a long way. He probably asked me where I was from, and he recognized the word Canada. He knew one thing about my country, and we connected over the word “fria” – Spanish for “cold.” Canada mucho fria. We grinned and exchanged the gesture for cold: wrapping arms across our chests and mimicking a shiver. I carried on to El Mirador, elated by the interaction.

These three incidents, widely separated in time, geography and culture, sit side-by-side in my memory, and so have become an informal survey.

The tentative conclusion: strangers, even with sharp instruments, aren’t necessarily bogeymen.

The average person in foreign lands would rather connect than carve me. The ink blots are friendly.

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

BuSInESS & CommunITY Business THis mOnTH

Local Dancing With Home Hardware The Stars corporate culture award CASO Station is organizing a new event, Dancing With The Stars Friday March 27 at 7:30 p.m. at the station, 750 Talbot St. behind Giant Tiger.

Eight local couples with minimal dancing skills are being coached for the competition by members of the Elgin Ballroom Dance Club. Jim and Rita Herbert from the club have been organizing the coaches. Brave dancing couples in training include: Peter Leack and Karen McDade, Matt and Joan Janes, Kathy Cook and Todd Bishop, Jeff and Anita DeLeeuw, Jamie and Kim Quai, Steve Wookey and Breeda Kevany, Tom and Colleen Hughes, and Jeff and Jen Yurek. Tickets are $45 per person which includes appetizers, one vote and a $30 tax receipt. For tickets, please call 519-633-2535. All proceeds go toward renovating Suite 209 at the station.

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Home Hardware Stores Ltd. has been named one of Canada’s 10 Most Admired Corporate Cultures, in the 10th anniversary of the award created by executive search firm Waterstone Human Capital to distinguish great workplaces where culture impacts performance. Adam MacLeod, VP of Operations at Geerlinks Home Hardware and Furniture in St. Thomas, points out that locally store managers are committed to recruiting people with an emphasis on enthusiasm and fit with corporate culture, rather than knowledge. “You can always teach knowledge,” MacLeod says. The store has also introduced rewards and recognition for staff, rooted in that culture. The result? “It creates high levels of morale and customers keep telling us it’s a fun place to shop,” MacLeod says.

Fun spelling event for wetlands Wondering how to spell enviroment? Test your skills during SpellBound 2015 at the St. Thomas Seniors’ Centre Saturday April 25. The Kettle Creek watershed only has about 1 percent wetlands, and in a perfect world, the area would have 10 percent. Proceeds from the event (like Trivia, but with teams of spellers) go to local wetlands restoration. Teams of 6 players only $300. For more information, go to the Kettle Creek Environmental Trust website or call 519-631-1270.

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LIFESTYLE THAT’S LIFE

Moms learn the darndest things

by Elizabeth VanHooren

Some days, I wish I had read the terms and conditions of parenthood a little closer. I missed the fine print on the parental contract that outlined how many questions your kids will ask you on a daily basis and how many of your questions will be left unanswered.

Thankfully, my sons are both passed the interrogation stage of their development. That is to say their line of questioning has matured passed the repeated cadence of “Why?” I have endured many conversations that went something like this: Son: Why is Dad washing the truck?

Me: Because it is dirty.

Son: Why is it dirty?

Me: Because he drove down a dirt road?

Son: But why?

Me: Because it was the only way he could get to work.

Son: Why? during his bath my youngest breaks out into a Me: Because song that he has learned at school or reveals that These days, the tables have somewhat turned he played at the water table today and did I know with me more often being the one asking “But, that 2+2 is actually 4? “It is mom, for real life.” why?” Both my boys apparently Car rides are also an excellent source of infordo nothing at school all day. mation for me. Just the other night on our way This is a conversation I have to piano lessons, my eldest son revealed to me with my four year-old on a daily that when he gets married I won’t be his mother basis. anymore. “Really? Who will I Me: How be?” I asked. “Oh you’ll be a ...when he gets was your day senior citizen Mom.” at school?

Ask my youngest where his married, I won’t be Son: Awful. red hair came from, and he his mother Me: Why? will reply with a slight roll Son: Everyof the eye, “God.” As if there anymore... body needed were any other answer. Query an ice pack. him a little further and he will Me: What? tell you that thankfully God Why? put glue on his head first then painted it red. This Son: I don’t know. apparently will keep his hair from getting up one Me: Okay, what did you learn morning and walking out the door. (Which aptoday? parently happened to a teacher at his school. It Son: Nothing. did Mom, for real life.)

The following day, he apYes, the fine print on parenting is kids are full parently had an awesome day of questions and some answers that may just because no one needed an ice surprise you. pack; but he still didn’t learn anything.

Elizabeth VanHooren is I would be convinced that our General Manager educational system is in need of an overhaul if it of Kettle Creek wasn’t for bath time. I don’t know if it is the warm Conservation Authority water or the bubble bath but usually sometime

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