January/February 2012 - Voice of Business

January/February 2012 Vol 5 Issue 1

chair

message from 2011 chair finance

year in review program

year in review policy

year in review city/county

update from the city & the county agricultural

farm family of the year

P.M. Agreement #40052226 If undeliverable, return to: 175 George Street North, Peterborough, ON K9J 3G6

a bi-monthly publication of

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Being a member of the Peterborough Chamber has many benefits and here’s one more; Bring in this ad and receive 15%* off your next purchase in our Clean-it™ Centre Located at 2060 Fisher Dr.

Yes we are open to the public!

Follow us on Twitter for even more savings and cleaning tips.

*Discount is applied to regular priced items and cannot be combined w ith any other offer or dis count.

yourstaff Stuart Harrison Ext. 202 General Manager Cynthia Hamu Ext. 201 Office Manager Lindsay Walker-Chiarelli Ext. 204 Administrative Assistant Anne Arnold, CSP Ext. 200 Membership Services Manager Cathy Martin Ext. 214 Event Coordinator/Marketing Assistant Shelby Parker Ext. 210 FrontLine Coordinator Sara Lunn Ext. 206 Tradeshow Coordinator Reception Ext. 0

yourboard

executive/finance Tony Smith Chair Tristone Media Group Arlynn Dupuis Past-Chair Ayotte, Dupuis, O’Neill Jef Dueck Vice-Chair 91.9BOBFM/Country 105/Energy 99.7 Drew Merrett Treasurer Merrett Home Hardware Building Centre Stuart Harrison Secretary Greater Peterborough Chamber of Commerce Bob Doornenbal Director-At-Large The Peterborough Examiner Patric Marren Director-At-Large Glenn Windrem Trucking

directors Jason Becker BDO Canada LLP Brad Hilker NBH Accounting Services Jim Hill Pan-Oston Limited Ian Keay McGillen, Keay Sharon Legon 1st Call Property & Equipment Services Kamran Qayyum Siemens Milltronics Process Instruments Inc. David Smith Monkman Gracie & Johnston Lisa Smith United Way of Peterborough & District

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2011 Chair’s Message

inside

Financial

regular features

2011 Treasurer’s Report

chamber events 14 - business after hours - breakfast club - young professionals group - 2012 Gala - 2012 AGM

Program 2011 Report

Policy 2011 Report

member matters

22

new members

23

City & County

new member showcase 26

2011 Report

your chamber - news from the CCC

26

Agricultural

benefacts

27

2011 Farm Family of the Year

here’s my card

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Creative Community

the voice of business Managing editor cynthia hamu DESIGN treehouse studio Printing vincent press

contributors 2011 Policy Committee Chair and Account Manager for Country 105/ Energy 99.7/91.9 BOB FM. Jef can be reached at 705-742-8844 x437

Mayor Daryl Bennett Mayor Daryl Bennett can be reached at 705-7427777 x1870 or dbennett@ peterborough.ca

www.county.peterborough.on.ca

2011 Program Committee Chair and is Director of Advertising for The Peterborough Examiner. Bob can be reached at 705-741-9454

Jef Dueck

www.peterborough.ca

2011 Treasurer and the owner of Merrett Home Hardware Building Centre.

Drew can be reached at 705-743-3553

Bob DoOrnenbal

jef.dueck@bellmedia.ca

2011 Board Chair and the owner of Tristone Media Group. Tony can be reached at 705-745-3946

Drew Merrett

www.thepeterboroughexaminer.com

The Greater Peterborough Chamber of Commerce 175 George St. N. Peterborough 705.748.9771 www.peterboroughchamber.ca

tony Smith

www.home-hardware.net

Daryl Bennett, Mayor City of Peterborough Karl Moher, Deputy Reeve, Douro-Dummer Township County of Peterborough Herma van Beek Peterborough County Federation of Agriculture

tony@tristone.ca

appointments

Warden J. Murray Jones Warden J. Murray Jones can be reached at 705-743-0380 or warden@county. peterborough.on.ca

Additional Contributors include:

Stuart Harrison, Peterborough Chamber of Commerce Cathy Martin, Peterborough Chamber of Commerce Lindsay Walker-Chiarelli, Peterborough Chamber of Commerce

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MESSAGEfrom

by Tony Smith (Tristone Media Group) 2011 Board Chair

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Your 2011 Board Chair ard to believe, my year as Board Chair is over and done. This makes one reflect back on the reasons for joining the Chamber in the first place. During my corporate life we moved constantly and never had a chance to develop a sense of belonging to a community. Upon retirement and relocation to Peterborough I wanted to fulfill that sense of belonging, and to be part of a group that had a strong commitment and means to make positive change for the betterment of our community. I determined the Chamber was the exact avenue to fulfill this burning desire. There is absolutely no better organization you can serve where one can have input to advocate for positive change locally, provincially and nationally concerning the improvement of business and social environment issues impacting our country.

I had another strong desire to start a small business and see if I could make it successful…. actually I started two. The Chamber has proved, without a doubt, to be the best vehicle to access excellent networking opportunities. Not only to grow your business but to determine like-minded businesses to consult with to improve your business. Expertise abounds in all business disciplines within your Chamber and there is strength of fellowship to share this expertise. Having said that, you only get out of an organization what you put into it. So please feel obligated to help other businesses when they need help. Working together we will make a much stronger business community.

2011 was quite a ride. Given the loss of 42% of our revenue due to the termination of the

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Vehicle Licensing Operation, we were forced to concentrate on creating new revenue streams to balance the books.

I’m pleased to announce this has been achieved for the 2012 Budget and, at the time of this writing, we are projecting the 2011 financials to be better than 2011 budget. These are very significant results indeed.

Working together we will make a much stronger business community

The Board and the staff had another very busy year. Here are some examples: • Acquisition of The Wellness Expo and the partnership with the Homebuilders Association for the creation of a new Fall Home and Design Show in October 2012.

• The completion of the Chamber Business Centre, which has full occupancy.

• Your Chamber was the sparkplug incorporating Shining Waters Railway and establishing a Founding Board of Directors, who have aggressively taken this major project forward.

• Each and every Program Committee event was once again a great success.

• The Chamber’s policy and advocacy accomplishments during the year were numerous: o Input into the Transit Review; o Input into the Beavermead Park Review; o Input into the City Planning Process; o Hosting the Premier of Ontario; o Affirmation that City Council is sticking to its 8 year plan to reduce the tax ratios to the range of fairness on businesses; o Continuance of the important Government Affairs Committee; o Establishing a solid presence on Social Media - Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn;

o Creation of a new Chamber website;

I’m personally looking very forward to Jef Dueck’s tenure as Chair during 2012.

Jef has earned his stripes no matter how you measure his Chamber success and is a fine example of… “you get out of your Chamber what you put into it”.

o The Workplace Integration Centre, helping to integrate foreign-trained professionals (funding through the Global Experience @ Work program from OCC).

Congratulations, Jef!

I wish to thank my fellow Directors for their support during my year as Chair. Congratulations to Stuart Harrison and his team for their hard work and dedication in making 2011 a great success. My thanks to the Committee Chairs, as well as the many volunteers who support each and every committee to make them successful.

Service...

“We provide 'old fashioned' customer service.”

– Mike Iammancini A proven reputation for over 25 years.

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FINANCIALmatters

byDrew Merrett (Merrett’s Home Hardware), 2011 Board Treasurer

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2011 Treasurer’s Year-end Review

ackground for 2011 Budget Coming into 2011 we knew that we were facing a monumental challenge. This was our first year without any revenue from Licensing Bureau operations, an amount which represented 42% of our income and, after direct expenses, contributed over $100,000 to our bottom line. This translated to new revenue streams being sought and major cost-cutting being implemented. Facing this challenge we set a very aggressive budget for 2011 which was a deficit of $16,900.

Membership has remained strong…

2011 Overview Membership has remained strong even after facing the challenges of our current economy. Though we have not made the aggressive gains that we had hoped to achieve, our numbers are up compared to last year.

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Development of The Business Centre brought with it a whole new set of challenges. Early in the year we were faced with a few unexpected costs which are reflected in our 2011 expenses, and added to our challenge of meeting a tight budget. We are proud to report that the Business Centre occupation is at 100%.

When facing the loss of Licensing Operations revenue, we put a lot of emphasis on additional special events. Our original slate of events - the Annual Gala, Golf Tournament, 9’n Dine, Prosperity Tradeshow, and the Excellence Awards - met all of our expectations. We also stepped up to present a Wine Women & Shopping Expo. After a valiant start, it was decided that more time was needed to further develop this concept before we proceed to implement this event. However, the Chamber staff are not looking back, which has resulted in two new events coming up in 2012 The Wellness Expo and the Home & Design Show, which you will hear more about in upcoming issues of the Voice of Business.

One exciting new revenue stream for the Chamber this year was the installation of the solar panels on the south-facing side of our roof.

We flipped the switch at the end of September and are already gaining the financial benefits!

To say that 2011 was a transitional year may be an understatement.

With the loss of a major part of our financial structure, and the uncertainty of our new revenue streams, the 2011 Budget was more of a best-guess than the typical annual updates. With ongoing hard work and oversight of the Board, Stuart, and the Chamber staff we are on target to meet or better our very aggressive budget.

Due to the confidence that we have seen in the past year we have even been able to set a balanced Budget for 2012!

It was my privilege to serve as your 2011 Chamber Treasurer, and I welcome Bob Doornenbal as your Treasurer for 2012!

PROGRAMmatters

byBob Doornenbal (The Peterborough Examiner) 2011 Program Committee Chair

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2011 Year-end Review

he Program Committee’s mandate is to initiate, promote and execute business programs and networking events for the benefit of our members.

This Committee is responsible for providing continued networking and business opportunities such as the Business After Hours program and the Breakfast Club. Prosperity, an annual Business-to-Business Tradeshow, provides booth spaces for our members and is open to the general public. Get rid of the February blues and kick up your heels at the annual Gala. The Business Excellence Awards showcase the best of the best in Peterborough and Peterborough County. Both an 18-hole full-service golf tournament and a more casual 9’n Dine Tournament offer good fun and recreation. Young Professionals Group is geared to Chamber members 40 years and under and aims to promote business success among our young business professionals.

Are you new to the Chamber?

No worries…your first event will be made less daunting as you’re welcomed by the A-Team, our special ambassadors who can introduce you to people and make you feel comfortable.

The Program Committee’s goal is to continue to enhance programming and to include more topics and events of interest to our diverse membership base. Our newest and most exciting event in 2012 is in partnership with the Peterborough & The Kawarthas Home Builders Association. The Home and Design Show, From New to Renew will launch on October 26 - 28th, 2012.

The engine of this committee is really driven by the subcommittees and Chamber staff that brainstorm, organize and implement the plans. As much as the Program Committee seems to be of a social nature, there is a lot to be gained and learned from volunteering on these committees.

I’d be remiss in not reminding

you that as much as the business holds the membership on paper, it’s really all of the staff that have the opportunity to become active members in the Chamber through attending events or volunteering.

Many thanks to both staff and volunteers for the countless hours given to provide members with all of these great events.

I would like to welcome Lisa Smith as the 2012 Program Committee Chair!

Eastern Realty Inc., Brokerage

Visit me at my new office 705.743.9111 705.749.7934 betty@bettysellshomes.net

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Policymatters

byJef Dueck (91.9 BOB-FM/Country 105/Energy 99.7) 2011 Policy Committee Chair

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2011 Year-end Review

he Chamber Policy Committee had another busy year, including the presentation of our updated “Policy Resolution on Addressing Access Bottlenecks to Primary Health Care” at the Ontario Chamber AGM, to weighing in on transit, planning, and Beavermead Park, to our continuing efforts to secure funding for a refurbished rail line. Here are the details: Health Resolution – Addressing Access Bottlenecks to Primary Health Care The policy resolution process is a core activity for local Chambers across the Country. Resolutions are researched and written at the grassroots level, and then presented at either the Ontario Chamber or Canadian Chamber AGM’s and either approved, defeated, or referred to the their Board. Our resolution was an update from one we had approved three years ago, which had a direct impact on the recent Ontario Bill 179, which

1135 Lansdowne St. Peterborough (705) 748-9570

indeed improved access to health care. Our Committee felt that the government could certainly go further as control of the health care system still lies at the feet of the family physician. You can read our resolution on our website (just click on the Advocacy/Policy page), but it essentially calls on the Government of Ontario to allow the regulated Health Professions (Pharmacists, Chiropractors, Physiotherapist and Optometrists) to be allowed to practice within their scope of training. An example would be allowing Pharmacists to write or update prescriptions. The 363 Kent St. Lindsay (705) 878-8908

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Ontario Chamber of Commerce (OCC) is in the middle of writing a major report on Health Care, and thus our resolution was “referred to the Board” at the AGM, meaning it will play a role in the writing of the OCC Report. The Policy process is an interesting part of the advocacy work we do and results in fundamental changes to how we are governed at the provincial and federal level. We often copy the resolution format when we are commenting on municipal issues as well.

...and results in fundamental changes to how we are governed at the provincial and federal level.

Shining Waters Rail Corporation (SWR) The Chamber is involved in this initiative simply because the project was in danger of being completely derailed by the much-discussed Metrolinx Report, which tried to establish the cost of the project, budgeted at a maximum of $300 million, at $540 million. We disagreed.

A significant amount of work has gone into researching alternatives, studying the economic impact, and writing a business plan. The SWR Board has dedicated countless volunteer hours to the project, with one simple goal – refurbish the line and re-establish passenger rail service.

How it will be structured, whether or not it will work, and a hundred other questions all remain to be answered.

But some good people are working on the answers, and if we are successful we believe it will be a significant economic driver for many years to come. For more information visit www.shiningwatersrailway.ca Government Affairs Committee The Chamber is an active member of the Government Affairs Committee. This committee includes representatives of independent business groups and politicians from all levels of government, including the Mayor, Warden, MPP and MP. The purpose of the committee is to bring all levels of government and business community leaders to a common platform of understanding on the key issues and opportunities which the City and County are facing.

Global Experience @ Work, the Peterborough Partnership Council on Immigrant Integration (PPCII), and the Workplace Integration Centre Growth comes with diversity and the Chamber strongly believes in diversity. The Chamber is working with the organizations above, as well as the New Canadians Centre to support and attract New Canadians, foreign trained professionals, and skilled workers to Peterborough.

Provincial Election We shared a comprehensive policy matrix provided by the OCC with our members. The document compared the existing OCC Policy Resolutions with the Political Party positions. In addition we polled each of the candidates on five questions of key concern to this area and then distributed their responses to all members.

…we believe it will be a significant economic driver for many years to come.

There were many other agenda items covered throughout the year. We received regular reports from the GPA EDC, we provided feedback to the Planning Department on the planning process, to consultants on the future of Beavermead Park and the transit system, and attended dozens of meetings on your behalf.

Our slogan “Connecting – Business to Business and Business to Government” is brought to life by the work of our Policy Committee, and we will continue to help level the playing field for business in the years to come.

It is my pleasure to announce that the 2012 Policy Chair is Patric Marren, who is a also a member of the Board Executive. My best wishes to Pat and the 2012 Policy Committee!

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byMayor Daryl Bennett

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CITYmatters The City of Peterborough’s Year in Review n October 25th, 2011, the one-year anniversary of voting day for the 2010 municipal election, I released an Annual Report to City Councillors summarizing Council’s accomplishments in our first year on behalf of our constituents. These accomplishments were organized according to the twelve most common election proposals that were made by City Councillors leading up to the election. Six of the most significant of these are: Fiscal responsibility Council adopted a 2011 residential property tax increase of 1.8 per cent – the second lowest increase in 10 years.

Council established and acted on a revised procedure for setting the strategic direction for the 2012 operating budget and approved a guideline of a maximum increase of 2.5 per cent. Council froze its own salaries and approved the concept of a Community Compensation Committee to review its overall compensation.

These accomplishments were organized according to the twelve most common election proposals that were made

by City Councillors leading up to the election.

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Moving forward on deferred or delayed files Action was taken to reconfigure and open the Hospital Access Road; re-initiate and approve the Avonlea development – the largest in the City’s history; approve the historic YMCA redevelopment on George Street; open the renovated Market Hall; approve a new Fire Station on Clonsilla Avenue; and undertake improvements to Lansdowne Street West.

Enhancing the customer experience

Improving and revitalizing the downtown

Corporate-wide training in Customer Service Excellence was made mandatory for all City staff who serve with the public – a first for the City – and it was followed by training in assisting those with mental health challenges. The City Hall telephone service was changed to permit all callers the option of speaking with a person rather than a recording. A six-month review of Council performance was produced and released. My major speeches were put online as part of a new 15-page web site and I remain an active tweeter.

The Warden and I undertook a series of community meetings in locations across the County.

Council approved the Central Area Community Improvement Plan with its incentives in the form of grants, the cancellation of property tax increases and the waiving of fees. It approved the YMCA redevelopment, prepared a new concept plan for Morrow Park, and received two awards (one provincial, one national) for the preservation of its built heritage, much of which is located downtown. Council approved funding for additional officers for the Peterborough Lakefield Police Drug Unit.

Being more aggressive in the promotion of economic development A Vice Chair of Economic Development Portfolio was created. Councillors and the GPA EDC assisted me in arranging and attending more than 180 business prospect meetings. Substantial improvements have been made to the Peterborough Airport. A new policy and protocol was initiated in support of filming in the City.

For additional information on City of Peterborough activities, please visit their website at www.peterborough.ca.

Countymatters

byWarden J. Murray Jones

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The County of Peterborough Year in Review

he County of Peterborough has experienced a very busy and successful year, with many special projects and updates that will develop into greater efficiencies and improved services. We have developed an Energy Management Plan and have begun tracking energy consumption. Other projects include implementation of a corporate-wide filing system, establishment of a new County Forest Management Plan and completion of a Development Charges Review and Update.

Over the past year, County Council has been engaged in working with the City of Peterborough and the Provincial and Federal governments in expanding the Peterborough Airport. The expansion of the airport will have a very positive affect on the future economy, growth and opportunities made available to our community. County Council will be moving forward on decisions regarding Airport Road in 2012 in the hopes of putting into place a realigned road connection.

The County of Peterborough has also been highly involved at the staff and Council level with the Eastern Ontario Regional Broadband Network (EORN) project. EORN’s mandate is to provide higher speeds and bandwidth to at least 95 percent of homes and businesses in Eastern Ontario. New satellite services are available now, and the fibre backbone construction is progressing ahead of schedule. The last mile access contract for Peterborough and Kawartha region is currently under negotiation and services will begin to be available to consumers in the spring of 2012. EORN and the County of Peterborough will be

...Council and staff are looking forward to the New Year and its opportunities to realize further developments and enhance services...

see a restored Lowry Jacquard Loom from Peterborough as well as a fully operational, reproduction Jacquard Loom. Lang Pioneer Village and County Council are very proud of this new building with its unique exhibit of the Jacquard Loom.

Recognizing the many accomplishments of 2011, County Council and staff are looking forward to the New Year and its opportunities to realize further developments and enhance services for the many residents and visitors to our area.

For additional information on County of Peterborough activities, please visit their website at www.county.peterborough.on.ca.

holding public information sessions and media conferences closer to the date of launch for our area.

The Samuel Lowry Weaver Shop and Interpretive Centre was completed in September of 2011, and has become another wonderful attraction at Lang Pioneer Village. The Weaver Shop is a new building, fashioned after a late 19th Century weaver’s shop, and provides visitors the opportunity to

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Agriculturalmatters by Lindsay Walker-Chiarelli, Administrative Assistant

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2011 Farm Family of the Year – The Barrs!

ongratulations to Blayne and Susan Barr & Family on being selected as Peterborough County’s 2011 Farm Family of the Year. The Barrs received the award at the Peterborough County Federation of Agriculture’s Annual Banquet on November 18th.

The Barrs have been farming for 36 years on 600 acres of land in DouroDummer Township. Bargeolane Farms is operated by Blayne and Susan and their son Geoff and his family.

Their daughters, Emily and Jenny and their families, as well as Blayne’s parents, also help out when needed.

The family raises 160 heads of cattle, including 50 registered Holsteins and 25 commercial beef cows. In addition to their dairy and beef operations, the family also grows hay, corn, wheat, and barley, most of which is used on the farm.

The Barr family has been very active with local agricultural, sports, and community organizations. The farm has been recognized with numerous milk quality awards, as well as the Peterborough County Agricultural Leadership Award in 2010. However, for Blayne and Susan their greatest success is the fact that their son Geoff decided to come home and become part of the farm operation.

Congratulations to the Barrs!

The Barr family has been very active with local agricultural, sports, and community organizations.

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January Events: A Special businessafterhours

“Are You Connected?”

Proud of Our Past, Positive About Our Future

Peterborough • Lakefield Omemee • Bobcaygeon

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BUILDING A SOLID FOUNDATION FOR YOUR BUSINESS • Competitive rates • Flexible payment options • Local credit approvals

tuesday, January 10th, 2012

Are you Connected to Your Chamber?....Are you Connected to Social Media?

Join us on January 10th and find out! A special evening featuring guest speakers Stuart Harrison (Peterborough Chamber of Commerce) and Sofie Andreou (Sofie Andreou & Associates), with hors d’oeuvres, cash bar, networking, door prizes and more!

2011 Chamber volunteers will also be recognized at this event. The Volunteer Recognition portion of this event is sponsored by Showplace Peterborough. location: Showplace Peterborough, 290 George St. N. time: 4:00 – 6:00 pm cost: Free, compliments of OLG Slots at Kawartha Downs please note: Pre-registration is required for this event

breakfastclub tuesday, january 10 , 2012 th

location: Carousel Restaurant, 116 Lansdowne Street East time: 7:30 am cost: Pay for your breakfast speaker: Dan Taylor, President & CEO, GPA EDC please note: You do not need to register for this event.

youngprofessionalsgroup (YPG) thursday, january 26th, 2012

w w w. k a w a r t h a c u . c o m

location: The Venue Peterborough, 286 George St. N. time: 5:00 – 7:00 pm cost: Free, compliments of The Venue event details: `New Year Social and Wii Tournament’ please note: Pre-registration is required for this event

Please note: the Chamber will be closed on the following dates:

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n Family Day

Monday, February 20th

n Good Friday

Friday, April 6th

n Easter Monday

Monday, April 9th

n Victoria Day

Monday, May 21st

n Canada Day

Monday, July 2nd

n Civic Holiday

Monday, August 6th

n Labour Day

Monday, September 3rd

n Thanksgiving

Monday, October 8th

n 2012 Christmas Closure

Monday, December 24th at 2pm, re-opening on Monday, December 31st from 8:30am until 2pm

n New Year’s Day

Tuesday, January 1st, 2013

February Events: 123rdannualchambergala

Event Sponsor

Honouring Incoming 2012 Chair of the Board, Jef Dueck saturday, february 4th, 2012 Join us for our Scottish Highland Fling featuring the chance to win the grand prize trip for two to Scotland, sponsored by TV COGECO! location: Peterborough Golf & Country Club cost: $125 per person (+HST) Trip includes return airfare for two to Glasgow Scotland, accommodations, and a Globus Tour which features: Glasgow, Loch Lomond, Fort William, Flenfinnan, Mallaign, Armadale, Achnasheen and Inverness.

For those members who have paid for their tickets by Friday, January 20th, their name will be entered into the Early Bird Draw to win Limousine Service for the evening, compliments of Ambassador Limousine.

To register: Please contact the Chamber via email at register@peterboroughchamber.ca or by calling 705-748-9771 x0.

businessafterhours tuesday, february 7th, 2012 location: O.F.A.H/Mario Cortellucci Hunting & Fishing Heritage Centre, 4601 Guthrie Dr. time: 4:00 – 6:00 pm cost: Free, compliments of OLG Slots at Kawartha Downs please note: Pre-registration is required for this event

breakfastclub tuesday, february 14 , 2012 th

location: Carousel Restaurant, 116 Lansdowne Street East time: 7:30 am speaker: Heart & Stroke Foundation cost: Pay for your breakfast please note: You do not need to register for this event.

youngprofessionalsgroup (YPG) thursday, february 23rd, 2012

location: The Venue Peterborough, 286 George St. N. time: 5:00 – 7:00 pm cost: Free, compliments of The Venue event details: Sue Clifford, of Curo on “Accounting and What to do with all this paper” please note: Pre-registration is required for this event

Save the Date

Wednesday January 11, 2012 (2nd Wednesday in January)

Ovarian Cancer: Knowledge is Power Holiday Inn Peterborough Waterfront 5:30-6:30 pm -- Social Networking 6:30 pm – Dinner • 7:30 pm – Speaker This successful awareness program was designed to help effectively spread the word about ovarian cancer and to raise awareness about the signs, symptoms, risks and preventative factors of ovarian cancer.

Ovarian Cancer Canada strives to raise awareness and educate the general public and health care professionals about ovarian cancer. Currently there is no screening test for ovarian cancer and the symptoms are so vague that they are often overlooked or attributed to another cause.

Sadly, 70% of women with ovarian cancer will not survive 5 years. However, when caught early the survival rate at 5 years can be up to 90%! Until a reliable early detection test is discovered awareness about the signs and symptoms is our best tool for improving survival rates.

Next Month

Wednesday February 1, 2012

Formal Networking Evening Join us as we are inspired, entertained and educated as WBN members share their ‘lessons learned” and success stories. This is a great opportunity for you to show the rest of the network what you and your business are all about!

Be sure to bring your business cards and brochures.

You can register for these events by visiting our WBN website at www.womensbusinessnetwork.net.

Cost for WBN meeting is $40 per person and must be prepaid.

Guest registration deadline for January’s meeting is Friday, January 6, 2012.

Don’t miss out on this wonderful opportunity.

Promoting and supporting women in business through personal and professional growth opportunities.

chamberannualgeneralmeeting tuesday, march 20th, 2012 location: Best Western Plus Otonabee Inn, 84 Lansdowne St. E. time: 7:30 – 9:30 am cost: $20 Members + HST (includes hot buffet breakfast) please note: Pre-registration is required for this event.

registrationinformation Unless otherwise specified, registration is required for all Chamber events.

To register, please call 748-9771 Ext. 0 or email register@peterboroughchamber.ca

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creativematters

byStuart Harrison, General Manager

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Our Creative Economy

he Creative Class. The Creative Economy. The word creative is growing in meaning, and certainly growing in importance as the global economy changes. Our special advertising section this month, Our Creative Community, focuses on the marketing and communications community – the designers, printers, marketers, and otherwise creative thinkers who make up this important segment of our business community. WE Design Group’s brilliant “65 years in 65 days” campaign for McColl Turner, Studio-N’s International Dragon Boat Festival work, Emmatt Digital’s sophisticated WBN Website, and Vincent Press’ $2 million investment in a new printing press, are all examples of a vibrant local creative community, but let’s explore what creativity means on a broader level.

GPA EDC President and CEO Dan Taylor describes the Creative Economy as made up of people who are paid to think. Obviously open to interpretation, but I think it nicely captures the broad scope of where we need to be on the global stage. There was a time when this area stamped out widgets with the best of them, but those days are long gone. That’s not to say that manufacturing is dead, in fact absolutely not.

But the successful manufacturers in this area are successful because they lead the world in innovation and creativity. They have developed designs, processes, or otherwise perfected a world-class product. The people who are paid to think at these companies have done their jobs well. Creative thinking also drives our other key sectors: agriculture, tourism, innovation, and will make or break our future opportunities, represented by specialties such as water and nuclear.

What is your competitive advantage?

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Richard Florida has built a career around the Creative Class. www.creativeclass.com. He has developed an international model of 3T’s of economic development – Talent, Tolerance and Technology. When consulting with individual communities, his team adds a fourth “T” Territorial Assets, encouraging communities to identify their strengths and play to those strengths. From my perspective, the GPA EDC and the Innovation Cluster understand this concept and are working hard to bring focus to our strengths, and thus their activities.

These concepts shouldn’t be lost on individual businesses or organizations. What is your territorial asset? What is your competitive advantage? What is your value proposition? We all need to be asking ourselves these questions and tailoring our marketing and communications to suit. Our creative community can help you with this work. Our ad agencies, designers, printers and marketers produce world-class work, so I’d encourage you to have a look at the profiles featured in this special section and take the next step. Get some help, and kick start your own creativity.

Our creative cOmmunity my radius cOnsulting Is customer service top of mind in your organization? Barb Bruce from Myradius Consulting believes customer service should be at the top of your list every day on the road to customer retention. Make 2012 the year to take your customer service level from good to great.

Myradius Consulting can help you and your team get off to a great start! Barb’s customer service training seminar entitled “Knock Their Socks Off Service” helps front line staff, supervisors, managers and owners step up their game when it comes to daily customer service excellence.

“Helping Businesses Communicate” with customers in their radius is the theme at Myradius Consulting. Whether you need Facebook or Twitter setup and training, QR code marketing ideas, or training and development in customer service,

time management and more, Myradius Consulting can help.

Contact Barb today at 705 927-5953 to learn more about “Knocking the Socks Off Your Customers”.

Facebook www.facebook.com/myradius Twitter @myradius Blog http://myradiusontario. blogspot.com www.myradius.ca service@myradius.ca

Hang Out witH treeHOuse studiO Treehouse Studio is a full service advertising and graphic design company specializing in innovative solutions in Peterborough and the Kawarthas. Creative Director, Brian Stephenson, has almost 20 years experience to back him up.

We had a great 2011 and look forward to an even better 2012!

Treehouse Studio was a finalist in the Marketing & Promotion category for the Chamber Business Excellence Awards for our work with the Little Lake Musicfest, and we’ll be working with the Musicfest again this year!

new opportunities, exchange ideas, have fun, and turn challenges into effective solutions.

Think Treehouse Studio, when you need to “Grow your business”.

Treehouse Studio 175 George St. N., Suite 10 705 930-5426 www.treehousestudio.ca info@treehousestudio.ca twitter: @treehouse_ptbo

We are committed to serving the business community with the highest quality graphic design, advertising, marketing, and internet services possible.

Whether your business is big or small, we look forward to working with you to reach

creative web services by emmatt digital sOlutiOns Emmatt Digital Solutions Inc. has been creating web-based solutions for businesses around the world since 1998. Emmatt provides a variety of innovative services to boost your profits such as website development, corporate identity and graphic design, custom business application development and more.

Our approach is simple: Create and develop websites, along with efficient and functional apps from a business and marketing perspective.

The key to Emmatt’s success is the ability to produce excellent results for our clients by bringing together the expert team members necessary to address the vast range of competencies required in today’s online environment. These skills include: marketing and publicity; business analysis; software programming and

database development; graphic design and branding; web-oriented copywriting; search engine optimization; and social media.

All of these must be encompassed by strong project management to successfully complete your project, on time and on budget!

Pretty brochure-style websites no longer cut it with today’s tech-

savvy customer! They want to know quickly what you can do for them AND why should they hire you instead of your competitor.

Understanding your target market, your business’ strengths and expectations, along with your daily challenges, is vital to producing measurable results. If you have a business challenge, we’ll readily

work alongside you to craft an effective solution.

While continually creating products to enhance your business profits, Emmatt has recently released BallyhooTV, a flat-screen advertising system that puts you in full control of your in-house advertising content. Perfect for high-traffic pedestrian areas and waiting rooms, you can discover what BallyhooTV can do for you at www.ballyhooTV.com.

Whether you need a new website, a fresh corporate identity, help with creating a social media strategy for your business, or functional business tools such as online recruiting or fundraising, Emmatt can help. Give us a call today at 705-750-0476.

Emmatt Digital Solutions Inc. 6-649 The Parkway Peterborough ON 705-750-0476 www.emmattweb.com

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Our creative cOmmunity tHe vincent Press The Vincent Press has been creating and manufacturing quality print related products for over 50 years. Although the print industry has experienced a significant degree of change over the years, our commitment to quality and service has remained strong.

We continue to adapt and invest in new equipment, processes, and technologies.

Whether the avenue is traditional offset printing, digital printing, or wide format printing, we have the equipment and experience to efficiently handle the project.

When you are working with The Vincent Press there is no middleman, no broker, and no sub contract supplier. We are the manufacturer.

We recently completed a $2 million investment into our facility, including a brand new printing press from Heidelberg. The

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new press is quite simply one of the premier printing machines in the world. With only about 10 installations in all of Canada, the machine is quite a feather in the cap for the Peterborough marketplace. The press allows us to provide a world class product, under lightning fast timelines. It is a five colour machine, which also has a built in aqueous coater, allowing for the ultimate in flexibility and quality. The running speed of 90,000 brochures per hour makes it a perfect fit for long print runs. The automation of the press also makes it ideal for short run quality driven projects.

We are also very pleased to announce that we have recently acquired fellow local printing and communications company Lazer Graphics.

“Going into our 24th year, this was not an easy decision for us”, said Lazer Graphics owner Mary Carolyn Hart.

“We realized that the printing industry has changed significantly, and The Vincent Press was a logical choice to continue servicing our clients with the quality and care that they have come to expect”.

Although retiring from the business, Mary Carolyn and John Hart will be staying on to assist The Vincent Press during the transition period.

The entire team at The Vincent Press would like to extend a warm welcome to all of our new friends and partners. Our door is always open for a plant tour or visit.

708 Rye Street, Peterborough 705 745-1342 mail@vincentpress.com

Our creative cOmmunity we’re a small cOmPany witH big ideas.

We can help build your business through an effective brand, an online presence or just about anything else in between. No matter what you’re looking for, we deliver everything you need. Creativity. Technological resources. Insight. Personality.

Experience. Reliability.

At Studio-N, we’ve helped hundreds of clients create successful, engaging multi-media campaigns and have a lot of fun in the process.

Talk to us. Great design ideas start with strong relationships.

Our email address is info@studio-n.ca.

Contact us anytime 705 742-1908 or feel free to drop by our studio at 430 Sheridan Street. We have a large online portfolio at studio-n.ca.

You can also find us on twitter: @studioncreative

cats media “Short run to long run solutions” Your printed business communication is core to your success. We print everything from full colour marketing and sales literature to corporate stationery, enabling you to effectively create and distribute your ideas and knowledge to the world.

We pay meticulous attention to every detail of your project, keeping you updated at every step. When you hand off a project to us, you can relax in the knowledge that despite being focused on meeting deadlines, we will ensure that the highest quality standards are maintained.

We know you are entrusting us with your company’s reputation, image and bottom line with every project you give us.

To help you on the front end our graphics staff combine their creativity with a thorough knowledge of traditional and digital print production, ensuring you of effective, efficient business communication. Our staff is also available to help you with the technical issues involved in file creation, preparation and printing.

Whether you have questions about PDF files, colour issues or other technical questions we’re just a phone call away. tom@catsmedia.ca www.catsmedia.ca

marketing dOne rigHt... Here in PeterbOrOugH! Promotion Marketing & Design (PMD) is a full-service marketing and communications company.

We build: • Beautiful, user-friendly websites • Scalable e-learning platforms • Engaging touch-screen kiosks & digital signage networks • Award-winning video solutions

integration, video and multimedia production, content development and digital marketing.

We help clients create exceptional user experiences on the web.

Visit us at promotionmarketing.ca or call us at 705-749-3179.

And follow us on Twitter @PMDpeterborough!

Let’s talk about your company’s future on the web!

Creative marketing makes a big difference.

We compliment our web solutions with complete marketing services including:

• Custom-built content management systems

• Print design & production

Our portfolio includes web solutions for some of the most prominent corporate, government and not-for-profit organizations in the area.

• Tradeshow displays

• Promotional products We’re the go-to marketing and communications agency in the Peterborough area.

We’re serious about web development.

PMD (a division of whatevermedia.ca) is an in-house team of leading authorities on web design, social media

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Our creative cOmmunity artbOx

best write cOmmunicatiOns

With over 17 years of awardwinning experience on what works on the Internet these days, Winston Bromley and his company, Artbox, are ready to get you and your business the results you want with all of your online Business needs.

Maybe it is Social Media Management that you need in order to run your Facebook / Twitter accounts profitably. Maybe you are brand new to Social Media, we offer Social Media Training to train business owners how to effectively use Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+ in your business (and no, it’s not only for 20 somethings).

Or you may need Webdesign, from creating

a website from concept and design to reality. Artbox is here to get you the results you want.

One more thing, Artbox also builds Mobile Phone Apps as well....

Get in touch: www.artbox.ca 705-874-8975

PETEWATERSPEC.AD:Quark ad template

6/19/09

2:52 PM

Jane Davidson is an experienced writer, editor and PR pro providing press releases, brochures, speeches, talking points, and communications plans that work. From a bit of tweeking to a major re-write, Jane can help you get your message across with simplicity and clarity.

the annual report, and most recently for the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation, where she handled media relations for the province.

Jane is a former reporter for both the Globe and Mail Report on Business and the Toronto Star.

Her career includes work as a communications specialist for Du Pont Canada, where she was responsible for corporate communications and

www.bestwritecommunications.net

Jane Davidson Best Write Communications (705) 874-5416

Page 1

Always there...Always informed

w w w. p e t e r b o r o u g h e x a m i n e r. c o m 20

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E XAMINER THE PETERBOROUGH

We are a collaborative of creative professionals focused on marketing and design communication. We are on a mission to create innovative and intuitive ways for our clients to connect with customers and grow their business.

We Design brings together a diversity of talents which ensures our clients are getting the best and brightest marketing experts, the most dynamic creatives, facilitators and organizers in the region.

The We Design team is made up of Christian Papist of Squeeze Design fame, who specializes in corporate identity building, print design and creative direction. Matt Stimpson of Design Room is an import from the UK who brings a European touch to Peterborough and specializes in brand development. David Jonkers of Red Diamond Design is an expert in the development of web and interactive media. Jocasta Boone of Jocasta

matt

jocasta

christian

Boone Design specializes in brand activating through design, speaking and facilitation services, and Adrienne Richard of Statement Event Services is an event planner and creative facilitator.

Along with our network of other specialists the We Design collaborative portfolio includes highly recognizable local, national and international brands representing both for, and not for profit clients.

From analysis to development to delivery, we set the standard for excellence in business communication and brand development through clean, creative and compelling design and implementation. We’re here to help you stand out from the crowd. wedesigngroup.ca 705 755 0850 facebook.com/wedesigngroup twitter.com/wedesignptbo

adrienne

david

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21

MEMBERmatters New Name & Location for Rural Routes

Rural Routes – Peterboro Co-op is now Peterborough District Cooperative Services.

General Manager, Garth Stoner and his staff have moved from Lansdowne Street to their new location at 1057 Hwy 7 East. They offer a wide variety of products for home and agriculture, including farm supplies, pet food and supplies, and hardware. You can call them at 705-745-4607 or visit www.peterboroughcoop.ca.

All Green Ink Inc Moves

Roger Chong has relocated his business, All Green Ink Inc, to 266 Charlotte Street, Suite 194. The new facilities are more spacious, with options to increase the square footage rapidly. All Green Ink Inc provides recycled laser cartridges, targeting the home office to medium-sized businesses.

Visit www.allgreenink.ca or you can also call 705-761-8071.

Curo

Curo Accounting is Sue Clifford’s new business.

Sue offers accounting and bookkeeping, management support, financial reporting and analysis, payroll and training. Sue specializes in small business and Not-For-Profits, helping them stay on top of their financials, analyze operations, and save money. You can call her at 705-875-3534 or visit www.curoaccounting.com .

Mr. Lube Peterborough Re-Opens

Mr. Lube is open again. After 22 years at the corner of Lansdowne and Clonsilla, Tom and Harley Jopling have moved the family business to 708 Lansdowne at High Street, across from Lansdowne Place. The building has undergone a massive renovation, and they are now open on Sundays.

You can reach the shop at 705-743-9407.

Skin Laser Clinic Introduces Two New Systems

One is called the Selphyl PRP (Platelet Rich Plasma) system which is a natural facial filler.

The second is called Exilis, a device for body contouring and skin tightening, and this is the first clinic in Canada. For more information visit www.theskinlaserclinic.com or you can also call 705-775-3223.

Lindsay-Peterborough Movers & Storage Moves

Joby Lake and Dale Booth of LindsayPeterborough Movers & Storage have relocated to an 8000 sq ft office and warehouse at 935 Major Bennett Drive. A United Van Lines member, they are a full-service moving company offering both local and long distance moving, packing, and storage facilities. Call 705-743-7241 or visit www.peterboroughmovers.com .

The Vincent Press Purchases Lazer Graphics

The Vincent Press recently announced the purchase of Lazer Graphics. Congratulations to John and Mary Carolyn Hart on 24 years of business success with Lazer Graphics, and to Andrew McCulloch and The Vincent Press who acquired all of Lazer’s client history and files. Vincent recently completed a $2 million investment including a brand new press.

Visit www.vincentpress.com or you can also call 705-745-1342.

Magic Rolling Pin Offering Breakfast

The Magic Rolling Pin recently started serving breakfast. Full menu details are available at www.magicrollingpin.com or you can call 705-745-6556.

Charm Tree Toys

Charm Tree Toys is a new online toy store recently launched by Maren Fine. Maren is a Registered Childhood Educator who has worked with children of all ages for 20 years. Full details are online at www.charmtree.ca or call 705-799-7778.

TCP Accounting & Tax Services Expands

Owner Gwyneth James recently purchased several hundred personal tax clients from a retiring accountant and will be hiring in the New Year. In addition to tax preparation, TCP Accounting is also one of the largest bookkeeping and payroll service providers in the Kawarthas. Call them at 705-876-6011 or go to www.tcpaccounting.ca.

Knights on Guard is Growing

Knights on Guard has announced the further growth of their Peterborough office. They will be increasing their staff as they will be offering Alarm Response Services to a substantial alarm monitoring company. Visit www.knightsonguard.com or you can call them at 705-742-9699.

enewsflash

Don’t forget - you can make your payments online!

Green Eyewear Optical • Peterborough

LOANS AND BUSINESS SUPPORT GROWING FUTURES TOGETHER

The Chamber is pleased to offer members the convenience of online payment.

Now you can pay for all your Chamber invoices (dues, events, advertising, etc) at www.peterboroughchamber.ca.

When registering for an event, simply choose your preferred method of payment (Visa or MasterCard) in the “Payment Information” screen.

To pay an existing invoice, simply log in to the “Members Only” page (using your Company Username and Password) and click on “Pay Your Bills”. To request your Company Username and Password, please contact the Chamber at 705-748-9771.

If you have any questions about our new online payment option, please contact Lindsay at 705-748-9771 x204.

As always, the Chamber continues to offer a variety of payment options, including cash, cheque, credit card (telephone or in office) and debit card, as well as preauthorized monthly payments.

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McColl Turner LLP Celebrates 65 Years

McColl Turner LLP celebrated their 65th year in business in 2011. Established in 1946, McColl Turner LLP is now one of the largest public accounting firms in the Kawarthas. Services offered include: assurance and advisory, income and sales taxes, business valuations, financial planning, and management services. Visit www.mccollturner.com or call them at 705-743-5020.

Jean-Paul Struyven Opens French School French college professor, Jean-Paul (J.P.) Struyven has opened a private school in the Peterborough Public Library, teaching 6 levels of French.

Evening classes run once a week, for 12 weeks.

For more information, call 705-295-6806.

MEDIAPLUS VILLAGE Launches Newcomer Bulletin

Editor Beverly Lomosad of MEDIAPLUS VILLAGE has launched Newcomer Bulletin, a magazine designed to provide guidance to newcomers as they go about the process of starting a new life in Peterborough. The magazine also features successful, longer‐term immigrants and uses their stories to inspire newcomers. Visit www.newcomerbulletin.com or call 705-772-7172.

Collins Barrow Kawarthas Announces New Manager

The regional chartered accountancy firm of Collins Barrow Kawarthas recently announced the addition of Scott Prins to its professional staff. Prins has taken on the role of manager in the commercial department. Visit www.collinsbarrowkawarthas.com or you can call 705-742-3418.

newmembers welcome to our new members who joined the Chamber from October 12, 2011 to December 5, 2011 Advertising and Marketing

Food and Beverage

Printing and Publishing

Freedom Magazine Kathleen Walker 705-657-7648 www.freedommagazine.ca

Chasing the Cheese Julie Austin 705-775-0525 www.chasingthecheese.com

MEDIAPLUS VILLAGE Beverly Lomosad 705-772-7172 www.newcomerbulletin.com

Art Galleries, Museums and Entertainment

Epicure Solutions Cheryl Bewley 705-743-7365 www.epicuresolutions.com

Residential Construction

Indian River Reptile Zoo Bry Loyst 705-639-1443 www.reptilezoo.org

Government Services

Audio, Visual Installation and Video Production Reference A/V Glen Michon 705-772-6517 www.referenceav.ca

Jewellery, Watch Stores and Repairs

Beauty Salons, Fitness, Spas and Tanning New Sensations Spa and Hair Design Steven Clarke 705-874-1761 www.newsensations-salon.com Clothing, Footwear and Department Stores

Hi Ho Silver Judy Byrne 705-742-8903 www.hihosilver.ca Legal Services Christina Roncossek LLB, Family Law Christina Roncossek 705-933-8646 Not-for-Profits

Head Over Heels Marilyn Martin 705-874-6586 Embroidery, Quilting and Sewing UnderPinnings Leslie Menagh leslie@underpinnings.ca

Trent-Severn Waterway/ Parks Canada Agency Dawn Bronson 705-750-4918 www.pc.gc.ca/trent

Federation of Ontario Cottagers’ Association Terry Rees 705-749-3622 www.foca.on.ca Peterborough Pop Ensemble Susan McKnight 705-743-5248 www.popensemble.com

Winmar Peterborough Kawartha Anita Tosh 705-745-9894 www.winmar.ca Residential/Commercial Janitorial Services Your Clean Space Lindsay Robson 705-755-0194 www.yourcleanspace.ca Scrapbooking Treeholm Studio Diane Wolf 705-742-2702 www.treeholmstudio.com Toys, Hobbies and Games Charm Tree Toys Maren Fine 705-799-7778 www.charmtree.ca Correction from Previous Issue: Signs River Bend Sandblasted Signs Judith Lean 705-656-1773 www.riverbendsigns.com

Plumbing, Heating and Air Conditioning Superior Climate Solutions Inc. Greg Barber 705-761-1421

 please utilize their services whenever possible  Does your business have some new and exciting news to share? If so, please submit your information (approximately 50-75 words) to editor@peterboroughchamber.ca by the 1st of the preceeding month for inclusion in the next issue (i.e. March/April issue, February 1st deadline). Please note that information will be printed at the General Manager’s discretion.

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Chamberevents young breakfastclub professionals group  by Shelby Parker, Front Line Coordinator For networking, promotion and business skills development, the Chamber of Commerce’s Young Professional Group [YPG] is a great way to start any novice career in the Peterborough area.

In October the Chamber of Commerce’s General Manager Stuart Harrison updated the group on the Shining Waters Railway initiative. He was able to explain the history of the rail plan, the challenges they are facing now and what they hope to accomplish in the future. This was a great opportunity to illustrate to the young professionals how the Chamber is advocating on the membership’s behalf.

At the November event, YPG Chair Jason Chessar, of J’s Magic, went through some tips and tricks on “Effective Networking”. Do you have a networking strategy in place when you go to an event? The young professionals do now. With a plan in place, the group learned how effectively they can network at any Chamber event.

Join us this month at our regular venue, The Venue, on January 26th for our sports-themed New Year’s Wii Tournament from 5 to 7pm and wear your favourite sport team’s paraphernalia!

On February 23rd, polish up your accounting skills with Curo’s Sue Clifford speaking on “What to do with all this paper”.

The YPG meets on the fourth Thursday of every month at The Venue from 5 to 7pm. Be sure to attend our next event, or send a representative from your business.

For more information, please check out the Chamber’s website at www.peterboroughchamber.ca or visit our YPG Facebook page.

sponsored by:

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October

November

In 1956, Swish Maintenance Limited was established in Peterborough by Walter Ambler under the original company name Swish Chemical Products, and it was started out of a single small production house downtown. That was over 50 years ago. Today Swish has grown, and now has multiple stores across Canada, with locations in the United States, as well as Europe. They not only sell their own brand-name products, but they also manufacture and distribute them. They are known for providing excellent service to businesses and contract cleaners, but they also serve the general public in their several Clean-it™ Centre retail stores. For your janitorial, sanitation or general maintenance needs, you can visit their store located at 2060 Fisher Drive or visit them online at www.swishclean.com.

As well, they can be reached at 705-7455763 x235.

Lisa Clarke from Community Living was this month’s presenter, which included: Are Inclusion and Accessibility the Same Thing?

Just as advertising is a key component of a strong marketing strategy, accessibility is an important part of building an inclusive business. Creating an inclusive workplace and customer experience means that your business treats everyone, including people living with a disability, with respect, dignity and equality in a safe environment.

Ensuring you are in compliance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act is part of that process.

You can become a free member of Community Living Peterborough and learn more about supporting people living with an intellectual disability in our community. For more information you can call them at 705-743-2411 or visit their website at www.communitylivingpeterborough.ca/beincluded/membership.

The Breakfast Club meets on the second Tuesday of every month at Carousel Restaurant, located at 116 Lansdowne St. E., from 7:30 to 8:30am. Be sure to attend our next event, or send a representative from your business. You do not need to register to attend this event.

sponsored by:

businessafterhours November

by Shelby Parker, Chamber of Commerce, Front Line Coordinator 

Swish Maintenance graciously hosted the November Business After Hours and they showed the attendees how much they have flourished in Peterborough since first opening in 1956 with their range of innovative products, customer relations and community education.

Swish now employs approximately 75 Peterborough residents as a “multiple location sanitation products manufacturing and distribution company” which sends products not only across Canada, but to locations all over the world.

Their efforts in creating environmentally responsible products have not gone unnoticed, as people can see the EcoLogo, or Green Seal Certified stamp, on their products lining the shelves. In the days of earth-health uncertainty, Swish prides themselves on keeping up with the demand of a more sustainable future.

Swish Maintenance staff wowed Chamber members at this event with tours of their chemical laboratories, their stocked storefront, and their vast warehouse. Their location on Fisher Drive amazed members who had no idea this growing enterprise was so close to home. Many members shopped in the Swish Store among the rows of products from hand sanitizer, office maintenance accessories, and environmental cleaning products.

During the tours Swish chemists explained how products are created and explained the journey they make from the labs to the sales floor.

Thank you to the staff of Swish Maintenance for your time and your hospitality!

December BAH/Christmas Social

by Bob Behan (The Protectors Group), BAH Committee Chair

Its recent renovation project has transformed this venue into an entertainment showcase that looks and feels absolutely fabulous. We should all be proud of the end result achieved from the hard work and community support that transitioned this historic building.

evening of “Are you Connected to Your Chamber?....Are you Connected to Social Media?” and will feature guest speakers Stuart Harrison and Sofie Andreou, of Sofie Andreou & Associates, along with hors d’oeuvres, cash bar, networking, door prizes and more!

The party, or should I say networking opportunity was outstanding.

Chamber members in the food service industry stepped up to the plate in a big way to provide a delicious buffet of finger foods and desserts. These supporters really deserve a sincere thank you from all who attended.

Our Business After Hours events take place on the first Tuesday of every month, from 4 to 6pm, at various member business locations. Be sure to attend our next event, or send a representative from your business.

This was a beautiful and warm way to end the BAH 2011 year. We look forward to seeing you at our January BAH being held on January 10th at Showplace. This will be a special

Continuing the Practice of P. DOUGLAS GALVIN

is pleased to welcome

Oliver S. Cooper, B.A.H., L.L.B.



The Market Hall Performing Arts Centre hosted the Chamber’s December BAH and provided all members with an opportunity to celebrate the season with old and new business friends. The multi-purpose facility focuses on supporting performing arts events but in addition is well suited to host a variety of other functions.

The theatre is located right under the Town Clock Tower, the centre piece of beautiful downtown Peterborough. It is a critical economic driver of the downtown core and serves to draw both residents and visitors to enjoy the variety of unique shops, restaurants and other businesses located in the central area.

Oliver will be practising in the areas of criminal law, civil litigation and family law. Please contact Oliver at ext. 201 or e-mail oliver@mcgillenlaw.com

JJ Turner Building 140 King Street, Suite 202 Peterborough, ON K9J 7X8 Tel: 705-748-2241 Fax: 705-748-9125 Mailing address: P.O. Box 1718 Peterborough, ON K9J 7X6 1 Hour Free Parking at King Street Parkade

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Chambermatters by Cathy Martin, Event Coordinator

New Member Showcase – Now Open to all Members!

The 2011 year brought great things to our semi-annual New Member event as one of our wonderful members, the Kawartha Golf & Country Club, came on Board as our New Member Showcase Sponsor! This fantastic partnership allowed us to move our past New Member Reception events from the Chamber Boardroom, to the larger rooms at Kawartha Golf & Country Club. This increase in space has allowed the Chamber to open the event up to our entire membership, new and seasoned!

If you have never been to a New Member Showcase, you are certainly missing out on the great chance to meet and connect with your fellow `new’ Chamber members! Set up

in an informal, mini-tradeshow setting, new members have the opportunity to showcase their business to Chamber members, with each event featuring approximately 20- 25 new members. There is much opportunity for great networking, fabulous munchies courtesy of Kawartha Golf & Country Club, cash bar, and fantastic door prizes!

New Member Showcases are held twice a year, in the spring and fall. Dates for 2012 have already been set for April 19th and November 20th and there is no charge to attend. Watch for event registration reminders in your Connect enewsletter, and we look forward to seeing you at our next Showcase!

News from the CCC  by Lindsay Walker-Chiarelli, Administrative Assistant Vibrant Small Businesses are Crucial to Canada’s Economic Prosperity Small businesses are the backbone of communities across Canada, an integral part of the country’s economic and social fabric.

According to Industry Canada 98 per cent of businesses in Canada, or just over 1 million, are small (i.e. have fewer than 100 employees).

Approximately five million people work in small enterprises, or almost half of the private sector labour force.

Small Business Owners Face Unique Challenges • The Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) found that small firms, on a per employee basis, face regulatory compliance costs five times higher than their larger counterparts.

• The CFIB estimates it costs businesses $12.6 billion annually to comply with their tax obligations, the lion’s share of the burden ($11.4 billion) carried by small- and medium-sized enterprises. The smaller the business, the higher the tax compliance cost per employee.

• Small firms face constraints on their ability to raise capital. Indeed, new firms have little experience or history from which to assess their operating

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performance making information on which to base credit evaluations sparse or non-existent.

• The formation and growth of small entrepreneurial firms and technology companies may also be hindered by the lack of venture capital funding in Canada.

Helping Small Businesses Realize Their Full Potential Creating a business environment favourable to entrepreneurship, enterprise formation and small business growth requires a broad range of mutually reinforcing and supportive policies: • Minimizing regulatory and administrative burdens as part of a broader regulatory quality agenda.

• Promoting inward foreign direct investment which can serve as a vehicle for smaller businesses to access international markets indirectly by joining the supply chains of multinational enterprises.

• Lowering the barriers faced by smaller firms who wish to expand into global markets and become more export oriented.

• Making the tax system simpler, more transparent and easier to understand and follow.

• Improving the administrative management of the SR&ED program to make it easier for smaller enterprises to invest in research and development.

• Providing formal education and training to support small business owners.

• Facilitating access to capital through a wide scope of partners.

• Exploring ways to facilitate the succession planning process.

• Working to attract immigrants whose skills levels match those needed by employers of all sizes.

“These policy recommendations...would also benefit large–size businesses—directly and indirectly. After all, neither small business nor large business operates in a vacuum. Each is deeply embedded in the overall Canadian economy, with extensive connections to each other.”

The preceding excerpts are from a Policy Brief by the Canadian Chamber, prepared as part of their Economic Policy Series.

To view the complete submission, or for more information on Canadian Chamber of Commerce activities, please visit their website at www.chamber.ca.

BENEFITmatters

by Brian Bulger Coverage and Claim Payments for Separated & Divorced Individuals Throughout the year I receive a number of calls and emails from insured individuals who have recently separated from their spouses requesting their ex-partners be terminated from their benefit plan.

Conversely, I receive an almost equal number of calls from ex-spouses who are distraught because they have had their coverage terminated. Due to the increased frequency of these types of calls lately, I thought it would be appropriate to write about these issues.

Although an insured employee can request to terminate their dependents from their coverage any time they wish, I recommend to people to leave their ex-spouse’s coverage in place until they have a separation agreement in place, and I believe that if you were to call a Lawyer that specializes in Family Law they would provide this same advice. As “Family” premium rates for health and dental are the same regardless of the number of family members insured, there is no difference in the cost to keep an ex-spouse insured when children are being covered too.

If the tooth fairy won’t pay your dental bills,

WE CAN!

HELP IS HERE, WITH AFFORDABLE GROUP COVERAGE DESIGNED SPECIFICALLY FOR SMALL TO MEDIUM SIZED BUSINESSES. See why over 20,000 business owners selected this plan!

Brian Bulger

(

1.877.277.0677 www.chambers.ca

p. 705.741.1400 f. 705.741.1225 e. bbulger@thelifeinsuranceguy.com w. thelifeinsuranceguy.com

)

With the Chambers of Commerce Group Insurance Plan a separated ex-dependent can still be an eligible dependent under the Plan. Even in the case of a divorce, the ex-dependent would be recognized as an eligible dependent if the courts rule that the Certificate Holder is liable to continue coverage for the former spouse.

Looking at the Policy Contract that one of my firm clients has who is insured with RBC Insurance, I see that they define “Spouse” as a person who is living with the employee and who is legally married, or who has resided with the employee for at least 12 months in a conjugal-like relationship, or any other formal union defined and recognized by law.

I recall a couple of years ago that an employee of one of my firm clients terminated their ex-spouse from their coverage and was later ordered by the court to reinstate their exspouse’s coverage. Regardless, a court cannot order something which is contrary to the policy itself. So, if a group plan only permits coverage while the parties are married and residing together there is nothing a court can do to order otherwise. It can however provide that an individual is to maintain substitute insurance which would be obtained privately if available. That is a situation that could turn into a terrible burden for anyone, and is well worth avoiding.

Another related issue I receive calls about is from ex-spouses who are not receiving their claim reimbursements because the insurance companies are sending their cheques to their ex-partner, the insured Certificate holder, who is pocketing the money.

A solution for ex-spouses who are in this position is to make arrangements with your service providers to bill the Chambers Plan directly. In cases where the court has ruled that a Certificate Holder is liable to continue coverage for their ex-spouse, the Chambers Plan will make claim payments directly to the ex-spouse.

This article has been brought to you exclusively by your Chambers of Commerce Group Insurance Plan Agent/Broker, Brian Bulger. For more information, Brian can be reached at 705-741-1400 or bbulger@thelifeinsuranceguy.com.

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