PAGE FOUR Inside Wellington - Second Section of The Wellington Advertiser, Friday, October 16, 2009
Large township holding its own with businesses - and looking to future by David Meyer ELORA - Ask Economic Development Manager Dave Rushton how’s business in Centre Wellington, and he can supply the questioner with a lot of information. He can list businesses by their streets and by their owners. But crunching numbers is, to him, a mug’s game. For example, ask him how many small businesses there are in the township and he asks right back the definition of a small business. Is it five employees? A home business? Ten employees? Fifty? In Toronto, for example, a small business is defined as one with fewer than 2,000 employees. There used to be a way for municipal staff to at least say how many businesses were operating in the community because every business was once required to have a licence. In some places they still face that requirement, but not in Centre Wellington. Rushton can cite reasons for and against such a licence. On the positive side, it informs local government who is in or coming into the community. He said that means the municipality can smooth the path for the new owners by explaining such things as zoning, sign bylaws, and other
rules that will enable new businesses to meet regulations and reduce red tape headaches. But on the other hand, some people see it as “one more tax” and something that might discourage businesses. He said the township is in the process of starting a new business directory he hopes will provide some clear cut information about the number of businesses in town. As for how many new businesses came to town in the past year, again, it becomes a matter of definition. Is it is new business if the old proprietor sells to someone else, or is it a continuation of an old business? He cited a number of businesses that simply changed hands over the past year. Still, he said, there have probably been 10 to 15 noticeable new and expanded companies come to the community over the past year. “Probably, we’re a pretty reasonable mix of coming and going,” he said. He cited several major events over the past year, such as the sale of the Elora Mill Inn, the opening of the huge Keating building on Mill Street East in Elora (which allowed a large business in Fergus not only to stay in Centre Wellington, but also to expand),
plus a huge expansion of Dixon Lumber and growth of a number of other businesses in the north end of Fergus. “We’ve had a fair number of expansions in the past year,” Rushton said. He added two main buildings on St. Andrew Street in Fergus - Russell’s and Wellington Interiors - have closed their doors, but he is optimistic it will be only a matter of time before new retailers come in. At the same time, he noted the west end of that street has added a number of new businesses over the past year and the area is starting to look once again like a retail district. Centre Wellington is taking an active role in attracting and keeping businesses in the community and Rushton cited a number of cases where his department has helped owners find accommodations. He noted a number of new businesses have also started in Elora in the past while, offering quilts, gems and other goods. A Fergus area limousine service just increased its fleet. “We’re in a very good environment,” Rushton said, noting that recently a very large company made enquiries to four centres about locations for a huge plant: three major cities and Centre Wellington.
He predicted there will likely be another 15 to 20 new businesses entering the community in the next year. “That’s not counting home based businesses,” he added. Counting those can be difficult too. Expansion There are plans in the community for other expansions. The Elora Business Improvement Area, for example, recently enlarged - mostly on the east side of Mill Street, which has been slowly expanding its retail area for over a dozen years. But Rushton said that is more problematic in Fergus. “There’s not a lot of the downtown that isn’t in it,” he said. Shopping locally Rushton said Centre Wellington is similar to other areas in that the local government is part of the movement to shop locally. Wellington County also recently moved to promote itself and shopping locally, and its efforts included promotion for every local municipality. Rushton said Centre Wellington is working on strategies to get people to shop in their home district. But he said with thousands of people leaving the community every day for work,
that is difficult because they often shop in places they work. Federal and provincial governments can play a role in business decisions too, including whether businesses locate here or elsewhere. “We lost one big one,” he said of some recent enquiries. The company was huge, but its products are shipped outside of Ontario. When it learned those products would be taxed here, it decided to locate outside of the province. He said there was a noticeable drop-off in enquiries in the 2009 economic slowdown from 2007 and 2008, but expects that will soon reverse. Rushton said Ontario municipalities are not permitted to provide bonuses to companies locating in their municipality. That was a practice in the 18th century that required a municipal plebiscite and council approval, but it is no longer permitted. Rushton said the United States still permits such things as property tax breaks and bonuses. Tongue firmly in cheek, he said Michigan, particularly hard hit in the recession, would give away the “keys to Detroit and a thousand houses” for a big business to locate there. Centre Wellington is trying to attract new businesses and
the jobs that come with them. The township designated industrial lands in its official plan of 2003 and all it will need is proper zoning when people are ready to build. He said the township is working hard on a particular type of industry it believes it can attract because of its cultural and physical attributes. Rushton said old style industry takes up a lot of resources, and he pointed out that one company at one time used 15% of Fergus’ total sewage and water capacity. Today, the township is hoping to attract jobs to eco-business parks. Those would be knowledge based, creative and not require too much in municipal services. He said, for example, an ideal business would be one that “designs” equipment such as communication devices, with perhaps the manufacturing done elsewhere. There is a very practical reason for such proposals and those types of jobs. “They’re well paid - and the people [working at them] can afford to live here,” he said. He noted Centre Wellington is an expensive place. “We’re not a good community for people who don’t earn very much.”
Small thinking big to promote Wellington North as great spot for businesses by Mike Robinson KENILWORTH - In Wellington North the task of promoting the area is split among two people. Dale Small, Business and Economic Manager, is responsible for the development of commerce and economic development activities within the township and ensuring the sustainable growth of a diverse and stable economy. Donna Jack, Tourism, Marketing and Promotion Manager, is responsible for creating and implementing strategies and directives as well as expanding current events and attractions to promote a professional standard of tourism, promotion, and marketing activities. Now six months into the job, Small said, “clearly economic development in this municipality has a high degree of focus.” He said that is evident from the fact Wellington North has dedicated economic development people. He said he and Jack are part time and contract employees “but we’re both dedicated to economic development.” He considered that in itself is relatively unique in Wellington County. “My understanding is there is Centre Wellington, Minto, ourselves, and the City of Guelph with dedicated economic development people,” Small said. He is uncertain how the issue is dealt with in the other municipalities; whether through the CAO or other means.
“In Wellington North, it certainly has that sense of importance,” he said. Small believes there is more potential in the county to partner in various areas. “What’s good for Minto is good for Wellington North,” Small explained. He said if Minto attracts a large manufacturing plant, there is the potential to employ people in Mount Forest. “The more we can work together on economic development activities, the better everyone will be.” In the six months in the job, Small said, “What’s been interesting, in the first three months on the job, I didn’t have any phone calls - from developers or people looking whether there was any industrial land for sale. But in the last three months, I’ve had a bunch. From that standpoint, things are picking up.” In terms of building permits, he anticipates for 2009 the stats will likely be as good as 2007 and probably match those of 2008 (higher than 2007). “That’s a good sign, that those have bounced back.” He said one of the benefits of Wellington North, “is that we really have the infrastructure in place now.” He cited the Big Dig Main Street reconstruction is now over, “and the main street looks tremendous.” However, he said that extends all the way through the municipality - alluding to the reconstruction work on Highway 6 between Arthur and
Mount Forest. “It’s not done yet, but it will be done soon ... When you talk infrastructure that is a tremendously positive thing for Wellington North.” He noted the completion of the wastewater treatment plant in Mount Forest will accommodate growth in the future. Whether it is the new child care centre, the new sports complex in Mount Forest, the new library and medical clinic in Arthur, “There’s been a lot of good things going on in our infrastructure, which will sustain us well, when the development does come. “I don’t think we’re the only municipality not having tremendous growth at this point in time.” He referred to statistics generated by the Saugeen Economic Development Corporation indicating everything is down. Small said when he does get the calls, “the infrastructure can help differentiate between places.” Initially, they want to know if the municipality has land, whether it is serviced - and is it available. “Then they immediately move on to find out what is going on within the community.” Small said Wellington North has generated a community information profile which covers off most of that information - “and what are all the good things are the community has to offer.” He noted as part of Wellington North’s 10th anniversary celebrations recently, it launched a newly designed
website, expected to be live by the end of October. “Then it will be a lot easier for people to find information and find out what’s going on in the community.” Small said Wellington North has an economic development strategy to retain and attract economic opportunities. He hoped the upcoming Industry Innovators will become an annual event. Over 500 businesses have been invited from the Wellington North area, as well as 16 business and government groups. “Any business knows your most important asset is your customer,” Small said. “These businesses and industries are our customers. One of the best ways to stimulate economic development is to making sure we are taking care of our customers and breaking down any barriers they have to growth.” From an economic development perspective, “It’s easier to grow an existing business than to be out there on the street with everybody else trying to get new business in.” While he agreed it is very important to attract new business, it is important to take care of the existing businesses as well. He said the intent of the business retention and expansion survey is to discover how to better help businesses already in the community. Land development is another issue. He said Wellington North has been actively supporting the Places to Grow Plan for the province and Wellington County. That plan looks
at growth forecasts both in Wellington North and the county as a whole. “That’s essentially telling us that based on the growth forecasts within Wellington North, we have enough industrial land, we have enough residential land - zone land. We might be a little short on commercially zoned land.” However, he explained the land is zoned - not owned - by the municipality. He also noted that the amount of land is based on a 20 year forecast. “In the short term, we are in good shape, based on the Places to Grow Plan. The one challenge we have in Wellington North, is that as a municipality, we don’t own the land. “All the economic development gurus say what industry is looking for is municipallyowned and serviced industrial land.” He said when companies make a decision to build, they want to move quickly. As a result, one of the strategies is considering expanding the municipally-owned land base. Other parts of the program include downtown and rural revitalization, tourism, and health care. In downtown revitalization, Small said one can look at what has happened in downtown Mount Forest, but added Arthur has a strong committee as well. “They are a very active community, headed up by Mary Schmidt, that’s done a lot of good work in terms of streetscaping.” Small also met recently with members of OMAFRA
which has a number of programs for business expansion and retention. He said that in 2010, Wellington North will be considering OMAFRA’s downtown revitalization program as a funding opportunity. Earlier this year, Minto received considerable funding under that same program. Small said there are lots of different programs out there. “The challenge is to stay on top of them all and to tap into them.” He views health care as tremendously important from an economic development standpoint for attracting and retaining businesses. Small said, again, the challenge is not that there is not enough sufficiently zone land, but that it is not municipallyowned. While the township does not have municipal business licences, it does have them for vendor operations. In the realm of current new business negotiation, Small explained, “It is always difficult to talk about ... but the answer is, ‘Yes’.” Again, he explained that in the first three months, there were no calls, but in the past three months, there’s been a dozen enquiries. “Some are just enquiries, but some are actually quite potentially positive.” He said the discussions on the development of the Murphy lands at south end of Mount Forest are still quite active. He also noted the recent approval of the wind turbines near Arthur.
Inside Wellington - Second Section of The Wellington Advertiser, Friday, October 16, 2009 PAGE FIVE
SMALL BUSINESS - SMALL BUSINESS - SMALL BUSINESS - SMALL BUSINESS
Doing Business: The Minto way MINTO - Town Treasurer Gord Duff offered the following information to questions relating to business in Minto. What were the number of new businesses in the past year (increase or decrease over previous years)? “This information is not formally tracked. We usually know when a new business opens and often pay them a welcome visit. When a business closes, there is often not announcement. Based on anecdotal evidence, it appears that this past summer, several new businesses opened on our main streets and there are fewer vacancies.” Were there any major new businesses or industry closures over the past year. “One large factory (EbcoTech) is closing at the end of this year.” Are any new businesses/industry negotiations in the works and what are the plans or process in place to attract in business and industry? “The Town of Minto was involved in a site selector exercise about one year age. We were fortunate enough to win the award for outstanding response to Investment Attraction Inquiry from the Economic Developers Council of Ontario. We attempt to have an adequate supply of industrial land. There is sufficient commercially-zoned space in all of our communities to meet the demand for these establishments. The town’s marketable properties are listed on several websites, including one dedicated solely to industrial land enquiries.” Are there plans in the works by the municipality and/or economic committee to change zonings (ie: to increase BIA areas or the size of industrial commercial areas)? “There are no plans to increase the zoned areas as we believe they are adequate. There are frequently site-specific issues which do arise and are handled at that time.” Do municipal business licenses still exist? “There is a very limited number of businesses in Minto which are to be licensed. These include taxis and transient vendors.” Any restrictions because of federal or provincial legislation? “Minto of course is governed by the same rules and
regulations in place throughout Ontario. The most significant pieces of legislation related to industrial land relate to the installation of services. Ministry of Environment Certificates of Approval are usually required to install water and sanitary services. Depending upon the size of the development there may be federal and/or provincial environmental assessments required. Information on the website In addition to Duff’s comments, Minto’s website promotes a number of economic development aspects, from business retention and expansion to main street revitalization. The website also includes links to the community profile generated by the Saugeen Economic Development Corporation which gives indications of labour force according to industry, gender, salary ranges for specific occupations, a list of major employers. Business Bulletin Newsletter The Minto Business Bulletin is a newly created newsletter that is a result of the Business Retention and Expansion project that was undertaken in 2007. The intent is to update residents on what’s happening in the Minto business community as well as to get valuable information about organizations, funding, programs, etc. that can help businesses succeed. Corporate Call Program Minto’s Corporate Call Program is to express to each company their importance in the community, learn more about the business and to offer services ensuring that any challenges they may be experiencing are addressed. Visits include introductions of both town and company representatives, the purpose of the program and a discussion about the company, its history operations etc. If possible there are also tours of the facilities. Some of the businesses which have taken part in the corporate call program include: Bosman Home Front, Cargill AgHorizons, Harriston Motors and Wightman Telecom. Industrial Parks The Town of Minto has over 100 acres of industrial land for sale, located in the Palmerston and Harriston Industrial Parks. Highlights include: - fully serviced industrial land; - large contiguous parcels
up to 50 acres; - lot sizes starting at one acre; - good access to southwestern Ontario market; - 40 minutes north of Guelph; and - lots starting at $15,000 per acre. For more information visit the economic development site at www.mintoed.com. Economic Development Projects One of Minto’s major projects at the moment is its Main Street Revitalization Initiative. The initiative is a downtown revitalization strategy based on the Main Street Approach, developed by the National Trust for Historic Preservation in Washington, DC. It is a community-driven, comprehensive methodology used to revitalize older, traditional business districts. The approach advocates a return to community selfreliance, local empowerment and the rebuilding of traditional commercial districts based on their unique assets: distinctive architecture, a pedestrianfriendly environment, personal service, local ownership and a sense of community. The Main Street Four-Point Approach is a comprehensive strategy that is tailored to meet local needs and opportunities. Customer Origin Survey and Trade Area Analysis The customer origin survey and trade area analysis provides information about the size and composition of the local market. The customer origin survey is used to collect information to determine where downtown shoppers live. The trade area analysis identifies characteristics of potential downtown consumers. Customer Origin Surveys were conducted in Clifford, Harriston and Palmerston during the month of June. Resident Survey Results The resident survey collects information on the attitudes and opinions of community residents about the downtown. The survey can measure current shopping patterns, retail and service needs, and residents’ perceptions of the downtown. A greater understanding of residents’ opinions about the downtown as well as their hopes for the future, can help build a downtown that residents are proud of, enjoy, and support as customers. Minto residents completed the survey in February 2008.
Small business owners still concerned over economy for 2010 TORONTO - Increased debt. Downsizing. Lost business. The recession took its toll on small business owners in Ontario. Yet, despite the fact that the majority of Ontario's small business owners were negatively affected by the recession, 55% are excited or optimistic about 2010, saying they believe it will be a good year for their business. These are the findings of the second annual TD Canada Trust Small Business Survey that was conducted to understand the impact of the recession on small businesses. "Small business owners in Ontario told us that the recession was their biggest challenge in 2009 and 34% anticipate it will continue to be the top challenge in 2010," said Christine Morris, vice president of sales and service, business banking at TD Canada Trust. "Despite the challenges, Ontario's small business owners managed well through a tough economy, with 57% saying their business performance was either on, or ahead, of projections." Thirty-two per cent lost some business, 21% are in more debt than they were 12 months ago (versus 18% nationally), 7% were forced to downsize their operations or staffing, and 6% say they came close to bankruptcy or closing. Interestingly, 11% grew their business despite the recession,
and 2% grew their business because of the recession. The impact of the recession is evident in how small business owners rate their businesses. In 2009, only 19% of owners gave their business an A or A-plus, down from 25% in 2008 and 44% gave their business a B, down from 50% in 2008. However, the majority of small business owners say they managed well relative to the competition, with 65% saying they fared as well as their main competitors and 28% saying they fared better. The impact of the recession is still anticipated to be a big issue Ontario's small business owners will face in 2010, with 34% naming it as the top challenge for next year, followed by managing cash flow (21%) and managing growth (15%). "Whether it is finding solutions for better cash flow management or dealing with increased debt, there are many resources available for small businesses. Small Business Week, Oct. 18 to 24, is the perfect opportunity to learn more about business financing, business plans, and how to start, grow and sustain a small business. Nine percent of owners are excited about 2010 saying it might be their best year yet. The largest group, at 48%, is optimistic, believing 2010 will be a good year. Twenty-seven per cent indicated they anticipate their business to be flat.
Fifteen per cent are concerned, believing 2010 will be another tough year and two per cent say they are panicked, not confident that their business can survive another year. When they were asked what one thing about their business they think about more than anything else, 31% said it is the impact of the recession, followed by managing cash flow (meeting payroll, paying suppliers) at 28%. Those were followed by hiring and retaining talent (8%) and access to credit (5%). In the 2008 survey, small business owners anticipated their biggest business challenges in the coming year would be cash flow (23%) followed by managing growth (20%). In reality, their biggest challenges in 2009 were the impact of the recession (32%) followed by cash flow (25%) and managing growth (11%). Reducing operating costs was the most cited change (40%) that small business owners made in 2009. That was followed by streamlining processes (16%) and faster delivery of product and services (9%). Interestingly, 35% of small business owners made no changes to their company in the past year. Small Business Week is a nation-wide celebration of entrepreneurship, organized by the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) to pay tribute to Canadian business.
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PAGE SIX Inside Wellington - Second Section of The Wellington Advertiser, Friday, October 16, 2009
SMALL BUSINESS - SMALL BUSINESS - SMALL BUSINESS - SMALL BUSINESS Women of Wellington-Saugeen In September a group of eight females from Minto and Wellington North came together believing that there was a place for a business network that supported women who run their own businesses or work in existing businesses. As a result, the “Women of Wellington-Saugeen Area” was created. The goal of the Women of Wellington-Saugeen Area is to support and encourage women in business through education, encouragement, ideas and networking. Nine events and seminars are planned to take place each year and will rotate between the communities located in Minto and Wellington North. The Launch Networking Event will take place Oct. 23 from 8 to 9:30am at the St. Mary’s Family Centre (310 Parkside Dr., Mount Forest) and will feature guest speaker Michael Fletcher of Neworld Business Coaching. Fletcher will be providing attendees with information on how to network effectively and increase profitability with ease. Tickets for the event are $12 for Chamber of Commerce Members and $15 for non members and can be purchased by calling 519-323-4480.
Wellington North business expansion and retention survey now underway K E N I LW O RT H - T h e economic well-being of any community is based upon its existing businesses. In recognition of this, the Township of Wellington North, with the support from the Arthur and Mount Forest Chambers of Commerce, as well as OMAFRA, is launching an economic development project to identify and meet the needs of local businesses. The Wellington North Business Retention and
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- learn of the future plans of the area’s local businesses with respect to expansion, relocation and/or retention and assess where assistance can be provided; - demonstrate the community’s pro-business attitude and develop an effective means of communication with local businesses; and - have the community actively involved in economic development. A survey was included
along with invitations to the upcoming networking reception to all Wellington North businesses. Officials hope the reception during Small Business Week will help ensure a successful launch to the project. Responses will be kept confidential and businesses will not be identified. A summary of the survey results and recommendations will be provided to all the participants at the end of the project.
Small Business Week: Industry Innovators reception an opportunity for business owners
October 18-24 is
National Small Business Week
Expansion project is a community-wide effort that emphasizes personal business visits and/or surveys as a way to identify the needs of existing businesses. Specifically, the objectives of the project are to: - identify the needs, concerns and opportunities of existing local businesses in order that, where appropriate, local action can be taken to respond to the businesses’ needs or opportunities;
KENILWORTH - Well ington North has announced that in celebration of Small Business Week, and Industry Innovator’s reception will take place on Oct. 22 from 6 to 9pm at the Mount Forest sports complex. Hosted by the township, the reception is open to all who are doing business in the Wellington North area and provides an opportunity to connect with new contacts.
The reception will feature displays and representatives from organizations with services to assist businesses. “With Donna Jack and myself new additions to the economic development department, we were looking for an opportunity to introduce ourselves to the business community and the Industry Innovator’s reception provides us just that,” said Dale Small, business and economic manag-
er for Wellington North. Jack, the tourism, marketing and promotion manager, added, “The event also provides an excellent opportunity for the township to communicate coming and on-going initiatives to the business community, en masse. “We also hope to receive feedback and recommendations from the stakeholders in our economic development endeavours. We are always look-
ing for opportunities to partner and co-ordinate or expand our efforts.” There is no charge for the reception, but reservations are required in advance. For more information contact either Small or Jack at the township office at 519-8483620 or email ecdev@wellington-north.com. To reserve, contact Michelle at 519-848-3620 extension 24.
Youths hard hit by job shortages in past year OTTAWA (CP) - Canada’s youth jobless rate has soared under the economic pressures of the past year and even the lucrative summer months were a bust, with young peoples’ hours of work hitting 30-year
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lows, according to a report released on Oct. 6. Canada’s Vital Signs 2009, the annual report card on quality of life from Community Foundations of Canada, said youth unemployment rose from 10.7% in January 2008 to 16.3% by this summer. As of August, employment among youths was falling faster than in any other age group,
the report said. Among students looking for summer jobs, 19.2% were unemployed this summer and for those who found work, the average number of work hours, 23.4 per week, was the lowest in more than 30 years. “The report shows us how the impact of the recession has been immediate and severe for vulnerable groups, such as
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youths,” said Monica Patten, president and Chief Executive Officer of Community Foundations of Canada. “It also shines a light on inequities that pre-date the recession, such as the disturbing high school completion rates among the aboriginal population.” The report said Aboriginal students are attending and completing high school at much lower rates than others. The Aboriginal high school completion rate was 56.3% in 2006, compared to a rate of 76.9% for other groups.
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Inside Wellington - Second Section of The Wellington Advertiser, Friday, October 16, 2009 PAGE SEVEN
SMALL BUSINESS - SMALL BUSINESS - SMALL BUSINESS - SMALL BUSINESS
Employers must ensure good mental health in stress-free workplace TORONTO - The recent economic downturn highlighted an important issue facing workplaces today - mental health. Many workers have experienced stress and anxiety due to the recent recession. Whether it was corporate downsizing or company shutdowns, the stress and uncertainty has taken its toll on workers and companies. For some, work-related stress is considered a "normal" part of the work environment and can easily be dealt with. However, for others these stressors can cause great emotional and physical distress to the point where they are not able to properly function on a daily basis. World Mental Health Day was on Oct. 10, and employers and employees can take that opportunity to become more aware and educated about mental health issues affecting their workplaces. Those issues must be addressed as poor mental health affects the safety, health, and well-being of not just the individual but organizations as well.
Recent statistics from the Canadian Institute of Health Research show mental illness affects one in five Canadians, most commonly presenting itself in the form of depression, anxiety, and substance abuse. The effect has had a staggering impact on the workplace as everyday, 500,000 Canadian workers are absent from work due to mental health problems according to an article in Insurance Journal 2003, published by the government of Canada in The Human Face of Mental Health and Mental Illness in Canada. Furthermore, mental illness costs the Canadian economy $51 billion each year, according to Dr. Carolyn Dewa, of the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health. During challenging economic times, employers need to reassure their employees that they are looking after their best interests and well-being. In order to become a healthy workplace, organizations need to collaborate with their employees to ensure that their physical and psychological
needs are being met. Here are some tips on how to address mental health issues in the workplace: - Recognize that mental health issues do exist in the workplace. One aspect that must be considered is the role workplaces play in creating mental health issues. For example, suddenly increasing an employee's workload may increase that person's stress levels, which could have devastating effects. By understanding psychological hazards and determining which workplace practices contribute to mental harm, companies can initiate policies, procedures, and programs that will create a safe environment where people can comfortably and safely work. - Equip workplaces with the right tools to recognize and address mental health in the workplace. Despite the fact that poor mental health affects employee productivity, creativity, and initiative, many organizations don't have the resources to deal with health issues such as depression and
Centre Wellington Chamber hosts second trade show Oct. 21 This is a an opportunity for home-based businesses and those with a storefront presence to get the word out to a broader public – and potential customers. To enhance that opportunity admission is
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Assisting New Businesses to Start and Grow in Guelph and Wellington County Developing Strategies for Small Businesses in Tough Economic Times Evaluating your next strategies. A 2-hour session for 1-3 person operations. Tuesday, November 10, 2009 5:30 - 7:30 pm Start to Success - Get your business off to a running start! This 6 week training program will help you focus on your target market, develop a successful plan and look at the viability of the business. Call today for next session date! Stepping Into Business A full day workshop on the steps to starting your own business. Next session is Monday, November 23, 2009. For more information call today! Guelph-Wellington Business Enterprise Centre 401-42 Wyndham Street North Guelph, ON N1H 4E6 519-826-4701 1-866-744-8344 success@guelphbusiness.com www.guelphbusiness.com
Casually Yours is moving in
INVENTORY REDUCTION SALE
CENTRE WELLINGTON TWP. - The Chamber of Commerce here invites the business owners and residents of the community and beyond to attend the second annual Table Top Trade Show. It will run on Oct. 21 at the Elora Legion. Last year’s event was a sell out, so this year the organizers have opened a new area to allow for more tables. They still have a few tables left. Exhibitors this year cover a wide range of businesses, including computers, photographers, a sign maker, banking, home maintenance and repair and a home based business that sells tools especially designed for women.
er's physical health and safety needs are being met, attention should also be directed towards their psychological needs. When employers hire individuals, they are hiring the individual as a whole and not just their ability to do a job. Ensuring the mental health of the workforce shows employ-
anxiety. Providing staff with information, resources, and training about mental health will give them greater awareness and understanding about the issue. - People are an organization's most important assets. While organizations spend money on ensuring their work-
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Congratulations to all the Small Businesses that strengthen our communities
SUSSMAN’S 143 George St.( Hwy. 6) ARTHUR
Ladieswear 519-848-3919 Menswear- 519-848-2660