dec bizvtr 2014

12
On Cyber Monday I was reminded of a Canada Post television ad promoting online mail order shopping and how “soon it will be the way many of us shop for just about everything”. If you browse through business arti- cles or flip through the news channels, many forms of media are talking about traditional retail being in a crisis as if we will soon see an ‘end’ to con- ventional brick and mortar shopping. It’s true, Statistics Canada reported that more than $136 billion worth of goods and services were sold over the Internet in 2013 by Canadian busi- nesses, up from $122 billion the year before. Approximately 61% of the sales came from the wholesale trade, manufacturing and retail industries. And while the stats for 2014 were not yet available at the time of this article, 2013 was the largest Canadian Cyber Monday yet. However, many consumers consider shopping an enjoyable pastime. It is an experience that activates the senses and the desire to be social. Drive by any shopping mall over the next few weeks and I think you will agree that many customers still make the choice to travel to their local retail businesses. “Online shopping is happening–but it doesn’t mean the brick and mortar will disappear,” says Marty Williams, Executive Director for the Downtown Guelph Business Association. “Fundamentally people are social. It goes against our human nature to iso- late ourselves.We want to go out to shop, we want something to do, some- where to go–for a coffee, to drop into the stores, get a haircut, or pop into the library and pick up a book.” “The ability to purchase groceries online has been an option for close to 15 years, however the percent of gro- ceries purchased online is actually small, people still continue to grocery shop. Often you may not know what you want until you go out–you want to choose by the smell, the feel and the look of the products.” The most popular products pur- chased online by Canadians as posted on canadiansinternet.com are music (61%), software (57%) and PC’s (47%), with event tickets and video games both at 41% and books at 35%. “Those products that are strictly driven by price, when you know exact- ly what you want and what brand, if those products can be delivered to your home for less than going out and picking them up–those are the prod- ucts that may be replaced by online shopping,” adds Williams. “However personally, if I am buying a new phone I want someone to tell me about the features of the phone and show me how it works. I don’t want to read about it.” A recent Holiday Retail Outlook Report by Deloitte actually shows that nearly 80% of shoppers across Canada are concerned about privacy breaches and almost 50% of shoppers have changed their online shopping habits as a result. “I feel the death of brick and mortar businesses is greatly exaggerated. We can all eat at home as well, but we don’t. There is a real human need to be out and to be social. And that includes shopping,”says Williams. “Brick and mortar shops in our area have unique offerings and great serv- ice that make you want to visit them. It is comparable to how salons are flourishing because you build a rela- tionship with your hair stylist and you want to return because they know you and know your tastes.” With the continued escalated use of technology in all forms also comes the consumer who reads their books on a Kindle or a smart phone, which raises the question as to the need of our public libraries. Like the act of shop- ping, libraries are a destination–a place to go and browse or to get help on various topics. A visit to the Annual Giant Book Sale organized by The Friends of the Guelph Public Library will squash any doubt as to whether people still read books. The three-day sale, which ran in October, opened Friday evening with 78,000 books and items. With more than 7,000 enthusiastic shoppers, volunteers sold nearly 80% of the inventory and grossed almost $100,000–an impressive amount when many books were priced at one and two dollars. “The demise of the library is The choice is yours by Heather Grummett 1 lyon avenue, guelph 519.766.0001 [email protected] www.premiumhrsolutions.com 519-824-2428 Staffing & Recruitment Services Speedvale Ave. W., Gordon St., www.rlproyalcity.com ., ve. W Speedvale A GUELPH don St., Gor GUELPH Stone Road Mall, GUELPH Alma St., ROCKWOOD .com oyalcity y. .rlpr www m ventureguelph.ca 116-355 Elmira Rd., N., Guelph www.macleanfinancial.com email: [email protected] 519-837-3880 MacLean & MacLean Financial Group Inc. • Retirement Planning • Segregated Funds • Alternative Investments • Mortgages • Life Insurance Products Guarantee your retirement income even in a down market. BOOK NOW TO REVIEW YOUR INVESTMENTS PORTFOLIO WITH US Call Jorden MacLean, BSC, EPC Real Wealth Mortgage Brokerage Lic No 10318 13 Paisley St., Guelph N1H 2N5 www.holliswealth.com 519-823-2790 Mutual Funds • Retirement Counselling • Tax Investment Planning • Life & Disability Insurance* FREE CONSULTING Glen L. Barckert CFP CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER HollisWealth Advisory Services Inc. ® ® *Insurance products provided by HollisWealth are provided through HollisWealth Insurance Agency Ltd. Venture Guelph Publications Ltd. 2 Quebec St., Unit 232 Park Mall, Guelph 519-824-1595 Independently owned and operated. Truly local. Mike Baker, Publisher 2014 • Visit us online at ventureguelph.ca Local business news, features & information December issue MakingMoney ForYou.com JOHN MORAN TEL 519.766.0001 TOLL FREE 1.877.ONE.LYON FAX 519.766.1521 [email protected] Team members from RLB LLP are wrapping gifts for the Children’s Foundation Adopt a Family program. RLB LLP, which recently was recognized as one of the top best 50 employers in Canada, uses charitable giving events like this to engage their employees and show their commitment to active community involvement. See page 8. (Photo supplied) (Activity & Events Guide WINTER ISSUE insert) nowhere in the foreseeable future sim- ply because it is too important to the community and has way too much to offer,”says Steven Kraft, CEO of the Guelph Public Library. “Libraries con- nect communities, they support life- long learning, and they promote eco- nomic well-being. Libraries help people learn new skills, assist job-seekers, pro- vide resources for growing small busi- nesses, and they help people make the most of their income.” The public library is actually the most used recreational facility in the City of Guelph, loaning 2,144,004 items (books, DVDs, magazines, e-books, etc) in 2013. On average, 1,500 people go through the doors of the Main Library every day. Throughout the year a total of 39,269 people attended the 1,675 offered programs. “Guelph needs a new Main Library because the current building doesn’t meet the needs of the expanding and diverse population,” adds Kraft.“ We need a facility that will provide a wide range of services from grandparents to grandkids, plus a facility that can accommodate a proper archives section to preserve the City’s history. The current facility is 50 years old and is no longer cost-effective – cont’d on page 3

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On Cyber Monday I was reminded ofa Canada Post television ad promotingonline mail order shopping and how“soon it will be the way many of usshop for just about everything”.If you browse through business arti-

cles or flip through the news channels,many forms of media are talkingabout traditional retail being in a crisisas if we will soon see an ‘end’ to con-ventional brick and mortar shopping.It’s true, Statistics Canada reported

that more than $136 billion worth ofgoods and services were sold over theInternet in 2013 by Canadian busi-nesses, up from $122 billion the yearbefore. Approximately 61% of thesales came from the wholesale trade,manufacturing and retail industries.And while the stats for 2014 were notyet available at the time of this article,2013 was the largest Canadian CyberMonday yet.However, many consumers consider

shopping an enjoyable pastime. It is anexperience that activates the sensesand the desire to be social. Drive byany shopping mall over the next fewweeks and I think you will agree thatmany customers still make the choiceto travel to their local retail businesses.“Online shopping is happening–but

it doesn’t mean the brick and mortarwill disappear,” says MartyWilliams,Executive Director for the DowntownGuelph Business Association.“Fundamentally people are social. Itgoes against our human nature to iso-late ourselves.We want to go out toshop, we want something to do, some-where to go–for a coffee, to drop intothe stores, get a haircut, or pop intothe library and pick up a book.”“The ability to purchase groceries

online has been an option for close to15 years, however the percent of gro-ceries purchased online is actuallysmall, people still continue to groceryshop. Often you may not know whatyou want until you go out–you wantto choose by the smell, the feel and the

look of the products.”The most popular products pur-

chased online by Canadians as postedon canadiansinternet.com are music(61%), software (57%) and PC’s(47%), with event tickets and videogames both at 41% and books at 35%.“Those products that are strictly

driven by price, when you know exact-ly what you want and what brand, ifthose products can be delivered toyour home for less than going out andpicking them up–those are the prod-ucts that may be replaced by onlineshopping,” addsWilliams. “Howeverpersonally, if I am buying a new phoneI want someone to tell me about thefeatures of the phone and show mehow it works. I don’t want to readabout it.”A recentHoliday Retail Outlook

Report by Deloitte actually shows thatnearly 80% of shoppers across Canadaare concerned about privacy breachesand almost 50% of shoppers havechanged their online shopping habitsas a result.“I feel the death of brick and mortar

businesses is greatly exaggerated.Wecan all eat at home as well, but wedon’t. There is a real human need tobe out and to be social. And that

includes shopping,” saysWilliams.“Brick and mortar shops in our areahave unique offerings and great serv-ice that make you want to visit them.It is comparable to how salons areflourishing because you build a rela-tionship with your hair stylist and youwant to return because they know youand know your tastes.”With the continued escalated use of

technology in all forms also comes theconsumer who reads their books on aKindle or a smart phone, which raisesthe question as to the need of ourpublic libraries. Like the act of shop-ping, libraries are a destination–aplace to go and browse or to get helpon various topics.A visit to the Annual Giant Book

Sale organized by The Friends of theGuelph Public Library will squash anydoubt as to whether people still readbooks. The three-day sale, which ranin October, opened Friday eveningwith 78,000 books and items.With more than 7,000 enthusiastic

shoppers, volunteers sold nearly 80%of the inventory and grossed almost$100,000–an impressive amount whenmany books were priced at one andtwo dollars.“The demise of the library is

The choice isyours by Heather Grummett

1 lyon avenue, guelph

519.766.0001 [email protected]

www.premiumhrsolutions.com

519-824-2428Staffing & Recruitment Services

Speedvale Ave. W., GUELPHGordon St., GUELPH

Stone Road Mall, GUELPHAlma St., ROCKWOOD

www.rlproyalcity.com

.,ve. WSpeedvale A GUELPHdon St.,Gor GUELPH

Stone Road Mall, GUELPHAlma St., ROCKWOOD

.comoyalcityy..rlprwww m

ventureguelph.ca 116-355 Elmira Rd., N., Guelph www.macleanfinancial.com email: [email protected] 519-837-3880

MacLean&MacLean Financial Group Inc.• Retirement Planning • Segregated Funds • Alternative Investments

•Mortgages • Life Insurance Products

Guarantee your retirement incomeeven in a down market.

BOOK NOW TO REVIEW YOUR INVESTMENTS PORTFOLIOWITH US

Call JordenMacLean, BSC, EPC Real Wealth Mortgage Brokerage Lic No 10318

13 Paisley St., Guelph N1H 2N5www.holliswealth.com 519-823-2790

• Mutual Funds• Retirement Counselling• Tax Investment Planning• Life & Disability Insurance*

FREE CONSULTINGGlen L. Barckert CFP

CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER

HollisWealth Advisory Services Inc.

®

®

*Insurance products provided by HollisWealth areprovided through HollisWealth Insurance Agency Ltd.

Venture Guelph Publications Ltd.

2 Quebec St., Unit 232 Park Mall, Guelph

519-824-1595Independently owned and operated.

Truly local.

Mike Baker, Publisher

2014 • Visit us online at ventureguelph.ca

Local business news, features & information

December issue

MakingMoneyForYou.com

JOHN MORAN

TEL 519.766.0001TOLL FREE 1.877.ONE.LYON

FAX [email protected]

Team members from RLB LLP are wrapping gifts for the Children’s Foundation Adopt a Family program. RLBLLP, which recently was recognized as one of the top best 50 employers in Canada, uses charitable giving events likethis to engage their employees and show their commitment to active community involvement. See page 8. (Photo supplied)

(Activity & Events GuideWINTER ISSUE insert)

nowhere in the foreseeable future sim-ply because it is too important to thecommunity and has way too much tooffer,” says Steven Kraft, CEO of theGuelph Public Library. “Libraries con-nect communities, they support life-long learning, and they promote eco-nomic well-being. Libraries help peoplelearn new skills, assist job-seekers, pro-vide resources for growing small busi-nesses, and they help people make themost of their income.”The public library is actually the most

used recreational facility in the City ofGuelph, loaning 2,144,004 items(books, DVDs, magazines, e-books, etc)in 2013. On average, 1,500 people gothrough the doors of the Main Libraryevery day. Throughout the year a totalof 39,269 people attended the 1,675offered programs.“Guelph needs a newMain Library

because the current building doesn’tmeet the needs of the expanding anddiverse population,” adds Kraft. “Weneed a facility that will provide a widerange of services from grandparents tograndkids, plus a facility that canaccommodate a proper archives sectionto preserve the City’s history. Thecurrent facility is 50 years old and is nolonger cost-effective – cont’d on page 3

December 2014 page 2 VENTURE GUELPH PUBLICATIONS LTD. Business Venture ventureguelph.ca

MakingMoneyForYou.com

TEL 519.766.0001TOLL FREE 1.877.ONE.LYON

FAX [email protected]

John Moran 519.766.0001 [email protected]

Happy HolidaysTo our

Friends and Associates

December 2014 page 3 VENTURE GUELPH PUBLICATIONS LTD. Business Venture ventureguelph.ca

Guelph Hydro Inc. has amalgamatedwith Guelph Municipal Holdings Inc.Guelph Hydro Inc. was recently amalga-mated with Guelph Municipal HoldingsInc. Owned by the City of Guelph, GuelphMunicipal Holdings Inc. is an agile andcreative corporation that manages selectedCity of Guelph assets. As a result of theamalgamation, the company's portfolionow consists of Guelph Hydro ElectricSystems Inc. and Envida CommunityEnergy Inc., which were formerly held byGuelph Hydro Inc.Barry Chuddy has been named as the

Chief Executive Officer of GuelphMunicipal Holdings Inc. and will serve asPresident of Guelph Hydro ElectricSystems Inc. Pankaj Sardana has beenappointed as Chief Financial Officer ofGuelph Municipal Holdings Inc. and its

subsidiaries. Ron Collins will serve as VicePresident, Business Development andPartnerships.Guelph Municipal Holdings Inc. is

actively seeking out partnerships, invest-ments and acquisitions that will addvalue, improve service, and support effec-tive and forward-thinking city building.While the focus to date has been on ener-gy-related corporations supporting theGuelph Community Energy Initiative,Guelph Municipal Holdings Inc. is cur-rently investigating rail services, landdevelopment and other strategic interests.Please visit www.guelphholdings.com

for further information about GuelphMunicipal Holdings Inc. Questions maybe directed to [email protected]

Community Energy Partnership qualifies to submitproposals for Renewable Energy Biomass ProjectsGuelph Municipal Holdings Inc. recentlyannounced that GIME Energy, a teammade upof Envida Community Energy Inc., a subsidiaryof GuelphMunicipal Holdings Inc., and a num-ber of equity partners including EllisDonCorporation and Index Energy CanadaCorporation has been qualified by the OntarioPower Authority to submit proposals for renew-able energy biomass projects that would feedelectricity into the provincial grid under anyfuture Large Renewable Procurement (LRP)Requests for Proposals that may be issued by theOntario Power Authority.Biomass energy projects use recently harvested

organic matter such as wood chips, wood pelletsor agricultural waste as a fuel for generating ener-gy. In a biomass plant, organic matter is burnedto create heat, which can be used in industrialprocesses, to power a district energy systemand/or to generate electricity.The Ontario Power Authority Large Renewable

Procurement (LRP) is a competitive process forprocuring large renewable energy projects.Qualified applicants were evaluated based ontheir ability to meet a set of mandatory require-ments focused on past development experienceand financial capability.“The partners in the GIME Energy team bring

to the table a wealth of experience in developing,constructing and operating combined heat andpower and biomass projects that is second tonone,” said Ron Collins,Vice President ofBusiness Development, GuelphMunicipalHoldings Inc.“This puts us in an ideal positionto submit strong proposals for renewable energyprojects that will further the goals of Guelph’sCommunity Energy Initiative and benefit theentire community.”The Ontario Power Authority is not currently

evaluating or qualifying specific large renewableprojects. This occurs at the Request for Proposals(RFP) stage, wherein only qualified applicantsmay submit project-specific proposals containingfull details about the projects including location,size, and connection point. An important part ofa project proposal will be meaningful communi-ty engagement.

to maintain. It struggles tomaintain current stan-dards of accessibility; there is a lack of communityspace tomeet and study, as well as a noticeable lackof parking for a verymobile and active public.”The proposed cost of a newMain Library is a

multi-million dollar project. Once the City ofGuelph has committed to moving the BakerDistrict development forward as a capital project,the Guelph Public Library will be better situatedto plan and raise enough funds to see it throughto its completion. However, at this time theLibrary has committed to raising $10 milliontowards the final cost.“A new library would be an excellent catalyst for

development and commercial activity. Citiesacross North America have discovered thatlibraries are a way to create vibrant and resilientpublic spaces; it’s an excellent way to define andenhance the City of Guelph.”Our daily routines keep us busy.Make the time

to embrace the experience of visiting yourfavourite shops, be they in a mall, plaza or in thedowntown. Include a trip to our public library orany other local destination as well. You’ll soon bereminded that the journey is rewarding and theinteraction with friends and the people you meetalong the way is enjoyable.Source: http://www2.deloitte.com

COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE

www.naiparkcapital.com

NAI Park CapitalBrokerage76 Dawson Rd.P.O. Box 923Guelph, ONN1H 6M6

Season’s Greetings andBest Wishes for a happy,healthy 2015!

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Happy Holidaysto our Clientsand Friends!

337 Elmira Rd., Guelph, N1K 1H3

choice –continued from page 1

Many of us left high school with no idea what wewanted to do when we grew up and consequentlyfollowed windy, and often rough, pathways to ourcurrent career destinations. Imagine a worldwhere students from Kindergarten to grade 12have access to various programs that provide con-siderable opportunities to reflect on who they areas people with gifts and preferences, explore theopportunities available, and put together a planfor achieving their career goals? As an employer,consider the impact that this kind of specific,focused vision will have on your organizationwhen you are recruiting employees. Students inthis generation aremotivated to succeed orwork inan area that they have clearly planned early in theiryoung lives.As parents, consider the impact of thiskind of self-awareness when launching your son ordaughter into theworld of post-secondary educa-tion and other training programs; confidence inyour child’s career choice and pathway is increasingand alleviatesmuch of the concern for discernmentoncemore common among young people.Preparing our students for post-secondary path-

way options is a priority forWellington CatholicDistrict School Board. In response to theMinistryof Education Creating Pathways to Success Policy (CPS),we are enhancing opportunities for students todevelopmore effective career and life planning.Students will leave high school better prepared toanswer key questions that guide successful transi-tions for individuals to post-secondary destina-tions.All secondary students have the option of a co-

operative education course where they canexpand and refine knowledge learned in a coursedelivered in a classroom setting and at the sametime“test drive” a career. Success is when a stu-dent learns the co-op experience confirms acareer pathway, opens up new options throughexposure to the workplace or when a student

learns the specific pathway is not at all a goodmatch for their future. Some of these students willhave skilled trade co-op placements that lead toan apprenticeship as part of the Ontario YouthApprenticeship Program.Wellington Catholicoffers Specialist High Skills Programs where stu-dents can focus their learning to prepare for careerpathways in one of eight sectors: Business,Construction, Environment,Health &Wellness (afood and fitness focus), Information&Communication Technology (graphics or engi-neering focus)Manufacturing,Non Profit, orTransportation. Students in both elementary andsecondary schools participate in Skills Canadacompetitions.Dual Credit programs offer studentsa chance to take a college course that counts bothat the college and as an elective toward their highschool diploma.During Catholic EducationWeek,we encourage students to explore a career duringTry on a Career Day. But we cannot do this alone.Wellington Catholic welcomes business partners

to help students: develop essential skills needed inthe workplace; become aware of the myriad ofcareer opportunities and choice available; andidentify pathways where there will be greatestdemand for workers as they leave high-school.You can help by finding meaningful opportunitiesfor co-operative education placements or short-term experiential learning within your organiza-tion, volunteering to sit on a Specialist High SkillsMajor or other program advisory team, offeringtours of your organization, agree to be guestspeaker in a classroom, participating in Try on aCareer Day, sponsoring school or board basedactivity, or finding other creative ways your organ-izationmay want to be involved. Please considerpartnering with us in our goal of effectivelypreparing students for successful pathway plan-ning. Please contact Ruthanne Finnigan [email protected], 519-836-0132 x3.

Business partners needed to help students better prepare for post-secondary destinations Submitted by Wellington Catholic District School Board

December 2014 page 4 VENTURE GUELPH PUBLICATIONS LTD. Business Venture ventureguelph.ca

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Whether we like it or not, certain times of yearpresent more challenges and stress than others.Perhaps our goal should not be to live withoutstress but rather to balance our stress levels andresponses. “Holiday Stress”…here we go again.Our best defense at this time of year is prepara-tion. This includes understanding what influ-ences stress levels during the holidays and identi-fying ways to cope.Do you know what your triggers are? Holiday

celebrations mean pressure for most of us. Nomatter how hard we try to enjoy the season, withso much to do and not enough time, some of uscan get caught up in the chaos of the holidays.There are ways to have a simpler holiday, withfewer hassles: avoid unrealistic expectations,minimize extra demands, prioritize responsibili-ties, and beware of taking on financial demandsthat will cause more stress later.Have a financial plan. Develop a budget, know

your spending limit and stick to it! Compareprices and pare down your shopping list. “NoShopping Required” gift ideas include tickets,photographs, gift certificates, catalogue or on-line shopping, babysitting, food and beverages, orgift baskets or flowers.Signs that you are “stressed” include irritability,

poor sleep, weight gain orloss, feeling tense withincreased muscle aches andpains, or feeling over-whelmed. Develop a realisticperspective with realisticexpectations of the holidays.Remember that the holiday season is only a shorttime of the year. Decide what’s most meaningfuland don’t push yourself to exhaustion.Do you have realistic expectations? There arecoping mechanisms you can try. Delegate someof your responsibilities. Do not give in to allrequests and learn to say “no”with confidence.Try NOT to do it all. Keeping stress in balancemight include breathing exercises, meditation,yoga, or Tai Chi, to name a few.Be Flexible. Email Christmas cards. Don’t travelout of guilt. Choose traditions that are meaning-ful and worth keeping. Remember to always eatwell, exercise, drink plenty of water and get lotsof rest, but most of all have a Happy HolidaySeason!

Anna Bartolomucci RN/OHN Workplace Wellness/InfluenzaProgram Coordinator at WellServe Health Care Management,a division of Wellpoint Health Ltd. 519-837-3896 ext. 17

Beat holiday stress! by Anna Bartolomucci

Staff from Linamar promoted women inskilled trades at a presentation to femalestudents at Our Lady of Lourdes CatholicHigh School. Linamar provides opportu-nity for graduating female students tobegin an apprenticeship. L - r are: TedImre, OLOL Guidance; LisaWiner,Linamar; Coleen Driscoll, OLOLGuidance; Michelle Morris, Linamar;Mickey Franklin, OLOL student; AmyJackson, Linamar. Back: Shaun Scott,Linamar; Ron Aimola, OYAP Co-ordinator.

December 2014 page 5 VENTURE GUELPH PUBLICATIONS LTD. Business Venture ventureguelph.ca

116-355 Elmira Rd., N., Guelph www.macleanfinancial.com email: [email protected] 519-837-3880

MacLean &MacLean Financial Group Inc.

Seasons Greetings & Best WishesGuarantee your retirement income even in a down market ...

with our “Class Plus”.Book now to review your investment portfolio with us.

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As the year comes to a close it is often a time to look back andreflect–instead let’s look forward to 2015 and all the exciting changesand events up coming in Guelph.We start the year off with a newMayor and council.Nomatter

whom you voted for, I think you can agree that fresh faces will give anew light to some of the old projects and issues,while perhaps alsocreating some exciting new plans for Guelph.The edge of the downtown core has various construction projects

close to being completed. The new retail development at the corner ofWellington Road andGordon Street will be opening any day nowwithtenants including Starbucks andGoodnessMe, plus the downtownLCBO location and the RunningWorks are alsomoving there.Aftermonths of construction it will be exciting to see the finished productand the new retail will be a great addition to that corner.The new head office for the CanadianMental HealthAssociation

WaterlooWellingtonDufferin onWaterlooAvenue is due to open earlyin 2015, offering various community programs and services.As the birthplace of Lieutenant-Colonel JohnMcCrae,Guelph will

celebrate the 100th anniversary of the writing of In Flanders Fields.

McCraeHouse is currently undergoing renovations andwill reopen inMay as celebrations begin for the local artillery officer, physician andpoet.Amajor exhibit at theWellington CountyMuseum andArchives

continues until the end of March, recognizing the 100th anniversary ofthe FirstWorldWar, 1914-1918. This exhibit pays tribute to themen,women and families who suffered loss in battle and on the home front.The Foundation of GuelphGeneral Hospital and the Rotary Clubs of

Guelph South andGuelph Trillium are gearing up for their SecondAnnual Tour de Guelph bike event fundraiser, plus we can always look

forward to a variety of other annual fundraisers includingHike forHospice and Taste of Guelph.Combine all that with the various annual events such as Hillside, the

Multicultural Festival, the Italian Festival, Ribfest, and the Guelph JazzFestival andwe have a great year ahead.Thankyou toour readers,contributors andadvertisers for supportingthe continued success ofVentureGuelphPublicationsLtd.Our staff wishyouall a veryMerryChristmasandprosperousNewYear.

Mike BakerPublisher, Venture Guelph Publications Ltd.

December 2014 page 6 VENTURE GUELPH PUBLICATIONS LTD. Business Venture ventureguelph.ca

As 2014 winds down the inevitable task of filing onesannual tax return looms in the not too distant future.Taxpayers and those in business know that income taxhas to be paid, but, having said that one would prefer topay as little as possible. In that regard I have prepared alist of considerations for helping out your bottom linethis coming spring.1. Pay your professional fees, union dues, alimony ormaintenance payments, safety deposit box cost andinvestment counsel fees prior to the year-end

2. If you plan to enroll your child in activity programs in2015 you can obtain a tax credit this year if paid priorto December 31. If you have reached your 2014maxi-mum, defer the payment to 2015, as the credit can’t becarried forward.

3. If you have a segregated fund RRSP that is of the guar-

anteedminimumwithdrawal typemake your contri-bution before year-end.Not only will you get yourdeduction youwill receive contractual notionalincrease in the income base amount.

4. If you have a favourite charity you are thinking of help-ing, make yourmonetary contribution beforeDecember 31. If neither you nor your spouse hasclaimed the donation tax credit in the five precedingtax years youwill be eligible for the Federal First TimeDonors super credit on donations up to $1000. If youhave stocks that have increased in value one can donatethem to a charity before year-end and there will be nocapital gains tax on the gain.As well you will receive adonation receipt for the full market value of the giftedshares.Unlike tax loss selling the settlement date for thetransaction is not a factor.

5. For those investors who, unfortu-nately, may have accrued capitallosses onemight want to sell theshares before year-end. The real-ized losses can be used to offsetcapital gains earned in 2014, can be carried forwardindefinitely or carried back to the three previous taxyears. It is noteworthy tomention that the settlementdate for the trademust occur in 2014,whichmeans thetrade date cannot be later thanDecember 24.

6.A sole proprietor, business partnership or rental prop-erty owner shouldmake purchases of equipment orsupplies before year-end.This will result in either addi-tional write offs for direct costs or additional CapitalCost Allowance (at the half year rate) on capital expen-ditures such as vehicles or equipment.

2014 year-end tax strategies by John Moran

Message from the publisher

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Preplanning

Pre-arranging one's own funeral is now widelypracticed across Canada. Gilbert MacIntyre & Son havebeen helping individuals and families with funeralprearrangements for almost 80 years. If you would liketo make an appointment to discuss prearrangements,please contact us. Or, if you like, you can prearrangeyour funeral online. You will be asked the same basicquestions you would in a one-on-one prearrangementmeeting; but within the "comfort" of your own lifestyle.Our experience in dealing with prearranging funeralshas lead to the development of the GILBERTMACINTYRE & SON TRUST PLAN for those who wish topre-pay their funeral expenses.

The GILBERT MACINTYRE & SON TRUST PLAN retainsall the advantages of the pre-arranged funeral, but goesfurther with respect to the financial advantages.

· The GILBERT MACINTYRE & SON TRUST PLAN ishedge against inflation. The cost of the funeral willnever increase, no matter how long it is before thefuneral services are required.

· Pre-payment reduces the financial demands on thesurvivors. Costs will be paid out of income now,rather than from much needed funds of the estate.

· Like a paid-up life insurance policy, this plan is ofimmediate and far-reaching benefit to survivors.

· Interest on funds held in a GILBERT MACINTYRE &SON TRUST PLAN is tax free.

· The GGILBERT MACINTYRE & SON TRUST PLAN maybe purchased on a convenient time payment plan.Usually the prearrangment service is entirely paid forby the time it is needed, thereby relieving the familyof expense at the time of the funeral.

· Money is held in trust and fully refundable any time.

The GILBERT MACINTYRE & SON TRUST PLAN isdesigned to comply with all regulations under theFuneral Services Act of Ontario and is fully insured.

75 Years–2008

If you’re anything likeme, you like to save abuck.My crave to save has gotten such that Irarely pay full price for anything.The trickything is that sometimes the lowest price isn’tthe cheapest way to go at all!I was recently shopping online andwas

using avery pop-ular site. Isearchedfor a spe-cific prod-uct andsaw avariety of“new”optionsand avariety of“used”options. Igravitatedtowardsthecheapestnew item

and started clickingmyway through the pur-chase.My itemwas $74.99 and the cheapestshipping option was $54! Final price formycheap product was $128.99. If I wasn’t payingattention, I would’vemissed out on the$97.99 product option that included freeshipping. This situationmademe thinkabout a truth that I run into on a daily basisinmy own business–there is no such thingas free.My business is to sell currency in all forms.

Wire transfers are a service that I sell andthere is a fee attached to this service.Muchlike the shipping fee, no one wants to pay thisfee – but again similar to the shipping fee, thetruth is that there is a cost associated withtransmitting the funds. So, the online shop-ping site has two choices: they can advertise alow price and show the cost of shipping as anadditional fee OR they can incorporate thisshipping fee and inflate their sale price.Another focus of my business is saving time

for clients–and this premise too often leadsme astray online.Convinced that I don’t havethe time to shop, I have often pointed andclickedmyway through clothing purchases,

footwear purchases andcosmetics. If I can get pastthe cost of shipping, thewaste of time that I havespent with online shop-ping is completely contradictory to what youaim for with online shopping.Hours spentstaring at a screen is then followed by days orweeks of waiting for the product, and thensadly a trip to the original store that I wasavoiding with the annoying process ofreturning the products that don’t fit or don’twork.A recent survey conducted in the UKshows that 45% of online Christmas shop-pers are one step ahead of me: these shopperspoint and click but choose to pick up theirproducts at the store. They save the shippingcosts, avoid the long wait of delivery to theirhome and have the ability to touch/feel andtry on the products when they collect theirorder. Returns can be done on the spot andwasted trips to return product after-the-factare avoided.Source: econsultancy.com

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Other considerations are availabledepending on one’s circumstancesbut suffice to say take advantage ofwhat is available to reduce that taxburden. Best wishes to all this holidayseason andmay the upcoming yearbe one of good health and prosperityfor you and your family.John M. Moran BA., EPC., ICIA. - Lyon FinancialServices Inc. Contact him [email protected] or 519-766-0001.

December 2014 page 7 VENTURE GUELPH PUBLICATIONS LTD. Business Venture ventureguelph.ca

Contact info:519-824-2741 [email protected] todiscuss yourrequirements.

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HappyHolidays...

from theManagement& Staff atJesse’s on theGreen

– adve r t o r i a l –

Local Rotary Group gives back to the communityOn Tuesday Dec.2, the Rotary Club of Guelph-Trillium took part in “GuelphGives”. This Club had $4,500 in pro-ceeds from its involvement with the Tour de Guelph, the July Bicycle Event that it shared with the Guelph HospitalFoundation and the Rotary Club of Guelph South. The 51 Trillium Club members each designated to which charitythey wished their individual allotment to go. Many charities supporting local and international projects received surprise cheques.

PAUL HARRIS FELLOWSHIP AWARDOn Wednesday November 26, this same club recognized two community leaders by presenting them with the prestigious PaulHarris Fellowship Award.

The Paul Harris Fellowship is named for Paul Harris, who founded Rotary over 100 years ago. A Paul Harris Fellow is an individual who contributes $1,000 US or in whose name that amount is contributed. Every Paul Harris Fellow receives a pin and acertificate when he or she becomes a Fellow. This identifies the Paul Harris Fellow as an advocate of the Foundation's goals ofworld peace and international understanding.

Pat (Patricia) McCraw:Pat was born in Toronto and came to Guelph many years ago when her husband was on the staff of the Vet. College. She has along list of organizations that she has been involved with over the years, including, Family and Children’s Services, GuelphCommunity Foundation, Guelph Spring Festival, the Zonta Club, The Canadian Federation of University Women, and has alwaysbeen interested in and worked on Women’s Issues and Governance Issues.

Brent Drewry:Brent has lived and worked in the Guelph community most of his life, and is currently employed as Vice President at Minacs,a global advertising agency.Brent's community work includes:- 5 years of service on the board of directors at Hospice Wellington;- Fundraising for Room to Read, an organization that builds children’s literacy programs in 3rd world nations.- Fundraising for CNIB - Regular blood donorAs an avid cyclist, Brent has also raised money for Hospice through the Healing Cycle ride, and additionally for envi-ronmental advocacy through the Climate Ride, a 300-mile journey in the US.

Join Leaders - Exchange Ideas - Take Action.Visit our Website: www.trilliumrotary.org

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December 2014 page 8 VENTURE GUELPH PUBLICATIONS LTD. Business Venture ventureguelph.ca

RLB LLP Wins Top 50 Employer Award in CanadaThroughout its 60-year history, RLB LLP has had one goal inmind–to be the best regional accounting firm in Ontario.Withoffices in Fergus, Guelph and Kitchener-Waterloo, they have built aculture of continuous learning and improvement, where teammembers feel empowered to grow and develop, working togetherto serve the holistic needs of their clients. They have a “peoplecount”philosophy and value everyone’s opinions.And now theycan prove it.RLB LLP has just been recognized as one of the 50 Best Small and

Medium Employers in Canada. The Best Employers in CanadaStudy is an annual overview of employers who excel at engagingtheir employees.“We are so proud of our team for making this happen,” said Bill

Koornstra,Managing Partner,“We are always focusing on the per-

sonal and professional development of our staff, and so we are verypleased to be recognized this way. This really is something thateveryone on our team can take pride in”.Applying for the Best Employer Award is a significant undertak-

ing and demands input from staff across the organization.Employee perspectives are measured across all levels of theorganization, giving a realistic andmulti-dimensional picture ofthe current state of employee engagement. The report also clearlyidentifies areas of improvement.RLB LLP first applied for the award in 2013.“Having just missed

the list last year, we reviewed the feedback and focused on the keyareas that required improvement,” said Crystal Dunlop, Directorof Human Resources.“Over the year we held internal focus groupsand ensured that our teammembers’ voices were heard.Making

this list wasn’t something we were doing just for the sake of doingso.We wanted to make this list because we knew it would stretchour team to be better and we know that a happy and engaged teamtranslates to happy and engaged clients.”Generally it takes companies multiple years to make the list and

RLB LLPmade the list the second time they applied–not a smallfeat! An accounting firm has never been recognized on the list thisquickly.RLB LLP is proud of their accomplishment but will not rest there.“We have already identified items we should work on for our nextsubmission,” commented Bill Koornstra.“This award is just anoth-er step on our journey of being the best employer we can be.”

Outstanding response to Fusion Homes’ Grand Opening of The MetalworksFusion Homes held its Grand Opening for regis-trants of TheMetalworks, Guelph’s new urbanvillage, on Saturday, November 15, 2014. Doorsopened early at 8:15 a.m. to accommodate thosewho had camped out overnight and lined upearly to get first choice of suites. The line-up con-tinued outside the office and remained constantthroughout the morning. By early afternoon thephase one tower was 50% sold out. Pricing of thetower suites started from the 190s. Over 250residents of Guelph and the surrounding areawelcomed TheMetalworks on opening day.The newly constructed sales office located at 5

Arthur St South was built with the use of salvagedmaterials from the site demonstrating its historicpast. Interested purchasers gathered around theseven-foot scale model of TheMetalworks devel-opment, which is situated between the SpeedRiver with a 50-foot wide RiverWalk and ArthurStreet.The development will be comprised of five phas-

es, with phase one consisting of 114 suites andfive penthouse units in the 10 story tower, and 14townhouses. Of those townhouses, six of themwill be overlooking the Speed River and beknown as the River Lofts. The townhouses andpenthouses are anticipated to be released inFebruary 2015. The move-in date for phase one isexpected to be late 2016.TheMetalworks development has garneredmore interest than any other development FusionHomes has had in the past. The nearly $300million, 8-acre, 5-phase master-planned develop-ment is situated in historic downtown Guelph.The 600-plus units at this transit-friendly, envi-ronmentally sensitive urban village will be builtover a five to 10 year horizon.Outstanding fea-tures of this new community include: the revital-ization of the former industrial lands once ownedbyW.C.Wood Company Limited, a freezer man-ufacturer, to create a vibrant new live/workdowntown destination; over 2.5 acres of the site

dedicated to new green space; a 50-foot wideRiverWalk enhancing connectivity to the SpeedRiver; and up to 30,000 square feet of proposedretail/commercial space. Phase one will be com-pleted with over 2,500 square feet of inspiredindoor residential amenities, complete with a stateof the art fitness centre, a stylish EntertainmentRoom open to a courtyard with barbeque area, awelcoming Lobby and Pet Spa. The vision for thedevelopment is a self-sustained village withrestaurants and shops. This historic site at 5Arthur Street South is steps away fromwhere thecity was founded, and once housed a grist mill, adistillery, and foundries. Now, this once prolificsite of industry will be transformed into adynamic community filled with culture and cre-ativity.The architecture of the original heritage build-

ing will meld with the sleek modern simplicity ofstylish condos and townhomes. It’s a uniqueurban lifestyle–right in the heart of the city. LikeTheMetalworks at 5 Arthur Street South, FusionHomes has a long and proud history.Years ago,Chief Executive Officer Lee Piccoli foundedFusion Homes to offer the highest levels of serv-

ice, reliability and integrity. In a booming indus-try of cost competitors, his vision of buildingsuperior homes without sacrificing quality orservice stood out. It’s these values that havehelped Fusion grow into the leader it is today. Todate, Fusion Homes has built thousands of homesin five cities throughout Ontario, and has earnedan unprecedented five Tarion Awards ofExcellence for Customer Satisfaction.Fusion Homes goes above and beyond for each

and every client, which means making sure eachstep of the home-building process is as stress-free,transparent and simple as possible.While thecompany hangs their hat on personalized service,they also know it is important to understand thebigger picture. This has never beenmore relevantthan at 5 Arthur Street South. It’s a historic siteGuelph holds close to its heart, so extra care hasbeen taken to collaborate with the communityand the City of Guelph to develop a vision thatpays homage to its history while building anamazing future.For more information on TheMetalworks,

visit: themetalworks.ca.

JARZIE’S Indoor Simulated Golf Inc., 175 Dawson Road,Guelph ON N1H 1A1 (519) 341-4512 www.jarzies.com

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Where Students Love to Learn.At SJK, students from JK - Grade 12, find their excellence within, love to learn, and graduate as confident, well-rounded individuals well prepared for post-secondary education and life beyond. The journey begins here.

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Homegrown company,RowanWilliamsDavies &Irwin Incorporated (RWDI) will be relocating itsinternational corporate headquarters from 650Woodlawn RoadWest to 600 Southgate Drive.This building purchase in theHanlon BusinessPark provides the company with the capacity toexpand its operations,making a long-term com-mitment to continue business within the city.“RWDI is very excited about our new facility andthe decision to keep our headquarters in Guelph.While there weremany communities with veryattractive offers and opportunities, our roots, forover 40 years, have been in Guelph.The City hasbeen very helpful throughout the process andweare grateful to have found an excellent buildingand location to accommodate our continued busi-ness growth and exciting research and develop-ment in the field of environmental engineering,”saysMichael Soligo, RWDI President and ChiefExecutive Officer.“The new location provides easy

access for staff and clients allowing us to continueto attract world class employees and provide ourunique services on some of the world’smost inter-esting projects.”RWDI is the largest wind and environmental

engineering firm of its kind,with over 15 officesand 400 employees world-wide. Plans of significantexpansion are expected over the next five years, theGuelph headquarters will be the primary locationfor this growth, adding an additional 200 employ-ees, doubling their current staff complement.“On behalf of the City of Guelph I would like tothank RWDI for having the confidence to expandtheir operations in our city,” saysMayor CamGuthrie.“A strong local economy depends on ourability to retain local business, and that’s why busi-ness retention and expansion is a focus for us.RWDI’s decision to stay and grow inGuelph showsthat Guelph is a sought-after location for thriving,growing international companies.”One of Canada’s 50 bestmanaged companies,RWDI is an internationally recognized specialtyengineering consulting firm that focuses in the sci-ence of buildings, structures and the environment.With over 15 offices worldwide RWDI uses a vari-ety of engineering, computing, and scientific capa-bilities to help designers create comfortable envi-ronments and high performance buildings andstructures. RWDI has worked onmassive con-struction projects including the Burj Kaliifa, thetallest building in the world.

December 2014 page 10 VENTURE GUELPH PUBLICATIONS LTD. Business Venture ventureguelph.ca

The StrongerWorkplaces for a Stronger EconomyAct (Bill 18) receivedroyal assent onNovember 20, 2014, amending five different labourand employment statutes inOntario.The Employment Standards Act,the Labour Relations Act, theOccupational Health and Safety Act, theWorkplace Safety and Insurance Act, and the Employment Protection forForeign Nationals Actwere all amended. There are various dates inwhich the changes will come into force.Ontario employers shouldreview the changes to ensure their respective workplace policies andpractices are not in violation of the newworkplace laws.One change which received particularmedia attention was with

respect to theminimumwage rate.OnOctober 1, 2015, and everyyear thereafter, theminimumwage will be adjusted based on theConsumer Price Index.Other notable changes to the EmploymentStandards Act include the removal of the current $10,000.00 cap onwage orders and the increase for claims of unpaid wages from the cur-rent sixmonths to two years. The effect of these changes will be to

allowmuch larger wage claims to be dealt with through themecha-nism outlined by the Employment Standards Act.Also of note is thatemployers will be required to provide each employee with a copy ofthemost recent poster regarding worker rights published by theMinistry of Labour within 30 days of the amendment coming intoforce or of a new employee’s commencement.TheAct alsomade significant changes to the rules regarding tempo-

rary work agencies. Companies providing temporary workers andtheir clients will be jointly and severally liable for any unpaid wagesowing to the employee. TheAct also amends theWorkplace Safety andInsurance Act to shift the full cost of a resulting compensation claimfrom the temporary help agency onto the client.Organizationsmaywant to rethink the use of temporary workers given the potential lia-bility and financial repercussions.The amendments also expanded the definition of "worker" under

theOccupational Health and Safety Act.The definition of "worker"

now includes: secondary school students in work experienceprograms; a personwho provides unpaid work or services under aprogram by a college, university or other post-secondary institution; apersonwho receives training but is not yet an employee under theEmployment Standards Act; and other persons who performwork orsupply services withoutmonetary compensation. The expanded defi-nition came into force onNovember 20, 2014, resulting in immediateincreased liability for employers.The above noted amendments are only a few of themany changes to

the five noted labour and employment statutes.A full review of thechanges is beyond the scope of this article. Employers should reviewthe amendments and assess how the changes will impact theirorganization.Evan Campbell is an Associate in the Guelph office of Miller Thomson LLP working in the areasof employment law and litigation. 519-780-4634 or [email protected]

Employers take notice–changes to employment legislation by Evan Campbell

At theNovember DGBAAnnual GeneralMeeting themembership elected a list of peopleto recommend to the City of Guelph forappointment to the Board.AlexandraVerge,ND,Clinic Director at KuraNaturopathic Clinic & RMT,Co-Owner: 15Yarmouth St; Charles Davidson,Downtownlawyer / property owner; Chris AhlersOwner:WyndhamArt Supplies,Guelph Schoolof Art, 125Wyndham St.N.; Dave Kruse,GeneralManager,GuelphMercury; DougMinett, Co-founder: The Bookshelf, Co-owner:41Quebec St.;Marie Furfaro, Small BusinessAdvisor, TDCanada Trust;Mark Rodford,Owner: The Cornerstone,Ouderkirk & Taylor,OX; Tony di Battista,Owner of multiple down-town properties and businesses; TomLammer,OldQuebec Street; Greg Elliott,The Co-operators.

New DGBA Board elected

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Celebrating 160 years

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downtownguelph.comdowntownguelph.com

The Business of Downtown

by Marty Williams, Executive Director, Downtown GuelphBusiness Association

The power of data

For Christmas this year I am asking Santafor one special thing: data. Lots and lots ofreal, solid, defensible data would bring asong to my heart and make me a veryhappy guy. Here’s why.I often find myself in conversations with

Guelphites from across the city who, whenthey find out my job title, ask me howDowntown Guelph is doing economically.But because I don’t know what people arespending I always answer the same way: Ireally can’t say for sure. I can’t claim withany certainty that we are trending up,down, or sideways. Oh sure, I can see signsof progress. We have lots of investments inbusinesses and buildings; we have newretail and restaurant offerings, low store-front vacancy rates, high demand for park-ing permits, and a solid increase in theassessment value. But there is no hard dataat hand, no spending information to givethe question a solid answer.This is not the case in a mall or power

centre. With a single property owner, theyknow their sales, there is a set formula forretail category distribution, and locationsare designed to produce maximum spend-ing. They can shuffle stores, insert newones and shut down under performers.They also know how many people are visit-ing, how long they stay, and how muchthey are spending by demographic type.As is the case with historic downtowns

everywhere, in Downtown Guelph we havenone of those tools. Instead, we have multi-ple ownership positions competing witheach other to find a tenant and there is noset limit for the number of shoe stores orcoffee shops. The mix is more “come whatmay” than anything resembling a masterplan. And while sales data may be the bestmeasure of economic health, all we have togo on is anecdotal evidence. Sometimesbusiness people choose to tell me things aretrending up or down. “We’re having a goodyear” or “We’re down from where we were”is about the extent of it. So that, and the

evidence I can glean from observations list-ed above, is about all I have to answer thequestion of how Downtown is doing.And there the story might end, except

that there are some promising new toolsthat downtown districts have been employ-ing to count people, bikes, and cars as astarting point to attempt to measure eco-nomic health. In Toronto, the DowntownYonge Business Improvement Area hasbeen employing street post mounted coun-ters to better understand who is using thearea and when. (Check outwww.downtownyonge.com under the tab“Doing Business Here.”) It is informationthat they provide to prospective tenantsand it is a powerful sales tool. When youknow how many people are going to passby your storefront on any given day (andtime of day) you will have some confidencethat as long as you have something thosepeople want, your store will be successful.They can also see the impact of specialevents, weather (good and bad), street clo-sures or road reconstruction.In some places they have taken what

Downtown Yonge uses a step further. Theyhave been able to convince enough retailersto share sales data (with a secure, un-attrib-utable, third-party solution that aggregatesthe data into generalized reports) and cannow analyze sales data as it relates to car,bike and pedestrian counts (as well asweather, events, construction, etc.).We are currently working with the

City to investigate the possibility of count-ing cars, bikes, and pedestrians inDowntown Guelph. I think it’s a goodplace to start.It’s important that we measure these

things so we know what and where toinvest. So we can make a case for businessattraction. So we can measure the effect ofevents and activities. So we aren’t simplyreading the tealeaves and hoping forthe best.

Long-time local success, RWDI announces expansion to new locationin Hanlon Business Park

December 2014 page 11 VENTURE GUELPH PUBLICATIONS LTD. Business Venture ventureguelph.ca

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