feb march venture 2015

The Guelph Chamber of Commercerecently welcomed Kithio Mwanzia asthe new President and CEO of theorganization.

With a background in communica-tions and government relations,working as a management profes-sional he has developed a thoroughknowledge of member driven organi-zations having worked with the St.Catharines–Thorold Chamber ofCommerce and the Greater NiagaraChamber of Commerce.

“Chamber organizations play animportant role within a community,”says Kithio Mwanzia, the newPresident and CEO for the GuelphChamber of Commerce. “I enjoy thechance to be in a role where you canconnect businesses, and advocate forthe membership, while providingservices.”

Prior to joining the GuelphChamber, Mwanzia served as theInterim Chief Executive Officer of theGreater Niagara Chamber ofCommerce (GNCC), after working asthe GNCC Director of Policy and

Government Relations where heoversaw the public affairs, advocacyand government relations portfolio.

“Guelph is at the cusp of being aneconomic powerhouse,” addsMwanzia. “A recent Credit Union ofOntario report shows the projectednumbers are high when it comes togrowth in the creation of jobs, andthe demand for new housing. I choseGuelph because I wanted to be partof filing out that picture - buildingrobust employment opportunities byhelping to create a synergy within the

business community and beyond.”With 850 members, the Guelph

Chamber of Commerce offers profes-sional development opportunitiesthrough various seminars, work-shops, Lunch & Learns and BusinessAfter 5 events. Over 70 annualnetworking events allow membersto connect, whether throughtradeshows, an annual golf tourna-ment, or monthly pub nights.Additional member benefits includegroup insurance plans, discounts onmerchant services, and member-

to-member discounts.With an advocacy background, rep-

resenting the voice of business isimportant to the new CEO. “Guelphis a wonderful place to live and dobusiness,” says Mwanzia. “I am inter-ested to see how we can help to makeit easier for businesses to do business.What people strategy do we have?How are we cultivating new citizensto the area with our business culture?How are we connecting the businesscommunity to the Universities andColleges? How are –cont’d on page 4

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Welcome to our first issues of the year forVentureGuelph.ca (formerly BusinessVenture) and the Activity and Events

Guide. You may have noticed our new masthead,which now reflects our website, VentureGuelph.ca.

Our two separate publications will now be deliveredunder one banner: VentureGuelph.ca. Published sixtimes per year, our readers and our advertisers willnow benefit from two additional issues of the Activityand Events Guide, while getting exposure to a newaudience of readers through the current business tobusiness delivery by Canada Post of six issues ofVentureGuelph.ca.

VentureGuelph.ca (formerly Business Venture)continues to focus on what’s happening in our busi-ness community by providing regular columns fromlocal business professionals, and informative articlesand profiles on business achievement and more.

The Activity & Events Guide is a community-focused publication with information on local eventssuch as festivals, shows, sporting events, arts andculture events, as well as children’s activities. The A&EGuide also features interesting articles on nutritionand healthy lifestyles, fundraising activities and volun-teer information.

“Venture Guelph Publications continues to offermore for less,” says Mike Baker, Publisher for Venture

Guelph Publications Ltd. “By branding our publica-tions with our website, our readers are encouraged tovisit us online where they can now take advantage ofour news feed with up-to-date press releases, plus alsofind a full calendar of local events posted by groupsand organizations within our community.”

We will continue to upload digital copies of eachpublication online at www.ventureguelph.ca and onour Facebook page, as well as through digital links onTwitter and LinkedIn.

Both publications continue to be delivered door-to-door throughout Guelph, and are available for pick-up and/or viewing at over 300 drop sites includingCity facilities, doctor’s offices and more.

The Activity and Events Guide will now join theVentureGuelph.ca delivery schedule with Canada Postmailing to all businesses in Guelph, Fergus, Elora andRockwood.

We always welcome your business news, story ideasand upcoming fundraising information–email us [email protected].

Visit our website to submit your events or view theevents calendar. Simply click on the “Submit Event”icon on our homepage.

Heather Grummett, EditorVenture Guelph Publications Ltd.

News from the editor…

1 lyon avenue, guelph

519.766.0001 [email protected]

Kithio Mwanzia, President and CEOGuelph Chamber of Commerce

ventureguelph.ca GuideGuideandEventsEvents

February/March 2015 Inside: Activity & Events Guide

Local Business News–Activities & Events

February/March 2015 page 2 VENTURE GUELPH PUBLICATIONS LTD. VentureGuelph.ca

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Youth Exchange ProgramWhen you hear the term "Rotary Around the World", we mean it! One of Rotary's International initiatives is YouthExchange Program. Rotary Club Guelph Trillium actively participates in this program and is pleased to share someinsights into this wonderful program.

This Rotary International Youth Exchange Program provides students and hosts exposure to different cultures andranks as one of the most powerful ways to promote International understanding and peace. The Rotary InternationalYouth Exchange program provides about 8,000 young students annually opportunities to live in another country for1 year. The students meet people from other countries and experience new cultures which plant the seed for alifetime of international understanding.

The program offers numerous benefits to its young participants, age 15 – 18 and their Rotarian hosts andmentors, as well as to the community at large. Through the year, Youth Exchange students learn firsthand about allaspects of life in another country. As their concept of the world expands, they mature and develop a deeper under-standing of themselves. Immersion in another country’s language and educational system enhances the student’sacademic and personal growth.

During the 1 year exchange the student lives with more than one family in the host country and is required attendschool there.

Currently the Rotary Club Guelph Trillium has an Out-bound Youth Exchange student who is in Brazil and anotherOut-bound Youth Exchange student who will be leaving on exchange for 1 year starting August 2015.

The Rotary Club Guelph Trillium is one of approximately 50 Rotary Clubs in Rotary International District 7080.RI District 7080 currently hasOut Bound Youth Exchange Students in Australia, Brazil, Czech Republic, Ecuador,Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, New Zealand, Sweden, Taiwan and Thailand.

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

Rotary Club of Guelph Trillium Facebook and Ribfest Facebook PagesTo get to know us better and see what our club is currently doing international and locally. And let

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Given the time of year I want to revisit an article Iwrote a number of years ago-the issues remain thesame.

As I begin to encounter more situations whereindividuals are approaching retirement or are con-sidering semi-retirement, the subject of utilizingRRSP savings accounts always becomes a topic ofdiscussion and analysis. What I have seen in thesereviews has led me to rethink the whole RRSP con-cept and whether it is financially sound to have ahigh percentage of one’s retirement funds sitting inregistered accounts. Here are the issues that areconcerning me:1. Many thought the monies going into RRSP’s

would come out at lower tax rates or even taxfree–wrong–because of inflation, good pensionplans, and higher income levels the funds, inmany cases, are coming out at higher rates thanwhen the deduction was allowed. CRA winsagain.

2. How good do you feel when all your retirementmonies are tied-up in plans where the only rulemaker is the Canada Revenue Agency–do youreally have the control of your destiny?

3. Don’t think for a minute that the Minister of

Finance is not aware of the fact that over aTrillion dollars of pension monies (both RRSP &RPP) are sitting in Canadian financial institu-tions–as the deficit grows and the number oftaxpayers actually paying income taxes dwindles,the powers to be will certainly have an eye onthis plum.

The RRSP has become an acronym that makesfinancial institutions and the government wealthyand retired taxpayers poor. A number of papershave recently been written citing the adverse effectsRRSP’s and RIF’s have on seniors. In fact, studiessuggest that if one holds less than $100,000 inRRSP assets that it is advisable to liquidate themprior to retirement as you may lose out on valu-able tax credits and income tested pensions inretirement.

Some of the regulations affecting seniors andRRSP investors are:1. Capital gains earned on stocks and equity mutu-

al funds double in taxation upon removal fromyour RRSP or RIF.

2. Dividends earned on stocks and equity mutualfunds do not qualify for the dividend tax credit

when held within a registeredplan.

3. The RRSP cannot be used ascollateral for a mortgageor loan.

4. Capital losses within the RRSP/RIF are not taxdeductible and are lost forever.

5. All fees, costs and interests on borrowed moneyfor an RRSP are not tax deductible.

6. If you are over 65 and have income levels inexcess of $62000, the government will begin toclaw back your OAS.

Many financial institutions will have you believethat an RRSP contribution will provide you with areduction of taxes. The reality is that it is only adeferral of income and savings will only occur ifthe tax rate is lower at the time of withdrawal.Because of the many potential pitfalls and loss ofcontrol, one really needs to question whether ornot an RRSP is the most efficient tool for buildingwealth.

John M. Moran BA., EPC., ICIA.–Lyon Financial Services Inc. Contact himat [email protected] or 519-766-0001.

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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

The recent fall in the Canadian dollar hasevoked quite a bit of emotion: importers aredepressed, exporters are elated and gamblersare intrigued by the possibility of profit.

Can you make money in the money game?Sure! You can make quite a bit of money.Sadly there is also a high likelihood of losingmoney while playing the money game.

Currency investors have been bringing fourmain focuses to our counter in recent months:decimalization of currencies, bullion, lever-aged forward contracts, and bitcoin. Light willbe shed on these four topics during the nextfour issues of VentureGuelph.ca.

Decimalization of the Iraqi Dinar andVietnamese Dong

Iraq and Vietnam are two countries that cur-rently don’t have a decimal system. The for-mer Italian Lire was similar, small amounts ofthe currency can be expressed in whole unitsand the smallest banknote commonly foundfor each are in the thousands. There is arumour circulating that these currencies areplanning to decimalize, and that whenthey do so, their current currency will sky-rocket in value.

Understanding what money is will help todebunk this myth. In very simple terms, cur-rency is an IOU. A Canadian dollar is an IOUissued by the Canadian government payable towhoever is holding that banknote. We usethese IOUs to assist as a medium of exchange.For example, I might need milk today. I cur-rently own nothing that the milk store wantsor needs–so if we were in a barter system, Iwould be unable to obtain milk since I havenothing to trade for it. Luckily, I can use mymoney–my IOUs–to allow for a larger barterexchange. I will trade my money for milk–andthe store can now use my IOUs to purchase adozen eggs that they need to fill their shelves.

In order for these ban-knotes to skyrocket in value,the issuer of the currencywould be saying that yester-day the three Canadian dol-lars were worth one dozeneggs, but tomorrow they’ll be worth 300 dozeneggs. I have seen questionable monetary policyover the years, but I have never seen a govern-ment that agreed to raise the value of theirdebt exponentially. There have been countlesscountries that have moved from a nondeci-malized to a decimalized currency, and thisrevaluation has never happened. Additionally,when a decimalized currency replaces a previ-ous currency, the old banknotes themselvesare pulled from circulation and they becomeworthless. Factor in that in addition to thesehurdles, there is also a wide spread onthe buy and sell rates of these currencies, andyou might just have the worst investmentplan ever.

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ventureguelph.ca

Distributed April 15th

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Nestlé Waters Canada, Canada’s market-share-leading manufacturer and distribu-tor of healthy beverage choices, recentlyannounced that Reader’s Digest Canada hashonoured the Company with its MostTrusted Brand™ recognition for 2015 forits bottled water.

The 7th Annual Canadian Reader’sDigest Trusted Brand™ survey polledCanadians about the brands they trustacross 40 product categories from con-sumer packaged goods to financial institu-tions and Canadian retailers. In addition tomeasuring what brands Canadians trustmost, the survey also featured the keyattributes of trust for each brand.

Canadians who named Nestlé WatersCanada a trusted brand of bottled water inthe survey also recognized the brand forthe following top three attributes of trust:• Consistently delivers expectations;• Dependable/reliable; and• I would recommend this brand to others.

“Achieving Most Trusted BrandTM statusin the bottled water category is recognitionwell-earned for Nestlé Waters Canada,”said Erin Schnarr, Director, IntegratedSales & Marketing Solutions, Reader’sDigest Canada. “And being recognized asone of Canada’s Most Trusted Brands for2015 is the ultimate seal of consumerapproval.”

“The annual Reader’s Digest MostTrusted Brand™ survey reaffirms that

trust, as well as cost and product qualityfactor into Canadians’ brand affinity andloyalty,” added Ms. Schnarr. “Almost 9 ofevery 10 survey respondents reported thatonce they trust a company, they tend to actas ambassadors, recommending its prod-ucts and services to friends and families.Trust plays a key role in consumer pur-chasing decisions and it can tip the scalefavourably toward a particular brand.”

“While internal polling has consistentlytold us that Canadians value our bottledwaters, to have a far more comprehensive,completely independent poll indicate thisis extremely heartening to our senior man-agement team, our employees and thoseCanadian consumers who have trusted,purchased and enjoyed our brands for somany years,” said Debbie Moore, President,Nestlé Waters Canada. “We are mostappreciative of Reader’s Digest forbestowing this honour on our organiza-tion and we are extremely flattered by theresponse to our products from individualCanadians. We will continue to work evenharder each and every day to earn con-sumer trust and satisfaction amongst allCanadians with our products.”

Trust has always been an integral facetof the Reader’s Digest brand. Serving as anambassador for the importance of trust,Reader’s Digest first launched the MostTrusted Brand™ survey in Asia in 2000. Ithas since grown into a global initiative,playing an important role where it is usedto gauge consumer attitudes and opinionsrelated to products, services and profes-sions, and to recognize the world’s mosttrusted brands.

In an independent opinion poll commissioned by Reader’s Digest, Ipsos Reid con-ducted a nationwide online survey of 4,026 Canadian adults. The survey, conductedbetween August 26 and September 2, 2014, was weighted according to census datato ensure the overall sample reflects the demographic profile of Canada. The overallresults are considered accurate to within +/- 1.8 percentage points, 19 times out of20, of what the results would be had the entire population of adults been polled.


soon-to-be graduates, graduates, and youngleaders being utilized? And as new graduatesenter into the workforce, how do those gradsmatch up with Guelph’s business needs?”

“We are here to tell member stories. Fromsmall businesses to large corporations–thereare so many innovative and successful busi-nesses here in Guelph. We want to tell allthese stories–why these businesses are great,and how your business story fits into theseother business stories.”

In closing, the new CEO tells us to “stay-tuned” for some new programming thatlocal businesses can be quite excited about.

For details on the Guelph Chamber ofCommerce visit www.guelphchamber.com

Chamber – continued from page 1

3-512 WOOLWICH STREET,GUELPH ON N1H 3X7

TEL.: 837-3111

http://www.weiler.ca

downtownguelph.comdowntownguelph.com

The Business of Downtown

by Marty Williams, Executive Director, Downtown GuelphBusiness Association

The power of data (part 2)

In the last issue of Business Venture Idiscussed the potential benefits of countingpedestrians, bikes and cars in DowntownGuelph–to know the number of users in anarea and how they were moving through it.

To get a better grasp of how things aregoing, we also need to ask people why theyare using Downtown Guelph. That’s wheresurveying comes in. Working on theassumption that most folks would be happyto tell us what they were up to (generallyspeaking), and as long as there is somethingin it for them (a contest ballot, or a discountupon purchase) you can gather a lot of use-ful information on the day-to-day uses ofthe place.

Once we know a typical day, we wouldalso be able to gauge with more certainty theeconomic impact of public assets like theSleeman Centre, the Farmer’s Market, theMain Library, the River Run Centre, andMarket Square. We pay close attention towhat these facilities cost, but we don’t cur-rently take the next step and measure thereturn on our investment–which is a shame.We do know that some of these assets areunderused, and some are at capacity. In bothinstances we are missing an opportunity; weare leaving “money on the table”.

How great would it be to know the impactof a Storm Game when the Sleeman Centreis full? We know that it’s positive. We know,anecdotally, that Downtown is humming; wesee that the sidewalks are full of people, thatthe restaurants and pubs are busy. But wereally don’t know what that translates to indollars. We don’t know the overall economiceffect of Storm games, because we don’tknow what the average fan spends outsidethe arena.

We need to survey to find out: 1. howmany go out to eat and drink before thegame, and the average amount spent ; 2. ifthey use transit, walk, drive, or take cabs; 3.how many are regular users of Downtownand how many only come for hockey games.When we have a portrait of the habits of atypical arena full of people, we can also seewhat variables align with uses. We might see,for instance, if the age or gender of the

patron–or how far they traveled to get to thevenue–makes a difference.

And say we discovered (for easy math pur-poses, though I’d say it’s a pretty good guess)that each game was worth a $100,000 bumpto the economy outside of the building itself?At that rate, and with 34 home games a year,the team’s presence contributes $3.4 millionto sales on top of the spending it engendersinside the arena. Thank you, Guelph Storm.

David Watkins, Founder and President ofLoud Sports and Entertainment(http://loudse.com) who has used analyticsto help sports teams better understand theirfans, says that the same principals apply out-side of the arena or stadium. “My work wasincubated during the CFL’s regionalizationprogram in Southern Ontario,” he says. “Itallowed the Hamilton Tiger-Cats to, frankly,understand their own fan base much better.It could be as simple as playing the mostsuitable music at their games and serving theright food, but it could also mean growingtheir fan base by using the analytics thatwere readily available. These concepts canwork not only for sports but really for anyretail activity.”

Knowing the economic impact of theStorm would also make a powerful argu-ment in support of filling the SleemanCentre with as many non-hockey events aswe can. In this scenario, every 10 times wefill the place we add $1 million to theDowntown economy. If we could match the34 Storm games with 34 other events wecould double the impact of this public asset.(This should not be impossible to do. InLondon they have more than 200 eventnights at their Downtown arena.)

Getting the information we need will costmoney and take time. The DowntownGuelph Business Association can play a partbut we can’t do this work on our own. Weneed to work together with the City andother interested parties to obtain theinformation we need for public andprivate investment decisions in the near andlong term. City building demands that wefirst build our understanding of just what isgoing on in the here and now. It demands data.

Media release

Reader’s Digest Canada awards Nestlé Waters Canada2015 Most Trusted Brand™ of bottled waterPoll of 4,000 Canadians affirms Nestlé trusted for bottled water

A simple idea and big dreams launched the Guelph Community Foundation fifteen years ago. Sincethen, it’s grown from one to more than 100 funds and has distributed over $3 million in grants to over800 charitable organizations in Guelph and the surrounding area.

While The Foundation has been neighbours with the Guelph Arts Council in the WellingtonBuilding since 2002, all that growth created a need for more space and easier street-front access.

“We’ll be more accessible, a lot more visible and we’ll have room for our board and committees tomeet,” said Executive Director, Chris Willard.

The Foundation moved into their new home at 46 Cork Street East, Unit 2, on Wednesday, February11, 2015. An official open house later this year will be one of the many events planned to mark TheFoundation’s fifteenth anniversary.

The Guelph Community Foundation is a charitable public foundation. The Foundation pools thecharitable gifts of many donors into permanent, income-earning endowments. Income from theendowments supports a wide range of charitable programs and activities. Total funds under adminis-tration are $11.3 million with over $8 million in permanent endowed assets.

New home for Guelph Community Foundation

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Fine Family-Dining at JJeesssee’’ss oon tthhe GreeennOpen Saturday and Sunday for breakfast. Remember to enjoy TGIF on

the last Friday of each month (Be sure to book early! Friday, February28th is sold out!) Jesse’s offers up delicious menu offerings for you,

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We’ll tailor your menu to impress and adhere to your budget.

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International Women’s Day eventMarch 10, 2015 – 7 to 10pm

With an exciting new location and format, Exploring the Confidence Connection is a motivational International Women’s Day networking event that will celebrate and encouragewomen to move confidently on their path to success.

The event is organized and presented by Innovation Guelph, Guelph-Wellington BusinessEnterprise Centre, Guelph Women in Networking and The O’Halloran Group. This year’sevent builds on the success of the sold out 2013 and 2014 events celebrating women entrepreneurs and women in business.

Guest will enjoy an evening of networking and sweet treats from local bakers and caters. A dynamic speaker panel of local business leaders and entrepreneurs will feature KarenFarbridge, Marva Wisdom, Marie Zimmerman, Kristel Manes, Beth Timlin, and Sara Westbrook.

The event is open to both women and men. Tickets are $45, and are available through theRiver Run Centre at www.riverrun.ca.

After three years as Executive Director, Sonya Poweska will be leaving her position atGuelph Arts Council to pursue new career adventures as the Culture Program Specialistat the City of Waterloo. Over the past three years, Poweska has worked to foster a dia-logue about the importance of the arts, artists, and the creative economy here in Guelph.In her position as Executive Director, Poweska has overseen the delivery of all of GuelphArts Council’s programs and services including the development of many new partner-ships and programs.

“While we are tremendously sad to see Sonya leave GAC–she has done so much in hertime at the Arts Council–we are thrilled that she’ll be continuing her passionate work inthe arts and wish her all the best,” says board member, Cynthia Kinnunen.

On leaving Guelph Arts Council, Poweska states, “Guelph Arts Council has alwaysbeen fueled by the passion of its employees, the hard work of the board, and by volun-teers who understand the importance and value of the arts. I am thankful to have been apart of an organization that has been supported by such a committed group of individu-als who have come together to push the arts agenda forward.”Poweska will finish her work with Guelph Arts Council on February 18.

Cold, windy and dry Canadian winter tem-peratures can play mischief with our skin,hair, nails, and lips! As these conditions causeus to crank up the thermostats we then createa dry environment indoors, contributing todry, itchy skin, brittle nails, dry hair, andchapped lips. Those with underlying skinconditions like eczema and psoriasis mayexperience exacerbation of symptoms duringwinter months.

Many helpful tips to keep skin, hair andnails healthy over the winter are recognized asgeneral wellness information that we hearrepeatedly. Staying hydrated, eating a healthybalanced diet, exercising regularly and gettingadequate sleep, help with rejuvenation andrepair of skin cells.

Additionally, taking briefer showers andbaths, using milder soaps and shampoos,

moisturizing with an appro-priate oil-based lotion tohelp retain moisture, usingsunscreen and lip balm, andincreasing the humidity inyour home, also contribute to healthy skin,hair, nails and lips. Avoid wet socks or gloves,which may contribute to itching, dry skin andpossibly eczema.

Remember, healthy skin keeps you healthyby decreasing risk of infection through dry orcracked skin. People of all ages can benefitfrom simple tips but if conditions seem wor-risome, follow up with your healthcareprovider.

Anna Bartolomucci RN/OHN, Workplace Wellness/InfluenzaProgram Coordinator, Wellpoint Health Ltd. (formerlyWellServe Health Care Management).519-837-3896 ext. 17or [email protected]

Healthy skin in winter months

Guelph Arts Council bids a fond farewell to its Executive Director

Q. What are some important factors whenconsidering insurance for my business?

A. Always speak to an insurance professionalabout your business’ specific needs andreview your policy annually. Moreover, youmust understand your policy; that is, knowwhat it covers, its limits, and its deductibles.It’s important to make sure your policy’s lim-its are appropriate–do you have the rightamount of coverage for what you own, forexample?

Furthermore, review your liability insur-ance. If someone were to slip and fall onyour premises, for instance, you’d want to besure you have adequate liability coverage.Also, make sure you have appropriate autocoverage–a personal auto insurance policywill not cover commercial use of a vehicle.

Consider ways to lower premiums: some

insurers offer reduced ratesif you take actions to reducerisk such as installing alarmsystems or sprinkler sys-tems. Consider errors and omissions cover-age–this isn’t the same as commercial generalliability insurance. If you are offering adviceto clients, you will want to make sure you’recovered if your advice goes awry.

And update your insurer regarding anychanges in business operations. If you fail todisclose a business activity, you may findyour insurance will not cover you in theevent of a claim.

Tracey Holloway,Sales Representative, Sutherland Insurance.For more information visit www.sutherlandinsurance.comor call 519-822-0160

Today, more and more employers are recruit-ing their employees directly from high school.The Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program(OYAP) was created to provide employerswith a new source of workers to address theshortage of skilled workers they need tocompete in today’s global economy.

Training and mentoring a student throughOYAP opens the door to a better future forour youth and helps maintain a skilled work-force in our community. Young apprenticesare eager to learn and have the right kind ofattitude.

At the Wellington Catholic District SchoolBoard (WCDSB), we are committed topreparing our students for the challenges andopportunities they may face in the future. Weare focused on assisting them to find theirpathway to the future and building bridgeswithin our community to access thoseopportunities.

WCDSB students are preparing themselvesfor careers in all areas of manufacturing,including precision machining, industrial elec-tricians, welding and millwrights as well asjobs in construction, motive power and theservice sectors.

OYAP participating local employers includeLinamar who has opportunities for twelveapprenticeships each year and TrimasterManufacturing, who is a long-standingco-op employer.

“The Ontario Youth ApprenticeshipProgram has provided Trimaster with numer-ous co-op students over the years; some ofwhich were signed to apprenticeships by ourcompany. I believe that OYAP is an excellentschool to work transition program, openingdoors for students to work within the skilledtrades,” says Coreana Yantha from the HumanResources Department.

OYAP will connectyour company withjob ready students tohelp build yourworkforce.Employers areprovided with theopportunity to assessstudents prior tohiring or registeringthem to an appren-ticeship, and theMinistry ofEducation providesWSIB coverage whilethe students are inhigh school. Plusthere are a numberof financial incen-tives available forboth the employerand the apprentice.

According to theCanadianApprenticeshipForum, for every $1an employer investsin an apprentice,they receive anaverage return of$1.47–and that’sbefore they’ve evenearned theircertification!

Both students andparents are more aware of the changes in thejob market and realize that the apprenticeshippathway can provide as much, if not more,opportunities for success than otherpost-secondary options.

For more information, contact Ron Aimola,

Ontario Youth Apprenticeship ProgramCoordinator at 519-766-9140,[email protected]

Recruit students for future apprenticeship opportunities Submitted by Wellington Catholic District School Board


Is your company looking for a venue for a team buildingevent, a sales meeting or just a reason to party? Want to

try something totally different but without breaking thebudget this quarter?

JARZIE’S Indoor Simulated Golf is inviting you to play in our Business Indoor Golf Competition over the 2014-2015winter. Simply choose a date between now and April 1, 2015 for 16-20 players and reserve your spot. Cost is $35pp tax included. JARZIE’S will run a scramble tournament complete with prizes at our licensed bar and restaurant.But here’s the twist. The winning team from each tournament will be invited back in April 2015 to compete (at noextra cost) in the Indoor Golf Tournament of Champions. Winners not only have bragging rights within thebusiness community but free indoor memberships for the 2015-2016 season.

Call to reserve your timeslot today.JARZIE’S Indoor Simulated Golf, 175 Dawson Road, Guelph ON

(519) 341-4512 [email protected] www.jarzies.com

On Wednesday, February 25, City staff willpresent Guelph’s proposed 2015-2017 CapitalBudget and Forecast .

Typically the City presents a one-year budgetand nine-year forecast; however, for 2015 theone-year budget is being presented with atwo-year forecast to provide Council time toundergo a strategic priority setting exercise.

Residents are invited to review proposed doc-uments and bring their comments on February25 (Capital Budget meeting) and March 11(Public Delegation Night).

Delegation registration and submission mustbe submitted by Friday, February 20 at 9 a.m.for the Capital Budget meeting and Friday,March 6 at 9 a.m. for the Public DelegationNight. To register, contact the Office of the CityClerk at 519-837-5603 or [email protected] .

All budget documents and related informa-tion will be posted on guelph.ca/budget

75 Woolwich St., Guelph, Ontario N1H 6N6

www.wellingtoncdsb.ca

Educating for LifeHigh school students of all faiths welcome.

75 Woolwich St. Guelph, Ontario N1H 6N6Phone: (519) 821-4600

www.wellingtoncdsb.ca

2015–The opinions and stories that appear in the columns of

VentureGuelph.ca (formerly Business Venture) are for information

purposes only. Statements and opinions within the pages of are

those of the writers and do not necessarily represent those of

the publisher, advertisers or Venture Guelph Publications Ltd.

519-824-1595 Mike Baker, Publisher

[email protected]

This issue: includes an Activity & Events Guideinsert.

View it on-line at: ventureguelph.ca

Printed by McLaren Press Graphics Ltd.

supplied photo


Guelph’s Capital Budget


Tips for managing WSIB claimsDealing with the Workplace Safety & Insurance Board(“WSIB”) can be a challenging and expensive process for anyemployer. Each claim commenced in relation to a work-relatedinjury can have a significant financial impact on an organization.Schedule 2 employers (as defined by the Workplace Safety andInsurance Act) are required to pay the full cost of accident claimsfiled by their workers plus an administration fee. For Schedule 1employers, a claim can impact the applicable experience ratingaffecting the size of the rebate or surcharge they will receive. Assuch, properly managing WSIB claims is critical in keeping costsat a minimum.The best way to reduce the cost of claims is the prevention ofworkplace injuries. However, when a work-related injury occurs,here are five tips to assist employers to bettermanage claims:1–Have an accident reporting policyAll employers should have a policy regarding accident reportingand investigation. A policy should cover such issues as what con-stitutes an accident, the roles and responsibilities of all involved,the accident investigation procedure along with the accidentinvestigation documentation to be completed. Having a clearunderstanding of the accident and resulting injury is critical if an

employer wants to challenge a claim at a later date.2–Stay actively involved in the processOnce a claim has been made, employers often believe that theyare simply bystanders in the process. However, employers muststay informed about the status of the claim, requesting updatesfrom the WSIB case manager if needed. Given the financial con-sequences of claims, an employer should assess whether deci-sions by WSIB should be appealed and should consider beinginvolved in any challenges advanced by the employee.3–Documentation is criticalIt cannot be overstated how important accurate records are inany WSIB claim. Employers should keep minutes of meetingsand telephone conversations with related parties, records ofmissed meetings and phone messages, and information regard-ing return to work activities. Accurate documentation is criticalin an appeal and allows the employer to know what has beendone on a claim and what steps have been taken to assist theemployee.4–Red flagsAs a component of tip two (staying actively involved in theprocess), an employer should assess whether the claims advancedby an employee are legitimate. Some issues that an employer

should consider when assessing a claiminclude prior occupational claims andabsences, prior related medical issues, prioremployment history, known hobbies andactivities, timing of the accident, and any inconsistencies inreporting.5–Facilitate the employee’s return to workThe cost of a claim increases the longer an employee is off work.As such, an employer should facilitate a worker’s safe return towork. Employers should maintain regular contact with theinjured worker to determine the status of any injures, find outhow he/she is recovering and determine when the worker iscapable of returning to regular or modified duties. However,employers must ensure they follow the guidelines outlined in theWSIB Work Reintegration policies during the return to workprocess.The proper management of WSIB claims can significantly reducecosts for employers. Employers should develop a comprehensiveclaims management plan with the above noted tips in mind.

Evan Campbell , Associate (Employment Law and Litigation), Guelph office ofMiller Thomson LLP. 519-780-4634 or [email protected]

762 Woolwich St., Guelph519-822-1271

Celebrating 160 years

www.woodlawnmemorialpark.ca

Friday, March 2011:30 a.m.–3 p.m.Located in the Evergreen Seniors Community Centre 683 Woolwich Street, Guelph

For more information call 519-823-1291

INFORMATION FAIR

Volunteer Opportunities • Housing • Travel • Health Services • Recreational Activities • Education

Come and find out about volunteer opportunities, housing, recreation, health services, travel and education.

Free admission • Free parking and shuttle service from Riverside Park

If you are preparing for retirement or already retired, you will want to attend this show!

The University of Guelph and Toronto BlueJays will collaborate on a research projectto grow a natural turfgrass field in theRogers Centre.

The $600,000 agreement was signed inearly February by the University, andannounced by Blue Jays president PaulBeeston during a special event in Toronto.Researchers will undertake a year-longintensive study to determine the impactsof growing natural grass in the RogersCentre. The major league baseball teamaims to install natural grass with a dirtinfield by the start of the 2018 season.

“We are thrilled to partner with theToronto Blue Jays on this exciting proj-ect,” said Rene Van Acker, associate dean(external relations) with the OntarioAgricultural College and a professor inthe Department of Plant Agriculture.

“The challenge of developing a naturalturfgrass field for the Rogers Centre isvery unique, but we are confident that thecombination of the Blue Jays’ commit-ment and our special expertise andresearch capacity will produce a facility

that players and fans will love, and thatwill meet the challenges of the RogersCentre as a world-class multi-use facility.”

He commended the Blue Jays staff andexecutives for their professionalism and dedi-cation to the project. “Together we will makethis happen.”

The project will be headed by U of G’s EricLyons, a professor in the Department of PlantAgriculture and turfgrass expert. He will helpdetermine the types of grass to grow in theRogers Centre. The turfgrass will need to growindoors with the stadium’s retractable roofclosed, so this means figuring out which typeof grass will do best under artificial light.

Researchers will also need to consider otherissues related to growing grass indoors such ashumidity levels, air circulation, and water, aswell as ensuring that the grass will stand up tothe wear and tear of a baseball season.

Lyons says he is up for the challenge. “It’s theperfect project for me. I’m a scientist. I lovebaseball, I love sports and I love turfgrass.”

Lyons is expected to recommend the grassspecies to the Blue Jays in the spring of 2016.Blue Jays staff will determine next steps,

including potential timing feasibility of reno-vations to accommodate ventilation, irriga-tion, drainage and cost.

“I am certain that we can do this–find suit-able grass species and ways to ensure they willflourish inside the stadium,” Lyons said. “Thequestion will be whether it’s feasible for theBlue Jays to do it, and that’s what we’re goingto help them answer.”

If the project proceeds after the initial year,candidate grasses will be grown on an Ontariosod farm and then tested in a simulated envi-ronment under artificial light. If all goes well,the natural turfgrass field would be installedin 2018 before the season opener.

Beeston was quoted as telling reporters thatthe agreement is “pretty exciting from ourpoint of view because we’ve had many discus-sions, but now it’s to the point where we’reactually going forward.”

Rich Moccia, Guelph’s associate vice-presi-dent research (strategic partnerships), added:“This is a great example of a private sector-academic partnership that brings technologyout of the laboratories and puts it to use in areal-world application.”

The University of Guelph, the United Way ofGuelph and Wellington, and the VolunteerCentre of Guelph/Wellington are calling fornominations for the ninth annual WilliamWinegard Exemplary Volunteer InvolvementAwards.

Named for former U of G president andGuelph MP Bill Winegard, the awards recognizemembers of the University community whohave devoted volunteer time and effort inGuelph and Wellington County.

Current staff, faculty and students who volun-teer with community organizations, includingmunicipal boards, community fundraising,non-profit’s and community social health andservice agencies, are eligible for the awards.

Nominators may be peers, colleagues, supervi-sors or organizations benefiting from the volun-teer efforts of the nominee.

The nomination deadline is February 27.Nomination packages are available online atwww.unitedwayguelph.com/ or by calling theVolunteer Centre at 519-822-0912. The awardswill be presented March 26.

Winegard was U of G’s president and vice-chancellor from 1967 to 1975 and served asGuelph’s MP from 1984 to 1993. Besides beingnamed Canada’s first minister of science, hechaired the House of Commons standing com-mittees on external affairs and national defenceand on external affairs and international trade.He also served as parliamentary secretary to theminister of international trade. He was namedan Officer of the Order of Canada in 1998.

Bowl for Kids' Sake returns for its 40th yearas a leading fundraiser for Big Brothers BigSisters of Guelph and the mentoring pro-grams that the organization provides tomore than 400 local children.

Once again, Woodlawn Bowl will host thelongest-running special event, from March19-22, 2015. Sign up in teams of four to sixpeople for two hours of fun-filled bowling tosupport the health of children in ourcommunity.

Visit www.guelphbowl2015.kintera.orgto register and collect pledges.

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Guelph recentlyheld their 20th annual Have a Heart forKids' Sake Gala on February 7, at the DeltaGuelph Hotel and Conference Centre.

An amazing night of food, wine, dancingand prizes, the event raises tens of thousandsof dollars each year for Big Brothers BigSisters of Guelph's mentoring programs.

Presenting Sponsor Skyline volunteeredwith all aspects of the event, from the plan-

ning process to registration, and silent auctionon the night of the event.

Bowl for Kids' Sake: March 19-22, 2015

Media release

U of G to help Blue Jays bring natural grass to Rogers Centre

Nominees sought for 2015Winegard Volunteer Awards

Recognizing co-op employers by Heather Grummett

2015 Employer of Distinction Awards

A Co-op Appreciation Breakfast was held inJanuary for the employers and supervisorswho provided learning opportunities withintheir organizations to students last semesterfrom both the Wellington Catholic DistrictSchool Board and the Upper Grand DistrictSchool Board.

“With so many of our students going direct-ly to the workforce from high school, pro-grams including co-operative education arekey to preparing our students with first-handworkplace experience before leaving school,”said Ruthanne Finnigan, Co-op Coordinatorfor the Wellington Catholic District SchoolBoard. “Co-operative education continues tobe an inclusive program, accessible to a morediverse population of students who are gettingexperience that not only prepares them forthe workplace, but also helps build confidenceto clarify career goals while developing trans-ferable skills.”

Co-operative education began in Guelphover 30 years ago and continues to grow. Thispast semester, approximately 600 studentsfrom the two school boards, with nearly halfof these students in the city of Guelph, com-pleted co-op credits. Several hundred morecompleted short-term experiential learning in

workplaces all over Wellington and DufferinCounties as part of their regular courses.

High school students have flexibility with theoption of using up to two co-op credits as partof their 18 compulsory credits.

Students enrolled in Special High SkillsMajor programs are required to complete twoco-op credits, and as enrolment continues togrow there is an increased need for employ-ment opportunities in the areas of construc-tion, manufacturing, transportation, informa-tion technology, non-profit, and health care.

Students enrolled in the Ontario YouthApprenticeship program look for placementsthat may lead to apprenticeship opportunities inthe areas of manufacturing, transportation,building trades, community service workers,and IT.

“Co-op supervisors are a significant adult in aco-op students life,” said Finnigan, as the break-fast came to a close. “ You may never know theextent your efforts impact on the student youmentor, yet we continually hear stories of therelationships that develop with co-op supervi-sors, and many keep in touch long after highschool ends. For many students, co-opbecomes one of those life-changing events thatinfluence post-secondary pathways.”

Students and staff from Bishop Macdonell were part of the hundreds of students, teachers andemployers who attended the Co-op Appreciation Breakfast at the Italian Canadian Club. If yourbusiness is interested in a co-op student call 519 836-0132. (supplied photo)


LAND SURVEYORS and ENGINEERS423 Woolwich St., Guelph, ON N1H 3X3 Phone: (519) 821-2763 Fax: (519) 821-2770 Email: [email protected]

www.vanharten.com

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(519) 824-478076 DAWSON RD., GUELPH Fax: (519) 824-2471

The Guelph & District Chapter of the Human ResourcesProfessionals Association (GDHRPA) is accepting nominationsfor its fourth annual Employer of Distinction Awards. Twolocal companies are recognized each year for being outstandingemployers who shape organizational excellence and raiseawareness of the human resources profession in their organiza-tions’ success. Award categories are:1. Employers with less than 200 employees2. Employers with 200 or more employees

This recognition gives employers the opportunity to sharetheir stories–that they are great places to work!

Employer nominees will go through a screening process inwhich the GDHRPA Employer of Distinction Committee willreview the nomination forms and conduct on-site interviews.

The two award recipients will be announced at the GDHRPAAward Ceremony the evening of June 18, 2015.

We invite you to nominate any company that you believegoes above and beyond and should be recognized as one of thearea’s top employers.

Award Criteria• Nominations may be submitted by GDHRPA chapter

members or employees of our business community fororganizations located within the Chapter’s region of Guelphand surrounding area.

• Nominees must demonstrate:1. How their human resources initiative(s) have been imple-

mented;

2.The measurable impact(s) made on business indicators (i.e.goals, objectives, continuous improvement, customer satis-faction); and

3.Measures of employee workplace satisfaction (i.e. recruit-ment, retention, engagement, performance) that have beenthe result.

Completed nomination forms must be received by 5:00 p.m.on April 1, 2015.

To receive a nomination form contact the 2015 Employerof Distinction Committee at [email protected] or visitwww.gdhrpa.ca for more details.

City of Guelph, as part of its ongoing commitment to community participation in local gov-ernment, is launching two initiatives to enhance City services: an Open Guelph OnlineHackathon and ask.guelph.ca. These initiatives coincide with the International Open DataDay, February 21, 2015.

The Online Hackathon is designed for students, local application developers and inter-ested community members to use City data to create innovative mobile and web-basedapplications and tools for Guelph residents. The tools will help to improve the delivery oftransit and solid waste services.

“Rather than the City building tools for residents, we are looking to involve the commu-nity in the process. Guelph residents have great ideas and skill sets that can help othersreceive the information they’re looking for,” says Blair Labelle, general manager,Technology and Innovation Services. “The focus of the City’s second Hackathon is on twoservice areas that are key services for residents–waste collection and transit.”

The 2015 online Hackathon will allow participants to develop their tool from the com-forts of home and submit their entries online. For more information, visit the city’s web-site, open.guelph.ca/guelph-hackathon-2015. While the contest officially begins on

Monday, February 23, participants can get a jump start by reviewing the four themes inadvance. Prizes will be awarded for the top three entries.

The Online Hackathon closes Sunday, March 1 at 11:59 p.m. The event is free and pre-registration is not required but encouraged. Data sets will be made available on Sunday,February 22.

The City’s new portal, ask.guelph.ca, is designed to make it easier for residents to askquestions about how the municipality works. The portal is designed to function likeGoogle; residents can type questions and the site will search the City’s pre-populated con-tent for the answer.

“ask.guelph.ca is more than a search engine. It provides a way for residents to betterunderstand how the municipality works,” says Labelle. “If the answer is not found, resi-dents will be able to submit their question to the City.”

Making civic information more readily available and relevant to Guelph residents, intransparent and accountable ways is one of four focus areas the City is pursuing as part ofits open government efforts.

Media release

City using technology to improve servicesSecond Guelph Hackathon and ask.guelph.ca announced


Succession planning–who needs it?With 1,000 Canadians turning 65 each and every day for thenext 15 years–we all need to think about succession planning!

TD Waterhouse (October 2011) reported 76% of small busi-ness owners do not have a succession retirement plan.Findings from the 2013 Ontario Nonprofit Network ‘s studyindicate that 66% of non-for-profit boards do not have plansfor their leadership’s replacement. One CEO, until reading myarticle Four Steps to Succession Readiness, thought successionplanning was the responsibility of the Board of Directors andhad nothing to do with him.

Once the providence of kings and queens, corporate CEOsnow recognize succession planning as their third most impor-tant priority after financial results and strategic planning.Succession planning is a component of strategic planning andinvolves all the thinking and preparations that take place inadvance of a departure date. Its purpose is to ensure continuedeffective performance of an organization over time throughleadership development and replacement.

Replacement planning, on the other hand, is a component ofsuccession planning and is a form of risk management thatreduces the potential catastrophe stemming from the immedi-ate unplanned loss of key employees or leaders.

If you don’t have a succession plan or and exit strategy thiscan present a real problem and you may be suffering fromprocrastination!

12 Barriers to Succession PlanningThese are the most frequently cited reasons I’ve heard fordelaying planning for emergency leadership and succession.Do any of these barriers sound familiar?1. Ignorance, “We didn’t know we needed one.”2. Time, “It will take too much time.” Or “We thought we had

more time.”3. Resistance, “Doing one is too hard or too complex.”4. Fear, “What if we get it wrong and make things worse?”5. Potential for conflict, “Current leadership might feel threat-

ened if we start to talk about how we’re going to replace himor her.”

6. Cost, “We lack the resources (money, time, expertise) todevelop a good plan.”

7. Ambiguity, “The uncertainty of change is toouncomfortable.”

8. Lack of awareness, “For five years my succession plan wasthree sentences long. I really didn’t know what it was all

about or how important it was.”9. Loss of personal and professional identity.10. Unwillingness to give up leadership con-

trol.11. Self-esteem, “I have no vision of life with-

out work.”12. Feelings of denial or guilt about leaving.

Here are four things I know for sure!1. If you’re an executive director or CEO, then you need a

retirement plan.2. If you’re a business owner, then you need an exit strategy.3. If you’re a charity, then you need an emergency

leadership plan.4. If you’re a big corporation, then you need a succession plan

for the CEO and a talent management program foreveryone else.

Linda Fairburn BIS MSOD, author, president of Make Things Happen Ltd.She can be reached at 519-766-1400 or www.makethingshappen.net

Our youth and financial literacyFinancial literacy is the key to financial suc-cess. Studies on our economy confirm thatmany Canadians are living pay cheque topay cheque. Educating our students aboutfinancial literacy will create future adultswho are good money managers, employeesand employers.

Junior Achievement Guelph Wellington(JAGW) delivers programs, which teachfinancial literacy, workplace readiness andentrepreneurship free of charge to ouryouth. As the largest youth educationorganization in Canada, JuniorAchievement has inspired and prepared

more than 4 million youth to succeed in anever-changing global economy. JA pro-grams have been offered in GuelphWellington since 1983. JAGW supports ourfuture business people, employers, parentsand entrepreneurs. We invest in our stu-dents’ ability to succeed and thrive. Wedepend on volunteers to deliver the pro-grams.

Junior Achievement Guelph Wellington islooking for volunteers to bring programs toour local schools. JAGW programs aredelivered by business professionals, whovolunteer their time and have received

training in the course materials. These vol-unteers bring current business know-howto the students' learning experience. Wematch new volunteers with experiencedvolunteers as part of training andmentoring.

Our up-coming programs include: OurBusiness World, A Business of Our Ownand Dollars With Sense.

This Spring, we plan to deliverEconomics For Success to over 40 Grade 7and 8 classes in Guelph and thesurrounding areas. A one-day volunteercommitment is all that is required to make

a difference in our students’ futures.Register for a program if you are a teacher.Volunteer or ask your student’s school todeliver a program if you are a parent.Register as a volunteer if you are looking tomake a meaningful difference in a youngperson’s life.

To support the future of our youth inGuelph Wellington please contactus at: 519-835-1140 or visitwww.guelph-wellington.jacan.org

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.

Call Mr. James Cako, Director of Enrolment at 519-648-2183 and book your personal tour.

Learn more at www.sjkschool.org

Brush Off Guelph–painting a future for a local child

February 28, 2015 7:00 pm - 11:00 pm

Old Quebec St. Doors open at 7:00pm.Enjoy the evening as 24 artists create 45 original works of art in 30 minutes.Brush Off is organized by the Children's Foundation of Guelph and Wellington and thefunds raised will go to support local children emotionally, physically and intellectuallythrough the programs they offer. Cost: S20.00Old Quebec St. Mall, 2 Wyndham St. N.Guelph.Purchase tickets at all Guelph Scotiabank locations or at Wyndham Art Supplies, 125Wyndham St. N., or online at www.brushoffguelph.com

The Institute of Public Administration ofCanada (IPAC) and Deloitte recognizedGuelph as one of the top three cities in themunicipal category of their annual public sec-tor leadership awards.

The IPAC/Deloitte Public Sector LeadershipAwards program recognizes organizationsthat have demonstrated outstanding leader-ship by taking bold steps to improveCanada, through advancements in publicpolicy and management.Deloitte and IPAC awarded Guelph with thebronze and were particularly impressed byGuelph’s effort to work on many fronts atthe same time to transform local govern-ment in order to be relevant and responsiveto citizens and the business community.including the following:

Co-producing an Open GovernmentAction Plan that is principle-based andcomprehensive. The City has established anOpen Government Community LeadershipTeam; turned Council orientation into anonline resource everyone can access; andcreated a Civic Innovation Lab in partner-

ship with the University of Guelph.Establishing a Leadership Charter signed

by 150 leaders at the City of Guelph. TheCharter is empowering employees to put cit-izens at the heart of every decision.Implementing structural transformationthat includes streamlining five service areasinto three and begins to establish a numberof solution-based round tablesthat–depending on the table–will bringtogether City Councilors, a cross-section ofemployees, citizens and business leaders tosolve complex community issues.M “This recognition from a national publicadministration institute and a leading inter-national private sector firm is a testament toour employees, Council and the Guelphcommunity for challenging the statusquo and demonstrating leadership in localgovernment,” stated City of Guelph CAOAnn Pappert.

To see more about the City of Guelph’swork to transform local government visitopen.guelph.ca

Guelph honoured for municipal public sector leadership


Red Tape Awareness Week 2015 by Heather Grummett

The Canadian Federation of IndependentBusiness (CFIB) Red Tape Awareness Week™came to a close on January 23.With over 109,000 small and mediumbusiness members across Canada, CFIB hasrepresented the interests of the small busi-ness community to all three levels ofgovernment for over 40 years.When surveyed, small and medium sizedbusinesses historically choose the tax bur-den as the top issue affecting their business,while government regulations and red tapecontinues to be selected as a very close sec-ond among 72% of respondents. Businessowners do not disagree on the need for reg-ulations, but do question the amount oftime and money spent on having to complywith rules that are often unnecessary.Issued by CFIB, Canada’s Red Tape Reportshows the total cost of complying with gov-ernment rules and paperwork reached$37.1 billion per year in 2014. The averageemployee in a small business can spend

more than one month each year, or 185hours, dealing strictly with regulations. Thereport also shows that 42% of small busi-ness owners would not advise their childrento start a business.Although not all regulation is red tape,business owners say the regulatory burdencould be cut by about 30%, or $11 billion ayear, with no negative effect on health, safe-ty and environmental goals of regulation.To highlight some of the worse examplesof red tape, each year CFIB hands out anannual Paperweight Award to someone ineach level of government who has madebusiness difficult for entrepreneurs.The 2015 Paperweight Award on aFederal level went to Jean-Pierre Blais,Chairman of the Canadian Radio-televisionand Telecommunications Commission(CRTC) for his role in launching Canada’snew anti-spam law (CASL).While the law was designed to protectCanadians from spam emails, text messages

and unwanted social media requests, com-plying with this new standard has provencomplicated and costly for small businessowners, who say it does little to stop realspam, while expecting businesses to record andtrack consent for routine business email withclients and potential clients.Provincially, Ontario Labour Minister KevinFlynn was awarded for a regulation that wasnot his idea, but one that he continues toenforce. The regulation requires businesses toprint and post the province’s employmentstandards on uncommon legal-sized paper, asopposed to standard letter-sized paper, or besubject to a $360 fine. Plus, when changes weremade to the minimum wage, it took a monthfor an updated poster to be released, making allOntario business non-compliant and subject toa fine.On a Municipal level, the award went to LucFerrandez, Mayor of Plateau-Mont-Royal,Quebec, who was chosen for costing localrestaurants by enforcing a rule that they must

upgrade affordable plastic patio chairs formore expensive stylish outdoor furniture.The Red Tape Awareness Week™ campaigncontinues to not only bring light to this hiddentax that is costing the economy billions peryear, but also has achieved results that arehelping to make life easier for Canada’sentrepreneurs. Some governments havestepped up to make changes a priority,while some provinces have not.CFIB highlights those elected officials orothers in government who have shown com-mitment and action on cutting through redtape that weigh down businesses.One example is John Marshall, AssistantDeputy Minister (Acting), Open ForBusiness, Ministry of EconomicDevelopment, Employment andInfrastructure, Ontario, who created aninitiative that has reduced the amount of paper-work required to make aWSIB claim by 60%.For more details and the full report visitwww.cfib.ca

After 17 years The Foundation of GuelphGeneral Hospital has decided to end itsinvolvement with the annual Taste of Guelphfundraising event, which has raised funds forboth St. Joseph’s Health Centre Foundation,Guelph and The Foundation of GuelphGeneral Hospital.Taste of Guelph is one of Guelph’s best-lovedgarden parties featuring more than 55 of thearea’s finest restaurateurs, caterers, vintnersand brewers, with close to 500 ticket holderssampling the local food and drink.In its history, Taste of Guelph has generatedmore than half a million dollars to purchaselife-saving medical equipment, to fund servicesthat contribute to a better quality of life forsome of our community's most vulnerable res-idents, and to help advance important researchand education projects.Taste of Guelph started in 1998 as a jointfundraiser between St. Joe’s, the GuelphGeneral andHomewood HealthCentre - however,Homewood pulledout after five years.The event has beenheld in recent years

on the grounds of St. Joseph’s Health Centre,where the grounds are transformed into alarge garden party, complete with tents, livemusic and hundreds of trees, flowers and dec-orations.St. Joseph’s Health Centre Foundation willremain as the event’s sole organizer. Last year,the $60,000 raised was split between the twofoundations, however, The Guelph Generalfelt the return wasn’t enough to compensatefor the hours spent organizing.The Foundation of Guelph General will nowturn more attention to other fundraising ini-tiatives including the newest event, the Tourde Guelph cycling fundraiser that debuted lastsummer. The Guelph General’s foundationand two local Rotary clubs netted just over$34,000, with the foundation receiving 75% ofthe money raised.For details on the 2015 Taste of Guelphevent visit www.tasteofguelph.com

Guelph General steps away from Taste of Guelph

The Guelph-Wellington Business EnterpriseCentre hosts a two-hour seminar series withover 35 seminars on topics including marketing,sales, cash flow,market research, bookkeeping,andmore. Each seminar is $32 including HST.

Smart Selling SkillsFebruary 279:00amHow to sell....Whether a product or a service,this seminar will take you through some of thetechniques to successfully sell your product oridea. Discuss how to find out what your cus-tomer is really looking for, how to close the sale,

how to get return customers.Location: 625 King St. E. Unit 1B, Kitchener

Collections - Getting PaidMarch 39:00amBeing pro-active in designing credit policies toensure that you get paid.Location: 42Wyndham St. N. Suite 401, Guelph

Finding and Researching Your Target MarketMarch 49:00amMarket research is radar for your business deci-sions. A business does not operate in a vacuum

andmarket research will assist you settingobjectives, tactics and strategies for protectingand growing your business.Location: 42Wyndham St. N. Suite 401, Guelph

Planning your Website ContentMarch 59:00amOne of the most important considerationswhen creating a website is having the right con-tent, and whether hiring someone to do it ordeveloping the content internally, every businessneeds to have a content plan that will maximizethe website’s possibilities.

Location: 42Wyndham St. N. Suite 401, Guelph

ABC’s of MarketingMarch 91:00pmHow do you get your idea or product known inthe marketplace? This seminar will look at thebasic process of focusing on your target marketand to make marketing decisions that bringresults.Location: 625 King St. E. Unit 1B, Kitchener

To register and for a full list of workshops visitwww.guelphbusiness.com.

Business workshops

The goal sounds simple: creating a healthylifestyle for children and families. But themethods to reach it are increasingly complex.A number of young Guelph families areamong the first participants in a massiveUniversity of Guelph study intended toreduce health-care costs in Ontario by start-ing at the source, with parents and theiryoung children.Jeff Grimes, an IT project manager, and hiswife, Jennifer, an employment counsellor,have two kids. Their family is part of the one-year pilot project for the Guelph FamilyHealth Study, which will eventually include3,000 families.That study will take place over two decades,allowing researchers to track children intoearly adulthood and see how lifestyle changesaffect them.The Grimes’ three-year-old son, Ben, is partof the pilot study. His sister, Quinn, 18months old, is too young for the study, butwill be impacted by whatever changes areimplemented.For their parents, the decision to participatewas an easy one.“We felt our kids were playing more outsideat daycare than at home; we also noticed theywere watching more TV than we liked whenwe got home,” said Jennifer.“Our hope is the study will help us set somegoals around being more active, especially inthe winter when there is less opportunity foroutdoor time.”The pilot group will help researchers refinethe larger project, said study co-leader Prof.

David Ma, Human Health and NutritionalSciences.“We have 50 families participating in thepilot, which is the exact number we hopedfor,” said Ma.“This will be a large study with many meas-ures, and it’s important to ensure all the mov-ing parts worked seamlessly together and thatthe technology is effective. Our families helpus learn what worked and what needschanges.When we expand, we will be in thebest position possible for success.”The research team implemented a series ofinterventions with the families. Each familyset their own goals based on the behavioursthey wanted to change.“Interventions were tailored to help familieswhere they most needed assistance, includingdiet, physical activity, sleep, screen time andmeal times,” said study co-leader Prof. JessHaines, Family Relations and AppliedNutrition.“We helped families set goals and usedmotivational coaching to help families achievetheir goals.”For the Grimes, the study is an opportunityto make meaningful changes in the lives oftheir children before habits are set.“We have been fortunate to meet some greatpeople who have helped us set realistic goalsbased on our family’s needs,” said Jennifer.“We want to be able to model healthybehaviours and habits for our children, andfelt this study would be able to give us somedirection.”

Media release

Making Families Healthy Goal of Huge Guelph Study

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