Peterborough Blogs
Nominations Open For Peterborough And The Kawartha Chamber 2022 Business Excellence Award
/Nominations are now open for the Peterborough and the Kawarthas Chamber of Commerce’s 2022 Business Excellence Awards.
File Photo.
Categories for business nominations include Commercial Development or Renovation, Customer First, Employer of the Year, Entrepreneurial Spirit, Farm Family of the Year, Green Initiatives, Health & Wellness, Hospitality, Local Focus, Marketing & Promotion, Micro Business, New Canadian Entrepreneur of the Year, Not-for-profit, Professional Services, Retail, Skilled Trades, and Tourism.
Individuals are also eligible to be nominated in categories like Business Citizen of the Year, 4-Under-40 Profiles, New Canadian Entrepreneur of the Year, Businesswoman of the Year – Entrepreneur, and Businesswoman of the Year – Organization.
Nomination forms are available at pkexcellence.ca. The deadline to nominate a business or individual is at 4:30 p.m. on May 25.
Three finalists in each category will be announced in August. The winners will be announced in the fall.
StoosNews Spotlight: Check Out The Business Beat This Week Featuring Tragically Dipped, T-Elle Boutique, Jethro's Bar and Stage and Lakefield Optometrist
/PTBOCanada is delighted to be running StoosNews columns each week here, spotlighting new businesses and startups in Peterborough and the Kawarthas. Here is this week’s edition…
Tragically Dipped opened recently at 386 Water St. Owner Mike Frampton offers old-school doughnuts, coffee, breakfast and snacks made with fresh local ingredients.
It’s a brand-new restaurant space and Frampton will gradually expand the menu over the coming weeks. The doughnuts have been so popular that Mike is limiting walk-in purchases to one box of six per person! You can also pick up some whole bean coffee from Rapids End.
T-Elle Boutique in Downtown Peterborough has a new owner. Victoria Shaoling has been inspired by Lien Vu, the previous owner, so she decided to start a new adventure in the fashion industry and purchased the boutique.
Located at 131 Charlotte St., across from Galaxy Cinema, T-Elle Boutique offers fancy apparel for proms, graduations, parties, Mother of the bride or any special occasion. Victoria also carries fashionable casual collections made in Montréal. Stop in or visit telleboutique.com.
Jethro’s Bar and Stage just opened last week at 137 Hunter St. in Peterborough.
Owner Kayla Howrand and her family have taken over the former Sapphire Room on Hunter Street and they plan to offer lots of live music, including Charlie Glasspool every Wednesday from 5 p.m. to 7. p.m. Follow Jethro’s Bar and Stage on Facebook for updates.
Lakefield Optometrist Dr. Rick Heyden recently retired after 27 years serving the Lakefield community.
Dr. Emily Kendall will be joining the practice, working alongside Dr. Jessica Nichols and Dr. Shelley Martel. In addition, Lakefield VisionCare is joining with FYidoctors, Canada's largest doctor-owned eye care provider. The practice will continue at the same Queen Street Lakefield location with the addition of FYidoctors' leading technology and expanded line of Canadian-made frames. Lakefieldvisioncare.com
T-Elle Boutique Legacy Lives On As New Owner Takes Over
/T-Elle Boutique, a women’s apparel shop downtown Peterborough, has been transferred to new management and will remain open after original owner Lien Vu announced her retirement.
Victoria SL in T-Elle Boutique. Photo by Luke Best.
Victoria SL took over the shop on April 1 and has been learning from Vu since. The shop has been rebranded as “T-Elle Boutique by VSL.”
“I’ve always been interested in owning a business and this just seemed like a very interesting opportunity,” said SL.
Though she has never owned a retail store, SL has plenty of experience in hard work.
With a PhD in linguistics, SL operated an English language academy in Taiwan then moved to Canada and has been a professor at Trent University since 2014. She is also a licensed Zumba instructor.
“I like to do all kinds of things, this is an experience,” said SL. “If you have the ability to do it, just do it.”
She hopes that her taking over T-Elle might inspire others to do the thing that they’ve been thinking about doing.
@ptbo_canada T-Elle’s Boutique has everything you need for your fancy dress needs! #LocalShop #ShopLocal #PTBOCanada #DowntownPTBO ♬ kiss me back girl - veggibeats
The decision to take over came quickly, she says. When visiting the shop during its closing sale with a friend, Vu asked if she wanted to take over randomly.
“I believe in divine timing, everything has its own time,” said SL. “I’ve always been fascinated by fashion, and I thought this could be something to build off of. It’s just an amazing opportunity for me. I’m not feeling pressure, just excitement.”
Now, a few weeks into owning the business, Vu is showing SL the ropes to the business before she leaves for good.
“I feel free,” said Vu.
Vu notes that she is glad SL is taking over, and that Peterborough will still have a place to buy outfits for their special occasions.
SL says she plans to continue the shop as Vu had it, though maybe in the future she will begin to bring in more of her own style.
The shop will be open Tuesday - Saturday 10:30 a.m. - 7 p.m. and Sunday 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Appointments can also be made by calling (705) 742-7778.
Engage with us on social media on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Tiktok. Write to us at tips@ptbocanada.com. Sign up for PTBOBuzz newsletter here.
Jethro's Bar + Stage Will Be A Gathering Place For Local Musicians
/Jethro’s Bar + Stage, owned by Kayla Howran, will open in the location of the former Sapphire Room, on Friday.
The mural at Jethro’s was painted by local artist Tim Wales. Photo by Luke Best.
Jethro’s was born in hopes to provide a small venue for artists to showcase their talents, in a cozy space with a small crowd.
As a musician herself, Howran notes how many great, larger venues are in Peterborough like The Red Dog, Market Hall and The Gordon Best theatre, though she thinks there is still room for a more intimate space.
“I feel like Peterborough has lost a lot of it’s smaller venues over the years. Some maybe due to COVID, some maybe not,” she said. “Whatever the reason I feel like we’ve lost those great, small stages.”
Howran owns Huck’s Lakeside Bar + Restaurant in Buckhorn, a seasonal restaurant, and hopes that Jethro’s will keep her busy the rest of the year.
Melissa Payne, local musician, will be the first to officially take stage at Jethro’s on their opening night, Friday. Payne is set to begin playing at 9 and Howran says she will stop whenever they see fit.
“If the crowd wants to hear more, if they’re enjoying themselves, we’ll keep going.”
The bar will be closed Monday and open the rest of the week, with an anticipated opening time of 4 p.m. daily.
Howran hopes to be able to provide matinees for parents and families to be able to enjoy, as well as late night performances.
“I think that’s important, my husband and I have two kids and there’s very few places to take them,” she said. “I can’t think of anything nicer than a Sunday afternoon going out for lunch and listening to some good local music.”
Jethro’s is inspired by the natural world, with plenty of natural wood interior, plants and a mural by artist Tim Wales.
While Howran knew hwat she wanted her new bar to look like, she also knew she wanted to preserve a bit of the iconic Sapphire Room that lived in that space for 24 years prior.
The legs of the refurbished bar stools are original from the Sapphire Room, and they’ve left a bit of the iconic blue on the exterior of the building.
“At times it felt painful, we didn’t want to cover up the old bar, but at the same time this is new,” she said. “It’s been interesting and exciting to see the transformation from one place to the other, but also nerve-wracking in that I hope I do the space justice. It is hard to cover up what once was for so long and what people loved for so long.”
To keep up to date with Jethro’s follow them on Instagram and Facebook.
Voice of Business: Employment Insurance
/It’s time to review Employment Insurance.
One out of every 20 jobs in Canada is currently going unfilled.
The Canadian Chamber of Commerce’s March 2022 Labour Force Survey reveals the total to be 830,000 jobs.
“It seems like every survey shows businesses laser-focused on two issues limiting their recovery and posing the most significant barrier to economic growth: supply chain disruptions and labour shortages. Most businesses believe supply chain disruptions are with us for another year, maybe two, but our members see no end to Canada’s labour shortage crisis,” states Leah Nord, Canadian Chamber of Commerce Senior Director of Workforce Strategies and Inclusive Growth.
It's going to take a multi-faceted approach to properly address our labour challenges. It will take involvement from all levels of government, public institutions and the private sector all working together.
The Canadian Chamber of Commerce is advocating that this is the time to modernize Employment Insurance. The Government of Canada is engaging in consultations on EI. The EI system has not been reviewed in 70 years, something the CCC calls a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to crack this stale nut wide open.
The CCC would like to see EI evolve towards becoming a talent development process that responds to the regional and sectoral labour market needs, supporting individuals through temporary job loss with financial and training resources. The CCC goes on to say that in order to achieve this we need a mechanism wherein all parties – business, labour and government – can engage in a meaningful and sustained way.
The latest unemployment numbers highlight that the issue is much bigger than simply getting people back to work. Unemployment dropped to the lowest it has been since 1974, hitting 5.3% in March. CCC Chief Economist Stephen Tapp expects to see the trend continue with unemployment dropping below 5% this year.
People are back to work.
It’s important to look at how we’re recovering. For example, Canada added 73,000 jobs in March of which 55,000 were men and 18,000 were women. Full-time work is leading growth, having added 93,000 jobs, while part-time employment dropped a further 20,000. While many people may prefer full-time work, part-time provides its own essential role in the economy by engaging people who require the added flexibility. Wages continue to rise, but struggle to keep pace with soaring inflation.
One key aspect of overhauling EI is to reposition people for the workforce. The system currently provides needed financial assistance while someone is out of work and essentially puts them back into the workforce to fill the same role they left. There is an opportunity to do better and use the EI process to develop much-needed talent.
We have to come to terms with the fact that dealing with such a large hole in our workforce is about more than finding enough bodies to fill those jobs. We can do better. We can modernize our workforce in ways that won’t require the same things to be done the same way we were doing them. Ultimately, this innovative approach to employment gaps will make our country more competitive.
Without access to talent for our businesses, our economy is at risk of stagnating. The timing couldn’t be worse considering the desperate situation many businesses are facing coming out of two years of COVID-19 public health measures.
The heart of our economy, our growth, and our prosperity is people. It’s time to do better about how we support, train, and engage our most valuable resource.
Content provided by the Peterborough and the Kawarthas Chamber of Commerce.
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Peterborough's Humour On Display From "Sign Wars" One-Year Anniversary
/One year has passed since Peterborough and the surrounding area playfully poked fun at each other with the “Sign Wars” phenomenon that began last April.
The original friendly feud started as Anden Kitchen & Bath Centre called out Friendly Fires and Merrett Home Hardware Building Centre. Both businesses responded to Anden and the trend took off in Peterborough.
Businesses such as Trent Valley Honda, Whelan’s Flooring and Trent Security Systems Ltd., Peterborough Police Service and Pete & Dani of 100.5 Fresh Radio quickly joined in on the teasing among hundreds of participating businesses.
The trend began in Christiansburg, Va. where Jim Bohan, owner of music store Bridge Kaldro put up a sign challenging Super Shoes — the next-door shoe store — to a sign war on April 16 last year with a message, "Hey Super Shoes! Wanna start a sign war?"
Hundreds of photo submissions were given to PTBOCanada to showcase over eight days since the war began.
A running gag of “Aisle 15” being a party at Home Hardware was sparked by Whelan that inspired a fundraising t-shirt containing the same reference.
There was $6,360 raised that went towards the Kawartha-Haliburton Children’s Foundation (KHCF) to fund their “Soaking Up Summer” program.
“When the call came through was just so thrilled that it’s going towards helping kids who are in need of our community,” said Deb Aben, Executive Producer of KHCF.
Anden was voted the best sign of all the wars with Home Hardware as the runner up and Franz's Butcher Shop & Catering as the third-best.
Family-Owned Downtown Restaurant "Rare" Is Up For Sale
/After three years of owning Rare, owners Kassy and Tyler Scott have put the business up for sale announced on their social media on Tuesday.
Two couple rebranded the restaurant to “Rare” in less than one year after purchasing the business. Photo by David Tuan Bui.
The husband and wife are selling the business since taking over from previous owner Brad Watt — who owns Publican House Brewery — in the summer of 2019. Tyler was hired as a sous chef by Watt in 2013 at the previously named “Rare Grill House” before becoming the executive chef.
Two couple rebranded the restaurant to “Rare” in January 2020.
They are selling Rare to spend more family time with their two daughters and take care of their mental health. The pandemic was an influence on the decision but ‘not in ways most people would think’ according to the couple. It gave them time to reflect and meditate to recognize what means the most to them.
The two work tirelessly in the restaurant. Kassy works social media, marketing and in-house duties for the restaurant. Tyler worked roughly 80-hour weeks in a six-day span which barely affords him any time to see his children.
“Being able to have evenings, for now, to be able to spend with them as they grow is going to be really refreshing and really important,” said Tyler.
"Our kids are so involved in what we do here," said Kassy. "We look around this space and there's a memory that somebody can't see. Our kids have never known a relationship with their dad outside of their dad being a chef and working super hard in this industry doing super cool things."
The couple wanted to shift their professional focus and rekindle their love for nature in their new “outdoor guided culinary experience” venture called Rare Escape.
They started this endeavour to help tell stories of local food systems including how nature plays a role in getting what you eat to a table.
"A restaurant is a great place to experience each other and experience company and intimacy," said Tyler. "It's a bit of a different setting where you can go and experience your own thoughts and own connections to nature. It's about experiencing nothing else but your own feelings."
The two have stressed that they are not leaving the community since the restaurant’s mandate and philosophy is to support local as much as possible. Their new venture gives them a new outlet to support the surrounding area while leaving behind an outlet for someone to continue that motto.
"We are engraved in this community,” said Kassy. ‘We are going to continue supporting local and to find special ways to implement our community and in our next step and adventures.”
The couple has received inquiries about the business’s sale however they will provide updates on if and when it gets sold.
Engage with us on social media on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Tiktok. Write to us at tips@ptbocanada.com. Sign up for PTBOBuzz newsletter here.
Voice of Business: Some Hits and Misses in Optimistic Federal Budget
/Economic growth is led by the private sector. It takes investment in their workforce, infrastructure, and innovation.
The 2022 federal budget has a lot to offer but time will tell if there’s enough emphasis on enabling the private sector to lead our economic recovery.
It’s encouraging to see our government prioritize investments in housing, reducing emissions, strengthening public health, and building a stronger workforce. Overall, our economic outlook is improving. Employment is up. Our GDP has come in higher than projected.
Where the criticism comes in is the lack of vision in the federal budget.
“Fiscal responsibility will become increasingly important amid inflation and rising interest rates,” states Rocco Rossi, President and CEO of the Ontario Chamber of Commerce, in a press release. “While Budget 2022 contains several growth-enabling investments, it lacks an overarching plan and vision for economic growth that will encourage private sector investment and reduce the debt-to-GDP ratio without the need for spending cuts or tax increases in the future. Now more than ever, it is critical for Canada to leverage private capital and reduce regulatory barriers that inhibit growth.”
The budget contains some significant positive investments. The federal government is tackling current housing issues. There are incentives to stimulate housing construction and a new Tax-Free Home Savings Account to help first-time buyers save up for a home.
We’re encouraged to see the government continue to prioritize investments in the VIA High Frequency Rail project, which includes Peterborough in a new dedicated passenger rail line between Toronto and Quebec City. The budget spells out further investment in planning and design steps.
There’s a big emphasis on net-zero emissions — and rightly so. Canada has made some big promises on the world stage to do its part to fight climate change. It’s encouraging to see the government work with the private sector, including investments in carbon capture technology, electric vehicles, and tax credits toward net-zero technologies. The government is also investing heavily in assisting the agriculture sector invest in low emissions technology.
Small and medium-sized businesses will see access to the small business tax rate gradually phased out once they reach $50 million of capital, up from $15 million. The government is also working on developing a plan for Employee Ownership Trusts, a tool that can help reward employees and increase retention.
Large banks and insurance companies are going to see a tax increase, prompting some concerns from the business community that these costs will get passed on to their customers.
The government is investing in a stronger workforce through new funding for training, tax credits to encourage seniors to continue longer in the workforce, and funding to support integration for persons with disabilities.
Our workforce is heavily dependent on outside help. The budget includes investments in the Temporary Foreign Worker program as well as assistance for immigration including expanding the program to recognize foreign credentials.
The budget comes up a bit short in a few critical areas. While there is money set aside for cybersecurity, it’s through the national defence sector. Chambers of commerce across the country have been advocating for more investment in cyber security for the private sector, especially as it impacts our supply chain. There’s a general lack of focus and investment in the supply chain, which is driving up costs and creating challenges for businesses and consumers.
Also missing is debt relief for hardest-hit businesses that used government support programs.
If nothing else, the 2022 budget is big on optimism. The federal government is making some much-needed investments in some business sectors that should lead us in the direction of recovery and growth. More can be done and for that, we’ll continue to advocate for a strong private sector to lead our economic growth.
Content provided by the Peterborough and the Kawarthas Chamber of Commerce.
Engage with us on social media on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Tiktok. Write to us at tips@ptbocanada.com. Sign up for PTBOBuzz newsletter here.
StoosNews Spotlight: Check Out The Business Beat This Week Featuring SPARK, Innovation Cluster, Tom's Heating and Cooling, CMHA and The Marketing Guy
/PTBOCanada is delighted to be running StoosNews columns each week here, spotlighting new businesses and startups in Peterborough and the Kawarthas. Here is this week’s edition…
The annual SPARK Photo Festival is on for the entire month of April. Spark is a celebration of photography and the artists, dreamers, innovators, storytellers, professionals and enthusiasts behind the camera lens.
There are numerous photo exhibits, workshops, lectures and many other photographic events and activities in locations throughout Peterborough, Northumberland and the Kawarthas.
From a celebration of the first 20 years of the Peterborough Dragon Boat Festival, to 17 individual exhibits, to the showcase exhibit and much more. Get the full list and a festival map at sparkphotofestival.org.
Congratulations to the Innovation Cluster Peterborough and the Kawarthas on receiving two prestigious awards: Technology Innovations & Development Incubator of the Year for Canada and the Award for Excellence in Collaborative International Innovations 2022.
The awards were presented by Global Health & Pharma Magazine at their seventh annual Biotechnology Awards. The digital magazine, distributed quarterly to 260,000 wellness professionals and healthcare-related suppliers worldwide, recognizes the Innovation Cluster’s unwavering dedication to its clients, its ideal location for growing cleantech start-ups and as one of few rural business incubators in Canada designated to offer the Start-Up VISA Program by the Canadian Federal Government. Innovationcluster.ca
Ryan Waudby of Tom’s Heating and Cooling is excited to be the presenting sponsor for this year’s Ride Don’t Hide event from the Canadian Mental Health Association Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge.
Ryan took over the heating and cooling business from his dad Tom, and recognizes the tremendous need for mental health support in the community.
The funds from this years’ Ride Don’t Hide event will support a new Mobile Mental Health and Addictions Clinic, which will travel across the district to provide mental health and addiction care. Details at cmhahkpr.ca or tomsheatingandcooling.ca
Entrepreneur Phillip Jolicoeur, locally known as The Marketing Guy, is presenting Funny @ the Farm, a comedy night featuring three marquee stand-up comedians - Eric Johnson, Brad Bryans and Jason Allen.
The event will be held on Sat. April 30 from 7 p.m. – 10 p.m. at Farmhill Weddings and Events, 2709 Dillon Road in Keene. For details visit pjthemarketingguy on Facebook or find the event on Eventbrite.
