Peterborough Blogs
StoosNews Spotlight: Check Out The Business Beat This Week Featuring Rusland's, Gardens Plus, MNC Podcast and Move For Hunger
/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…
Rusland Auctions Appraisers Moving and Storage is celebrating a Milestone 50th anniversary this year.
The late Bill Rusland purchased the property at 216 Hunter Street, what is now The Only, in 1972. That location had also been an auction house, dating back to 1936. Rusland’s son Rob, his wife Jackie and son Trent, now run Ruslands out of 1012 County Rd 19, just North of Peterborough.
With 12,000 square feet of storage, and a new 3200 square foot building for their online auctions, the family business continues to thrive. Check it all out online, including a special Estate sale online this week at ruslands.com.
Speaking of anniversaries, Dawn Gollaher of Gardens Plus is marking 25 years in business this year.
Dawn specializes in Hosta’s and easy-care perennials. Located at 136 County Road 4 in Donwood, check out the winning display gardens and greenhouses Thursday through Sunday from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m until the end of June. GardensPlus.ca
Local broadcaster Jordan Mercier recently launched MNC Podcast Productions, dedicated to helping businesses and individuals introduce and maintain a podcast.
Podcasting is being increasingly relied upon for branding and to reach potential customers and Jordan Mercier and Matt Latour help clients with professional production and editing services for audio and video. MNC also offers studio rentals, graphic design and a free consultation. Email mncpodcasting@gmail.com or call 705-772-7152.
Kawartha Food Share and Suzi Home Maker recently joined Move For Hunger, a national hunger relief non-profit organization.
Suzi Home Maker owner Susan Dunkley helps local homeowners with downsizing, decluttering, estate clearing and facilitating moves, which often results in food waste. Instead, Kawartha Food Share will make sure that it ends up in the hands of the more than 9000 clients who access their food banks and meal plans each month.
Voice of Business: Rebuilding and Growing Tourism
/Our tourism industry is beginning to bounce back — but our leaders need input from tourism-related businesses on how to guide that recovery.
Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada is conducting public consultations on the development of a post-pandemic Federal Tourism Growth Strategy.
Peterborough and the Kawarthas Economic Development estimates that our region attracts more than three million visitors who spend more than $300 million annually. Nationally, Destination Canada estimates tourism contributed $43.6 billion to our Gross Domestic Product.
In 2020, Statistics Canada found our tourism GDP dropped by 49 per cent. Since then, it rose 4.4 per cent in 2021 and continues to increase, including an 8.7 per cent increase in the fourth quarter of 2021. Accommodation and food and beverage are leading the recovery with air transportation and travel services lagging behind.
Canadian Chamber of Commerce Senior Director, Transportation, Infrastructure and Regulatory Policy Robin Guy recently published an editorial in the Toronto Sun calling on the federal government to assist our airports in their recovery, noting travel declined by 95 per cent from 2019 levels during the pandemic. It’s noted that in 2016, our airports contributed $48 billion to our economic output and employed 194,000 people.
Adding to issues with investments in our airport infrastructure and the large lines and delays in processing passengers, many Canadian passengers are struggling to get their passports. After a couple years of very limited international travel, Service Canada is struggling to keep up with a surge in demand. Calls to Service Canada about passports jumped from 5,000 to 200,000 per day and passports issued jumped from 363,000 to 1,273,000 over the last year.
The Government of Canada launched Creating Middle Class Jobs: A Federal Tourism Growth Strategy in 2019, but the tourism sector has changed dramatically since then. Tourism and hospitality felt the effects of the pandemic immediately and continue to deal with COVID-related challenges.
The Government of Canada is looking to work with the tourism sector, provincial and territorial counterparts and Indigenous tourism partners to renew the strategy and set a course for growth, investment and stability.
The renewal of the tourism growth strategy was announced as part of the 2022 federal budget to help fuel the resurgence of tourism. The public consultation on the development of a post-pandemic Federal Tourism Growth Strategy opened May 18 and will run until July 20.
As per the federal government, the consultation will build on the work already done since the launch of the original strategy in 2019, with a particular focus on:
labour gaps and instability
investment attraction and destination development
long-term economic growth across the country.
To share your views on how Canada can build on its reputation as a world-class destination, please send an email to tourisminfo-tourismeinfo@ised-isde.gc.ca. The deadline for submitting feedback is 11:59 p.m. EST on July 20.
Tourism is an important part of our local, provincial, and national economy and we need to invest in rebuilding, renewing, and expanding it for years to come.
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.
Innovation Cluster Peterborough and the Kawarthas Welcomes First International Clients To Peterborough
/Innovation Cluster Peterborough and the Kawarthas announced on Tuesday that it has welcomed its first international clients to Peterborough since launching its government-accredited STARTup Visa Program (SUV) in February 2021.
Dmitriy Sevostyanov and Laura Sevostyanova enjoy a poutine at Rileys.
Dmitriy Sevostyanov and Laura Sevostyanova, an entrepreneurial duo from Kazakhstan, arrived in Peterborough last week.
They came to begin the next phase of SUV, which has a mission to provide innovative startup business mentorship and programming to immigrant entrepreneurs so they may successfully relocate to Peterborough and the Kawarthas to grow sustainable businesses, create jobs, and become an active contributor in the community.
Before arriving in Canada, the duo participated in an initial 3-month virtual accelerator program and a formal review process by the Innovation Cluster. After successfully completing both, the Kazakhstani team was granted a Letter of Support which helped them immigrate to begin their Canadian entrepreneurial journey.
Now, Dmitriy and Laura have begun SUV’s next phase — a 12-month, in-person business incubation program facilitated from the Innovation Cluster’s downtown hub. Over the next year, they will gain knowledge, skills, mentorship, and networking opportunities to prepare them for business success and the ability to compete on a global scale.
“Canada was our top choice due to Canadians’ large ecological consciousness and the support programs available to startups,” said Dmitriy. “Among all Startup Visa Programs offered in Canada, the Innovation Cluster’s SUV program caught our attention due to its ideal location and its expertise with the cleantech and agtech sectors.”
Dmitriy and Laura’s established business, ReGreen, specializes in producing 100% recyclable eco-bags using spunbond nonwoven fabric. The material is breathable, durable, and lightweight with the ability to decompose in less than one year without emitting any harmful chemicals. They have been manufacturing eco-bags in Kazakhstan since 2015.
Since launching SUV in February 2021, the program has run three cohorts per year, has accepted 47 client companies to-date, and 40 companies have received Letters of Support and are awaiting additional government documents so they can join Dmitriy and Laura in Peterborough.
For more information on the STARTup Visa Program, visit https://www.innovationcluster.ca/startupvisa/.
StoosNews Spotlight: Check Out The Business Beat This Week Featuring BEAM, BAA, Cuddles For Cancer and Peterborough Golf And Country Club
/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…
Hot on the heels of his new book Build Beyond Zero, local energy advocate Chris Magwood recently launched a carbon estimator tool called BEAM.
Just input the main dimensions of your building and you'll find a comprehensive list of all the available materials for all the main assemblies and the carbon footprint for each choice. Choose materials accordingly and get real time, up-to-date and accurate information and informative reports from BEAM. Details are at buildersforclimateaction.org
Randy Hauth and the team at Carveths Marina have just launched an exciting new program called the Boater’s Assistance Association, or BAA.
Covering Stoney and Clear Lakes for now, if you hit a rock, damage your boat, run out of gas, the battery dies, experience electrical or engine problems, you get lost, or maybe you had one drink too many at a friend’s cottage, Carveths will pick you up, tow you back, bring some fuel, whatever the situation requires. There are three very affordable levels of membership, and you can find all of the details on their new website at Carvethsmarina.ca.
Cuddles for Cancer’s Faith Dickinson, a newly-appointed member of the Queen’s Commonwealth Trust, is hosting two big events this week to commemorate Queen Elizabeth’s 70 years of service.
A Queen's Platinum Jubilee Youth Beacon Lighting will be held at Lakefield College School, this Thursday And Faith will be hosting a Tea Party on Friday at the Lakefield Legion.
Dickinson started Cuddles for Cancer 10 years ago and has since handed out nearly 10,000 blankets to individuals in need across more than 50 countries. Details on both events are on the Cuddles For Cancer Facebook page.
I’m sure that Jermaine Brissett had an interesting first week on the job. Two days after one of the most significant storms in our history, Jermaine started as the new General Manager/Chief Operating Officer of Peterborough Golf and Country Club.
Jermaine is a Certified Club Manager and comes to Peterborough Golf from The National Golf Club of Canada. Welcome to Peterborough Jermaine and Tricia! ptbogolf.com
Voice of Business: Technology, Diversity and Flexibility Are Key to Workforce Challenges
/The labour issues hitting businesses across the country didn’t start with the pandemic, but it did accelerate the problem to a point where it’s one of the biggest issues holding back economic growth.
According to a survey by the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC):
55 per cent of Canadian entrepreneurs are struggling to hire the workers they need
64 per cent report that labour shortage limits their growth
61 per cent must increase their hours and/or their employees’ hours
49 per cent must increase wages and benefits
44 per cent have delayed or unable to deliver orders to clients
Lack of access to a workforce with the right skills is holding back businesses and hiring difficulties increase in smaller communities.
Nationally, unemployment has fallen to 5.2 per cent.
Our economy is bouncing back, but that’s putting further strain on businesses’ ability to hire. Projections range on when things will return “back to normal,” but we can say with confidence these challenges aren’t going away in the short term.
These issues were decades in the making, but ultimately what is important is finding our path forward.
What businesses are doing according to BDC:
Offering flexible work arrangements (e.g. telework, flextime, compressed workweeks) – 37 per cent
Internally training less-qualified workers – 35 per cent
Recruiting younger workers and/or students – 26 per cent
Hiring freelancers or contractual or independent workers – 25 per cent
Recruiting immigrants and/or foreign workers – 10 per cent
Automating certain areas (e.g. using robotics, cognitive agents, smart workflows or advanced analytics) – 10 per cent
Recruiting older/previously retired workers – 9 per cent
BDC notes Increasing diversity and flexibility are important for business growth, including three key areas: youth, immigrants, and older workers. Immigration in Canada slowed to a crawl through the pandemic. Both youth and immigrants bring skills and a willingness to grow and develop. BDC recommends offering more opportunities to youth and immigrants as a way to make better use of our workforce.
When it comes to older workers, we need to address flexibility. They have an incredible set of skills and experience that our economy has relied on for years. Workers approaching retirement may no longer be interested in working full-time hours but could be open to part-time and hybrid options.
More and more businesses are turning to automation as a way to streamline the business. For most businesses, it’s not a case of a robot replacing a staff member — it’s all the small things adding up to a more efficient process. Examples include:
Automated email marketing campaigns
Chatbots and automated messaging systems
Sales lead generation and management
Touchscreen ordering
Self-checkouts
Online booking and automated appointments
Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems
Collect job applications
Businesses can further streamline by adopting new technology like updated email systems, shared digital calendars, and cloud-based workflow systems.
There’s no single solution that’s going to answer our workforce challenges. The local business community has shown its ability to adapt, pivot, and invest in new technology. The challenges facing businesses continue to change, but our economy is growing and to grow with it businesses need to be open and flexible in growing their workforce.
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 Dan Joyce Clothing, Living Local Marketplace, PatchPress and PKED
/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…
Nancy Wiskel, the new owner of Dan Joyce Clothing, recently opened a second location in Apsley. Located at 126A Burleigh St. in Apsley, Nancy hopes to build on the flagship store’s 43 years of history and reputation, with a focus on more relaxed, casual styles.
The 1,000 sq. ft. space has a cottage feel complete with a fireplace, wood surfaces and custom displays. Open seven days a week, stop in or find Dan Joyce Clothing all over social media.
Living Local Marketplace recently expanded its retail space.
Owner Alicia Doris says that after only seven months in business her customers have displayed a lot of enthusiasm for her gourmet local food products, with many customers shopping in person at the store at 1179 Chemong Road.
Shoppers can build their own gift box or simply shop for themselves in-store, or do the same thing online, choosing from more than 300 local offerings including artwork, bath and body products, jewelry, and sustainable goods for the home. Shipping is available coast to coast livinglocalmarketplace.ca.
PatchPress is Andrew Stephens new web development company.
A computer programmer with twenty years experience, fifteen of them building and fixing WordPress sites, Andrew has worked with graphic artists and marketing agencies until this year, when PatchPress was born.
Andrew offers WordPress development , management, troubleshooting, accessibility and hosting. Visit patchpress.ca for details.
Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development is conducting its third annual Business Count Survey this Summer.
It’s a voluntary count, but it provides valuable insight into the region’s economy, including the number of people employed, the total square footage, import/export stats, identify vacant properties, and more, all of it designed to help make better-informed decisions related to job growth, workforce development, business opportunities and community development initiatives.
If you are a local business, please receive the Business Count Survey team with open arms. For details visit investptbo.ca.
Peterborough Is Getting Even Sweeter With New Candy Shop Tastely Box
/Tastely Box, a curated candy shop that got its start in Apsley and took off on TikTok, has opened a location in Peterborough.
Photo by Angela O’Grady.
Not even a year after opening their brick and mortar shop in Apsley, Polly and James Laneville have found such success that they opened a second location on Chamberlain Street in Peterborough.
“We’re really excited, this is going to be our main store now,” said Polly. “I tripled our stock from what we have in Apsley, and even that’s not enough - we’ll need more for sure.”
The store curates themed boxes of candy from all around the world. Themed boxes include Japanese, Mexican, British, U.S.A and Canadian. They also offer themes like ‘Peanut Butter Lover’, ‘Pucker Up Sour’ and ‘Chocoholic’.
Though they haven’t launched it yet, due to shipping issues, they will also sell rolled ice cream and slab ice cream.
“We have really, really big plans for Peterborough. A five year plan already in the works, but I don’t want to give it away.”
Tastely Box is open Wednesday - Saturday 11 a.m. - 6 p.m. and Sunday 11 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Voice of Business: Cybercriminals Targeting Small and Medium Businesses
/Cybersecurity is one of those topics that affect the majority of businesses in some form but it’s something businesses are hesitant to talk about.
According to Mastercard, attacks on small businesses increased by 424 per cent in 2020 and the issue is only growing as many invest further in digital systems.
A report from Fundera indicates:
43% of cyber attacks target small businesses
Only 14% of small businesses rate their ability to mitigate cyber risks and attacks as highly effective
3 out of 4 small businesses say they don’t have the personnel to address IT security
54% of small businesses think they’re too small for a cyber attack
Human error and system failure account for 52% of data security breaches
Industry experts say a small business’s cyber security budget should be at least 3% of a company’s total spending
The business community is often reluctant to talk about it because as victims, there are feelings of shame and embarrassment as well as fears that their business might lose customers.
The truth is that business owners are required to be experts in everything from government legislation to marketing to construction projects and juggle all of those roles in any given day — yet they’re up against people who are dedicated to finding security breaches and exploiting them.
Typically, they’re after your data, whether to hold it for ransom or steal it. Businesses and organizations that deal with large amounts of customer data, specifically in the government, retail and tech sectors, deal with the vast majority of attacks.
Even at a personal level, Statistics Canada found that 42 per cent of Canadians experienced some type of cyber security incident in the first few months of the pandemic.
Cyber security is a fundamental business issue right now. We’ve come to appreciate just how vulnerable our supply chain network is. An outbreak in a factory, a war on another continent, or a protest at a border crossing are all capable of grinding business down to a crawl. When you look at the statistics of just how prevalent cyber security incidents are and see how many businesses and organizations are involved in moving the goods and providing the services we rely on, there’s little doubt that someone in that network is either dealing with a cyber security incident or struggling with the fallout from one.
We’re encouraged to see our governments investing in helping our businesses thrive online through programs like Digital Main Street and the Canada Digital Adoption Program. Those investments are needed to move our economy ahead. But as our businesses move into new, uncharted waters, they need confidence that they’re going to be reasonably safe.
Cyber Security has been a common theme for chamber advocacy, including the Canadian and Ontario chambers of commerce who have been working hard to put this on the agenda for budget allocations and election platforms.
The Canadian Chamber of Commerce Cyber. Right. Now. campaign is asking the government of Canada to improve three key areas:
Growing Canada’s economy by accelerating the competitiveness of Canada’s cybersecurity industry.
Securing Canadian critical infrastructure, supply chains, and businesses of all sizes from cyber threats by investing in cybersecurity at levels comparable to Canada’s G7 peers.
Boosting Canada’s cybersecurity skill-set and career opportunities by making cybersecurity education, talent development, and retention a national priority and by investing in programs that diversify and expand the cyber workforce pipeline.
With businesses depending more and more on technology, it’s also going to require a shift in mindset. No matter how small your business, cyber security needs to be made a business priority. Business owners need to learn about their strengths and weaknesses and educate their staff. Like any significant asset, getting insurance is a good idea. Where your expertise has limits, it might be time to hire professionals.
According to the Cyber Readiness Institute, there are four core issues small businesses can start with:
Strong passwords – 63 per cent of data breaches result from weak or stolen passwords
Software updates – Your software is regularly updating to protect you, so make use of it and stay up-to-date
Phishing Awareness – 91 per cent of all cyber attacks start with a phishing email and they keep getting more clever
Proper USB use – 27 per cent of malware infections originate from infected USBs, so be cautious of shared or free USBs and make sure they’re encrypted
If you’re not sure how secure your business is or are looking to invest in your digital assets, we can help connect you with some local businesses that would be more than happy to help.
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 White Water Pressure Wash, Century 21, Peterborough Chamber and Fleming College
/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…
Vanessa Brown is the proud new owner of White Water Pressure Wash, a 10-year-old pressure washing business here in Peterborough that services commercial fleets and heavy equipment companies.
Vanessa brings 20 years of business experience with her and is excited to have her own business, where she is now growing the residential side of the business. Whether you have a fleet, heavy equipment, farm machinery, siding, a pool liner or you just want your gutters cleaned out. Check our wwpressurewash.com.
Vanessa Oake Hogan and the team at Century 21 United Realty recently completed an extensive renovation of their building at 387 George St.
The project was triggered by a serious plumbing malfunction that flooded all three floors of the building and resulted in a reconfiguration of the space including the creation of drop-in private workspaces, multiple board rooms, client and agent lounge areas, and a fully accessible main floor. A coffee bar, renovated kitchen and bathrooms, a new floor, paint, lighting, and art completed the work. Check it out at the Open House this Thursday (May 19) from 2 p.m. – 4. p.m.
