Nominate a Local Business to ‘Beat the Blue Monday’ with Showplace

The Showplace Performance Centre presents Beat the Blue Monday, bringing free music performances to brighten workplaces across Peterborough on Jan. 16.

Photo courtesy of Mary Zita Payne.

Between 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. on the third Monday of the year, various local businesses throughout central Peterborough will have the opportunity to beat the Monday blues with various local talents.

“The third Monday in January is said to be ‘the most depressing day of the year,’ says Showplace in a press release. “The sub-zero temperatures, the lack of daylight, the arrival of our post-Christmas credit card bill. Don’t worry, Showplace is here to help!”

Photo courtesy of Showplace Performance Centre.

Kate Suhr, Melissa Payne and The Weber Brothers will be visiting nominated businesses on their lunch break to spread some light and cheer in the community through the sharing of art.

To nominate a local business, reach out to Showplace via email and tell them which business could use some cheering up. Remember to include the business name and address.

Visit the Showplace website for more information on Beat the Blue Monday and other event listings.

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StoosNews Spotlight: Check Out The Business Beat This Week Featuring Mediation PTBO Inc, Phillip Jolicoeur, Stonehouse Hall and Anniversaries

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…

Samantha Adams-Carl recently launched her own mediation business in December. Mediation PTBO Inc (MPI) is located in the Unicity building, 420 George St., Suite 204, in downtown Peterborough.

Samantha offers mediations in civil, contract, estates, uncontested divorces/separations, parenting plans, workplace and landlord/tenant. She uses evaluative techniques so that the parties make informed decisions that will last. MPI offers financial assistance to those who qualify.

Phillip Jolicoeur - Entertainment (PJE) is a new subsidiary company of Phillip Jolicoeur - The Marketing Guy.

Phillip Jolicoeur has been working with professional comedians and musicians for 18 years, producing hundreds of shows for non-profits, entertainment venues and special events. Phil can handle the arrangements for professional comedians, musicians or DJs for everything from special events to, bars and nightclubs to corporate events, even a good house party. You also get a professional design of promotional materials, sound and lighting set-up, and assistance in selling tickets. Pjthemarketingguy on Facebook or call 289-251-PHIL (7445)

With lots of postponed weddings finally happening this year, the Wedding Day Wishes Bridal Show is coming up at the end of the month.

Sponsored by and located at the Stonehouse Hall, 2195 Lansdowne St. W. at the Peterborough Curling Club, you’ll find about 30 vendors ready to bring you a myriad of ideas, answer your questions and help you with all aspects of your wedding day. Scheduled for Sunday, January 29th from 11 a.m. – 3 p.m., there are still a couple of vendor booth spaces left.

There are some very special anniversaries in the area.

Kelly’s Propane started out as Peterborough Fuel and Transfer, delivering coal and wood! 100 years later they are still keeping Peterborough homes warm and cozy. Bell’s Garage is also marking 100 years. A true family business, Byron and Kim Bell look forward to passing the pumps on to their children, Robbie and Rachele, who both work at their landmark Bridgenorth business. And, while the building they are in is 123 years old, The Market Hall is celebrating their 25th anniversary with a special concert on Feb. 3 at 8 p.m. Entertainers include Greg Keelor, Matt Mays, Terra Lightfoot, Melissa Payne, Brooks and Bowskill and more. Tickets are at markethall.org

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New Restaurant Vik’s Lake and George Bistro Opens in Peterborough

A new bistro opens its doors Friday in downtown Peterborough, serving up soup, sandwiches and other hardy dishes just across from Del Crary Park.

Photo by Samantha Bianco.

Vik’s Lake and George Bistro is owner Vik Sharma’s passion project.

“I had goals of opening my own restaurant,” he says. “Even though I am still learning, I am trying new things everyday.”

After living in British Columbia for ten years, Sharma moved to Peterborough in September with goals of running a business centred around the customers in the community.

The restaurants motto, “We serve with passion” are some of Sharma’s words to live by when running his bistro.

“People love good service. Of course the food is important but they dine-in expecting a level of (hospitality),” says Sharma. “You don’t get another chance to make a first impression.”

He says the new business has been busy with Skip The Dishes and DoorDash orders, even garnering returning customers before the official opening this Friday.

“Social media, word-of-mouth, anything to get that brings people in,” he laughs.

Photo by Samantha Bianco.

Photo by Samantha Bianco.

Photo by Samantha Bianco.

Photo by Samantha Bianco.

Sharma makes the beef burger patties in house, with his golden-brown hashbrowns cooked made-to-order and his signature green tea available for the breakfast, lunch and dinner crowds. The restaurant also offers Halal options depending on availability.

Although Vik’s Bistro is still finalizing their menu, the $7.99 ($6.99 for seniors) basic breakfast special has already been a hit in the community.

“If I hear (comments) from the customers, I always listen to them. It’s all about taking care of them, and listening to learn what they want in the future,” said Sharma.

With entrée options such as eggs benedict, poutine and various pasta dishes, Sharma says the menu is sure to feature something for everyone.

To those looking to try out the new restaurant, they are open from 7:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 7:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday to Sunday at 25 George St. N.

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Voice of Business: Investing in Workforce Resources

The single biggest hurdle for many businesses is rebuilding their workforce, especially in service sectors like tourism, retail, food service and hospitality.

Rebuilding our local economy will take years and a series of calculated investments from the private sector. According to the Canadian Chamber of Commerce Canadian Survey on Business Conditions Report, Q3 2022, 39 per cent of respondents identified recruiting skilled employees as an obstacle to business over the next three months, 37 per cent listed a shortage of labour force and 31 per cent identified retaining skilled employees.

Access to thorough, accurate and no-cost labour information and expertise will help businesses adapt, influencing our economic growth.

Our local Workforce Planning Boards are an indispensable partner in rebuilding our workforce. Locally, the Workforce Development Board has been providing workforce resources for 26 years. They bring direct experience in identifying and addressing labour market and workforce development trends, opportunities and priorities within their catchment areas. Local businesses regularly use resources like the Local Jobs Hub and Labour Market Information Help Desk. The annual Local Labour Market Planning Report provides crucial summaries of key data and qualitative feedback gathered through consultation and collaboration with industry, businesses, training and employment service providers.

Right now, businesses are looking for data and expert advice on providing competitive compensation, investing in career ladders to retain staff, and labour market information regarding planned growth — all of which is available for free from the Workforce Development Board.

Our local Workforce Development Board is one of a number of Workforce Planning Boards across Ontario — all of which are facing the same challenges. In order to provide local labour market information, service coordination and public education, Workforce Planning Boards need more sustainable funding. Operating on one-year contracts on budgets that have decreased over the years has made it difficult to recruit and retain talent to provide these services.

Together with Chambers of Commerce and other business-focused organizations, we issued a letter of support to Monte McNaughton, Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development requesting:

• An increase in funding for each Workforce Planning Board by a minimum of $120,000 per fiscal year

• An increase in the length of funding agreements with Workforce Planning Boards to three years

Additionally, the Peterborough and the Kawarthas Chamber of Commerce will be submitting a policy resolution on this subject to the Ontario Chamber of Commerce to potentially become part of their advocacy efforts.

Workforce challenges are one of the biggest barriers to economic growth in Ontario. It is essential that businesses, non-profits and charities have access to as many workforce resources and tools as possible. After years of funding cuts and precarious one-year funding agreements, now is the time to re-invest in our Workforce Planning Boards with increased funding and three-year contracts.

Content provided by the Peterborough and the Kawarthas Chamber of Commerce.

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StoosNews Spotlight: Check Out The Business Beat This Week Featuring Agave By Imperial, Loaded Pierogi, The Pizza Factory and EDH Law

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…

As we kick off a new year of Business Beat columns, Stu Harrison wanted to circle back to two new restaurants that opened recently.

Agave by Imperial opened at the beginning of December at 376 George Street in Downtown Peterborough.

The extensive menu features three full pages of traditional Mexican dishes, including vegan and gluten-free options, prepared in innovative ways, as well as a full-service bar, of course serving margaritas, tequilas, cocktails and more. Owners Jim Grover and Manish Choudhry also own the Imperial Tandoor on Lansdowne Street.

Loaded Pierogi opened in November at 1135 Lansdowne St. in the Parkway Plaza. The franchise restaurant offers a stunning variety of Pierogi’s, from BBQ Brisket to the Hardcore Herbivore, as well as mac and cheese and poutine. They also offer catering. Watch for a second location in East City sometime this year.

Speaking of restaurants, how about a tip of the hat to Peter and Anna Bouzinelos from the Pizza Factory, who recently announced that they will be closing after 42 years in business.

Talk about a landmark and a legacy… Congratulations to everyone in the Pizza Factory family.

Walker Law is under new ownership. Nathan Higgins of the firm Evans de Vries Higgins (EDH Law) has taken over Doug Walkers practice, with Doug to remain as counsel to EDH Law until sometime this year.

Serving the Peterborough area since 1974, Doug has clocked nearly 50 years and three generations of providing legal services to clients and friends! Over those years Walker Law also assumed the practices of James Fitzpatrick and Gordon Usher. The highly experienced Walker Law staff, including Partner Jenivieve de Vries and Lawyer Carly Ladouceur, will continue with EDH Law at their long-standing location at 243 Hunter St.W.

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Voice of Business: Supporting Economic Growth In Uncertain Times

Heading into a new year with new challenges, it’s a good opportunity to reflect on this last year and see where we can go from here.

The Ontario Chamber of Commerce (OCC) released its own report on this topic, titled Supporting Economic Growth in Uncertain Times.

What have we learned?

A predictable and stable policy environment underpins business confidence, prosperity and economic growth. This includes economic strategy that raises up those sectors and regions that didn’t fair so well.

We’ve learned that we need a more resilient workforce that is inclusive of everyone and all abilities. This includes addressing backlogs and processing delays in immigration that have resulted in a wait list of more than 2.4 million applications.

Recent years highlighted decades of underinvestment in strategically important areas, including healthcare and infrastructure.

What can the government do now?

Government is the architect of the ‘industrial commons,’ that ecosystem of public goods in which citizens, communities, and businesses can thrive. We need a long-term strategy to invest in common components that are key determinants of growth, including health care, education and training, R&D and innovation, and infrastructure (particularly digital and climate-resilient infrastructure).

At the same time, the government must protect its investments by reducing the barriers to growth – outdated legislation, policy and regulation, an inefficient and overly complex tax system, and obstacles to interprovincial trade and labour mobility.

Economic growth should involve clear consultation and two-way communication between government and the private sector. It should not be up to industry to push the government into the future rather, both should be equally invested and united in the pursuit of growth and prosperity.

Mainly, the government needs to act in ways that are predictable, accountable, strategic, measurable, outcomes-focused and coordinated.

The OCC has identified critical areas that must inform the government’s strategy for economic growth, including:

• Develop policies that support small businesses and Ontario’s entrepreneurial spirit, including enhancing access to capital, developing and scaling training for digital literacy skills, and investing in reliable broadband connectivity.

• Be bold on interprovincial trade and enhance labour mobility between provinces.

• Modernize regulation that supports recovery efforts, including creating an independent panel to regularly run an evidence-based evaluation of outcomes and unintended consequences of a new regulation.

• Foster an inclusive workforce that leverages Ontario’s diversity and increases our immigration intake. Our government must prioritize economic reconciliation by supporting Indigenous partnerships, procurement, education, employment and entrepreneurship.

• Invest in growth-enabling infrastructure, from roads to housing, that is climate resilient, energy efficient, and informed by smart planning principles to ensure population and economic growth can be supported for decades to come.

• Prioritize innovation through procurement and policy action on technology transfer and adoption, commercialization, and capitalization. The government should encourage data-driven innovation while protecting against potential risks and support a Canadian intellectual property strategy.

If nothing else, we’ve learned a lot in recent years. Next year is going to bring some challenges, but it’s largely rooted in the challenges businesses are currently facing. What we need our governments to do is use that knowledge to create a thorough, sustainable plan that supports our private sector in growing our economy and investing in our communities.

Content provided by the Peterborough and the Kawarthas Chamber of Commerce.

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Fleming College Students Earn Global Recognition Through International Business Competition

Three Fleming College teams were ranked within the top global 100 during the Glo-Bus international business competition in November.

Fleming College has more than 6,800 full-time and 10,000 part-time students and 80,000 alumni. Photo courtesy of Fleming college, Facebook.

The competition ran from Oct. 1 to Nov. 27, and the students competed against 2,076 teams from 108 colleges and universities from around the world. Students were tasked with running companies which compete for global market leadership in two product categories-high quality wearable cameras and sophisticated, camera-equipped copter drones.  

Teams had two practice rounds followed by seven weeks of competition over a period of nine weeks. Each round represented one business year. During the week’s final competition, three Fleming teams placed within the top 100.  

C Company, made up of Fleming College students Benjamin Allan Gomes, Fathimathzuhara Makkara Thazha Kuni, Yasir Mukhtar and Subhasis Samuel Xess were recognized as having the 57th-best Return on Average Equity for the week.  

Sri Subrahmanyam Ayyagari, Polash Karmokar and Jaya Surya Sangaraju Mohan, who made up Company A, were recognized for having the 75th Best Stock Price of the week.  

The co-managers of Company B, The Road Runners, made up of Fleming students Rohan Ashutosh Jokhakar, Priya Prem Kumar, Gagandeep Singh Tiwana and Navroz Vyas, were recognized for their overall Game-To-Date score, tying for the 97th spot.   

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The Avant-Garden Shop Celebrates 20 Years in Peterborough

The Avant-Garden Shop celebrates 20 years of business; opening its doors in Downtown Peterborough on Dec. 12, 2002.

Proud shop owner Brenda Ibey. Photo courtesy of The Avant-Garden Shop.

The shop opened on George Street on that date and remained there for three and a half years. As demand grew for bird seed and bird feeders, the owners decided on a location with easier parking, thus prompting their move to the current location at 165 Sherbrooke St.

Over the years, the shop’s sale items extended. From Canadian-made outdoor wall art, hand-tuned wind chimes, east coast and Ontario pewter, garden flags, locally made garden art, jewellery, coasters, candles, quality bird feeders, non-GMO bird seed, birding books, greeting cards and more.

Owner Brenda Ibey has had many successes through her shop; winning four Business Excellence awards including her most recent title of 2022 Business Woman of the Year. The store has also been awarded Best Wild Bird store by Wild Bird Trading who services similar businesses across the country in 2021.

“Truly an honour to be recognized as one of the best birding shops in Canada,” says Avant-Garden in a press release. “Brenda and her team are very appreciative of her wonderful customers over the last 20 years who have supported the business and have helped it to grow to become one of the best gift and birding shops in the area.”

As 2023 approaches, the shop says they plan to continue seeking out unique, Canadian-made items while building on their past successes.

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StoosNews Spotlight: Check Out The Business Beat This Week Featuring Wellman Clinic, Friend Lily Shop, TATS Treasures and Musicfest

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…

Congratulations to everyone at The Wellman Clinic and Core Chiropractic. Ange Wellman is the new owner of Core Chiropractic, taking over the reins from Catherine Owens.

The merged clinics will operate out of 315 King St., with Cathy retiring early next year. Catherine Owens has spent more than 30 years as a local Chiropractor and leaves a legacy of service to both her clients and the local health care community. Ange Wellman brings a relatively new form of Chiropractic, known as gentle touch or torque release, covering family, prenatal and pediatric care.

Jim Riches of the Friend Lily Shop is introducing a new e-commerce platform that makes it easier for consumers to shop local and contribute to charities.

Adding to the existing FriendLilyShop.com, the design of the website is simple and straightforward, making it easy for users to search for their favourite local products and with 10 per cent of all proceeds going to charity, it’s a straightforward way to contribute, with no extra effort required from the consumer.

Tracey Garnett’s new business is called TATS Treasures.

Located at 69 George St. N., across from Crary Park, Tracey sells new, and slightly used clothing, collectibles, and repurposed goods, everything from auto parts to projector screens, blinds, drapery rods, plumbing parts, ceiling lights, clothing, pet products, and lots more. Garnett is accepting donations of used items in clean and good condition and she’ll be donating half of all sales from her used inventory to charity! Stop into 69 George St. or find TATS Treasures on Facebook.

If you are looking for a last-minute gift idea, the Peterborough Musicfest Diners Booklet is available.

For just $25, there are 56 Restaurants to choose from this year, each offering a “buy one regularly priced entrée, get the second one at half price” deal, and you can redeem the individual coupons anytime from January 1 to November 30 next year. All the proceeds go towards Musicfest. You can purchase your Diner’s Booklet at Lansdowne Place Customer Service Desk or Peterborough & The Kawarthas Tourism Visitor Centre.

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Hometown PTBO: Tiffany Arcari On Her Recent Career Change and Podcast, 'The Tiffany Show'

This week on Hometown PTBO, Pete Dalliday talks with Tiffany Arcari about her new career change, her podcast ‘The Tiffany Show’ and her favourite Peterborough eats.

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