Fleming College Business Students Benefit In New Partnership With Peterborough & Kawarthas Chamber of Commerce

Fleming College and the Peterborough & Kawarthas Chamber of Commerce have partnered to create a student membership program where business students can attend the latter’s monthly events and access its resources, announced on Thursday.

Photo courtesy of Fleming College.

Students in Fleming’s International Business Management and Global Business Management programs can take advantage of the opportunity.

The Chamber’s multiple networking events allow students to engage with local entrepreneurs, tour local businesses, meet the region’s industry leaders and establish connections in the business community.

Fleming students can also access and attend Chamber-hosted webinars and seminars. Access to the Chamber’s job board, newsletter subscription and online Knowledge Hub is also included.

The Chamber will also host two events at Fleming College, bringing the region’s business community members to the Sutherland Campus.

This new membership program is available to first-semester students in the Winter 2024 and Fall 2024 semesters.

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Check Out The Business Beat This Week Featuring Around the Fire, PFF Group of Companies, Down Syndrome Association and Chambers of Commerce

PTBOCanada is delighted to be running the Business Beat columns each week here, spotlighting new businesses and startups in Peterborough and the Kawarthas. Here is this week’s edition…

Donald Fraser is launching a new venture called Around the Fire, a writing and communications business focusing on storytelling.

Community-building is at the core of Donald’s work and he’s looking to work with non-profits, public institutions, and community-based businesses and programs. He will work with local designers, producers and content creators to present your story. Donald has spent more than two decades telling stories in the community as a writer, communications specialist, social media pioneer, local food promoter and music promoter. You can find him at aroundthefire.ca.

There are some leadership changes at PFF Group of Companies.

Elizabeth Teleki is taking on the role of President for the Park Place Advisory pillar of the business, Chris Zelasko is moving to the role of President for the employee benefits firm and Chad Donnelly is moving into the role of COO for the PPF Group of Companies and remains a partner in the firm. The PPF Group of Companies is a boutique, full-service financial firm with expertise in employee benefits, wealth management, insurance, succession planning, taxation, and estate planning. With offices across Eastern Ontario, the pillars of the business include Peak Benefit Solutions, Park Place Financial, Farm Life and Park Place Advisory.

The Down Syndrome Association is hosting a Bowl-a-thon celebrating World Down Syndrome Day on March 24 at 10 a.m. at Lakeview Bowl.

This is your chance to support the Down Syndrome Association by sponsoring a lane or donating prizes. Lane sponsors get recognition at the event and some social media promotion in exchange for covering the cost of a team. The association is celebrating their recent move into Alternatives Community Program Services, which is an amazing accessible space and helps to deliver the level of support its members deserve.

The Chambers of Commerce and Boards of Trade from Peterborough and the Kawarthas, Port Hope, Northumberland, Clarington and Trent Hills and partnering with the Goodman Sustainability Group to offer three workshops.

Indigenous Economic Reconciliation will be offered virtually on February 29, How to think, lead and implement sustainability strategies will be April 30 at Dalewood Golf Course in Cobourg, and Leadership trends will be offered virtually on June 27. Find out more at pkchamber.ca.

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Peterborough Chamber's Power Hour Invites Political Leaders For Panel Discussion On Business Issues

The Peterborough and the Kawarthas Chamber of Commerce is gathering local political leaders for a panel discussion to tackle local business issues in a ‘Power Hour’ at Stonehouse Hall on Friday.

Photo courtesy of the Peterborough and the Kawartha Chamber of Commerce.

Invited politicians for the panel are Bonnie Clark, Peterborough County Warden; Michelle Ferrari, Peterborough-Kawartha MP; Dave Smith, Peterborough-Kawartha MPP and Mayor Jeff Leal. The discussion is moderated by Joel Wiebe, the Chamber’s vice president and government relations & communications.

Opening remarks are in the morning with a lunch served prior to the panel discussion occurring in the afternoon.

The event features a moderated Q&A session with questions submitted from by the audience.

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Voice of Business: Enforcing Fair Property Tax Ratios

Businesses in Ontario pay much higher property tax rates than residents, despite using fewer services. The Ontario Municipal Act requires municipalities to tax commercial and industrial properties at a ratio of 0.6 to 1.1, but many municipalities have no plans to comply.

For 2024, the City of Peterborough moved to increase its business tax ratio from 1.5 to 1.65, shifting added tax burden onto the business community in order to minimize the rate increase for homeowners. This trend is causing concern among businesses across Ontario.

The Peterborough and the Kawarthas Chamber of Commerce has put together a policy resolution on this tilted “Enforcing fair property tax ratios” that we have submitted to the Ontario Chamber of Commerce (OCC). It will go to the membership to debate and vote on in April, at which point approved resolutions become part of the advocacy efforts of the OCC for the next three years.

Our resolution:

Commercial and Industrial property taxes in Ontario municipalities are calculated based on a ratio of what residential property owners pay. For example, if a municipality has a commercial tax ratio of 1.75, commercial property owners are paying 175 per cent what a resident is paying for the same amount of property tax assessment.

The Ontario Municipal Act Reg. 386/98: Tax Matters – Allowable Ranges for Tax Ratios sets an allowable range for property tax on commercial and industrial properties at 0.6 to 1.1.

A quick look at tax ratios from a selection of municipalities from across Ontario from 2023 demonstrates that this range is not being followed:

Commercial Industrial

• Barrie 1.43 1.51

• Milton 1.46 2.09

• Peterborough 1.5 1.5

• Brantford 1.75 2.25

• Guelph 1.84 2.2

• North Bay 1.88 1.4

• Woodstock 1.9 2.63

• Sudbury 1.91 3.45

• Belleville 1.92 2.4

• Kingston 1.98 2.63

• Thunder Bay 1.98 2.37

• Clarington 1.98 2.49

• Sarnia 2.02 2.4

• Niagara Falls 2.15 2.95

• Sault Ste. Marie 2.31 4.38

Municipalities are coming under increasing financial pressure due to factors that include inflation in everything from capital projects to wages, increased demand for services, and an increased role in areas like public health and homelessness. Despite this pressure coming from a variety of sources, they essentially have one tool for raising the funds to do it — property taxes.

More financial pressure on municipalities is leading them to further increase tax ratios to the benefit of residents at the expense of the business community.

The City of Peterborough spent a decade lowering its commercial and industrial tax ratios to 1.5, achieving that several years ago. This year it voted to increase the tax ratios to 1.65, shifting $3 million in taxation from residents to businesses. Businesses in the City of Peterborough will on average pay 22 per cent more in property tax in 2024.

Similar stories are playing out across Ontario and businesses cannot continue to bear the brunt of property taxation on behalf of residents. Businesses use fewer services but are expected to pay significantly more for them.

It is clear Reg. 386/98 of the Ontario Municipal Act has no teeth. Municipalities across Ontario have been charging property tax ratios well outside the allowable range for decades with no plans to change. The Government of Ontario needs to put some teeth in the act and hold non-complying municipalities to account.

Recommendations

That the Ontario Chamber of Commerce urge the Government of Ontario to:

Enforce existing property taxation ratios set out in the Ontario Municipal Act Reg. 386/98: Tax Matters – Allowable Ranges for Tax Ratios by withholding provincial support — including access to provincial funding streams — to municipalities that:

a) are not taxing commercial and industrial properties at the required rates or

b) are not actively transitioning to the required rates based on a plan that specifies gradual decreases on a timeline approved by the Province.

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

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Check Out The Business Beat This Week Featuring Nutty Bean Café, Realign Wellness Centre, Trent Research and Dan Joyce Clothing

PTBOCanada is delighted to be running the Business Beat columns each week here, spotlighting new businesses and startups in Peterborough and the Kawarthas. Here is this week’s edition…

The Nutty Bean Cafe in Lakefield is under new ownership.

Sherry Salminen has handed the reins over to April and Brad who plan to continue offering great coffee and delicious food in a cozy atmosphere in downtown Lakefield at 33 Queen St. The Nutty Bean Café starts every morning serving fresh baked goods and breakfast with a selection of sandwiches, house-made soup, and salads throughout the day. They feature organic fair-trade, shade-grown coffee by the cup or beans by the bag.

There’s a new, unique service to elevate individuals who want to look and feel better inside and out.

Angela Hobbs is taking her expertise as a holistic medical spa practitioner of 20 years and going back to her own practice. She offers services that include permanent makeup, paramedical tattooing, hypnosis, and skin specialties like mole removal. Angela is inspired to elevate individuals from a holistic approach connecting body, mind, and spirit. You can find her on Facebook or at Realign Wellness Centre at 157 Charlotte St.in Peterborough.

For more than 25 years, the Trent Community Research Centre has been working with businesses and community organizations, connecting them with students for research projects.

These research projects address some of the biggest challenges our communities face. There will be a celebration of community-based research on March 28 at Market Hall. The event will feature presentations on research, a discussion panel, and an awards presentation. Register or find out more about community-based research at trentu.ca.

Dan Joyce Clothing is hosting a Beat the Blues event at their location at 87 Hunter Street West in downtown Peterborough.

The event is scheduled as a drop-in from 2 to 6:30 p.m. on Thursday and will feature local experts offering advice on various ways to support good mental health. Beat the Blues will feature Jodi from Jodi-Lee Nutrition and Wellness, RJ from Flow Spa, and Tori from Wild Rock Outfitters. Drop in and learn some new methods for improving your mental health. You could also win some draw prizes from the experts.

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Sonnet Insurance and Kawartha Credit Union Partner To Offer Home and Auto Insurance Coverage To Kawartha Members

Kawartha Credit Union (KCU) and Sonnet Insurance have teamed up to provide home and auto insurance for Kawartha’s members.

Photo courtesy of Kawartha Credit Union.

Sonnet is known as the country’s first coast-to-coast fully online home and auto insurance companies according to a press release.

It also states that members will have access to competitive prices including usage-based insurance options, valuable offers and potential savings of hundreds of dollars by bundling home and auto insurance, in addition to top-tier care from Sonnet’s fully licensed insurance advisors along the way.

“Kawartha Credit Union is committed to supporting our members with the best products, services, and advice to assist them in achieving their financial goals,” comments Norah McCarthy, KCU president and CEO. “Through this relationship with Sonnet, we are pleased to provide our members with access to savings on easy-tounderstand insurance options that help them get the coverage they need, with the exceptional service they are accustomed to receiving at Kawartha.”

“We are excited to team up with Kawartha Credit Union to offer their members reliable coverage to protect what matters most,” said Eric Marion, Sonnet VP of Group Insurance. “This relationship means we are well positioned to provide our secure, affordable, and easy online insurance experience to members.”

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Check Out The Business Beat This Week Featuring PTBO Northern Originals, Village Apothecary, Let Me Write It and Carl Oake Rotary Swim

PTBOCanada is delighted to be running the Business Beat columns each week here, spotlighting new businesses and startups in Peterborough and the Kawarthas. Here is this week’s edition…

The children of the late artist George Elliott are collaborating with PTBO Northern Originals and Flavour to launch a new clothing line with the catchphrase ‘I’d rather be in Peterborough.’

The phrase came from a callout from the Chamber of Commerce to local artists and marketers in the mid-70s to create a brand statement for the city. The campaign helped launch his art career. The clothing design features a collage of local landmarks, including Market Hall, the Pagoda Bridge and the Lift Lock. You can get your “I’d rather be in Peterborough” clothing at Flavour at 383 George St. or find them online.

The Village Apothecary in Millbrook is expanding with a refillery.

Refilleries promotes sustainable shopping practices by using reusable packaging that can be refilled on-site with shampoo, moisturizers, cleaners, and more. They prioritize plastic-free products to reduce waste in the environment and to help reduce your carbon footprint. Drop by The Village Apothecary at 36 King St. in Millbrook and refill your containers.

After a two-year layoff due to Covid, Russ Sanders of Let Me Write It is again taking bookings for senior seniors for mini-biographies.

Your life is important, a mini bio would be a cherished gift for loved ones and friends. The mini-bios entail five or six interviews (or more if needed) which will include proofreading to ensure all facts are correct. He will also take your old photographs and renew them. The mini-bio, along with your refurbished photographs, are then entered into a loose-leaf book. To book an appointment, contact Russ at epigram@nexicom.net.

The 38th annual Century 21 United Carl Oake Rotary Swim, sponsored by Baker Tilly, is back March 1 at the YMCA of Peterborough.

Last year’s event raised $40,000, bringing the total to $1.4 million over the last 37 years. This year, there are two new events — a Cannonball Challenge and a Floating Catwalk Challenge, where participants try to run the length of a slippery plastic mat floating on the pool. Funds raised will go to Easter Seals. Sign up to swim or make a donation at CarlOakeRotarySwim.com.

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Starter Companies Showcased From PKED, Bringing Tourism Ideas to the Table

Local businesses, entrepreneurs, creatives and artists from the Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development programs were on display and were encouraged to bring forth their new tourism ideas through a third intake of the “Spark” Mentorships & Grants Program at Ivy Event Space on Thursday afternoon.

Erin Burnell of EB Aquatics demonstrates CPR at the PKED showcase of local business who have gone through their programs. All photos by David Tuan Bui.

The ‘Spark’ program is in its third year and provides selected applicants with a $3,000 grant, industry mentorship and additional partner support to help them launch their new tourism idea.

“We are inspired by the creativity, passion and innovative spirit of our past Peterborough & the Kawarthas “Spark” Program winners and are excited to support new tourism ideas and entrepreneurs in the region,” said Justin Lafontaine, Tourism Innovation Lab program lead.

Past recipients have included agritourism and culinary experiences, camping equipment rentals, a bunkie resort, Indigenous experiences, a farm venue and an immersive maple syrup experience according to a press release.

“We’re inviting individuals, community organizations and small business owners – particularly those in the local creative community – to present their great ideas for dynamic new experiences, products and services that visitors can enjoy in our communities,” said Joe Rees, PKED director of tourism. “This successful collaboration with the Tourism Innovation Lab allows us to tap into local passion and talent to grow our economy – we can’t wait to hear what ideas come forward this year.”

Individuals, small businesses, non-profits, and community groups are encouraged to apply for new tourism ideas until March 19. Following a juried review process, finalists will be invited to a virtual Pitch Session where three winners will be selected.

The program's goal is to find, foster and support new tourism ideas that will enhance current offerings, address gaps in the market, motivate longer stays, and increase year-round visits to the region.

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Voice of Business: A Portrait of Small Business In Canada

Consumer behaviours have changed and with it the landscape for small businesses across Canada. It’s important to step back and have a look at what’s happening in the industry.

A new report from the Canadian Chamber of Commerce’s Business Data Lab titled A Portrait of Small Business in Canada: Adaption, Agility, All At Once does just that.

Small businesses are the backbone of the economy, making up 98 per cent of businesses in Canada and employing 11 million people. Small businesses are considered businesses with 1 to 99 employees. Within that designation, micro businesses (one to four employees) are by far the most common with the median small business having fewer than five employees.

The report states: “This underscores the importance of improving our understanding of the business realities of all small firms, but especially micro firms, while ensuring that adequate financial, operational and regulatory support measures boost the resilience of small and micro businesses for the sake of Canada’s economy. Put simply, the survival of micro firms is a macroeconomic issue for Canada.”

The report also looks into the realities, challenges, and opportunities for small businesses owned by women, persons with disabilities, members of the LGBTQ2s+ community, immigrants to Canada, Indigenous peoples, and visible minorities.

For example, immigrants make up 25.5 per cent of all private sector businesses, well above their 23 per cent representation in Canada’s population. However, within this, immigrants are less likely to own larger businesses.

Progress was made in recent years with women having more opportunity through flexible work arrangements, leading to more women in in-demand work at higher pay. While government programming aims to increase access to childcare, the transition back to the physical workspace is threatening to scale back progress for women.

Majority ownership of private sector small businesses in Canada, by underrepresented/equity-seeking groups.

• Immigrant to Canada – 25.5 per cent of businesses/23 per cent of population

• Visible Minority – 19.2 per cent of businesses/26.5 per cent of population

• Women – 17.8 per cent of businesses/50.9 per cent of population

• LGBTQ2s+ – 3.3 per cent of businesses/4 per cent of population

• Persons with a disability – 2.2 of businesses/22 per cent of population

• Indigenous – 2.2 per cent of businesses/5 per cent of population

When looking at the situation for small businesses, Business Data Lab notes many of the problems they faced prior to the pandemic persisted or were exacerbated during it. They found the smaller the firm, the bigger the problems. Smaller businesses faced more significant revenue declines, worse debt constraints, and have more difficulties adopting new technologies.

Workforce challenges also hit small businesses the hardest. While large businesses increased their employment numbers by 26 per cent and medium businesses by 13% from January 2020 to July 2023, small businesses had no growth registering a 0 per cent increase in employment. The report itself has a lot more insight and information and is worth a read.

While vulnerable, our small and micro businesses remain nimble. Investing in digital will help, but it’s not a one-size-fits-all solution.

The report notes: “With one era of global upheaval in our rearview and another with as many uncertainties ahead, a bright light from the data is the nimbleness of small businesses. However, even with their impressive resilience, agility and adaptability in leveraging the appropriate technologies to stay connected with customers and to streamline their operations, the reality is that small businesses remain strapped for funding, resources and exposure.”

It’s imperative that we invest in our local small businesses — it goes a long way to building a stronger, more resilient local economy.

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

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13 Business Startups to 'LevelUP' Through Innovation Cluster Peterborough's Accelerator Program

The Innovation Cluster has released the 13 companies selected for the inaugural cohort of LevelUP, a groundbreaking startup accelerator program, announced at the Venture North Building on Tuesday morning.

Photo courtesy of Innovation Cluster.

LevelUP is a fully-funded, comprehensive startup accelerator created for experienced entrepreneurs and regional innovators according to a press release.

“The selection of these 13 companies for LevelUP is a milestone for our region,'“ said Camila Duarte, Innovation Cluster executive director. “We are fostering a sustainable ecosystem where innovation and economic growth thrive together. This program symbolizes our commitment to transforming our region into a vibrant hub for entrepreneurs.”

The program offers mentorship, workshops, networking opportunities and access to funding to transform startups into thriving businesses. It acts as a fast-track program to bring more products and businesses to market in the region.

LevelUP runs in three cohorts annually, hosting a select number of companies over a 12-week journey culminating in a competition where they will pitch for investment and compete for prizes up to $10,000 and access an exclusive AI platform - Pitch Bob - per cohort.

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