Welcome
Virtual Voice of Business
September 15, 2009
Your Chamber - Right Now
This week
This week, your chamber is preparing for the Accessibility Forum planned for next week. Approximately 35 organizations have been invited, and we will be attending to learn about the process used to prepare the proposed provincial Accessibility Disability standard as well as providing our input as to the effect it will have on businesses. Last week
Late last week, the Greater Sudbury Chamber of Commerce submitted a letter and consultation piece to Tony Clement, Minister of Industry and James Moore, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages on the proposed changes to the Copyright Act. Click to view the letter and submission.
Executive Livecast Sessions
The Greater Sudbury Chamber of Commerce, through its membership in the American Chamber of Commerce Executives, is offering Executive Educational Livecast productions to our members. In the series of four livecasts, America’s top business thought leaders, who are also New York Times bestselling authors, will share key insights into: leadership strategies, spearheading change, igniting innovation, and achieving greater influence in your personal and professional life. For detailed information and registration click here. In The News...
Unemployment Assistance
The City of Greater Sudbury has set up an office to help people cope with the difficult economy. The Worker Support Centre is the result of a collaboration between the city, Xstrata Nickel and the CAW. It is funded by the Ontario government. The centre will assist individuals affected by the economic downturn – those who have been laid off and are currently unemployed – with resources, referrals, support for retraining. Click here to learn more. Business Travellers Take NoteThe Greater Sudbury Airport café is no longer open. City officials are in the process of re-issuing a tender for the contract. It is not known when a replacement operator will be in place to open a food service facility.
Mystery Shopper Program
The Canadian Chamber of Commerce, Competitactics and the Greater Sudbury Chamber of Commerce have partnered to bring our members the Mystery Shopper Program. What is Mystery Shopping? Mystery Shopping is a form of market research. Posing as a typical customer, the mystery shopper observes service quality in an establishment. An effective mystery shopper is careful to blend in with other customers so as not to be ‘discovered’. Mystery Shopping is an effective way to identify gaps and best practices within an organization by observing how the business operates under everyday conditions. For further details on this program, please click here.
Chamber Events
Business to Business Tradeshow
The Chamber is hosting a Business to Business tradeshow on November 5th, 2009. For more information or to register, contact Erin Newell at 673-7133 Ext. 224!
Christmas Party! Remember to mark your calendars for our 2009 Chamber Christmas Party! WHAT: Chamber of Commerce Christmas Party WHEN: Saturday, December 5th, 2009 at 6:00pm WHERE: Caruso Club - 385 Haig Street WHO: Entertainment will be provided by Absolute Entertainment COST: $45.00 + GST (Members), $65.00 + GST (Future Members) Menu to be announced.
Reminder to all members
We at the Chamber would like to remind all employers that our functions, special events, member benefits and learning opportunities are extended to your employees as well. The Virtual Voice of Business is our way to keep you informed of current events. We encourage you to share this weekly publication with your employees.
Ontario Chamber of Commerce News
Proposed Water Usage Legislation
If you are a commercial and industrial water user, you could be affected by provincial regulations that propose to charge additional fees for water usage! Current regulations allow fees to be charged to businesses that use “large” amounts of water. The proposed regulations would extend the existing charge to both “medium” (i.e./petroleum producers) and “low” (i.e./thermal power producers) commercial and industrial users. The Ministry of Environment defines large, medium and low water use based on the businesses overall use of water. The Ontario Government is currently seeking input on the proposed regulations. If you are interested in reviewing and commenting on the Proposal Paper you may do so through the Environmental Bill of Rights (EBR) Registry. The public consultation period will run until October 4th, 2009. Click here to comment
Canadian Chamber of Commerce News
Canadian Chamber supports move by Bell and Telus
The Canadian Chamber of Commerce recently supported a move by Bell and Telus to overturn a CRTC decision on internet speeds.
This past March, Bell and Telus filed an appeal with the federal cabinet to overturn a ruling by the Canadian Radio Television and Telecommunications Commission that demanded both companies, as well as other big incumbents provide smaller wholesale customers with the same internet speeds that they themselves offer to retail customers. Telecommunication companies have been required to provide access to wholesale competitors for years because their older networks were built largely when the firms were government-sanctioned monopolies or Crown corporations. In their appeal, Bell and Telus stated that providing competitors access to higher speeds — which are possible because of newer infrastructure — would create a disincentive to invest in such networks and thereby slow the capacity for advances in technology and network growth. Cabinet has until December 11, 2009 to make a ruling on the appeals. It can reject them, overturn the CRTC or tell the regulator to review the decision.
Business How-To
Business Takes Action
Thanks to funding provided by the Government of Ontario’s Ministry of Community and Social Services and in conjunction with Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters, Business Takes Action assists organizations in removing the physical and attitudinal barriers associated with hiring Persons with Disabilities. CME Ontario is working with all employers, business associations and like-minded stakeholders by: - raising awareness of the value of hiring persons with disabilities
- sharing best practices and case studies
- posting a job for free on our new and improved job portal
- assisting in accessing human resource policies and procedures
- acting as the linkage between a wide variety of support service providers and employers
- recognizing employers’ achievements at annual awards ceremony
In addition, CME Ontario will play an active role on the provincial government’s Employment Standards Development Committee to achieve a barrier-free workplace in accordance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act 2005. In partnership with CME and Business Takes Action, the Chamber will be hosting a free Member to Member session entitled “Dispelling the Myths – Hiring Persons with Disabilities” on Thursday, October 29, 2009 from 8:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. Click here for further information. Canada Revenue Agency
The Canada Revenue Agency is presenting FREE seminars for new businesses. This seminar is for clients who are starting a new business, or have started a new business in the past few years. There are multiple dates (from October to March) to choose from. For information regarding content, dates and times, and location, please click here, e-mail or call 671-4550. The Canada Revenue Agency and the Ontario Ministry of Finance have teamed up to offer a joint seminar on provincial sales tax (PST) and goods and services tax/harmonized sales tax (GST/HST). For more information regarding content, dates and times, and location, please click here. Publicized Cell Phone Numbers
REMINDER.....Next month all cell phone numbers are being released to telemarketing companies and you will start to receive sales calls. Service providers will charge for these calls. Use the "Do Not Call List Canada" web site and register your phone there. This is the web address
https://www.lnnte-dncl.gc.ca/insnum-regnum-eng
Traffic and Construction Report
What’s happening this week?
KUDOS!
KUDOS to Stantec Mining! The McIntosh Engineering Scholarship Fund and Stantec Mining have donated $83,000 to Laurentian University's School of Engineering. To learn more about this generous donation, click here.
Member Events
New Tourism Partnership Alliance Announced
Now that plans are well underway for marketing Greater Sudbury as a tourism destination in 2010 and beyond, Sudbury Tourism is very pleased to announce a newly formed alliance with the Greater Sudbury Restaurant & Food Service Association (GSRFA). Read more..
Sudbury Discoveries
Starting in September, Sudbury Discoveries menus will be offered monthly at sudburydiscoveries.ca, with lots more adventures to take you through the fall and into the winter. Know of an event, activity, show, program or other great ways to spend the day in the city? E-mail details to us! Creating Economic Opportunities Workshop
You are invited to attend the workshop Creating Economic Opportunities - Application of the Redevelopment Framework for Former Service Stations, hosted by the City of Greater Sudbury and presented by OCETA in collaboration with the Province of Ontario and Canadian Petroleum Products Institute. Click here to register. Hollywood MystiqueHideaway Pictures proudly presents the Hollywood Mistique Gala, a fundraising event dedicated to their first feature film entitled “Northern Boys.” The event takes place on Friday, September 18 th, 2009 at the Inco Cavern, in Science North. Cocktails begin at 7pm accompanied by delectable hors d'oeurves, complimentary winebar, and exclusive silent auction prizes with dinner shortly after. The event will feature well-known Sudbury musician Sarah Craig. Tickets are $75 and can be purchased at Respects Is Burning Supper Club, and Old Rock Roastery. For ticket inquires, call Lisa at 705.675.3388 or email at info@hideawaypictures.com. Hideaway Pictures is a newly formed production company based here in Sudbury whose mandate is to create long lasting cinema in the North. “Northern Boys, their first feature film, revolves around the lives of four boys, growing up in a small Northern mining town. As they try to break away from the economic hardships of life, they discover that the decisions they choose to make now, will define their entire lives. Writer, Actor and Executive Producer, David Joseph Anselmo has returned home to his roots to pen this wonderful tale loosely based on his life experiences growing up in Sudbury. After a very successful career in the Foreign Film industry, Mr. Anselmo has always envisioned this project as his first for Hideaway Pictures. Mr. Anselmo is currently in Sudbury and is available for one on one interview throughout the next few days leading up to the event. For more detailed information on Hideaway Pictures and the Hollywood Mistique Gala, or visit www.hideawaypictures.com.
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