| February 9, 2018 | Submissions? email brad@gncc.ca |
2018
EVENTS
Bill 148: You, Your Business, and Your Employees
For the Restaurant Industry
February 22 • 8:00am—9:30am
Holiday Inn & Suites Parkway Conference Centre
327 Ontario Street
St. Catharines
Lunch & Learn: Get Your Customers Saying WOW!
Learn how to WIN and KEEP customers through Employee Experience & Customer Experience!
February 27 • 12:00pm—1:30pm
YMCA Employment & Immigrant Services Building
285 Bunting Rd.
St. Catharines
Business After 5
Hosted in March by Canadian Niagara Hotels
March 6, 2018 • 5:00pm—7:00pm
Location to be determined
Save the date!
International Women’s Day 2018
Featuring Betsy Myers, COO of Barack Obama’s Presidential Campaign, and 2018 IWD Award Recipient Mary Ann Edwards, Run Director, Rankin Cancer Run
March 8, 2018
Club Italia
Niagara Falls
Lunch & Learn: The Key to Cold Calling
Tips to Get to the Decision Maker Faster
March 27 • 12:00pm—1:30pm
YMCA Employment & Immigrant Services Building
285 Bunting Rd.
St. Catharines
State of the Region
March 28, 2018 • 11:00am—2:00pm
Scotiabank Convention Centre
6815 Stanley Ave.
Niagara Falls
GNCC
ADVOCACY
Niagara May Be Feeling Effects of Minimum Wage Legislation
On January 1st, the Government of Ontario introduced sweeping changes to the province’s labour laws with the Fair Workplaces, Better Jobs Act, most notably including a hike in minimum wage to $14/hr, with a further $1/hr increase to come next January.
Analysts across the country, including the Canadian Centre for Economic Analysis (CANCEA) and the province’s independent Financial Accountability Office, warned that job losses would be a predictable result of this legislation. As many as 185,000 Ontario jobs could be at risk by 2020, CANCEA found.
GNCC Provides Input for Pre-Budget Consultations
The 2018 Ontario Economic Report, released on February 7, 2018, indicates that the confidence of Ontario’s businesses is rapidly declining. The GNCC has some specific recommendations around government spending that would boost the Niagara and Ontario economies and help to improve business confidence.
There are areas in which more government spending would produce a good return on investment, help grow communities, and enable business success. We have chosen to advocate for those we feel are particularly needed in Niagara.
GNCC Advocates for Better Long-Term Parking in Downtown St. Catharines
The St. Catharines Downtown Parking Study opines that there is adequate long-term parking in Downtown St. Catharines and that, in the future, it will be necessary to increase the parking available to accommodate the average rate of growth that will be seen through the Place to Grow initiatives.
However, there is, in fact, already a shortage of long-term parking available to businesses which is deterring prospective businesses from relocating or opening in the downtown core, while the overflow may be deterring customers from patronizing existing downtown businesses.
MEMBERS
IN THE NEWS
Record Year for Toque Tuesday
For Betty-Lou Souter, the success of the 18th annual Toque Tuesday and Mayor’s Pancake Breakfast wasn’t ultimately found in the amount of money raised to combat homelessness.
The event was a success, she said. With the final donations still being counted, she expects the event will have raised upwards of $11,000 and may be the most successful Toque Tuesday to date.
Steven Page to speak at Pathstone’s 2018 Hope Award Gala
The 9th annual Hope Award will take place on Friday, June 1st, 2018 in Fallsview Casino Resort’s Grand Ballroom. Pathstone Foundation is pleased to announce this year’s Hope Award Gala Signature guest speaker is Steven Page.
As one of Canada’s most recognized artists, Page enjoyed two decades of success as the co-founder and lead singer of Barenaked Ladies with whom he will be inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame in March, 2018
Enjoy a Night in Tuscany — Without Leaving Niagara
Join Niagara Health Foundation for a special evening celebrating the joyful heart and soul of Tuscany. With its winding roads and hidden gems among beautiful and ancient towns, it’s said that one of the best things about Tuscany is an atmosphere that’s different from anywhere else in the world.
Join the Niagara Health Foundation on February 24 for an enchanting night of indulgent food, wine and music, all while helping to support excellence in patient care. All proceeds of the gala help to keep pace with Medical Imaging Equipment Needs at Niagara Health hospitals.
Will Your Money Last Through Retirement?
Whether you are nearing retirement or have already retired, saving money is just the first step. You also have to make it last. Nicolle Lalonde, Financial Advisor with Edward Jones, is hosting a free seminar to give you tips on managing your retirement income.
The seminar, Making Your Money Last: 10 Principles for Living in Retirement, provides practical ways to manage your money in retirement, with the goal of providing reliable income. You want to spend retirement your way — make sure your money lasts as long as you need it.
Oscar Peterson International Jazz Festival comes to St. Catharines
As the world’s first (and only!) jazz festival bearing the name of Canada’s greatest jazz artist, the Oscar Peterson International Jazz Festival will honour and celebrate his legacy of excellence. The 2018 Festival will be dedicated to Norman Granz, celebrating the 100th anniversary of his birth.
The opening night concert International All-Star Jazz at the Philharmonic features multiple GRAMMY Award winners Cécile McLorin Salvant, Jon Faddis, Jimmy Greene, Michael Dease, Benny Green, Christian McBride, and Kenny Washington.
One Voice, One Common Goal, One Great Evening
Bethesda will hold its One Voice Annual Dinner Auction on April 13 at Club Italia in Niagara Falls. The evening will feature entertainment by Momentum Choir and Dually Noted Jazz Duo.
The evening features fabulous live and silent auction items and packages. All proceeds go directly to Bethesda Home Foundation Inc. Master of Ceremonies for the evening will be Mike Krause,
GNCC Night at the Niagara IceDogs
All members of the Greater Niagara Chamber of Commerce, as well as employees of the City of St. Catharines, are invited to purchase discounted tickets for the March 4 Niagara IceDogs match against the Peterborough Petes.
Dylan Wells and Danial Singer of the Niagara IceDogs will be presented with special awards that evening, for representing St. Catharines in the highest level minor hockey league in the world.
40 Under Forty Nomination Deadline March 12
The Business Link will be honouring 40 business people under 40 years of age who are making their mark in Niagara with business success and community involvement. Nominations are now sought for these outstanding individuals.
Candidates must have achieved business success and be active in their community.
St. Catharines Launches Bid for Brier
St. Catharines will be facing tough competition from other cities hoping to host the 2020 men’s national curling championship. “We’re going to be in a bit of a battle,” said Doug Geddie, from St. Catharines Golf and Country Club.
More than two years before the event is scheduled to take place, and months before Curling Canada’s fall decision of a community to host the event, the Meridian Centre has started selling tickets for it.
The voices of heroes. Their stories, experiences & journeys. All told in the heart of Niagara-on-the-Lake.
The Town of Niagara-on-the-Lake has set aside a significant site in the heart of the Old Town to understand, celebrate, and honour its Black history. Voices of Freedom is an experiential art installation designed to engage, educate, and challenge visitors about this most important aspect of our history. Voices from the past will tell their stories, enriching visitors’ understanding of how they shaped our town and nation.
But Voices of Freedom isn’t just about looking back. Ongoing research and programming will allow today’s and tomorrow’s voices to impact our nation’s future. It is a tragic injustice that, amidst the celebrated historical importance of Niagara-on-the-Lake, the Town’s significant and nation-shifting Black history has not been given a proper “hearing.”
Voices of Freedom is intent on righting this wrong. Individually and collectively, all of Canada will benefit from listening to the Black voices of Canada’s past, present, and future. Such a hearing is essential for our nation to move towards a fair, just, and free society.
2018 will be the 225th anniversary of the Act to Limit Slavery in Upper Canada and the beginning of the underground railway to Canada so what a time to honour this piece of history The Town of Niagara-on-the-Lake has donated the required land and a campaign has started to raise $650,000 to complete the park.
NETWORK
NEWS
Ontario Urges Chamber Members to Take the Red Tape Challenge
The Ontario government wants to hear your thoughts on how to cut red tape and make it easier to do business in our province. You can participate in the Red Tape Challenge to help identify business regulations that need to be updated, improved or eliminated.
The current focus of the Red Tap Challenge are regulations that apply to the tourism sector. Consultations are open until March 31, 2018. A final report detailing this consultation’s findings will be avasilable on October 31.
Canadian Chamber Releases Winning Report
On February 5, the Canadian Chamber of Commerce released 10 Ways to Build a Canada that Wins, a document that provides business, decision-makers and government with a series of clear priorities and objectives that, if addressed, will give Canada a competitive edge, improve productivity and grow the economy.
A strong and prosperous Canada depends on business growth, but businesses are grappling with daunting challenges—economic, political and technological—at home and abroad. To help them compete and grow, the CCC developed this report to guide businesses, government and other stakeholders towards new opportunities.
OCC Launches 2018 Ontario Economic Report
The 2018 Ontario Economic Report (OER) is the second annual policy document aimed at spurring growth and prosperity in Ontario. Each year the OER presents the collective voice of our membership through the Business Confidence Survey, the Business Prosperity Index and the Economic Outlook.
It will also detail our policy priorities for the coming year, based on economic research and consultation with our members. Insights from the report provide the OCC with policy direction for the year, beginning with the election platform Vote Prosperity, which contains 18 tangible recommendations for economic growth.
RENEWING MEMBERS:
JANUARY 2018
The following members renewed their membership in January for another year. Thank you for supporting the Chamber — and supporting business in Niagara.
MEMBER
PROGRAMS
If you’re thinking of adding group benefits to your company, there are a lot of good reasons to put your Chamber membership to work for you. Not the least is exclusivity: only members have access to the Chambers of Commerce Group Insurance Plan®.
To contact your local insurance rep, call Jim Garrett or Cindy Haines at 905-468-8575
Try the purest, freshest water available — one month absolutely FREE. Experience the taste of clean water AND discover why so many homes, schools, and businesses love H2Only… it’s the service. No contracts, no set schedules. You call, we deliver the following business day. That simple since 1995.
Contact: 905-934-0966
sales@h2only.ca www.h2only.ca
MEMBER 2 MEMBER SAVINGS PROGRAM
Many other Chamber of Commerce members feature discounts and special offers — tailored specifically for other GNCC members. Check out the full Member 2 Member database. If you’d like to add an offer for your company, sign in to your account. You can add and update your offer any time you wish.
MEMBER
PARTNERS
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