Canine Comfort Enters the Courtroom

Monday marked Axel’s first day as a calming presence and source of comfort at Ontario Court of Justice in St. Catharines. The two-and-a-half-year-old Labrador retriever is a facility dog with Victim Services Niagara, an organization that connects victims with a support team of crisis responders to help deal with the impact of tragedy or crime.

In court Monday, the Crown brought forward an application asking that Axel be allowed in the courtroom during the testimony of a complainant at the trial of a Niagara Falls man charged with sexual assault. Following a hearing on the application, Judge Tori Colvin said complainants have the right to request “testimonial aids” under the Canadian Victims Bill of Rights and ruled the dog would be permitted to lie near the woman when she testified.

Read more

KO for Kids Raises Money for Pathstone Mental Health

They’ll be stepping into the ring again this spring for the third annual KO for Kids fundraiser. The charity event pits 38 competitors against each other for 19 boxing matches raising money for Pathstone Mental Health, Ronald McDonald House and stem cell research.

That means people who don’t normally lace up the gloves will get into the ring, says co-founder Mike Strange. And while they know it’s for fun and a good cause, come fight night they’re all business. “They’re very, very competitive,” said the former Olympic boxer and current Niagara Falls city councillor during a news conference on February 4. “You find that out as soon as you start (training).”

Read more

PenFinancial Makes Truly Local Commitment to Niagara

PenFinancial Credit Union launched a new initiative it’s calling the Truly Local Commitment to Niagara at its Fourth Avenue branch. Director of brand Jody Vizza explained the many aspects of the initiative to a crowd of local business representatives in the branch’s new community room on February 1.

“Yes, it’s a financial institution like a bank or a credit union,” she said. “But the difference is that we’re 100 per cent local.” Vizza said PenFinancial has committed to giving 10 per cent of its pre-tax earnings back to the community.

Read more

Steve Ludzik Foundation Donates $60,000 to Parkinson’s Rehab

Former NHL hockey player, coach and analyst Steve Ludzik visited the Hotel Dieu Shaver Health and Rehabilitation Centre on February 1 to present his foundation’s annual donation. The $60,000 donation will help to fund continued operation of the Steve Ludzik Parkinson’s Rehab Centre.

Ludzik’s foundation has raised $756,000 for the clinic since 2012. “It’s really nice to have something not about yourself,” he told the small gathering of partners from the foundation, the rehab centre and Scotiabank. “This is my way of paying back.”

Read more in the Welland Tribune

Brock Research Looks to Create New Tourism Niche

Niagara as a UNESCO Global Geopark — that is what new research by Brock University’s Niagara Community Observator says could be a possibility. Global Geoparks, according to UNESCO, are “sites and landscapes of international geological significance.”

Carol Philips, author of the community observatory’s policy brief Ohnia:kara, An Aspiring Global Geopark points out that the designation would allow Niagara to brand itself internationally as a destination for geotourism. “Niagara has a fascinating earth history that has created so many beautiful sites, culminating in Niagara Falls,” said Philips. “This brand allows us to showcase those sites as well as the history and culture that has developed around them.”

Read more

Niagara College Unites in Support of United Way with $40,000 Donation

The NC Cares in a United Way Campaign continues to live up to its name. Through employee donations and a variety of fundraising initiative, the College raised $40,000 in its 2018 campaign to support the United Way Niagara. The fundraising campaign kicked off on Niagara Day in August and wrapped up in December at the President’s holiday reception.

Campaign co-chairs Greg Medulun and Caroline Triemstra were pleased with the campaign’s continued success and thanked the college community for their support. “The College community showed tremendous spirit through their support for the campaign, in turn, allowing the United Way to truly make a difference in the lives of so many Niagara area residents,” said Triemstra.

Read more

Opinion: 90% of Canadians Don’t Want Pharmacare Jeopardizing their Drug Coverage

Ensuring that no Canadian lacks access to the medicines they need is a laudable goal. If the federal government is to move forward with a national pharmacare program, it should focus on what needs fixing: providing coverage to the 10 per cent of Canadians who are currently uninsured or underinsured.

There is no rhyme or reason to throwing out an entire system that is working for most Canadians for a costly alternative. Any national program must be designed in a way that is fiscally sustainable, ensures continued access to innovative medicines, and does not crowd out the comprehensive coverage options that most Canadians already enjoy.

Read more from the Financial Post

Advocacy Day at Queen’s Park on March 25

On Monday, March 25, the Ontario Chamber Network will hold its fourth annual Advocacy Day at Queen’s Park. With the provincial government approaching the one-year mark of its mandate, Advocacy Day is a forum to share ideas on how to foster a competitive business climate and strong, prosperous communities.

As a key benefit included with your membership, all Chamber Network members are encouraged to join us in Toronto for this important day. This is your opportunity to interact directly with elected and non-elected officials, sharing top ideas and concerns of your members.

Find out more

Ontario Government Supports Innovation and Growth in Automated Vehicle Industry

In January, Transportation Minister Jeff Yurek was at the Sedra Student Design Centre at the University of Waterloo to support innovation and growth within Ontario’s automated vehicle industry. Ontario has updated its Automated Vehicle Pilot program to allow for more testing of emerging technologies and to support future sales of the next generation of autos.

Ontario will allow vehicles equipped with higher levels of automation — Society of Automotive Engineers Level 3 technology — to be driven on Ontario roads once they are eligible for purchase in Canada. Ontario will also permit pilot participants to test driverless automated vehicles and connected truck platoons on roads, under strict conditions.

Read more

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.

BUSINESS SAVINGS PROGRAMS

The GNCC offers many business resources that are regionally, provincially or nationally endorsed – programs offered to Chamber Members through the OCC (Ontario Chamber of Commerce) or the CCC (Canadian Chamber of Commerce). Affinity programs include the Chamber Group Insurance, FedEx savings, Gales Gas discounts, Desjardins payroll service, Chase Paymentech and FirstData merchant services, etc. For more information click HERE.

If your organization is interested in partnering with the GNCC on an affinity program, please feel free to reach out to Mishka Balsom, CEO, at mishka@gncc.ca.

GNCC REFERRAL PROGRAM

From the beginning, the GNCC has grown because of your word-of-mouth support.

This Referral Program is our way of saying thanks.

Get your choice of a $25 Starbucks Gift Card for every new member you refer and who joins the Chamber -OR- $50 in GNCC Cash for every new member you refer and joins the Chamber towards GNCC ads, sponsorship or event tickets.

More program information HERE.