February 21, 2017 | Submissions? email brad@gncc.ca |
UPCOMING
EVENTS
Mind The Gap:Is there a skills gap? Understanding what Niagara employers are looking for in recent graduates
February 28, 2017 • 9:00am—11:00am
Pond Inlet
Brock University
St. Catharines
Lunch and Learn: Sales is a Give and Take
February 28, 2017 • 12:00pm—1:30pm
Coppola’s Ristorante & Banquet Facility
203 Carlton Street
St. Catharines
International Women’s Day
March 3, 2017 • 11:00am—2:00pm
Club Roma
125 Vansickle Road
St. Catharines
Business After 5
A-1 Flooring Canada
March 7, 2017 • 5:00pm—7:00pm
77 Ontario St., St. Catharines
Table Talks
March 9, 2017 • 12:00pm—1:30pm
Big Marco’s Italian Restaurant
274 Fourth Ave.
St. Catharines
State of the Region
March 24, 2017 • 11:00am—2:00pm
John Michael’s Banquet & Conference Centre
1368 Uppers Lane
Thorold
NEW MEMBERS:
January 2017
Please join us in welcoming the new members who joined in January 2017.
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GNCC
NEWS
Support consolidated transit. Contact your rep today!
Moving people around more efficiently means:
- A larger labour pool and employees who can get to work more easily
- More students can find jobs and internships in their fields, helping better train the workforce of tomorrow
- Employers find motivated and interested employees for their industry
- Help alleviate poverty, which currently costs Niagara over $1.38 billion every year in lost economic opportunities, taxes, and charity.
- Success of the GO train. When it comes to Niagara, will depend in large part upon the efficiency of the feeder services that bring people to and from the GO stations.
#1 Issue
After our 2015 Niagara Economic Summit, we polled attendees to identify the top issues to emerge from that event — and integrated public transit with a single farebox was the most important issue by far.
Now at Council
Since January 2016, the Inter-Municipal Transit Working Group of Mayors, CAOs and transit managers from St. Catharines, Welland and Niagara Falls, with support from the Regional Chair and CAO, has been working together to develop options for integrated transit services for Niagara. That question is now before municipal councils in Welland, St. Catharines, and Niagara Falls.
Show your support
As a business-owner in Niagara, we ask you to lend your support to this initiative. Please contact your representatives in St. Catharines, Welland, and Niagara Falls — their contact information can be found at this link. Encourage them to support the consolidated transit proposal and vote to move our community forward.
Transit Consolidation
The issue of public transit is of great importance to the business community. After our 2015 Niagara Economic Summit, we polled attendees to identify the top issues to emerge from that event — and integrated public transit with a single farebox was the most important issue by far.
Improved public transit offers many benefits to the business community. Moving people around more efficiently means a larger labour pool and employees who can get to work more easily…
Time to Take Inventory
It may not have an exciting title — the Niagara Region Employment Inventory — but the innovative new study may prove to be a treasure trove of data for local businesses and potential investors.
“It is critical that we have the data to compare with other regions in Ontario,” said GNCC President & CEO Mishka Balsom. “The information will give us a competitive advantage when we talk to potential investors and businesses.
Arts Champion Hale to Receive International Women’s Day Award
Persistence. If you have a dream, the most important thing is to make sure you persist. Do not give up. Those were words of encouragement from Marilyn I. Walker that Rosemary Hale took to heart.
Hale, who was instrumental in relocating Brock University’s arts faculty downtown, said she’s had a lot of strong female mentors over the years, with Walker being one of the greatest. Women can empower each other, Hale said.
Trio Crafts Spirits from Passion
Niagara Falls Craft Distillers has opened its doors with a trio of offerings crafted by GNCC Chair Ian Kowalchuk, Andy Murison, and Chris Jeffries.
Kowalchuk has degrees in business and sciences, including a recently obtained MBA from Brock University. He is actively involved in community organizations, and is currently chair of the Greater Niagara Chamber of Commerce.
Balsom on 610 CKTB Roundtable with Tim Denis
On January 26, Mishka Balsom joined Tim Denis on 610 CKTB for their morning Round Table, where the history of the State of the City and the record attendance for this year’s address were both discussed.
The Mayor’s annual address to the business community was held for the first time at the Meridian Centre in St. Catharines. Over 500 people attended the event.
Pitch Series will Ignite Businesses
Entrepreneurs from across the region will have their chance to pitch their business ideas to win money and prizes to help get their enterprise off the ground in a series of Niagara’s own pitch competitions.
This year, Meridian Credit Union has partnered with Niagara College and the GNCC to support these local entrepreneurs through the Meridian Ignite! Series, including Niagara College’s Pitch Perfect competition, the Startup Weekend event and the the GNCC’s Ignite Pitch Competition.
Members
In the News
Calling All Food & Beverage Makers
On March 2nd & 3rd, 2017 the Agri-food Management Institute is hosting the Food & Beverage Convention: Niagara 2017, a robust conference for food and beverage processing businesses.
Don’t miss the pre-conference events, including a food safety workshop where participants can receive a valuable toolkit of resources, and the Innovation Landscape Bus Tour, a tour of Niagara’s centers of innovation.
Mayor’s invitational golf tournament presents $50,000 to Pathstone Foundation
On February 16, St. Catharines Mayor Walter Sendzik and members of the Mayor’s Invitational Golf Tournament organizing committee presented proceeds from the annual fundraiser to the Pathstone Foundation.
The funds raised through the 2015 and 2016 tournament will go towards the Mending Children’s Minds Campaign for the family counselling room at the new Branscombe Mental Health Centre. The new facility which is currently under construction at 1338 Fourth Ave. is scheduled to open at the end of April.
Seafood Gala returns for 2017
The Niagara College Foundation Seafood Gala features a sumptuous buffet with a variety of decadent seafood dishes and more to please every palette, accompanied by Niagara College wines. Guests enjoy an elegant evening filled with live entertainment, music, dancing, and silent and live auctions.
The Niagara College Foundation’s Seafood Gala has raised over $2.5 million in its 27 year history, to support the purchase of instructional equipment, and scholarships and bursaries.
Ground breaking for Many Hands Project
On Friday, January 13, 2017 the Niagara College Many Hands Project kicked off their 20th year at Hotel Dieu Shaver. Dozens, including co-partner Canadian Tire Bank, took part to launch a project that uses targeted skills from college students in community service.’
From January until April 2017 Hotel Dieu Shaver’s Carpentry Shop will undergo renovations by students in the college’s construction renovation technician program to create a ‘physical market place.
The August Wilson — Robert Brustein Discussion, Re-enacted!
Experience the famous and controversial 1997 debate that took New York by storm. Frank Rich called it “the intellectual equivalent of extreme fighting.”
The re-enactment will take place at the Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts on March 15. Reserve your tickets now for this free community event
Niagara 2021 Canada Games Bid
The Niagara Sport Commission would like to let you know that Niagara has been selected as one of four finalists for hosting the 2021 Canada Summer Games. We are up against Kitchener-Waterloo, Sudbury, and Ottawa.
We will find out on Thursday, March 30, 2017 what community will be awarded the games.
Our bid is strong and with your support it can even be stronger! Please take 30 seconds to sign-up and show your support.
Network
News
How to persuade on trade — putting an extra “F” in NAFTA
At a press conference on February 2, President Trump said “we want to put an extra ‘F’ in NAFTA. Do you know what that ‘F’ stands for?” It’s not what you’re thinking.
President Trump wants to add the word “fair” to NAFTA. Though apparently Canada only requires a “tweak” because the situation is “much less severe”. Why is the new administration so focused on fairness?
The year when populism meets policy
If 2016 was the year of Populist Surprise (none of us predicted Brexit or the victory of Mr. Trump), then 2017 will be the year of Populist Policy. More precisely, this will be the year we find out whether this global wave of populism will translate into concrete policies.
A new U.S. president has taken office and his supporters’ expectations are beyond sky-high. Mr. Trump didn’t just promise to strengthen the economy, he promised a people’s revolution to bring back manufacturing and coal mines… and “unleash massive wealth for American workers.”
Closing the Tourism Gap
On November 17, the Greater Niagara Chamber of Commerce (GNCC) in partnership with the Ontario Chamber of Commerce (OCC) has released new data that reveals a significant tourism opportunity gap when compared to international growth rates.
According to the organization’s report, Closing the Tourism Gap: Creating a Long-Term Advantage for Ontario, Ontario has foregone nearly $16 billion in visitor spending between 2006 and 2012 by not keeping up with global growth trends.
Renewing MEMBERS:
January 2017
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
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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.
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PARTNERS
