Chamber This Week – November 3, 2017

November 3, 2017 | Non-Advocacy

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Niagara College earns top 10 place for third year in a row among research colleges in Canada

November 3, 2017 | Members in the News

Student research assistant Brock Husak uses 3D scanning technology as part of an industry partner project, in the Walker Advanced Manufacturing Innovation Centre, located on the Welland Campus.

Student research assistant Brock Husak uses 3D scanning technology as part of an industry partner project, in the Walker Advanced Manufacturing Innovation Centre, located on the Welland Campus.

For the third year in a row, Niagara College has earned the honour of being in the top 10 colleges in the country for research funding, according to a new national study released today. And for the second year in a row, that placement is No. 7.

In its report “Canada’s Top 50 Research Colleges,” Re$earch Infosource Inc. has announced the rank of seven for Niagara College, based on total research funding numbers for 2016. This represents a steady placement of three years in a row in the top 10, since Niagara College earned spot No. 10 in the 2014 research funding year.

What’s more, using data from the past two years, Niagara College’s research funding increased by more than 14% between 2015 and 2016, up to $6.94 million from $6.1 million in 2015.

“We’ve made research and innovation a key priority, because we see ourselves as critical players in Niagara’s economic development, and our consistent climb in these rankings reflects that,” said Niagara College president Dan Patterson. “And as we help local companies innovate, we are enhancing our students’ education by providing valuable real-world research opportunities.”

Research funding allows the College to partner with small- and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) in the region to conduct projects and services which provide innovative solutions for industry. These include producing and testing prototypes, evaluating new technologies, and developing new or improved products and processes.

“We are thrilled to have this validation for the stellar work our staff, faculty and students are doing on industry partner projects,” said Marc Nantel, associate vice-president of Research & Innovation. “We’ve ramped up our specialized equipment and lab spaces to attract new partnerships and funding, and it’s paying off for SMEs in our region.”

According to the report, Niagara College once again placed highly in the categories of the number of partnerships, as well as the number of projects completed. In both cases, NC ranked third in Canada on each list, with 109 partnerships, and 118 projects completed.

Niagara College receives research funding from various regional, provincial and federal agencies. Administered by the College’s Research & Innovation division, the funding supports the hiring of students and graduates to work alongside faculty researchers in helping industry partners leap forward in the marketplace. Students come from a variety of the College’s programs, such as Mechanical Engineering Technology, Culinary Innovation and Food Technology, Business Administration – Marketing, and Computer Programming.

Re$earch Infosource annually compiles listings of the Top 50 research universities, corporate R&D spenders and research hospitals. This year marks the fourth year a list has been released for the Top 50 research colleges in Canada. For more information on the Top 50 list, go to researchinfosource.com

A special report on all 2016 categories, including comprehensive listings, analysis and insight, will be published on Thursday, Nov. 16.

Niagara College’s Research & Innovation conducts research projects with industry partners through its Agriculture & Environmental Technologies Innovation Centre, Canadian Food & Wine Institute Innovation Centre, and Walker Advanced Manufacturing Innovation Centre. The division also offers support in the areas of digital media and web solutions and business and commercialization solutions. For more information on Research & Innovation, visit ncinnovation.ca/

Niagara College offers more than 100, bachelor degree and advanced level programs; as well as more than 600 credit, vocational and general interest Part-Time Studies courses. Areas of specialization include food and wine sciences, advanced technology, media, applied health and community safety, supported by unique learning enterprises in food, wine, beer, horticulture and esthetics. For more information visit niagaracollege.ca.

 

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Announcing the Finalists of the 17th Annual Women in Business Awards

November 1, 2017 | Media Releases, WIN

On Friday, November 17, The Women in Niagara (WIN) Council and the Greater Niagara Chamber of Commerce (GNCC) will be hosting the Women in Business Awards (WIBA) at the Crowne Plaza Niagara Falls – Fallsview with founding partners The St. Catharines Standard, The Welland Tribune, and The Niagara Falls Review.

“This annual event is an incredible celebration of Women’s accomplishments and contributions,” said Nicole Regehr, Chair of the WIN council. “WIN is proud to be able to highlight these remarkable women, and to express our gratitude for all the work they have done for our community and in advancing women in leadership roles.”

The Women in Business Awards (WIBA) is an annual event to recognize the leadership and success of women in our business community. The WIBAs aim to encourage more women to seek out and reach for leadership roles in business, non-profits, and politics. Join us as we celebrate their journeys and their achievements. The WIN council received over 60 nominations from around the region and 2 awards were added this year, the Young Professional Award and the Entrepreneurship Award. This year’s finalists are:

EMERGING BUSINESS AWARD
Ashley Brown, She Implements
Lisa Carlomusto, Dental Hygiene of Niagara
Gayle Hanlon, Coffee News – St. Catharines
Sarah McVanel, Greatness Magnified

COMMUNITY SPIRIT AWARD
Valerie Chalmers, Valerie Chalmers Social Media Marketing
Madi Fuller, Caddle Canada & ncTakeOff
Dawn Lagesten, KPMG LLP
Ann Mantini-Celima, Wellspring Niagara
Alex Pedersen, CAA Niagara

CULTURAL ARTS AWARDS
Bonnie Beres, Harmony on West
Annie Wilson, FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre
Monica Dufault, Essential Collective Theatre
Johann Munro, Shed Pottery
Natasha Pedros, Niagara Artists Centre

BUSINESS LEADERSHIP AWARD
Nadia Ali, Revel Realty
Tammy Conlon Carlomusto, Premiere Mortgage Centre
Brandy Gauthier, CIBC
N’ora Kalb, Innovate Niagara
Jody Vizza, PenFinancial Credit Union

 SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY AWARD
Meghan Chayka, Stathletes
Rachel Epp, Bare
Anna D’Amore, Truvi Beauty
Gina Collins Ramkissoon, Last Mile Wireless Internet 

ENTREPRENEURSHIP AWARD
Jolene Antle, Garden City Essentials
Vivienne Dineen, Moksha Yoga St. Catharines
Jacquelene Igel-Del Col, Tintern Road & Zooma Caters
Catherine O’Donnell, Willow Cakes and Pastries
April Mitchell-Boudreau, BeadQueen

SOCIAL ENTERPRISE AWARD
Betty Ann Baker, Niagara Peninsula Homes
Leah Feor, Simply Sustainable
Renee Delaney, Niagara Farm Project
Jennifer Harper, Cheekbone Beauty

EXCELLENCE IN TOURISM AWARD
Jenny Crumb, Cycle-Logical Rentals
Emily Oriold, The Foster Festival
Angela Marotta & Melissa Marotta-Paolicelli, Two Sisters Winery
Anna Pierce, Niagara Helicopters

YOUNG PROFESSIONAL AWARD
Melanna Giannakis, Meridian Credit Union
Kristina Gottli, Form and Affect
Kelly Liddycoat, Bocchinfuso Funeral Home
Trina Rubino, Root Bissonnette Walker
Marcia Young, St. John Ambulance

The Lifetime Achievement award will be presented to Margie Spence of Royal LePage Niagara Real Estate. Over her three decades in the real estate business, Margie Spence has become a renowned leader in her field and in her community. She exemplifies what it means to be a leader in the workforce, overseeing the growth of Royal LePage Niagara into the largest real estate brokerage in the Niagara Region, with over 400 staff. Her contributions to her community go beyond work, giving back to charitable organizations such as Gillian’s Place, South Niagara Women’s Shelters, Habitat for Humanity, OneFoundation, and food banks across the region.

To register, visit www.gncc.ca or email amy@gncc.ca. The event takes place from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. at Crowne Plaza, Niagara Falls.

The Greater Niagara Chamber of Commerce (GNCC) is the champion for the Niagara business community. With over 1,600 members representing more than 48,000 employees, it is the largest business organization in Niagara and the third largest Chamber in Ontario. The Chamber Accreditation Council of Canada has recognized the Greater Niagara Chamber of Commerce with its highest level of distinction. Women In Niagara is a business council of the GNCC representing 24,000 women in business in Niagara. Follow us on Twitter @The_GNCC @GNCC_WIN

For more information and interviews please contact:
Mishka Balsom
CEO, Greater Niagara Chamber of Commerce
905-684-2361 ext. 227 or mishka@gncc.ca

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Economic summit discusses Niagara’s future

October 30, 2017 | In The News

By Laura Barton

Roughly 350 people gathered at White Oaks Resort and Spa in Niagara-on-the-Lake on Thursday for the Greater Niagara Chamber of Commerce (GNCC) Niagara Economic Summit.

It was the sixth year for the event, which saw people from various sectors, including businesses, municipalities and non-profits, come together to hear speakers and participate in panel discussions about Niagara’s economic future.

By the end of the event, Mishka Balsom, president and executive officer of the GNCC, said the common themes from the day’s discussions were collaboration, economic system of partnerships, risk raking and flexibility.

The goal of the summit, she said, is to connect Niagara to facilitate business growth and stronger economy in Niagara in the near and distant future.

“Are we prepared for tomorrow and the industries of tomorrow? Are we set up to succeed tomorrow? Are we creating prosperity for tomorrow?” she said were the main questions under the magnifying glass throughout the day.

The summit was split into three sections to discuss this, starting with “accelerating innovation for jobs and growth,” then moving on to “international trade in the age of uncertainty” before capping off the day with “the next 150 years – transformational change.”

Each section had a variety of speakers and panelists to share their own insights and thoughts on these topics, ranging from people such as Niagara Region’s CAO Carmen D’Angelo to the senior vice-president of Strategy and Corporate Marketing at Canada Post, Len Diplock.

The reactions from the crowd were mixed, based on their applause or lack thereof, but a group of Grade 11 and 12 business students from Eden High School in St. Catharines thoroughly enjoyed the day. They were brought there by business teacher Holly Etherington as a part of the class.

While they weren’t sure what they would get out of it going in, Adam Letham, Connor Hendriks, Austin Val Tol and Rocco Del Duca had a lot of takeaways at the end of the summit.

They each noted how eye-opening the talks were, especially in regards to what the region has to offer and the way that business in Niagara looks.

Hendriks, Grade 11, said he was impressed to see the attention paid to youth and learned a lot about what opportunities were available in Niagara. He said he used to think he might be one of those students that graduates and goes elsewhere for post-secondary and a career, but now he’s reconsidering and may stay in Niagara.

Del Duca, Grade 11, said he got a better sense of employer expectations during the first section of the summit, which touched on jobs.

Diplock, who was the final solo speaker for the day, spoke about how to keep up with changing technology and customer needs and trends. He said they’ve especially seen this at Canada Post as they’ve had to deal with people sending fewer letters and more emails. One way he said they’ve adapted is by introducing parcel service since people are still utilising that.

He said all businesses will need to be able to adapt, collaborate and try to prepare for whatever future may come – although with the latter he feels changes happen so quickly that it’s nearly impossible to do so. Preparing instead how to deal with frequent and rapid change is the best bet, he said.

United States President Donald Trump was mentioned several times, in particular during the trade discussions. Considering Trump’s desires to renegotiate or even be rid of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), conversation turned to how Niagara might deal with that situation.

One panelist, Damon Piatek, founder, president and CEO of Welke Customes Brokers USA Inc. said he thinks there isn’t any need to worry about NAFTA because of how successful it is.

On the same panel, Dean Wood, founder of Borderworx, said it’s about making sure trade can continue.

“We don’t need a wall,” he said. “What we are needing is bridge access and we need to make sure it flows.”

The summit rounded off with talks about what 150 years into the future might look like and how to prepare for the changing social, political, financial and economic atmospheres. Del Duca felt that 150 years might be too far to look ahead, but agreed that these are discussions that need to be had to prepare for his and coming generations’ futures.

Balsom said that during the summit, the GNCC takes notes and collects comment cards from people in the audience. In doing so, she said it gives the chamber a starting point as to what people are concerned or thinking about, then, if possible, it can work on addressing those thoughts and concerns.

lbarton@postmedia.com

Original article:
http://www.stcatharinesstandard.ca/2017/10/26/economic-summit-discusses-niagaras-future

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Skills mismatch, minimum wage hike in focus at economic summit

October 30, 2017 | In The News

by Paul Forsyth

Looming minimum wage hikes, international trade in the age of U.S. President Donald Trump’s threats to scuttle the North American Free Trade Agreement, and the skills mismatch that leaves many employers begging for qualified workers were front and centre at the annual Niagara Economic Summit on Thursday.

Not surprisingly, the Ontario Chamber of Commerce came out swinging at Bill 148, the provincial government’s Fair Workplaces, Better Jobs Act, which will hike the minimum wage from $11.60 right now to $14 in January and to $15 by the following January.

But Grimsby native Karl Baldauf, vice-president of policy and government relations for the chamber, said that legislation will have even more dire consequences for businesses in Ontario. He also said businesses in Niagara will in particular feel the brunt.

Baldauf conceded there’s a tremendous amount of sympathy among Ontario residents who see neighbours unable to afford basic living expenses because they simply don’t make enough on their paycheque.

“We should not be proud that exists in a province as prosperous as Ontario,” he told the crowd of hundreds at White Oaks Resort and Spa.

But the rapid implementation of the wage hikes is unprecedented across North American, said Baldauf, who noted the increases will cost Ontario businesses a whopping $13 billion in two years.

Niagara’s heavy reliance on tourism and service sector jobs makes it “inordinately at risk” compared to the rest of the province, he warned.

But the legislation goes much farther, mandating changes such as increasing vacation time for workers, requiring equal provisions for casual and seasonal workers, and making it easier for workers to unionize, he said.

All told, the hit for employers will be a staggering $23 billion in the next two years, said Baldauf.

“Bill 148 has the potential for remarkable and dangerous unintended consequences,” he said, noting the chamber predicts it will cost the average family about $1,300 more a year in higher costs for goods and services, and will put 185,000 jobs at risk over two years.

“All of this change all at once is adding tremendous risk to businesses in this province, a risk we consider irresponsible,” said Baldauf.

Spreading the changes out over five years would only put about 49,000 jobs at risk, he said.

But the chamber official backed up the province on the issue of Ontario’s Fair Hydro Plan, which lowers electricity bills that were causing panic among many Ontarians and businesses. The province’s budget watchdog said by kicking the can down the road further, it will actually cost Ontarians billions of dollars more in the years to come.

But Baldauf said the province had to act decisively on soaring hydro costs.

“We saw business after business after business leaving this province because of hydro costs,” he said. “We had a crisis and it called for drastic action.”

But the skills mismatch in Ontario was also key at the summit. Baldauf said a recent survey by his chamber of businesses shed light on just how important tackling that is.

“The number one issue for businesses in this province is not the rising cost of doing business, which was a shock for a lot of us,” he said. “Not being able to access the talent required for a business to grow is the number one impediment to growth, more so than rising electricity, more so than rising property taxes.”

There was chatter among panellists at the summit about the importance of financial incentives for businesses to locate here or grow. But Tracy Reynolds, an executive director at Global Affairs Canada, said multinational media giant Thomson Reuters Corp. made it clear in October why it was creating some 400 jobs and relocating its top executives from New York to Toronto.

“Their decision was based 100 per cent on the availability of talent,” he said.

Reynolds said good infrastructure such as adequate highway networks is routinely a close second to a skilled workforce in terms of importance for companies looking to set up shop or relocate.

“Questions like bottlenecks … were always something they asked about,” he said. “Both of those are critical for this region if you’re going to continue to grow your economy.”

That led regional chief administrative officer Carmen D’Angelo to tell the summit that only reinforces the need to get the oft-stalled mid-peninsula corridor concept off the back burner in a region where nearly a million fully-loaded transport trucks cross the border each year.

“You get an accident (on the QEW) and everything comes to a screeching halt,” he said.

Regional Chair Alan Caslin told regional council later in the day that the summit was a prime opportunity to showcase how the region’s economic development department and the local towns and cities are developing a business-friendly culture. “The support for…doing business in Niagara was electric,” he said.

The economic summit was organized by the Greater Niagara Chamber of Commerce.

Original article:
https://www.niagarathisweek.com/news-story/7686468-skills-mismatch-minimum-wage-hike-in-focus-at-economic-summit/

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Chamber This Week – October 27, 2017

October 27, 2017 | Non-Advocacy

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Niagara must be forward-thinking

October 23, 2017 | Advocacy, Blog, In The News, Municipal Advocacy

On Oct. 26, the Greater Niagara Chamber of Commerce (GNCC) will host the 6th annual Niagara Economic Summit.

Previous summits looked at answering controversial questions around job market myths, the skills gap, and our infrastructure and public transit.

The summit is a key driver for Niagara initiatives. The event not only highlights concerns, but brings forward solutions.

As a result of our conversations on the skills gap and the job market, the GNCC headed a consortium of Niagara organizations to form Linking Niagara, which connects employers with government programs to help them hire and train. Our discussion around public transit highlighted a need for a unified transit system for Niagara, which is becoming a reality as municipal governments across the region work to implement it.

What is highlighted in the summit today becomes the policy for tomorrow.

This year’s summit focuses on that tomorrow. Niagara must be forward-thinking. We must plan for not only where we want to be at the end of our next strategic plan, or our next election cycle, but for where we want to be in years or even decades. We need to build a Niagara that will be prosperous not just for the next few years, but for the next few generations. A time of reflection on the last 150 years of our history is the perfect time to think about what we want the next 150 to look like.

The summit is divided into three sessions. At the first, entitled “Accelerating Innovation for Jobs and Growth,” a power talk delivered by IBM Canada’s director of corporate citizenship and corporate affairs Dave Robitaille will set the stage for a wide-ranging discussion on the future of innovation and the advances that Niagara needs to work on now to be prepared for the future.

With all eyes on our neighbour south of the border and the future of our trading relationship, the second session is on international trade in an uncertain time, at which a delegate from the Ministry of International Trade will address the audience and then join a panel of experts on the future of our trading relationship. As a key export region for wine, auto parts, and tourism, Niagara needs to be ahead of the curve on this question.

Finally, our last session looks at transformational change and the upheavals that will come in the next 150 years. Our power talk will be delivered by Len Diplock, senior vice-president of strategy at Canada Post – an organization that has weathered and adapted to tremendous changes over the last 150 years. He will be joined by some of Niagara’s leading thinkers and innovators to explore what long-term direction Niagara should be taking.

In recognition of Niagara’s dependence upon the larger economies in which it is situated, we will also be joined for a special update at the provincial and federal levels by Karl Baldauf, vice-president of policy and government relations at the Ontario Chamber of Commerce, and by Hendrik Brakel, senior director of economic, financial and tax policy at the Canadian Chamber of Commerce.

For more information, visit gncc.ca or https://gncc.ca/economicsummit/ or call us at 905-684-2362.

Mishka Balsom is the CEO and President of the Greater Niagara Chamber of Commerce (GNCC).

Original article:
http://www.stcatharinesstandard.ca/2017/10/20/niagara-must-be-forward-thinking

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Speaker Profile: Karl Baldauf

October 20, 2017 | Blog, In The News

2017 Niagara Economic Summit

Grimsby native Karl Baldauf joined the Ontario Chamber of Commerce in May 2015 as Vice President of Policy and Government Relations. He holds over a decade of experience working in advocacy and communications in the public and private sectors, as well as in politics and with stakeholder organizations.

At the 2017 Niagara Economic Summit, Karl will bring an update on all the issues that the OCC, the GNCC, and the Ontario Chamber network have been working on over the last year, including such issues as minimum wage and Bill 148, energy prices and hydro rates, and cap-and-trade.

Karl has worked for two provincial cabinet ministers, Ontario’s leader of the opposition, and most recently with Canada’s largest communications consultancy. Throughout his career, he has worked with the province’s leading officials in politics and at the senior most executive levels to craft policy that supports Ontario’s business community.

Karl is the recipient of national and international scholarships and holds an M.A. (Distinction) in Political Communications from the University of London, Goldsmith’s College. He holds a B.A. (Hons.) from the University of Toronto in Political Science and Semiotic Communications. Karl has also studied and worked in Amsterdam and Seoul.

To hear Karl speak at the Niagara Economic Summit, visit https://gncc.ca/economicsummit/

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Speaker Profile: Dr. Jim Brandle

October 20, 2017 | Blog, In The News

2017 Niagara Economic Summit

Dr. Jim Brandle is the CEO of Vineland Research and Innovation Centre, a position he assumed in 2007 with the organization’s start-up.

As a strong advocate for the horticulture sector, Jim leads a team of research scientists and support staff in consumer and sensory research, horticultural and greenhouse production systems and applied genomics. Under his direction, Vineland has emerged as a leading centre for innovation and industry outreach. He joined Vineland from his role at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada as site leader for the Canadian Crop Genomics Initiative.

Jim serves on the Boards of the Invasive Species Centre, the Golden Horseshoe Food and Farming Alliance and Innoventures Canada (I-CAN). In 2015, he was appointed to the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs’ Agri-Food Growth Steering Committee.

At the Summit, Jim will join a panel on innovation for jobs and growth. Agriculture and agri-food are enormously important to Niagara, and we are privileged to have one of Canada’s foremost experts and innovators in this sector at the Summit. Jim will share his insights on where agriculture is going, and how Niagara can preserve and build upon its status as a national leader in the industry.

To hear Jim speak at the Niagara Economic Summit, visit https://gncc.ca/economicsummit/

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