Quinte West Chamber of Commerce || Chamber E-News

The Quinte West Chamber of Commerce provides this newsletter as a service to its members and their employees.
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E-News for Tuesday, December 3 2013

GET YOUR BUSINESS IN THE PROGRAM!

 

GET IN THE PROGRAM  - NO COST FOR MEMBERS

IT'S EASY AS 1 - 2- 3.

1.  Give us your company name.

2.  Tell us what type of special you would like to offer (ie.  member discount, how much?)  Any restrictions. Or other offers (ie.  buy one get one free, specific product or rate, waived fees, etc. )

3.  We will add your business and special offer to the discount card, website and spotlight your discount in our weekly e-news to draw more people to your business and to Shop Quinte West!

Don't miss the deadline:  Friday December 6th.

Already over 70 chamber members participating in the program.

Click here to view some of the chamber discounts

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Open House at the Chamber office December 18

Click here to put it in your calendar and send a reminder

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Economic Growth in Eastern Ontario

Government of Canada Supports Economic Growth in Eastern Ontario
(Northumberland-Quinte West) – Eastern Ontario businesses and communities will benefit from a renewed investment in the region announced by Rick Norlock, Member of Parliament for Northumberland-Quinte West, on behalf of the Honourable Gary Goodyear, Minister of State for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario).

Effective April 1, 2014, a Government of Canada investment of $48 million over the next five years, will support the renewal of the Eastern Ontario Development Program (EODP), resulting in a greater number of economic development initiatives and improved partnerships throughout Northumberland-Quinte West.
“I am fortunate to have two effective and innovative Community Futures Development Corporations (CFDCs) in the riding of Northumberland-Quinte West,” said MP Norlock. “I am pleased to see further support for the EODP, which is a great investment not only for the riding, but for continued business development as well as the creation and retention of many new entrepreneurial initiatives.”

“I am proud to announce that our Government will continue to promote business development, job creation and strengthening communities in rural eastern Ontario with the renewal of EODP,” said Minister Goodyear. “Through EODP, the Agency will continue its role as a champion within this region, encouraging new partnerships and project development for the expansion of community economic assets, business growth and business infrastructure/services that help create jobs, growth and economic prosperity.”

The program is managed by FedDev Ontario and funding will be delivered by 15 Community Futures Development Corporations located throughout rural eastern Ontario as well as the Eastern Ontario Community Futures Development Corporation Network Inc.

“We are impressed with the Government of Canada’s commitment to the Eastern Ontario Development Program. With EODP funding, Northumberland Community Futures Development Corporation stands ready to support visionary projects and daring new initiatives led by entrepreneurs, industry partners and communities in building global competitive advantage and economic prosperity in Eastern Ontario,” said Wendy Curtis, Executive Director Northumberland Community Futures Development Corporation (Northumberland CFDC).

“The Eastern Ontario Development Program has been a catalyst for business and community development across eastern Ontario for a number of years,” said Christine Dukelow, Chair, Eastern Ontario Network Inc. Board of Directors. “We are pleased to continue our collaboration with the Government of Canada so that Community Futures Development Corporations can support projects that will grow and diversify the regional economy.”
To find out more about the Eastern Ontario Development Program and how to access program funding, please refer to the backgrounder or visit the FedDev Ontario website at www.FedDevOntario.gc.ca. You may also contact us by toll-free telephone at 1-866-593-5505, or via email at info@FedDevOntario.gc.ca.

For more information, please contact:
Stephanie Campbell, Executive Assistant,
Rick Norlock, MP Northumberland-Quinte West
613-483-8181
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Nominate your favorite volunteer

Nominate Your Favorite Volunteer
The City of Quinte West is now accepting nominations for the 2013 Volunteer Excellence Awards. These awards were established in effort to recognize deserving volunteers for their dedication and community service.

Categories for nominations include; Arts & Literature, Community Service, Education, Environmental Service, Fitness, Recreation & Sport, Volunteerism, Humanitarian Activities, Preservation of History and Other.

Many organizations, events and initiatives in Quinte West rely heavily on selfless volunteers to operate day-to-day, and to put forth quality programs, services, and events.

If you know a dedicated individual that you would like to nominate for a Volunteer Excellence Award, the forms can found on the City website www.quintewest.ca or picked up in person at City Hall. All nominations will be processed through a panel of judges and the recipient’s chosen will be notified. Presentation of Awards will take place in January at City Hall.

Nomination forms must be received no later than 4:00 p.m. Friday December 13, 2013 at City Hall. For more information on the Volunteer Excellence Awards or other initiatives taking place in Quinte West, visit the website at www.quintewest.ca

COLLEEN VICKERS
Special Events Coordinator
City of Quinte West
Tel: 613.392.2841 Ext.4487

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Duty to Accommodate

Duty to accommodate: what does it really mean?
Under Ontario’s Human Rights Code, employers, housing and service providers have a legal duty to accommodate. Accommodation usually involves needs linked to disability, beliefs and practices related to a person’s creed or religion, family responsibilities or gender. But what does this really mean? The OHRC’s new eLearning module, The duty to accommodate, provides some answers.

This new module of the HR101 eLearning series can help you learn:
• What accommodating means and why it’s important to remove barriers
• How to apply the duty to accommodate at work, in services and in housing
• Rights and responsibilities for accommodating

What’s included:
This module, which takes about 25 minutes to complete, is broken down into short sections:

Part 1:
A. Introduction: the Code and accommodation
B. Duty to accommodate
C. Undue hardship
D. Shared responsibility
E. Review of key points

Part 2:
F. Accommodation in the workplace
G. Accommodation in services and housing
H. Check what you learned
I. Additional resources

Program features:
• The interactive module is available in Flash and HTML
• Quiz questions to test your learning
• Closed captioning and transcripts available
• Available in both English and French


Getting started is easy! Human Rights and the Duty to Accommodate is available on the Ontario Human Rights Commission (OHRC) website at www.ohrc.on.ca/en/learning/human-rights-and-duty-accommodate.
Need more information? For more information, or if you need help connecting to the module, email us at info@ohrc.on.ca.


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Proposed Raise in the Minimum Wage

Dear Chamber member,

Over the past few months Chamber leaders and members have attend the regional consultation sessions, and put forward their perspectives on the process by which the minimum
wage should be set. There was also a report released called

Predictable, Transparent and Fair: The Business Perspective on How to Set Ontario’s Minimum Wage, which calls on government to introduce a new process that would link changes in the minimum wage rate to the Consumer Price Index (CPI), an economic indicator that captures changes in the cost of living.

We have just sent a letter to the panel urging them to consider the cost to business when they make these significant one time hikes to the minimum wage.  The Quinte West Chamber is one of 36 chambers that has signed this letter on behalf of our members.

CLICK HERE to view the letter.

The Quinte West Chamber of Commerce is the 'Voice of Business' in Quinte West and we will represent businesses of all sizes on issues that matter to you, our members.

Recent Issues the Chamber has been involved with locally

Removal of the Home Occupation Licences for Home Based businesses in Quinte West.  The Chamber worked with the City to remove this by-law which was over 30 years old and was a detrement to business in Quinte West.

Updates to the City Signage By-law.  The Chamber is working with businesses and the City's Marketing and Signage committee to review the proposed by-laws.  At the end of the process we are looking to have a clear set of by-laws that would allow businesses to have the signage they need and would make it easier for the City to remove signs that are not compliant.

 If you have not yet filled in our signage survey please CLICK HERE.

 

 

 

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HR Survey to Help Your Small Business

East Central Ontario Training Board, in partnership with your local Chambers of Commerce, is conducting a Human Resources Survey.

This information will assist in developing an HR Guide for Small Business as well as a training strategy in response to your identified HR needs.  

Your participation is vital to assist us in ensuring that we are addressing your HR needs.

CLICK HERE for a link to the survey:

 Thank you , we look forward to sharing the HR Guide with you once it is completed.

 

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Loyalist Training Upcoming Courses

 

CLICK HERE for upcoming course details

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Looking for some unique gifts!! Look no further...

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Nutcracker Highlights & Holiday Themes

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Big Band Christmas

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A Canadian Christmas

TICKETS ON SALE AT THE CHAMBER OFFICE - OR CALL THE CHAMBER TO RESERVE YOUR SEATS 613-392-7635

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Searching for Employee Benefits?

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Tips for Viewing Your E-News

If you ever have any difficulties viewing the e-news through your email program please click the "View it on your browser" link which is in red print at the top of each e-news.

This will open it as a webpage and it keeps all the formatting and images in their correct place. 

 

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"Like Us" on facebook and Win

 

CLICK HERE to check out our newly updated business page.

* The QW Chamber facebook page is a great place to stay UPDATED on what is happening in Quinte West

* "LIKE" our page so our updates are streamed right into your news feed.

* Let us know about your facebook page and we will "LIKE" your page.

* Please go ahead and "POST" your content on our page, video, photos, links or text.

* "SHARE" great articles from your facebook page to our facebook page, it is that easy!

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Thanks, Suzanne

Suzanne Andrews, Manager
Quinte West Chamber of Commerce