INDUSTRY NEWS

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A&W Partners with Coca-Cola Canada to Launch ‘Exchangeable Cup’ Test Across Vancouver

A&W Canada launched the A&W Cup Crew, an exchangeable cup pilot at restaurants in the Greater Vancouver Area in October. The launch of A&W Cup Crew reflects A&W’s continued strategic commitment to reduce its environmental impact through a conscious use of packaging, energy, waste, and water.

A&W Canada is committed to finding a way to limit the number of single use cups used at its restaurants. Understanding that sustainability requires partnership throughout the supply chain, it partnered with The Coca-Cola Company to bring the program to life. The exchangeable cup can be used for both hot and cold drinks and is made from recyclable polypropylene that’s BPA free.

To join the pilot program, guests can simply purchase an A&W Cup Crew exchangeable cup for $3 when they order a beverage at any participating restaurant in the Greater Vancouver Area. The A&W Cup Crew pilot program is a fully circular model—guests are encouraged to exchange their used exchangeable cup each time they visit an A&W restaurant, eliminating the need for single use paper cups. A&W Cup Crew members will receive a $0.20 cent discount each time they return their exchangeable cup and will be served in a new cleaned and sanitized exchangeable cup.

“A&W has a long history of taking actions to reduce our environmental impact—from being the first QSR in North America to eliminate plastic straws, to using compostable packaging, real mugs, plates and cutlery,” says Susan Senecal, A&W Canada’s president and CEO.

More information on the A&W Cup Crew pilot program, and the list of participating restaurants can be found on aw.ca/cupcrew.

College Pro Launches 50 Summers Commemorative Event and Franchise Expansion Opportunities

Tony Valle, CEO of College Pro and longtime company executive of the brand, launched in November the franchise organization’s 50 Summers event to commemorate current and former owners, franchisees, friends, and family. The North American virtual call marked the brand’s 50-year history, and also provided those interested in franchise ownership with College Pro to learn more about new opportunities and speak directly with Valle and his team. According to Valle, during 50 years in business, College Pro has provided entrepreneurial training and real-life business experience to more than 20,000 youth and businesspeople in Canada and the U.S., becoming an integral part of each community they serve.

“College Pro continues to be a sophisticated way to approach building lifelong business and life skills needed in a fast-moving world. Our entire team has proven they can provide an outstanding service with a disciplined approach which focuses on helping build problem solving expertise in a real-world setting,” says Valle. “We deliver residential services that a customer will accept from an often younger, diverse demographic. Our track record is consummate as we continue to attract and inspire current and future business leaders.”

Currently with 125 student franchisees, and several multi-year franchisees set to launch, Valle is expanding opportunities with a select group of interested parties, including young people seeking to start their own business alongside seasoned professionals looking for a new career or business opportunity.

Milestone Celebrations Held at Three Angus Valley Montessori School Franchises

The Angus Valley Montessori Schools (AVM) corporate team, together with its franchise owners of the Pickering, Vaughan, and Milton, Ontario locations held celebrations in mid-October. Ribbon-cutting ceremonies attended by local politicians, parents, educators, and children marked the one-year anniversary of Pickering and the official grand openings of Milton and Vaughan.

The three GTHA locations are the first franchises to begin operations for this Canadian education franchise concept. “We’re very proud of these schools. The welcome they’ve received from local families has been outstanding,” says Murtaza Hasan, founder speaking on behalf of the franchisor. “If we can complete construction, set-up classrooms, train franchisees, and safely open these pre-schools all during COVID19, then we’re uniquely prepared to achieve our goal to expand in the next couple of years,” he adds.

AVM Schools are licensed for approximately 130 children. Stimulating and nurturing infant care is available for children over six months old. AVM Schools deliver a specially planned Montessori curriculum applying Gardiners Theory of Multiple Intelligence for children up to six years. Schools offer before- and after-school care for ages four to 12 years as well as the fun-filled Kids Camp in the summer months, March break, and December.

The schools are designed to support the many facets of a Montessori program for each age group. Classrooms are orderly, and well equipped to nurture children’s physical, social, intellectual, and emotional development. Every location has secured, private playgrounds, as well as a library/resource centre.

Pet Valu and Don't You Want Me Project Celebrate Transgender Awareness Week, Announce Canadian Tour

In celebration of Transgender Awareness Week, which took place from November 13 to 20, The Don’t You Want Me Project (DYWM) and Pet Valu announced that they’re bringing DYWM’s social impact project to Canadians from coast to coast. The project couples compelling images and personal narratives of LGBTQ+ people and the transformative impact their rescue dogs have on them. The two organizations are inviting members of the LGBTQ+ community to apply to sit for a photo session and share their story when the project visits their community.

“The bond between queer people and their rescue dogs, and the stories and personal growth that spring from that non-judgmental, loving bond form the backbone of DYWM,” says co-founder Jack Jackson, who’s transgender. “To date, half of the participants in the project are nonbinary or trans. Thanks to Pet Valu’s support, I’m able to gather more stories of transformation, grow DYWM, and bring these much-needed voices to the wider public when I travel with the project across Canada.”

The cross-Canada tour will begin in Barrie, Ontario in February 2022, then travel to Vancouver and Halifax in March, Calgary in April, Winnipeg in May, and conclude in Toronto in June. In each city, the project will be displayed in a Pet Valu store. The public is invited to visit the store, view the exhibit, and speak with Jackson, who’ll be on site. Admission is free, although those who wish can make a donation online to DYWM.

At each stop on tour, Jackson will interview, photograph, and film new local participants for the project. Individuals who identify as being part of the LGBTQ+ community and have rescued a dog and experienced firsthand how their dog changed their life are encouraged to apply to participate.

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How To Stay Calm in the Face of Year-End Payroll

BY NETHRIS

Whether you’re going through the year-end process for the first time or not, it’s important to know and understand the numerous tasks at hand to ensure a smooth year-end. Staying calm in the face of year-end is possible! Preparation is key.

Demystifying the year-end

Year-end in payroll is generally a busy and stressful period for entrepreneurs. You’re required to prepare countless documents to close the current calendar year, as well as meet governmental requirements.

As part of the administrative and legal process, you must verify and transmit to the governments the data pertaining to all wages paid to your employees, and determine the frequency of source deduction remittance for the upcoming year. You must also prepare certain documents and transmit them to your employees so they can file their income tax return.

During the year-end period, you’re not only required to close the current payroll year, but you must also be prepared for the next one, which is only a few weeks away. In this respect, planning around the different government deadlines and verifying that your source deduction calculations are accurate is in your best interest. An error can bring you its share of unpleasant surprises, such as penalties.

If you would like to head into year-end as calmly as possible, we suggest that you follow certain recommendations that can help you better understand your obligations, to end the year in style.

Producing income tax slips

Year-end in payroll is synonymous with income tax slips. Indeed, you’re required to produce and remit employee T4s and T4As by the last day of February. There are several distribution options, however, online remittance has been gradually replacing conventional methods. Giving online tax slip access is practical for both you and your employees, as a digital version of these documents is always readily available.

It’s important to ensure tax slip data accuracy, as errors could incur fees, such as government penalties. Don’t underestimate the importance of keeping your employee files up to date!

Additionally, you must transmit your documents to the government. Note that these tasks could be greatly simplified by availing yourself of the services of a payroll provider. They can take over certain responsibilities, such as the production and transmission of employee tax slips, as well as data and federal summary transmission to the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA).

In certain cases, your payroll provider allows you to delay income tax slip production to give you more time to adjust or transmit data. Don’t forget to authorize tax slip production by February 12 at the latest, so that they can be produced and transmitted by the deadline.

We recommend that you download the CRA’s Income Tax Package regarding the filing and submitting of your T4s and federal summary. We send our clients year-end bulletins, and they can refer to our online guides in the User Help.

Validating your payroll processing schedule

It’s important to validate, before the end of the current year, if your payroll schedule has the correct number of pay periods for the upcoming year. You must also confirm the payroll processing and payable dates for the last payroll of the current year and the first payroll of the upcoming year. This step ensures that you’ve planned adequately for the two most important payrolls of the year-end period. Furthermore, please respect the processing deadline for the last

payroll of the year. If you’re late, your payable date could end up going into the following year.

Make sure to verify that the payroll processing dates for the upcoming year don’t conflict with the statutory holidays, in which case you’ll have to make the necessary modifications.

It’s also time to modify and validate the contribution rates for inhouse deductions such as pension plans, unions, etc.

Verifying your remittance frequency

The remittance frequency is determined by the different government levels (federal and provincial). It’s normally updated in the months of November and December, during the year-end period, to come into effect in the new year. If you don’t know what the remittance frequency is or don’t receive any information in this regard, we invite you to contact the government.

At the federal level, there are four remittance frequencies that are determined based on the remitter type. We recommend that you refer to the CRA’s website.

Note that only the government can authorize a new remittance frequency. If you have a payroll provider and your frequency has changed, you must inform them and provide the official government notice.

Staying up to date

Among the numerous tasks to accomplish, some of them may be of an administrative nature and seem mundane, but they’re important nonetheless. You can start by verifying that your business and employee information is up to date because, in reality, this legal information is of utmost importance.

For example, we recommend that you ensure that all your employees have a valid social insurance number (SIN). This information is mandatory. In the same vein, verify that their personal information is still accurate: home address, telephone number, etc. This information may be required in the event that you must send documents to them. Note that if you need to make address changes, you must do so prior to income tax slips production.

To the extent possible, adjust your employee year-to-date amounts before the end of the year: bonuses, vacation, group insurance amounts paid by an employee on sick leave, etc.

During the year-end period, you must also validate the personal income tax credits and tax reductions for the upcoming year. If certain employees are entitled to tax credits or reductions other than the basic personal amounts, it’s your responsibility to update this information in their employee file before the first payroll of the new year.

Relief measures for 2021

Certain relief measures were put in place in 2020 due to the pandemic, notably regarding taxable benefits in the context of telework. As of writing, the CRA has not yet announced if these measures will be extended to 2021. However, you may refer to the web page detailing these measures for 2020.

In 2020, the CRA issued specific guidelines for the filing of the T4s, requiring that income from specific periods of the year be reported in boxes 57 to 60. There are no such requirements for 2021.

For 2021, the workers compensation boards (WCB) for British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario, and Québec, have waived the WCB premiums on wages paid to employees on leave, who are eligible for the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS).

1 888-650-6291 nethris.com/cfa

Businesses in Québec: particularities for payroll

If you’re in Québec, you must produce and submit both T4 and RL-1 income tax slips. The deadline is the last day of February for the RL-1 slips as well. If you have a payroll provider, they can produce and submit this document for you. The RL-1 Summary – Summary of source deductions and employer contributions (RLZ-1.S-V), however, is your responsibility, due to the fact that it must include information that only you possess. In addition, Revenu Québec provides you with many guides and forms to which you can refer. As previously mentioned, it is your responsibility to consult government updates regarding remittance frequency. However, Revenu Québec generally contacts you if the remittance frequency of employer contributions and source deductions differs from their estimate. You will find additional information to this effect on the page provided for this purpose. Certain relief measures put in place in 2020 due to the pandemic are also applicable to 2021. Revenu Québec has not mentioned an end date for the special treatment of taxable benefits pertaining to telework and to COVID-19. Therefore, parking provided at the regular workplace is not considered a taxable benefit during the months the employee is working from home because it cannot be accessed due to telework. Computer and office equipment for teleworking, reimbursable up to a maximum of $500, is not considered a taxable benefit for the employee, since it mainly benefits the employer. However, if this amount exceeds $500, then the excess becomes a taxable benefit. In the context of the CEWS program, the federal government offers Québec a credit on employer contributions (QPP, CPP, EI, QPIP) on wages paid to employees on leave. The Government of Québec waives the HSF contribution on these same wages.

WHY INVEST IN A STAGECOACH FRANCHISE?

Over the last few years, stimulated by the demand for after-school activities and the growing investment by savvy entrepreneurs, children’s services franchises have grown in popularity.

A recent study has revealed that a whopping 77 per cent of parents are happy to invest their hardearned cash in after-school activities for their children*. The majority of these parents are spending more than £28,000 (approx. $47,000 CAD) on their children’s hobbies before they reach the age of 18.

Funding cuts in mainstream education have led parents to take matters into their own hands by investing their disposable income into extra-curricular activities for their children.

Matthew Wing, franchisee and principal at Stagecoach Performing Arts Chingford, can certainly vouch for the increase in parents opting for after-school activities for their children.

“I first took over operations of my Stagecoach franchise 11 years ago,” explains Matthew. “Back then, I had 140 students—now I have 440. As a parent of two myself, I understand parents’ frustrations with the apparent lack of performing arts opportunities in schools. Funding is no longer as available as it once was, meaning state educators aren’t able to offer the opportunities they once could. Therefore, it would make sense that more parents than ever are looking into extra-curricular performing arts opportunities for their children.”

Passion for making a difference and child enrichment

With over 30 years’ experience, we’ve seen more than one million students unlock their potential, which is something they’ll value for their whole life.

“A key component of running a successful children’s services franchise is a passion for child enrichment and making a difference in the community. Even if you come with no on-the-job experience of working with children, you must be invested in their development and equipping them with the confidence needed to perform in life,” says Andy Knights, COO of Stagecoach Performing Arts.

Brand recognition

Stagecoach is the UK’s largest network of extra-curricular performing arts schools for children, with more than 2,000 schools worldwide. In the UK, we’re the preferred choice in part-time performing arts for children.**

“At Stagecoach, we live by our motto, ‘Creative Courage for Life.’ We feel this truly encompasses our commitment to our students. Our franchisees live and breathe this concept, which has a knock-on effect on our network of teachers and assistants,” says Andy.

“Stagecoach is one of the most internationally-recognised performing arts schools in the world. Their brand position has placed me well in the local community—my schools are known as the best in the area, which has really contributed to the growth of my franchise,” says Matthew.

Training and Support

We provide franchisees with ongoing training along with industryleading support in marketing, customer service, IT, and business development. Our tried-and-tested structure enables franchisees to play to their strengths and provides the best possible environment in which to succeed.

Andy adds, “As long as you bring passion and commitment to your business, anything you have less experience in, or knowledge of, can be taught. We utilise the skill of our franchisees whilst we fill in any gaps in their knowledge through our comprehensive training program. It’s a mutually beneficial partnership.”

Trust in our service

It’s imperative that parents feel our service and team are credible and trustworthy. At Stagecoach, we’re committed to child development and to establishing a well-respected and reputable service. Furthermore, we adhere to the strictest child safety policies. 98 per cent of our UK customers say they would recommend Stagecoach.**

With more parents than ever looking to invest in their child’s future and overall happiness, the present looks to be the right time to invest in your own. To find out more about franchise opportunities in your country, get in touch with us! ■

*Gerard Kelly & Partners, May 2019, “Out of school, out of pocket - How much do parents spend on extra-curricular activities?” **1,006 Interviews, Savanta Brand Tracker, November 2019