Business February 2016

The Top 20 Under 40 Young Professionals Recognized at the 2016 Northwestern Ontario Visionary Awards

INSIDE Angelique EagleWoman appointed Dean of Lakehead’s Bora Laskin Faculty of Law Thunder Bay Literacy Group 18th Annual Scrabble Tournament North Superior Publishing @tbay25

Balmoral Park Acura Complete Impressive Expansion

Outage Map Provides Online Information to Thunder Bay Hydro Customers

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THUNDER BAY BUSINESS FEBRUARY 2016

THUNDER BAY BUSINESS FEBRUARY 2016

Publisher’s Note Scott Sumner 20 of the brightest stars from across the region were celebrated at the 3rd biannual 2016 Northwestern Ontario Visionary Awards (NOVAs). The event hosted by SHIFT Thunder Bay’s Young Professionals Network and presented by the Thunder Bay Community Economic Development Committee (CEDC), was held in Thunder Bay to recognize young professionals in the region, for their leadership, community engagement, volunteerism, uniqueness and mentorship, and those that are really making a difference in their community.

“This year we had the highest number of nominations received to date, with over 100 submissions. The award recipients really represent what SHIFT is all about.

Those honoured are from all walks of life; entrepreneurs, doctors, executives, and professionals in public, private and non-profit sectors;” says SHIFT President & NOVA Committee Chair, Peter March. ” There are so many young professionals making extraordinary contributions on a local and regional level, and it’s so important for us to come together to celebrate their achievements and let them know they are valued in our communities.”

2016 Northwestern Ontario Visionary Awards (NOVAs) Top 20 Under 40 Recipients: 1. Candi Edwards - Aboriginal Healthy Babies Healthy Children Program, Ontario Native Women’s Association 2. Chad Austin Gropp – Owner/ Operator, Gropp’s Country Catering 3. Cynthia Olsen – Drug Strategy Coordinator, City of Thunder Bay 4. Darren Fisk – Account Executive, Jones & Associates Insurance 5. Dave Grady – Owner/ General Manager, Thunder Bay Xerographix Inc and the Office Supplier 6. Dr. Christopher Mushquash – Associate Professor, Lakehead University 7. Dr. Jillie Retson – Family Physician, Paterson Medical Clinic and Lake of the Woods District Hospital

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The Top 20 Under 40 Young Professionals Recognized at the 2016 Northwestern Ontario Visionary Awards 8. Dr. Lana Ray - Project Manager of Research, The Centre for Policy in Aboriginal Learning, Confederation College 9. Dr. Michel Beaulieu - Chair, Department of History, Lakehead University 10. Erin Beagle - Executive Director, Roots to Harvest 11. Jaimie Mintenko – Owner/ Centre Director, Scholars Education Centre & Owner/ Campus Director, Academy of Learning College 12. Joe Moses – Director – Lands, Resources, and Governance, Pic River First Nation 13. Joe Quaresima – Co-Founder & Systems Director, Sencia Canada Ltd. 14. Melanie Blanchette – Executive Director, Thunder Bay and District Humane Society 15. Michael Nitz – Regional Manager, Small Business, Royal Bank RBC 16. Michelle Blackburn – Occupational Therapist, George Jeffery Children’s Centre 17. Parker Jones – Operations Manager, Tom Jones Corporation 18. Robert Perrier – Director of Student Success Centre, Lakehead University 19. Sean Charles Davies - Co-Owner/ Operator, Maintair Aviation Services 20. Shelby Ch'ng – Owner, Unveiled Bridal Boutique The official auditor of the 2016 NOVA’s was MNP, with a panel of judges from across Northwestern Ontario selecting the top 20. The NOVA Committee was also pleased to announce a new award at this year’s event, selected by the SHIFT Board of Directors. For the first time ever the SUPER NOVA award was presented to a young professional that has achieved outstanding success, not only at a regional level, but on a national platform. The first ever super nova award was presented to Thunder Bay local Coleman Hell. 26 year old Hell has had a very successful year, crafting a genredefying monster of a hit single “2 Heads”. The mesmerizing track has

become a multi format smash, surpassing 50 million global streams.

“Organizations such as SHIFT and the other YPNs across the region are doing incredible work. They are playing a significant role in the attraction, retention and recognition of our Young Professionals. Events like the NOVA’s, remind us of the incredible talent and ambition that exists in communities across Northwestern Ontario. It is more important than ever that our communities and the business community work together to ensure we are attracting

and retaining young professionals. It will be these young professionals that will invest new life into businesses, organizations and our economy;” says Nathan Lawrence, President of the Northwestern Ontario Associated Chambers of Commerce.

Over the past six years the NOVA’s have recognized over 237 nominees with 60 award winning young professionals from across Northwestern Ontario.

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THUNDER BAY BUSINESS FEBRUARY 2016

Angelique EagleWoman appointed Dean of Lakehead’s Bora Laskin Faculty of Law Lakehead University’s second Dean of the Bora Laskin Faculty of Law will be Angelique EagleWoman.

EagleWoman is coming to Lakehead from the University of Idaho College of Law, where she is a law professor and a legal scholar. She has also served as a Tribal Judge in four Tribal Court systems.

As a law professor, she has taught in the areas of Native American Law, Tribal Nation Economics & Law, Native American Natural Resources Law, and Civil Procedure. EagleWoman presents and publishes on topics involving tribal economics, sovereignty, international

As a practicing attorney, one of the highlights of her career was serving as General Counsel for her own Tribe, the Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate in Dakota.

EagleWoman will begin her role as Dean of Lakehead’s Bora Laskin Faculty of Law in May 2016.

Lakehead University’s Bora Laskin Faculty of Law is Canada’s newest law school, having opened its doors in September 2013. In June 2016, the University will graduate its first ever cohort of law students.

Lakehead Provost and Vice-President (Academic) Dr. Moira McPherson said she is excited to welcome Lakehead’s newest Dean of the Bora Laskin Faculty of Law. “Angelique was at the top of our list and we are thrilled she’s coming to Lakehead.

Her diverse experience and knowledge will be of great benefit to our students in the Faculty of Law and to Ontario when those students begin practicing law. She is an exceptional teacher, engaged in her scholarship, and has kept one foot in the practical aspects of her field,” Dr. McPherson said.

EagleWoman graduated from Stanford University with a BA in Political Science, received her Juris Doctor degree from the University of North Dakota School of Law with distinction, and her LLM in American Indian and Indigenous Law with honors from the University of Tulsa College of Law.

Lakehead President & Vice-Chancellor Dr. Brian Stevenson said he is proud that someone with such exceptional breadth and depth of experience will lead Lakehead’s Bora Laskin Faculty of Law. “I am extremely confident that our Faculty of Law’s future is in the right hands, and I welcome her and her family to our University and to Thunder Bay.”

President Brian Stevenson, Dean EagleWoman Minister David Zimmer

Indigenous principles, and the quality of life for Indigenous peoples.

“This position is a dream come true for me because of the Faculty of Law’s commitment to produce lawyers for rural and small town legal practice, the focus on natural resources and environmental law, and the required curriculum on aspects of Aboriginal and Indigenous law,” EagleWoman said.

“With my background, I feel especially suited to be at the helm of the law school as it moves from the start-up phase to taking its place among the other distinguished law schools in Ontario and nationally,” she said.

Angelique EagleWoman “ I am so impressed with Lakehead University and what it stands for. I believe law schools are for law students and one of the things which drew me here were * the focus on small town practice and the difference a lawyer can make in a small town, * the mandate for natural resources and environmental law and I believe strongly in stewarding and utilizing natural resources in the best way possible and * the commitment to aboriginal law- This law school is a trend setter and others will follow.” “ The first challenge is this is the newest law school in Canada and doesn’t have an alumni base so we need to get firms and

placements for our students.” “ I think Thunder Bay is beautiful and I love looking out from the law school and seeing Lake Superior, seeing the Sleeping Giant right there. As native people we often look at natural landmarks and I look forward to being in the town that the Sleeping Giant protects.” “ For me this appointment means a dream has come true and I also feel strongly about being a role model. I hope people will look at the law school as a possibility. This law school is the first in the world to require law students to have aboriginal law in their training.”

Minister Zimmer “ For Ontarians and the First nations community this is a milestone. Angelique EagleWoman is arriving at a time in Ontario and Canada when the issues of indigenous people are at the forefront of our minds, the media and aboriginal communities. We are at a tipping point in our relationships with Aboriginal peoples. A fair society needs a sound legal system responsive to their needs.”

Brian Stevenson “ Dean Eagle Woman will take the Bora Laskin Faculty to the next level. The strength of a strong academic experience with natural resource law, aboriginal law and sole practioneer will give our students a fundamental education. “ “ It is especially important with the charter class graduating for the first time when 58 students will graduate. For us at Lakehead University we are building a legal literacy in the North and we serve the whole North from North Bay to Kenora.”

DON’T LET A FALL GET YOU DOWN The winter season makes for icy conditions at the best of times and this year is no exception. However, there are almost as many opportunities to fall indoors as there are outside, especially as we grow older.

Falls are the leading causes of injury related hospitalizations for seniors. In fact, one third of all Canadians over 65 will fall each year of which half of them will experience a serious injury such as a fracture or sprain.

As a result, 95% of hip fractures in this age

group are due to falls. This translates into almost 2 million hospitalizations this year alone due to falls. With increased and prolonged hospitalizations brings the significantly increased risk of contracting diseases such as pneumonia or other infections.

So if the fall doesn’t get you the cascading effects certainly could.

All of these statistics support the need for increased information and education on fall

prevention. The good news is that there are several simple tips and actions that will drastically reduce the chances of falling.

Two very excellent resources for this information from which this column was based are: www.parachutecanada.org and www.chiropractic.ca/resources .

Preventing Falls at home: · Replace old and curled mats with no slip rubber backing rugs in kitchen and bath · Keep stairs clear of clutter and ensure handrails are secure · Place night lights along pathways from bedroom to bathroom · Always sit when putting on or taking off shoes and clothing · Wear shoes with non slip soles · Don’t juggle parcels while trying to enter the house Increasing Leg strength for stability: · Brisk walking should be part of you daily activity. If you can not walk longer distances try an elliptical machine or a stationary bike. · Strength training. There are many exercises such as leg extensions, marching, wall squats and lunges that can all be done at home daily.

Boost your balance: · Review your medications and supplements with an MD or pharmacist to make sure you are aware of side effects such as dizziness, nausea or drowsiness. · Eat regularly and get plenty of non alcoholic, non caffeinated fluids. This will help minimize your blood sugars highs and lows and decrease dehydration all of

which can make you dizzy and shaky. · Have an annual eye exam · Have your spine assessed.

Misalignments in the neck can cause dizziness while problems in the lower back will frequently affect the nerves travelling to

your standing and walking muscles.

Many activities like swimming, cycling, tai chi, yoga, golf and dancing will combine and improve your strength and balance so as to minimize the chances of falling.

Find what you like to do and do it regularly and often. Don’t let a fall get you down.

Following these simple ideas can make the difference between an active, independent and vibrant life rather than disability or even death.

James DiGiuseppe is a local chiropractor with a busy family and wellness practice.

For more health information or to contact Dr DiGiuseppe visit www.portarthurchiropractic.com.

THUNDER BAY BUSINESS FEBRUARY 2016

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Balmoral Park Acura Complete Impressive Expansion

BY SCOTT A. SUMNER

Thunder Bay BUSINESS When you drive down Balmoral Street in Thunder Bay you will now be sure to notice a sparkling, shiny new building that houses the car dealership Balmoral Park Acura. This business has been on site for over 25 years but now has more than doubled in size and been completely transformed. “ My father, Jack, started the business in 1988. My brother Jeff and I at the age of 12 or 13 used to wash cars, clean snow off the cars, shovel and do things that young kids do. After school instead of being out

Ryan Witiluk, GM Balmoral Park Acura playing with our friends we were here working.” said Ryan Witiluk, age 39, General Manager at Balmoral Park Acura.

Today the brothers run two family owned car dealerships in Thunder Bay, Balmoral Park Acura and Thunder Bay Mitsubishi.

Over the time working at Balmoral Park Acura Ryan has learned all aspects of the business. He attended Georgian College and took automotive marketing, as did his brother. Jeff went on to get his business degree at Lakehead University and Ryan went on to Centennial College and did the Acura Honda apprenticeship program for a mechanics license. “ I didn’t write the test because my dad ended up having a heart attack and Jeff moved into the GM position of Acura and I became Service Manager. A few years later we opened Mitsubishi and I moved up to be GM here at Balmoral Park Acura.”

Acura was just starting in Canada and Balmoral Park Acura were one of the original dealers with only a few started ahead of them. Acura was the first Japanese luxury manufacturer brand. “ It was unique having the Acura dealership in Thunder Bay, a smaller market, in those times. Even today we are the only Acura dealership between Barrie and Winnipeg,” said Ryan. “It was stressful in the business at the start and we had regrets even starting at times. What my dad did to grow the business was remarkable, as we weren't selling many new cars at that time.

He built up the service department back in the day with contracts like Hydro for

instance. It was unusual, working on Acura cars and Hydro trucks side by side in our shop. He also built a large used car sales business. In the last 10 years Acura has taken off here in Thunder Bay and we have been quite successful.”

Balmoral Park Acura is moving into their new state of the art dealership this week. “ We had a nice facility but Acura calls the shots and wanted their new branding in place here in Thunder Bay. The renovation has turned out fantastic and we will be the nicest, most customer friendly dealership here in my opinion. What we have done is special. Acura is totally behind us. We have won the Acura Client Excellence award for 10th years, out of the 16 years of the award.” said Ryan.

“The new building is now over double the size of the old building. It is an elaborate automobile dealership structure something that Thunder Bay has not seen before in my opinion. Acura asked us to do this and we knew we were due for a renovation. We wanted a facility at Balmoral Park Acura that customers want to come to, hang around in, be comfortable and have all the amenities that you might have going into a nice hotel or something like that. We wanted a customer focus and something that our staff would be proud of working in with technologically advancements and ergonomic desks for example, so our staff is with us and healthy for a long time,” said Ryan.

“We had the checkpoints that we wanted and what Acura wanted as well as having them understand our climate here in Thunder Bay. We had energy constraints as to how much glass you can have on the building so there was a lot of give and

take, back and forth, but we ended up getting what we wanted. Les Fairall & Sons Construction also provided a lot of input

on the project and has been spectacular so we would use them again for sure.”

Continued

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THUNDER BAY BUSINESS FEBRUARY 2016

Balmoral Park Acura Complete Impressive Expansion Continued

seeing this type of building, a state of the art dealership as nice as you see anywhere.

The sub trades are proud of what they have been part of and done. All the sub trades worked well.” said Ryan.

One of the biggest features of the new building for Thunder Bay is a pull inside parking lot. You drive in and the garage door opens automatically for you. You then have designated parking sports for your car inside of the building. Once you park your car you walk into the dealership lounge area. After the work is done on your vehicle it is parked inside by Balmoral Park Acura staff so you get into the car and exit not frozen. That is a very unique feature for a car dealership that requires a lot of space. “ Our wash bays are attached to the drive in service area so you can get a quick wash, put air in your tires, things that make our customers want to come to us and make their lives easier,” said Ryan Witiluk. “ We have a nice customer lounge with fireplace, TV’s, raised bar area that will have USB ports, WIFI and a cookie machine!”

The Balmoral Park Acura showroom size has been increased with space for up to 7 or 8 cars displayed on polished floors.

Les Fairall of Les Fairall & Sons Construction and Ryan Witiluk, GM Balmoral Park Acura Their new sales offices are all glass- priabove the tool room to be in a quieter locavate yet open and there is tons of light in tion. The dealership has three new hoists the facility. They have epoxied the floors including one that is specific for a new car, in the shop and made it feel lighter with the NSX, coming out this summer. There paint colours. There are new garage doors are also new tire machines. and the compressor has been moved up “ It is big investment for us and we wouldn’t have done it if we didn’t believe in the city. Hopefully the city will enjoy

“At Balmoral Park Acura our staff works hard at selling Acura. Our market share here in Thunder Bay compared to the rest of Canada is massive. I think it is the way we run the dealership, a family run business. There is not a person who is an Acura customer that the majority of our staff doesn’t know by name. When we see them, we know their name. My office is on the main floor of the dealership, fully glassed, accessible and with an open door policy. I want to know my customers and want them to be happy. The product is awesome and we work hard on serving the customer.”

The RDX and MDX are the best sellers for Balmoral Park Acura. “ A lot of people think they can’t afford an Acura but when they come into the dealership they find out they are very affordable and comparable to other brands. Leasing is our most popular option. This works well because Acura maintains such a high resale value. Acura also offers a 2% interest rate reduction for returning lease customers.”

THUNDER BAY BUSINESS FEBRUARY 2016

Balmoral Park Acura Complete Impressive Expansion Continued So what does Ryan Witiluk think of the Thunder Bay economy? “ The nice thing about Thunder Bay is the economy is pretty much on a straight line with no major upswings but also no major downswings. It is pretty much status quo. We want to have increases but it is better to avoid the big downswings.”

“We sell cars into Northern Ontario even as far away as Sault Ste Marie. We stand behind what we sell and will open our service department on Saturday or Sunday for our out of town customers. We invite people to come in and see the new dealership.”

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THUNDER BAY BUSINESS FEBRUARY 2016

Balmoral Park Acura Renovation Goes Well

BY SCOTT A. SUMNER

“ The new Acura building has a good prominent location and it is a corporate branding you will recognize across Canada. In September 2014 we were called on the project, the first big project for our new firm i4 architecture. The Witiluks approached me through word of mouth, we communicated for a few months and construction started in May 2015. They are going to be moving in a week or so with just a few finishing touches on the outside left to complete. The design and the drawings took 8 months and the construction took 8 months.” said Cory Stechyshyn.

Thunder Bay BUSINESS Every new construction and renovation project requires a lot of planning and preparation before it begins. It also means lots of interaction through the process.

Cory Stechyshyn is the President & Architect of the i4 architecture firm, which was started July 14, 2014 and currently has a staff of 5 including an associate architect, Andy Puiatti and technologists. Cory, age 52, has worked as an architect for 9 years now. The route he took was longer to finish as he did distance education for part of the training working for a firm during that time. His new firm was chosen to work on the new Balmoral Park Acura.

Cory Stechyshyn is the President & Architect of i4 architecture

“ We had a lot of back and forth with the car manufacturer to be sure you are in compliance with their design documents.

Then there is putting the construction documents together, putting them out for tender and then getting everything wound up for construction. Often it takes as long to draw a building as to build it. Our goal is always to make the most perfect set of drawings but nobody is perfect. We are human and all make mistakes. There is a process in place to catch changes we need to make. We stay active during the construction process to make sure we can help with anything that is missed or not clear to build it the way intended. In renovation it is more common to find things that weren’t expected, a few surprises.”

How did you come up with this design?

“The process begins with the old dealership building. Omni Plan, from Southern Ontario, does a lot of corporate planning for the major auto manufacturers. They take your existing building and site and come up with how you can make your changes and meet the corporate branding and imaging. They hire local architects to take that design, develop it and make it work on the property and meet the building codes.

Continued

THUNDER BAY BUSINESS FEBRUARY 2016

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Balmoral Park Acura Renovation Goes Well Continued At Balmoral Park Acura the entire old showroom was stripped off and a brand new showroom added that included some office space in the mezzanine, for meetings and administration. There is a new client service section down the side where you can drive in for servicing with two wash bays. The existing admin area and parts and service were totally renovated. The shop, the only existing piece left, had new flooring, lifts and overhead doors put in. It is a brand new facility. The whole building had an integrated look to it. You are adding on, extending, cutting in to and building on. Balmoral Park Acura was open while the construction happened. The new building is about 14,100 square foot in size, more then double the old facility size. “ I think the Balmoral Park Acura building is a huge improvement and in line with the identity of most dealerships today. This building has its own identity. It is a clean design, well lit, with colours and finishes fairly neutral. In the inside they have natural interior lighting, clean open spaces, which is good for the staff and the consumers or customers. They are tied with Acura the higher brand, a more advanced automobile and the facility is matched to their cars. They will bring a better customer experience, especially in our climate, with an indoor service centre. You drive in out of the cold weather into a clean setting. You can wait in the lounge with TV, coffee bar, wifi and cookies.” said Cory. “ The project went well. Les Fairall was the project manager and everything went smoothly. “ “At i4 architecture we have a lot of repeat customers. We are still doing some work at the TBRHSC in the diagnostic imaging and central processing area. At Lakehead University we were just awarded a nice project, the Centre for Advanced Studies in Science and Engineering. We will be renovating an existing 2 storey building for graduate students to do research with 4 main laboratories and administration. We are also doing some residential projects; work at the airport, an addition for the Oliver Paipoonge municipal offices and some feasibility studies for First Nations and the student accommo-

dation building in Thunder Bay. It is a good mix with feasibility studies, some that have funding already and mix of private and public sector projects. In Thunder Bay we have to diversify our work.”

Les Fairall &Sons Construction “ We started our construction company in 1994. Previously I spent 22 years in the field with AJ Wing Construction. Jack Witiluk approached me a few years ago and asked if we were interested in working on this Balmoral Park Acura expansion. The project went well. We kept on top of everything between Ryan, Jack, Jeff and Cory and kept the information going. I looked after the supervision of the job site and sub trades.

We brought everything in on time and budget.” said Les Fairall. “ I think Balmoral Park Acura will be a real nice place to come to because you can drive right in when it is cold. The staff here takes really good care of you and seems to be very customer oriented. From what I have seen being here during the construction period, the

staff takes very, very good care of every customer need. The dealership was open during construction and customers were very positive about walking around barricades and no one complained.” “ Thunder Bay is our own unique area isolated from the bigger centers and kind of our own economy in itself.”

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THUNDER BAY BUSINESS FEBRUARY 2016

Outage Map Provides Online Information to Thunder Bay Hydro Customers In response to growing customer demand for current outage information, Thunder Bay Hydro has officially launched an online outage map on their website. The map will display current information about known outages including the number of customers affected, the status of power restoration efforts and the estimated time of power restoration if it is known.

tion.

Andy Armitage, Customer Service Supervisor, Thunder Bay Hydro “Our customers asked us for a better way to communicate with them during an outage. This gives us a better presentation,

utilities in Ontario and the US have been using a system like this and we looked at what would work the best for us using what we already had in house and leveraging the staff we had. The website is updatable immediately. It gives you information

This map will add to the recent use of social media during major power outages in that it will display information about smaller outages. These might be taking place for crew safety during normal infrastructure maintenance as well as scheduled outages where customers had been notified ahead of time.

The outage map can be accessed at www.tbhydro.com using a button at the top of the website, or with a prominent link from the front page. The map is designed to display on desktop, tablet and mobile devices, making it more accessible to customers with a charged internet-enabled smart phone during an outage at their loca-

more information that is more accurate. We started in November online and our response was very good. Several of the

like how many people are out working on the problem, the time to restore power and the last update.”

“ The information will now come out of the control room based off a map. It is better information and timing. We can add other features in the future. It is available on any mobile device. “ Tim Wilson, Vice President Customer and Information Services Thunder Bay Hydro “ The map is important to us as we have been getting feedback from customers can we have more information, quicker and know more about why am I out. We listened to the customer and decided this was a good path to go down. We are happy with how it performed in December so we are publically announcing it now.” “ Customers can know it is not just them that has power out in their area. We are seeing an number of utilities doing this type of mapping across Ontario. Some utilities don’t have this yet but it is a good place to be for customers now as they are more sophisticated and want to know more information.”

Thunder Bay Literacy Group 18th Annual Scrabble Tournament Every day we read hundreds of words, write notes and do mathematic calculations in our heads, without even really thinking about it. For many of us these skills are now second nature, but that is not necessarily the case for everyone.

Many adults in our community lack the literacy skills they need to reach their full potential at work, at school or in their personal lives. This is where the Thunder Bay Literacy Group comes in.

Since 1983, the Thunder Bay Literacy Group (a community-based, non-profit organization) has provided free literacy help for adults in our community. What started off as only one-to-one tutoring, has since grown to include various English, math, computers and test preparation classes, offered both full and part

time. Our classes allow learners to work at their own pace and towards their own specific goal. We welcome and support any adult learners who wish to improve their skills in a self-directed manner.

Since the start of our program we have been able to help over 5,000 different learners from a variety of backgrounds.

We are committed to serving the community by continuing to offer this important service.

All programs and classes at the Thunder Bay Literacy Group are free to the learners. We are able to offer these free services as an Employment Ontario project that is funded by the Ontario government.

We also receive some funding from United Way, with the rest coming from fundraising and generous donations from organizations and members of our com-

munity. Each year we hold one major fundraising event: our Scrabble tournament. Since the introduction of the tournament 17 years ago, the Thunder Bay Literacy Group has been able to raise over $130,000 to support our adult literacy programming. We are fortunate and grateful to have been able to raise this amount, and we are looking forward to receiving the community’s support again for this year’s tournament. The more money we can raise, the more adults we can support and the more we are investing in, and strengthening, our community.

We are currently preparing for our 18th Annual Scrabble Tournament, which will take place Saturday, February 27, 2016, at Intercity Shopping Centre. Anyone is welcome to help make our Scrabble Tournament a success. You can get

involved by signing up to participate (there is a minimum $40 donation to participate), volunteering at the event or making a donation. You do not have to play to support our cause and any donation helps us reach our goal of continuing to provide these very important services.

If you would like to find out more information about our program, register to participate in the Scrabble tournament, or make a donation, please visit our website at www.tblg.org. If you would like to volunteer at the Scrabble tournament or if you have any questions, please contact Bianca at 807-475-7211 or vc@tblg.org.

It is the generous contributions of community members that truly make our event a success.

When the Writing is Wrong © 2016 Brian Babcock

Somewhere between the handshake and the printer, something goes horribly wrong with your contract. The written words do not match what you intended.

If the error is not noticed until long after signing, when the parties are no longer friendly, you might go to court and seek a remedy called “rectification”.

The effect of rectification is to amend the contract by court order. You can imagine that this does not happen easily, or everybody who made a bad deal would be lin-

ing up for rectification. So there are limits: • Rectification is not used to repair ambiguities- that is, where the words might be interpreted two different ways.

• Rectification will not make a deal where there was not a deal.

• Rectification will not make a bad deal better for you.

• If you created the mess by acting improperly yourself, or tried to unfairly take advantage of it, you will not get the court’s assistance to fix your mess.

• If you need rectifica-

tion, you need to act soon after discovering the error

Legal Matters • A judge might not rectify the agreement is if other people would suffer harm as a result There are certain elements that a court needs to find to grant rectification: • There must be a document to be rectified- usually a contractmight also be a cheque, a release, a lease, a deed, a mortgage • There needs to be proof that both parties shared the same intention to agree to the same “prior agreement”.

• The prior agreement is best proven by “objective evidence” – which usually means some paper of some sort, but verbal evidence is acceptable

• The change needed should be a simple substitution of words, not a complete rewrite.

• Rectification is not available where each party understands something different, which means that there was no prior agreement, and thus, nothing to rectify.

• Rectification may be available where the mistake was unilateral or one-sided, but only in cases of fraud or sharp practice.

Rectification is a valuable item in our tool kit, and one we need to use wisely and quickly where appropriate.

The best protection is of course avoiding errors in the first place. This is why we recommend that any important agreement be drafted or reviewed by a lawyer.

Weilers has been drafting sound agreements for almost 70 years.

THUNDER BAY BUSINESS FEBRUARY 2016

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MARCH 5TH, 2016 TBBWN EXPO – BE THERE!

by Sherry Aalto On March 5th, 2016 the Thunder Bay Business Women’s Network will be holding their 9th annual expo!

The expo will be held at the C.L.E. Coliseum from 8:30 A.M. to 2:00 P.M., Here, you are invited to bring your family, your friends, oh, and yourself to this annual event and experience and learn from the many vendors exhibiting there.

The event exhibitors showcasing this year offer fashions and a show, women’s wellness, financial service and here is a new one…how to direct traffic to your website!

Along with a whole host of other services that will be in attendance, the Thunder Bay Business Women’s Network is always looking to expand and bring to you some of ‘what is available’ in Thunder Bay. There will also be in attendance, a mortgage specialist, chiropractors, and if you want to improve your office through organizational applications, there will be someone there for that as well.

And, any business who wishes to exhibit at this annual event, can still reserve a booth as there are a few left.

Next Issue Deadline

Thunder Bay Business February 24th, 2016 Contact Sonia @ 631 -4244 or Sylvia @ 629-7599

www.northsuperiorpublishing.com

If you are, for example, a sporting goods store, seasonal store, a car dealership, or a store for babies, mothers and families, then this is the place that you can showcase your inventory, helpful hints and salesmanship here at the expo by the TBBWN (Thunder Bay Business Network) at Email:

info@tbbwn.com As with any event, the thing that makes it exciting is YOU! Mark it on your calendar and get out there

to the 9th Annual Thunder Bay Business Women’s Network Expo!

EVERYONE WELCOME! See you there!

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THUNDER BAY BUSINESS FEBRUARY 2016

REAL ESTATE! …REAL I N V E S T M E NTS!

By Sherry Aalto When you consider all the different types of investments there are out there that you can put your money into, you might want to consider real estate!

Yes! You might want to consider receiving a higher return on your money over time through the purchase of real estate! Based on market evaluations throughout the years in real estate, it is been known to be a wise choice for actual higher returns when selling. Markets fluctuate! All markets! So, it is equally important to be mindful of when buying and selling any investment portfolio. When owning a piece of real estate, you can also make marginal returns on your investment while owning the property. For example, renting to tenants? Of course you will want to check into conditions and restrictions of your chosen location before you forecast your windfall. Also, vacant property that you hold in your possession can possibly be made available to those looking to store their seasonal recreational vehicles. There are a variety of money making opportunities when owning real estate. A basic argument for owning property or a home is based on the idea that paying a mortgage is a forced savings plan.

As a renter, you may not be disciplined enough to invest the money you’re saving as a result of not owning a home. Also, owning real estate lends way to a feeling of justifiable pride and accomplishment. Also, when applying for extra monies at any financial institution when making advance-

ments in your life, real estate can be offered up as securities portfolio for such lendings to you.

Also, when apply for mortgage financing, there again, are options you might want to consider. For example, aside from traditional mortgages, you might want to look into what is known as a Home Equity Line of Credit. Also, a Certified Real Estate Broker and/or a Registered Mortgage Broker will search the globe and find for you a financial institution that can offer you competitive lending rates that can keep dollars in your pocket now and over time.

If you have followed real estate over the years or even over the last few months, you will conclude that it is a viable investment and one that can grow at an alarming rate when the markets are HOT. Also, when dispensing of property in times of loss of family, and unfortunately this does happen, there is an option to specifically place other family name(s) on the deed of the property so that real estate will not be held in probate, but check with legal counsel for this option and what may be involved for taxing, possession rights, disclosures, legal obligations and determinations and also capital gains concerns.

The World is one HUGE piece of real estate and just because you live in one little part of it, it does not mean you can’t own another piece of it somewhere else in the world like in the U.S.A, Italy, Europe, literally anywhere in the world where real estate is available for purchase. With technology these days, you can now have an agent search the world over for real estate that can become your next investment. Integrated taskforce systems for multiple listing servic-

es, which have been available on the world wide web for quite some time now, are continually working together to improve access and information for the benefit of purchasers, sellers, real estate agents and brokers. Buy it! Own it! Rent it out! Sell it!

Flip it or skip it! It is up to you! But whatever you do…consider the investment option and opportunity of owning your own little piece of this vast, beautiful globe!