Chamber Insider October

CHAMBER INSIDER | OCTOBER | VOLUME 3

CHAMBER

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T H E W H I T B Y C H A M B E R O F CO M M E R C E N E W S P U B L I CAT I O N

The best day you’ll spend out of the office all year!

The Durham Region Business Summit 2016 is a one day conference positioned to inform and inspire. Highlights include keynote speaker, Heath Slawner, Strategic Communications Expert.

Through his in-depth and dynamic presentation at the 2016 Durham Region Business Summit, he will show the audience how to leverage proven strategies to strengthen relationships, drive performance, and achieve outstanding results. There will also be an interactive panels of local business leaders and entrepreneurs, breakthrough content featuring Pierre ClĂŠroux from BDC and Sarah Wells, Canadian Olymian and a trade show featuring more than 20 exhibitors.

Limited spots available. Register here.

MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT

2016 BOARD OF DIRECTORS Miles Goacher - President

Goacher Wealth Management - RBC Dominion Securities

Matt Cardwell - Vice President The Royal Oak

Brion Hendry - Treasurer BDO Professionals

Brandon McBride -Secretary Mason Bennett Johncox

DIRECTORS Kevin Baker Durham College

Matt Douglas CRCS DKI

Cathy MacAskill

MacAskill Chiropractic and Wellness Centre

Matthew Mackenzie

University of Ontario Institute of Technology

David Paterson

Royal Ashburn Golf Club

Kyle Paterson Bryson Insurance

Julie Rennie

Ontario Shores Foundation for Mental Health

CHAMBER TEAM Brenda Bemis Office Manager

Heather Bulman Member Experience

Ann Kearns

This Fall is shaping up to be a busy one at the Whitby Chamber.

Planning for the Peter Perry and Business Achievement Awards is well underway and the Durham Region Business Summit is this week (don’t forget to get your tickets if you haven’t already). It is business as usual at the Chamber and things are well looked after by our Chamber team of Brenda, Ann, Amanda, and Heather.

The Board has met several times to discuss strategy and planning with respect to the search for a new CEO. It was decided that we would forgo hiring an interim CEO and spend our greatest efforts on hiring a new CEO. We felt that our team at the Chamber was perfectly capable of managing the operations with the oversight of the Board. As such, I will be meeting with the team regularly and helping to make decisions about the operations. Tracy Hanson has also committed to helping us with the Durham Region Business Summit and Peter Perry and Business Achievement Awards, which are our two biggest events of the year.

As an update, our Strategic Plan was updated over the summer but has been put on hold until a new CEO is hired. We felt that the candidate’s input into the plan is important.

Member Relations

Amanda Sidaway

Marketing & Communications

CHAMBER INSIDER 128 Brock Street South Whitby, ON L1N 4J8 905 668 4506

For advertising opportunities please email amandas@whitbychamber.org

CHAMBER INSIDER | OCTOBER

We have contracted with a developer to update our website and customer relationship management (CRM) system which will be rolled out in the coming months.

I would also like to welcome Matt Douglas of CRCS DKI to the Board to fill our most recent vacancy. He is young and smart, and committed to working hard for our members.

And…don’t throw out those tacky holiday sweaters just yet. You will need them again in a couple of months thanks to our YEP Committee. Stay tuned for more details.

We continue to work hard for our members to make the Whitby Chamber of Commerce the chamber of choice.

Best regards,

Miles Goacher President of the Board of Directors

2 0 1 6 C O R P O R AT E S P O N S O R S

UPCOMING EVENTS

Durham Region Business Summit

OCTOBER

Wednesday, October 19, 2016 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM

Connect After Hours Hallowe’en Social Thursday, October 27, 2016 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM

Peter Perry & Business AChievement Awards

NOVEMBER

Thursday, November 17, 2016

NFP Seminar Series

DECEMBER

Volunteerism - June Cleaver to Sophie Gregoire Trudeau Tuesday, December 6, 2016 9:30 AM - 11:00 AM

HOLIDAY OPEN HOUSE Thursday, December 15, 2016 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM

REGISTER AT www.whitbychamber.org

2 0 1 6 M E D I A PA R T N E R S

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O N TA R I O C H A M B E R O F C O M M E R C E

An important conversation for 2016 Ontario Agriculture Week The Ontario Chamber of Commerce (OCC) released the report Fertile Ground: Growing the Competitiveness of Ontario’s Agri-food Sector, which presents a series of recommendations designed to address barriers to the competitiveness of the agri-food sector in the province. As one of the most significant economic drivers in the province, the agri-food industry employs 1 in 9 Ontarians and represents $36.4 billion in GDP. Eager to build on the strengths of this sector, in 2013 Premier Wynne challenged the agri-food industry to double its annual growth rate and create 120,000 jobs by 2020. However, farmers and food processors’ ability to meet this 2020 target continues to be challenged by an overly prescriptive regulatory environment. Released during Ontario Agricultural Week, the OCC’s report presents recommendations to business and government designed to enhance the economic environment in which agribusinesses currently operate.

“Agri-food stakeholders have indicated that regulatory pressures are inhibiting their ability to remain competitive in the global marketplace,” said Allan O’Dette, President & CEO of the OCC. “In fact, the Food Processing component of the Ontario government’s Red Tape Challenge has identified over 170 regulations that need to be updated. While this effort begins a conversation, more work needs to be

done to ensure that these industries are able to continue to create jobs and grow the economy.”

Among the 15 recommendations presented in the report, the OCC identifies the following three as priorities to be addressed in the short term:

Agri-food Challenge. The OCC is committed to working with government and agribusinesses to enhance the competitiveness of this sector.

1. Work with industry and all levels of government to establish a regulatory “concierge service” to assist industry in understanding, navigating and achieving compliance with relevant regulatory requirements.

2. Publicly release economic impact assessments of policy initiatives that could affect the agri-food sector to ensure decision-making is evidencebased, participatory, unbiased and transparent.

3. Work with industry and post-secondary institutions to ensure that program offerings remain responsive to the needs of agricultural producers and processors.

“From farm to table, all aspects of the agri-food sector are interconnected.

The health and viability of the entire industry depends on the ability of producers and processors to compete on a level playing field,” adds O’Dette.

“In 2015, Ontario agri-food trade exceeded $14 billion. The Province must strive to do its part to enable the success of Ontario’s agri-food sector.”

In order to attract, retain and grow agribusiness, the OCC is looking for government to work collaboratively with the agri-food sector to set goals for Agriculture Week 2017 that support the industry in meeting the Premier’s

CHAMBER INSIDER | OCTOBER

Your affordable response to employees’ “Bill 132” harassment complaints

Andrew J. Yu, CHRL Employee Relations Consultant Private Investigator (Harassment/Human Rights) Certified Human Resources Leader

www.rising-phoenix.ca

MEMBER 2 MEMBER

Chamber Member discount program The member discount program is designed to give Whitby Chamber members and their staff exclusive benefits by doing business with their fellow members. This program encourages local shopping, stimulating and encouraging networking and helping your bottom line by cutting down on your costs. Included with your membership, is the opportunity to take part in the Member to Member Discount Program. Every Whitby Chamber member, and their staff, have the opportunity to participate in, or take advantage of, this program.

Participating businesses provide value added benefits through means of their products and/or services.

This is a program where everyonebenefits: you extend special benefits to other Whitby Chamber members for your business, and in return you receive advertising, recognition and referrals at many other businesses, and potentially receive business from over 750 Chamber members purchasing your products or services. Interested in promoting your own products and services through our Member to Member Discount Program? Please contact amandas@whitbychamber.org

M2M DEAL OF THE MONTH Get in on the savings from Acura Pickering Acura Pickering is pleased to offer a choice to our fellow Chamber members. When you purchase or lease a new Acura vehicle (NSX excluded), you can choose ONE of the following: 1. On lease and finance deals we will take 1.5% off the currently advertised rate.

2. On a cash deal we will take 5% off the price of the vehicle.

3. We will include 3 years or 60,000 km of factory recommended maintenance (whichever comes first).

Email: fraser@acurapickering.com or jeremy@acurapickering.com For more information: phone: 905 428 8888 website: http://www.acurapickering.com/

CHAMBER INSIDER | OCTOBER

Be ready to save a life – learn first aid & CPR today!

We offer courses for work, home and play From babysitter classes to health care provider Durham Region St. John Ambulance 64 Colborne Street, Oshawa (905)434-7800 www.sja.ca

CHAMBER INSIDER | OCTOBER

CANADIAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

Are We Ready for the Next Generation of Small Business Owners?

5 Minutes for Business Canadian business is about to go through an era of unprecedented upheaval. Is it an economic crisis?

A climate calamity? A Trump presidency? It’s much worse: a massretirement of business owners!

A staggering 75% of small business owners will retire over the next decade, and $1 trillion in business assets will change hands. Are we ready? The answer is a resounding no. Less than half of small business owners have succession plans and only 9% have a formal written plan.

We often hear that owners don’t like talking about retirement. They’ve been leading their business for decades and it’s part of their identity. Many just assume that they will be able to sell the business or pass it along to kids when the time comes. And because it’s years away, the awkward discussion can always be put off to another day.

There are huge implications. For starters, inadequate planning will lead to a big tax hit. Many family businesses

have concerns that they are treated unfairly. If an individual sells a business to an unrelated person, it’s considered a capital gain and subject to a significant exemption. However, when an individual sells a business to a family member, the disposal is taxed as a dividend at the top marginal rate.

That’s because the Crown sees the cash remaining within the family unit and wants to avoid creating a costly loophole. It’s a tough issue—there is an issue of discrimination against family business. In fact, NDP Deputy Finance Critic, Guy Caron has prepared the private member’s bill C-274 to address the “unfair treatment” of family transfers. But financial planners tell us that Canada’s tax code is actually quite generous. If you set up a family trust, an estate freeze or other tax strategies, it’s possible to minimize your tax bill substantially. The problem is that this must be done years in advance.

The second big challenge is financing the succession. It can take years to find the right buyer with deep pockets to buy-out the retiring owner. Again, a lack of planning can force owners into a fire sale situation, and potential buyers need time to raise funds. The Canadian Chamber recently passed a resolution asking that government small business financing programs be

CHAMBER INSIDER | OCTOBER

expanded so that potential buyers can access the funds to buy-out a retiring owner. It’s a great idea.

We sometimes focus exclusively on supporting startups, but it’s just as important to ensure the continued success of existing businesses.

Consider the perspective of an entrepreneur: you could create a new idea from scratch, seek out customers who have never heard of you and hope against the odds to turn a profit. Or, you could take over a company that has been in business for decades, with a loyal customer base and a track record of profitability.

The point is that it takes years to plan, finance and implement a successful exit strategy—on top of the training and mentoring to prepare the business itself for transition.

Financial institutions and government agencies also must help fund the next generation of managers and owners.

But it’s a big challenge for business and for the Canadian Chamber.

For more information, please contact: Hendrik Brakel Senior Director, Economic, Financial & Tax Policy 613.238.4000 (284) | hbrakel@ chamber.ca

F E AT U R E D M E M B E R S

Transition Squad FEATURED NEW MEMBER The Whitby Chamber of Commerce is happy to welcome Transition Squad to our growing membership.

Transition Squad specializes in helping seniors and their relatives when the time comes to sell their family home. They handle everything from tabulating and pricing a home’s contents to staging an estate sale from inside the house.

Before becoming Transition Squad, the founder had gone through the transition with his own father and realized families are in need of support during this time. So he decided to pivot his existing business’ direction to a senior downsizing company. He quickly found that the biggest challenge clients had was, “what do I do with all my stuff?” Transition Squad set out to design a process which would take away the burden but also maximize the value back to their clients by combining estate sales with consignment sales and a unique online auction platform.

Transition Squad opened its new store located in Toronto, giving more space for consignment items, allowing them to help more people find a good home for their belongings. Once the doors opened to the store, they started getting requests from the public to take their items on consignment and donation. With a strong belief in giving back to the community, Transition Squad implemented a charity program where 10 per cent of the sales from any donated items were given to small local charities.

Brion Hendry – BDO FEATURED VOLUNTEER Since 2013, Brion Hendry of BDO Canada has generously volunteered his time and talents to help in the strategic management of the Chamber. A tireless volunteer! He generously divides his efforts as a member of the Board, the Chamber, and on multiple committees.

Brion’s expertise includes working with private, not for profit and publicly listed companies primarily within the technology, retail and real estate sectors. He has worked extensively with many clients and boards and has experience in working through ownership, strategic and management transitions within those entities. Brion has over eleven years experience in a managerial role which includes audits of Canadian and US publicly listed companies primarily within the technology, real estate and financial service sectors, including credit unions. Brion has worked extensively with many large and complex clients, and he is experienced with reporting issuers, public offerings and regulatory filing requirements. Brion created the BDO STARTSMART program which provides a cost efficient compliance and advisory program for startup entities. Brion brings a proactive and collaborative approach to all his ventures, resulting in efficient and effective solutions to any challenges they may face.

CHAMBER INSIDER | OCTOBER

CHAMBER INSIDER | OCTOBER

NEW MEMBERS

WELCOME NEW MEMBERS Welcome to the following new Chamber Members. We invite you to participate in Chamber events and encourage you to take part in one or more of the Chamber committees. Please reach out to Ann Kearns: ann@whitbychamber. org if you have any questions regarding your membership.

Miller Planning Services Contact: Rodger Miller Tel: 905-655-0354 http://www.millerplan.ca

out-of-court dispute resolution.

that we use to help clients sell their belongings also helps retail clients promote their

and offer practical and efficient responses

Sun Life Financial Contact: Chris Clarke Tel: 613-897-0201 http://https://www.sunlife.ca/ christopher.g.clarke

to each of our clients’ needs. We serve

I will work closely with you to fully under-

all parts of the GTA and have very signifi-

stand your specific situation and goals.

cant experience in Durham Region. Lastly,

Based on your needs, I’ll help you make

the added benefit to our clients is that you

informed financial choices to build your

always receive the personalized service of

savings and protect what you save against

The Alternative Board - GTA East Contact: Richard Hedges Tel: 647-797-3407 http://www.tabgtaeast.com

a senior professional working on your file.

unexpected events and to prepare finan-

What do a manufacturer, builder and soft-

cially for the future.

ware company owner all have in common?

The most important step in providing clear

The insight, experience and wisdom to help

financial solutions is understanding your

each other achieve success in their busi-

needs. We can help you be financially pre-

ness and a balance between life and work.

pared for a serious illness.

TAB brings business owners and leaders

We bring over 25 years of experience within a wide range of projects and issues

Stacy L. Howell, Collaborative Family Lawyer Contact: Stacy Howell Tel: 905-668-7747 http://www.howellfamilylawyer.com After practicing in Family Law for many

advice. I also believe that by avoiding court

Transition Squad Inc. Contact: Viraf Baliwalla Tel: 416-249-4049 x303 http://www.transitionsquad.com

proceedings, my clients are in a better and

Today, Transition Squad is in a new loca-

stronger position to move forward, as they

tion which is much bigger than our last so

have not been subjected to the emotional,

we can help more people find a good home

psychological and financial drain that invari-

for their belongings. Our charity program is

ably accompanies litigation. As a result, I

now providing donations in the thousands

have focused my practice exclusively on

per year. And our online auction platform

years, I have become convinced that virtually every case is capable of resolution out of court with the appropriate support and

CHAMBER INSIDER | OCTOBER

products and services while raising money for multiple charities in the community. Our vision is to expand our model of estate sales and online auctions into multiple markets throughout North America.

from non-competing industries in Whitby, Oshawa, Scarborough, Claremont, Haydon, Clarington together in a group setting – similar to a board of directors. We help each other work on challenges and opportunities we face in each of our companies.

No theories—just practical, real-world, tried and tested solutions and invaluable handson experience.

RENEWING MEMBERS

4Cats Arts Studio

Durham District School Board

Royal LePage Frank Real Estate

4K Prints Ltd.

Fronte Industries Inc., o/a WC

Roy’s Enterprise & The Whitby

Environmental

ABB Inc./JME Division

Goacher Wealth Management -

Alzheimer Society of Durham Region

SNA Accounting and Tax

RBC Dominion Securities

Bella Notte Ristorante

Habitat for Humanity Durham

Birrell Insurance Brooklin Bulletin Signs/

Henry Street High School

CustomPrinting.ca

Investors Group Financial

Business Development Bank of

Consulting

Inc.

Bradley Motor Supplies Ltd.

Trophy House

Solera Sustainable Energies Company Limited TD Canada Trust

Services Inc.

The Alternative Board - GTA East The Biglieri Group Ltd.

Lardale Construction Inc.

The Polished Spa

C & C Motor Sales Limited Subaru

Lloyd’s Landscaping Ltd.

Transition Squad

Canadian Blood Services

Lotus Home Interiors

Trent Travel

Canadian Mental Health Association

LOW ON TONER

University of Ontario Institute of

Canada

Mary Roy & Team - Re/Max First

Durham

Realty Ltd.

CHANNEL 12 COGIR Whitby Mall Daigle Dentistry Professional

Corporation

West Lynde Pharmacy

Ontario Food & Beverage Guys

World System Builder

(OFBG) Optilinx Systems Inc.

Accountant Professional Corporation

Paper Trading Corporation

Deighton Associates Ltd.

PixelSmith

Dodd & Souter Flooring

RBC Royal Bank - Durham

Durham Children’s Aid Foundation

Commercial Financial Services Royal Ashburn Golf Club

THE WHITBY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE PRESENTS

Viva la Vita

Live Life, Tour of Italy CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION

CHAMBER INSIDER | OCTOBER

Welcome Wagon

Nerd Block / Shirt Punch Co.

David Pankiewich Chartered

Door Man Installations Ltd.

Technology

YWCA Durham

East-End Tech Meetup @ UOIT You are invited to attend this free event to learn what is going on at the University, meet faculty and our students in the Computer Science, Game Development and IT Network and Security programs. We also have a limited number of time slots available for organizations to present their company and the contribution it is making in the Durham Region technology field!

This is our first get together, with the intention of building a community connecting organizations like yours and our students in a relaxed, open setting. It is our hope to build lasting relationships that will grow, and lead to opportunities to work on projects, hack-a-thons, internships and coops‌.but first we must get together and see what each has to offer!

Call today to find out how UOIT can support your organization in being successful. Only 20 organizations spots available!

Wednesday October 26 2016 5:00pm to 8:00 p.m.

Room G-213 To learn more about registering contact Tracy at: 905-721-8668 ext. 5363 or tracy.james-hockin@uoit.ca

Benefits by solution, size and service 905.668.1477

www.hmabenefits.ca

CHAMBER INSIDER | OCTOBER

1032 Brock Street South, Whitby