Innovation Cluster Announces Resignation of CEO and President

The Innovation Cluster Peterborough and the Kawarthas announces CEO Michael Skinner and president John Gillis have resigned, departing from the organization by the end of the year.

Photo courtesy of The Innovation Cluster.

Skinner joined the Innovation Cluster’s Board of Directors in 2012. In 2016, he became the CEO of the Innovation Cluster and under his leadership the organization expanded to its 10,000 square foot location in downtown Peterborough, which included incubation and accelerator services. Gillis joined the Innovation Cluster in 2017, introduced an H2O Makerspace to the Organization which gave clients access to over 30 pieces of water testing equipment.

Over the last five years they are said to have led the Innovation Cluster to create an economic impact of $54 million, create nearly 900 jobs, and support more than 300 companies to launch, grow and scale.

“The Innovation Cluster has always been a labour of love and our passion for supporting business growth and entrepreneurship in our community will not end with our departure. We look forward to staying connected with the people who have made our time at the Innovation Cluster unforgettable. We are excited to see the introduction of fresh ideas to the Organization under new leadership,” say Skinner and Gillis in a statement.  

The two entrepreneurs will reportedly continue working together after their departure from the Innovation Cluster, and will be announcing the launch of their new business venture in the new year.

The Innovation Cluster board of directors are currently seeking applicants for a new CEO.

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Peterborough and the Kawarthas Chamber of Commerce's Stu Harrison Honoured In Retirement After Two Decades of Service

Halloween marked the final day of Stu Harrison’s tenure with the Peterborough and the Kawarthas Chamber of Commerce as president and CEO as he was honoured for over 20 years of service at the Peterborough Golf and Country Club on Friday.

Stu Harrison shares a moment with his five-year-old granddaughter Evan Welker during his retirement celebration. Harrison moved from Wilkie, Sask, (formerly known as Leipzig) to Peterborough in 1977. Photo by David Tuan Bui.

Roughly 200 guests showed up to celebrate Harrison’s retirement and recognize his service to the community.

“To me, it's the same community since I moved here 45 years since I first moved here from Saskatchewan,” said Harrison “It's an amazing place full of amazing people and not matter what happens, we work it out and I know we'll keep doing that and if I can be a part of that, I will.”

Harrison began as a volunteer for the Chamber before assuming the role he is retiring from. He says spending two decades with them helped make a positive impact within the community.

“It's meaningful work,” explained Harrison. “You're in a position of influence and I never took that likely. To me, there was never a doubt that I was in the right place, it was a good fit for me and vice versa.”

Harrison says he is continuing his philanthropy work such as the annual Easter Seals Telethon, volunteering for the past 44 years. He will still write his weekly Stoosnews ‘Business Beat’ segment that is featured weekly on PTBOCanada. Harrison is going to relax and spend more time with his wife Signe during his retirement.

Sarah Budd is the new president and CEO of the Peterborough and the Kawarthas Chamber of Commerce. She formerly served as the CEO of Habitat for Humanity Peterborough.

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StoosNews Spotlight: Check Out The Business Beat This Week Featuring Caygeon Liquidation, Cancer Takedown, Courtney Cartmel and Friends in Music

PTBOCanada is delighted to be running StoosNews columns each week here, spotlighting new businesses and startups in Peterborough and the Kawarthas. Here is this week’s edition…

Jeff der Kinderen recently opened Caygeon Liquidation in a big yellow barn behind 51 Main St. in Bobcaygeon.

Jeff has winter boots, electronics, kitchenware, auto accessories, tools and hardware, home décor, toys, antiques, military surplus and more. Housed in a 100-year-old barn, Caygeon Liquidation is open Wednesday to Saturday from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Caygeonliquidation.ca or find them on Facebook.

Cancer Takedown is an evening of song story and solidarity.

Dubbed a “Spirit-Raiser”, the event is being organized by Rick and Amy Kemp, and MC’s Linda Kash and Megan Murphy will be introducing people with inspiring stories, as well as local musicians Kate Suhr and Melissa Payne, among others. Cancer Takedown takes place on Nov. 16 at 7 p.m. at Market Hall Performing Arts Centre. Tickets are available at markethall.org

Courtney Cartmel is a registered acupuncturist who recently moved back to the Peterborough area to set up practice at the Peterborough Centre of Naturopathic Medicine.

Through acupuncture, Cartmel can treat a wide variety of issues including physical pain, injuries, headaches, digestive problems, mental health issues, insomnia and more. Fully certified, Courtney brings 7 years of experience with her. You can contact Courtney at The Peterborough Centre of Naturopathic Medicine or call 705-761-6596.

“Friends in Music” is a community band for all ages and abilities.

Music Director Mark Hiscox rehearses Thursday evenings from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. Playing a variety of music genres in a relaxed atmosphere, Mark promises a fun-loving, diverse and noncompetitive group of people who simply enjoy making music together in a positive, low-pressure environment.

Anyone who plays woodwinds, percussion or brass at an easy to medium level of difficulty is welcome to come and play. No auditions are required and there is no age limit. For more information, please contact Joanne Culley, joanne.culley@sympatico.ca or call 705-748-5353.

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Voice of Business: A Healthy Workforce Drives Efficient and Productive Businesses

When it comes to investing in our businesses, some areas are easier to convert to dollars and cents return on investment.

In a time when many businesses are struggling to attract talent, it’s critical that we invest in the workforce we have. According to JobSage, 28 per cent of surveyed workers left their jobs due to poor mental health.

According to a report from the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA), it’s estimated that 12 billion worked days are lost every year to depression and anxiety, costing about $1 trillion US in lost productivity.

According to Occupational Health and Safety Canada Magazine, mental health services cost Canada $50 billion annually, with $20 billion stemming directly from workplace trauma. Deloitte found poor mental health accounts for 30 – 40 per cent of short-term disability claims and 30 per cent of long-term disability claims.

Poor work environments, including discrimination, inequality, excessive workloads, low job control and job insecurity all pose risks to mental health. This all comes on top of stresses from home and more than two years of dealing with a global pandemic.

While mental health struggles happen outside of the work environment, the nature of our place of work being where many of us spend more waking hours than anywhere else means that whether or not the workplace is contributing to the situation, it certainly plays a role in how someone is able to deal with it.

According to the Mental Health Commission of Canada:

Workplaces can play an essential part in maintaining positive mental health. They can give people the opportunity to feel productive and be a strong contributor to employee wellbeing. Yet it can also be a stressful environment that contributes to the rise of mental health problems and illnesses. No workplace is immune from these risks and we cannot afford to limit our definition of occupational health and safety to only the physical.

The CMHA offers a number of workplace mental health solutions for employers across Canada:

Not Myself Today: Through this employee wellness platform, employees can access helpful tips, learning modules and other resources to improve their mental health at work. The platform helps to build an open and supportive workplace by cultivating meaningful conversations and deeper understanding about mental health and wellness in the workplace.

Customized Training: CMHA offers in-person or virtual workshops based on the needs and interests of your employees. From building resilience and managing stress, to returning to work and coping with change, their facilitators can work with you to deliver the right workplace mental health training for your team.

Psychological Health & Safety Courses: Psychological Health & Safety training is designed for individuals who are working to improve psychological health and safety in their workplaces and/or to implement the National Standard of Canada for Psychological Health and Safety in the Workplace.

It’s often easier to see the direct results of investing in skills, training and the physical health of our workforce. But mental health is too big of a deal not to invest in. These investments can lower turnover, increase productivity, and reduce absenteeism. A mentally healthy workplace is not just going to show up, but be there ready to engage, innovate and help a business thrive.

Content provided by the Peterborough and the Kawarthas Chamber of Commerce.

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StoosNews Spotlight: Check Out The Business Beat This Week Featuring Darling Insurance, PKA SoftTouch, Launch Kawartha and Junior Achievement

PTBOCanada is delighted to be running StoosNews columns each week here, spotlighting new businesses and startups in Peterborough and the Kawarthas. Here is this week’s edition…

Darling Insurance Realty Limited owner Peter Blodgett recently announced five new partners to the ownership of the company.

The young group of partners is made up of Darling Insurance employees: Kyle Bowden, Julie Kellett, Greg Melanson, Julie Poff and Angie White. Established in 1928, Blodgett remains as the Principal Broker while mentoring the partners in the day-to-day operations of the brokerage. Darling Insurance has offices in Peterborough, Omemee and Lakefield, with affiliated offices associated to Sentinel Risk Insurance Group Limited in 6 other areas of southern Ontario.

Congratulations to PKA SoftTouch, the local company owned by Dr. Pankaj Modi and Dick Crawford.

PKA SoftTouch has invented a new Micro-needle that delivers medication with a shallow delivery process with no pain, easy use and no sharp disposal. The Micro-needle has now concluded its veterinary clinical trials at the University of Guelph which showed the technology significantly outperforming the traditional syringe injection. The next step is to explore options for licensing deals.

Launch Kawartha is a dynamic innovation and entrepreneurship centre housing business partners and service providers in the heart of downtown Lindsay.

Opening soon, Launch Kawartha will provide free services and fully furnished incubation workspaces for up to twenty new entrepreneurs. The partners and service providers within the space offer businesses direct access to government funding, finance, marketing and digital media, accounting, legal, IP and the latest in mental health and wellness services, on demand and in real-time. Designed by Kawartha Lakes CFDC, and internally funded by the Kawartha Lakes Business Community Development Corporation, for details visit klcfdc.com/launch-kawartha.

And speaking of CKL, Junior Achievement Northern and Eastern Ontario are bringing their annual Business Hall of Fame event to the City of Kawartha Lakes.

Nominations are now open for the inaugural event with a deadline of Nov. 26, Successful nominees will be announced in January, with a formal induction ceremony in the Spring of next year. For details and nomination forms visit ja-neo.org.

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Nominations Open For the 2023 Business Hall of Fame JA-NEO Awards

Nominations are now open for the annual Junior Achievement of Northern and Eastern (JA-NEO) 2023 Business Hall of Fame (BHF) in the City of Kawartha Lakes.

Photo courtesy of JA Northern and Eastern Ontario.

The community is invited to submit nominations for the Business Hall of Fame, helping to recognize the City of Kawartha Lakes’ business leaders who have strengthened the economy and community through their business.

JA-NEO has recently expanded outside of Peterborough and into the City of Kawartha Lakes.

After the nominations come in, candidates are submitted to Junior Achievement of Northern and Eastern Ontario, and then presented to an independent selection committee.

“JA-NEO is looking to honour individuals who, through their careers, have made a positive and everlasting impact on the community and the local business landscape,” said John McNutt, president and CEO of JA-NEO. “By recognizing and celebrating those who make an impact today, we are helping to inspire youth who will be our community’s leaders of tomorrow. JA-NEO is excited to expand our Business Hall of Fame outside of Peterborough and what better place than the City of Kawartha Lakes.”

The nominations window closes on Nov. 26 at 3 p.m.

Successful nominees will be announced in January 2023, and will be officially inducted into the JA BHF on May 25, 2023.

Nomination forms can be found online at https://ja-neo.org/kawartha-lakes-ja-business-hall-of-fame/.

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Voice of Business: Business Supports Help Our Region Recover Together

As our economy shifts into recovery mode so have the funding lifelines.

We’ve moved from emergency funding to get through shutdowns to investing in what our businesses need to deal with current challenges and position them for the future.

Here is a brief rundown of some of the programs available:

Talent Opportunities Program (Up to $7,000)

Are you an employer hiring post-secondary students on work-integrated learning (WIL) placements, such as cooperative education and internships? If so, you may be eligible for a wage subsidy of up to $7,000 per student!

The Talent Opportunities Program (TOP) is an initiative of the Ontario Chamber of Commerce designed to help employers located anywhere in Canada hire college and university students on WIL placements. Employers hiring eligible students may receive a wage subsidy up to 50% of the wages (to a maximum of $5,000) for each ‘net new’ placement or 70% of the wages (to a maximum of $7,000) for each ‘net new’ placement for the following under-represented groups: Indigenous people, person with disabilities, newcomer to Canada, first year student, visible minority and/or women in STEM.

https://occ.ca/talent-opportunities-program/

Grow Your Business Online Grant (Up to $2,400)

As part of the Canada Digital Adoption Program, the Government of Canada has partnered with the Ontario Chamber of Commerce to deliver the Grow Your Business Online grant.

Through this program, small business owners can receive a micro-grant worth up to $2,400 to help get their business online, give their e-commerce presence a boost, or digitalize business operations. Grant recipients must commit to maintaining their digital adoption strategy for at least six months.

https://occ.ca/growyourbusinessonline/

Boost Your Business Technology (Up to $15,000 + 0% loan)

Eligible businesses can leverage the grant to pay for the services of a digital advisor. These advisors will work with companies to recommend digital pathways and strategies that will help them achieve their business goals and increase their competitiveness in the digital economy.

The grant covers up to 90% of the eligible cost of retaining the services of a digital advisor, up to a maximum grant value of $15,000 per SME, to develop a digital adoption plan.

Businesses also have the opportunity to secure a 0% interest loan from the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) to facilitate the acquisition of new technology. In addition, applicants can leverage the help of talented post-secondary students and recent graduates through subsidized work placements.

https://ised-isde.canada.ca/site/canada-digital-adoption-program/en/boost-your-business-technology

Canada-Ontario Job Grant (Up to $10,000)

The Canada-Ontario Job Grant provides direct financial support to individual employers or employer consortia who wish to purchase training for their employees. It is available to small, medium and large businesses with a plan to deliver short-term training to existing and new employees.

Businesses can get some assistance from local employment organizations.

https://www.tcu.gov.on.ca/eng/eopg/cojg/

Digital Main Street (Up to $2,500 + free training)

Peterborough and the Kawarthas Chamber of Commerce has partnered with acorn30 to provide local businesses with a Digital Main Street Digital Service Squad. Squad members are available for free one-on-one assistance to small businesses to assess their digital needs and create plans to meet digital goals. The squad can also help businesses apply for a $2,500 Digital Transformation Grant to put toward digital marketing, website work, software, training, and hardware.

For more info, contact Clarance D'Silva clarance@acorn30.com or visit https://digitalmainstreet.ca/ontariogrants/

Government of Canada Business Benefits Finder

The Government of Canada now has a business benefits finder to help businesses find the right programs and services, whether you’re starting out or scaling up. Enter some details about your business and it will pull up all the available federal programs.

https://innovation.ised-isde.canada.ca/s/?language=en_CA

Available funding opportunities from the Ontario Government

The Government of Ontario has a single-point access page listing current business support programs for various sectors, skills, and workforce investments.

https://www.ontario.ca/page/available-funding-opportunities-ontario-government

Community Futures Peterborough (Micro Loans up to $20,000, Small Business Loans up to $250,000)

Community Futures Peterborough offers a range of supports for small businesses, including counselling, training, and loans.

https://communityfuturespeterborough.ca/financing-services/

This is by no means an exhaustive list. As a Chamber, our role involves helping businesses overcome barriers. Sometimes this involves sorting out bureaucracy and cutting red tape. Other times it involves advocating for funding to help specific sectors get the boost they need to ensure they aren’t being left behind. Our region needs businesses of all sizes and sectors thriving for an effective and efficient economic recovery. 

Content provided by the Peterborough and the Kawarthas Chamber of Commerce.

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Photos: Peterborough Business Social Club Returns to Full Calendar Year, Celebrating Over 75 Years

The Peterborough Business Social Club (PBSC) celebrated their second event of the Oktoberfest Social at The Social on Wednesday.

2022 marks the return of a full calendar year for the club, celebrating over 75 years of the organization’s inception. PBSC is a networking club of key individuals from local businesses, aimed at developing relationships between their members.

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Peterborough and the Kawarthas Chamber of Commerce Honours 19th Annual Business Excellence Awards Recipients

Peterborough and the Kawarthas Chamber of Commerce hosted the 19th annual Business Excellence Awards that showcased Peterborough’s local businesses that showcased excellence at the Showplace Performance Centre on Wednesday night.

Matt Strano (pictured) of Charlotte Products Ltd. won Business Citizen of the Year. Photo courtesy of Peterborough and the Kawarthas Chamber of Commerce.

The 2022 Business Excellence Awards recipients are as follows:

Local Focus

• Living Local Marketplace

Entrepreneurial Spirit

• Organized by Design

Health & Wellness

4-Under-40 Profiles, in memory of Kathy Windrem

• Dr. Nicole Edgar

• Michael Gallant

• Chad Hogan

• Caitlin Smith

Customer First

• Kawartha Country Wines

Tourism

• Lang Pioneer Village Museum

Business Student Leadership Prizes

• Jehan Mahboob (Trent University)

• Aiden Rice (Fleming College)

Marketing & Promotion

• Peterborough Humane Society (Our Pet Project)

The President's Award

• Ashley Lamothe (Creative Kwe)

Micro Business

• The Mane Intent

Skilled Trades

• New Beginnings Contracting Services

Businesswoman of the Year - Entrepreneur

• Brenda Ibey (The Avant-Garden Shop)

Businesswoman of the Year - Organization

• Alicia Dafoe (Village Dental Centre)

Green Initiatives

• The Nutty Bean Café

Professional Services

• Gauvreau Accounting Tax Law Advisory

Hospitality

• The Boardwalk Board Game Lounge

New Canadian Entrepreneur of the Year

• Faheem Mohammadzada (Brothers Pizza)

Commercial Development or Renovation

• Lakeshore Designs (Boathouse Boutique and Bikini Beans Cafe)

Retail

• Millbrook Mercantile

Peterborough County Farm Family of the Year

• The Cornish Family (Indian River Acres)

Not-for-Profit

• Community Care Peterborough

Employer of the Year

• Friendly Fires

Business Citizen of the Year

• Matt Strano (Charlotte Products Ltd.)

In total, more than 50 businesses and individuals were profiled in 23 categories, with recipients announced live on stage.

Watch the full 2022 Business Excellence Awards here.

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Voice of Business: Unemployment Declines As Jobs Increase But the Situation Remains Challenging

Unemployment declines as jobs increase, but the situation remains challenging.

Canada’s employment situation remains fickle.

We’ve added more jobs and the unemployment rate has declined, but people are working fewer hours and the overall labour shortage still sits at more than 1 million unfilled jobs.

According to Canadian Chamber of Commerce Chief Economist Stephen Tapp:

“At first glance, it looked like we finally received good news from Canada’s Labour Force Survey for September: after three months of declines, employment was up by 21,000 jobs, while the unemployment rate dropped back to 5.2 per cent after unexpectedly spiking to 5.4% last month. Digging beneath the headlines, however, shows emerging signs of an underlying “cooling-off” period. First, hours worked are down over 1per cent since June. Second, labour force participation has sagged over the course of this year, and third, it’s the public sector, not the private sector, that continues to push up employment. That said, Canada’s labour market remains historically tight. It remains difficult for businesses to fill the nearly one million vacant positions they’re seeking. And, though, wage growth exceeded 5 per cent for the fourth month in a row, this still isn’t enough to boost workers’ purchasing power, as it’s below the highest rates of inflation seen in a generation.”

Overall, the public sector added 35,000 jobs, compared to 9,000 from the private sector while self-employment dropped by 22,000. The increase in employment is being driven by education and healthcare at 46,000 and 24,000, respectively. This offset declines from manufacturing (-28,000); information, culture and creation (-22,000); transportation and warehousing (-18,000), and public administration (-12,000).

Wage growth is being led by professional services, up 9.1 per cent year-over-year, followed by accommodation and food service at +8.7 per cent over last year. On average, wages are up 5.2 per cent over last year.

Adding further pressure to workforce challenges is the trend toward retirement shows no signs of slowing, with 1 million of the 5.2 million Canadians aged 55 -64 already retired.

Overall, Ontario and PEI are the only provinces seeing a decline in employment.

Locally, jobs in demand largely hit sectors that have struggled heavily over the last two years, especially the service industry. According to the Workforce Development Board, the top 10 local job postings are for:

1. Retail salespersons

2. Food counter attendants, kitchen helpers & related support occupations

3. University professors and lecturers

4. Home support workers, housekeepers & related occupations

5. Other customer & information services representatives

6. Retail & wholesale trade managers

7. Cooks

8. Social and community service workers

9. Post-secondary teaching & research assistants

10. Light duty cleaners

Employment data will continue to fluctuate, as it always has. But it reveals the harsh reality that some sectors are rebounding well while others are going to continue to struggle. Those who regularly had to cut staffing levels due to public health restrictions are struggling to hire enough staff despite being leaders in increasing wages. There is no large pool of workers waiting to return and fill the vacancies across the country. It’s going to take creativity, investment, and vision for local businesses to modernize, automate, and adjust how they operate to make do with less access to labour.

Content provided by the Peterborough and the Kawarthas Chamber of Commerce.

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