Temporary Downtown Patios To Be Removed Starting On Oct. 24

The temporary downtown patio spaces will be removed to prepare sidewalks and roads for winter snow-clearing operations starting on Oct. 24.

The expanded patio spaces were installed in May. File Photo.

Any businesses with temporary patios on sidewalks and in on-street parking adjacent to them will remove their patio furniture by the end of the day on Oct. 23 to clear the way for the removal of the fencing and large planters startingthe next day.

After removing the expanded patio areas, Hunter Street between George and Aylmer Streets will return to a two-lane, two-way street. During the summer, it was temporarily made into a one-lane, westbound, one-way street to add more patio and pedestrian space.

This was the fourth summer that the City implemented temporary changes to the downtown public space to allow for more patio and pedestrian space.

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Historic Red Dog Closing Its Doors at the End of the Month; Send-Off Show Scheduled For Oct. 24

After 140 years of business, the Historic Red Dog Tavern is permanently closing its doors on Nov. 1 and is hosting a send-off show on Oct. 24.

HIstoric Red Dog Facebook Photo.

The news was made public in a Facebook post from an employee posted on Tuesday.

“Hi friends, it’s with a mix of immense sadness and gratitude that I can now safely say what everyone in town has been hearing - the Red Dog has been sold and we will be closing the doors permanently on Nov. 1st. It’s been a great run.”

The property has been sold although it is unknown if it will continue as a pub or operate as something different.

A send-off show has been scheduled for Oct. 28. It is an open-stage event where musicians can sign up in person to perform at the venue for the final time.

The Red Dog originally opened as Clancy’s Hotel in 1883 and was owned by John Sullivan and John Clancy.

Also known as the Peterborough House, The American Hotel/House and Brownie’s Tavern, ‘The Red Dog’ came from former owner “Red Dog” Ray McGregor.

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Voice of Business: Hiring People With Disabilities Will Benefit Your Business

Approximately one million job seekers experiencing a disability in Canada are unemployed or under-employed.

October is Disability Employment Awareness Month (DEAM) and it’s a good opportunity to reflect on a sizeable segment of our population that is being underserved. Back in 2017, Statistics Canada reported 3.7 million working-age Canadians identified as having a disability, yet only three in five were employed.

While the number of job vacancies has declined over the year from its peak of over 1 million, there is still a gap of hundreds of thousands of jobs across Canada that employers are struggling to fill. Employers are eager to hire.

According to the Discover Ability Network, 63 per cent of persons with disabilities do not require accommodations in their workplace. And when they do, the cost or shift in workplace setup is often offset by the productivity of the employed person.

There are more noteworthy statistics:

• 72 per cent higher employee retention rate among people with disabilities

• Businesses hiring people who have a disability experience a 72 per cent increase in productivity

• Inclusive businesses grow profits up to 3x faster than their competitors

• 22 per cent of Canadians have a disability

• Inclusive workplaces are twice as likely to meet or exceed financial targets

Hiring people with disabilities not only fills workforce gaps in your business, but will help create a thriving and profitable business with higher retention rates. What’s holding us back?

It turns out one of the biggest barriers is our mindset. An article titled Why Don’t We Hire People With Disabilities? by Angela Kryhul from the Smith School of Business, an affiliate of Queen’s University, gets right to the point. Part of the issue is that we all too often equate disability with an inability to work.

The article highlights three misconceptions:

• Few disabled people are qualified for, or apply to, job posts

• Accommodations are expensive and complicated

• There are negative impacts on productivity and workplace culture

There is a wealth of resources available to employers interested in hiring people with disabilities. The Canadian Association for Supported Employment offers training, resources, and toolkits for employers. The Government of Ontario offers programs, resources, tips and tools. Locally, we have organizations like Heads Up For Inclusion and the Council for Persons with Disabilities offering their expertise and resources working here in Peterborough and the Kawarthas. Our local employment agencies also offer a wealth of knowledge.

It’s time we get a bit out of our comfort zone, tap into local resources, educate ourselves and our teams, and update our hiring practices to include hiring people with disabilities. It will benefit your business, our communities, and our economy.

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 Precision Medical Aesthetics, Sullivan Law, Jo Anne's Place and Community Futures Peterborough

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…

Precision Medical Aesthetics is a nurse practitioner-led clinic offering cosmetic injectable enhancements, laser skin resurfacing and laser hair removal.

They recently launched SKINTHETICS Collective Studios which hosts multiple beauty and wellness businesses offering everything from permanent make-up, eyelash extensions, hair-cuts and styling to counselling and psychotherapy, gel manicures and design, spray tans, and hormone replacement therapy. Check out the Open House this Thursday from 4:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at 169 Lansdowne St. E., or online at precisionptbo.ca.

The team at Sullivan Law Ptbo reopened last week in their new location at 362 Queen St. in Peterborough.

They also added a new member to the team. Barry Lynn is a lawyer who practices Family Law and brings 13 years of experience to the firm. Sullivanlawptbo.ca

Jo Anne’s Place recently launched the third pillar of their free online wellness program.

Called The Wellness on Purpose Program and lead by their Nutritionist, Marissa Laughlin, the program is a free educational resource designed to offer accessible and accurate wellness information on topics such as Nutrition, Sleep, Stress and Movement. The third pillar focuses on stress, the different types, and how to manage it, and features collaborations with several Peterborough wellness businesses including Sweat Happy Pilates, Salti Yoga, Mental Wealth Counselling, and more.

Community Futures Peterborough has partnered with BDC to bring together professionals from the local business community to discuss business valuation and succession.

They have planned a free breakfast event on Oct.17. at the Peterborough Golf and Country Club. The event is intended to provide you with a space to learn more about the steps required to evaluate, buy, sell or transition your business. For details visit communityfuturespeterborough.ca

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StoosNews Spotlight: Check Out The Business Beat This Week Featuring Ivy Event Space, AON Inc., Emy’s Cuddles and Peterborough Chamber

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…

Kristina and Aaron Goodwin recently opened Ivy Event Space at 164 Hunter St.

They emphasize flexibility instead of vendor restrictions, allowing for anything from a family potluck, a corporate workshop, a children’s party or a wedding and giving complete control of the event to their clients. Pricing is based on an hourly rental fee and you can add various options including decor, tables, chairs and more. From a simple party to a sophisticated micro-wedding, check out ivyevents.ca.

Congratulations to everyone at AON Inc. and Kawartha Golf Club on last week’s announcement of the details regarding a much-anticipated project on Clonsilla Avenue.

AON purchased more than 20 acres of land from Kawartha Golf back in 2018 and have been working towards a multi-phase project that will eventually include a new apartment building, seniors’ luxury units and a retirement home. Called AON Fairways, the land has been rezoned and the planning process has begun. For details, visit aonfairways.com.

Emy is a 16-year-old entrepreneur who has channelled her love of animals to start her own business.

Called Emy’s Cuddles & Care Pet Sitting, her service offers in-your-home cat and dog sitting, either overnights or drop-ins and includes replenishing water and food, cat litter, play and cuddle time. And if you are just looking for a dog walker, Emy offers that as well. For details, give her a call at 705-761-4372.

And don’t miss this year’s edition of the Peterborough and the Kawarthas Chamber of Commerce Business Excellence Awards on Oct. 18 at The Venue and Showplace in Downtown Peterborough.

It’s a chance to network with 500 local business leaders and watch dozens of businesses profiled in over 20 categories including the Immigrant Entrepreneur of the Year, the four under 40 and the Business Citizen of the Year. Details and tickets are at pkchamber.ca.

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Award-Winning Mac + Cheese Festival Returns to Downtown Peterborough For Third Straight Year For All of October

There are 21 Downtown Peterborough Businesses vying for the title in the third year of the Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Area’s (DBIA) award-winning Mac + Cheese Festival, running all of October, announced at the Venture North Building on Wednesday morning.

Three mac and cheeses were sampled at the press conference: Heartburn City, Mind Your Carrots & Peas and Lactose Overload. Photo by David Tuan BUi.

The downtown businesses offer their mac and cheese dishes for all of October for take-out or dine-in. Classic macs, adventurous macs, handheld macs and even ‘mac-it-at-home’ options are available for this year’s festival.

The winning business will receive their bragging rights for the year, a hand-crafted trophy, the title of mac-and-cheese champion and a donation to Kawartha Food Share in their name.

New businesses entering the competition include The Vine, The Food Shop, The Pasta Shop and Sam’s Place Weinery.

Anyone can vote online for their favourite mac and cheese dishes throughout the month and use a Mac Map to locate which businesses are participating.

“We were so beyond proud to be chosen as the top mac of 2022, tying with Capra Toro for the winning prize,” said Amanda da Silva, The El(P) co-owner. “Being a newer business in downtown Peterborough, we’ve had such a blast participating in these foodie festivals. The culinary competition in this city sure is steep.”

The festival website has previous winning recipes and locally curated recipes for home chefs. Recipe cards include a hearty ‘local mac’ that utilizes local ingredients from The Ptbo Food Shop and recipes from previous champions: Sam’s Place and The El (P).

“Our Mac + Cheese Festival has been incredibly successful both locally and provincially and has even gone on to inspire other BIAs in the province to adopt similar events,” said Terry Guiel, DBIA executive director. “We won an award last year for ‘special events and promotions’ at the Ontario Business Improvement Area awards conference and our team is really proud of how these cheesy shenanigans continue to inspire not only local chefs but other cities in Ontario.”

At the press conference, three mac and cheeses were sampled at the event.

• Heartburn City: Pickled jalapenos, hot sauce and crushed Hot Cheetos

• Mind Your Peas & Carrots: Peas, carrots and hot dog slices

• Lactose Overloard (winner): Havarti, mozzarella, marbled cheddar, Tex-Mex and queso

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Voice of Business: Employment Insurance Premium Rates Planned to Increase

The costs of many things have gone up, sometimes dramatically, in the last year or so.

Interest rates, fuel, insurance, and wages are just a few cost increases hitting businesses. Now, Employment Insurance Premium rates are planned to increase.

The EI program is designed to be self-sustaining. The Canada Employment Insurance Commission sets annual rates based on a seven-year break-even forecast. Increases in unemployment and temporary support programs introduced during the pandemic have led to a forecasted cumulative deficit of $18.8 billion on Dec. 31.

Employers pay 1.4 times the employee rate. The Canada Employment Insurance Commission is recommending employers pay $2.32 per $100 of insurable earnings, up from $2.28. Employees would also see a larger portion of their paycheque go to EI.

In response to this, the Canadian Chamber of Commerce has issued a letter to Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Chrystia Freeland and Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Official Languages Randy Boissonnault.

RE: Potential 2024 Increase in EI Premiums

Dear Ministers,

I’m writing to express our concern about the potential 2024 increase in EI Premiums. EI is a critical program delivered by the federal government. It supports the livelihoods of Canadians and communities during periods of lost income. Temporary program changes in response to the COVID-19 pandemic created a significant deficit that according to the 2023 Actuarial Report on the Employment Insurance Premium Rate led the EI Operating Account to a projected cumulative deficit of $25.2 billion by the end of 2023.

Employers understand that EI is an important temporary job-loss protection program and want to ensure it is effective in supporting their employees during periods of transition. However, increases to EI premiums are effectively a tax on employers who pay a disproportionate amount into the program. Increases to EI premiums must take into account the economic challenges faced by businesses in Canada today, and into the future.

High interest rates, inflation and increased labour costs are making it difficult for small and medium-sized businesses to keep their heads above water. Due to continued strength of the labour market, Budget 2023 stated that the EI Premium Rate would hold steady at $1.63 per $100 of insurable earnings in 2024-2025. We understand EI premiums are being reviewed, and our view is that any increases would be ill-timed and unsustainable at a period when most businesses are struggling to resume normal business operations. It is not fair for employers and employees to pay off the deficit incurred through temporary program changes through increased premiums. Consequently, EI premium rates should be maintained at current levels.

The Canadian Chamber of Commerce represent businesses of all sizes in all sectors and regions of the country, and we would like to emphasize that any proposed changes to EI must balance the need to

support workers while ensuring the program is financially sustainable and promotes a return to the labour force.

Sincerely,

Diana Palmerin-Velasco
Senior Director, Future of Work
Canadian Chamber of Commerce

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

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City Council Invokes Buyout Clause to Develop Property on Morrow Park; Peterborough Agricultural Society Forced To Move

Peterborough City Council has invoked a buyout clause from the Morrow Park Agreement, forcing the Peterborough Agricultural Society to move from its location to develop on the property, according to a press release issued on Tuesday.

File Photo.

The Board of the Peterborough Agricultural Society has issued the following statement:

“With mixed emotions the Board of the Peterborough Agricultural Society would like to inform the public that Peterborough City Council have given notice that they have invoked the buyout clause within the Morrow Park Agreement, asking the Society to move from our long term home at Morrow Park. This is so they can proceed to develop this historical area.

As the directors of the Society, we wish the City and its citizens best of luck with the development of their said lands. We also wish to express our extreme gratitude to the many volunteers and families who have faithfully put countless hours of time and ef ort into this major annual event over the past 180 years. It is our intent at this time to go forward as the Peterborough Agricultural Society and to look for a new home and start a new beginning. Our hopes are to form strong partnerships within the county of Peterborough and continue to promote agricultural education to the general public. Rest assured we are still here. We have a strong board of directors who are dedicated to the task of rebuilding this once strong institution. Please expect that there will be new things to come and opportunities for you, the public, to help.”

The Society has set up an online auction of memorabilia from 175 years of the Peterborough Exhibition. There are 204 items up for bid including furniture, farming equipment, clothing, signs, odds and ends and more. The auction opens on Oct. 10 and ends on Oct. 16.

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