PKED Launches Workshop Series To Aid Entrepreneurs At Every Stage

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Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development (PKED) has launched three workshops in a series for entrepreneurs at different stages.

Photo bcourtesy of PKED.

The workshops support small businesses by laying the foundation for business planning, navigating social media, and adopting digital marketing strategies, according to a press release.

“No matter the stage of a business, mastering the fundamentals and continuous learning matters. Luckily there are many options and no wrong door for entrepreneurs to receive training, tools, and resources,” says Jamey Coughlin, PKED’s director of business attraction, retention and expansion. “Whether you are testing an initial idea, expanding on your success, or considering a future exit, these three workshop series were designed to help businesses start and grow.”

The Business Fundamentals workshop series builds a strong foundation for an aspiring entrepreneur. Focused on business planning, market research and financials. This series is delivered in collaboration with Community Futures Peterborough and Innovation Cluster Peterborough and the Kawarthas.

The Small Biz Social Navigator workshop series, delivered by Kat Tepylo Murphy from Social Kat Media, navigates small businesses through social media and how to equip themselves with the skills and strategies needed to thrive online and to better connect with their audiences. This workshop series will guide entrepreneurs through social media essentials, developing a marketing plan and diving deep into Instagram and Reels.

The Digital Excellence Unleashed workshop series helps transform businesses into digital powerhouses and adapt to changing digital marketing trends. It walks entrepreneurs through developing websites, discovering AI tools, and using TikTok as a small business. Camp Tech, Canada’s most established leader in digital marketing skills training, will deliver this interactive series.

“We touch businesses through consultations, visits, and our annual Business Count Survey. We have heard loud and clear the challenges businesses experience and the training and tools they require,” explains Coughlin. “These workshops were developed alongside local business support organizations and topic experts to provide in-person interactive workshops that cater to those specific needs.”

These three series will be delivered throughout 2024, with the following upcoming workshops occurring this spring:

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David Tuan Bui


Savage Arms Creating 49 New Jobs With $500,000 From Government of Ontario; Part of $3.3 Million Investment For Production of Two Rifles

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As part of a $3,364,206 investment, the Ontario Government is funding $504,361 to Savage Arms for the development of 49 jobs through two product lines, announced in Lakefield on Tuesday afternoon.

(left to right) Dave Smith, Peterborough-Kawartha MPP; Terry McCullough, Savage Arms Canada vice-president and general manage, David Myles, Director of Manufacturing and Sherry Senis, Selwyn Mayor, put on display the prototypes of the new lever action rimfire rifles as part of the $3.3 million investment. Photo by dAVID tUAN bUI.

The funding is through the Regional Development Program of Eastern Ontario’s Development Fund. Along with the provincial government’s funding, Savage Arms is also investing over $2.5 million to introduce two new rifles with takedown/disassembly features such as their new level action rimfire rifle and centrefire hunting rifle.

“Our government is building a strong Ontario and strengthening the economy by supporting key investments in communities in Selwyn Township,” Said Dave Smith, Peterborugh'-Kawartha MPP. “This investment from Savage Arms, supported by the provincial government will grow local manufacturing and create more jobs for workers and families in Petebrorough County.”

The development is of the rifles are ongoing as part of a three-year timeline to complete the process. Full-time positions can range from salaries in the $20 an hour range with upwards to around $80,000 a year with the manufacturer hiring now of people with a wide array of skill levels according to Terry McCullough, Savage Arms vice president and general manager.

“We have positions like general machine operator, quality engineer, CNC technician positions, design engineers, product manager and human resources,” he said. “We employ all levels of people from a general machine operator to a technical programmer.”

Majority of rifles made are shipped to a facility in the United States that redistributes them globally. Local consumers can obtain the rifles (and already finished products) upon completion at stores such as Canadian Tire, Accuracy Plus, Bass Pro Shop and Cabela's.

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Check Out The Business Beat This Week Featuring Enid Mallory, Norwood Business Bungalow, Sayers Foods and Living Well Senior Showcase

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

Local author Enid Mallory has a new book called Irrepressible: Yukon’s Martha Black — From Gold Rush to Parliament Hill.

It tells the story of the second woman elected to Canada’s House of Commons. A woman who, at the age of 32, went to the goldrush-era Yukon while her husband went off to Hawaii. A person with an unconventional spirit who once said, “What I wanted was not shelter and safety, but liberty and opportunity.” Learn more about one of the North’s most tenacious and persevering women with Enid’s new book available at hancockhouse.com.

Looking for flexible office rentals, both short and long-term, in the Norwood area? Check out the Norwood Business Bungalow at 2364 County Rd. 45.

They offer a new kind of space for entrepreneurs, startups, and those looking for a home office away from home. The location can work as a professional environment to meet with clients or work in peace, and includes 24/7 access, high speed internet, a kitchen, and a waiting area. The building is fully accessible. Find out more at norwoodbusinessbungalow.com.

Sayers Foods has re-opened with a big, beautiful new grocery store in Apsley! The family-owned independent grocery retailer has been serving the Apsley area since 1976.

Three years ago, the store suffered a devastating fire, but is now officially open and offering quality fresh food to the community. They offer locally-sourced produce, a butcher to prepare meats in-store, a bakery with their famous donuts and Chelsea buns, a deli with cured meats and cheeses sliced to order, a garden centre, a sub shop, a café, and hot foods. Drop by 132 Burleigh St. in Apsley and try some tasty local food.

The Living Well Senior Showcase is back June 19 at the Peterborough Sport and Wellness Centre.

If you are a local business interested in having a booth, contact the Peterborough and the Kawarthas Chamber of Commerce. The event is one of the largest seniors trade shows in Canada, featuring more than 100 exhibitors and two dozen workshops. Peterborough is home to 27,000 seniors and the show provides a good opportunity both for those planning to retire and those well into their retirement years to see what the local business community has to offer to help people enjoy their senior years. Learn more at pkchamber.ca.

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Innovation Cluster and BWXT Announce Collaboration to Highlight Clean Technology For the Future

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In an effort to highlight clean technology for the future with the nuclear industry, Innovation Cluster and BWXT Nuclear Energy Canada (BWXT NEC) have begun a collaboration, announced at the former’s offices at the Venture North Building on Tuesday morning.

(form left to right) Mayor Jeff Leal; Janice Johnston, Constituency Assistant; Camila Duarte, Innovation Cluster executive director and Brett Jermyn, BWXT director of fuel handling and engineered solutions. BWXT NEC employs roughly 400 employees at its Peterborough location which has the largest workforce of its three locations in Ontario. PHOTO BY dAVID tUAN bUI.

Three goals were set from the collaboration:

  1. Nuclear Energy: Communicating nuclear energy's benefits and addressing and transforming public perception.

  2. Boost Local Employment: For BWXT NEC to create job opportunities within the nuclear industry. Local talent including students from Trent University and Fleming College and skilled professionals in our region are being sought.

  3. Grow Economy Through Innovation: To fuel the local economy by combining innovative nuclear energy projects with job creation, promoting sustainable community development.

“Our collaboration with the Innovation Cluster highlights BWXT's commitment to innovation, local job creation, and deepening our relationships within Peterborough,” said Brett Jermyn, BWXT NEC director of fuel handling and engineered solutions. “We’re excited to be working with the organization and tapping into their expertise and network to further enable our nuclear innovations and support our community.”

“Collaborating with BWXT NEC is a transformative step for our region, underscoring the synergy between cleantech innovation and sustainable development,” said Camila Duarte, Innovation Cluster executive director. “This collaboration aligns with our mission to cultivate a thriving innovation ecosystem and shows how strategic relationships can accelerate progress in essential sectors like health tech, cleantech, and nuclear energy.”

With the collaboration, Innovation Cluster launched its Corporate Sponsorship initiative to ignite innovation through corporate partnerships. As a result of the union, BWXT has become a Zone Partner and has an office inside the Innovation Cluster’s downtown Peterborough Incubator.

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Check Out The Business Beat This Week Featuring Lady Mack XO, The Capital PTBO, Pharmasave and Peterborough County

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

Author Carissa MacIntyre is offering to put your kid’s art on the cover of notebooks. Or put your own art on it.

Order one or a whole stack. It makes for a unique gift. MacIntyre, who goes by Lady Mack XO, is an independent author, freelance writer and public speaker. You can find her on social media or at ladymackxo.com.

Are you interested in acquiring an established business?

Owners of The Capital Ptbo are looking to pass the torch on to someone with a love for sports and retail who has the creativity and entrepreneurial spirit to hit a home run with this turnkey business. Located at 370 George St. N., The Capital offers a variety of sports apparel, both current and vintage designs that are sure to bring on some nostalgia. They carry the big names in sports as well as a huge selection supporting our local teams. If you’re interested in taking on this opportunity, reach out to Mark and Justin at capitalptbo@gmail.com.

There’s a new pharmacy in Norwood. Paul’s Norwood Pharmasave opened recently at 17 Spruce St.

They offer free local delivery, after-hours emergency service, quick prescription transfers, immunizations, home healthcare supplies and equipment, and more. Their goal is to be more than just your local pharmacy, they strive for excellent patient care. Drop by and see the new space and you could win some giveaways.

Bonnie Clark, Warden of the County of Peterborough and Deputy Mayor of the Township of Otonabee-South Monaghan, will be addressing the business community at a special Warden’s Breakfast hosted by the Peterborough and the Kawarthas Chamber of Commerce.

The breakfast will be at Lang Pioneer Village on April 23 from 8 – 10 a.m. and will feature special guest Meredith Stavelely-Watson from the Eastern Ontario Wardens’ Caucus talking about their 7 in 7+ regional housing plan. Get your tickets at pkchamber.ca.

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Voice of Business: Business and Political Leaders Need to Reset Their Relationship

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Guest Column by Daniel Tisch, President & CEO of the Ontario Chamber of Commerce

After what Pierre Poilievre told the Vancouver Board of Trade, it's clear business and political leaders need to reset their relationship.

After 18 months as federal Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre spoke last week to a local Chamber of Commerce for the first time.

As he took the stage in Vancouver, he was eager to explain why it took him so long.

Poilievre began by noting that he had spoken more than 100 times on shop floors and to union locals. That was good to hear — even refreshing. He deserves credit for that effort.

But then he dropped the punchline, and it wasn’t kind to his hosts. The real reason he stays away from business audiences, he said, is because of ‘utterly useless’ corporate lobbyists focused on ‘getting lunches with ministers’ and ‘showing off their latest ESG brochure.’

Poilievre created a caricature of ‘politicians and CEOs working together for their own interest.’

He’s not alone.

In Ottawa, business-bashing is part of the populist playbook — right across the political spectrum. Liberal Prime Minister Justin Trudeau recently slammed a media company for its “garbage decision” to make cuts and layoffs after a $40 million operating loss. His government has imposed new taxes and costs on banks and tech companies because they’re banks and tech companies.

New Democratic Party leader Jagmeet Singh routinely blames “‘corporate greed’ for rising prices. He recently accused retailers of ‘ripping people off’ — as if the high inflation, wage settlements and supply chain disruptions of recent years never happened.

Are concerns about high prices legitimate? Yes. Should business leaders be asked hard questions? Absolutely. Should their policy prescriptions be challenged and debated? Of course. Will anyone shed tears for big companies? No.

It’s a dangerous game, however, when political leaders traffic in anger, stereotyping and scapegoating of any group or institution. It might garner a few votes, but it won’t move us forward as a nation.

Canada has serious challenges: lagging productivity. Skills and labour shortages. An overloaded and disjointed health-care system. Insufficient investment in climate and clean technology infrastructure. And much more.

These challenges are too wicked for the government to solve alone. While government’s job is to set the agenda and make the rules, it’s a huge error for political leaders not to engage the financial, human, intellectual and relationship capital of the private sector.

Does business want to be part of the solution? You bet. That, too, earned a rebuke from Mr. Poilievre. He criticized business leaders because ‘they want to get along with everybody’ and urged them to ‘stop sucking up to the people who are doing the damage to our country.’

But it’s not the role of business leaders to get partisan, or to help opposition leaders get elected. Business leaders need to work with government — no matter who is in government.

This is particularly true today, in an era when none of the major federal party leaders have a business background. That’s not a criticism; they bring other skills and qualities to the table.

But it does mean business and political leaders need to reset their relationship, and to approach one another with fewer assumptions, and more humility; with less rhetoric, and more dialogue; and with less theatre, and more collaboration and co-creation.

In last week’s speech, Poilievre also told his audience that he favours a ‘bottom-up free enterprise agenda’ — i.e., an agenda rooted in the needs of enterprising businesspeople, not politicians in Ottawa. He was wise to speak at a Chamber of Commerce, because there’s no more “bottom-up” business organization in our nation today. In every town, city or province in Canada, from heartland to hinterland, the vast majority of Chamber members are small businesses. They want their chambers to work with Poilievre, Trudeau and Singh — just as they do successfully with all our provincial leaders.

Canada needs political and business leaders to work together in a spirit of goodwill, reflecting the shared interests of businesses, workers and communities. It’s time to rebuild that spirit.

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

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Innovation Cluster Launches Program to Aid Student Entrepreneurs From Post-Secondary Institutions

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The Innovation Cluster has launched the 2024 Slingshot Program to help accelerate student entrepreneurs from Trent University and Fleming College to enter the front lines of the startup world, announced on Monday morning.

pHOTO BY dAVID tUAN bUI.

The program offers a seven-week course culminating in a pitch competition on July 4th. The winner will be awarded a $3,000 prize to aid their entrepreneurship. Applications are open until April 21.

The program offers a pioneering curriculum led by industry leaders, covering:

  • Entrepreneurship Essentials: A deep dive into the fundamentals of entrepreneurship, equipping students with critical concepts and principles.

  • Business Idea Development: Techniques to refine and market-validate business ideas.

  • Business Model Analysis: Instruction on utilizing the Business Model Canvas for strategic venture development.

  • Market Research and Marketing Plans: Training in conducting effective market research and crafting compelling marketing strategies.

  • Pitching Skills and Competition: Opportunities to hone pitching skills and compete for a $3,000 prize.

Slingshot is open to university and college students or a graduate within the past six months.

Applications must meet the following criteria to apply:

  • Must be in the region of Peterborough and Kawartha Lakes

  • Must have a passion for entrepreneurship

  • Must be beyond ideation (MVP ideal)

  • Must have a business in innovation and technology (Social Innovation accepted)

An information session is scheduled for Wednesday at noon at the Innovation Cluster. It offers further insights into the program and its benefits. 

Potential applications are asked to RSVP for their information session.

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Peterborough DBIA Relocating Headquarters to Venture North Building On May 1

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The Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Area (DBIA) is relocating its headquarters to the Venture North building for May 1, announced on Monday morning.

pHOTO courtesy of the Peterborough DBIA.

The Board believed since the Venture North building was a central and visible position within the local business ecosystem as stated in a press release.

“As our community’s needs and the DBIA’s ambitions have grown, it became clear that a new space was necessary to support our future initiatives,” said Sacha Lai-Svirk, DBIA board chair. “The Venture North building offers a modern, sustainable, and accessible location that aligns with our goals and vision for the future of our downtown business area.”

The new headquarters will feature dedicated board rooms, a lobby area for public engagement and enhanced facilities designed to better serve the DBIA staff, members and community.

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Check Out The Business Beat This Week Featuring Ivy Event Space, Moving Forward, Peterborough Humane Society and Peterborough Chamber

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

There is a new venue at 164 Hunter St. W. called Ivy Event Space.

Owners Kristina and Aaron Goodwin started the business out of a passion for bringing people together. Seeing a need in the community for a versatile event space, they set out to create a sophisticated location catering to various events including children’s parties, family potlucks and corporate workshops.

They offer clients full control over the event experience without vendor restrictions. Their team is available to help coordinate your next event and offer a stress-free experience.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed with clutter, Debbie King has launched a new business called Moving Forward that specializes in helping seniors and homeowners de-clutter, downsize and overcome the intimidation of taking on a big task to create a more organized and safe home.

They offer private one-on-one sorting sessions where you can carefully consider what will be kept and what is no longer needed. Their mission is to leave clients in better circumstances and work with people who struggle with chronic disorganization and letting go. Find out more at movingforwardclutterking.ca

Peterborough Humane Society is celebrating Owen the Griff’s birthday by holding its first-ever 50/50 lottery and a ‘ruff’le for a set of beautiful patio chairs.

This is your chance to win money and support the new Animal Care Centre, helping local animals receive the care they need. Peterborough Humane Society is a registered charity that advocates for animals by rescuing lost, stray, and homeless pets throughout the region and has been doing so since 1941. Ticket sales end on April 17 at 1 p.m. Get yours at phs5050.ca.

Businesses looking to do business with the City of Peterborough are invited to attend a workshop hosted by the City in partnership with the Chamber of Commerce called ‘Unlocking Opportunities’ on April 11 at the McDonnel Street Community Centre.

The workshop will focus on navigating the procurement process and establishing partnerships with the City. Tips for the bidding process and advice on submitting competitive proposals will be provided. City representatives will be available to answer questions. Register at pkchamber.ca.

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Check Out The Business Beat This Week Featuring The Black Horse Pub, Harmony for Healing, Summer Soul Yoga and Chamber of Commerce

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

The Black Horse Pub in downtown Peterborough is under new ownership.

Sajen Ganeshalingam has purchased the pub from Desmond Vandenberg, who bought it six years ago from long-time owner Ray Kapoor. The Black Horse is a downtown landmark that has remained relatively unchanged for decades and the new owner plans to continue the tradition of being a live music venue. Drop by 452 George St. N. for some good food, drinks and live entertainment.

A big congratulations to Phillip Jolicoeur and everyone involved in the inaugural Harmony for Healing event at Market Hall.

The event raised $13,500, far exceeding the $10,000 goal. The event is in partnership with the Canadian Mental Health Association Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge with funds going toward the Assertive Outreach Suicide Prevention program. The sold-out event is a beacon of hope for suicide and mental health awareness. Plans are already underway for next year’s event titled Wish You Were Here, which will feature music from the 70s. Tickets are already more than half sold! Get yours at harmonyforhealing.ca.

Summer Soul Yoga and Wellness Studio at 394 George St. N. is kicking off March Break with a series of workshops.

They are hosting a beach party, family yoga, and a teen yoga mini retreat. The following week they are hosting a Somatic Healing workshop on March 23. Additionally, they’ll be hosting a Candlelight Market on April 20. Get the details on upcoming events or find out more about their regular schedule of 19 yoga and pilates classes at summersoul.ca.

The Peterborough and the Kawarthas Chamber of Commerce is hosting Dan Tisch, the newly appointed CEO of the Ontario Chamber of Commerce, for their Annual General Meeting on March 27.

Dan is known globally as an expert in corporate communications, public policy, community engagement, crisis and reputation management. He spent the last 20 years as the entrepreneurial force behind Argyle Communications. Dan has lectured at Queen’s University’s Smith School of Business since 1996 and regularly provides commentary on national media. Tickets are available at pkchamber.ca.

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