Sue Clifford CURO Accounting and Crystal Wolters Accurex Inc. at the CRA Payroll Seminar - Village Inn Lakefield

Recently I had the opportunity to facilitate a presentation put on by Canada Revenue on Payroll Deductions at the beautiful Village Inn in Lakefield.  I was subbing in for our Business Advisory Centre Manager Elizabeth Teleki and therefore was a first-timer to this type of seminar.  I was joined by a number of small business owners, predominately accounting and book-keeping service providers, that were looking for  information on processing payroll deductions.

The session was led by a Revenue Canada outreach co-ordinator who has done a number of similar seminars across the province.  She was extremely knowledgable and provided a wealth of information not only on payroll deductions and remittances but also taxable benefits and allowances. We were updated on recent reforms to CPP for employees between the ages of 60 and 70. We were also taken through an impressive number of online tools that are available to employers – including online calculators for payroll deducations and automobile benefits.

Of particular interest to me was a new tool  – the click to talk feature which allows you to enter your phone number online and an agent will contact you directly, to answer any questions you may have, within minutes. A number of the attendees of the seminar had used this feature and were very impressed with the promptness of response.

CRA will be hosting a series of small business information webinars throughout the month of March.   More information is available at the Canada Revenue website http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/menu-eng.html.

THANK YOU!

To The Good People Of Peterborough:

In December, we at Foxfire had somewhat of a dilemna ….. We had a director, designer, sound and camera  people and producers  flying in from France to specifically come and film snow scenes which would complete  approx. a years’ worth of earlier work.  Searching for snow to film with this January was a bit a of a ridiculous exercise . You might find it… but by the time you got back with the director… it was gone. This led to the decision to make contact and scout approx. 13 cities and counties that we,  by nature, don’t often… if eve… film in. Starting in Owen Sound to the west and ending in the east with Belleville; we tried to play our cards by setting up the necessary locations etc. in towns that were embedded in the snow belt.

Although they were  very nice towns and did their best to be helpful… there were not enough basic ingredients to guarantee  a recipe for success.  What we needed were the kind of locations that are common to Toronto and Hamilton, but in the snow belt… and some unique locations that could not be found anywhere at this point. This is where Peterborough comes into the fore….

Contact was made with Kate Young in Economic Development… who I must say is a’ tiny ticking time bomb of talent’ and things started to gel quite quickly. Her ease of communication and ability to ‘get it’ the first time drew us in immediately.  Architecturally ,  Peterborough is  chock full…  and unlike some places has retained it’s charm by not decimating the old buildings of the downtown  core. It has the small town look we were  looking for.

This is all well  and nice , but it’s the people of Peterborough that take this story over.  To be frank, we’re not used to complete and utter surrender from communities when we  come to film.  Sometimes, in more affluent areas of Toronto, it’s like walking thru a shuttered and deserted main street in a spaghetti  western , the  trimmings from Japanese gardeners drifting by like tumbleweeds…nobody wants to openly co-operate.

In Peterborough, we were  greeted by the locals in a similar way the Amish respond to the distress bell ringing in the film ‘Witness’. People came over the hill from the fields with their pitchforks… naturally willing to do whatever they could to help… moving their cars at 6:00 in the morning, baking cookies for us , offering their homes  to keep warm , their washrooms etc… and in most cases refusing to accept money.  I’m from a small town and this is the attitude  that keeps towns ticking in tough times .  You made my job somewhat easy and I am appreciative.  I’d also like to say my intention is to bring whatever  work  I can to the area and hope you’ll have us back.

From:

Eardley Wilmot    (pictured on the right)

Location Manager

Mike Bruce (pictured on the left)

Asst. Location Manager

Well, for the eleventh year running we had a very successful Doctor Appreciation Day in the Greater Peterborough Area. There was another slight change to the manner in which the day was advertised for the members of the public to become involved. Last year, as many will remember, we suggested that patients send a donation to the Peterborough Regional Health Centre Foundation to support the work that they do and just let their doctor(s) know what they had done. This year, in addition to the same suggestion, we also encouraged people to consider sending a donation to the Peterborough Health Services Foundation as well, or choose to alternate. This foundation supports the purchasing of equipment that becomes part of the family health teams wherein the family docs work with a variety of allied health care workers. The results of these changes are still to be determined and will dictate what may or may not happen next year.

Submitted by: John MacDonald, Physician Recruiter

Paul Portelli gives simple advice on how to be a successful in art and business following his fantastic presentation at the the Business Advisory Centre’s Artrepreneur event on February 7, 2012

Business Advisory Centre Manager, Elizabeth Teleki shows her appreciation for our local arts community

Ann Douglas, the Savvy Artrepreneur answers the questions “What advise do you give to artists who are trying to succeed in business?” at the Business Advisory Centre’s Artrepreneur event

I’ve just arrived home and I’m still on a bit of a networking high following our most successful Creative Cocktail… people (including me) are still tweeting about it! With approximately 100 people in attendance, the Market Hall in downtown Peterborough was alive with spirited conversation, budding business relationships and name to face to twitter handle recognition.

Although I had a great time, ate some wonderful local munchies, caught up with some old contacts and made several new… my mind is not done working.  I’m curious, if I’m making approximately 10 new contacts at each Creative Cocktail and I’ve already contacted or started working with about 5 of those new individuals… what other connections are being made? I know of at least one person who has a new job thanks to a connection made at the first Creative Cocktail, another 2 who have part time work and many others who have started working with each other on job by job basis.

But I want to hear it from you Peterborough! Send me your stories and successes that have happened as a result of Creative Cocktail to kyoung@gpaedc.on.ca  and we’ll share your stories in our blog on www.PeterboroughCanada.com

Submitted by: Kate Young, @youngk8e, kyoung@gpaedc.on.ca

The SAVVY Artrepreneur, Ann Douglas started today’s event with a humorous and educational look at achieving your dream in the world of art

[PETERBOROUGH] Today, the Greater Peterborough Area Economic Development Corporation (GPA EDC)’s Business Advisory Centre recognized excellence in small business and those who cultivate the spirit of entrepreneurship in our community. Small business is a key driver of our local economy and entrepreneurs work tirelessly to creatively grow their businesses, providing employment and increasing the quality of life for residents in the City and County of Peterborough.

The Business Advisory Centre also recognized its 2011 sponsors who provide funding and expertise for the delivery of advisory services at 9 locations throughout Peterborough City and County. These services provide tools and know-how to individuals who are seeking advice on starting and expand small businesses in our community.

The following businesses were recognized for their 2011 sponsorship of the Business Advisory Centre: DNS Real Estate Limited Brokerage, Fleming College, Peterborough Construction Association, CHEX Television, Darling Insurance, Kawartha Credit Union, Kawartha Manufacturing Association, Lazer Graphics, McColl Turner Chartered Accountants, Nexicom, Terry Windrem – The Protector’s Group.

In 2011, the GPA EDC showed it’s commitment to promoting vibrant economic and employment opportunities in our community through the development of the EPIC (Entrepreneurs Proudly Investing in our Community) Ventures program. EPIC Ventures recognizes Peterborough region’s small business community’s contribution to economic growth, quality of life and creative business opportunities.  Our 2011 recipients include: Wild Rock Outfitters, The Silver Bean, Shish Kabob Hut, Seniors Dreams Inc., Kawartha Endodontics, Jo Anne’s Place and Traynor Beef Farms.

Each winner received a promotional prize pack that includes a “My Peterborough” radio feature on the KRUZ FM, a profile on PTBOCanada.com, on-line recognition on the Peterborough This Week and Peterborough Examiner websites, downtown display space provided by DNS Real Estate Limited Brokerage, a profile in The Business Beat and a one hour social media consultation with Sofie Andreou.  During the reception, Senior’s Dream won a grand prize draw worth $1500.

The Business Advisory Centre, a member of the Ministry of Economic Development & Innovation’s Small Business Enterprise Centre network, is a resource centre for entrepreneurs and small business owners. Our professional consultants advise business owners in the City and County of Peterborough on key aspects of startup and maintaining successful businesses. For more information, visit www.businessadvisorycentre.ca.

What does a retired executive from one of the largest manufacturers in this region do with all his new found spare time?  If you are Tom Sayer, you contribute your time and expertise to building this region’s industrial and commercial economy.  Sayer is currently Chair of the local Kawartha Manufacturers’ Association, and, as of February 2^nd, 2012 will take over as Board Chair of the Greater Peterborough Area Economic Development Corporation (GPA EDC) at the organization’s Annual General Meeting.

Sayer’s knowledge and experience in the industrial sector and his proven track record for leadership makes him a welcomed asset to the economic development organization’s Board of Directors.

During his more than 10 years as a plant manager of General Electric, Peterborough, Sayer cultivated a leadership style that focused on both internal and external relationship building.  He was a key member of the management team that drove a 60% increase in manufacturing volume and tripled operating margins in a 3 year period.   It was this accomplishment that saw the Peterborough plant recognized as the 2006 Top Performing Plant for GE Consumer and Industrial.  Prior to retirement, Sayer focused his energy and talent to positioning the Large Motors and Generators Business for rapid growth by leveraging a global supply chain. 

This proven record for future focused strategic planning and driving change will blend nicely with the strategic focus of Peterborough’s economic development agency that have been actively identifying growth opportunities particularly in the clean water technology, aviation and nuclear sectors.

When he is not actively contributing to the local economy through his role as the Chair of the KMA, Tom enjoys curling, fishing and travelling. 

Welcome aboard Tom!