A public school board report calling for the closure of an Oshawa high school is shortsighted and the process leading to the recommendation is flawed, the Greater Oshawa Chamber of Commerce argues. “The process leading to a recommendation to close Dr. FJ Donevan Collegiate Institute has been insufficient and the outcome appears to have been predetermined by administration with little or no consideration to the needs of the community as a whole,” says Chamber General Manager and CEO Bob Malcolmson. He represents the business community on the Durham District School Board’s (DDSB) Accommodation Review Committee (ARC) for the East Oshawa, secondary schools area. The committee also includes parents, school staff and a representative from the City of Oshawa. When formed last May, it was asked to consider consolidating Donevan into Eastdale Collegiate Vocational Institute.

by Bob Malcolmson, CEO & General Manager, Greater Oshawa Chamber of Commerce

Recently the Chamber has become aware of other business and industry association plans holding themselves out to be “similar” to the Chamber Group (healthcare plan). This is just simply not the case. Most of these plans are for profit and claims rated programs, providing little to no protection to your business should you have a high usage year. In addition none have a “pool” the size of the Chambers Plan, and as such can’t provide the stability on core rates that the Chamber plan can.While some may offer significant first year savings they do so with no risk to themselves. If you claim more than 60-70% of what you pay in health and dental premiums you will see a significant increase on your renewal putting your plan in jeopardy.

by Sgt. Nicole Hamilton
PRO Unit, Central East Division, Durham Regional Police Service

Central East Project Unit, formerly COPR UNIT, is comprised of 8 officers and a sergeant working out of 17 Division in downtown Oshawa. The PRO Unit is tasked with identifying problems in the Central East and working with community partners to reduce calls for service by using a combination of proactive and reactive strategies. The unit uses targeted enforcement strategies and patrols downtown and south Oshawa with high visibility on foot and on bicycle and interacts with community partners to resolve problems/issues. As a problem solving unit, the team is also responsible for neighborhood problem solving. PRO is responsible for: identifying problems and interacting with community partners to resolution; developing a shared responsibility using problem based learning; enhancing community police relations; reducing calls for service using a combination of proactive and reactive initiatives; conducting targeted enforcement strategies in problem solving initiatives; creating high visibility on foot in the downtown and south Oshawa and parking marked vehicles in high visibility areas of downtown.

Plans to add a second shift to the Oshawa Car Assembly Plant’s state-of-the-art flexible manufacturing line were announced February 11, 2010 at the Canadian International Auto Show in Toronto. The shift will begin in the fourth quarter of 2010 in preparation for the North American production of the Buick Regal, which is slated to commence in the first quarter of 2011. 

Vancouver is expected to top the podium in terms of economic growth among Canadian cities this year, according to the Conference Board’s Metropolitan Outlook – Winter 2010. “Only four Canadian cities posted economic growth of any kind in 2009 — Halifax, Saint John, Winnipeg and Regina,” said Mario Lefebvre, Director, Centre for Municipal Studies. “Fortunately, Canadian cities are on the rebound in 2010, although the pace of recovery will vary markedly.” This is the one annual Conference Board outlook where forecasts for all 27 CMAs covered in the Metropolitan Outlook are completed at the same time. Four CMAs — Oshawa and Ottawa-Gatineau in Ontario, and Edmonton and Saskatoon in the west — are forecast to post growth of 3.2 per cent in 2010.

The Canadian and American governments reached an agreement on Friday February 5, 2010 on Buy American provisions. The agreement represents an important step forward putting Canadian companies in a better position to benefit from remaining U.S. infrastructure stimulus funding and establishes a mechanism for negotiating further access to U.S. markets. This means Canada is now in a stronger position compared to the other countries that are members of the World Trade Organization’s Government Procurement Agreement.