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Welcome to the Greater Oshawa Chamber of Commerce

Need to Upgrade Your Business Computers?

Through Canada's Economic Action Plan, the federal government is helping businesses in all sectors of the economy by providing a temporary 100-percent capital cost allowance (CCA) rate on new computer hardware and systems software acquired after January 27, 2009, and before February 1, 2011. The cost of this initiative is estimated at $340 million in 2009-10 and $355 million in 2010-11. Click here for more information.

Snowbirds To Perform Fly-By To Celebrate UOIT’s New Clean Energy Research Laboratory

The Canadian Forces' Snowbirds will to do a double fly-by at an "exciting" altitude of only 500' for the official opening of the University of Ontario Institute of Technology’s (UOIT) Clean Energy Research Laboratory (CERL)—a cutting-edge research facility unlike any other in the world. The Snowbirds Fly-by will take place on Tuesday, September 7, 2010 at the main campus of UOIT, 2000 Simcoe Street North, at approximately 1:20 p.m. The Snowbirds will enter Oshawa's airspace from the west just north of Rossland Road at 1:20 pm and will proceed northeast over Oshawa Airport and then north over the university, circle clockwise over the hamlet of Columbus and then back over the Clean Energy Research Laboratory and then proceed southwards above Simcoe Street to the Oshawa harbour and then out over Lake Ontario towards Ottawa. Attendance to the opening ceremony is by invitation only, but you can watch the skies to see the fly-by.

Economic Development And Education Taxes Top Municipal Election Survey

CKDO and Durham Business Groups to Host Live Election Debates. Concerned about how tax increases would impact your business or yourself personally as a property taxpayer? Find out how municipal election candidates would address these and other issues by tuning in to live debates on CKDO 107.7FM/1580AM Radio. The Durham Region Association of REALTORS®, Durham Region Home Builders’ Association and the Greater Oshawa Chamber of Commerce have teamed up with Durham Radio Inc., owner of CKDO Radio to bring you the debates.

Port Of Oshawa Decision A “Win - Win - Win” For All

The Greater Oshawa Chamber of Commerce has always supported a timely resolution to the future of Oshawa Harbour and welcomed the news that the Government of Canada, the City of Oshawa and the Oshawa Harbour Commission have worked collaboratively to reach an agreement that is a “Win Win Win” for all parties and further that the Government of Canada is investing in major improvements to the Port of Oshawa that will boost the Port as an attraction for families and visitors and support new jobs and business opportunities in the region.

Kate Wheeler , New Anchor of Studio 12 News, Emcees Business Excellence Awards

The Greater Oshawa Chamber of Commerce presents the 15th Annual Business Excellence Awards at the Holiday Inn Oshawa Whitby Conference Centre on Thursday, September 16th, 2010. The Chamber is pleased to have Kate Wheeler, former CTV news anchor, and the new host of Studio 12 News Oshawa as the emcee of the event to honour this year's Business Excellence Awards recipients. Studio 12 News Oshawa will be launched in late September.

Time To Celebrate - Business Excellence Awards

Thursday, September 16, 2010 is set for the 15th Annual Business Excellence Awards to “Celebrate Business”. Chamber President, John Walker is pleased to announce the 2010 recipients of the prestigious Business Excellence Awards are: “Business Excellence”—Perry Mechanical Inc., Oshawa, and Northwind Solutions, Oshawa; “Civic Pride”—Oshawa Generals Hockey Club, Oshawa; “Innovative Technology”—Durham College, Durham Region; “New Enterprise”—Victory Cigars, Oshawa; “Business Person of the Year”—Mr. Keith Miller, of W.B. White Insurance Brokers Limited, Oshawa.

Chamber Welcomes Oshawa Harbour Agreement

The Greater Oshawa Chamber of Commerce has always supported a timely resolution to the future of Oshawa Harbour and welcomed the news that the Government of Canada, the City of Oshawa and the Oshawa harbour Commission have worked collaboratively to reach an agreement that is a Win-Win-Win for all parties and further that the Government of Canada is investing in major improvements to the Port of Oshawa that will boost the Port as an attraction for families and visitors and support new jobs and business opportunities in the region.

This current news of an additional $10 million along with announcement by Minister Flaherty last year of the $9.2 million in federal funding over two years for environmental assessments and remediation of harbour marina lands and the west wharf and the creation of a Canadian Port Authority (CPA) announced by the Minister Baird is a good start to rejuvenating Port Oshawa. In a letter to Minister of Transport John Baird in 2009, the Chamber identified the environmental cleanup and future governance model of the harbour as two important priorities. It felt sufficient funds needed to be allocated for the environmental cleanup of the marina and caveated lands.

The Chamber believes Oshawa’s deep water harbour, 1 of only 18 in Canada, offers significant economic benefits to existing business and has the potential to attract new businesses to Durham Region. The Chamber supports industrial, recreational, commercial and residential uses at the port and over the past decade, has shared that position with numerous transport ministers.

For full details on the agreement and for other information, visit www.oshawa.ca/harbour.

Hwy. 407 — A Promise Made Should Be Kept

The June 2nd announcement of the phasing of Highway 407 through Durham, with the first end of link terminating at Simcoe Street in Oshawa, came as a surprise to the Greater Oshawa Chamber of Commerce.

In a letter to Premier Dalton McGuinty on June 25, 2010 the Greater Oshawa Chamber of Commerce thanked the Premier and the Ministry for announcing the extension of Highway 407, as a good start and noted its extreme disappointment that the parameters for completion of the highway had changed without any dialogue or input from the Durham community which has worked so diligently and in good faith over the past ten years on the completion of the Highway 407 extension to 35/115.

The Greater Oshawa Chamber of Commerce feels the public and business community have been mislead by the Ontario Government, adding to hear the announcement through the media was not right.

Click here for the complete letter to Premier Dalton McGuinty [PDF]

Click here for a copy of the response from Premier Dalton McGuinty [PDF]

HST Implementation Checklist

Submitted by HOBB & COMPANY, Chartered Accountants & Tax Specialists
Businesses may want to consider delaying the purchase of goods and services that are subject to PST until after July 1, 2010 to take advantage of eligible ITC’s, for example, office equipment and furnishings. As the 8% provincial component of the HST may be recoverable, overall operating costs will be lower. Some consumers will be expecting to see cost adjustments to lower their costs. Consider the impact of HST on your pricing competitiveness.

HST Implementation Checklist

Harmonized Sales Tax: Overview of the Ontario HST presented by Cathie Rogan, CGA, Hobb & Company