The Greater Oshawa Chamber of Commerce in co-operation with the Durham Region Association of Realtors and Durham Region Homebuilders hosted a breakfast meeting on October 14th to learn first hand from Ontario’s Revenue Minister John Wilkinson why the Harmonized Sales Tax (HST) is good for business, consumers and the broader Ontario economy.
The Greater Oshawa Chamber of Commerce (GOCC) achieved a significant win towards a nuclear energy strategy. Over 250 delegates from chambers of commerce and boards of trade, from coast to coast to coast representing 175,000 businesses of all sizes, in all sectors of the economy and in all regions, debated and referred the GOCC resolution to the Canadian Chamber Board of Directors to ensure that Canada has a Nuclear Energy Strategy included as part of the “Canadian Sustainable Energy Strategy” announced at the Victoria Canadian Chamber of Commerce Annual General Meeting on October 5, 2009.
MIKEY defibrillators are now on board event cruisers at Durham Radio’s KX96 New Country FM, CKDO 107.7FM/1580AM and 94.9 The ROCK. A MIKEY is a public-access defibrillator. The shock from a Mikey can save a life within minutes, even before emergency services personnel arrive. Pictured are (left to right):Mike Fuller, Rock Cruiser; Laura Belford, CKDO Events Cruiser; Hugh Heron, Heathwood Homes; Will Nash, KX96 Community Cruiser; Monty Henkle, Chairman of Mikey Network; and Doug Kirk, President of Durham Radio Inc.
In special section on Travel & Credit Card Rewards in the Thursday, September 24th issue of the Globe & Mail it was reported that redemptions of points for credit cards that deliver reward points is up. It was also reported that smart loyalty programs are responding to that demand. What was absent from the special section was the impact loyalty reward cards are having on merchants accepting the cards.
Time is of the essence as Canada’s leadership in the world’s nuclear industry is at stake. The Organization of CANDU Industries (OCI) welcomes comments made by Natural Resources Minister Lisa Raitt committing to work with the Ontario government to make a timely decision on Canada’s nuclear future. In a speech at the Economic Club of Canada, Raitt declared “…it’s time we work together, for Canadians and Ontarians, to build a stronger future for our nuclear industry but time is of the essence.”
The Ontario Chamber of Commerce is reminding businesses throughout Ontario to be vigilant in protecting their operations and employees from possible effects of a global flu pandemic, by issuing an updated Pandemic Planning Tool Kit.
Businesses should start planning how to maintain critical operations, manage supply disruptions and handle employees who need to stay home and take care of themselves or sick family members during a widespread emergency like a flu pandemic. A national survey demonstrates that half of all companies surveyed have no pandemic plan.
Ontario is the first jurisdiction in Canada to develop province-wide, enforceable accessibility standards. The proposed accessible built environment standard is the fifth standard to be released for public review. The provincial government’s proposed rules governing how businesses and organizations in Ontario prevent and remove barriers for people with disabilities, in their physical surroundings, are now available for comment. The government’s Accessibility Standards Committee for the Built Environment (of which the Ontario Chamber of Commerce is a member) has drafted the rules which are available online for public review until October 16, at the website listed at the end of this article.
OshawaOntario, is known as the home of General Motors of Canada, and that has brought prosperity to the city for almost 100 years. But a world-wide recession and depressed auto sales have forced the giant company to reinvent itself and Oshawa is changing along with it. As laid-off auto workers struggle to adapt and find new jobs, city leaders are continuing with their efforts to diversify the local economy. Bob Malcolmson, CEO and General Manager of the Oshawa Chamber of Commerce participated in the filming of an hour long documentary about its city which was aired on CPAC. Titled, “Oshawa: The Road to Reinvention”, the program looks at the past, present and future of General Motors in Oshawa as it also reveals new opportunities that have developed in health-care, higher education and alternative fuel research.
Employment Insurance In June, Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Leader of the Official Opposition Michael Ignatieff agreed to form a working group to develop proposals for EI reform that would allow self-employed Canadians to participate voluntarily in the EI program and improve eligibility requirements in order to ensure regional fairness. Chambers were recently sent information on EI which The Canadian Chamber of Commerce provided for advocacy efforts over the summer on this important file. To view the letters, click here.
Economic Series: Executive Summaries Over the last few months The Canadian Chamber of Commerce, supported generously by ADP, has been able to produce a series of papers on key public policy issues facing Canada today. These reports include: immigration; Canadian energy; inflation and deflation; and a carbon tax versus cap and trade. The entire series, an all-in-one document with executive summaries of all of the papers has been put together. The economic series was crafted not to recommend specific policy solutions, but to stimulate public discussion and debate about the nation’s challenges.
The Ontario Chamber of Commerce is reminding businesses throughout 
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