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IN THIS ISSUE
Presidents_Message

Chairperson's Message


On January 25th the Dufferin Board of Trade hosted the Kick-Off to 2017 member appreciation event, and what an evening it was. The Kick-Off saw the launch of the new Think Local campaign, the introduction of two new affinity programs, delicious food and celebratory cake, and as always at DBOT events, a fantastic opportunity for members to socialize and network with one another. We would like to thank everyone who attended and would also like to thank proud DBOT members  Quest for Cakes Bakery for catering the event, BDO Canada LLP for donating two Toronto Maple Leaf tickets as the door prize, and CCV Insurance for donating a wonderful gift basket door prize.

The 2017 Industry Luncheon is fast approaching and is shaping up to be one of the best yet. This year's Luncheon features keynote speaker 
Dr. Sean Wise, a celebrated business speaker who specializes in helping emerging and high growth potential organizations jump on the trajectory and turn a profit. Be sure to register today to reserve your spot!

- Joe Andrews
Your_County
Dufferin Board of Trade Launches New Think Local Campaign

On January 25, 2017 the Dufferin Board of Trade (DBOT) announced the launch of their new Think Local campaign at the Kick-Off to 2017-member appreciation event to a packed room of attendees. The Think Local campaign is anchored around a newly designed window decal for use on member businesses as well as for all business owners in Dufferin County.

Designed by Mono-Arts and Graphics Printing, a proud DBOT member, the decal features; the tagline Think Local in broad letters; an image of a downtown row of shops, reminiscent of many of Dufferin County's municipal centres; the bold and highly recognizable Dufferin Board of Trade logo; and the familiar slogan "in Business for Business". 


Although the decal's central feature is a row of shops, the Dufferin Board of Trade emphasizes that the Think Local campaign extends to all businesses, not just retail or service industries. On the launch of the new campaign Diana Morris, General Manager of the Dufferin Board of Trade stated, "Think Local is DBOTs new campaign to support our outstanding members and the greater Dufferin business community. DBOT believes that by encouraging our members to think local it will in turn encourage consumers to think local. Thinking local means buying local, partnering local, and working together to build a stronger more resilient economy for Dufferin County. Our new decal encompasses all of those sentiments and we hope it will be very popular among our members and local businesses."

Read the full story here.
2017 Industry Luncheon with Keynote Speaker Dr. Sean Wise

Event Details
February 23rd 2017
7 Buena Vista Drive  
Orangeville, Ontario L9W 0A2 Canada
11:30 am - 2:30 pm
Cost:  $75

The Dufferin Board of Trade, Rotary Club of Orangeville and the Greater Dufferin Home Builders Association are proud to present  the 2017 Industry Luncheon!


This year's keynote presentation: 
How to Innovate like a Startup
with Dr. Sean Wise, BA LLB MBA PhD

Entrepreneurs are the backbone of the Canadian economy . In a time when products, processes and services can become obsolete overnight, no organization can afford to be complacent. To stay ahead of current competitors and nimble new start-ups, all organizations must continually reinvent themselves to harness new technologies and resources, create and exploit emerging markets, and disrupt existing industries. To do this effectively, organizations must:
  • Empower all employees to think and act like entrepreneurs;
  • Engage with stakeholders to identify new markets;
  • Unlock the innovation potential of all business units, not just the R&D department; and,
  • Collaboratively develop compelling value propositions to outpace competitors and seize emerging markets and opportunities.
In this interactive innovation session, Dr. Wise shares the naked truth behind entrepreneurial innovation and how you too can benefit from a greater entrepreneurial mindset. 

To register call 519-940-6900 or email: info@gdhba.ca
Have_Say
EmployerOne Survey Closes Tomorrow, January 31st 2017!


Calling All Employers. The Workforce Planning Board of Waterloo Wellington Dufferin in partnership with the Dufferin Board of Trade, is launching the 3rd annual Employer One Survey from January 2-31, 2017. 

The EmployerOne Survey is an on-line survey of local employers focused on the demandside of the local labour market. It is designed to collect information annually on a range of workforce issues such as labour turnover, hard-to-fill positions, recruitment difficulties, and current and future skill shortages. 

Employers in our region have been saying there is a skills gap and that they are having a difficult time finding a skilled workforce to fill available positions. As an example, the 2016 results showed that 62% of manufacturer sector respondents indicated that they had hiring challenges. Top reasons why positions are hard to fill include "too few applicants" and "lack of technical skills". 

Valuable information gathered in the EmployerOne survey is used by the Workforce Planning Board and over 30 community stakeholder organizations to seek local solutions to local challenges. 

Make sure your sector has a strong voice! Take the survey here.
Provincial
Federal Government Considers Taxing Employer-Paid Health and Dental Benefits

The federal government is considering taxing employer-paid health and dental benefits. In addition to hundreds or thousands of dollars that would be added to Canadians' tax bills, it also means that many employers will no longer provide coverage to employees. 

When a similar tax was introduced in Quebec, 20% of employers dropped health and dental benefits for employees. Studies suggest the removal of this tax benefit across the board could result in a decrease of 50% of small firms who will be able to offer health benefits.

The Dufferin Board of Trade is advocating on behalf of its members in opposition to this proposal by contacting both the Dufferin-Caledon MP and the Minister of Finance. We will keep our members updated throughout the process.

Read the letter we will be sending here.

MemBenefits
New Affinity Program: Group Home & Auto Insurance 
Through CCV Insurance

As part of Economical Insurance®, one of Canada's most respected property and casualty
insurance companies, Economical Select provides exclusive, discounted rates on car and home
insurance to work groups and associations across the country. We are your group advantage®.

Getting great coverage at a great price is just the beginning. You can count on us for the
service and attention you deserve. We consistently score higher than 90 per cent in our claims satisfaction surveys and our specialized team of over 600 claims professionals is ready to assist you 24 hours a day. Plus, our best-in-class guarantees provide you with fast, hassle-free repairs.

Call for a quote.
1-866-576-5931
group@ccvinsurance.com
New Affinity Program: Grand & Toy

Through the purchasing power of the Dufferin Board of Trade, we are able to provide a specialized program that extends preferred pricing to all qualified members. Receive up to  85% off  over 7,500 quality office products including; office supplies, technology, furniture, cleaning, breakroom, print and promotional products. Experience the value by shopping at Grand & Toy today.
 
Click here for more information

Events
Tax Planning for Small Business
February 8 @ 9:00 am - 12:00 pm
Tony Rose Memorial Sports Centre6 Northman Way 
Orangeville, Ontario L9W 3B2 Canada

Sally Slumskie of BDO will present this interactive session and provide valuable tips and essential rules for operating a small business and minimizing or deferring income taxes payable.

Click here for more information.
Write an Effective Business Plan
February 16 @ 2:00 pm - 4:30 pm
Orangeville Town Hall, Lower Committee Room87 Broadway 
Orangeville, ON L9W 1K1 Canada 

In this interactive and hands-on workshop, participants will learn the essential elements of a business plan and take practical steps to create their own business planning documents.

Click here for more information.
February 23 @ 11:30 am - 2:30 pm
7 Buena Vista Drive 
Orangeville, 
Ontario, 
L9W 0A2 Canada 

How to Innovate like a Startup
with Dr. Sean Wise, BA LLB MBA PhD

Call 519.940.6900 or email: info@gdhba.ca to register.

Click here for more information.
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