Hello CJG Friends!

I hope all that you, your family, and your staff are all healthy and recovered from a prosperous Q4! If there is one thing we can appreciate about the pandemic, it is that our industry shown strength while our customers were still unable to travel. We are hearing that nearly all of us are experiencing slow supply, staffing frustrations, but thankfully, very good sales.

In search of a vehicle with which to communicate effectively, it occurred to us that if there is one email that each of you read faithfully every month, it is your statement! So why not put the news of the month in that very email?

These newsletters will go out to both retailers and suppliers, although the information may be tailored to suit the needs of whichever group you fall into.

Our last board meeting was held late in January. Financials were reviewed, prospective suppliers were vetted and interviewed, and most exciting, we heard all the great ideas that came from the subcommittees that were recently created.

With the goals of attacking specific needs of the group in mind, a Communications Committee (Kim*, Richard, Glen, Jonathan), a Recruitment Committee (Geoff*, John, Charles), and a Show Committee (Kent*, Geoff, Colin, Jonathan) have been formed and are all working hard. You will see some great new initiatives in the near future - this newsletter for example. Have an idea? Reach out to a director on that committee! We’d love to hear from you.

Our old system of intergroup communication, the Round Table, or Forum, will be closed effective May 1, 2022. We will continue to use our Facebook Private Group (for retailers). If you aren’t part of this yet and need assistance joining, please contact the Head Office. For those members who were integral in the laborious work of creating the Forum, thank you! It has served us well for many years.

As you know, this year we are moving locations to the Delta Hotels Toronto Airport & Conference Centre.  We are still near the Toronto airport at a fabulous hotel that is better equipped to meet our Group’s growing needs. In order to make the switch this year, we needed to modify the dates. Please note, our dates are August 12-14, (Buying Show is Aug. 13 & 14). You are going to see some incredible improvements to our event, under the leadership of our Event Manager Michelle Penner at Head Office.

Speaking of the Buying Show, to meet the group’s needs and capitalize on the great wisdom and ideas on the Supplier side of our Group, a Supplier Task Force has been created to help us make the show great. This committee, made up of a cross-section of suppliers of different sizes, product categories, and tenure with our Group, will help the Show Committee understand the needs of suppliers so we can maneuver the logistics of a trade show.

Note that this is not a decision-making body but rather an idea-generating body. Participants in this committee do not have any advantage regarding information or preferential treatment. Rather, they have the opportunity to speak on behalf of the Supplier side of this great Group.

Delta Hotels Toronto Airport & Conference Centre

655 Dixon Road

Toronto, ON M9@ 1J3

Call 416-244-1711 or 1-800-688-3656 - direct to hotel

1-800-721-7033 - Mariott reservations

Just mention you are with the Canadian Jewellery Group

If you have any problems, contact Michelle Penner, Event Manager, CJG

Email: [email protected]

Tel: 705-789-1731

Direct Line: 204-975-8202

One of the biggest challenges we’ve all faced (retailers, suppliers, and staff alike) is the transition into our new central pay software. This newsletter is attached to the second month of the new system and each month is getting easier. As the deferred payments are made, you will see your interim system statements (in Quickbooks) disappear.

Soon, you will be back to one statement, all under the new software, and formatted to look much like our old one we are all used to. Thank you all for persevering through this transition, and especially to Pam and the Head Office staff for their incredible dedication to getting us through this very necessary stage and into a much stronger and healthier platform.

Lastly, a huge shout out to Coralee and the team at Head Office for all their hard work. Here’s an update from our Executive Director Extraordinaire:

Hello CJG Retailers and Suppliers,

We hope you had a wonderful start to the year! The Canadian Jewellery Group staff have been busy adapting to a brand-new custom-made software to improve your central pay experience. We’ve also had some recent staffing changes.

We appreciate your continued patience as we settle into all the transitions that the association has been undergoing. We are looking forward to continuing our journey with CJG and building relationships with all of you.

We’d like to re-introduce you to the team – some old and some new!

Executive Director

Accounting Manager

Accounting Clerk

Event Manager

Communications Specialist

That’s a wrap folks! Remember, with each statement, watch for this newsletter to stay current on what’s happening. Wishing you health and hopping sales!