Inside Business - May 2014

Nearly 40 local businesses and organizations have been named as finalists for the Timmins Chamber of Commerce’s 2014 Nova Business Excellence Awards, the region’s big-gest celebration of entrepreneurial achievement.

A panel of six independent com-munity judges narrowed more than 100 nominations down to three final-ists in 14 categories, each represent-ing some of the best and brightest of Timmins’ business community. They will be celebrated at the Nova Awards’ gala evening, to be held at the Mc-Intyre Arena on May 22.

Now in its 12th year, the awards gala recognizes the best of Timmins business. This history of local excel-lence continues to be reflected in the caliber of this year’s nominees, ac-

cording to Phil Barton, President of the Timmins Chamber of Commerce.

“Timmins is home to some incred-ibly innovative businesses and pas-sionate entrepreneurs, which shines through the impressive nominations that we received,” said Barton.

“It says a great deal about the com-munity to see this year’s finalists in-clude so many fantastic companies from so many different sectors, and we look forward to celebrating their achievements on May 22.”

This year’s Nova Awards will fea-ture a “garden party” theme, which recognizes not only the season but also how local businesses help to grow Timmins’ economy.

“The Nova Awards are really about recognizing companies that make Timmins a uniquely great place to

succeed,” said Barton. “Our entrepre-neurs are also our neighbors, and it’s crucial to note that they strengthen our economy while funding col-lege scholarships, sponsoring sports teams, and providing jobs. We’re hap-py to help honour them, and that so many in the community are willing to join us in this celebration.”

Tickets to the gala event are $90 plus HST, or $75 plus HST for Cham-ber members; tables of 10 are avail-able. Ticket reservations can be made via phone at (705) 360-1900, via email at [email protected], or by visiting the Chamber website at www.timminschamber.on.ca

A photo gallery of finalists receiv-ing their notifications is available at http://tinyurl.com/Nova2014Finalists

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Finalists announced for 2014 Nova Awards

Business Contribution to the Community(1-30 Employees) Dubé DesignsLemongrass Custom Floral & Home DécorN. Lacroix Plumbing & Heating

Porcupine Gold Mines - Goldcorp Canada Ltd. Business Contribution to the Community (31+ Employees) Davidson de Laplante Insurance Brokers Ltd.Giant TigerKidd Operations

Northern College Service ExcellenceGuy’s Custom CabinetsHoliday Inn Express & Suites TimminsPaul Ayotte Insurance Brokers Ltd.

Caisse Populaire de TimminsNew Business (Under 2 Years) Holiday Inn Express & Suites TimminsNarrative InteriorsThe Movement Studio

RBC Marketing Innovation AchievementBoivin Law OfficeDubé DesignsRainville Health

College Boréal Young Entrepreneur (Under 30)Kimberly Sulatycky, Bliss Beauty BarJessica Trudel, Cursor CommunicationsPaul Brunet and Alain Lefebvre, Great White North Technology Consulting Inc.

NorFab Metal and Machine Best Place to Work HGS Canada Inc. (Timmins)Kidd OperationsPanels and Pipes Inc.TD Bank Group Business of the Year (1-5 Employees)Discover Fitness with Kate Durst Inc.Neo Laser Tag Inc.Quantum Realty Services Ltd.Scotiabank Business of the Year(6-49 Employees)Guy’s Custom CabinetsPorcupine CanvasRainville HealthNorthern Credit Union Limited Business of the Year (50+ Employees)Detour GoldEast Side Mario’sPremier Recycling Ltd.

City of Timmins Non-Profit OrganizationAnti-Hunger Coalition TimminsStella Nova Gymnastics CentreTimmins Native Friendship Centre

Environmental ExcellenceBees and Berries FarmBlue Heron EnvironmentalPremier Recycling Ltd.

NorthernTel Technology EDM DigitalGorf Manufacturing/ Contracting Ltd.Great White North Technology Consulting Inc.

De Beers Canada Aboriginal Partnership To be announced at the Nova Awards

The finalists in each award category are:

inside business2 - MAY 2014

The Timmins Chamber of Commerce is asking the government to do its homework how it makes decisions about issues that af-fect Northern Ontario, including forestry and the sell-off of Crown corporations.

As the voice of business, the Timmins Chamber is proposing that the govern-ment conduct more thorough research into the potential impact of any major pol-icy changes it is seeking to make. With in-put from its members as well as its Govern-ment Regulation and Policy Committee, the Timmins Chamber has put together two sets of recommendations for the On-tario government (as below) in order to protect our region’s economy and our busi-nesses’ ability to succeed.

In the coming months, the Chamber will work with its partners throughout the region, government, and the Ontario Chamber network to help make these changes a reality.

In an effort to strengthen these efforts, the Timmins Chamber reached out to its counterparts across the province at the Ontario Chamber of Commerce’s Annual General Meeting, held in Sault Ste. Marie on May 1-4. The specific details of each policy are listed below.

If you’d like the complete documents, please visit timminschamber.on.ca/policy

Finding balance in the Endangered Species Act

The Endangered Species Act is a key example of how government policy can inadvertently have a massive, negative im-pact on the economy of Northern Ontario. Passed in 2007, the ESA seeks to protect species that are at risk by preventing dam-age to their habitat through conservation plans and recovery strategies. However, the government does not require that these plans consider their potential impact on

any related industries or communities. The danger in this approach can be

seen in 2009’s Caribou Conservation Plan, which severely limits the forestry industry’s ability to operate throughout northern Ontario. This reduction will reach as high as 65% in some areas, such as the Abitibi River Forest, and will lead to the loss of thousands of jobs.

The anticipated blow to the economy has been denounced as “devastating” by a range of municipal and industry groups, including the Northwestern Ontario Mu-nicipal Association, the Ontario Forest In-dustries Association, and the Federation of Northern Ontario Municipalities.

To address this catastrophic issue for the North, the Timmins Chamber is fighting for the government to do two things. This includes conducting a full review of the Caribou Conservation Plan, using a pub-lically reviewed socio-economic impact assessment and defensible science to deter-mine caribou range boundaries.

The Chamber is also insisting that a socio-economic impact assessment be required for all future conservation plans developed under the ESA, with the results being subjected to public review.

Crown corporation divestmentThe Timmins Chamber is also asking

the province to change its process for sell-ing off Crown corporations: namely, that it should only occur after developing a com-plete business case and examining how the decision would affect Ontario communi-ties. This would help to give businesses the confidence that the government would be able to make informed decisions and avoid pitfalls such as those seen during the recently attempted sell-off of the Ontario Northland Transportation Commission (ONTC). This Crown agency provides

telecommunication, rail refurbishment, freight rail and passenger motor coach ser-vices, primarily throughout northeastern Ontario.

In March 2012, the provincial govern-ment announced the divestment of the ONTC as a cost-saving measure. This re-sulted in an immediate outcry from many, including industrial firms who indicated the lack of freight rail would pose steep fi-nancial and operational challenges.

However, a December 2013 report by Ontario Auditor General Bonnie Lysyk

revealed that the government only built an initial business case four months after the divestment announcement, and sub-sequent iterations of the business case con-tinue to lack details around the true cost of the move.

This after-the-fact business case study indicated that the projected short-term sav-ings of $265.9 million would instead repre-sent an immediate cost in excess of $820 million. Moreover, the Auditor General’s investigation into the divestment found that “there may well be socio-economic

benefits to justify subsidizing the ONTC.”Although the government has since re-

lented with much of the ONTC, questions still surround the proposed sale of Ontera; initial estimates show this may well end up costing taxpayers while depriving North-ern communities of options. As well, the government has also struck a task force to look at what can and should be done with its remaining Crown corporations -- mak-ing the need for informed decisions all the more vital.

Timmins Chamber seeks to make provincial decisions less political

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inside business MAY 2014 - 3

Natural resource sectors are the en-gine that powers Canadian prosper-ity, contributing nearly 2 million jobs -- including many in Timmins -- but they face major challenges in getting tomorrow’s goods to market. Simply put, Canada needs more rail, ports and pipelines to be able to export goods to the overseas markets that are clamoring for them.

To help address the issue, the Tim-mins Chamber of Commerce has joined a pan-sectoral partnership with other like-minded organizations from across the country, called the Partner-ship for Resource Trade. The goal of the initiative is to champion the cause of our natural resource sectors and the communities in which they operate, because although most Canadians sup-port our efforts to supply world mar-kets with Canadian resources, many do not readily understand how these in-dustries support their local economies. Developing this broad public support will help to encourage broader, much-needed investment in enhanced re-source transportation, which is crucial for future Canadian prosperity.

A great example is the Ring of Fire project, located in northwestern On-tario’s James Bay Lowlands. An Ontario Chamber of Commerce report has cal-culated that over its first 30 years, the mining project will generate not only $6.2 billion in mining revenues, but also $2.7 bil-lion in financial services, $1.2 billion in wholesale and retail trade, $600 million for manufacturing and $500 million for utilities. However, lingering questions about how the chromite will be trans-ported off-site and who will fund that infrastruc-ture are bogging down the project’s progress.

The impacts of inadequate infrastructure are being felt equally across the country. This winter, 400 workers were almost laid off from a steel mill in Regina because there weren’t enough rail cars to ship their product. Canadian oil producers often

face depressed prices for their product because of transportation bottlenecks in the U.S. and a lack of access to more valuable world markets; in 2012, this cost the Canadian economy as much as $50 million a day. Additionally, Canadian miners are sometimes forced to access the sea through U.S. ports because the Canadian facilities lack needed infrastructure.

In past generations, projects like the Saint Law-rence Seaway, Rideau Canal and the Canadian Pacific Railway connected Canadians to each other and the world and laid the foundation for the prosperity of future generations. It is time

for Canada to build the next generation of infra-structure projects – ports, pipelines, transmission lines, rail and other facilities – to renew Canada’s advantages in natural resource development and trade.

None of these investments – ports, pipelines, roads, railways – are free of impacts. But Canada has proven that it can manage these challenges while safely moving products, provided that busi-ness and government work together with suffi-cient motivation and vigilance.

Humanity must become more efficient in its use of resources, and we must find substitutes for

products and processes that harm the natural world. But as we improve, we still need food to eat, energy to power our homes and materials to make the products we need.

There is a precedent for Canadian leadership on this front. In the 1990s, the “War in the Woods” was as bit-ter and acrimonious as today’s debates over oil sands development. Industry developed new practices, technolo-gies and tools. Today, Canada has the world’s largest area of independently certified forests and is recognized as a leader in sustainable forest manage-ment. Through dedication and passion, Canadian industry and environmental-ists figured out how to achieve econom-ic and environmental success.

What we did in forestry we can do in other sectors. Suncor has developed a technology that will allow the com-pany to shrink the land area covered by its tailing ponds by 80 per cent. Shell’s Dawson Creek facility treats sewage water for use in its unconven-tional gas production. Every day the facility diverts the equivalent of 12,000 households’ worth of sewage from local creeks and makes the clean water avail-able to the municipality.

To maintain our competitiveness, and quality of life, Canada needs to builds the trade routes of the 21st cen-tury.

Modern resource industries are technologi-cally sophisticated. They drive economic growth across the country, in cities and rural areas alike. If we act decisively, we can maintain and build that growth, while protecting what we love about Canada – our natural environment, our commu-nities and the endless opportunities ahead.

If you are interested in learning more, or you’d like to help champion Canada’s natural resources, please visit PowerofCanada.ca or contact Scott Willis at [email protected]

Timmins Chamber joins national campaign to promote resources, infrastructure needs

Updates from the Chamber network

Ontario Chamber spreads the word about Ring of Fire potential

Timmins was among one of the stops for the Ontario Chamber of Commerce’s Ring of Fire panel series, held across the province as part of the Spring release of Beneath the Surface: Uncovering the Economic Potential of Ontario’s Ring of Fire, an analysis of the northwestern Ontario project’s economic potential.

Five key topics during each of these panels included:

The Ring of Fire is not “just another infrastructure project” The lack of infrastructure is the development’s largest obstacle. The cost of building the required infrastructure is an estimated $1.7 billion. The federal government’s Building Canada Plan allocates $2.7 billion for the province’s infrastructure developments over a 10 year period, which is not a sufficient source funding. The opportunity extends far beyond the mining sector The Ring of Fire will generate revenue for many sectors including mining, manufacturing, utilities, engineering, energy, wholesale, and retail. Many businesses across Ontario will benefit from the Ring of Fire development as it will generate nearly $10 billion in GDP in its first year of operation

alone, and $27 billion in the first 32 years.

Awareness lags in Southern OntarioAlthough the Ring of Fire has become a top news story in Northern Ontario, many in Southern Ontario are not aware of the project or the potential benefits that it can bring to the province.

Aboriginal communities are prepared to be patient in order to land the right deal Aboriginal community representatives insist business and government treat them as equal partners in the development. It is important for this development to happen with the participation of First Nations to voice their needs and concerns about the project.

Businesses want more certainty from government Uncertainty is preventing businesses from investing in the development. The government has been asked to help make decisions around regulation, infrastructure, electricity pricing, and Aboriginal partnerships.

Ontario employers want a pension plan that works

An Ontario Chamber of Commerce (OCC) report reveals that employers don’t want a provincially-managed pension plan. The Ontario government plans to introduce new pension solutions, but an Ontario Chamber report, An Employer Perspective on Fixing Ontario’s Pension Problem, reveals employers are in favour of those managed by regulated financial service providers. The OCC, in partnership with the Certified

General Accountants of Ontario and Leger Marketing, consulted with seven groups of Ontario employers and found that private-sector-managed Pooled Registered Pension Plans (PRPPs) were the preferred solution to help Ontarians prepare for retirement. The report also outlines a need for a solution that will support long-term competitiveness. Along with PRPPs, the Government of Ontario is also considering a government-managed solution which would serve as an enhancement of the existing Canada Pension Plan (CPP); it’s also considering the introduction of a new Ontario Pension Plan (OPP). With employer costs rising, the Ontario Chamber cautions the government against creating its own pension plan.

Toronto City Airport expansion good for economy, says Ontario Chamber

The Ontario Chamber of Commerce is speaking out in support of allowing jets to be flown out of the Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport (BBTCA) as an opportunity for a positive impact on the province’s economy. S ituated in Toronto’s downtown, Porter Airlines’ service through the BBTCA allows for shorter travel time and cheaper airfare for business travellers, which contributes to increased mobility and lower costs, according to an Ontario Chamber release.Allowing jets to fly to and from this airport would facilitate business linkages between the communities served by Porter, Toronto’s business core, and other global city regions, such as San

Francisco, Los Angeles, Vancouver, and Calgary. As such, Porter Airlines is seeking approval from Toronto City Council for permission to offer jet service. With the reintroduction of commercial airlines to the BBTCA in recent years, the frequency of flights to Northern Ontario has increased and fares have declined significantly. This has facilitated the integration of the Northern Ontario economy into the global marketplace. According to the Ontario Chamber, the approval for an expansion of the BBTCA is in everyone’s interest.

Canadian Chamber policy podcasts discuss natural resources, tourism

The Canadian Chamber of Commerce has begun releasing a series of brief podcasts entitled The Voice of Business in order to provide an update on events, people and policies affecting Canadian businesses. This pilot project will consist of 15 episodes to be released over a six-month period, with each episode running 15 minutes or less. The first three podcasts were released on March 24, and topics include anti-spam laws, immigration, natural resources, tourism, trade agreements, Canada’s North and infrastructure. To listen to these podcasts, you can visit the Chamber’s website at www.chamber.ca


The Chamber consists of groups of vol-unteers that meet on an average of once a month to help work towards the interest of the Chamber’s over 800 members and help guide Chamber efforts.

Each committee works on specific topics and issues that guide the Chamber to cre-ate a positive business outlook for Cham-ber members and the business community as a whole through the development of policies and action plans.

If you are interested in joining any of the committees and improving Timmins’ business community by contributing your knowledge and expertise, please contact Nick Stewart at (705) 360-1900 or via email at [email protected]

Government Regulation and Policy Committee

This committee helps tackle issues of interest to the business community and Chamber members. Whether it is munici-pal, provincial, or federal level issues, this community works to find solutions to these problems on behalf of local businesses.

This year, the Government Regulation and Policy Committee has been working on issues surrounding the Endangered Species Act and Crown corporation divestment. The Chamber has put forth two policies it has written on behalf of its members re-garding these issues which will be brought to the Ontario Chamber’s Annual General Meeting in Sault Ste. Marie in early May. If successful, the OCC will then make those policies a priority as it works with govern-ment and other partners to create change to help improve forestry and government accountability in the province. Please see the related story on page 2.

The group is currently working on reso-

lutions touching on national issues on be-half of Timmins Chamber members. The committee is seeking to develop recom-mendations by early June in order to ad-vocate for them at Canadian Chamber of Commerce’s annual general meeting, being held in Charlottetown in September.

Municipal Affairs CommitteeThis committee focuses on municipal

issues affecting the business community. This year, there has been much discussion around downtown hydro vaults, downtown parking, and business licensing.

There are eight hydro vaults in the down-town’s underground that are in desperate need of repairs, and are causing many is-sues for downtown businesses. After much lobbying from various groups, including the Timmins Chamber, these vaults are on track to be repaired by Hydro One from May through August. Repairs will in-clude changes that will minimize threats to downtown business’ power supply while improving safety; the Downtown BIA is notifying businesses who will be affected by disruptions.

The group has also been discussing is-sues surrounding business licensing. Un-licensed and insufficiently licensed home-based businesses are having a negative impact on local employment as well as municipal tax revenue. The City Clerk and Licensing Officer spoke to the committee and explained that it is working on the development of a bylaw aimed at address-ing the issue. This bylaw is to be brought forward to City Council for approval in the coming weeks.

The committee has also been discussing ways to encourage the city to improve its

purchasing processes. The group will be working on developing concrete recom-mendations to submit to the City in a re-port that will be prepared by June.

Member Services and Events CommitteePreviously named the Marketing and

Communications Committee, this group provides feedback on the Chamber’s mem-berships, events, and fundraising efforts. It helps to find ways to help the Chamber improve member benefits.

The committee also helps to develop ideas for future events or ways to celebrate the Chamber’s members. One such idea was the Best Staff Team 2014 draw, held in March. For this event, members were asked to submit why their staff team was the best in Timmins, with the chance of winning a $250 gift card from the Porcupine Dante Club. The winner, chosen at random, was the Holiday Inn Express & Suites Timmins; see their picture on page 8.

To better improve the Chamber’s offer-ings for the upcoming 2014-2015 year, the group is currently working on generating ideas on how to improve events by offering sector-specific activities and best-practices discussions in order to allow members to network and better their business.

There has also been discussion about the benefit of having an info table at all Cham-ber events to better serve Chamber mem-bers by providing them with updates on Chamber activities as well as provide them with membership information.

Finally, the committee is discussing the advantages of the Ambassador Program, which helps business make the most out of their Chamber membership, and what more it can offer in the upcoming year. If you are interested in becoming a Chamber Ambassador, please visit www.timmin-schamber.on.ca to fill out an application form.

Canadian businesses who use email market-ing must prepare for new anti-spam legislation that comes into effect July 1, 2014, dramatically changing how companies are allowed to communicate with po-tential customers.

When the Canadian Anti-Spam Law (CASL) comes into force this summer, businesses that send electronic messages for commercial purposes (CEMs) will be subjected to a broad range of new and expan-sive rules that carry with them severe consequences. This means that any business looking to use CEMs to drive sales of any kind will be required to obtain con-sent from those they’re marketing to, carefully track that consent in case of federal audit, and ensure those CEMs conform to specific formatting rules.

Penalties for failing to comply with the CASL are steep: organizations and businesses can face criminal and civil charges, with fees reaching as high as $10 million, not to mention personal liability for com-pany officers and directors.

While the details are complex, here are some of the most commonly asked questions about the CASL:

Who is affected?Everyone in Canada who sends electronic mes-

sages for commercial purposes falls under this regu-lation, whether they’re individuals, incorporated and unincorporated businesses, or not-for-profit organi-zations. The only exception is registered charities; all other groups are captured under the CASL.

What formats are covered by the CASL?The CASL covers any message that encourages

participation in a commercial activity. This includes advertisements and information about promotions, offers, business opportunities, or events; the format

is equally broad, and can include emails, SMS text messages, instant messages, and even messages sent through social networks.

What constitutes consent under the CASL?The CASL allows for some leeway in how it defines

consent by breaking it down into two categories: ex-press consent, and implied consent.

Express consent means that an individual must ex-plicitly affirm that they wish to receive CEMs from your business. This means you must clearly explain why you seek their consent, provide your business’ full contact information, and indicate that the recipi-ent can unsubscribe. In order to approve, a potential recipient must use either a sign-up sheet on your web-site, reply to an email, or manually select a checkbox indicating their desire to receive CEMs from you (the option to agree must not be pre-selected). Once this express consent has been obtained, you may send CEMs to them with no need to have them re-affirm

at a later date; as well, you want to ensure that you develop a system to track the date on which express consent was obtained, so that you can provide that information to federal officials if required.

Implied consent means the recipient has done busi-ness with you within the last two years, or has made an inquiry in the last six months. Implied consent can also to apply to someone who has conspicuously pub-lished their email address, such as on a website, and has not specifically added that they do not wish to be contacted. Again, implied consent allows for CEMs to be sent within a two-year span, though it is suggested that you obtain express consent within that window.

What do CEMs to consenting sources now have to contain?

Under the CASL, all CEMs sent to those with ex-press or implied consent must contain three simple things in order to comply:

The name of the person sending the message, and

identify on whose behalf the message is sent, if dif-ferent;

Contact information (mailing addressing and either a phone number or an email address) of the senders; and

A mechanism that allows the recipient to easily un-subscribe at no cost.

Can I send a message to all my customers to announce the legal changes and ask

that they respond via a survey to confirm or deny that they are providing consent?

Before July 1, 2014, yes. After July 1, 2014, only if you have consent. Note that if you have a record of how the electronic address was acquired before July 1, 2014, consent is considered implied until July 1, 2017, and you could send this type of message, unless of course the recipient unsubscribes.

What steps should I take before July 1, 2014?

Get consent for your mailing lists if they’re not al-ready covered

Start keeping records of consentsEnsure that your processes for future CEMs will

conform to the CASL

If you have more questions about how to conform to the CASL, please visit the Canadian government’s official site: fightspam.gc.ca, or the Canadian Cham-ber of Commerce’s resource site: chamber.ca/resourc-es/casl

Timmins businesses with questions about the CASL are encouraged to come out to a special Lunch ‘n’ Learn on the Canadian Anti-Spam Law on June 10; contact the Chamber for more details.

Chamber committees: May 2014 update

Canadian anti-spam laws change online marketing


Developing a social media strategy is important for your business’ online success, according to an expert who spoke at a recent Chamber work-shop.

Held at the Holiday Inn Express and Suites Timmins on March 18, the Social Media and Digital Market-ing Workshop featured Social Media Business Institute founder Sofie An-dreou, who explained that businesses can grow their brand and their sales by having a strong online presence.

Although integrating social media into your business can be scary, it’s important not to worry about inte-grating multiple platforms all at once, said Andreou. The key is to develop an online strategy in order to under-stand which social media platform to concentrate on first.

According to Andreou, there are nine questions you need to ask when developing your business’ social strategy:

1. Why do you want a following?You need to know why you want

to have an online presence. Know-ing why you want a following will help you determine where your on-line presence should be. If you are seeking to communicate with your audience, one platform may best suit your needs more than another, such as Twitter or Facebook.

2. Who do you want following you?

Finding who you want as your tar-get audience will help you determine how to connect to them. Having a

predominantly male audience com-pared to a female audience will influ-ence the means by which you can ef-fectively reach your target. Knowing where your audience is will help you determine where you need to be; for example, the majority of Facebook users are females aged 55-65.

3. What social platforms will you use?

You will be able to answer this question once you have answered the previous two. As previously men-tioned, how you want to engage with your audience will help you deter-mine which platform to use. If your target audience consists of mostly males, Pinterest may not be the best social media platform for you since 80 percent of its users are female.

4. How will you measure success?Andreou spoke about audience

measurement websites such as Hoot-Suite.com, Klout.com and Google Analytics. You can use these tools to help you manage and monitor your social media profiles while you mea-sure the effectiveness of your messag-es. With this information, you will be able to target which areas need improvement and how well your messages are reaching their target.

5. Which keywords and social media platform handles or URLs do you want everyone using?

These need to be easy to remember so your target audience will visit your social media sites and become part of your following. You will be using these handles, URLs, and keywords

regularly, so it is important that they are user friendly. They can be linked from platform to platform; you can insert your information on all mar-keting and promotional materials, or even create Twitter or Facebook hashtags for events you are hosting.

6. Who will be your possible ma-terial creators?

After determining what you want to disseminate to your audience, you must decide who will do it. Decide whether who among your staff will post on behalf of the organization or share posts from clients, suppliers, or industry experts. Sharing oth-ers’ posts is a give-and-take process. If you use their material, they might use yours, which can help to grow your audience.

7. Who will be accountable for measuring and coordinating ef-forts?

All staff members who create ma-terial for your social media platforms should be working towards the same strategy and goal. Consistency is im-portant.

8. What are your ambassador possibilities?

Businesses need to take advantage of social media giants with large fol-lowings to bring attention to their organization. Engaging with these giants allow larger audiences to view your message and increase your fol-lowing. As much as 78 percent of fol-lowers come from engagement.

9. How often will you post?You need to create a schedule.

There are online websites that can help you schedule your posts such as SproutSocial.com and HooteSuite.com. These tools can help you post to multiple platforms such as Twitter, Google+, Facebook and LinkedIn from one website.

Once you’ve answered these ques-tions as you develop a general social media strategy, you should under-stand how to engage your audience with questions and simple language, says Andreou.

The perfect post contains the fol-lowing: an image or video, using keywords, linking to websites, asking questions, mentioning a giant, and asking to be retweeted. Posts with the least amount of words with a pic-ture or link get shared the most.

Photos are also an important tool to grow your following, and they

can ensure that your pre-event buzz carries through the days that follow. Individuals or organizations can be tagged in photos, which can also be shared, bringing attention to your page.

If you are interested in learning more about how to use social me-dia in your business, the Timmins Chamber has partnered with the Social Media Business Institute to offer members a Social Media Train-ing Chamber Affinity Program. For $19.97 per month, you can learn how to grow your business with so-cial media platforms with self-paced online tutorials, which can be made available to you and your staff for review at your leisure. Visit www.socialmediabusinessinstitute.com/chamber-timmins-smbi-affinity to learn more about the program.

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Develop an online strategy to build your business’ social media success


More than 40 local busi-nesses and entrepreneurs were celebrated on April 3 as representatives of the Timmins Chamber of Commerce hand-delivered finalist notices for the 12th annual Nova Business Ex-cellence Awards.

Each finalist also received flowers as a memento of the occasion, and to reflect the Nova Awards’ “Garden Party” theme -- chosen this year as a sign of the growth and vitality of Timmins’ business community.

Set to take place May 22 at the McIntyre Arena, the Nova Awards will shine a spotlight on the best of Timmins’ business across 14 categories (see P1 for more details).

Thank you to Lake Shore

Gold Corp. for sponsoring the occasion.

Thanks also go out to the following Chamber Board members and Chamber Ambassadors who donated their time and energy to help celebrate the Nova fi-nalists:

Jason Laneville, CTVJessica Hardy, Community First Credit UnionJudy Losier, dB Hearing ClinicMandy Wilson, Tourism TimminsDebbie Browne, Freedom 55Nancy Mageau, RBCRoland Magnan, EastlinkMary-Lou Pollon, North Eastern Catholic School Board

For more photos of the 2014 Nova Award finalists, visit us at facebook.com/TimminsChamber

Timmins Chamber celebrates Nova Awards finalists


By Brian Marks, Cochrane District Social Services Adminis-tration Board

What is housing all about in 2014? It’s not about the dwindling subsidies provided by the provin-cial or federal government, nor is it about template housing built to accommodate a uniform popu-lation that no longer exists. In 2014, seniors demand two-bed-room units, two parking spaces, and scooter storage areas. Rent supplement landlords want out of long-standing agreements be-cause they know they can charge higher rents. People requiring supportive services are forced to relocate to access services because service providers can’t keep up.

The demand for housing has drastically changed the develop-ment and service environments in Northern Ontario. Character-ized by inflated fuel prices, rising hydro costs, and labour short-ages, the cost to develop and serve is greater in Northeastern Ontario than anywhere else in the province. Rather than sit by and watch local employers, employ-ees, consumers, and citizens suffer through wait-and-see lobbying ef-forts that allow for the province to continue to ignore this economic

reality, the Cochrane District Social Services Administration Board (CDSSAB) has responded by creating a development corpo-ration through the Cochrane Dis-trict Local Housing Corporation (CDLHC).

The short-term goal of this initiative is intended to stimu-late development by creating and managing municipal and private partnerships and by leveraging current housing assets with in-novative financing models. The long-term objective is to secure the tenures of owners and rent-ers of all economic stratums by ensuring needed services are de-livered where and when they are required, thereby creating indi-vidual and community sustain-ability.

Municipalities have the poten-tial to generate and profit from development opportunities. If we really are “open for business” in this election year, it’s time to prove it with more than campaign rhetoric. The political represen-tatives that make up the Board of the CDSSAB have connected the dots between housing, eco-nomic growth and sustainability. Now the strategies and recom-mendations that will be put forth

through the Timmins 2020 Com-munity Housing Plan need to be embraced by administrators, de-velopers, and local investors alike.

It is unrealistic to expect in-vestors and developers to create affordable housing by making charitable cuts to their profit mar-gins just as it is unfair to expect municipalities to sell the farm and burden tax payers with debt or in-creased taxes to subsidize private profits. The appropriate strategy exists somewhere in the middle, in a partnership that distributes risk and creates a return on in-vestment for all partners. The CDLHC can facilitate these part-nerships.

Developing units is only part of the equation. Sustainability can

only be achieved by securing the long-term operating and capital costs by increasing the local trades based labour pool and by securing tenant tenure by providing the soft services that allow people to age in place. Housing develop-ment can provide tangible educa-tion opportunities in both of these areas but, again, only through the use of partnerships. Secondary and post-secondary institutions can benefit from practical place-ment opportunities that can be marketed to increase enrollments.

Local employers can recruit from a labour placement pool with employment supports in place and with minimal risk. Health service providers can ben-efit from augmented service ca-pacity. Municipal, provincial, and federal governments can benefit from primary and secondary re-turns on investment. Most im-portantly, tenants and residents benefit from enhanced access and improved service.

The critical point to remem-ber is that the strategies outlined herein are not a result of increased municipal budgets. These initia-tives are a result of demonstrated local need and the recognition that the primary function of local

government is to meet the needs of the members of the munici-pality. The people of the City of Timmins have stated time and again that affordable and support-ive housing are critical factors in today’s local economic environ-ment. To answer this demand, the CDSSAB needed to become more than the landlord and administra-tor for 2,200 social housing units.

To be sure, this role was an important one which saw dedi-cated employees serve the needs of a large part of our population; however, housing is about more than rent-geared-to-income units for low-wage earners. Housing is about the entire economic spec-trum, including single detached homes for new doctors and high-end condos for retirees as much as transitional apartments for victims of domestic violence and shelter beds for homeless indi-viduals. Housing is about healthy mixed income communities, be-cause everyone who lives in Tim-mins is as much an investor as they are invested… or at least they should be.

Brian Marks is the director of housing services with the Cochrane District Social Services Adminis-tration Board.

As Ontario municipalities face an election in the fall of 2014, the Timmins Chamber of Commerce is looking to engage the commu-nity in a series of conversations on a wide variety of topics and with a

range of different perspectives. In the months leading up to the elec-tion, the Chamber will publish articles that spark discussion on issues of municipal interest.

Please note that these views are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Timmins Chamber of Commerce.

City conversations

Housing: what it’s really about

By Rob Racine, J&B Cycle and Marine

If you would agree that running a city, province or country for that matter should be looked upon like we are running a business, then would you also agree that the same considerations need to apply to planning and setting budgets?

In any business, if you aren’t eval-uating the past and present while planning for the future, you are on the path to certain failure. Modern times call for a modern approach to communicating your message as the scope of the potential competi-tion grows larger with every passing day.

The Province of Quebec spends millions in efforts to attract folks from Ontario, even though both provinces are very similar and have similar offerings. Their thought is that people like to travel, even if it’s not very far. Countries thought to be unfamiliar 10 years ago are prime travel destinations today be-cause of their tourism outreach and marketing.

Some financial experts may even argue that given the total “business” volume of our city, a $458,300 tour-ism/marketing budget may in fact

be too low for Timmins. Regardless of the popularity and present-day success of a business, advertising has and always will be critical to its continued success, sustainability and ability to grow.

For example, Tim Horton’s is one of the most successful companies in Canada, and yet they continue to have a presence on most TV and radio stations, billboards, national sporting events and social media. They know that if they want to stay on top, they have to spend money.

Whether or not you are a fan of kayaking, you have to give credit to Timmins’ Tourism Manager Guy Lamarche for the exposure this an-nual festival has achieved in such a short period of time, having been launched in 2009. This exposure has been beneficial for many, and not just those who come from out of town to attend the event. Make no mistake: the tourism economic benefits we enjoy today as residents of Timmins are a vital part of our existence -- and more importantly, our future.

The marketing of our tourism po-tential should be looked upon with excitement and pride, as an oppor-tunity to inspire thoughts, ideas and

actions to achieve what could be. It should not simply be what you or I might think it is today, or seek to provide adequate results in the opinions of only a few.

Consider the response you may receive when asking somebody from southern Ontario the follow-ing questions: can you ride a city bus to a world-class cross-country ski facility in less than half an hour? Can you drive a snowmobile legally and on a groomed trail to a down-town hotel or restaurant? Can you play hockey in an arena modeled af-ter the iconic Maple Leaf Gardens? Can you drive 20 minutes from a multi-service shopping mall to one of the best downhill ski facilities in the province? These are only some examples of what our storytelling should include. And these are only from one season!

We might all be shocked to learn the economic benefits of these com-bined venues over just one weekend. Tourism should not be thought of in the traditional sense of folks trav-elling on holiday. Tourism is built on simple or small events, such as a family member visiting from out of town over Christmas, or your cous-ins coming to your cottage for a

long weekend. The building blocks of tourism start with the appeal that is produced by its citizens, who in turn become its representatives.

A diversified and bright future for Timmins is only limited by the call to action by its citizens, and more importantly, its elected repre-sentatives’ ability to embrace what

could be. Are you not IN? If not, you need to be. A united front will only secure the road to our success in whatever it takes to make ends meet.

Rob Racine is the owner of the Timmins-based J&B Cycle and Ma-rine Co. Ltd., and a board member of the Kamiskotia Ski Resort.

Tourism: always be a good sport


Carmen Swartz (far left), the Timmins Chamber’s Manager of Member Services, presents the management and staff of the Holiday Inn Express & Suites Timmins with a plaque and $250 gift card to the Porcupine Dante Club for winning the Chamber’s Best Staff Team 2014 draw on March 6. More than 40 local businesses nominated their workplaces through email, Facebook and Twitter.

You’ve seen them at Chamber events, you’ve received their phone calls, and you’ve had them swing by your workplace; now in their third year, the dedicated volunteer Cham-ber Ambassadors continue to help busi-nesses make the most of their membership.Initially unveiled in September 2011, the Timmins Chamber of Commerce’s Am-bassador program consists of a motivated group of 10 entrepreneurs and business professionals acting as crucial liaisons be-tween the Chamber and their fellow mem-bers. This team of Ambassadors has been incred-ibly active in reaching out to the member-ship, whether it’s a personal call to congrat-ulate a particular milestone, or a helping hand and an introduction or two at one of the Chamber’s many events. They gracious-ly serve as front-line representatives, guid-ing new and seasoned members alike to get the most out of their involvement with the Chamber. This service is invaluable for both the Chamber and its members, while also pro-viding the Ambassadors themselves with ample opportunities to increase their own professional recognition and networks. By helping to be the face of the Chamber, Am-bassadors also earn exposure for their re-spective businesses.If you’re interested in joining the Chamber Ambassador team in the 2013-2014 Cham-ber year, please contact Carmen Swartz at the Chamber at (705) 360-1900, or via

email at [email protected] In this and the coming issues of Inside Busi-ness, the Timmins Chamber will profile in-dividual Ambassadors to help members get to know this energetic team of volunteers. Chamber Ambassador, Judy Losier

Q: What is your job/place of employment?I am an audiologist and owner/operator of dB Hearing Inc., an audiology and hearing aid clinic in downtown Timmins. Q: Why did you decide to become a Cham-ber Ambassador?When the Ambassador program began, I thought about getting involved but I wasn’t sure if I had the time. Later at some of the Chamber functions, I thought, “I should be doing that…I could be helping out.” So now that we are empty nesters, I decided to get involved with a few activities that I put on hold before. One of them was to become an Ambassador. Q: What work is involved in being a Chamber Ambassador?I’m really just starting out, but I have been involved with registration at a few events, and I have been calling new Chamber members to welcome them into the orga-nization. Also, I visited and delivered the good news to businesses that they were fi-nalists for the Nova Awards.

Q: What do you enjoy most about this role?Being an Ambassador for the Timmins Chamber has allowed me to meet a number of people and work together to strengthen the business community. The staff mem-bers at the Chamber are very organized, welcoming and positive which makes help-ing out a very enjoyable experience. It was exciting to visit to some of the local busi-nesses to announce they were finalists for the Nova Awards. Q: What benefit do you feel the Ambas-sador program offers to members?

The Ambassador program allows mem-bers to contribute in ways that suit their schedules. Ambassadors quickly learn the workings of the Chamber and as a result, soon realize that the Chamber is involved with many different aspects of business in this area from developing strategies at the provincial level to providing information workshops and networking events. As an Ambassador, you have the opportunity to learn about areas in which you have no ex-perience. For example, I learned a lot about mining and the Ring of Fire at a recent event at which I helped out with registration.

Q: How do you benefit professionally from serving in this role?One of the benefits of being an ambassa-dor is the opportunity to network, and I have met many other members and learned about their businesses. As well, I get to spread the word about my clinic. Being in-volved in such a variety of Chamber events has broadened my awareness of the busi-ness community in Timmins. Q: How would you summarize your expe-rience as an Ambassador thus far?My experience as an Ambassador has been a positive one. I have enjoyed meeting oth-er Ambassadors and members. Assisting at some of the events and celebrating the busi-ness community’s achievements has been great fun. I’m looking forward to the next few years.

Chamber Ambassadors making a difference

Holiday Inn wins Best Staff Team

Stay informed ... Get LinkedIn

http://linkd.in/timminschamberfacebook.com/timminsyoungprofessionals

If you’re interested in presenting, or if you

want more information about this event series,

contact:

Carmen SwartzManager of Member Services

(705) [email protected]

Each month, one Young Professional will give the group a quick, five-minute

rundown about their job or business.

As part of hosting Young Professionals Connextions,

the Fishbowl will provide complimentary appetizers!

The Fishbowl Restaurant, 942 Riverside Drive, Timmins

No registration is required, just drop in!

2014 April 3 • May 1 • June 5Jan. 9 • Feb. 6 • Mar. 6

A young, (ages 20-40) career-oriented person seeking to develop and

strengthen his or her business network.

Young Professional, n. (yung - pro-fesh-un-ul)


For more information or to save your space, contact:Carmen Swartz, Manager of Member Services

(705) 360-1900 | [email protected]

20+ LOCAL PUBLIC LANDMARKSALL CHAMBER EVENT ATTENDEESEVERY BUSINESS MAILBOX

DISTRIBUTED TO

COPIES PRINTEDPER ISSUE2,500

!

Aries Court Reporting & Process ServingLegal Services(705) 531-3082After almost 30 years working as a legal assistant, court reporter and a client services representative at both the Ontario and Superior Courts of Jus-tice, I decided to finally take the leap and do what I love most and open a court reporting business. Aries Court Reporting & Process Serving is conveniently located in the 101 Mall. We employ court monitors and certified court reporters, as well as process servers who serve documents in the Timmins area and are available to at-tend to issuing and filing court documents at the Cochrane courthouse. Our main focus is recording examinations for discovery, family law questioning, coroners’ inquests and producing verbatim transcripts of the evidence. We travel to surrounding areas, including Hearst, Chapleau, Cochrane, Kapuskasing, Kirkland Lake and New Liskeard.

Elk Lake Eco Resource Centre Hospitality(705) 678-2248Elk Lake Eco Resource Centre is a premium destination for weddings, corporate retreats and meetings, outdoor adventure and education.[www.elklakeeco.com]

Gold Dust Event PlanningEvents(705) 288-1467My name is Sherrie Joanisse and I am an event planner. I love to make your dreams and vision a reality. My kind and caring personality, coupled with my professional attitude, allows me to be the perfect event planner for all of your needs. Since opening Gold Dust Event Planning this year, my

passion for event planning is now a reality. I am so very excited to combine my talents and pas-sion to produce everlasting memories. I look forward to meeting with you to further discuss how I can make your dreams a reality.

JHR Renovations and MaintenanceGeneral Contractors(705) 363-7420JHR Renovations and Maintenance is a local business established in 2011. Our philosophy is simple: “To give skilled quality service, in a professional and timely manner, at a fair price.” It began by servicing local co-ops with handyman services, inspections and renovations. Now, it has expanded its services to all local residents of Timmins and area. A homeowner or landlord can potentially save thousands of dollars by having your home or rental unit inspected, and problems identified and repaired before they escalate into major issues -- from leaky toilets and faucets, faulty fixtures, loose railings, cracked foundation and more. Have peace of mind and “LET US DO IT FOR YOU!” For a full list of services pro-vided, please visit our website. This member offers discounts; visit www.timmin-schamber.on.ca/coupons to learn more.[www.jhrrenovationsandmaintenance.com]

L360 ARCHITECTURE Inc.Engineering and Architecture (705) 531-6641L360 ARCHITECTURE is a full-service architec-ture company with offices in London and Tim-mins, Ontario. We have a long-standing reputa-tion as Canada’s leader in the implementation of digital 3D virtual construction and Building Information Modeling (BIM) technology during the development of our design and construc-

tion documentation. As a direct result, we have proven that our process instills an unprecedented level of cost control within our projects. L360 believes that our unique L360 ARCHI-TECTURE Process promotes the collaborative 360 degree roundtable environment crucial to the success of all projects. Our commitment to leveraging 3D virtual construction technol-ogy throughout each phase results in our ability to proactively identify and resolve all conflicts between building systems in the virtual world be-fore addressing them during construction causes budget increases. As a result, our projects are known to be constructed without delays caused by coordination errors and prove to control the use of budgeted contingencies to that of client requested changes.[www.L360arch.com]

La Mosaic MontessoriEducation(705) 221-6764La Mosaic Montessori is a licensed authentic Montessori school dedicated to fostering chil-dren’s development domains. We cater to children ages 2.5-6 years of age. Through the use of scien-tifically designed materials, we design a program specifically for your child.[www.lamosaic.com]

NORCATHealth and Safety(705) 465-0352Founded in 1995, the Northern Centre for Ad-vanced Technology (NORCAT) is a leading pri-vate, non-profit organization that empowers our clients, our staff, and our community partners to drive a culture of productivity, innovation, and life-long learning. In 2014, given growing de-mand for NORCAT’s training and development

/ health and safety services, an office was opened in Timmins, Ontario to further meet the needs of our clients.[www.norcat.org]

Pearly Whites Plus Dental Hygiene ClinicDental(705) 288-0036At Pearly Whites Plus Family Dental Hygiene Clinic - Service Bilingue, we offer: Cleaning (scaling and root planing), custom-made sports mouth guards, dental implants, discounts for un-insured clients, diamond twinkle, fluoride treat-ment, oral assessments, oral cancer screening, pit and fissure sealants, polishing (stain and plaque removal), teeth whitening, tooth desensitization.Enjoy your dental treatment in our massage chair. Our hours are flexible to accommodate your fam-ily’s needs.This member offers discounts; visit www.timmin-schamber.on.ca/coupons to learn more.[www.pearlywhitesplus.com]

Rotary Club of Timmins-PorcupineOrganizations(705) 360-6075The Rotary Club of Timmins-Porcupine is a team of dedicated volunteers who organize, support and build to improve the quality of life in our community. With 1.2 million members world-wide, the motto of our non-profit organization chartered in Timmins in 1949 is “Service above self.” Join a driving force in our community.[www.rotarytimmins.org]

New member profiles

Managing Editor: Keitha RobsonEmail: [email protected]

Editor: Nick StewartEmail: [email protected]

Staff Writer: Courtney LaforestEmail: [email protected]

Advertising Opportunities: Carmen SwartzEmail: [email protected]

Published by:

Timmins Chamber of CommerceP.O. Box 985, Timmins, Ontario, P4N 7H6

(705) 360-1900

Fax: (705) 360-1193

www.timminschamber.on.ca

Inside Business is an information package provided to members of the Timmins Chamber of Commerce and buinesses at large. The positions expressed in by-lined columns are the opinion of the subject editor and do not reflect the position of the Timmins Chmber of Commerce unless specifically stated. The Timmins Chamber of Commerce assumes no responsibility for statements or claims made by advertisers. “Inside Business” is published 6 times per year by the Timmins Chamber of Commerce. Issue dates are January, March, May, July, September and November. Closing date is the second Friday of the previous month. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the publisher’s written permission.


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Urban Windows and Doors celebrates

grand opening

Timmins Mayor Tom Laughren congratulates Chamber member Urban Windows and Doors on the grand opening of their new joint location with Home Interiors at 950 Riverside Drive on Mar. 22. Attendees had the chance to win a free installation of a residential window from Urban Windows and Doors. From left to right: Marcel Beauvais, Mayor Tom Laughren, and Patrick Delisle

New digs for Great White

North Technology Consulting

The staff and owners of Chamber member Great White North Technology Consulting Inc. stand proudly in their new office located at 124 Third Avenue (Birch Entrance) at an April 8 open house. The company offers IT support and services, while developing solutions and streamlining operations for clients across Canada.From left to right: Alain Lefebvre, Katie Nunno, Luc Martineau, Darcy Best, and Paul Brunet

…as does Home Interiors

Mayor Tom Laughren, center, cuts the ribbon for Chamber member Home Interiors to mark the grand opening of their new joint location at 950 Riverside Drive on Mar. 22. Their new location is shared with Urban Windows and Doors. Attendees had the chance to win one of the $500 gift certificates from Home Interiors.From left to right: owner Manuel Beaulieu, Mayor Tom Laughren, and Timm Jodouin.


... as does Le Club Richelieu

Ring of Fire to benefit Timmins

Timmins was among one of the Ontario Chamber’s stops for their Ring of Fire panel series as part of the launch of their report on the economic opportunities presented by Ontario’s Ring of Fire. Attendees at the March 7 event at the Cedar Meadows Re-sort & Spa engaged in a discussion on the obstacles standing in the way of the development of this 100-year mining opportunity, including infrastructure, electricity pricing and government investment. The panellists included, from left: Sean Batise (Wabun Tribal Council), Kevin Fraser (Hatch Associates), Fred Gibbons (Tim-mins Economic Development Corporation) and Josh Hjartarson (Ontario Chamber of Commerce).

Scotiabank hosts Business After 5

Timmins Chamber members enjoyed a night of networking at Scotiabank’s 1 Pine St. S. branch on March 26, alongside a special presentation by Scotiabank’s Senior Vice-President and Chief Economist, Warren Jestin. From left to right: Chamber President Phil Barton stands with Barbara Robin, Scotiabank Branch Manager, and Scotiabank’s Senior Vice-President and Chief Economist Warren Jestin.

On Thursday, April 3, Le Club Richelieu de Timmins donated $5,000 to the Timmins Wintergreen Fund to help with the Gillies Lake South Shore Promenade project. This initiative is being supported through the Chamber’s Business Takes the Lead pro-gram, and will help provide better, safer access to Gillies Lake.From left to right: Marc Dumas, vice-president of Club Richelieu de Timmins; Phil Barton, president of the Timmins Chamber of Commerce; Michel Lessard, president of Club Richelieu de Timmins; Michael Doody, president of Timmins Wintergreen Fund; and Kees Pols, general manager of the Mattagami Regional Conservation Authority.

Rotary Club donates to Promenade project...

The Timmins Rotary Club presented a $5,000 cheque to Kees Pols, general manager of the Mattagami Region Conservation Authority (left), and Chamber President Phil Barton (second from right) on March 4, in order to support the Gillies Lake South Shore Promenade project. The Gillies Lake project is being supported through the Chamber’s Business Takes the Lead program, and will help provide better, safer access to Gillies Lake.


Documents

Inside Business - May 2014