This week’s round-up of business news features MicroAge Peterborough celebrating 35 years in business and offering an IT department for micro-businesses, Flying Colours Corp. expanding its Peterborough headquarters, the recipients of this year’s Peterborough Business Excellence Awards, Belair Mechatronics of Omemee winning the grand prize at the 2018 Innovation Awards, the opening of nominations for the 2019 Junior Achievement Business Hall of Fame, a national award for Peterborough Power and Sail Squadron, and Union Gas donating to the Ganaraska Region Conservation Authority.
New regional business events added this week include: a WordPress meetup in Peterborough on October 24th; Peterborough & The Kawarthas Economic Development offering a New Venture Session in Peterborough on October 25th; Northumberland CFDC presenting open discussion on making, coding, STE(AM), and computing in Cobourg on October 25th; the annual TD Economic Outlook Luncheon in Peterborough on October 30th; and the official grand opening of Peterborough Business Hub on November 15th.
MicroAge Peterborough celebrates 35 years and offers micro-businesses an IT department
Information technology solutions firm MicroAge Peterborough (267 Stewart St., Peterborough) is celebrating its 35th year of business, and has launched a new service to bring enterprise-level support to micro-businesses.
Locally owned and operated by Amy Simpson, MicroAge Peterborough is best known for providing solutions for small and medium-sized business and enterprise clients.
“In recent months we have worked with a number of micro-businesses and found that there is a requirement for an offering to assist this market,” Simpson says.
The new service, designed for businesses with one to five computers, provides a single point of contract for security options, procurement, and more.
It includes a help desk for immediate response for a user’s day-to-day technology issues, and a managed security solution (including anti-virus and managed updates and patches) for the Microsoft platform.
The cost is $35 per month per computer, and you can find out more and sign up at www.mynewitdepartment.ca.
Flying Colours Corp. expanding with new 100,000-square-foot hanger at Peterborough Airport
To meet increased customer demand in the business aviation sector, aviation services company Flying Colours Corp. has announced its largest expansion in North America, including a new 100,000-square-foot hanger at its Peterborough headquarters at the Peterborough Airport.
“We were literally running out of space to deliver all the services that our clients were requesting,” says Flying Colours Corp. Executive VP Sean Gillespie.
The new hanger, the fourth at its Peterborough location, will be used for work on large jet airframes. It will include a 40,000-square-foot paint shop, 40,000 square feet for maintenance and interior work, and 20,000 square feet on two upper levels for customer offices, a design centre, and general office space.
Ground breaking is planned for this fall, with completion in mid 2019.
Flying Colours Corp. is also completing a new hanger at its U.S. facility in Chesterfield, St. Louis. It includes 30,000 square feet for large-jet maintenance, avionics upgrades, and interior projects, and 18,000 square feet on a second floor for customer lounges, office space, and a storage area.
When the two buildings are complete, the company will be hiring 100 additional staff — including 60 in Peterborough — with a focus on maintenance, interiors, and paint expertise.
Flying Colours Corp., a Bombadier Authorized Service Facility (ASF), recently completed its third heavy maintenance check in the airframe of a Bombardier Global Express, a large cabin business jet. The work required the privately owned aircraft to be stripped back to the airframe to enable a full structural inspection. The work also included a full landing gear overhaul, replacement of the cabin seats with new seats, new exterior paint, and interior soft-goods refurbishment and cabinetry refinishing.
The company also delivered its one hundredth major retrofit of a Bombardier Challenger model in October, which underwent a major overhaul of the cabin, avionics, connectivity. and fuselage.
“The business aviation sector is more buoyant than it has been for some time,” Gillespie says. “With our Bombardier ASF status, our breadth of experience working on numerous different aircraft types, and the fact that we can offer a multitude of skills under one roof, so reducing aircraft downtime, is making us very attractive to a wider range of customers.”
2018 Peterborough Business Excellence Awards recipients honoured
The Greater Peterborough Chamber of Commerce handed out the 15th annual Peterborough Business Excellence Awards last Wednesday night (October 17) at Showplace Performance Centre in downtown Peterborough.
The recipients, in order of presentation, were:
- Entrepreneurial Spirit – We-Fix-U Physiotherapy and Foot Health Centres
- Skilled Trades – Kawartha Lakes Construction
- Tourism – Kawartha Craft Beer Festival (Publican House Brewery and Smithavens Brewing Company)
- Hospitality – The Imperial Tandoor
- Micro Business – Sullivan Law Ptbo
- Retail – Leon’s Furniture
- Professional Services – Gauvreau & Associates Chartered Professional Accountants
- Immigrant Entrepreneur Of The Year – Martin Carbajal, La Mesita Restaurante
- Customer First – Lang Pioneer Village Museum
- Local Focus – Tiny Greens Plant Cafe
- Innovation/Research & Development – Entomo Farms
- Commercial Development Or Renovation – Publican House Brewery
- Marketing & Promotion – inspirtainment inc.
- Environmental Practices – Entomo Farms
- Health & Wellness – Salti Yoga
- Not-For-Profit – Hospice Peterborough
- Employer Of The Year – Cambium
- Business Student Leadership Prizes – Naman Bhardwaj (Trent University), Emily Scott (Fleming College)
- 4-Under-40 Profiles – Reem Ali, Mike D’Alessandro, Nicole Gagliardi, Andressa Lacerda
- Business Citizen Of The Year – Morris Cox
Belair Mechatronics of Omemee is grand prize winner of 2018 Innovation Awards
Omemee’s Belair Mechatronics is the grand prize winner of the Kawartha Lakes Community Futures Development Corporation (KLCFDC) 20th annual Innovation Awards.
The awards were presented last Friday (October 19) at the Lindsay Golf Club, part of the KLCFDC’s Innovation Day event wrapping up Small Business Week.
Belair Mechatronics won for its “predictive machining” software, which uses big data to monitor and optimize a Computer Numerical Control (CNC) machine’s performance.
Two other businesses were also finalists for the awards.
Netmechanics, a new cyber security consulting firm based in Dunsford, won second place for its focus on protecting small and medium-sized enterprises from cyber threats.
The Lindsay Advocate won third place for its “multimedia news experience”, which includes a news website, a glossy monthly magazine, and an active Facebook and Twitter presence.
2019 Junior Achievement Business Hall of Fame nominations now open
Nominations are now open for the Junior Achievement – Peterborough, Lakefield, Muskoka (JA-PLM) 2018 Business Hall of Fame.
Each year, JA-PLM recognizes individuals who, through their business endeavours over a lifetime, have demonstrated dedication to enhancing the economic prosperity of the community.
Nominations can be submitted online at www.jacanada.org/event/2019-peterborough-business-hall-fame.
The deadline for nominations is by 3 p.m. on Friday, November 30th. The list of 2019 inductees will be announced on Wednesday, January 9, 2019.
Peterborough Power and Sail Squadron receives national award
The Peterborough Power and Sail Squadron was named the 2018 Squadron of the Year award at the national conference and annual general meeting of the Canadian Power and Sail Squadrons in Ottawa on Saturday (October 20).
Since 1959, the local unit of Canadian Power and Sail Squadrons has trained thousands of recreational boaters in safe practices and knowledge of area waterways,
Union Gas donates to Ganaraska Region Conservation Authority
Union Gas has donated $1,000 to Ganaraska Region Conservation Authority (GRCA) to support the organization’s programs and services.
“Union Gas is proud to support the GRCA and the important environmental conservation work that they are doing across the watershed,” says Brian Alexander, Utility Services Manager with Union Gas in Cobourg.
This is the latest donation by Union Gas, which has donated funds to GRCA over the past six years for various stewardship projects.
In addition, local Union Gas employees have assisted with many initiatives, including tree planting, the development of a native flower garden, and the installation and extension of accessible pathways at the GRCA head office and Corbett’s Dam.
One of the oldest conservation authorities in Ontario, te watersheds of the GRCA covers an area of 361 square miles from Wilmot Creek in Clarington to east of Cobourg from the south shore of Rice Lake down to Lake Ontario. This area includes seven municipalities in whole or in part: Township of Cavan-Monaghan, Town of Cobourg, Township of Alnwick-Haldimand, Township of Hamilton, Municipality of Port Hope, City of Kawartha Lakes, and Municipality of Clarington.
For more information on the Ganaraska Region Conservation Authority’s programs and services, visit www.grca.on.ca.
Women’s Expo Peterborough on October 24
The first-ever Women’s Expo Peterborough, a business-to-business trade show and networking event, takes place from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Wednesday, October 24th at the Peterborough Naval Association (24 Whitlaw St., Peterborough).
The expo will include 25 booth vendors representing all types of women business owners including lawyers, naturopathic practitioner, social media specialists, massage therapists, retail, financial, psychologists, farmers, and more.
There will also be two stations where people can be seated to view a presentation from the exhibitors and ask questions about the products and strategies discussed.
Admission is free with a donation to the YWCA Crossroads Shelter.
WordPress meetup in Peterborough on October 24
If you’re a WordPress enthusiast or professional, you’ll want to attend the Peterborough WordPress Meetup from 6 to 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, October 24th at The Cube at VentureNorth (270 George St. N., Peterborough, K9J 3H1).
There will be networking, a chance to talk about the WordPress platform and share ideas and approaches, and a brief presentation followed by more networking and Q&A.
For more information, visit www.meetup.com/peterborough-wordpress/events/252857163/.
CANCELLED – Scotiabank presents Business Boot Camp on October 24
Note: This event has been cancelled and will be rescheduled to a future date.
Scotiabank is presenting a business boot camp from 7 to 8 p.m. on Wednesday, October 24th at its office at 111 Hunter St. W., Peterborough.
The event will feature accountant Robert Gauvreau, lawyer John Mesec, and experts from Scotia Wealth Management.
Attendees are encouraged to bring in questions to ask during one-on-one sessions.
Innovation Cluster presents exit strategies workshop in Peterborough on October 25
The Innovation Cluster’s next “Hands-ON” workshop will be on exit strategies and takes place from 12 to 1:30 p.m. on Thursday, October 24th at VentureNorth (270 George St. N., Peterborough).
Nicole Stephenson, partner with Stikeman Keeley Spiegel LLP, will talk about exit strategies for entrepreneurs, including initial public offerings, mergers or acquisitions, and reverse takeovers. Stephenson, a corporate and securities lawyer in Toronto, has extensive experience working with emerging growth companies across North America to implement their exit strategies.
This workshop will be held in the large boardroom on the ground floor of VentureNorth. The event is free to attend, but registration is requested at www.eventbrite.com/e/hands-on-exit-strategies-tickets-49178315666.
Peterborough & The Kawarthas Economic Development presents New Venture Session in Peterborough on October 25
Peterborough & The Kawarthas Economic Development presents New Venture Session from 6 to 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, October 25th at VentureNorth (270 George St. N., Peterborough).
The New Venture Session is intended for aspiring entrepreneurs or new startups looking for support in the business community. The session includes an overview of the foundations of starting and running a business, resources and programs that are available for entrepreneurs in Peterborough & the Kawarthas, how to access support from the Business Advisory Centre, and and getting started on the Startup Checklist.
The session is free, and registration is available at www.eventbrite.ca/e/new-venture-session-tickets-50612992824.
Northumberland CFDC hosts open discussion on making, coding, STE(AM), and computing in Cobourg on October 25
Northumberland Community Futures Development Corporation is hosting a “fireside chat” and open discussion on the importance of Making, Coding, Robotics, STE(A)M and Computational Thinking from 7 to 9 p.m. on Thursday, October 25th at Venture13 (739 D’Arcy St., Cobourg).
The discussion will be led by Kelly Bergeron (Canada Learning Code and Executive Director – Cornwall Innovation Centre), Mina Tawadrous (COO – Hatch Canada), Luc Lalande (Mentor, Venture for Canada), Catherine Kerr (Northumberland Makers). and Mary Gillis (Founder, Port Hope Robotics Club).
Along with the panel discussion, there will be an audience Q&A, and a reception with light refreshments following the fireside.
The event is free, but limited to 80 participants. To reserve your space, register on Eventbrite.
Innovation Cluster hosts “Power Breakfast: Gen Y – How Millennials Are Shaping The Future” on October 26
The Innovation Cluster is hosting “Power Breakfast: Gen Y – How Millennials Are Shaping The Future” from 7:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Friday, October 26th in the Garden Court at the Holiday Inn Waterfront (150 George St. N., Peterborough).
Presented by Southern Ontario Fund for Investment in Innovation (SOFII), the breakfast will feature Dr. Kate Withers, Business Development Manager for Central Ontario from Ontario Centres of Excellence, and three local entrepreneurs: Dylan Trepanier (Alexander Optical), Bianca Nucaro (NV Media Productions), and Mercedez Nucaro-Viteri (NV Media Productions).
The event is free, but seating is limited and you must register in advance at www.eventbrite.com/e/power-breakfast-gen-y-how-millennials-are-shaping-the-future-tickets-49179200312.
Application deadline for Cubs’ Lair Entrepreneurship Competition is October 27
The application deadline for the 2018 Cubs’ Lair Entrepreneurship Competition is Saturday, October 27th.
An initiative of FastStart Peterborough, the Innovation Cluster, and the Trent Youth Entrepreneurship Society, Cubs’ Lair gives entrepreneurs between the ages of 18 and 29 the chance to win up to $10,000 in prizes, including office space and equipment, coaching and mentoring, social media promotion, and more.
After applying online, participants will attend a series of three mandatory workshops at the Innovation Cluster that will help them build skills in creating a business model canvas, financing, marketing, and preparing their pitch to a panel of judges.
The top five finalists will be announced on Friday, November 9th, with the final pitch event taking place at 6 p.m. on Thursday, November 22nd at the Gordon Best Theatre in downtown Peterborough. A panel of established business professionals will test competitors’ knowledge of how they will grow the business and judge the best pitch.
For more information, including eligibility requirements and how to apply, visit www.innovationcluster.ca/programs/cubslair/.
Annual TD Economic Outlook Luncheon in Peterborough on October 30
The TD Economic Outlook Luncheon takes place from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday, October 30th at the Peterborough Golf & Country Club (1030 Armour Rd., Peterborough).
The annual event explores trends, opportunities, and challenges both within local communities in Peterborough & the Kawarthas and across the globe. It features a discussion led by Derek Burleton, TD Bank Group Vice-President and Deputy Chief Economist, and an update from Rhonda Keenan, President & CEO of Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development.
This luncheon is presented by TD Bank Group, Collins Barrow, Kawartha Manufacturers’ Association, and Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development.
Tickets are $35+HST and include lunch. You are asked to register by Tuesday, October 23rd at www.eventbrite.ca/e/td-economic-outlook-luncheon-2018-tickets-49992068623.
Kawartha Chamber Awards of Excellence and Social Gala in Lakefield on November 8
The Kawartha Chamber of Commerce & Tourism is hosting its 2018 Awards of Excellence and Social Gala at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, November 8th at Lakefield College School (4391 County Rd. 29, Lakefield).
Unlike previous years, the format for this year’s presentation will be a social gala format, with a reception taking place at Upper Hadden Hall followed by the awards presentation in the Bryan Jones Theatre.
There will be both silent and live auction items, light hor d’oeuvres, cash bar, music from Rhythm & Grace, and time for socialization and networking before the awards.
Tickets are $40 per person, which includes the hor d’oeuvres and one drink ticket.
Register at business.kawarthachamber.ca/events/details/awards-of-excellence-social-gala-7165.
Peterborough Business Hub hosts its official grand opening on November 15
Peterborough Business Hub, which offers office rentals and coworking space, is hosting its official grand opening celebration from 5 to 7 p.m. on Thursday, November 15th at its location at 398 McDonnel Street in Peterborough.
While the business has been open for a few months, the official celebration provides a chance to see the offices, meet the staff, and get to know existing clients and their businesses.
Light appetizers and drinks will be provided. To RSVP, register at www.eventbrite.ca/e/grand-opening-tickets-51482098342.
Application deadline for Win This Space 2019 entrepreneurial competition is November 16
Entrepreneurs have until Friday, November 16th to put together a video application and submit it to the 2019 Win This Space competition, an initiative of the Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Area in partnership with Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development, Community Futures Peterborough, and Shorelines Slots at Kawartha Downs.
The top 10 finalists will take several workshops to fine-tune their business plans before a winner is chosen on March 5th by a panel of judges.
The winner will then have their choice of available participating downtown locations free for one year. To cover rent payments, several sponsors are adopting a month and contributing $2,000 toward each month’s lease.
Visit winthisspace.com for the rules and regulations and application instructions.
