This week’s round-up of regional business news includes a new logo and new look for Sam’s Place Deli in downtown Peterborough, new ownership for Peterborough’s Electric City Bread Company, Innovation Cluster expanding into the City of Kawartha Lakes, Community Futures Peterborough announcing the eight semi-finalists for ignite100, and Inclusive Advisory being named one of the Best Workplaces™ for Women in Canada.

Also featured this week is Lake Edge Cottages on Katchewanooka Lake in Lakefield being under new ownership, Westwind Inn in Buckhorn celebrating its 28th anniversary, the Haliburton Chamber announcing the recipients of this year’s Business and Community Achievement Awards, the passing of Bill Pappas of Pappas Billiards in Peterborough, and the Peterborough DBIA helping downtown businesses improve their online presence.

New regional events added this week include the Peterborough Chamber’s PBX at Ganaraska Financial Credit Union on April 2nd, an Artificial Intelligence in Manufacturing Tech Talk on April 4th in Cobourg, FastStart Peterborough’s “Manufacturing Innovation in Peterborough” e-connect seminar on April 9th in Peterborough, Lindsay Chamber’s new B2B Professional Networking Club on April 10th in Lindsay, the Peterborough DBIA’s “Shaping Your Downtown” open house on April 10th in Peterborough, the Venture13 Funding Forum on April 25th in Cobourg, and Inclusive Advisory hosting “Conscious Shift” leadership workshops on May 10th in Peterborough.

Sam’s Place Deli in downtown Peterborough unveils renovated space and new logo

As food writer Eva Fisher first reported in KNosh News in March, Sam’s Place Deli (188 Hunter St W, Peterborough, 705-876-1900) in downtown Peterborough has a fresh new look and logo.

Owner Sam Sayer has given her business “a facelift”, geared toward making better use of the space. The renovation also allows for more grab-and-go foods.

The renovated space, along with a new logo and slogan, was unveiled last Monday (March 25). Previously “The Best Dan Deli In Town”, the new slogan reads “The Best Samwiches In Town”.

For more information on Sam’s Place Deli, visit their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/samsplacedeli.

Electric City Bread Company in Peterborough is under new ownership

Conor Gilhooly is the new owner of Electric City Bread Company (165 Sherbrooke St., Peterborough).

Gilhooly, who has been an employee at the popular bakery and restaurant, has been working in the industry for 15 years.

“We’re a tight-knit group of people who believe in good comfort food,” Gilhooly tells local accounting and wealth management firm Inclusive Advisory, of whom he is a client. “Everything here is made from scratch, right down to the mustard.”

As well as being a bakery, Electric City Bread Company offers a menu featuring seasonal and local products.

Electric City Bread Company was opened in 2013 by Jeremy Fletcher and Jordan Podaima.

For more information on Electric City Bread Company, visit www.electriccitybreadco.com..

Innovation Cluster to expand into City of Kawartha Lakes

Last Tuesday (March 26), City of Kawartha Lakes council approved a recommendation from staff to develop a joint partnership with the Innovation Cluster Peterborough & Kawarthas.

The decision followed a presentation to Kawartha Lakes council by Innovation Cluster president and CEO Michael Skinner on March 19th, in which he proposed an expansion of the not-for-profit economic development organization into the City of Kawartha Lakes, including an office in Lindsay.

There has been a recent increase of entrepreneurs from Kawartha Lakes using the services offered by the Innovation Cluster. In 2018, the Innovation Cluster helped foster over $2.3 million dollars in sales and investments for businesses in Kawartha Lakes alone. This increase in demand has created the need for both parties to work together to streamline business support and programming locally.

The Innovation Cluster provides mentoring, workshops, incubation space and access to specialized resources for high-growth companies. This complements Kawartha Lakes’ Economic Development program by expanding services available to local entrepreneurs.

In 2018, through the support offered by the Innovation Cluster, 20 additional jobs were created by start-up companies within Kawartha Lakes. The endorsement from Kawartha Lakes council further supports the need for business development for the municipality and the partnership is likely to roll out by the end of June 2019.

Community Futures Peterborough announces eight semi-finalists for ignite100

Community Futures Peterborough has announced the eight semi-finalists for the inaugural ignite100 entrepreneurial competition.

The semi-finalists are ATL Distributing, Cambium, Cottage Toys, Goodwin Metals, Iron Equipment, Keene Trucks, Percheron Plastics, and Treewell.

Launched earlier this year by Community Futures Peterborough (CFP), the competition’s grand prize is a repayable loan of $100,000, with no payments in the first year and no interest for the first three years (CFP will pay the interest for the first 36 months).

CFP received a total of 15 applications during the intake process, which closed on March 22nd.

“Considering it is our first year running the ignite100 program, we are excited with the applications we received and more so the quality of the submissions,” says CFP executive director Gail Moorhouse.

During April, the eight semi-finalists will perfect their presentations and, at a live pitch event on May 2nd at Fleming College, a panel of community leaders will select and announce the three finalists. The winner will be announced at CFP’s annual general meeting and community barbeque on June 26th.

Regardless of the grand prize winner, the eight semi-finalists will have first access to the new Rural Renaissance Innovation Initiative announced by the federal government in February 2019. This is a non-repayable contribution for projects that align with FedDev Ontario requirements around innovation. Since ignite100 is an innovation competition, Community Futures Peterborough views the applicants as already vetted to meet the innovation objective.

For more information on ignite100, visit ignite100.ca.

Inclusive Advisory named one of the Best Workplaces™ for Women in Canada

Inclusive Advisory, a multidisciplinary firm practising accounting, law, and wealth management with offices in Peterborough and Port Perry, has been named to the 2019 list of Best Workplaces™ for Women in Canada by Great Place to Work®.

The list is based on direct feedback from employees of the hundreds of organizations surveyed by Great Place to Work®. The data have a 90 per cent confidence and a plus or minus 5 per cent margin of error.

To be eligible for this list, organizations must be Great Place to Work Certified™ in the past year, have a minimum of 15 female employees, and at least 90 per cent of employees must agree that their workplace is safe and people are treated fairly regardless of their gender.

Great Place to Work® is a global authority on high-trust, high-performance workplace cultures. They conduct the world’s largest workplace study, surveying over 8,000 organizations representing more than 10 million employees in more than 50 countries.

Lake Edge Cottages on Katchewanooka Lake in Lakefield is under new ownership

Steve and Anne Wildfong are going to be the new owners of Lake Edge Cottages on Katchewanooka Lake in Lakefield.

Current owners Peter and Pam Fischer, who have operated Lake Edge Cottages for the past 22 years, will be handing over the reigns to the Wildfongs on April 15th.

The Wildfongs, who both grew up in small towns in Ontario, say their family’s love of small-town communities and the great outdoors led them to purchase Lake Edge Cottages, where they will be able to share their love of nature and community with others.

On its 12.5 acre property, Lake Edge Cottages offers four one-bedroom cottages and four two-bedroom cottages within a five-minute drive of the Village of Lakefield and within walking distance of Young’s Point. Most of the cottages are located on the shores of Katchewanooka Lake, with other cottages located away from shore with access to an outdoor heated swimming pool.

For more information, visit www.lakeedge.com

Westwind Inn in Buckhorn celebrates its 28th anniversary

Today (April 1), the Jensen and Gallacher family is celebrating 28 years of owning and operating the Westwind Inn (37 Fire Rte 21 Rd, Buckhorn).

David Jensen and his wife Kristi originally purchased Westwind Resort in 1991, having always enjoyed travelling, camping, and cottaging. They renamed it Westwind Inn and transitioned the previous family-style resort into a quiet resort for adults, making it 100 per cent smoke-free in the process (one of the first businesses in Ontario to do so).

They added home furnishings and decorated the main lodge with hotel antiques, art, and a Baldwin baby grand piano. Every one of the 31 rooms was renovated by adding white cedar to the walls, fireplaces in the rooms, upgrading the beds, adding sofas and (most recently) hardwood flooring and ensuite washrooms.

Over the last 28 years, the family — now in its third generation — has acquired neighbouring property, growing the resort from seven to 60 acres. They expanded accommodations by adding the Linwood B.C. Cedar Chalet that offers four upgraded suites, an indoor pool, and a large meeting space, and they installed a 40-foot inground pool with waterfall.

Westwind Inn is a protected sanctuary surrounded by Crown land and the Kawartha Highlands Provincial Park. Guests enjoy bird watching, quiet hikes (and skiing and snowshoeing in the winter) on groomed trails, and sitting by our 11-acre pond. With a quarter mile of shoreline and a sand beach, the resort offer free sports, kayaks, and canoes. They also offer breakfast and dinner to their guests and dinner to those who visit for an evening out.

For more information, visit www.westwindinn.net.

Haliburton Chamber announces recipients of Business and Community Achievement Awards

The Haliburton Highlands Chamber of Commerce held its 13th Annual Business and Community Achievement Awards Gala on Saturday (March 30) at the Pinestone Resort & Conference Centre in Haliburton.

The recipients of the awards are:

• Innovation and Creativity Award – Haliburton Solar and Wind
• Not-for-Profit of the Year Award – Rotary Club of Haliburton
• Customer First – Business Award – Haliburton Solar and Wind
• Customer First – Employee Award – Shontel Neville (Heat-Line Freeze Protection Systems)
• Business Achievement Award – Haliburton Solar and Wind
• New Business of the Year Award – Haliburton County Chiropractic & Rehabilitation
• Tourism & Hospitality Award – Haliburton Forest & Wildlife Reserve
• Young Professional of the Year Award – Dr. Kassie Wright (Haliburton County Chiropractic & Rehabilitation)
• Skilled Trades & Industry Award – Haliburton Solar and Wind
• Entrepreneur of the Year Award – Brandi Hewson (WAI Products Ltd.)
• County Warden’s Award – Harvest Haliburton
• Highlander of the Year Award – Steve Todd

Bill Pappas, original owner of Pappas Billiards in Peterborough, passes away

Bill Pappas, the original owner of Pappas Billiards on George Street in downtown Peterborough, passed away last Tuesday (March 26) at Peterborough Regional Health Centre at the age of 91.

According to his obituary, Pappas was born Basili Papakyriazis in the village of Anavriton in Arcardia, Greece in 1927. In his early years, he fought the Nazis and escaped from Communist re-education camps while serving in the Greek army. He later became a sergeant with the military police during which time he drove a Harley-Davidson motorcycle while on duty.

In 1955, he moved to Canada to make enough money to bring his fiancé Toula Anagnostopoulos from Greece to start a family. Within a year, she arrived in Canada and they were married in 1956.

In 1962, the couple moved to Peterborough where Pappas purchased a billiards business from his uncle Louis Yeotes. The business is now owned and operated by Bill Pappas’ son, city councillor Dean Pappas.

Bill Pappas is survived by Toulas Pappas, his wife of 63 years, along with their children Gina, Charley, and Dean and four grandchildren.

A funeral service was held at the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church (406 Parkhill Rd. E., Peterborough) at 10 a.m. on Monday (April 1) followed by interment at Little Lake Cemetery and a reception at Highland Park Reception Centre. The Pappas family would appreciate memorial contributions to the Alzheimer’s Society or Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church.

Peterborough DBIA helping downtown businesses improve their online presence

Starting this month, the Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Area (DBIA) will be helping downtown businesses improve their online presence.

The DBIA received a $10,000 grant from Digital Main Street, an initiative of the Ontario Business Improvement Area (BIA) Association funded by the Ontario government that helps small businesses adopt digital tools such as e-commerce platforms and social media.

The DBIA will use the grant, along with support from Community Futures Peterborough and the DBIA’s own resources, to establish a “Digital Service Squad” that involves a trained online specialist visiting and assisting businesses at no cost to help them set up Google Business, conduct a digital-readiness assessment, and apply for a $2,500 grant from Digital Main Street.

“This program is going to make our downtown more competitive and vibrant,” says DBIA executive director Terry Guiel. “We know we have to meet our customers where it’s most convenient for them. The beautiful bricks and mortar physical locations will always be the core of what makes downtown what it is, but we need to help our businesses make the best use of their resources for promotions, serving their customers, and reaching new markets.”

Businesses within the downtown area will be introduced to the Digital Service Squad at the end of April, which will be available to businesses in the downtown area. For further information or to participate in the program, contact Communications Manager Joel Wiebe at joel@downtownptbo.ca or call 705-748-4774.

Peterborough Chamber PBX at Ganaraska Financial Credit Union in Peterborough on April 2

The Peterborough Chamber of Commerce’s next Peterborough Business Exchange (PBX) takes place from 4 to 6 p.m. on Tuesday, April 2nd at Ganaraska Financial Credit Union (823 Park St. S., Peterborough).

The PBX networking event is a great opportunity for the business community, employers, consumers, and community agencies to make valuable connections.

Everyone is welcome to attend this free event.

For more information, visit www.peterboroughchamber.ca.

Durham College’s AI/HUB presents Artificial Intelligence in Manufacturing Tech Talk on April 4 in Cobourg

Durham College is presenting an Artificial Intelligence (AI0 in Manufacturing Tech Talk from 8:30 to 11 a.m. on Thursday, April 4th at Venture13 (739 D’Arcy St., Cobourg).

The workshop features keynote speaker, Minute School CEO Tushar Singh, as he talks about AI skills for the manufacturing sector, followed but a panel discussion with industry leads working on AI projects with the AI/HUB: Lifelong Group of Companies CEO Absar Beg, People and Places Inc. CEO Daryl Thomas, Low Freight Rate CEO Hassan Jaffer, and Cameco operations manager Doug Jensen.

Tickets are $10 and can be ordered online at www.seatgiantevents.ca/event/Artificial-Intelligence-in-Manufacturing-Tech-Talk.

Peterborough Emergency Management and Safety Forum on April 4 and 5

The Peterborough Emergency Management and Safety Forum is taking place from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 4th and Friday, April 5th at Stonehouse Hall (2195 Lansdowne St. Peterborough).

This two-day event is an opportunity to learn from leading experts in the field of emergency management and safety planning and execution. The forum will cover incident management and mitigation, emergency planning and responses, public safety, business continuity planning, interoperability in times of crisis or serious event, and coordinated collaborative response.

There will be guest speakers from Orlando, Florida speaking on lessons learned from the Pulse Night Club shooting, Peterborough Police Chief Scott Gilbert speaking on the 2018 Toronto van incident, Sgt. Kerry Schmidt of the O.P.P. speaking on communications and the media in a crisis, Tom McKay (President of the International Society of Crime Prevention Practitioners), and an expert panel on cyber security.

Early bird tickets are $75 until Friday, February 15th and $100 thereafter. For tickets, visit www.eventbrite.ca/e/peterborough-emergency-management-and-safety-forum-2019-tickets-53587643083.

Women’s Business Network of Peterborough presents Women in Business Award and the Judy Heffernan Award Dinner on April 9 in Peterborough

The Women’s Business Network of Peterborough (WBN) is presenting the Women in Business Award and the Judy Heffernan Award at an awards dinner beginning at 5:30 p.m on Tuesday, April 9th at Personal Touch Banquet Hall (1135 Lansdowne St. W., Peterborough).

The Women in Business Award will be awarded to a women showing exceptional business leadership. The Judy Heffernan Award will be awarded to a women who demonstrates the empowerment of other women. Enjoy cocktails at 5:30 p.m., dinner at 6:30 p.m., speaker at 7:30 p.m. and the awards celebration at 8 p.m.

Rhonda Barnet, Chief Operating Officer of Steelworks Design and past chair of the National Board of the Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters, will be the keynote speaker.

Cocktails and networking begins at 5:30 p.m., with dinner at 6:30 p.m., the keynote speaker at 7:30 p.m. and the awards celebration at 8 p.m.

Tickets for the awards dinner are available at a cost of $65 for WBN members or $75 for non-members (tables are also available). For more information and to purchase tickets online, visit www.womensbusinessnetwork.net/awards-event/.

FastStart Peterborough presents “Manufacturing Innovation in Peterborough” seminar on April 9 in Peterborough

FastStart Peterborough’s next E-Connect seminar is entitled “Manufacturing Innovation in Peterborough” and takes place from 6 to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, April 9th at The Venue (286 George St. N., Peterborough).

The panel discussion features speakers John Gillis, incoming CEO and president of the Innovation Cluster, and Jason Balcombe, supply chain manager for Savage Arms Canada. The panel will invite the speakers to elaborate on the manufacturing industry in Peterborough, specifically how small/medium enterprises and large corporations function within the same city and landscape.

Appetizers and a cash bar will be available at this free event. To reserve your seat, visit www.eventbrite.com/e/e-connect-locally-created-manufacturing-innovation-in-peterborough-tickets-58997454976

Lindsay Chamber launching B2B Professional Networking Club on April 10 in Lindsay

The Lindsay and District Chamber of Commerce is launching a member-run professional networking club for business-to-business (B2B) members of the chamber to promote each other’s businesses.

The first meeting takes place from 8 to 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday, April 10th in the community room of the Kawartha Lakes Police Services (6 Victoria Ave. N., Lindsay).

Future meetings will be held on the second Wednesday of each month.

For more information and to register, visit lindsaydistrictchamberofcommerce.wildapricot.org/event-3340350.

Peterborough DBIA hosting “Shaping Your Downtown” open house on April 10 in Peterborough

The Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement (DBIA) is looking for public input for a vision of downtown Peterborough at the “Shaping Your Downtown” open house event from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 10th in the Friends of the Library Community Room at the Peterborough Public Library (345 Aylmer St. N., Peterborough).

The Peterborough DIBA is developing its five-year strategic plan this spring and seeking input from the community. You can learn about potential DBIA initiatives planned for the future, share your views on key factors affecting the success of the downtown, and learn how you can play a role in helping the downtown grow and thrive.

This drop-in event is free to attend.

Peterborough & the Kawarthas Tourism hosts second annual Rural Tourism Symposium on April 11 in Keene

Peterborough & the Kawarthas Tourism is hosting the second annual Rural Tourism Symposium from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Thursday, April 11th in the Agriculture Heritage Building at Lang Pioneer Village Museum (104 Lang Rd., Keene).

This symposium for tourism industry professionals will include a keynote presentation from Lisa LaVecchia, president and CEO of Destination Ontario, as well as presentations by: Beth Potter, president and CEO of the Tourism Industry Association of Ontario; Trevor Benson, director of food tourism innovation with Culinary Tourism Alliance; Jewel Cunningham, director of Ontario Waterways with Parks Canada; and David Robinson of Destination Canada.

There will also be a tourism town hall by the Tourism Industry Association of Canada, one of a series presented by the Tourism Industry Association of Canada, Destination Canada, and local industry partners.

The cost for the second annual Rural Tourism Symposium is $125+HST, which includes a continental breakfast, a market-style lunch, and entry to the Tourism Town Hall. Tickets are available online at ruraltourism.biz.

Kawartha Lakes Arts Council hosts community celebration and annual general meeting on April 17 in Omemee

The Kawartha Lakes Arts Council is hosting its 4th annual community celebration and annual general meeting at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 17th at Coronation Hall (1 King St. W. Omemee).

The annual general meeting will begin at 6:30 p.m., followed at 7 p.m. by a tribute to artist Michael Poulton, a live auction of original artworks and creative experiences, a Neil Young tribute by Gerald Van Halteren, and more.

The Kawartha Lakes Arts Council is a not-for-profit volunteer organization of volunteers dedicated to serving the arts community in Kawartha Lakes by advocating for artists and the arts, promoting a vibrant arts community, fostering professional development and educational training, and cultivating investment and support of the arts in the community.

Haliburton Highlands Chamber hosts a breakfast meeting with MPP Laurie Scott on April 23 in Haliburton

The Haliburton Highlands Chamber of Commerce is hosting The Breadkfast Club with MPP Laurie Scott from 7:30 to 9 a.m. on Tuesday, April 23rd at Mckeck’s Tap & Grill (207 Highland St., Haliburton)

Scott, who is MPP for Haliburton—Kawartha Lakes—Brock, will talk about her role as Ontario Minister of Labour and what she is planning on for 2019.

The cost is $20 for Chamber members and $25 for non-members. Register at events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/eventReg?oeidk=a07eg76zk9ob91259d5

Venture13 Funding Forum on April 25 in Cobourg

Venture13, the Business Development Bank of Canada, and the Northumberland Manufacturing Association are presenting the Venture13 Funding Forum from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Thursday, April 25th at Venture13 (739 D’Arcy St., Cobourg).

Meet with various funding organizations, including the Northumberland CFDC, FedDev, OMAFRA, and more, to learn about the funding programs and services they have to offer.

The event is free. Reserve your spot at www.eventbrite.com/e/venture13-funding-forum-tickets-55978753960.

Trent Hills Chamber hosts Celebration of Business Excellence Awards Ceremony on April 27 in Hastings

The Trent Hills Chamber of Commerce will be hosting its Celebration of Business Excellence Awards Ceremony from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 27th at The Grand Maple (19 Abert St. E., Hastings).

Awards will be presented in the following categories: Excellence In Business (Retail-Based Business), Excellence In Business (Service-Based Business), Pride And Progress, Customer Experience Award (Service Business), Customer Experience Award (Retail Business), Community Impact, Non-Profit Organization, and the Chair’s Award.

A reception takes place at 6:30 p.m. followed by the awards ceremony at 7:30 p.m., and are available at business.trenthillschamber.ca/events/details/celebration-of-business-excellence-awards-ceremony-3316.

Inclusive Advisory hosts “Conscious Shift” workshops on May 10 in Peterborough

Inclusive Advisory, a multidisciplinary firm practising accounting, law, and wealth management with offices in Peterborough and Port Perry, is hosting a series of workshops called “Conscious Shift” from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Friday, May 10th at VentureNorth (270 George St. N., Peterborough).

With the tagline “leadership and management uncensored”, the workshops will feature four speakers sharing their experiences on leadership. Each speaker will give an original 20-minute presentation followed by a 20-minute question-and-answer session.

The speakers are: Paul Bennett, owner of Ashburnham Realty; Mike Skinner, president and CEO of the Innovation Cluster; Chief Kelly LaRocca of the Mississaugas of Scucog Island First Nation; and Sacha Lai-Svirk, director of digital health at Outpost379.

The workshops, which promise to “challenge the participants to step outside of their comfort zone” by introducing them “to alternative insights that challenge the status quo in management”, are designed for business owners, executives, managers, and community leaders.

Tickets are $200 each, with $150 from each ticket donated to The Mount Community Centre, Peterborough’s sustainable and inclusive urban village (charitable receipts will be provided).

For tickets, email Montana Scott at Inclusive Advisory at mscott@inclusiveadvisory.ca.

For more business-related events in the Kawarthas, check out our Business Events column.