At the Kawartha Chamber of Commerce & Tourism’s Awards of Excellence last night (November 8), Cindy Windover arrived as the emcee for the event and left as Citizen of the Year.

She was among 11 businesses and individuals honoured at the 19th annual event, held for the first time at Lakefield College School.

In a departure from the past, the event began with a social gala rather than a sit-down dinner. At 6:30 p.m., attendees mingled while nibbling on hor d’oeuvres, enjoying wine and beer, and bidding on many silent auction items donated by local businesses, while local band Rhythm and Grace (featuring children and youth from the Duketow family) supplied the music.

At 8 p.m., attendees moved into the Bryan Jones Theatre for the awards ceremony. Chamber board president Tonya Kraan (of Strexer Harrop & Associates) acknowledged the sponsorship of the event by Shorelines Casino Peterborough, remembered the late Garry Douglas (a board member who recently passed away), and introduced emcee and past president Cindy Windover (of Windover Plumbing).

Cindy, who was unaware of her pending selection as Citizen of the Year, recognized the organizers, volunteers, and sponsors of the event and entertained the crowd with her observations about small business owners, while also acknowledging the 80 nominees as well as the 27 finalists who were up for awards.

A live auction of five experiential packages preceded the awards ceremony (both the silent and live auctions raise funds for the Chamber). Auctioneer Keith Monk engaged members of the audience with humour while managing to solicit high bids for most of the items.

One auction item of special note was the 4,000th blanket hand tied by Faith Dickinson, founder of Cuddles for Cancer, a charity that creates comfort blankets for people with illness, Canadian soldiers and veterans, and more.

While Faith was unable to attend as she is England, members of the charity’s newly created youth council were on hand to display the blanket for auction.

Roberta Herod of Herod Financial Services surprised and delighted the crowd by preempting the bidding on the blanket by offering $1,000. Half of the winning bid will be donated back to Cuddles for Cancer to create more blankets.

After the live auction, the awards ceremony commenced. A representative of the sponsor for each award introduced the finalists and then announced the winner.

Not-For-Profit Excellence

The first award was for Not-For-Profit Excellence, sponsored by Darling Insurance.

The award recognizes an organization that exemplifies excellence in service for the betterment of the community.

The finalists were Cuddles for Cancer, Community Care, and the Peterborough Humane Society.

The winner was the Peterborough Humane Society.

Retailer of the Year

The Retailer of the Year award, sponsored by Nexicom, recognizes a high level of sales and customer service, innovative products or services, and proven marketing techniques.

The finalists were Happenstance Books & Yarns, Style Boutique, and Trinkets & Treasures.

The winner was Trinkets & Treasures.

Service Sector Excellence

The Service Sector Excellence award, sponsored by Herod Financial Services, honours a business that excels in the service sector, including but not limited to the trades, health and wellness, and professional services.

The finalists were Kawartha Lakes Construction, Lakefield Herald, and The Regency of Lakefield.

The winner was The Regency of Lakefield.

Tourism/Hospitality Excellence

Sponsored by Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development, the Tourism/Hospitality Excellence award honours a business that demonstrates the ability to promote the region as a tourism destination point, and/or provides exceptional service in the hospitality field.

The finalists were Greenbridge Celtic Folk Festival, Indian River Reptile Zoo, and Lang Pioneer Village Museum.

The winner was Lang Pioneer Village Museum.

Commercial Development or Renovation

The Commercial Development or Renovation award, sponsored by BALL Real Estate Inc., Brokerage, recognizes a significant contribution to the overall image of the region through physical improvements, or an ongoing effort to maintain high aesthetic standards.

The finalists were Jack’s Lake Lodge Cottage Rentals, Lock Stop Cafe, The Cozy Home, and The Regency of Lakefield.

The winner was Jack’s Lake Lodge Cottage Rentals.

Note: due to a family emergency, the owners were unable to attend to accept the award.

Entrepreneur Innovation

Sponsored by Gastle and Associates Registered Patent Agents, the Entrepreneur Innovation award recognizes use of innovative products, marketing techniques or services, as well as risk taking.

The finalists were kawarthaNOW.com, Molly’s Acres, Thirteen Moons Wellness, and Vetterview.

The winner was Vetterview.

Customer Service Excellence

The Customer Service Excellence award, sponsored by CIBC, recognizes customer service at a high level of excellence and being a model for other businesses in the community to follow.

The finalists were Happenstance Books & Yarns, Logan Tree Experts, The Regency of Lakefield, and Village Pet Food & Supply.

The winner was Logan Tree Experts.

Young Professional Award

Sponsored by Community Futures Peterborough, the Young Professional Award recognizes a young professional under the age of 35 who demonstrates innovation, risk taking, entrepreneurial spirit, and exceptional leadership.

The finalists for the award, which was presented in memory of Judy Heffernan, were not announced.

The winner of the award was Emily Wilkins of Adventure Outfitters.

Outstanding Business Achievement

The Outstanding Business Achievement award, sponsored by the County of Peterborough, recognizes a leader in moving the region forward: expanding market share, product/service innovation, environmental considerations, and employee relations.

The finalists were Lakefield Foodland, Nightingale, and Salon Sorella & Day Spa.

The winner was Lakefield Foodland.

Lifetime Achievement Award

The Lifetime Achievement Award, a special award for 2018 sponsored by ISL Insurance Brokers, was awarded to Audrey Von Bogen.

Citizen of the Year

The Citizen of the Year award, sponsored by RBC, is presented to a person who has been a leader in moving the region forward and has been responsible for the improvement and well being of the business community beyond personal or business gain.

The finalists for the award were not announced.

The winner was Cindy Windover — who was also the emcee for the evening and is the past president of the board of the Kawartha Chamber of Commerce & Tourism.

For more details on the award recipients and the finalists, visit kawarthachamber.ca.

It’s been a year of change for local economic development organization Community Futures Peterborough — which is good news for businesses in the City and County of Peterborough.

Not only did Gail Moorhouse take over the reins as Executive Director back in March, but the organization recently moved its offices from 351 Charlotte Street to the Venture North building in downtown Peterborough — home to the area’s other economic development organizations including Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development, Community Futures Ontario East, and the Innovation Cluster.

The move was a strategic decision, according to Moorhouse, as it brings Community Futures under the same roof as many of their valued partners, increasing opportunities for collaboration with the area’s other economic development organizations and further strengthening Community Futures’ mandate.

“Our mandate is all about partnership,” Moorhouse says. “We aim to help local businesses overcome the unique challenges they face. It’s their vision and our support. Moving to the Venture North building brings us closer to our partners that help us to make our mandate possible.”

First established in 1985, Community Futures supports small business by providing flexible financing solutions and services. Over the past 35 years, Community Futures has invested $28 million in more than 700 small businesses, supporting the creation or maintenance of over 3,300 jobs in the City and County of Peterborough.

Moorhouse explains that, while many new businesses require financing, they also need more than money to be sustainable and successful.

She sees the move to Venture North as a chance for Community Futures to continue doing what it does well, while helping clients to connect with and benefit from business development services and programs offered by their partners at Venture North.

“Businesses require marketing plans, strong business plans, and an advisory team,” Moorhouse says. “Community Futures can connect you to the people who can do this for you — and now it’s all under one roof.”

One example of how businesses benefit from this collaboration is the recent announcement of funding for the expansion of Entomo Farms, a Norwood-based company that produces food protein products made from crickets.

The company is an early market leader in food sustainability that aspires to become the largest insect-as-food supplier in the world.

Entomo Farms received funding through Community Futures and the Southern Ontario Fund for Investment in Innovation (SOFII), a program delivered through Community Futures Ontario East — also located at Venture North. With the funding, Entomo Farms plans to expand its workforce by 38 per cent within the next year.

Vince Killen, Executive Director of Community Futures Ontario East, says Entomo Farms is a great example of the type of client perfectly suited to the SOFII program and the mandate of Community Futures.

“Entomo is a company that is in the process of dynamic growth, has developed innovative technologies, has expanded into export markets, impacts regional economies, and create jobs,” Killen explains.

Like Moorhouse, Killen stresses the importance of partnerships in supporting local businesses.

“Partnerships like this one with the Community Futures team are the cornerstone of building our innovation ecosystem here in Eastern Ontario,” he says.

Another example of the benefits of strategic collaboration is the Rural Business Summit, a conference organized by Community Futures and Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development during Small Business Week this October.

Geared towards rural business owners, the summit took place at two locations — Baxter Creek Golf Club in Pontypool on October 16th and Burleigh Falls Inn in Burleigh Falls on October 17th. It featured a morning keynote address from Erin Bury, Managing Director at Toronto-based creative communications agency Eighty-Eight, as well as panel discussions about the unique challenges which rural businesses face.

A highlight of the conference was the panel discussion on business succession planning.

“We had some great panelists who talked about a variety of ways that business owners could pass their businesses on to the next generation,” Moorhouse says.

“This is important for the sustainability part of our mandate, and it’s important to ensure that our local businesses are generational and provide opportunities for young people in the region.”

Despite the new strategic location in the City of Peterborough’s downtown core, Moorhouse is quick to point out the importance of business in the County of Peterborough and the willingness of Community Futures to support rural business. More than 85 people attended the Rural Business Summit, including municipal officials and local business owners.

Moorhouse says her team also uses these events to assist Community Futures in strategic planning for the future. The organization is currently in its annual planning phase, and the information gathered from the Rural Business Summit will help to inform next year’s programming.

“It was great to offer this conference to county members and to work with Peterborough and the Kawarthas Economic Development to make it happen,” says Moorhouse, emphasizing that everyone benefits from collaboration.

With Community Futures’ new location and Moorhouse’s leadership, more opportunities for collaboration will undoubtedly arise, ensuring the organization along with its partners continues to be a driving force in creating sustainable employment in the region.

“We are all striving to create jobs and develop a good economy in Peterborough and the Kawarthas,” Moorhouse says. “We want a vibrant community. It’s an honour to do this work for our clients and this amazing community.”

This week’s round-up of business news features Crayola Canada in Lindsay raising more than $42,000 for the United Way for the City of Kawartha Lakes through the annual Crayola sale, Casey Ready retiring from the CCRC in Peterborough, Holiday Shopping Passports and Black Friday returning to downtown Peterborough in November, a film festival award for local filmmaker Adriano Ferreri, and a celebration of life planned for the late Dorothy Mead, first general manager of Peterborough DBIA.

Also featured is up to $100,000 in federal funding available to female entrepreneurs through the Women Entrepreneurship Fund, the announcement of John Yakabuski as the new Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry in Peterborough, and the closure of RONA home improvement stores in Peterborough and Lakefield.

New regional business events added this week include the Peterborough Chamber PBX at Trent University with Peterborough Distribution Inc. on November 6th, the Peterborough & the Kawarthas Funding Forum in Peterborough on November 20th, and the Peterborough DBIA Breakfast Network with John Hucks on November 21st.

Crayola Canada raises more than $42,000 for United Way for the City of Kawartha Lakes

Last Friday (November 2), Crayola Canada presented the United Way for the City of Kawartha Lakes (CKL) with a cheque for $42,620.80, representing the proceeds from the 30th annual Crayola Sale held on October 13, 2018.

The popular sale, which is held every year at the Lindsay Exhibition Fairgrounds, attracts shoppers from all over Ontario and even some shoppers from the United States.

Crayola’s Canadian headquarters are located in Lindsay, and the team at Crayola Canada has donated more than $1,000,000 to the United Way from the past 30 years of the sale. Crayola employees also volunteer their time to help set up and run the sale.

“Leadership, dedication, and commitment by the Crayola Canada company and its employees has meant thousands of children, families, and individuals have been able to access critical programs that help them in real time,” says United Way CKL executive director Penny Barton Dyke. “Our campaign this year is about inspiring others to give and develop workplace campaigns. Crayola and its team of employees are leaders in the truest fashion.”

In 2019, Crayola Canada, along with Fleming College and the United Way CKL will partner to develop 30,000 square feet of unused land on the lot adjacent to the Crayola building into their largest community Garden. gome of the funds raised at the 30th annual Crayola Sale will go towards the community garden project, which will have the capacity to provide fresh produce to hundreds of people in the City of Kawartha Lakes.

“With its latest gift of land use, Crayola is once again leading the way by embarking on a new way of investing in people — a true community champion,” Barton Dyke says.

Casey Ready to retire as executive director of Community Counselling and Resource Centre (CCRC) in Peterborough

Casey Ready, executive director of Community Counselling and Resource Centre (CCRC) in Peterborough, will be retiring in April 2019 after 17 years with the organization.

Ready joined CCRC in 2001, after leading the United Way from 1993 to 1999 and the Peterborough Social Planning Council from 1999 to 2001.

Known as a positive and motivating leader and for her ability to be strategic while managing the many details of a complex organization, Ready helped consolidate CCRC services into a central and more accessible location in downtown Peterborough. She also worked collaboratively with board, staff, and volunteers to bring leadership to CCRC and to advocate for social justice on issues affecting CCRC clients.

“On behalf of the Board of Directors and the staff and clients of CCRC, I want to say a huge thank you to Casey for her leadership and dedication to social justice”, says Beckie Evans, CCRC Board President. “We are immensely grateful for Casey’s vision and leadership in developing and enhancing CCRC and its services and connections throughout Peterborough City and County. The strong foundation of CCRC today is Casey’s legacy.”

CCRC’s Board is actively engaged in a search process for a new executive director. Ready will continue to serve as executive director until a successor is named and the leadership transition is complete.

CCRC is a charitable, non-profit agency that provides credit and debit counselling, housing resources, professional counselling, and more.

Holiday Shopping Passports and Black Friday return to downtown Peterborough in November

The Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Area (DBIA) is bringing back its popular Holiday Shopping Passports and Black Friday promotions in November.

The Holiday Shopping Passport program, which begins on Monday, November 12th, rewards people for supporting local businesses by shopping, dining, and enjoying downtown Peterborough. Shoppers get a stamp for every $10 spent downtown, with 20 stamps making a full passport which is then entered into draws for money that can be spent at downtown stores (early bird draws for $500 will be held on December 5th, 12th, and 19th with the grand prize of $1,500 on January 9th).

Black Friday, one of the biggest sales days of the year for many downtown businesses, takes place on Friday, November 23rd. Each year, the DBIA puts together a list of downtown businesses holidng some form of sales event and promotes downtown as a whole as a destination for Black Friday shopping.

If you own or operate a downtown business and want to be part of either promotion, contact DBIA Communications Manager Joel Wiebe at 705-748-4774 or joelwiebe@peterboroughbia.com.

Local filmmaker Adriano Ferreri wins award at Texas film festival

Local filmmaker Adriano Ferreri’s debut feature film E.M.P. 333 Days won Best Fiction Feature Film at the Rockport Film Festival in Texas over the weekend.

A barber by day in Bridgenorth, Adriano spent three years making the film, which was shot entirely in the Kawarthas and features local actors, including his daughter Rosa in the lead role.

E.M.P. 333 Days is an 83-minute thriller about what happens to introverted 11-year-old Niamh (Rosa Ferreri) after an electromagnetic pulse (E.M.P.) weapon fries all electrical devices, returning North America to pre-industrial conditions and sending it into anarchy. Niamh must fend and fight for herself while trying to find her father John (Martin Saunders).

Celebration of life planned for the late Dorothy Mead, first general manager of Peterborough DBIA

A celebration of the life of Dorothy Mead, the first general manager of the Peterborough Downtown Peterborough Business Improvement Area (DBIA) will take place from 1 to 4 p.m. on Saturday, November 17th at the Holiday Inn Peterborough-Waterfront (150 George St., Peterborough).

Mead, who passed away at her home on October 23rd at the age of 90, was the first general manager of the Peterborough DBIA from 1982 to 1992.

She continued to show her commitment to downtown Peterborough and was a regular attendee at DBIA breakfast meetings.

Expressions of condolence may be made at www.highlandparkfuneralcentre.com/notices/Dorothy-Mead.

Federal Women Entrepreneurship Fund offers non-repayable funding of up to $100,000 to female entrepreneurs

If you are a woman who owns or leads a for-profit business, you may be eligible for up to $100,000 in non-repayable funding — but you only have until next week to apply.

Applications are now open under the federal government’s Women Entrepreneurship Fund, a $20 million program that offers up to $100,000 in non-repayable funding to women-owned or women-led for-profit businesses with fewer than 499 employees that have been operating for at least two years.

The deadline to submit an application is midnight on Thursday, November 15, 2018.

To apply, businesses must complete an application detailing the proposed project (including product and market overview, project objectives, key activities, risks and mitigations, expected outcomes, and project costs) and provide annual financial statements for the past two years and a one-year financial forecast.

Funding priority will be given to diverse women entrepreneurs (including women with disabilities, Indigenous women, women in rural or remote regions, recent immigrants, and more), businesses in advanced manufacturing, agri-food, health and bio-sciences, clean technology, and digital industries), and projects seeking to pursue market opportunities abroad.

Priority applicants must contribute at least 10 per cent of eligible project expenses, with non-priority applications contributing 20 per cent. Projects may be up to 12 months in length, and eligible project expenses include the cost of labour, capital costs, operating costs, and more.

If your application is approved, you will sign an agreement with the Government of Canada that outlines the conditions of funding. Financial reporting will be required with each request for reimbursement of expenditures, in addition to year-end accounting and other financial information as required. In addition, regular progress and performance reports will be required.

More details, including an application guide, frequently asked questions, and the application form, are available at www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/128.nsf/eng/home.

John Yakabuski is the new Ontario Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry

John Yakabuski is the new Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry, the Ontario government ministry headquartered in Peterborough.

The announcement was made earlier today (November 5) after a Cabinet shuffle following the resignation of Jim Wilson as Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade.

Yakabuski, MPP for Renfrew-Nipissing-Pembroke, was first elected in 2003.

The previous Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry, Jeff Yurek, switches roles with Yakabuski, becoming the new Minister of Transportation.

RONA to close stores in Peterborough and Lakefield

The RONA stores in Peterborough and Lakefield will be closed.

Lowe’s, the U.S. home improvement retailer that acquired RONA in 2016, announced today (November 5) that 31 RONA stores will be closed in Canada

Most of the 31 stores will be closed by February 2019.

Peterborough Chamber PBX at Trent University with Peterborough Distribution Inc. on November 6

The Peterborough Chamber of Commerce’s next Peterborough Business Exchange (PBX) event takes place from 4 to 6 p.m. on Tuesday, November 6th at Trent University (1600 West Bank Dr., Peterborough).

The event, billed as “Celebrating Efficient Electric City Energy Management” with Peterborough Distribution Inc. (PDI), promises a “surprise announcement” at 4:15 p.m. followed by facility tours beginning at 4:30 p.m., and Chamber announcements at 5 p.m.

Everyone is welcome to attend the event.

Haliburton Chamber hosts breakfest meeting with Louie DiPalma in Minden on November 6

The Haliburton Highlands Chamber of Commerce is hosting a breakfast meeting at 7:30 pm. on Tuesday, November 6th at Molly’s Bistro Bakery (170 Bobcaygeon Rd. Minden).

The guest speaker is Louie DiPalma, Vice President of Small Medium Enterprise Programs with the Ontario Chamber of Commerce. The topic is “Discover Ability” which reviews the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, the advantages of developing an inclusive workforce, and promotes the business case for hiring persons with disabilities.

The cost is $20 for members and $25 for non-members (which includes taxes and gratuities). Register at events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/eventReg?oeidk=a07efqwu0xfe0a51414.

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.

Northumberland Chamber hosts networking event in Cobourg on November 13

The Northumberland Central Chamber of Commerce’s next “Meet and Greet” business networking event takes place from 5 to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, November 13th at Mann McCracken & Associates (1 Queen St., Unit 103, Cobourg).

In addition to networking with other local business people, you’ll have an opportunity to check out Northumberland’s most accessible legal service provider.

The event is free for Chamber members and $10 for non-members. Register at nccofc.ca/events/register/1356.

FastStart Peterborough’s E-Connect features Nancy Nickle and Tracey Ormond in Peterborough on November 13

FastStart Peterborough’s next E-Connect seminar takes place from 6 to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, November 13th at The Venue (286 George St. N., Peterborough).

Nancy Nickle of Birchview Design and Tracey Ormond of That’s a Wrap Catering will be the guest speakers.

Econnect connects Peterborough’s entrepreneurs and start-ups with the region’s most accomplished advisors, experts and investors.

The event will also celebrate Global Entrepreneurship Week with The Trent Youth Entrepreneurship Society.

Econnect is free to attend, but registration is encouraged at www.eventbrite.com/e/e-connect-celebrating-the-week-of-entrepreneurs-tickets-51515572464

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.

Pitch It! competition at Fleming College in Peterborough on November 15

FastStart Peterborough’s annual “Pitch It!” entrepreneurial competition for Trent University and Fleming College students takes place from 7 to 10 p.m. on Thursday, November 15th in room B3250 at Fleming College (599 Brealey Dr., Peterborough).

Three contestants (from 10 finalists to be announced on November 8th) will pitch their business ideas before a panel of industry judges in a Dragons’ Den style competition in three categories: Clean & Agriculture Technology, Trades and Retail Business and Information Technology / Media & Gaming.

Participating students can win $500, meet other like-minded entrepreneurs, and receive help to bring their innovative idea to market.

The November 15th event is free and open to the public.

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.

Peterborough & the Kawarthas Funding Forum in Peterborough on November 20

Save the date for the Peterborough & the Kawarthas Funding Forum from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Tuesday, November 20th at VentureNorth (270 George St. N., Peterborough).

Hosted by Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development and the Innovation Cluster, the event offers a one-stop shop for entrepreneurs in a variety of sectors and stages of growth who are seeking funding.

Stay tuned to businessNOW for more details when they become available.

Peterborough DBIA Breakfast Network with John Hucks on November 21

The Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Area (DBIA) is hosting its monthly Breakfast Network from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. on Wednesday, November 21st at Empress Gardens (131 Charlotte St., Peterborough).

This month’s guest speaker is John Hucks, founding member of the Peterborough Immigration Partnership, who will be speaking about the value and untapped potential of newcomers and international students in Peterborough.

Breakfast begins at 7:30 a.m. with the guest speaker at 8 a.m. Tickets are $5 at the door, and the meeting is open to everyone.

Cubs’ Lair entrepreneurship competition final pitch in Peterborough on November 22

The final pitch event for the 2018 Cubs’ Lair entrepreneurship competition takes place from 6 to 9 p.m. on Thursday, November 22nd at the Gordon Best Theatre (216 Hunter St. W., Peterborough).

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.

At the final pitch event, a panel of established business professionals will test the top five competitors’ knowledge of how they will grow the business and judge the best pitch.