Business in the County - 28 November 2016

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IN THIS ISSUE

Message From Chairperson

Business In Your County
Provincial Business Updates

Benefits of Membership
Industry Opportunities

Our Partners

Chairperson's Message

A statement on the passing of Ron Munro from the Chair of the Dufferin Board of Trade:

A fearless champion of the region we have lost.

The passing on Saturday, November 19th of Ron Munro (the former Chief Executive Officer of the DBOT (Dufferin Board of Trade) will no doubt leave a huge hole when it comes to representing our business community, but it is what has yet to come that we will look back and say he really was a visionary.

Ron's commitment and spearheading of Dufferin.Biz provided a road-map that clearly helped the region better understand itself. Yet it was his leadership in the former Greater Dufferin Chamber of Commerce that helped an over 100 year old organization realize that change was necessary in order for it to be relevant today and into the future.

The executive of the DBOT (Dufferin Board of Trade), the Board of Directors and its members are truly saddened of Ron's passing. Only a few short weeks ago the organization recognized Ron at our BEA's with the Chairman's award which we were truly honoured to do.

As much as Ron was a very private person, we were delighted to know that he had accepted our invitation to attend the BEA's and receive this award. Not knowing that we would lose Ron so soon afterwards, the organization and I should be so proud that he was duly recognized for his tireless and passionate pledge to Dufferin County. We will all miss him.

Rest in peace my friend.

- Joe Andrews

Ronald Lloyd

Munro

1952 - 2016

HEADWATERS TOURISM CELEBRATES BIG WINS AT THE PROVINCIAL LEVEL

On Tuesday, November 22nd, 2016, in the nation's capital and among tourism industry leaders from across the province, the team from Headwaters Tourism was proud, honoured, and humbled to represent the businesses of #realheadwaters as they accepted awards in three categories at the 2016 Ontario Tourism Awards of Excellence ceremony.

Headwaters Tourism, the small Ontario destination marketing organization representing Dufferin County and the Towns of Caledon, Erin, Mono and Shelburne won honours in the following categories:

Tourism Marketing Campaign Under $25K
for the Headwaters: Where Ontario Gets Real brand launch

Tourism Print Collateral Award

for the Headwaters 2015 Four-Season Visitors' Guide

Tourism Innovator of the Year

for the Headwaters Parade of Horses

No doubt the tourism industry now recognizes Headwaters as one of the province's premier tourism destinations, and as the ceremony concluded, the evening's master of ceremonies Heather Hiscox from CBC News Network , suggested that the industry continue celebrating at the awards after-party "otherwise known as the Headwaters Hoedown" .

Read the full press release here

The Dufferin Board of Trade would like to sincerely congratulate our partner organization Headwaters Tourism on this immense accomplishment. Thank you to the Board and staff of Headwaters Tourism for all of your hard work and dedication to our region and for always keeping it real!

THE DUFFERIN WOMEN IN BUSINESS CELEBRATED THE 'SPARKLE' IN DUFFERIN COUNTY

On November 23rd 2016 the Dufferin Women in Business, a committee of the Dufferin Board

of Trade, hosted its 5th Annual Sparkle Awards at the Orangeville Agricultural Society Event Centre. The committee was thrilled to beat all previous attendance numbers and welcome over 110 attendees to the Sparkle Awards Gala.

Awards were presented in four categories and the proud recipients are as follows:

Networker of the Year

RaDeana Montgomery

Volunteer of the Year

Karen Ross Smith

Mentor of the Year

Chris McCoy

2016 Woman of Influence

Jennifer Moore

The evening marked the committee's marquee event of the calendar year. Local businesses had the opportunity to sponsor various aspects of the celebration including award and table sponsorship as well as attendee gifts. It was an evening of inspiration that brought together the Dufferin business community to celebrate the exceptional talent in our region.

Congratulations to all the outstanding nominees and the deserving recipients.

Click here for more information of the 5th Annual Sparkle Awards

Premier Wynne states high hydro prices are her 'mistake'

The Dufferin Board of Trade welcome's Premier Wynne's comments as a notion that the Provincial government has recognized the burden that Ontario's skyrocketing hydro rates have had on the everyday Ontarian as well as Ontario business owners.

Now that the glaring issue has been addressed head on by the Premier and she has acknowledged the mismanagement and mistakes that were made under her leadership, the Dufferin Board of Trade would like to see tangible plan from the provincial government "to lower rates and reduce the burden on consumers" as Wynne stated in her speech at the Ontario Liberal AGM.

The band-aid fix to remove the provincial portion of the HST off of consumer hydro bills does little to help consumers, and even less for business owners, so we are hopeful that the provincial government will do far more than this to address the hydro burden on businesses and consumers.

The Board of Trade also remains hopeful that the new cap and trade system will be designed to protect jobs, grow our economy and present opportunities for Ontario to make us more competitive, and not hinder Ontario businesses. The key will be in the design of the cap and trade system measures and in this regard, there are still many questions yet to be answered.

Critical Questions: Cap and Trade System

UPS

Dufferin Board of Trade members take advantage of the UPS Members Benefit Program and save on a variety of UPS services! You'll receive 30% off small package shipments within Canada, to the U.S. and to worldwide destinations, 25% off imports into Canada, discounts starting at 75% off freight shipments, and more.

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