The Greater Peterborough Chamber of Commerce recently submitted a letter to Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Premier Dalton McGuinty regarding the rail link between Havelock and Toronoto. 

To view the letter, please click on the link below.

Rail Letter PDF Document (101.1 KB)

Here are a few helpful links to more information on the Harmonized Sales Tax. While you should certainly contact your accountant or bookkeeper to understand the transition rules and regulations as they pertain specifically to your business, these links may help:

Transition Guide

Business Calculator

Personal Calculator

The Ontario Government has announced additional exemptions for the Harmonized Sales Tax.

We are pleased to announce our updated "Member to Member" Savings Program. All members and their employees are eligible to receive these discounts.We will update this file as we receive new participants. To view the discounts being offered by our Chamber Members, click on the following pdf file.

2010 Membership Kit-M2M.pdf PDF Document (317.1 KB)

The Chamber's THINK Positive Campaign is an effort to provide some perspective regarding the current economy. We believe that our balanced economy has served us well, during one of the most difficult economic downturns in years, and will continue to do so as we move through the recovery.  The links below will open the print and electronic ads that are currently being carried by an extremely generous local media community. Our thanks to all of them, as well as the Community Futures Development Corporation and Industry Canada.

	THINK Positive Television MOV Document (3.2 MB)
	THINK Positive Recovery print PDF Document (1.6 MB)

Recently, both Ontario and British Columbia released details on the implementation of Harmonized Sales Tax ("HST") in those provinces (to replace their respective Provincial Sales Taxes "PST").

A summary of the key provisions is included in the document below.

HST Transition Details PDF Document (145.1 KB)

The Ontario Economic Overview is prepared by Industry Canada's Ontario Regional Office four times a year.  It contains an analysis of the economic performance of industries in Ontario.  The overview serves as a useful repository of trends and developments in the Ontario economy, organized by sector for ease of reference.  It also explores several key issues that will continue to influence Ontario's economic growth over the medium term.

Economic Overview PDF Document (373 KB)

Small businesses should be prepared for the possibility of an H1N1 Influenza Pandemic.  Effects on business of an influenza pandemic are expected to included:

• Staff absences of up to 50%
• Disruptions in supply of essential services like telecommunications, energy and transportation
• Trade disruptions
• Material supply disruptions
• Reduced capacity of sub-contractors
• Increase or decreased demand for services, depending on nature of business

Businesses can mitigate effects by following tips in the Pandemic Planning Tool Kit including:

• Employing strategies for the prevention of spread of disease
• Communicating with staff about the threat and steps taken to prepare
• Developing a Business Continuity Plan which protects key documents, prepares for staff absences, identifies critical positions and provides cross-training, protects employee health and establishes a communication plan

Click here for the full PDF file

Pandemic Planning Toolkit.pdf PDF Document (231.7 KB)

The Ontario Ministry of Finance has updated the Ontario Economic Update and the Ontario Fact Sheet as of August 14th, 2009.  To view, please click on the following links:

Ontario Economic Update

Ontario Fact Sheet August 2009

The provincial government's proposed rules governing how businesses and organizations in Ontario prevent and remove barriers for people with disabilities, in their physical surrondings, are now available for comment until October 16th.

Member Bulletin Proposed Accessibility Rules PDF Document (322.9 KB)

The Canadian and US Chambers of Commerce, along with 47 other business organizations, have issued a joint border report entitled "Finding the Balance: Shared Border of the Future".

Following up the issue of 2008's border report, this paper offers specific recommendations to reduce border costs in the short-term while increasing security at the border and competitiveness of all industries.

Finding the Balance: Shared Border fo the Future PDF Document (722.9 KB)

The public review period to make comments on the SDC's Initial Proposed Accessible Built Environment Standard is from July 14, 2009 to October 16, 2009.

[for the complete story, click here]

The Prosperity Round Table Initiative has been operating for two years. Seven Task Teams are currently active, working on numerous issues of importance to the Business Community. We were honored to present our first annual report on the initiative to a rare joint meeting of City and County Councils held on Monday December 1st.  Here is the link to the report.

Prosperity Roundtable - Fall Report 2008.pdf PDF Document (561.1 KB)

Sign up today, to be part of the Chamber's new PromoPack.  For more information please see the attached information sheet, or contact Anne Arnold at 748-9771 ext. 200 or anne@peterboroughchamber.ca.

Chamber PromoPack PDF Document (1012.9 KB)

If you are a technology-intensive start-up company in Ontario, there is an interesting new mentoring program available through the Greater Peterborough Innovation Cluster. You can view a letter from President Andy Mitchell at the link below, which will provide more information, or call Danielle Rocheleau at 705-748-1011 ext 7005. 

Mentoring.pdf PDF Document (102 KB)