​More details are emerging from the province about how licences for cannabis will be distributed.
The province says that due to a supply shortage of cannabis by federal providers they will not be issuing an unlimited number of licences now that the application process has opened up.

As a result, the province will be "taking steps to ensure that private cannabis retail stores open in phases. In the initial phase up to 25 licences will be issued so operators can open for business on April 1, 2019 and stay open."

To determine which businesses will get the licences, the Alcohol and Gaming Commission (AGCO) will hold a lottery.  The lottery will be a temporary solution until production is sufficient.

Recently, the Peterborough Chamber of Commerce conducted a survey of its members to determine the acceptance level for private cannabis retail stores.  We received 100 responses from our membership
with 75% in favour of private-sector license-based stores, 24% were not in favour of this model and 1% did not answer. 

We also received just over 30 comments from those who answered the survey. Of those who responded in favour, many felt it was an opportunity to expand the tax base and bring in revenue for the City of
Peterborough. Many also recognized that there was market demand for the product that could still enter our city boundaries even if it was not sold in brick and mortar stores.  They also expressed that allowing for storefronts could better keep the market above ground. Of those with concerns location and health impacts were mentioned the most.

At the December 10th council, meeting, while supportive of having the retail stores, councillors had concerns about the lack of a role for municipalities in decisions about location and response time to a license request.

The Canadian Chamber of Commerce released a 5 Minute for Business article on the cannabis market. 
"Deloitte has forecasted that Canada’s cannabis market will be worth up to $7.17 billion in sales next year."

The provincial government released its plan in mid-November with the following main regulations:
A minimum distance of 150 metres (approximately 500 feet) between cannabis retail stores and schools, including private and federally-funded First Nation schools off-reserve.

• Retailers will not be permitted to allow anyone under the age of 19 to enter their stores.
• Specific instances in which applicants will be denied a licence, including cannabis-related criminal offences.
• Notably, illegal cannabis retailers who were operating after October 17, 2018 are not eligible for Ontario cannabis sales licenses.
• A prohibition on the issuance of a licence to any individual or organization who has an association with organized crime.
• Requirement that individuals or entities applying for an operator licence demonstrate their tax compliance status to show that they are in good standing with the government.
• A requirement for all private recreational cannabis retail storefronts to be stand-alone stores only.
• Individuals with a store authorization, cannabis retail managers and all retail employees will be required to complete the approved training to ensure that any individual who works in the cannabis retail market is trained in the responsible sale of cannabis.

All interested parties will be able to submit an expression of interest form online to the AGCO from January 7 to January 9, 2019. The expressions of interest will be put into a lottery pool for a draw. The draw will be conducted on January 11, 2019, with the results to be posted on the AGCO's website within 24 hours.

Earlier this month, Chamber members at the Chamber AM had the opportunity to hear some tips on how to attract the local shopper from Downtown Business Improvement Area Executive Director Terry Guiel.
He talked about how business can use these tips to earn the trust of their customers.

Tip #1: Remind People to Buy Local
Creating our own business ecosystem of buying local is one way to lead by example.  Terry suggested having a policy in place to try and source your purchases locally first. He also suggested offering a local section in your store.  Let's toot our own horn.

Tip #2: Show your uniqueness
Think outside the box and showcase how your business is unique. Present your products or offerings in ways that differentiate you from like businesses or consider partnering with other local businesses on a project. Push your limits.

Tip #3: Workshops
Offer seminars for your business or others in your space.  This is a way to bring in new customers along with the opportunity to show off your expertise.

Tip #4: Be a personality
Show your personality.   You are more likely to build loyalty if your customers know you.  Be the face of your business.  You can also express yourself through advertising and social media.

Tip #5: Be Nice
It costs nothing. It's also a great way to build trust and get to know your customers.  It's an area to involve your staff and ensure a fulsome customer experience.

Tip #6: Be Visible
Use signage that easily expresses your business. You are engaging an audience that is on the move.
Change your window display, if you have one, every three to four weeks.  A creative display is a great way to draw in customers.

Tip #7: Have an online storefront
Many customers research products online.  Being an online resource for your customers can be helpful. You can tap into online reviews and online is open 24/7.
​
Thanks, Terry! Happy Holidays!

A project near and dear to Peterborough in the form of VIA Rail’s High Frequency Rail proposal, has been mentioned in a new report from the Ontario Chamber of Commerce on transportation needs in Ontario.  The report is the first in a series on the transportation needs of the province and highlights three areas of opportunity that will help improve the movement of goods and mobility of Ontarians.  One of those three areas is moving people by rail.

The report points to short- and long-term opportunities for using rail, including VIA Rail’s High Frequency Rail proposal, CN Rail’s Milton Logistics Hub, the use of advanced signalling technology to increase capacity on subways, bringing two-way all-day GO Train service to the Innovation Corridor, developing ‘Union Station West’, and the return of passenger rail to Northern Ontario.

“Transportation is the backbone of our economy, affecting the movement of people and goods and the everyday lives of residents and businesses,” says Stuart Harrison, President & CEO, Peterborough Chamber of Commerce. “We have long maintained that the return of passenger rail, as well as improved freight capacity for then Peterborough region is highly desirable to our economic well-being into the future.”
​
The other two areas of this report are:

• Transit planning governance (with an initial focus on the GTHA)
• Autonomous vehicles

Ontario was the first province in Canada to implement a pilot regulatory framework to allow for the testing of autonomous vehicles and driverless technology.  The report calls attention to the readiness of the province for the reality of autonomous vehicles in the near future, recommending Ontario capitalize on its first-mover status in this space.  The Peterborough Chamber and the OCC urge all levels of government to work together with industry to attract future investments, innovation, and jobs, as well as ensure Ontario is the first province to reap the benefits associated with this technology.

“There are many challenges for communities from relative congestion, limited transit connectivity, population growth, aging assets, unique regional needs, and a historic under-investment in infrastructure leading to a significant gap between the actual and needed infrastructure in Ontario,” adds Harrison.
In a recent OCC survey, 58 percent of Ontario businesses rated existing transportation infrastructure as fair or poor.  With much of the existing infrastructure in Ontario built in the 1950s and 1960s and nearing the end of its useful life, the OCC recognizes that the costs of investment are high, and Ontario is far behind when it comes to building new and maintaining old infrastructure.

The Peterborough Chamber and the OCC have developed an initial thirteen strategic and pertinent transportation recommendations for a stronger Ontario.  Although not an exhaustive review of all
transportation modes and regional needs across the province, this approach will help to address the current and future transportation needs of the province.

Transit Planning Governance

1. Unlock Metrolinx’s potential to improve integration between regional transit services in the GTHA.
2. Develop a multi-modal transit hub at Toronto Pearson International Airport.
3. Conduct a review of transportation assets and limitations in Northern Ontario to determine how mobility in this region can be immediately improved.
4. Support municipal governments as they develop innovative solutions to address transit challenges.
5. Establish Transportation Ontario, an independent, province-wide transportation planning authority that would advise the Ministry of Transportation and support regional transit agencies.
6. Develop a 30 to 50-year Long-Range Transportation Plan.
   

Moving People and Goods by Rail

1. Develop a goods movement convenor framework that engages municipalities, the freight industry, relevant provincial Ministries, and the federal government where appropriate.
2. Invest in state-of-the-art technology such as CBTC to address immediate capacity concerns on the TTC subway network.
3. Prioritize investments with the greatest potential to provide a strong return on investment via economic growth.
4. Partner with the Canada Infrastructure Bank to secure funding for critical rail projects in both Northern and Southern Ontario.

Autonomous Vehicles

1. Regularly review and update the existing AV pilot regulatory framework and evaluate existing legislation to determine if AV-relevant modernization is required.
2. Anticipate Ontario’s AV future within the province’s upcoming Long-Term Infrastructure Plan. As the current Canadian leader in this space, the Government of Ontario should encourage the federal government to act on AV readiness.

“50% of Ontario businesses view transportation infrastructure as critical to their competitiveness. The province needs a plan that is strategic, provides value for public dollars, optimizes existing assets, leverages the private sector and technology, and takes into account the unique needs of our province,” added Rocco Rossi, President and CEO of the OCC.“ Moving forward, we will continue to consult our members on the province’s vast and diverse transportation needs.”

The transportation file is extremely important to the Chamber Network. We will continue to provide thought leadership on other modalities as part of our advocacy.

Construction
​
Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks
Consult on new Environmental Activity and Sector Registries (EASRs) for permits to take water, and for storm and sanitary sewers
Ontario proposes to expand the Environmental Activity and System Registry regulation for low-risk water takings — such as ones in which water is removed for a short time only and then returned to a nearby point, with no significant change to water quantity or quality. Moving these activities to a permit-by-rule system would allow businesses to begin operations faster. It would at the same time continue to ensure that water takings in Ontario are managed in accordance with our strict environmental standards, and in keeping with the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Basin Sustainable Water Resources Agreement.

Ministry of Labour
Amend the Labour Relations Act, 1995 to explicitly deem public bodies, including municipalities, school boards, hospitals, colleges and universities, as "non-construction employers"
Certain broader public-sector entities have become bound to collective agreements for the construction industry, even though they are not actually in the construction business. This proposal would explicitly deem municipalities, school boards, hospitals, colleges, universities and other public bodies to be "non-construction employers" under the Labour Relations Act, 1995. If the proposed amendments are passed, this is expected to increase competitiveness for broader public-sector construction projects.

Manufacturing
​
Ministry of Government and Consumer Services
Eliminated regulatory and licensing requirements for upholstered and stuffed articles
Removing all Ontario-specific licensing and regulatory requirements for upholstered and stuffed articles will reduce a long-standing burden on business, save businesses $4 million annually and eliminate trade barriers. These items will continue to be subject to the federal government's health and safety, and labelling requirements — as is the case in other provinces. 

Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks
Repeal the Toxics Reduction Act by 2021, remove the toxics reduction plan in 2019 and rely on the robust and science-based Federal Chemicals Management Plan, as other provinces do
Under Ontario's Toxics Reduction Act, 2009, regulated facilities need to report publicly on their use of certain toxic substances, and are required to identify options to reduce them through toxic reduction plans every five years. The federal government's Chemicals Management Plan also requires facilities to take action on toxic substances, which can include identifying options to reduce their use. By 2021, all substances regulated by Ontario will be covered by the federal program.

To avoid unnecessary duplication, Ontario proposes to no longer require facilities to create or review their toxics reduction plans as the federal government finalizes its approach to these substances. The Ontario government also proposes to repeal the Toxics Reduction Act in 2021 and defer to the federal government's Chemicals Management Plan for action on toxic substances.

Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks
Revoke nine regulations related to the Municipal Industrial Strategy for Abatement (MISA) and insert these requirements into Environmental Compliance Approvals (ECAs)
In Ontario, 113 facilities are currently subject to nine sector-specific industrial wastewater regulations, as well as site-specific ECAs. To reduce regulatory burden for facilities while maintaining oversight over release of industrial wastewater, the government would transfer applicable requirements from the nine regulations into the ECAs for these facilities, and then revoke the nine regulations. These changes would allow businesses to have greater operational flexibility, such as the ability to implement changes to their production processes, so they could focus on being more innovative and competitive.

Ministry of Labour
Amend Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS) regulation under the Occupational Health and Safety Act to allow updated labels to be placed on existing chemical containers
The proposed change would amend WHMIS regulation to allow updated labels to be placed on existing chemical containers. Without this change, existing chemicals would need to be disposed of, and new chemicals would need to be purchased. The change would save Ontario universities an estimated $60.2 million to $107.9 million.

The Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks has released its Made-in-Ontario Environment Plan titled “Preserving and Protecting our Environment for Future Generations”.   

The 54-page document featuring almost 120 action items outlines how the government will approach various aspects from outlining where the province is today to protecting our air, lakes and rivers, addressing climate change, reducing litter and waste in our communities & keeping our land and soil clean to conserving land and greenspace.

Did you know that? “measured against the same base year of Canada’s target under the Paris Agreement (2005), the province’s total greenhouse gas emissions have dropped by 22% – even while the rest of Canada saw emissions increase by 3% during that same time.”

In a submission to the Ministry ahead of the plan release, the Ontario Chamber of Commerce encouraged the government to approach their plan with four principles in mind, in order to strike the right balance between protecting our environment and supporting a prosperous economy. These principles were:

1. Design smart regulations The government was encouraged to reduce red tape, fix the waste management system and take an outcome-based approach to environmental regulation.
2. Invest strategically in sustainable innovation By doing this the government can offer more help to the private sector to commercialize and export local innovation, leverage the industries, such as nuclear, that were essential in helping Ontario transition away from coal, engage in sustainable procurement that recognizes products and goods that demonstrate efficient energy use and environmental stewardship, and collect a return on government investment.
3. Support community resilience This includes encouraging municipal use of asset management planning, adjusting building codes to reflect new innovations and support the retrofit economy.
4. Foster collaboration Collaboration is key to ensuring success and government needs to work with stakeholders to understand and share data that can be useful to policy development.  Collaboration will also encourage the breaking down of silos within government and across future partnerships.

After the release of the province’s plan, OCC President & CEO Rocco Rossi commented, “As Ontario’s business advocate, we are pleased the Government of Ontario is taking steps to strike an appropriate balance between protecting our environment and supporting a stronger economy. Today’s plan will help us achieve global targets under the Paris Agreement, while also prioritizing transparency, fiscal sustainability and business competitiveness.  We are encouraged to see that the Ontario government has taken steps to address all four priority areas. With the business community already navigating excessive regulatory
burdens, we urge the government to continue to prioritize and consider impacts on the private sector when implementing the new standards and policies announced in the plan.”

The plan is now in the 60-Day consultation period with the following identified by government as the next steps:
“• Continue to consult with the public and engage with Indigenous communities Throughout the environment plan we have identified areas of action and key initiatives. These are areas where we are engaging with stakeholders and Indigenous communities to develop new approaches that support our
common goals for environmental and climate leadership.
• Establish an advisory panel on climate change An advisory panel on climate change will be
established to provide advice to the Minister on implementation and further development of actions and activities in our plan specific to climate change.
• Begin implementing priority initiatives Some of these initiatives are already underway and we will begin implementation of the remaining initiatives following consultation.
• Measure and report on progress We want Ontarians to see how our plan is helping them save money and improve the quality of their lives and communities. We are committed to reporting regularly on the progress we make on our plan and to developing key indicators of progress because we believe that transparency is important to the success of this plan. We are also committed to reviewing the environment plan every four years.”

You can provide your feedback on the plan through the following link.  Chamber members, we will be
looking for your input through a survey.

On November 21, the Government of Canada released its 2018 Fall Economic Statement entitled “Investing in Middle Class Jobs”, which provides an update on the government’s finances and announces commitments to improve Canada’s competitiveness.

The government is projecting steady, moderate growth in Canada’s economy, with real GDP forecasted to rise by 2 percent in 2018. The Fall Economic Statement forecasts a deficit of $18.1 billion in 2018-19, down by $0.9 billion from the previous year. Growth is expected to be more modest over the next four years due to limited economic capacity, higher interest rates, and slowing US growth.

“The Chamber is concerned that the Economic Update lacks any plans to help Canada’s struggling energy industry.  We call on government to lay out its plans for oil and gas workers during these exceptional times,” said Perrin Beatty, President & CEO, Canadian Chamber of Commerce. “We would also like to understand the government’s plans to address the need for more attention to skills development and training, as well as to attracting and retaining the best talent available for all industries in Canada.”

UPDATE: 
​On Wednesday, November 21, 2018, Bill 47: Making Ontario Open for Business received Royal Assent.  

Thank you to our members for filling out a recent survey on the impacts of changes proposed in Bill 47.  The public comment period opened on Monday, November 12, 2018 and closed on Thursday, November 16, 2018. 

With the feedback from our survey and a roundtable with MPP Dave Smith we were able to write a letter to the Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs.   

On November 15, the Government of Ontario released its 2018 Fall Economic Statement entitled “2018 Ontario Economic Outlook and Fiscal Review”, which provides an update on the government’s finances and announces commitments for the upcoming 2019 Budget.

The government is projecting steady, moderate growth in Ontario’s economy, with real GDP forecasted to rise by 2 percent in 2018. The Fall Economic Statement forecasts a deficit of $14.5 billion in 2018-19, down by $0.5 billion from the previous year. Growth is expected to be more modest over the next four years due to limited economic capacity, higher interest rates, and slowing US growth.

The Ontario Chamber of Commerce has provided a brief overview of the government's plan and we have added our Peterborough perspective to it.   

One of the most constant refrains from our business community is the amount of red tape and regulation they are required to complete and the time it takes away from their business. We look forward to seeing how red tape reduction is rolled out.

It was in 2012 when the Canadian Government officially proclaimed November “Financial Literacy Month”.  Since then, the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada (FCAC) has turned their focus to encouraging collaboration between the private, public and not-for-profit sectors to help Canadians become more educated about their own finances, including managing money and debt wisely, saving for the future, and understanding their own financial rights and responsibilities.

This year’s theme, as found on the FCAC website, is "Invest in your financial well-being". The goal is to encourage Canadians to take control of their finances and reduce financial stress by making a budget, having a savings and debt reduction plan, and understanding their financial rights and responsibilities.
Throughout the month, FCAC will feature weekly sub-themes including:

• Week 1 (November 1 to 3) - Invest in your financial well-being
• Week 2 (November 4 to 10) - Have a plan to pay off your debt
• Week 3 (November 11 to 17) - Make informed decisions
• Week 4 (November 18 to 24) - Start good habits early
• Week 5 (November 25 to 30) - Take control of your finances

Financial literacy is a space where the Ontario Chamber Network has been extremely vocal, recognizing the importance of learning and understanding the fundamentals at an early age as a way to develop habits that will serve youth and our economy in the future.  Earlier this year in Hamilton at the Ontario Chamber AGM delegates passed a resolution called “Closing the Gap on Financial Literacy for Ontario’s Youth”.

The resolution, authored by the London Chamber of Commerce, suggests a pathway forward for government to consider, given that climbing household debt is increasingly concentrated among younger Canadians, with the most indebted borrowers tending to be under 45 years of age.  As well, two studies by PriceWaterhouse Cooper and BMO Wealth Management revealed that only 24% of millennials demonstrate basic financial literacy and yet, in the BMO study 23% cited paying down debt as their highest financial priority.   

In the past governments have made attempts to address the issue yet differing opinions on how to
approach it and move the needle have seemed to hold back movement.
The approved policy resolution offers the following:

1. Create mandatory elementary and secondary-level courses aligned with the Ministry of Education’s Transformation Steering Committee’s guidelines that address the following:

• a. The fundamentals of the Canadian banking system;
• b. Calculating and understanding various types of debt such as compound interest, bank loans, OSAP, credit cards, lines of credit, secured and unsecured loans, and mortgage payments;
• c. Retirement planning;
• d. Saving;
• e. Securities;
• f. Financial products such as RESPs, RRSPs, and TSFAs;
• g. Basic income tax; and
• h. Business financing and entrepreneurship.

2. Provide regular continuing professional development training for teachers required to teach this aspect of the curriculum with measurable standards teachers are required to meet.

3. Involve various stakeholders such as banks, credit unions and the province’s accounting body to assist with curriculum development.

4. Implement a standardized survey or test for students participating at various levels of this curriculum requirement to measure financial literacy rates among youth in Ontario.

5. Consult organizations such as Junior Achievement that have been delivering financial literacy programs for over 57 years.

This last recommendation is critical as the Chamber Network often encourages using the resources we already have in our communities.   Junior Achievement Peterborough Lakeland Muskoka is doing great work and has a series of programs it delivers to school aged children. 

The Ontario Chamber of Commerce also supports a program called Funny Money which is financial literacy information delivered in an assembly setting.

Ultimately, having a population armed with the tools and knowledge to manage finances is a proactive approach to ensuring a productive economy.

The Canadian Chamber of Commerce (CCC) is releasing a new series of reports called “Data for Good: The $32-billion Boost”.  This is the first of a three-part series exploring Canada’s data opportunity and the critical intersections between prosperity, technology and privacy.

The goal is to examine how personal data is used to help innovate and create products and services that improve people’s lives and specifically how Canada can help lead the global digital community and conversation.

The report looks to answer a critical question: "Will Canada act or be acted upon by the Fourth Industrial Revolution? The fourth industrial revolution is an absolute juggernaut of technological evolution, which is moving exponentially faster than the first three.  With AI anticipated to boost our GDP by $32 billion by 2021, Canada needs the right framework to be an actor in the coming data economy that allows for trust and incentivizes innovation."

The report explores a variety of areas around data including what it looks like, how it’s used, how it’s valued, and how it’s important to share it. 

One section, “From Datum to Data” differentiates between the bits of information on their own and how they tell a story when structured.  The report identifies what good data quality looks like, including that it is:

• complete; 
• relevant and unique;
• accurate and current; and
• that the analytics model uses consistent patterns and terminology.

Did you know that by 2021it's estimated that 53.7% of the world's population will be using the internet?

In keeping with the title of the report the following excerpt drives home the connections we already have to data: "Data provides the intelligence that product developers rely on to improve efficiency and efficacy. Communications, connectivity, infrastructure, safety and well-being are all enhanced by data.

The world is more connected than ever. Not just internet users but also machines. Networks of cameras, sensors, vehicles and mobile applications are all feeding decision-making. Newspaper editors are making decisions about content and placement of stories that are informed by online reading habits, bringing the most relevant and interesting facts to your attention.

The GPS on your phone can now provide you with alternate routes that avoid traffic jams because the system recognizes a pattern of congestion of mobile phones.

Railway crossings are safer because machines are able to alert trains of unusual behaviour at intersections. Speech recognition has decreased wait times at call centres and enabled us to communicate our needs without a keyboard interface. Capturing driver behaviour has enabled vehicle parts manufacturers to design parts that are safer and more resilient."

The report also explores where there are opportunities for Canada such as cybersecurity, articifical intelligence and research.

In their second series, they will be taking a look at some of the major data breaches of the past few years and examine the emerging trends in technology that have put the collection, storage and use of
personal information at risk.