Vaughan Chamber of Commerce Chronicle Online

A simple word. Yet it evokes several answers depending on your situation and point of view. Some colleagues asked me why the Chamber exists. I was taken aback. The answer is self evident, right?

Hate to admit it, but I was wrong. The reasons are as diverse as the people voicing them.

So I find myself returning to some basic public school tenets in an attempt to answer the question ... why does the Chamber exist? "Who, what, why, where and how" are the terms I remember for simple analysis. (Be patient, it has been a while.)

The "who" is easy: the who is you. All colours, different languages, complimentary businesses, mixed political stripes.

The "what" is a little more difficult. However, my answer would be: an organization of like-minded business members. You.

"Where" is also simple. Our Chamber is one of several; many are found at the city, provincial, and federal levels. All tied together by you and a common purpose.

The "how" is intricate: Members of the business community initially banding together out of necessity; combining to create a common voice on issues affecting them. Suggestions are made to local government, and hopefully some or all are adopted. By extension, the immediate community benefits from this process. A local viewpoint may find its way to the federal level through an annual congress where resolutions are adopted and policy is developed. This gives you direct access to the federal government.

And now the "why". This is the toughest. Is it to have access to mentors? Perhaps to develop sales to members? Personal development? To push a political agenda? Maybe to give back to the community that supports you and your organization? Access to databases? Participation in annual awards events? Meeting peers who would not normally be available to you? The list grows. The possibilities are endless.

All I need to remember the next time someone asks "why" is to reflect on what this organization is.

You.

Sincerely,

Gerald K Searles
Chairman of the Board of Directors

Our Newest Member Benefit

Welcome New Members !

A+ Learning Centre
Tutoring Services
Ms. Harjot Kaor
9121 Weston Road, Unit # 3
Woodbridge, ON L4H 0L4
(905) 265-9229

Balance of Life Martial Arts
Martial Arts
Ms. Silvia Jannetta
10175 Keele Street, Unit # 8
Maple, ON L6A 3Y9
(905) 303-0156

Ducatek Industries Inc.
Industrial Goods & Electronics
Mr. Miguel Fernandez
146 Citation Drive, Unit #1
Concord, ON H4S 1C4
(905) 660-3900

Earth Rangers
Environmental Non-Profit Charity
Mr. John Pepelnak
9520 Pine Valley Dr.
Woodbridge, ON L4L 1A6
(905) 417-3447

Ekkum Inc.
IT Infrastructure
Mr. G. P. Singh
30 Rayette Road, Suite 211
Concord, ON L4K 2G3
(905) 760-1366

Flair Graphic Design Inc.
Graphic Design & Printing
Mr. Gabriel Seca
166 Woodstream Blvd.
Vaughan, ON L4L 4K2
(905) 856-4166

Gera & Nirula LLP
Accounting, Tax & Assurance
Mr. Jay Nirula C.A.
90 Winges Road, Suite #201
Vaughan, ON L4L 6A9
(905) 474-3100

Jaapharm Canada Inc.
Pharmaceutical Manufacturer
Dr. Javed A. Butt
510 Rowntree Dairy Rd., Unit #4
Woodbridge, ON L4L 8H2
(905) 851-7885

LeTip Thornhill Chapter
Business Leads Organization
Mr. Anthony Visconti
3760 14th Avenue, Suite 100
Markham, ON L3R 3T7
(416) 908-7140

Manulife Bank
Finance & Mortgages
Ms. Jenny Morrison
94 Keffer Circle
Newmarket, ON L3X 1R8
(905) 715-7183

PR Doors
Steel Doors & Frames
Mr. Jim Underhill
101 Freshway Drive, Units 58-60
Vaughan, ON L4K 1R9
(905) 761-6400

Super 8 Toronto North
Hotel/Accomodations
Mr. Kevin McGuire
3400 Steeles Ave. W
Vaughan, ON L4K 1A2
(905) 760-2120

Talent Employment Services
Employment Agency
Mr. Anthony Mazzaferro
4370 Steeles Avenue West,

Unit # 205
Vaughan, ON L4L 4Y4
(647) 218-1801

Total Hockey Canada
Hockey Training
Mr. Jorge Backal
61 Creditview Road, Unit # 5
Woodbridge, ON L4C 8Z2
(905) 850-0988

Whitehall Building Maintenance
Janitorial Services
Mr. George Eaves
8255 Martin Grove
Woodbridge, ON L4L 3V5
(416) 524-1822

WildCard Inc.
Casino Entertainment
Mr. Tommy Rassoulli
166 Woodstream Blvd.
Vaughan, ON L4L 4K2
(905) 856-4166

Wow Products Inc.
Silent/Live Auctions
Mr. Jamie Blacklock
166 Woodstream Blvd.
Vaughan, ON L4L 4K2
(905) 856-4166

Vaughan Chamber Annual Golf Tournament

Thanks to all who made the Vaughan Chamber of Commerce Annual Golf Tournament such a success! The weather was perfect and the playing conditions ideal. The tournament, held on Monday, June 22, was enjoyed by all! A special thank-you goes to Kleinburg Golf Club for hosting "The Final Round at Kleinburg", and event sponsor DreamWorld Event Central Inc., as well as all of our sponsors! Here, special guest Johnny Bower takes advantage of the sunny day. Click here for more pictures!

Networking Breakfast

Treat yourself to a free networking breakfast on Thursday July 16th, hosted by Zero 20 Bambini and in partnership with the Vaughan Chamber of Commerce! Chamber member Zero 20 is hosting this event as their way of saying "thank-you" to the Chamber and to their clients for their "Retailer of the Year" Business Achievement Award. Santina Mariani of Zero 20 and Mary Patrick of Dave & Buster's will both speak on the importance of Customer Service. The breakfast will start at 7:30am at Zero 20 Bambini, 7700 Pine Valley Drive at Highway 7. For more information, call Santina at 905-851-6041.

Vaughan Chamber 2010 Business Directory

The Vaughan Chamber of Commerce Business Directory is your opportunity to do business with hundreds of other Vaughan Chamber members! In fact, it's one of your most important reference tools for building your business in the Vaughan area. Make the most of this high-quality marketing opportunity! Ad space for 2010 is now being booked until Sept. 30, 2009. Call David McGrew today at 905-761-1366, ext. 31, or email mcgrews@rogers.com today!

Thank You to the Vaughan Chamber's Dedicated Volunteers!

Volunteers are the backbone of any Chamber, and the Vaughan Chamber of Commerce hosted a special "Thank-You Luncheon" on June 10, 2009 to thank all of our hardworking Chamber volunteers. A special thank-you goes to Tee Times Indoor Golf for their help in hosting the luncheon. Please click here to see pictures of the event!

Summer Hours

The Vaughan Chamber of Commerce is now operating on summer hours until Friday September 4th.

During this period, the office will be open from 8am to 5pm Monday to Thursday, and 8am until noon on Fridays.

Happy Summer!

New Members Welcomed to the Vaughan Chamber!

Welcome to some of the Vaughan Chamber's newest members. Below, from left to right, Marco Tedesco, Aru Moorthy, Chelsea Dell, Vera Salvatore, and Anthony Carroccetto take advantage of the Chamber's New Member Orientation which was held on June 8, 2009.

Stay tuned for details on the next New Member Orientation.

Keeping Vaughan Chamber Members Informed!

The Vaughan Chamber of Commerce is pleased to offer Chamber members more value for their membership dollar! Our Research Analyst Lori Suffern will be working on our newest pilot project: providing valuable business services information to our members and assisting you in your research requirements. Need statistical data for your business sector? Looking for the latest in market research? Lori will do the leg work for you!
Tell us what information you need to know! Please contact Lori at 905-761-1366 ext. 24 or email lori@vaughanchamber.ca.

Finding the Information You NEED to SUCCEED!

Top 25 Immigrant People's Choice Winners

Vaughan Chamber of Commerce member Terry Sawh, President of Topnotch Employment Services Inc., has been selected as one of Canadian Immigrant Magazine's Top 25 Canadian Immigrants Awards of 2009 - the first-ever national people's choice awards for immigrants! Terry shares the honours with other high-profile Canadian immigrants, such as Adrienne Clarkson, Michaelle Jean, and Deepa Mehta. Please click here to see all the award winners and Terry's profile.

Congratulations, Terry!

Canadian Government Pledges $450 Million to the Business Development Bank

The Government of Canada is providing $450 million to the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) in support of small and medium-sized enterprises and innovative firms. The funding will include $100 million to establish the Operating Line of Credit Guarantee and $350 million over three years to help drive venture capital investment in promising Canadian technology businesses. For more information, please click here.

Metrolinx Works to Transform GTA Transit

The Greater Toronto Marketing Alliance (GTMA) is embracing Metrolinx's vision of an improved transit system in the Greater Toronto area. Metrolinx has unveiled plans to build a multi-billion dollar transit infrastructure in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton area, which will go a long way towards increasing the area's business attractiveness. To read more about the plans, please click here.

Enhanced New Housing Rebate Announced

The provincial government has announced enhancements to the single sales tax rebate on new homes, which is a part of its comprehensive tax reform package. New home buyers will now qualify for a 75% rebate on the provincial portion of the single sales tax on the first $400,000, regardless of the total new home price. To read more about the rebate, please click here.

Progress on Tax Relief Report

On June 16, Minister of Finance Jim Flaherty highlighted the multitude of measures taken by the federal government under the Economic Action Plan, and the progress that has been made so far. These measures are aimed at reducing the tax burden on both individuals and businesses across Canada. To find out more about Canada's progress on tax relief, please click here.

Flaherty has also announced that Canadians now have an earlier "Tax Freedom" Day. June 6 was declared as Tax Freedom Day for 2009, while last year, Tax Freedom Day fell on June 9, 2008. Please click here to read more.

Vaughan's "Where and How to Grow" Report Now Available

The City of Vaughan has prepared a discussion paper, the "Where and How to Grow Report", which provides a detailed analysis of Vaughan's population and employment forecasts and land requirements to 2031 and how the City can meet those forecasts. The paper is available for review by clicking here. The city will continue to hold public meetings this fall prior to producing the new draft Official Plan in January 2010.

City of Vaughan Green Directions Plan

The City of Vaughan has formally approved the Community Sustainability and Environmental Master Plan, also known as "Green Directions Vaughan". This plan is intended to guide the city in the performance of its operational and regulatory functions towards the objective of a more sustainable future. To find out more about Vaughan's Green Directions, please click here.

Email Use and Abuse

In today's busy world, it's easy to ignore the niceties in email communication. However, here are a few simple email etiquette rules that everyone should follow:

Keep the text simple: Use a black, 10 point font - Arial, Helvetica, Times New Roman or similar.
Use upper-lower case, just like in a normal letter, and use proper punctuation.
Don't use cc as a weapon. All this really does is create friction between you and the other person.
In difficult situations, respond to an email with a phone call whenever possible. Issues will be resolved faster.
Spell check everything! It only takes a second.
Acknowledge every email within 4 hours. Even if you can't provide the senders with the information they need, let them know you've received their message.
Don't write anything you don't want the whole world to see. Once it's left your computer, it's out of your control.

The Vaughan Employment Sectors Strategy

City of Vaughan is undertaking a study to analyze Vaughan's current conditions, and identify the existing and emerging economic sectors. The outcome of this study, which is scheduled to be presented by fall of this year, will be the recommendations for new planning policies and standards that will apply to all employment areas in Vaughan in order to foster consistent and sustainable economic growth and development through to 2031. This study will form the basis for a revision to the City's Economic Development Strategy.
For more information about Vaughan Employment Sector Study, please click here.

Canada and World Bank Finalize $200 Million (US) to Support Global Trade Finance

The global trade flow got a helping hand earlier this month when Federal Finance Minister Jim Flaherty signed an agreement with World Bank Group President Robert B. Zoellick, authorizing a $200-million (US) Canadian contribution to the International Finance Corporation's Global Trade Liquidity Program. Canada is the first country to officially participate in this new program.

For more information, please click here.

And Finally ...

Congratulations to Chamber member Cindy Shaw of Temporary Measures Inc. and her husband Phil on the birth of their daughter, Hailey Dahlia Shaw, born on April 17th, 2009!