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Thursday, Septem ber 10, 2015 - The IFP - H alton H ills - w w w .theifp.ca Page 9 Halton Small Business Centre Business of Art and the Art of Business Marketing - Research and Cost Effective Ideas: Identify why and how conducting market research can impact your business success and learn some cost effective ideas to market your business. Wednesday, September 23 Halton Hills Public Library, Georgetown Branch 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. $25/person First Steps in Exporting: Understand the resources, programs and services available to potential exporters including export readiness, market research, export planning and practical issues. Wednesday, September 30 Halton Regional Administration Building 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. • $25/person Starting a Small Business Seminar: A general overview of the things you will need to consider, along with the resources to help you succeed. Covers structure, registrations, regulations, licences, taxes and financing options. Wednesday, October 7 Milton Public Library - Main Library 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. • $25/person Getting Started Information Session: A one-hour overview of all the rules and regulations you need to know if you are starting a business in Halton. Staff will guide you through a checklist for starting a new business. The sessions are casual, informative small groups of five or less. Every Tuesday • 9 - 10 a.m. Halton Regional Administration Building - Small Business Centre Free - registration required Starter Company Program - General Information Session: A one-hour overview of the Starter Company program, including a review of the application process and eligibility criteria. Starter Company is an entrepreneurship program geared to help youth between the ages of 18 and 29 start a small business by providing training and business skills development, mentorship and guidance from local business professionals. The program also provides an opportunity to apply for a micro-grant of up to $5,000 to help kick-start a new business, expand an existing business or buy a business. First and third Tuesday each month in 2015 • 10 - 11 a.m. Halton Regional Administration Building - Small Business Centre Free - registration required Futurpreneur Canada - General Information Session: A one-hour overview of the Futurpreneur Canada financing program, including a review of the application process and evaluation and eligibility criteria. Futurpreneur Canada provides financing based on character and a great business plan of up to $15,000 for young entrepreneurs between 18 and 39 years of age who are looking to start their own full-time small business. First and third Tuesday each month in 2015 11 a.m. - 12 p.m. Halton Regional Administration Building - Small Business Centre Free - registration required Registration and pre-payment for all seminars is required as seating is limited. 10 09 15 Join the Halton Region Small Business Centre for a unique educational and networking event that will feature learning sessions targeted to the creative industries. The event will provide participants with an opportunity to connect with other people in the creative sector and be inspired. There will be a symposium of three keynote speakers as well as two local spotlight speakers and opportunities to network. Register early to avoid disappointment! Wednesday, October 14 Queen Elizabeth Park • 2302 Bridge Road, Oakville 7:30 am - 12:00 p.m. • $30/person Upcoming business seminars and programs Gary Carr Regional Chair Join our online community. Get connected. For more information on these events including registration details, visit haltonsmallbusiness.ca or dial 311. Please contact us as soon as possible if you have any accessibility needs at Halton Region events or meetings. Reaching Out and Saving Lives' theme forWorld Suicide Prevention Day Often, those who struggle with mental health do not seek help for fear of what others may think or say. The biggest barrier to getting help can be opening up and talking to someone. The theme for World Suicide Prevention Day 2015 on September 10 is 'Reaching Out and Saving Lives'. Showing care and concern for someone who may be at risk for suicide can make a big impact. Visit halton.ca/ mentalhealth to access information, programs and resources on a variety of mental health topics provided by the Halton Region Health Department. Local residents will soon have a chance to comment on the Town's plans for em- ployment lands in south Halton Hills. A community engagement strat- egy for the Premier Gateway (Phase 1B) Employment Area Integrated Planning Project was approved by town council at its August meeting. The strategy calls for public consul- tation to kick off with an open house in October on the project, which aims to develop a Secondary Plan with appro- priate land use designations, policies and zoning for Phase 1B lands on the north side of Steeles Ave. between Sixth and Eighth Lines. The process also aims identify up to 180 acres of additional employment land to replace land lost to GTA West Highway Corridor protection. The study area for the potential additional acreage extends north of the Phase 1B lands also between Sixth and Eighth Lines. The community engagement strate- gy indicates the Town plans to hold a va- riety of public open houses, workshops and meetings between this October and April 2017. A project website has also been launched to keep residents up to date (http://www.haltonhills.ca/initia- tives/Phase1B.php). A steering committee is being es- tablished on the topic with representa- tion from council members, Town and Region staff, Heritage Halton Hills, the public and landowners. Ward 2 Councillor Bryan Lewis asked staff to ensure that a member of the Hornby Rate Payers Association (HARP) is on the committee. He went on to question the project timeline, which calls for several key steps to be finished by the end of the year and overall completion in 2017. "This is a very aggressive timeline. Is this realistic?" he asked. "My immediate reaction is let's be slow and right rather than fast and wrong." Town Senior Planner Curtis Mar- shall said staff will be taking another look at the dates and determining a schedule that works going forward. Chris Mills, the Town's commis- sioner of planning and infrastructure, reminded council of the 2021 planning horizon for the Phase 1B lands. "We do want to deliver serviced em- ployment lands into the marketplace as soon as we possibly can," he said. Ward 4 Councillor Ann Lawlor asked staff to describe the types of industry or activity that will take place on the Phase 1B lands. Marshall said the vision and zoning for the lands are being reviewed through the planning process, but examples of potential uses include manufacturing, warehousing and general labour busi- nesses. In addition to the community en- gagement strategy, council also ap- proved a project charter designed to en- sure the review agencies involved have a common understanding of the project objectives. As part of the 2010 Sustainable Halton process 840 additional acres of employment lands on the north side of Steeles Ave. were added to the Premier Gateway to be developed between 2021 and 2031. However, as a result of provincial highway corridor protection required by the Province last summer for the GTA West highway study, lands on the south side of Steeles Ave. east of Eighth Line, which were to be available for develop- ment before 2021, are currently unavail- able until the study is complete. So now instead of those lands being available for development before 2021 the Town and Region propose to desig- nate lands on both the north and south side of Steeles Ave. west of Eighth Line for development pre-2021, and lands on both sides of Steeles Ave. east of Eighth Line are to be set aside for development between 2021 and 2031. -with files from Lisa Tallyn NEWS Public input wanted on industrial lands strategy in Gateway Park By Melanie Hennessey Special to The IFP