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BusinessLink, Wednesday, January 16, 2008 5 Now that the holidays are behind us yourChamber staff is working hard to createnetworking opportunities for you and your business. Halton Hills Chamber of Commerce will be hosting the first Business of the Month on January 23. This BoMs is called A Taste of the Chamber and we will be featuring food from our many Chamber members. Know an exceptional business in town that deserves to be recognized? There is still time to send in your nominations for the 2007 Business of the Year, Entrepreneur of the Year, Employee of the Year and Civic Pride Awards. Deadline for nominations is January 25. Please take a moment and let us know who you feel deserves this special recognition. Dont forget to take a copy of BusinessLink with you if you are heading south or to the slopes. Wed love to feature you on the cover of our April issue reading our newsletter on your holiday. Work has begun on the 2008 Chamber directory. Our phone book is delivered to all residents in Halton Hills through the Independent Free Press and is also available year round through the Chamber office. Only Chamber members are featured in the yellow pages. How good is our book? Call our office and well deliver 10 copies to you, for you to put on display and watch how fast they disappear! If your business accepts VISA, MasterCard or debit cards as payment, are you receiving the best possible rates from your bank for these transactions? Did you know that members of Halton Hills Chamber receive a preferred rate? For many of our members, that savings will more than pay for their annual membership fee. If you require more details, please call Mary at our office. While its tempting to take advantage of a great deal, I encourage everyone to think twice when making your purchases of goods and services. I have spoken with many members, who are becoming frustrated with people that come in from out of town, set up a temporary business, and then as quickly as they arrived, are gone. Often they are leaving behind unhappy customers with substandard products or services and no recourse. It cant be said often enough SHOP LOCAL! Local businesses are here year round. Dollars spent with Halton Hills owned and operated businesses stay in the local economy. These businesses support your childrens sports teams, donate items to local school/church fundraisers and add to the quality of life you enjoy in Halton Hills. Local businesses employ your friends and neighbours. They pay local taxes to support the community. If you are a local business, please introduce yourself to the Chamber. We receive many inquiries from local residents looking for referrals. Often they have a specific business they are seeking information on. If we havent heard about your business, they dont feel confident using your services. General Managers Desk Sue Walker LOW MONTHLY RATES A-PLUS SELF-STORAGE INC. 905-866-7464 2 ROSETTA STREET - NEAR GO Georgetown, Ontario VIDEO CAMERA SURVEILLANCE 24/7 DAY COMPUTERIZED ACCESS & SECURITY SYSTEM FREE USE OF TRAILER RESIDENTIAL COMMERCIAL INDUSTRIAL RECORD STORAGE HEATED FIRESAFE SPRINKLER RENTAL DISCOUNT UNITS ALL SIZES INDOOR OR OUTDOOR BASEMENT WATERPROOFING CUSTOM SUMP PUMP INSTALLATIONS Member of the ~ ~ ~ BASEMENT WATERPROOFING Call for a FREE Estimate 20 Year Written Guarantee TEL: 905-564-3575 NORVAL, ONTARIO 49 Commerce Cres., Acton, Ontario L7J 2X2 519-853-3540 info@galvcast.net visit our website: www.galvcast.net Graeme Goebelle, FCA (retired) A. Brian MacAdam, CA, CFP David Alexander, CA Melanie McCracken, CA Ron Starret, CA Anne Starret, CA Darren Turcotte, CA, CPA Tracey Bastedo, CA James Raptopulos, CA 37 Main Stree South, Suite 201 Tel: (905) 877-5155 Georgetown, Ontario Fax: (905) 877-5905 L7G 3G2 Toll Free: (866) 554-2030 www.gmallp.com 10 MOUNTAINVIEW RD. S., SUITE 203 (MOUNTAINVIEW & GUELPH) JOHN A. GIBSON Chartered Accountant Financial Statement Preparation Small Business Accounting Personal Tax Returns Corporate Tax Returns 905-873-0996 R. Scott Becksted, BES Investment Executive A Wealth of Investment Expertise in Halton Hills. Retirement Planning, RRSPs, RRIFs Mutual Funds, Stocks, Segregated Funds GICs, Bonds Fee-based Managed Accounts (905) 873-6640 or (905) 796-5024 Toll Free: 1-800-263-2454 Fax: (905) 450-6343 scott_becksted@scotia-mcleod.com www.advisors.scotiamcleod.com/sbecksted ScotiaMcLeod is a division of Scotia Capital Inc., a member of the Scotiabank Group. LOCALLY OWNED & OPERATED ROLL OFF TRUCK GOES WHERE LARGER TRUCKS SHOULDNT DISPOSAL CONTAINER SERVICE IDEAL FOR: RENOVATIONS SHINGLES HOUSE & YARD CLEAN-UP DIRT GRAVEL DELIVERY DRIVEWAY FRIENDLY 519-853-3332 905-702-2339 1-877-633-6259 www.independentfreepress.com 280 Guelph St., Unit 29 Georgetown 9058730301 HALTON HILLS COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER of Halton Hills I D E R O A D S S Delivered free to all Halton Hills homes Wednesdays & Fridays! General Managers Report Most of the Chambers non-retailmembers are small to medium-sizedbusinesses that employ up to 20 people located in employment lands in Acton and Georgetown that were developed decades ago. The lots were subdivided through a traditional process of plan of subdivision and sold to industrialists looking for space to build their own facilities. Some builders purchased serviced lots from the developer and constructed industrial malls that were designed for multiple tenants with predetermined space for each unit. It was the cookie-cutter approach to attracting manufacturers to an industrial basin. As the town grew to accommodate its planned growth in population, the availability of serviced office and industrial land for business expansion or relocation within the Town faded significantly. Today, as the Region and Town embarks on a land use planning and financial planning process that will predetermine the character of Halton Hills for the next 50 years, the Towns manufacturers and service industries have a small window of opportunity to shape the nature of manufacturing for regional, provincial, national and global competition. The Region is going to grow. The opportunity at hand is the composition of its growth. Several studies and provincial policy statements are moving rapidly to a convergence that will impact conducting business in Halton Hills. To name only a few factors, any expansion or relocation plans will be affected by availability of water, sanitary sewers and sewage treatment, storm water management, environmental considerations, energy efficiency, property and business taxes and development charges. The Town recently released a study it commissioned on the financial impact on future operating and capital budgets resulting from various growth scenarios that could happen under the Regions Sustainable Halton Plan. The Towns staff and elected representatives must deal with the information contained in the study to work with the Region to embark on a scenario for growth that will benefit both the Towns existing and future residents, as well as its business community. The Town and Region are in the midst of pressures for growth from forces outside and within the fifth largest megalopolis (Golden Horseshoe) in North America. Another Regional study currently underway is the Competitiveness of Halton Region for Non-Residential, Non-Retail Development, by the consultant, Metropolitan Knowledge International. As part of the Regions review of its development charges policy (the 2008 Development Charge update process), the study focuses on the competitive position of Halton within the Greater Golden Horseshoe Area with respect to the attraction of non-retail development. The consultant will study each of Haltons four municipalities within the context of the Regions competitiveness. The final report will be presented to Haltons Development Charges Advisory Committee January 21, 2008. On November 2, the Halton Hills Chamber of Commerce participated in an information exchange hosted by the Business Development Centre of Halton Region, and facilitated by Metropolitan Knowledge International. What makes Halton Hills attractive to non-residential, non-retail development By Grant Lee, MCIP, RPP, MCInst.M., RPM Director, Halton Hills Chamber of Commerce (continued on page 10)