PAGE 10, WH1TY FI=E PRESS, WEDNESDAY, MAY 2, 1990 '~ as o preswokforce Lasco Steel I as cut its work- force by 13per 4nt. An announce nent by the com- pany state Iat layoffs took place in order 'It meet the mar- ketdemandesof he'90s." Iake Ontariô Steel Company, a division of. Co-Steel Inc., announced the layoffe April 19. "l'hie move was rau'rddue to a re-structuring andý dowrmsiz- ing of the workforce to meet market demands of the «90'9 where low cost iî iLasco markets will be a key factor," said Lew Hutchinson, tbxe conipany's pre- aident and chief executive officer. The latest layoff follows the December layo fof 184 unon emJloyees. move, coupled with earlier announced workforce reductions, will help position the company to meet the challenges of the 90's where not only domestic, but global competition will be highly intense." There, are about 1,000 employees at the Whitby com- pany. Lasco officals refused further comment-on the layoffs. 11010 BINESS, ki M MW SWEEPING the streets and washing the windows of thefr stores reoently were Downtown Business Improvement Area (DBIA) merchants and (above) DBA manager Lynda Lawson and Sandy Moska- luk. Cnsmr Gas to expand region offie Consumera Gas has announced as to expand its regional Sedquarters at 101 Consumera Dr. inWitby. The expanded faclity, which will beapoxmtl twice the size cf thepex3cist biding, will serve as the regional headquarters for the company's central region, for customers in Durham Region, Lindsay, Peterborough and other communities in the Kawartha area. The coat cf the project is estimated at $4.5-million. The existing Consumera Gas building in Whitby is 23,000 sq. ft. in ize and wRs opened in 1970. At that time the company served 19000 customera in the region with a total of 46 employees ir, the Whitby office. The company now serves over 83,000 customers in the central region and wii employ 129 employees in the expanded facilityr Plans for the building expansion combine the company's needs for a service depot, warehouse, a regional admidnistration centre as well as an expanded merchandise outiet for appliances. Totten Sima Hubicki Ltd. of Whitby. is the architect for the project. Innovation Ontario m What, it isan how ilt can help youIr new business, Let's face it. You need more than agood idea andasoxne guts to get your new business off the ground. You also need adequate financial backIng. Yet sources in Ontario are Iirnited. Too often, you may discover that you don't meet the criteria of private sector venture capitalisa. To put it bluntly, youWre a high risk - you don't have a track record yet. Youýre also likely to be looking for a relatively small ainount of money. Ail things considered you're not the mcSt attractive target. But - and this is the good news - there is another source of help out there that's specificafly interested in companies like yours - it's a Crown Corporation called Innovation Ontario Corporation (IOC) and it's definitely worth lookin-g at. Here's why, in the words of IOC director James Orgiil: We make pre-venture-capital investments itechnology-based sinall- to-mediuma-size Ontario companies. We do not provide grants or loans. Instead, we seek te reduce your start-up risks by offering financial participation and a range of technical business and information services. Financial terms of agreement are specifically tailored to your needs. Thle criteria for our financial participation cboSely parallels that of the private secter venture capita]ista," adds Orgill. "But we offer an added fiexibility appropriate teyour current phase of developinent. Our decision is based on your commercial, technical, financial and #~v~ \~ s- management viability, as well as your divestment viability, je. opportunities for divesting the investinent at a profit in 3 - 5 years. It doesn't matter what stage cf development you're at so long as you satisIy these basic criteria." By helping businesses develop to the stage where they can attract adequate levels of private sector investinent, Innovation Ontario ia providig an important service to Ontario's investors, enterpreneurs And smafl-to- mediun siz companies. At the saie time, they're increasing the opportunities available ta, Canadas venture capital industry. Associated with the Ontaria Development Corporation andl the Ministry of Induatry, Trade and i v~ Cror i9eA ~T t~P ~'çr4W - ,AZZ Technology, Innovation, 'Ontario Corporation is one element of ,the partnership that exista beitween Ontario's private >and .public sectors. This partnerhip 'is helping to derive greater socal and economic benefits from new technology by sharing the risks cf early stage technology-based builss Innovation ýOntarlo has a number of success stories under its beit. The. ciont files also contain atones of. hardahip> heartaches and *struggl againit great odds. In,. our next- two columins weýre going ta bear from smoin f these chen4, dranfrei both sides cf the ledger.,There are some vakuable leusons ,in* their astories. C redit card inforimation updt-e Federal Consumer and Corporate Affaira Minister* Pierre BMais recently released the April 1990 issue of ' Credit Card Costa.? Ths ublition which is issued =times a year, includes updated information on intereat rates and other cost aspects cf credit carda. With the ever-increasing role that credit carda are playing in the economy,, it is important that consumera ha aware cf the coots involved in their use," said BIais. "Consumera should also be aware that. credit card issuera need te, give, only 30 clays notice cf changes and,^ in fact, some credit card interest rates are exetd to change on May 1, 1990."cece In ddiionto heusual credit cardfat and figures--ntrt rates, length of the gacePeriod, annual fees, the e froin which intorest chargea are applled, and asociated terme and condition . 'Credit Card Caste' now includes a graph s3howing the relati onsbip between credit car interest..rateis and the bank rate. > 2ý, Cullen Gardens oelebrates lOth year Lau Cullan's dreain is 1U years old. And te mark the occasion, Cul- len Gardens will hold its 'loth Anniversary Birthday Bash Calebration'lon Saturday, May 5. A gigantic birthday cakqe will ba cut and antartainment will be provided b the Anderson Col- legiate Concert Band and Uxbridge Legion Pipe Band. Celebrity look-a-likes will arrive atl1p.m. Participatinig i ceremonias will be Whtby mayor Bob Attersley, Dur ham regional chairman Gary Herrema and Ed Buffett, co- president of the Whitby General Hoapital Fiuat Clasa Fund CampaiM Receipts from the ray 5 caleb- ration. will be donated te, the campiign. Conme Cullen will cut agr land te promote the nait7 10 year at Cullen Gardens. b~ E - f 4~ ~ ~ DEBRA J. SWEETMAN Barrster & Soicitor .is pleased to announce the relocation of her practice to ... 3d40 Dyro»n St. Sm Wh.tby, Ontarlo> LI N 4P8 00,