Canadian manufacturers are ready to grow!
According to a recent survey of nearly 650 factory executives by the Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters (CME), there are a lot reasons to be optimistic about the next three years as manufacturers plan to boost spending, hire more workers, and generate greater profits. “That’s what I see out there – a lot of optimism,” CME chief executive Jayson Myers said in an interview. “Canadian companies have weathered the deepest recession since the 1930s, and the companies that have survived have found more market opportunities. Many of them are busier than ever.” Two-thirds of those surveyed intend to increase spending on machinery and equipment, and more than half said they would increase spending on research and development. Local manufacturers who plan to export their products can take advantage grants available to cover the costs of travel and marketing expenses to industry events outside of Canada. With coverage of up to 50% of eligible expenses, now is the time to consider your move into the global marketplace. Talk to Sovereign Consulting representative today to find out how you can qualify. Call 416-746-9044 or send us an email! Source: Globe and...
Read MoreInternational Trade Show Opportunities, Upcoming Events Nov-Dec 2012
Has your company taken advantage of the export grant program this year? The cost of marketing your business across national borders can be reduced for our clients. We’ll help you determine which costs can be reduced by up to 50%! Typical expenditures include: Round-trip airfare for two company officials Rental cost of booths at trade shows The production and development of marketing tools, e.g. market research and market entry plans Translation of documents into local languages for your target market Marketing materials and other promotional collaterals The cost of consulting fees Per Diem allowances for company officials while on travel status Time is running out, but there are plenty of opportunities left. We’ve compiled a list of events taking place in the United States that you may consider. Dining By Design, 01 to 03 November, Chicago Dining By Design is a spectacular event and will assemble some of the most talented, intriguing, and celebrated individuals in the Chicago design community and pairs them with generous Table Hosts to create three-dimensional dining installations that are works of art. This 3 days exhibition is being organized by Merchandise Mart Properties, Inc. Design-Build Conference and Expo, 07 to 09 November, New Orleans Ernest N Morial Convention Centers, this conference is a professional show to discuss all the techniques of the building. The aim to promote the value of design-build project delivery and teaches the effective integration of design and construction services. Many renowned companies and industry will participate in this leading international show. Exhibitors will be participating and providing all the information about the product, technique and services. Capital Building & Facility Maintenance Show, 13 to 14 November, Chantilly Positioned to serve the needs of Facility Management and Maintenance professionals from across the region. Providers of plant, building & grounds, and maintenance products and services will be targeting professionals who are involved in management, operation, or maintenance of industrial plants. Greenbuild International Conference & Expo, 14 to 16 November, San Francisco A great opportunity to build new relationships and connect with your peers and colleagues from throughout the industry and around the world. Greenbuild will feature a number of special events to showcase the best of what Chicago and the green building movement have to offer. Stay tuned for more information about the Welcome Gala, the annual Leadership Awards celebration, and other special events. Ecobuild America, 05 to 06 December, Washington Ecobuild America will feature and educate design and construction professionals on how to improve built environment. This unique conference and exhibition will introduce a new strategies and materials to create high performance, sustainable structures technology. The event is being organized by AEC-St. JLC Live-Portland, 06-07 December, Portland At JLC LIVE, the industry’s original interactive tradeshow, you’ll learn new techniques to help you build better, smarter and faster. You’ll get the strategies, knowledge and skills needed to edge out the competition with improved profits, quality and service throughout your business. Sovereign Consulting can help you take the next step in becoming a multi-national enterprise. Our expertise will help you access financial incentive programs to help that lead to business growth. Contact us today for more...
Read MoreGarfield Dunlop speaks out against the Ontario College of Trades
The direction being taken by the Ontario College of Trades will lead to an over-regulation of hundreds of thousands of skilled trades and create a barrier to employment, especially for young people, a PC MPP told Niagara builders Tuesday night. Addressing the Niagara Home Builders’ Association at its annual general meeting, MPP Garfield Dunlop, PC critic for skilled trades and apprenticeship reform, said when he was given the file by party leader Tim Hudak just over a year he knew of only some of the issues. However, he did have a keen interest. A plumber before he entered politics, Dunlop said he was particularly interested in positioning trades as a viable career pursuit for young people, and he hoped the new College of Trades might help in providing opportunities for them. “That was my primary concern going into this,” he said. What he found, though, is a governing body for the province’s apprenticeship and skilled trades system, which has the power to make licensing compulsory, forcing costly fees upon workers and businesses. “What this is, in my opinion, is another kind of bureaucracy growing wild,” he said. And so Dunlop has travelled the province since last spring, holding talks such as the one he did Tuesday to inform key stakeholders about the coming changes. The Ontario College of Trades and Apprenticeship Act passed third reading in 2009 but has not yet been implemented. Today there are four certified trades in the residential housing sector: plumbers, electricians, sheet metal workers and crane operators, each paying $60 every three years. Under proposed changes, the fees would jump to $120 per year, Dunlop said, and could see certification requirements for a much broader swath of the skilled trades sector. The effect, he said, would see the ‘jack of all trades’ eliminated, creating a scenario whereby 11 tradespeople would be needed to renovate a bathroom. What will happen, he said, is much of this work will move underground. Dunlop told the audience that most people aren’t aware of these proposals, as there’s been little consultation with the public. “People don’t know this is coming at them,” he said. He said his party would abolish the College of Trades and instead work on reinforcing the already working community college system in Ontario. His party would also gradually lower the journeyman to apprentice ratio from 3:1 to 1:1. After his presentation, Dunlop sat on a panel for a question and answer session with NHBA president Jon Whyte, government liaison Chuck McShane and Ontario Home Builders’ Association government relations rep Stephen Hamilton. McShane said the move towards licencing is being pushed by unions, who have seen membership drop and are trying to build their strength back up. When arguing against lowering ratios, the unions point to supposed safety concerns. “They’re tugging at the heartstrings,” he said. “They’re not worried about quality (of the product), they’re worried about the safety. That’s the selling point.” However, he said, he defies anyone to find safety problems at the work sites of any of the home builders in the room. When asked what could be done to change the proposals, all said the best course of action now is a political one: write your MPP, sign a petition, and, most important, spread the word. “The more people understand the implication of this, the better chance we have of stopping it in its tracks,” Whyte said. Dunlop said it’s important not to underestimate the effectiveness of such action. “Believe it or not, it’s slowly working,” he said. Source: Niagara This...
Read MoreIHSA Certifies 18 Firms with Certificate of Recognition
The Infrastructure Health & Safety Association has recently awarded the Certificate of Recognition to eighteen companies; together they have become the first to receive the distinction since the program was launched. The COR program enables Ontario workplaces to demonstrate their standards of health and safety management systems and provides validation to potential constructors and buyers. It also recognizes aims to improve the health and safety systems that control hazards and provides employers with a means of assessing management systems. Workplaces that achieve COR demonstrate that they are controlling hazards and risks on their work-sites through the development of appropriate standards, employee communications and training, as well as regular reviews. The following firms were their COR certification (alphabetical): Aecon Buildings Aecon Construction and Materials Limited Aecon Constructors Aecon Industrial Aecon Materials Engineering AME Aecon Mining / Leo Alarie and Sons Aecon Utilities Aecon Utilities Inc. Allerion Oilfield Services Inc. Karson Asphalt & Paving Kenaidan Contracting Ltd. K-Line Maintenance & Construction Limited L&H Electrical Inc. Lockerbie and Hole Eastern Miwel PCL Constructors Inc. Tri-Star Electric Inc. Voith Hydro The Certificate of Recognition program began in Alberta more than 20 years ago and has become the accepted standard of health and safety measurement in that province. It is currently used in jurisdictions across Canada as a pre-qualification requirement for contractors working in and out of the province and on public and private-sector projects. Source: Daily Commercial...
Read MoreLights! Cameras! Savings!
Toronto has welcomed international film and television production as early as the 1950s, and quickly came to be known as Hollywood North due to the number productions that take place in and around the city. This has had many financial, social, and cultural benefits for the residents of Ontario. What does this mean for you? The province has a vested interest in the success of the local film and television industry, which brings millions of dollars in revenue each year. To encourage the growth of private studios and production houses of all sizes, we are helping film and television producers take advantage of the tax incentives available from the provincial government. Who is eligible? A Canadian corporation which is Canadian-controlled, has a permanent establishment in Ontario, and files an Ontario corporate tax return. In addition, the producer of the production must have been an Ontario resident for tax purposes at the end of both of the two calendar years prior to commencement of principal photography. How can we help? The film and television tax credit program can pay thousands of dollars for productions in Ontario. Sovereign Consulting helps companies find ways to put their hard earned money back in their pockets. We have access to funding and tax credit programs available to the film and television industry! If you or someone you know is interested in these and other financial incentives, call 416-746-9044 or email us...
Read MoreAre there any low cost options for energy efficient construction?
Yes! Many Canadians have considered upgrading or renovating their business property to reap the benefits of newer, more energy efficient, fixtures and equipment but found that the investment costs are a difficult obstacle to overcome. The retrofit program has incentives designed to tackle these cost barriers, making it possible for you to install and benefit from more energy-efficient technologies. The retrofit program provides financial incentives for replacing inefficient existing equipment with high efficiency equipment and for installing new control systems that will improve the efficiency of your operational processes. Getting your project underway without delay is our priority. We’ll work with you through a quick approval process so your project can move ahead as soon as possible. You may earn: Lighting projects The greater of either: $400/kW of demand savings or $0.05/kWh of first year electricity savings to a maximum of 50% of project costs. Non-lighting projects, including lighting controls The greater of either $800/kW of demand savings or $0.10/kWh of first year electricity savings to a maximum of 50% of project costs. There are incentives for: Lighting controls Unitary air conditioning Synch belt Variable frequency drives Agribusiness Alternative energy measures Motors Pumps Fans Refrigeration, and more The retrofit program can pay thousands of dollars for your project and as registered representatives for Toronto Hydro we can help local business free of charge! Our team will handle all of the paperwork and documentation and you or your business will receive a tremendous value. For more information or a free consultation, call...
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