Written by
Robin Cooke
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December 22, 2022
Want to Make a Difference in our Sarnia Lambton Business Community?
The Ontario government is making child care more affordable and accessible for families across the province, creating an additional 53,000 new, affordable licensed child care spaces by December 2026 – bringing our total to 86,000 new spaces since 2019.
In March 2022, Ontario secured a six-year, $13.2 billion agreement with the federal government which will lower fees for families and deliver an average of $10 a day child care by September 2025. This included an initial investment of $10.2 billion for the first five years of the agreement and an additional commitment for at least $3 billion in year six. Today, as part of that agreement, Ontario is announcing a targeted plan to create new licensed child care spaces, with a focus on increasing access to families across Ontario.
“We are delivering savings directly to families while increasing access to child care spaces in communities small and large,” said Stephen Lecce, Minister of Education. “Our government is making child care affordable — with savings averaging between $6,000 to $10,000 per child by the end of this year — and investing in new spaces that will benefit parents for years to come. With the cost of living rising across the country, the Ontario government is increasing access to child care spaces and delivering needed financial relief for families.”
Effective January 1, 2023, the Employment Standards Act, 2000 (ESA) will no longer apply to individuals who are business consultants or information technology consultants, if the following criteria are met:
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If the above criteria are all met, the exclusion from the ESA will apply to consultants who are employed directly by the businesses that they provide services to, and to those who are employed by temporary help agencies and are assigned to perform services for clients of the agency.
If any of the criteria stop being met, the exclusion from the ESA will not apply.
More information about the change will soon be published in Your Guide to the ESA. In the meantime, you can read the legislation here: Bill 88, Working for Workers Act, 2022.
If you need help understanding your responsibilities and rights under the ESA, you can:
Join us for a Virtual Town Hall January 12th with MPP Bob Bailey and raise awareness of local issues. Submit your questions to our office no later than January 5th HERERegister Today
Start the New Year the right way! Join the team from Listenology to learn how to lead efficient and productive meetings for your staff and potential clients that are worth attending. As a bonus, you’ll leave the session with ready-to-use tools to upgrade your next online or in-person meet-up.
As this year comes to an end we are looking forward to 2023 with excitement and new members to join various committees in support of The Sarnia Lambton Chamber of Commerce. The Chamber's Government Affairs Committee has ushered in so many successful initiatives over the years, and we are excited to find the next crop of members who can continue bringing innovative ideas to the group!
As a committee member, you will have several important responsibilities:
For more details about the role and an application, please contact our office below. Please consider the committee member responsibilities before deciding whether to apply, as the success of the committee depends on the full commitment of every committee member.
We look forward to working with you to make this year the best yet!
The City of Sarnia is currently reviewing transit operations, with a specific focus on possible solutions to improve the timeliness of bus schedules.
As part of this process, we are seeking the input of riders and residents on their experiences using transit, and preferences for a solution. Please continue reading for more information on the current challenges impacting bus schedule timelines, and possible solutions to address these challenges.
Read More Here the Challenges Here
Sarnia, December 20, 2022—Remote work is here to stay and employers offering it have a competitive edge when it comes to retaining and recruiting employees, according to a survey from The Harris Poll commissioned by Express Employment Professionals.
Three-quarters of businesses (76%) that have offered remote work since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic say they are continuing to allow their employees to work remotely. The most cited reason is to help attract and retain employees (66%).
Nearly half of employers (49%) say remote work has had a positive impact on their company as a whole, while only 15% say it has had a negative impact, and the remainder say it has had no impact at all.
Book your training for the New Year!
TGH is open for Respirator fit testing by appointment, please call the office, to help get your employees trained and to site as quickly as possible.
Our upcoming courses for the New Year include:
Thursday January 5, 2023 - Working at Heights Recertification at 8:00
Tuesday January 10, 2023 - Working at Heights at 8:00
Thursday January 12, 2023 - Confined Space at 8:00
Tuesday January 17, 2023 - Emergency (1 day) First Aid training at 8:00
Wednesday January 18, 2022 - Forklift training at 8:00
Thursday January 19, 2022 - Supervisory training at 8:00
Monday January 23 & Tuesday January 24, 2022 - Standard (2 day) training at 8:00 (both days)
Membership Has It's Advantages
Offer preferential rates to fellow Chamber Members with our Members Advantage Card, for business-to-business connections and savings. Contact us today to sign up for 2023 and to discuss this fantastic way to advertise on the Chamber website for the year for free! Join these members enjoying the benefits!
Buttons and Bows was founded in 2005 by Patti Prowse, a passionate entrepreneur who has had a love of fashion her whole life. She started Buttons and Bows with a mission of providing ‘casual elegance at its finest’. To her, that meant quality merchandise and outstanding customer service.
2018 was an exciting year for the shop. After 13 years in Forest, they moved location to the picturesque Village of Point Edward. The boutique is now located right under the Blue Water Bridge on Michigan Avenue. The new store is over 2500 square feet of the finest ladies clothing shopping in Sarnia-Lambton.
That same year, Patti’s daughter Leigh Anne joined the company. Together they have been furthering Patti’s vision of providing a unique shopping experience for the fashion-conscious woman. They pride themselves on finding the best Canadian-made and ethically sourced international products they can. Patti and Leigh Anne are also dedicated supporters of the Women’s Interval Home of Sarnia-Lambton. Stop in today to find that perfect outsit for the Holiday Season!
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We wish you and yours a wonderful Holiday Season!
Join the people who get things done. We are the hub for business communication and collaboration. Your membership provides you with a connection to local businesses, events, seminars, and member exclusive deals. We invite you to enjoy all that we have to offer.