Consider This (https://consider-this.ca/tag/economy/page/6/)
Media and Cobourg town councillors were given a tour of the new Venture 13 space on Friday while it is undergoing renovations as part of a public information campaign to keep residents up to date as the $2 million project progresses, said Communications Officer Ashley Purdy. Here is a photo gallery of the tour. Venture 13 is the town’s new entrepreneurial incubator to draw new and small business to the area. More to come… Continue Reading →
Manufacturer Damin Starr, a member of the Better Way Alliance, talks about paying fair wages, not just minimum wages, in Ontario during Consider This Live, part of the Drive Time on Northumberland 89.7 FM. Continue Reading →
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Drive Time host Dave Glover and I hash over the various sides of the increase in minimum wage debate and how it will impact local businesses during Consider This Live, part of the Drive Time on Northumberland 89.7 FM. Continue Reading →
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Hon. Paul Hellyer talks about monetary policy and the role of the Bank of Canada during a special edition of Consider This Live, part of the Drive Time on Northumberland 89.7 FM Continue Reading →
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Downtown Improvement Business Area (DBIA) coordinator Paige Montgomery talks about the upcoming sidewalk sale and other events, along with the challenges facing retailers in the business core during Consider This Live, part of the Drive Time on Northumberland 89.7 FM. Continue Reading →
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The proposed changes to Ontario’s labour laws and employment standards will have a profound affect on local business and workers because of the fragile nature of the region’s economy as compared to major urban centres. The most significant changes to Ontario’s labour laws and employment standards are expected to be announced very shortly, overhauling a system brought in the 1990s under Premier Mike Harris, Labour Minister Kevin Flynn said last week. Both union leaders and business organizations are holding their collective breath, as each will have its criticisms, as well as praise. Under the current proposals, the provincial government are looking to make paid sick days mandatory, boost the minimum required paid vacation, lower the overtime threshold, abolish the lower minimum wage for students under 18 and those who serve alcohol. Most important are the changes for precarious workers, a growing part of the workforce. Continue Reading →
A business incubator to assist entrepreneurs starting up new ventures is gaining momentum in Cobourg over the past week, but it is already facing some negativity. The $1.6 million Venture 13 is moving forward after council gave its blessing. It will be home to some existing public services, as well as provide space for small start-ups in an unused building within the Northam Industrial Park on Darcy Street across from the Cobourg Community Centre. The empty building represents $70,000 in lost revenue, compared to the $90,000 it will generate when the project is running. The Cobourg Police will occupy the second floor, using it to house its business services division, which does background checks for communities across Canada. Continue Reading →
The closure of Sears in the Northumberland Mall provides a good reason to pause to think about the future of retail in the rural Ontario. A Sears spokesperson said the company’s motives were based on lack of surplus stock for an outlet-style store, as well as a poor bottom line. When the doors close in March, it ends an era spanning decades, as Sears had a catalogue pick-up in Cobourg for many years prior to a full-line store in the mall. And while many may argue the loss of such a major retailer is a sign of the weak local economy, it is also a reflection of major changes taking place in Canadian retailing. A recent article in PYMNTS.com, an online retail and consumer trend site, says the future of large anchor stores in malls is under scrutiny. Continue Reading →
Retail Council of Canada Vice President Mark Startup explores the changing world of retail as the Christmas shopping season gets fully underway for Consider This Live, part of the Drive Time on Northumberland 89.7 FM. Continue Reading →
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Northumberland-Peterborough South MP Kim Rudd talks about the federal budget and makes a big announcement on Consider This Live as part of the Drive Time on Northumberland 89.7 FM. A shout out to my Trent-Loyalist journalism class who helped develop some topics and questions for the show. Continue Reading →
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