Waterloo this week: Dec. 28, 2011

Waterloo Chapter this week
Add the Waterloo Chapter page and the LO events calendar to your bookmarks

Waterloo chapter meeting, Feb. 1
Join the Waterloo Chapter for the first meeting of the new year. It will feature a Landscaper Round-table Rant that will highlight various member issues. The meeting will take place at the Knights of Columbus, Waterloo, from 7 to 9 p.m. Contact Rob Tester at rob@tntpropertymaintenance.com for more information.

Seminars that take place in Waterloo

LO this week

Congress is right around the corner, Jan. 10-12

The premier industry networking event of the year is less than two weeks
away. Don’t miss your opportunity to see all of the new products, catch
up with colleagues and meet new ones. The conference program and
pre-trade show sector events are your best opportunities to sharpen your
skills and build a professional edge. Register at www.locongress.com
today to avoid line-ups at the door.

Landscape Ontario magazine online

The January issue of Landscape Ontario magazine is now online. This
month your association magazine features the amazing volunteer efforts to bring back St. James Park in Toronto, along with the latest news
on Congress 2012, a report by OMAFRA on the weed killer Fiesta, an
introduction of LO’s new president Phil Charal, an interview with green
roof specialist Terry McGlade, as well as all the regular monthly
columns. Remember, free subscriptions to the electronic version of
Landscape Ontario are available here.

Earn eight CECs at IPM Symposium

Held in conjunction with Congress, the IPM symposium will be held pre-trade
show on Mon., Jan. 9, and attendees will be granted eight IPM Council of
Canada CECs. The 47th edition of the IPM Symposium will feature a
fantastic line-up of speakers, and includes lunch and a networking
session to cap-off the day. Cost is $110 per person. Register at
www.locongress to guarantee your spot.

Building Your Prosperity, Jan. 9

Get started on to the road of success. This program is intended to help
green industry members clarify what they excel at and what components of
their business needs attention and improvement. The seminar will take
place at the LO home office in Milton, from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. The cost
to LO members is $115, and non-members is $192. Check out the online
survey to
measure your strengths and weaknesses in the five Prosperity Pillars. To
find more information, or to register go to Building Your Prosperity.

Growers Group annual short course, Feb. 8
The annual LO Growers Group short course moves back to the Legion in Guelph. Over 12 speakers will make short presentations about current nursery management practices and research updates. Download a faxable registration form here. Pre-registration pricing is $65 for members, $75 for potential members and $25 for students. Onsite registration is $90.

Special-price Canada Blooms tickets: Great gift for staff and clients

LO members may purchase special bar-coded Canada Blooms tickets for $12 each; the regular ticket price is $20. Blooms tickets are a thoughtful gift for clients, staff, business associates
and family. The tickets come in packages of 20, and LO members will be
invoiced after the show, only for the tickets that were presented at the event. Ticket packages are available by downloading an order form, or from Kathleen
Pugliese at 1-800-265-5656, ext. 309, or kpugliese@landscapeontario.com.

Landscape Industry Certified dates announced
Are you Landscape Industry Certified? The 2012 Ontario Certification Dates are now available by visiting horttrades.com/landscape-industry-certified. Register early for early-bird pricing. January test dates include: Jan. 12, at Congress and Jan. 31, at Algonquin College.

Winter seminar series

On-the-Job Training, Jan. 31 and Feb. 1
On-the-job is where most of the learning in our industry happens, every
day, working side-by-side with a more experienced or knowledgeable
person. There is no doubting the skills of the trainer, but how many
people have ever had training on how to train? Designed as two-half
day sessions, participants will actually practice the training method in
class, just like the real thing. Participants will act as both trainees
and trainers throughout the day. During day two, participants will
review the method using the training moments they have prepared, and
learn from their experience in putting it in to action. To register for
the seminar, go to On-the-Job Training.

For other opportunities to receive professional development, go to seminars for more details.

Chiseled in Stone: An Introduction, Jan. 23
Landscape Design – An Introduction, Jan. 23
Native Trees and Shrubs: Expand your Knowledge, Jan. 24
Green Roof Design 101: Introductory Course, Jan. 25
Negotiating with the Savvy Buyer, Jan. 25
Getting Started in Concrete, Jan. 26
How to Use Dynascape, Jan. 26

Landscape Design – Above and Beyond, Jan. 27
Is there a Plant Doctor in the House?, Jan. 27

Simply Accounting-Next Step, Jan. 27

Chiseled in Stone: Intermediate, Jan. 30
The Hardy Woody Plant, Jan. 30

OPA
Educational Forum

Join the Ontario Parks Association on Mon., Jan. 9 for the 56th
Annual Parks Educational Forum, ‘Turning Grey to Green, 75 Years of
Protecting Tomorrow Today.’ This full-day event features a parks,
politics and pancakes networking breakfast, sessions, a keynote
presentation and door prizes, being held in the Mississauga Room at
Doubletree Hotel Toronto Airport, 655 Dixon Rd., Toronto. There is early bird
pricing of $165 for members before Dec. 16. Register at
www.locongress.com. Contact Shelley May at OPA
shelley@ontarioparksassociation.com.

Are you looking for a job? Do you need employees?

Landscape Ontario’s Congress 2012 Job Board will connect employers with
potential employees and applicants with employers. New this year, we
are now accepting job postings and resumes for our job board on the show
floor in the LO Resource Booth # 41. For more information and
guidelines for your posting, visit job board.

Airblast 101 Workshop Series

Staring Feb. 27, four airblast workshops conducted by Jason Deveau of OMAFRA will begin at the first of four Ontario locations. Growers are invited to take part in one of the interactive
classroom workshops that will include hands-on demonstrations and
dialogue with an experienced airblast technician who will provide tips
on airblast sprayer calibration, maintenance and how to adjust your
sprayer to match your specific crops. Space is limited. To register call
Nancy at 416-622-9771. The $20 workshop fee is paid at door. To see which
workshop is closest to you, go to airblast workshops.

Survey to provide info on invasive species
The Invasive Species Centre is gathering information on the status of
activities in Ontario with respect to invasive species
education/outreach and invasive plant management. The survey contains 28
questions, mostly multiple choice. Once answers have been
tabulated, results will be posted online early next year. Landscape
Ontario is a member of the Invasive Species Council. The deadline for
responses is Jan. 12. Survey Link.

Time to join a Safety Group

The 2012 WSIB/Landscape Ontario Safety Groups Program helps industry firms develop a Ministry
of Labour compliant safety program for their workplaces. Firms will
select five WSIB safety elements at the start of the year, and then
initiate or improve upon them by attending at least three compulsory
meetings. Working with other members, the initiatives are put in place
by the end of the year. Along with an improved safety record, there are
financial benefits in the form of rebates from WSIB. For more details
and to participate in the 2012 program, go to Safety Groups.

Permacon Industry Night, Jan. 10

After an inspiring opening day at Landscape Ontario’s Congress or Awards
of Excellence ceremony, enjoy a great evening that includes dinner,
casino games, prizes, music and more. It takes place from 5 p.m. until 1
a.m. at the Doubletree Hotel in the
International foyer. For more details, or to RSVP, contact
1-800-668-4805, or cs.milton@permacon.ca, or register at the event.

TRIECA conference early bird pricing ends Jan. 31

Toronto and Region Conservation Authority and the Great Lakes Chapter of
the International Erosion Control Association Conference are co-hosting
the first annual TRIECA Conference on Mar. 27 and 28, at the
International Centre in Mississauga. Organizers anticipate it will be a
great event for networking and educating industry professionals. Early-bird pricing is in effect until Jan. 31. Any LO members interested in
participating as a sponsor or an exhibitor at the conference can find
more information, or register at TRIECA, or
contact Patricia Lewis, project manager, at 289-268-3903.

Webinar on prevention of musculoskeletal disorders

Throughout the month of February, the Ministry of Labour (MOL) will
conduct a blitz on musculoskeletal disorders (MSD). On Jan. 18, from
9:30 to 11 a.m., Public Services Health and Safety Association and MOL
will offer a webinar on musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) in the public
sector. Learn about the legislative requirements regarding prevention of
musculoskeletal disorders, what MOL inspectors will look for during a
visit and more. To learn about the webinar, go to MOL Blitz.