Durham this week: Oct. 19, 2011

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

Durham Chapter meeting, Nov. 8

Join Durham Chapter for the November meeting at Quality Suites, 1700
Champlain Avenue, Whitby, starting at 10 a.m., to hear about the issues
of ‘Processes, Performance and Profitability.’
For more information,
contact Helen Hassard at hhassard@landscapeontario.com.

LO this week

Landscape Industry Certified tests

On Oct. 24 (practical) and Oct. 25 (written), we will
test at the LO home office in Milton, so register now to save your
spot. To find out more or register, go to Industry
Certified. Already Certified? Volunteer to judge at the event, because
you need
CEUs to remain Certified! Contact Rachel Cerelli for more
information.

Fall seminar series

The Rain Gardens, seminar on Nov. 17, will outline the basics of designing and installing rain
gardens and bio-swales. It will consist of a two-hour presentation
outlining principles and examples, followed by designing a mock-up rain
garden from an area on site. The design ideas will be then be discussed
and shared with the group. Contractors, designers and parks people will
come away with a sustainable landscape solution.
Participants should also bring a pad of graph paper, pencils, coloured
markers or highlighters, pens and a scale ruler.
Sales vs. Marketing: What is the Difference? Nov. 7
Chainsaw Training, Nov. 7 and 8

Building Your Prosperity, Nov. 9
CLD Equipped to Design, Nov. 10
NEW! Intro Sage Simply Accounting, Nov. 21
NEW! WSIB Claims Management Tips, Nov. 22
NEW! Rapport and Relationship Building, Nov. 23
Risk Management & the Law in Construction: Avoiding Problems and Getting Paid, Nov. 25
Dry Stone Walling 101, Nov. 28 and 29
NEW! Envirobond Certified Installer, Nov. 29
NEW! Close the Sale! Dec.5
Building Your Prosperity, Dec. 7
Great Landscape Contractors, Great Landscape Businesses, Dec. 12 and 13

Time to join a Safety Group

The 2012 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.

New accessibility standards coming in January

As of Jan. 1, 2012, all employers in Ontario who provide goods and
services must be compliant with Accessibility Standards for Customer
Service issued under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities
Act. Employers will have a legislated obligation accommodate customers
with disabilities. The province has a
website explaining the new rules, while a number of companies are
providing seminars on the issue. Go to seminars to see dates and prices.

Tree risk assessment course

Urban Forest Innovative Solutions is hosting the PNW-ISA Tree Risk
Assessment Course again this fall. Instructor Dr. Julian Dunster will
lead this two-day event at the Cawthra Estate in Mississauga on Oct. 27
and 28. Course attendance and successful completion of the written exam,
earns participating Certified Arborists and Registered Professional
Foresters the PNW-ISA Certified Tree Risk Assessor qualification.
Participation also earns the attendee 10 ISA CEUs. This is a limited
course with room for 17 attendees, so register soon. For more
information, the course brochure and online payment visit Trees, or call 905-274-1022.

TBG hosts urban trees event

Two days of inspiring speakers, plus an optional one-day tour of parts
of Toronto’s urban forest are highlights in a program entitled,
Spreading Roots: Working Together to Protect our Urban Trees. In
parrtnership, with Ontario Urban Forest Council, Toronto Botanical
Gardens will host the event on Nov. 3 and 4. To find more information on
the event, or to register go to Spreading Roots.

Argos offer discount to LO members
The Toronto Argonauts have created a discount offer for Landscape
Ontario members. Various price levels are available. To see more info on
the program, or to order tickets, go to
Argonauts.

Students asked to create landscape design from tires

Ontario Tire Stewardship registrations for the 2011 OTS
Student Design Challenge have been extended to Oct. 31. The event is a chance to dream
up creative uses for recycled tire products to meet real world design
challenges that could earn a scholarship and chance to implement a
winning landscape design at Toronto’s Evergreen Brick Works. Deadline
for project submission is Nov. 21. It is open to students of landscape
architecture and related disciplines currently attending a
post-secondary institution in Ontario. Visit OTS Student Design Challenge to learn
more.