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

Golden Horseshoe Chapter meeting, Nov. 18
Join the Golden Horseshoe Chapter at Connon NVK (1155 Hwy. 5 W., Dundas) from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., for an informative meeting about Succession Planning and Safety Policies with Dave and John Wright of Wright Lawn Care Services, who will be there to share their expertise. Cost is $10 per person, and lunch is included. Please pre-register by Nov. 11. For more information, contact Helen Hassard at 1-800-265-5656, ext. 354, or helen@landscapeontario.com.

Fanshawe looking for horticulture apprentices
Fanshawe College is an approved delivery agent for Horticulture
Apprenticeship training through the Ministry of Training Colleges and
Universities (MTCU). The
apprenticeship program is on-the-job training, with candidates spending
90 per
cent of their time to acquire their skill set through their employer.
The Fanshawe
program, for both level 1 and level 2, begins Mon., Nov. 29 at
Fanshawe’s main
campus in London.
The employer and candidate must register with a local MTCU office.
Contact the
MTCU at 1-888-562-4769. To find out more about Fanshawe’s horticulture
program,
go to Fanshawe.

LO this week

Launch of the Green
Infrastructure Coalition on Nov. 22
Celebrate the launch of the Green
Infrastructure Coalition on Nov. 22, from 8:45 a.m. to noon, at Evergreen Brickworks, 550 Bayview Ave, Toronto.
Landscape Ontario is a member of the Coalition, participating in order to raise awareness for our industry’s
value. Registration is free, however, space is limited. Click on Green Infrastructure Coalition by Nov. 15 to
register. 

Free webinar on
succession, Nov. 24
SB Partners and
Landscape Ontario are offering a series of free webinars on planning for
succession. The final
webinar in the series is entitled, Legal and Tax Considerations. The webinar
runs from 4 to 5 p.m on Nov.24. Complete and fax the Registration
Form, or to see the brochure click on Succession.

Paver Installer Course, Nov. 22 – 23
ICPI Concrete Paver Installer Course will take place on Nov.
22 and 23, from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., at the Peel Landscape Depot, 44 Armstrong Avenue, Georgetown. To register, go to Paver Course,
and refer to flyer for more information. This course is sponsored by
Techo-Bloc.


Horticulture value chain survey

A survey is being conducted by the Horticulture Value Chain Round Table, a federally-sponsored industry program.The Round Table is
composed of growers, retailers, associations, and other representatives,
along with government policy staff. The goal of this survey is to examine and generate ideas on how innovation can help solve labour issues
in the horticultural value chain and increase the competitiveness
and profitability of the horticulture sector. It is important for LO members to take part. The deadline is Nov. 30. To provide your input, go to Labour Survey.

Ministry launches reporting system for safety infractions
Ontario has launched a new toll-free number, 1-877-202-0008, to
report workplace health and safety incidents or unsafe work practices. On Nov. 1, the Ministry of Labour launched a Health and
Safety Contact Centre, which allows anyone, anywhere in Ontario, to call
one number to report a workplace health and safety incident, critical
injury, fatality or work refusal.

Is Canada ready for a TV channel on gardening?
Landscape Ontario
is reaching out to find out how gardening enthusiasts feel about the present
state of television offerings. The association has developed a quick,
four-question online survey on the possibility of a 24-hour gardening specialty
channel. The survey will run until Nov. 30. To access the survey, click on Garden
TV.

Professional development seminars
Dry Stone Walling 101, Nov. 23

Lean and Green, Nov. 25
 
Quit hoping for Profit, Plan on it, Nov. 29

Perennial Growth and Profitability, Part 1, Nov. 30

Estimating to Win, Dec. 2

To register or get more information, click seminars.

Save money with Safety Groups

The 2011 Safety Groups Program is set to begin a new season. Designed to promote health and safety in
the workplace, this program provides mentoring, pooling of
resources and sharing of best practices between member firms, their
sponsor and the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB). Member
firms can receive, along with improved safety records, financial
benefits in the form of rebates from the WSIB.
The Safety Groups Program is administered by the WSIB. It has received high approval ratings from
participating members.
For more information, and to download a 2011 Safety Group application
form,
click here.

Building your prosperity seminar, Dec.16
The introductory Prosperity Partnership seminars is available at the LO home office, 7856 Fifth Line South, Milton, on Dec. 16.  will get you 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. A seminar workbook will be provided. Take this online survey, to
measure your strengths and weaknesses in the six prosperity pillars. Click here for more
information, or to register.

Landscape Industry Certified written test, Dec. 3
At Landscape Ontario home office, Milton, written
tests in all categories of Landscape Industry Certified will take place
on Dec. 3. To access the new Ontario Test Application, click here.

Financial information session for nursery growers, Dec. 7
AAC
Farmers’ Financial is holding a complimentary information session on
how to use the advance payment program for nursery growers, lease
financing options and operations improvement tax credits. The session at the Best Western Beacon Harbourside, Jordan, runs from 7 to 9 p.m. To reserve a seat, email abenedict@accfinancial.ca. If you cannot attend, but want more information, contact ACC Farmers’ Financial at 1-888-278-8807.


Time to register for Congress
Don’t miss your opportunity to attend a conference seminar, industry
symposium or schmooze at the awards gala. Congress trade show runs from  Jan. 11-13, with the Landscape Designer Conference,
 IPM Symposium, Irrigation Symposium and
Green Communities, Parks and Partnerships Conference on Mon., Jan. 10. More details for any of the above at www.locongress.com.

Home Sweet Home Competition
The Home Sweet Home Competition is a new event developed by OntarioGreenSpec.ca, with the help of over 30 green building practioners, producers and academics acting as Advisors and Judges. Home Sweet Home consists of two categories: The Home Sweet Home Competition, which awards
builders, contractors, and/or individuals, and the Home Sweet Home Student Challenge (the Student Challenge)
which awards Ontario’s post-secondary students. The new
OntarioGreenSpec.ca Home Sweet Home Competition is open and accepting
entries until Dec.31. Details are at www.hsh-competition.ca.

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