LO this week: January 19, 2011

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

Pre-Apprenticeship Students’ Job Fair
A total of 22 pre-apprenticeship Humber College students will be on hand on Jan. 26, when the college hosts its job fair. All 22 students are available for hire, and eager to work. The event runs from 5 to 8:30 p.m. at 205 Humber College Blvd, Toronto. Employers planning to attend are asked to register with Landscape Ontario’s Rachel Cerelli at rachel@landscapeontario.com.

Durham Chapter meeting, Feb. 1
Join
the Durham chapter at 10 a.m. to hear a representative from Landscape Management Network
discuss business, and getting started with spring rate cards. The meeting will take place at the Holiday Inn, 1011 Bloor Street East, Oshawa. For more
information on the meeting, contact Helen Hassard at 1-800-265-5656,
ext. 354, or helen@landscapeontario.com.

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

LO’s annual snow day, Feb. 11
Enjoy a day on the slopes with the Georgian Lakelands and Toronto Chapter Annual Snow Day. The event will take place on the hills of Alpine Ski Club in Collingwood. Each year everyone raves what a great time they had at the snow day. To register, or for more information, contact Lexi Dearborn.

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

Networking Dinner, Feb. 1
Join
the Waterloo Chapter for a networking dinner with Jeffrey Scott, an internationally-known
author and consultant to the green industry. The event
starts at 5:30 p.m. at the Charcoal Steak House, 92980 King Street
East, Kitchener. During dinner you will enjoy getting to know other
like-minded contractors, hearing and sharing success stories and gaining
inspiration. In addition, Jeffrey Scott will give each attendee a
complimentary copy of his new book on peer groups, entitled The Leader’s Edge.
Cost is $85 per person and space is limited to the first 20 landscape
businesses who sign up. For more information, contact Dave Wright at
519-465-4845, or davew@wright.on.ca or pay online.

Golden Horseshoe Chapter meeting, Feb. 24
Join
the Golden Horseshoe Chapter on Thurs., Feb. 24 from 10 – 2 p.m. This
lunch meeting will feature the Ontario Regional Common Grounds
Association that will present information on locates. Watch horttrades.com for updates, including the location of the meeting. Contact Helen Hassard at Helen@landscapeontario.com for more
information.

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

Supervisor Training Seminar, Jan. 20
This seminar will introduce
supervisors to their responsibilities under the OHS Act. It will also cover
communications skills and training methods on how to instruct workers. The frontline supervisor is a key
element in your health and safety program. Give them the tools to do the job
and to be a competent worker.

Instructors are
Jay Remsik and Steve Zronik. The seminar runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the I.A.P.A. Training Centre,

1069 Wellington
Road South, London.

Only 40 spots are available.

To register for this seminar, contact the Guelph Office of Workplace Safety & Prevention Services at 1-800-361-8855, or 519-823-5600, or email, info@farmsafety.ca.

London Chapter meeting, Feb. 8
Join the
chapter at the Lamplighter Inn, Royal Palm Room, 591 Wellington Rd.
S., London, for a buffet lunch at 12 noon, followed by seminars
on website development, and taking perfect pictures to showcase your business. Cost is $25 per person, with lunch included. Our meeting sponsor is
Landscape Safety. Pre-registration
is required. For more information, or to register, contact Wendy Harry at
519-488-0818, or 1-888-211-5606, ext. 2356, or wharry@landscapeontario.com.

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

Landscape Industry Certified written test, Feb. 16 at GreenTrade Expo
At GreenTrade Expo 2011, written
tests in all categories of Landscape Industry Certified will take place. To register, visit http://www.horttrades.com/clt, and email completed registration form to rachel@landscapeontario.com or fax 905-875-3942. Don’t delay, registration closes February 2nd.

Register now for GreenTrade Expo, Feb. 16
One month left to register for Eastern Ontario’s premiere landscape
industry networking and learning day. Free admission allows you to meet
suppliers, hear about the latest industry developments, network with
industry colleagues, take in the free educational seminars, attend the
profit builder’s luncheon with Hockey Hall of Fame coach Brian Kilrea. Click here to register. Don’t miss out on limited seating for the Profit Builders’ Luncheon. Booth spaces and sponsorships are still available. For more information, go to www.greentrade.ca, or contact Martha.

Winter seminars fast approaching
The professional guide is available online
for information concerning all the Ottawa education opportunities. Programs begin Feb. 1. Information and registration available
online. Check out the Ottawa Chapter Winter course schedule here.

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

Pre-Apprenticeship Students’ Job Fair
A total of 22 pre-apprenticeship Humber College students will be on hand on Jan. 26, when the college hosts its job fair. All 22 students are available for hire and eager to work. The event runs from 5 to 8:30 p.m. at 205 Humber College Blvd, Toronto. Employers planning to attend are asked to register with Landscape Ontario’s Rachel Cerelli at rachel@landscapeontario.com.

When native plants are not the answer

Native plants are touted for their
drought tolerance and pest- and disease-resistance. But
are they always the best choice? Belinda
Gallagher, former head of horticulture at the Royal Botanical Gardens,
will discuss the definition of native, what provenance means, how to
choose the right native plant and when NOT to plant natives. The
hot
debate between native and non-native plants is heating up, and writers
and conservationists are coming
forward with their opinions. Don’t miss this presentation, which takes
place on Jan. 27 at the Toronto Botanical Garden at 7:30 p.m. Doors open
at 6:30 p.m.

Admission is $20; free to TBG members.

Toronto Chapter meeting, Feb. 3
Join the Toronto Chapter at Sheridan Nurseries, 4077, Hwy. 7 Unionville (Heritage Room) for this exciting all-day meeting about the Elements of a Successful Maintenance Business. Cost, including
lunch and refreshments, is $20 per person. Registration starts at 8:30 a.m.
with workshops starting at 9 a.m., and running until 3 p.m. For more information, contact Helen Hassard at 1-800-265-5656, ext. 354 or helen@landscapeontario.com.

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

Upper Canada Chapter meeting, Feb. 9
Join
the Upper Canada chapter for a daytime meeting at Strathcona Paper Centre, Napanee, starting at 2 p.m., to
hear from Fred Young, Workplace Safety and Prevention Services. It’s a must-attend event for all members who want to learn about the latest requirements for compliance with the multitude of Acts and regulations,and are looking to set up training systems and focus on safety at the workplace. Don’t let complacency or ignorance cost your business or, more importantly, jeopardise your employees’ safety. For more information, contact Helen Hassard at 1-800-265-5656, ext. 354 or helen@landscapeontario.com.

Register now for GreenTrade Expo, Feb. 16
GreenTrade Expo 2011 registration page has been launched. The day will feature MTO Snow Contractors Breakfast and Profit Builders’ Lunch with Ottawa 67’s general manager and former OHL coach Brian Kilrea.
Click here
to register. Don’t miss out on limited seating for the Profit
Builders’ Luncheon. Booth spaces and sponsorships are still available.
For more information, go to www.greentrade.ca, or contact Martha

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

Networking Dinner, Feb. 1
Join the Waterloo Chapter for a networking dinner with Jeffrey Scott, an internationally-known author and consultant to the green industry. The event begins at 5:30 p.m. at the Charcoal Steak House, 92980 King Street East, Kitchener. During dinner you will enjoy getting to know other like-minded contractors, hearing and sharing success stories and gaining inspiration. In addition, Jeffrey Scott will give each attendee a complimentary copy of his new book on peer groups, entitled The Leader’s Edge. Cost is $85 per person and space is limited to the first 20 landscape businesses who sign up. For more information, contact Dave Wright at 519-465-4845, or davew@wright.on.ca or pay online.

Waterloo Chapter meeting, Feb. 2
Join
the Waterloo Chapter at Knights of Columbus, 145 Dearborn Place, Waterloo, from 7 to 9 p.m. The meeting topic will be
announced shortly. For more information, contact Helen Hassard at
1-800-265-5656, ext. 354, or helen@landscapeontario.com.

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

Windsor Chapter meeting, Jan. 27
Join
the
Windsor Chapter at the Dominion Golf Course, 6125 Howard Avenue, in
Lasalle, from 12 to 3 p.m. for a presentation by John Lavoie of Unilock
on hardscapes. Lunch is included. For more information contact Helen
Hassard at helen@landscapeontario.com.

LO this week

Goodbye to industry pioneer Howard Stensson

After a brief illness, Howard Herman Stensson passed away in his sleep on Jan. 16, at the age of 98. He re-joined the family business, Sheridan Nurseries, in 1964 and served
as president from 1972 until his retirement at the age of 80 in 1993. Friends may call at the Turner & Porter “Peel” Chapel, 2180
Hurontario St., Mississauga (Hwy. 10, N. of QEW), on Thursday from 6 to 9 p.m. and Friday from 2 to 4 and 6 to 9 p.m. A Celebration of Life Service will be held at Maple Grove United Church, 346 Maple Grove Dr., Oakville, on
Sat., Jan. 22, at 1 p.m. See more information on the horttrades.com website.

Humber College, in
partnership with Landscape Ontario
and the Canadian Nursery Landscape Association, is offering a green industry business management course, based on the six required modules to achieve CLP certification. The course will be offered in a
flexible delivery format involving in-class and online learning activities. In-class sessions are scheduled for three Saturdays, starting Jan. 22, and continuing Feb 5 and 19. A review session will be held on Feb 26.
Participants may write the CLP exam following the review session. Registration and information can be found by going to the
Humber College website.

Professional development seminars
Landscape Design: An Introduction Jan. 25
Chiseled in Stone-Intro Jan. 26
Estimating to Win Jan. 27
Quit hoping for Profit: Plan on it Jan. 31
Chiseled
in Stone-Inter Jan. 31
Keep
your Engines Running Jan. 31
The
Hardy Woody Plant Jan. 31
Plant
Doctor in the House Jan. 31

Trees and Shrubs: Establishment & Maintenance from the Ground Up Feb. 2

Getting Started in Concrete Feb. 3

Intro to Grading/Drainage & Other Practical Calculations Feb. 3

Ultimate Supervisors: A Foreman’s Guide to Productivity & Profit Feb. 3

Retaining Walls from the Ground Up Feb. 4

How to Utilize Dynascape Feb. 4

To register or get more information, click seminars.

Green Infrastructure Ontario survey
Green Infrastructure Ontario Coalition questionnaire is part of an effort to
gauge green infrastructure challenges and opportunities in communities across Ontario. Through a
survey, the group, of which Landscape Ontario
is a partner, hopes to learn what’s
working, barriers faced, and what needs to change. Results will be presented at community
workshops and incorporated into a public report, scheduled for release in fall
2011. The questionnaire takes ten minutes or less to complete, and is submitted
anonymously. The deadline for submissions is Feb. 4.

Try your luck in the Ontario Horticultural Trade Foundation raffle, and help support your industry. Tickets are $20 each; first prize is $5,000, second is $1,000 and third is $500. Only 1,000 tickets were printed. The draw will take place at
Industry Night at Canada Blooms on Thurs., Mar. 17. All proceeds to
go to scholarships and research projects. Contact Kathleen Pugliese to purchase tickets.

Earn money by taking free safety training program
SCIP is a free training program created by the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) that promotes workplace safety, with opportunities coming up in London, Milton and Ottawa. This group focuses on landscaping and related services in partnership with Landscape Ontario. Participating companies receive a one-time fixed five per cent rebate on their firm’s WSIB insurance premiums. To find out more about the program, check out the flyer. Complete and submit SCIP firm application form to Carol Divitkos by Jan. 21, Workplace Safety and Insurance Board, 200 Front Street West, 11th Floor, Toronto, Ontario M5V 3J1, by fax – 416-344-3493, telephone 1-800-663-6639, ext. 3431, or carol_divitkos@wsib.on.ca.

Growers’ Group Short Course, Feb. 9
The annual LO Growers Group Short Course will take place at the Royal Botanical Gardens, Burlington. The program will focus on important production
issues, including weed management, effective IPM strategies and lots of
research updates. This year’s featured speaker is Charles Gilliam from
Auburn University. Pre-registration price is $65 for LO members, $75 for
potential members and $25 for students. On-site registration is $90.
Online registration is available here.

Building your Prosperity seminar, Feb. 17
The introductory Prosperity Partnership seminar will get you started on to the road of success. The next program is scheduled for Landscape Ontario home office at 7856 Fifth Line South, Milton. It is intended to help green industry members clarify what they excel at and what components of their business need 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.

Professional organic horticulture course
An
intensive two-week course, Feb. 7 to 18, at Humber College, North Campus, Toronto, is
being offered on organic horticultural practices. Directed at educators
and landscape professionals, the course is offered
by Gaia College, in partnership with Humber College. Participants will
have the opportunity to write the SOUL organic certification exam at the
completion of the program. Registration instructions may be found here.

Ontario Turfgrass Symposium, Feb. 23-24
Rozanski Hall, University of Guelph, is the site for the 20th annual Ontario Turfgrass Symposium. Speakers from both industry and academia will provide information pertaining to the symposium’s theme, ‘On the Cutting Edge.’ Sports and recreation staff, lawn care, golf course workers and nursery sod growers will benefit from the many sessions, including pest and disease controls to safety and liability issues in turf environments. Registration for the symposium is available at Symposium, or call 519-767-5000 for more information.

Lighting Symposium, Feb. 24
At this year’s Landscape Lighting Symposium, internationally-known designer Jan Moyer will speak
on LEDs, and George Gruel will address how to
properly shoot photographs of night lighting projects. Last year, the symposium sold out, so it has moved to the larger Grand Chalet venue in Milton. Hurry and register today! Click here to view flyer.

Survive and thrive in today’s market, Mar. 2

Monroe Porter, internationally-known business strategy speaker is coming to Landscape Ontario! Learn to survive and thrive in today’s market in this program that demonstrates how to establish goals and strategies to keep pace with the lightning-fast changes in the green industry. Porter will discuss how to combat shrinking margins, realistic budgeting, profitable pricing structures, how to identify winning jobs and more. This seminar takes place on Mar. 2, 1 to 4 p.m., at the LO home office. Cost is $60 for LO members, and $96 for non-members. For more information, see the flyer. Space is limited to 15: register today at the LO seminar page.