Ottawa this week: October 13, 2010

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

Lunch and Learn Chapter meeting, Oct.
26

The chapter is trying a new format for the first meeting
this fall and is asking for members’ support. Last year members said
that sunny days in October must be worked, and a meeting took second
priority. The Chapter board is hoping that because one must stop for
lunch, even on the job, there is opportunity to come to a meeting, have lunch, listen to the speaker
and network with colleagues — and still be back on the job early in the afternoon! Mark
Burleton, manager of grounds and greenhouses at the Official Residences,
National Capital Commission, will speak on attracting and keeping employees in
the new economy. Meet and greet at the RA Centre is at 10:45 a.m.,
followed by the Chapter meeting at 11, lunch at 11:45 to noon, the speaker at
12:15, and back to work at 1. Tickets are available online for $21, up to
one week prior to the event. Members may also attend the meeting and lecture
only. Please click here to register,
or contact Martha Walsh at mwalsh@landscapeontario.com for further information.

Apprenticeship: Education for a career
Give someone an education for a career in the real world. As business
owners and members of Landscape Ontario, you understand the importance
of skilled tradespeople. The Horticulture Technician Apprenticeship
program at the University of Guelph, Kemptville Campus provides a
comprehensive program of theory, complemented by practical instruction.
To learn more about the program starting on Nov. 15th, go
www.kemptvillec.uoguelph.ca and register, or
contact the MTCU office at 800-387-5656.

LO this week

Irrigation seminars begin the week of Oct. 25
The schedule of fall seminars begins with the 2010

ABCs of Irrigation on Mon., Oct. 25, Fundamentals of Irrigation Design
on Tues., Oct. 26, Installation Steps and Practices on
Wed., Oct. 27, Controllers, Sensors and Scheduling on Thurs., Oct. 28,
and Irrigation Component Troubleshooting on Fri., Oct. 29.
For more details and to register
click here.

Salt application research study
The Snow and Ice Management Sector Group of Landscape Ontario has commissioned a research study aimed at developing an optimum and defensible standard for salt application rates for parking lots. The research team wants to extend the data collection outside the Waterloo area. Registration for the program is through Tony DiGiovanni, who may be contacted at 1-800-265-5656, ext. 2304, or at tonydigiovanni@landscapeontario.com. The deadline for registration is Nov. 1. For more information, go to Research Study.

Last chance for tickets to Argos vs. Ti-Cats
It’s your last chance to celebrate Landscape Ontario
Day at the Rogers Centre for just $25, to see the Toronto Argonauts
play the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. LO has set aside a block of
tickets for our members to enjoy a fun day out and a great networking
opportunity for all LO members across the province, Windsor to
Upper Canada. Contact Helen Hassard, 905-875-1805 ext. 354.

Build a feature garden at Canada Blooms!
Take advantage of a unique promotion opportunity — garden builders get get profile, prestige and new business! The deadline for garden design proposals at Canada
Blooms is Oct. 15. Proposals will be reviewed by
the Design Review Committee.
Click to view the layout
of feature gardens. Complete an application
and return it by email to info@canadablooms.com,
or fax 416-447-1567. Canada Blooms will take place from Mar. 15
to 20 at the Direct Energy Centre.

Don’t miss Expo 2010, Oct. 19 and 20
Now that the peak selling season is coming to a close, you’ll want to check-out
the latest trends in product and plant introductions from over 275 suppliers.
See hundreds of products, and meet innovative vendors. Click here to register, or visit Expo for more information about all the great
attractions coming up at the Toronto Congress Centre on October 19 and 20.

Landscape Designers breakfast Oct. 19
Come out to the Landscape
Designer’s Breakfast at the Toronto Congress Centre.
Featured speaker is Theresa Syer of Syer Hospitality Group, one of today’s most
influential voices on creating memorable customer experiences. The event is
held in conjunction with Expo. Tickets start at $50. Register
today!

Interior Plantscape Breakfast, Oct. 20
Some of North America’s
leading interior plantscape companies will engage in a panel discussion at the Interior
Plantscape Breakfast on how the greening of indoor environments is changing.
The breakfast begins at 8 a.m. and goes to 10 a.m. at the Toronto Congress Centre. To find out more about the
breakfast and all the other great activities at Expo, go to www.loexpo.ca.

Job board at Expo 2010, deadline Oct. 14
Employers and employees are invited to post job opportunities and resumes on LO’s Employment Board at Expo 2010. Only Active, Interim and Associate LO members are permitted to post help wanted ads. Advertisements and resumes are to be submitted to Rachel Cerelli by Oct. 14, to be eligible for posting on the board. Opportunities can also be posted for free on LO’s Online Job Board. Visit www.locc.ca and follow the instructions. Questions? Find out more information at Job Board, or contact Rachel Cerelli at rachelc@landscapeontario.com.

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.

Road work at LO home office
From
now to mid-November, there will be NO ACCESS to the LO site from
Steeles Ave. The LO home office is only accessible from Derry Road, on
the south. Please see the detour map. Signs are also placed along the detour routes.

Ontario Urban Forest Council’s conference, Nov. 4 – 5

Registration is open for the Ontario Urban Forest Council’s annual
conference, entitled Healthy Communities are Rooted in Urban Forests.
The conference will explore how urban forests contribute to the social,
psychological and physical health for individuals and communities. For
information about the conference, go to Urban Forests, email info@oufc.org, or call
416-936-6735.

Seminars offered in early Nov.

Quit Hoping for Profit, Plan for It, Nov. 1
Protecting your Workers from Violence and Harassment, Nov. 2
Dry Stone Walling 101 , Nov. 3.
Estimating to Win Nov. 11.
CLD Equipped to Design Nov. 11.
To register or get more information, click seminars.

Irrigation Association certification testing

Computer-based exams are now available at testing centres
across North America. Testing is more flexible and convenient with
computer-based testing now open. Register
at the IA website, and if your application is accepted, you will be
directed on how to select a testing centre and time. Use or create a
current IA login. Exam results are shared immediately.

Building Your Prosperity, Nov. 18
The introductory Prosperity Partnership seminars will get you started on to the
road of success. This program on Nov. 18 at Landscape Ontario home office, 7856 Fifth Line South, Milton, 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. Cost of
workshop includes lunch. To register click here.
Take this free online survey, posted at www.horttrades.com