HIGHLIGHTS OF RECENT PROGRESS & ACTIVITIES
Business Development
KEDCO is pleased to be hosting the workshop Enhancing Your Competitiveness: Learn to Effectively Recruit and Integrate International Workers on April 7 at the Residence Inn by Marriott Kingston Water’s Edge, 7 Earl Street.
The workshop, hosted in partnership with HRSDC, The Alliance of Sector Councils, and The Conference Board of Canada, is aimed at increasing awareness amongst Canadian employers of the advantages of hiring internationally trained individuals; and providing practical tools and resources to assist employers, particularly small and medium sized businesses, in hiring internationally trained workers. To register, visit www.conferenceboard.ca/tasc .
Jeff Garrah, CEO and John Paul Shearer, Director of Business Development were in Ottawa on March 22 for the federal budget announcement. Key features of interest for Kingston in the proposed budget include supporting the manufacturing and processing sector by extending the accelerated capital cost allowance treatment for investment in manufacturing and processing machinery and equipment for two years; and, reducing the “red tape” for small businesses through extension of the BizPal and Canadian Youth Business Foundation programs as well as providing a one-time hiring credit of up to $1.000 to encourage hiring.
Not included in the proposed budget was the inclusion of Kingston in the Eastern Ontario Development Program, which has been an ongoing advocacy issue for KEDCO, in order to ensure a level playing field of support for communities in Eastern Ontario.
Tourism Kingston
Tourism Kingston is proud to be a sponsor of the annual Kids for Kids Hockey Tournament, taking place this weekend from March 25 -27. In conjunction with the event, Tourism Kingston is presenting the first ever Kids for Kids Hot Stove Lounge on Saturday, March 26 with former NHL players Stephane Richer and Rick Smith.
The Hot Stove Lounge is set to take place on in the RONA Room at the INVISTA Centre with an autograph session and meet & greet at 1pm with the Hot Stove starting at 2pm. The Kids for Kids Hockey Tournament is one of the largest minor hockey tournaments in Ontario with over 200 teams participating annually. Games are open to the public and will take place at all the city’s arenas.
The 2011 Conference Kingston Handbook produced by Kingston Publications in partnership with Tourism Kingston has been published. The Handbook provides information on facilities and attractions for event planners considering Kingston as a destination for their meetings and conferences.
With just under 5,000 copies printed annually, it is primary marketing collateral used by Tourism Kingston to attract new events to the City and is distributed on sales calls, trade shows and during familiarization tours or upon request.