newcomer bulletin spring 2012

1www.newcomerbulletin.com SPRING 2012 | NEWCOMER BULLETIN

newcomer

SERVING THE NEWCOMER COMMUNITY OF PETERBOROUGHBULLETIN

Mayors roll out welcome mat and weigh in on job-creation

SPRING 2012 | VOL. 1 | NO. 3 www.newcomerbulletin.com

HOME MORTGAGEFind out how you, as a newcomer, can apply for a home mortgage without a credit score.

LIFE IS GOODWho says small-town living offers

a narrow chance for peopleto succeed? Immigrants

debunk the myth.

Bulletin Spring 2012 Issue.indd 1 3/29/12 7:02 AM

Make OurCommunity

WelcomePeterborough.ca


4 NEWCOMER BULLETIN | SPRING 2012 www.newcomerbulletin.com

4 Pillars Consulting 10Bell Paving 27City of Peterborough 3County of Peterborough 17Fleming College Back CoverGoodies on George 27Immigrant Advisory Services 27Informed Financial Growth 8Karma’s Café 27McConkey Real Estate Corp. 9New Canadians Centre 31Nexicom 5NMT Foot Reflexology 27nofrills 30Northern Property Maintenance 26Ontario Graphic Solutions 14Persian Food 19Realty Executives Alison Ltd 16Reg Ward Insurance Services Ltd 30State Farm 15Stickling’s 7Sullivan’s Pharmacy 9Trent University 2Trent Valley Honda 23Turco Tile 27Wensten Accounting Inc. 8

12 RURAL IMMIGRANTSThe chase for opportunity, prosperity and security for their children tend to nearly always lead newcomers to the direction of large urban centres. A few, however, travel the proverbial long road and settle in the rural areas. Find out how they are doing.

11 Speech classSpeechcraft lessons at the New Ca-nadians Centre, in partnership with the Peterborough Toastmasters Club, allow newcomers to share their stories.

10 Income taxTo many newcomers, income-tax filing can be confusing; yet, it can be rewarding – particularly to low-income families.

21 EducationUniversity-admission application is fairly simple. However, without proper guidance, students can sometimes miss out on good opportunities.

24 Open HouseOn April 14, 2012, from 10am to 2pm, Fleming College will be holding an Open House, where guests will meet students and faculty, tour the campus and watch program demonstrations.

CONTENTS

INDEX TO ADVERTISERS

7 Live-in caregiversLive-in caregivers will now be able to get open work permits about 18 months sooner – thanks to a process-ing change announced recently.

8 Marriage fraudCanada is considering using a form of conditional status as a deterrent against rising cases of marriage fraud.

9 Provincial nomineesA new Citizenship and Immigration Canada study shows that immigrants coming through the Provincial Nomi-nee Program are largely succeeding in Canada.

28 FEATURE Labour-market study

COVER STORY FEATURE

COLUMNS

ADVERTORIAL

NEWS DIGEST

20 FINANCE Home mortgage

12 COVER STORY J. Murray Jones, warden of Peterborough County, sees economic opportunities ahead


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Recent census numbers show im-migrants continue to shun rural

areas for the big cities. No one is taken aback. Big cities offer the best chance for newcomers to find the support system they need to re-start life as quickly as possible.

But a few immigrants bucked the national trend. So, we wanted to find out who they are and how they fare where they are in rural Canada as they strive to establish their place in life. We cast our editorial eye on nearby Norwood.

DOING WELLOur cover story, starting on Page 12, focuses on a long-term immigrant as well as newcomers in small-town Norwood. “They are all doing well,” said Doug Pearcy, the reeve of As-phodel-Norwood for about 20 years, starting from 1992, when Norwood was a stand-alone village and after it amalgamated in 1998 with the town-ship of Asphodel. “They are also well received.”

Mr. Pearcy said that also in reference to other immigrants in his township. Immigrants in Norwood are very much part of the town’s economic life, creating jobs for themselves and for others.

We also ask J. Murray Jones, the warden of Peterborough County, to weigh in on the job prospects in the region. Hope springs eternal. A string of projects – some ongoing, some on the drawing board – could potentially usher in better things ahead, not only in Peterborough but

in rural East Ontario as well, he told Newcomer Bulletin.

On Page 22, read an immigrant suc-cess story. He is Frank Mandeljc Sr., the man whose hard work built Trent Valley Honda on Highway 7, east of Peterborough. In 1963, as a 17-year-old, he left Slovenia and took a chance in Canada. The rest about him and his business is, as they say, history.

Speaking of business, Gord Evans, chief executive officer of the Work-force Development Board, is in the thick of a labour-market study, along with university professors and local organizations and agencies, in an at-tempt at helping businesses develop succession-planning strategies as the aging workforce prepares to exit the workplace into retirement.

The study forms part of a larger agenda to build a giant online infor-mation warehouse that he calls Virtual Institute Business East. Our interview with Mr. Evans starts on Page 28.

THANKSOn a personal note, I thank Hajni Hos, the executive director of the New Ca-nadians Centre, whose gem of an idea inspired us to probe the lives of immi-grants beyond the city limits. I had ease getting hold of some of the people I interviewed for the cover story because of her introduction.

A bunch of thanks also goes to John Steele for allowing us access to his sheep farm in Norwood to snap pho-tos, one of which incidentally wound up in our cover page.

Enjoy. n

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SERVING THE NEWCOMER COMMUNITY OF PETERBOROUGHBULLETIN

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BEYOND CITY LIMITS

FROM THE EDITORBEVERLY LOMOSAD

UPFRONT


Immigration Minister Jason Kenney has announced

increased federal-funding allo-cations for settlement services in provinces and territories outside Quebec for fiscal 2012-2013.

The total 2012-2013 amount for provinces and territories outside Quebec is $576.8 mil-lion, up from $184.7 million in 2005-2006.

“The Government of Canada wants newcomers to integrate into Canada. That is why we have tripled settlement funding since 2005-06,” said Kenney in a news release. “We are com-mitted to ensuring the distri-

bution of settlement funding is fair and that immigrants receive the same level of ser-vice, regardless of where they choose to settle.”

Based on current allocations, the average per-immigrant amount that Canada will invest to help immigrants is $2,816, as compared to $946 in 2005. Settlement funding is distributed based on the immigrant intake of a province or territory.

“We believe it is only fair that settlement allocations across Canada should be based on the share of newcomers that provinces and territories have,” Kenney said. n

Settlement-funding increasefor provinces and territories

Canada welcomed 248,660 permanent residents in 2011, according to preliminary data released by Citizenship and Immigration Canada. The new immigrant numbers fall well within the govern-ment’s planning range of 240,000 to 265,000 new permanent residents for the year and consistent with the average of about a quarter of a million immigrants admitted to Canada annually since 2006 – the highest sustained level of immigra-tion in Canadian history.

“Canada’s per-capita immigration rate remains one of the highest in the world,” Immigration Minister Jason Kenney said. “Immigration has always been a sustaining feature of Canada’s history and continues to play an important role in building our country.”

In 2011, Canada welcomed 156,077 economic immigrants and 56,419 family class immigrants. n

Immigrant numbers on track

Change for live-in caregiversLive-in caregivers will be able to get open work permits about 18 months sooner, thanks to a processing change announced recently.

“Too many live-in caregivers have completed their work obli-gations but must continue living in the home of their employer, waiting for their application for permanent residence to be reviewed,” Immigration Min-ister Jason Kenney said. “This is understandably frustrating. That’s why we have started issu-ing open work permits to live-in caregivers as soon as they have completed their obligations and submitted an application for permanent residence.”

Until now, live-in caregivers waited for an initial approval on their application for permanent residence before being eligible for an open work permit, which allows the caregiver to move out of their employer’s

home and seek jobs in other fields, if that is their wish.

In both 2009 and 2010, about 5% of all permanent residents to Canada were admitted through the Live-in Caregiver Class, a huge percentage for any single occupation. n


NEWS DIGEST

The Live-in Caregiver Program allows Canadian families to hire workers from abroad to provide care to a child, an elderly person or an adult with disabilities when there is a demonstrated shortage of Canadians and permanent residents to fill available positions. Caregivers are obliged to work for two years, or 3,900 hours, and then become eligible to apply for permanent resi-dence in Canada.

Immigration Minister Jason Kenney has announced increased settlement funding

BACKGROUNDER



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Get all the benefits available to you in the form of income-tax credits and refunds. The benefits include, but are not limited to:

■ Property (rental) tax credits■ GST credits■ Child tax benefits (CCTB, UCCB, Fitness and Activity credits)■ Working tax credits■■ Donation / medical / moving credits■ Education (tuition and textbook) credits To get these benefits, you need to file an income-taxreturn each year. The tax returns will also help you inyour Canadian-citizenship application in the future.

Wensten Accounting Inc. specializes in filing income-tax returns for immigrants, international students, business owners andcorporations. Also, it can help you register a business and handle GST and payroll issues. Please call for more information.

Canada battles marriagefraudCanada is considering using a form of conditional status as a deterrent against marriage fraud.

A proposal, announced on March 9, 2012, requires a spouse or partner from abroad being sponsored by a Canadian or per-manent resident to live together with their sponsor in a legitimate relationship for two years follow-ing receipt of their permanent-resident status in Canada.

The move follows on the heels of a separate measure, which restricts sponsored spouses or partners from sponsoring a new spouse or partner for five years from the day that they are granted permanent-resident status in Canada.

The proposed regulations are open for further public input for a 30-day comment period, ending April 9, 2012. n

Criminals barred from sponsoring familiesViolent offenders convicted of a crime resulting in bodily harm against a family member or rela-tive is barred from sponsoring family members to Canada.

Saying that “family violence is not tolerated in Canada,” Immi-gration Minister Jason Kenney explained that “someone who commits a serious crime should not benefit from the privilege of sponsorship.”

The regulation, which is aimed at reinforcing the integrity of Canada’s family class sponsor-ship program, came into force in November 2011. n

CIC goes paperlessCitizenship and Immigration Canada will make the applica-tion process easier by moving more of its business online.

The move simplifies the applica-tion process and makes it more accessible to applicants. As part of the move to online services, CIC no longer prints and mails out forms and application kits. Service for people with special needs will continue. Braille and large format text forms will still be available.

The change will save Canadian taxpayers $4.2 million over three years. n

CIC-webredesignEmployers can now access more information online about Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) programs to hire permanent and temporary foreign workers.

In keeping with the government’s focus on the importance of im-migration to Canada’s economy and growth, the CIC website has been redesigned to include a new section to guide employers to the most suitable program.. n

NEWS BY THENUMBERS

$35,200-$45,100That’s the average employment earnings for provincial nominees

$36,400-$42,700That’s the average employment earnings for Federal Skilled Workers

42,000-45,000That’s the number of provincial nominees planned for 2012

Source: Citizenship and Immigration Canada


The majority of immigrants selected by provinces and

territories under the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) are suc-ceeding in Canada, according to a newly released study by Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC).

The PNP, the second largest economic immigration stream after the Federal Skilled Worker Program, allows participat-ing provinces and territories to nominate potential immigrants who they believe will meet their particular economic and labour market needs. The PNP has grown almost six-fold since 2004 and currently accounts for over 36,000 new permanent residents per year.

In 2012, CIC plans to admit between 42,000 and 45,000 immigrants under the PNP category, including spouses and dependents. Provinces and terri-tories will retain the same overall and individual PNP nomination allotments as in 2011.

According to the CIC study, more than 90% of provincial nominees declared employ-ment earnings after one year in Canada. After three years, their average income ranged between $35,200 and $45,100. Although results varied by stream and location, about 70% of the nominees surveyed held a job in line with their skills. n

PNP working well, CIC says

BIG-CITY TECHNOLOGYWith experienced and helpful staff located in Peterborough, Lindsay and Millbrook, Nexicom invites newcomers in the area to try its suite of services. Nexicom offers competitive telephone rates, reliable Internet service and security alarm services. Brothers John, left, and Paul Downs own Nexicom, a local, family-owned company which is now over 110 years old and employs 80 people who live in the region. Nexicom is a full service provider of telephone, Internet and security alarm services. The company continues to grow and is proud to be a part of the economic growth in the County of Peter-borough and the City of Kawartha Lakes. Nexicom sets itself apart from the competition by offering big-city technology with small-town, friendly customer service.


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Personal tax return is officially called Income Tax and Benefit Return, used by the government to collect income tax and to deliver social benefits. To many newcomers, income-tax filing can be confus-ing; yet, it can be rewarding – particularly to low-income families for whom the government provides social assistance.

To get the benefits, you must file a tax return each year after arriving in Canada. The benefits include:

n Sales tax (GST/HST) creditn Property tax (rent) credit and energy credit (Ontario Tril-

lium Benefit)n Canada child tax, child disability, and universal child-care

benefitsn Child activity tax credit

The amounts depend on factors such as total income, number of kids, rent paid, and so on.

TAX CREDITSIncome tax is calculated based on your annual income. But having some income does not always necessarily mean you need to pay income tax. That is because, apart from the tax credits, you may have many other tax-saving credits to reduce, or to eliminate, your income tax. There are more than 30 different kinds of tax-saving credits, including:

n Basic personal amount, and spousal and dependent amountn Child fitness and art creditn Education and donation creditn Working, moving and medical tax creditn First-time home buyer creditn Investment and foreign tax credit

To maximize tax refund and social benefits, you should claim all the applicable tax credits on your tax return.

DEADLINEThe deadline to file income tax for fiscal 2011 is April 30, 2012.

If you need more information about your income tax return, you can check Canada Revenue Agency’s website at www.cra-arc.gc.ca. You may also contact Wensten Accounting Inc. on (705) 749-9288. n

FOREST LI is a certified income-tax consultant.

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TAX AND ITS BENEFITS



Peterborough newcomer Naser Miftari thought

it would be a good idea to sharpen his public-speaking skills last fall. Within weeks, he was invited to be the keynote speaker in front of hundreds of people at the annual To-gether We Prosper conference of the Peterborough Partner-ship Council on Immigrant Integration – marking the first time a newcomer delivered its keynote speech.

“He delivered the strongest and most powerful keynote I have ever heard. You could

hear a pin drop in the Holiday Inn ballroom,” says Maryam Monsef, interim outreach co-ordinator at the New Canadi-ans Centre (NCC).

But Miftari didn’t do it alone. The NCC, in partnership with the Peterborough Toastmas-ters Club, offers speechcraft lessons to help newcomers like

Miftari reach out to the com-munity and share their stories. The club teaches the funda-mentals of public speaking in a four-week seminar-style speechcraft program. Armed with confidence and new skills, participants volunteer to speak at schools or workplaces through the NCC’s Speakers’ Bureau. They talk about the immigration process and the struggles of learning a new language, gaining employment, and child-raising within the mix of cultures.

These speaking engagements

allow newcomers to share their successes and concerns and connect with different members in the community, Monsef says.

WIN-WINSo far there have been four speechcraft sessions at the NCC, with more scheduled for this spring. Brian Patrick,

FEATURE

THE GOAL IS FOR PARTICIPANTSTO BECOME A LIAISON BETWEEN

THE WIDER COMMUNITY ANDNEWCOMERS TO PETERBOROUGH

NEWCOMER HASTHE FIRST WORDBy MELODIE MCCULLOUGH

a Peterborough Toastmaster and Associate Professor and Chair of the Department of Computing and Information Systems at Trent University, has led all sessions.

“Speechcraft has been a win-win opportunity,” he says. “From the Toastmasters’ perspective, our members can share their knowledge and skills beyond the club, and reach out to the community.”

Miftari, 37, worked at length with Patrick in the speechcraft course before delivering his speech. The audience learned about his life as a journalist in Kosovo before coming to Canada in 2008, and the transi-tions he, his wife and three-year-old son have faced since then. He is now pursuing a PhD in Political Science at the University of Nebraska.

“Speechcraft is a wonder-ful, remarkable experience,” he says. “Brian Patrick is an excellent guide, both in terms of moral support and the fact that he goes to great lengths to make sure everyone is speaking their minds, and speaking their hearts, as well.”

Sevdije Fazliu, also from Kosovo, has volunteered at the NCC for 14 years (at present she is a member of the New-comer Advisory Group) and is a speechcraft graduate, too, with a passion for working with im-migrants and a desire to educate the public about the obstacles facing them, and the tools that help them succeed.

“If I could do it in my own language, it would not be a problem. But when you cannot use your own voice, it is very challenging, says Fazliu, 48, who has a law degree from her country, and is now a regis-tered social service worker with her own settlement services’ business, Immigrant Advisory Services, in Peterborough.

She has gone on to tell her story at four area schools and at a retreat for the Kawartha Pine Ridge branch of the El-

ementary Teachers’ Federation, all with positive results.

“I want to educate students, especially the new generation, and tell them about the lan-guage and work challenges and how lonely we feel in the be-ginning,” she says. “Now I feel more confident. The course didn’t just teach the theory. We wrote and presented our own speeches every week, and the feedback made me stronger.”

SPEECH BONDMonsef, herself a speechcraft graduate, says the Speakers’ Bureau “is meant to change the conversation in the community.”

Sevdije FazliuNaser Miftari speaks to a news reporter after his keynote address.

Maryam Monsef

“The goal is for participants to become a liaison between the wider community and newcomers to Peterborough,” she says. “We’re sharing our personal stories – stories of culture and challenge. It’s a cathartic experience for us.” n

TAX AND ITS BENEFITS



COVER STORY

LIFE IS GOODNEWCOMERS OFTEN RULE OUT LIVING IN RURALAREAS. BUT FOR SOME, THEIR SEARCH FOR THE GOOD LIFE STOPS THERE.

John Steele, Hajni Hos and Tony Lavares share a few unintended

parallels. They travelled the prover-bial long road and settled in a small, rural Canadian town. They also defy the general notion that small-town communities, unlike large urban centres, offer a narrow chance for people to succeed.

Welcome to Norwood, which nestles on the edge of the city of Peter-borough. According to census data released in February 2012 by Statis-tics Canada, a total of 1,254 people live in Norwoord, down 4.2% from 2006. Here also live Mr. Steele, who originally comes from the United Kingdom; Ms. Hos, a newcomer from Hungary; and Mr. Lavares, who left big-city life and relocated a few months ago from Toronto. How they ended up living in Nor-wood is, more than any other reason, a stroke of fate: Mr. Steele’s wife is from Norwood. So is Ms. Hos’s husband. Mr. Lavares is himself also locked in a marriage of sort: he is in business with partners from the town.

WHAT NOWLeave aside, for a moment, the – uhm, well – “love angle” to their individual stories and push fast-forward to the present.

Twenty-one years and two kids later, Mr. Steele, along with his wife, Eadie, now presides over a 1,000-acre sheep farm that is considered the largest in all of Ontario. The farm has 2,000 ma- John Steele at his sheep farm in Norwood



COVER STORY

JOHN STEELESheep FarmerShepherd’s Choice www.shepherdschoice.ca HAJNI HOS Executive Director New Canadians Centre-Peterboroughwww.nccpeterborough.ca TONY LAVARESCo-Owner Norwood Holistic Health Centrewww.norwoodholistichealthcentre.com

AT A GLANCE

Hajni Hos is at the helm of the New Ca-nadians Centre as its executive director

The son of immi-grants from Portugal, Tony Lavares has joined the grow-ing movement of bringing holistic and naturopathic health treatments to rural Ontario

ternal line flock producing more than 4,000 lambs each year.

He had a seven-year banking career before his foray into sheep farming.

Five years flew by since Ms. Hos left Budapest in March 2007. A lawyer in Hungary, she conceded having a rough start to a life in Canada. Throughout the first eight months of her arrival, her persistent job hunt had been unsuccessful. Later, how-ever, a contract position as a recruit-ment assistant at Trent University opened up for her, which, in turn, led to a spot at the New Canadians Centre in Peterborough, where she is now the executive director.

She has a daughter with her husband, Steve Ross. After more than two decades of alternative-health care practice in To-ronto – specifically in Chinese holistic medicine – Mr. Lavares expanded to Norwood and established Norwood Holistic Health Centre in December 2011, bringing to rural Ontario alter-native, holistic and naturopathic health treatments.

The centre offers acupuncture, tradi-tional Chinese herbal medicine, Reiki, cupping and massage, among other natural therapies.

WELCOMINGDoug Pearcy, the reeve of Norwood for the past 20 years or so – from way back when it was still a stand-alone

village, past the time when it amalgam-ated with the township of Asphodel in January 1998, and through the pres-ent – said: “We try to be supportive to newcomers in the community. Into the future, it is clear that our growth can only come through immigration.

“I think we’ve got a pretty receptive

population that is willing to receive anybody. And I can tell you that the majority of our people are very willing to help newcomers too. I do believe that my community is pretty receptive to newcomers.”

Mr. Steele knew, in a personal way, how supportive and caring Norwood



as a community is. When his home caught fire in November 1994, a flood of comfort surged from the commu-nity, he said. “People, some I did not even know, came with toys for the kids – and lots of other things,” he said.

And in 2010, when Mr. Steele collect-ed an award for the Premier’s Award for Agri-Food Innovation Excellence, one of the many awards he received for farming-method innovation, Mr. Pearcy drove down to Brighton, On-tario to attend the awarding ceremony. “I think it’s important to let him know that the community is aware of what he is doing. That’s just my way of showing support,” Mr. Pearcy said.

On his part, Mr. Lavares said he also felt the community’s support when he opened his health centre. “I called the mayor, the council members and other town officials, and they came on opening day of my business,” he said. “Norwood is, no doubt, a friendly town.”

That Norwood is within easy com-mute to Peterborough is a bonus for Ms. Hos. “Norwood is not only a welcoming community; it is strategi-cally located as well – it lies not very

far from big-city Toronto, and it is also within fairly short distance to places like Cobourg and Campbellford,” she said. “And the cost of living, as with other rural areas, is lower.”

Norwood is home to other immigrant entrepreneurs as well, Mr. Pearcy said. They are from Asia and the Caribbean. One runs a convenience store, another operates a service station with a con-venience store, and still another one owns a Country Style Donut franchise.

“They are all doing well, and we made a point of supporting them by talk-ing to people about their business,” he said. “They have been very well received.”

DECLINE But, over the years, the number of immigrants who move to the rural areas has thinned down, resulting in rural-population decline. The chase for opportunity, prosperity and security for their children tend to nearly always

COVER STORY

FACTORS % OFIMMIGRANTS

WHY IMMIGRANTS SETTLE WHERE THEY DO

Source: Statistics Canada

Ethnic and Kinship 59

Networks

n Spouses, partners or other family 41 members

n Friends 18

Employment 14

Education 5

opportunities

Lifestyle 5

Housing 4

Ont

ario Graphic Solutions



COVER STORY

Canada’s cultural makeup is one of the best things about this country

CANADIAN ATTITUDES TOWARD MULTICULTURALISM

What is your view of the growing variety of ethnic and racial groups in Canada?

Canada is changing too quickly because of all the minorities here now

Would you say that most immigrants integrate easily into Canadian society?

Discrimination against visible minorities is a problem in Canada

Which of the following two statements comes closest to your own point of view?

Strongly agree, 44%

Somewhat agree, 40%

Somewhat disagree, 10%

Disagree, 6%

Very Good, 14%

Very Bad, 10%

Good, 44%

Bad, 20%

Not Sure, 12%

Source: Citizenship and Immigration Canada, 2007, Ipsos-Reid

Source: Citizenship and Immigration Canada, 2009, EKOSSource: Citizenship and Immigration Canada, 2007, Leger Marketing Source: Citizenship and Immigration Canada, 2007, Ipsos-Reid

Source: Citizenship and Immigration Canada, 2008, Angus-Reid Strategies Source: Citizenship and Immigration Canada, 2007, Ipsos-Reid

Strongly agree, 17%

Somewhat agree, 22%

Very easily, 7%

Somewhat easily, 43%

Not very easily, 36%

Not at all easily, 10%

Don’t know, 4%

Strongly agree, 17%

Moderately agree,36%Strongly

disagree, 16%

Moderately disagree, 29%

Don’t know, 2%

Having a multicul-tural blend of different cultures provides a richer, more tolerant society,

64%

Too much diversity can weaken a society and it would be better if we all subscribed to the same values and culture, 31%

Don’t know, 5%

Disagree, 27%

Somewhat disagree, 32%

Don’t know, 2%

lead newcomers to the direction of large urban centres.

In 1851, when the economy was largely agriculture-based, nearly nine in 10 Canadians were country-dwell-ers. In 2011, when the urban sprawl

spreads, that proportion slipped below one in five – or slightly over six million of the country’s overall population of 33.5 million.

The deepening urban-rural divide has also been attributed to, among

other causes, low fertility rates, rapidly aging population and out-migration of youth, who leave town for the big cities to attend school or start a career and never come back.

In an effort at stemming the decline,

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COVER STORY

Doug Pearcy

town atmosphere. And it’s very much different than living in a big city like Toronto. There’s nothing wrong with urban living, but we offer an alterna-tive lifestyle.”

JOBSMr. Jones also acknowledged that attracting and retaining immigrants is usually tied to availability of jobs, which rural communities often do not have plenty of.

Both he and Mr. Pearcy agreed that job creation is a real challenge. “Job creation is one of the toughest things that rural Ontario is faced with,” Mr. Pearcy said. “I personally wished

that municipalities would have been able to provide the kind of incentives that attract investors. In Norwood, we have a 21-acre industrial property that sits idle. We have promoted it to potential investors but, so far, none has signified interest to locate there.”

Mr. Jones said job-creation “is some-thing we all work together at. The fed-eral and provincial levels are constantly striving to get new initiatives going to create jobs. I don’t think there’s one level that can do it on its own – it has to be a collective effort.”

Mr. Jones looks forward to the com-pletion of the $170 million Eastern Ontario Broadband Network, a high-

the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, along with other Ontario government agencies, launched the Community Immigrant Retention in Rural Ontario, or CIRRO, initiative.

CIRRO supports rural communities by identifying best practices and devel-oping strategies to attract and retain skilled immigrants and business inves-tors as a key component for economic development. The project has been pilot-tested, using Brockville, North Bay and Chatham-Kent as case-study communities.

J. Murray Jones, the mayor of Duoro-Dummer township and warden of Peterborough County, said: “I under-stand that people naturally gravitate to a familiar territory, where friends or relatives live, where opportunities exist. That’s just human nature. But there’s a whole world that exists out there. There is life outside the city.

“And there are opportunities and lifestyle attributes for living in the county.”

He added: “For Peterborough, both the county and city, our competitive edge is lifestyle – we have the rivers, we have the lakes, we have the small-

INTO THE FUTURE, IT’S CLEAR THAT OUR GROWTH CAN ONLY

COME THROUGHIMMIGRATION



COVER STORY

J. Murray Jones

speed Internet infrastructure project that involves the construction of a 5,500-kilometre fibre optic network, to spur economic growth and create jobs.

Funded by federal, provincial and mu-nicipal governments and private-sector investment, the project will provide state-of-the-art technology at competi-tive, urban pricing.

“We are building an information high-way, and that will change the complex-ion on a lot of things while unlocking the enormous economic potential of our region,” Mr. Jones said.

Overall project completion is expected in the spring of 2014, according to

a press release issued by the Eastern Ontario Regional Network Inc., a non-profit organization established by the Eastern Ontario Wardens’ Caucus to manage all contracts awarded as part of the project. With the broadband network in place, according to Mr. Jones, Peterborough County will be in a position to pro-vide urban amenities in a small-town environment. “So, Toronto residents, for example, who own cottages in the county, will be able to work from here depending on what kind of jobs they’ve got. Then perhaps they can limit their commute back to Toronto to, say, twice a week. I think we are seeing more of that trend now,” he said. “We will soon

THERE’S A WHOLE WORLD THAT

EXISTS OUT THERE. THERE IS LIFE

OUTSIDE THE CITY.have the best of both worlds – urban amenities blended with a rural lifestyle.”

The water-cluster program, which draws businesses in the water sector together to collaborate on projects and compete on a global scale, is an-other initiative that could potentially result in more investments and jobs created, he said.

A letter of intent was signed on March 7, 2012 by the Greater Peterborough Innovation Cluster, City of Peter-borough, County of Peterborough, City of Kawartha Lakes, Haliburton County, Trent University and Fleming College to advance the program.

Mr. Jones also cited the $28.5 mil-lion Peterborough Airport expansion project as showing a huge potential as a job generator as the facility attracts more investments and creates a cluster of allied industries. “Over the next 10 years or so, we hope to have some seri-ous players there. We have now Flying Colours, which is a major addition to the airport,” he added.

Even as the airport project has yet to spread its wings and soar high, the journey of Mr. Steele, Ms. Hos and Mr. Lavares has apparently already brought them home. n

1-800-710-9586county.peterborough.on.ca

County of

Peterborough

• Broadband Connectivity• Emergency Preparedness• Forest Health• Lang Pioneer Village• Planning• Social Housing• • Economic Development• Environmental Services• Land Ambulance• Ontario Works• Roads and Bridges• Weed Inspection



COLUMN IMMIGRATION

By GUIDY MAMANN, J.D.

Alberta 7,492British Columbia 4,900Manitoba 12,178Newfoundland and Labrador 217New Brunswick 1,352Nova Scotia 638Ontario 1,528Prince Edward Island 2,419Quebec 80Saskatchewan 5,354Yukon/Northwest Territories/Nunavut 270TOTAL 36,428

Alberta 2002British Columbia 2001Manitoba 1999Newfoundland and Labrador 1999New Brunswick 1999Nova Scotia 2003Ontario 2007Prince Edward Island 2001Saskatchewan 2001Yukon 2002Northwest Territories 2009

PROVINCE

PROVINCE/TERRITORY

WORLD AREA

NO. OF PERSONS

YEAR STARTED

NO. OF APPLICATIONS RECEIVED

OVERALL PNP ADMISSIONS, 2004-2010

PNP INTRODUCTION

PNP APPLICATIONS BY WORLD AREA




2008 % 2009 %Americas 12,790 33.6% 18,351 47.7%Asia-Pacific 17,691 46.4% 14,677 38.1%Europe 4,240 11.1% 3,629 9.4%Africa-Middle East 3,371 8.8% 1,838 4.8%TOTAL 38,092 100% 38,495 100%

This is the question the Federal Court of Can-

ada was recently asked to address after the Canadian consulate in Buffalo rejected the application of Ronilo Perez, an engineer from the Philippines.

Perez came to Edmonton in March 2007 as a temporary foreign worker and went to work for WorleyParsons, a huge multinational engi-neering firm with 35,000 employees in 43 countries.

In June 2008, Perez was joined in Alberta by his wife and four children. Shortly after their arrival, their young son, Carlos, was diagnosed with deafness in both ears. In May 2009, Carlos was fitted with cochlear implants.

Perez applied and was selected for permanent residence by Alberta under its Provincial Nominee Pro-gram. However, foreigners selected by a Canadian prov-ince must also pass medical and background clearances administered by our federal immigration department.

IMPACTThe intent of Canada’s

medical inadmissibil-ity provisions is to avoid a negative impact on Canada’s publicly funded health and social service systems. If an applicant, or any of his/her dependents, is expected to cause an excessive demand on our medical or social services, the entire family is prohibited from immigrat-ing to Canada.

The Canadian consulate wrote to Perez disclosing its concerns about Carlos and gave him 60 days to ad-dress these concerns. Perez responded with a letter from Carlos’ doctor stating that Carlos will not be a burden to health, education or so-cial services in Alberta and that the most expensive part of his treatment – the cost of surgery and the devices – has already been incurred. She confirmed that Carlos had made progress since the surgery and that he would be able to attend a regular classroom setting with mini-mal support from a teacher’s assistant.

She also stated that Carlos was in a position to be a functional and contributing member of society.

MEDICALLY INADMISSIBLEShould a family be denied permanent residence to Canada because they have a young boy who is deaf, even after the child has been fitted with a cochlear implant?



COLUMN IMMIGRATION

PNP vs. federal economic immigration programs, 2005-2009

PNP applications received abroad for principal applicants, spouses, dependents

Source: FOSS Data

Source: : CIC International Region Data

Further, the principals of a local elementary school con-firmed that Carlos would be welcome in their junior kindergarten program and Alberta’s Minister of Educa-tion supported the family’s application for permanent residence.

As well, WorleyParsons confirmed that Perez earns $129,000 per year and is covered by the company’s comprehensive benefit plan which includes extensive support for his son’s medi-cal condition.

In spite of this evidence, the visa officer, J. Seyler, concluded that Carlos will, in fact, need specialized educational support for several years and found Carlos medically inadmis-sible. As requested by Perez, the officer also considered a

request to otherwise admit the family on humanitarian and compassionate grounds since Perez claimed that cochlear implants are rare in the Philippines and that Carlos would face hardship there. The officer rejected this request and refused the visa application.

OVERTURNEDOn appeal to the Federal Court, Justice Yves de Mon-tigny found that the officer did not assess Carlos as an individual, but rather as a member of a class of per-sons, i.e., deaf people. The judge applied the reason-ing of a previous decision of the Supreme Court of Canada, which held that a health impairment must be assessed on an individual-ized basis. “It is impossible, for example to determine the ‘nature,’ ‘severity’ or probable ‘duration’ of a health impairment without doing so in relation to a given individual.”

The court found that the officer was wrong in failing to look at Carlos’ specific circumstances but right in rejecting the humanitarian

request since no reliable evi-dence was submitted as to what programs and facilities are available for Carlos in the Philippines. Accordingly, the court overturned the officer’s decision, which will now force the visa post to reconsider its conclusions.

While there may still be a happy ending for the Perez family, this case underscores why it is impossible to say “generally” whether or not a specific health impairment,

i.e., diabetes, blindness, deafness, etc. renders a per-son medically inadmissible to Canada.

The answer must always be answered with a specific individual’s circumstances in mind. n

GUIDY MAMANN, J.D. practises law in Toronto at Mamann, Sandaluk & Kingwell and is certified by the Law Society of Upper Canada as an immigration specialist.

THE COURT FOUND THATTHE OFFICER WAS WRONG INFAILING TO LOOK AT CARLOS’

SPECIFIC CIRCUMSTANCES

Mamann, Sandaluk & Kingwell 82 Richmond Street EastToronto, M5C 1P1Phone: (416) 862-0000Fax: (416) 862-0625www.migrationlaw.com

CONTACT

PNP; 17%

FSW; 76.20%

Entrepreneur; 1.30%

Self-Employed; 0.50% Investor; 5%

2005 2006 2007 2008 2009

18,681

38,092 38,49524,616

13,051



If home ownership still represents a part of the

Canadian Dream, then she wants to live the dream too. She is not alone. According to Marketing Magazine, 52% of immigrants buy a home within three years of their arrival in Canada.

Newcomers are faced with unique challenges though in the chase of their dream home. For instance, first-tier lenders, which provide the lowest interest rates on home loans and other borrowings, usually turn them away. The reason: many newcomers have no established credit history. Consequently, they are deemed high-risk borrowers.

Saving money for the re-quired down payment is also another hurdle.

Kevin Vaughan, a financial advisor with over 16 years’ experience, said afford-able financing options do exist for home purchase for newcomers who have lived in Canada for 36 months or less.

5% DOWNDuring a housing informa-tion session for newcom-ers, organized by the New Canadians Centre’s SWIS program, Mr. Vaughan said Canada’s national housing agency, the Canada Mort-

gage and Housing Corp., or CHMC, makes it easier for Canadians, including newcomers, to buy a home by providing mortgage loan insurance.

A lender requires mort-gage insurance to protect against payment defaults with less than 25% of the purchase price to put down. By providing the insurance, CMHC limits the lenders’ risk, allowing the mortgage lender to finance up to 95% of the purchase price of a new home.

By law, mortgage lenders are not allowed to provide mort-gages without insurance for amounts that exceed 80% of the value of the home or purchases with less than 20% down payment.

By coming through CHMC, a newcomer may buy a home with a minimum 5% down payment without hav-ing to submit a credit report while accessing competitive mortgage rates, Mr. Vaughan explained. The premium for the CMHC mortgage insurance is calculated as a percentage of the mort-gage amount – on average, 3% – and may be paid as a lump sum or included in the monthly mortgage payments.

REQUIREMENTSIn lieu of a credit report, CHMC-backed borrowers need to demonstrate credit-worthiness by submitting records of rent, utility or phone payments. They also need to submit proof of income such as pay slips or income-tax assessments. n

PRODUCTS AND SERVICES FINANCE

Q4 2011 ($) Q4 2010($)

%change

MLS® HOUSING AVERAGE PRICES

Source: Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. MLS® is a registered trademark of the Canadian Real Estate Association

Reg Ward Insurance Services LtdKevin VaughanPhone: (705) [email protected]

CONTACT

Barrie 280,698 273,105 2.8

Brantford 237,955 230,003 3.5

Greater Sudbury 230,548 216,805 6.3

Guelph 313,977 288,440 8.9

Hamilton 330,955 312,454 5.9

Kingston 259,440 239,418 8.4

Kitchener 309,793 297,761 4

London 233,557 228,799 2.1

Oshawa 314,616 297,925 5.6

Ottawa 341,541 331,669 3

Peterborough 256,669 255,334 0.5

St. Catharines-Niagara NA 213,860 NA

Thunder Bay 168,161 150,816 11.5

Toronto 472,494 439,113 7.6

Windsor 167,129 162,329 3

Ontario 370,026 344,887 7.3

Canada 358,104 344,351 4

CHASING THE DREAMFARAH ESQUIBEL-VILLAFANE HAS BEEN IN CANADA FOR ABOUT TWO YEARS, AND SHE WONDERS WHETH-ER, AS A NEWCOMER, FINANCING OPTIONS EXIST TO HELP HER WITH HER FIRST HOME PURCHASE.

Kevin Vaughan fields questions from housing-forum participants



COLUMN EDUCATION

My desire to become a professional writer was

put on the back burner when I began university applications. Economic freedom must come first, I thought. The studies I must pursue should match with a dream job that maximizes my strengths and minimizes my weaknesses.

After graduation, I plan to acquire work experience in Canada before crossing the border to pursue law stud-ies in the United States. The dream to become a lawyer may change, of course. But what won’t change is my belief that in choosing careers, a salary

that guarantees financial inde-pendence is non-negotiable.

The process of university ap-plication is not complicated. But students can miss out on good opportunities if they do not have the appropriate infor-mation or guidance.

PREPARATIONThe thought of university ap-plication creeps up as students approach the January of their graduation year. No time is too early when it comes to prepar-ing for it.

Post-secondary experience is different. No longer can

you identify the 300 faces of classmates in a lecture hall. In-structors won’t nag you for late assignments or missed exams.

Grades are one of the top rea-sons that students dropped out. Developing effective study hab-its during high school can really help. I am personally grateful for the IB (International Bac-calaureate) education I received at Kenner Collegiate Vocational Institute. I gained skills that are essential for academic success.

RESEARCHBefore flipping through Ma-clean’s 2012 Guide to Canadian Universities, Campus Confidential and other guide books, and digging online for information or going on a campus tour, stu-dents should first consult with their guidance counsellors.

Counsellors have years of experience assisting students in choosing their fields of studies. Even if you are unsure about what profession to enter, it would be wise to, at least, under-stand your strengths and weak-

Ontario Universities’Application Center170 Research LaneGuelph ON N1G 5E2 www.ouac.on.ca

RESOURCE

By CHEN RAO

ROAD TO UNIVERSITY

nesses and likes and dislikes.

Organize documents like transcripts, 40-volunteer-hour log, and report cards prior to meeting with a counsellor.

Some, particularly recently immigrated students, tend to discuss important issues, such as education path or career prospect, with friends and relatives. However, school ex-perience from back home may not always find relevance in the Canadian setting.

APPLICATIONThe Ontario Universities’ Ap-plication Center website has directories regarding university selection, payment method, deadlines and other important resources for students entering university.

My application to several Cana-dian Universities, with one exception in BC, allowed me relative ease to travel to cam-puses. My final decision to go to UWO has served me well. A university can be chosen for its international reputation, well-roundedness in all fields, or a particular faculty that is especially strong. n

CHEN RAO is a second-year Bachelor of Management and Or-ganizational Studies student at the University of Western Ontario. She is a Peterborough resident.

I want to become a corporate lawyer. Law is a good fit since I enjoy arts and literature. Real-izing that a solid understanding of business fundamentals is extremely helpful in today’s competitive environment, I chose the Univer-sity of Western Ontario in London, Ontario because of its strong business program.

The University of Western Ontario welcomed more than 5,100 new students in September 2011.

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Frank Mandeljc came to Canada from Slovenia in

1963 at the young age of 17. A mechanic by trade, he took a chance for a strange world.

His untiring devotion and hard work resulted in a successful, innovative car dealership which is celebrat-ing 37 years of business, located on Highway 7, east of Peterborough.

Mr. Mandeljc semi-retired 17 years ago, leaving his only daughter, Monika Carmichael, in charge. She and her brother Frank, have kept the momen-

tum of the dealership going, enhancing its fine reputation for high-class customer ser-vice and a great product that more and more Canadians are buying.

“He always said it was never about money. He said if you worked hard, good things would happen.”

Mr. Mandeljc’s philosophy paid off.

Who knew a boy from Slo-venia could come to Canada and thrive in the competitive car-selling business?

FEATURE IMMIGRANT SUCCESS STORY

THE BOY FROM SLOVENIATHE SUCCESS OF TRENT VALLEY HONDAIS A STORY OF ONE MAN’S HARD WORKAND TRIUMPH OVER ADVERSITY.

When he came to Canada, Mr. Mandeljc’s first stop was Winnipeg. He couldn’t speak English and had no money but ended up finding work at a Mercedes dealership as a mechanic. He later went to Kitchener where he met his wife, Elfrieda. She was a musician who taught at the Royal Conservatory of Mu-sic. She was also a ballroom dancer and played a mean ac-cordion, a mix Mr. Mandeljc couldn’t ignore.

The couple wed and, shortly after, Monika was born. The family then moved to Ottawa where Monika’s brother, Frank Jr., was born. It was during the trip to the nation’s capital that the Mandeljc family came to know Peterborough. Passing through, they admired the region, not knowing that one day it would be home.

MOVEFrank eventually moved the family to Peterborough, ac-cepting a job working for the Angevaare Family. He also

worked for the O’Reilly’s, who now run Trans Canada Nissan.

In 1975, Frank and a part-ner, took a risk and started Trent Valley Auto Ltd on Water Street. One of his first employees was Bob Harper, a technician who dedicated 30 years and worked until he retired several years ago for Trent Valley Honda. In the spring of 1977, the dealership moved to its current location on Highway 7. By 1979 Mr. Mandeljc was sole owner, but needed an accountant to join the team. Elfrieda was teaching music in Peterborough when she decided to work with her husband. She enrolled in night classes and received her ac-counting diploma. She retired six years ago when Monika and Frank bought full ownership of the dealership.

With each renovation, Mr. Mandeljc had the foresight to prepare the company for future growth. He was the first Honda Dealer to open a drive-thru service area for

IT WAS NEVER ABOUT MONEY.IF YOU WORKED HARD, GOOD

THINGS WOULD HAPPEN.

Frank Mandeljc hands over the car key to a customer



FEATURE IMMIGRANT SUCCESS STORY

customers. They are able to drive inside to avoid the rain, cold weather or finding a parking place, when servicing their vehicle.

“He was always thinking and planning ahead – he also had the foresight to build a lower level in the shop,” Ms. Carmichael says. “He built a basement during the 1985 renovation to the service department, and in 2002 we finished this area to add more productive space to our ser-vice facilities.”

Over the years, Mr. Mandeljc hired mechanics from Slove-nia, giving them the same op-portunity that was extended to him so many years earlier. But that was the type of business owner he was.

“He loved extending help and

opportunity to people,” Ms. Carmichael says.

Over the years, she watched her father’s business grow. Enjoying the business side of things, she enrolled in Western University and received her Honours Degree in Business. Out of univer-sity, she worked in Marketing for Rawlings Sporting Good Company.

Another prospect presented itself and Mr. Mandeljc start-ed another dealership in town, selling Acura vehicles. Monika was his silent partner in that venture. But shortly after, the General Sales Manager that was hired for the new dealer-ship, became terminally ill. Monika was faced with a life-altering decision – continue working in Toronto or move back home to help her dad.

She decided to move to Peter-borough and has never looked back.

“I took it as a challenge,” she says.

Eventually the Acura dealer-ship closed and Ms. Carmi-chael came to Trent Valley Honda to work in the busi-ness office.

Her brother, Frank Jr., was also working there, overseeing sales service and marketing. He had spent a stint selling cars in Australia before mov-ing back to Peterborough.

HANDOVERSeventeen years ago, Mr. Man-deljc handed the reins over to his daughter and son. Now he spends some of his time in his homeland, Slovenia, con-tributing and supporting his community there as well.

What makes Trent Valley Honda so appealing is the

philosophy Mr. Mandeljc instilled in his employees. “Al-ways look after the customer” is the simple message behind the dealership’s success.

As for the future, Ms. Car-michael plans on building on the success her father began by following his philosophy of hard work and keeping the customer happy. They welcome newcomers to Peter-borough and area and spend much time and money sup-porting the community and giving back to the community they do business within.

“It is our loyal customers and our dedicated employees that we have to thank for helping us achieve 37 years in busi-ness,” Ms. Carmichael says. “We look forward to doing business with unchanging commitment and dedication to honour my father’s achieve-ments and continue the family traditions and valued reputa-tion.” n

HE LOVED EXTENDING HELP AND OPPORTUNITY TO PEOPLE



ADVERTORIAL

Moving to a new country or community can be

difficult, but Fleming College offers newcomers a variety of resources that will help them gain the skills and confidence needed to succeed. In college, students not only develop skills and gain experience in their chosen field, they also make friends in their new com-munity, which will help make Peterborough feel like home.

On Saturday, April 14 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Fleming Col-

lege will be holding an Open House, where guests will meet students and faculty, tour the campus and watch program demonstrations. This is a great opportunity to learn more about the community, the cam-pus and the programs available at Fleming College.

The Open House will feature interactive sessions packed with useful tips and informa-tion on financial aid, housing options, student life and what parents should know. Guests

of the Fleming College Open House will enjoy a guided tour of the campus, residence and Peterborough Sports and Wellness Centre. They are also welcome to attend a free tour of Peterborough, where prospective students will learn more about our community.

Those curious about the col-lege will have the opportunity to speak with Fleming College faculty, who are happy to an-swer any questions and provide information on programs. Pro-spective students will also get to participate in real classroom activities for various programs, including Police Foundations, Personal Support Worker and Chef Training, among others. Students can apply for programs onsite through the Registrar’s Office.

Programs at Fleming College vary in length, from short continuing education courses to full-time diploma programs. The School of Business, Trades and Technology has programs in business, hospital-ity, culinary and skilled trades, and now offers a new, one-year post-graduate certificate in International Business Man-agement.

The International Business Management post-graduate certificate is a 37-week program developed from the three-year International Trade advanced diploma program.

In the post-graduate program, students will gain an under-standing of the international marketplace, the foundation of international business and will develop the skills needed in the workplace. Students of this program will participate in case studies, simulations and field trips, and will complete a seven-week Applied Project, where they will work with mentors and classmates on a real international project for clients. Fleming College graduates have the practical, real-world experience that employers are looking for, thanks to industry-sponsored applied projects, work and co-op placements, and international exchange programs. But for those interested in furthering their training and unable to commit to a full-time program, Flem-ing College offers continuing education courses in a variety of subjects, including So-cial Media Strategies, Office Administration and Small Business Accounting. Students can also enrol in fun, outdoor continuing education courses to practise spoken English and make new connections.

For those new to the commu-nity, college is a great opportu-nity to develop skills and build relationships. Those curious about courses offered at Flem-ing College should visit the Open House to learn more. n

AT FLEMING,FEEL AT HOME

Programs at Fleming’s School of Business, Trades and Technol-ogy include hospitality, culinary and skilled trades.



FLEMING RECEPTIONOn February 21, 2012, Peter McLean, chair of the

Fleming College board of directors, and Tony Tilly, the college president, met with the new batch of interna-tional students during a welcome reception hosted by the Office of International Education of the college.

Derek Armstrong

Debbie Harrison, Simarjeet Singh, Mandeep DuttaMayank Amin, Jigar Shah, Derek Armstrong, Grant Meadwell, Hiren Baraiya

Ankul Desai, Tony Tilly, Ravi Patel, Hemal Vala

Bharat MainiPeter McLean Tony Tilly

CLICK

On March 9, 2012, the New Canadians

Centre’s SWIS program organized an information session on housing for newcomers. Kevin Vaughan, a financial adviser at Reg Ward Insurance Services Ltd, was the invited re-source speaker. Among the topics discussed was the process to apply for a home mortgage specifically for newcomers.

HOME MORTGAGE

Ann Dizon, Sydney Centeno and Farah Villafane

Oswaldo Bacareza, Dina Sokay and Ann DizonErnie Centeno and Sarah Centeno

Kevin VaughanSarah Centeno, Ann Calaor and Narcisa Vallecera

Mohammed Mansoor, Afsal Ibra-him, Hiren Baraiya, Mukul Ghai

Blane Harvey, Jim Drennan, Rohit Ahir



CLICK

On 24 March, 2012, newcomers in Nor-

thumberland gathered in a participatory workshop organized by the New Cana-dians Centre-Peterborough, Horizons of Friendship Cobourg and the Menno-nite New Life Centre. The workshop is part of a series in a process to make Co-bourg and surrounding area a more welcoming commu-nity for newcomers.

WORKSHOP

Workshop participants

Liliana Quispe, Paticia Rebolledo and Adriana Salazar

Juvy Ling and Liliana Quispe Teresa Lang and Luz Ofelia Maya

Craig Frayne, Patricia Rebolledo and Sadia



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FEATURE

REASONS FOR RETURNING TO WORK, 2009 %Like working/being active 52Financial considerations 52Interesting work opportunity 30Do not like retirement 29Want challenge 25Want to make contribution 13Prefer gradual retirement 8Improvement in health 5Caregiving duties no longer required 2Other 5

Source: Canadian Community Health Survey

CHANGING OF GUARDSTHE 2011 CENSUS DATA, RELEASED BY STATISTICS CANADA IN FEBRUARY 2012, SHOWED A DEMOGRAPHIC CHANGE MANY CANADIANS ARE MOSTLY AL-READY AWARE ABOUT: RETIRING BOOM-ERS AND DECLINING FERTILITY RATES ACROSS CANADA HAVE CONSPIRED TO ERODE THE RATIO OF RETIREES TO RE-PLACEMENT WORKERS.

Against a spectre of a shrinking labour force,

the Workforce Development Board wonders: have local

companies done real succes-sion planning? Or are they merely trying to survive from day to day? From the view-

BUSINESSPEOPLE NEED GOOD IN-FORMATION IF THEY ARE GOING TO

SUCCESSFULLY RUN THEIR BUSI-NESSES. SO THAT IS WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO DO: GIVE THEM THAT

INFORMATION AND KNOWLEDGE.

The labour-market study consists of two reports. One is titled, “Older Worker Stories.” The par-ticipating Trent University professors are:

n Alan Lawn Suzanne Baileyn Rory Coughlann Gary Rekern James Struthers

The other report is titled, “Older Workers Project Employer Experiences.” The participating profes-sors are:

n Kimberly A. Bates, Ryerson University

n Alan Law, Trent Uni-versity

n Tarun Dewan, Uni-versity of Toronto in Scarborough

BACKGROUNDERpoint of the employees, how are they keeping work-life balance as they get older? And how prepared are they for retirement?

Over the past two years, WDB has collaborated with a team of eight university professors from various disci-plines and a number of local organizations and agencies on a project that examines local labour-market trends and issues as well as develops a web-based forecasting tool to track labour supply and demand across a wide range of occupations.

The focus of the labour-mar-ket study has been narrowed down from four segments to, for now, two: manufacturing and health care. Data were gathered through interviews with employers and employ-ees aged 55 and older.

“One of the things that we want to start working on is a mentoring program to bridge inter-generational gaps in the workplace,” said Gord Evans, the chief executive officer of WDB. “The men-torship can work both ways between mature workers and young ones. For instance, we know that a lot of young people are more adept at technology, while we can also leverage the knowledge, skills and experience of older people. So there is transfer

of knowledge both ways.”

ONLINE TOOLA key component in the labour-market study involves creating a database-driven web portal that local busi-nesses could tap to formulate their own succession-plan-ning strategies.

Initially populated with data from Statistics Canada, the web platform is constantly updated with new information as it becomes available and allows for monitoring of de-

Gord Evans



FEATURE

REASONS FOR FULL OR PARTIAL RETIREMENT, 2009

Financially possible 46 34 28Completed required years of service 41 29 26Wanted to stop work 31 33 20Pursue other activities 23 13 18Employer incentives 19 8 15Health/disability 16 24 14Agreement with spouse/partner 14 16 8Organizational restructuring 12 9 17Caregiving 6 7 4Mandatory policy 4 4Other 5 7 17

Returnedto work

Partiallyretired

Fullyretired

%

Source: Canadian Community Health Survey

mographic changes, said Raul Ponce, associate professor on Environmental and Resource Studies at Trent University’s Department of Geography. The platform allows users to generate historic and future patterns in the labour market through to 2030.

“From its design, it was envisaged that the tool could

allow common online access and analytical pathways to researchers and decision mak-ers to determine industries or occupations in the region that might be experiencing labour shortages in the future due to retirements of baby boom-ers,” he said.

Eventually, Mr. Evans said, the web portal will be fed

with locally harvested data to enhance its usability among local users. Data gathering is also planned to be done annually.

VIBEThe labour-market study dovetails with a strategic research information centre that Mr. Evans has been planning to put in place.

THE PLATFORM ALLOWS USERS TO GENERATE HISTORIC AND FUTURE PAT-TERNS IN THE LABOUR MAR-KET THROUGH

TO 2030.

The planned information centre has since morphed into something called Virtual Institute Business East, which will serve as a warehouse of research reports that eco-nomic planners, business-people, social-services people and the public at large can draw from.

“In terms of content, on the bottom tier, we will aggre-gate research reports from different agencies. However, we will also have our own proprietary content. In terms of access, on a broader level, there will be information available to anybody in the community. Then there will also be customized reports that people can request for a fee,” Mr. Evans said.

Information is sorted by cat-egories for easier searching.

“We put all the information in a database, and then you tell us what you need and we put the report together. Businesspeople need good information if they are going to successfully run their busi-nesses. So, that is what we are trying to do: give them that information and knowledge that would really help them make good business deci-sions,” he said.

“We are close to securing funding for it, and we have the business plan done. So it’s just a matter of imple-menting it.” n

Raul Ponce


www.shopnofrills.ca

Dieter & Darcy’s nofrills. 230 George St. N.

Peterborough

Ken’s nofrills. 1866 Lansdowne St. W.

Peterborough

in our store simply show us an advertisement or receipt andwe will sell you that item at the same price. We will match

competitor’s advertisement or within 7 days of the date of

size and attributes) and for produce, meat and bakery items,we reserve the right to determine a comparable item. ‘Our major competitors’ and ‘geographical trade areas’ aredetermined solely by us and are based on a number of factors which can change from time to time. Excludes ‘multi-buys’(eg. 2 for $4); ‘spend x get x’; ‘Free’; and discounts obtained through loyalty programs.

If you find a cheaper price,simply show us and we will match.


Your chain of securityrequires a strong link

IMPROVE CASHFLOW PAY DOWN FASTER NEW HOME REFINANCE COMMERCIAL

MORTGAGES

Reg Ward Insurance is the broker to call!

www.regwardinsurance.com

Reg Ward Insurance Services Ltd

HASTINGS705-696-3356 905-372-7051 705-653-4635

COBOURG CAMPBELLFORD

FEATURINGTHE TALENTEDBRIDGET FOLEY

5:30pm Registration6-7pm Business meeting7-8pm Dinner8-9pm Entertainment/dancing

May 10, 2012, 5:30pm-9pmMarket Hall Peterborough (160 Charlotte St.)Contact: (705) 743-0882 or [email protected]

Support the New Canadians Centre with your presence and become a member.

Cost:

$25 (Annual membership, light dinner and entertainment)Tax Receipt for $20 will be issued for Membership

$20 (light dinner/entertainment)

$5 (volunteers/youth/clients/members 2012-2013)

Join theFor an Annual General Meeting like no other

NEW CANADIANS CENTRE

NEW CANADIANS CENTRE205 Sherbrooke Street, Unit D

Peterborough, ONwww.nccpeterborough.ca

(705) 743.0882

SUNDAY, JULY 1ST, 2012DEL CRARY PARK10AM-4PM

Join thousands of proud citizens for this annual Peterborough tradition.

• International food• Crafts • Performances

An unforgetable holiday for you and your family!CContact: (705) 743-0882 or [email protected]

MULTICULTURAL CANADA DAY CELEBRATION


FEATURINGTHE TALENTEDBRIDGET FOLEY

5:30pm Registration6-7pm Business meeting7-8pm Dinner8-9pm Entertainment/dancing

May 10, 2012, 5:30pm-9pmMarket Hall Peterborough (160 Charlotte St.)Contact: (705) 743-0882 or [email protected]

Support the New Canadians Centre with your presence and become a member.

Cost:

$25 (Annual membership, light dinner and entertainment)Tax Receipt for $20 will be issued for Membership

$20 (light dinner/entertainment)

$5 (volunteers/youth/clients/members 2012-2013)

Join theFor an Annual General Meeting like no other

NEW CANADIANS CENTRE

NEW CANADIANS CENTRE205 Sherbrooke Street, Unit D

Peterborough, ONwww.nccpeterborough.ca

(705) 743.0882

SUNDAY, JULY 1ST, 2012DEL CRARY PARK10AM-4PM

Join thousands of proud citizens for this annual Peterborough tradition.

• International food• Crafts • Performances

An unforgetable holiday for you and your family!CContact: (705) 743-0882 or [email protected]

MULTICULTURAL CANADA DAY CELEBRATION


School of Business, Trades and TechnologyOur school is built on experiential learning, from industry-sponsored applied projects, work placements and co-op, to international exchange programs. This means our students graduate with the practical, real-world experience employers are looking for.

Come see what our school is all about at the Open House event: Saturday, April 14th, 10 am - 2pm.Meet the faculty, students, take in the many program demonstrations and tour the campus. Check out programs starting this September:

n Full-time Business, Hospitality, Culinary and Skilled Trades programs

n New, one-year (37 week) post-graduate certificate in International Business Management (also starts in May)

Continuing EduCAtion trAining

n Small Business Accounting

n Human resources Management

n office Administration (online only)

n Writing Courses for Professionals

n Social Media Strategies

Fleming also offers a number of fun, outdoor courses where newcomers can meet new friends and practice their spoken English. You can subscribe to receive the Continuing Education course calendar by emailing [email protected]

class.work.Bringing the real world to the classroom

Visit our website for detailed information on all our programs:

Flemingcollege.ca

School of Business, Trades and TechnologyOur school is built on experiential learning, from industry-sponsored applied projects, work placements and co-op, to international exchange programs. This means our students graduate with the practical, real-world experience employers are looking for.

Come see what our school is all about at the Open House event: Saturday, April 14th, 10 am - 2pm.Meet the faculty, students, take in the many program demonstrations and tour the campus. Check out programs starting this September:

n Full-time Business, Hospitality, Culinary and Skilled Trades programs

n New, one-year (37 week) post-graduate certificate in International Business Management (also starts in May)

Continuing EduCAtion trAining

n Small Business Accounting

n Human resources Management

n office Administration (online only)

n Writing Courses for Professionals

n Social Media Strategies

Fleming also offers a number of fun, outdoor courses where newcomers can meet new friends and practice their spoken English. You can subscribe to receive the Continuing Education course calendar by emailing [email protected]

class.work.Bringing the real world to the classroom

Visit our website for detailed information on all our programs:

Flemingcollege.ca


newcomer bulletin spring 2012

Documents

cabulletin spring

am6 newcomer bulletin

am4 newcomer bulletin

county of peterborough

city of peterborough

rural areas

warden of peterborough

new canadians centre