LO this week: December 22, 2010

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

Durham Chapter meeting, Feb. 1
Join
the Durham chapter at 10 a.m. to hear a rep 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. More information will follow.

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

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

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 a seminar
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

Ottawa Chapter AGM, Jan. 18
Attend the Annual General Meeting of
the LO Ottawa Chapter at the RA Centre, 2451 Riverside Drive,
Ottawa, with special guests LO president Tom Intven and executive director
Tony DiGiovanni. They will demonstrate “Why membership in Landscape Ontario benefits you™
In addition, winning entries from the Awards
of Excellence Program will be showcased. Networking begins at 9:30 a.m., with the meeting starting at 10 a.m. A light lunch follows the meeting. Registration is required for lunch
only. Preston Hardware is the meeting’s sponsor. For more information, contact mwalsh@landscapeontario.com.

Plan for profit workshop, Jan. 19
The Upper Canada Chapter is hosting Landscape Management Network‘s “Plan for Profit: Budget and
Management Workshop” from 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. on Wed., Jan. 19 at the Strathcona Paper Centre in Napanee. The program will teach you to work with your numbers to develop a profitable
pricing system, based on your services. Ottawa Chapter members are welcome to attend this meeting. The cost to LO members is $115. For
further information contact Helen Hassard.

Mark the date for Green Trade Expo, Feb. 16
Green Trade Expo 2011 registration page has been launched offering ONE STOP registration for attendance, MTO Snow Contractor’s Breakfast, Profit Builder’s Lunch featuring Ottawa 67’s general manager and former OHL coach Brian Kilrea, and pre-order for his new book all in one place. Don’t miss out on limited seating for the Profit Builder’s Luncheon. Booth spaces and sponsorships still available. For more information go to www.greentrade.ca, or contact Martha.

Professional Seminar Guide 2011 now available
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

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.

Sponsors needed for Green Home Makeover

Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) is looking for industry partners to showcase eco-friendly home improvement products, services and to educate homeowners. A jury comprised of TRCA and partners will select one single-family detached home, based on eligibility and assessment. Green renovations of the winning home will be completed by summer of 2011. TRCA is exploring interest from members of the green industry to become involved in the project. Those interested, may contact Shannon Logan 416-661-6600, ext. 5708.

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

Upper Canada Chapter meeting, Jan. 19
Join the Upper Canada Chapter for a
budgeting workshop at the Strathcona Paper Centre in Napanee, starting
at 8:30 a.m., and running all day. Led by the Landscape Management Network, Plan For Profit will teach to you work with your numbers to develop a profitable
pricing system based on your services.
Review LMN at www.landscapemanagementnetwork.com. Seating is limited, so register early. Cost for L.O. members is $115, and potential members, $192.
For more information, or to register, contact Helen Hassard at
1-800-265-5656, ext. 354, or helen@landscapeontario.com

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.

Mark the date for Green Trade Expo, Feb. 16
Green Trade Expo 2011 Registration page has been launched, offering ONE
STOP registration for attendance, MTO Snow Contractors Breakfast,
Profit Builder’s Lunch featuring Ottawa 67’s general manager and former
OHL coach Brian Kilrea, and pre-order for his new book all in one place. Don’t miss out on limited seating for the Profit Builder’s Luncheon. Booth spaces and sponsorships 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

Waterloo Chapter meeting, Jan. 5
The
Waterloo Chapter meeting takes place at the Knights of Columbus Hall, 145 Dearborn Place, in Waterloo. Doors open at 6:15 p.m., with the meeting from 7 to 9 p.m. Great pizza will be available for supper, and the 50/50 pot is over $600. Municipal representatives from Kitchener, Waterloo and Cambridge will discuss bylaw polices within the respective jurisdictions. World Gym is the meeting sponsor, and is offering members
some discount/incentives. For more information,
contact Helen Hassard at 1-800-265-5656, ext. 354 or helen@landscapeontario.com.

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

Pricing goes UP after today, Dec. 22!

January Horticulture
Review
online
Read the
latest news of interest to Landscape Ontario members in the January
edition of Horticulture Review.
This month features comprehensive stories on a report on the University of Guelph’s Trial Gardens, testimonials from LO members excited about the new Green for Life garden project at Canada Blooms, Algonquin College retaining its horticulture program, lots of info on Congress 2011, in addition to the regular columns.
Click
here to
access the January issue of Horticulture Review. Anyone may sign up to receive the a free HR
online subscription by
clicking
here.

Get Smart about Irrigation at irrigation conference
This year’s
line-up at the Irrigation Conference on Jan. 10 includes topics such as
World
Water Trends, Water Efficient Products, the Impact of Irrigation on
Water Resources, and even Business Opportunities with Rain Water
Harvesting.You don’t want to miss out at this great event at the Toronto
Congress Centre. More details and registration are at www.locongress.com, under Education and Conference.

Designer Conference offers creative connections, Jan. 10

In addition to
keynote speakers Rosalind Reed on
Business Plans and
Ron Koudys covering the Impact of Influential Landscape
Architects and Designers on our landscape today, the annual designer’s conference
at Congress 2011 will feature the ever-popular Beth Edney. She will give
some creative solutions to small spaces,
while in another breakout room, Dave Maciulis will talk about creating a
healthy and successful workplace. More details and registration can
be found at www.locongress.com under Education and Conference.

Corporate
Financial Management Study Group, Jan. 10
Are
you working on getting your
designation? If so, you won’t want to miss the full-day Professional
Corporate Financial Management Study Group on Jan. 10 with instructor
Paul Doornbos CLT, CLP. More details and registration can be found at by clicking here.

One IPM Symposium, one date: Jan. 10
Early bird pricing includes lunch, but after Dec. 22, lunch will not be included. Do not delay, register today! You don’t want to miss the opportunity to listen to
respected speakers, Dr. Roger Funk
and Dr. David Shetlar (The Bug Doc). New this year is a networking reception
with thousands of dollars worth of door prizes. More details and registration can be found at www.locongress.com under Education and Conference.

Congress job board applications being accepted
As
a member of Landscape Ontario, you are exclusively entitled to post employment ads
on LO’s job board at Congress 2011. To find out how
you can take advantage of the job board, click here.

Awards of Excellence ceremony
The 38^th
Annual Awards of Excellence Ceremony is set for Tues., Jan. 11. The
evening begins at 4:45 with our President’s Reception wine and cheese, featuring Landscape Ontario’s president Tom Intven, followed by the ceremony at 5:15 p.m. Tickets are $35 each – buy a ticket here.

Landscape Industry Certified written test, Jan 13

At
Congress 2011, written
tests in all categories of Landscape Industry Certified will take place
in the Toronto Congress Centre’s Patcher Karsh Room. To register, contact Rachel Cerelli, Certification Coordinator, by email rachelc@landscapeontario.com.

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.

Professional development seminars
Quit hoping for Profit: Plan for it, Jan. 17
Lean and Green: the Landscaper’s Boot Camp for Waste Elimination, Jan. 20
Growing Gretzky’s: How to Find and Develop Superstars, Jan. 21
Installation & Construction Week Jan. 24
Quit hoping for Profit: Plan on it Jan. 24
Landscape Design: An Introduction Jan. 25
Chiseled in Stone-Intro Jan. 26
Estimating to Win Jan. 27
Benchmarking your Overhead Jan. 28

To register or get more information, click seminars.

Green Communities, Parks and Partnerships
The Honourable David C. Onley, Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, will present the keynote address at Green Communities on Tues.,
Jan. 11. Ontario Parks Association, Communities in Bloom – Ontario and
Landscape Ontario will come together to celebrate our treasured parks
and greenspaces, and promote the enjoyment and healthy lifestyle
benefits that open spaces provide to Canadians. It will be held in conjunction with
Congress 2011, at the Toronto Congress Centre. Register here.

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 will be available shortly. Read More.

Special offer on Canada Blooms tickets

Members of Landscape Ontario can buy special bar-coded
tickets in packages of 20 to give
clients, staff, family, etc. You will only be charged $12 for only those tickets handed in at the gate. The regular price is $18. Canada
Blooms 2011 takes place Mar. 16 to 20. Go to Canada Blooms to see the form.

Essential Skills offers webinars

Workplaces are all about change, and
Essential Skills programs can help employees meet those changes, and ensure
that job performance, safety and consistency in work practices are clearly
communicated and understood. The current Essential Skills initiative at the Canadian
Apprenticeship Forum
(CAF) seeks to help employers who sponsor apprentices address this issue. The
project offers employers a series of six webinars that provide a step-by-step approach for Implementing Essential Skills in the Workplace. For more
information on the project,
contact HRSG, the consultants facilitating the project on behalf of the
Canadian Apprenticeship Forum, Claire Hall, project consultant, 613-745-6605, ext. 313.

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

Inspection blitz results
The Ministry of Labour has posted results on its inspection blitzes in 2010. The blitzes are announced in advance and results are reported after the blitzes are completed. The ministry tracks each sector to determine if the blitzes result in a long-lasting increase in compliance and decrease in injuries. To see the results for 2010 go to Safety Blitzes.

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