Peterborough Blogs
Voice of Business: Rebuilding and Growing Tourism
/Our tourism industry is beginning to bounce back — but our leaders need input from tourism-related businesses on how to guide that recovery.
Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada is conducting public consultations on the development of a post-pandemic Federal Tourism Growth Strategy.
Peterborough and the Kawarthas Economic Development estimates that our region attracts more than three million visitors who spend more than $300 million annually. Nationally, Destination Canada estimates tourism contributed $43.6 billion to our Gross Domestic Product.
In 2020, Statistics Canada found our tourism GDP dropped by 49 per cent. Since then, it rose 4.4 per cent in 2021 and continues to increase, including an 8.7 per cent increase in the fourth quarter of 2021. Accommodation and food and beverage are leading the recovery with air transportation and travel services lagging behind.
Canadian Chamber of Commerce Senior Director, Transportation, Infrastructure and Regulatory Policy Robin Guy recently published an editorial in the Toronto Sun calling on the federal government to assist our airports in their recovery, noting travel declined by 95 per cent from 2019 levels during the pandemic. It’s noted that in 2016, our airports contributed $48 billion to our economic output and employed 194,000 people.
Adding to issues with investments in our airport infrastructure and the large lines and delays in processing passengers, many Canadian passengers are struggling to get their passports. After a couple years of very limited international travel, Service Canada is struggling to keep up with a surge in demand. Calls to Service Canada about passports jumped from 5,000 to 200,000 per day and passports issued jumped from 363,000 to 1,273,000 over the last year.
The Government of Canada launched Creating Middle Class Jobs: A Federal Tourism Growth Strategy in 2019, but the tourism sector has changed dramatically since then. Tourism and hospitality felt the effects of the pandemic immediately and continue to deal with COVID-related challenges.
The Government of Canada is looking to work with the tourism sector, provincial and territorial counterparts and Indigenous tourism partners to renew the strategy and set a course for growth, investment and stability.
The renewal of the tourism growth strategy was announced as part of the 2022 federal budget to help fuel the resurgence of tourism. The public consultation on the development of a post-pandemic Federal Tourism Growth Strategy opened May 18 and will run until July 20.
As per the federal government, the consultation will build on the work already done since the launch of the original strategy in 2019, with a particular focus on:
labour gaps and instability
investment attraction and destination development
long-term economic growth across the country.
To share your views on how Canada can build on its reputation as a world-class destination, please send an email to tourisminfo-tourismeinfo@ised-isde.gc.ca. The deadline for submitting feedback is 11:59 p.m. EST on July 20.
Tourism is an important part of our local, provincial, and national economy and we need to invest in rebuilding, renewing, and expanding it for years to come.
Content provided by the Peterborough and the Kawarthas Chamber of Commerce.
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Voice of Business: Technology, Diversity and Flexibility Are Key to Workforce Challenges
/The labour issues hitting businesses across the country didn’t start with the pandemic, but it did accelerate the problem to a point where it’s one of the biggest issues holding back economic growth.
According to a survey by the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC):
55 per cent of Canadian entrepreneurs are struggling to hire the workers they need
64 per cent report that labour shortage limits their growth
61 per cent must increase their hours and/or their employees’ hours
49 per cent must increase wages and benefits
44 per cent have delayed or unable to deliver orders to clients
Lack of access to a workforce with the right skills is holding back businesses and hiring difficulties increase in smaller communities.
Nationally, unemployment has fallen to 5.2 per cent.
Our economy is bouncing back, but that’s putting further strain on businesses’ ability to hire. Projections range on when things will return “back to normal,” but we can say with confidence these challenges aren’t going away in the short term.
These issues were decades in the making, but ultimately what is important is finding our path forward.
What businesses are doing according to BDC:
Offering flexible work arrangements (e.g. telework, flextime, compressed workweeks) – 37 per cent
Internally training less-qualified workers – 35 per cent
Recruiting younger workers and/or students – 26 per cent
Hiring freelancers or contractual or independent workers – 25 per cent
Recruiting immigrants and/or foreign workers – 10 per cent
Automating certain areas (e.g. using robotics, cognitive agents, smart workflows or advanced analytics) – 10 per cent
Recruiting older/previously retired workers – 9 per cent
BDC notes Increasing diversity and flexibility are important for business growth, including three key areas: youth, immigrants, and older workers. Immigration in Canada slowed to a crawl through the pandemic. Both youth and immigrants bring skills and a willingness to grow and develop. BDC recommends offering more opportunities to youth and immigrants as a way to make better use of our workforce.
When it comes to older workers, we need to address flexibility. They have an incredible set of skills and experience that our economy has relied on for years. Workers approaching retirement may no longer be interested in working full-time hours but could be open to part-time and hybrid options.
More and more businesses are turning to automation as a way to streamline the business. For most businesses, it’s not a case of a robot replacing a staff member — it’s all the small things adding up to a more efficient process. Examples include:
Automated email marketing campaigns
Chatbots and automated messaging systems
Sales lead generation and management
Touchscreen ordering
Self-checkouts
Online booking and automated appointments
Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems
Collect job applications
Businesses can further streamline by adopting new technology like updated email systems, shared digital calendars, and cloud-based workflow systems.
There’s no single solution that’s going to answer our workforce challenges. The local business community has shown its ability to adapt, pivot, and invest in new technology. The challenges facing businesses continue to change, but our economy is growing and to grow with it businesses need to be open and flexible in growing their workforce.
Content provided by the Peterborough and the Kawarthas Chamber of Commerce.
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Voice of Business: Cybercriminals Targeting Small and Medium Businesses
/Cybersecurity is one of those topics that affect the majority of businesses in some form but it’s something businesses are hesitant to talk about.
According to Mastercard, attacks on small businesses increased by 424 per cent in 2020 and the issue is only growing as many invest further in digital systems.
A report from Fundera indicates:
43% of cyber attacks target small businesses
Only 14% of small businesses rate their ability to mitigate cyber risks and attacks as highly effective
3 out of 4 small businesses say they don’t have the personnel to address IT security
54% of small businesses think they’re too small for a cyber attack
Human error and system failure account for 52% of data security breaches
Industry experts say a small business’s cyber security budget should be at least 3% of a company’s total spending
The business community is often reluctant to talk about it because as victims, there are feelings of shame and embarrassment as well as fears that their business might lose customers.
The truth is that business owners are required to be experts in everything from government legislation to marketing to construction projects and juggle all of those roles in any given day — yet they’re up against people who are dedicated to finding security breaches and exploiting them.
Typically, they’re after your data, whether to hold it for ransom or steal it. Businesses and organizations that deal with large amounts of customer data, specifically in the government, retail and tech sectors, deal with the vast majority of attacks.
Even at a personal level, Statistics Canada found that 42 per cent of Canadians experienced some type of cyber security incident in the first few months of the pandemic.
Cyber security is a fundamental business issue right now. We’ve come to appreciate just how vulnerable our supply chain network is. An outbreak in a factory, a war on another continent, or a protest at a border crossing are all capable of grinding business down to a crawl. When you look at the statistics of just how prevalent cyber security incidents are and see how many businesses and organizations are involved in moving the goods and providing the services we rely on, there’s little doubt that someone in that network is either dealing with a cyber security incident or struggling with the fallout from one.
We’re encouraged to see our governments investing in helping our businesses thrive online through programs like Digital Main Street and the Canada Digital Adoption Program. Those investments are needed to move our economy ahead. But as our businesses move into new, uncharted waters, they need confidence that they’re going to be reasonably safe.
Cyber Security has been a common theme for chamber advocacy, including the Canadian and Ontario chambers of commerce who have been working hard to put this on the agenda for budget allocations and election platforms.
The Canadian Chamber of Commerce Cyber. Right. Now. campaign is asking the government of Canada to improve three key areas:
Growing Canada’s economy by accelerating the competitiveness of Canada’s cybersecurity industry.
Securing Canadian critical infrastructure, supply chains, and businesses of all sizes from cyber threats by investing in cybersecurity at levels comparable to Canada’s G7 peers.
Boosting Canada’s cybersecurity skill-set and career opportunities by making cybersecurity education, talent development, and retention a national priority and by investing in programs that diversify and expand the cyber workforce pipeline.
With businesses depending more and more on technology, it’s also going to require a shift in mindset. No matter how small your business, cyber security needs to be made a business priority. Business owners need to learn about their strengths and weaknesses and educate their staff. Like any significant asset, getting insurance is a good idea. Where your expertise has limits, it might be time to hire professionals.
According to the Cyber Readiness Institute, there are four core issues small businesses can start with:
Strong passwords – 63 per cent of data breaches result from weak or stolen passwords
Software updates – Your software is regularly updating to protect you, so make use of it and stay up-to-date
Phishing Awareness – 91 per cent of all cyber attacks start with a phishing email and they keep getting more clever
Proper USB use – 27 per cent of malware infections originate from infected USBs, so be cautious of shared or free USBs and make sure they’re encrypted
If you’re not sure how secure your business is or are looking to invest in your digital assets, we can help connect you with some local businesses that would be more than happy to help.
Content provided by the Peterborough and the Kawarthas Chamber of Commerce.
Engage with us on social media on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Tiktok. Write to us at tips@ptbocanada.com. Sign up for PTBOBuzz newsletter here.
Voice of Business: Hiring Persons with Disabilities
/With employers across the country facing significant barriers to finding the skilled labour they need to thrive and expand, there’s one solution that we need to do better on — hiring persons with disabilities.
In a time when accommodating the health and safety of employees has risen to new priority levels and technology that has made it easier than ever to adapt and accommodate, there’s little excuse for not expanding our mindset on what the physical requirements of the job are.
According to the Discover Ability Network (DAN), 6.2 million Canadians have disabilities and it’s a group that anyone can be a part of, whether temporarily or permanently. More than 75 per cent of people with disabilities acquire them as adults.
Hiring persons with disabilities typically leads to cost reductions related to turnover, absenteeism, safety and improvements in productivity. In addition to finding a new talent pool, companies that hire persons with disabilities find that bringing people with different perspectives and experiences improves their products and services.
The DAN also has found that there is typically no or low cost to provide accommodations.
The Ontario Chamber of Commerce is partnering with the Discover Ability Network to help provide employers with the tools and resources they need to expand their workforce in a more inclusive manner. When it comes to hiring people with disabilities, the business opportunity is irrefutable.
The Discover Ability Network provides tools and supports through in-person workshops, webinars and online resources to help businesses understand the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, why and how to become a more inclusive employer, and how to hire and retain talent from the persons with disabilities labour pool.
Local chambers of commerce and boards of trade, industry associations, not-for-profit organizations, and businesses can request in-person and online training on a variety of topics related to accessibility, inclusion and hiring from the persons with disabilities talent pool. Training is also available to staff of organizations that support job seekers with disabilities, such as post-secondary institutions and employment service providers, as well as training targeted to persons with disabilities to help them become more confident job seekers. Find out more here: https://occ.ca/discoverability/
The DAN highlights proven advantages to employing people with disabilities:
Increasing the size of its skilled labour pool
Reduced costs associated with turnover, training and safety
Improving the engagement of all your employees
Harnessing the value of innovative processes and new perspectives
Attracting an underserved consumer market worth $55 billion per year in Canada
If you’re an employer interested in learning more, join the virtual Discover Ability Network ROI Conference on May 25 and 26 from 9 a.m. to noon. This free conference will discuss the value of hiring inclusively, the tools and resources to support building disability-confident organizations, and the importance of inclusive hiring to workforce development and future economic prosperity.
Get your tickets here: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/diversity-in-business-roi-conference-tickets-310056205457
Find out more about hiring persons with disabilities and what resources chambers of commerce have to offer on the OCC discoverability page: https://occ.ca/discoverability/
Content provided by the Peterborough and the Kawarthas Chamber of Commerce.
Engage with us on social media on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Tiktok. Write to us at tips@ptbocanada.com. Sign up for PTBOBuzz newsletter here.
Voice of Business: Further Investment In Barriers to Business Needed
/The Government of Ontario’s budget is out, addressing some pressing issues for local businesses while falling short on others.
A budget released days before an election writ drops carries a bit more politics than it might in another year, but poll projections hint that there’s a reasonable chance our current government could be re-elected and implement this budget later this year.
The Ontario Chamber of Commerce's response to the Ontario budget highlights some welcome news:
Measures to address Ontario’s current labour shortages and future workforce needs
We welcome commitments to reduce barriers to foreign credentials and new investments in the skilled trades strategy.
Commitments to support business predictability
Ontario’s Plan to Stay Open focuses on improving pandemic preparedness and addressing key challenges such as labour shortages in the healthcare sector.
Pro-growth policies
The proposed modernization of capital markets and venture capital investments will enable small businesses and entrepreneurs to access growth financing. Additionally, the Building Ontario Business Initiative seeks to level the playing field for Ontario businesses competing for government contracts.
Initiatives to bolster our health care system.
Expanding medical training and investing in health care infrastructure and capacity are critical. Plans also focus on Ontario’s aging population through the dementia strategy, seniors care at home tax credit and investments in long-term care.
Continued action on critical transportation infrastructure
