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Wednesday, October 25, 2006 · Page 22 Essex Business Excellence Awards explore War of 1812 theme The Essex Business Excellence Awards will be handed out at the annual Essex BIA dinner on Wednesday, Nov. 1 at the Royal Canadian Legion, Branch 201. The evening will feature a special appearance by soldiers representing the 41st Regiment of Foot that served at Fort Malden during the War of 1812. It will also include a storytelling by representatives from North Buxton Historic Site, a terminus of the Underground Railway, which enabled slaves to escape to freedom under the Union Jack in Canada. The Black Town Crier, Brian Kersey, will add another touch of history to the proceedings. It is even possible that Queen Victoria herself will attend. Tickets for BIA members and guests are $25 and available from BIA manager Marlene Markham by calling 776-9811. The reception begins at 6 p.m. followed by the dinner at 7 p.m. Small Business 101 E-Learning technology and your business Every year thousands of Canadians take the plunge into entrepreneurship, opening new businesses and creating jobs in communities across the country. This phenomenon is a key driver of the Canadian economy and one of the great strengths of our nation. However, once they've made the leap, many new business owners quickly discover that there is more to running a firm than they may have anticipated, but they are so caught up in the day-to-day operations of the business that formal training is hard to schedule. The `E-Learning for Business Coalition', made up of some of the most powerful organizations in Canada, has launched a new private sector training regime for Canada's small business community. Members of the Coalition include Scotiabank, the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, the Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants, Export Development Canada, the National Quality Institute, the Society of Management Accountants of Canada, the Canadian Association of Management Consultants and Vubiz Ltd, an e-learning service provider. E-learning is ideal for entrepreneurs because it's easy to access any time, any place. The medium also lends itself to customization, so that training can be tailored to the specific needs of business owners. The innovation being introduced by the E-learning for Business Coalition is that the expertise available to entrepreneurs through their natural business relationships is being harnessed to provide the content of a formal training program. Each member of the Coalition is able to offer different facets of a total business management package, such as basic business finance, marketing and customer service, strategic management, honing leadership skills and international expansion. Over time, more specialized courses will be added as the Coalition expands. Two programs are being offered initially: The Small Business Management Certificate at www.SBM certified.com, which combines expert content from all the partners of the coalition, and the Small Exporter Management Certificate at www.SEMcertificate.com, which uses the Going Global workshop series by the Forum for International Trade Training. The programs are available in both French and English. For the business owner, the attraction of the training is increasing profitability and the ability to offer benefits to staff. Similar principles apply to the Coalition members since small business clients who are well prepared to meet their firms' management needs Zoning by-law amendment for McGregor Seniors Complex gets green light BY DANIEL SCHWAB A proposal to change the zoning of a residential area in McGregor to accommodate freehold townhouse dwellings was given the green light by Essex town council Oct. 16. The proposal was brought to council by Mike Quaggiotto, vice president of Elmara Construction, and requested a permit for two 30-unit, four-storey apartment buildings. A proposal for a parkland area was also included. Town of Essex Planner Chad Jeffery said there appears to be a need for these types of freehold dwellings because of a growing seniors' population. Twenty-five percent of the new units would be made affordable for seniors, Jeffery added. The development would also allow seniors to remain in the community, he said. Still, McGregor residents voiced a number of concerns. A decommissioned industrial property sits adjacent to the proposed site. Owner Marc Gagnon said heavy industrial property next door to residential property "don't get along." The industrial property was decommissioned because of problems with the storage of some materials, Jeffery said. Concerns about having a parkland area near the site were brought up by Essex Deputy Mayor Percy Dufour. "I would like to see soil testing done," he said. "There would be nothing worse than having kids play in a park and having something (hazardous) there." Jeffery said the parkland could be developed immediately or left as open green space. There were also concerns among some members of council about the amount of traffic that would be experienced on nearby roads and the potential safety issues for children walking to school. "I know 33 homes doesn't sound like a lot of traffic, but that will be happening when kids will be travelling to school," said Ward 2 councillor Richard Meloche. Meloche added that some nearby streets are narrow and may need to be upgraded for safety reasons. Essex BIA BUSINESS EXCELLENCE AWARDS ESSEX LEGION HALL are more likely to be longterm, prosperous clients. With respect to the overall picture, enhancing the management expertise of business owners and their staff provides the potential for productivity enormous enhancement and job creation for Canada. The Small Business Management certificate is a private sector driven initiative that is both good for business and good for the broader society. The program makes it possible for small business owners, professionals and employees to secure online Certificates in a wide range of subjects. The speed by which this technology can become part of normal everyday business unhampered by the traditional restrictions created by teachers and classrooms promises enormous potential for productivity enhancements and job creation in Canada. The program will also be extended through partnerships with large manufacturers and retailers, professional and trade associations and franchisors who want to upgrade their small business suppliers, customers and members. For further information on this program, please visit: www.cfib.ca or www.fcei.ca NOV. 1, 2006 Small Business 101 is an information service provided by the Canadian Federation of Independent Business. "The Red Coats Are Coming..." Awards, Door Prizes, Great Food, Great Networking! We are a expecting isit" "Royal V Entertainment by Buxton Black History Museum, and Uncle Tom's Cabin, Dresden (story telling with vocals) Reception / Video of Essex in Bloom 6:00 p.m. Dinner at 7 p.m. Door Prizes $25.00 per person Call Essex BIA 519-776-9811 for tickets