Data Reveals Urban Establishments Showing Growth During the First Four Months of 2008

TORONTO - According to data released yesterday by Moneris Solutions, Canada's largest processor of credit, debit and gift card payments, urban retailers and restaurants are showing resiliency this year despite economic downturns in Canada.

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Plan Comes Together

COM DEV Validates Advanced Space-Based AIS Performance

CAMBRIDGE - COM DEV International Ltd. announced that a space-based AIS payload, launched on a dedicated satellite on April 28, has validated the advanced space-based AIS performance capability which COM DEV has developed.

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Labour Force Survey

Following two months of small increases, employment was unchanged in May 2008.

Statscan - The unemployment rate remained at 6.1%. Over the past 12 months, employment in Canada has risen by 339,000 (+2.0%).

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Recognition for Service

CAMBRIDGE TRAVEL AGENT REACHES THE `PINNACLE' OF SUCCESS

UNIGLOBE Donaldson Travel Recognized as `Experts in Luxury.'

CAMBRIDGE —Travel agency UNIGLOBE Donaldson Travel has earned membership in the prestigious Pinnacle Club, an exclusive organization of agencies catering to an affluent clientele with a taste for the best the world has to offer.

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Management

Nalco Company Selects Open Text to Manage Business Content Across the Enterprise

Content Lifecycle Management, Email Management and ECM Solutions for Use With SAP to Capture, Manage, Store, Preserve and Deliver Content from Business Processes

CHICAGO - Open Text(TM) announced that leading water treatment and process improvement company, Nalco Company, has selected Open Text to manage all forms of content, including email and SAP-related content, throughout its entire lifecycle; giving the organization more control over its content, while assisting the company to meet various compliance and governance requirements.

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CAW Agenda

CAW Collective Bargaining and Political Action Convention Starts June 10 In Toronto

TORONTO - Nearly 1,000 elected delegates and guests from across Canada will discuss and debate the CAW's collective bargaining and political action agenda for the next three years at a Toronto convention which gets underway June 10.

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Manufacturing Productivity

Chrysler LLC Productivity at Benchmark Levels, According to Harbour Report(TM) North America 2008

- Nearly 14 labor hours per unit or a 31.4 percent improvement since 2001
- Total labor hours per vehicle tied for top ranking at 30.37
- Chrysler plants take top honors in Assembly and Engine categories

AUBURN HILLS, MI - Chrysler LLC announced that its manufacturing productivity has improved by 31.4 percent over the last seven years, taking nearly fourteen hours out of the average time it takes to assemble a vehicle, including its major components.

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Tourism

CANADA’S OWN ROCKY MOUNTAINEER VACATIONS HITS ITS ONE MILLIONTH GUEST MARK

The Canadian Ambassador is Mr. and Mrs. Todd and Patricia Jones from Cambridge, Ontario.

Vancouver, British Columbia – BC based Rocky Mountaineer Vacations, owners and operators of the Rocky Mountaineer and Whistler Mountaineer trains in Western Canada has achieved its largest milestone to date - welcoming its One Millionth Guest.

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Morning Column

Don't Feel Like It? - Do It Anyway
By David Benzel

When Tarah was 12, it was common to see her writing down specific water skiing goals on colored paper with an artistic flair. Some goals were short-term performance targets, while others looked much further out at specific outcomes like making the U.S. Team. She was competitive and determined to win a national title.

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Investment

Germany "Global Player" and Top Investment Destination in Western Europe

BERLIN - Germany is a business "global player" and the top investment destination in western Europe according to the findings of Ernst & Young's "Location Germany 2008: Germany and Europe - International Manager Assessment" report.

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Sustainable Transportation

Cycling to Downtown Hamilton just got easier

City of Hamilton and Metrolinx open the city's first secure bicycle parking facility

HAMILTON - As part of an ongoing commitment to promote sustainable transportation options in Hamilton, the Public Works Department, together with Metrolinx, officially opened Hamilton's first secure bicycle parking facility today.

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MEDIA

CRTC submits report on the Canadian Television Fund

OTTAWA and GATINEAU, QC - The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) yesterday submitted a report on the Canadian Television Fund (CTF) to the Minister of Canadian Heritage. The report contains 11 recommendations relating to the CTF's mandate and governance structure.

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Interest Rates

C.D. Howe Institute's Monetary Policy Council Calls for Bank of Canada to Maintain its Benchmark Interest Rate Target to 3.00 Percent

TORONTO - The C.D. Howe Institute's Monetary Policy Council (MPC) today recommended that the Bank of Canada keep its target for the key overnight interest rate to 3.00 percent at its next announcement on June 10. The overnight rate is a very short-term money-market rate that the central bank targets for monetary policy purposes.

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Future of Manufacturing

CAW to meet in Detroit with General Motors on future of Oshawa Truck Plant

TORONTO - Canadian Auto Workers union President Buzz Hargrove, along with other union representatives, will meet with General Motors Chairman and CEO Rick Wagoner and other company officials today (Friday, June 6) at the Renaissance Centre in Detroit, Michigan to discuss the future of the Oshawa Truck Plant.

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Public Lecture

Louise Fréchette to speak in Waterloo -CIGI public lecture to explore poverty and inequality

Waterloo – On June 6, residents of Waterloo will have the rare opportunity to hear former UN Deputy Secretary-General Louise Fréchette speak on the topic of poverty and inequality, in a free public lecture at the Centre for International Governance Innovation (CIGI).

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Rents to Go Up

Ontario vacancy rate down, low-income renters face increased rents and stagnant incomes

TORONTO - Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) released their Spring 2008 Rental Market Report yesterday, a national survey of the rental housing market.

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Global Food Management

UN Food Summit Strikes Compromise Over Food Export Control.

"Negotiators at a UN food summit in Rome struck a compromise Wednesday night over the control of food exports, marking an effective agreement on all contentious issues for a declaration to be released at the summit's closing on the following day.

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KidsLink Turns 150

A Community Comes Together to Celebrate 150 Years

ST. AGATHA – When a group of children were asked how many children, youth and families kidsLINK has helped in the past 150 years, they replied, “A gazillion, billion, trillion!”.

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Emerging Markets

AFRICAN BUSINESS READY TO FORGE NEW KINDS OF GLOBAL PARTNERSHIPS

African business leaders are prepared to lead the way to help the region become more competitive and forge new kinds of partnerships

Hope remains that the Doha round of the WTO talks can produce more equitable trade relations between Africa and the rest of the world

Cape Town, South Africa – The private sector is poised to play a growing role to help Africa become more competitive and forge international alliances that extend beyond the customary handouts that have long characterized the region’s relationship with rich countries.

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Travel

Pets on the Go: 5 Tips for Traveling With Your Pet
By Deborah C. Mandell, VMD, DACVECC, Pet Medical Advisor for the American Red Cross

Each year millions of Americans hit the road or hop a plane in search of relaxation, adventure, or just some peaceful time with distant relatives. And many of those travelers opt to bring Fido or Fluffy with them.

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Environment

New law gives Canadians legal right to healthy environment

Cornerstone environmental legislation introduced by environmental groups

Ottawa - Three leading environmental organizations are using the United Nations' World Environment Day to launch the first Canadian Environmental Bill of Rights (CEBR), model legislation that would enshrine in law the right of all Canadians to a healthy environment.

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Education

Engineering V: the digging began

Waterloo - A groundbreaking ceremony for the new $55-million Engineering V building and launch of the faculty of engineering's $120 million fundraising campaign was held yesterday at University of Waterloo.

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New Exhibition

Laurier contributes to 'cool' new exhibit at the Children's Museum

A Celebration of Canada's North: An Arctic Adventure opens this weekend

WATERLOO – Wilfrid Laurier University has contributed to a new exhibit at the Children’s Museum of Waterloo Region, called A Celebration of Canada’s North: an Arctic Adventure. It is an interactive exploration of the science, nature, wildlife and culture of the north.

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Municipal Awards

City of Pickering wins FCM'S premier sustainability award

PICKERING - At a recognition ceremony held at the 71st Annual Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) Conference and Municipal Expo in Quebec City, the City of Pickering took home arguably the most prestigious award, when it was presented with the 2008 FCM-CH2M HILL Sustainable Community Award in Planning.

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Ongoing Committment

Government of Canada Committed to Stronger Science and Technology Sector

OTTAWA - The Honourable Vic Toews, President of the Treasury Board, the Honourable Gary Lunn, Minister of Natural Resources and the Honourable Gerry Ritz, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food and Minister for the Canadian Wheat Board, released the report of the Independent Panel of Experts on Transferring Federal Non-Regulatory Laboratories and signalled the Government of Canada's intention to explore partnering for two government laboratories.

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Festival

First ever Medieval Festival moves into Eastern Ontario June 13 to 15 Massive 10 acre event features amazing array of entertainment

OTTAWA - Step back a thousand years to the majestic and chivalrous middle ages at Upper Canada Village's Medieval Festival, the first event of its kind in Eastern Ontario, running for three days only - Friday to Sunday, June 13 to 15.

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Appointments

COM DEV Announces Appointments of Two Division Presidents Michael Pley named Chief Operating Officer

CAMBRIDGE - COM DEV International Ltd. today announced the appointments of George Cwynar as President of COM DEV Canada and Michael Williams as President of COM DEV International Products.

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Financial Merger

Long Term Financial Service Providers Merge In Waterloo Region

Kitchener - On May 1, 2008, Beynon Wilhelm Stern & Wilson Financial Inc. and Annett Fedy Financial Services Inc. of Sun Life Financial, merged and formed Century Group Financial Solutions Inc. During this merge they relocated offices to the Coldwell Banker building at 508 Riverbend Dr., Suite 102 in Kitchener. and are celebrating a open house later today.

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Philanthropy

Community Economic Development Projects Receive over $170,000 from The Co-operators

GUELPH - Eleven community-based organizations dedicated to helping disadvantaged Canadians build financial independence have received a total of $173,096 in grants from The Co-operators Foundation.

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Science Humour

Nathan Myhrvold: A life of fascinations

"He is gregarious, enthusiastic, and nerdy on an epic scale."
Malcolm Gladwell

TED - Nathan Myhrvold talks about a few of his latest fascinations -- animal photography, archeology, BBQ and generally being an eccentric genius multimillionaire. Listen for wild stories from the (somewhat raunchy) edge of the animal world.

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What You make of It

Buzz Metrics

According to Nielsen Online, buzz about "sustainability" among the total blogosphere spiked in January 2008, up 54 percent from the same time last year, indicated Sandra Parrelli, Marketing Manager Nielsen

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Skills Report

CIOs Reveal Third-Quarter IT Hiring Expectations

Largest Companies Lead in Hiring Optimism, Survey Finds

TORONTO - Eighteen per cent of Canadian chief information officers (CIOs) expect to add information technology (IT) personnel in the third quarter of 2008 and 2 per cent plan staff reductions, according to the latest IT Hiring Index and Skills Report.

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Tourism

Ontario Government Finally Gets Behind Tourism Potential

Ontario - Tourism is a multi-billion dollar global market, and Ontario is mapping a path to ensure the province's tourist industry creates jobs and economic benefits well into the future.


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23.9 Point Drop

TEC Canada Releases Second Quarter 2008 CEO Index Results

CEO Confidence Continues to Plummet; Lowest in Survey History

CALGARY, ALBERTA - Canadian CEOs and business leaders project a worsening in economic conditions as we move through 2008. The second quarter CEO Confidence Index shows a downward slide from the previous quarter and a deep drop, over 24% change, in CEO confidence when compared to one year ago.

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Music - Blues

Tremblant celebrates 15 years of pure Blues

Johnny Winter, Keb'Mo, Los Lobos et Nanette Workman will be performing in Tremblant International Blues Festival from July 4 to 13

MONT-TREMBLANT, QC - The festival is celebrating its 15th birthday with a rich, varied program that will delight fans of pure blues.

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Leave Providers Alone

The Fraser Institute: Imposing Regulations on Internet Service Providers Will Likely Lead to Degraded Service, Says New Study

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA - Calls by proponents of "net neutrality" for greater regulation of Internet Service Providers (ISPs) are unwarranted with additional regulation likely to degrade internet service, concludes a new study released today by independent research organization the Fraser Institute.

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Housing Activity

K-W HOME SALES OUTPACE NATIONAL PROJECTIONS

KITCHENER - Sales of homes in Kitchener-Waterloo continue to retreat from the record pace set in recent years, while continuing to demonstrate embedded strength.

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Biotech

Acton Biotech's genetic test promises to make chemotherapy safer and effective.

Pune, India - "Acton Biotech" is a startup in the biotech space and is the first and only laboratory in India to find out which drug will work on you and which will not.

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Merger - Entry to Ontario

Canada's Seventh Largest Accounting Firm Expands In Ontario

Meyers Norris Penny merges with Toronto firm

CALGARY - Meyers Norris Penny LLP (MNP), a chartered accountancy and business advisory firm serving Canada's mid-market enterprises, has entered Canada's largest economy through a merger with Horwath Orenstein LLP.

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Rentals

National rental vacancy rate edges lower

OTTAWA - The average rental apartment vacancy rate in Canada's 35 major centres(1) decreased slightly to 2.6 per cent in April 2008, from 2.8 per cent in April 2007, according to the spring Rental Market Survey(2) released today by Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC).

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Apartment Rentals

ONTARIO APARTMENT VACANCY RATES DECLINE IN APRIL 2008

Ontario rental apartment vacancy rates decline to 3.1 in April 2008 from 3.9 per cent in April 2007.

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Growing Business

RDM Corporation Announces Contract with Bank Partner Planning Roll-out of Remote Deposit Capture Services

Contract includes both hardware and software products

WATERLOO - RDM Corporation, a leading developer of specialized software and hardware products for electronic payment processing, announced yesterday that a major US bank, ranked in the top 50 based on total assets, has committed to ordering a significant volume of RDM's remote deposit capture products.

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WEEKEND OUTDOOR EVENT

Discover the arts in you and your community Friday, June 6 to Sunday, June 8, 2008

Kitchener – spOtlight: starts this Friday! Discover and celebrate over 100 free activities and events for people of all ages in Cambridge, Guelph, Kitchener, Stratford and Waterloo from Friday, June 6 to Sunday, June 8.

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Space - Within Our Reach

Canada Lagging Behind G8 In Space Capabilities

CAW and Rideau Institute Report Details Key Federal Investment Opportunities

OTTAWA - The Canadian Auto Workers union and the Rideau Institute released a report yesterday that outlined key investments for Canada to rebuild its lagging space capabilities.

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Letter to the Editor

dear editor

i have just read your article on the exchange morning post website on scott jeffrey's new book "creativity revealed".

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Building permits

The total value of building permits was up strongly in April as construction intentions rose in all provinces and in both the residential and non-residential sectors.

Statscan - Contractors took out $6.4 billion worth of permits in April, up 14.5% from March and the highest level since October 2007.

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Grand Opening

Cambridge City Hall Officially Opens and Environment Minister Joins Local Dignitaries

Cambridge - Cambridge City Hall will officially open with a VIP ceremony on Thursday, June 5th at 6:30pm, by invitation only.

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Hybrid Research

UOIT professor to advance research in hybrid vehicles with a major grant from AUTO21

Dr. Greg Rohrauer to head five-person research team

OSHAWA, Ont. – The University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT) has been recognized as a leader in the area of automotive engineering with today’s announcement of a $291,000 grant for an innovative hybrid electric vehicle research project.

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Transportation - Climate Change

Coca-Cola Bottling Company deploys Canada's largest hybrid trucks in Toronto

TORONTO - Coca-Cola Bottling Company announced today that it will introduce 10 heavy-duty hybrid-electric delivery trucks to its fleet in Toronto, ON. The largest hybrid-electric delivery vehicles in North America, the model GVW 33000 trucks, improve fuel consumption by 37 per cent, reduce emissions by 32 per cent and create less noise and emissions when stopped in traffic.

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Global Worlds

LEADERS HAIL PROGRESS AS WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM ON AFRICA OPENS

Africa has made significant economic, political and social progress in recent years
The continent continues to face major challenges but also enjoys enormous opportunities
Only Africans can find lasting solutions to these challenges

Cape Town, South Africa – At the opening plenary session of the 18th World Economic Forum on Africa, five African government leaders welcomed the progress that their countries have made in recent years but also highlighted the challenges faced by the continent, notably food security, the management of resources, political development and sustainable growth. “Africa is evolving very well in the correct direction,” said Thabo Mbeki, the President of South Africa.

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Award Recognition

Print Three Franchising Corporation wins 2008 Gold Frankie Award for Direct Marketing

TORONTO - Print Three Franchising Corporation ("PTFC") received the 2008 Gold Frankie Award in the category of Direct Marketing. A Frankie is a prestigious award presented annually by the Canadian Franchise Association (CFA) for the best creative work in Canadian franchising.

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Re-Appointment

UW David Johnston reappointed President and Vice Chancellor to June 2011 - will continues to move UW Forward

Waterloo/Cambridge - David Johnston, UW’s president since 1999, is to serve two additional years, taking his term through to June 30, 2011, officials announced June 3, after the university’s Senate and Board of Governors gave approval.

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itunes Movies

Apple Premieres Movies on the iTunes Store in Canada

CUPERTINO, California — Apple® yesterday announced that movies from major film studios including 20th Century Fox, The Walt Disney Studios, Paramount Pictures, Warner Bros.

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Expanding by Aquisition

Deere Acquires Plastro to Become Third Largest Worldwide in Agricultural Irrigation

MOLINE, IL - Deere & Company said today that it has completed the acquisition of Plastro Irrigation Systems, Ltd., headquartered in Israel, to add significant momentum to the growth of John Deere Water Technologies. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

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US Consumer Confidence

Consumer Confidence Continues its Slump as Financial Worries Mount, According to RBC CASH Index

Consumer Confidence Drops Across the Board Reaching New Low

NEW YORK - U.S. consumer confidence eroded this month as Americans' worries over every facet of their financial situation mounted, according to the most recent results of the RBC CASH (Consumer Attitudes and Spending by Household) Index. Economic attitudes soured across the board, with consumers viewing the current economy negatively and displaying deep pessimism about the future.

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Air Quality

9th ANNUAL SMOG SUMMIT CONVENES TODAY TAKING ACTION ON CLEAN AIR AND CLIMATE CHANGE

Toronto - The 9th Annual Smog Summit is being held at Toronto City Hall Council Chambers on June 4th, 2008, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. The Summit concludes with the signing of the 2008 Toronto and Region Intergovernmental Declaration on Clean Air which outlines the workplan and targets for the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) Clean Air Council.

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Union Demands

CAW Demands GM Retain Shift at Oshawa Truck Plant

TORONTO - The CAW is demanding that GM retain at least one shift at its Oshawa truck assembly plant, following the shocking announcement yesterday morning that GM wants to cease production at that facility after the third quarter of 2009.

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Architectural services

Architectural services and landscape architectural services firms generated combined operating revenues of $2.6 billion in 2006.

An increase of 15% from the previous year.

Statscan - Of the aggregate operating revenues, businesses classified to the architectural services industry generated $2.4 billion dollars, with the remainder coming from firms in the landscape architectural services industry.

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Research Funding

Canada Boosts Auto Research Funding: New Technology to Help Auto Industry Meet Consumer Demands

LONDON - The Honourable Jim Prentice, Minister of Industry, announced funding for 54 Canadian research projects that are exploring a wide range of advanced technologies to make future automobiles more efficient, safe and environmentally friendly.

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Tourism

Ontario Government Making Summer Fun More Affordable For Families

TORONTO - The Ontario government is providing more than 1.4 million elementary school children with a 2008 Fun Pass this month.

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Resource Management

Forest Products Industry Welcomes Unanimous Committee Report

-- Provides Government with Initiatives for Immediate Action--

OTTAWA - The Forest Products Association of Canada (FPAC) today welcomed the House of Commons Standing Committee on Natural Resources' report and urged the government to take immediate action to implement the Report's key recommendations.

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Multiculturalism

Multicultural Markets: A Path to Growth in the U.S.

Fortune 1000 Companies Present Conclusive Evidence of their Successes at the 5th Annual Multicultural Marketing Summit

Miami, FL — As the US enters an economic recession, it is crucial for business leaders to discover new growth opportunities by expanding beyond their established markets.

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Education

UW students earn graduate scholarships worth $4.5 million

WATERLOO - The University of Waterloo is once again among the top three universities to receive scholarships from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC).

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WLU 2008 Convocation

Laurier to graduate nearly 2,200 students at spring convocation

University Chancellor John A. Pollock to be installed June 4 at 1 p.m.

WATERLOO — Nearly 2,200 students will officially graduate from Wilfrid Laurier University during seven convocation ceremonies June 4 to 11, including the university’s first graduates from its Faculty of Education.

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Leadership in Sustainability

City of Kitchener receives national award for its participation in The Intowns redevelopment project

KITCHENER - Playing a part in the transformation of an industrial wasteland into an invigorated live-work residential community earned the city first place in the residential development category of the 71st annual Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) Conference and Municipal Expo and the CH2M Hill Sustainable Community Awards ceremony, held Saturday night in Qubec City, Que.

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Really Really Big Pension Fund

Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan Board invests in Railpower Technologies Corp.

TORONTO - Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan Board ("OTPPB") announced that as previously disclosed by Railpower Technology Corp, it has subscribed for an additional convertible debenture in the principal amount of $20,000,000 to be offered by way of a private placement (the "Debenture") by Railpower Technologies Corp.

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Canadian Trends

2006 Census: Changing patterns in Canadian homeownership and shelter costs

In 2006, Canada's homeownership rate reached its highest level since 1971, according to a new detailed analysis of data on housing, homeownership and shelter costs from the 2006 Census.

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Still Profitable

CANADA’S AUTO INDUSTRY EKES OUT SMALL PROFITS IN 2008

Ottawa, June 3, 2008 — Despite today’s announcement by General Motors about layoffs next year, and an industry-wide drop in production this year, continued efforts to reduce costs will allow Canada’s car manufacturers to post a small profit of $155 million in 2008, according to the Conference Board’s Canadian Industrial Outlook: Canada’s Motor Vehicle Manufacturing Industry – Spring 2008.

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Marketing

Research In Motion's Mike Lazaridis to receive honorary doctorate from Université Laval

QUEBEC CITY - Mike Lazaridis, founder, president, and co-CEO of Research In Motion (RIM), will receive an honorary doctorate from Université Laval on Sunday, June 8. Mike Lazaridis is known in the global wireless community as a visionary, innovator, and engineer of remarkable talent.

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Engineering Services industry

The engineering services industry recorded operating revenues of $15.4 billion in 2006, up 11.4% from the previous year.

The operating profit margin was 11.7%.

Statscan - Operating revenue growth rates in Western Canada outpaced those of the central provinces. Industry operating revenues in Ontario and Quebec grew by 6% and 7% respectively, compared with 19% in Alberta and 21% in British Columbia.

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Public Health

OVC Awarded Million-Dollar Public Health Chair

The University of Guelph is poised to play a greater role in public health thanks to a prestigious research chair worth nearly $1 million awarded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR).

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Transportation Cost

CFIB issues open letter on fuel costs: Small business calls for tax relief and assurances of no new taxes on fuel

Ottawa – Canadian small firms are being hit hard by rising fuel prices and are calling on governments to provide tax relief and assurances that they will not introduce additional taxes, such as a carbon tax.

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Book Review

Expert explores the roots of creativity and innovation in the workplace

“It’s not pure brain power. Genius creativity results from freeing your mind to wander,” says Scott Jeffrey, author of the new book Creativity Revealed. “So relax, take a shower, brainstorm while exercising, or write madly on a napkin. Whatever turns you on -– do it -- enjoy your mind. ”

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Womens Shelter Lock Out to Continue

Company refuses third-party arbitration as lock out continues for women's shelter workers

Who is the company? - City, the Region, the Province, Private Board

KITCHENER-WATERLOO - The 11-day lock out of nearly 50 support workers at Women's Crisis Services of Waterloo Region (formerly known as Anselma House in Kitchener and Haven House in Cambridge) will continue as negotiations between the company and CAW broke down yesterday evening.

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Trade Delegation

CANADA'S TELECOM INDUSTRY WELCOMES ISRAELI TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATORS

Israeli Technology Leaders Set Sites on Expansion into Canada

TORONTO, CANADA - The Office of the Government of Israel Economic Mission to Canada today announced that a delegation of eight of Israel's leading technology companies will be visiting Toronto from June 15-20.

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Quarterly Results

MKS Announces Fourth Quarter and Fiscal 2008 Financial Results

Total revenue increased 67% to $21.2 million from $12.6 million

Waterloo, ON – MKS Inc. announced its financial results yesterday for the fourth quarter and fiscal year ended April 30, 2008. All amounts are reported in US dollars under United States Generally Accepted Accounting Principles.

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Do not Lay Off

CFOs Report on Financial Hiring Plans for Third Quarter

New Survey Suggests Majority of CFOs Will Maintain Current Staff Levels.
Eighty-three per cent of chief financial officers (CFOs) interviewed said they would neither increase nor decrease the size of their teams.

TORONTO - Canadian executives interviewed recently for the Financial Hiring Index said that, for the most part, staff levels in their accounting and finance departments will remain unchanged in the third quarter.

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Advertising

Use Your Advertising Dollars to Reach the Female Demographic
By Peter Koeppel

The facts are amazing: Even though women still earn less money than their male counterparts (78 cents for every dollar a man gets), women make more than 80 percent of the buying decision in all homes.

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Global Business

TOP CEOs TO MEET WITH DMITRY MEDVEDEV AT RUSSIA ROUNDTABLE

80 CEOs, members of the World Economic Forum to meet with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev

Geneva, Switzerland – The World Economic Forum will hold an exclusive Russia CEO Roundtable in St. Petersburg, Russia organized in cooperation with the XII St. Petersburg International Economic Summit (SPIEF) on 6-8 June 2008.

Clear Disclosure Always a Priority for Banks

TORONTO - The Canadian Bankers Association (CBA) welcomed the release of the improved disclosure regulations for Principal Protected Notes (PPNs) announced by Federal Finance Minister Jim Flaherty on June 2, 2008.


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Energy

Ontario Power Generation Kicks Off Phase 2 Biomass Testing at Nanticoke Generating Station

NANTICOKE - Today Ontario Power Generation (OPG) launched Phase 2 of its biomass testing at Nanticoke Generating Station.

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Fraud

CRA: $3.2 Million Fine for Grimsby GST Fraudster

ST. CATHARINES - Peter A. Eickmeier, of Grimsby, was sentenced to three years in prison and was fined $3,289,113 in the Superior Court of Justice in St. Catharines today. On April 14, 2008, Eickmeier, a disbarred lawyer, pleaded guilty to one count of defrauding the public of money.

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Food Bank Drive

Schenker Launches Cross-Canada Food Drive

Supply Chain and Logistics Services Provider to Work with Customers and Suppliers to Help Fill Food Bank Collection Bins Across Canada

Schenker of Canada Ltd. is embarking on the largest ever Cross-Canada Food Drive Campaign in the company history. Working with food banks across the country, the company is launching this nationwide Food Drive on June 16 and will be collecting food donations until July 4.

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Profit 100

Macadamian Technologies' Stunning Growth Places it on the NEXT 100, Part of PROFIT's 20th Annual Ranking of Canada's Fastest-Growing Companies

OTTAWA - PROFIT: Your Guide to Business Success, has named Macadamian Technologies Inc. to the NEXT 100, part of its 20th annual ranking of Canada's Fastest-Growing Companies.

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Entrepreneurship

Wilfrid Laurier University statement regarding entrepreneurship award given to MBA student

Waterloo Recent news stories have highlighted a decision by Wilfrid Laurier University to award an entrepreneurship prize to an MBA student who is facing allegations involving a terrorist organization in Sri Lanka.

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BlackBerry Sprouts Another Root

du, Alcatel-Lucent and RIM launch the BlackBerry solution in the United Arab Emirates

Dubai UAE, Paris, France and Waterloo, ON — du, Alcatel-Lucent and Research In Motion (RIM) announced that the launch of the BlackBerry® solution in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
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Marketing

Yes to creative accountants, no to creative accounting

MONTREAL - This week, the certified management accountants (CMA) launched a brand new media campaign whose theme is "creative accountants."

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Human Resources

Help Wanted: 250,000 Skilled Trades Workers

Canada's Construction Sector Pushed to the Limit

MISSISSAUGA - Rising commodity prices, and major new infrastructure projects are stretching the Canadian construction industry to the limits of the national workforce, said George Gritziotis, Executive Director of the Construction Sector Council.

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Executive Travle Trends

Business Travelers Find Ways to Manage Work-Life Balance

Expedia Corporate Travel survey shows business travelers use creative strategies to keep travel from disrupting their lives

BELLEVUE, Wash. - Expedia(R) Corporate Travel announced the results of a survey of more than 1,100 U.S.-based business travelers conducted to better understand how they maintain and manage work-life balance while traveling for business.

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Virtual Infrastructure

Virtualization Day comes to Waterloo Region

WATERLOO REGION — Communitech and the the Southwestern Ontario VMware User Group will bring Virtualization Day to Waterloo Region on Tuesday June 17, 2008. The full-day event at Bingemans Conference Centre offers tech professionals the opportunity to discuss building, extending, and managing virtual infrastructure.

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Censorship in South Africa

OFFICIAL STATEMENT FROM THE WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM

Cape Town, South Africa – The World Economic Forum is about to convene in Cape Town, South Africa, for its 18th meeting on Africa (4-6 June). During the meeting, Zimbabwe will be among the critical themes to be addressed by the leaders participating in the event at this crucial time for Zimbabwe.

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Appointment

Former Governor of the Bank of Canada joins Ontario Economic Summit in leadership role

TORONTO - David Dodge, former Governor of the Bank of Canada, has joined the Ontario Economic Summit as one of two Co-Chairs for the 5th annual summit which will be held September 30th - October 2nd, 2008 in Niagara-on-the-Lake.
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Independent Retailer

Retail Council of Canada Launches Independent Retailer Project

Thousands of small retailers to benefit from industry research

TORONTO - The Honourable Diane Ablonczy, Secretary of State (Small Business and Tourism), will officially launch Independent Retail: A Changing Landscape at STORE 2008 - Canada's Retail Conference.

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Profit 100 - Recognition

Mississauga-based staffing innovators gain national recognition

MISSISSAUGA - Waterford Staffing Group Inc. is pleased to announce that it has been named to the 20th annual PROFIT 100 Ranking of Canada's "Fastest-Growing Companies" by PROFIT Magazine.

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Global Food Shortage

Rich Countries Must Increase Food Aid Tenfold: UN Agriculture Chief.

"Rich countries must dramatically ramp up their aid for agricultural development to curb rising food prices, the UN's top agricultural official said in an interview published Monday.

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Profit 100 Recognition

EXPLOSIVE GROWTH LANDS CAMBRIDGE BUSINESS ON PROFIT 100 LIST FOR SECOND CONSECUTIVE YEAR

Cambridge – Global Purchasing Services Inc. has been named in the 20th annual PROFIT 100 ranking of Canada’s Fastest-Growing Companies. Ranking Canada’s Fastest-Growing Companies by five-year revenue growth, the PROFIT 100 profiles the country’s most successful growth companies.

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2008/09 Enrollment

Expecting another September crowd

Waterloo - First-year enrolment will be above the target in nearly all parts of the university this September, says a series of reports from the associate registrar for admissions, Nancy Weiner.

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Human Sexuality

Conference Explores Impact of Globalization, Technology on Sexuality

Guelph - The Guelph Sexuality Conference, Canada's largest and longest-running sexual health forum, is celebrating its 30th anniversary.


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Retailers

Survey shows Canadian retailers are taking necessary actions to combat theft: Retail Council of Canada, PricewaterhouseCoopers

Toronto – With the growth of retail organized crime in the Canadian marketplace, the types of security measures being employed by retailers is also growing according to a new survey of medium and large retailers from PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) and Retail Council of Canada.


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Assistive Aids

Participation and Activity Limitation Survey: Assistive aids and devices for adults 2006

Roughly 6 out of every 10 Canadian adults aged 15 and over with disabilities used or needed technical aids or specialized equipment to help them perform one or more daily activities in 2006.

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Farm Product Price Index

Prices farmers received for their commodities rose 9.8% in March 2008 from the same month a year earlier, as significant gains in crop prices offset declines in livestock prices.

Prices that producers received for crops continued their double-digit increases, up 35.4% in March 2008 compared with March 2007. According to the Farm Product Price Index (FPPI), farmers received higher prices for all crops except fruit and vegetables.

Science and technology (S&T) spending on biotechnology was up 1.8% in 2006/2007 to $880 million, accounting for 9% of total federal S&T expenditures of $9.7 billion.

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Education

UOIT to honour over 800 next-generation professionals at convocation ceremonies

Celebration to include the presentation of honorary Doctor of Laws degrees to Bill Lishman and Dr. Avis Glaze

OSHAWA, Ont. – Faculty and staff of the University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT) will join graduates’ families and friends and community members on June 6 as the university confers Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees upon more than 800 graduates during its convocation ceremonies.

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Science and Life

Craig Venter: On the verge of creating synthetic life

TED TALKS - "Can we create new life out of our digital universe?" Craig Venter asks. His answer is "yes" -- and pretty soon. He walks through his latest research and promises that we’ll soon be able to build and boot up a synthetic chromosome.

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Problem with Best Practices

CUPE to McGuinty and Charest: Don't copy other provinces' mistakes

OTTAWA - On the eve of the first-ever joint cabinet meeting between the Ontario and Quebec provincial governments, the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) urges leaders to consider the potential consequences of risks being taken by their western counterparts with inter-provincial trade agreements before pursuing any similarly dangerous path of their own.

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Biotech

Inimex Raises US $22 Million in the Fight Against Antibiotic Resistance

VANCOUVER, BC – Inimex Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is pleased to announce the closing of a US $22 Million Series B venture financing.

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Shipping

Canada's 25 per cent duty preventing shipping industry from investing in further environmental improvements

Urgent call from industry to help improve infrastructure through fleet renewal

OTTAWA - The Canadian Shipowners Association today called on the Government of Canada to eliminate the punitive and unnecessary 25 per cent duty on new ships purchased abroad, stating the tax is impacting environmental improvements and the competitiveness of the Canadian industry.

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Investment

NASDAQ is the First U.S. Stock Exchange to Facilitate Free, Universal Access to Real-time Stock Data

CNBC, Google, The Wall Street Journal Digital Network, Xignite to Deliver New Service

NEW YORK - The NASDAQ OMX Group, Inc. announced today that The NASDAQ Stock Market has launched a new service that places free real-time market data in the hands of millions of individual investors.

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Education

Study: Sources of growth in degree holders across urban and rural Canada 1996 to 2001

University degree holders in large cities are more prevalent and are growing at a more rapid pace than in smaller cities and rural areas, a new research paper has found.

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Manufacturing

Hargrove Blasts Federal Government Inaction on Manufacturing Job Loss

TORONTO - Canadian workers are growing increasingly frustrated with the federal government's inaction to protect domestic industries, said CAW President Buzz Hargrove on May 30, in reaction to Ford's announcement of a multi-billion investment in Mexico.

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Fraud Detection

ECtel and Amdocs Join Forces to Provide Best-in-Class Fraud Detection and Prevention Solution

ROSH HA'AYIN, Israel - ECtel Ltd. announced today that it has joined forces with Amdocs, the leading provider of customer experience systems, for the delivery of a state of the art fraud detection and prevention solution, based on ECtel's leading fraud prevention product - FraudView®, and Amdocs system integration services.

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Immigration

More Job Programs for Waterloo Region Newcomers

Ontario Government Helping Newcomers Get Work

Skilled newcomers in Waterloo region will get opportunities to land jobs that match their qualifications and experience due to the expansion of a provincial program. The McGuinty government is investing $1,447,677 in three bridge training programs in Waterloo region.

Redevelopment

Plans for the Lang Tanning Building Redevelopment

Representatives from Cadan Inc. – the Toronto development company that purchased the former Lang Tanning building recently unveiled its vision for the historic property located in the heart of downtown Kitchener.

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Residential construction investment

The total value of residential construction investment reached $19.8 billion in the first quarter of 2008, an increase of 7.5% compared with the first quarter of 2007.

Increases seen in most provinces and for the three components of residential construction (new housing construction, renovations and acquisition costs) explained this quarterly increase.

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World News

Ecosystem Damage Costs Trillions Per Year: Study.

“Environmental damage and species loss costs $2.1 to $4.8 trillion every year, according to a report released Thursday at a major UN conference on biodiversity. The study, commissioned by the European Union (EU) and the German government, is the biggest assessment ever made of the economic impact of ecological damage.

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Energy

Clean-up of Nuclear Site Underway: New Waste Analysis Facility Opens at Chalk River

CHALK RIVER – The Honourable Gary Lunn, Minister of Natural Resources, on May 30 2008, officially opened the new Waste Analysis Facility (WAF) at the Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL) Chalk River nuclear site.