April 2015 Newsletter

Inside this issue:
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Local Event
Local Event
Celebrate Canadian Film
with Mini
2 in
Inside
Story Film Festival
Elgin Pg01
Celebrate Canadian Film with a Mini Film Festival in Elgin
Business Resource
Loans for Elgin County
Businesses Pg02
Inside Story
2
Business Resource
Succession and Estate
Planning Workshop Pg03
Celebrate Canadian Film Day with a
FREE mini film festival at several
locations across the County between
April 30 and May 2. For more
information visit www.stelip.ca.
Business Profile
PropertyGuys.com
2
Inside
Story
Franchise Opens in Elgin St. Thomas Pg04
Local Event
The Road to Culloden
Comes
to the Backus-Page
3
Inside
Story
House Museum Pg05
Alan Smith
General Manager,
Economic Development
(519) 631-1460 Ext. 133
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Inside Story
Business Development
Coordinator
(519) 631-1460 Ext. 137
Katherine
6
Inside
Story Thompson
Marketing & Communications
Coordinator
(519) 631-1460 Ext. 180
Thursday April 30
6:00 p.m. Aylmer Library - Breakaway
6:00 p.m. Dutton Library - Breakaway
6:00 p.m. St. Thomas Public Library
- Sabah
6:30 p.m. Northside Neighbourhood
Hub - Breakaway
Friday May 1
11:30 a.m. Northside Neighbourhood
Hub - Stories We Tell
6:00 p.m. St. Thomas Public Library Stories We Tell
6:30 p.m. Talbot Teen Centre - Prom
Night in Mississippi
Community Resource
International Plowing
Match Legacy Scholarship
4
Inside
Pg06 Story
Kate Burns Gallagher
Call 226-456-7881 or e-mail
festrela.stelip@gmail.com to reserve
seating.
April 29, Opening Night
The Snow Walker
Reception 5:30 p.m./ Movie 6:30 p.m.
Port Stanley Theatre
Saturday May 2
2:00 p.m. St. Thomas Public Library
- Breakaway
Lindsey Duncan
Tourism Services Coordinator
(519) 631-1460 Ext. 164
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Business Resource
Loans for Elgin County Businesses
Are you a small business owner or an
entrepreneur looking for funding? The Elgin
Business Resource Centre (EBRC) may be able
to provide you with the funding you need to get
your idea off the ground or make valuable
improvements to your existing operation. As
Elgin County’s Community Futures
Development Corporation, The EBRC is able to
provide qualified entrepreneurs, established
businesses and co-operatives with business
loans of up to $250,000 and micro loans of up to
$ 5,000. These loans must be used to directly
affect the growth of the business. New projects,
working capital and equipment purchases are
eligible but mortgages are not.
With its funds and mandate coming from the
Federal Economic Development Agency of
Canada (FedDev), the EBRC is able to consider
higher risk loans to businesses that traditional
lenders may not. In order to be eligible for an
EBRC loan, applicants must have first
approached and been denied by, two traditional
lending institutions. The goal of the EBRC is to
help new businesses with great plans but no
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proven track record go from high risk start-ups
to bankable. The EBRC is interested in the story
of the business or business idea. How will it
benefit Elgin County and St. Thomas? Will it
create jobs? Is the idea original and will it add
diversity to the local economy?
Although the EBRC’s lending criteria are less
risk adverse than traditional lenders, it still
undertakes an in-depth analysis of each loan
applicant based on the 5 C’s of Credit:
Credit Worthiness – the EBRC will review the
applicant’s credit score to determine history of
borrowing and credit management including
amount of debt, payment history and timeliness
of payments.
Capacity – What income does the applicant
have available to repay the loan as it becomes
due? Will the business generate income in
excess of its expenses?
Collateral – What will the applicant liquidate
(sell) in order to pay the loan if the business fails
to make payments?
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Capital – What resources has the applicant
invested in the business? Traditional lenders will
not consider any applicants who have invested
less that 35% of the value of the loan; however,
the EBRC will consider as little as 10% invested.
consultation with a knowledgeable staff member
at one of the EBRC’s three office locations
(Aylmer, Dutton and St. Thomas) call
(519) 633-7597 or visit
www.elginbusinessresourcecentre.com.
Capabilities – The best way to evaluate the
applicant’s capability is to review his/her business
plan. What are the qualifications of the owner?
Who are his/her professional advisors? What
plans exist for marketing, operating, and
financing the business?
If a business owner or aspiring entrepreneur is
able to meet these criteria, he/she may be
eligible to receive funding. For more detailed
information about the loans process or to book a
Business Resource
Succession and Estate Planning Workshop
One of the most challenging aspects of running a small business is planning for retirement. The
Elgin Business Resource Centre will be hosting a FREE workshop “Starting Out - Think About How
You Are Going to Get Out - Succession Planning/Estate Planning” at their Dutton Office on May 14,
2015. Come out and get advice from guest speaker Betty Hansen of Crossroads Planning Group
Inc.
What : Succession/ Estate Planning Workshop
When: May 14, 2015 5:30 p.m.- 7:00 p.m.
Where: 199 Currie Rd., Dutton - Council Chambers
Cost: FREE
To register for this event please visit: http://www.elginbusinessresourcecentre.com/event/estateplanning-2/
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Business Profile
PropertyGuys.com Franchise Opens in Elgin - St. Thomas
Steve and Linda Hart have opened the first
PropertyGuys.com franchise in Elgin – St.
Thomas.
truly a family affair for the Harts who intend to
bring their youngest son Michael into the
business once he has completed his Marketing
PropertyGuys.com is a network of people in over degree at Brock University in 2016.
600 communities across Canada that provide
For more information about PropertyGuys.com
home owners with a practical way to sell their
or to consult Steve and Linda about selling your
own home without any of the risks associated
home call (519) 639-7655 or visit
with selling privately. Sellers can avoid the high www.propertyguys.com.
cost of commission usually associated with
selling a home, while accessing the services of a
local team of seasoned professionals including
lawyers to help with negotiations, price
appraisers, 24/7 Customer Care and listings on
the major real estate websites including
Realtor.ca and PropertyGuys.com. Realtor.ca is
the biggest of course, but PropertyGuys.com
attracts over 14 million “hits” a month.
The Harts each have over 30 years of
experience in corporate sales and decided that
they wanted a change – an opportunity to
interact directly with individuals and really serve
the community.
“Linda and I both share the old school ethic on
customer service,” said Steve. “Customers
should be shown courtesy, served responsively
and respectfully, and be treated with the utmost
care and attention”.
After their eldest son and son-in-law purchased
the Newmarket franchise, the Harts investigated
the company and decided that it was the perfect
opportunity for them to fulfill their dream of
working together while providing a viable, money
saving alternative to the traditional way that
people sell their homes. PropertyGuys.com is
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Local Event
The Road to Culloden Comes to the Backus - Page House Museum
This May journey back in time to 1745 and
witness ‘Bonnie Prince Charlie’ and his loyal
Jacobite supporters march across Britain to
reclaim the throne for the House of Stuart.
This first ever Scottish living history event at the
Backus-Page House Museum will be held on
May 16 and 17 and will feature historical
re-enactors from across Ontario and the United
States. Traditionally held at a location in the
United States, the organizers of this
re-enactment group were looking for a Canadian
location. The Backus-Page House Museum is
regularly used for re-enactments and historical
demonstrations and links between the War of
1812 re-enactment community and the Jacobite
re-enactors led to the location being selected for
this year’s event.
folk alike. They will also have the opportunity to
walk through historically accurate Jacobite
camps, listen to traditional singers, storytellers
and bagpipe music, and witness sword and
musket demonstrations. The Backus-Page
House Museum will provide food for purchase
throughout the two-day event.
The group will re-enact minor skirmishes leading
up to the Battle of Culloden in 1746, when
Charles Edward Stuart, also known as ‘Bonnie
Prince Charlie’ attempted to regain the British
throne for the exiled House of Stuart with the
support of Scottish Highland clans, Scottish
nobles and French noblemen. Attendees will
have the opportunity to interact with Highland
warriors, British redcoats, nobles and common
The Road To Culloden
A Two-Day Scottish Living History Weekend
Backus-Page House Museum, 29424 Lakeview Line, Wallacetown
May 16 & 17, 2015
10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Age 13+ $6.00 Age 12 and under FREE
(519) 762-3072
www.backuspagehouse.ca
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Are you a resident of Elgin County or St. Thomas and studying at a
post-secondary institution in Canada in a discipline related to
agriculture?
You may be eligible for the International Plowing Match Legacy
Scholarship!
FOR MORE INFORMATION AND HOW TO APPLY
Call (519) 631-1460 ext. 180
Or visit
www.elgincounty.ca/ipmscholarship
Deadline to Apply May 15th
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