New Small Business Health and Safety Leadership Awards

We know that many small business owners work hard to keep the people who work for them healthy and safe. We are shining a light on small business leaders who make their workplaces healthier and safer – and who can inspire their peers by example. Our Small Business Health and Safety Leadership Awards recognize outstanding health and safety programs in small businesses with fewer than 50 employees.

Nominate your own business or one in your community or association. Tell us about your health and safety practices, how you do inspections, deal with hazards and support employees to return to work.

The top three businesses will receive a cash prize – $5,000 (gold), $3,000 (silver), $2,000 (bronze) – and be recognized at the WSIB Annual General Meeting. The first place winner will also be featured in a promotional video.

Deadline has been extended to June 22nd! To download the Nomination Form click here.
To learn more visit the webpage Small Biz Health & Safety Leadership Award which includes all the details.

For more information:
Email: smallbizsafety@wsib.on.ca
Phone: 416-344-4046

 

/0 Comments/by
, ,

‘Supercluster’ to benefit Grey-Bruce – Owen Sound Sun Times

The Bluewater Wood Alliance is part of the “Next Generation Manufacturing Supercluster,” with automotive, aerospace, IT, robotics and other major sectors. Click here to read the article in the Owen Sound Sun Times – March 8th, 2018.

http://www.owensoundsuntimes.com/2018/03/08/supercluster-benefits-for-grey-bruce

/0 Comments/by
, ,

BWA Proud Partner with Next Generation Manufacturing Supercluster!

After six months of working with various industry sector leaders, academia, and other partners, the Bluewater Wood Alliance is representing the value-added wood products sector in the biggest manufacturing supercluster in Canada!

Navdeep Bains, Canada’s Minister for Innovation, Science and Economic Development, announced Thursday that the Next Generation Manufacturing Supercluster was one of the successful bids.

What this means for our wood products manufacturing industry, is that we are at the table with other big industries in Canada like automotive, aerospace, IT, robotics, and other major sectors. Our profile is now raised higher, along with the importance of our wood products manufacturing industry to the economy! The BWA is very excited to be appointed to their board of Directors!

There are three pillars to the Advanced Manufacturing Supercluster strategy:

  • co-invest in collaborative, industry-led projects in things like vision systems, AI, IoT, data security, robotics, advanced materials, and additive manufacturing
  • support the creation of new tools, testbeds, and infrastructure to help create the next generation of manufacturing firms
  • build out a robust ecosystem of supports and services that accelerate technology adoption in manufacturing i.e. technology readiness assessments, training and skills development, and go-to-market support

As the first and only Porterian cluster in North America for the wood industry, the already established BWA cluster was an important element of the Supercluster bid. BWA member wood companies can participate in, and benefit from, projects and initiatives created from the collective momentum that the BWA cluster delivers. Governments like to work with clusters because they can help multiple companies all at once. The BWA project within the Supercluster is going to bring funding for investment in game-changing technologies to BWA members. The details are currently being worked out while a contribution agreement with the federal government is negotiated. More concrete details will be confirmed when this is completed.

Joining an industry cluster like the BWA brings you to the table for many opportunities, such as the Next Generation Manufacturing Supercluster project, that single small and medium-sized companies would not have access to on their own.

See these links for more details on the Next Generation Manufacturing Canada Supercluster:

http://www.ngmcanada.com/about.html

http://www.ngmcanada.com/news.html

Stay tuned for more details as the project unfolds!

/0 Comments/by
,

Export Survey

Have you had a chance to take our Exporting Survey. Just click on the link below to fill out our quick Exporting Survey.

There are opportunities for our members to explore new markets and we are here to help. By taking this short survey you will help us better understand our members interest in exporting. Even if you are 100% not interested in exporting, tell us! Let us know why! https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/B9JWLR6

/0 Comments/by
,

Wish you the very best over the holidays.

Seasons greeting everyone!

The Bluewater Wood Alliance and the board of directors would like to extend best wishes of the season to all of our members, future members, government partners, and community stakeholders!

As the year ends, we reflect on all of our accomplishments, and all of the
good things to be thankful for in our success in helping the value-added
wood industry in Canada!

We look forward to even bigger and better things in 2018!

We will be sending out a reflection on the year next week,
meanwhile, a sincere Merry Christmas to you and your loved ones!

Mike Baker
Executive Director

/0 Comments/by

Indiawood Trade Show – 2018

Hello All,

As you are aware there is a wood based trade show that takes place in India each year. The upcoming 2018 “India Wood” Trade Show will take place in Bangalore between March 8 -12, 2018. More details on the show are on the following website – http://www.indiawood.com/index.php.

I am sending out this mail to ascertain if your organization would be interested in participating in the trade show and would like to possibly take some booth space / kiosk space within the Canadian pavilion, some of you have been past exhibitors at the show. Should your company be looking to participate we request a tentative confirmation that will help ascertain how much space is needed.

There is also a mission component that is organized by the Forestry Innovation and Investment in BC at the fringes of the show to meet with large industry players, manufacturers of doors and furniture, builders and developers.

We do understand that this is fairly ahead of time however your prompt response is much appreciated. The cost of the exhibit space to the Ontario companies would be very nominal. More details will follow once I receive the confirmation.

Please do hesitate to reach out to me should you have any questions.

Thanks,
Indrajit

INDRAJIT MAJUMDAR, PhD
Export Marketing Specialist
Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry
TEL: 705.945.6623 | FAX: 705.945.6796 | Indrajit.Majumdar@Ontario.ca
BB : +1-705.255.2021

/0 Comments/by

SMART Green Program

In the Fall 2016, CME in partnership with Government of Ontario launched a new $25 million SMART Green fund that will assist small- and medium-sized manufacturers reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) and improve their energy efficiency.

SMART Green Program Overview

The SMART Green Program is open to small- and medium-sized manufacturers throughout Ontario and provides assistance in the form of non-repayable grants of 50% of eligible costs up to $500,000. The program will improve the competitiveness of the Ontario manufacturing supply chain by not only delivering value to the SME-eligible manufacturers, but also by contributing to Ontario’s 2020 targets for GHG emissions reduction.

The purpose of this Program is to support investments in technology and process improvements by manufacturers which result in GHG emissions intensity reductions and/or avoidance through upgrades to process/production equipment, deliver energy efficiency, and lead to productivity improvements, which in turn lead to lower GHG emissions on per-production-unit basis; more specifically, where improvements will include new process and/or production equipment installation and associated costs to an existing facility.

For more information visit https://cmeweb.crm.eperformanceinc.com/smartgreen/


Feel free to contact Steve Smith to discuss this program further. 

Steve Smith, MBA
Senior Business Advisor
Ontario Investment Office

Ministry of Economic Development and Growth | Ministère du Développement économique et de la Croissance
Ministry of Research, Innovation and Science | Ministère de la Recherche, de l’Innovation et des Sciences

Suite 906, 30 Duke Street West, Kitchener, ON  N2H 3W5
Tel: (519) 571-6077
Cell: (519) 670-7808
Email: stephen.p.smith@ontario.ca

Web: www.ontario.ca/economy

/0 Comments/by