Spring is coming!

By Myscha Stafford
Membership and Chapter Coordinator

For the shortest month of the year, February was certainly a busy one.

In addition to successful Chapter meetings across the province, we had some special events this month, including the Ottawa Chapter’s GreenTrade Expo and the inaugural Awards of Distinction, which was a tremendous success.

Georgian Lakelands Chapter’s annual Ski and Spa Day and the Golden Horseshoe Chapter’s Family Fun Skate were also great events. This month I also got to make my squash debut at the Upper Canada Chapter’s ‘I Was There IV Squash Tournament.’ I learned that I should probably stick to horseback riding. A big note of congratulations to Perry Hartwick of Upper Canada Stone on winning the tournament for the second year in a row. I know who I’m going to for pointers!
As the new season approaches (and hopefully it brings some glorious warm weather with it), I want to remind you of some of the resources available to you with your LO membership. These resources are here to help you, your company and staff. I encourage you to utilize them to your advantage.
 

HR Toolkit

Waterloo Chapter’s February meeting did a great job at addressing some of the challenges companies face in the realm of human resources. We have a user-friendly HR Toolkit available for you to help you create your own policy and procedure manual, employee handbooks, as well as guides for recruitment and retention. There are templates, policies and legislations, and useful tools for both employers and employees alike. This is a FREE benefit to you with your membership and can be a great asset for your company. You can access the HR Toolkit by going to horttrades.com/HRToolkit.
 

Job postings and classifieds

As the new season approaches you may be looking to add some new members to your team. If you go to horttrades.com, you will find our classifieds under the ‘resources and services’ tab. Here you will not only find various equipment and services being offered, but also dozens of resumes for folks looking to join your company. If you already have a vision of your ideal new team member, you can post an ad here at a discounted rate for members; perfect timing to get you and your team ready for the coming season. You can also use the aforementioned HR Toolkit to help create the perfect job posting by using the samples available in the recruitment section.
 

Endorsed suppliers

Yes, you may know about the great discount that you can get on a vehicle through the endorsed supplier program. But there is so much more to it. Some of the programs that you already may be aware of include equipment and fuel savings, as well as discounted pricing on industry training courses, including seminars offered through LO.

If you’ve attended a recent Chapter meeting, you may have met a representative from HortProtect, an industry-specific insurance company understanding the unique needs of your business and your staff. They offer insurance and group benefit program packages. As a member, you also have access to discount programs through the Retail Council of Canada, which include both financial and business solutions. Perhaps you are in need of a new credit card? What about office supplies or promotional materials, new safety shoes and work equipment, or maybe you’re looking to save at your next hotel visit? We have programs for all of these things. For the most up-to-date listing of the endorsed supplier programs, visit cnla-acpp.ca/benefits.

Our chapter meetings are wrapping up before the start of the season. Still to come in March is the Toronto Chapter’s meeting on the 26th at the Latvian Centre. It will feature the next instalment of the ‘What’s Up with That?’ lecture series.
 

Chapter meetings wrap up for the season

Golden Horseshoe Chapter’s Gear Up for Spring Trade Show will feature seminars from the MTO and WSPS on Mar. 31, at the Ancaster Fairgrounds. As if you needed another reason to attend this event, admission is free, but you must register online.

To wrap things up before the start of the season, Waterloo Chapter hosts the annual MTO meeting on Apr. 1, at Coleman Equipment, and Georgian Lakelands Chapter will host its meeting in Thornbury, featuring a seminar on accessible landscapes and ‘Smart Access in Design/Build Services.’

Your chapter executive boards are already hard at work planning some great summer events, including golf and baseball tournaments. Check your weekly e-news and your chapter’s webpage for the latest details of all of these events.