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Inside Story 2
Inside Story 2
Inside Story 2
Inside Story 3
Inside Story 4
Inside Story 5
Inside Story 6
Inside this issue:
Community Profile
Volunteers Uncover Hidden
Gems through Natural
Heritage Inventory Pg01
Community Profile
Increased Connectivity and
Responsiveness at the
Municipality of Bayham
Pg03
Business Resource
Worktrends.ca a One-Stop
Location for Labour Market
Information Pg04
Local Event
Western Elgin Home for
Christmas Shopping Event
Pg05
Community Profile
Local Immigration
Partnership Celebrates
Newcomer Pg06
Business Resource
Bridges to Better Business
Pg07
Alan Smith
General Manager,
Economic Development
(519) 631-1460 Ext. 133
Kate Burns Gallagher
Business Development
Coordinator
(519) 631-1460 Ext. 137
Katherine Thompson
Marketing & Communications
Coordinator
(519) 631-1460 Ext. 180
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Elgin County is perhaps best known for
its sandy beaches, rich agricultural
industry and historic rail line. But the
wild places of Elgin, and the diverse
array of species that live here, are often
overlooked. Until now. Carolinian
Canada staff and a small army of
volunteers are cataloguing the rare
plants and animals that call this area
home.
“To date we’ve found many significant
species such as Bank Swallow,
Butternut and Red-headed
Woodpecker,” says Sara Howe, Elgin
Natural Heritage Inventory Assistant.
“We are updating records that are as
Community Profile
Volunteers Uncover Elgin’s Hidden Gems Through Natural Heritage Inventory
Sara Howe, Carolinian Canada staff; Steve Ward, local landowner; Meagan Garrod, volunteer; Sarah
Hodgkiss, Carolinian Canada staff.
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much as 30 years out of date. A lot can change
in this time.”
Taking stock of Elgin’s natural rarities is
important. Three decades ago, many of the
species now known to be in decline would not
have been listed as rare and their numbers
would not have been monitored. While this
inventory is serving to update existing
information, some gems are new discoveries.
“A wild Ginseng population and a rare wet
prairie habitat are some unique finds,” comments
Jarmo Jalava, Carolinian Canada’s Director of
Ecosystem Recovery. “According to Wasyl
Bakowsky, one of our premier prairie experts,
the prairie seems to be the first of its kind ever
seen in Ontario.”
Elgin County landowners can register their
properties for an inventory as part of the project.
Those who have done so have found the
experience rewarding. Grant and Mary Ann
Harvey view the Elgin Inventory as a chance for
residents to gain a greater appreciation for the
wealth of nature at their doorstep. For the past
12 years, the couple have planted trees,
installed bird boxes and created tallgrass prairie
on their farm near Tillsonburg. Now they are
eager for Carolinian Canada staff and volunteers
to scour their 57 acre property for rare finds.
“This is a great opportunity to learn a little more
about what’s here,” says Mary Ann. Grant adds,
“Inventory results can help property owners like
us increase our appreciation for surrounding
wildlife. Know what you’ve got before it’s gone –
it can be a starting point for improving habitat for
species whose populations are dwindling.”
Keen volunteers are needed to help with the
autumn inventory. The fall is a great time of year
to explore meadows and prairies, look for
reptiles and seek out places where birds gather
to migrate. Participants who register to take part
in the inventory can opt to do so on their own or
as part of a team under the guidance of experts.
Whether soloing or as a group, seeking out
Elgin’s natural gems can transform a hike into a
worthwhile adventure. It’s an opportunity to view
the county in a new light – one that illuminates
the uniqueness of nature close to home. For
those who take part, the information collected is
more than a list. Once the data is compiled, it will
serve to create a better understanding of Elgin’s
biodiversity and help focus conservation efforts
to create healthier habitats and a brighter future.
For more information on participating, visit
www.carolinian.org.
This program is funded through the Ministry of
Natural Resources and Forestry’s Species At
Risk Stewardship Fund and Environment Cana-
da’s Sciences Horizon’s Youth Internship Pro-
gram.
Article provided by Bronwen Buck, Carolinan Canada Coalition
Bronwen Buck, Carolinian Canada Coalition staff.
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Community Profile
Increased Connectivity and Responsiveness at the Municipality of Bayham
It was clear to new Chief Administrative Officer
Paul Shipway that the Municipality of Bayham’s
computer and communications technology
system was in need of significant updates. The
system operated on old servers, used outdated
equipment and was heavily reliant on paper files
located at the main municipal administration
office in Straffordville.
Municipal staff was spread out over five separate
locations including the main municipal
administration office, fire and emergency
services, water treatment facilities and public
works and each of these locations used a
stand-alone computer system. These five
stand-alone systems had no connectivity to one
another and staff requiring documents stored on
other systems needed to request them by e-mail
or visit the location in person.
“Municipalities are required to be fluid and
responsive to the needs of citizens,” said
Shipway. “Operating in silos does not allow us to
be as responsive as we would like to be.”
An organizational review identified that a modern
and intuitive computer technology system was
crucial to the staff’s ability to do its job in an
efficient and effective manner while meeting the
complex needs of the community.
Improvements to the system will include
transitioning to a single terminal server
environment where all municipal staff, regardless
of location, can search and access the same
documents quickly and easily. Additionally a fast
and stable internet connection will be brought to
the municipal office through the installation of
fibre connections. Fibre connections are thinner
and lighter than metal cables, are less
susceptible to interference and have a much
greater bandwidth, meaning that they can carry
more data. These updates will ensure that
Bayham is able to adapt and compete in an
increasingly technological world.
The need for high speed internet to ensure the
economic vitality and viability of rural
municipalities is one that is recognized not only
by the Municipality of Bayham, but by the
Western Ontario Warden’s Caucus and the
Southwest Economic Alliance with their joint
SWIFT initiative – to bring ultra high speed fibre
optic regional network to everyone in western
Ontario regardless of where they live.
For more information on the Municipality of
Bayham visit www.bayham.on.ca and to learn
about the SWIFT initiative visit www.wowc.ca.
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Business Resource
Worktrends.ca a One - Stop Location for Labour Market Information
Good quality information is essential for
individuals looking to make career decisions in
an ever changing economy. This information can
also be very useful to employers looking to
recognize key employment trends and plan for
future growth and development of their
organizations. In March of 2014, the Elgin
Middlesex Oxford Workforce Planning and
Development Board in partnership with the
Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities
and the London Economic Development
Corporation launched www.worktrends.ca in
order to provide current local and regional labour
market information in one convenient and easy to
use online location.
The resource is designed to be useful for several
different groups including students, job seekers
and employers. It provides users with accessible,
up-to-date and relevant data including market
conditions, industry information, changes in the
internal and external business environments,
future hiring and employment trends, wage and
salary expectations and education and training
information.
Job seekers are able to see what companies are
hiring by viewing an on-site list of active job
boards in Elgin, Middlesex and Oxford Counties.
They can research the training they will need to
apply to these jobs and can get an idea of how
much money they can be expected to make.
This type of information is also extremely useful
to students trying to decide on a sustainable
future career path. They can use the website to
get an overall picture of the viability of entering
certain occupations in the area, what they can
expect to earn in each occupation and what
education and training they will need to pursue
this type of occupation. There is also a section
on the website dedicated to resources for newly
landed immigrants and persons with disabilities.
Employers and human resources professionals
can utilize www.worktrends.ca to get a better
idea of what competitive wages are for a
particular job or occupation, get an idea of how
many qualified people in the area can fill these
jobs and to determine the potential future growth
in an industry. The website also has resources to
teach employers how to better accommodate
employees with disabilities.
The data found on www.worktrends.ca comes
from Stats Canada, a variety of independent data
providers, government ministries and the
EmployerOne Survey that is administered to
local businesses each year. Data can be
searched by job or by industry and results
displayed compare trends from Middlesex, Elgin,
London, St. Thomas and Oxford to trends at the
provincial and national levels.
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The leaves are changing colour, the air is getting
colder and the West Elgin Home for Christmas
Shopping Event is just around the corner! The
event will run from November 21 to December 6
and will promote great shopping locations in six
western Elgin communities.
Shoppers will be able to visit over 50
participating locations in West Elgin and Dutton-
Dunwich to do their holiday shopping and fill out
ballots for chances to win a number of great
draw prizes!
Look for the "Home for Christmas Shopping
Event Participating Business" poster and bow as
you shop. Each participating location will also
have a poster on display listing the local
restaurants, libraries, garages and shops that
are involved.
Two of the participating venues will only open
their doors on Saturday, December 6. The
Home-Based Business Christmas Shoppe at the
West Elgin Legion (142 John Street, West Lorne)
will offer festive finds and additional draw prizes
from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and the Christmas Craft
Bake Sale at the Rodney Legion (177 Victoria
Street, Rodney) will be offering sweet treats be-
tween 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.
This holiday season, it's worth the short drive to
“Come See Why the West is Best!”
For more information on the West Elgin Home
for Christmas Shopping Event contact Karen
Kendrick Secretary of the Marketing Partners of
West Elgin at westelginfarmgirl@yahoo.ca.
Local Event
Western Elgin Invites Shoppers Home For Christmas
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The St. Thomas-Elgin Local Immigration
Partnership (STELIP) has announced the first
Newcomer Champion Awards, an initiative that
supports the building of prosperous, vibrant and
connected communities by encouraging
citizenship and engagement. The awards
recognize the individuals and business from
St. Thomas and Elgin County that are making a
difference in the lives of newcomers to the
region.
There are two types of awards:
Excellence in Diversity & Inclusion Award
An individual, group or organization that is:
Working with the community to address the
needs of newcomers;
Developing an understanding of our local
cultural diversity;
Working to strengthen the community by
working with others to build positive
changes;
Volunteering to support diversity and
newcomers and advocating for social and
civic inclusion; and,
Delivering services that provide the
groundwork for newcomers to be socially
and economically active.
Newcomer Community Leader Award
A newcomer that is giving back to the community
in some capacity in a positive and progressive
way and is:
Committed to making a difference by
creating welcoming communities for other
newcomers; and,
Working with the community to strengthen
and build positive changes.
Eligibility: any organization established in Elgin
County or any resident of Elgin County since at
least January 1, 2014.
Nominations will run from September 24 until
January 15, 2015. The winners will be
announced at the next STELIP event Moving
Forward on February 19, 2015.
Any resident of St. Thomas or Elgin County can
send a nomination to the STELIP team by filling
out a Nomination Form, available to download
from www.ywcastthomaselgin.org / Programs /
St. Thomas Elgin Local Immigration Partnership.
For more information please call (519) 631-9800
ext. 239 or email festrela.stelip@gmail.com.
Community Profile
Local Immigration Partnership Celebrates Newcomers
