Business Archives — Lindsay Advocate

Tending the rural economy

Published on October 18, 2020 in Business by Geoff Coleman

Although the bigger communities in Kawartha Lakes — Bobcaygeon, Fenelon Falls and Lindsay — are often seen as the focus of the local economy, globalization means that they are unlikely ever to return to the days of large-scale manufacturing facilities such as Fleetwood or Viskase.

Economic development now means nurturing smaller operations, many of them located outside our population centres. That in turn means thinking differently about how to support these rural businesses.

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Workplaces must screen workers, volunteers for COVID-19 or else face stiff penalties

Published on September 30, 2020 in Business/Health by Lindsay Advocate

A new COVID-19-screening law has been in effect for workplaces in Ontario for the past five days — but not all employers may realize it.

By order of Ontario health officials, starting Sept. 25, all workplaces in Ontario must screen all workers, contractors, volunteers and outside service providers for COVID-19 as a condition of entry.

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Could Grand Experience become a franchise restaurant? ‘It’s a historical landmark’

Published on August 4, 2020 in Business/Municipal by Roderick Benns

Mayor Andy Letham says the Grand Hotel buildings were sold sometime in the past week or so – again – and the new owners must have quickly decided to evict the restaurant owner from the building.

APG Kent Street Properties Corp had plans for the properties at 171-185 Kent Street that would have included retail stores, a restaurant, and offices on the upper floors. Mid-pandemic, the buildings have now been sold again.

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Grand Experience to close at end of August

Published on August 4, 2020 in Business by Roderick Benns

Charlie McDonald, owner of The Grand Experience in Lindsay, says on a social media post that the well-known restaurant and bar will close by the end of August.

“After 160 years of serving the downtown Lindsay community, the buildings of 171-185 Kent Street have been sold, and because I have not had a lease since this past March, we have been evicted with 30 days notice,” McDonald writes.

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A lawyer digs deep with new book on ‘the law of dead bodies’

Published on July 27, 2020 in Business/Community by Jamie Morris

It should come as no surprise that when Jason Ward publishes a book it would be on the law of dead bodies.

He is, after all, the lawyer whose firm brought Haunt Your House to Lindsay, which makes him partly responsible for the front yard graveyards and hordes of zombies and ghouls that spring up on front porches and at windows on Halloween.

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Wear a mask when you dine at restaurants, says health unit

Published on July 14, 2020 in Business/Health by Roderick Benns

Mask-wearing rule and eating in at restaurants will both be possible, says health unit

As Kawartha Lakes gets set to open its restaurants for indoor dining again, many are wondering how that option co-exists with the rule about wearing a mask in public places.

As it turns out, you’ll be expected to do both, according to Bill Eekhoff, communications officer at the local health unit.

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Getting up to speed: The quest for fast rural internet

Published on July 12, 2020 in Business/Community by Trevor Hutchinson

“Our internet service is just deplorable,” declares Angela Field.

The entrepreneur and mother of four describes a situation where data must be rationed – that is, only a little bit of internet time can be used per day for fear of going over an internet company’s cap and being forced to pay more. Family members must alternate their activities with only one person online at any given time. And Field, with her husband Evan Lang, lives just 15 minutes outside of Lindsay — the largest settlement area in the city.

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Mackey Funeral Home buys Stoddart Funeral Home

Published on July 11, 2020 in Business/Community by Roderick Benns

Linden Mackey, owner of the century-old Mackey Funeral Home in Lindsay has bought out Stoddart Funeral Home, Lindsay’s other venerable funeral institution.

Shain Fletcher, the sole owner of Stoddart, quietly sold his shares of the funeral home to Mackey this spring, after discussions of keeping the funeral home locally owned and operated.

The Mackey and Stoddart families had long cooperated throughout the years, with Fletcher even training at one time under James Mackey and the late Linden and Gordon Mackey, according to the Stoddart website.

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Economic Recovery Task Force focuses on simplifying city processes

Published on July 10, 2020 in Business/Municipal by Lindsay Advocate

Farm country, Canadian Shield…anything but “cottage country”

The Economic Recovery Task Force held its third meeting this week, focusing on feedback it has received from working groups. It also considered options to improve processes in light of limited resources and staffing due to the pandemic.

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‘Peoples’ Economy’ summit plans new economic normal in Kawartha Lakes

Published on June 29, 2020 in Business/Community/Social Issues by Lindsay Advocate

Some residents of Kawartha Lakes are seizing the moment of economic upheaval to chart a path forward for a new “economic normal” in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The initial group – which has started out as half a dozen local leaders including Mike Perry, Laraine Hale, Dennis Geelan, Helen Scott and Ameila Valenti – is working to build a peoples’ movement to implement economic measures that serve people and the environment better than the free market, according to a press release.

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