Following the Breakfast Connections meeting, people gathered to record the experience.  Thompson Goddard Photo

CHESTERVILLE – Close to 50 business people attended the Breakfast Connections meeting held on Nov. 8 at Fat Les’s Pub and Poutinerie in Chesterville. Hosted by the Township of North Dundas (TND) and the Cornwall Business Enterprise Centre (CBEC), the event provided an opportunity for people to enjoy a breakfast buffet, share ideas and listen to presentations.

CBEC business consultant Shauna Baggs welcomed everyone to the event and thanked Fat Les’s Pub and Poutinerie for providing the venue, then thanked ND economic development officer Stephen Mann and CBEC programs administrator Sydney Smith for their work in organizing the event. After the introduction of North Dundas Chamber of Commerce president Chris Power, ND mayor and SDG warden Tony Fraser spoke on the importance of the local Chamber of Commerce and thanked Mann for providing information to people on the opportunities offered by the municipality in business development.

Kim Arbic from Job Zone Emplois, provided information on the free service provided by the organization to businesses which include providing interview space, job board posting opportunities and assistance in job fair planning. Arbic mentioned the Ontario Job Grant, which provides direct financial support to individual employers for training employees as well as providing special resources to employers who are either downsizing or closing.

Jessica Bourdeau from Spark Synergy provided an informative and interactive presentation on employee engagement and retention methods. The importance of collaboration and creating a strong team atmosphere in the workplace was discussed in detail as was recruitment methodology.

As the meeting concluded, many took the time to continue socializing with one another, sharing ideas, and building connections.