Montreal Tourism

Vancouverites paying down Games for a decade?

Vancouverites paying down Games for a decade?
Vancouver’s mayor would like to see the city pay off the cost of hosting the 2010 Winter Olympic Games in two or three years but admits it’s more likely to take about a decade.

Read more on Toronto Sun

Third & Short

Third & Short
NHLPenguins 3, Sabres 2: PITTSBURGH — Ruslan Fedotenko had a goal and an assist and Sidney Crosby — in his first game since winning the Olympics for Canada — set up Sergei Gonchar’s 200th career goal to lead the Pittsburgh Penguins past the Buffal …

Read more on The Bryan-College Station Eagle

Air Canada Layoffs will be felt Across the Country

Air Canada Layoffs will be felt Across the Country
Attention: Assignment Editor, Business/Financial Editor, News Editor, Travel/Tourism Editor, Transportation Editor

Read more on Marketwire

Seeing The Hidden Services Of Nature

Seeing The Hidden Services Of Nature
Following an intense study of agricultural ecosystems near Montreal, a new tool that enables the simultaneous analysis and management of a wide range of ecological services has been developed by Ciara Raudsepp-Hearne of McGill University’s Department of Geography, Elena Bennett of the McGill School of Environment, and Garry Peterson of the Stockholm Resilience Centre at Stockholm University.

Read more on redOrbit

Sports Digest: Pro Bowl to remain before Super Bowl in 2011

Sports Digest: Pro Bowl to remain before Super Bowl in 2011
The Pro Bowl will be played before the Super Bowl when it returns to Honolulu next year.The Hawaii Tourism Authority and the NFL announced Tuesday that the game will be at Aloha Stadium on Jan. 30, the Sunday before the Super Bowl in Arlington, Texas.The Pro Bowl had historically been played in Honolulu the week after the Super Bowl, but was changed when the all-star game moved to Miami this …

Read more on Memphis Commercial Appeal

Top 10 Cities For Younger Retirees

Young retirees looking out for the best cities in the U.S. to retire young but still be engaged in an active lifestyle may take a look at the top ten cities that have been chosen by the Money Magazine with Bert Sperling of Bestplace.net this year. The best cities have been selected based on important factors for an active lifestyle such as population growth, cost of living, economic health, recreation opportunities and leisure activities. The city’s proximity to a large metro area, college presence in the vicinity and housing costs that are below $350,000 have been taken into account. However, the study also made a few exceptions for cities that offered unique benefits and did not strictly fit the criteria.

1. Coeur d’Alene, Idaho: Pronounced as ‘Core da lane’, this city offers a wonderful ski environment, stunning scenery and a flourishing golf culture. The city is picking up in the tourism sector. The median home price is $311,700 and the population is 38,246.

2. Charlottesville, Virginia: The Blue Ridge Mountains, University of Virginia, and variety of entertainment and recreation, makes Charlottesville an attractive option to retire in. This is also a city with a strong historical background. All these positive features offset the slightly high median home price of $398,400. The population of Charlottesville is 41,425.

3. Logan, Utah: Home to the Utah State University, Logan is a popular city that offers various recreational activities including plenty of water sports at Bear Lake. Logan has a historic downtown and the scenic Logan Canyon Scenic Byway is a great attraction. The city has a median home price of $205,400 and population of 44,599.

4. Blacksburg, Virginia: A town that has been growing steadily over the last 4 decades, Blacksburg is home to the Virginia Polytechnic Institute also known as Virginia Tech, a very vibrant college community and lots of scenic beauty. The median home price is $233,400 and the town has a population of 39,915 residents.

5. Burlington, Vermont: A college town through and through, Burlington boasts of being home to four colleges – the University of Vermont, Burlington College, Champlain College and a Community College of Vermont campus. The median home price is $378,000 and the town has 37,884 residents.

6. Anacortes, Washington: An awesome place if you want to enjoy your retirement with a lot of fun and entertainment. The jewel of Fidalgo Island, Anacortes is favorably located near British Columbia. There is no limit to the water sports that the sea offers or to other outdoor activities such as golfing, bird watching, camping etc. The median home price is $347,600 and the town has a population of just 15,514 with a 15-year growth rate of 24.5 %.

7. Sarasota, Florida: You would love this spot for its exquisite architecture, pure white sands and wonderful beach sports. The medium home price is a little expensive at $423,400 and the population is at 53,477. Being the hub of architectural marvel Sarasota in the State of Florida might not offer much for the home buyer in terms of housing bargains.

8. Hanover, New Hampshire: Also known as the “Upper Valley”, Hanover in New Hampshire is a peaceful place to settle in, for its wonderful valley setting. Located at driving distance from Boston, Montreal and New York City, Hanover also offers great skiing activity. The median home price is at $297,400 and the population is 8,305 with a 15-year growth rate of 13.2 %.

9. Manhattan, Kansas: If one wishes to settle in a city that offers year-round entertainment, Manhattan in the State of Kansas would be the perfect choice. The city offers golf, art, shopping and some of the country’s best music festivals during the month of June. The median home price is $188,600 and the population is 44,630.

10. Ames, Iowa: This can be the perfect choice for the one who wants a laid back lifestyle and a quiet life. The city offers some of the most affordable housing options and the crime rate is also quite low here. The city also is home to the Iowa State University. The Median home price is at $176,700 and the population is 54,817.

Real Estate in Calgary Alberta

When one thinks about the elite real estate markets in Canada there are usually a few areas that spring immediately to mind; Vancouver, Toronto, and Montreal are the usual suspects. However in recent years there is another city that has joined these cities with some of the most valuable real estate in the country, Calgary. Calgary’s arrival on the top of the real estate heap really comes as a surprise to some and no surprise at all to others. People who are “in the know in Canadian real estate have been expecting this arrival for quite some time as Alberta and Calgary in particular are on the move. With a strong foundation in Canada’s booming oil industry, Calgary has become the metropolitan area of the Prairies.

For those who were not expecting this move it has really been coming for quite some time. Calgary’s economy has been growing stronger and stronger and this has been drawing in new businesses and residents in record numbers. Calgary has grown exponentially in the past 10 years from a smaller Alberta city to one of the major players in the economical and business makeup of Canada. Calgary has shown itself to be one of Canada’s most versatile cities as it has blended a unique combination of industry and tourism into a viable and long-standing financial plan that has assured the city a bright place in Canada’s future.

Like any city that is home to a growing industrial sector, Calgary’s home and real estate industry has been heating up for quite some time. With a huge influx of new residents there is a healthy demand for homes in Calgary and some great real estate deals to be had. Whether you are looking for something smaller like a condo or town home or a larger single family home, Calgary’s real estate market has whet you are looking for. Combine this with an excellent school system and great post-secondary institutions and the offer that Calgary makes becomes quite enticing. This is a city that has a lot to offer any new home owner and has a bright and secure economic future. Come and see what is going on in Calgary.

Setup A Small Business In Canada

Setting up a small business in Canada requires determination, motivation, high moral and know-how of the business.

Following are the steps you need to follow to startup with small business.

Identify Your Business Opportunity: Identify the best possible business for you from the multiple opportunities. It is important to find where you desire lie to understand your personality type.

Prepare a Business Plan: Business plan is must for any business, a business plan permits you to gain a better understanding of your industry structure, competitive landscape, and the capital requirements. Business Analyst observes that companies with business plan have 50% more profits and revenue than non-planning businesses. Writing a business plan just makes good business sense.

Get Start-up Money: To start any business, capital investment is must. Start-up funds for every business is different depending on type of business selected. Finding the money you need may come from a source you never thought of. In Canada the sources of getting money are following:

Canada Small Business Loan Program:

It helps you with your financing needs. Under this program, the Government of Canada makes it easier for small businesses to get loans from financial institutions by sharing the risk with lenders. Program works following ground:

- Who is Eligible: Business which can carry profit with gross annual revenues $5 million or less.

- Who is not eligible: Business which does not fall under Canada Small Business Financial Program is farming business, non-profit organizations, charitable trust and religious organizations.

- How much financing is available?: Provides up to $500,000 of financing, from this no more than $350,000 can be used for purchasing leasehold improvements or improving leased property and purchasing or improving new or used equipment.

- How to apply for Loan?: You need to apply for loan at your bank. If the bank decides to grant you a loan, they register it with Industry Canada. The list of lenders are ATB Financial, Bank of East Asia, Bank of Montreal, Caisses populairesAcadiennes, Caisses populaires de l’Ontario, Canada’s Credit Unions, Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, Canadian Western Bank, GE Capital Financial Services, HSBC, Laurentian Bank of Canada, Mouvement des caisses Desjardins, National Bank of Canada, Royal Bank of Canada, Scotiabank, TD Canada Trust.

Note: Agri-Food Canada has a similar program for the farming industry.

Canadian Youth Business Foundation:

- It is a national charity that provides young entrepreneurs.

- Young entrepreneurs from 18 to 34 may get upto $15,000 as a start up capital, with flexible three to five year repayment schedules.

- 2-year mentoring program need to be attended where you are matched up with dedicated business mentors or business professionals.

Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC):

- It is a financial institution wholly owned by the Government of Canada. BDC plays a vital role in delivering financial and consulting services to Canadian small and medium-sized businesses.

- Co-Vision loan can be up to $100,000, which can be repaid over 6 years. If needed, entrepreneurs can postpone principal payments for 12 months.

- Co-Vision specifically targets businesses in the manufacturing, distribution, services and tourism sectors.

- Projects such as working capital, acquisitions, fixed assets, marketing and start-up costs, or the purchase of a franchise can also be financed under Co-Vision.

Name Your Business: What’s in a business name? Find the right name which will distinguish you from your competitors, provide your customers with a reason to hire you, and aid in the branding of your company. Learn what you need to know to find a name for your business.

Select a Business Structure: Deciding on the Business Structure is very important decision; this decision should not be taken lightly. Whether you choose the popular Limited Liability Company (LLC), a sole proprietorship or form a corporation; your choice will have an impact on your business liability, fund-ability as well as taxes due.

Get Your Business License and Permits: Depending on your chosen business structure, may need to register your business with the state authorities. Setting up your small business may require an employer identification number (EIN) which is also used by state taxing authorities to identify businesses. Additional paperwork can entail sales tax licenses, zoning permits and more.

Set Up Your Business Location: One of the multitude of tasks in starting a business is the setting up of your office. There are many steps in office set up including where to locate your office (home or office space), buying the necessary office equipment, designing your work space and getting supplies.

Get Business Insurance: As a new small business owner, you have the responsibility to manage the risks associated with your business. Don’t put your new start-up at risk without getting the proper small business insurance to protect your company in the event of disaster or litigation.

Maintain Accounting System: Unless you’re from accounting or finance background, the accounting and bookkeeping aspect of running your business can’t be avoided. Maintaining your Accounts will help you to understand the financials of running a business and advert failure.

Along with the above you also need to know business legal structures, taxes like GST, PST, Payroll tax and Corporate Income Tax and employer obligations. You can also acquire information from any Business Directory Canada, Online Directory Canada, Yellow Pages Canada or Business Telephone Directory Canada.

Conclusions: There are many entrepreneurs who have lost their everything due to failure in their business. This article will help as a pathway to those who need to Setup a Small Business in Canada.