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WWW-M Magnum-7 Lack of coverage could hurt new gas . us inWaterloo mum”; provinceofOntarioandthereglonandthe .... Whenevertheoentrehastodoeebens- cities provide Kitchener with funds to more said she posts a sign at the centre The Waterloo office is now open two ensure there is full coverage hr the satel- directing people up to the city's economic days per week for May and the City of lites,’ saidWeber. “That'sthereal issue." development office. Waterloo posted a job ad for the vacant Farrell declined the Chronicle's request She also said the centre’s regular busi- position on April 26. Applications closed to conduct a review of the small business ness advisor left for maternity leave in lawn- last Tuesday. centre's finances prior to 2009. when she ary and Panel] provided coverage for a day The former advisor said the lack of cov- took overas director. or two each week for two weeks until a erage during April and May is an indication She also declined a request to review the replacement could be hired. the centre is not using provincial and centre's final 2012 financial reports until she Densmore agreed the loss ol'an advisor municipal funding properly. Farrell said she had a chance to present them to regional in Kitchener could negatively impact future had already arranged for vacation time for council later next month. service for the rest of the region. advisors in Kitchener and Cambridge dur- She said the satellite office in Waterloo "Any time you have a reduction of staff, it ing April. and the fact it took six weeks for receives about $35,000 worth of support does impact the service levels that you're the city to post the job ad was not out of the each year from the Kitchener omce through aucto provide,” she said. ordinary. programming. training, marketing materi- The small business centre also provides The small business centre receives fund» als, relief staff and other resources '- ‘ some assistance to the Township of Wool~ ing from provincial. regional and municipal An analysis of the small business centre's .â€" _ y}; wich through the Waterloo satellite office, government. budgeted expenses from 2012 shows cash ,_ ‘ a“? and economic development officer Laurel The issue for Weber is that the Kitchener expenses of about $58,475 for the entire fig“ a 3.1; , gag“ g Davies-Snyder said she is quite happy with head office receives $30,000 in funding for region, plus another $1,700 for seminars if ' . h"? ”miss; as? the help provided by the Waterloo Region the Waterloo satellite office for the purpose and workshops. Salaries and benefits make a . . Small Business Centre. of coverage. as well as $50,000 from the up the majority of the centre’s budget, ThlS ls unacceptable 'l've found them to be quite helpful and Region of Waterloo and an extra $15,000 about $330,000. been ' agoodpartner.” she said. from the province because the centre is in a Waterloo isn't the only satellite office to use the province Of When asked if the loss of an advisor designated urban area. suffer from a lack of coverage. according to Ontarlo and the region and might impact coverage in the region she ~., Add to that the $8500 the City of Waterâ€" Weber. . ’ . . _ ‘ the Cim provide said, "l’m sure they considered their needs loo provtded in funding last year and the He said a Similar inCident occurred in . . and would not bedoing it without considerâ€" fact the city pays Weber’s salary and most of Cambridge last summer when its satellite Kitchener With fitnds to ing the repercussions.“ the overhead costs associated with the office had to close fora week because Kitch- ensure there I'Sfilll Formed in 1999, the Waterloo Region office, and there should be enough funding ener could not send anadvisor. . Small Business Centre reported more than to provide full coverage for the satellite Bo Densmore, director of economic coveragefor the satellites. l5,400 business inquiries last year, leading to office in Waterloo, he argues. development in Cambridge, said she That’s the real issue -” 427 startups and 464 newjobs. He said the fact the Waterloo office has couldn’t recall the precise incident Weber in Waterloo. more than 3.400 inquiries had little coverage since he left is proof the described, but she did acknowledge there â€"ltoy“bber were made last year. either through emails, money is not being spent properly. have been some occasions when it has been IbmteradvlrorforatyojWaterloo phone calls or visits to the centre, leading to "That is unacceptable because the difficult toget full coverage from Kitchener. SnullBu-rlnessCentrz l30$t3rtupsand l38}obs - E. . . ' on mouse 3 m m M ‘ ASK m N. um ‘ . : ', . f , ' " . I . , ”Hi! i [Minn [Ii/It /\ _ h ) " ' V r ‘ ‘ . 5 22200 lune/filly (hr!...//1<n “;, wimp in (Mir . ' , ' . . ’ it lulu/3h Him \ it w. BA'l'E’S MAY 'lA'G ' HOME APPLIANCE CENTRE ' Y 3, 30 Columbia St. E., Waterloo , has" ' » < ~ ‘ - ' - -â€"â€"- ‘ ‘ ‘ ' ‘