Month: September 2013

Telling Visa to take its business elsewhere

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Larry Rossy

It’s a problem every retailer would love to have. Larry Rossy, the CEO of Dollarama, just can’t figure out how it would help his business at all to start accepting Visa and MasterCard. Nope. He’s tried to slice it different ways but he still can’t see why he should give up Dollarama’s cash and Interac only policy. He’s studied it and listened to the “credit card people” as he calls them. They can convince you of almost anything, he says.  But no. Dollarama now dodges those nasty 2 and 3% Visa fees on fancy “black” credit cards, and on all the rest. He makes his money with a decent markup on cheap goods and by keeping overhead down. Rossy says he is especially concerned about Visa or MC cannibalizing that efficient Interac business. Maybe he would do a percentage or two more business by accepting credit cards only to find he was doing a percent or two less with Interac. When you figure in the card fees, that’s a net loss You have to love the man’s choices. Walking away never felt so good, we’re guessing.

Ottawa transit home to 9/11 conspiracy placards

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Placard ads that are by any measure deeply offensive are running on Ottawa transit buses. The 300 ads promote the idea that the U.S. government (who else) was responsible for the 9/11 aircraft missile conspiracy. Apparently Osama bin Laden and the 19 other guys — most of them Saudi Arabian citizens — were just George Bush lackeys from Texas. Dear God in Heaven.  Ottawa Citizen

Rogers reaches across ocean for new phone CEO

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rogers-final-560

Rogers Communications has appointed the chief executive of Vodafone U.K. as the successor to its outgoing president and CEO. Guy Laurence, 52, will become top executive of Toronto-based Rogers in December as the Canadian wireless giant prepares for a critical auction of federal wireless licences. He succeeds Nadir Mohamed, who had previously announced his intention to retire as the head of the wireless, cable and media company. “The board unanimously chose Guy as the best leader to succeed Nadir and to take the company forward,” said Alan Horn, chairman of the Rogers board of directors.

Heat clearing storm raged around South Bayview

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South Bayview and all of Toronto escaped fairly easily last night as the weather-changing storms swept across Ontario. Damage was much worse to the southwest and north where by 6 a.m. as many as 13,000 customers were without power. But here at home, the overnight rain was so insignificant most outlets haven’t bothered to mention it. This picture of a whopper of a lightning bolt was taken by Mark Robinson who tweeted it from his southwestern Ontario base.

Rainfall forecasts vary, some fear flooding tonight

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Rainfall predictions are varying wildly Wednesday as to what the evening and Thursday will bring. Environment Canada has issued a severe thunderstorm watch for the GTA and much of southern Ontario with warnings of as much as 50 to 80 millimetres of rain within one to two hours. The Weather Channel, which may be more focused on Toronto, is predicting more like 15 mm between now and Thursday morning. Be prepared. Here is the text of the Environment Canada watch: Severe thunderstorms possible tonight. This is an alert to the potential development of severe thunderstorms with large hail, damaging winds or heavy rainfall.  Monitor weather

Hell no hotter than the hubs of South Bayview

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This is your favorite business street — South Bayview — about 3 p.m. Wednesday with the hordes of pavement repair people at work. There was, as we asked store owners, very little business to be done and it was a trifle on the warm side. Look at the sun on the truck cab wipe out vision for anyone walking south from Starbucks. This may last to the end of the week but temperatures will be cooler .

Rainfall forecasts vary, some fear flooding tonight

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Rainfall predictions are varying wildly Wednesday afternoon as to what the evening and Thursday will  bring.  Environment Canada has issued a severe thunderstorm watch for the  GTA and much of southern Ontario with warnings of as much as 50 to 80 millimetres of rain within one to two hours. The Weather Channel, which may be more focused on Toronto, is predicting more like 15 to 20 mm between now and Thursday morning. Be prepared. 

Costco application heads to City Council Oct. 8

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The application to amend zoning to permit the construction of a Costco store at 42 Overlea Blvd. is finding its way through the municipal process. Yesterday (Tuesday September 10, 2013) the report from City Staff was reviewed by North York Community Council. It will be on the agenda of City Council for Tuesday, October 8, 2013. Staff has recommended a public meeting for consultation with those in the neighborhood to be held no later than the second quarter of 2014. Community Council heard by mail from Geoff Kettel, Chair, North York Community Preservation Panel about his concerns that the 1965 Coca Cola office building which would be demolished by this application is a fine example of “mid-century Modernist architecture” and is included in the city’s inventory of heritage properties. Mr Kettel also said that the property is home to a number of “magnificent Magnolia trees” and he asked that these be “protected.”