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New Age Selling: The business marketing strategies that yielded big results in 2020

By
Jarrod Daley
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Jeremy Diamond: Business Marketing Strategies During COVID-19

The year 2020 has been challenging for countless business owners. Many business owners had to restructure amid COVID-19 concerns. The world’s economies reflected the effects of those changes. Yet, some clever marketing strategies are helping business owners succeed in this tumultuous time.

You may have experienced some hardship due to the obstacles that presented themselves. Taking advantage of effective marketing strategies in 2020 can help you turn things around for your business. Let’s review some of the simple yet powerful strategies companies are using and see which of them can work for you.

Personalization

One of the most effective marketing strategies in 2020 is personalization. Marketing strategies that yield results in 2020 do so because they understand the psychology of clients. People tend to want to do business where they feel a connection.

Diamond and Diamond Lawyers is one business that has applied that understanding to their marketing strategy this year. Diamond and Diamond Lawyers started as a personal injury firm and is now a full-service law firm.

We took a serious look at improving customer loyalty through personalization. To do that, we used digital marketing tools and services, including sharing informative videos, creating engaging social media content, and providing our personal phone numbers to clients.

Managing Partner at Diamond and Diamond Lawyers, Jeremy Diamond, reflected on the most powerful marketing strategies that are seeing results right now.

He noticed that personalization had a huge positive outcome for the business world so far. Building the firm’s marketing on a personalized approach was helpful because it led to lasting connections with our customers.

Those relationships were reflected in the business’s growth this year. So, how can you make personalization work for your company? Offer tailored services. For example, we pride ourselves on making each client feel seen and heard, so in addition to handing out our personal phone numbers, we also offer home visits.

Don’t be afraid to infuse your marketing campaigns with interactive and engaging elements. Share a relevant, humorous meme or ask an interesting question on social media. In general, the idea is to connect with your audience and find commonalities with them.

Consistent Quality Content Marketing

Effective marketing strategies rely on consistency to achieve results. With a content marketing plan, for example, staying consistent with content is key. Sharing quality content that your audience can relate to helps you to build a relationship with potential clients.

Consistent content marketing also establishes credibility, authority, and reliability. When you are known as a source of relevant and useful information, it positions you as an expert in your field and makes your potential clients more likely to trust you. That trust can be the bridge from a relatable social media post to your next sale.

If you are struggling to develop content ideas, here are some things to consider. Think about the subjects that your audience would be interested in. What will grab the attention of your customer? Keep that in mind as you plan your content across various platforms.

Video Marketing

Another of the marketing strategies that yield results right now is video marketing. Many platforms in 2020 support video content. It’s a remarkable resource for business owners. People are spending a majority of their time at home, and video content is benefitting from the lack of entertainment options that the average person once enjoyed.

People have turned to streaming media to entertain themselves during the lockdown. Video content can be affordably produced and has a multitude of benefits. Creative video marketing can be shared widely on social media and has the potential to go viral.

People absorb video marketing more readily than written content and are more likely to recall the content’s brand later on than if they were reading print material. Let your creative instincts flourish. Entertain your audience as you inform them about all the value that your business has to offer.

Diamond & Diamond Lawyers on the Benefits of Localized SEO

Although video marketing has a wealth of advantages, the written word is still quite necessary.

Jeremy Diamond noticed exponential growth at the firm when we boosted our local SEO efforts. As we expanded our services, localized SEO campaigns remained a crucial component in our marketing campaigns. We focus on local keywords, local listings, and a compelling GMB profile as the backbone to our SEO strategy.

We have found that the local element steers new clients in our direction. That, combined with the use of GMB, marries effective SEO with convenience, making a significant difference in our ability to serve new clients.

Voice Search Technology

Any successful marketing campaign right now will take advantage of technological developments, like using voice search technology. As mobile phones and computers become more integral to our personal lives and our businesses, voice search technology is more reliable and prevalent than ever.

These days it’s normal to call out a voice command to one of several devices throughout your home or in your pocket. This technology is gaining popularity, and businesses could see tremendous growth from optimizing for voice search.

There are many simple changes that you can make that will have a transformative effect on your voice search optimization. You can optimize by tailoring your content to the kinds of questions that your ideal customer might ask, making sure your website is mobile friendly and anticipating prospective queries with conversational content.

Share Your Knowledge

You have something that speaks to a need in your target market, but don’t let your value end with your product or service; you possess related knowledge that you can share with your audience as well. Starting a podcast or hosting a tutorial or a webinar are all marvellous ways to get started.

You can go live on a social media platform or use a low-cost set up to start a podcast from the comfort of your home or office. You can share tips for your clients, new services your company offers, and even interviews with other industry leaders. Sharing your knowledge is an excellent way to engage with your audience and demonstrate your subject matter expertise.

You can amplify others that have served as sources of information for you, create custom content, or both. There are myriad avenues that you can take to showcase the information you hold after working for years in your field.

Engage in Social Media

Social media gives business owners access to vast audiences and the opportunity to interact with customers in a multitude of unique ways. When you connect with potential clients on social media, you appear more accessible, and you grow your network.

That kind of personal attention to the relationships in your network can create a strong base for customer loyalty.

Transcend and Adapt

Although 2020 has presented unique challenges, it has also provided us with the chance to more readily connect with our ideal clients. Rise above your perceived limitations by using your resources creatively and consistently.

Advertising your services with personalized marketing can improve customer loyalty. Video marketing and voice search optimization can help you stand out among the competition. And written content is the backbone of any marketing strategy. When planned and executed well, these tools can propel your business to even greater heights.

About Jeremy Diamond

Jeremy Diamond is a lawyer and member of both Ontario and Florida Bars. Jeremy practices in the area of Plaintiff personal injury litigation. Click here to learn more about Jeremy Diamond.

Valentine’s Day gift ideas from local shops in Toronto

By
Marlene Mendonca
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0

Finding a Valentine’s Day gift in Toronto doesn’t need to be extra difficult due to the pandemic. Here is a list of local shops where you can get anything from a delicious brunch at home, a classic box of chocolates or even a luxe piece of jewellery for someone you love.

Valentine’s Day brunch and chocolates

Start your Valentine’s Day with breakfast in bed thanks to the Balzac’s Breakfast Bundle. The bundle offers elevated examples of breakfast staples including your choice of Balzac’s coffee, protein-packed pancake mix from Flourish Pancakes and pure and flavourful Canadian maple syrup. Price: $29.99

 

For those with a sweet tooth, William Ashley carries the finest selection of world renowned brands, and are Canada’s exclusive destination for Teuscher Chocolates of Switzerland. These handmade chocolates are made from the finest natural ingredients and use absolutely no chemicals, additives or preservatives. For those who deserve the best! Assorted Truffles, starting at $3.95. 

 

Lox and Schmear on St. Clair West has a special Valentine’s Day brunch box that comes with their house smoked salmon which is packaged in the shape of a heart, cream cheese, Montreal’s famous St. Urbain bagels, a box of Chocolate de Kat, a print by local artist Maggie Prince, and a number of other fixings for a total of $65.00. 

 

The kitten and the Bear is selling hand-crafted and beautifully decorated chocolate by local pastry artist @nadiaandco. You can also pick up their Valentine’s Day Breakfast in Bed Bundles which includes their flaky buttermilk scones, tea and preserves or jam.

Fashion, health and beauty

Designed in Toronto by a creative sister duo, Rock ‘N Karma is a favourite among Canadian fashionistas! By purchasing one of these limited edition unisex sweatshirts, you’ll be providing a donation to Gilda’s Club. Net proceeds from each purchase will be donated to Gilda’s Club Greater Toronto. You’ll also receive a free gift with the purchase. 

 

Lafia Jewellery is a Canadian designed and manufactured fine jewellery brand. Beautiful collections from classic to modern are all crafted in 14-karat gold. The floating charms are the perfect gift for your Valentine. Explore the full Charm’d Collection online, charms and chains are sold separately. Charms start at retail $630. All pieces are made to order just for you.

 

Diamond studs are a timeless expression of love and beauty, and are the perfect gift to show that special someone that you care. Van Rijk carries many sizes and price ranges, their special diamond stud earrings are the perfect accessory that will go with everything. 

 

How about a little self love this Valentine’s Day? Get grounded and stay uplifted with Stay Balanced with Betty’s online yoga videos. This Valentine’s Day you can get 50 per cent off the first month of a membership. Use code: valentinesday2021 throughout February and March.

 

When there is an engagement ring in your future Cynthia Findlay offers the unique, the unusual and the very special, such as this pink tourmaline Toi et Moi double gem which was made popular when Napoleon gifted Josephine their birthstones in one ring. Call for details or shop online.

 

Treat your love to a special spa treatment at Gidon Aesthetics & Medispa. Try the Oxygenating 3-in-1 facial which combines exfoliation of the outer layer of the skin, infusion of revitalizing nutrients, and oxygenation of the skin from within. This treatment provides an immediate improvement in skin tone, texture and radiance. 

The Weeknd makes Super Bowl starting lineup

By
lindsaylow
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0
the weeknd

Toronto’s own Abel Tesfaye, better known as musician The Weeknd, has been announced as the headliner for the Super Bowl halftime show. The big game goes down on Sunday, Feb. 7 in Tampa Bay, Florida, and whether you’re a football fan or not, most do tune in for the musical entertainment at halftime around 8 p.m.

So far no hints have been dropped of any other acts that The Weeknd may ask to join him onstage, but there will be performances by various other artists throughout the program.

 

 

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A post shared by The Weeknd (@theweeknd)

 

Viewers can catch a televised pregame performance from Miley Cyrus in front of an audience of more than 7,000 vaccinated health-care workers. Amanda Gorman — the poet who performed at the inauguration of President Biden and who was also just featured on the cover of TIME magazine wearing a piece by Toronto fashion label Greta Constantine — will perform another original poem. This poem is said to be about a teacher, a veteran and a health-care worker.

As always, the national anthem will be performed before the big game and it will be a duet by musicians Eric Church and Jazmine Sullivan. As well, “America the Beautiful” will be performed by R&B singer H.E.R.

 

 

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The Weeknd will be the main headliner of the night, though his stage will not take centre field at halftime. Due to COVID restrictions, the stage will be set up in the stands for his performance. The singer-songwriter, who has three Grammy Awards, grew up in Scarborough and donated $500,000 to the Scarborough Health Network last year to support its frontline health-care workers. His latest album After Hours was released in March 2020 and features the hit songs “Heartless,” “Blinding Lights” and “Save Your Tears.”

Legendary Toronto actor Christopher Plummer passes away at 91

By
Ron Johnson
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Plummer
Christopher Plummer on the set of The Sound of Music with Julie Andrews

Today, the world lost an acting legend as it was announced that Toronto native Christopher Plummer died at the age of 91, in his home in Connecticut.

Plummer was born in Toronto and grew up in Montreal. The classically trained actor made his stage debut in Ottawa in a 1948 production of Cymbeline at the Canadian Repertory Theatre.

He made his New York stage debut in 1954 and has performed in many Broadway shows winning Tony Awards for his turns in Cyrano and Barrymore while being nominated for seven productions.

He has had a long and storied career both on the stage and in movies, including the famous 1965 musical film The Sound of Music where he played Captain Georg von Trapp opposite Julie Andrews.

“Working with Julie Andrews is like getting hit over the head with a valentine,” Plummer said, at the time.

 

 

In 2012, Plummer won his first and only Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for the movie Beginners, he was the oldest actor to win an Oscar at the age of 82.

Around the Toronto area, he might be best remembered for his years of work on the stage at the venerable Stratford Festival of Canada, of which he famously said, “In Stratford, you either turn into an alcoholic or you better write.”

Plummer first performed at the renowned Shakespearean theatre festival in 1956 in the title role of Henry V and returned on many occasions including most recently in 2010 to play Prospero in Shakespeare’s The Tempest as well as in 2012 in his autobiographical play A Word or Two.

Since word of the great Plummer’s death, social media has been filling up with accolades and honours fitting one of the greatest actors of his generation.

 

 

 

Plummer could most recently be seen in the 2019 film Knives Out. He will be missed.

Experience Toronto’s rich musical history with new interactive exhibit

By
Ron Johnson
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Speakers' Corner in downtown Toronto circa 2000 | Ken Eckert/Wikimedia Commons
Speakers' Corner in downtown Toronto circa 2000 | Ken Eckert/Wikimedia Commons

Drake. Joni Mitchell. The Weeknd. Rush. When you think about it, Toronto actually has produced a huge amount of musical talent. But there is so much more than most people are currently unaware of, and a new online exhibit hopes to remedy that unfortunate situation by introducing people to groundbreaking talents from Jackie Shane to Michie Mee.

Sounds Like Toronto, which launched on Feb. 4, was created by Heritage Toronto, in collaboration with Plank Multimedia, and is the largest project the agency has ever created.

The online exhibit, three years in the making, includes 35 stories recalling the city’s artists and venues, complete with old photos, exclusive audio and video interviews, interactive tours and even a 3D interactive model of the famous Speakers Corner booth.

Some prominent bits of local lore include Michie Mee’s rap battles at the Concert Hall, Buffy Sainte-Marie’s protest songs at Yorkville coffeehouses, and Drake’s record-breaking hits that spotlight “the 6ix.”

It is organized into four “narratives” that cycle through the city’s musical past, from “Beginnings” that features artists such as Barenaked Ladies and Rush, to “Making It,” where Toronto acts like Drake and The Weeknd went international.

The website also shows how Toronto’s music has played into social activism, both in the city and abroad. Toronto artists have been pushing for causes way before it was fashionable, from Buffy Sainte-Marie representing Indigenous rights to Lillian Allen giving Black people a voice and Fifth Column, an experimental Queercore punk collective.

“The social justice movements of the past 65 years in Toronto have a soundtrack,” Heritage Toronto executive director Allison Bain said in a statement. “Sounds Like Toronto features artists whose music provides messages of hope and healing, calls to resist and for social change. Their work resonates today. Sounds Like Toronto highlights how music can keep us connected to our city and to each other.”

Sounds like Toronto doesn’t forget about the city’s famous venues either, and has collected old photos and documents that date back to as early as the 19th century for venues such as Massey Hall, El Mocambo and the Horseshoe Tavern.

Check out the website to appreciate all the city has offered, with much more to come.

Mike Holmes is teaming up with his son and daughter to help local heroes in a new show

By
lindsaylow
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0
holmes family effect
In his latest series, Mike Holmes works with his kids Sherry and Michael

Canada’s favourite contractor who always does it right, Mike Holmes, is back with a new feel-good renovation series this month. Holmes Family Effect premieres on Feb. 7 right after the Super Bowl on CTV and shows Holmes working on renovation projects for local heroes in their communities alongside his son Michael and his daughter Sherry. We caught up with the Holmes siblings to find out about the new series, what it’s like working with Dad and how meaningful it was to transform spaces like a youth centre and a school building.

What was it like working with your dad on these projects?

Sherry: Being able to share this experience with both my father and brother was actually really fun, especially during such uncertain times. Don’t get me wrong, we don’t always get along and we don’t always agree on everything, but I do think it’s important to challenge each other so we can grow personally and professionally.

Michael: We are used to helping one homeowner at a time, and with Holmes Family Effect we made a much larger impact on communities, which affected so many different people in a positive way. Being able to share and participate in an experience like this was extremely special.

 

holmes
L-R: Mike Holmes, Michael Holmes, Russell Peters and Sherry Holmes

In one episode, you work with Russell Peters at his old school, what was that like?

Michael: As someone who has been a fan of his comedy for a long time, I was looking forward to working together. Seeing the reaction of the students at Judith Nyman Secondary School when he came in to talk to them was priceless. Watching him inspire the students was my favourite part.

What was it like surprising these local heroes?

Sherry: It was so fun! I got so nervous and excited every single time. No one had any idea if we were taking on their project or what we were going to do. My favourite part was always surprising our heroes and seeing the looks on their faces but also getting to show them the finished project. We might have done the work, but they’re the real heroes for caring for their communities and doing an amazing job spreading good vibes and positivity.

 

michael holmes
Michael Holmes working with a student at Judith Nyman Secondary School

What obstacles did COVID present in getting these projects done?

Michael: We had to shut down production for a few months and were very happy when we were able to resume in accordance with government and industry COVID-19 protocols in place, since it meant our deadlines had been delayed and our ability to help out was therefore delayed.

What is the family dynamic like on the job set?

Sherry: My dad thinks that some of my ideas can be a little out there, because they’re not always what he would pick for himself, but it’s important to let people be creative and try something new. Timelines can come into play too. If Michael is better at a project than I am, we’d naturally want him to complete it if the timeline is tight. At the end of the day, there are three of us and two votes versus one always wins.

Michael: Mixing family and work can always be interesting. Saying we don’t butt heads would be a lie. My dad and I share the same goal, but we have a different way of getting there sometimes. My dad would like to call himself the captain of the ship. He steers the ship, and we help make sure that, no matter what happens, the job gets done and we inject our individual styles and personalities into it.

Resurrecting Capi’s — Mike Schillaci’s mission to save his childhood pizzeria

By
Nikki Gill
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capis pizza
@capispizza.ca

When Mike Schillaci moved to Etobicoke in 1986, he, like almost every other kid in the neighbourhood, spent many an evening in front of a Capi’s pizza box. Thirty-five years later, he’s breathing new life into his neglected childhood haunt, at the very time when the community needs it most.

Since 1962, Capi’s has been serving authentic Italian pizza to the people of Etobicoke Village. Things took a turn for the worse around the start of the decade, when new ownership took the pizzeria on a path that included a massive poster of a bowl of pho in the window and the odd health code hazard.

As it stood in February 2020, Capi’s hadn’t opened its doors in months, and it looked like the once adored institution had seen its final customers.

That’s when Schillaci stepped in. A pizzaiolo in his younger days before going into real estate, he had grown tired of the corporate scene. On March 1, he bought Capi’s, accomplishing his childhood dream of owning his own pizzeria. On March 15, he was shut down.

capi pizza

Indeed, Schillaci had taken the plunge just as a tidal wave was mounting over the restaurant industry.

“The pandemic hit, and the city shut down, so I couldn’t get my health inspection or my license,” he says. “Without that, I couldn’t get the green light.”

On top of that, the full re-opening of Capi’s was further delayed by a happier cause; the birth of Schillaci’s child.

“It was difficult, either I quarantine with [my wife] or without her,” he says, “so I had to stay with her.”

As soon as he had some downtime, Schillaci raced back to 4247 Dundas St. W. and began the uphill battle to restore the restaurant to its former grandeur. Capi’s then officially opened its doors again in August.

Initial feedback was phenomenal, and Schillaci weathered a dip in September to post record sales in December.

Schillaci attributes much of his success to his community. When he wanted to rebrand Capi’s and start fresh, they convinced him to keep the name.

“Everyone’s cheering me on,” says Schillaci. “They’re like ‘yes, Capi’s is back! I’m so happy for Capi’s!’ I don’t know how many people told me they had their first date in here.” From a donated Christmas tree in his window to a friend offering to bookkeep, Schillaci says he has a village behind him.

But while he has his village, he feels that he doesn’t have his province. Schillaci has gotten no assistance from government subsidies.

In order to provide financial relief for a business, the province needs a financial record proving a loss in income from the previous year. Since Schillaci purchased only the assets of the business and not the corporation from the previous owner, he doesn’t have the paperwork to prove the drop in earnings. In essence, he started from zero. This puts him in with a unique group of businesses that opened their doors in a pandemic but can’t get any assistance from a premier that has prided himself on looking out for small businesses.

The budding entrepreneur hasn’t taken this lying down. He’s called everyone from local MPP Christine Hogarth to Ontario’s Ministry of Finance. He remains hopeful that a new grant program will finally provide him with some relief.

In the meantime, Schillaci will continue to refine his product. A perfect mix of experience and controlled rebellion, he knows the difference between a culinary constant and a rule meant to be broken.

“In the pizza world right now, everyone is constantly moving towards singularity. [They want to] know ‘what’s the best pizza?’ So, Google has been pointing people in this one direction and it’s not true, there is no one way to do it. A good pizza comes from a creative person. I don’t fit any particular mold, and I pride myself on that.”

Capi’s offers a selection of stone-baked authentic Italian-style pizza in a couple dozen variations, as well as salads and antipasto kits.

Schillaci is pouring 60-hour work weeks into Capi’s striving for that blissfully unachievable goal of “the best pizza.” He is looking to hire help but maintains that his margins are very slim.

“I love doing it but I’m still not making any money at it,” he says. “But I’m getting by. I’m making it. I’m here.”

These are four of the best takeout cocktail kits in Toronto

By
Jessica Huras
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minami toronto cocktail kit

If you’ve never taken a bartending class, mixing a cocktail might sound intimidating—especially if you don’t even own a cocktail shaker. Luckily, there are tons of restaurants across the GTA that have started packaging their signature cocktails into neat and tidy DIY cocktail kits that you can make at home. If a vodka cranberry or a basic vodka soda is still your go-to drink during lockdown, here are four restaurants to check out that will take your at-home cocktail game to the next level.

Minami

 

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King West’s new Japanese favourite, Minami, recently started packaging their Aburi cocktails into DIY kits. There are four kits to choose from, all of which are priced at $22 and serve two people. The Shinjuku Cocktail Kit, for example, features Aburi Ginjo sake, Lychee liqueur, grapefruit syrup and cotton candy for a playful added touch. The Miku Negroni Cocktail Kit is a twist on an old classic made with Beefeater gin, Campari, Dolin’s Rouge vermouth, Yama Yuzu sake and a dehydrated orange wheel. While the Shinjuku is the only cocktail that requires a shaker, Minami’s in-house mixologist, Nick, has also added some tips via the restaurant’s website that will help you craft the perfect cocktail.

Patois

 

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A post shared by Patois (@patoistoronto)

Patois lets customers recreate their favourite Caribbean drinks at home with four cocktail kits on offer that can accompany any delivery order. Ranging in price from $36 to $38, each cocktail kit serves four people. The Patois Rum Punch is a blend of Appleton Estate Signature Blend swirled with Wray & Nephew white rum and pimento dram liqueur, orange, guava, pineapple and lime juices. The Sorrel Hot Toddy kit is a soul-warming combination of Appleton Estate and Sorrel syrup infused with mulling spices, osprey bluffs honey, chamomile and cinnamon sticks. Patois also offers a take-home version of its addicting No Bad Days sangria, made with wine from Rosewood Estates.

The Agave Bottle Shop by El Catrin

 

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A post shared by El Catrin Destileria (@elcatrinca)

For those missing vacations right about now, the Agave Bottle Shop by El Catrin has you covered for a taste of Mexico. Alongside a wide selection of mezcals and tequilas that you can’t find anywhere else in Ontario, the Agave Bottle Shop sells a take-home Margarita Kit. For $169, each kit contains a 750mL bottle of Herradura Reposado (a retail price of $75.25) and a 375mL bottle of Cointreau (a retail price of $20.95), agave nectar, fresh lime juice and salt. The best part? El Catrin even includes your very own cocktail shaker and two El Catrin branded margarita glasses, all tucked into a soft cooler bag.

Salty Paloma

If you’re looking for your new favourite cocktail, look no further than Salty Paloma, which has 12 different cocktail kits, including a non-alcoholic option. Kits start at $72 and cap at $80 (except the non-alcoholic one which goes for $55). For the month of February, Salty Paloma is selling its “All About Love” Valentine’s Day-themed kit ($105), which lets you choose between a 375mL bottle of Bombay Sapphire gin, Woodford Reserve bourbon or Grey Goose vodka as your spirit base. No matter which liquor you choose, each kit comes with all the ingredients and recipe cards for three different drinks plus a bonus cocktail with Reif Icewine and Belgian white chocolate popcorn. For long-term cocktail lovers, Salty Paloma has also launched the Stay At Home Cocktail Club, a subscription-based cocktail service. Every month, you’ll receive three new recipes and ingredients that are enough for nine full-sized drinks. Alcohol is not included, but a free cocktail class is held on the last Saturday of the month.

Will there be camp this summer?

By
lindsaylow
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0
overnight camp sign

Parenting columnist Joanne Kates is an expert educator in the areas of conflict mediation, self-esteem and anti-bullying, and she is the director of Camp Arowhon in Algonquin Park.

By the time camp starts in late June, kids will have spent more than a year mostly at home with their parents. They’re suffering isolation, loneliness and lack of independent time away from their parents. School is harder than usual. Where is the fun in their life, the connection? Kids need camp. Now more than ever.

COVID is going to make sleepover camp different this summer. Camps are confident that we’ll run in 2021, and we don’t know yet what COVID precautions Public Health will require.

Under-statement: Kids need camp for their mental health.

Stereotype: This is only about rich kids. False! Almost half of the 117,000 kids who go to sleepover camps in Ontario get (and need) financial assistance to go to camp.

How will sleepaway camps have to be different this summer? We can make educated guesses, but the moving targets make it impossible to know. First is the case count. If it gets better in late spring, camps will be more normal. Second is what Public Health requires of camps.

Last fall, the Ontario Camps Association was invited by Ontario Public Health to prepare a draft guidance document for how summer camps will operate in ‘21. That guidance was reviewed by a panel of experts at SickKids in January and is now in the hands of Public Health. Camps impatiently await their ruling — because summer camp doesn’t spring full grown from the forehead of Zeus in June. It usually takes 10 months of planning. Public Health knows that.

The draft guidance is all about cohorting, testing and the camp bubble. Unlike schools, overnight camps can be a bubble, insulated from outsiders. Keeping COVID out of the bubble will likely require campers and staff to be tested and then isolate a few days before travelling to camp. Probably everyone at camp will have to be tested again … and again.

How much testing will camps have to do? It depends on two factors — COVID in the general community and COVID within the camp. The greater the safety, the more likely Public Health reduces precautions. If camp-age people get vaccinated before camp, it’s a whole new ball game. Don’t count on that.

The testing will cost big bucks. Well off camps will pay for it and likely have to surcharge parents. Community camps will hope for test funding. Speaking of parents, visiting days are likely off the table.

Then there’s cohorting. Cohorts at camp will probably have to be based on living arrangements, like one cabin or two functioning as a family and using Public Health precautions when interacting with others. Why? To control spread and for contact tracing in case there’s a COVID positive test at camp. Cabins live together, so it’s workable to isolate a cabin cohort if there’s a case.

Imagine summer starts with one or two cabins in each cohort. They and their counsellors do everything together including activities, and when they get within two metres of somebody outside their cohort, everybody masks. Let’s say the climbing instructor has to do up a camper’s harness. They both mask for that. The rest of the time instructors will stay two metres away from kids.

Then there’s the dining hall. No matter the camp, camps are noisy. Singing, cheering, yelling for the joy of it — these are the hallmarks of summer camp dining halls. Not this summer, ’cause spit goes walkabout when we cheer.

It looks like cohorts will sit two metres apart in dining halls and mask when they leave the table. No classic camp dining hall with everybody packed in like sardines. Instead there will be distancing. For most camps that means half the camp eats elsewhere or two sittings.

Big programs like Colour War and campfires will only be OK outside. Plays will be outside. Everything possible will happen outside. And all of it distanced by cohort.

We can do this! And we will. And we will love it, because camp people, from the youngest new camper to the oldest staff, are flexible and resilient, because for those lucky enough to experience it, camp will be the great healing from COVID isolation. It will look and feel like camp. And if camps get it right and get lucky, Public Health precautions will relax, and a week or two into camp, cohorts will open up, we’ll be singing and cheering, and camp shenanigans will rule again.

Queen Street celebrates local businesses with new initiative

By
Marlene Mendonca
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queen street

Showing love and support for local businesses is simple to do but gets even easier when free stuff is involved as an incentive. The Queen Street West BIA has teamed up with the Riverside BIA to create 28 days of giveaways with the Loving Queen Street initiative that spans from the east end of the city all the way to the west.

Every day during February, one winner will be presented with a $50 voucher for a local business on Queen Street, and every Sunday a $200 voucher will be drawn. Winners will be announced at noon each day, and those interested will have many opportunities to enter the contest.

 

 

Some ways of entering to win a voucher include liking a business on Instagram, leaving a kind comment, or sharing details via social media. You can double your chances of winning by entering via both the Queen Street West BIA and the Riverside BIA websites. Each website has a calendar showcasing what business will be featured each day. Participants can enter the contest directly by entering their name through the website.

Winners will have a choice of how to spend vouchers, including online shopping, curbside pickup, or spending the coupons when the lockdown ends. Both BIAs have purchased gift cards from various businesses to support struggling business owners and keep the community thriving.

It is free to participate in the Loving Queen Street contest, and it will help support small business owners during the lockdown. Prizes already drawn include vouchers for Good Juice Box, Quince Flowers, and other shops in the area. Details can be found on the Queen Street West BIA website, the Riverside BIA website, and by using the #loveonqueen hashtag across social media.

How to make Fresh’s Tiger Bowl

By
lindsaylow
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0
fresh's tiger bowl recipe

“The Tiger bowl has been a favourite on the Fresh menu for years and is a perfect combination of savoury and spicy,” says chef Jennifer Houston of Fresh’s Tiger bowl recipe. “The crispness of the red peppers complements the grilled greens perfectly, and the crispy tofu cubes are a wonderful pairing with the cashews.”

Ingredients

  • 3 cups cooked brown rice or soba noodles
  • 4 oz 369 Dressing (see recipe below)
  • 20 Marinated Tofu Cubes (see recipe below)
  • 1 batch Magic Tofu Coating (see recipe below)
  • ¼ cup sunflower oil
  • 4 cups mixed shredded greens of your choice (napa cabbage, green, black or red kale, broccoli stems, brussels sprouts, radicchio, etc.) 
  • 2 tsp gluten-free tamari
  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh red bell pepper
  • 20 whole roasted cashews
  • 2 tsp Chili Oil (see recipe below)
  • 1 tsp sesame seeds
  • 2 tbsp green onions, thinly sliced

369 Dressing

  •  1 tsp  sunflower oil
  • 2 cups onions, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tbsp sesame oil
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • ¼ cup 369 oil
  • 3 tbsp tamari
  • 1/3 cup tahini
  • ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp maple syrup
  • 2 tbsp veggie stock or water

Marinated Tofu Cubes 

  • 1 block extra firm tofu, cut into cubes
  • ½ cup apple cider vinegar
  • ¾ cup tamari
  • ¼ cup water

Magic Tofu Coating 

  • 1 cup flaked nutritional yeast
  • 1/2 cup cornstarch
  • 1 tbsp garlic powder
  • 1/4 tsp sea salt
  • 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Chili Oil 

  • 1 cup sunflower oil
  • 1/3 cup dry chili flakes

Method

Tiger Bowl

Heat sunflower oil in a large pan over medium heat. Remove marinated tofu cubes from marinade and toss with magic tofu coating until fully coated. Cook cubes in oil, turning so all sides get browned. Remove from pan and let sit on paper towels while you prepare the rest of the bowl. Using same frying pan, turn heat up to high and add greens and tamari. Quickly sauté until wilted and slightly browned in places. Put the cooked rice or soba noodles into two large bowls. Top with 369 Dressing and sauteed greens. Drizzle with chili oil and then add remaining ingredients, including crispy tofu cubes. Serve with extra 369 dressing and chili oil on the side if desired. 

369 Dressing 

Heat sunflower oil in frying pan over medium heat.  Add onions and garlic, cook until softened and starting to brown. Remove from heat and let cool. Put remaining ingredients in a blender, add cooked onions and garlic, blend until smooth. Use immediately or transfer to airtight container and refrigerate for 5-7 days. 

Marinated Tofu Cubes 

Mix vinegar, tamari and water and then add the tofu cubes. Marinate at least 15 minutes or up to 5 days.  

Magic Tofu Coating 

Mix everything together in a bowl.  

Chili Oil 

Heat oil in a small saucepan over medium heat until a wooden spoon stuck into the oil releases lots of bubbles (that’s just a little trick to use so you’ll know it’s hot enough). Put chili flakes into another pot or heat-proof container that will be big enough to hold all the oil as well. Pour hot oil over chili flakes and stir. Let cool. 

Let sit for 3 hours and then strain to remove the chilies. Put strained oil into a clean container and refrigerate. Keeps for a few months.

Toronto drag entertainer Tynomi Banks partners with Black Lives Matter Canada on exclusive merchandise line

By
Nikki Gill
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0
tynomi banks
Tynomi Banks © Kayla Mac

Known best for her captivating performances and starring role in the first season of Canada’s Drag Race, drag entertainer Tynomi Banks is a force to be reckoned with. As the first drag entertainer to perform in Dundas Square during World Pride 2014 and appear at the Canadian Screen Awards, Banks is no doubt a trailblazer, a leader and a changemaker at the forefront of her art.

With her unique and fearless ability to be herself while advocating for the causes that matter most to her community, Banks is now using her voice to amplify the anti-racism movement by partnering with Black Lives Matter Canada on an exclusive line of merchandise. Featuring T-shirts and hoodies designed by Black artist and visionary Sydney Mia Gittens, the launch of the line coincides with Black History Month, during which a portion of the proceeds will go towards dismantling all forms of anti-Black racism, liberating Blackness, supporting Black healing and affirming Black existence.

tynomi banks

“I’m very honoured to partner with Black Lives Matter Canada and do my part in spreading awareness of racism,” Banks says. “Black History Month has always meant so much to me and I have tried to use my voice to talk about the BLM movement and amplify other voices with similar messages.”

With simple yet powerful designs including black graphic T-shirts with the messages “Protect Queer Black Youth,” “Anti-Racist” and “Black Lives Matter” as well as a hoodie and T-shirt sporting an iconic image of Banks holding up her fist in a striking pose of strength and solidarity, the collection is bold, chic and timeless.

tynomi banks black lives matter

“Canada was founded on and is built from the vision and labour of Black queer and trans individuals and communities. Working with our community is at the core of what we do,” says Black Lives Matter Canada in a press release. “We welcome this opportunity to collaborate with Tynomi to raise awareness for our movement and to proudly state: Black Trans Lives Matter! Black Queer Lives Matter! All.Black.Lives.Matter!”

Proceeds and funds raised will go to Black Lives Matter Canada’s community initiatives. Shop the collection at tynomibanks.com. To donate directly to Black Lives Matter Canada, visit Blacklivesmatter.ca.

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