Days after the Ontario government reinstated restrictions that require most gyms to close, the franchise owners of at least two fitness studios in Toronto are set to reopen.
“We’re not defying the provincial law, we’re opening up legally,” said Phil Cormier, who owns an F45 studio on King Street West downtown.
“Each studio has their own decision to make,” Cormier told Global News by telephone.
Another F45 franchise on Danforth Avenue also told members it would reopen to clients on the weekend.
In an email sent to members, F45 Training Downtown Toronto advised it would be “opening under modified restrictions … that permit facilities to remain open during a lockdown in order to serve persons who experience a disability.”
“You have to sign a waiver saying you have a note” from a medical professional, Cormier told Global News, emphasizing that his studio would not require proof of any medical justification.
In its email to members, the F45 studio advised that there was no need to produce documentation in order to be allowed to work out at the studio.
“These letters will not be required to be seen by our trainers, owners, bylaw or public health and do not need to kept on you as that is in breech (sp) of your Human Rights,” the email reads.
Toronto lawyer Ryan O’Connor advises gym owners to reopen in this fashion.
1:56 Ontario’s latest business supports found lacking by many
Ontario’s latest business supports found lacking by many
“The government clearly permits it and many gyms are availing themselves of the exception,” O’Connor told Global News in an interview.
“It’s not a loophole … it could be a mental health illness, a physical health ailment, an injury…severe or less severe…it’s not a technicality, it’s legally provided for,” he added.
F45 Training, headquartered in Austin, Texas, gears its marketing to young, fitness-minded clients prepared to engage in high-intensity workouts. The company does not mention treatment for disabilities in any of its online marketing.
“45 is the total amount of time for sweat-dripping, heart-pumping fun,” according to the company’s website.
Global News sought comment from F45 Training but none was provided at the time of publication.
1:54 Business owners upset as Ontario ramps up COVID rules
Business owners upset as Ontario ramps up COVID rules
But the CEO of a Toronto organization that caters to those with disabilities is concerned that gyms trying to use the exemption may put other organizations at risk.
“We serve a community that needs us, and we need to stay open for that community,” said Karen Stintz, CEO of Variety Village.
The 70-year-old charitable organization in Scarborough operates a large fitness facility, including pools, a running track and custom-designed equipment built for those with physical and other disabilities.
About half of its members come from a wider community and are not eligible to use the facility at this time.
“Variety Village will only be open for members with disabilities only for therapeutic purposes,” according to its website.
Stintz says members without a disability have not attempted to continue to use the gym and swimming pool by attempting to make use of the current exemptions.
“When I think about other businesses that don’t actually serve a community with a disability but are trying to use this as a loophole to be able to stay open, I say it’s very risky,” she said, adding the government could rescind the regulation that allows it to stay open.
“From my perspective, we would ask very strongly that businesses don’t do that. If they are legitimately serving those with a disability, then they should stay open. If they’re using it as a loophole to stay in business that is doing a disservice to those who need it the most,” Stintz said in an on-camera interview.
Stintz said Variety Village wants to be sure that members utilizing the facilities during the restrictions are doing so in a bona fide way.
“We say to our members who have a disability, ‘You have to provide us with a legitimate doctor’s note,’” she said.
Cormier said his F45 studio is not the only Toronto gym that is encouraging members to use the exemption provisions.
Most job search advice is cookie-cutter. The advice you’re following is almost certainly the same advice other job seekers follow, making you just another candidate following the same script.
In today’s hyper-competitive job market, standing out is critical, a challenge most job seekers struggle with. Instead of relying on generic questions recommended by self-proclaimed career coaches, which often lead to a forgettable interview, ask unique, thought-provoking questions that’ll spark engaging conversations and leave a lasting impression.
Your level of interest in the company and the role.
Contributing to your employer’s success is essential.
You desire a cultural fit.
Here are the top four questions experts recommend candidates ask; hence, they’ve become cliché questions you should avoid asking:
“What are the key responsibilities of this position?”
Most likely, the job description answers this question. Therefore, asking this question indicates you didn’t read the job description. If you require clarification, ask, “How many outbound calls will I be required to make daily?” “What will be my monthly revenue target?”
“What does a typical day look like?”
Although it’s important to understand day-to-day expectations, this question tends to elicit vague responses and rarely leads to a deeper conversation. Don’t focus on what your day will look like; instead, focus on being clear on the results you need to deliver. Nobody I know has ever been fired for not following a “typical day.” However, I know several people who were fired for failing to meet expectations. Before accepting a job offer, ensure you’re capable of meeting the employer’s expectations.
“How would you describe the company culture?”
Asking this question screams, “I read somewhere to ask this question.” There are much better ways to research a company’s culture, such as speaking to current and former employees, reading online reviews and news articles. Furthermore, since your interviewer works for the company, they’re presumably comfortable with the culture. Do you expect your interviewer to give you the brutal truth? “Be careful of Craig; get on his bad side, and he’ll make your life miserable.” “Bob is close to retirement. I give him lots of slack, which the rest of the team needs to pick up.”
Truism: No matter how much due diligence you do, only when you start working for the employer will you experience and, therefore, know their culture firsthand.
“What opportunities are there for professional development?”
When asked this question, I immediately think the candidate cares more about gaining than contributing, a showstopper. Managing your career is your responsibility, not your employer’s.
Cliché questions don’t impress hiring managers, nor will they differentiate you from your competition. To transform your interaction with your interviewer from a Q&A session into a dynamic discussion, ask unique, insightful questions.
Here are my four go-to questions—I have many more—to accomplish this:
“Describe your management style. How will you manage me?”
This question gives your interviewer the opportunity to talk about themselves, which we all love doing. As well, being in sync with my boss is extremely important to me. The management style of who’ll be my boss is a determining factor in whether or not I’ll accept the job.
“What is the one thing I should never do that’ll piss you off and possibly damage our working relationship beyond repair?”
This question also allows me to determine whether I and my to-be boss would be in sync. Sometimes I ask, “What are your pet peeves?”
“When I join the team, what would be the most important contribution you’d want to see from me in the first six months?”
Setting myself up for failure is the last thing I want. As I mentioned, focus on the results you need to produce and timelines. How realistic are the expectations? It’s never about the question; it’s about what you want to know. It’s important to know whether you’ll be able to meet or even exceed your new boss’s expectations.
“If I wanted to sell you on an idea or suggestion, what do you need to know?”
Years ago, a candidate asked me this question. I was impressed he wasn’t looking just to put in time; he was looking for how he could be a contributing employee. Every time I ask this question, it leads to an in-depth discussion.
Other questions I’ve asked:
“What keeps you up at night?”
“If you were to leave this company, who would follow?”
“How do you handle an employee making a mistake?”
“If you were to give a Ted Talk, what topic would you talk about?”
“What are three highly valued skills at [company] that I should master to advance?”
“What are the informal expectations of the role?”
“What is one misconception people have about you [or the company]?”
Your questions reveal a great deal about your motivations, drive to make a meaningful impact on the business, and a chance to morph the questioning into a conversation. Cliché questions don’t lead to meaningful discussions, whereas unique, thought-provoking questions do and, in turn, make you memorable.
Nick Kossovan, a well-seasoned veteran of the corporate landscape, offers “unsweetened” job search advice. You can send Nick your questions to artoffindingwork@gmail.com.
CALGARY – Canadian Natural Resources Ltd. reported a third-quarter profit of $2.27 billion, down from $2.34 billion in the same quarter last year.
The company says the profit amounted to $1.06 per diluted share for the quarter that ended Sept. 30 compared with $1.06 per diluted share a year earlier.
Product sales totalled $10.40 billion, down from $11.76 billion in the same quarter last year.
Daily production for the quarter averaged 1,363,086 barrels of oil equivalent per day, down from 1,393,614 a year ago.
On an adjusted basis, Canadian Natural says it earned 97 cents per diluted share for the quarter, down from an adjusted profit of $1.30 per diluted share in the same quarter last year.
The average analyst estimate had been for a profit of 90 cents per share, according to LSEG Data & Analytics.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 31, 2024.
CALGARY – Cenovus Energy Inc. reported its third-quarter profit fell compared with a year as its revenue edged lower.
The company says it earned $820 million or 42 cents per diluted share for the quarter ended Sept. 30, down from $1.86 billion or 97 cents per diluted share a year earlier.
Revenue for the quarter totalled $14.25 billion, down from $14.58 billion in the same quarter last year.
Total upstream production in the quarter amounted to 771,300 barrels of oil equivalent per day, down from 797,000 a year earlier.
Total downstream throughput was 642,900 barrels per day compared with 664,300 in the same quarter last year.
On an adjusted basis, Cenovus says its funds flow amounted to $1.05 per diluted share in its latest quarter, down from adjusted funds flow of $1.81 per diluted share a year earlier.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 31, 2024.
