4 - Alterna Savings
Transcription
4 - Alterna Savings
fresh JODI, member since 2000 Fall 2011 Greater Toronto Area Edition “Glad I’m a % 4.50 member!” Alterna Savings Investment Shares. For members only. Limited Time Offer Why economy watching is bad for your financial health In today’s fast-moving information age, paying too much attention to the latest economic news can raise your anxiety level as you worry about how it might affect your investments. Yet much of what you hear is just “noise.” Focusing too much on that noise can detract from your long-term investment strategy and cause you to consider moves that might be harmful to your portfolio. Here’s why it’s wiser to tune out: knee-jerk reactions to temporary economic and market news can lead to the wrong investment moves. Making decisions based on short-term events is a form of “timing the market,” an ill-advised strategy that seldom produces satisfactory results. Stick with a strategy based on sound fundamentals and a longer-term time horizon that smooth out the temporary ups and downs. A number of factors determine investment success. Successful investing isn’t about forecasting the economy, it’s about finding quality investments with long-term promise. It’s also about creating and maintaining a portfolio that will help you achieve your investment goals while weathering all kinds of economic climates over the long term. See p. 2 for details what’s inside 2 Resetting Expectations for Retirement 3 Co-operative Principles at Work 4 Stay on track with a Personal Investment Plan 4 Join Alterna Savings’ Board of Directors 6 Micro-Finance: A world without poverty 7 Grants & Donations recap 8 Improve your dollars and sense with us We can help you sort what’s pertinent from the noise and keep your retirement plan on track so you can have peace of mind. Talk to an Alterna Investment Specialist today. Securities-related financial planning, mutual funds and other securities are offered through Qtrade Advisor, a division of Qtrade Securities Inc., Member of the Canadian Investor Protection Fund. Securities-related financial planning and mutual funds are also offered through Qtrade Asset Management Inc., member MFDA. Resetting expectations for retirement As you get older, your investment focus should change from building wealth to preserving what you’ve accumulated —especially as you near retirement. However, some may have difficulty with that shift — particularly if you’ve had a high risk tolerance. Instead of seeking high investment returns you’ll be focusing more on income and security. Here are some ideas and strategies to help you make that shift. Income and security take the spotlight While maintaining some growth in your portfolio will still be important, income generation and capital preservation will come to the forefront. After a lifetime of planning for investment gains, approaching retirement or living in retirement is not the time to take risks with the money you’ve worked hard to accumulate. As part of a shift in focus, we would likely concentrate more on incomegenerating investments, which you’ll need in retirement to provide regular income. Simply put, retirement is the time you get to use what you’ve saved. Mitigating risk, generating income, and protecting your money means a greater focus on more conservative investments. For example, we might rebalance how much of your portfolio you should have in equities and growth-oriented equity mutual funds. In many cases, we will gradually increase the proportion of income and secure investments. But keeping a portion of your portfolio in higher-return investments, such as equity or dividend funds, is key for protection against inflation to help maintain the purchasing power of your money. We’ll look at the equity allocation of your investments, and NE W 4.50 gradually make a shift from higher-risk equities to lower-risk equities like blue chip funds. We’ll also look at the risk profile of all your other investments and may, for example, decrease your higher-risk bond investments to steadier fixed-income investments. Focus on your changing goals Think of “going conservative” as a positive step. It will give you the peace of mind that comes from knowing that your money will last through a potentially lengthy retirement. There are reasons other than retirement to make the shift from capital accumulation to preservation. For example, you might be concerned about leaving an inheritance for your children. Focusing more on preservation of assets will ensure that your estate provides for your heirs. As retirement gets closer, you’ll be ready to move further away from the accumulation stage and further into the preservation stage. We can prepare you for that shift and put a strategy into place that works for you. Talk to an Alterna Investment Specialist today. Securities-related financial planning, mutual funds and other securities are offered through Qtrade Advisor, a division of Qtrade Securities Inc., Member of the Canadian Investor Protection Fund. Securities-related financial planning and mutual funds are also offered through Qtrade Asset Management Inc., member MFDA. % “You’ll be Glad You’re A member!” On Alterna Savings Investment Shares For a limited time, Alterna Savings is offering Investment Shares for purchase by members. To answer a few questions about what Investment Shares are, here’s Alterna Savings Vice President, Treasury, Bill Boni. How are Investment Shares different from the Membership Shares that members already have? Bill, what exactly are Investment Shares? What are the minimum and maximum investment limits? Bill B: Investment Shares are an exclusive equity investment in Alterna Bill B: The minimum investment is $1,000, and the maximum is Savings that’s being offered only to our members. It’s a great opportunity to earn an attractive rate of return. It’s important to note though, that, unlike deposits, returns on investment aren’t guaranteed, and the funds aren’t eligible for deposit insurance. As an equity investment, there’s some risk involved, which is offset by the fact that we’re a healthy and growing financial institution. Who may purchase Investment Shares? Why is Alterna Savings selling Investment Shares? Bill B: Selling Investment Shares helps strengthen our capital base, or financial foundation. These funds will help ensure the credit union exceeds financial reserve regulations and has the necessary capital to invest in new technology, which we can then use to offer expanded services to our members. 2 Bill B: Membership Shares are the class of shares required in order to do business with Alterna Savings. Membership generally begins with the purchase of a $15 Membership Share, which entitles a member to have one vote at the Alterna Savings Annual General Meeting. $200,000. That way, the Investment Shares are easily accessible and available to a wider range of investors. Bill B: The sale of Investment Shares is restricted to members of Alterna Savings who are age 18 or older. What is the selling period? How many Shares will be sold? Bill B: The sales period begins on October 3, 2011, and will continue until subscriptions reach the maximum issue of $35,000,000 or until February 29, 2012—whichever comes first. Interested? Talk to your branch today for all the details. Co-operative Principles at Work The Canadian Co-operative Association’s Women’s Mentorship Program Co-operative Young Leaders Camp Co-operative Young Leaders (CYL) Camp is something you see popping up regularly in Alterna’s written reports and newsletters. That’s because we’re proud to be a sponsor of this annual event, and to help give aspiring young leaders a foothold in co-operative business practices and principles, while having the chance to be young and have fun. This year, Alterna sponsored 8 young people to attend CYL Camp. Juliet (front row, 2nd from right) with our St. Laurent branch staff Fourteen women from six countries in Africa and Asia arrived in Ottawa on June 4th to take part in the Canadian Co-operative Association’s Women’s Mentorship Program. This annual event is an outstanding training and learning opportunity for female credit union managers from developing countries. The program includes classroom training at Canadian Co-operative Association offices and a 10-day placement at a Canadian credit union. This year, we were pleased to host Juliet Kyosiimire from Uganda. In her country Juliet is a successful woman, managing her credit union’s 3 branches. Working her way up from a frontline teller to management, while simultaneously obtaining her business administration degree, Juliet easily demonstrated her strong desire to achieve both hers and her community’s financial independence. During her placement at Alterna, Juliet was introduced to various business areas, from small business to internal audit, financial services and the branches. Juliet spent one full day at our St-Laurent Branch learning all of the ins and outs of a retail branch operation. This unique experience provided an opportunity to share credit union practices and gain valuable insight into the inner workings of credit unions around the world for both Juliet and our St. Laurent branch staff. Juliet was able to spend time with each employee and learn our operations, all while experiencing Canadian food and fun in the Ottawa region. If you would like to learn more about the Canadian Co-operative Association’s Women’s Mentorship Program or any of their other initiatives, visit http://www.coopscanada.coop/en/orphan/AbtWMP Alterna is proud to have had the opportunity to contribute to Juliet’s experience, and to demonstrate our co-operative principle of “co-ops helping co-ops” firsthand. Centre for Families During the month of August, our Brampton Branch led a fundraising toy drive and 50/50 draw in support of Peel Region’s new Centre for Families child minding room, raising over $1,000. The draw was held on September 2nd, and the winner, Alterna Savings member Mr. Johnny Bujan, donated his winnings back to the Centre. The Centre for Families is a multi-service facility dedicated to helping families in need in Peel Region, which opened September 1st, 2011. This $7 million Centre will house Peel Region’s first and only Family Justice and Child Advocacy Centre. A collaborative of 16 agencies, the Centre will provide victims of violence and abuse with access to many of the services they need at a single stop including counseling, children’s aid, legal aid, law enforcement, shelter and more, in 100+ languages. We look forward to the November 1st opening of The Family Justice and Child Advocacy Centre. ike to nsoring l d l u o w I r spo s summer. o f u o y k than o to CYL thi ching i r n e g t s o o t m me f the e. I learned o e n o s a It w ces of my lif , and my experien leadership skills s has so many ge on cooperative zed with how knowled ted. I was ama so impressed skyrocke learned and am camp truly is. much I valuable the CYL ord by how - Vernon F Celebrate International Credit Union Day with us on October 20th! This year, International Credit Union Day is on Thursday, October 20th. It’s a worldwide event where credit unions join together to celebrate the spirit of member-owned financial institutions and honour those who have dedicated their lives to the movement. It’s also time to recognize the hard work of credit union staff and volunteers that drive the vision forward, and of course, to show appreciation to YOU, our members. We’ll be celebrating in our branches with a dessert table set up just for you. Be sure to save the date, and stop by your local Alterna Savings branch! 3 How a Personal Investment Plan Using the most effective tools available to manage your investment life is crucial. A Personal Investment Plan is one of those tools. Together, we develop and maintain this written, detailed roadmap of your investment future — dramatically increasing the potential for achieving your financial goals. Here are the many ways your Personal Investment Plan benefits you. It’s all about you The process of creating your Personal Investment Plan is just as valuable as using it to guide future decisions. It requires us, together, to clarify your investment strategy, commit to a disciplined plan, and create a key reference point by putting it all in writing. Think of it as an all-in-one map, reference point, and basis for monitoring your portfolio’s progress. It evaluates your progress Creating a Personal Investment Plan for you provides an opportunity to determine whether your current investment portfolio and strategy are meeting your needs. If adjustments are necessary, together we can see them clearly, and change your asset mix to keep you on track to reach your goals. For example, altering how much of your investments should be in equities, fixed income, and cash. It clarifies your priorities It plays a key role in changing markets Your Personal Investment Plan will clearly detail all the investment criteria that matter to you. Anything that is critical or of concern to you in your investment life will be included in your Personal Investment Plan. For example, your various investing goals are likely to have different time horizons — your child’s education, a big family trip, and, of course, retirement — so we’ll always be working within those timeframes with a strategy designed to produce the investment results you require. In addition, we will at all points along the way take into account your tolerance for investment risk, so the choices we make together will always be in line with your risk tolerance. Your tax objectives and needs will also be incorporated into your plan, so you’ll always be investing for maximum tax-effectiveness. As your investment life progresses, a Personal Investment Plan provides the framework for maintaining focus. For example, if changing market conditions throw your desired equity allocation off balance, we’ll work to get it back within the guidelines you specify. Your Personal Investment Plan can also act as a reality check — a buffer against the emotional reactions many of us have sometimes to unfolding economic and market events. By adhering to the guidelines set out in your Personal Investment Plan, we can to stick to your long term plan through market ups and downs and prevent emotions from influencing investment decisions. Play a greater role in your credit union - Join the Alterna Savings Board of Directors Alterna Savings is looking for active and engaged members to run for a position on the Board of Directors. Directors are elected by Alterna Savings members who vote at branches, through the website, or in person at the Annual General Meeting on April 16, 2012. What does the Board of Directors do? The Alterna Savings Board of Directors represents the members and is responsible for our strategic direction, our financial planning and performance, and our compliance with legislation and regulations. Being a Director is a big responsibility, but one that can offer a great deal of satisfaction for skilled, dedicated, and passionate individuals. 4 Who makes a good Director? A Director offers his or her skills, experience, and expertise that contribute to the collective knowledge of Alterna’s Board of Directors. Valued Director skills include financial expertise, executive compensation, technology, regulatory expertise, experience in senior management, strategic planning, risk management, change management, corporate social responsibility or community economic development. Directors must be able to use a computer, a printer and the internet, be financially literate, and have prior board/committee experience. Candidates must also meet a number of standard eligibility requirements. Interested? Contact our Corporate Secretary at [email protected] for more information. keeps you on track We’d be pleased to help you prepare, review, or revise your Personal Investment Plan. We’ll work with you to ensure it reflects the realities of your financial life, your goals, and your investment thinking and adjust it as the future unfolds. Talk to an Alterna Investment Specialist today. Securities-related financial planning, mutual funds and other securities are offered through Qtrade Advisor, a division of Qtrade Securities Inc., Member of the Canadian Investor Protection Fund. Securities-related financial planning and mutual funds are also offered through Qtrade Asset Management Inc., member MFDA. Service Fees - Changing November 1, 2011 Some of our Service Fees are changing on November 1st. Full details about the changes are available at alterna.ca, or in your local branch. Did you know… You spoke The new alterna.ca is coming Recently, you told us our website and online banking had room for improvement. We listened closely to what you had to say, and we’re changing. Coming this November, you’ll see a new alterna.ca that’s easier to use with built-in tools and calculators, and a new online banking system with some great features, like integrated bill payments (now from one screen!) and over 6,000 companies to pay. Our telephone banking will be changing as well, providing the same quick, easy and secure access to your money. Stay tuned to alterna.ca for more information and a sneak preview of our new website and online banking – coming soon! …You can use your Alterna Access Card at more than 2,000 ABMs nationwide? The EXCHANGE® Network, Canada’s 2nd largest ABM network, gives you coastto-coast fee-free* access to your Alterna account so you can make withdrawals, deposits, even transfer your funds, whether you’re in Victoria, BC or Victoria, NL – or anywhere in between! Need an ABM when you’re on the go? Find one fast with The EXCHANGE® Network’s mobile app! To download the app, or for more information, visit www.the-exchange.ca. *See our Service Fees page on alterna.ca, or pick up a copy at your local branch for full details. 5 Micro-Finance: A world without poverty Alterna Savings was a proud sponsor of the 2011 Toronto International Micro-Finance Summit on Saturday, September 17, 2011. The Summit is Canada’s premier event focused on domestic and international microfinance. The Conference and Gala are run entirely by volunteers from diverse backgrounds, with the goal of educating people about micro-finance driven by the vision of a world without poverty. The Summit also creates a forum for dialogue and fundraising efforts for domestic and international micro-finance projects and educational scholarships. This year’s conference included a “micro entrepreneur” marketplace featuring participating businesses. For over a decade, Alterna’s been known Participant at the Micro Entrepreneur Market Place, Leslie Morris of Your Signature Look for supporting small and budding businesses To see how our Micro-Finance to their improved lifestyle, visit through micro-finance. program empowers local small the Community page at alterna.ca. Our own Community business owners, and contributes Micro-Finance Program provides small loans for those For information about Alterna’s Micro-Finance Program, businesspeople and entrepreneurs contact Susan Henry, Manager, Corporate Social Responsibility, that larger financial institutions by email at [email protected]. are unable to help. Alterna Sphere– be an online advisor! Centre for Social Innovation Toronto’s Centre for Social Innovation creates community workspaces, nurtures emerging enterprises, and fosters an environment that develops new models and methods with world-changing potential. It’s a little like a greenhouse that grows and incubates new social ideas. Alterna’s partnership with the Centre for Social Innovation (CSI Spadina) first started in 2006. Since then, we’ve developed a strong and loyal relationship with CSI. For the last five years, we’ve maintained title sponsorship of the Alterna Savings Boardroom - the largest and most frequently used meeting space in the building. Today, Alterna continues to be CSI’s primary financial institution, and we’re pleased to announce our recently renewed collaboration. Alterna Savings will continue to hold title sponsorship of the boardroom, as well as provide education sessions to members of CSI and Alterna Savings to further foster their social innovation. CSI is home to 450 active small businesses, non-profits, and social enterprises - over 800 socially-minded individuals do business at CSI, a number likely to grow when they open their third location in Regent Park later this year. For more information, visit socialinnovation.ca. 6 (Right) Sandy Crawley, Executive Director of the Professional Writer’s Association of Canada, one of the original tenants of CSI, and former board member of CSI, (Left) Edward Nixon, EN Consulting We value your input and feedback, and invite you to sign up as an online advisor. Simply send an email to [email protected]. For more information on the AlternaSphere Advisory Panel, please visit alterna.ca and click on the AlternaSphere button. Grants and donations A hand up, not a hand-out Several local community organizations and projects were recently offered a little help from Alterna and our members. Our Grants Advisory Committee, comprised of directors, members and staff, distributed grants between $1,000 and $5,000 to the worthy causes listed below in August. Funds are made available from corporate donations and money collected from our members through the Spare Change program. Downtown Care-Ring Home Support Jumblies Theatre $2,500 $2,500 Founded in 1978, Downtown Care-Ring provides services and support to close to 300 elderly, physically challenged and persons in need through a network of volunteers. The funds will support their afterschool music program, The St. Jamestown Steel Orchestra, that gives youth and children an opportunity to learn new skills, be artistic, become team players, and be a positive community participant. Canadian Breast Cancer Network $5,000 The Canadian Breast Cancer Network is the only national survivor-driven and survivorfocused breast cancer organization in Canada, promoting the improvements in diagnosis, treatment and services, and are strong supporters for access to optimal care for breast cancer patients. Alterna’s grant will help cover the costs of their participation in Ottawa Race Weekend 2011, as well as materials for their “Breast Cancer Survivor to a Healthy Survivor” program, through which they hope to reach 3,000 breast cancer patients and survivors. Eva’s Initiative for Homeless Youth $2,000 Since its inception, Eva’s Initiatives has opened its three shelters to thousands of homeless/at-risk youth in the Greater Toronto area, many of whom are victims of abuse, or who have severe mental health problems or addictions. The $2,000 grant will be used for the RecAction Program which offers healthy, safe recreation activities to over 650 of Toronto’s most vulnerable streetinvolved youth. Jumblies Theatre creates collaborative projects with communities, making art and theatre with, about, and for the people who live there. The grant will support the Like An Old Tale project, taking place from September through December 2011, benefitting about 300 people. Margaret Frazer House $1,500 Margaret Frazer House serves women who have suffered serious and persistent mental illness. The grant will be used to support the Community Kitchen initiative, providing nutritious meals, life skills development, and a supportive network to more than 100 women. Planet in Focus $2,000 Planet in Focus promotes the use of film, video and new media for public awareness, discussion and appropriate action on the ecological and social health of the planet. Their grant will be used to ensure about 400 children and youth, as well as their friends and families, will have free admission to screenings during the Planet in Focus Environmental Film Festival. Jamestown/ Rexdale Neighbourhood $4,000 The Jamestown/Rexdale NAP is a collaborative network of representatives from government, community-based organizations, residents, and other stakeholders that work together to identify neighbourhood needs and service delivery gaps, and strive to address those needs. This grant will be used to award 2 youth the Jamestown/ Rexdale NAP Scholarship, which will help them pursue academic, professional or extra-curricular interests. North York Women’s Centre (NYWC) $5,000 NYWC provides resources and support to women, with a focus on empowering them to effect positive change in their lives. The grant will support The Gathering Place, which provides a safe and welcoming drop-in program for more than 250 low-income and marginalized women. Retired Teachers of Ontario $1,000 Retired Teachers of Ontario serves the needs of retired elementary and secondary school teachers, with grant funds used to sponsor two holes at their 14th annual Breakfast for Kids Golf Tournament. All money goes directly to the program, supporting breakfast clubs, nutritious snacks and lunch programs at schools in Scarborough and East York, a rising need every year. In all, Alterna is proud to have distributed a total of $25,500 in grants to these organizations. Spare Change: Small Bucks, Big Difference We know our members love to give back to their communities as much as we do. We also know that these days, sometimes finding that “little extra” to help out with can be tough. That’s where the Alterna Savings Spare Change Program comes in. It’s the easiest way to support causes right in your own backyard where small dollars help in a big way. How does it work? When you sign up for Spare Change, the ‘change’ will be swept from your account once a month. The funds are then pooled with other members’ donations, and used to support organizations or causes related to child poverty, the environment, or homelessness – it’s your choice. It only costs about 50 cents a month, and never more than 99 cents. Some of the organizations our Community Grants and Spare Change Program have helped in the last year include: Canadian Paraplegic Foundation Habitat for Humanity, Ottawa Are you a community organization that needs a hand up, or know of one that could use a little help? You’ll find our downloadable application form on alterna.ca, under the Community tab, Community Grants Program. Metro Toronto Movement for Literacy Silent Voice Canada Geneva Centre for Autism Foundation New Beginnings Social Planning Council of Ottawa The Ottawa Food Bank West End Food Co-op …And many more! For full details about our Community Grants and Spare Change Program, pick up a copy of the 2010 Alterna Community Report in your local branch, or view it online at alterna.ca. Get started today! Speak with your local branch representative about Spare Change, and see for yourself how easy it is to give back. 7 Improve your dollars and sense with us Borrowing & Grant Writing Tips for Non-Profits Join us and our special guest panelists for helpful tips and tricks on borrowing and grant writing for non-profits. Options for borrowing Grant Writing Q and A with the Panel If you’re unsure about how to secure funding for your organization, this session is for you! We’ll provide a snapshot of options available to you for borrowing, plus answer questions like: Grant writing can be challenging for any organization. In this session, you’ll learn about the writing process, and strategic ways to access funding for your programs and services, plus get practical tips and advice on steps to take that will ensure successful grant-seeking. Our panellists will be on-hand to answer any questions you may have about borrowing or grant writing. Don’t be shy! •Under what circumstances might borrowing be beneficial for your organization? •What qualifying criteria will a lender be looking for in the way of financials, operating track record, and so on? •How and where do you apply for a loan? •What funding would work better for your organization: an operating loan, mortgage, or line of credit? •What types of grants are available and who provides them? •Preparation and the grant writing process •Components of a successful proposal Participants will receive a resource kit packed with grant-seeking tools and resources. Panelists Beth Coates, Canadian Alternative Investment Co-operative (CAIC) Suzanne Gibson, Suzanne Gibson and Associates Janet Shim, Alterna Savings Tele-Classes “Outsell Yourself”, with special guest Kelly McCormick Featuring usable sales tips and success strategies you can put into action to succeed in today’s marketplace. Date: November 16 Time: 7:00 to 8:00 pm RSVP with Jean Barrett [email protected] To RSVP, email [email protected] by November 10, 2011. November 15, 2011, 9:30 am to 11:30 am The Alterna Savings Boardroom at Centre for Social Innovation CSI Spadina, 215 Spadina Avenue, Suite 400, Toronto, ON M5T 2C7 Alterna ‘Webucation’@ alterna.ca Saving Strategies to Help You Hold Onto Your Hard-earned Bucks Recent research has shown that far too many Canadians are living paycheque to paycheque, with little or no savings – even for retirement. We’re here to help you find ways to not just make ends meet, but set a few dollars aside every month. Join us for an informative webinar on saving techniques that will teach you how to hold onto your hard earned dollars. You’ll learn the importance of savings, how to set realistic goals that work for you, and savings tips that will help you stretch your dollar even further. How you save today can have a big impact on how you live tomorrow - it’s important to know what your options are. Visit alterna.ca to view the Savings Strategies webinar from the comfort of your own computer at any time beginning October 21! Looking for fresh e-news? This newsletter is printed on 100% post-consumer recycled paper using FSC-certified sustainable methods like vegetable-based inks and renewable energy sources. Which means we saved we saved 30 trees, 109,371 litres of water, and kept over 4,300 kilograms of harmful CO2 out of the air, and 1,657 kilograms of solid waste out of landfills, versus traditional printing methods. When you’re done reading this newsletter, please remember to recycle it. Want to go paperless altogether? Sign up for the e-version of fresh by writing [email protected]. Be sure to include your name and mailing address. Networking Café Book Talk with Elizabeth Verwey of Mentor’s Circle Date: October 25 Time: 6:00 to 8:30 p.m. Location: Centre for Social Innovation Alterna Savings Boardroom 215 Spadina Ave., Suite 400 Toronto RSVP with Jean Barrett [email protected] Our coffee’s gone green! Oh, there’s nothing wrong with our coffee. Rather, it’s our cups that have gone ‘green’, keeping approximately 25,000 non-recyclable, non-compostable cups out of our landfills. Now our Fair Trade java is served up in reusable ceramic mugs, or fully compostable cups at all our locations. fresh Alterna refers to Alterna Savings and Credit Union Limited (“Alterna Savings”) and its wholly owned subsidiary CS Alterna Bank (“Alterna Bank”). Together, Alterna Savings and Alterna Bank form the Alterna Financial Group. Ottawa Corporate Office Toronto Corporate Office Alterna Savings Contact Centre Alterna Bank Contact Centre 400 Albert Street Ottawa, ON K1R 5B2 165 Attwell Drive Toronto, ON M9W 5Y5 Toll Free: 1.877.560.0100 Toll Free: 1.866.560.0120 Toronto: 416.252.5621 Gatineau: 819.595.6980 Ottawa: 613.560.0100 Ottawa: 613.560.0120 alterna.ca Founding Member of CBSR Ontario Alterna is a member of