Media Release

New Brunswick Securities Commission - Small business tax credit seminars offered

johnsgunn — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 14:39:10 -0400

Author

Source

Source Url

http://www.nbsc-cvmnb.ca/nbsc/news_content_display.jsp?news_id=205&id=24&pid=1001

Image

Image Caption

Body

SAINT JOHN – A series of free seminars will begin Tuesday, March 16, on how to use the New Brunswick Small Business Investor Tax Credit (SBITC).

The seminars are being organized by the New Brunswick Securities Commission (NBSC), Business New Brunswick, the Department of Finance and the Enterprise Network.

The sessions are called Learning the Ropes – grow your business without growing debt. They will feature local business owners explaining how they have benefited from the New Brunswick SBITC as well as other options to help companies raise capital. Department of Finance officials will be available to discuss how to apply for the tax credit.

“I am proud to be part of an initiative that will help our government offer even more guidance for our local New Brunswick investors and entrepreneurs,” said Business New Brunswick Minister Victor Boudreau. “Our recent changes to the SBITC mean an increase in the maximum annual investment amount to $250,000 from $80,000 – a move we are confident will further encourage investment by New Brunswick residents in New Brunswick small businesses.”

The SBITC encourages investment by New Brunswickers in New Brunswick small businesses by providing a 30-per-cent non-refundable personal income tax credit of up to $75,000 per year (for investments of up to $250,000 per investor) to investors who invest in eligible small businesses in the province.

“We are pleased to offer these sessions in co-operation with other agencies throughout the province,” said Rick Hancox, executive director, NBSC. “Learning the Ropes is a capital markets development initiative that helps New Brunswick companies become aware of the options available to obtain access to capital and grow their business.”

The sessions will take place on the following dates:

Tuesday, March 16, Fredericton (English presentation);
Wednesday, March 17, Moncton (English presentation in the morning and French presentation in the afternoon);
Thursday, March 18, Saint John (English presentation);
Tuesday, March 23, Grand Falls (English presentation);
Tuesday, March 23, Edmundston (French presentation);
Wednesday, March 24, Kedgwick (French presentation); and
Thursday, March 25, Caraquet (French presentation).

Those interested in attending are asked to register in advance for the session either by going online, by calling the NBSC at 1 866 933-2222, or by e-mail at information@nbsc-cvmnb.ca.

SAINT JOHN – Une série de colloques gratuits sur la façon de se prévaloir du crédit d’impôt pour les investisseurs dans les petites entreprises (CIIPE) du Nouveau-Brunswick débutera le mardi 16 mars.

Ces colloques sont organisés par la Commission des valeurs mobilières du Nouveau-Brunswick (CVMNB), Entreprises Nouveau-Brunswick, le ministère des Finances et le Réseau Entreprise.

Le thème de ces ateliers est Apprendre les rouages financiers - Faire croître les entreprises sans accroître les dettes. Ils permettront d’entendre des propriétaires d’entreprises locales expliquer comment ils ont tiré profit du CIIPE du Nouveau-Brunswick ainsi que d’autres solutions afin de permettre à leur entreprise de réunir des capitaux. Des fonctionnaires du ministère des Finances seront sur place pour expliquer comment demander le crédit d’impôt.

« Je suis fier de participer à une initiative qui va aider notre gouvernement à offrir encore plus de conseils à nos investisseurs et entrepreneurs du Nouveau-Brunswick », a déclaré le ministre d’Entreprises Nouveau-Brunswick, Victor Boudreau. « Les changements que nous avons récemment apportés au CIIPE ont permis d’augmenter le montant de l’investissement annuel maximal pour le faire passer de 80 000 $ à 250 000 $. Nous sommes convaincus que cette décision stimulera encore davantage les investissements par les résidents du Nouveau-Brunswick dans les petites entreprises du Nouveau-Brunswick. »

Le CIIPE encourage les Néo-Brunswickois à investir dans les petites entreprises du Nouveau-Brunswick en offrant un crédit d’impôt non remboursable de 30 pour cent, jusqu’à concurrence de 75 000 $ par année (pour un investissement d’au plus 250 000 $ par investisseur), aux investisseurs qui investissent dans des petites entreprises admissibles de la province.

« Nous sommes heureux d’offrir ces ateliers partout dans la province en collaboration avec d’autres organismes », a dit le directeur général de la CVMNB, Rick Hancox. « Apprendre les rouages financiers est une initiative de développement des marchés financiers qui aide les entrepreneurs du Nouveau-Brunswick à prendre connaissance des solutions qui s’offrent à eux pour avoir accès aux capitaux dont ils ont besoin dans le but de faire croître leur entreprise. »

Les ateliers seront offerts aux dates et aux endroits suivants :

le mardi 16 mars à Fredericton (présentation en anglais);
le mercredi 17 mars à Moncton (présentation en anglais le matin et en français l’après-midi);
le jeudi 18 mars à Saint John (présentation en anglais);
le mardi 23 mars à Grand-Sault (présentation en anglais);
le mardi 23 mars à Edmundston (présentation en français);
le mercredi 24 mars à Kedgwick (présentation en français); et
le jeudi 25 mars à Caraquet (présentation en français).

Les personnes intéressées sont invitées à s’inscrire à l’avance à l’atelier, soit en ligne, soit en téléphonant à la CVMNB au 1 866 933-2222, soit en envoyant un courriel à information@nbsc-cvmnb.ca.

KIRA AWARDS : Call For Nominations!

Rowser — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 15:42:25 -0400

Author

Source

Source Url

http://www.kiraawards.com

Image

Image Caption

Body

KIRA AWARD CATEGORIES COME CELEBRATE 12 YEARS OF INDUSTRY EXCELLENCE!

The KIRA Awards are connecting the knowledge industry one event at a time!

Nominations close on Friday, March 26, 2010.

Please visit www.kiraawards.com for more detailed information.

Do not miss your chance to become a KIRA recipient! Nominate an individual, your company or another organization that you think deserves to be recognized within any of the listed categories. Help us celebrate the Knowledge Industry in New Brunswick regarding economic growth, new opportunities, and innovative ideas for a stronger province.

TO PURCHASE TICKETS

May 6, 2010 – Delta Fredericton
Tickets are $100 per person (+HST)
or $800 per table of eight (+HST)

To purchase: please call Wendy Gallant, Enterprise Fredericton at 506-457-4863, or send an e-mail to wendy.gallant@ent-fredericton.ca

DIGITAL MARKETING TRADE MISSION - NEW YORK and ICT RFP – BERMUDA

Rowser — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 23:59:33 -0400

Author

Source

Source Url

Image

Image Caption

Body

(1) PRELIMINARY NOTICE … MARK THE DATE!
DIGITAL MARKETING TRADE MISSION + ADTECH EXPO & CONFERENCE

NEW YORK CITY
NOVEMBER 3-5, 2010

MISSON + MATCH-MAKING …

A BNB, ACOA, DFAIT & Enterprise Fredericton partnership will be leading a mission to the massive New York market during the week of November 1-5th, 2010.

The mission will be in conjunction with the Ad-Tech, a show of over 300 exhibits and 10,000 attendees for those who would find this of interest.

Please “save the date” and let me know if this initiative would be of interest to you details to follow shortly. For AdTech details, see www.ad-tech.com

(2) ICT RFP – BERMUDA

CHECK THIS OUT…

Please find attached, V5 of the RFP for the Purchasing and Tendering System (PATS) for the Ministry of Works and Engineering. The essence of this solution will be to provide centralized online publication of the W&E business opportunities and contracts awarded. This system will monitor and track the procurement of work that W&E must assign to outsides agencies. This work includes building and engineering contracts, maintenance work and consultant agreements.

Information Technology Offices

Closes: March 5th, 2010
ITO 2010/154

This amendment extends all key dates by one week. The changes to individual sections are as follows:

1.2.1: Submission deadline has been extended to March 5, 2010

1.5.2: Vendor Conference Call has been changed to February 16, 2010 at
12:00PM AST. Conference call details will be sent to all vendors who
express an interest in responding to the RFP as per 1.5.1

1.6.1: The cutoff for vendor questions has been extended to February
19, 2010 at 12:00PM AST.

1.17: All key dates, excepting the date of publication, have been
extended by one week.

As per paragraph 1.5.1 of the RFP; All prospective vendors are
encouraged to indicate via email to David Burt (dgburt@gov.bm) an
expression of interest to submit a response to this proposal.

Stephen T. Kelly
Project Executive Export Development
Chargé de projets expansion des exportations
Business New Brunswick/Entreprises Nouveau-Brunswick
Tel/Tél : 506-444-5265
Fax/Eléc : 506-453-3783
Cell: 506-449-0844
steve.kelly@gnb.ca

Lymbix Inc announces completion of first round funding.

Rowser — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 23:27:32 -0400

Author

Source

Source Url

Image

Image Caption

Body

Lymbix Inc is pleased to announce today the completion of first round funding totaling $500,000 in investment capital designated for further development of their patent protected, connotative software solutions. To date, 45 private investors have pledged financial support to the company, over 25 of which took advantage of a Small Business Investor Tax Credit (SBITC).

Founder and CEO Matt Eldridge credits the New Brunswick government for paving the way for investors to support local business. “In fact, approximately half of the investors who took advantage of the SBTIC were first timers using the program. Having tax credits available to investors is a major advantage when looking to acquire capital.”

For start-ups like Lymbix who rely mostly on venture capital in the development stage, the SBTIC encourages investment by New Brunswick residents in New Brunswick business.

First round funding has been earmarked for key hires, continued development and sales & marketing. Since it’s inception in February 2009 the Lymbix family has grown to 16. Eldridge was quick to credit his team for the success achieved by the company to date. “We’ve worked hard to attract top-tier talent to the team. Each of our employees is fully dedicated to our success and we look forward to recruiting more talent in the coming months.”

Lymbix Inc, of Moncton, NB specializes in products relating to the emotion of text-based communication. Having developed the world’s first connotative database, applications powered by Lymbix identify a deeper level of sentiment analysis and dives further beyond positive, negative and neutral.

Follow Lymbix on Twitter (@Lymbix) for up-to-date news.

Contacts:

Matt Eldridge, CEO, Lymbix Inc

meldridge@lymbix.com

1-800-LYMBIX8 ext. 701

FibreOP services poised to expand across NB - more customers able to experience ultimate broadband experience

Rowser — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 18:23:56 -0400

Author

Source

Source Url

http://bellaliant.ca/english/news/view_art.asp?id=1940

Image

Image Caption

Body

Monday, February 08, 2010
FibreOP services poised to expand across NB - more customers able to experience ultimate broadband experience

Bathurst, New Brunswick - Bell Aliant, with the support of the Government of New Brunswick, today announced their 2010 expansion plan for their FibreOP services in New Brunswick, increasing their financial commitment across this province. The plan includes fibre-to-the-home (FTTH) network expansion into several communities including:

* City of Bathurst and the City of Miramichi
* The Greater Saint John area including the towns of Rothesay, Quispamsis, and Grand Bay-Westfield
* The Greater Moncton area including the City of Moncton, City of Dieppe and Town of Riverview

"Having access to the fastest and most innovative technology will undoubtedly help New Brunswick attract and retain new and existing talent in the near future - furthering the goal of economic prosperity province-wide," said Karen Sheriff, President and CEO, Bell Aliant. "We're extremely proud to offer an unparalleled broadband experience - including Bell Aliant TV - for our customers as we expand into a number of communities this year."

By end of 2010, Bell Aliant will have invested $80 million to bring FibreOP technology to 110,000 - or 35 per cent - of the homes and business in New Brunswick. Looking forward to mid-2011, they will have extended the service to a total of 145,000 or 45 per cent, of homes and businesses in the province. When Bell Aliant completes the project in mid-2011, they will have spent $10-12 million in contracts with New Brunswick businesses, delivering further economic benefit to the province.

FibreOP delivers the fastest Internet and video sharing available in the province; the ultimate High Definition TV experience; and, the best customer service experience, provided on a 100 per cent FTTH network that connects directly to your home. The network was originally announced in July, 2009, when Bell Aliant said that it would invest $60 million in a FTTH network to serve homes and businesses in the province.

"We are thrilled that Bell Aliant has chosen to continue to invest in New Brunswick, especially northern New Brunswick, by expanding its next generation broadband network to even more communities. This project is critical to developing and expanding New Brunswick's growing information-communications-technologies (ICT) sector," said Premier Shawn Graham. "Bell Aliant recognizes the enormous potential in our province. The company's plan to extend fibre-to-the-home technology (FTTH) to more New Brunswickers will help us attract further investment and bring more people home for work, leading us forward on the road to self-sufficiency."

Bell Aliant is also expanding the City of Fredericton rollout to include some Greater Fredericton neighborhood communities including the areas of New Maryland, Hanwell, Peppercreek, McLeod Hill and Lincoln and is set to complete the project by the end of March. The next phase of expansion is already in progress and includes the City of Saint John. More details on the availability of FibreOP in the City of Saint John will be announced soon.

Background

In February, Bell Aliant announced that in 2010 they will more than double their 2009 spending on fibre technology to pass 140,000 homes with fibre to the home by the end of this year.

Bell Aliant recently launched the next level of Bell Aliant FibreOP residential services now available in Fredericton offering customers 60 Mbps download and 15 Mbps upload Internet service - the fastest Internet experience available in the city. These unprecedented speeds enable customers to download music or movies, and share video or photos faster than ever before. Increasing the capacity of upload speeds in addition to download is important to ensure the fastest two-way and overall Internet experience.

FibreOP TV offers 100 per cent digital TV service including High Definition television and watch and record PVR, giving customers the option to watch and record two different HD channels at one time. Customers can enjoy unmatched digital picture and sound quality on over 200 channels, including over 90 music channels and 45 HD channels. Other features include an easy-to-use on-screen program guide, free time-shifting that allows customers to watch their favourite shows from other time zones, local radio music stations and access to pay-per-view movies and events.

FibreOP services are currently for sale in areas of Fredericton. They can be purchased alone, or bundled with all the other telecommunications and entertainment services that customers need for their home, including Home Phone with unlimited features, unlimited long distance calling, FibreOP Internet and FibreOP TV.

Fibre to the home is an advanced broadband network that provides the ultimate experience for Internet and video services, including High Definition television. It is the ideal architecture to enable the growing bandwidth needs of customers. For more information, customers can call 1-866-FibreOP (866-342-7367) or visit www.bellaliant.net/FibreOP.

About Bell Aliant

Bell Aliant (TSX: BA.UN) is one of North America's largest regional communications providers and an Official Supporter of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. Through its operating entities it serves customers in six Canadian provinces with innovative information, communication and technology services including voice, data, Internet, video and value-added business solutions. Through its xwave offices, Bell Aliant also provides IT professional services and advanced technology solutions. Bell Aliant's employees are committed to deliver the highest quality of customer service, choice and convenience.

For more information please contact:

Peter Murchland,
Communications and Public Affairs, Bell Aliant
877-487-3165
peter.murchland@bellaliant.ca

Bell Aliant reports fourth quarter 2009 results and announces expanded fibre to the home service coverage with 2010 financial gu

Rowser — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 10:06:12 -0400

Author

Source

Source Url

http://bellaliant.ca/english/news/view_art.asp?id=1938

Image

Image Caption

Body

Wednesday, February 03, 2010
Bell Aliant reports fourth quarter 2009 results and announces expanded fibre to the home service coverage with 2010 financial guidance

Cost reductions improve 2009 EBITDA margin 1.5 percentage points over 2008
Distributable cash reaches $773 million in 2009; expected to remain strong at $750 million - $790 million in 2010
FibreOP Internet and HDTV services on 100 per cent fibre optic network to pass 140,000 homes by year end 2010
2010 Distributions expected to continue at $2.90 per unit
Unitholder vote regarding January 2011 conversion to corporate structure planned for June 2010

Halifax, NS Bell Aliant Regional Communications Income Fund (Bell Aliant or the Fund) (TSX: BA.UN) today reported the Fund's and Bell Aliant Regional Communications Holdings, LP's (Bell Aliant Holdings LP) fourth quarter 2009 financial results, and announced plans to expand its fibre to the home coverage as part of its 2010 financial guidance.

"Our 2009 results demonstrate that our strategy is working. Our EBITDA margins improved over 2008 performance despite growing competitive activity, because of action we took to reset our cost structure and grow our broadband business," said Karen Sheriff, President and Chief Executive Officer. "Our distributable cash generation was very strong, our service metrics continued to improve, and with our launch of our FibreOP fibre to the home service we are providing an unparalleled Internet and HDTV experience for our customers in those markets."

Bell Aliant Holdings LP's fourth quarter financial highlights

(In millions of dollars)	Q4 2009	Q4 2008	Percentage Change	YTD 2009	YTD 2008	Percentage Change
Operating Revenue	$786	$803	(2.2%)	$3,174	$3,246	(2.2%)
EBITDA	366	366	0.0%	1,466	1,450	1.1%
Capital Expenditures	121	167	(27.5%)	465	527	(11.8%)
Distributable Cash	183	146	24.8%	773	716	8.1%

Operating revenues were down 2.2 per cent in the fourth quarter of 2009 compared to the fourth quarter of 2008, primarily as a result of declines in local and long distance revenues associated with lower network access services (NAS), offset by increases in Internet and Information Technology (IT) revenues.

Despite the revenue declines, restructuring programs and ongoing cost containment initiatives reduced operating expenses by $18 million from the same quarter in 2008, maintaining EBITDA at $366 million, consistent with the fourth quarter of 2008. For the full year 2009, EBITDA improved $16 million or 1.1 per cent over 2008 performance with operating expenses down $88 million from the year before.

Local service and long distance revenue declined $15 million (4.1 per cent) and $9 million (8.6 per cent), respectively, in the fourth quarter of 2009 compared to the same quarter in 2008. NAS declined 5.0 per cent from a year earlier, as a result of increased competitive activity and the effects of a slower economy throughout 2009.

NAS declines in total were relatively stable in the fourth quarter of 2009 compared to the third quarter. Residential NAS declines were approximately 6,000 higher than the same quarter in 2008 with more residential customers having a competitive telephony offering than a year earlier. Business NAS declines were approximately 4,000 lower than those incurred in the fourth quarter of 2008 when business shutdowns and the completion of the federal election reduced NAS for that period.

Internet revenue grew by $7 million or 7.2 per cent in the fourth quarter of 2009 compared to the same period in 2008, with the number of high-speed Internet customers 7.0 per cent higher than a year ago and strong growth in Bell Aliant TV subscribers in 2009.

IT revenue increased $8 million or 14.2 per cent in the fourth quarter of 2009, driven by higher IT equipment sales than the same quarter a year ago. Other revenues declined $8 million or 14.9 per cent from the same quarter in 2008, mainly as a result of lower product sales and rentals.

Capital expenditures in the fourth quarter of 2009 were $121 million, down $46 million from the same quarter a year ago. This reflects a streamlined 2009 capital program and the completion of the Bell Mobility backhaul project which began in the fourth quarter of 2008. Capital intensity for the fourth quarter of 2009 was 15.4 per cent, bringing 2009's annual capital intensity to 14.6 per cent.

Distributable cash increased $36 million (24.8 per cent) in the fourth quarter of 2009 from the same period in 2008, mainly as a result of the lower capital program. Year over year, distributable cash increased $57 million (8.1 per cent) due to better operating performance and a lower capital program, which were offset slightly by declines in cash from discontinued operations.

The Fund reported distributions to unitholders of $92 million or $0.725 per unit for the quarter ended December 31, 2009.

2010 Guidance
"I am thrilled to announce that in 2010 we will more than double our 2009 spending on fibre technology to pass 140,000 homes with fibre to the home by the end of this year," said Sheriff. "With this investment we are accelerating and leveraging our natural assets of aerial footprint and low density geography to invest for the future. We expect to continue to gain efficiencies in our capital program, and this, in combination with the completion of a significant capital project in 2009, will allow us to advance our fibre network this year without increasing our overall capital spending from 2009 levels."

Specific communities scheduled to receive the fibre to the home services in 2010 are expected to be announced by mid year.

Bell Aliant's financial guidance for 2010 is as follows:

	2010 Guidance
Operating Revenues	$3,050 million - $3,150 million
Capital Intensity	14 per cent - 15 per cent
Distributable Cash	$750 million - $790 million

Operating Revenues
Consolidated operating revenues are expected to be between $3,050 million and $3,150 million in 2010, down from $3,174 million in 2009. Growth in Internet, TV and IT revenues is expected to mitigate declines in local and long distance arising from continued growth in competitive overlap and substitution by other technologies.

Capital Intensity
Capital expenditures are expected to be between 14 per cent and 15 per cent of operating revenues in 2010 with strategic priority given to growing broadband. Increased spending in fibre to the home technology is expected to be offset by reductions resulting from a number of factors including: the completion of the Bell Mobility HSPA Backhaul project in 2009, productivity and cost containment initiatives, and a continued focus on prioritizing spending according to strategic objectives.

Distributable Cash and Distributions
Distributable cash is expected to remain between $750 million and $790 million, as improved operating performance achieved through restructuring and on-going productivity initiatives is expected to mitigate overall revenue declines. The distribution to unitholders per unit is expected to remain unchanged at $0.2417 per month or $2.90 per year for 2010.

Conversion to a Corporate Structure
Bell Aliant expects to recommend to Fund unitholders a tax-deferred transaction to convert from an income trust structure to a corporate structure effective on or by January 1, 2011. Details about the conversion terms and process and the anticipated dividend policy going forward are being developed and are expected to be released in May 2010 with a unitholder vote on conversion to a corporate structure expected to take place at Bell Aliant's 2010 Annual General Meeting, scheduled for June 16, 2010.

"Our objective is to deliver a sustainable high payout dividend to shareholders following January 1, 2011 when we become subject to taxation," said Ms. Sheriff. "With the introduction of taxes and the expected conversion still almost a year away, there are a number of factors influencing our outlook. Another quarter of competitive and economic experience will help us as we shape our future dividend policy."

Although a reduction to the current distribution is expected, as Bell Aliant has said in the past, it is important to note that for taxable retail investors, dividends paid by a corporation are taxed at lower rates than the distributions paid by Bell Aliant as an income trust. As such, under a corporate structure, the dividend tax credit mechanism can be expected to mitigate, to a large part, the after-tax effect of a lower dividend for those investors.

Supplementary Financial Information
More information on the Fund's and Bell Aliant Holdings LP's fourth quarter 2009 results can be found in Bell Aliant's fourth quarter 2009 supplementary information package and Bell Aliant Holdings LP's fourth quarter 2009 management's discussion and analysis, available at www.bellaliant.ca/investors.

Analyst conference call
A conference call with the financial community is scheduled for Wednesday, February 3, 2010 at 3:00 p.m. (Eastern). The dial-in numbers are (866) 226-1792 or (416) 340-2216 for Toronto area participants. Media are invited to attend in a listen-only mode. The title of the call is "Bell Aliant Fourth Quarter 2009 Financial Results and 2010 Guidance." A replay of the session can be heard until February 17, 2010. To access the replay, dial (800) 408-3053 or (416) 695-5800 and enter the passcode 2226878#.

A live audio webcast of the conference call can be accessed on www.bellaliant.ca under the Investor Relations section. A replay of the conference call will be available on the website for one year.

Notes
The information contained in this news release is unaudited.

(1) Bell Aliant derives virtually all of its income from its indirect ownership in Bell Aliant Holdings LP. Bell Aliant Holdings LP's results combine the results of Bell Aliant Regional Communications, Limited Partnership (Bell Aliant LP), Telebec, Limited Partnership (Telebec) and NorthernTel, Limited Partnership (NorthernTel).

(2) On February 1, 2008, Bell Aliant Holdings LP completed the acquisition of the assets and operations of Kenora Municipal Telephone System (KMTS). Bell Aliant Holdings LP's financial results and subscriber metrics include KMTS data from that date onward.

(3) Percentage changes quoted in this release related to dollar values are based on amounts rounded to the nearest hundred-thousand, consistent with disclosure in the Fund's supplementary information package and Bell Aliant Holdings LP's management's discussion and analysis for the fourth quarter of 2009. Dollar values quoted in this release are rounded to the nearest million unless otherwise stated.

(4) Bell Aliant Holdings LP defines EBITDA, a non-GAAP measure, as operating revenue less expenses (earnings) before interest, income taxes, depreciation and amortization expense, net benefit plans cost, and restructuring and other charges. For a reconciliation of EBITDA to the most closely comparable GAAP measure, please refer to Bell Aliant Holdings LP's management's discussion and analysis for the fourth quarter of 2009.

(5) Bell Aliant defines capital intensity as capital expenditures as a percentage of operating revenue.

(6) Bell Aliant defines distributable cash, a non-GAAP measure, as cash from operating activities of continuing and discontinued operations of Bell Aliant Holdings LP and of the Fund, plus operating items funded through cash reserves or borrowings, such as working capital, pension deficit funding, restructuring and other charges and cash capital taxes in excess of normalized levels, plus amounts for current income tax provisions plus other elements of working capital changes that do not affect cash flow, less capital expenditures. For a reconciliation of distributable cash to the most closely comparable GAAP measure, please refer to Bell Aliant Holdings LP's management's discussion and analysis for the fourth quarter of 2009.

Forward-looking Information
This news release contains forward-looking statements concerning anticipated future events, results, circumstances or expectations, in particular as described in the "2010 Guidance" and "Conversion to a Corporate Structure" sections of this news release. Unless otherwise indicated, such forward-looking statements describe management's expectations at February 3, 2010. These statements are based on management's beliefs regarding future events, many of which, by their nature are inherently uncertain and beyond management's control. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to assumptions which may prove to be inaccurate and numerous risks and uncertainties which are difficult to predict.

Assumptions
Several assumptions were made in the preparation of Bell Aliant's 2010 financial guidance and in making forward-looking statements in this news release, such as economic assumptions, market assumptions, and financial assumptions. The material factors and assumptions used to develop this forward-looking information include:

a) Economic Assumptions

* The Canadian economy will gradually return to a period of growth after contracting in 2009, with real GDP growth expected to be in the range of 2 to 3 per cent after declining by an estimated 2 per cent in 2009, consistent with recent estimates from the Conference Board of Canada and the Bank of Canada;
* Inflation rates will increase modestly as the consumer price index is expected to rise in the range of 1.7 to 2.2 per cent for 2010; and
* Interest rates will also increase modestly, as represented by:
- Banker's acceptances and other short-term borrowing rates increasing from current levels of less than 0.5 per cent to a level of approximately 1.5 to 2.0 per cent;
- Government of Canada 2 to 10-year bond yields increasing from current levels of approximately 1.3 to 3.4 per cent to rates of approximately 2.3 to 4.1 per cent; and
- Credit spreads on bonds for corporate issuers like Bell Aliant LP remaining approximately the same as current levels.

b) Market Assumptions

* Households passed with a competitive cable telephony offering will increase at approximately the same pace as Bell Aliant has experienced in recent quarters;
* Bell Aliant will increase the number of households passed in its territory with Internet service and increase the penetration rate for its high-speed Internet and TV services;
* Competitive and service substitution losses in local and long-distance services will increase slightly from those experienced in 2009;
* Internet revenue growth will be lower than 2009 given slowing growth in high-speed penetration rates and accelerating losses of dial-up Internet revenues, offset by higher average revenues per customer and strong growth in revenue from TV services;
* Data revenue will decline at a similar rate as 2009 due to price pressures, competitive losses and settlement rate declines; and
* IT revenue will grow modestly from 2009 levels as the economy returns to positive growth.

c) Financial Assumptions

* Operating revenue will decline from the 2009 level of $3,174 million to be in the range of $3,050 million to $3,150 million;
* Capital intensity will be in the range of 14.0 to 15.0 per cent of operating revenue, compared to 14.6 per cent in 2009;
* Distributable cash will also be in approximately the same range as 2009 at $750 million to $790 million, compared to $773 million in 2009;
* Pension deficit funding for 2010 will be in the range of $80 to $110 million, compared to $74 million in 2009. This range is based on potential discount rates for plan obligations at December 31, 2009, and applies existing legislated federal pension funding rules. These estimates may be significantly impacted by contemplated new solvency funding rules as announced by the federal Finance Minister on October 27, 2009, however Bell Aliant currently has no clarity on how the new rules, if implemented, could affect 2010 deficit funding requirements. Current service cost funding, which was $69 million in 2009, is expected to be approximately the same in 2010.
* Taxable income is expected to be subject to blended federal and provincial corporate income tax rates of 29 per cent in 2011, dropping to 27 per cent by 2013; and
* Dividends paid by Bell Aliant are expected to qualify as eligible dividends entitling Canadian resident individuals who receive them to the enhanced dividend gross-up and tax credit mechanism that ensures that corporate income distributed as interest or dividends is subject to the same combined corporate and individual tax burden.
* Bell Aliant encourages investors to review the risk factors section below, and related disclosures, for a discussion of the various factors that could cause actual results to differ from what is currently expected.

Risk Factors
There are many factors that could cause results or events to differ materially from current expectations. The most significant factors that Bell Aliant has identified that may affect Bell Aliant's results or events in 2010 include but are not limited to: increasing competition; management's ability to achieve strategies and plans, including management of our cost structure; general economic conditions; reliance on systems; changing technology; required operating and capital expenditures, including asset life cycle management; demand for our services; the relationship with BCE and Bell Canada and the allocation of business opportunities; pension plan funding; changing regulations; dependence on key suppliers; liquidity and financing risk; leverage and restrictive covenants; BCE's governance rights; reliance on key personnel and labour relations, including the requirement for effective business continuity planning; legal contingencies and changes in laws, including laws pertaining to privacy and security of customer information; the Fund's reliance on distributions from Bell Aliant Holdings LP; foreign exchange rates; changing tax rates and changing taxation rules for income trusts. For a detailed discussion of these risk factors and how they could impact our results, please refer to the "Risk management" sections of the Fund's and Bell Aliant Holdings LP's 2008 annual Management's discussion and analysis (MD&A), as updated by their 2009 quarterly MD&As, as well as the "Risk Factors" sections of their 2008 Annual Information Forms. These documents are available at www.bellaliant.ca and www.sedar.com.

Should any factor impact Bell Aliant in an unexpected manner, or should assumptions underlying the forward-looking statements prove incorrect, the actual results or events may differ materially from the results or events predicted. All of the forward-looking statements made in this press release are qualified by these cautionary statements, and there can be no assurance that the results or developments anticipated by Bell Aliant will be realized or, even if substantially realized, that they will have the expected consequences for Bell Aliant.

Except as may be required by Canadian securities laws, Bell Aliant disclaims any intention and assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement even if new information becomes available, as a result of future events or for any other reason. Readers should not place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are provided for the purpose of providing information about management's current expectations and plans relating to fiscal 2010. Readers are cautioned that such information may not be appropriate for other purposes.

About Bell Aliant
Bell Aliant (TSX: BA.UN) is one of North America's largest regional communications providers and an Official Supporter of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. Through its operating entities it serves customers in six Canadian provinces with innovative information, communication and technology services including voice, data, Internet, video and value-added business solutions. Through its xwave offices, Bell Aliant also provides IT professional services and advanced technology solutions. Bell Aliant's employees are committed to deliver the highest quality of customer service, choice and convenience.

Canadian-American Healthcare Information Technology partnering Event

Rowser — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 15:41:07 -0400

Author

Source

Source Url

Image

Image Caption

Body

The Consulate General of Canada cordially invites you to attend

Canadian-American Healthcare Information Technology partnering Event

March 2, 2010

“W” Hotel, Atlanta

Location: “W” Hotel 188 14 Street Northeast Atlanta, GA 30361 | Tel 404-892-6000

The “W” is at the intersection of Peachtree street and 14th Street in Midtown Atlanta and is close to the subway system (MARTA), “ Arts Center” station. It is also a short cab ride from the Georgia World Congress Center.

Program:

7:00 AM Networking and full breakfast
7:30 AM Panel session starts followed by Q&A
9:30 AM Conclusion

The purpose of the event is to foster relationships between Canadian and U.S. companies who are interested in the information technology aspect of health care

A special table will be set up where both U.S. and Canadian companies can bring their literature and display it before, during and after the event.

There is limited seating. Registration is free, please contact:
Mr. Roddie MacNeil, Consulate General of Canada, Atlanta
Tel: 404-532-2014 | e-mail: Roderick.macneil@international.gc.ca

Participating U.S. companies include:

Digital Connections, Inc. Nashville, Tn., a regional VAR with a large healthcare practice
AT&T/Mobility, HealthCare IT Division
ADAM, an Atlanta healthcare IT software/ASP company
WEBMD
Presido, an, Atlanta-based a VAR with a large healthcare practice
CancerQuest, part of Emory University School of Medicine/Winship Cancer Institute
Intel, Healthcare Applications Division
FocusBankers- Venture Capital for IT Healthcare companies
Georgia Hospital Association

============================================================

Le Consulat général du Canada à Atlanta vous invite à une séance de partenariat canado-américain en technologie de l’information du secteur de la santé

le 2 mars 2010

Lieu : Hotel « W », 188 14 Street, Northeast Atlanta, GA 30361. tél: le (404) 892-6000

L’hôtel se situe à l’angle de la rue Peachtree et de la 14th Street à Midtown, à Atlanta. Il se trouve à proximité de la station de métro « Arts Center ». Le métro est connu sous le nom de « MARTA ». Le trajet entre l’hôtel et le Georgia World Congress Center se fait bien en taxi.

7h Déjeuner réseautage
7h30 Panel d’experts suivie d’une période questions/réponses
9h30 Conclusion

La séance a pour objectif premier de favoriser les relations entre des entreprises canadiennes et américaines s’intéressant au volet de la technologie de l’information du secteur de la santé.

On réservera une table aux entrepreneurs canadiens et américains désirant mettre leur documentation à la disposition des participants.

Les places sont contingentées. Inscrivez-vous gratuitement auprès de:
M. Roddie MacNeil , Consulat général du Canada.
Téléphone : (404) 532-2014
Adresse électronique: Roderick.macneil@international.gc.ca

Parmi les entreprises américaines présentes, on comptera :

Digital Connections, Inc. de Nashville, TN, un revendeur de produits modifiés (RPM) régional offrant son large éventail de produits à un grand nombre de pratiques médicales
AT&T/Mobility, division de la TI en soins de santé
ADAM, entreprise de logiciels de la TI/ASP en soins de santé d’Atlanta
WEBMD
Presido, un RPM d’Atlanta offrant son éventail de produits à un grand nombre de pratiques médicales
CancerQuest, qui fait partie de la Emory University School of Medicine/Winship Cancer Institute
Intel, division des applications pour les soins de santé
FocusBankers – capital de risque pour les entreprises de la TI en soins de santé
Georgia Hospital Association

Lymbix Inc officially launches Tweettone.com

Rowser — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 17:59:02 -0400

Author

Source

Source Url

http://www.lymbix.com/newsletter/index.html

Image

Image Caption

Body

Moncton, NB- Lymbix Inc is very proud and excited to launch the first of many products relating to the emotion of text-based communication. Lymbix Inc has developed the world’s first connotative database. It is a deeper level of sentiment analysis that dives further beyond positive, negative and neutral. Knowing how people really feel is the ultimate analysis tool.

Twitter founded by Jack Dorsey, Biz Stone, and Evan Williams in March 2006 (launched publicly in July 2006), is a social networking and micro-blogging service that allows users to post their latest updates (what are you doing?). An update is limited by 140 characters and can be posted through three methods: web form, text message, or instant message. Twitter was recently valued at $1 Billion Dollars and with 50 million plus users and growing the social networking giant is not slowing down.

Tweettone was white listed by Twitter and was given permission to pull all data straight from the Twitter data stream. It also means that Twitter is sending data to Tweettone, which makes the service quicker, more reliable and definitely more valuable.

Tweettone tracks the emotional tone on Twitter. People are talking about your company, organization, product, campaign and even you on Twitter. What they say is important, but more significant is how they actually feel…the emotion behind the tweet. With Tweettone powered by Lymbix, you can track, be alerted and respond to tweets based on their emotional content.

People are talking (tweeting). Find out how they really feel.

Anyware Group's Roam Service Reaches 20,000 Users And Counting

johnsgunn — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 08:33:15 -0400

Author

Source

Source Url

http://anywaregroup.com/news.php

Image

Image Caption

Body

Company steps up recruiting and product development efforts

SAINT JOHN (NB)--AnyWare Group today announced that its ROAM (Role-oriented Access Management) service has surpassed 20,000 users, a 63 per cent increase from last year. Named as one of the top ten healthcare solutions to watch by IDC Canada, ROAM gives healthcare workers highly secured remote access to multiple hospital diagnostic and information systems.

“Reaching twenty-thousand users is a significant milestone for our company and product; our latest investments in sales and marketing have really paid off,” says AnyWare Group CEO Robert Lalonde. “ROAM is one of the fastest-growing healthcare services in Canada, and our business development team is delivering very positive results.”

Lalonde continues, “The company is well positioned to play an integral part in the transformation currently taking place in the healthcare industry in the U.S. and Canada, leading to significant growth in the next five years.”

ROAM is a managed service that fits with an organization’s existing technology. With no software licenses to purchase, no equipment to buy, and no additional staff to hire, ROAM allows organizations to deliver access to all of the systems their workers need, no matter where they are, without investing in new infrastructure.

“I’m very pleased to see AnyWare reach this milestone, and at the same time achieving profitability,” says Calvin Milbury, CEO of the New Brunswick Innovation Foundation, one of the company’s venture capital investors. “Their results show how important it is for us to invest in startups committed to building and growing new companies in New Brunswick.”

About AnyWare Group

AnyWare Group is the leading remote access solution provider for hospitals and healthcare organizations. AnyWare Group's award-winning ROAM platform enables clientless remote access to all applications from any Internet enabled device (PCs and Macs). Through the ROAM portal, an organization can make available all relevant applications to authorized users, when and where required.

For more information go to http://www.AnyWareGroup.com or contact:

Wayne Chamberlain
AnyWare Group
506-643-6612
wayne.chamberlain@anywaregroup.com

The Saint John Board of Trade partners with Propel ICT to Re-launch WiFi freespots

Rowser — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 13:07:53 -0300

Author

Source

Source Url

http://sjbotpress.blogspot.com/2009/10/board-of-trade-partners-with-propel-ict.html

Image

Image Caption

Body

October 28, 2009

SAINT JOHN, NB: The Saint John Board of Trade in partnership with Propel ICT announced today the re-launch of freespots, the public Wi-Fi service that covers the City of Saint John with free wireless internet.

“freespots is the wi-fi strategy for the Saint John region that encourages the growth of wi-fi hotspots throughout the city to cover the majority of public access areas” said Imelda Gilman, President of the Saint John Board of Trade. “By encouraging businesses and property owners to invest in this relatively low cost service, the city will benefit by creating an attractive business environment that enables citizens and visitors to work and play online from anywhere they choose. It is our expectation that unlimited widespread access to wi-fi is in our near future and we wish to speed its growth by promotingand encouraging those who invest in
this strategy.”

Residents and visitors can get online wirelessly, with no barriers, and for free at any location displaying the freespots logo and decal. The following businesses and locations are just a few examples that are freespots: Bible Society Bookstore, Cora’s Breakfast & Lunch, Grannan Seafood Restaurant, Happinez Wine Bar, Java Moose Coffee House, Business Resource Centre, City Hall Council Chambers, Mother Nature’s Restaurant, Tri-Star Mercedes-Benz, and Vito’s Restaurant Rothesay Avenue.

freespots encourages local businesses to install and maintain wi-fi access points according to an established standard and promotes participating businesses and city property owners that have installed wi-fi hotspots according to the standard. www.freespots.ca has been developed to feature participating locations and various venues and events will promote the strategy and its participants over the long term. Locations can be registered as freespots at any time.

"While freespots has been a very successful program to date, we wanted to take this opportunity to re-launch and re-energize the program as demand for wi-fi access continues to jump to the top of the list of customer demands worldwide. The freespots program ensures that the Saint John business community is on the cutting edge of supplying free wi-fi access to residents and visitors alike" Continued Ms. Gilman.

The Saint John Board of Trade initiative has the active support of PropelICT. “PropelICT supports all initiatives that improve the ecosystem for technology businesses in New Brunswick and UNB studies have shown Freespots to be one of the best strategies in the world. Propel wishes to see this continue and will support the Board of Trade’s continued efforts to grow this initiative” said Jeff Roach, Executive Director of PropelICT.

For businesses who would like to become a freespot visit www.freespots.ca or call the Board of Trade office at 634-8111. There are no fees required to participate.

The Saint John Board of Trade is a nationally accredited business organization dedicated to fostering an economic climate that enhances growth, prosperity, and an improved quality of life in the community. With more than 1,000 members, representing 600 small, medium, and large businesses and organizations and therefore, the interests of more than 30,000 citizens, the Board is a dynamic advocate and the principal voice for the business community of
Greater Saint John. It offers a variety of programs, activities, services, and networking opportunities designed to enhance the business prospects of members and the overall business climate of the area.