Anti-spam legislation CREATIVE DIRECTION AND DESIGN PRODUCED BY EMERGE DESIGNS PUBLISHER Steve Boulter - Emerge Designs PRINTER KKP Fredericton PROJECT MANAGER Wendy Morrell
CONTRIBUTORS Joseph O’Donnell Krista Ross Stacey Murray Morgan Peters Janet Moser Dave Armstrong, CA Carl Duivenvoorden
ADVERTISING CONSULTANT Wendy Morrell PRESIDENT Chris Johnston president@frederictonchamber.ca CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Krista Ross kristar@frederictonchamber.ca MEMBERSHIP DEVELOPMENT & MARKETING MANAGER Christine Little membership@frederictonchamber.ca POLICY & RESEARCH MANAGER Morgan Peters advocacy@frederictonchamber.ca
OPERATIONS & COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER Wendy Morrell fchamber@frederictonchamber.ca EVENT MANAGER Stacey Murray events@frederictonchamber.ca Director/Directrice, the Hive / la Ruche Business Immigrant Mentorship Program / Programme de mentorat pour entrepreneurs immigrants Intercultural Business Incubator / Incubateur d'entreprises intercultural Janet Moser janetm@frederictonchamber.ca
Insight is published by Emerge Designs. All content, copyright © 2014, Fredericton Chamber of Commerce. All rights reserved. This publication may not be reproduced, all or in part without written consent from the Fredericton Chamber of Commerce. Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of all content in this publication, however, the publisher nor the Fredericton Chamber of Commerce will be held responsible for omissions or errors. Please address all editorial and advertising inquiries to the Fredericton Chamber of Commerce, PO Box 275, 270 Rookwood Avenue, Fredericton, NB, E3B 4Y9, Canada. The Fredericton Chamber of Commerce is not held responsible for the loss, damage or any other injury to unsolicited material (including but not limited to manuscripts, artwork, photographs and advertisements). Unsolicited material must be included with self-addressed, overnight-delivery return envelope, postage prepaid. The Fredericton Chamber of Commerce will not give, nor rent your name, mailing address, or other contact information to third parties. Printed in Canada. Printed by KKP - Kwik Kopy Printing. Fredericton Chamber of Commerce PO Box 275, 270 Rookwood Avenue, Fredericton, NB E3B 4Y9 Tel: (506) 458-8006 Fax: (506) 451-1119 Twitter - @fton_chamber fchamber@frederictonchamber.ca Facebook – facebook.com/frederictonchamber www.frederictonchamber.ca
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President’s Message
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CEO’s Message
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Chamber Welcomes New Members
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Advocacy Update
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The Hive/la Ruche
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Anti-spam legislation
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N.B. Election
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Joint Economic Development Initiative
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Chamber Events
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Are you the next generation of family business?
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Sustainability pays big dividends
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Member Pro�ile - Power Plus Technology
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The Chamber Buzz
38 Legere Street Fredericton, NB Canada E3B 8M6 Ph: 506.999.3332 creative@emergedesigns.ca
www.emergedesigns.ca
Joseph O’Donnell, President
I
t is with great pleasure that I take on the responsibility of serving as the Fredericton Chamber of Commerce’s president for 2014-15. As we celebrate our 140 year anniversary, I encourage you to bookmark our website and check back often to stay apprised of chamber events and other news. The mission of the Fredericton Chamber of Commerce is to represent, serve and connect our approximately 950 members to build and sustain a thriving business community. I am very pleased to be a part of an organization that provides many great benefits for our members. In 2014-15 we will continue to provide top-notch networking opportunities, member benefits, and advocacy amongst others. Our networking events allow you to connect with other local business and community leaders. Come out to one of our monthly Business After hours, where you can tour a local business, sample great food and beverages and network with approximately 100 chamber members and guests. Our frequent luncheons allow you to make a deeper connection with chamber members and learn from first-rate speakers. In addition to our monthly networking events, we hold an annual golf tournament, tradeshows, State of the City, State of the Province, curling, and the Business Excellence Awards amongst others. Your membership gives you many different ways to promote yourself and make critical connections to further grow and develop your business. The chamber’s knowledgeable and helpful staff can show you the growing list of member benefits that will provide a competitive advantage for your organization. Don't forget about our member-to-member (M2M) savings where you can earn considerable discounts while supporting local business.
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Lastly, but perhaps most importantly, is the advocacy role the chamber plays. We will continue to work hard to understand the issues affecting your business and then lobby on your behalf to all levels of government. Our committees are made up of engaged members who further explore issues and develop policy and position papers that make recommendations for change. Most recently, the chamber was a driving force behind the creation of the community health care facility which will allow greater access to primary healthcare, making the area more attractive for potential employees and businesses. Furthermore, we were active participants in the City of Fredericton’s Vision 2020 process. The Vision 2020 task force, which included numerous stakeholders from the city, examined areas where we can further our economy by attracting new investment to Fredericton, all the while supporting the growth of our existing business base. As you can see, your membership has a great impact on improving the business climate in Fredericton. If you are new to the chamber, please remember, the greater your involvement, the bigger the return on your investment. It takes time to understand all that the chamber can do for your operation and to make connections with local business and community leaders. I encourage you to remain engaged and seriously consider participating on a committee. I am pleased and honored to be your President during our 140 year celebration. We are truly blessed and fortunate to live in a great province and wonderful city. We welcome your feedback and look forward to hearing from you during the year. You, the members, are the foundation of the Fredericton Chamber of Commerce and together we will continue to be "The Voice of Business" in Fredericton. Warmest regards, Joseph O’Donnell 2014/15 President 506-472-5482 National Bank Financial
A
s I sat down to write my article for this edition of Insight Magazine, I was thinking ‘what can I write that is new’... and it caused me to reflect on the many things that are happening right now with your chamber that definitely have a ‘new flavour’! Each year in early June, we have our AGM – this heralds the introduction of our new board, and our new president. We are particularly fortunate to have Joseph O’Donnell as our new President! Joseph brings to the chamber an enthusiasm and willingness to lead as well as a desire to increase his knowledge and his network – he is also well informed about business given his work with a large corporation – National Bank Financial - and his client base which includes many small business owners. This combination of attributes will serve your organization well. In addition to Joseph, and 13 others who have remained on the board from 2013-14... the new members of your board include: Ryan Boyer of Boyer and Associates, Karen Murdock of IBEC UNB, Geoff Gallant from the Crowne Plaza, Karen Grant from Kiers Marketing Group, Nathan Armstrong of Hyton Innovation, Bob Gallen of RPS HMA and Barbara Burnett from the Atlantic Institute on Aging. The ‘new year’ for the chamber begins on May 1st each year so we restart our committees and our event calendar for fall shortly thereafter – though it appears that things are quiet over the summer months, we are busy setting up our committees, surveying our members on advocacy issues, and planning our events for the next 12 months.
Krista Ross, CEO
Another new beginning for the chamber will be moving to our new premises in the month of August – we are very excited that we will be moving to 364 York Street, Suite 200. This professional space will provide our members with meeting space that is in a convenient midtown location with access to parking. A large board room and other small meeting rooms are part of our suite of offices there. A shout out to our new landlord Concorde Investments Ltd. (Arnold and Mitchell Budovich) who have been very helpful to us in planning for our transition. And a thank you also to Dr. Sam Masry and our friends at Caris who have been our landlords at 270 Rookwood Avenue for the past nine years! The Fredericton Intercultural Business Services Centre, Director Janet Moser and our BIMP (Business Immigrant Mentorship Program) also have a NEW face & program! On June 18th, we officially launched “The Hive / la Ruche,” a business incubator for newcomers located in Building Three in the Knowledge Park. This program / location are an exciting new addition to the services we offer to newcomers interested in beginning new businesses as they settle in our community! And... as we progress along in our 140th year of operations in Fredericton, this also provides us with a bit of a new beginning.... when we hit milestones.... and continue to move forward with momentum, enthusiasm and drive – towards continuing to serve our members in the coming months and years we are beginning our next 140 years! Here’s to you, our members. May you continue to grow, thrive and be successful in your businesses! Thank you for your participation!
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New Members
Hello Newest to our
NB Findatradesperson Inc. 420 Maple Street Fredericton, NB E3A 3R4 Tel: (506) 260-2629 Email: jeff@findatradesperson.ca Website: www.findatradesperson.ca Jeff Lingley
Vogue Optical 573 King Street Frederiton, NB E3B 1E8 Tel: (506) 453-9888 Email: vogue14@vogueoptical.com Mike Gallant
New Brunswick Crafts Council PO Box 1231 Fredericton, NB E3B 5C8 Tel: (506) 450-8989 Email: ed@nbcraftscouncil.ca Tanya Billings
Lane MacIntosh Messaging 277 Woodstock Road Fredericton, NB E3B 2H8 Tel: (506) 206-2866 Email: macintoshmessaging@gmail.com Lane MacIntosh
Capital City Auto Parts 1394 Alison Boulevard Fredericton, NB E3C 2M2 Tel: (506) 453-1260 Email: juanitaccap@outlook.com Juanita Langille
Fellows & Company Limited PO Box 1284 Fredericton, NB E3B 5C8 Tel: (506) 462-6140 Email: fellows@nb.aibn.com Annette Sercherchi
CARP 68 Grasse Circle Fredericton, NBE3G 7S7 Tel: (506) 457-1837 Email: lculp@rogers.com Linda Culp
SustainedABILITY 527 Dundonald Street Fredericton, NB E3B 1X5 Tel: (506) 470-4240 Email: Kevin@sustainedability.com Kevin Ferguson
Wilson’s On the Miramichi River 23 Big Murphy Lane McNamee, NB E9C 2P6 Tel: (506) 365-7962 Email: janice@wilsonscamps.nb.ca Website: www.wilsonscamps.nb.ca Janice Munn / Keith Wilson
CCH CAD Design Ltd 147 Eaglewood Drive Hanwell, NB E3B 0A1 Tel: (506) 206-0914 Email: cchcaddesign@rogers.com Craig Spinney
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New Members
Members Joan Wright and Associates Inc. 142 Brunswick Street Fredericton, NB E3B 1G6 Tel: (506) 454-7430 Email: sue@joanwright.ca Website: www.joanwright.ca Susan Michaud
Douglas Animal Hospital 651 Clements Drive Fredericton, NB E3G 7J2 Tel: (506) 458-5944 Email: dah@dah.ca Website: www.dah.ca Jenny Markey
Winterfest NB Inc. 5 Lawrence Crescent Fredericton, NB E3A 2H2 Tel: (506) 461-1632 Email: winterfesthiver@gmail.com Website: winterfesthiver.ca John Antworth
Photo 506 11 Morrision Street Fredericton, NB E3A 4M1 Tel: (506) 206-4003 Email: info@photo506.ca Website: www.photo506.ca Mike Erb
Patterson Sales 921 Alison Boulevard Fredericton, NB E3C 0E5 Tel: 454-3535 Email: gclark@pattersonsales.com Gary Clark
Sky Designs Inc. 70 Wildwood Lane Fredericton, NB E3B 5Z3 Tel: (506) 453-0668 Email: art.gibson@skydesigns.ca Website: skydesigns.ca Art Gibson
Crosspoint Contracting Inc. 128 Manresa Drive Fredericton, NB E3A 5W2 Tel: (506) 454-9412 Email: dreamalynn@hotmail.com Dreama Galbraith
Briggs Drugs Ltd. dba Jean Coutu 598 Union Street Fredericton, NB E3A 3N2 Tel: (506) 451-8646 Email: alistarbursey@me.com Alistar Bursey
The Details Design and Branding 65 York Street Fredericton, NB E3B 3N4 Tel: (506) 260-9406 Email: info@thedetailsdesign.com Website: thedetailsdesign.com Tanya Duffy
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Advocacy
by Morgan Peters
Get Involved in a Chamber Advocacy Committee!
Want to have your say, make a difference, and get involved? We are always looking for volunteers interested in strengthening Fredericton’s business community. The best way to do this is by joining one of the chamber’s advocacy committees. Our committees are the primary mechanism that carries out the chamber’s various priorities and initiatives. They rely on volunteer members from all sectors bringing a breadth and depth of expertise and experience that gives each committee a well-rounded knowledge base. Please consider getting involved with chamber advocacy this year. For more information, please contact Morgan Peters, Policy and Research Manager at advocacy@frederictonchamber.ca or (506) 451-9742. Below is a brief description of our four advocacy committees and some of the types of activities in which they are engaged.
Provincial Government Affairs Committee
Members of the PGAC develop an annual set of recommendations for the provincial budget to present to the Minister of Finance, help shape the chamber’s official position on political news and events, and meet with government officials or other stakeholders on the issues of the day. The committee is also responsible for choosing the questions to submit for the premier to answer at the annual State of the Province Address. In 2013-14 the committee is heavily involved in pre-election activities with the goal of opening up lines of communication between political parties, their candidates and our members. From our Political Leadership Series to our Questions that Count to hosting local candidate events, we aim to ensure that our members are politically informed and the politicians are aware of their concerns.
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Municipal Government Affairs Committee
Working with our members and organizations such as Ignite Fredericton, Downtown Fredericton Inc., and Business Fredericton North, the MGAC helps to form the chamber’s position with issues on a local level. The committee responds to municipal issues as they arise and prepares a brief to present to city council that represents the interests of the chamber membership. During election years, the committee polls candidates, organizes debates, and plans initiatives to ensure that business issues are represented in pre-election community dialogue.
Physician Recruitment and Retention Committee
Working with Horizon Health, the Department of Health and other stakeholders, the PRRC was formed to increase access to primary healthcare for our members and other citizens. The province’s no-physician registry, vacant billing numbers and difficulty attracting young physicians means less access to primary care, which creates difficulties for businesses to attract and retain the skilled people and outside investment we need to grow and sustain our economy. While maintaining a focus on activities targeted towards attracting physicians to the area, this committee has expanded its mandate to advocate on various issues involving primary health care.
Economic Development Committee
Working closely with our economic development and community partners, this committee tackles issues that our members identify in our annual member survey. In 2012-13 and 2013-14, the committee primarily dealt with the issue of the local skills gap, with a focus on retaining graduating post-secondary students in the area through the “Choose Fredericton” initiative. Between these four committees, we hope that there is something to interest all of our chamber members. If you cannot commit to joining a committee this year – we would still love to hear from you on advocacy issues and be sure to complete our annual membership survey, which the committee refer to throughout the year.
B.I.M.P.
Incubating a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship for newcomers in New Brunswick by Janet Moser
A
fter the successful completion of 10 cohorts and four years of programming, the Fredericton Business Immigrant Mentorship Program has advanced and we are pleased to announce the addition of a second program to the services offered by the Fredericton Chamber of Commerce for Fredericton’s incoming immigrant investor group. New Brunswick is leading the way in immigrant investment settlement programming with the BIMP and new HIVE program to be introduced as a first of a kind program nationally.
Incuber une culture d'innovation et d'entrepreneuriat pour les nouveaux arrivants au Nouveau-Brunswick
“The Hive� provides guidance and support services to help entrepreneurs start and grow their businesses. These programs are delivered with the intent of fostering business development and growth in our region as well as answering the need for population growth and job creation. Any community that embraces the diversity that an inclusive cultural mosaic will provide will benefit to a high degree and will be known as an innovative and diverse community. If you would like to know more about how you can get involved with the Hive and the Fredericton Business Immigrant Mentorship Program please call our new office at 451-9747. The Hive and Mentorship Programs are now located in Knowledge Park in the Fredericton Intercultural Business Service Center.
The Hive will be a direct compliment to the mentorship program, and will act as a start up incubator for those participants (mentees) who have successfully completed the mentorship program and have taken the next steps in registering businesses. The Hive will be a full time comprehensive curriculum-driven program that houses up to six business start ups for up to a one-year period. Programs such as this fit neatly into the business ecosystem of Fredericton which creates cohesive security for investment opportunities. The Hive is dedicated to helping business immigrant entrepreneurs succeed in their new businesses and ventures. We aim to connect the mentees with the community and provide them with the resources you need to get your business started. We will also be focused on the Canadian business structures and etiquette procedures which will give our newcomers a better understanding of our culture, economy and community as a whole.
We would like to take this opportunity to thank the Province of New Brunswick for their innovative programming and continued support of Business Immigrant Mentorship Program and the Hive Incubator.
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Anti-spam Legislation
Anti-SPAM Legislation by Morgan Peters
B
y now hopefully you have made yourself familiar with the federal government’s anti-spam legislation (Canada’s Anti-Spam Legislation, or ‘CASL’), which came into force on 1 July 2014 and consequently have taken a long, hard look at you emailing practices. Over the past year we have provided information in this magazine, through our bi-weekly newsletter, at a lunch and learn session and via social media. If your organization has not yet become compliant with the new legislation and regulations, I refer you to the helpful resources available on the Canadian Chamber of Commerce website: http://www.chamber.ca/resources/casl/. Please also contact the Fredericton chamber office with specific questions/scenarios – we’ll do our best to point you in the right direction. To get you started, I’ll review a few of the most critical points here.
1. Do you send emails that are at all commercial in nature? The parts of the legislation that came into force on 1 July 2014 deal with ‘commercial electronic messages’ (CEMs). It is our understanding that this term will be interpreted quite broadly. For example – if you are a not-for-profit organization that sends out a newsletter that is purely informational, but contains an ad – it will be caught by the regulations. If you are a business that sends out an informational email, but its end goal is to create interest and make a sale – it may also be included. So, if you send out any CEMs, you will have to comply with the legislation.
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2. Do you have consent from each recipient to receive your CEMs? Express Consent Ultimately, you will want to have express consent from each recipient of your emails. This means having a record that the holder of the email address has actively indicated they want to receive messages from you – i.e. they have ‘opted in’. There are very specific rules regarding how this opting in will comply with the legislation. For example, you cannot have an ‘opt-in box’ that has been ‘pre-marked’ – in the eyes of the regulations, this is an opt-out system. Implied Consent There are also a number of ways that you will be able to imply consent for a two-three year period (two years generally, but can be up to three at first). This transition period will allow you extra time to convert those to the express consent category. A couple of the major ways to imply consent are: 1. If the recipient and sender have an ‘existing business relationship’ or ‘existing non-business relationship’. An existing business relationship generally means that someone has purchased goods/services, entering in a contract, etc., within the past two years (the interaction begins the clock). An existing non-business relationship covers a much narrower scope, such as a donor or volunteer for a charity, political party/candidate, member of a club, association or voluntary organization.
Anti-spam Legislation
2. If the recipient has ‘conspicuously published’ their email address (i.e. on a website) and there is no statement that they do not want unsolicited emails and the message is relevant to the person’s business, role, functions, or duties. 3. If the recipient has disclosed their email address without indicating that they do not want to receive unsolicited messages and the message is relevant to the person’s business, role, functions, or duties (The ‘business card’ consent). Once you determine who on your list fits into implied or express consent, you should (a) remove everyone else; and (b) work towards getting all expresses consents. Once you determine who on your list fits into implied or express consent, you should (a) remove everyone else; and (b) work towards getting all expresses consents.
3. Content of messages CASL requires that all CEMs contain certain information to be compliant: 1. The name of the person sending the message (and the name by which those persons carry on business) and (if different) on whose behalf it is sent; 2. The physical and mailing address of those persons; 3. Another piece of contact information for those persons (email address, website, telephone number);
4. An unsubscribe mechanism. Again, these requirements are more fully detailed in the legislation or in the materials provided by the Canadian Chamber of Commerce.
4. Penalties for non-compliance After the transition period expires, the consequences of non-compliance are severe – fines of up to $1 million for individuals or up to $10 million for companies. It is, of course, unclear at this point how the amount of a fine will be determined/interpreted and likely will only be realized after a few fines are levied and some amount of precedents can be examined. As indicated above, CASL is an intricate and technical piece of legislation that should be examined closely to see how it affects your organization. The summary provided in this article is meant to be a primer to highlight the broadest aspects of the changes. Please contact Morgan Peters, Policy and Research Manager at advocacy@frederictonchamber.ca or (506) 451-9742 with specific questions.
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N.B. Election
N.B. Election by Morgan Peters
W
ith the 2014 New Brunswick election fast approaching on 22 September 2014, the Fredericton Chamber of Commerce is in the midst of its pre-election activities. We hope to provide our members with the knowledge needed to make an informed decision on Election Day. As evidenced by Richard Saillant’s recent book, Over the Cliff? Acting Now to Avoid New Brunswick’s Bankruptcy, our fiscal situation continues to be tenuous and the next four years will be a critical time for mapping the province’s economic future. We hope that our efforts will lead to not only a better informed decision in September, but to get more members interested in provincial politics generally. The higher the level of engagement, the more we can accomplish collectively. All of our pre-election initiatives are being led by our Provincial Government Affairs Committee, co-chaired by incoming President, Joseph O’Donnell of National Bank Financial and outgoing board member, Cathy Pugh of the Fredericton Convention Centre. The committee’s plan to provide this information involves three distinct phases, moving from general to more specific / localized information. It is hoped that this will encourage members to start thinking about what issues matter the most to them and then give them an opportunity to address them directly with candidates. The chamber will also share key platform promises from all of the parties as the campaign progresses. The first phase of our program occurred in April, with the committee hosting the leaders of all five registered parties in the province for our inaugural Political Leadership Series. The series provided the leaders - Kris Austin of the People’s Alliance of New Brunswick; David Coon of the Green Party of New Brunswick; Dominic Cardy of the New Brunswick New Democratic Party; Brian Gallant of the New Brunswick Liberal Party; and David Alward of the Progressive Conservative Party of New Brunswick – an opportunity to speak about their party’s plans and priorities as they related to stimulating the economy, reducing the province’s debt and deficit, and creating economic conditions for sustainable growth. Each of the leaders also answered all questions posed by the audience in the time allotted and made themselves available to the audience and press after the formal portions of the series. They should be commended for their availability and willingness to speak directly to the local business community.
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The second phase of our activities aims to get more specific and targeted information to our membership. Scheduled to roll out during the summer months, our Questions That Count for the 2014 provincial election will present the parties with specific issues that matter to our members. The questions will be formed based on our surveys of membership, a call for questions put out earlier this year and other priorities that the chamber has been working on over the previous months and years. After giving the parties a reasonable chance to respond to the questions, we will begin publishing the answers received through the chamber’s communication vehicles as well as through the media. We hope to get clear responses that will provide some context on how their policies will improve the economic conditions in the province. During the third phase, our attention will turn to our local candidates in the Capital Region during the actual election period – likely immediately following Labour Day weekend. Our plan is to provide our members with personal access to their candidates through an event that will allow participants to speak to their own riding candidates directly and be able to compare their positions and priorities on a number of areas. We also intend to have a heavy social media presence at this event to spread the information obtained as far and wide as possible. If anyone would like to volunteer at this event, please contact the chamber office. The committee hopes that chamber members will take the opportunity to make themselves more informed about the key issues in the campaign, the various parties’ positions on these matters and become more engaged in the political system. The policies set by the next government will have a direct and dramatic impact on the local business community and the future course of the province. The chamber will be particularly keen to hear specific details on how the parties intend to tackle the province’s growing debt, now standing around $12 billion - approximately 1/3 more than the 2014-15 operating budget. It is our position that growing provincial wealth through enhancing the economic environment is the primary sustainable manner that we can begin to pay this down and ultimately stop relying so heavily on transfer payments from wealthier provinces. Cuts can be effective, particularly in the short-term, but strategic investments are what will carry us through the long term. If any members would like assistance in determining the positions of the parties on a particular issue they are encouraged to contact Policy and Research Manager, Morgan Peters at (506) 451-9742 or advocacy@frederictonchamber.ca.
Joint Economic Development Initiative
T
he Joint Economic Development Initiative works with partner organizations to foster economic and workforce involvement for Aboriginal peoples and their communities. Honoring traditional values, we strive for full Aboriginal participation in the New Brunswick Economy- and many of our programs are testament to this. Our Mobile Applications Development Program, for example, has been met with great interest and reward from its Aboriginal students. This program has shown the adaptability of the Aboriginal workforce towards rising regional industries like the Information and Communications Technology sector. JEDI also offers free business consulting and start up services for Aboriginals within New Brunswick. Our network and database provides employers with an invaluable opportunity to engage and connect with the regional First Nation population. The programs we offer are constantly being evaluated and re-vamped- in an attempt to evolve within the ever-changing economic climate. However, there is still work to be done and plenty of young aboriginals still without a career and focus.
JEDI
(JEDI)
According to Statistics Canada; the most populous age group of New Brunswick Aboriginals lie within the 15-19 year old demographic. In Fredericton there are approximately 3,455 Aboriginal people- making them a young and plentiful population group. In fact, New Brunswick has seen some of the highest growth in Aboriginal population in all of Canada showing a 67% increase between 1996 and 2006. It is evident that what lies before us is an economic opportunity. Regardless of the history or politics surrounding Aboriginals in New Brunswick, a solution to many of our aging economic woes is within reach. With approximately 22,650 Aboriginal peoples in New Brunswick- many of whom reside in the Fredericton area, there is an evident pool of young, intelligent, and skilled Aboriginal workers that are waiting for the chance to start their careers and contribute to our wonderful city and province. The time to act is now. For more information about The Joint Economic Development Initiative, you can visit www.jedinb.ca or call our offices at 444-5650.
During the 2014 New Brunswick Job Summit in Fredericton, Retired Executive Vice President of RBC Charles Coffey highlighted the significance of New Brunswick’s Aboriginal population when it came to potential recruitment, job training, and experience. It is clear that there is no better time to utilize the untapped opportunity of New Brunswick’s First Nations people. New Brunswick has definitely seen better economic times and maybe it is time to change our local recruitment and training practices to better represent the young Aboriginal demographic; that of which has seen significant growth in the last 10 years alone.
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Chamber Events
For more information about our events visit www.frederictonchamber.ca
August 28, 2014
September 18, 2014
25th Annual Golf Tournament held at Kingswood Golf
Tri-Chamber Event held at the Riverside Resort and Conference Centre
September 11, 2014
September 23, 2014
North Rotary Club Joint Rotary & Chamber Luncheon speaker Pierre Cleroux, VP President & Chief Economist Business Development Bank held at the Fredericton Inn
Early Bird Networking hosted by Chess Piece Patisserie & Café
October 2, 2014 Business After Hours hosted by Capital Region Community Tennis Centre
September 11, 2014 Business After Hours hosted by Taylor Printing Group Inc.
October 15, 2014
September 16, 2014
Business Excellence Awards held at the Delta Fredericton
Advancing Workplace Learning held at the Crowne Plaza Fredericton Lord Beaverbrook Hotel
October 20, 2014
September 17, 2014
Fredericton North Rotary Luncheon – Kim MacPherson, Auditor General of NB - held at the Fredericton Inn
Lunch & Learn - LinkedIn held at Kingswood Lodge
INTRODUCING: Chamber Board Member Karen Grant is President of Kiers Marketing Group. Karen joined the company in 1990 and purchased the business in 2002 along with Doug Daley and Paul Thompson. In business in Fredericton since 1984, Kiers Marketing Group was a winner of a Fredericton Chamber of Commerce Business Excellence Award in 2011. Karen was born in Montreal, moved to South Africa at the age of five and returned to Canada to live in Fredericton at the age of 12. After graduating from FHS, she attended Atlantic Business College and after starting her working career, attended UNB. She is married to Kirby, and they have two sons, Matt and Adam.
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Karen Grant
Karen’s involvement in the local business community includes being a member of the Fredericton Women in Business Network, a member of the organizing committee for Ability NB’s Feast in the Field event, a business member of the Fredericton Chamber of Commerce and a member on various committees. Karen is excited to join the Chamber’s board of directors, and looks forward to meeting and working with other directors and Chamber members. Karen is a board member of the Fredericton District Soccer Association, and was involved with Soccer New Brunswick, the provincial body, as a member of the New Brunswick Soccer League competitive program, and a member of the local organizing committee, working with Canadian Soccer Association, hosting the U18 national soccer competitions in 2007 and 2011. Karen enjoys reading, gardening, snow-shoeing, running and just completed her first half marathon.
Family Business
Are You the Next Generation of a Family Business? by Dave Armstrong, CA
What you should know
Control Shares
Transitioning ownership of the family business from one generation to the next can be a daunting experience without proper planning and advice. Communication and ensuring all parties involved understand the process and the documentation in place are fundamental. As the next generation owner, you will want to comprehend the purpose and how the various documents and agreements implemented relate to one another and how they impact you and your family.
Even in situations where a trust is not used and the common shares of the family business are transferred directly to the next generation, Mom and Dad often still own preferred shares which control the majority of voting rights of the company (“control shares”). If Mom and Dad own these control shares, it is important to determine what will happen with those shares when Mom and Dad pass away as the distribution of these shares should be addressed in their wills. Understanding who will own these shares (and control the company) after Mom and Dad pass away is crucial as control equals power. Will the same person(s) who own the common shares also own the control shares?
Each family’s transition plan is unique. However, there are often a number of common elements and themes.
Family Trusts and your Parent’s Will Family trusts are a familiar term to many family business owners. However, do you really understand how a trust works and what it means? A trust is a separate legal arrangement. Assets owned by the family trust are not owned by your parents and therefore not dealt with by their wills on death. Your parents may provide direction to the trustees of a family trust as to how the family trust assets should be distributed, but the trustees are not legally bound by this direction. It is critically important that appropriate replacement trustees are specified in the family trust document since Mom and Dad are typically trustees during their lifetime. An untimely death could mean replacement trustees make decisions with respect to the distribution of the shares of the family business from the family trust and this allocation may not be consistent with the rest of the family’s understanding.
The Shareholders’ Agreement is the Great Equalizer Although the will may direct the distribution of the family business shares, a shareholders’ agreement often dictates what happens to the shares on the death of Mom and Dad. Generally speaking, a shareholders’ agreement outlines what will happen with the shares of a company in certain circumstances, such as death, disability, or ceasing residency, etc. In the context of a family business situation, the goal is often to keep the shares in the family. However, if there are non-family shareholders the arrangements in the shareholders’ agreement may yield a much different result than what the family otherwise expects. Understanding and documenting the mechanics of what happens before unforeseen events occur is prudent business planning.
Be Proactive - Find Out and Understand If you are part of the next generation, be proactive in asking questions, attending meetings and developing your own relationship with the various advisers of the family business. A thorough understanding of the situation will help ensure a smooth transition and ensure expectations are met even in unexpected circumstances. Dave Armstrong, CA dearmstrong@kpmg.ca Is a Senior Manager with KPMG’s New Brunswick Tax Practice. KPMG in New Brunswick has offices in Fredericton, Moncton, and Saint John.
15 Insight July - August 2014
Sustainability
Sustainability pays big dividends by Carl Duivenvoorden
Several years ago, I read the results of a survey that asked businesses why they were or were not engaged in sustainability initiatives. The responses were seemingly contradictory: those businesses engaged in sustainability initiatives indicated they were doing it to save money, while those not engaged in sustainability initiatives indicated they were not doing anything because they thought it would cost them money. The survey reflected two very different perceptions. Thankfully, more and more businesses are realizing which is the correct one: sustainability makes good business sense.
Advantages
The biggest advantage of sustainability initiatives is cost savings. Well chosen initiatives, particularly in the areas of lighting, heating, cooling and transportation, can yield fantastic paybacks. In industrial settings, improvements in motors and compressed air systems can yield huge dividends. You don’t need to look far to see examples that drive this point home. Champlain Place in Dieppe has reduced its power consumption by 20%, in part by installing a system that turns off lights when daylight provides adequate light levels. Ross Ventures, owner of HSBC Place, has reduced that building’s heating and cooling costs by one third after upgrading heating and air conditioning systems. That’s a savings of about $10,000 per month. Both businesses were recently recognized with Premier’s Awards for Energy Efficiency.
Other benefits of sustainability include: • More customers, since more and more consumers are expressing a preference for shopping at green businesses and more large buyers are demanding sustainability credentials of their suppliers • A happier, more engaged workforce, because most employees enjoy being a part of something good • Easier recruitment, as more young people choose workplaces that match their value systems
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July - August 2014
How to get started Sustainability may sound like an intimidating undertaking, but it doesn’t have to be. Here are five straightforward steps to getting started in your business: 1. Do a quick self-assessment and self-audit. How much do you know about sustainability? What environmental issues are most important to you? What do you hope to achieve by adopting sustainability measures? How would you assess your current business practices? Are you measuring your energy consumption? Do you have a process of engaging staff in sustainability initiatives or for identifying opportunities for savings? Your answers can help you determine priorities and where to begin. 2. Write a vision statement, a high-level declaration of what you hope to accomplish or become. It might be to reduce solid waste; to use the least energy or water; to purchase only green office supplies; or to be the best in your sector or community. A vision statement doesn’t have to be long, but it should speak to values and aspirations – and it should be posted for all to see. 3. Assemble a team. Select members based on their job description, availability, skills and enthusiasm. (You can have the team develop your vision statement.) 4. Set priorities and timelines. Make sure goals are SMART: Specific, Measureable, Action-oriented, Realistic and Time-bounded. Assign responsibility and be sure to provide necessary resources; few things wither a team’s enthusiasm faster than a lapse in management support. Quick wins can be a huge boost to morale, so it’s critical to start with simple goals like changing lights, fixing leaky plumbing or sealing drafty doors. 5. Measure, report and celebrate progress. If possible, benchmark before you start so you can easily track reductions and savings. Celebrate accomplishments, and use your results to revise plans and set new, loftier goals. If you need some help, check out www.greenshopsfredericton.ca, a homegrown program developed specifically for businesses. Carl Duivenvoorden (www.changeyourcorner.com; @CDuivenv) helps businesses, organizations and audiences learn how they can save money, energy and the environment. He lives in Upper Kingsclear.
Ignite Fredericton can provide the rocket fuel to get you started! As your community economic development organization, ZH RIIHU IUHH DQG FRQÄ&#x;GHQWLDO EXVLQHVV FRXQVHOOLQJ DQG tools to help you START, GROW or LOCATE \RXU EXVLQHVV Our core functions include: Ĺ? 6XSSRUWLQJ (QWUHSUHQHXUV Ĺ? $WWUDFWLQJ 5HWDLQLQJ 7DOHQW WKURXJK ,PPLJUDWLRQ Ĺ? 6WUHQJWKHQLQJ WKH (FRQRPLF 'HYHORSPHQW (FRV\VWHP &URZWKHU /DQH 6XLWH .QRZOHGJH 3DUN )UHGHULFWRQ 1% ( & - 506.444.4686 | info@ignitefredericton.com | www.ignitefredericton.com
REFERRAL MEMBERS: Stuart Blair referred: Covey Office Group
Art Gibson Sky Designs Ltd.
Kelly Richard referred: Kelly Richard Bookkeeping Services
Lane McIntosh Lane McIntosh Messaging
17 Insight July - August 2014
Member Pro�ile
Power Plus Technology Power Plus Technology owns and operates the Magnetic Hill Irving Gas Station and Convenience store in Moncton. This location is one of the busiest gas stations in Moncton and is the first ever convenience store with both a Tim Horton’s and a Subway. Depending on the season, we employ approximately 13-18 full-time employees. As a team, we feel very strongly about giving back to the community where we operate. We’ve supported various initiatives including Ducks Unlimited, Lutes Mountain Meeting House and Magnetic Hill Home and School. In August 2012, we chose to expand our network and purchased land in Hanwell, New Brunswick, with the vision of having a local gas and convenience store similar to our Magnetic Hill location. The construction on our Hanwell plaza is almost complete and we are excited to open our doors in the summer of 2014. This plaza features an Irving Gas Station, Quizno’s Sub, Burger King and a coffee shop. The plaza also has lots of room for future expansion. With this development we are investing over $2 million in the community. This will help create approximately 35 jobs and provide new options for local consumers. We are excited about being a member of this community and look forward to supporting our neighbours with various fundraisers and initiatives!
Insight 18 July - August 2014
The Buzz
y 1, 2014, On Thursday, MFraedericton hosted the
Shannex Parkland ’s ber of Commerce Fredericton Cham k you an Th s. After Hour ss ne si Bu ly th mon the food ring for catering to Edwina’s Cate was delicious!
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On Wednesday, May 14
, 20
14, the Fredericton Chambe r of Commerce and HRANB co-hosted a HR Forum - Success through Hiring, Retainin g and Engaging with keynote speaker, Dr. Mi chael Haan and moderator, Sally Wells. This event was well attended and we look for ward to hosting similar events for our me mbers in the future.
, 2014, On Tuesday, Mayre27had their grand
Simms Home Hardwa an Early Bird opening and hosted their new Kitchen & Networking event at re ng Street. If you we Bath Centre at 190 Ki to re su event, make unable to attend this , t their new location stop by and check ou le. products for sa they have some neat
On Tuesday, June 3, 2014,
the Fredericton Chamber of Commerce hosted their Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the Delta Fredericton. Thank you, to all those who attended, we had a great turnout at this meeting. A big thank you goes out to Chris Johnston, for his hard work and dedication to the Chamber as he ‘passes the buck’ to our new President, Joseph O’Donnell.
une 5, 2014, celebrated On Thursday, Jam ber of Commerce
the Fredericton Ch flag raised with rsary by having a ank their 140th annive nt of City Hall. Th fro in go lo h 0t 14 the Chamber’s us for this bers who joined em m r ou l al to u yo Costco big thank you to celebration and a the occasion. r fo ting a cake na do r fo le sa le Who
tacey Murr The Chamb ay, Event Manager e advantage r and some of our m em of some wo nderful eve bers have taken nts so far th is year! On Thursday, June 5, 2014, the
Fredericton C onvention Cen Fredericton C tre hosted the hamber of Com merce’s annu Summer Biz B al ash. We rece ived an outsta turnout to this nd ing event, and look forward to se everyone out ei to our next ne ng tworking even September 11 t on , 2014. A big th ank you goes our members out to hip, our sponso rs and our volunteers.
ne 11, 2014, On Wednesday, Ju sted at Lunch & ber of Commerce ho
the Fredericton Cham siness. A big agement for Small Bu an M l cia an Fin on Learn e presenter of Norman M. Betts th . Dr to t ou es go u k Grill & thank yo u, to Sam Snead’s Oa yo k an th , so Al . ion e for the this sess and Kingswood Lodg al me s iou lic de e th Learn’s in Tavern for sting more Lunch & ho to d ar rw fo k loo venue! We the fall.
Upcoming Events You Don’t Want To Miss! On Thursday, August 28, 2014 the Fredericton Chamber of Commerce is hosting their 25th Annual Golf Tournament at Kingswood Golf. Registration is limited to 36 teams, so be sure to register early. Teams are registered on a first come, first-served basis. The Chamber is in search of golf prizes and silent auction items for this tournament, if you want to donate something, please contact Stacey Murray, Event Manager at events@frederictonchamber.ca or (506) 451-9741. On Thursday, October 15, 2014 the Business Excellence Awards will take place at the Delta Fredericton. Do you own or do you know of a business that is innovative, has a creative marketing campaign, has superb customer service, or is an industry leader? Nominate that business for a Business Excellence Award! Contact Stacey Murray, Event Manager at events@frederictonchamber.ca or (506) 451-9741 for more information on how to submit your nomination.
19 Insight July - August 2014
PROTECTING YOUR GROWING BUSINESS JUST GOT EASIER! The Chambers of Commerce Group Insurance Plan has been protecting business owners and their employees since 1970—providing competitively priced, comprehensive employee insurance benefits—and now we’ve added Group Retirement Solutions! Chambers Plan Group Retirement Solutions utilizes Manulife’s FutureStep® Group Registered Retirement Savings Plan, designed to help small businesses like yours be competitive and take care of your employees’ future financial needs. The RRSP features best-in-class investment options, education and online services, and a cost-effective design. If you’re thinking of adding employee benefits or a group retirement savings plan to your company, see why the Chambers Plan is chosen by thousands of businesses just like yours. Available to all Fredericton Chamber of Commerce Members Call us today! Blair and Robyn Corey 458.0102 or Vern Boyer 452.1891 • chamberplan.ca