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MARCH 2018 | $3.50 BUSINESSINCALGARY.COM

Building a Legacy PM41126516

TIM LOGEL CELEBRATES A BREAKTHROUGH YEAR WITH THE LAUNCH OF LOGEL HOMES

B OMA CALGARY NEWS - SPRING 2018

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STORY TITLE // SECTION

Supporting the visions of entrepreneurs one story at a time.

Volume 27 | Number 3

REGULAR COLUMNS

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Mushy Pseudo Policy

By Frank Atkins

Death by 1,000 Paper Cuts

By Amber Ruddy

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Is Insurgency Too Strong a Word?

By Cody Battershill

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CONTENTS COVER FEATURE

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Building a Legacy Tim Logel celebrates a breakthrough year with the launch of Logel Homes

By Melanie Darbyshire

Three Steps for Alberta’s Energy Industry

By Colin Craig

71 78 99

Leading Business

BOMA Calgary News Spring 2018 The Calgary Report Current developments for Calgary Telus Convention Centre, Tourism Calgary, Calgary Economic Development, and Innovate Calgary

ON OUR COVER: ABOVE: TIM LOGEL, PRESIDENT AND CEO OF LOGEL HOMES. PHOTO SOURCE: BOOKSTRUCKER PHOTOGRAPHY

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Marketing Matters

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By David Parker

STORY TITLE // SECTION

Supporting the visions of entrepreneurs one story at a time.

Volume 27 | Number 3

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THIS MONTH’S FEATURES

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CONTENTS

22 36

COMPANY PROFILES

42 89 93

Planning Calgary’s Growth Stability, recovery and momentum

By Colleen Wallace

The Surtax Lightning Rod The impact on emissions and Calgary business

By John Hardy

ow to Get the Best H Mortgage Deals Even with the Latest Interest-Rate Hikes

By Sue L. Blanchard

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Smith Bros. Floors

Celebrates 100 Years

2018 Calgary International Auto and Truck Show The latest, the newest and the most dazzling

By Colleen Wallace

Midwest Group

Celebrates 30 Years

Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB) Celebrates 100 Years

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Prefabricated and Modular Construction Building better, faster and on budget

By Erlynn Gococo

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Hitting the Links in Exotic Foreign Locales Play golf one day, visit a tropical rainforest the next

By Mario Toneguzzi

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MARCH 2018 // BUSINESS IN CALGARY // BUSINESSINCALGARY.COM

OUR VIEW, TOO.

PUBLISHERS

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REGULAR CONTRIBUTORS Colin Craig Amber Ruddy Cody Battershill Frank Atkins David Parker

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MUSHY PSEUDO POLICY // FRANK ATKINS

Mushy Pseudo Policy

BY FRANK ATKINS

T

he federal Liberals have always been able to overcome their lack of ability to formulate consistent policy by use of tightly-controlled marketing. I can still remember Pierre Trudeau, who was not particularly well liked in the polls at the time, running a whole election on the vapid phrase “the land is strong.” It was probably one of the most boring election campaigns in Canadian history, because Mr. Trudeau never said much of anything other than variations of the limp theme. Any time he went off script, and he liked to do this occasionally, he seemed to make some sort of a terrible mess, which resulted in a further round of tightly-controlled marketing.

Now we have Trudeau the Junior, whose grasp of policy gives a whole new meaning to the term vacuous. However, this Trudeau, just like his father, has always been on some sort of a script. If you watch the town halls, events that the Liberals really seem to like, you cannot help but get the feeling that the whole event is scripted. One recent town hall had a particularly scripted feel about it. Immediately at the opening, an irate woman presented a well-articulated speech about how she is morally offended that the Canadian government would give $10.5 million to Omar Khadr. At the time, this was a particularly contentious move on the part of the government. The crowd appeared to agree with this woman, and the atmosphere immediately got somewhat restless. Mr. Trudeau was clearly ready for this question, and gave a well-acted speech about how he actually agreed with this woman. Mr. Trudeau’s acting skills were on full display.

He used a lot of words, but the only thing he actually said was that he agreed, and he too was outraged by this policy.

This settled the crowd down, and after this town hall, the issue seemed to die away.

NO ONE RAISED THE OBVIOUS QUESTION: IF THE PRIME MINISTER WAS APPALLED BY THIS PAYMENT, WHY DID THE GOVERNMENT DO IT? In my opinion, the woman must have been planted with her question, and Mr. Trudeau was clearly supplied with a smoothing, if mostly vacuous, reply. What is particularly unsettling about this episode is that it actually appeared to work. No one raised the obvious question: if the prime minister was appalled by this payment, why did the government do it? Tightly-controlled marketing wins the day once again.

In a very recent town hall meeting, a woman said that maternal love was the key to changing the future of mankind. This is the kind of mushy feel-good sentiments the Liberals like to say every once in a while. However, Mr. Trudeau interjected, “We like to say peoplekind, not necessarily mankind. It is more inclusive.” This is also the type of mushy pseudo policy Mr. Trudeau seems to like. CP news reported, “The remark was warmly received by both the woman and many others in the audience.” This left me wondering whether this was an example of Mr. Trudeau going off script or whether this was all staged.

The reaction of the general populace was something less than “warmly received.” The mocking of Mr. Trudeau abounded, culminating with a suggestion that Manitoba should be renamed Personitoba. Mr. Trudeau later apologized for what he called his bad joke. I would like to think it was all scripted and is just silly pseudo policy.

BUSINESSINCALGARY.COM // BUSINESS IN CALGARY // MARCH 2018

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DEATH BY 1,000 PAPER CUTS // AMBER RUDDY

Death by 1,000 Paper Cuts

BY AMBER RUDDY

A

lberta has historically had the enviable reputation of being the most business-friendly jurisdiction in Canada. Sadly though, with the provincial government seemingly content to rest on its laurels, that status is quickly falling by the wayside.

According to a recent survey by the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB), 91 per cent of Alberta’s entrepreneurs are not confident their provincial government is committed to improving the climate for small business.

WHAT CAN THE GOVERNMENT DO TO HELP? GET OUT OF THE WAY BY CUTTING RED TAPE AND GIVING BUSINESS OWNERS MORE OF THEIR TIME BACK.

Even at the best of times, getting customers through the door is a significant challenge for many entrepreneurs. With the fragile economic recovery that is now underway, now is not the time for the Alberta government to be layering on higher taxes and new regulations.

The current Alberta government has brought in an extensive list of new regulatory requirements, overhauling employment laws to make our province just like everyone else. We’ve also seen a series of “consumer protection” measures that take a prescriptive approach mandating practices business must adopt.

Alberta has piled on so much regulation and red tape that half of all small business owners in the province would not advise their own kids go into business because of the costs, headaches and stress from excessive regulation and paperwork.

What can the government do to help? Get out of the way by cutting red tape and giving business owners more of their time back. In 2017, businesses with fewer than five employees spent almost 178 hours per year complying with government regulations.

To be clear – small businesses have no issue with legitimate rules. Red tape is not to be confused with necessary regulation. A certain amount of regulation is important to protect human health, workplace safety and the environment.

Now it is time to look at regulations through a small business lens. It is often not one piece of legislation that concerns business owners but the series of government rules that leads to death by 1,000 paper cuts.

But red tape is something else; it is inconsistent information, confusing forms, bad customer service or getting the runaround. Entrepreneurs lose hours on the phone with government agencies trying to get answers to their questions. Too often they have to comply with confusing and arbitrary rules and unhelpful customer service agents.

Alberta has entrepreneurship in our provincial DNA. Being like everyone else sets the bar too low. If the Alberta government insists on copying other provinces on policies like extensive labour rules and budget deficits, let’s at least replicate our neighbours’ successful efforts to trim back red tape, clearing unnecessary hurdles for our entrepreneurs.

Amber Ruddy is the director of provincial affairs for the Canadian Federation of Independent Business. She can be reached at amber.ruddy@cfib.ca. Follow her on Twitter @aruddy.

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MARCH 2018 // BUSINESS IN CALGARY // BUSINESSINCALGARY.COM

APPLE FITNESS STORE Leading the way with quality, integrity and great service

T

he next time you step on that Life Fitness treadmill or spin that Keiser bike at your gym, give a little nod to Ken Harrison at Apple Fitness Store for helping to keep you in shape.

Ken is founder of Apple Fitness Store, Alberta’s premiere fitness equipment supplier. With treadmills, elipticals, bikes, rowers and stair climbers, you might say Ken is Alberta’s King of Cardio. But neither man, nor woman, lives on cardio alone, so Apple offers the best selection of free weights and weight machines for strength training — either for commercial or residential use.

With a little help from family, Ken built on sales experience as the exclusive Alberta distributor for Paramount Fitness and Trotter Fitness products to hang his shingle in Edmonton and Calgary in 1992. Apple Fitness Stores soon became a key component of the explosion in fitness clubs across

1

July/August 2017

Alberta and Ken became a pioneer for a healthy lifestyles culture.

“Success can be attributed to our company’s core values,” says Ken, born and raised in Edmonton.

“We believe in providing only quality products and offering the best service, all with the utmost integrity. We call it the Apple Advantage.”

Apple Fitness Store is the exclusive Alberta partner for top quality fitness suppliers such as Life Fitness, Hammer Strength, Keiser, Sci Fit and Umax. Apple Fitness also operates Western Canada’s largest parts and service department with certified factory-trained technicians.

Ken is also a big believer in supporting community, sharing the success of his company with many hundreds of people for more than two decades. “We believe it is our corporate responsibility to give back to that community and be a part of spreading the message for an active

lifestyle to those who may not otherwise be able to participate,” says Ken. For 25 years, it all circles back to Apple Fitness' values.

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IS INSURGENCY TOO STRONG A WORD? // CODY BATTERSHILL

Is Insurgency Too Strong a Word?

BY CODY BATTERSHILL

T

hanks to a gullible media and some pretty lax security screening, the anti-pipeline insurgency chalked up a minor victory in Nanaimo.

THANKS TO OUR BLIND TOLERANCE OF THE MANIPULATION OF THESE “GREEN”

As I watched a live stream of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Nanaimo town hall, broadcast from Vancouver Island University, I thought the crowd seemed more rude and aggressive than even a typical activist audience.

GROUPS AND THEIR EMPLOYEES,

I know B.C. has given us some pretty noisy groups who practise aggressive media tactics toward news outlets that thrive on conflict. I realize Greenpeace, the David Suzuki Foundation and Dogwood are all willing to make a huge fuss if only that will get them on television.

ALL NEW PIPELINES OBSTRUCTED,

But I was thinking town halls were different. I thought they were a place for citizens to discuss issues with their political leadership. I was expecting some level of respect from the live audience. And most were fairly respectful – but not all.

Now I understand why.

If the term “insurgency” could ever be applied to an activist movement, then it seemed applicable to a few vocal activists in Nanaimo that day.

First, a quick political science refresher: an insurgency is normally defined as a protracted, aggressive campaign against civil authority or an established government.

Now, consider that one of the women ejected from the Nanaimo town hall after acknowledging she would not respect any other voices in the room including, I presume, those of several First Nations chiefs and elders, is known as a Greenpeace activist, appearing on their website in professionally-produced photos for the media to download.

CANADA IS ONE OF THE FEW SOURCES OF GLOBAL OIL SUPPLY THAT HAS HAD WHILE ALSO FACING INCREASING CARBON AND REGULATORY COSTS. Thanks to our blind tolerance of the manipulation of these “green” groups and their employees, Canada is one of the few sources of global oil supply that has had all new pipelines obstructed, while also facing increasing carbon and regulatory costs. Thanks to the fact we bend over backwards as we try to win “social licence” from anti-oil warriors, we have no new pipelines under construction, no LNG facilities operating and Canadian drillers are moving their rigs south to chase prospects in Texas, and opposition to our sector and our country’s prosperity hasn’t budged. They only get stronger by the day.

Let’s at least call this what it is. What I saw on that live stream from Nanaimo wasn’t simply anti-pipeline; what I saw was anti-social, anti-democratic and anti-Canadian.

As a country, we can do so much better. It’s time for action.

Cody Battershill is a Calgary realtor and founder/spokesperson for CanadaAction. ca, a volunteer organization that supports Canadian energy development and the environmental, social and economic benefits that come with it.

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MARCH 2018 // BUSINESS IN CALGARY // BUSINESSINCALGARY.COM

GROWING COMMUNITIES ACROSS CANADA

Canada’s communities are growing fast, and Maple Reinders is helping to meet the housing demand by providing a complete service offering for land owners and developers to realize their vision. Building larger and more complex projects year over year, we have become the trusted partner in numerous residential projects throughout the country. Visit www.maple.ca to learn more.

Come visit us at the ASCHA Convention and Tradeshow from Apr. 11-13!

THREE STEPS FOR ALBERTA’S ENERGY INDUSTRY // COLIN CRAIG

Three Steps for Alberta’s Energy Industry

BY COLIN CRAIG

T

he rest of the world is laughing at us. They must be.

No rational person or country would look at Canada, observe how we’re constantly obstructing our own energy industry – while importing oil and gas from foreign countries – and conclude, “that makes sense.”

Taxpayers across Alberta – and Canada for that matter – should be very angry about what’s going on. Simply put, the billions of dollars our governments are missing out on in terms of resource royalties and tax dollars means there are fewer dollars available for health care, education, roadwork and other services.

Further, when governments miss out on those revenues, it also means they’re more likely to raise taxes.

and resources – there’s a lot of misinformation out there.

Environmental radicals may be well funded by some deep pockets in the United States, but their resources are a far cry from what Canada’s $120-billion energy industry has access to.

Industry needs to understand that if they’re going to start getting projects approved and product to market, they need to start shifting public opinion. This will require telling our energy industry’s great story beyond Alberta. Canadians from coast to coast need to understand the full extent of the lunacy that’s going on right now. If that happens, politicians will follow the shift in sentiment and start approving more projects – raising more in tax revenues at the same time.

Here are three thoughts:

Part of this process will involve creating more graphics to spread on social media, more town hall meetings, more short video clips, more advertisements, and the like. If industry players don’t want to create their own resources and engage in these activities, they should fund groups like Canada Action and others who are trying to get the message out right now.

First, some in industry need to stop cowering in the corner and start holding their heads up high. Canada has some of the most rigorous environmental policies in the world. As long as consumers across the globe are still buying oil and gas products, all Canadians should want our industry to be able to provide those resources.

Thirdly, and this is where all readers come in: supporters who are sympathetic to this message need to do their part to help spread the word across Canada. For decades now, Canadians from across the country have moved to Alberta – and most of those people are on social media. Combined, they must have millions of contacts in other provinces.

This will require some in industry to stop enabling politicians and their detrimental policies. Industry leaders need to stop standing on stage with politicians when they announce carbon taxes and other negative policies. And for goodness sake, some industry players need to stop cosying up to organizations whose main goal is to shut down Alberta’s energy industry.

Industry needs to start mobilizing their employees, suppliers and the general public to help in this battle. All of Canada has benefited from our energy industry – that should become crystal clear to all.

None of this is new. It’s been rehashed time and time again.

So what can be done?

Second, our energy industry’s opponents have had about a decade’s head start in attacking our province’s industry

Again, if we can reinvigorate our energy industry, we can ease some of the financial challenges governments are facing – and avoid a tax hike or two. Who knows, maybe we can even get the rest of the world to stop laughing at us?

Colin Craig is the Alberta Director for the Canadian Taxpayers Federation

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MARCH 2018 // BUSINESS IN CALGARY // BUSINESSINCALGARY.COM

The Importance of Company Reputation A vital business factor S

ome people say a company’s reputation isn’t something to prioritize. Others say it’s everything! They stress that a company’s profile and reputation can make or break a business.

For some, in private and business life, maintaining a desired profile and reputation can be easier said than done. It can also be a potent business advantage.

But the jury is out about the role of staff in impacting a company’s reputation and whether a company’s reputation – like a person’s – is created or earned.

According to Kyle Friedman, an EO Calgary member and CEO of the Wallin Company (a Calgary-based team of professional contractors), “Reputation has always been a huge selling feature.

Marketing can provide leads but reputation converts the leads into sales. A key fundamental of any sale is trust, and reputation is a simple way to achieve that.

“Some keys to a business’ profile and reputation centre around core values and culture,” says Corinne Lyall, owner and president of Royal LePage Benchmark and an EO Calgary member. “It’s essential that every individual in an organization subscribes to the same values and demonstrates it with coworkers and clients.

“The role of staff impacts the business’ reputation and profile, and staff should embrace and subscribe to the company’s core values. Whether they are at work or not, it’s important to understand that behaviour and conversations can reflect on your business.

“As we all know,” she emphasizes, “word of mouth spreads quickly and can either be the fortune or failure of a business.”

EO Calgary member Jeremy Regehr is owner of inspiris, a Calgary-based people-centric content management and IT solutions group. He underscores, “In the long run, profile and reputation can absolutely make or break a business. But the promise of short-term gain can distract from this truth. It takes a non-negotiable commitment to core values above all to keep the vision.

“In any business, consciously or not, the customer is trying to determine two things: trust, which is always a non-negotiable, and respect – how able is the company to deliver on promises.

Reputation usually factors into that decision.”

“One key way we keep a great reputation is by hiring great people. We believe our people should line with our core values and be dedicated to the customer’s positive experience, not just great at providing the service.”

There’s no business manual or how-to list for building reputation and profile, but Lyall stresses, “One key way is branding that is based on core values and integrating it into everything to market the business. Also, asking clients for testimonials to include in the marketing strategy, sponsoring local community events and creating reciprocal business relationships.”

Regehr adds a subtle but important suggestion. “Reputation is mostly a byproduct of how you consistently execute on your values in the real world. So it’s imperative to have a commitment to that consistency, regardless the cost. Keep in mind that profile can be built by how you react and deal with incidentals.”

There is business consensus that staff are crucial for (the good or the bad) of a business’ reputation.

“Great people are a must!” Friedman says. “Your business is an extension of you, and your people are an extension of the business. You can have the best possible product but it’s great people who complete the customer experience.”

Contributing Members:

Upcoming Events: Mar. 1 • MY EO A Night in Rome Mar. 7 • Leadership Breakfast Series Mar. 8 • Beers with Peers

Kyle Friedman

Corinne Lyall

Jeremy Regehr

CEO, the Wallin Company

owner and president, Royal LePage Benchmark

owner, inspiris

Mar. 15 • Mark Lawrence “Redefine Impossible”

The international Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO) is the respected, world-wide business networking group — with more than 10,000 members in 35 countries — where business leaders meet informally to brainstorm, compare notes, learn and share relevant discussions about business.

EO has 122 chapters around the world, including the Calgary chapter which is the fifth largest and one of the most active EO chapters in the world.

www.eocalgary.com

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For membership inquiries: membership@eocalgary.com

PLANNING CALGARY’S GROWTH // URBANOMICS

PLANNING CALGARY’S GROWTH STABILITY, RECOVERY AND MOMENTUM

BY COLLEEN WALLACE

T

he province, the city, area builders, developers and other BILD Calgary Region members agree! It’s time for action.

After more than five years of focused and determined talking the talk (not to mention discussions and negotiations), the 710 sections of Alberta’s Municipal Government Act (MGA) – which ensures municipalities are governed in an open and transparent manner, keeping municipal councils accountable, creating a framework for greater regional collaboration, and improving the consistency of the municipal revenue framework and legislation – are law.

It is also a timely and perfect fit for BILD Calgary Region’s emphasis on Calgary housing market-relevant information.

The group’s Smarter Growth Initiative (SGI) is committed to fostering informed and engaged conversation on all topics that affect the Calgary region’s growth by providing balanced researched-based information on issues surrounding planning and development.

And all sides agree: the newly-enacted Alberta MGA will help with forward-thinking and targeted Calgary growth planning and development.

Understanding the MGA changes and the multifaceted challenge of implementing the Calgary-relevant sections has begun, especially for area builders and developers.

They are now walking the walk, with effective collaboration.

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MARCH 2018 // BUSINESS IN CALGARY // BUSINESSINCALGARY.COM

“Because 2017 was a productive year for Calgary builders and developers, most industry players are focused on building on last year’s modest momentum,” says Paul Boskovich, president of Genstar Development and first vice chair of BILD Calgary Region. “There is an ongoing focus to work collaboratively with the municipalities to ensure that we are able to deliver high-quality development that meets the housing needs of Calgarians.”

One of the key MGA changes is the formation of Growth Management Boards (GMBs) – provincial quasi-judicial tribunals affiliated with the Alberta Ministry of Municipal Affairs. The GMB is authorized to hear appeals from subdivision applications involving a provincial interest, appeals of linear property assessments, inter-municipal disputes, municipal annexations, and other matters.

It’s a concept that’s already in place in Edmonton since 2008, when the Capital Region Growth Management Board was formed and, as of January 2018, it is a mandatory fact of Calgary builder and developer life.

The Calgary Metropolitan Region Board (CMRB) will address details of land-use planning, servicing of growth, regional service delivery, cost sharing, infrastructure planning and other vital Calgary region-specific builder and development matters.

“Collaboration is the key for this new board,” he points out.

“It shouldn’t be another layer of regulation or a vehicle to deliver more policy, but an opportunity for the region to

PLANNING CALGARY’S GROWTH // URBANOMICS

“THE BIGGEST ISSUES START WITH BUILDING, SERVICING AND INFRASTRUCTURE IN PLACE FOR NEW COMMUNITIES, REGULATIONS, REGULATION CHANGES AND POLICIES THAT IMPACT THE BUSINESS. MUNICIPALITIES ARE STRUGGLING TO FINANCE NEW GROWTH AND THIS IS CREATING PRESSURE ON THE ABILITY TO BRING NEW PRODUCT TO MARKET.” ~ GUY HUNTINGFORD operate more effectively. We need to see private industry and municipalities work more collaboratively to ensure the Calgary region remains attractive to outside investment.”

The MGA provides the effective framework for collaboration.

“The CMRB is important in mandating the many municipalities of the Calgary region to come together and create regional land-use planning and servicing plans,” explains Guy Huntingford, CEO of BILD Calgary Region. “It creates certainty for the marketplace and valuable direction for growth throughout the region – ultimately helping to minimize challenges whereby growth occurs, and sometimes creates struggles to provide services and infrastructure.

Currently, the direction of the CMRB is limited. “Projecting priorities for the CMRB is difficult. An initial first board meeting of all mayors and reeves, scheduled for February, has been delayed until this month. So hopefully, shortly after some initial meetings we will all have a better understanding of direction.

“An interim growth plan, scheduled for completion mid-2018, will enable municipalities to continue their planning policy work and growth efforts until such time as the fully-baked regional planning and servicing plans are finalized in 2021.”

There are unique Calgary issues where area builders, developers, the city and the CMRB will likely collaborate.

“The biggest issues start with building, servicing and infrastructure in place for new communities, regulations, regulation changes and policies that impact the business,” Huntingford adds. “Municipalities are struggling to finance

new growth and this is creating pressure on the ability to bring new product to market.”

There is realism and positivity in Paul Boskovich’s outlook for the 2018 Calgary housing market. “Last year was both an interesting year and a significant step towards stability.

Although the economic downturn of the past several years continues to impact the level of employment and consumer confidence, we are starting to see signs of stability in the housing industry.

“Much of the new confidence in the housing market is driven by the detached market. Several new developments have successfully launched in the past two years, and they have helped provide the compelling reason for Calgarians to consider a new-home purchase. Also, single and multi-family builders have been very proactive in providing innovative housing solutions that addressed consumer need for value and affordability.”

Calgary builders and developers agree on the recovery, the momentum and the added spark of collaboration with Calgary’s new growth board.

“Within Calgary’s boundaries, the housing market will be another recovery year,” Huntingford says. “Certainly it amounts to continued movement towards a more balanced market. In the region, we will continue to see steady growth.

When compared to Calgary, in urban areas such as Cochrane, Airdrie, Chestermere and Okotoks, we are already seeing accelerated growth curves.”

BUSINESSINCALGARY.COM // BUSINESS IN CALGARY // MARCH 2018

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BILD Calgary Region

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Former Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall to Make First Public Speech in Calgary Since Stepping Down Former premier of Saskatchewan Brad Wall is set to give his first public speech since leaving office to a Calgary audience on March 12. The 14th premier of Saskatchewan, now 52, will discuss Canada’s place in the world, the impact inter-provincial relations can have on the larger economy, and what the energy industry will look like in the future. His speech will be followed by a conversation with W. Brett Wilson.

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BANFF SUNSHINE VILLAGE, HOME OF CANADA’S HOTTEST CHAIRLIFT. ORIGINALLY VOTED INTO THE PREMIER’S OFFICE AS THE LEADER OF THE SASKATCHEWAN PARTY IN NOVEMBER 2007, WALL WAS THE FOURTH CENTRE-RIGHT PREMIER IN THE PROVINCE’S 82YEAR HISTORY. “Mr. Wall’s over 10-year tenure as premier was a great period in Saskatchewan’s history,” says Andy McCreath of tinePublic Inc., the Calgary company organizing the speech. “He achieved much and was a consistent, strong voice for the province and the region. We were thrilled to be able to bring him to Calgary for his first public speech since stepping down.”

Originally voted into the premier’s office as the leader of the Saskatchewan Party in November 2007, Wall was the fourth centre-right premier in the province’s 82-year history. Wildly popular, he went on to win again in the 2011 provincial election – with the third-largest majority government in Saskatchewan’s history – and in the 2016 election, with 62.36 per cent of the popular vote.

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He was leader of the Saskatchewan Party for 14 years and served as the MLA for Swift Current, where he has resided since 1999. As premier, he accomplished much, including balanced budgets for the first seven years of his tenure, the second-best debt-to-GDP ratio of all the provinces, and an AAA-credit rating.

Saskatchewan’s population grew by approximately 160,000 people and 60,000 new jobs were created under his watch. On August 10, 2017, he announced his plans to step down, citing a need for renewal of his party, the government and the province.

“Mr. Wall’s speech will be especially relevant given the state of Alberta’s economy and inter-provincial relations,” says Christian Darbyshire, also of tinePublic. “And his conversation with Brett Wilson is sure to touch on many current topics.”

TinePublic has brought many notable names to Calgary and other Canadian cities, including former U.S. presidents George W. Bush and Bill Clinton, Hillary Clinton, Tony Blair, Colin Powell and Oprah.

The luncheon event will take place at the Calgary TELUS Convention Centre on March 12 beginning at 11:30. Tickets are available at the Calgary Chamber of Commerce website at calgarychamber.com.

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THE SURTAX LIGHTNING ROD // ENERGY

THE SURTAX

LIGHTNING ROD THE IMPACT ON EMISSIONS AND CALGARY BUSINESS

BY JOHN HARDY

C

arbon taxes (including Alberta’s) are invariably complex, often confusing and most of all, a hopelessly contentious topic.

There are facts, projections, opinions to consider and details like billions of dollars in carbon tax revenues, the oil and gas industry’s social licence, carbon emissions, Alberta’s green energy economy, and the overall impact on business in general and recovering Calgary businesses in particular.

So many vital aspects to understand.

Because the subject has become such a lightning rod, it is often overlooked that carbon is mere convenient shorthand for greenhouse gas emissions, including (but not exclusively) CO2, methane, nitrous oxide and F-gases. And although the burning of fossil fuels gets most of the attention – and argument – greenhouse gases are released by many different types of activity, including farming, deforestation and various industrial processes.

“An unavoidable and important facet about carbon taxes is that it requires quite a few years to do thorough and

comprehensive analysis,” explains University of Calgary economist Trevor Tombe. “At this point, we simply do not have the data. The most recent data we do have is from 2015, and that is not relevant to the current carbon tax issue.

“It’s interesting to look at B.C., which has had carbon tax for about a decade. And the analysis shows that the carbon tax has caused definite emission reductions. But that’s not necessarily translatable to Alberta or Calgary, because carbon tax must be distinguished from other components of an environmental plan, and policies have different effects in different jurisdictions.”

Nick Martin, policy analyst with the Canada West Foundation (CWF), agrees. “Of course, the primary reason for carbon taxes is to reduce emissions. But there is a couple of years of lag time for the analysis and the numbers to be processed by Environment Canada. Then, one of the basic things to be done is calculate what emissions would likely be without a tax. B.C. has had carbon tax since 2008 and a number of studies do show a consensus of a five to 15 per cent decline in carbon emissions.”

RIGHT: NICK MARTIN, POLICY ANALYST WITH THE CANADA WEST FOUNDATION.

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MARCH 2018 // BUSINESS IN CALGARY // BUSINESSINCALGARY.COM

THE SURTAX LIGHTNING ROD // ENERGY

“OF COURSE, THE PRIMARY REASON FOR CARBON TAXES IS TO REDUCE EMISSIONS. BUT THERE IS A COUPLE OF YEARS OF LAG TIME FOR THE ANALYSIS AND THE NUMBERS TO BE PROCESSED

BY ENVIRONMENT CANADA. B.C. HAS HAD CARBON TAX SINCE 2008 AND A NUMBER OF STUDIES DO SHOW A CONSENSUS OF A FIVE TO 15 PER CENT DECLINE IN CARBON EMISSIONS.” ~ NICK MARTIN

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THE SURTAX LIGHTNING ROD // ENERGY

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“THIS YEAR, THE AVERAGE ALBERTA HOUSEHOLD WILL SEE BILLS RISE BY ABOUT $150. THAT’S A DOLLARS-AND-CENTS FACT. BUT GOVERNMENT REBATES WILL COVER ABOUT 60 PER CENT OF THE AFFECTED HOUSEHOLDS.” ~ TREVOR TOMBE Martin underscores that while the numbers may trigger argument and disputes, they are statistical facts.

Most analysts concede carbon tax exists on two levels: the public (consumer) perception and the cost-of-doing-business industry level.

Martin highlights the irony which may create an explainable contradiction.

“Combusting oil for things we do every day like driving cars and heating homes produces greenhouse gases. On the other hand, pulling it out of the ground and selling it to the world that consumes it brings big economic benefits.

“Canada’s domestic climate policies should be expected to reduce our own demand for the very same resources we are developing. Yet, the rest of the world’s energy demand is going up, and our energy policies should be expected to allow Canada to reap the economic benefits of our natural resources while there is a global appetite for them.”

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RIGHT: TREVOR TOMBE, ECONOMIST AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CALGARY.

MARCH 2018 // BUSINESS IN CALGARY // BUSINESSINCALGARY.COM

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At the start of 2017, the provincial government implemented a $20 per tonne tax on carbon dioxide emissions from burning fossil fuels used for transportation and heating. This January, the tax rose to $30 a tonne.

At the consumer level, the practical day-to-day reality of the carbon tax will be felt on 2018 utility bills and through a 2.2-cent-a-litre spike at the pump.

Although consumer price hikes like that are notorious for triggering outcries and protest, Tombe is calmly assuring that the carbon tax will be no consumer tsunami.

“This year, the average Alberta household will see bills rise by about $150. That’s a dollars-andcents fact. But government rebates will cover about 60 per cent of the affected households. Besides, for the most part, the increases will be largely insignificant and consumers probably won’t notice it at all.”

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He clarifies that, for Alberta, the 2018 carbon tax that is getting sudden attention is actually the second emission-curbing shoe to drop. “The other carbon tax was brought in 10 years ago, levied on industry and large emitters, from oilsands and oilsands mining to fertilizer plants. They have always been subject to a carbon tax which used to be $20 a tonne but, this year, was also increased to $30 a tonne.” And life has gone on.

For the Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF), the respected Canadian organization that

BUSINESSINCALGARY.COM // BUSINESS IN CALGARY // MARCH 2018

25

THE SURTAX LIGHTNING ROD // ENERGY

WHILE THE CARBON TAX FOCUS IS INEVITABLY ON THE ENVIRONMENT AND REDUCING EMISSIONS, THERE IS CAREFUL TRACKING OF THE IMPACT ON BUSINESS IN GENERAL AND CALGARY’S GRADUALLY RECOVERING ECONOMY. actively advocates lower taxes, less waste and an increase in government accountability, the carbon tax issue triggers more questions than it solves.

It may be too early to tell but, according to outspoken Colin Craig, interim Alberta director of CTF, “We haven’t seen any data to suggest Alberta’s emissions have decreased as a result of the carbon tax. By next March, the government expects to have collected $2.7 billion in carbon tax revenues.

At the same time, the value of government rebates and small business tax reduction will only come to about $1.5 billion.

“The rest of the money will have been spent by the government on everything from handing out lightbulbs and business subsidies to paying a small fortune to shut down coal plants.”

While the carbon tax focus is inevitably on the environment and reducing emissions, there is careful tracking of the impact on business in general and Calgary’s gradually recovering economy.

“For most businesses, and everyday Albertans, the carbon tax is just another tax increase. Based on what we’re hearing from businesses,” Craig says, “the carbon tax has made it more difficult to stay in business or consider expanding.

We’ve seen several examples where businesses have shut down and noted publicly that the carbon tax was one of many new straws that broke the camel’s back.

“And the timing for this major new tax is particularly egregious. The provincial government seems to think Alberta businesses are like bank machines with an endless supply of money. They just don’t get it that times are tight right now.”

The realities of Canada’s energy industry (particularly in

26

MARCH 2018 // BUSINESS IN CALGARY // BUSINESSINCALGARY.COM

Alberta) add additional carbon tax aspects to consider.

“The National Energy Board (NEB) released its updated long-term energy outlook recently with a pretty stunning conclusion,” Martin points out. “This is the first time the NEB has forecast a long-term decline in Canadian fossil fuel consumption and that fossil fuel consumption in Canada will peak in the next two years.

“Yet at the same time, the NEB projects Canadian oil production will continue to increase through 2040. The forecasts may seem counter-intuitive, but show exactly how Canada’s energy and climate policy should work. Combusting oil for things we do every day, like driving cars and heating homes, produces greenhouse gases.

“But pulling it out of the ground and selling it to the world that consumes it, brings big economic benefits. Canada’s domestic climate policies should be expected to reduce our own demand for the very same resources we are developing.”

Despite the conflicting, and sometimes combative, opinions from all sides, economist Trevor Tombe stays valiantly neutral. “Carbon tax is here to stay. The policies will evolve and, in the near term, the future of the tax is a political matter about how and which levels of government implements it.”

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NEW INDUSTRIAL CONDO DEVELOPMENT Gives Calgary Businesses a Chance to Own Their Own Real Estate

Top reasons to consider buying your own office or warehouse: Location. The long-term value play in real estate is always determined by choosing the right location, with easy access to retail, transit and major transportation routes.

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ancouver developer, PC Urban, has recently acquired a 5.59-acre business park in the heart of the central Calgary industrial area that they plan to renovate and convert into industrial condos. Core Business Park, currently a fully-leased development on 58 Avenue SE and Blackfoot Trail, will be reinvigorated and refurbished into a first-class commercial condo development. Many of the current tenants are interested in the opportunity to convert to an ownership position while other condos will be sold to new businesses and investors attracted to this rare opportunity.

Core Business Park will be one of very few commercial condo conversions in the city. “There’s a very limited supply of inner-city resale condos in Calgary,” says Sean Ferguson, associate VP of industrial sales and leasing at Cushman & Wakefield. “Most of the industrial condo product is either newly developed (and sold as a shell without office) or on the periphery of the city.”

The location of the business park – close to Macleod, Blackfoot, Glenmore and Deerfoot Trails – means easy and fast access to Chinook Centre, Deerfoot Meadows and Calgary International Airport. In addition to location, the scarcity of industrial condos in this neighbourhood – and competitive pricing – is driving current tenants to buy into the renovated facility.

“The location is really key,” says Ferguson. “Being here means a quick commute to downtown, access to the many amenities in the area and proximity to the major transportation routes. The buildings are in great condition and with the renovations and refurbishing being planned by PC Urban, the property will be transformed into an eye-catching business park and that will have huge impact on the value of the units as well.”

“This is a rare opportunity for businesses to invest in their own commercial property in central Calgary,” says Brent Sawchyn, principal at PC Urban. “Core Business Park is in an ideal setting for suppliers, customers and investors. That’s why the current site has had consistently low vacancy rates. But financial advantages and a great location are still only part of the story.”

Core Business Park will be attractively renovated and will include a modernized facade with architectural accent features, new office doors and windows, individualized entry portals, a consistent signage program and exterior lighting upgrades. The layout of each unit offers exceptional loading capacity, with smaller bay sizes and a mix of dock and drivein loading doors. Large external manoeuvring areas and rear storage-yard opportunities as well as ample parking make this an ideal location for businesses.

For business owners in Calgary, buying space means managing costs, increasing profits and taking control of their company’s financial destiny. With no rent hikes, business owners can build equity and access tax advantages unavailable to renters. Forward-thinking Calgary business owners are looking at the equation of leasing versus buying and realizing the case for ownership makes solid financial sense. Purchasing real estate in such a prime location is about as astute an investment as one can make. Core Business Park presents an opportunity that won’t come by again soon.

PC Urban has extensive experience developing successful industrial parks in Greater Vancouver, with future developments forthcoming in Kelowna and other areas of Western Canada.

Their first commercial strata development in North Vancouver called Barrow Street launched in 2013, followed quickly thereafter by IntraUrban Laurel, IntraUrban Rivershore and IntraUrban Enterprise in Kelowna. In both Greater Vancouver and Kelowna, the new builds are to be the first commercial strata offerings within city limits in many years. In Vancouver, units sold out before construction started – an unprecedented feat in the Vancouver industrial market and one that highlighted

the need for ownership opportunities for the city’s small and medium-sized businesses.

The company is now bringing their experience with commercial strata to Calgary’s commercial real estate market. In addition to building industrial strata, PC Urban is known for reinvigorating and re-imagining properties in multiple asset classes.

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BUILDING A LEGACY // COVER

BUILDING A LEGACY TIM LOGEL CELEBRATES A BREAKTHROUGH YEAR WITH THE LAUNCH OF LOGEL HOMES

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MARCH 2018 // BUSINESS IN CALGARY // BUSINESSINCALGARY.COM

BUILDING A LEGACY // COVER

BY MELANIE DARBYSHIRE

F

or Tim Logel, president and CEO of Logel Homes, 2017 was an excellent year. Not only did he launch his namesake company in May – the culmination of 40 years in Calgary’s homebuilding and real estate industries – his other company, multi-family builder Cardel Lifestyles (which he co-founded and has been president of since 2000) had its best year in 17 years. If that weren’t enough, Logel and Lifestyles were each recognized, through seven different awards, as leaders in the industry and city. The year, it is safe to say, was a great one.

calendar year. It had an impressive 241 sales, and has led the multi-family segment since 2006 for sales and permits.

To top it off, Lifestyles was named Alberta’s Multi-Family Builder of the Year at the Alberta Awards of Excellence in Housing. The award is based on four criteria: sales, customer service, site safety and construction/design, and is a testament to the company’s excellence in all four areas. In addition, Cardel Lifestyles has been named one of Canada’s Best Management Companies two years in a row.

“In homebuilding, all along the way, I’ve tried to stay focused on what victories would move the companies along, so that we’re always progressing, having breakthroughs and moving forward with change and improvement,” Logel explains about his approach to business. “It’s exciting to set goals and achieve them.”

Logel Homes meanwhile, broke ground on its inaugural development, Auburn Rise in Auburn Bay, in September.

With 70 of the 373 units sold to date, Logel says it’s a tremendous start for his new company. “It’s an outstanding location, with the option of three grocery stores, extensive shopping, a hospital and a lake; a vibrant, add-value location that the customers are responding very positively to.”

A philosophy learned from his father, who raised cattle on a farm north of Elmira, Ontario. Logel, the eldest of seven children, grew up in Waterloo. “From a young age I learned my dad’s epic work ethic,” he recalls. “I learned about doing things right the first time. I learned how to organize a farm.

I learned how to have a safe farm operation. My dad also shared with me his vision of excellence in terms of the product that we put on people’s dinner tables.”

“I would call 2017 a breakthrough year,” he continues proudly, “because we’re in a slower economy and a challenging marketplace, but we’re having more success than we’ve ever had. Fourteen per cent growth in 2016 [at Lifestyles] and an amazing 27 per cent growth last year.

My team, which is the best team I have worked with, has been focused on finding solutions at every level of the homebuilding business.”

It was on the family farm where 16-year-old Logel got his first taste of building, helping his father erect a barn. “We had to go through the framing, the electrical, the process of building it – and something clicked,” he says. “Whether it was the smell of lumber, or that there was nothing there but the field and then there was this building – I’ve been hooked ever since.”

Founded in 2000 by Logel and Ryan Ockey (who is also president and CEO of Cardel Homes, a single-family homebuilder), Lifestyles came about when Logel, who was then vice president of Cardel Homes, saw an opportunity to get into the multi-family housing market. “I could see that multi-family solved challenges with the housing market, then, now and in the future,” he explains. “And that is: how do you provide more choice? And how do you provide more affordability and become more efficient?”

The experience also taught Logel the value of a dedication to quality. “We had a focus on doing it well and that’s still with me today: if I am going to do something, I am going to do it to the best of my abilities. That’s what my dad said would give me the greatest satisfaction in life.”

And much satisfaction it has given him. In 2017, the company had the most closings ever, with 273 people moving into their town home or condominium during the

Logel had, to that point, been in the Calgary real estate and building industries for over 20 years. He started as a Realtor in the late 1970s. After selling a new home for Del and Carol Ockey (founders of Cardel Homes), he began selling homes for them on a regular basis. By 1988, he was Calgary’s top

LEFT: TIM LOGEL, PRESIDENT AND CEO OF LOGEL HOMES. PHOTO SOURCE: BOOKSTRUCKER PHOTOGRAPHY

BUSINESSINCALGARY.COM // BUSINESS IN CALGARY // MARCH 2018

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BUILDING A LEGACY // COVER

real estate agent and would remain so for the next five years.

“In 1990, I was Re/Max Canada’s number one Realtor and number three for Re/Max around the world,” Logel says.

Since 2000, Lifestyles has completed 16 developments, primarily in suburban Calgary, with over 2,750 condominiums and town homes.

He eventually moved into marketing and then sales at Cardel Homes. In 1996, he gave up his real estate licence to take on the role of VP at Cardel Homes. “Those days were foundational for teaching me the things I needed to know to become a builder,” he reminisces, “but that was always my lifetime goal, to make my first investment in a piece of land and begin.” In 2000, his vision of a multi-family division finally took root in Lifestyles. In 2005, Logel gave up the position of VP at Cardel Homes to focus solely on condominiums and town homes.

Knowing his customers, and understanding what they want, has been a key to Logel’s success. “Right from the beginning, customer experience was the most important thing to me,” he says. “I started with a vision of exceeding customers’ expectations, treating customers like I would want to be treated, and then making strategic goals, actions items and decisions based on that vision.”

“With condominiums and town homes, you can take the same amount of land and provide greater efficiencies to more people,” he explains. “The design and construction of multi-family is driven by efficiencies and innovation, and it just opens the door for more choice for the customer.”

He notes wide price ranges for units: “Last year we offered condominiums and town homes starting from the $150,000s right up and over the $400,000 range.”

Logel uses good old-fashioned verbal communication to learn from his customers, as well as a third-party surveyor called CustomerInsight. “With the [CustomerInsight] data we have a whole spectrum of input from customers that we can sift through and come up with new goals and action items to improve,” he says.

Customer feedback also spurs innovation. Last year, Lifestyles won the SAM Award for Best Innovation Idea for its design to bring fresh air into the unit from the outside, as opposed to from the controlled mechanical system in the hallway. “The LEFT: PRESIDENT AND CEO OF LOGEL HOMES, TIM LOGEL (CENTER), WITH SONS KEVIN (LEFT) AND BRAYDEN (RIGHT).

PHOTO SOURCE: ERIN BROOKE BURNS

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MARCH 2018 // BUSINESS IN CALGARY // BUSINESSINCALGARY.COM

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BUILDING A LEGACY // COVER

LOGEL ALSO CREDITS HIS CUSTOMER-FOCUSED, IN-HOUSE TEAM (NOW AT LOGEL HOMES) idea came from our customers requesting a solution to make their condominiums cooler and provide them with fresh air,” Logel explains. “It’s had awesome results with the customers.

We use it in all our buildings now.”

The surveys are sent to customers one month after move in, and then a year later, to measure the level of satisfaction in all areas of the home-buying experience. “We have been thrilled that we were winner of the prestigious Home Owner Mark of Excellence for best experience for Calgary multifamily builders for three years in a row,” says Logel.

Customization is another way Logel appeals to his customers. “We believe that allowing customers to put their own signature on their condominium or town home, even though it’s in the affordable price range, has been a big reason for our success.” Appliances, cabinet colours, countertops, floors, lighting and many other aspects of a unit can be customized.

Logel also credits his customer-focused, in-house team (now at Logel Homes) which includes the acquisition, design, sales and marketing, construction, administration, finance and customer service functions. “I have a strong belief that there is very little better in a company than collaborative teamwork,” he says.

Sons Brayden and Kevin, each of whom have been exposed to and involved in the business from a young age, are now integral to that team (Logel also has a daughter, Jenessa, who lives and works in New York City). Brayden is vice president of sales, marketing and customer experience, and Kevin is the site superintendent at Auburn Rise.

“For Kevin and I it’s been an amazing opportunity to learn from our dad,” says Brayden. “What’s been really cool about it is that all three of us have been able to share in some really big victories. Starting our own company with the Logel name is really about building a legacy and building on my dad’s passion for always exceeding our customers’ expectations.”

Logel’s brother, Brad Logel, who has worked with Logel for over 15 years, is also continuing on at the new company as an area manager.

Customers, Logel notes, are different from the ones he had 17 years ago. “When I wrote the business plan for

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MARCH 2018 // BUSINESS IN CALGARY // BUSINESSINCALGARY.COM

WHICH INCLUDES THE ACQUISITION, DESIGN, SALES AND MARKETING, CONSTRUCTION, ADMINISTRATION, FINANCE AND CUSTOMER SERVICE FUNCTIONS. Lifestyles in 1999, I was focused on the young person getting started in the market. But over the last 17 years, we’ve had more people who were looking to downsize or financially right-size.” In fact, last year Lifestyles had an even split of customers over the age of 55 and under the age of 35. “Most recently we’ve seen a new buyer over the age of 35 and under the age of 55, who is looking to simplify.”

It’s this type of change that propels Logel forward. “It’s not work for me,” he says. “I have a passion for it and a sense of urgency to set new goals and accomplish them quickly. I’m energized with each victory.”

A philosophy he follows in the rest of his life. “I just try to live a full, healthy, active life,” he says. This includes running, skiing and spending time with family and friends at his cabin on Shuswap Lake. He and wife, Sherri, give back to the community as well. For example, Logel Homes is one of 11 builders involved in the RESOLVE campaign to end homelessness in Calgary. Sherri is a member of the board of the Calgary Women’s Emergency Shelter and chairs its resource development and communications committee. She is also co-chair of its Turning Points gala.

“Not every day is an easy day,” Logel acknowledges, “but you shake it off and wake up the next day and keep going. Because, I think most entrepreneurs would tell you, not everything we’ve learned is a guarantee for success going forward. We have to keep reading, keep learning, keep listening to the customer because we’re in a world of flux and change. And not everyone is going to have an appetite for it, but for those companies that are adaptable, it’s quite an opportunity.”

With an excellent year in the books, Logel anticipates many more to come for Logel Homes. His company, his sons’ new ideas, his approach to the business – all will continue to build on what’s been achieved. The legacy is well underway.

HOW TO GET THE BEST MORTGAGE DEALS // REAL ESTATE

HOW TO GET THE BEST MORTGAGE DEALS

EVEN WITH THE LATEST INTEREST-RATE HIKES

BY SUE L. BLANCHARD

S

ean Cooper was one of the most talked about Canadian homeowners in the news when he paid off his 30-year mortgage on a $425,000 house in just three years. He saved $100,000 in interest payments by age 30 and released Burn Your Mortgage to booksellers last March.

The Bank of Canada prime lending rate was at a record low back then. But in January, Canada’s five biggest banks all hiked their interest and mortgages rates. Today, Cooper’s mortgage payments would be $443 higher a month, and the rate of interest charged on his mortgage could be 3.59 per cent instead of the 3.04 per cent he paid through First National Financial.

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MARCH 2018 // BUSINESS IN CALGARY // BUSINESSINCALGARY.COM

“I’d rather save $100,000 of my own money in interest payments, thank you very much,” says Cooper. In 2012, he chose a five-year fixed-rate mortgage and made a whopping down payment of $170,000 on a renovated three-bedroom bungalow. He then owed $255,000, which he paid by working two jobs and renting half of his house to tenants.

“Buying in today’s market I couldn’t qualify for the same type of home I bought in August 2012,” says Cooper. “Today I’d have to move down the property ladder.

“Before the new rules on mortgage stress test surfaced in January 2018, some homebuyers could afford a

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CALGARY REAL ESTATE “MLS DIAMOND CLUB” REMAX HALL OF FAME

HOW TO GET THE BEST MORTGAGE DEALS // REAL ESTATE

THE STRESS TEST COOPER TALKS ABOUT HELPS MORTGAGE BROKERS PLAN FOR A BUYER’S WORSTCASE SCENARIO – SUCH AS A RISE IN INTEREST RATES OR THE LOSS OF A JOB AND SUDDENLY UNAFFORDABLE MORTGAGE PAYMENTS. detached or semi-detached home. But now they can probably only afford a town house or condo.”

The stress test Cooper talks about helps mortgage brokers plan for a buyer’s worst-case scenario – such as a rise in interest rates or the loss of a job and suddenly unaffordable mortgage payments.

Professional Development IT PAYS TO KNOW

Mark your calendar for payroll education!

Most lenders won’t ask customers to requalify for their mortgage when they renew it. In January, Canada’s top banking regulator developed a rule for stress testing homebuyers who want to qualify for a mortgage with a down payment of more than 20 per cent of their home’s value.

Previously only homebuyers who paid between five and 19 per cent were stress tested.

Teresa S., PCP - Member Prairie Region

With more than 200 federal and provincial regulations and changes each year, staying payroll compliant is one of the biggest challenges employers face.

Improve compliance and reduce the risk of audits and penalties with help from Professional Development seminars from Canadian Payroll Association (CPA).

The CPA offers seminars for all levels, from beginner to advanced. On a variety of topics covering Learning Payroll, Taxable Benefits & Allowances, Employment Standards, Pensions and more.

Learn more at payroll.ca.

Stay Current Stay Compliant

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MARCH 2018 // BUSINESS IN CALGARY // BUSINESSINCALGARY.COM

The new rules surfaced after the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions expressed concerns that homebuyers would default on their mortgage payments. “We are keenly aware of the potential risks caused by high household debt across Canada, and by high real estate prices in some markets,” says Jeremy Rudin, OFSI’s superintendent. “We are not waiting to see those risks crystalize in rising arrears and defaults before we act.”

“Canadian household debt levels are indeed near historic highs,” reports Livio Di Matteo, an economics ABOVE: SEAN COOPER, MONEY COACH AND BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF BURN YOUR MORTGAGE: THE SIMPLE, POWERFUL PATH TO FINANCIAL FREEDOM FOR CANADIANS.

Dream Office REIT owns and operates high-quality business premises in key markets across Canada. We provide our investors with a solid platform for stable and growing returns and we provide our tenants with better communities to work in. dream.ca

HOW TO GET THE BEST MORTGAGE DEALS // REAL ESTATE

professor and senior fellow at the Fraser Institute in Canada.

“Debt reached over $2 trillion in 2016.” The lion’s share of this debt lies in Alberta and is credit card and mortgage related.

Unless you have debt from credit cards and personal loans, Cooper believes now is the time to buy a home before interest rates surge yet again. “I don’t have a crystal ball on interest rates but it looks like they could rise three times this year.

“If you are a homebuyer facing your first mortgage payments, then you might want to start with a fixed-rate mortgage and lock your interest rate in,” he says. With this mortgage, the interest rate stays the same during the life of the loan, but with an adjustable or variable-rate mortgage the interest rate changes as interest rates rise.

“Come renewal time, lenders are betting that you won’t want to switch lenders,” notes Which Mortgage, Canada’s independent mortgage website. “It’s much easier and more convenient to simply accept your first lender’s terms. But you could be leaving thousands of dollars on the table because you can probably find better rates and more flexible terms elsewhere.”

“Many people think that five-year fixed-rate mortgages are the only option open to them, adds Cooper. “But there are one-, two- or three-year fixed rates and different types of mortgages.”

“It’s important to be cautious as some lenders post artificially inflated rates and then offer a lower rate once a customer starts the conversation,” reveals John Tarnowski, ATB Financial’s vice president, Retail Financial Services. “At this bank, the rates you see are the rates you pay.”

Loans Canada urges Canadians to shop for a mortgage since mortgage rates vary from one lender to the next. You should negotiate your rate but only with a copy of your credit report, which is a summary of your credit history. Armed with your credit score from Equifax Canada or TransUnion, try to increase your score or dispute any reported errors with your lender to qualify for a better mortgage.

Cooper says the jump in interest rates will motivate some homeowners to pay off their mortgage faster, like he did. “I worked between 70 and 80 hours a week while paying down my mortgage. You don’t have to work as many hours as me, but you should be willing to do what it takes to achieve both your short- and long-term goals.”

“I’m amazed at people who apply for a mortgage and are shocked at the things on their credit report,” says Ellen Derrick, a financial planner at Kelly Realtors. “They say, ‘I had no idea I forgot to pay my Best Buy card.’”

“Don’t automatically accept the five-year fixed-rate mortgage with one of the big banks because the penalties are very onerous if you break them,” advises Cooper. “In my book I state that 78 per cent of buyers break or renegotiate their five-year fixed-rate mortgage before the end of their mortgage term. And some of the penalties can be $20,000 to $25,000 – the cost of a car.”

It’s fine to start with a five-year fixed-rate mortgage if interest rates are rising. But you may want to find a better deal – and a different lender – near the end of your mortgage. Depending on the type of mortgage you have, there can be penalties if you pay off your mortgage early.

40

If you’re planning to renew your mortgage, rates will be higher now with the mounting interest rates. A higher rate means more of your money will go toward interest payments and less toward your principal. As a financial planner, Cooper tells homeowners to budget, track their spending and see what they can afford.

MARCH 2018 // BUSINESS IN CALGARY // BUSINESSINCALGARY.COM

Cooper suggests homeowners manage their time to further their goal of burning their mortgage. For couples with children, working part time or overtime to earn extra money for their mortgage may not be an option.

One final tip: consider paying your property taxes yourself rather than through your lender with your mortgage payments. Lenders often collect more than the estimated annual property taxes to cover any possible fluctuations and tax increases. Your money goes into an escrow account and in the time it’s there, you’ll earn little or no interest as the surplus rolls over year after year.

Family-Owned and Operated SMITH BROS. FLOORS TURNS 100

by Rennay Craats

H

ard-working Nova Scotia native Charles Moses Smith arrived in Calgary in 1911 and was soon learning the construction business from his half-brother, installing hardwood floors for building materials supply stores.

Great Depression and the highs of oil booms, Charles’ company grew from a solo act to C.M. Smith and Son when his son Roy joined the business in 1939 and then into Smith Bros. Floors when Roy and brother Bob took over the business in 1958.

In 1918, Charles hung his own shingle creating C.M. Smith Floors.

Based out of his Mission home, he quickly earned a reputation for honesty, hard work and quality in the city. Through the lows of the

Paul Smith, Charles’ grandson and third-generation owner, grew up on job sites and after finishing university in 1985, joined the company. In 1996, he purchased the business with brother-in-law Kent Archer. Today, Smith Bros remains true to Charles’ original philosophy of honesty and integrity, providing quality flooring options from selection and installation to care and maintenance.

“My dad instilled in me that if you say you’re going to do something, do whatever you have to do to make it happen. Always do what’s right, no matter the cost. Make sure people are happy,” says Paul Smith.

Smith Bros. Floors has been making clients happy for a century with a simple formula: high-end products plus superior service.

The company stocks its showroom with the best hardwood, engineered wood, cork and vinyl products from suppliers including Vintage Hardwood Flooring, Appalachian Flooring, TORLYS, Craft, Timeless, Kentwood and DuChateau. These vendor relationships are strong because the companies share Smith Bros.’ focus on service and stand behind their products.

1 • SMITH BROS. FLOORS • 100 YEARS

With client satisfaction the driving force, the company is expanding to include packages of carpet and wood flooring so clients have all their flooring needs under one roof. Smith also works to ensure the products fit the client’s home and lifestyle, recommending different options depending on whether the client has children or pets and how much humidity is in the house.

“Not every floor is right for every person,” he says.

Smith Bros. educates clients about the perils of too much or not enough humidity on a hardwood floor and each sale includes a cleaning kit and hygrometer to help clients keep their floors looking their best. Condo clients can find regulating humidity challenging so Smith offers beautiful and durable vinyl plank flooring that looks like wood without the concerns of expansion or contraction from humidity fluctuations.

For those looking to extend their hardwood or have existing floors sanded and refinished, Smith Bros. has the best flooring staff in the business. If you can walk on it, Smith Bros. can make it beautiful for a lifetime. From custom borders and inlays to oldschool site finished hardwood flooring to the latest colours and styles with prefinished engineered floors, Smith Bros. is a one-stop shop for homeowners and builders alike. The company’s selection, access to product and expertise make it a go-to for commercial projects as well.

Opposite Page: Mark Freeland, Shaun Elsom, Frank Maisonneuve, Kent Archer, Andrew Strang, Paul Smith, Steve O’Grady and Lyn Doud. Above: Kent Archer and Paul Smith. Photos by Riverwood Photography.

Smith Bros_Jan 2018_PV.pdf 1 2018-01-23 11:09:23 AM

Congratulations to Smith Bros Flooring!

We appreciate your business and look forward to many more successful years ahead.

Congratulations to Smith Bros. Floors on your 100th Anniversary

Paul Rutherford, Agent 259 Midpark Way SE Suite 214 Calgary, AB T2X1M2 BUS: (403) 256-0676 C

State Farm branded policies are underwritten by Certas Home and Auto Insurance Company. ® State Farm and related trademarks and logos are registered trademarks owned by State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company, used under licence by Certas Home and Auto Insurance Company.

M

Y

CM

MY

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SMITH BROS.

CHEERS TO 100 YEARS!

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CMY

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From all of us at

SMITH BROS. FLOORS • 100 YEARS • 2

“Anything with hardwood, we can do and we do it very well,” Smith says.

Smith Bros. has done it very well indeed. The huge number of repeat customers and longtime relationships with contractors is a testament to the company’s high-quality and second-to-none service. It’s these qualities that led the company to reach an incredible milestone this year.

“Having a company in the same family for 100 years is pretty rare and I’m quite proud of that,” says Smith. “We give lifetime warranties on our workmanship and we’ve proven we’re going to be around to stand behind it.”

7128 Fairmount Dr SE, Calgary, AB T2H 0X4 Phone: (403) 255-7791

www.smithbrosfloors.com

Congratulations on 100 years of business!

Proudly celebrating our 30th year in business alongside of you. Here’s to many more years of success together.

6503 Elbow Drive SW • 403-263-6296 renovate@lynndonaldson.ca | lynndonaldson.ca

3 • SMITH BROS. FLOORS • 100 YEARS

SAM S TEAM SELLS ’

AD SPACE

BEARSPAW | $4,750,000 $4,900,000

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WOODL AN D L AN E

9341 SF, on the pond! This incredible home sits on 2 exquisitely manicured acres with stream, pond & dream treehouse! Thoughtfully designed, beautifully crafted bungalow w/ loft, walkout, elevator, o/s 4 car garage (w/ workshop, storage & sport storage rooms) & 5-star hotel inspired pool room with hot tub, wet bar, gym & wall of sliding doors opening wide to a private patio with pond views. Perfect for family living & entertaining it boasts sophisticated, programmable lights, sound, security, blinds, water feature, pool features, sprinklers, heating & cooling. Impressive in every way with stunning curb appeal, chef ’s kitchen (Butler’s pantry, induction cooktop w/ pot filler, espresso maker, Wolf, Sub-Zero, Miele), elegant master wing (sitting rm, bar, walk-in, laundry & steam shower), den, homework room & ensuite guest rm on main. Walkout w/ family/games rm, wet bar, recycle/pet wash rm, laundry, 4 bdrms & mudrm. Secure pool room w/huge mosaic tiled pool (hard cover, water & fibre optic light features).

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MARKETING

BEARSPAW UPPER MOUNT | $4,900,000 ROYAL | $2,350,000

2106

SEVENTH STREET SW

Renovated character home in Calgary’s highly coveted neighbourhood of Mount Royal! Professionally decorated & beautifully updated this elegant home is move-in ready, sits on a 160’ lot & boasts a walkout basement, city views, in-floor heat & new Bosch boiler system, updated electrical, professional-style Wolf, Miele & Sub-Zero appliances, built-in speakers, spectacular vaulted & beamed ceilings, panelled walls, original millwork, designer wallpapers, draperies & chic lighting, granite counters, a huge mudroom, 3+1 bedrooms, 4 updated bathrooms, classic white kitchen and a truly gorgeous backyard! Relax on the front veranda or on the 2-tiered deck in the backyard, wake up to city views, a spa-like ensuite & large walk-in (w/ organizers) in your master suite, entertain in the formal living & dining Rms, spend family time in the walkout level media Rm & enjoy being able to walk to some of the city’s best schools, shops & restaurants. This is inner city living at its best!

MY EXPERIENcE IS YOUR ADVANtAGE

JUST ASK ME!

WORTH ®

YOUR HOME

FOR ALL IT’S

BEARSPAW WEST SPRINGS | $4,900,000 | $1,795,000

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Contemporary home w/4 car garage, huge yard, home theatre, pro-style gym, wet bar, kid’s craft room & multiple ensuite bathrooms! This very special home sits on an 80’ wide lot, backing tennis court & offers a total of 4722 SF of luxurious living space with 3 ensuite bdrms up & 2 more bdrms down. The kitchen is a chef ’s dream w/ Viking appliances (incl 48” gas stove w/ 2 ovens, pot filler & pro-hoodfan) it opens to a vaulted living room w/full-height stone fireplace & dining room w/ butler’s pantry (w/ Fisher & Paykel dishwasher drawers). A den, guest bath, craft rm & mudrm complete the main. There is a bonus room, laundry & 3 ensuite bedroom upstairs. The master has a fashion lover’s walk-in & spa ensuite w/ stone accent wall & steam shower w/ body sprays. Basement has 2 bedrooms, media Rm, wet bar (Sub-Zero wine fridge) & big gym. 4 car garage w/ drive-thru to bkyd, in-floor heat & built-ins. Control-4 Home Automation system, built-ins, speakers, A/C, blinds on remote control, deck w/ heater & speakers.

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MARKETING

BEARSPAW | $4,900,000 SPRINGBANK HILL | $1,750,000

2857

S E V E N T Y- S E V E N T H S T R E E T S W

Rooms with a View! Stunning mountain vistas take centre stage from every room of this spacious bungalow.

The living room’s 14 foot coffered ceiling and large west windows let light pour in. Gatherings of any size can be accommodated in the generous dining room and adjacent living room accented with a grand fireplace.

The gourmet kitchen features top of the line appliances, granite counters and richly toned wood cabinets. The fantastic views continue into the main floor master and ensuite. A two-sided gas fireplace can be enjoyed from the bedroom or from the claw foot tub. Warm days can be spent on the deck either in the shade of the pergola or basking in the sunshine. An additional two bedrooms, office, and laundry room complete the main floor. The fully finished walkout basement with more beautiful views is an entertainer’s paradise and includes a wet bar, wine cellar, family room, media room, patio, hot tub, two bedrooms, an exercise room, and flex room. Did we mention the drop dead views?

MY EXPERIENcE IS YOUR ADVANtAGE

JUST ASK ME!

WORTH ®

YOUR HOME

FOR ALL IT’S

BEARSPAW | $1,495,000 HILLHURST $4,900,000 - $1,595,000

NEST

4 2 6 , 4 2 8 O R 4 3 0 11 T H S T R E E T N W

Three units to choose from, offering luxury in the heart of Kensington! this incredible, architecturally designed new executive tri-plex features outstanding, highend fixtures & fittings, spectacular interior design (by Monica Stevens Interior Design) and a location second to none, perfect for those who appreciate walkability/ pedestrian friendly living it is set on a quiet, tree-lined street just steps away from trendy shops & restaurants, Riley Park, c-train & Bow River. Walk/bike to nearby SAIT, Jubilee auditorium for a concert, ballet or opera or to downtown from this inner city retreat with bedrooms (2 master suites) & 4 bathrooms, rooftop deck, city views & developed basement. Showcasing exceptional finishes thru-out if offers: Wolf & SubZero appliances, Empire kitchen & bath millwork, Ann Sacks designer backsplash, Caesarstone counters, site-finished white oak hardwood, European plumbing fixtures, 10” baseboards, 9 & 10’ ceilings, Legrand electrical outlets, ICF party-walls & foundation, heated garage & basement floor.

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SAM@SAMCOREA.COM

MARKETING Y

2017 TEAM SAM STATISICS

ALTADORE | $649,900

ALTADORE | $749,000

Sold at 98.5% of list price

Sold at 97.5% of list price

ASPEN WOODS | $499,000

ASPEN WOODS | $534,900

EVERY YEAR WE STRIVE TO DO BETTER THAN THE ONE PREVIOUS, AND 2017 WAS NO EXCEPTION. THIS PAST YEAR WAS A GREAT ONE FOR #TEAMSAMYYC AND OUR CLIENTS, COMPLETING A DEAL EVERY 65 HOURS! HOW DOES YOUR REALTOR® COMPARE?

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Sold for $2,000 over list ASPEN WOODS | $1,100,000

NUMBER OF HOMES SOLD

BY SAM’S TEAM IN 2017

CLIENTS WOULD RECOMMEND HIM TO A FRIEND

2.74 DAYS.

SAM’S TEAM HAD

$103,721,360

BRITANNIA | $2,995,000

Saved my buyer $24,900 LAKEVIEW | $329,900

Saved my buyer $9,900 SIGNAL HILL | $635,000

Sold at 98.4% of list price SPRINGBANK HILL | $575,000

Sold at 96.5% of list price COUGAR RIDGE | $699,500

IN SALES IN 2017

Sold at 96.3% of list price DISCOVERY RIDGE | $449,900

BANKVIEW | $549,000

ON AVERAGE, THAT’S A HAPPY FAMILY EVERY Sold over list with 15 offers

97% OF SAM’S

Sold at 98.1% of list price

Saved my buyer $7,500 DISCOVERY RIDGE | $1,250,000

DISCOVERY RIDGE | $859,900

DISCOVERY RIDGE | $1,095,000

Sold at 98.6% of list price

Sold at 96.3% of list price

LAKEVIEW | $650,000

PATTERSON | $603,000

PATTERSON | $825,000

Sold for $25,000 over list

Saved my buyer $33,000

SIGNAL HILL | $665,000

SIGNAL HILL | $675,000

SIGNAL HILL | $699,000

SIGNAL HILL | $779,000

Sold at 98.5% of list price

Sold at 96.6% of list price

Sold at 97.6% of list price

SPRINGBANK HILL | $675,000

SPRINGBANK HILL | $949,000

SPRINGBANK HILL | $1,125,000

DISCOVERY RIDGE | $709,000

Saved my buyer $7,000

Saved my buyer $25,000 SPRINGBANK HILL | $595,000

Sold at 97% of list price

Saved my buyer $70,000 PATTERSON | $895,000

Sold at 96.1% of list price

Sold at 96.5% of list price

Sold for $20,000 over list

Sold for $11,000 over list

Listed & sold to my buyer

Sold at 96.4% of list price

STRATHCONA PARK | $675,000

STRATHCONA PARK | $735,000

STRATHCONA PARK | $995,000

UPPER MOUNT ROYAL | $3,433,000

WEST SPRINGS | $2,549,000

Saved my buyer $233,000

Sold at 96.3% of list price

Sold at 97.8% of list price

Sold at 98% of list price

MY EXPERIENcE IS YOUR ADVANtAGE

Sold for $6,000 over list

JUST ASK ME!

ALTADORE | $869,000

ALTADORE | $799,000

Sold for the second time

Saved my buyer $54,000

ASPEN WOODS | $749,000

ASPEN WOODS | $695,000

Sold for $13,000 over list

Sold for $12,500 over list BANKVIEW | $1,595,000

BANKVIEW | $849,900

Saved my buyer $27,400

Highest condo sale in Bankview COUGAR RIDGE | $859,900

COUGAR RIDGE | $775,000

Sold at 93.5% of list price GARRISON WOODS | $299,000

Sold at 97% of list price PATTERSON | $995,000

Sold to the same buyer twice SIGNAL HILL | $850,000

Sold for full list price SPRINGBANK HILL | $1,125,000

Sold for full list price

Saved my buyer $9,900

ALTADORE | $875,000

ALTADORE | $1,099,000

ASPEN WOODS | $469,000

Sold at 97.1% of list price

Saved my buyer $39,000

Sold at 95.9% of list price

ASPEN WOODS | $785,000

ASPEN WOODS | $850,000

ASPEN WOODS | $910,000

Sold at 99.4% of list price

Sold at 97.1% of list price

BEL-AIRE | $1,550,000

BEL-AIRE | $2,695,000

BRITANNIA | $,1,750,000

Listed & sold to my buyer

Sold at 96.5% of list price

Sold at 94.3% of list price

COUGAR RIDGE | $899,000

COUGAR RIDGE | $1,050,000

COUGAR RIDGE | $1,288,000

Sold at 95.2% of list price

Sold at 97.8% of list price KILLARNEY | $995,000

Sold for $1,000 over list

Sold for full list price

GARRISON WOODS | $695,000

GARRISON WOODS | $859,000

KILLARNEY | $695,000

Sold at 97.1% of list price

Sold at 97.2% of list price

Sold at 96.7% of list price

Sold at 98.5% of list price

RICHMOND | $985,000

RICHMOND | $1,100,000

RICHMOND | $1,495,000

ROSEDALE | $1,495,000

Sold at 97.0% of list price

Sold at 94.5% of list price

Sold at 97.5% of list price

Sold for $106,000 over list

SIGNAL HILL | $895,000

SIGNAL HILL | $978,000

SOUTH CALGARY | $439,900

SOUTH CALGARY | $775,000

Sold at 94.1% of list price

Saved my buyer $12,400

Sold at 96.1% of list price

SPRINGBANK HILL | $1,595,000

SPRINGBANK HILL | $1,595,000

SPRINGBANK HILL | $1,598,000

Sold for the third time SPRINGBANK HILL | $1,595,000

Sold at 95.3% of list price

Sold at 97.2% of list price

WEST SPRINGS | $850,000

WEST SPRINGS | $1,100,000

WEST SPRINGS | $1,165,000

Saved my buyer $50,000

Listed & sold to my buyer

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WORTH ®

YOUR HOME

FOR ALL IT’S

403 870 8811 |

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Saved my buyer $25,000

403 686 7800 |

Sold fully furnished

Sold for $7,000 over list

WEST SPRINGS | $1,295,000

WEST SPRINGS | $2,549,000

Sold for the second time

Saved my buyer $199,000

www.SAMCOREA.COM

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SAM@SAMCOREA.COM

MARKETING

COUGAR RIDGE | $1,395,000

79

CO U G A R P L AT E AU C I R C L E S W

Idylic location, on the ridge, backing onto a 150 acre environmental reserve. This gorgeous home offers panoramic views overlooking the river and twinkling city lights from all three levels. In excess of 4300 SF of luxurious living space plus a 3 car tandem garage.The home offers extensive use of natural stone, Rundle exterior, stone wall fireplace, travertine and granite countertops thorough out. Custom millwork, coffered ceilings, cove moldings. Main level offers a den, formal dining room, vaulted living rm & chef ’s kitchen w/ a huge hidden walk-in pantry, Viking & Bosch professional series appliances (incl. gas stove). An exquisite custom, curved, open-string stairway leads you to 3 generous size bdrms and bonus/flex rm. The Master boasts the most sought-after view, luxurious ensuite w/ in-floor heating, 3-sided fireplace, jetted tub, his/her sinks, and spa like steam-shower. The walkout has a full-service bar, home theatre, gym, 4th bdrm & 3pc bath.

Fully landscaped with a SwimSpa and fire pit.

LAKE BONAVISTA | $1,325,000

447

L A K E P L AC I D G R E E N S W

Highly coveted location, 2nd lake access in desirable Lake Bonaventure Estates with beautiful english garden & an extensively reno’d 2135 SF bungalow! Quiet cul-de-sac mere steps from exclusive Lake Bonaventure for swimming, boating & skating. Boasts an expanded master suite, updated main bathroom, huge walk-in & new kitchen w/ classic cream cabinetry, center island, granite counters, glass tile backsplash & stainless steel appliances incl. high-end, super-fast & efficient induction cooktop. Features updated hardwood, lighting, panelled walls, cove mouldings, custom window coverings & 2 fireplaces. The family room w/ gas fireplace overlooks the backyard while the living Rm has a wall-mounted fireplace. The dining Rm is open to the kitchen & living for easy entertaining. There are 2 bedrms + den on the main.

The expanded master has sitting area, huge walk-in & 5-piece ensuite. Downstairs offers 3rd bedroom w/cheater ensuite access), 2 guest rooms, 2nd den, full bathroom(w/ oversized shower), family/games room & wet bar.

ROXBORO | $1,295,000

3048

FIRST STREET SW

Lovingly Restored Craftsman! Located in the heart of Roxboro, this home has been thoroughly and thoughtfully renovated for modern living. From the front porch the attention to detail and pride of ownership is apparent. A spacious living and dining room accommodate large crowds. An open concept family room and kitchen are ideal for gathering the family. The kitchen features a casual dining area, large island, oak cabinets and granite counters. Adjacent to the family room lies a home office. Also on the main level is a convenient laundry and mudroom as well as two bedrooms and a bath. Originally a bungalow, a second storey master suite was brilliantly added to include a vast bedroom with sitting area and walk in closet both carpeted in wool. The ensuite free standing tub, subway tile and marble basket weave flooring echo the home’s era. From the private master balcony the lushly landscaped yard and terraced deck can be enjoyed. Beyond is the double detached garage. You will love this character family home.

MY EXPERIENcE IS YOUR ADVANtAGE

JUST ASK ME!

WORTH ®

YOUR HOME

FOR ALL IT’S

PRIDDIS GREENS | $1,295,000

108

H AW K S L A N D I N G D R I V E

Breathing room for the soul! Your private hideaway from the hustle & bustle of the city this architecturally designed walkout bungalow is tucked into the trees & boasts a spectacular backyard oasis ($250,000+ spent in landscaping) & peekaboo views of Priddis golf course & the mountains. Leafy views from huge windows (in most rooms) give a treehouse-like atmosphere while a 4-season ‘screened in porch’ makes you almost feel like you’re at the cottage. But this estate is anything but rustic; it features a chef ’s kitchen (high-end stainless steel appl), big dining Rm, grand living Rm (25’ ceiling) & master suite w/ fireplace, sitting area, dressing room & jet tub ensuite. A 2-pc bath & mudroom w/ access to the oversized triple garage complete the main. Upstairs is a loft/sitting room & a 2nd ensuite bedroom. Walkout (in-floor heating) offers 3 bedrooms, 3-pc bath, family/games Rms (wood-burning f/p) & access to the gorgeous, low maintenance yard w/ babbling brook, firepit, stone patios, pergolas & a dog run.

COUGAR RIDGE | $1,195,000

32

CO U G A R R I D G E L A N D I N G S W

Best of the best! Step into this bright, lock and leave townhome with breathtaking views of city, park and river valley.

Experience the serenity of nature from the spacious deck and easy access to pathways. Catering to a carefree lifestyle this home features high end finishes throughout, geothermal heating, and 3 underground heated parking stalls. The unique main floor master suite provides spectacular views, walk in closet, dual sinks, soaker tub, seated vanity and easy access laundry. Light pours into the vaulted living room and onto the feature fireplace from 1st and 2nd floor windows.

The kitchen boasts upgraded appliances, granite counters, pantry and generous buffet with wine fridge. City/park views continue on the upper level from private den and open loft featuring a modern fireplace. Two more bedrooms with walk in closets, large full bath and second laundry facility complete the space. This wonderful home also includes a main floor office and fully developed basement.

RICHMOND | $1,195,000

2105

NINETEENTH STREET SW

A stunning renovation, worthy of a spread in Style at Home magazine! The jewel of Knob Hill, this ultra-chic 2-storey (no condo fees) is perched on the ridge with city views & a gorgeous, low-maintenance, walled “secret garden” with waterfall, extensive perennial plantings & a big deck, your own private oasis. Inside you’ll find extensive updates incl: kitchen (site finished with high-end appliances), bathrooms (incl. steam shower adjacent to gym), dark hardwood & porcelain tile, designer paint & lighting, plumbing & heating systems, custom window coverings, fireplace feature wall & extensive sitefinished built-ins! Plan offers chef ’s kitchen w/ Thermador & Miele appliances, quartz counters & glass backsplash, living room w/modern fireplace, formal dining has a dramatic light fixture & city views, 2 bdrms upstairs including the treehouse inspired master suite w/ fireplace, sitting rm, amazing closet & spa bathroom. Lower lvl has gym, 3rd bedroom & spa bathroom with steam shower. New shingles this year.

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SAM@SAMCOREA.COM

MARKETING

MISSION | $899,000

#M06

318 T W E N T Y- S I X T H AV E N U E S W

Huge terrace + completely renovated suite! An amazing find, this positively stunning, fully renovated 1771 SF home comes with as much outdoor living area & inside and boasts your own (exclusive use) 1889 SF terrace. The interior was taken down to the studs, thoughtfully designed and completely rebuilt. It features porcelain tile & hardwood flooring (silver toned oak), custom cabinets, Caesarstone countertops, Swarovski crystal lights & cabinet pulls, custom order bathroom fixtures & a chef ’s kitchen with imported cabinetry & high-end appliance package. The laundry is fitted with a steam washer/dryer. The spa-like ensuite (with free-standing tub, multi-head shower, designer fixtures, towel warmer) is your private retreat at the end of a long day. There are 2 bedrooms (one with murphy bed doubles as a den), sunroom, 2 bathrooms, 2 underground parking spots, large living & dining rooms. The building, across from the river & steps from trendy 4th Street shops/restaurants, is one of Calgary’s most exclusive!

DISCOVERY RIDGE | $825,000

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D I S CO V E R Y R I D G E B AY S W

Light & bright, with developed walkout, west backyard & 3100+ SF of living space! This home shows 10/10 and has 3 bedrooms, den & walkout developed with a nanny in mind (4th bdrm & kitchen/wet bar). There’s nothing to do but move in & enjoy: Neutral paint, white millwork, marble accents, granite counters & hardwood (main & upper). Main flr has den, formal dining rm, & great room with island kitchen, nook & family room. White kitchen w/ marble backsplash, granite counters & stainless appliances (incl. gas range & contemporary hoodfan). The breakfast nook has marble floor & opens to large deck. Family room has window seat, built-ins & gas fireplace w/ cabinet above for TV. There are 3 bdrms & vaulted bonus room w/built-in desk, entertainment unit & gas fireplace upstairs. Master has walk-in & 5-piece ensuite. Walkout dev’d w/ 4th bdrm, 3-pc bath, family room, flex space, storage (could be 5th bdrm) & kitchenette/wet bar. Beautiful west backyard w/ walled stone patio & deck w/ glass rail & stairs to grade.

CURRIE BARRACKS | $819,000

#201

2 3 B U R M A S TA R R OA D S W

Jayman Built Luxury Living! 1529SF 2 bed, 2.5, boasting quality and design with $25,000 upgrades & 10 ft ceilings. Open concept feat. gourmet kitchen w/ upscale KitchenAid S/S appliances, 5 burner gas cooktop, BI convec. oven, quartz counters, Grohe faucets, Blanco sink, stunning full ht. backsplash, bkfst bar along w/ a spacious dining area flowing into the chic living rm. w/ gas fireplace. Rich hdwd flooring throughout, luxurious porcelain tile in the bathrooms w/ upgraded Moen & Kohler faucets. The master retreat has a spacious walk-in closet, 5 pc spa-like ensuite w/ floor to ceiling tile, freestanding soaker tub, dual sinks w/ glass shower. The 2nd bdrm. comes w/ its own 3 pc ensuite. An additional 2 pc. bath, laundry rm. and den! Completing this beautiful suite is a large corner private balcony w/ gas line. 2 titled underground parking stalls, titled storage unit w/ ample visitor parking. Located in the highly desired Currie Barracks. Minutes to downtown with easy access to Crowchild and Glenmore.

MY EXPERIENcE IS YOUR ADVANtAGE

JUST ASK ME!

WORTH ®

YOUR HOME

FOR ALL IT’S

CURRIE BARRACKS | $795,000

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V I C TO R I A C R O S S B O U L E VA R D S W

Executive living in Currie Barracks Brownstone! Welcome to this New York inspired home looking out onto Victoria Cross Park from large windows throughout. Entertain friends and family in your large dining room with your culinary creations made in the open kitchen featuring French door refrigerator, gas cooktop, granite counters and island. On warm summer evenings the brick patio in your private yard provides another venue for entertaining al fresco. Take time for yourself in the bonus room upstairs. Design this space to fit your needs as a media room or home office. Then retire to your secluded master bedroom loft on the top floor where you can dive into a novel in a cozy chair near the dormer windows or draw a spa-like bath in the soaker tub. The Master suite also features vaulted ceilings, dual vanities in the master bath and a walk in closet.When you aren’t enjoying the luxuries of your home take advantage of nearby parks, green spaces and the many amenities of developing Marda Loop

RICHMOND | $780,000

2415

T H I R T Y- S E CO N D AV E N U E S W

Scandinavian Design! Those with a fondness for minimalism will appreciate the muted tones, new blonde engineered hardwood, clean lines and sun filled rooms of this semi detached home. Welcome guests thru the art glass front door and entertain in the living and dining room with views of the gas fireplace and graceful curved staircase. Beyond, you’ll find the well planned kitchen with raised breakfast bar, granite counters and stainless steel appliances. From here you can easily watch over the little ones in the bright and airy family room. A private half bath and dedicated mudroom leading out to the unattached double garage complete the well thought out main level. Upstairs, the vaulted master suite lets in maximum light. French glass doors lead to an ensuite with double sinks and a jetted tub. Two additional bedrooms, a bath and laundry complete the second floor. Use the large developed basement for a media room or playroom. This is an ideal home for a young family located a vibrant walkable community!

CHRISTIE PARK | $775,000

6963

CHRISTIE BRIAR MANOR SW

Wonderful 4+1 bedroom family home on a pie lot in desirable Christie Estates with a full brick front & asphalt shingles that were replaced in 2014. It has hardwood flooring on main & upper levels, island kitchen updated with granite countertops & stainless steel appliances (including Wolf microwave, Bosch dishwasher & Dacor oven), 2 wood burning fireplaces (with log lighters), 4 + 1 bedrooms, main floor den, 4 bathrooms, formal living & formal dining rooms and fully developed basement offering a media room, games room, flex space, wet bar, bedroom & full bathroom. The living room has a bay window & vaulted ceiling and shares a 3-sided, granite faced wood-burning fireplace with the vaulted dining room. The family room, bayed breakfast nook & updated kitchen span the back of the house & overlook the yard. A 2 piece bath, laundry room & tranquil den with wainscotting & french doors complete the main. Ascend the elegant curved stairway to 4 upper bedrooms. The master has a sitting area, walk-in & jet tub ensuite.

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GARRISON WOODS | $675,000

175

YPRES GREEN SW

Stylish brownstone with beautiful finishes & upgrades steps from the school, bus, shops, restaurants & services! 3 bedrooms, 3 bathroom townhome w/ open-planned main level ideal for modern family living & entertaining. A fullheight gas fireplace is shared between the living & dining rms. The kitchen features a large island, peninsula, pantry & granite counters, which compliment the antiqued french cabinetry & stainless appliances including a Viking gas stove & Bosch dishwasher. Wide plank walnut hardwood flows thru the living & dining while durable slate flooring in the mudroom & kitchen is accented by a stone feature wall. The 2nd level offers 2 bedrooms, a computer/homework area, full bathrm + laundry rm! The back bedroom is so large it could be a bonus/media rm instead. The 3rd level is home to the master suite w/ sitting area, walk-in & 5-pc ensuite w/ 2 sinks, soaker tub, shower, private toilet & 3-sided fireplace. The basement awaits your future plans. There is a double garage & patio in backyard.

BELTLINE | $625,000

#630

72 0 - T H I R T E E N T H AV E N U E S W

Refined living in the exclusive enclave of “The Estate” is yours to enjoy in this expansive 2 bedroom + den suite offering 2066 SF of beautifully appointed living space featuring new hardwood flooring & commercial grade carpeting, updated lighting, flat ceilings, cove mouldings, built-ins cabinetry (in living room & in den), french doors, renovated kitchen with centre island, granite countertops & stainless steel appliances and a large master suite w/ wooden shutters, big walk-in closet (w/ built-in organizers) & updated 5-pc ensuite bathroom with luxurious, heated tile flooring. There’s ample space to entertain: Spacious living room opens to dining area & is flanked on either side by french doors opening to a private den & family room adjoining the kitchen. Ideal for those who appreciate privacy (there are only 3 suites on this flr) & elegant surroundings this grand building offers 24-hour concierge, salt-water pool, huge outdoor entertaining area, newly renovated gym & direct access to Ranchman’s Club.

EDGEMONT | $449,000

60

EDENWOLD GREEN NW

Welcome to easy living villa lifestyle, on top of the hill in Edgemont. This turnkey property is fantastic for the lock it and leave it lifestyle. The unit has south exposures & plenty of natural light that provides a wonderful open feeling. This 55+ villa has a large living and dining area, accompanied by a gas fireplace. The master boasts a full master ensuite & plenty of closet space. The second bedroom is bright and has a full bathroom close by. You can live on just the main floor if necessary, as the laundry facilities are also located on the main floor! The kitchen has been tastefully updated with new backsplash, new granite counters & newer appliances. The south deck comes with a gas BBQ! The lower level here is a walkout basement with large living space, a third bedroom, full bath & masses of storage space. Newer furnace and hot water tank, as well as the central air conditioning! If you are looking to host a big party, the clubhouse is right across the street. Everything you need is right here!

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401 - 4th Ave SW Downtown Calgary 403.266.4417 smwl.com

THE LATEST, THE NEWEST AND THE MOST DAZZLING // CALGARY AUTO & TRUCK SHOW

2018 CALGARY INTERNATIONAL AUTO AND TRUCK SHOW

The latest, the newest and the most dazzling

BY COLLEEN WALLACE

I

t’s for browsing. It’s for ogling. It’s for getting ideas. It’s for asking questions and obtaining professional answers. It’s for being intrigued, impressed and dazzled by the latest features, comfort and design touches and technology.

And, yes, it is for bucket-list wishful thinking.

It is also one of Calgary’s biggest, most exciting and popular special events.

Although it takes about 11 months of planning, discussions, negotiations and tremendous coordination, Jim Gillespie, executive manager of the Calgary Motor Dealers Association (CMDA) and the Calgary International Auto and Truck Show, makes it seem easy. “The goal of the auto show is to provide a really good overview of the new automotive marketplace: the new models, the new technology and the latest cars.

PHOTO SOURCE: THE AIM TEAM

BUSINESSINCALGARY.COM // BUSINESS IN CALGARY // MARCH 2018

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THE LATEST, THE NEWEST AND THE MOST DAZZLING // CALGARY AUTO & TRUCK SHOW

THE DETAILED 2018 AUTO AND TRUCK SHOW LAYOUT MAP WILL SHOW THE SPECIFICS, BUT THIS YEAR’S “STARS OF THE SHOW” WILL BE: “From the feedback we get, visitors consistently mention that the Calgary Auto and Truck Show (March 14-18, 2018 at the BMO Centre) is also a great place to comparison shop, learn about features and options, and a terrific showcase for the latest in automotive technology.”

With the current popularity of innovative tech options, this year’s Calgary International Auto and Truck Show will have more information and oohs and aahs than ever before.

Two of this year’s top attention-getting automotive features are in-car Wi-Fi and crash-avoidance technology (such as forward collision warning, autobrake, lane departure warning, lane departure prevention, adaptive headlights and blind spot detection). While collision-avoidance systems are well documented for their safety, in-car Wi-Fi is gaining popularity with bigger and better antennas offering a stronger and more consistent signal than a smartphone and the ability to connect to multiple devices without sacrificing speed or draining the smartphone’s battery.

Gillespie highlights 40 new-vehicle manufacturers will be displaying more than 200 cars, from the latest models (and shades) of Acuras, Fords, Cadillacs and Hondas to polished and shiny Chryslers, Lincolns, Volkswagens, BMWs and more.

And the exotic manufacturers – Bentley, Alfa Romeo, Maserati, McLaren, Ferrari and Rolls-Royce – are all together in Hall E. In addition to chances to get into the front seat and have questions answered by manufacturers and local dealer experts, the Calgary International Auto and Truck Show is also a potent reflection of Calgary market consumer trends.

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• Acura RDX Prototype • Alfa Romeo • Audi A4, All Road, RS3, S5 Sportback, Q3, Q5, Q7, R8, RS5, A7, A8 • Bentley Bentayga, Continental Supersport • BMW Mini, X2, X3, M5, i8 Roadster • Cadillac ATS-V, CTS-V, XT5 • Chrysler (new) Jeep Wrangler, Jeep Cherokee, Ram 1500 • Ferrari 488 • Maserati Levante, 2018 Ghibli, GranTurismo, Quattroporte • Ford Mustang Bullitt (50th Anniversary), Edge ST, F150 Diesel, Expedition • General Motors Silverado, Corvette ZR1, Tahoe RST, Buick Regal, Sportback, Enclave Avenir, GMC Terrain, GMC Sierra • Genesis G70 • Honda Clarity (plug-in hybrid) • Hyundai Kona • Infiniti QX80, QX50 • Jaguar/Land Rover E Pace, I Pace concept • Kia • Lamborghini Urus • Lexus LS500, RXL • Lincoln Nautilus, Navigator • Mazda • McLaren 720S Coupe, 570S Spider, 570S GT • Mercedes-Benz GLC Hybrid, GTC, C300 Wagon, E63 Wagon, C43 Convertible • Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV, Eclipse Cross • Nissan • Porsche E3 Cayenne • Rolls-Royce Phantom • Subaru Ascent • Toyota Avalon, Mirai Fuel Cell (Hydrogen) Electric, updated Tundra • Volkswagen 2019 Jetta, 2018 Passat GT • Volvo XC40

MARCH 2018 // BUSINESS IN CALGARY // BUSINESSINCALGARY.COM

S LE SA LE E- B PR LA 3 AI E AV AS W PH NO

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THE LATEST, THE NEWEST AND THE MOST DAZZLING // CALGARY AUTO & TRUCK SHOW

“Throughout North America, including the Calgary market, trucks are still very strong,” he notes. “There’s no doubt that (small, medium and large) SUVs are gaining market share and they are the most anticipated vehicles in most shows. Of course the stats vary for regions but, generally, more SUVs are sold than conventional passenger vehicles.”

According to a recent survey published in Forbes, SUV sales rose 12 per cent globally in 2017, outpacing the overall industry, which rose three per cent. The market shift is unmistakable, but for now, at least, small, economical sedans still outsell SUVs on a worldwide basis.

With so many established and innovative new automotive technologies, options, features and possibilities, more than 40 accessory exhibitors will also be on display. And reflecting the influential clout of the Calgary market and consumer, many manufacturers designate the Calgary International Auto and Truck Show as the opportunity to introduce new vehicles and features.

It will be exciting from March 14-18, as the Volvo XC40, the Lamborghini Urus and the Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross will all have their western Canadian unveiling at the 2018 Calgary International Auto and Truck Show.

In addition to the throngs of cost-comparing, info-gathering and selfie-taking browsers, the dynamic CMDA harnesses the popularity of the Calgary International Auto and Truck Show as a way to give back to the community.

“Through the show, the new Calgary Motor Dealers Charitable Foundation will donate 85 per cent of its proceeds to local charities. This year, it’s Ronald McDonald House Charities,” Gillespie points out. “We are very excited that, for the first time, the 2018 Vehicles and Violins gala is open to the public and 50 per cent of the $150 gala ticket is tax deductible.”

PHOTO SOURCE: THE AIM TEAM

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PREFABRICATED AND MODULAR CONSTRUCTION // CONSTRUCTION

PREFABRICATED AND

Modular Construction BUILDING BETTER, FASTER AND ON BUDGET

BY ERLYNN GOCOCO

T

he prefabricated (a.k.a. prefab) modular construction industry seems to be on an upward swing. What used to be typically associated with low-quality, low-income housing has now turned into high-end, high-quality homes and commercial construction projects. Choosing prefab/ modular construction has several benefits including, but not limited to, the reduction of waste and carbon footprints, schedule reduction and cost control.

Rod Graham, president and CEO of Horizon North, says, “The concept of using modular as a mode of vertical construction is not new. Developed nations around the world have embraced modular for years; the delivery of a building that is of higher quality, with cost certainty, timetable certainty and is environmentally friendly has made modular a popular choice across the United States and Europe.”

The term “modular,” as explained by Calgary-based Horizon North, “is a method of construction differing from other conventional methods, such as ‘stick-built’ which is a piece-

by-piece process constructed right on site. Both methods utilize the same materials and design philosophy, and follow the same building codes and standards. However, modular

ABOVE: INTERIOR OF A MODULAR HOME IN OSOYOOS (HORIZON NORTH).

PHOTO SOURCE: HORIZON NORTH

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MARCH 2018 // BUSINESS IN CALGARY // BUSINESSINCALGARY.COM

Ma k

e

asy It E

Flexible Business Loans and Financing To Help You Grow.

When you’re in need of specialty lending support, operating lines of credit, leasing solutions, construction loans or financing to grow your operations, we’re here to help.

Our knowledgeable, local teams will help you navigate the best financing solutions for your business to smooth out cash flow and expenses, finance expansion, support renovations, acquire the equipment or fleet you need to operate, or to support property investments.

Working with our credit union, you’ll enjoy all the services that major banks offer while sharing in our profits through dividends, enjoying lower fees, and with the convenience and speed of having your lending decisions made right here in Calgary.

Book your free no-obligation review of your current accounts and services and get the peace of mind that your business finances are working just as hard for you as your teams are.

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PREFABRICATED AND MODULAR CONSTRUCTION // CONSTRUCTION

construction uses sophisticated technology and industry-leading design software to identify elements of a construction project that can be prefabricated as modules of various sizes in a controlled factory environment. The modules are then transported and delivered to their intended site, set on the foundation footprint by use of a crane and joined together to make one integrated building. Once the modules are assembled on site and the integration is complete, the structure is virtually indistinguishable from those built by conventional construction methods.”

Manufacturing a project off site provides significant improvement in the areas of productivity, efficiency and the quality of the construction process. It also reduces the completion time that would normally take longer if built on site. “An inherently ‘greener’ and safer approach, modular

Consistency, Quality, Craftsmanship

construction,” according to Horizon North, “generates less waste material [and] creates less site disturbance, while producing a structure that is generally stronger than those of conventional methods.”

Kevin Read, president and CEO of Calgary-based Nomodic Modular Structures, says, “Although we started out primarily in the industrial/workforce housing space, our product offering has since branched out to include everything from urban multi-family developments and boutique resorts to remote single-family cabins.

Photo by Jean Perron Photography

“One thing that separates Nomodic from many of our industry peers is that 100 per cent of our focus since inception has been on permanent modular construction,” says Read. “The overwhelming majority of other players have deep roots in the very different temporary/relocatable structures segment which includes more traditional products such as trailers and school portables.”

In December 2017, Nomodic completed a custom cabin near Windermere, B.C. and the feedback from the public was extremely positive. “They didn’t know such high-end products were possible with modular construction.”

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MARCH 2018 // BUSINESS IN CALGARY // BUSINESSINCALGARY.COM

Read adds, “Compared to conventional site-built construction methods, building in a controlled environment allows for improved quality control, fewer weather-related delays, a significant reduction in construction waste and improved supervision of labour resulting in a higher-quality end-product. It also delivers improved cost and schedule certainty. Simultaneous fabrication of modules with site ABOVE: CUSTOM CABIN (NOMODIC MODULAR STRUCTURES).

PHOTO SOURCE: NOMODIC MODULAR STRUCTURES

Concrete Inspection Services • Oil & Gas Inspection

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PREFABRICATED AND MODULAR CONSTRUCTION // CONSTRUCTION

development allows projects to be expedited and completed much faster, resulting in faster occupancy, and in many cases, quicker revenue for developers and owners.”

According to Read, five of the most common benefits of their hybrid-modular construction model are: 1) Faster completion time – an accelerated schedule results in improved construction efficiency and buildings are typically completed roughly 50 per cent faster compared to conventional construction methods. 2) Superior reliability – building in a controlled environment reduces labour cost overruns and eliminates schedule delays due to weather or damage. 3) Improved precision and quality control – building indoors allows for a more controlled construction environment and improved quality control, resulting in a higher-quality product. 4) Reduced disruption to the community – less time spent on site leads to reduced road/sidewalk closures, less construction noise, and minimized vehicle and equipment traffic. 5) Reduction of construction site waste – compared to conventional site-built construction, factory-built construction leads to much less time spent on site, resulting in a cleaner site. Material is precision cut to size and scraps are gathered in the facility and recycled through the next project as opposed to being taken to the dump. This leads to reduced impact on the environment.

Currently, Nomodic is working with a private developer to expand Duffin Cove Oceanfront Lodging, a resort hotel in the town of Tofino. Expected completion date is summer 2018.

The developer says the beautiful location on the ocean and the size of the land allowed for the opportunity to expand.

“To expand the resort using conventional construction, we would have had to close the entire hotel for over a year to allow for the construction. In addition, we would have had to house dozens of workers, planners and additional trades to complete the structures which would have taken lots of time and at a great expense. By utilizing modular construction through Nomodic, we can close the resort for only four months allowing for the preparation and installation of the new buildings. As well, we planned to do this prior to the busy summer period thereby limiting our loss of revenue by two-thirds.

“This [is] our first experience with Nomodic and I struggle to see how we would have achieved what we have to date

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without them – they have handled all aspects of the project.

The expansion is very complex and technical as the buildings will be cantilevered over the edge of a cliff on the ocean front. From the design to the pre-planning and the permits, they have the expertise that we required,” says the developer.

Darrell Nimchuk, president of Ladacor, says his company uses repurposed shipping containers and other types of steel to create efficient modular-construction projects for all multi-unit housing types including seniors’ housing, affordable housing, multi-family housing, indigenous housing, student housing, hotels and lodging, and more.

“By using upcycled shipping containers as part of the structural framework, Ladacor gives them a higher purpose than originally intended, and offers the most sustainable, environmentally-safe and ‘green’ development for fast deployment,” says Nimchuk. “Our projects create a well-designed, durable solution with reduced longer-term operating costs. Shipping containers are inherently durable, portable and sustainable; by their nature they are the ideal building block that offer many environmental benefits.”

Ladacor is proud to offer full turnkey design-build projects of various sizes, complexity and price points. Nimchuk explains the finished product is virtually indistinguishable from conventionally-constructed projects, both inside and out.

He adds that using Ladacor’s innovative modular-building approach offers numerous benefits over conventional construction projects. “Modular construction gives a far better sound insulation between the suites, making them much quieter for the residents living in the units, and gives a far better thermal insulation performance, making them much more comfortable and cheaper to operate.”

Graham says, “We believe our offering and breadth … across a myriad of end markets – affordable housing, hotels, condos, low-rise office buildings, commercial retail and senior facilities – allow prospective customers the ability to have a tactile experience. Simply put, it is a better way to build.”

“The size of the industry and the opportunity is staggering, as more and more developers see the benefits of building projects off-site and reaping the rewards,” says Nimchuk.

Leading Business MARCH 2018

Great Excavations Inc. “A leading service provider in cutting-edge modern equipment for the construction industry, Great Excavations is putting Alberta on the map.”

IN THIS ISSUE...

• Policy Bites - Competitiveness and Fiscal Discipline, the Business Priorities for Budget 2018-19 • Member Spotlight • Member Feature: Great Excavations Inc.

CalgaryChamber.com

BUSINESSINCALGARY.COM // BUSINESS IN CALGARY // MARCH 2018

71

2018 Board of

Directors

Policy Bites Competitiveness and Fiscal Discipline, the Business Priorities for Budget 2018-19

Executive Chair: Phil Roberts, President, Vintri Technologies Inc Vice Chair: Brent Cooper, Partner, McLeod Law Past Chair: David Allen, Founder & President Situated Co. Treasurer: Wellington Holbrook, Chief Transformation Officer, ATB Financial

Directors Bill Brunton, Vice President, Habitat for Humanity, Southern Alberta Mike Williams, Executive Vice-President, Encana James Boettcher, Chief Idea Officer, Fiasco Gelato

W

hile the economy appears to be emerging from the economic downturn, many Albertans have not yet felt the benefits of recovery. For this reason, it’s important that Budget 2018 continues to support the business community’s ongoing efforts to grow and create jobs. To support business, the Alberta government needs to address the current fiscal challenges, which will require getting spending levels under control, reducing deficits and paying down the accumulated debt. It is also important that Budget 2018 focus on making competitiveness a key component of the province’s economic plan.

Desirée Bombenon, President & CEO, SureCall Contact Centres Ltd Mandeep Singh, Audit Partner, Deloitte Jason Hatcher, Managing Principal, Navigator Greg Garcia, President and CEO, Calgary Elite Roofing Brian Bietz, President, Beitz Resources Jenn Lofgren, Founder, Incito Mike Shaw, Vice President, Calgary Region Gas Distribution, ATCO Management Michael Andriescu – Director of Finance and Administration Kim Koss – Vice President, Business Development and Sponsorship Scott Crockatt – Director of Marketing and Communications Rebecca Wood – Director of Member Services Zoe Addington – Director of Policy, Research and Government Relations Leading Business magazine is a co-publication of the Calgary Chamber and Business in Calgary Calgary Chamber 600, 237 8th Avenue S.E. Calgary, Alberta T2G 5C3 Phone: (403) 750-0400 Fax: (403) 266-3413 calgarychamber.com

Supporting Alberta’s Competitiveness The last few years have been difficult for many businesses in Alberta. Along with the external economic impacts, government policies are making it difficult for businesses to succeed. In fact, in the Chamber’s Fall 2017 Business Leader Market Perception survey, more businesses (31%) indicated government regulations and taxes as a challenge to their business than any other factor.

While it’s not just our provincial level of government that has increased business costs, provincial policies such as minimum wage, the carbon levy, corporate income tax increases and labour legislation reforms are reducing Alberta’s competitiveness.

Each new policy may have merit, but layered on together, they are causing harm. According to research done by the Calgary Chamber, this “layered-cost impact” is adding thousands of dollars of additional costs on Calgary’s business community. In 2018, the median cost increase due to the minimum wage for a restaurant and hospitality business surveyed is $51,720. In 2018, the median cost increase in this industry due to the carbon levy is $36,408. These figures illustrate the greater costs being borne by directly impacted businesses – those with minimum wage staff, facing greater costs due to the carbon levy – compared to 2016.

While 73 per cent of businesses surveyed in the layered-cost consultations indicated their costs will increase due to the carbon levy, only 21 per cent of those businesses plan on passing the carbon costs to their customers. With the recent economic downturn, many small and mediumsized businesses do not believe their customers can, or are willing to, pay higher prices. Therefore, they are reluctant, or unable, to pass the cost increases on to their customers.

Furthermore, these policies have been put in place in a relatively short time frame. The minimum wage, for example, when fully implemented, will have gone up 47 per cent in just three years.

As illustrated above, Calgary businesses are facing tens of thousands of dollars in additional costs in just two years. Many businesses have not had the time, or the ability, to adjust business operations to accommodate, or fully pass on, greater costs.

These policies not only impact business, they are having unintended consequences for all of society – because when businesses see an increase in costs, it can mean less job opportunities for workers, fewer funds for businesses to reinvest and higher prices for households as some businesses try to mitigate cost. These unintended consequences have been reported to the Chamber directly from Calgary businesses. During the Chamber’s layered-cost consultations, 55 per cent of businesses surveyed with minimum wage staff reported having to lay people off due to

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the minimum wage increase, with 36 per cent of all businesses surveyed indicating they would likely need to lay off staff when the minimum wage reaches $15 this fall.

The business community understands the need to work together to solve difficult issues such as preserving our environment and natural resources, and ensuring Albertans are paid a fair wage for a day’s work. However, there needs to be greater collaboration with the business community to achieve these objectives, and limit unintended consequences. For example, the costs from the carbon levy can be mitigated by reducing corporate taxes. Instead of rapidly increasing the minimum wage, low-income Albertans could receive greater take-home pay without reductions in job opportunities by broadening or increasing tax credits, such as the Alberta Family Employment Tax Credit.

Working with business to achieve social objectives while mitigating the layering of costs will go a long way towards improving Alberta’s competitiveness. This is especially important as other competing jurisdictions, including the United States, reduce business tax and regulations.

Through Budget 2018, the Alberta government can further support business and our economic recovery by: • Maintaining programs that help entrepreneurs attract capital • Making it easier for businesses to train and acquire talent • Working with other governments to expand market access • Keeping regulatory burdens consistent and to a minimum • Looking for ways to simplify and harmonize Canada’s tax laws • Adopting a more business-friendly perspective, which includes greater consultations and looking for innovative ways to partner with the business community Increasing Alberta’s competitiveness will ultimately increase Alberta’s corporate and personal tax base through greater economic growth. Building a stronger economic base all starts with creating an environment for business to succeed.

Addressing Alberta’s Current Fiscal Challenges Along with supporting Alberta’s competitiveness through the measures outlined above, the Alberta government can create more business and an investor-friendly environment by addressing our current fiscal challenges.

Over the last decade, greater spending and a fall in non-renewable resource revenue have led to growing annual deficits and longterm debt. With debt levels expected to reach $71 billion by 2019-

20, the government has estimated Albertans will be paying more than $1 billion annually to service the provincial debt.

As the minister of finance acknowledged, Alberta can no longer rely on non-renewable resource revenues to balance the budget.

The Alberta government needs to lay out a plan towards a sustainable budget model where program spending requirements can be met by a stable revenue base. We also understand that in Budget 2018, the government is not looking specifically to address revenue options, but focus on the spending side of the balance sheet.

One way the Alberta government can look for spending efficiencies is by benchmarking service delivery costs against other leading provinces to get a better understanding of where efficiencies and savings could be made. Given the large expenditures in health and education, it seems reasonable that the Alberta government begin benchmarking service delivery in these two areas.

The Alberta government should also look to partner with businesses to provide necessary public services at a lower cost to taxpayers. In certain circumstances, letting business carry the risk of building and maintaining capital projects could help reduce long-term costs of schools, hospitals and roads. For example, research by the Conference Board of Canada indicated the use of private public partnerships (P3s) would save Albertans between $350 and $450 million for the completion of the Northeast Stoney Trail Ring Road Project.

Going Forward The Calgary Chamber’s 2017 Fall Business Leader Market Perceptions survey indicates the most important action the government can take to support business is adopting a more business-friendly tone and perspective. This was second in the spring 2017 survey and increased to the most important thing businesses in Calgary want to see from their government.

As the economy emerges from the economic downturn, it’s important that Budget 2018 continues to support the business community’s ongoing efforts to grow and create jobs. To support business, the Calgary Chamber recommends the Alberta government adopt a more business-friendly focus when setting policy, while taking steps to address the current fiscal challenges by getting spending levels under control, reducing annual deficits and introducing a plan to start to pay down the long-term accumulated debt.

BUSINESSINCALGARY.COM // BUSINESS IN CALGARY // MARCH 2018

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Serving those who build Canada for 40 years!

Chamber Member Spotlights The Calgary Chamber is proud to represent many Calgary businesses large and small; this month we are highlighting some of our industry leading members.

Boardwalk Equities

Boardwalk Equities strives to provide Canada’s friendliest communities, and currently owns and operates more than 200 communities with over 33,000 residential units. Boardwalk’s principal objectives are to provide its residents with the best quality communities and superior customer service; furnish unitholders with sustainable monthly cash distributions; and increase the value of its trust units through selective acquisitions, dispositions, development and effective management of its residential multifamily communities. Boardwalk Equities is vertically integrated and is one of Canada’s leading owner/operators of multi-family communities with 1,700 associates bringing residents home to properties located in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Ontario and Quebec.

For more information, visit bwalk.com.

Oliver Capital Partners

In today’s investment climate, generating a consistent return is a remarkable feat. Yet, that is precisely what Oliver Capital Partners continues to do. Under the careful guidance of founder Margot Micallef, Oliver has evolved into a major financial concern, garnering industry-leading returns for its investors. Oliver remains true to its core mission as a mergers and acquisitions advisory and corporate services provider to public and private companies.

From its inception in 2003, Oliver has strategically coordinated a series of initiatives that earned exceptional returns. Oliver identifies potential beyond the big picture, looking deeper into each opportunity to find untapped ways to cultivate and sustain longterm revenue for investors and investees alike.

For more information, visit olcapa.com.

Scotiabank

Scotiabank is a Canadian international bank and financial services provider in North America, Latin America, Central America and AsiaPacific. Dedicated to helping over 24 million customers become better off through a broad range of advice, products and services, they offer personal and commercial banking, wealth management and private banking, corporate and investment banking, and capital markets. With a team of more than 88,000 employees and assets of over $915 billion, Scotiabank trades on the Toronto (TSX: BNS) and New York Exchanges (NYSE: BNS). An important aim is to support organizations that are committed to helping young people reach their infinite potential.

Together with their employees, Scotiabank contributed more than $80 million to help communities around the world.

For more information, visit Scotiabank.com.

TransAlta Corporation

TransAlta develops new, and owns and operates a diverse fleet of electrical power-generation assets in Canada, the United States and

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MARCH 2018 // BUSINESS IN CALGARY // BUSINESSINCALGARY.COM

Thanks

The Chamber thanks the following long-standing member companies celebrating anniversaries this month for their years of support to the Calgary Chamber, and their commitment to the growth and development of Calgary.

Member name State Farm Insurance Companies Brookfield Residential Felesky Flynn LLP Canran Technology/Investment Ltd. McKenzie Meadows Golf Corp.

Mancal Corporation Pefanis Horvath RedPoint Media Group AgCall Inc. Brown Bagging for Calgary’s Kids Society Calgary Stampeders Loria Investments Limited Yes TV Overnight Expedite Browz Eyeware & Eyecare Energy Insurance Consultants Inc. Pumphouse Theatre Society Russ Weninger, Barrister and Solicitor Wells Fargo

Years as a member 35 30 30 25 25 15 15 15 10 10 10 10 10 5 5 5 5 5 5

Australia with a focus on long-term shareholder value. They provide municipalities, medium and large industries, businesses and utility customers clean, affordable, energy efficient, and reliable power. Today, they are Canada’s largest producer of wind power and Alberta’s largest producer of hydroelectric power. For over 100 years, TransAlta has been a responsible operator and a proud community member where its employees work and live. TransAlta aligns its corporate goals with the UN Sustainable Development Goals and has been recognized by CDP (formerly Climate Disclosure Project) as an industry leader on climate change management. They are proud to have achieved the silver-level PAR (Progressive Aboriginal Relations) designation by the Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business.

For more information, visit transalta.com.

PME

PME Inc. is a heavy civil contractor based in Fort Saskatchewan that services all of Alberta. PME offers highly-specialized equipment and expert services in areas including earthworks, common services, maintenance, underground utilities, concrete structures and foundations, and tank bases. Backed by substantial civil resources that deliver competitive pricing and consistent results, the PME team strives to create lasting partners.

For more information, visit pmeinc.ca.

Brookfield Residential Brookfield Residential Properties Inc. is a leading land developer and homebuilder in North America. They entitle and develop land to create master-planned communities, build and sell lots to third-party builders, and conduct their own homebuilding operations. Brookfield Residential also participates in select, strategic real estate opportunities, including

infill projects, mixed-use developments, and joint ventures. They are the flagship North American residential property company of Brookfield Asset Management, a leading global alternative asset manager with approximately $250 billion of assets under management.

For more information, visit brookfieldresidential.com

Congratulations to Brookfield Residential for celebrating 30 years as a Calgary Chamber member.

Member Feature: Great Excavations Inc. We sat down with John Skierka, president and CEO of Calgary Chamber member company Great Excavations, to learn more about how they are reshaping the construction industry with groundbreaking technology.

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leading service provider in cutting-edge modern equipment for the construction industry, Great Excavations is putting Alberta on the map.

An innovator in work on wet terrain, Great Excavations provides all-access vehicles that excel in conditions ranging from swamps and mud to snow and ice, and everything in between. This is particularly important as temperatures in the North continue to rise over time, and winters become shorter, meaning businesses are looking at new ways to reach remote locations to provide services that are both cost effective and environmentally sustainable.

Specializing in environmental remediation and reclamation, Great Excavations works with clients from a variety of areas, including oilfield, municipal government, mining, agriculture and the forestry industries, to develop individualized amphibious equipment solutions to tackle today’s complex construction needs.

Amphibious equipment provides a game-changing way for efficient work to be done in temperate conditions. Remarkable for its low environmental footprint, these all-terrain vehicles are able to do the same work as traditional machines at a lower cost and in less time using less infrastructure. A mainstay of work on wet terrain around the world, adoption of amphibious equipment has been slow in Canada.

“Our equipment can do everything from building pipelines to planting trees,” says Great Excavations president and CEO, John Skierka. “We are constantly innovating in practical ways that have real-life application.”

Great Excavations is developing lighter, smarter amphibious excavators and carrier trucks with modifications for specialized work. Their most recent prototype features the first-of-its-kind telescopic amphibious undercarriage, which

means it can go up and down in size in order to access work in remote areas. The innovation doesn’t stop there.

“By applying aeronautical engineering techniques to upgrading and improving amphibious equipment, we are on the cusp of a remarkable change that could permanently alter how work is done in Canada’s North,” says Skierka.

John Skierka Bio John Skierka’s extensive background in aeronautics is key to the commitment to innovation he brings to Canada’s construction and manufacturing sector. After working internationally for many years, Skierka returned home to southern Alberta in 2011 looking to make a difference in his community. While working in the energy sector, he soon realized amphibious equipment could solve a number of problems in industries that work on wet terrain, such as muskeg.

This led to the creation of Great Excavations Inc., a service provider focused on modern, cutting-edge amphibious equipment.

To find out more about Great Excavations and their work go to www.greatexcavations.ca.

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Page 3 - BOMA’s Value Proposition Page 7 - Wading Through the Bureaucracy

AD: JH Job Number: SERV1005 Job Name: CALGARY SOUTH EDMONTON SOUTHSIDE PRINT Date Produced: 08/03/2017 Publication: N/A Live Area: 6.875” X 9.75” Trim: 7.875” X 10.75” Bleed: 8.375” x 11.25” Color: 4C

TOC

Page 1 - The Green Village within Centennial Place

NEWS

SPRING 2018

The Green Village within Centennial Place

Secondly, Centennial Place maintains a robust recycling program which includes specialty items such as electronics, cigarette butts, pens and markers, and coffee pods; these specialty items round off on top of a best-in-class organic and mixed-recycling program. To go a step further, every day dedicated janitorial staff opens each and every bag of the building’s garbage to sort, salvage, weigh and divert all organic and recycling material.

The feather in the proverbial hat, however, rests with the staff’s relationships with their clients. Centennial offers a variety of communication tools to promote, educate and engage tenants within the building on the recycling program. Among these are: waste and recycling lunch and learns; a building-wide green team open to all occupants; newsletters; and the tenant recycling scorecard which is released each quarter and gives feedback to clients on their recycling efforts for the quarter.

The numbers speak for themselves. In 2015, Centennial Place reported a 75 per cent diversion rate. Through increased awareness, engagement and radical changes to programming, they saw an increase to over 90 per cent in 2017.

Centennial Place and its entire team are proud to have won the Recycling Council of Alberta’s award for Corporate Leadership at the 2017 RCA Conference.

Submitted on behalf of the BOMA EH&S Committee.

Special thanks to Karen Nelson from Oxford Properties.

Client: SERV

C

entennial Place is a 1.3-million-square-foot “AAA” office complex located in the heart of Calgary’s Eau Claire District. Among the building’s many achievements, Centennial Place earned BOMA Calgary and BOMA Canada TOBY Awards in 2012 and 2013 for the “Office 1 Million + square feet” category. It has earned BOMA BEST – Level 4/Platinum designation and is championed as a success study by the City of Calgary for achievement in office recycling. The parkade is green certified, and is also equipped with electric car charging stations and a highly-utilized carpool program.

Ever since the beginning, sustainability has been at the heart and soul of Centennial Place’s operations and the building is entirely committed to ongoing success.

Centennial has been featured as a success story with the City of Calgary and with BOMA for innovation and results with the property’s waste and recycling program.

Centennial’s commitment to the waste and recycling program extends firstly to the reduction of unnecessary consumables and products by actively reducing consumption wherever possible. Centennial holds itself and its contractors accountable to waste-reduction measures by incorporating purchasing and procurement standards into all property work. The innovative practices that have been put in place to support reduction measures include a switch to core-less toilet-paper rolls, an attention-grabbing coffee-cup display to promote the use of reusable travel mugs over paper cups and the encouragement of reduced or double-sided printing.

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FOR EVERYTHING THAT CAN GO WRONG UNDER YOUR ROOF, THERE’S THE NUMBER THAT LIVES UNDER OURS. Fifty percent of businesses may never re-open after a disaster. That’s why knowing the easiest way to contact SERVPRO® is so important. Because the sooner you get in touch with us, the quicker we can start to minimize the damage, as well as the cost. Just contact SERVPRO of Calgary South or SERVPRO of Edmonton Southside to activate the cleanup team that’s faster to any-sized disaster. We’re a leader in giving control back to homeowners, property managers and even entire communities after the ravaging effects of water and fire. So whether you’re responsible for 1,000 square feet or 100,000 – it’s your decision to call on the very best. Your trusted, local SERVPRO professional.

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BOMA’s Value Proposition BOMA Calgary News

BOMA Calgary News is a co-publication of BOMA Calgary and Business in Calgary.

Business in Calgary

1025, 101 - 6 Ave. SW, Calgary, AB T2P 3P4 Tel: 403.264.3270 • Fax: 403.264.3276 info@businessincalgary.com www.businessincalgary.com

BOMA Calgary

Suite 225, 550 11th Avenue SW, Calgary AB, T2R 1M7 Email: info@boma.ca • Web: www.boma.ca Tel: 403.237.0559 • Fax: 403.266.5876

Communications Committee Kelsey Johannson, Chair, TransCanada Corporation Christine White, Vice Chair, Oxford Properties Group Rita Borrow, Brookfield Aydan Aslan, BOMA Calgary Lance Merrifield, Epic Roofing Enam Islam, Hines

Board of Directors

CHAIR Lee Thiessen, MNP LLP CHAIR-ELECT Richard Morden, QuadReal Property Group SECRETARY TREASURER Rob Blackwell, Aspen Properties PAST CHAIR Chris Nasim, GWL Realty Advisors EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Lloyd Suchet, BOMA Calgary

Directors

Jay de Nance, RioCan Management Inc. Steve Walton, Oxford Properties Group Todd Throndson, Avison Young Marina Nagribianko, Allied REIT Art Skow, Bentall Kennedy Canada LP Laura Newcombe, GWL Realty Advisors Irene Au, Manulife Candace Walker, Brookfield Blair Carbert, Carbert Waite LLP

The Building Owners and Managers Association of Calgary publishes BOMA Calgary News quarterly. For advertising rates and information contact Business in Calgary.

Publication of advertising should not be deemed as endorsement by BOMA Calgary. The publisher reserves the right in its sole and absolute discretion to reject any advertising at any time submitted by any party. Material contained herein does not necessarily reflect the opinion of BOMA Calgary, its members or its staff. © 2015 by BOMA Calgary.

Printed in Canada.

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By Lloyd Suchet, Executive Director, BOMA Calgary

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OMA Calgary marks the beginning of every new year with its annual general meeting – an opportunity to report on the association’s overall health.

The one key metric we are always evaluating is our value proposition – are members getting more value from BOMA Calgary than they pay in dues? Especially in tough economic times, the value proposition is the key to ensuring our community and our association continues to grow. Broadly speaking, we achieve success and deliver value to our members through three pillars: advocacy, education and professional networking.

One of the most powerful benefits of an association like BOMA Calgary is the ability to represent and speak for the industry to the various levels of government. We dedicate a lot of staff and volunteer resources to this endeavour. The success of the commercial real estate industry depends on many market factors often out of our control – and the actions and policies of government can make that success either much easier or much harder to attain. The way we avoid harmful policy is by engaging with governments on issues that impact the industry, and by demonstrating the real impacts that policy could have on not just our industry and the economy, but on all Calgarians.

With that in mind, 2017 saw advocacy success on a number of issues. We continued our collaboration with BOMA Edmonton in representing the industry as the province amended the Municipal Government Act and works to enable city charters. BOMA also worked with partner associations to establish more favourable parking policies for downtown developments, and to make it easier and less costly for downtown buildings to lease space to new tenants. We are also actively representing the industry on city working groups that address property assessments and appeals, and climate change mitigation issues.

BOMA Calgary’s NextGen Committee had a banner year in 2017, hosting educational and networking events to promote the industry to students, and to encourage the development and retention of those already involved. There is an impressive cohort of young professionals active in all segments of commercial real estate, and BOMA Calgary is leading the charge in engaging them. We have also been running a highly-successful mentorship program for six years that helps professionals develop skills and forge lasting relationships.

While BOMA Calgary has a plethora of events that have proven successful over the years, 2017 saw the introduction of an exciting new one, BOMAzing Race. This networking event has teams racing and competing in challenges that showcase Calgary’s downtown buildings, while helping foster meaningful industry connections through a fun medium.

The new year also brought with it important changes to BOMA Calgary’s leadership, as chair Chris Nasim’s term came to an end. Thanks to Chris’ leadership, BOMA Calgary now has new bylaws, a new policy manual and codes of conduct, as well as updated financial governance structures. We owe Chris a debt of gratitude for his exemplary service.

With the succession, Lee Thiessen becomes the chair of BOMA Calgary, with Richard Morden moving into vice-chair, and Rob Blackwell into treasurer. With a new and energized executive team, and the fresh perspectives of our newest directors Irene Au, Blair Carbert and Candace Walker, BOMA Calgary is well positioned to build off the momentum from 2017 to make the coming year an even better one for our members, our industry and our city.

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EMBRACING CHANGE OCTOBER 1-3, 2018

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Tyco is now Johnson Controls.

The combined strengths of two great companies are now under one great name.

Johnson Controls. The world leader in fire protection, security, HVAC, building controls and energy storage. Count on us for innovative solutions that lead to safer building environments and better outcomes for customers. Exactly what you’d expect from a leader.

To learn more about the merger and our complete suite of offerings, visit Tycoifs.ca.

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By David Parker

Wading Through the Bureaucracy

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ow that 2018 is well on its way, indications are we can look forward to good overall growth in the real estate sector this year.

Downtown office space is, and will be for some time, a tough sell for commercial agents, but there are good signs despite the city still presenting problems for investors and developers.

Not to dwell too much on the negative but it seems the famed Alberta Advantage is not able to satisfy a lot of businesses in this city. The cost of doing business here is not helped by a city administration that seems to have no sense that time means money; and a lot of money on projects is held up for far too long in the approval of permit stages.

It appears that there is neither rhyme nor reason to decisions when an architect can get the OK on one

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We refer to this work as Special Projects, the name being a reflec�on of the specialized approach we take to mee�ng the unique needs of our clients.

To learn more about PCL Special Projects, contact: Ryan Kuntz I Manager, Special Projects 403.250.4891 I rlkuntz@pcl.com

7

project and then be turned down flat on the next, similar one.

Then there’s the tax situation; most easily understood – or demonstrated – by the plight of too many restaurants. The list of prime establishments that have closed in the past few months is well known.

And there will no doubt be more as costs of operating continue to escalate with higher minimum wage, carbon tax and forcing owners to cover new statutory holiday pay rules.

Sure we have had new eateries opened but they tend to be the smaller establishments where owners also serve as busboys. A great city needs fine wineand-dine restaurants where business can be discussed over a glass of good wine and creative dishes. There’s certainly some great locations in our downtown towers and an abundance of good chefs and cooks who can provide some very good meals.

Some restaurateurs tell me the holiday season was great but they don’t know how much longer they can survive. It’s great to confidently chase companies we would like to open business here, but we should surely be doing our best to ensure the ones we have – and who have been good corporate citizens for a long time – are able to stay in business.

I think there might be some sort of uprising if newcomers are given tax breaks to entice them to set up shop here when current businesses are suffering.

And I had a strange thought that a company like Amazon, after all the wonderful creative work done to sell them on Calgary, would open its distribution plant in the Balzac area.

Now on to more positive happenings that include construction of residential apartments (not condominiums) in the core. More inner-city density is certainly needed.

Good to see construction of an apartment tower on the former Stampede Pontiac site, and the same developer has a 220-unit rental property under construction in East Village where an Alt Hotel is also well underway. Then there is the impressive Marriott Hotel and adjoining apartment block at the corner of 5th Street and 10th Avenue SW that has topped off.

We need a healthy downtown, and more inner-city residents mean better opportunities for shops, entertainment and restaurants.

HITTING THE LINKS IN EXOTIC FOREIGN LOCALES // GOLF

Hitting the Links IN EXOTIC FOREIGN LOCALES PLAY GOLF ONE DAY, VISIT A TROPICAL RAINFOREST THE NEXT

BY MARIO TONEGUZZI

F

or Bill and Pat Henderson, golf vacations are a great way to see the world while playing a sport they enjoy.

They are part of a growing number of Calgarians who are travelling the globe pursuing their passion on unique and interesting golf courses.

Imagine a round of golf and then visiting a rainforest in Borneo. Or playing on a picturesque course in Argentina before chilling back with a glass of fine red Malbec wine.

Or testing your skills on the legendary St. Andrews course in Scotland.

Typically, the Hendersons’ golf holidays see them travelling with good friends and home club members in groups ranging from eight to 20.

“We’ve been very fortunate to play golf at many places around the world – South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Spain, Argentina, Thailand, Ireland, Scotland as well as several specific golf destinations in Canada and the U.S.,” says Bill Henderson, who was interviewed while travelling to Vietnam for a two-week golf sojourn with other Silver Springs Golf & Country Club members.

“We find that golf holidays are a great way to add variety to a trip – one day we will be playing golf, the next day we will be touring the city or countryside to appreciate the local geography, culture and cuisine. As we usually travel with a group, we find everyone has that common interest which

enhances both the conversation and general enjoyment,” says Henderson.

The burgeoning growth in golfers going abroad for holidays has been great for the local travel industry. Clients have money to spend and they’re not afraid to spend it on golf courses around the world.

Reid Morrison, who has operated Incredible Journeys Travel in Calgary since 2005, says golf is popular and the trips he plans are to such places as Argentina, Vietnam, South Africa, Cambodia, Thailand, Bali, Kenya, Egypt, Spain, Portugal, Ireland, Scotland, Costa Rica, Panama, New Zealand and England.

“Typically you’ve got two different types of travellers.

You’ve got the diehard golf-every-day travellers and the other group is really people who use golf as an excuse to travel as a group. That’s quite popular with the clubs,” says Morrison. “They want to do more than just golf on a holiday, but they still like the camaraderie and the socialization that the club gives them.”

For golfers, these trips are ideal. They combine their love of sport with sightseeing and experiencing the culture of a country. Sometimes they play iconic courses like St. Andrews but they’re just thrilled to experience the scenery and the challenges of different types of golf courses these exotic countries have to offer.

ABOVE: UNIQUE GOLF VACATIONS EXCURSION TO SOUTH AFRICA.

BUSINESSINCALGARY.COM // BUSINESS IN CALGARY // MARCH 2018

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The Place to Play in 2018 F

act: Vancouver Island has been named in the top North American Islands by Condé Nast Traveler magazine for the last 10 years. Fact: Vancouver Island boasts the mildest climate in Canada. Summer is reliably warm and sunny, with frequent ocean breezes, while winter is relatively mild. Fact: Vancouver Island is certainly an amazing place to visit, by anyone’s standards. Final Fact: All eyes will be on the Vancouver Island Golf Trail this year as it welcomes its 13th golf course. A complete redesign by industry-leading golf course architect Graham Cooke & Associates, the Campbell River Golf & Country Club will be the first golf course to open in British Columbia since 2011 – making the Vancouver Island Golf Trail the place to play in 2018!

The Vancouver Island Golf Trail stretches along 250 kilometres of Pacific paradise from Victoria to Campbell River. Or, more to the point, stretches nearly 77,000 yards of fairways and greens awaiting your play. That’s a whole lot of golf just waiting to be played. As GOLF Magazine puts it, there is “plenty of gold-medal worthy golf” on Vancouver Island, with a selection of 13 destination golf courses, exceptional customizable golf packages for every budget and preference, convenient transportation options, world-renowned island hospitality, and a multitude of après-golf activities adding even further appeal.

OLYMPIC VIEW GOLF CLUB, VICTORIA.

Discover the ambience of cosmopolitan Victoria, the lush farmland and vineyards of the Cowichan’s “Warm Land,” the magnificent beaches of Parksville and Qualicum Beach, and the pristine wilderness of Courtenay and Campbell River – explore it all on the Vancouver Island Golf Trail.

In fact, there’s so much to do and explore, the Vancouver Island golfing experience has been said to be getting a little “Wild Off The Tee.” On Vancouver Island, getting wild off the tee means pairing golf rounds with salmon fishing or beachcombing, getting adventurous with whale watching or skydiving, relaxing with wine tasting, or sampling pints of craft beer along Vancouver Island’s portion of the BC Ale Trail. There’s so much to do, you’ll want to add a day or two to your golf vacation just to explore it all.

There are 13 destination golf courses on the Vancouver Island Golf Trail from south to north: Olympic View, Highland Pacific, Bear Mountain Resort - Mountain and Valley Courses, Arbutus Ridge, Cowichan, Nanaimo, Fairwinds, Pheasant Glen, Crown Isle, Storey Creek, Campbell River and Quadra Island.

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Find out why GOLF Magazine described Vancouver Island as “one of the continent’s best values” by visiting www. golfvancouverisland.ca or by calling 1-888-GOLF-239 where staff are ready to welcome golfers to a year-round golfing mecca.

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// GOLF

Michael Ho, owner of Unique Golf Vacations in Calgary, says golf tours can range in price from $4,000 to more than $6,500. Ho’s packages have included trips all over the world including China.

Belonging is closer than you think

“I deal with the different golf pros here in town. I create a program for them that they offer to their memberships to travel with them in the wintertime. The golf pro will go with a group of 16 or 24 people,” says Ho. “We don’t sacrifice cultural enjoyment. So when we go to a country, we will see and experience what there is to see. And I just slot in the golf.”

At the end of February, a group from the Winston Golf Club in Calgary was headed to Malaysia with a side trip to Borneo to spend two nights in a tropical rainforest.

Shawn Lavoie, general manager at the Winston, has worked with Ho over the years to organize trips for club members to places such as South Africa, Vietnam and Cambodia.

“We’ve looked at New Zealand and I can see that being a destination at some point but it’s expensive. We’ll let the economy recover before we start pitching that one I think. Australia might be a possibility. Argentina might get a look.

Colombia – there’s some opportunity there. What we’re doing is trying to put together unique trips,” says Lavoie.

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Dennis Schmidt and his wife, Ruth, have been on many golf vacations organized

by Ho over the years. “Golf courses are one of the better places to spend a lot of time because they’re nice and green,” he says. “They’re quiet. I haven’t run into a golfer yet who wasn’t friendly…. We like it because it’s a break from the traditional sightseeing you might do, but also while going to a golf course you see a ton of countryside.”

David Gottlieb loves to golf in British Columbia and is part of a small group that spends about four days each year at the Radium Springs course or the Mountainside and the Riverside courses in Fairmont. And like many Calgarians who have embraced closer destinations in the U.S., Gottlieb tries to get down to Georgia and Phoenix to golf.

“The Georgia trip and the Phoenix trip break up the winter. But I do love the golf for sure. I absolutely love the sport. I find golf a real challenge and I just have a passion for it,” he explains.

Calgary business professional Dan Moro says most of his holidays are planned with his family and he’ll pick up golf along the way. “Any time you can get onto a golf course with shorts and a golf shirt … you can’t beat the feeling. To be walking outside for four hours and chasing a white ball is just something great,” says Moro.

jon@silverspringsgolfclub.com www.silverspringsgolfclub.com

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MARCH 2018 // BUSINESS IN CALGARY // BUSINESSINCALGARY.COM

LIVING the Legacy

Photo by Riverwood Photography

“I

could never have anticipated the level of success or legacy Midwest has achieved,” declares Ron Barnes, president and CEO of Midwest Group. This year marks three decades of service in the Calgary-area construction industry, but amid the celebrations, activities and excitement, Barnes is taking the time to remember the company’s humble beginnings. The company was created to provide a customer-first, quality and time-driven alternative to the commercial drywall industry in Calgary. The vision has evolved and expanded in the past 30 years, but Barnes says he “always goes back to those main points. They are fundamental to Midwest’s status and acheivements.”

Barnes recounts the experience of being an entrepreneur. “We have been faced with some tough times in Alberta over the last 30 years and I would be lying if I said I was never worried.

The Midwest team is my family and I feel a deep responsibility to do well by them,” says Barnes. The word “team” is allencompassing to Barnes. He believes that partners, family, clients and vendors are all significant team members and “without the passion, loyalty and commitment from this group, Midwest wouldn’t have succeeded.”

When discussing the Midwest portfolio, Barnes attributes the success largely to operations manager, Danny McMahon, and

Midwest Group | 30 Years | 1 89

Studio Bell, Home of the National Music Centre

“the man behind the wheel,” Brent Logan. “What we’ve done in the commercial drywall industry is unmatched. Clients come to us when there is anything unique, complicated or requires a high level of coordination,” says Logan, Midwest Group team leader. From curved walls to intricate acoustic ceilings, Midwest projects are a blend of science and art with a designer finished look. One of the company’s largest and most challenging projects was the National Music Centre – Studio Bell, completed in 2016. The team applied more than

5,000 square feet of StarSilent seamless plaster across the convex enormadome ceiling, which required simultaneous execution by 16 tradespeople. The application to such a large area is a substantial accomplishment for the team and the construction industry.

“It’s an absolutely incredible and impressive building,” says Barnes. “We are honoured to have contributed to Calgary and Canadian history.”

GOVAN BROWN

CONGRATULATES

MIDWEST ON THEIR 30 YEARS OF

SUCCESS

AND WE LOOK FORWARD

TO A CONTINUED

INDUSTRY PARTNERSHIP

Midwest Group | 30 Years | 2

Gulf Canada Square Food Court

Square food court. The ceiling is composed of 234 cherry-finish wood panels and no two panels are alike in measurement. The job required intense labour, precision and individually laying out and aligning each panel. The ceiling is not only beautiful – it also has acoustic properties that reduce noise levels.

Although the Midwest portfolio is full of notable large projects, the company would be incomplete without the Rapid Response Team. This 24-7, full-service professional group specializes in repair work done in occupied and unoccupied spaces. Danny McMahon recognizes the industry and scope changes Midwest has faced over the years but says, “we have never strayed from our commitment to servicing smaller jobs.

We’ve seen other similar companies grow over the years and are now only taking large jobs. That’s just not in the cards for us. The service market and smaller projects are equally significant contributors to our success.”

The 2017 opening of La Maison Simons in the downtown CORE proved to be both challenging and rewarding for Midwest.

“Our team enjoyed working in the historical Lancaster building last year. Incorporating the architectural features while adding modern innovations was a fantastic opportunity,” says Logan.

Another notable installation can be found in the Gulf Canada

Barnes talks about Calgary with the utmost respect and pride. “When I look at the Calgary skyline I feel inspired and grateful for the opportunities we’ve had over the years. You’d be hard-pressed to find a building in downtown Calgary that Midwest hasn’t worked on and I am honoured we’ve been able to add to the city’s landscape.” With recent work on the Saskatchewan Hospital North Battleford, the company has extended innovation and Midwest quality across the eastern border. The newest addition is a workforce in Saskatoon, led by a prominent Midwest project manager. “We have put one of

SERVICES • Design • General Contractors • Project Management • On-site Field Manager • Support Staff • Qualified Sub-Trades

Congratulations

to Midwest Group on 30 Successful years in business.

Best wishes for many years of continued success!

Get in touch with us today.

We are always here to help you with your next project. #3, 111 Skyline Cres NE • 403-275-3755

www.epenterprisesinc.ca

Midwest Group | 30 Years | 3

our best guys on the ground in Saskatchewan and we’re eager to show off what we’ve been working on!” says Barnes.

So, what does Midwest Group have planned to celebrate three decades of service? “Our celebration is not exclusively internal.

We would not be successful without the support of our local community. The people of Calgary have been so great to us in the past 30 years and we wanted to give back in kind. We started the year by supporting local entrepreneurs, shared our appreciation with city workers, shovelled our neighbour’s walk and ‘paid it forward’ at Tim’s,” Barnes describes. “Moving into the rest of the year, we have planned an exclusive get-together to celebrate loyal clients, an employee appreciation event,

and we will be working with local groups such as Habitat for Humanity, Brown Bagging for Calgary’s Kids, Calgary Drop-In Centre and Inn from the Cold.”

Barnes looks at the next 30 years with inspiration and pride. “I believe we’ve carefully curated an unparalleled group of people at Midwest. As I’ve been transitioning out of the day-to-day work, I’ve had the opportunity to take a step back and really look at what the company has become. It’s an overwhelming feeling to see how passionate the staff are and how hard they work to keep the company successful. I can’t wait to see what the future holds.”

120 – 41 Royal Vista Drive NW info@midwest1988.com • 403-277-1551 www.midwest-group.com

CONGRATULATIONS lignuminteriors.com

on your

Congratulations Midwest on 30 years of construction excellence

30TH

ANNIVERSARY We have been pleased to partner with you over the years and look forward to many more.

1205 38th Avenue NE, Calgary, AB T2E 6M2 Office: (403) 276-2262 Fax: (403) 230-1360 E-Mail: calgary@kenroc.com www.kenroc.com

Proud to be associated with Midwest Group.

Congratulations on 30 years of continued success!

5155 48 Avenue SE • 403-255-8157 • www.fbmsales.com

Midwest Group | 30 Years | 4

Karen Love, CNIB’s executive director for Alberta and Northwest Territories.

CNIB:

Changing What It Is To Be Blind

by Rennay Craats - with photos by Riverwood Photography

I

t took two major events to spur the creation of Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB). The First World War and the Halifax explosion of 1917 both left a large number of people with sudden vision loss. At the time there was little support for blind Canadians and Colonel Edwin Baker, who lost his sight in Ypres in 1915, returned to Canada and became the pioneer behind CNIB. Veteran rehabilitation experiences in Europe armed him with a new modern approach for helping the blind and a realization of how important those resources were in Canada.

“They had been treated at a hospital in London, England and they brought a revolutionary philosophy back to Canada. There were seven Canadian men, several of whom were blind, who founded CNIB in 1918 to meet the demand for support of blind Canadians,” says Karen Love, CNIB’s executive director for Alberta and Northwest Territories.

Under Colonel Baker’s guidance as managing director for 42 years, CNIB broke down barriers for blind Canadians. The organization’s employment programs were among the first for the blind across North America and employment rates rose significantly for visuallyimpaired Canadians for the first time ever.

As CNIB grew and spread across the country it became the largest private not-for-profit charitable organization of its kind in the world.

It endeavoured to change attitudes and increase

opportunities for blind Canadians, and those efforts are still at the forefront of CNIB’s mandate.

“Today’s philosophy is change what it is to be blind,” Love says.

“We really feel that whether you have full vision or vision loss you should have access to the same opportunities.”

CNIB has worked hard to make that goal a reality. It implements a more inclusive, integrative model to promote greater independence, quality of life and career success regardless of the client’s level of vision loss. Whether the client is blind or partially

Serge, Guide dog.

CNIB | 100 Years | 1

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sighted, a senior or a child, CNIB is an invaluable resource for every visually-impaired Canadian.

Historically, all services were paid for through fundraising, private donations, community foundations and government grants. CNIB presented a compelling case that vision loss should be viewed the same as any other rehabilitation therapy and should be included within the continuum of health care.

“If you were in an accident and lost the use of your legs and needed occupational therapy you’d get that through health care. If I lost my sight and needed rehabilitation therapy, I had to come to a charity,” Love says.

After four years of advocating to government, CNIB was successful and introduced the Vision Loss Rehabilitation (VLR) branch of services. Now the organization divides its services into two areas: the health care-supported VLR and the charitable foundation programs.

VLR provides clients with an assessment and training on daily living skills to enhance their safety, mobility and independence. CNIB programs help clients master independent living skills like pouring coffee, preparing meals and using appliances as well as techniques for labelling medications, identifying money and organizing household items to allow them to thrive at home. Outside the home, orientation and mobility services aid clients with finding their way independently and in a safe manner. This includes everything from finding and crossing at intersections to riding public transportation.

No matter what challenge your vision loss brings CNIB will support you to remain as independent as possible,” she says.

Karen Love and Brian Vey, Client Support Services Coordinator with his guide dog Serge.

CNIB also provides volunteer-sighted guides to assist clients in familiarizing themselves with their surroundings so that clients stay safe via one of our volunteer programs called Vision Mates As the vast majority of CNIB clients are partially sighted, VLR specialists also help clients better use the sight they have.

CNIB introduces clients to products and assistive technology including CCTV, which magnifies materials on a screen making them easier to read. This allows visually-impaired clients to look at photographs, read books and see the fine print on statements so they are able to pay their own bills and do their banking.

“It all goes back to making sure you’re helping clients be as independent as possible,” says Love.

Today’s technology, from talking watches and alarm clocks to portable magnifiers, makes it easier for clients to stay engaged in their community and CNIB helps clients access and operate this technology. Clients learn to use tablets or smartphones and the innovative apps available for them to have documents

read aloud, organize calendars and even find their way with a mapping program that uses sidewalks not roadways for directions.

IPads are also helping visually-impaired students feel more included at school. Rather than being relegated to the back of the classroom to use a CCTV machine, students can use an app that allows them to take a picture of the class material at their desks and have it read back to them.

“They can use their app so they’re not being treated differently.

It’s about inclusion, equality and independence,” she says.

CNIB works extensively with young people to give them the tools and confidence to excel in school and beyond. Staff transitions children into the school system and continues to support them throughout their schooling through programs such as ‘Beyond the Classroom’. Clients help each other as well with the buddy system pairing an older child with a youngster to help them overcome challenges and share positive experiences.

CNIB | 100 Years | 2

Brian Vey with Christopher Warner, Program Lead Community Education.

The goal is to empower kids and make them leaders advocating for themselves with support from CNIB and their families so they are prepared to take on the world as adults.

“We hear from parents that when their kids were born with severe vision loss that they’re never going to have the same opportunities that other kids are going to have, and we just want to prove them wrong. They’ll have the same opportunities but they have to do things in a different way,” says Love.

CNIB helps employers, families and the community better understand those different ways of doing things. Community Education staff and client advocates work in the community to educate groups about vision loss, eye safety and the services available to vision-impaired people and their families. CNIB also trains people to understand what kind of help clients may need, like being guided, and the proper ways to provide it.

CNIB provides incredible resources but clients value supporting each other through client-led peer support groups too. There is a group for every stage of life, where clients can share challenges and find solutions to issues they all face.

Support from sighted supporters is key too, and CNIB does its best to facilitate clients in their desire to continue with activities they enjoyed before vision loss. Vision Mates pairs sighted volunteers with CNIB clients to meet up and do whatever activity they have in common, whether that’s shopping, yoga, swimming or learning an instrument. These relationships ensure the clients are getting out in the community and it’s great for friendship, independence and engagement.

CHANGE THE WAY YOU VIEW EYE CARE This year, the Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB) celebrates its hundredth year of supporting and empowering Canadians with full or partial vision loss. At FYidoctors, we share in the belief that no Canadian should lose their sight to preventative causes.

We pride ourselves on putting patients first because eye care is our primary focus. Our doctor’s have access to advanced technology, such as the Optomap® Retinal Scanner, which allows us to detect potential health issues – including glaucoma, diabetes and even cancer.

See what you’ve been missing and book your next eye exam with FYidoctors.

“We see some really strong relationships coming out of that.

Some people have vision mates for years,” Love says.

CNIB strives to keep clients engaged at work as well as with career and employment programs. Whether clients are struggling to find work or to stay in their jobs once their vision changes, CNIB offers training to expand work skills as well as help identify solutions that can help visually-impaired employees better do their jobs via their Career Support Program or Assistive Technology Specialists undertaking workplace assessments. This can be as simple as moving their desk out of the glare of lights to make it easier to see or getting a program that reads documents aloud. With a high

Visit fyidoctors.com to find a location near you!

CNIB | 100 Years | 3

percentage of people with vision loss being unemployed or underemployed, CNIB aims to show that its clients are equally capable of doing the job.

Equality and independence are priorities for CNIB, and branches across the country have been advocating for access to materials and opportunities that will keep clients independent, fulfilled and involved in society. With Alberta offices in Calgary, Edmonton, Lethbridge, Grande Prairie, Medicine Hat and Red Deer, CNIB Alberta/NWT is able to provide assistance and resources to more than 16,000 clients across the province. The staff of 46 in Alberta, seven of whom are visually impaired, along with 264 volunteers work tirelessly to ensure clients have everything they need to succeed and flourish.

As CNIB celebrates its 100-year milestone, Love and her team proudly look back at what the organization has accomplished but their eyes are fixed firmly on the future and all there is still left to do. The plan is to continue boosting engagement in the workplace, harnessing the power of technology, and advocating for clients’ rights and supporting their daily needs.

“We couldn’t do what we do without our clients so we want to be able to celebrate our 100 years but also celebrate the strides the clients have made in their lives by supporting us,” she says.

Kathy Culhane, Certified Vision Rehabilitation Therapist and her guide dog Italy.

There are many ways you can get involved with CNIB and help support people who are blind or partially sighted in your community. You can give financial support through a donation, volunteering or create your own fundraising event with proceeds going to CNIB. Please check out cnib.ca or contact Karen Love at the Calgary office.

10 11a St NE, Calgary, AB T2E 4Z3 1 800-563-2642 www.cnib.ca

It has been an incredible 100 years of progress and empowerment for visually-impaired Canadians at CNIB. Colonel Baker would definitely be proud.

C o m m E r C i a l • i n d u s t r i a l s h E E t m E ta l W o r k

Congratulations CNIB on Proud to be the H.V.A.C. Contractor on 100 Bow Valley College Years!

Crosstown Heating & Ventilating (Calgary) Ltd. Edmonton • Calgary • VanCouVEr

4615 - 6a street nE Calgary, aB t2E 4B4 Email: xtown@crosstown-heating.com

Phone: (403) 250-7424 Fax: (403) 250-8279 res: (403) 288-1409

www.crosstown-heating.com

to the CNIB on providing 100 years of community-based support and as a national voice for those Canadians who are blind or partially sighted.

CNIB | 100 Years | 4

C

Spring Maintenance Packages Serve Sunik Roofing’s Clients Better

algary is a city of extremes, and with hot summers paired with bitterly cold and snowy winters, those extremes can do a number on a roof. For almost 30 years, Sunik Roofing has been battling the city’s challenging environment to help extend the life of its customers’ roofs.

“If I shingle your roof then we have a deal where we come back at no charge between year two and three to do a visual inspection – a roofing tune-up. We’d recommend this for all roofs,” says Nick Sims, Sunik Roofing president.

Whether it’s an aging roof or a new one, homeowners should have a professional come out for annual or biennial visits to ensure there aren’t issues after a tough winter. Sunik’s trained professionals know what damage can occur from heavy snow loads, ice, wind and the effects of thawing and refreezing so they can identify and repair trouble spots to avoid costly repairs later.

The team examines the roof thoroughly, looking for everything from exposed nails to curled or buckled shingles. As part of the maintenance package, Sunik re-tars plumbing collars and vents, checks the chimney, flashings and valleys, examines skylights to ensure they are sealed, and keeps an eye out for envelope

issues like condensation buildup in the attic from plugged or faulty vents.

Sunik’s roofers evaluate the general condition of the roof during this inspection, offering advice on what needs repair and how homeowners can limit wear on the shingles to prolong the roof’s life. They recommend caution when going out on roofs to clean or hang Christmas lights.

“I’ve seen homeowners get up on their roof and ruin a whole section from washing windows, so minimizing foot traffic is helpful,” he says.

Older or damaged roofs may need to be replaced, and the eight-time Consumer Choice Award-winning roofer is available to offer the best solutions. Sims recommends products that are more forgiving in this punishing climate, including rubber shingles and class-4 shingles that hold up against the elements, including hail, better.

A roof’s best defence against the ravages of weather is maintenance and prevention, and Sunik Roofing’s spring package offers homeowners peace of mind while saving them money down the road.

A Calgary Tradition Since 1921.

All in Good Taste.

FOR THE FINEST QUALITY PRODUCTS AND PERSONLALIZED OLD FASHIONED SERVICE

For the finest 5 star in-home dining experience • AAA Alberta beef (aged a minimum of 21 days) • Hormone and Antibiotic free fresh pork • Free Range poultry • Fresh Alberta lamb and veal and Gluten Free in-store made sausages and burgers • Calgary’s Consumer Choice Award Winner for the best meat and deli for 17 consecutive years

Experience the Bon Ton difference!

28 Crowfoot Circle NW | 403.282.3132 bontonmeatmarket.com

www.sunik.com

OPEN MON.-FRI. 9-6, SAT. 8:30-6, SUN. 10-5

403.280.2803 BUSINESSINCALGARY.COM // BUSINESS IN CALGARY // MARCH 2018

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32 TEAMS

656 STUDENTS 180 VOLUNTEERS

Over the course of 18 weeks, Calgary and area youth have developed a business idea, written a business plan, elected executives, and marketed and sold their products. Students would not have been able to participate in this valuable entrepreneurial experience without the mentorship of volunteers and the support of organizations dedicated to seeing Alberta’s youth succeed.

Thank You TITLE DONOR

INNOVATOR

Labour

PARTNERS

START-UP

IN-KIND

School of Business

VALUED DONORS

JA provides work readiness, financial literacy, and entrepreneurship programs for grades 4 -12 www.jasab.ca Learn more about Company Program at jasacompanyprogram.com

JA Southern Alberta A Member of JA Canada

Calgary White Hat Awards Celebrate our City’s Ultimate Hosts EXPERIENCE THE PALPABLE EXCITEMENT AND LOVE FOR OUR CITY

BY CASSANDRA MCAULEY

C

algarians are known for being ultimate hosts, as demonstrated through our genuine warmth and friendliness. Couple our welcoming nature with the white Smithbilt hat – Calgary’s lasting symbol of our city and legendary western hospitality – and you have the coveted Calgary White Hat Awards. Since 1961, the awards have celebrated the hard-working people who make significant contributions to Calgary’s standing as a great place to visit and to live.

In May, Tourism Calgary will proudly host the 56th annual Calgary White Hat Awards. For more than half a century, these awards have been one of the most unique tributes to outstanding customer service in the world – honouring individuals who have excelled in leadership and performance in 20 different categories from exceptional server to front-line retail professional to ground transportation driver. Five additional categories celebrate businesses and events that support Calgary’s vibrancy, brand and hospitality, including White Hat of the Year for Best Festival or Event, Restaurant of the Year, Legacy, and the Mayor’s White Hat of the Year.

established adjudication system. Nominees were assessed on their enthusiasm, professionalism and dedication to tourism.

Final scores are being tabulated and verified by a third-party auditor, before being reviewed by members of the Calgary White Hat Awards nomination committee.

This annual event is unlike any other. The unmatched energy and enthusiasm for those who make our city great, makes for a boisterous and fun Calgary-focused night. Tickets for the big night will go on sale in April and everyone is invited.

Be sure to get yours before they’re gone!

This year, a record 776 White Hat Award nominations were accepted, submitted by guests, co-workers or managers of individuals in the service industry who have direct contact with visitors. The nominees distinguished themselves by promoting Calgary through memorable and sharable experiences.

Calgary welcomes over seven million visitors each year, contributing approximately $1.6 billion to the local economy.

These numbers, and our pursuit to attract even more visitors, highlight the importance of embracing the vision of being the Ultimate Host City.

Each nominee was invited to interview with industry professionals who evaluated the candidates according to a pre-

To learn more about the Calgary White Hat Awards, and for details about purchasing tickets, see visitcalgary.com.

ABOVE: 2016 CALGARY WHITE HAT AWARDS. PHOTO SOURCE: PHOTOS WITH FINESSE

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Exciting Initiative to Better Serve our Innovation Community

I

n September 2017, the board of directors of Innovate Calgary announced its approval of a plan to move forward with a new corporate structure in order to better serve clients and the innovation community.

Effective January 1, 2018, Innovate Calgary separated into two fully independent organizations, each focused on delivering a subset of the mandate of the previous organization.

The first organization will operate temporarily as Calgary Technologies Inc. (CTI) while undergoing a renaming and rebranding initiative. CTI will be led by interim CEO Evan Hu and interim board chair Heather Herring.

CTI assumes responsibility of the adviser, programming and tenant services to community-based innovation-driven entrepreneurs and enterprises. Services are offered in The Inc. coworking space, the Alastair Ross Technology Centre, as well as the Nucleus hub in downtown Calgary.

“The team at CTI is focused on accelerating the impact of Calgary’s innovation-driven ventures. The next 12 months will be pivotal as we move forward launching new programs for startups, scale-ups and large enterprises. We are excited to be a part of the Calgary drive toward an innovation-driven economy,” says Hu. Hu is a serial entrepreneur who co-founded and was co-CEO of the ERP technology consulting firm Omnilogic, which grew to over 500 staff in five offices across Canada before being acquired in 1998 by PricewaterhouseCoopers. He is a certified executive coach working with entrepreneurs, executives and senior managers of startup and high-growth enterprises.

The second organization will operate as Innovate Calgary under the leadership of CEO Peter Garrett and board chair Ed McCauley. Innovate Calgary assumes responsibility for providing tech transfer and business incubation services to the

University of Calgary. Working closely with the office of the vice-president (research), services will continue to be offered to all University of Calgary faculty, researchers and students.

If you are a community-based, innovation-driven startup, entrepreneur or enterprise, visit www. calgarytechnologies.com to learn more about CTI’s mandate, programs and services.

If you are a University of Calgary researcher, student, faculty or staff, visit www.innovatecalgary.com to learn more about Innovate Calgary’s service offering.

ABOVE: EVAN HU ASSUMES THE ROLE OF INTERIM CEO OF CALGARY TECHNOLOGIES INC. (CTI). CTI IS FOCUSED ON ACCELERATING THE IMPACT OF CALGARY’S INNOVATION-DRIVEN VENTURES. PHOTO SOURCE: CALGARY TECHNOLOGIES INC.

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Photo: Neil Zeller

YOU HAVE TO BUILD UPON A GREAT SPACE Conferences, conventions and business events are all about the rooms and the space. Or are they? It’s where you start when planning your next event and it’s what you’re looking for when hosting your guests.

But it’s not the room that’s remembered. It’s the full experience beyond the space alone.

While the room and the space are the foundation of a great event, today they are the table stakes and the blank canvas needed to start. That’s where you need to begin.

Find a location at the centre of it all. Choose a spot that balances the needs of your guests with the feeling you’re wanting them to remember. Is the space easily accessible by foot, car or public transportation? Can your team load and unload quickly and easily? Do they have the space to host an intimate gathering of 10 or 20 or can they accommodate your group of thousands in a grand hall or theatre?

With more than 122,000 sq. ft. of flexible meeting space, 47,000 sq. ft. of exhibition space, a 20,000 sq. ft. ballroom, 36 meeting rooms, one multi-purpose hall, one full-service business centre, and all the technology you’d ever need, Calgary TELUS Convention Centre has the blank canvas you need for your next amazing event.

But that’s just the foundation for your great event. You need a host who equips you and your guests with the services needed to build upon that foundational space to create the most positively memorable event. That team must have industry leading professionals who commit to work with you—from pre-planning to the day of the big event and beyond. Select a host with decades of experience in helping planners choose the right space, in the best configuration, and with the perfect supports to produce your amazing event.

When planning the next event for your valued team, customers or guests, always look to a host who uses their space in the most functional AND creative way to help you produce a great experience. For Calgary TELUS Convention Centre, our refined focus and dedication is to provide the personal services and expertise needed to build upon our great spaces.

It’s what’s at the centre of who we are and it’s at the centre of our goal: to help you produce the most positively memorable events you can create.

calgary-convention.com BUSINESSINCALGARY.COM // BUSINESS IN CALGARY // MARCH 2018

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MARKETING MATTERS // DAVID PARKER

Marketing Matters

BY DAVID PARKER

T

yler Chisholm, CEO ClearMotive Marketing Group, says as the world of technology evolves he has been excited to collaborate with clients to bring some amazing solutions to the table.

Hive Innovations successfully used virtual reality to launch its SAGD well pad solution to catapult the company from a startup in 2017 to a large block of committed work for 2018.

And ClearMotive is ramping up for the year with an early competitive win to complete the rebrand and packaging for AOR (Advanced Orthomolecular Research), and also won an RFP with Alberta credit unions to lead and develop a digital marketing strategy with the goal of increasing provincial awareness and consideration of credit unions.

Other good news includes the renewal of AOR status with Valvoline Canada and Honda Canada for the fifth consecutive year.

Creative agencies produce some fine work for their clients but too many are tardy in keeping their own promotion current in telling their successes.

Not so at Brookline Public Relations where Shauna MacDonald and her team keep us all informed on how they are doing. Their latest two-pager announced a great start to this year as Brookline has been retained again as agency of record for three of its national and provincial clients.

It has supported Pursuit (formerly Brewster Travel Canada) for the past two years in its promotion of adventure travel in Banff and Jasper National Parks, including the Banff Gondola, Mount Royal Hotel, Glacier Adventure and Glacier Skywalk.

This will be the eighth consecutive year as AOR for rapidly-growing quick-serve restaurant Edo Japan,

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and Brookline continues to do a fine job for Jayman BUILT through media relations, community investment initiatives, blogger and influencer relations as well as strategic PR for Westman Village.

Scott Lawrence has joined Everbrave Branding Group as a fourth partner and vice president of digital.

The ACAD grad and producer of award-winning projects for clients such as Nike, AT&T and Infinity says he will help Everbrave’s clients to grow their business through digital means and thinking differently about how to leverage technology.

Everbrave, led by president Dan Bergeron, was founded in 2014 from the merger of Squeeze Creative and RFX Brand + Communications.

The medical cannabis industry is going to need a lot of help from the communications industry and Mosaic has been working with Brighton since early 2017.

The company was founded by Kiley Geddie whose life was dramatically changed after an accident left him a quadriplegic. After years of suffering he found relief when his doctor prescribed medical cannabis. Along with business partners, he established Brighton in 2013 and chose Mosaic to develop a strong brand story.

Parker’s Pick The Luiza Campos interview with Jim Button: A Branded World podcast on the Marca Strategy website.

EMPTY SPACE?

Blank Canvas.

At the Calgary TELUS Convention Centre, it’s expected that we have great spaces.

They’re like the blank canvas behind a masterpiece. But like any great work of art, the magic is found in what’s brought to that blank canvas.

We’ve earned a reputation by helping create amazing events. We empower discerning planners to select the right space and work with them to help create their own work of art—an amazing event and experience.

calgary-convention.com