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MAY 2018 | $3.50 BUSINESSINCALGARY.COM

Opportunity

CALGARY’S CONVENTION

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CLARK GRUE HAS BIG PLANS FOR CALGARY’S TELUS CONVENTION CENTRE

DEALING WITH LNG

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CALGARY CHAMBER SECTION

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STORY TITLE // SECTION

Supporting the visions of entrepreneurs one story at a time.

Volume 27 | Number 5

REGULAR COLUMNS

11 12

Death By Delay

By Frank Atkins

Entry-Level Wages are the Starting Point not the Destination

By Amber Ruddy

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The Power of Print

Chatterson

CONTENTS COVER FEATURE

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16

Trudeau Government has Double Standard for Foreign Oil Imports

By Colin Craig

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Our Constitution’s Worth Fighting for, Mr. Trudeau

By Cody Battershill

Calgary’s Convention Opportunity Clark Grue has big plans for Calgary’s TELUS Convention Centre

By John Hardy

ON OUR COVER: ABOVE: CLARK GRUE, PRESIDENT AND CEO OF THE CALGARY TELUS CONVENTION CENTRE (CTCC).

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Leading Business The Calgary Report Current developments for Calgary Telus Convention Centre, Tourism Calgary, Calgary Economic Development, and Innovate Calgary

PHOTO SOURCE: EWAN PHOTO VIDEO

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Marketing Matters

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

By David Parker

STORY TITLE // SECTION

Supporting the visions of entrepreneurs one story at a time.

Volume 27 | Number 5

79

THIS MONTH’S FEATURES

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CONTENTS COMPANY PROFILES

79 85

Applied Electronics

Celebrates 60 Years

Gibbs Gage Architects

Celebrates 35 Years

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30 49 54 68 72

Real Estate Trends Detached contemporary homes a mainstay in Calgary’s real estate market

By Cat Nantel

B ILD Calgary Region Awards The tradition continues

By John Hardy

Autonomous Vehicles

The future of transportation

By Erlynn Gococo

Bringing the World to Calgary The Calgary TELUS Convention Centre and its impact on the city’s tourism industry

By Melanie Darbyshire

Dealing with LNG Canada’s grand plans

By Colleen Wallace

Compromising Net Neutrality Internet surcharges

By John Hardy

Your new home should be a new home.

And there’s never been a better time to build one.

If you’re in the market for a new luxury home in Calgary, now is the time to buy.

Your dollars will go further today than they will tomorrow—and there are still premium locations available. Homes with private lake access, river or ridge views are waiting for your family to call home. With over 60 years’ experience and a 95% referral rate, now’s the time to talk to Albi Luxury by Brookfield Residential about building the new home you’ve always wanted at a price that’s comparable to the luxury resale market.

Visit an Albi luxury showhome this weekend.

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OUR VIEW, TOO.

PUBLISHERS

Pat Ottmann & Tim Ottmann

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Just like you, we know the opportunities and challenges of doing business in Alberta.

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Melanie Darbyshire

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

THIS ISSUE’S CONTRIBUTORS John Hardy Erlynn Gococo Melanie Darbyshire Colleen Wallace Cat Nantel

PHOTOGRAPHY

Cover photo courtesy of Ewan Photo Video

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

Business in Calgary magazine’s circulation is audited twice a year by BPA International.

DEATH BY DELAY // FRANK ATKINS

Death By Delay

BY FRANK ATKINS

R

emember the Energy East pipeline? Here was a good idea that would have benefited the economy.

However, after many court cases and many protests, the idea just had to die. Now we are seeing the same thing happen with the Trans Mountain pipeline. In early April, Kinder Morgan announced it had suspended all nonessential spending on the project due to “continued actions in opposition to the project.” It is like dé jà vu all over again.

MY PREDICTION IS THAT KINDER MORGAN’S DEADLINE OF THE END OF MAY WILL COME AND GO, AND THE PROJECT WILL QUIETLY DIE. THE PRIME MINISTER WILL SHRUG HIS SHOULDERS (JUST LIKE HIS FATHER DID) AND SAY WE DID EVERYTHING WE COULD, BUT IT

This pipeline has now become a political game, with the usual cast of characters. First, there is the prime minister who continues to issue vacuous statements, while doing absolutely nothing concrete to address the situation. The scripted answer to all questions concerning Trans Mountain is, “We will continue to look at all our options; legal, regulatory and financial.” So far, there is no word on just what the options actually are, and just what action the government may be contemplating. It is hard to believe this is the same government that approved this project. The prime minister actually bragged about this stating, “That was our commitment, and it goes together with a national price on carbon and a historic oceans protection plan that is going to keep our coasts safe. This is all a package together.” Mr. Trudeau appears to be good at sticking to the script, which saves him from the painful process of actually thinking about an issue.

The last character in the political comedy is British Columbia Premier Horgan. Mr. Horgan got sort of elected (his party did not win the most seats in the election) by promising to oppose the Trans Mountain pipeline. This buys a lot of votes in the left coast where they have taken environmental hypocrisy to new heights. Here is a province that protests over pipelines, endlessly droning on about protecting the coastline and the evil climate change effects of using fossil fuel in cars. At the same time, British Columbians loudly protested when the price of gasoline recently surged to new heights. Apparently you are allowed to drive your car to the anti-fossil fuel protest.

British Columbians also conveniently ignore the fact that Victoria harbour is basically a very busy airport.

Next in line is (soon to be not) Premier Notley. We must remember this is the same Rachel Notley who opposed both the Keystone XL and the Northern Gateway pipelines while in opposition. Ms. Notley is doing an interesting balancing act of pretending to fight for the pipeline, but not too hard, lest she offend her left-wing voter base. We Albertans have got to be wondering how it came to be that we elected a party that opposes pipelines.

My prediction is that Kinder Morgan’s deadline of the end of May will come and go, and the project will quietly die.

The prime minister will shrug his shoulders (just like his father did) and say we did everything we could, but it was a business decision. Premier Notley will breathe a quiet sigh of relief, while pretending to be shocked and outraged, and Premier Horgan will gloat, while catching a seaplane from Victoria to Vancouver.

WAS A BUSINESS DECISION.

Frank Atkins is a senior fellow at the Frontier Centre for Public Policy.

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

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ENTRY-LEVEL WAGES ARE THE STARTING POINT NOT THE DESTINATION // AMBER RUDDY

Entry-Level Wages are the Starting Point not the Destination

BY AMBER RUDDY

he clock is ticking for Alberta business owners. In less than six months, the province will increase the minimum wage another $1.40 an hour to a nationwide high of $15 per hour.

T

owners effectively earns $15/hr or less, compared to one in five employees. This is in part due to the long hours entrepreneurs regularly put in, with many clocking a 50-plushour workweek.

The government’s campaign, which they call Destination Living Wage, politicizes job creation and frankly promotes a misconception that most people stay in entry-level jobs forever.

So when certain politicians vilify small business owners, casting them as fat cats and scrooges for opposing the minimum wage hike, it hits a big nerve for me.

What’s worse is the move came without any regard for the economic impact this sharp increase would have on the provincial economy.

Many small business owners treat their employees like family. They allow flexibility and personal support that big corporate firms are too bureaucratic and rigid to provide.

Today, almost half of minimum wage earners are young people under the age of 24. For those in our province working in entry-level positions, policies such as tax relief, training programs and education are far more effective than drastically hiking the minimum wage.

In a recent survey of over 1,000 Alberta small business owners, the CFIB asked business owners what changes they have already made as Alberta moves to a $15-an-hour minimum wage.

I remember my first job. I worked at a local coffee shop and was thrilled to be making just over the-then muchlower minimum wage. With this opportunity, I saved for an education and had some pocket money to enjoy leisure activities with my friends. I worked there for four years. In that time, I took on additional responsibilities, earned higher wages, and most importantly, I learned life skills that have stayed with me.

With an entry-level wage of $15, it’s hard to imagine someone would have gone through the effort of training me in customer service, time management and even basic skills like organization and being punctual when they could find someone with more expertise at that cost.

Fifty-five per cent have reduced or eliminated hiring plans.

Almost half have raised prices. More than 40 per cent have reduced hours, and have cut back on the number of employees. Not exactly a road map to a destination we should be travelling to.

Running a small business is not for the faint of heart. Most entrepreneurs will fail in their first year. Many fail more than once. They work incredibly hard, make sacrifices and show the true grit that is part of our Alberta spirit. In the process of chasing their dreams, small business owners are now creating four out of five new jobs in the private sector in our economy.

Let’s craft policies that support entrepreneurs not punish them.

Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) analysis shows that almost one in three small business 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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MAY 2018 // BUSINESS IN CALGARY // BUSINESSINCALGARY.COM

“Connect with me today – about your real estate needs for tomorrow.”

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6724 Bow Crescent NW | $4,250,000 (C4170259) This exquisite custom built home situated on the banks of the Bow River will impress the most discerning buyer offering over 9,600 sq ft of living space, 4+1 bedrooms and pristinely manicured grounds. The main floor presents 10’ ceilings, African oak hardwood floors, formal dining room, living room with wet bar and glass walk-in wine storage.

The kitchen will evoke nostalgia from its sundrenched presence to the double islands, granite counters, custom glass cabinetry, high-end appliances and breakfast nook. A main floor master retreat includes a custom walk-in closet and spa-inspired 5 piece ensuite with custom tub and separate glass steam shower. There is also access to the private gym and outdoor hot tub area through the master retreat or the main house. The second level offers a large media room as well as 3 ample sized bedrooms and 2 baths. The basement invites you to entertain in the bar/theatre room with 80” TV and custom bar. Additional highlights include a dance/exercise room, cold wine storage, fifth bedroom and bathroom. The tranquil and private back garden overlooks the Bow River and has been thoughtfully designed for outdoor entertaining including a patio, patterned concrete deck, 10 person hot tub, 65’x35’ sport court/hockey rink, basketball court and firepit.

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

CHATTERSON // THE POWER OF PRINT

Chatterson: The Power of Print W e’re Chatterson; a boutique research, strategy and marketing firm focused in the niche of real estate building and development. Our hyper-specialized skill set helps us solve challenges and seize opportunities for a wide roster of clients from all sides of the real estate industry including many of Western Canada’s top builders and developers. With offices in both Calgary and Edmonton, we offer in-house research, strategy, creative and videoproduction services to help solve marketing challenges across a number of real estate verticals from homebuilding and land development to seniors’ housing and commercial real estate, and everything in between.

That being said, we’re no stranger to printed materials; from sales folders and brochures to various forms of advertising, print is still an important marketing medium in our industry. For most people, a home is one of the biggest purchases of their life, and there is a certainty and security within the sales process when a customer leaves a sales centre or show home with printed information in hand regarding their future community or home. Additionally, it may be surprising to you how many different demographics still pick up a magazine or the homes section in the newspaper to learn about what’s available in their city.

We understand the world is changing, but we don’t look at it from a perspective of print versus digital – instead, we look for innovative ways to combine the two to create better marketing tools for our clients, and better experiences for their customers. A recent example of a collaboration of digital and print would be our newest software offering, HOMI. The HOMI application allows customers to choose, build and customize their home, whether single-family or multi-family, in an engaging, intuitive and interactive format. Customers make choices and customizations using a touch screen. However, the pinnacle of the experience takes place via print, when a custom brochure is printed on

the spot, showcasing the customer’s choice of specific floor plan, selection options and price. The power of print is front and centre – without overspending on production costs, or having to deal with unnecessary waste.

We believe in continuing to innovate and create the best of both worlds when it comes to print and digital. There is power in utilizing print not only in our industry but also many others. To be innovators, it really is all about looking outside of the box – which we delight in doing at Chatterson.

Likelihood to No=ce or Read Print Adver=sements

Likelihood to Notice or Likelihood to No=ce or Read Read Print Advertisements

Always

8% Always/Oien 35%

Always Oien

27%

Oien

Some=mes

82 Rarely

8%

%

47%

16%

Some=mes

Rarely/Never 19%

OF READERS NOTICE OR READ Never 3% PRINT ADVERTISMENTS Rarely

16%

Base: Respondents who read Business in Calgary (n=195) R3. How oUen would you say you read or take noGce to the adverGsements in Business in Calgary?

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

Never

3%

Congratulations to the

2018 NOMINEES FOR THE TRANSCANADA BOMA CALGARY EXCELLENCE AWARDS

TRUDEAU GOVERNMENT HAS DOUBLE STANDARD FOR FOREIGN OIL IMPORTS // COLIN CRAIG

Trudeau Government has Double Standard for Foreign Oil Imports

BY COLIN CRAIG

N

ew documents obtained by the Canadian Taxpayers Federation show the Trudeau government has rolled out the red carpet for foreign oil imported into Canada while putting regulatory blockades in front of Canadian oil.

The situation is not only irrational; it’s costing taxpayers billions – right across Canada.

Canadian company TransCanada recently gave up on its Energy East pipeline. The project would have helped offset billions of dollars Eastern Canada spends each year purchasing foreign oil.

A 2014 report by the Canadian Energy Research Institute estimated the Energy East pipeline would have contributed $3.5 billion in tax revenue for the federal government alone – money that could have helped pay for health care and other government services across Canada. Not to mention, the project would have created thousands of jobs for skilled labour.

But alas, common sense was just not meant to be.

After TransCanada spent more than $1 billion planning for the project, and going through the government’s approval process, the federal government announced the pipeline would also be subject to an “upstream and downstream” emissions review.

We all know what happened next: TransCanada pulled the plug on the project. Who can blame them? Why would anyone spend another dime dealing with an erratic government that changes the rules halfway through very expensive approval processes?

We then decided to file an “access to information” request with Environment and Climate Change Canada for reports and analysis on any “upstream or downstream impacts to

greenhouse gas emissions from foreign oil that is imported to Canada.”

The department responded: “After a thorough search, no records were found concerning this request.”

We asked Natural Resources Canada, the department of Global Affairs and Transport Canada for the same information. They too informed us they had no such reports.

Four departments, four free passes to foreign oil.

Why is the government putting up a massive regulatory roadblock in front of Canadian energy companies while giving a free pass for foreign oil?

Previously, the Trudeau government helped out Bombardier and Ford with nearly half a billion in financial aid.

Considering the two companies produce vehicles that emit significant amounts of carbon dioxide, one might assume those companies would also have gone through an “upstream and downstream” emissions review. But alas, the federal government informed us those companies were also given a free pass.

Our country is full of oil – we have the third-largest reserves in the world and yet Eastern Canada is importing 600,000 barrels per day of foreign oil. Why? Largely due to our own government’s immense regulatory hurdles – hurdles foreign oil doesn’t have to jump through.

Canadian governments are losing out on billions of dollars in tax revenues from large Canadian oil companies – money the government will still obtain by increasing our taxes.

Some people say our country is shooting itself in the foot economically, but what we’ve really done is aim the pistol right at our head.

Colin Craig is the Alberta Director for the Canadian Taxpayers Federation

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

Nominations are now closed. Thank you to all who have nominated, and to the nominees who are part of this year’s program. We look forward to assembling another group of influential people from our business community who will be honoured for their contributions towards making Calgary a great place to live and work!

Business in Calgary will celebrate the 2018 winners at our 11th Annual Awards Gala. Our July issue will feature the Leaders and their companies.

Save the Date Wednesday, June 27th | 6pm To stay informed on details for our event, visit www.businessincalgary.com/leaders or email leaders@businessincalgary.com

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OUR CONSTITUTION’S WORTH FIGHTING FOR, MR. TRUDEAU // CODY BATTERSHILL

Our Constitution’s Worth Fighting for, Mr. Trudeau

BY CODY BATTERSHILL

I

t’s decision time, Prime Minister Trudeau.

It’s up to you and your government colleagues to decide whether the Constitution of Canada is worth fighting for.

I say it is.

The governing institutions and the rule of law that make Canada the envy of the world are worth more than the misguided, activist-driven tirades of an anti-pipeline B.C. premier, who lost the last election but has been kept in minority power by a few Green seats.

Prime Minister, you’ve continually said you support the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion, yet federal inaction on the Canadian oil and gas transmission front is pitiable.

You allow a relatively weak B.C. premier to block a vital, fully-vetted expansion of a pipeline that’s operated without serious incident for more than 60 years; a pipeline expansion that’s been found in the national interest after years of intensive regulatory scrutiny.

While the Government of Canada sleepwalks toward a crisis within our Confederation, Kinder Morgan Canada has announced a suspension of all non-essential activities on the project due to continued active opposition from the B.C. government. This is very bad news.

THE WINNERS IN THIS CURRENT MESS ARE OBVIOUS: IT’S THE OTHER OIL-PRODUCING COUNTRIES, AND THEIR ACTIVIST CHEERLEADERS, SUPPORTED BY FOREIGN MONEY AND INFLUENCED FROM U.S. FOUNDATION BOARDROOMS. resources to a single buyer, the U.S., at a deep, deep discount to global market prices.

The Trans Mountain expansion must never go the way of the failed Energy East and Northern Gateway proposals. To survive as a viable nation, we need infrastructure to move our product to global markets and to a diversified set of international customers.

But let’s not overlook the federal role in all of it.

The private sector is willing to build the projects, but the federal government must play its regulatory role, assess project risk, render its decisions, enforce its findings and defend its jurisdiction. In short, the feds have a responsibility to keep this country on track. It’s a serious job.

I urge the prime minister to take urgent and immediate action to enforce the rule of law and to support his words with concrete actions to move this vital infrastructure project forward.

The winners in this current mess are obvious: it’s the other oil-producing countries, and their activist cheerleaders, supported by foreign money and influenced from U.S. foundation boardrooms.

The alternative is another failed project and the continued opportunity costs of being forced to sell our precious

We need federal action to prevent another cancelled project.

Mr. Prime Minister, it’s “go time.”

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

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OFF

THE

And the Winners Are… Saturday, April 14 was an award-winning night in Calgary.

For the 31st year in a row, the BILD Calgary Region Awards (formerly SAM Awards) were announced and distributed.

More than 1,250 guests joined together at the Calgary TELUS Convention Centre to recognize and celebrate the diverse categories of homebuilding achievement and excellence in the Calgary area.

This was a historic first year for the newly-coined BILD CR Awards and, according to Shane Wenzel, chair of the BILD Calgary Region Awards committee, “The first BILD Calgary Region Awards gala did not disappoint. The awards have the ability to bring the industry together to recognize the best in a hugely-competitive industry where quality, design and innovation prevail in every way.”

This year, as for three decades before, the popular and exciting awards gala was not only a special event occasion to celebrate the most creative and exceptional homebuilding work in the Calgary region building industry with peers, but the event was also an invaluable networking opportunity to get to know municipal representatives and politicians and other important Calgary-relevant industry partners.

The BILD CR Awards are acknowledged as one of the most comprehensive and prestigious of all homebuilding industry award programs throughout Canada.

The “silver goose” has become a recognized and prestigious symbol of building and development innovation. This year, a total of 700 entries were submitted by Calgary-area BILD members vying for the 58 awards in 11 different categories: nine advertising and marketing awards, four developer awards, one industry achievement award, 15 multi-family awards, 13 new-home awards, four partner awards, eight renovator awards, two sales achievement awards, two sales and information centre awards, and five grand BILD awards to the builders, renovators and BILD partners who have demonstrated a superior achievement in design, sales, advertising or service.

The judging process is detailed, with volunteer industry peers reviewing, evaluating and judging the 700 individual submissions and awarding points in each of the 11 defined categories. The top five in each category receive additional placement points that helped determine the grand winners.

The final results are reviewed and authenticated by MNP LLP.

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

And the 2017 Grand BILD Calgary Region Award winners are…

Multi-Family Builder of the Year (sponsored by Travelers Insurance Company of Canada) Shane Homes Ltd. FINALISTS: Jayman BUILT Brookfield Residential Homes by Avi (Canada) Inc.

Builder of the Year (sponsored by Genstar Development Company) Calbridge Homes Calgary FINALISTS: Jayman BUILT Excel Homes Mattamy Homes Baywest Homes LP

Builder of Merit (sponsored by WesternOne Rentals & Sales GP Inc.) Riverview Custom Homes FINALISTS: Dream Ridge Homes Corp.

Maillot Homes Inc. Douglas Homes Ltd. Urban Indigo Fine Homes

Partner of the Year (sponsored by NuVista Homes Ltd.) 3HD Building Systems Ltd. FINALISTS: Alberta Hardwood Flooring 1985 (Cgy) Ltd. Timber Tech Truss Inc. Breckenridge Concrete, a division of Breckenridge Builders Ltd. Avid Ratings Canada

Renovator of the Year (sponsored by West Campus Development Trust) Kon-strux Developments Inc. FINALISTS: Ultimate Renovations Renova Luxury Renovations Ltd. Dependable Renovations Ltd. Empire Custom Homes Ltd.

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

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Sam’s (Latest) Big Deal The offer took three days The curiosity and the buzz is understandable.

It’s about the $4.9-million listing price and the clinching $4.6-million offer. The two manicured acres of prime Springbank property. The stunning 9,341-square-foot home. The 19 rooms. The breathtaking kitchen. The sprawling master suite with a palatial ensuite and a 19’x13’ walk-in closet.

The spectacular, million-dollar pool (with a mosaictile pool bed which took craftsmen four months to complete) and hot tub. A babbling brook complete with a digitally-controlled waterfall in the sprawling backyard.

And (usually behind Sam’s back) catty mumbling and speculating about what the commission must be.

No, it wasn’t routine, even for dynamic, passionate, superbly-skilled and experienced high-achiever Calgary Realtor Sam Corea. “Of course it was big, exciting and special,” he admits with his characteristically enthusiastic smile. “But it was right in my comfort zone. It’s where my specialty lies. I understand the wants and needs and the psychology of the buyers and the sellers.

“I live the market every day and I love the relationship aspects of my job.”

The art and science of real estate – in any price range – relies on various important factors including location, realistic pricing, effective marketing and the all-important industry gauge of number of days on the market.

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As he concedes, with a quarter-century of professional and personal Calgary real estate experience, only a very few aspects about the recent successful Springbank sale were conventional.

“All things considered, this property wasn’t on the market long.

Only 354 days. The actual showing with the eventual buyer took more than six hours, over two days. From top to bottom and in between, absolutely everything was discussed and noted.

“It may be surprising that the offer negotiation lasted three days and only five minutes were about price. The rest of the time was about fine contract details, terminology, wording (even punctuation), the terms, closing day logistics and timing.”

It was a cash deal with no conditions. Both the seller and the buyer are local, in their mid to late 50s, empty nesters and neither is in oil and gas. As part of the offer negotiation process, they both needed to agree and schedule the July closing day around their respective travel plans.

“You never know, particularly with high-end listings, it may take a while. Sometimes sellers get listing fatigue,” he explains, “and part of the buyer psychology is ‘how long has it been on the market?’ Buyers tend to be leery about a listing that is shopworn.”

Corea echoes the popular adage that “it takes money – and a tremendous investment in marketing a listing – to make money,” especially in the highly-competitive and bumpy Calgary real estate market. He acknowledges a key of his successful professional strategy is a $300,000-$400,000 annual marketing budget.

For an expert Realtor like Corea, “The higher the price point, the more it involves gut feel and not science. In-depth market knowledge is always a must, and a high price range like this can get tricky.”

“When it comes to high-end listings, you must work hard, do the targeted and effective marketing, and have patience. At the end of the day, you either take a big win or a big loss,” he adds with a warm smile and a shrug.

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

ANNOUNCEMENT Ray Pisani, President and CEO of Alberta Blue Cross, is pleased to announce the appointment of Scott Thon as Chair of the Board of Directors of ABC Benefits Corporation, effective March 13, 2018.

Scott has served on the Board of ABC Benefits Corporation since 2012.

He is President and CEO of AltaLink, a Berkshire Hathaway Energy Company, and has over 30 years of leadership experience in the electricity industry.

Scott’s strong record of prior service includes serving on the board of the Canadian Electricity Association, Northview Apartment Real Estate Investment Trust and Calgary Stampede Foundation. He’s also a member of the City of Scott Thon Calgary’s 2026 Olympic Bid Advisory Council. He is a recipient of the Business in Calgary Magazine Leader’s Award, Bow Valley College Distinguished Citizen Award, Calgary Chamber of Commerce Sherrold Moore Award and the Alberta Centennial Medal.

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REAL ESTATE TRENDS // REAL ESTATE

REAL ESTATE TRENDS DETACHED CONTEMPORARY HOMES A MAINSTAY IN CALGARY’S REAL ESTATE MARKET

BY CAT NANTEL

W

hen Lauren and Trent Telfer bought their first home, they knew what they were looking for: an open-concept home in Parkhill with three bedrooms, an ensuite bathroom and a kitchen island that flowed into the living room.

“Entertaining is important to us which is why I wanted a kitchen island and an open-floor concept,” explains Lauren Telfer. And thanks Calgary’s softer residential market, Lauren and Trent were able to purchase their dream home – one they might not have been able to afford in 2014.

“As housing prices came down, some buyers were able to afford detached homes that might not have previously been within their budget,” explains Ann-Marie Lurie, chief economist at the Calgary Real Estate Board (CREB). “This is one of the reasons the detached and semi-detached housing market has fared much better than apartment-style housing and row housing.”

As of February 2018, the benchmark, or typical, price for a detached home is four per cent less than it was during

ABOVE: THE KITCHEN IS THE HEART OF THE HOME AND THERE’S NO BETTER WAY TO CREATE A SPACE WHERE THE WHOLE FAMILY WANTS TO BE THAN WITH AN OPEN CONCEPT DESIGN BY SHANE HOMES. THIS SPACIOUS SOPHISTICATED KITCHEN HAS A CLEAN CONTEMPORARY LOOK AND THE PENDANT LIGHTING OVER THE ISLAND IS A GREAT WAY TO BREAK UP THE RUN OF CEILING IN THIS LARGE OPEN SPACE. TOFINO II SHOWHOME IN MIDTOWN IN AIRDRIE. BELOW: SHANE WENZEL, PRESIDENT OF SHANE HOMES GROUP OF COMPANIES. PHOTO SOURCE: SHANE HOMES.

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REAL ESTATE TRENDS // REAL ESTATE

the price highs of October 2014.

What was previously a $522,000 home is now priced at $502,000.

In comparison, semi-detached homes have come down three per cent since their monthly high in August of 2014.

Meanwhile, apartment-style housing continues to struggle.

Prices have fallen 14.5 per cent since the high prices witnessed in October 2014. Back then, the benchmark price for a condo was $300,000. Today, these same condos are listed at $256,000. Row housing has also been hit hard with a 10.3 per cent decrease in prices since the highs in October 2014.

“When I first got into the business nine years ago, new condos in the heart of downtown were the trend,” explains Shilo Storey, lead agent at the Real Estate Storey at Re/Max First. “Now, people want more space. They’re shying away from busy streets. They’re really looking at size and location and want to weigh out their options.

They’re taking their time and looking for the best deal.”

And why wouldn’t they. According to CREB, in 2014, there were 4,000 units on the Calgary real estate market. The average unit remained on the market for 1.91

TOP: HAVING A CENTRAL UPSTAIRS FAMILY ROOM WITH TWO OPENINGS LEADING TO BEDROOMS ON OPPOSITE ENDS CREATES A SEPARATION BETWEEN THE OWNER’S SUITE AND THE SECONDARY BEDROOMS. CREATING THIS EXTRA FLEXIBLE SPACE IS A GREAT WAY TO ADD AN OPEN FEEL TO THE UPSTAIRS WHILE PROVIDING EXTRA PRIVACY BETWEEN THE PARENTS AND CHILDREN’S BEDROOMS. HALSTON SHOWHOME IN CORNERSTONE. PHOTO SOURCE: SHANE HOMES.

BOTTOM: MANY CONSUMERS ARE ADDING IN THE OPTION OF A MAIN FLOOR IT ZONE WITH A BUILT IN DESK. THIS OPTION ACTS AS A TRANSITION SPACE BETWEEN THE FOYER AND LIVING ROOM. IT’S GREAT SPACE TO USE AS A HOME OFFICE, AN AREA FOR THE KIDS TO DO THEIR HOMEWORK OR AS A CASUAL SPACE TO PLAY GAMES OR USE THE COMPUTER. THE DOUBLE DOORS ALSO ALLOW FOR THE OPTION OF PRIVACY OR LEAVING THEM OPEN TO CREATE AN EVEN MORE SPACIOUS FEEL UPON ENTERING THE HOME. IT ZONE IN TOFINO II SHOWHOME PHOTO SOURCE: SHANE HOMES.

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

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REAL ESTATE TRENDS // REAL ESTATE

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months. By 2017, there were 5,700 units on the market and the average unit remained on the market for 3.64 months.

The changing Calgary real estate market allowed Sami Bradford to buy her first home in October 2017.

“As a single mom, I had a tight budget,” explains Bradford. “It was a good time to be looking. Whereas I might have only been able to purchase a condo a few years ago, I was able to buy a three-bedroom town house. I even have a small yard for my dog.”

While buyers are shopping for the best deal in their preferred type of home and location, the look they are after hasn’t changed. Buyers continue to covet clean contemporary lines. Colour schemes are light, bright and monochromatic.

Remember that red feature wall that was so popular? Storey says it’s a thing of the past. “People are infusing colour into their homes with art or pillows rather than painting a wall.”

Also gone is the rounded arch. Everything is very square.

Shane Wenzel, president of Shane Homes Group of Companies, has been in the homebuilding industry for 28 years. The company, started by his father 39 years ago, builds detached single-family homes, town homes, semi-detached homes and apartment-style housing in Calgary and Airdrie.

“Many of our floor plans include a bonus room between bedrooms rather than at the front of the house,” says Wenzel. “In doing so, parents and kids no longer

ABOVE: SHILO STOREY, LEAD AGENT AT THE REAL ESTATE STOREY AT RE/MAX FIRST.

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

REAL ESTATE TRENDS // REAL ESTATE

OTHER TRENDS INCLUDE BASEMENT DEVELOPMENTS. WHEREAS THE BASEMENT USED TO BE A DARK AND COLD STORAGE SPACE, WENZEL SAYS MORE BUYERS ARE PURCHASING A HOME AND TACKING THE COST OF THE BASEMENT DEVELOPMENT ON TO THEIR MORTGAGE.

have to share a common wall and everyone gets a little more privacy. Home office space has also become more important.

People are working from home more and they need workspace. Pocket offices are quite common.”

Other trends include basement developments. Whereas the basement used to be a dark and cold storage space, Wenzel says more buyers are purchasing a home and tacking the cost of the basement development on to their mortgage.

Case in point, Lauren and Trent Telfer.

“We wanted a home that we could spend the next 15 years in,” explains Lauren. “We didn’t want to buy a starter home only to have to move again in five years when our family grows. We’re really happy with our purchase.”

“The basement is now an important living space for buyers.

It’s often developed with extended family in mind.”

One thing that hasn’t changed?

“Garages,” says Wenzel. “People still want the biggest garage they can get. People have lots of stuff.”

This makes sense since the basement is no longer the storage space it once was. According to Wenzel, when it comes to the home office and the developed basement, it’s about making the most of smaller spaces and living comfortably in them for a long time. “It’s a significant difference from when I started in the business.

Then, people seemed to buy with resale in mind; now they buy homes to truly live in them.”

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

27

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HOUSING MILLENNIALS // URBANOMICS

BILD CALGARY REGION AWARDS THE TRADITION CONTINUES

BY JOHN HARDY

M

usic has the Grammys and the Junos. Movies have the Oscars. TV has the Emmys. Journalists have the Pulitzer. And Calgary-area homebuilders and developers have the BILD Calgary Region Awards.

While this is the first year of a rebrand (from the familiar SAM Awards), the concept and commitment is more relevant and focused than ever: to celebrate excellence in new homes, innovative technology and construction techniques, outstanding presentation, marketing and sales activities throughout Calgary.

“For more than 30 years, the SAM Awards served our Calgary Home Builders’ Association (CHBA) well,” explains Shane Wenzel, president of the Shane Homes Group of Companies and director of BILD Calgary Region. “But with the recent amalgamation, which brought CHBACalgary Region and Urban Development Institute (UDI)Calgary together as BILD Calgary Region, it was a perfect opportunity to maintain the respected focus of the awards and also rebrand.

“Besides, the awards had long ago evolved beyond being just about sales and marketing (SAM). Of course, sales and marketing were a big part of the awards and, in a way, they are intrinsic to all aspects of many successful businesses. But for us, the spectrum also includes design and innovation in just as meaningful ways.”

New home sales and marketing have always been tricky, strategic market-specific factors for developers and new

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homebuilders, but so are other vital aspects about Calgary housing starts and consumer choices, like new home designs, the constantly changing aspects of new home innovations and the numerous other new home factors driven by consumer trends.

Included in the list: elevations; roof lines; exterior features; energy efficiency and other “green” options; lot locations; the number, size and layout of rooms; and design features such as windows, kitchens, ensuites, bathrooms, flooring, builtins and more.

A recent new home building industry survey highlighted some of the most popular features that new home buyers want: • Spacious, open-concept homes with high ceilings • Outdoor living spaces • Stunning kitchens • Things “green” • Closets and smart storage • Energy-efficient fixtures and appliances • Double-car garages But Calgary-area builders and developers add a caution: when it comes to the design, the innovation, the shifting demand for new home features and the marketing strategy, there really is no such thing as a Calgary average.

HOUSING MILLENNIALS // URBANOMICS

“Every market is unique and consumer wish lists can be drastically different based on influencers like economic forces, geography and regional demographics. Microclimates abound within our own region, too,” Wenzel points out.

“Appetites for specific features vary between provinces, cities, sales areas and communities.

“Trends are forever changing. The single-family home is still the preferred housing type of the majority of Calgarians. However, the stepping-stones to home ownership have become more costly and qualifications have become more onerous over the last few years. So other housing types have emerged: condominium micro suites and semi-detached homes are increasingly popular with multigenerational families.

“Above all, consumers want choice within their price range.

The basic strategy behind every sales campaign is to know who you are targeting and give them what they want better than anyone else can. It is not only the basis upon which businesses compete, but it is a proven ground for innovation.

“Some of the research from the CMHC 2018 Prospective Home Buyers Survey underscore BILD Calgary Region observations,” he says. “There are some unique Calgary-area factors which are significantly different from other centres.

Our Calgary market demographic is one of the youngest in the country, so starter product is much in demand. Fortunately for our industry, our millennials want to buy homes, not rent.

And the Calgary area also has a strong entrepreneurial sector which supports a luxury housing market.”

“Of course their past achievements are not suddenly null and void. The program has simply evolved.”

As in most other award contests, judging is a carefully regulated and authenticated procedure. Wenzel explains the questions asked of judges differ for every category and are reviewed annually. “We select some of the most discerning and critical judges and the process is all authenticated by MNP. We stand behind our checks and balances, some of the most stringent in the nation.”

Although the focus of the BILD Awards has been expanded and evolved, BILD Calgary Region opted to stay true to the familiar tradition of “the shiny goose.”

Last month, at the superbly-organized gala evening at the Calgary TELUS Convention Centre, 58 BILD Awards were given out to honour Calgary excellence in advertising and marketing, industry achievement, sales achievement, single- and multi-family home design, sales and information centre design, renovations, communities and show-home parades as well as industry partner awards for suppliers, manufacturers, trades, service professionals and consultants.

“Calgary people in our industry recognized the goose as being a coveted mark of achievement, so we kept it. We wanted to make the connection and honour all those who earned the recognition over the past 31 years and proudly display the SAM Award brand.

In addition, five Grand BILD Awards were presented to the Builder of the Year, Multi-Family Builder of the Year, Renovator of the Year, Builder of Merit (small to mediumsize builder category) and Partner of the Year for outstanding accomplishments in 2017.

ABOVE: THE BILD CALGARY REGION AWARDS.

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

31

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CALGARY’S CONVENTION OPPORTUNITY // COVER

Opportunity

CALGARY’S CONVENTION

CLARK GRUE HAS BIG PLANS FOR CALGARY’S TELUS CONVENTION CENTRE

BY MELANIE DARBYSHIRE

A

s Calgary emerges from one of the worst economic downturns it has ever seen, several points may be observed: Calgarians are steadfastly resilient; the energy sector has been, is and will continue to be the economic engine of the city; and – notwithstanding the previous point – the economy could do with a healthy dose of more diversification.

Clark Grue, president and CEO of the Calgary TELUS Convention Centre (CTCC), agrees wholeheartedly with each of these observations and in them, sees opportunity.

Since assuming his job on November 1, 2016, Grue has been tasked with re-imagining the role of the 44-year-old CTCC, which, until the oil-price plummet of 2015, was a given.

“The CTCC did very, very well in the good times,” Grue explains of the city-owned, not-for-profit downtown organization which last year held approximately 300 events – a significant drop from a few years ago. “Our local

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businesses would fill it up. But then the downturn hit and our business was hurt dramatically.”

Last year, the Calgary market accounted for roughly 56 per cent of the CTCC’s business. “The CTCC is often used as a community hub by Calgarians,” he acknowledges. “We’ll have things like graduations, weddings and other events that are very much part of the core of the city, which is an important role for us to play.”

The Canadian market (outside the city) meanwhile has typically accounted for 32 per cent while the international market brings in 12 per cent of the CTCC’s business. In the face of a drop in local business, Grue’s plan is to grow that international number.

“Part of our mandate is to bring visitors – convention-goers and delegates – to the city,” he continues, “because of the economic impact that those individuals bring. When they fly

CALGARY’S CONVENTION OPPORTUNITY // COVER

ABOVE: CLARK GRUE, PRESIDENT AND CEO OF THE CALGARY TELUS CONVENTION CENTRE (CTCC).

PHOTO SOURCE: EWAN PHOTO VIDEO

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

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CALGARY’S CONVENTION OPPORTUNITY // COVER

in, use taxis, stay in hotels, eat in restaurants, all those things are powerful economic drivers. So we’ve put more of a focus on the external and bringing the international folks here.”

It’s a job well suited for Grue, whose resumé includes local and international business development at the British trade office in Alberta, at Calgary Economic Development and as a founder and partner at Rainmaker Global Business Development for 10 years. He is also vice chair of Meetings Mean Business Canada, vice chair of the American Chamber of Commerce in Canada, and sits on a task force for Canada for the B7, the business component of the G20.

In addition to the direct economic impact – including on the CTCC’s own 130 employees who range from the executive to event services to housekeeping and maintenance – Grue highlights the indirect and induced economic impact of conventions. “A convention centre bringing groups of people to your city to interact with Calgarians can be an incredibly powerful economic engine.

Intellectual capital gets shared and jobs get created – the restaurant next door can now hire somebody because they’ve got convention activity every week for a month. The local engineering firm gains more work from interactions with out-of-town engineering companies. The impact is wide spread.”

When times were good in Calgary, the convention opportunity – successfully pursued by other Canadian cities like Vancouver – was overlooked. Now, Grue urges, is the perfect time to seize the moment. “People like Calgary; they want to come here, but we’ve been expensive and we’ve been full. Now, with hotel vacancies up and rates down, Calgary can compete on the global market.”

And a massive market it is: in the U.S. alone, the conventions and meetings industry reached $845 billion in 2016. “It’s an enormous industry that nobody really sees,” Grue declares.

In the past, the CTCC’s international focus has been on that lucrative U.S. market, which does fetch some of the organization’s largest contracts. “But the challenge there is going after American convention planners who don’t always like to go outside the States,” Grue explains. “Only 37 per cent of Americans have passports – there’s a large number who just don’t travel outside the U.S.”

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Grue’s vision therefore has the CTCC going beyond the U.S. to Europe, China and Mexico. “Europe specifically has a large number of groups that meet and move around the world in that 500- to 1,500-person range,” he explains. “That’s a sweet-spot group for us. It fits our city not only from the point of view of convention space but also hotel space. Our target has really shifted to that European market.”

The Chinese market is a brand-new market and an opportunity to build upon the growth in Chinese tourism.

“We need to get ahead of that market and start to pitch Calgary as a place to bring what they would call a meeting of an executive group or a state-owned enterprise,” Grue opines. “It could be 1,000 to 10,000 people.”

Mexico, and the opportunities presented with NAFTA, is another market Grue has set his sights on.

To help bring his vision to life, Grue has restructured the CTCC at the top. He created two new, unique vice-president positions, including VP of acceleration. Adam Joyce was hired on for the role.

“Adam isn’t from the convention centre business; he’s a startup guy and has been in that space for a long time,” Grue offers. “I wanted somebody who was an entrepreneur, who really understood what it meant to grow a new business, because that’s what we’re doing.”

Growing the business, he adds, will require more space, both in terms of the CTCC and surrounding hotel rooms.

Indeed, the 122,000-square-foot CTCC – made up of 47,000 square feet of exhibit space, five pre-function areas and 36 meeting rooms – does have its limitations. According to Grue, it is technically undersized for Calgary and would ideally be double in size, though it does comfortably accommodate conventions in the 1,500- to 2,000-person range. “That’s a very nice size for us,” he says. “We have 1,200 hotel rooms connected to us which is the top in Canada. We have an advantage there.”

But while its size may be on the smaller side, Grue doesn’t prescribe additional space as the only answer. “We talk about our ‘convention district,’” he explains of the north and south sides of Stephen Avenue between Centre and First Streets southeast. “We have the Marriott, the first convention centre

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CALGARY’S CONVENTION OPPORTUNITY // COVER

building and the Glenbow Museum, and across the street is our newer building and the Hyatt. When you put all the space together on those two blocks, we’re not far off that ideal size.”

Grue and his team are examining ways to activate existing space differently. “How do we create experiential space that is more interesting and more saleable to a convention organizer?”

Because experience, Grue reiterates, is what conventions are all about. “Convention planners are looking for safe environments, ease of walkability and amenities that can easily be accessed on a one-hour break – they’re looking for things that will create an appealing experience for delegates.”

To this end, Grue hired Kurby Court as the new VP of experience. “I needed somebody who could really understand how to create an experience for our customers and for a delegate who comes to Calgary,” Grue explains, “from the minute they think about coming here to the minute they go home.”

ABOVE: CALGARY TELUS CONVENTION CENTRE, IN THE HEART OF DOWNTOWN. PHOTO SOURCE: GREG CASHIN

INSET TOP: GALA HOSTED AT THE CENTRE BRINGS LOCAL COMMUNITY TOGETHER. PHOTO SOURCE: NEIL ZELLER

INSET BOTTOM: SHOWCASING THE SET-UP OF EXHIBITION HALL PREFUNCTION AREA

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CALGARY’S CONVENTION OPPORTUNITY // COVER

For Grue, Court and the team, this means creating experiential space wherever they can within the current confines of the CTCC. New rooms and elements such as furnishings, lighting and colours are being used to create a spatial sensation that allows people to think and interact differently. “It’s no longer about one massive room with a bunch of chairs and a speaker at the front,” Grue maintains.

It also means taking better advantage of the “convention district” by integrating the spaces and services of surrounding businesses into CTCC offerings. For example, a reception at the Glenbow Museum or a spa day at the Hyatt are elements that can add to a delegate’s experience.

Conventions are changing in other ways too, both in terms of the growing number of events and the types of groups desiring to meet. “Technology and the new format of how people like to meet often means smaller and more specific groups,” says Grue.

“For example, it’s no longer just back doctors, it’s vertebrae-five back doctors. There’s a lot more of these specializations, and those are a pretty good size for us too.”

The larger, more traditional conventions remain strong targets of course. In fact, the greatest proportion of conventions worldwide are in the medical industry, the STEM disciplines and business professionals.

Before Grue pitches the CTCC to prospective clients though, he must first pitch his city. “It starts with a Calgary sell,” the fourth-generation Albertan reveals. “We work very closely with the Stampede, Calgary Economic

Development, Tourism Calgary and other groups to sell Calgary first.”

Notwithstanding the CTCC’s new direction, it is considered one of the best in its class, having held countless galas, weddings, high-profile speaking events, AGMs and conventions. Last year, it hosted the International Live Events Awards Gala and every summer hosts Otafest – a 9,000-person anime festival that attracts delegates from around the world.

It has several repeat customers, including the Calgary Chamber, the Society of Petroleum Engineers (Calgary) and the CFA Society Calgary which holds its annual dinner of approximately 1,400 professionals at the CTCC every year. “The service is second to none,” raves Jade Marage, communications and events manager for the CFA Society Calgary. “They are extremely professional; some of the best in the city. And the location is very convenient for my members since they don’t like to leave the downtown core.”

To Grue, it’s an opportunity all of Calgary should encourage.

“Conventions are not designed to be contained inside a convention centre; they’re actually meant to ripple out into the city. Delegates always go out and pour money into our economy.”

Already a favourite locally, the CTCC’s courtship of the international market has good prospects. Grue’s plan to leverage Calgary’s strengths to drive major economic growth, in the heart of the city, is both opportunistic and visionary. It has the potential to place Calgary – once again – on the world map.

ABOVE: SETTING UP FOR A PANEL ATTENDED BY INTERNATIONAL, NATIONAL AND LOCAL DELEGATES. PHOTO SOURCE: NEIL ZELLER

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

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Elbow Park masterpiece set on a beautiful, park-like lot (over 13,000 SF) in a superb location - this is truly an urban oasis and you’ll feel transported from the hustle & bustle of the city as soon as you step inside the gate! This home has been professinally, lovingly renovated by an architect (to the studs w/ updated insulation, plumbing, garage, kitchen, ensuite, wiring, copper piping, 6” walls + entire bsmt & mechanical redone in 2013/14 & roofing in ‘17) yet maintains all the charm & character expected in a home of this vintage. it boasts a triple garage (w/loft), huge outdoor entertaining space with fireplace, a chef’s kitchen w/ Calcutta marble countertop, white cabinets & high-end stainless steel Wolf & SubZero appliances (48” Wolf range w/ 2 ovens), generously proportioned formal living spaces, 4+2 bedrooms, 5 fireplaces, reno’d spa/6-pc ensuite with heated Carrera marble flooring & reno’d basement with wine room, family & games rooms, bedroom, bathroom, gym (could be 6th bdrm) & hobby/work Rm.

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Ascend the spiral staircase to the upper floor arriving at the large master suite with a Juliet balcony and ensuite with steam shower. Two additional bedrooms, both with ensuite bathrooms, and a luxurious bonus room with city views are located on this level. The basement is the perfect space for entertaining with a full bar and large recreation space, as well as a fitness room and a fifth bedroom. Truly a palace in the inner city!

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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, infloor heat & new Bosch boiler system, updated electrical, professional-style Wolf, Miele & Sub-Zero appliances, builtin 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!

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Mid Century Modern Marvel! This wonderful split-level home in the hidden gem community of Bel-Aire is a design lovers dream. Located on a large lot with a wonderful South facing backyard, this home underwent an extensive high-end renovation in 2013, while tastefully maintaining its mid-century allure throughout. These elements are apparent in the fireplace stone, architectural open riser staircase, glass brick window elements, grass cloth and other statement wallpaper accents.The high end updates are apparent from floor to ceiling, with modern light fixtures, plush wool carpeting, granite countertops in the kitchen and bathrooms, and porcelain tiles in the kitchen and master ensuite. This home is the perfect space for a family , with multi levels and open spaces to spread out across and enjoy. The expansive backyard is an ideal place for a garden party or lawn games. A sublime home, on a large lot, in an idyllic community…the perfect combination!

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NEST

426 or 428 or 43 0 - ELE VENTH S TREE T NW

Three units to choose from, offering luxury in the heart of Kensington! this incredible, architecturally designed new executive tri-plex features outstanding, high-end 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 Pk, 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 & Sub-Zero appliances, Empire kitchen & bath millwork, Ann Sacks designer backsplash, Caesarstone counters, sitefinished white oak hardwood, European plumbing fixtures, 10” baseboards, 9 & 10’ ceilings, Legrand electrical outlets, ICF party-walls & foundation, heated garage & basement floor.

COUGAR RIDGE | $1,388,800

63

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

Custom built marvel! Located on a quiet cul-de-sac this home sits on a large pie shaped lot with an unbelievable back yard overlooking a coveted city view and vast secluded green space. With custom millwork throughout, a solarium off the main living space, a hot tub room in the walk-out basement, and an oversized triple garage (tandem with workshop and access to spce kitchen) this home’s expansive living space and sleek design details set it apart from other homes in the area. A large kitchen, formal dining room, and elegant living room complete the main floor. Six generously sized bedrooms, each with their own ensuite, offer space for everyone. The master bedroom is an expansive retreat with a three sided fireplace partitioning the bedroom and sitting area, as well as a luxurious master ensuite with dual vanities separated by a large corner jetted tub. The basement also features a bar, media room, and steam shower; while the lush backyard’s low maintenance landscaping presents layered terraces, an outdoor cooking space, and a putting green!

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SAM@SAMCOREA.COM

MARKETING

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 treehouselike 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.

SPRINGBANK | $1,195,000

7

S P R I N G G AT E E S TAT E S

A home looking out to the mountains! Located on two acres of land on a quiet cul-de-sac with space to expand and design the home of your dreams. The lot offers a private setting with lots of mature trees surrounding the property, and 5,391 sf of living space the possibilities for this house are endless. Backing out onto an open and secluded west facing yard with views of the mountains, this four level split is a great value and is ready for your design ideas to be brought to life. The lower level and basement have been updated and include a recreation room, full bath, bedroom, bar area, and additional flex space. While the main and upper level include 4 bedrooms, a large sun room, and a full workshop space. Additional features include a large circular driveway, oversized three car garage, and the properties proximity to nearby Westhills and Glencoe Golf & Country Club.

DISCOVERY RIDGE | $1,085,000

75

D I S CO V E R Y R I D G E C R E S C E N T S W

Far from the hustle and bustle of the city in a park like setting, while still being close enough to amenities. A beautiful custom built 2-storey walkout with old world charm, featuring site-finished oak millwork, 5 gas fireplaces, and copper finished faux tin ceiling. The floor plan of the house welcomes guests with several areas for entertaining. The unique upper level has 3 bedrooms, in addition to the master, all with walk in closets, as well as a den and library, and an additional 5 piece Jack & Jill bathroom. The master bedroom features a cozy corner fireplace and ensuite with dual sinks, Jacuzzi tub, and dual head rain shower. The lower level provides additional space for entertaining with room for a pool table next to the wet bar, and access out to the patio connecting you to the intricate Griffith Woods park pathways. Views are easy to come by from various rooms in the home, with vistas of the distant mountains on a clear day from the master bedroom, and many of the rooms looking out to the yard and green spaces beyond. This home has space for everyone and could easily accommodate a large, busy family. With easy access to the mountains, this home truly feels like a cabin getaway in the city.

OUR EXPERIENcE IS YOUR ADVANtAGE

JUST ASK tEAM SAM YYc!

WORTH ®

YOUR HOME

FOR ALL IT’S

WEST SPRINGS | $965,000

23

W E S T P O I N T P L AC E S W

Family home with stunning oversized west facing yard - Located on a quiet cul-de-sac this wonderful home on a pie shaped lot is the perfect space for any family. The vaulted ceilings opening to the second level make the living room and kitchen a bright and welcoming place for everyone to enjoy. Casual meals are easily served at the island table in the kitchen, which also features gas cooktop, and a walk through pantry that leads into the laundry room and out to the garage. From the kitchen, the living space extends to the yard. This is the oasis you’ve been looking for, where you can relax and enjoy outdoor dining on the patio, and make s’mores around the fire pit. Upstairs, family movie night can be held in the inviting bonus room with built-in speakers and a cozy corner fireplace. The upper level also includes the master bedroom with ensuite, two additional bedrooms, and four piece bath.

ASPEN WOODS | $925,000

66

A S P E N S H I R E P L AC E S W

Made for your family! Located in Aspen Woods, with nearby shopping, schools, and access to the mountains, this home is perfect for any family. One the main floor coats and shoes are neatly hidden away in the mud room, while the pantry provides ample storage for on the go snacks and Saturday afternoon baking ingredients. Kids can work on homework at the kitchen island, as dinner is prepared while still being able to monitor progress or distractions. This space is easily transformed for entertaining with the open plan connecting the kitchen with the living room and deck. Upstairs, kids can play quietly in the bonus room, while the week’s laundry gets done down the hall. A master bedroom with ensuite, two additional bedrooms and another bathroom complete this level. The walk out basement leads out to a patio and south facing backyard. With a large recreation room, two more bedrooms, and a four piece bathroom this extra space is perfect for out of town guests or teenage children needing space of their own.

ASPEN WOODS | $829,000

29

A SPEN SUMMIT POINT SW

Get into Aspen! Here’s your chance to own in one of Calgary’s best neighbourhoods. Parents will love this home on a quiet cul-de-sac and its tasteful neutral palette. Picture a broad dining table accommodating the whole clan in the spacious nook. The generous kitchen sports stainless steel appliances, quartz counters, glass backsplash, abundant cupboards and a walk in pantry. Alongside, a family room with dramatic two storey stone faced fireplace captures your attention. A quiet study provides a spot for homework not far from watchful eyes. Moms will love the storage lockers in the mudroom and the organization they provide. Upstairs, a light filled bonus room with vaulted ceilings has access to a second storey patio for additional living space. Couples will appreciate the double sinks, soaker tub and large shower in the ensuite adjoining the private master bedroom. The schools, shopping, recreation facilities and proximity to the mountains are more reasons to get into this family friendly district.

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SAM@SAMCOREA.COM

MARKETING

MISSION | $799,000

#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!

SPRINGBANK HILL | $685,000

7232

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

Home sweet home in Springbank Hill! This wonderful home is well situated nearby to many desirable amenities such as Westside Recreation Centre, 69th street C-train station, Aspen Landing Shopping Centre, and many desirable schools. A perfect family home with ample living space. The kitchen, with stainless steel appliances, opens to a dining area and living room. Access from the mudroom into the pantry makes bringing in groceries a breeze. In the summer months the living space extends out to the large deck, spanning the width of the home. Upstairs includes the master bedroom, with walk through closet and ensuite. Two additional bedrooms, a 4 piece bathroom, bonus room, and laundry room featuring a drying closet complete the upper level. Rivalling any movie theatre the fully soundproofed basement media room, with tiered seating and surround sound, brings your favourite movie or sporting event to life. A guest bedroom with Murphy bed and 4 piece bathroom with steam shower heat round out this fantastic home.

BRIDGELAND | $675,000

#309

910 C E N T R E AV E N U E N E

A gem in the heart of Bridgeland with an unprecedented city view! This two bedroom, plus den/office overlooking Murdoch park and the East side of downtown is and ideal spot for anyone looking to live in a trendy neighbourhood within walking distance to unique restaurants and shopping, downtown, and river pathways.Two spacious balconies accessed from the living room and master bedroom provide ample outdoor space for after work grilling, or Saturday morning coffee and crosswords. A three sided fireplace separates the living room from the dining area and makes both spaces cozy and welcoming. The fully equipped kitchen opens to the entire main living space and features an island with bar seating , ideal for entertaining. The large windows in the master bedroom allow you to appreciate sunrise reflections on the iconic Calgary skyline, while getting ready for the day. With endless conveniences just outside your door, this condo really is everything you’ve been looking for when it comes to inner city living!

OUR EXPERIENcE IS YOUR ADVANtAGE

JUST ASK tEAM SAM YYc!

WORTH ÂŽ

YOUR HOME

FOR ALL IT’S

GARRISON WOODS | $650,000

175

YPRES GREEN SW

OPEN HOUSE (SUNDAY, MARCH 25 FROM 2:00 - 4:00 PM) - 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 full-height 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

STRATHCONA PARK | $625,000

5511

S T R AT H CO N A H I L L S W

Perched above the city skyline - Located in desirable Strathcona Hill this home overlooks a large park with expansive views of downtown. Just off the living room enjoy the fantastic city views from the front deck, or retreat to the private outdoor entertainment oasis in the landscaped west facing backyard. This renovated 3 bedroom infill is just 10 minutes west of downtown and was once featured in Dream Home magazine. Ideal for hosting guests, the sleek kitchen features stainless steel countertops, a bar/buffet area and an oversized island with seating for friends and family. Alternatively, guests can be seated out of the way at the bar style seating in the dining room looking into the kitchen, while still being part of the action.

Upstairs the skyline views take centre stage in the master bedroom which also features his & her closets, vaulted ceiling, and spa inspired ensuite with rain shower and dual vanities. The rec room in the basement completes this home and is the ideal space for a home theatre.

SPRUCE CLIFF | $449,000

#206

6 H E M LO C K C R E S C E N T S W

Enviable views of the river valley & west end of the city! With large windows throughout and an open floor plan the views can be appreciated from almost anywhere in the unit, however the wrap around balcony with access from both the living room and master suite is definitely the ideal place to enjoy these vistas. The kitchen is equipped with a gas stove, large pantry, and curved island with a breakfast bar; all the amenities needed to prepare anything from a quick week night meal to a culinary three course dinner. Beyond the dining area is a cozy fireplace and living room, which leads into the large master bedroom with ensuite bathroom featuring dual sinks, a soaker tub, and access into the walk-in closet. A second bedroom and full bathroom complete this lovely unit. In addition the complex offers extra amenities such as a full gym (cardio machines, weight machines, and free weights), bicycle storage, and easy access to the river pathway system, Shaganappi golf course, and the C-Train line.

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#TEAMSAMYYC PARKDALE | $439,000

#205

5 4 0 T H I R T Y- F O U R T H S T R E E T N W

Sleek inner city living! Located in well situated Parkdale, this modern two bedroom, two bathroom unit in a quiet concrete building is the perfect spot for young professionals or students. A short walk or pedal to Bow River pathways, restaurants and coffee shops; as well as easy access to the UofC, SAIT, and downtown are just some of the highlights of this optimal location! Welcome to this sunny, west facing unit that is priced to sell! The contemporary kitchen features granite counters, island, and stainless steel appliances, making it the perfect place to host friends before a night out. From the living room, open the doors to the quaint balcony to enjoy this additional living space, or make your way up to the buildings shared rooftop space with city views, patio furniture, and pergola. On lazy weekend mornings, enjoy breakfast in bed in the master bedroom with lovely, dual sink ensuite and walk-through closet. An additional bedroom, bathroom, and in-suite laundry complete the units many ideal features.

PATTERSON | $298,000

#1

2 2 6 V I L L AG E T E R R AC E S W

Fully Furnished Executive Suite! Attention first time buyers and rental property owners. This ideal two bedroom, two bathroom unit is a great option allowing you to easily step into home ownership or add to your real estate portfolio. The location of this unit within the complex couldn’t be better, directly across from the pool, hot tub, exercise room and tennis court. An upgraded kitchen includes an island with breakfast bar, granite counters and stainless steel appliances. There’s loads of pantry storage and a stacking washer dryer conveniently located near the kitchen. You’ll find a fireplace in the living room, an open plan dining area and a flex space perfect for an office. Each room features a dynamic downtown and park view. BBQ on the patio overlooking the city skyline and green space. This unit comes with one underground parking stall and has guest parking at the front door. There is also a generous additional storage unit. Getting around town is a breeze with easy access to Sarcee and Bow Trail.

SUNALTA | $195,000

#204

2 0 0 6 E L E V E N T H AV E N U E S W

Steps to the LRT! The Sunalta C-Train station, city centre, river pathways and restaurants of 17th Avenue SW are all just moments away, putting this one bedroom unit in the perfect location. Walk to local hot spots and your favourite boutiques, bike into work in the downtown core or spend your evenings enjoying beauty of the Bow River trails. Commute to the University, enjoy events at the Saddledome or zip to the south or north ends of the city easily on the C-Train. This second floor 495 square foot apartment with a balcony is positioned at the end of the avenue, away from traffic in a quiet pocket.

The kitchen’s updated appliances include an over the stove microwave and an under-counter European style washer/dryer.

The very desirable Sunalta Elementary school is just up the road for those looking to get into this school district. First time buyers or real estate investors looking to add to their rental property portfolio will appreciate the value this apartment style condo has to offer.

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Calgary |Airdrie | Okotoks | Balzac | Banff | Bearspaw | Bragg Creek | Canmore | Chestermere | Cochrane | Crossfield | Langdon |Millarville | Priddis

RAINTECH IRRIGATION LTD.

Sprinkler Installations and So Much More

T

o have a lush lawn in Calgary you need to know the right people. For more than 30 years, the right people have been at Raintech Irrigation Ltd. Their skilled professionals can design, install and support the perfect underground sprinkler system and ensure that it stays in top shape year after year. By providing the best products and the expertise needed for proper installation, Raintech is dedicated to achieving total customer satisfaction.

“We install irrigation systems, but we also do so much more,” says Niv Stilman, partner and marketing manager for Raintech.

Raintech offers full installation, DIY packages, as well as a showroom and online store that carries the best brands in the business. Customers can find replacement parts or upgrades including the popular Wi-Fi controller that can be operated from any smart device. Raintech also performs maintenance and service on irrigation systems, regardless of whether Raintech installed them or not. In fact, the company boasts one of the biggest service departments in the city and surrounding area.

Whether clients are booking their startup maintenance and repairs, the city’s required back-flow testing to prevent water contamination or winterizing at the end of the season, they know Raintech’s courteous and proficient crews will be on time, do the job well and keep them informed of any issues or repairs to avoid unpleasant surprises. Raintech’s service and expertise is second to none, which explains why the company

by Rennay Craats

won the Consumer Choice Award for business excellence six years in a row.

Customer service is the key to the company’s success.

Over the years, customers from Calgary, Airdrie, Okotoks, Balzac, Banff, Bearspaw, Bragg Creek, Canmore, Chestermere, Cochrane, Crossfield, Langdon, Millarville and Priddis have come to expect the quality product and high level of service that Raintech represents.

That dedication to customer satisfaction and community comes from the top. The four partners, Lavinia Ridao, Amit Goren, Eli Markus and Niv Stilman, are not just the management; they are all hands-on and do whatever is needed within and outside the office.

It’s important to them to help Calgary’s children and their families, so Raintech is a proud supporter of the Children’s Cottage Society.

“We are all part of the team and of the community,” Stilman says.

The hard work and attention to detail over the past three decades has made Raintech proudly one of the best in the residential and small commercial irrigation industry.

#131, 11055 – 50 Street S.E. Calgary, Alberta, T2C 3E5 403.279.5678 • raintech.ca

35 Years in Business

The Reluctant Vacation T

o vacation or not to vacation?

In today’s workplace, it’s not only a question but a surprising dilemma.

According to a consensus of recent HR surveys and reports, some 91 per cent of contemporary employees get paid vacation time, although the specific amount of allowed vacation (number of days) – one, two, three weeks or more, split up or a cumulative total – differs with employer policies.

Yet slightly more than half (54 per cent) of people do not take all of their allowed vacation days. And, for various regional and private reasons that will never be defined or confirmed, the numbers have spiked by more than 10 per cent in the past five years.

For an average worker who gets two weeks vacation but leaves five days on the table, they are effectively giving hundreds of dollars back to the company.

The overwhelming reason, according to HR analysts, is fear: fear of falling behind on their work; fear no one else in the company can do their job; or fear of being disconnected from work. More than half suggest job insecurity – fear of being replaced.

“People who don’t take vacation typically feel that no one else can do their job,” points out John MacInnes, CEO of Print Audit – the Print Management Company – and an EO Calgary member. “We say, let’s see. If that does turn out to be the case, the company needs to mitigate that anyway. It is almost never true. We will get along fine while they recharge.”

On the upside? Some 80 per cent said if they felt fully

Contributing Members:

supported and encouraged by their boss, they would take more time off.

“In my companies, we start everybody with four weeks a year, many with six weeks. We did a lot of research,” he adds. “More vacation equals better productivity. One week before vacation people typically accomplish five times more than an average week. We encourage our people to take at least a week four times per year. If they do that, we get approximately 16 extra weeks of productivity per person.”

Tara Kelly, president and CEO of SPLICE Software and an EO Calgary member, has a positive but different opinion. “Vacations are key and provide great value. It is a break from something, a break from the norm and an immersion into the new or unknown. It helps bring new fresh content into your brain it encourages growth, risk, safety and change. All of these things are needed to have a thriving business.”

She cautions that employers cannot mandate a vacation. “We can mandate that they don’t show up to work for period of time; that’s just a vacation from the location and to go any further is messy.

Many employers wonder, with contemporary staff being so plugged in 24-7: is vacation time really what it’s meant to be?

“How much we are unplugged and for how long is situationally dependent. We all need to be unplugged every day, sometimes for a short while sometimes for longer. Vacation is no different.

“As employers, we can set good examples and inspire employees to use their vacation time to charge their batteries, explore new things, follow their passions and feed their soul.”

Upcoming Events: May 2

• Leadership Breakfast Series

May 9-11 • Compassionate Leadership Retreat May 24

• Valentine Volvo-The Future of Mobility

John MacInnes

Tara Kelly

May 31

CEO of Print Audit - The Print Management Company

president and CEO of SPLICE Software

• Collins Barrow-February Budget Highlights

May 31

• An Exclusive EO Night with the Panda’s

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

|

For membership inquiries: membership@eocalgary.com

AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES // TRANSPORTATION & DISTRIBUTION

AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES

BY ERLYNN GOCOCO

THE FUTURE OF TRANSPORTATION

T

he way people move and travel continues to evolve and become more sophisticated – from the onset of rail technology first developed approximately 200 years ago to the aviation industry. Personal transportation has also evolved from the simple horse and buggy to today’s automobile. Whatever the form of transportation, all of these changes significantly impact the way our city has been designed and the way people live and work.

Autonomous vehicles by definition mean driverless – vehicles that can perform and transport without a driver.

The autonomous systems market worldwide is a massive industry. From personal transport vehicles to haulage

systems, such as Suncor Energy’s commercial fleet of autonomous haul trucks in the oilsands, to delivery drones, this is the future of transportation.

But the future of transportation comes with certain risks and legalities and our federal government must be better prepared to pave the way.

Andrew Sedor, the city’s senior executive advisor for transportation, says, “There have been a variety of predictions as to the scale of the autonomous systems market. A 2017 study from Intel and the research firm Strategy Analytics claims that just autonomous vehicles

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

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AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES // TRANSPORTATION & DISTRIBUTION

will contribute to $7 trillion (USD) worth of economic activity and new efficiencies annually by 2050. While there are a variety of dollar figures floating around, most people can agree that the impact of automation will be huge economically and societally.”

Sedor explains that when it comes to drone technology, however, there will be limitations. “They would not be allowed to operate under Transport Canada regulations due to various restrictions. The federal government has exclusive jurisdiction of aeronautics.”

According to a news release by the Standing Senate Committee on Transport and Communications, Canada is ill-prepared for the future of transportation. Senator Dennis Dawson, chair of the committee, says, “We are on the cusp of a transportation revolution and Canada must be ready.

Cities were ill-prepared when ride sharing came to Canada; we cannot afford to repeat this mistake. We are far behind at helping the industry prepare itself.”

The committee also claims that “fully-automatic cars will one day be capable of performing virtually all driving tasks, while connected vehicles – cars that can interact with their environment and relay information to the driver – offer new levels of safety and instant access to information.”

With all the new technology, the committee has also been analyzing the risks and rewards they offer. “After

“THEY WOULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO OPERATE UNDER TRANSPORT CANADA REGULATIONS DUE TO VARIOUS RESTRICTIONS. THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS EXCLUSIVE JURISDICTION OF AERONAUTICS.” ~ ANDREW SEDOR ABOVE: KOMATSU TRUCK AND SHOVEL IN THE AUTONOMOUS-HAULAGE SYSTEM FIELD TRIAL, PICTURED HERE MOVING OVERBURDEN. PHOTO SOURCE: SUNCOR ENERGY

BELOW: ANDREW SEDOR, SENIOR EXECUTIVE ADVISOR, CITY OF CALGARY TRANSPORTATION. PHOTO SOURCE: CITY OF CALGARY

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

// TRANSPORTATION & DISTRIBUTION

A InvItAtIon

Call ahead to book your experience and for VIP parking

403 266 4417

Who

You and the wonderful people you want to share with us.

questioning experts and taking fact-finding missions to meet top researchers, senators have released a report making 16 recommendations to set Canada up for success. Broadly speaking, the recommendations urge various government departments to work with innovators to lay the groundwork for policy that will encourage the responsible development of this technology. The committee believes a coordinated national strategy will be necessary to ensure Canadians benefit from these technologies.

What

An original men’s fashion presentation.

“A national strategy would also allow the government to prevent potential harms.

Strong cybersecurity measures will be necessary to maintain public safety and confidence, and rigorous oversight is required to ensure personal information gleaned from connected and automated vehicles is securely held and not exploited.”

The City of Calgary is working with the University of Alberta, University of Calgary and other public and private stakeholders on conducting a low-speed autonomous vehicle pilot that would run between the Calgary Zoo and the TELUS Spark Science Centre.

“The group is aiming to have the project run for around one month in September 2018,” Sedor says. “The universities are looking to research various topics including the evaluation of the performance of the shuttle in terms of provision of lastmile option, travel time, charging duration, loading and unloading behaviour and observation of passengers’ behaviour in terms of comfort and adaptation. Because of the collaborative nature of the project, this as an opportunity to showcase Calgary’s academic and industry talent when it comes to new transportation technologies.”

Sedor explains that current provincial and municipal legislation do not contemplate the regulation of automated vehicles (AVs), however, there is nothing in provincial legislation or municipal bylaws that explicitly block the operation of AVs.

ABOVE: AT THE WATCAR TEST TRACK, SENATORS MEET WITH ENGINEERING STUDENTS BEFORE TAKING A SPIN IN THE AUTONOMOOSE ON OCTOBER 3, 2017.

When

10 - 6 ish Mon - Sat

Where

SUPREME Corner of 4th Avenue & 3rd Street SW Downtown Calgary

Why

Supreme is a catalyst for change, using fashion to connect aware & beauty-filled people who are making a difference.

SMWL.CoM BUSINESSINCALGARY.COM // BUSINESS IN CALGARY // MAY 2018

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AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES // TRANSPORTATION & DISTRIBUTION

“Rather, the operation of an AV would likely be indirectly barred by various requirements in the legislation with respect to vehicle legislation, distracted-driving legislation and operator licensing,” he notes. “The Province of Alberta has stated that ‘while legislation is not yet in place, the Government of Alberta is working on the issue and anticipates that a regulatory framework for AV testing will be announced no later than June 2018.’”

As far as Calgary becoming an autonomous-vehicle testing city and building on Calgary’s geomatic strengths, Sedor says, “Many jurisdictions in North America and globally are looking to facilitate autonomous-vehicle testing in hopes of boosting economic activity and creating jobs. A range of approaches have been used to attract companies to test products from constructing testing facilities to simply changing legislation to allow testing with minimal requirements. In all cases, a level of enabling legislation has been put in place to enable testing.”

In addition, Calgary Economic Development conducted a location-quotient analysis to determine the level of clustering of the autonomous systems industry in Calgary and found there are currently over 2,300 companies employing over 17,000 Calgarians in this industry.

Additionally, when it came to above-surface surveying and mapping jobs (a key component in the development of AV technologies), Calgary has a concentration three times higher than the national average, claims Sedor.

But what are the benefits, if any, to the automated/driverless industry? “Saving lives and less accidents is by far the biggest benefit we can expect from automation. Already the road to automated cars has led manufacturers to increase safety measures in cars that used to be available only in high-end vehicles or experimental cars: intelligent cruise control, cameras, radar and car-to-car communications has already arrived,” says Dawson.

Ken Brizel, CEO of ACAMP (Alberta Centre for Advanced MNT Products), agrees with Dawson and says the advancement in AV technology will reduce road fatalities and injuries. “According to the World Health Organization, every day, road-traffic accidents claim more than 3,400 lives worldwide, with a total of 1.25 million deaths annually and between 20 and 50 million suffer non-fatal injuries. Speed

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

IN ADDITION, CALGARY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CONDUCTED A LOCATION-QUOTIENT ANALYSIS TO DETERMINE THE LEVEL OF CLUSTERING OF THE AUTONOMOUS SYSTEMS INDUSTRY IN CALGARY AND FOUND THERE ARE CURRENTLY OVER 2,300 COMPANIES EMPLOYING OVER 17,000 CALGARIANS IN THIS INDUSTRY. and bad driver decisions are a few of the key issues causing road fatalities and injuries. Intelligent autonomous systems aim to reduce road fatalities and injuries by forcing the vehicles and roadways to interact in such a way as to reduce the likelihood of accidents through rules and controls.”

The call to action for Alberta, says Brizel, is more investment in technology development of real products not just research for the sake of research alone. “We have world-class engineers, scientists and mathematicians living in Alberta already and graduating from our universities; these disciplines are required to create new technologies. Technology-product developers for volume manufacturing and entrepreneurs are critical for the future of a new technology-based economy in Alberta and they are hard to come by.”

Typically every year, according to Brizel, over 30,000 students from Alberta post-secondary schools graduate and a majority of them leave Alberta to work somewhere else in the world. “We need to help and nurture product developers and the entrepreneurs that will lead the teams.”

The Standing Senate Committee on Transport and Communications warns, “Canada cannot afford to delay.

Connected and automated-vehicle technology is here to stay.

The federal government must ensure the country is prepared so that Canadians can take full advantage of the next generation of transportation.”

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BRINGING THE WORLD TO CALGARY // TRAVEL & TOURISM

BRINGING THE WORLD TO CALGARY THE CALGARY TELUS CONVENTION CENTRE AND ITS IMPACT ON THE CITY’S TOURISM INDUSTRY

BY MELANIE DARBYSHIRE

C

algary’s tourism sector is known for many great things – the Stampede, the gateway to the Rocky Mountains and its many outdoor splendours, the Calgary Tower, Spruce Meadows, Studio Bell, TELUS Spark, the Calgary Zoo, Calaway Park and Winsport, to name just a few. Not only do these attractions bring people from all over the world to the city, they’re also intrinsic to the local scene: Calgarians, young and old, frequent them every day.

Perhaps less well known for its contributions to both the local tourism industry and the local economy is the Calgary TELUS Convention Centre (CTCC). For 44 years, the CTCC has

served Calgarians and visitors alike in countless conventions, banquets, galas, weddings, meetings and events. Its impact on the city, and the downtown core, is significant.

“Last year, we’re right around 300 events,” says Clark Grue, president and CEO of the CTCC, “which is a drop-off from a couple of years ago; we’ve been much higher. But these events can last a day or many days, depending on the configuration.”

Grue, who has been in the job for a year and a half, reveals that a large chunk of the CTCC’s business hails from the

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BRINGING THE WORLD TO CALGARY // TRAVEL & TOURISM

local market – banquets, graduations, weddings, AGMs, and the like. His plan, though, is to grow the CTCC’s convention business with the international market, particularly in Europe, China and Mexico. “It’s a tremendous opportunity for Calgary to bring in a lot more convention visitors to the city and use it as an economic driver.”

This is music to the ears of the CTCC’s neighbours.

Throughout the core, and along Stephen Avenue in particular, local businesses benefit from the avalanche of warm bodies the CTCC attracts into the downtown. Hotels, restaurants, galleries, shopping centres and boutiques, driving services – the impact is great in many ways.

“When customers choose to dine with us after or during a conference [at the CTCC] it impacts our business very positively,” says Brittany Rondeau, events manager for the Teatro Group which owns Teatro Ristorante – the iconic fine-dining spot one block east of the CTCC. “We are a very close restaurant within walking distance to CTCC and we are able to provide semi-private and private dining for small and large groups who are attending conferences at the CTCC. We often get bookings from conference-goers at the CTCC who are looking for another venue to host their clients and colleagues.”

This business, Rondeau says, is significant; Teatro stays up to date with the CTCC’s calendar in order to prepare for increased business when the CTCC is busy.

Johann F. Zietsman, president and CEO of Arts Commons, a multi-venue arts centre also located one block from the CTCC, sees the potential impact of convention business on his organization as significant, though he admits Arts Commons hasn’t fully harnessed it.

“We are presently in discussions to determine how we can better ensure that [CTCC] delegates get the information and the opportunity to attend some of [our] events when they are in town,” he explains. “We currently provide the CTCC with our show listings and they add this to their digital displays, which are in several locations around the CTCC. We are also discussing adding more to these digital displays as well as doing window displays in the common areas of the CTCC so as to provide information as well as to animate the space.”

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Donna Livingstone, president and CEO of the Glenbow Museum and CTCC’s closest neighbour, echoes these sentiments. “When delegates come to Calgary, they often look for an opportunity to understand the region and the history that surrounds Calgary. The additional activity in the convention district drives traffic to the Glenbow and exposes Calgary’s culture to these special visitors to our city.”

For nearby hotels, the CTCC’s impact is direct and measurable in the form of booked hotel rooms and increased hotel activity. “We have meeting space within our hotel, and delegates will often hold smaller meetings here,” says Joseph Clohessy, general manager of the Calgary Marriott Downtown. “Other spillovers happen for us in our restaurant, One18 Empire, which will host delegates in the evening after a convention at the CTCC has wrapped up for the day. We also have some of our biggest days in Starbucks when the Calgary City Teachers’ Convention is there.”

Another significant impact: the Calgary Marriott Downtown is the exclusive food and beverage supplier for the CTCC, and has been since it opened. “We partner very closely with them,” says Clohessy. “We work in their building, one-onone, and do basically everything from tabletop up. We work in a seamless way so that people don’t notice who it is that’s doing it; rather it’s all part of the experience at the CTCC.” This relationship accounts for approximately 70 per cent of the Marriott’s food and beverage business.

The CTCC’s proximity to nearby hotels also benefits those hotels with their own convention business. “We utilize the CTCC to provide additional meeting space to allow us (as a city) to bid on larger conventions that require more meeting space than what the downtown hotels could accommodate,” says Amy Johnson, general manager of the Hyatt Regency Calgary, located adjacent to the CTCC. Being in the downtown core is key. “Having the CTCC downtown allows us to sell Calgary with greater ease to meeting planners because the flow of the meeting space and guest rooms while using the +15 system adds to greater connectivity,” says Johnson.

In addition to the economic benefits, Zietsman highlights the cultural benefits of having a downtown convention centre. “It adds vibrancy to our downtown core and provides

BRINGING THE WORLD TO CALGARY // TRAVEL & TOURISM

an important platform for the exchange of knowledge and information.”

“People want to come here, experience the city in the heart of it, stay in the heart of it and attend their convention in the heart of it,” agrees Clohessy. “Then they want to attend the restaurants on Stephen Avenue, go shopping in the core and be able to do that all within the same wheelhouse. This is very much what Vancouver has done where people can hit a number of different things all from that core hub.”

The economic downturn and resultant drop in convention business has affected all the surrounding businesses, as well as those located further away. “Overall downtown hotel occupancy has suffered, which has resulted in a lack of compression in business levels which has, in turn, impacted hotels outside the downtown core,” says Johnson. “The lack of citywide business and convention traffic has affected every service sector in the city including restaurants, transportation, airport and hotels.”

are more diverse, innovative and entrepreneurial, and that’s what I believe will drive our public identity. We are experiencing more and more Calgarians describing their own city as ‘creative, vibrant, diverse and cool.’”

“Should our economy bounce back to a place where we are all thriving economically, I see the CTCC being a major player in downtown events and conferences,” adds Rondeau. “With the potential of an entertainment district in our city coming to fruition, I see the CTCC playing a major role in this community.”

With an impact that reaches far beyond its walls, the CTCC’s long-term success is something many in the city rely on.

With a plan to grow its international convention market share, while at the same time remain the go-to for the local market, Grue is steering the CTCC in the right direction: towards the future.

The lesson, many argue, is the need for a more diverse economy.

“Diversity in the economy is very important for Calgary moving forward,” says Clohessy. “And it’s using this opportunity to see what other aspects or elements can be brought into play in the economy.

The good news for Calgary right now is it’s a very competitive market in the convention space and we have a great value proposition versus the other markets like Toronto and Vancouver that have become very expensive over the past five years.”

Zietsman sees the CTCC as being an integral part of the future of the city. “We may always be associated with oil and the Stampede, but Calgarians of today and tomorrow find us on facebook BUSINESSINCALGARY.COM // BUSINESS IN CALGARY // MAY 2018

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Jennifer Gies

A lifetime of summers at Silver Springs Golf & Country Club

by Rennay Craats

T

he lure of the links is strong. Even after Jennifer Gies took a break from golf as a teenager, she found her way back once she finished university.

Returning as a member to Silver Springs Golf & Country Club (and now a board member) was like coming home again, especially since her family hold memberships as well.

“My mom and dad and sister were all golfing here. It made sense. I could spend one amount and have a whole year of recreation,” Gies says.

And now 20 years later, her family still enjoys coming together for a round of golf at one of Calgary’s most-engaged private courses. Silver Springs offers numerous leagues for members, including women’s leagues on Tuesdays. For those who are retired, not working or working varied shifts, a Tuesday day league is a perfect way to get nine or 18 holes in before it gets too hot. With the course only 15 minutes from downtown, Gies enjoys the women’s evening league after work. Whether it’s a fun game, a competitive round or a Texas Scramble, the women enjoy the sport, the company and the perks.

“For the Tuesday evening ladies’ league, the chef has been given free rein to imagine and create amazing food and beverage specials for us,” she says. “This is

that value added to the ladies’ golf experience that we look forward to amongst close friends.”

The golf is only part of what brings Gies and the other members to the course all season. For energy and exercise, it’s great to walk and play picturesque Silver Springs, with its rolling hills, coulees and mature trees.

Silver Springs has designed its layout to welcome players from beginner to competitive levels. And for those looking to improve their game throughout the year, the golf professionals have created The GARAGE, an indoor teaching academy offering group clinics and private lessons through the winter with use of high-tech virtual teaching tools.

The golf course has become that third place for Silver Springs members to add to home and work. It’s where they go to relax, play, eat, compete and belong.

“It is a place I can go where nothing else really exists. You leave everything behind for a few hours,” she says.

And with a one-year trial membership, potential members can see for themselves the benefits and advantages of a Silver Springs Golf & Country Club lifestyle. There is no other place Jennifer Gies would want to spend her summer.

Ask about our one year trial membership. 403.286.1456. www.silverspringsgolfclub.com | jon@silverspringsgolfclub.com

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jon@silverspringsgolfclub.com BUSINESSINCALGARY.COM // BUSINESS IN CALGARY // MAY 2018

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

Leading Business MAY 2018

The Small Business Week Calgary Awards are now open!

David Crosby and Cole Torode, Co-Owners of Rosso Coffee Roasters at the Inglewood café.

CalgaryChamber.com BUSINESSINCALGARY.COM // BUSINESS IN CALGARY // MAY 2018

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2018 Board of

Directors Executive Chair: Phil Roberts, President, Vintri Technologies Inc Vice Chair: Brent Cooper, Partner, McLeod Law

Should You Apply for a Small Business Week Calgary Award? Yes!

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 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

The Small Business Week Calgary Awards are now open! Built around recognizing the hard work entrepreneurs and small business owners dedicate to their business, the community and larger economy, the annual awards are part of Small Business Week – Canada’s largest celebration of small business.

Calgary is Canada’s small business capital with the largest concentration of small businesses on a per capita basis. In summary, that means there are a lot of small businesses doing some pretty great work right here in our backyard.

Being a finalist for the Small Business Week Calgary Awards is more than just honour and recognition; it’s a fully supported network of resources designed to help take your business to the next level. But being a winner, it’s so much more. Previous winners – which include Fiasco Gelato, Village Brewery, Spolumbo’s Fine Foods and Deli, Alberta Boot Company, Calgary Elite Roofing and Rosso Coffee Roasters – have gone on to become community builders and economic drivers for our city.

Jenn Lofgren, Founder, Incito

We caught up with last year’s ATB Small Business of the Year Award winner Rosso Coffee Roasters to talk about their experience and what it meant for their business.

Mike Shaw, Vice President, Calgary Region Gas Distribution, ATCO

CC: Why did you apply for a Small Business Week Award?

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

RCR: Small businesses play a very important role in our community. We create jobs for Calgarians helping to stimulate the economy. We are more agile than a large corporation and able to challenge the status quo and offer a unique product.

We create community spaces and gathering places. All of these things deserve to be highlighted amongst so many other talented entrepreneurs. It was never about winning an award but more about making connections and celebrating small business as a whole.

CC: What was the process like?

RCR: The process was meticulous. For us, it was a team effort in filling out the original questionnaire all the way down to the video shoots for the finalists. We started the process probably two months before we actually needed to submit, and we went above and beyond as far as detailed answers, video describing our story and consulting our peers. Then, we refined our answers numerous times until we felt our message was clear and concise.

calgarychamber.com

CC: What did it feel like to win? How did you feel when your name was called out?

RCR: Our team was thrilled! Thinking back to that moment, it was one of the most gratifying we have experienced in business. Days, months, years go by, it can be hard to stop and look back at all the things we have accomplished. This award was outside recognition that celebrated all the hard work and talented people that have brought Rosso to where we are today.

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The Rosso Coffee Roasters team accepting the ATB Small Business of the Year Award at Small Business Week 2018.

CC: How did the community react?

RCR: It was incredible how many people reached out after the announcement to congratulate our team. For weeks afterwards and even today, people are still talking about it. Up until recently, we had never done any advertising. Our growth was through word of mouth and community support. It is because of all of those people we are still here today and I know they feel like they are part of this celebration.

CC: If you could give one piece of advice to a business thinking about applying this year, what would it be?

RCR: The investment in the time it takes to complete the application process is well worth it. It forces you to take a good look at your business and all of its practices in insane detail. It is a worthwhile exercise for any business owner.

CC: Looking back on the whole process what was your biggest takeaway?

RCR: We are so involved in the four walls of our

business that sometimes we forget there is a large community of entrepreneurs that are facing lots of the same challenges. We are not alone. These events are so important for the business community.

CC: How has winning an award impacted your business?

RCR: Winning this award has been great for our brand.

We have seen an increase in traffic to our cafĂŠs and overall more brand awareness. It has also done some great things internally to our company culture. Our team feels very proud to be working and contributing to the success of a company that was recognized as the small business of the year.

The Small Business Week Calgary Awards are now open and applications are being accepted until June 1, 2018.

Nominate a business or apply for an award today at SBWYYC.com.

Rosso Coffee Roasters is a chain of seven unique cafĂŠs scattered throughout Calgary. They source coffee directly from farmers and roast all the beans in-house.

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

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A National Urban Strategy: Why it’s Time for Canada to Deliver Infrastructure Differently About the CGCC and the Importance of a National Urban Strategy The Calgary Chamber is a member of the Canadian Global Cities Council (CGCC), a coalition of the eight largest urban regional Chambers of Commerce and Boards of Trade in Canada: Brampton, Calgary, Edmonton, Halifax, Montreal, Toronto, Vancouver and Winnipeg. Representing 52 per cent of Canada’s GDP and more than half of the country’s population, the CGCC collaborates on international and domestic issues impacting competitiveness.

One such issue is our inability to deliver on urban economic infrastructure needs.

As such, the CGCC and the Calgary Chamber released Planning for an Urban Future: Our Call for a National Urban Strategy for Canada. The report proposes a shift from our current ad-hoc project-based approach of federal investments to one that attracts privatesector investment while addressing regional economic priorities.

The report identifies existing challenges facing Canada’s infrastructure delivery model and offers a cohesive intergovernmental plan to overcome these challenges.

The CGCC recommends Canada develop a national urban strategy, learning from the successes of OECD models, while tailoring it to meet our own, unique infrastructure needs. The report does not ask for more federal money. Rather, it proposes prioritizing infrastructure around economic needs and creating projects large enough to attract more private-sector investment.

We believe the economic competitiveness of Canadian cities depends on the quality of social, transport and economic infrastructure, and it is time to deliver this infrastructure in a new way.

Existing Challenges to Canada’s Infrastructure Delivery Model The report identified a multitude of challenges currently facing Canada’s infrastructure delivery model, including: Fair Funding: Existing infrastructure funding often

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requires municipalities to pay one-third of the costs of a project, with the provincial and federal governments each paying a third. This is a challenge, as municipalities do not have the same revenue-generating capabilities as other levels of government.

Demographic Shifts: Canada has rapidly evolved from a majority-rural to a majority-urban federation, however, Canada’s infrastructure model has not adequately evolved to meet the demands this demographic shift has imposed on urban municipal governments.

Economic Zones: Funding is usually allocated based on municipal jurisdictions or city boundaries. However, this is not how economic regions operate. While this is less of an issue specifically in Calgary, many cities in Canada, such as Edmonton or Toronto, are regions made up of multiple cities and usually corresponding multiple municipal authorities (for transit or land use). However, economic interests do not respect local or municipal boundaries and it’s not uncommon in Alberta to find a family that lives in St. Albert, with kids going to university in Edmonton, and a parent working in Fort Saskatchewan.

Private Investment: We need to identify or consolidate builds to find projects that are large enough to attract private-sector investments. In Calgary, we have struggled to use a P3 model because projects are not big enough to make it economical or the building requirements do not offer the flexibility to make a project worthwhile for an investor.

Politics: When selecting projects to build, often politics plays a bigger role than economic interest. When working with all three levels of government, you need to overlay municipal priorities, provincial interests and then federal ones. Politicians from each level of government put forward their priority lists and often what gets funded is the project that checks a box for all three.

Measuring Success: When it comes to infrastructure, we tend to measure success in terms of dollars spent or ribbons cut. A national urban strategy should be developed to not only determine how much should be spent on infrastructure, but to also establish a framework for measuring success – both for the value

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A National Urban Strategy: Why it’s Time for Canada to Deliver Infrastructure Differently generated by projects and in process – such as best practices for funding and building.

National Urban Strategies Achieve Success in Other Developed Countries Other than Canada and the United States, all other nine OECD members with federal systems of government have some sort of national strategy to guide urban investments and policy choices.

The report draws on the experience of other OECD countries, specifically those that have coped with Canada’s current infrastructure challenges associated with federalism in an urban era.

The CGCC report reviews the strategies of the U.K., Belgium, France and the Netherlands for successes and best practices. Using these as examples, and specifically Australia (whose recent change in government has reduced their focus on urban projects), we found that other OECD countries tend to set broader urban goals at a national level, develop specific data sets to measure progress, and engage cities and regional governments in flexible intergovernmental agreements to deliver on adopted goals.

Based on the findings, the CGCC provides a general framework for our governments to develop a Canadian national urban strategy.

Developing Canada’s National Urban Strategy A national urban strategy approach would create a marked shift from current Canadian federal doctrine on cities in at least three ways: 1. Funding for urban infrastructure would shift from competitive project-based funding to bloc support – likely on a per capita basis – for qualifying city or city plans. This would reduce the time-consuming complexity and political risk inherent in the projectbased funding model.

2. Cities would build a long-term plan of priority issues and projects in consultation with provinces and other stakeholders.

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3. The federal government would have a lead role in gathering data, disseminating best practices and measuring progress against key urban policy outcomes.

Under a Canadian national urban strategy, each level of government would have their own unique role, but would also be required to work collaboratively with all levels of government and other stakeholders.

The federal government would set national standards and take on a leadership role in measuring the quality of the infrastructure, pooling data on infrastructure quality and maintenance, and tracking maintenance levels. The federal government would also identify opportunities to consider city priorities within its own area of responsibility (for example, in the disposal of federal lands).

Provincial governments would work with cities to develop the specific priorities. Cities would then work closely with stakeholders to develop long-term plans that would identify a range of urban economic, social, environmental and transportation needs. It is likely that identified priorities would sometimes fall outside of explicit municipal areas or responsibility. Thus, Canada’s national strategy must allow governments to facilitate creative and collaborative approaches to finance and bundle projects that fall outside any one government’s jurisdiction.

The recent and successful federal, provincial and municipal approach to the REM rapid-transit project in Montreal is an example of what would be possible on a regular basis if Canada followed a national urban strategy similar to those in successful OECD countries.

The REM project saw successes through private-sector investment – therefore reducing the amount of funds the municipal government contributed. It also fulfilled citydetermined priorities, allowed for flexibility in project design which created economic opportunities for the investor, and represented one of the fastest turnaround times for a transit expansion project in recent Canadian history.

We believe the economic competitiveness of Canadian cities depends on the quality of social, transport and economic infrastructure. It’s time to start delivering this infrastructure in a new way. You can read the full paper at calgarychamber.com.

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.

Thanks Bell Canada

Bell is Canada’s largest communications company, providing innovative broadband, wireless, TV, Internet and business communication services to consumers and companies across the country. Bell Media is one of Canada’s premier multimedia companies with assets in television, radio, out-of-home and digital media. Founded in Montreal in 1880, Bell is wholly owned by BCE Inc. The Bell Let’s Talk initiative promotes Canadian mental health with national awareness and anti-stigma campaigns like Bell Let’s Talk Day and provides significant funding for community care and access, research and workplace initiatives.

For more information, please visit Bell.ca.

Celero Solutions

Celero is a provider of information technology (IT) solutions to credit unions and other financial institutions across Canada.

A full-service IT company, Celero provides complete banking solutions, IT planning, systems integration, hosting, support and consulting services as well as business analytics solutions and expertise. Celero meets the unique needs of financial institutions and delivers world-class reliability and security through its Canadian-based data centres, employees and operations.

For more information, visit celero.ca.

KPMG

As one of Canada’s leading professional services firms, KPMG is a trusted adviser to public and private companies, adding value to their businesses where it counts. Whether bringing forward innovative tax strategies, providing specialized advisory services or dedicating their focus to entrepreneurs, KPMG remains focused on meeting clients’ objectives and helping to build on their success. KPMG’s commitment is to provide service excellence every time. Think differently. Do differently.

For more information, visit kpmg.ca.

WestJet

WestJet was founded in 1996 with the mission of enriching the lives of everyone in WestJet’s world by providing safe, friendly and affordable air travel. With hub cities in Vancouver, Calgary and Toronto, WestJet is proud to provide award-winning service to 22 million guests a year. WestJet is one of only a few airlines globally that doesn’t commercially overbook. It is publicly traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX) under the symbol WJA. For more information, visit westjet.com.

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

Years as a member

Kelly & Creaghan Churchill Strategies Inc. Rocky Mountaineer Railtours Rohde & Liesenfeld Canada Inc. Boardgames 4 Us Inc. Hemisphere Capital Management Inc. Tim Wade Consulting Inc. Civeo Canada Inc. Devon Canada Corporation Intramed Medical/Crouse-Strauss Professional Kon-Strux Developments Inc. Michael Lipnicki Fine Pianos Mirage Landscaping Inc. Murray MacKay Professional Corporation OPA Souvlaki

20 15 15 15 10 10 10 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5

Servus Credit Union

Servus Credit Union is a member-owned financial institution serving approximately 380,000 members from more than 100 locations in 60 communities. The credit union’s vision of building a better world – one member at a time – inspires their commitment to provide sound, advice-based financial products and services; help members achieve personal satisfaction and enjoy financial stability and a good quality of life; and improve the communities where its members live and work.

For more information, visit servus.ca.

Congratulations to Rocky Mountaineer Railtours for celebrating 15 years as a Calgary Chamber member.

Rocky Mountaineer Railtours

Rocky Mountaineer offers over 65 unique Canadian vacation packages and four distinctive rail routes through British Columbia, Alberta and the Pacific Northwest. The worldrenowned, luxury train travels by daylight through the wild beauty of Canada’s West and is the best way to experience the majestic Canadian Rockies.

For more information, visit rockymountaineer.com.

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

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DEALING WITH LNG // NATURAL RESOURCES

DEALING WITH CANADA’S GRAND PLANS

BY COLLEEN WALLACE

ABOVE: AN ARTIST’S RENDERING OF THE PROPOSED LNG PROCESSING UNITS, STORAGE TANKS, RAIL YARD, AND WATER TREATMENT FACILITY FOR THE LNG CANADA SITE IN KITIMAT, BC.

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DEALING WITH LNG // NATURAL RESOURCES

conventional supplies of domestic natural gas which caused bullish predictions about future North American LNG demand. Among other grand plans, it resulted in an investment boom to build new LNG import facilities.

Then, something happened. Lots happened. Things changed.

Plans changed.

There was a surge in American unconventional natural gas production, primarily from shale gas. Suddenly the LNG import forecasts started to change. Natural gas production was boosted.

Prices dropped, as did the need for imported LNG. But, as it turned out, flag-waving only goes so far. Some industry analysts candidly suggest that, for numerous industry and economy reasons, when it comes to LNG, Canada is disadvantaged as Americans have always had an LNG edge.

“Compared to the U.S., Canada has been slow with more complex projects,” explains industry expert Jackie Forrest who tracks emerging and strategic energy trends as director of research at the ARC Energy Research Institute. “In Canada, we need to build upstream wells, pipelines that are 700-900 kilometres long, and liquefaction facilities in remote locations on our West Coast.

LNG T

here is more proof, especially in contemporary business, that life is what happens when you’re busy making plans.

Some 10 positive and exciting years ago, liquefied natural gas (LNG) was the natural resource darling of Canada’s energy sector. It was natural gas converted to liquid form for ease and safety of non-pressurized storage and transport. The gush of positivity was spiked by forecasts about decreasing

“And Canada has a much different regulatory process. U.S. projects are more simple, building on mostly brownfield sites with access to gas at liquid trading hubs that are in close proximity. The U.S. also introduced a new commercial structure that gained traction with Asian buyers and helped accelerate their projects.”

There are various other aspects to the American edge.

“Canada was late to the international LNG export scene,” says Susannah Pierce, director of external relations for LNG Canada, the joint venture organization comprised of four global energy companies. “Prior to the shale gas revolution, Canada, like the U.S., was siting and permitting LNG import facilities on both coasts. With the advent of commerciallyand technically-feasible hydraulic fracturing, the golden age of unconventional gas quickly took hold in the country.

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DEALING WITH LNG // NATURAL RESOURCES

“The U.S. was experiencing the same shale gas revolution, so Canada started losing its most important and only natural gas customer.” The stats, trends and projections don’t lie. The U.S. is becoming increasingly LNG self-sufficient and pipeline exports from Canada to the U.S. are drying up.

Some energy sector insiders warn that natural gas demand is relatively stagnant in Canada, even as the oilsands expand and Alberta transitions from coal power plants in favour of natural gas-fired electricity.

The U.S. is increasing how much natural gas is exported from LNG terminals and some Canadian producers are struggling to move gas out of Alberta as pipelines reach capacity.

“PRIOR TO THE SHALE GAS REVOLUTION, CANADA, LIKE THE U.S., WAS SITING AND PERMITTING LNG IMPORT FACILITIES ON BOTH COASTS. WITH THE ADVENT OF COMMERCIALLYAND TECHNICALLYFEASIBLE HYDRAULIC FRACTURING, THE GOLDEN AGE OF UNCONVENTIONAL GAS QUICKLY TOOK HOLD IN THE COUNTRY.” ~ SUSANNAH PIERCE

But according to industry analysts, the forecasts for Canada do show some momentum and even cautious optimism. “The opportunity for Canada to be part of the supply to meet the next forecasted wave of LNG demand is real,” Pierce notes. “As long as LNG projects can be competitive with other choices to supply LNG.” In addition, the energy sector – with ample unconventional resources – is shifting its focus from importing LNG into North America to exporting LNG from North America. And it is this shift that could eventually boost Canadian natural gas production growth and result in significant investment, jobs and economic growth.

“Before new technology that unlocked all this gas was developed,” Forrest points out, “the expectation was that North America would require imports from other places, as we did not have enough supply to meet that demand.

So the technology has totally transformed the outlook for natural gas on the continent.

“A key reason why we are shifting to being LNG exporters is because we have a low-cost abundant supply. By most estimates, shale gas resources could last 100 years at current consumption levels. A little known fact is that the production growth from Western Canada’s natural gas shale plays is comparable to that of the oilsands.

“Between 2009 and 2014, western Canadian shale gas and associated liquids grew by about 700,000 barrels of oil (equivalent) per day, while the oilsands grew by 800,000 barrels per day. Much of the shale gas expansion is unfolding in Grande Prairie, Alberta’s lesser-known energy boom town.”

As with so many aspects of business, price continues to be a crucial factor in the LNG world, and very much a factor for Canada’s success as an LNG exporter.

“The U.S. will have 10 Bcf/d (cubic feet per day, the unit used to measure the daily volume of gas produced, stored, transported or consumed) of export

ABOVE: LNG CANADA’S SUSANNAH PIERCE.

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DEALING WITH LNG // NATURAL RESOURCES

capacity by end of 2020, and is already exporting in the range of 2.5 Bcf/d, with more growth expected this year.

“When it comes to price, Canada is currently at about 50 per cent discount to U.S. pricing. I think prices will be more challenged the next few years as supply is high with limited new demand and pipeline exports. However, by 2020, low prices, new demand and exports should help constrain supply.”

LNG Canada’s Susannah Pierce underscores the challenging relevance of price.

“The cost of natural gas (at AECO) compared to other locations around the world is one of the factors that underlies competitiveness, in addition to the two days shorter shipping distance from British Columbia to Asia.

“On the downside, the level of capital investment required, without existing LNG terminals or pipelines in place to connect western sedimentary gas to the coast, is what works against LNG Canada.”

“CANADIAN PROJECTS ARE STILL PROGRESSING: LNG CANADA IS EXPECTED TO MAKE A [FINAL INVESTMENT] DECISION THIS YEAR [AND] SMALLER PROJECTS, INCLUDING WOODFIBRE LNG, ARE PROGRESSING. I STILL SEE A LARGE OPPORTUNITY FOR CANADIAN LNG BASED ON OUR LOW GAS PRICES, CLOSE DISTANCE TO ASIAN MARKETS AND HIGH PRICES IN ASIA.” ~ JACKIE FORREST

As detailed in EY’s recent Competing in The Global LNG Market report, “The global LNG industry is dealing with … a growing demand and an ever‑increasing amount of new capacity proposed around the world.” EY calculates that it could be as much as 350 million metric tonnes per year (mtpa), which, if all were built, would more than double current capacity by 2025.

EY also underscores the need for a surge in LNG investment to make it happen. “Investment in Canada’s LNG industry will depend on whether LNG projects are competitive globally. Plentiful natural gas reserves alone will not support development. Understanding where Canada stands requires zeroing in on the factors that determine competitiveness.”

According to the report, 15 Canadian LNG export projects have been proposed and nine have already received export permits with the expectation that many more will be approved (with a view that ultimately the market, and not the National Energy Board, will determine which projects are viable).

Natural Resources Canada (NRC) cautions there may be a short window of opportunity for Canada to capitalize on its LNG export potential. With intense competition around the world for LNG investments, NRC cites various examples how the federal government is working closely with several provinces to create conditions to support the development of an LNG industry in Canada.

Despite Canada dealing with some LNG speed bumps, the ARC Energy Research Institute’s Jackie Forrest is professionally upbeat and positive.

“Canadian projects are still progressing: LNG Canada is expected to make a [final investment] decision this year [and] smaller projects, including Woodfibre LNG, are progressing. I still see a large opportunity for Canadian LNG based on our low gas prices, close distance to Asian markets and high prices in Asia.”

ABOVE: JACKIE FORREST, DIRECTOR OF RESEARCH, ARC ENERGY RESEARCH INSTITUTE. BUSINESSINCALGARY.COM // BUSINESS IN CALGARY // MAY 2018

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COMPROMISING NET NEUTRALITY // BUSINESS TECHNOLOGY

COMPROMISING

INTERNET SURCHARGES

BY JOHN HARDY

N

et neutrality has become a controversial fact of tech life as well as a confusing business and political buzz phrase.

Sometimes referred to as freedom-of-Internet, net neutrality is the principle that all Internet service providers should enable user access to all content and applications, regardless of the source and without favouring or blocking particular products or websites.

“Net neutrality enforces that enterprises play fair to ensure consumers and enterprises get the choice they deserve,” says Lindsay Skabar, vice president of communications and marketing at Axia FibreNet, the Calgary-based designer and operator of several open-access fibre-based Internet and data networks. “After all, everyone’s ability to access data and services online should be considered equal. Without net neutrality, consumers, companies and institutions could lose equal access to all the online services and tools they need.”

Even for some tech-savvy users, thoroughly understanding net neutrality can be a tricky tech challenge. Reasonable analogies sometimes help.

ABOVE: LINDSAY SKABAR, VICE PRESIDENT OF COMMUNICATIONS AND MARKETING, AXIA FIBRENET.

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8020 Connect Inc. The Evolution of Investing

A

s a broker in the late 1990s to early 2000s, Darren Stewart anticipated monumental changes in the way people looked at investing. As the Internet began to play a larger role in daily life, more people moved their lives online in search of virtual convenience. Anyone could research companies, view trends and make trades through online brokerage accounts at a discount, all from the comfort of their couch.

Over the years that trend has grown, and with the introduction of social media technology the information has become increasingly muddied, often skewed by people looking to influence the market.

“In 2012, I saw there was a huge need to help companies control their narrative,” says Stewart, founder of 8020 Connect (8020). “There has been a major consolidation of the boutique brokerage industry, an industry which was the primary network for the junior markets in Canada, leaving a large gap in the Canadian markets.”

Those deficiencies in the market spelled opportunity for Stewart. He looked at how he could bridge the gap with an online regulated framework and came up with 8020 Connect Inc. In 2014, Stewart set out to create the first social shareholder/investor platform that would host a community of high-value, well-informed investors from around the world to engage with Canadian public companies.

The site would be like LinkedIn’s PhD big brother – investors can connect and network but unlike other sites, investors can’t create groups. All companies on the site are approved and confirmed by 8020 so investors know to whom they are really dealing. In that way, the 8020 site offers potential investors the opportunity and safety to learn about and interact with companies by getting credible information directly from management.

“It’s pretty simple. We protect the investor by giving them access to management, management protects their investment brand by controlling the narrative in the marketplace, and it is all done within a regulated framework,” he says.

Regulation is critical. 8020 was built to be a compliancedriven platform, designed with various mechanisms that ensure it adheres to the most current policies. Unlike other companies that skirted the issue of regulation in investment, 8020 started with regulation and built the entire system around it. What is stated by management on the platform is the company’s statement of record, giving shareholders and potential investors confidence in the information that is shared.

After all, information is power and the Internet explosion has only made it harder to determine what information is reliable. Fake news, opinion and malicious comments have no place in 8020’s investor groups. 8020 administrators monitor traffic and remove inappropriate content but the technology also has tools in place that allow other investors and shareholders to “vote out” and remove comments, and the poster of the comments, for inappropriate conduct or comments. External bulletin boards, which host investor opinion and speculation, play a vital role in the investment world but 8020’s goal is to promote a different conversation for people wanting to make informed investment decisions.

“We are fundamentally building a place for professional investment conversation between stakeholders,” he says.

8020 isn’t a site concerned with industry chatter. Instead, it is helping companies and their shareholders cut through the fog of misleading information to truly educate other shareholders and potential investors about their company’s business.

“We are now seeing shareholders helping to disseminate true information by reposting posts made by management on 8020 to other investor boards and or social sites,” Stewart says.

can just gather intelligent information on which to base their future investment decisions.

The site represents a new way of attracting investors, and 8020 is offering more than just a platform for posting information. With the changes in the marketplace over the past decade, companies have had to adapt the way they do investor communications. 8020 provides a more engaging way than traditional emails and news releases to reach and inform a new audience of investors.

Many of 8020’s client companies are using the system to its fullest capability. Jeff Stevens of Datametrex and Mike Rice of Emerald Bay are two examples of leaders embracing the platform to reach new investors and keep shareholders well informed by posting pictures, comments and videos.

“These are the little things that build shareholder confidence and the return to the companies have been a continuously growing audience of investors,” Stewart says.

“In today’s world of peer review and connectedness for everything you buy, [those methods] aren’t connecting investors to companies,” he says. “Our industry has to morph and companies have to start thinking in a social investor perspective and not just an investor pitch.”

The IR and PR teams of these companies contribute to the success of building the company’s investment brands and inviting interested investors into the conversation with the corporate executives. As a result, for the past several months, Datametrex has been number one in Investor Group activity and new investor Joins. 8020 encourages other companies to become just as active on the site and reap the benefits of engagement.

8020 has created an ecosystem to help clients build their public investor relations programs through add-on services.

As an example, it has been working with FSCwire, a fullyapproved newswire distributor, for the past year and recently expanded its partner services into public relations, online marketing partners, financing groups and a full-service investor relations company.

As a company attracts more attention through views, conversation and notifications, its shareholder value index (SVI) increases. The SVI is a unique algorithm that measures the amount of activity around a company’s investment brand as an indication of greater market awareness and investment potential. While investment is the end goal, 8020 is not a sales site. There is no transactional pressure or capability on the site, so investors

“We’re creating an ecosystem for public companies to better succeed in today’s social investor environment,” Stewart says.

And as it continues to grow across Canada and eventually into the United States, 8020 Connect’s social investor platform will continue to evolve to better serve its clients and investors.

8020Connect The Evolution of Investing Engage with investors, foster transparency and build shareholder value on a professional and monitored program.

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COMPROMISING NET NEUTRALITY // BUSINESS TECHNOLOGY

“NET NEUTRALITY MEANS THAT EVERYTHING SHOULD BE TREATED WITH THE SAME ACCESS, LIKE A NETWORK OF HIGHWAYS. NO DISCRIMINATION ABOUT TYPE OF VEHICLES OR WHAT THE VEHICLE IS TRANSPORTING. WHETHER IT’S DRIVING A MOTORCYCLE, A MINIVAN, A SPORTS CAR, AN 18-WHEELER OR A SCHOOL BUS, IT MAY DRIVE ON THE HIGHWAY.” ~ VINCENT FUNG

“Internet service providers like Shaw, Telus, Bell and others should treat all Internet traffic equally,” says Vincent Fung, a leading IT industry expert and the managing director and CEO of Calgary’s Debian Information Technology. “There should be no ability for anyone to get priority for their traffic or have their product blocked.

“It means all that and more,” Skabar adds, “but it’s important to consider that net neutrality is also about performance.

Ending net neutrality is a kind of Internet-performance censorship. It’s about freezing up all the time, spinning wheels, typing a word into Google and delays connecting.

Users will simply not accept poor performance.”

“Net neutrality means that everything should be treated with the same access, like a network of highways. No discrimination about type of vehicles or what the vehicle is transporting. Whether it’s driving a motorcycle, a minivan, a sports car, an 18-wheeler or a school bus, it may drive on the highway. No express lanes or HOV lanes that allow certain types of vehicles to travel faster than others. And it allows things to be directly connected to the highway: a restaurant, a convenience store, a mall, a gas station or a farm.

Helping Canadians deal with the net-neutrality issue, Axia FibreNet recently published A Guide for Canadian Enterprises (www.AxiaFibreNet.com/NetNeutrality. com). It bluntly explains a sweeping but basic tech fact of contemporary business: “Net neutrality is based on the idea that access to the Internet is necessary to modern life and that net neutrality is a free and open Internet in which all traffic is treated equally, with Internet service providers (ISPs) having no right to block or throttle (slow down) traffic to certain sites or prioritize specific sites through ‘fast lanes’ with preferential billing practices.”

“Proponents of net neutrality say that treating everything equally makes it fair for everyone to use ‘the highway,’” he says. “Without net neutrality, there is potential to surcharge users for getting access but severely limit or even prevent their ability to utilize the system.”

In business and consumer terms, ending net neutrality raises concerns about restricted access, extra fees and surcharges.

So far, net neutrality is how the Canadian business of the Internet is done. It may change. Suddenly politics has infected the net-neutrality concept, mostly because the U.S. – a giant and influential player in the IT world – recently changed American rules about open Internet access. Last year, aggressive lobbying by the biggest U.S.

ABOVE: VINCENT FUNG, MANAGING DIRECTOR AND CEO, DEBIAN INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY.

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COMPROMISING NET NEUTRALITY // BUSINESS TECHNOLOGY

“WITH UTILITIES SUCH AS ELECTRICITY AND GAS WE ARE FREE TO PURCHASE FROM DIFFERENT SOURCES PROVIDING A COMPETITIVE ENVIRONMENT. NET NEUTRALITY ENSURES SIMILAR PRIVILEGES VIA THE INTERNET, BUT THE ABSENCE OF NET NEUTRALITY WOULD ALLOW INTERNET PROVIDERS TO TAILOR SERVICES.” ~ CATHERINE HEGGERUD

telecommunication companies (including Comcast and AT&T) to monetize their networks paid off. The FCC (the American equivalent of the CRTC) ended net neutrality in the U.S., ruling that the marketplace, not government, should sort it out.

The change has become a festering North American controversy.

“The existing regulatory framework in the U.S. and Canada treats access to the Internet as a utility,” explains Catherine Heggerud, an instructor of business technology management at the Haskayne School of Business. “Underscoring this is the notion that the free movement of ideas on the Internet is a tenant of democracy. Eliminating this free movement of ideas makes people uncomfortable.

“With utilities such as electricity and gas we are free to purchase from different sources providing a competitive environment. Net neutrality ensures similar privileges via the Internet, but the absence of net neutrality would allow Internet providers to tailor services. Fundamentally, it is a question of whether you believe Internet access is a natural monopoly similar to a utility that needs to be regulated,” she cautions.

Some Canadian IT insiders also warn that, sooner or later, the recent American net-neutrality shakeup may cause netneutrality ripples (at least some commotion) in Canada.

“The current U.S. situation is a good example,” Skabar points out. “The loss of net neutrality opens the door for a twotiered system in which companies can afford and are willing to pay extra for preferential treatment by Internet service providers. Organizations that don’t pay the extra run the risk of slow and poor performance or being left out entirely.”

She warns that under such a pay-for-access system, a user’s Internet will resemble a compulsory cable TV package which upsells consumers to purchase access to specific content rather than offering access to an unrestricted open network.

“Of course, a key part of the motive for the U.S. move to end net neutrality is profit,” Fung admits. “The ‘highway owners’ have the potential to make a lot more money without net neutrality.” He underscores that net neutrality is also a double-edged sword. “There are arguments for both sides. The Internet needs some level of control to function efficiently and effectively but allowing the owners of the infrastructure to do as they please to regulate what runs on their systems is also bad. There must be a balance.

ABOVE: CATHERINE HEGGERUD, INSTRUCTOR OF BUSINESS TECHNOLOGY MANAGEMENT AT THE HASKAYNE SCHOOL OF BUSINESS. BUSINESSINCALGARY.COM // BUSINESS IN CALGARY // MAY 2018

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“Proponents of net neutrality believe that it is the government’s job to ensure that these private owners don’t abuse the system in the pursuit of profits.”

“Net neutrality enforces that enterprises play fair to ensure consumers and enterprises get the choice they deserve,” Skabar emphasizes. “After all, everyone’s ability to access data and services online should be considered equal. Without net neutrality, consumers, businesses and institutions could lose equal access to all the online services and tools they need.”

Haskayne’s Catherine Heggerud is not overly concerned with the recent FCC decision. “The CRTC seems committed to maintaining net neutrality. Certain telecommunication providers are lobbying to move towards ending net neutrality, but I don’t believe the CRTC will follow suit.

While generally the borderless nature of the Internet makes it difficult to impose regulations in one environment that don’t apply elsewhere, that may not be the case for net

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neutrality, where it is dependent on that physical connection to the end consumer, the so-called ‘last mile.’”

She points out that regulations, and deregulations, in the Canadian telecommunication sector are nothing new. “But you can’t look at the Internet as a stand-alone regulatory environment. Deregulation in the telecommunications industry has been going on for years. Local number portability and long-distance wars over revenue sharing.

When the environment was heavily regulated, there was a guaranteed return for telecommunication providers.

“We have moved away from that framework and need to find a mechanism to ensure robust investment yet maintain access for all Canadians. Guaranteeing access is critical to our long-term economic prosperity in the knowledge economy.

“If we start choking Internet access, we run the risk of limiting free speech.”

Behind the U.S. border info desk at the new International Terminal at YYC Calgary International Airport. Image courtesy of Calgary Airport Authority.

Applied Electronics a 60-Year Leader in Broadcast and Audio Visual Technology by Rennay Craats

T

he past 60 years has seen an explosion of technological developments in every area of business affecting every industry and changing the ways in which we do things.

Applied Electronics’ significant role in this explosion was thanks to Michael Stechly’s fascination with technology.

“He got his inspiration when he saw his first television set in the barber shop at the end of the street, and he decided right then and there that that was what he was going to do with himself,” says Paul Stechly, Michael’s son and current president of Applied Electronics.

Michael studied to become an electronics technologist and after five years working for others he started his own company in 1958, Applied Business Systems (renamed Applied Electronics Limited in 1961), in Toronto, Ontario. He operated this fledgling business with a secretary as the only other employee, but his drive, knowledge and ability to foster incredible relationships soon saw the company flourish. As the Canadian broadcast industry grew, so did Applied Electronics.

Michael Stechly built a reputation for quality, service and integrity, making his company a leader in the television-

Carrying on their father’s legacy: Paul Stechly, President, with John Stechly and Susan Stechly, Vice Presidents of Applied Electronics Limited.

broadcasting industry before successfully expanding into and quickly gaining prominence in the audiovisual industry. By the time of Michael Stechly’s death in 1985, he had diversified and expanded his business into four markets across the country – the head office in Toronto and regional offices in Montreal, Vancouver and Calgary. He had built his dream into

Applied Electronics Limited • 60 Years • 1 79

And growth has been swift. In 2014, the Calgary operation outgrew its 4,500-square-foot office and moved into its current 16,000-square-foot facility on 29 Street NE. This allows ample space for technical system pre-building, the service workshop, and logistics management and warehousing of the significant amount of media equipment needed to serve Applied Electronics’ Alberta customers. Through this office, Applied Electronics has been part of many impressive projects over the years.

Applied Electronics’ 16,000 square foot Calgary facility on 29 Street NE.

“We’ve been involved in quite a few firsts,” says Paul, with Applied Electronics being credited with selling one of the first data projectors in Canada, some of the first uses of recording in medical operating fields, the first launches of legislative television and automated-voting systems, and the first real-time distance-learning link for teaching hospitals.

Since the company became established in Alberta in 1967, the western operation has grown significantly. While not a separate business unit, the area has regional management with a level of autonomy to do business in a way that makes sense for the western provinces.

“It’s a sign of our growth to have a specific focus to each of the eastern and western regions,” says Cheryl Bruley, western regional manager for Applied Electronics.

Applied Electronics has worked extensively with Calgary Sports and Entertainment Corporation, building the initial Flames TV control room in 2004 and, most notably, rebuilding it from the ground up after the 2013 flooding. More recently, Applied Electronics designed and built a fibre-optic-based system to remotely link McMahon Stadium cameras to the control room at the Saddledome during football games. The scoreboard at McMahon Stadium can be controlled by the operators in the Saddledome control room 10 kilometres away.

At the new International Terminal at YYC Calgary International Airport, Applied Electronics integrated a number of “big board” displays on both the U.S. and International levels and at check-in desks. These large video walls communicate flight information and arrival/ departure schedules, as well as display advertisements for in-terminal retailers. They are part of the Calgary Airport Authority’s complex digital signage and wayfinding system to enhance in-terminal travel experiences.

Captivating audiences for 60 years Panasonic wishes to congratulate our valued partner, Applied Electronics, on the occasion of their 60th anniversary. Together, we’ve pushed the boundaries of the audio visual experience, developing unique AV systems that captivate, inform and entertain.

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Applied Electronics Limited • 60 Years • 4

designed the state-of-the-art audiovisual systems in these spaces to match the YYC hotel’s sleek, modern decor and liven up the “fly-in, fly-out” meetings and events.

Calgary Airport Marriott In-Terminal Hotel’s Chinook Ballroom. Image courtesy of Calgary Airport Marriott In-Terminal Hotel.

Adjacent to the YYC terminal is the Calgary Airport Marriott In-Terminal Hotel, where travellers can host or attend meetings and conferences in any number of the large event and conference spaces available. Applied Electronics

A large uniquely curved video wall built by Applied Electronics in 2002 for the City of Calgary’s Transit Operations Control Centre managed communications and the coordination of drivers and routes. In early 2018, renovations of the Calgary Transit facility concluded with Applied Electronics upgrading it with two massive, curved video walls that tie into a complex intelligent transportation system. Transit staff can now monitor and manage livevideo feeds from its 10Gb fibre-optic IP-based security camera network, advanced geo-tracking, real-time travel information, and passenger and route analysis data.

The company has also recently completed the new Immersion Studio located in the Riddell Library and Learning Centre at

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CONGRATULATIONS ON 60 YEARS!

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Applied Electronics Limited • 60 Years • 5

Mount Royal University – which will be ready for use by its students and faculty starting in fall 2018. The space features 10 projectors in a 116x8.5 feet (986-square-feet) space, which displays digital media from one or multiple sources up to 360 degrees. It is an experiential and immersive resource for teaching, learning and research. The Immersion Studio can also be used for virtual-reality experiences using the library’s oculus rift equipment.

Projects like these have put Applied Electronics on the international radar. The company recently joined the Global Presence Alliance, which is a consortium of audiovisual and collaboration technology integrators aligned through a common methodology, operational infrastructure and bond of trust to deliver and support collaborative workflow solutions as one to global customers. This association of 28 companies selected Applied Electronics as the sole Canadian representative for its reputable quality, technical ability and innovation in the field.

“The ability to collaborate in real-time with regional locations across the globe has become a mandate for

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many of our multinational clients in Canada,” says Mike Dalton, vice president, audio visual systems division for Applied Electronics. “As a member of the GPA, Applied Electronics will facilitate Canadian deployments and support global deployments with a continuity of quality to help people work better.”

Quality and service have been Applied Electronics’ mantra for 60 years. Through all the changes, Applied Electronics has remained true to Michael Stechly’s philosophy of steady growth, commitment to the communities in which they do business and treating staff like family. Now, as the third generation enters the company to learn the ropes, it will continue to honour the founder’s vision.

“We’ve been one of the few companies that has been able to prosper and grow in a rapidly-changing business where the speed of that change has become faster and faster,” says Paul Stechly.

The Stechlys have come a long way since that barber-shop television set sparked a passion in Michael. The generations that have come after him are ready to meet these rapid changes, forge change of their own, and continue to make Applied Electronics the largest media-solutions specialist in the country for years to come.

2175 29th St. N.E, Unit 90 Calgary, Alberta, T1Y 7H8 Tel: (403) 291-5143 • Fax: (403) 291-5188 www.appliedelectronics.com Page 1

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Applied Electronics Limited • 60 Years • 6

Calgary

Success Story Celebrating 35 years of Gibbs Gage Architects Gibbs Gage Architects | 35 Years 85

T

he result of a friendship begun on the opening day of classes at the University of Manitoba, Gibbs Gage Architects is still a company that thrives on relationships, between its staff and with a host of clients and industry people who have helped it become one of Western Canada’s largest and most prolific architectural firms.

After graduation, Wade Gibbs and Doug Gage made the move to the booming city of Calgary in the 1970s when the downtown core was undergoing massive expansion.

Agrium Western Event Centre

In 1983, thanks largely to the national energy program, construction of new projects came to a sudden halt. But by then, confident in their own abilities and armed with a Rolodex full of established relationships they had built, the good friends made the rather brash decision to start their own firm.

The early years were not easy, but sticking to their Canadian Prairies fundamental values of integrity and a strong work ethic, they gradually built up a portfolio and credibility in the marketplace still enjoyed today.

The business flourished and this year Gibbs Gage Architects is celebrating its 35th anniversary. Throughout that time span with great support of clients, suppliers, family and friends, the firm has grown from a two-man startup into this city’s largest pure architectural design firm supporting a staff of over 100 and their families.

By 1999, it became apparent the continued success had made the business too large for the two sole partners to manage by themselves and the following year a new management structure was implemented. Three of the firm’s key architects – Vince Dods, Rick Lewis and Stephen Mahler – who shared a passion for hard

Gibbs Gage Architects | 35 Years | 2

Gibbs Gage Architects’ legacy was founded on its many prestigious projects within our downtown and inner city, but today goes way beyond that core area. But the name of the firm cannot be mentioned without making reference to a skyline that displays the result of creative design visible from any angle.

Some of its most attractive and visible downtown design projects have had a major impact on earning Calgary a reputation for the quality of its stylish towers the firm has worked on in the compact core.

They include Livingston Place, Jamieson Place, Eighth Avenue Place, Centrium Place, Keynote Urban Village and Palliser South where the firm works out of its own attractive office space over two floors of the Aspen Properties Gibbs Gage Architects | 35 Years | 3

340 - 12 SWL A • NCALGARY ALBERTA C#760, ONSU LTA N TAVE S IN D S C A P E• A R C H I T E•CCANADA T U R E , •U RT2R B A1L5 N D E• SWWW.CARSONMCCULLOCH.COM IGN AND SITE PLANNING

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The new team established a new strategic plan, and with a shared commitment to collaboration, mentorship and knowledge sharing doubled the size of the firm within the next decade, while building on a solid reputation enabling it to attract many of the city’s best design and production talent.

CARSON • McCULLOCH

work, relationships and eager to share in the leadership of Gibbs Gage Architects – were invited to join the partnership group.

CONGRATULATIONS TO GIBBS GAGE ARCHITECTS ON 35 YEARS OF DESIGN EXCELLENCE

Eighth Avenue Place

complex and was also responsible for the design of the building’s high observation deck protruding from the iconic Calgary Tower.

complex and with the completion by Gibbs Gage of the Phase I and II expansions, it now offers 250,000 square feet of exhibit halls.

In total, Gibbs Gage Architects can proudly boast of completing more than 10 million square feet of inner-city office space. And it’s not made up entirely of highrise towers; it also includes some of the firm’s most satisfying results outside of the downtown core including working with Remington Development Corporation to deliver Meredith Block and Strategic Group’s 20/20 on 4th Street in the heart of Mission.

Another major project the firm was very proud to be associated with on the Stampede grounds was the design of the Agrium Western Event Centre – one of the largest structures in the Stampede’s 130 years of history. An exciting Calgary attraction, the centre consists of a 2,500-seat arena, a 20,000-square-foot multipurpose exhibit hall and VIP meeting rooms to create state-of-the-art practice and competition event space for a wide variety of agricultural events.

The firm has also been working with QuadReal Property Group in the design and construction of the new 600,000-square-foot Amazon Fulfillment Centre just outside Calgary in Rocky View County.

Outside of the core, Gibbs Gage Architects has enjoyed working with many building projects that have added another 10 million square feet of completed spaces.

For many years, Gibbs Gage Architects has enjoyed a strong association with the Calgary Exhibition & Stampede. The BMO Centre is the city’s major trade-show

Gibbs Gage Architects is credited with the design of several of our major institutional buildings that include the addition of 750,000 square feet of formal and informal learning space at SAIT. The dramatic, wavy-roofed exterior of the SAIT Trades and Technology Complex located along 16th Avenue NW provided the institution with 56 new classrooms, 94 new teaching laboratories/workshops and three new schools of learning.

Design criteria had to respect the campus master plan, incorporating a high level of reverence to the unique

Calgary, AB

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Gibbs Gage Architects | 35 Years | 4

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and collegiate architecture of Heritage Hall – the institution’s historical and inspirational focal point at the heart of the campus.

The firm was also chosen to re-clad/repurpose the John Ware Building, one of the oldest classroom buildings on campus, and create higher efficiencies while renovating the interior spaces.

Consulting design services for educational institutions and school boards has allowed Gibbs Gage opportunities to participate in the intellectual process of the study of designing facilities for an ever-changing educational system, while allowing its staff to help express community and school board values.

The firm takes great pride in its collaborations with other noted architectural firms such as Diamond Schmitt Architects with whom it has teamed with for many projects in Alberta including two remarkable buildings on the University of Calgary campus: the Taylor Institute for Teaching and Learning which expands upon the university’s ideas of integrated learning and flexible space and the expansion and renovations to the Schulich School of Engineering.

Taylor Institute for Teaching and Learning

According to founding partner Doug Gage, Gibbs Gage Architects rules the roost as experienced experts in the field of educational facility architecture. A member of international organization, the Association for Learning Environments, he says, “I like the fact that schools are so

BRAVO! GIBBS GAGE ARCHITECTS

We congratulate you and celebrate 2018 with you

YEARS

CALGARY | EDMONTON | VANCOUVER | VICTORIA

www.bunteng.com

Gibbs Gage Architects | 35 Years | 6

Congratulations to Gibbs Gage Architects for 35 years of architectural excellence!

Our team has enjoyed working collaboratively with your team over the years.

Congratulations to the new partners Chito Pabustan and David Wittman.

We look forward to continued awesomeness together!

Seton Recreation Facility

multifunctional – that every room, from offices to gym, labs, classrooms and health facilities, becomes a design exercise of its own.”

The firm has been rewarded in earning a reputation for pioneering a whole generation of architecturally-significant schools across Alberta, and in doing so enriching the lives of generations of children, families and educators.

Notable in its large portfolio of major projects in this field are the Bishop McNally High School, Strathmore High School, Notre Dame High School and the recent new facilities of Seton High School and Nelson Mandela High School.

Pride of staff in this category must go to Elbow Park School that was recently reopened three years after the devastating flood that was originally thought to be the death of the 1926 structure.

Only the original north exterior wall and brick facade of the school was able to be saved but Gibbs Gage Architects carefully selected architectural interior pieces in the new school and using wood hammer trusses and roof cupola, preserved/reconstructed and reincorporated it into the library of the replacement school.

Gibbs Gage is committed to establishing a solid connection between each development’s setting, structures and the people who will interact with them on a daily basis.

All kinds of accolades were awarded to the firm for its first big urban design project – Olympic Plaza – and since then it has been rewarded with many significant master plans for developments such as Deerfoot Meadows, Sage Hill, McKenzie Towne and the master plan for Brookfield Residential Properties’ Gibbs Gage Architects | 35 Years | 7

ground cubed landscape architects www.ground3.com 403.475.0719 Suite 201 1215 13th Street SE Calgary, Alberta T2G 3J4

exciting 300-acre mixed-use community of Seton that includes over a million square feet of retail/office, a major health campus, education and recreational facilities, and an LRT transit link.

Gibbs Gage was responsible for the design of Seton’s welcoming sign, its fire hall, theatre, major grocery store, high school, seniors housing, front-street medical building, and the under-construction Seton Recreation Facility.

A huge 330,000-square-foot building, the recreation centre will provide individuals and families with a competitive sport venue, to be operated by the YMCA, and a dynamic community hub that includes a 25,000-squarefoot regional public library branch.

Seton Gateway

The recreation centre follows the firm’s successful designs of the impressive Cardel Place (now Vivo for Healthier Generations) in northeast Calgary, Genesis Place in Airdrie, Spray Lakes Sawmills Family Sports Centre in Cochrane, and the 66,000-square-foot Elevation Place in Canmore featuring world-class climbing walls and a glulam-wood structure and end-glazing wall looking out towards Canmore’s signature Three Sisters Range. And Gibbs Gage was responsible for total

CONGRATULATIONS TO GIBBS GAGE ARCHITECTS ON 35 YEARS OF ARCHITECTURE.

WE ARE PLEASED TO BE A PART OF YOUR TEAM! www.kdassociates.com

Continued success and best wishes to all the Staff & Management Team at Gibbs Gage Architects.

Municipal Engineering | Project Management | Infrastructure Design Storm Water Management | Erosion and Sediment Control p: 403.276.1001 |F: 403.276.1012 | jubileeengineering.com

Medicine Hat Hospital

Congratulations to Gibbs Gage Architects on 35 years in business!

200, 1422 Kensington Rd NW Calgary, AB T2N 3P9 • Phone: 403.984.6960 www.remedyeng.com

Gibbs Gage Architects | 35 Years | 8

Elevation Place in Canmore, AB.

upgrades and renovations to the Trico Centre for Family Wellness and the Repsol Sport Centre (formerly Talisman Centre) here in the city.

closely with longtime existing clients such as Bentall Kennedy as well as new clients like QuadReal, Casadona Developments, Killam Properties and Avi Urban to develop new models for residential development, Gibbs Gage Architects has helped to change, and is in the process of changing the inner-city and suburban skylines with projects such as Portfolio, Fifteen15 and Casadona Place.

A growing sector to the firm and the city of Calgary is the evolving world of multi-family residential. Working

A recent job well done for the firm’s integrated design studio was the repurposing of what many still remember as

Spirit in service for Vibrant Communities

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Gibbs Gage Architects | 35 Years | 9

the PanCanadian office tower to The Edison where Gibbs Gage Architects turned the lobby space into a large, iconic atrium area and the third-floor fitness centre into attractive welcoming spaces for longtime client Aspen Properties.

Calgary has suffered another slowdown in its economy but Gibbs Gage Architects still continues to be busy with some exciting projects on its books.

Staff are working on some major projects that help paint a rosy picture for the firm’s immediate future.

In Saskatoon, it’s the master plan of a complete downtown block for Triovest called River Landing. The overall development proposal includes two office towers, a hotel and a condo-residential building with approximately 77,000 square feet of office and retail space. Gibbs Gage Architects also designed one of the office towers that is already under construction.

It continues its pace in new development in Calgary with the total redevelopment of the Stadium Shopping Centre for Western Securities that will include grocery/retail, two residential towers, a hotel and medical offices.

Portfolio Residential Tower

Proud to be in association with Gibbs Gage Architects.

Congratulations on 35 years of continued success!

Reaching a milestone mark:

35

Takes Passion, Pride & People

(403) 243-6777 | www.sanforddesign.ca Congratulations to Gibbs Gage Architects on 35 Great Years! We are proud to be your partner.

Congratulations!

Geotechnical Engineering Materials Engineering Materials Testing McINTOSH • LALANI ENGINEERING LTD. p: 403.291.2345 | www.mcintoshlalani.com Gibbs Gage Architects | 35 Years | 10

It has been an

Honor to BUILD Landmarks with You over the last three and half decades

BAXTER ROOF CONSULTING LTD.

Congratulations to Gibbs Gage on 35 Years!

We wish you many more years of continued success.

Congratulations to Gibbs Gage Architects on your 35th anniversary!

#201, 612-500 Country Hills Blvd. NE Calgary, AB, T3K 5K3 • Ph: (403) 248-4811 info@baxterroofconsulting.ca

We are proud to have provided structural engineering services to you on such a wide range of projects like the Enmax Conservatory at the Calgary Zoo and the recent Amazon Distribution Centre.

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Architectural Hardware

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Gibbs Gage on 35 years!

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Gibbs Gage Architects | 35 Years | 11

In the newly vibrant East Village, a two-storey retail podium for RioCan REIT beneath two residential towers for Bosa Properties are under construction, creating a vital new addition to the area, and a development permit has been approved for the Bentall Kennedy residential/office tower complex at 633 Eau Claire. The 28-storey building will offer 400,000 square feet of office space and 250 rental apartments.

Gibbs Gage Architects plans to continue doing the things it does right, building relationships while investing in its people to create an environment that fosters mutual respect, motivation and fun.

Doug Gage and the other partners uphold a priority that, “No matter where you go, it’s your people who take you there and it’s something we never take for granted.”

And also in the Eau Claire district, many are looking forward to the start this fall (after the 150-metre relocation of the brick smokestack of Harvard Developments’ proposed transformation) of Eau Claire Market into an iconic, vibrant, dense and diverse mixed-use redevelopment.

Gibbs Gage Architects is advancing the master plan that shows a hotel, 1,000 residential units and 360,000 square feet of new retail, making it over the next several years a city jewel along the banks of the Bow. The 35 year-old firm is looking forward to the next 35 years and in doing so, recently brought on new partners, Chito Pabustan and David Wittman, who have been instrumental in the growth and success of the firm over the past several years.

350, 140 10th Avenue SE Calgary, AB T2G 0R1 p 403.233.2000 | f 403.264.2077

www.gibbsgage.com

Congratulations

to Gibbs Gage Architects on 35 years!

Unit 1, 5608 – 1 Street SE Calgary, AB T2H 2W9 Canada

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Gibbs Gage Architects | 35 Years | 12

IT’S ONLY YOUR REPUTATION ON STAGE. They’re counting on you, but who are you counting on?

The partner you choose can dramatically impact more than just the success of your event. They can make or break your personal reputation. While everyone in your organization is counting on you to plan, coordinate and deliver the most amazing experience, who are you counting on?

At the Calgary TELUS Convention Centre we’ve been looking after personal reputations for over 40 years.

We’ve become an integral part of Calgary and are often looked to as a community centre for the city. We’ve proudly hosted some of the biggest names and greatest events in Calgary’s history and we look forward to many more including your own. Over that time we’ve matured in our industry and established deep roots in our Calgary community. We’ve partnered with some of the best people and organizations to create the amazing experiences you’ve come to expect for you and your guests.

In our 40 years we’ve not only found the answers to your questions, we’ve uncovered many of the questions that you haven’t even asked yet; the questions that once answered, will make your event amazing.

Over the past few years we’ve focused on building upon the positive elements of our own reputation. We’ve enhanced the areas needed to create a complete team and we’ve developed a common focus and commitment: to work with you to deliver a positively memorable experience that your team or guests deserve.

From business retreats and corporate planning events to organization-wide celebrations, the Calgary TELUS Convention Centre is here to make you and your event shine, right at the centre of it all.

Spotlight@Calgary-Convention.com Direct: 403.261.8546 Toll Free: 1.800.822.2697

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

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Developing Tech Talent is Critical to Calgary’s Economic Growth

BY STEPHEN EWART

A

s unemployment edged back above eight per cent in Calgary in March, it is hard to contemplate there are close to 1,000 unfilled jobs in tech in the city.

Calgary is home to one of the most versatile workforces in Canada so it seems inconceivable companies are struggling to recruit tech talent. Yet Benevity, Solium Capital, DIRTT, Blackline Safety and others are looking for programmers, software developers and other skill sets they need to grow.

It’s a danger for any city when successful homegrown companies can’t get key staff.

If Calgary Economic Development recruited a company that would employ 1,000 people in high-tech jobs it would be headline news. But openings for that number of jobs at prosperous local companies don’t generate the same buzz.

We have tremendous attributes as a city – we are young, well educated, multicultural, worldly thinkers, and excel in global industries – but too much of our skill set is aligned with the energy sector. Even that sector requires new skills. Our tech talent needs to be in line with other cities – we need more software designers, data scientists and coders.

Calgary is well suited to be a centre of excellence for the Industrial Internet of Things in Canada with our industrial sectors, excellent post-secondary institutions, cluster of head offices, available capital and our dynamic workforce.

But the evolving innovation ecosystem – from cybersecurity and autonomous vehicles to big data and robotics – demands we bolster our skill set to drive Calgary’s future prosperity in what are increasingly globally-competitive markets.

We got a “wake-up call” when Amazon explained to us after releasing the short list for its second headquarters that, for all Calgary’s attributes, we don’t have the specific talent it needed. As a city, we are not attracting or generating tech talent quickly enough to match the exponential innovation that is occurring around us.

About 25 per cent of engineers in Calgary are software engineers, compared with more than 50 per cent in other Canadian cities.

We need to build our talent pipeline by improving our educational system – from kindergarten through to postsecondary – and develop short-term skills upgrading courses to help workers pivot to opportunities in the new economy, as well as recruit key individuals and companies.

To its credit, the Government of Alberta has created 3,000 new tech places in post-secondary institutions in the province. Calgary needs to get our fair share of the spaces.

It’s been shown the tech talent shortage in Calgary is more acute than in other cities.

Our schools produce the quality of graduates we need, but not the quantity.

To develop the tech talent required in this era of disruptive change, Calgary Economic Development is collaborating with the private sector and post-secondary institutions to facilitate improvements to our education and training.

Our people remain our greatest attribute in Calgary but only if they are equipped with the skills that are needed to create a prosperous future for themselves and our city.

Stephen Ewart is a manager in research and strategy at Calgary Economic Development.

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Calgary Voted Among Top 10 Destinations in Canada in 2018 TripAdvisor Travellers’ Choice Awards

BY BRIDGETTE SLATER

T

his spring, TripAdvisor announced the 2018 Travellers’ Choice award winners for destinations, recognizing travellers’ favourite places around the world. With our reputation for being ultimate hosts, it’s no surprise that Calgary was recognized as one of the top 10 destinations in Canada alongside Vancouver, Toronto, Quebec City, Montreal, Niagara Falls, Victoria, Ottawa, Whistler and Banff. Securing the ninth-place spot is a testament to our city’s efforts in working together as marketers, advocates, hosts and activators to share Calgary with the world.

Since 2002, the Travellers’ Choice awards have been the highest honour TripAdvisor can bestow and have served as the only travel industry awards allocated based on millions of reviews and opinions from travellers worldwide. The winners reflect “the best of the best” for service, quality and customer satisfaction in categories ranging from hotels and accommodations to destinations, attractions, and even brands and products.

In winning this award, Calgary joins the ranks of 402 outstanding destinations in 42 lists across the globe.

Winners were determined using an algorithm based on the quantity and quality of reviews and ratings for hotels, restaurants and attractions in destinations worldwide, gathered over a 12-month period, as well as traveller booking interest on TripAdvisor.

For Calgary, this award gives us yet another reason to love the place we call home, identifies our city as a popular

destination among travellers and inspires people to keep coming back for more. This is apparent based on the results of the Travellers’ Choice awards, but can also be inferred from increased room sales and passenger traffic seen in Calgary in 2017. Rooms sold in 2017 increased by six per cent and exceeded the growth in room supply, resulting in a 1.1 per cent rise in occupancy for the year and an additional 176,586 rooms sold. Additionally, passenger traffic at YYC Calgary International Airport increased by 3.8 per cent in 2017 compared to 2016, more than double the annual growth realized in the past two years. Overall, almost 16.3 million passengers moved through YYC in 2017, setting a new record for the city.

Congratulations are also due to Calgary’s own Grey Eagle Resort & Casino for winning a Travellers’ Choice award in the Top 10 Value for Money Hotels in Canada category.

Earning the fourth-place spot demonstrates a commitment to exceeding visitors’ expectations and reinforces our position as ultimate hosts.

Moving forward, these achievements should inspire even more visitors to add Calgary, and the experiences our city has to offer, to their bucket lists. This provides us with continuous opportunities to make Calgary the ultimate host city by showcasing our warmth, friendliness and unique personality.

To learn more about the unique experiences that earned Calgary a spot as one of Canada’s top 10 destinations, see visitcalgary.com.

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

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INVENTURE$ Sparks a New Innovative Chapter for Calgary

BY MEGHAN OCKEY

W

hat does innovation mean to you? It is a buzzword that comes across our news feeds daily, especially in Calgary, but innovation touches every aspect of

our lives.

The current focus of innovation is the diversification and growth of our economy. Instead of looking at what innovation means to the individual, we are looking at it as a path forward, a new chapter in our book. But, how do we get there?

The INVENTURE$ conference is coming to Calgary June 6-8, 2018, bringing together creatives, entrepreneurial thinkers and visionaries. This conference seeks to spark thought, create dialogue and fundamentally change the way we look at our economy, viewing it through an innovative lens.

“I think of INVENTURE$ as an ‘unconference.’ This is not going to be a stuffed-shirt conference,” says Laura Kilcrease, CEO, Alberta Innovates. “If you want to meet the most interesting business-oriented, leading-edge new thinkers in our country, you need to come to Alberta and you need to come to Calgary.”

The three-day conference will host some of the most influential tech innovators in North America including: Calgary’s Arlene Dickinson, owner and CEO of Venture Communications, a company she grew from a small local marketing firm to one of the largest independent agencies in Canada; and, Guy Kawasaki, an expert on entrepreneurship, social media and marketing.

Kawasaki is the chief evangelist of Canva, a brand ambassador for Mercedes-Benz and an executive fellow of the Haas School of Business at UC Berkeley.

“INVENTURE$ will bring so many opportunities to interact with all different types of people and that’s what sparks new

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ideas and creative thoughts that can turn into reality,” says Kilcrease. “You’re going to have people who are looking to see the latest trends in innovation and technology and how can they adopt, advance or buy for their own systems.”

Calgary’s innovation ecosystem will be featured during the conference through INVENTURE$ Connect, a host of activities taking place outside of the regular program. One of those activities is DemoCamp Alberta, a collaborative event that brings together developers, creatives, entrepreneurs and investors to showcase the best up-and-coming tech products in our province.

If you would like to learn more about INVENTURE$, please visit www.inventurescan.com.

To learn more about DemoCamp Alberta, please visit www. democampalberta.com.

Your reputation is built upon how great you make them look. It’s about how everything comes together and how things shine. That’s why you need the best support you can get. At the Calgary TELUS Convention Centre we’re here for you, helping you create the spotlight for both you and for your clients.

Spotlight@Calgary-Convention.com Direct: 403.261.8546 Toll Free: 1.800.822.2697

MARKETING MATTERS // DAVID PARKER

Marketing Matters

BY DAVID PARKER

B

elieving that the world of business is ever evolving, Ryan Gill and Chris Kneeland decided a little more than a year ago that as work models were changing, particularly in the communications field, it was time for a new working concept where solopreneurs could earn a living together in a sharing economy.

Communo was launched, turning Cult Collective into what quickly became an international, membership-based marketing firm.

It owns a fine character red-brick building in Inglewood where 70 professionals work today in a variety of communications disciplines, each running their own small business but having the use of the resources of their neighbours. Size doesn’t equal success.

But members don’t have to rent space; Communo already has a collective of 4,500 other professionals across Canada and into the U.S. and is planning to reach 50,000 who will be willing to share expertise.

Joanne Ruston, owner of Speedpro Signs Northeast Calgary, has earned the coveted Speedpro Signs Franchise of the Year Award – for a fifth year. And despite the economic downturn, her sign shop that she opened in 2001 has continued to achieve record sales resulting in winning the Al Crowe Memorial Cup for National Sales for the fifth year in a row.

the community of Tuscany. During its 35-year track record, Rockford has developed more than 30 projects and over 3,000 multi-family residences.

Fraser’s team is also collaborating with the True North Mortgage marketing team on brand environments for its downtown Calgary locations including design updates to better improve client experience and solidify the company’s position as a trusted, mortgage-rate leader. Another new client is Professional Skin Care for which Tandem’s work includes brand identity, online advertising, packaging and web development.

ACAD has chosen Vancouver-based Will Creative and Calgary’s Stormy Lake Consulting to lead its rebranding as a university.

Brenda Davidson has been appointed as director of sales for the Calgary TELUS Convention Centre.

For the past 19 years, she has held the position of director sales and marketing at the Carriage House Inn, but it’s a return to downtown for Davidson as she began her hospitality career at the Fairmont Palliser before tackling corporate sales at the Westin Calgary.

An active member and past president of Executive Women International, Davidson is also a passionate volunteer with Dreams Take Flight.

Todd Fraser at Tandem Marketing Design has enjoyed a strong and long relationship with Remington Development, helping the firm through many years of growth that benefited from his work for the super-successful Quarry Park development.

Parker’s Pick

Tandem is also working with Rockford Developments on its new 83-unit town-home project, the final development in

International Avenue hired ACAD grad Elsie Stein to paint the new BRZ mural.

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