Business in Calgary - May 2020

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Volume 30 | Number 5

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COVID-19 and Calgary’s Future

By Brad Field

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Protecting Those who are Most Vulnerable

By Garth Mann

CONTENTS

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Calgary Chamber of Commerce Golf Club Technology …

Is it worth it?

By Scott Orban

46

Parker’s Pen

By David Parker

COVER FEATURE

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Betting on Alberta Marcelo Lu, President of BASF Canada, on Agricultural (and other) Opportunities

By Melanie Darbyshire

ON OUR COVER: ABOVE: MARCELO LU, PRESIDENT OF BASF CANADA.

THIS MONTH’S FEATURES

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From the Calgary Cancer Centre to $30 million in paving

By John Hardy

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C algary’s Overlooked Transportation and Logistics Sector Transportation and logistics employ more than 76,000 Calgarians

By John Hardy

B US I N E SS I NCALGARY.COM BUSINESS IN CALGARY

C ommercial Construction in the New Normal

MAY 2020 // BUSINESS IN CALGARY // BUSINESSINCALGARY.COM

GREAT LEADERSHIP LEAVES A LASTING LEGACY

Great Leaders Practice Catalyst Thinking.

West Campus Development Trust is proud to be awarding the second annual Legacy Leadership Award at this year’s Business in Calgary Leadership Awards. This award was created to celebrate a Calgarian who shows deep passion for people, business and community, and who embodies the qualities essential to great leadership.

Among these qualities is catalyst thinking. When leaders create environments that challenge everyone’s thought processes, focusing efforts toward scalable, positive change, they’re embodying catalyst thinking. This type of resultfocused energy propels teams toward the unconventional and breakthrough ideas that improve the status quo.

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COVID-19 AND CALGARY’S FUTURE // BRAD FIELD

COVID-19 and Calgary’s Future

BY BRAD FIELD

I

am writing this column at the end of March, as the COVID-19 virus is marching relentlessly around a world in lockdown, with confirmed cases and deaths still on the rise everywhere except China. The experience of China and Italy suggest that by May, when you are reading this, you are still likely doing so from home. Perhaps that home is starting to feel like a prison.

It is already clear that this will be more than a “do you remember where you were when…” moment in history.

Things have changed. Our world has become smaller, and our lives more local, as a result of the steps required to contain this virus. It’s too soon to say how long these changes will last, but not too soon to begin some introspection about what we can learn from living through a pandemic. I am thinking about this both as a business leader and as a citizen.

From a business perspective, the latest crushing collapse in oil prices is another sign – if we needed one – that economic diversification and resiliency has to be Calgary’s top priority as we emerge from the COVID-19 lockdown. High-potential industries in Calgary include distribution and logistics, food and agriculture, high tech, recreation and tourism, and arts, culture and film production.

Small and medium businesses are not only the engine of the economy, they are also usually the fastest movers.

Once the economy starts to recover, we need to ensure that we keep Calgary a great place to start, build and grow a business. On that front, I will give a shout-out to the Calgary Chamber of Commerce. Sandip Lalli and her team are getting helpful COVID-related advice and information out to members and serving as a critical public voice for Calgary businesses of all sizes.

I remain optimistic for our city’s future. Once again, Calgarians are coming together (virtually) in a crisis, finding truly creative ways to connect and support one another. We have unrivalled talent and energy in Calgary to deploy as we redefine this city for the future.

From a citizen’s perspective, we are seeing the vital role played by governments during crises, especially a public health crisis. Governments at all levels have done a solid job thus far of helping us navigate through this pandemic storm.

The provincial and municipal emergency management and health officials, especially, have provided timely and regular updates, and instituted the necessary measures without causing undue panic. (I don’t blame the toilet paper hysteria on them, nor do I understand it…)

The situation makes us realize how dependent we are on the “good governance” promised by the Canadian constitution. Our elected leaders are visible as communicators, morale-builders, and cheerleaders in front of the cameras, while armies of government employees deliver essential services behind the scenes. Watching our American friends struggle in the early days of the pandemic response is a good reminder of the higher levels of public trust we enjoy in Canada – so important when a collective response is needed. But public trust depends on trustworthy elected leaders.

We will all have work to do as we return to a new normal.

As a start, let’s try to keep alive today’s sense of civic accountability and shared responsibility.

And let’s keep washing our hands.

BUSINESSINCALGARY.COM // BUSINESS IN CALGARY // MAY 2020

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PROTECTING THOSE WHO ARE MOST VULNERABLE // GARTH MANN

Protecting Those who are Most Vulnerable

BY GARTH MANN, CEO, MANOR VILLAGE LIFE CENTERS

N

o one who is reading this editorial has experienced in their lifetime the significance of a pandemic health-emergency such as COVID-19. The following statement might sound somewhat general, but I suspect it is real for every corner of the globe—”THE WORLD WILL NEVER BE THE SAME”.

Amid all this anxiety and fear, our responsibility today is to provide support by meeting the needs of those who are most VULNERABLE—our seniors who need alternative levels of supportive living.

LEVELS OF SUPPORTIVE CARE SL-1 is Independent Living, where seniors relocate to a Senior Centre for healthy cuisine with various entertainment, activities and socialization, in lieu of the loneliness of living alone.

SL-2 is Assisted Living, recognizing that with aging, services for dressing, bathing, mobility stimulation through Stretch & Flex programs and other health services for roughly two (2) hours per diem.

SL-3 is Enhanced Care, that recognizes aging does continue and the level of supportive care is increased to roughly four (4) hours per diem, usually for more nursing and therapy support.

SL-4 is Palliative Care, for 24-hour nursing support that provides medical assistance—pharmaceutical for the release of discomfort, with spiritual assistance for the senior and loved-ones.

SL-4D is Memory Care, for those with Dementia including Alzheimer’s Disease, requiring 24-hour supportive living services.

UNDERSTANDING SUPPORTIVE LIVING--DURING THE PANDEMIC OF COVID-19.

Residents know they are not alone and they take comfort with the medical and nursing skills that oversee their health issues.

The Chefs provide quality cooked meals to enhance less-mobile seniors metabolizing of their food. The Recreation Therapists provide daily mobility coaching

for stretch & flex programs, as well as Seeing is Believing for entertainment, and memory stimulation.

We Walk-Down-Memory-Lane each day and reflect on our resident’s reflection of former years.

NEW FRIENDSHIPS ARE JUST DOWN THE HALLWAY Seniors generally do not like talking about COVID and its devastation to the elderly. Mostly, seniors want to enjoy each day by being positive and grateful for their life.

Each day, MINDFUL MEDITATION for de-stressing followed with ayurvedic herbal TULSI-TEA, stimulates seniors to talk about their fond memories and their wishes for their family.

They have discovered new friendships to stimulate discussions about events and lost friends they have known over the years.

“It is so easy to connect with others since the activities and social events bring us together” says Sara who has been enjoying the congregate living lifestyle for 7 years.

FAMILIES PARTICIPATE WITH THEIR LOVED ONES There are five important attributes that families look for when selecting Senior-Supportive-Care 1) It should be reasonably close for most family members to join their loved-one(s) for visits.

2) Investigate the intensity of health services following the Wellness Director’s assessment.

3) Socialization for mobility Stretch & Flex, Entertainment events, Activities memory retention and 4) Cleanliness with housekeeping services to maintain a healthy atmosphere for residents.

5) Healthy meals from a menu that are included without several extras.

“Our Mother is now so involved we have to book an appointment to see her.”

Dr. M. Garth Mann is the CEO of Manor Village Life Centers

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ATB Financial Supports United Ways Across Alberta to Help Tackle the Impacts of COVID-19 in Local Communities

ATB Financial shared $250,000 in funding for United Ways across Alberta to support their work to address the emerging needs of their communities caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. This is just one example of how our province is rallying together to be there for the most vulnerable during this time.

In response to the current crisis, United Ways are leading efforts in collaboration with partners to help our communities overcome the emerging challenges that the outbreak is causing. The funds will be distributed in different ways across the province to best serve the unique needs in each community. Four key areas have been identified as the most immediate supports during this crisis for the Alberta Capital Region: basic needs, help for seniors, mental health, and community services.

“We know that in our region many people couldn’t prepare for how COVID-19 is affecting their jobs and families.

Individuals and families in our region who were already struggling to make ends meet need more help than ever.

Local people without a safety net are being pulled into poverty by the ripple effects,” said Rob Yager, President & CEO of United Way of the Alberta Capital Region. “This investment is a demonstration of ATB’s leadership during a crucial time as local needs continue to grow, and the impact we can make when we work united.”

United Way organizations are uniquely positioned to work rapidly with front-line agencies, local municipalities and partners across Alberta to uncover the greatest needs and organize to achieve the greatest impact. “ATB Financial and the United Way organizations of Alberta have a long history of listening to Albertans and providing help where it is most needed,” said Curtis Stange, President and CEO of ATB Financial. He shared that now, more than ever, this is a time to band together to support one another, “especially those

charities like United Way who are quickly identifying the most pressing needs and actioning help across the province.”

Stange also encouraged other organizations to do what they can to help all Albertans get through this challenging time.

ATB understands that Alberta’s United Ways are deeply connected to its various communities. That connection provides important insight into what supports Albertans need during this crisis.

“Everyone across Alberta is feeling the impact of COVID-19, and those most vulnerable in our communities need support now more than ever,” said Karen Young, President and CEO of United Way of Calgary and Area. “ATB’s leadership and generosity will make a real difference to our local partners and agencies on the ground, who are working tirelessly to provide for people and families at risk. We know that the needs are urgent, and the challenges in our communities are changing and growing every day.”

ABOVE: CURTIS STANGE, PRESIDENT AND CEO OF ATB FINANCIAL. PHOTO SOURCE: EPIC PHOTOGRAPHY INC.

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AltaGas Announces $1 Million Donation to Support Community Partners Through COVID-19 Pandemic

Months ago, AltaGas committed $8,700 to sponsor the Spark Women’s Leadership Conference in Fort St. John, British Columbia. When COVID-19 hit and the conference was cancelled, the company told the conference organizers to direct their sponsorship funding to one of their charity partners instead. Together, AltaGas, Shell Canada and the Spark Women’s Leadership Conference donated $15,000 to the Women’s Resource Society to help them meet the increased demand for their services during these difficult times.

Last week, AltaGas announced it would also be donating $1 million to help community partners in its operating regions respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. These funds will be distributed to partner organizations on the frontlines supporting local communities and providing critical support to health care workers addressing the pandemic.

“This unprecedented health crisis is having an immediate and significant impact on many people in the communities we serve. We are committed to doing everything we can to support the communities and those on the frontlines during this unsettled and difficult time. We will be there for our communities throughout this crisis because we are all in this together. When it ultimately ends, we will all move forward together and be stronger than ever,” said Randy Crawford, President and Chief Executive Officer.

ABOVE: RANDY CRAWFORD, PRESIDENT AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER. LEFT: ALTAGAS EMPLOYEES CONDUCT ROUTINE MAINTENANCE AT THE TOWNSEND COMPLEX. AN ALTAGAS EMPLOYEE INSPECTS SAFETY VALVES AT THE HARMATTAN FACILITY. PHOTO SOURCE: ALTAGAS

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Papa John’s Delivers

by Rennay Craats

T

he path to becoming the master franchisee for Papa John’s in Western Canada started with a favour. Mark Murphy was an electrical engineer at a naval weapons facility in Louisville, Kentucky, when his friend needed a delivery driver for his new Papa John’s Pizza franchise. Murphy was happy to help.

“I delivered for a couple weekends for him and thought, ‘wow, people like this stuff’ and that’s when I first pursued opening my own store,” says Mark Murphy, Papa John’s Western Canada Master Franchisee and Senior Managing Director for Perfect Delivery Canada.

While Papa John’s has more than 4,700 stores in 37 countries and territories today, in 1987 it was a fledgling company. Papa John’s opened the first store in 1984 and Murphy wanted to be part of the Papa John’s movement. He opened store #20 in Prospect, Kentucky, in 1988.

“I built my own store, laying every brick, putting up all the drywall and installing every counter myself,” he says.

Today’s franchisees undergo an eight-week training course to learn everything they need to know about the pizza business, but Murphy tackled the challenge of running his own store with only a work ethic and what he had learned about the business while delivering pizzas. It should have been a disaster, but Murphy was committed to succeeding—and he did. Within a few years he opened another Papa John’s in Kentucky, and along with various business partners opened nearly 20 more locations in North Carolina, California and Alaska.

Murphy and his partners sought a market that allowed them to buy multiple units, and that search brought them to Canada.

They decided to start their northern pizza expansion in Calgary, and in 2000 opened the Bonavista location.

“The prairie provinces reminded me more of middle America, and that was a feel I was used to,” Murphy says. “When I came to Alberta it felt comfortable to me and I felt the entrepreneurial spirit. That’s what drew me here.”

the city under the company he and his partners formed called Perfect Delivery Canada. Murphy lived in Calgary for the next five years to manage the stores and soon expanded its portfolio to eight local restaurants. Despite the rocky provincial economy, Papa John’s thrived and as the economy turned around, business started booming. The problem was he couldn’t find enough people to run his Calgary locations and even looked to foreign workers to ease the labour shortage.

He was so comfortable here that he bought the development rights for Calgary and quickly opened three more stores across

“I was working about 126 hours per week. I had no employees and was watching everything I built fall apart,” he says.

www.papajohns.ca

Murphy approached the Papa John’s team and suggested the area switch to an owner/operator model and head office agreed. Perfect Delivery Canada became the master franchisee for Western Canada and Papa John’s continued to expand across the province. It has proven a successful model. The western Papa John’s franchisees are all local, independent individuals and businesses, many of whom were already in pizza or food service. These Canadian entrepreneurs support the local economy, hiring employees from the community as well as buying predominantly Canadian ingredients including 100 percent real Canadian mozzarella.

Papa John’s growth has been meteoric. Alberta has 55 restaurants with almost 20 in Calgary—and adding more all the time. Murphy and his partners plan to open 100 more franchises in the Prairies while retaining ownership of their own six stores.

“We want to feel what the franchisees in the area are feeling. Papa John’s wants us to live in reality with the rest of the franchisees. It makes us a better partner,” Murphy says.

Papa John’s supports its franchisees and as a result the brand has flourished. By opening their own distribution centre and regional office in Calgary, Perfect Delivery reduces costs for franchisees, thus further encouraging growth of the brand.

More growth means there are more restaurants providing Calgarians with “Better Ingredients.

Better Pizza.” From top to bottom, Papa John’s Pizza is made with only the best quality ingredients. The dough is delivered fresh to each restaurant and Papa John’s signature sauce, made from vine-ripened tomatoes, is a source of pride.

The toppings offered are only superior quality meats, fresh vegetables and high-quality cheese to guarantee a spectacular slice.

“There’s a lot of accountability in the ingredients,” he says. “We have no fillers, no added MSG, no additives.”

Patrons can taste the difference carefully selected ingredients makes. It is what makes Papa John’s a go-to pizza choice for Calgarians—and a first option for company lunches. Account representatives liaise with companies to ensure these corporate menu orders go off without a hitch.

“Companies develop relationships with our account reps. If companies need something special like delivering at a certain loading dock or plates and napkins or heated bags, we make sure things go right,” Murphy says. “We do whatever it takes to make them happy.”

Papa John’s has been making hungry Calgarians happy for twenty years. Mark Murphy and his team make sure of it.

BETTING ON ALBERTA // COVER

Betting on Alberta MARCELO LU, PRESIDENT OF BASF CANADA, ON AGRICULTURAL (AND OTHER) OPPORTUNITIES

BY MELANIE DARBYSHIRE

O

ne of the largest multinational chemical companies in the world, BASF has a broad range of businesses spanning the globe. The 155-year-old German company’s more than 117,000 employees - located in Europe, North America, Asia Pacific, South America, Africa and the Middle East - operate in six distinct business segments: chemicals, materials, industrial solutions, surface technologies, nutrition & care and agricultural solutions.

For almost 60 years, BASF has been operating in Canada.

Originally in the chemical industry, BASF Canada, headquartered in Mississauga, has in recent years strengthened its portfolio in both the agriculture and oil and gas businesses. That expansion has led it to Calgary.

“BASF Canada does about $2 billion worth of sales annually,” says Marcelo Lu, President of BASF Canada. Originally from Brazil, Lu has been with BASF for 14 years and held roles in Germany and Hong Kong prior to landing in his current position four years ago. “Around half of that $2 billion is from our Agricultural Solutions business.”

Formerly called BASF Canada’s Crop Protection business, the impressive recent $1 billion in sales is largely due to the company’s acquisition of a range of businesses and assets from Bayer in 2018. “With the acquisition we gained a sizeable critical mass in Western Canada, and it no longer made sense to run that business from Mississauga,” Lu explains. “The majority of BASF’s agricultural field teams and sales are rooted in Western Canada. In recognition of this

reality and driven by the importance of better connecting and supporting our customers and farmers - over 90 per cent of whom are based in Western Canada - the move to Calgary made good business sense.”

The office has approximately 70 employees, and there are another 130 BASF Canada employees in Alberta, including at the Lethbridge seed site (other BASF Canada operations in Alberta are a concrete admixtures plant in Nisku and a foam insulation plant in Blackie). The acquisition of the seed business, Lu explains, has rounded out the agriculture solutions business for BASF: “It completes the whole story.

Before we focused mostly on crop protection but had little opportunity to talk about seeds, so we were never able to tell the whole story with the farmer. We are now able to have a wholesome discussion, from pre-planting all the way to harvest.”

Canola in particular is the main seed BASF Canada’s Agricultural Solutions produces, at its Lethbridge plant.

“Canola is a major crop in Canada, and we are able to supply it to the market,” Lu offers.

While canola occupies the lion’s share of business, BASF Canada’s Agricultural Solutions business also produces some vegetable seeds, biological seed treatments and inoculants for pulse crops, biological and chemical crop protection products, soil management, plant health and pest control systems. “These include herbicides, insecticides and fungicides, mostly dealing with moisture and disease

ABOVE: MARCELO LU, PRESIDENT OF BASF CANADA. PHOTO SOURCE: KEN MORGAN

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BETTING ON ALBERTA // COVER

BUSINESSINCALGARY.COM // BUSINESS IN CALGARY // MAY 2020

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BETTING ON ALBERTA // COVER

resistance,” Lu says. “We support farmers in their efforts to treat diseases stemming from different weather conditions.”

The majority of the company’s agricultural products produced are sold in Canada. “That’s the great thing about our agricultural business, and why we have a lot more people in that business than in any other segment in Canada,” Lu says. “There’s frankly not a lot exported out of Canada.” Sales occur through distribution partners and retailers and as of last year, BASF launched a new direct-to-retail distribution model called RetailConnect - a dedicated team that supports the independent retailer.

Another recent innovation in BASF Canada’s agriculture business is xarvio, a digital farming solution aimed at helping farmers optimize the potential of individual fields and field zones. “xarvio currently offers two digital farming tools to help growers use digital insights to inform their decisions,” Lue explains enthusiastically. “xarvio™️ SCOUTING helps detect in-field stress just by taking a photo; it helps identify weeds, recognize diseases and measures leaf damage. This app is free to use and can be used by anyone, it even works for your gardens at home.” The other resources is xarvio™️ FIELD MANAGER, which uses in season satellite imagery, field-specific weather and growth stage modelling to help growers make informed decisions on the best time to apply a crop protection product as well as precisely where the application is needed.

Over time, the collection of digital data is expected to help farmers predict outcomes with greater speed and accuracy.

“The more data we are able to supply into this tool, the more predictive accuracy it has.”

While the majority of the Agricultural Solutions customers are famers, the company also produces some non-agricultural products, including for application in the forestry industry, golf courses and along power lines and railways.

Cognizant of global and national economic and regulatory challenges, Lu is nonetheless optimistic about Canada’s agricultural potential. “The availability of land and the efficiencies on Canadian farms are second to none,” he marvels. “We’re talking about one growing season. Canada is pretty darn competitive compared to some other countries that have the luxury of multiple growing seasons due to the weather.”

The province’s other major sector - oil and gas - is also a focus for BASF Canada. The company has many solutions that address the suitability concerns in the sector. It has long been a main supplier of catalysts, which allow for a cleaner and higher yield processing of crude oil, to Canadian refineries. Given that sustainability challenges are present throughout the whole value chain; a logical expansion of BASF offerings has been to Alberta’s oilsands.

One promising project utilizes a BASF proprietary polymer that aids in solid and water separation, for use in oilsands mine tailings ponds. “Our new system innovation gets mixed into the tailings ponds and attaches to the solid particles, causing them to sink to the bottom much faster than current solutions,” Lu explains. “This allows for most of the solidwater separation to occur within the first three years, with separation fully complete within 10 years.” Typically, this type of sedimentation takes approximately 100 years. “It reduces the remediation time by a factor of 10.”

“The production of this new system solution is also innovative,” adds Lu. “It is a modular production site, where the reactor is prefabricated and then shipped to the desired location. Once the treatment is done at a specific site, the reactor can move to a different tailings pond for further implementation. In principle, there is no permanent footprint.”

In addition to environmental gains, Lu notes significant cost savings for oilsands players, including land, operational

ABOVE: FARMER SEEDING INVIGOR HYBRID CANOLA. PHOTO SOURCE: KEN MORGAN

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BETTING ON ALBERTA // COVER

and remediation costs. “It’s case by case, but the savings are generally high, potentially in the double-digit percentage.”

BASF Canada is working with oilsands operators, Canada’s Oil Sands Innovation Alliance (COSIA) and both the provincial and federal governments to co-fund the project.

It hopes to test it this summer. “The vision is to have the Premier walking on a remediated tailings pond next year, to announce the results of our trial,” Lu predicts. “We believe it is a game-changer in the oilsands.”

The second project relevant to Alberta’s oilsands industry is an Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) polymer, which, when injected into the ground, allows for higher-viscosity oil to be extracted.

“Instead of using water, producers can use our polymer,” Lu says. “It’s mega-innovation to the oilsands structure.”

Beyond agriculture and oilsands, BASF Canada has other innovative businesses on the go in Alberta.

A chemical company at heart, it recently launched Bulky - the first digital freight-matching network for liquid bulk commodities shipments by truck - in Calgary with Trimac Transportation. The two companies’ $1 million investment has allowed the start-up platform to match chemical companies in need of bulk transport with trucking companies. “It’s kind of an Uber freight for bulk chemicals,” Lu explains. “It allows chemical companies to get cheaper freights and logistics companies to minimize the costs of empty hauls.”

Over time, Lu expects Bulky to provide both a return on BASF Canada’s investment as well as significant savings on its own chemical transportation logistics.

Other aspirational projects on the horizon for BASF Canada include its contribution to Canada’s transition to clean energy storage and mobility. “Canada is in a privileged position for having access to basically all battery material components within its resources portfolio,” Lu says. “Canada has not only lithium, graphite and nickel, but also cobalt which is usually the big challenge,” Lu continues. “In Canada, cobalt is a byproduct of Canadian nickel refining. which is unique to only some nickel deposits. So it’s really an amazing situation to be in, to potentially make big investments to feed the world, but also support mobility and store energy.

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MAY 2020 // BUSINESS IN CALGARY // BUSINESSINCALGARY.COM

What more do you want to be involved in?”

BASF has an existing battery materials business in Europe which, to date, has not been present in Canada. Lu aims to change that.

Another project currently exciting Lu is related to plastics recycling. “There are quite a few companies in Alberta that produce plastics and we are piloting a project called ReciChain that aims to prove that plastics circularity is possible today,” Lu says. “Working with a partner, we have co-developed a molecular tracer that can be injected into basically any plastic substrate homogeneously. It survives the extrusion step and mechanical recycling, allowing for full transparency and traceability throughout the entire lifecycle of the plastic.”

“Leveraging the power of blockchain with a digital badge and loop count technology, ReciChain also enables the secured sharing of data, such as the physical movement of plastics, among market participants, and will be especially valuable for plastic producers that will soon be subject to the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) systems,” says Lu. “Once the platform is well populated you can do a lot with the data, such as create cryptocredits for producers that have high sustainability ratings and practices that can be used to offset the taxes or fees producers would have to pay in an EPR regime.”

While part of a multi-national corporation, BASF Canada prioritizes the local communities in which it operates.

The Agricultural Solutions division recently announced a new partnership with 4-H Canada, with funding going towards both national and provincial 4-H programming.

BASF Canada has sponsored an additional Women in Business chapter at its Calgary office and plans nationwide participation in the CIBC Run for the Cure. Across Canada, the company has brought Kids’ Labs, a series of hands-on chemistry workshops developed by BASF for kids aged 6-12, to students in local communities, including in Alberta. It has also partnered with Earth Rangers, a program which teaches students about endanger animals.

Notwithstanding the world as its playground, Alberta remains a strong focus for BASF. The province’s major industries - agriculture and energy - show promise for the company, which is eager to grasp them.

F A R T H E R A PA R T B U T

STRONGER THAN EVER

THE PANDEMIC HAS CHANGED HOW WE LIVE

See inside for more details

ASK SAM

Q

SAM COREA SHARES HIS THOUGHTS ON HOW COVID-19 HAS CHANGED REAL ESTATE

Q: How will the COVID-19 pandemic change real estate?

How We Live

Now that we are spending most of our time at home, people are rethinking their needs and the functionality of their houses.

For many this means more square footage, more efficient kitchens, areas for the kids to play, outdoor living spaces and home offices. On a personal note, I have completely changed my mind on having a dedicated workspace at home. Before the days of “sheltering in place” a home office was not a high priority for our family. Now, I’m working out of the family room, my wife has taken over the dining room and my son’s homework is spread across his bedroom floor!

It’s undeniable that this pandemic has shaped the way we live.

In this issue of SAM Magazine I’m sharing my thoughts on the areas of our homes that will become more essential. The saying “Home is Where the Heart is” has more meaning than ever before.

How We Buy and Sell Homes

Immediately, the way we conducted our meetings and showcased houses changed. Personal safety and physical distancing made face-to-face meetings and home tours impossible. But, it’s amazing how adaptable everyone has become. Ten years ago this would have completely shut down the real estate industry. Because of technology we are still able to buy and sell homes. I’ve done virtual tours for out of town clients on FaceTime and acted as their eyes, ears, and even their noses! However, because buying a home has so much emotion attached to it, I believe that when this is over, virtual tours will go back to being a last resort. Given the opportunity, buyers will always prefer to walk through in-person and get a feel for the property.

We are incredibly grateful for the hard work of all those keeping us healthy, safe and fed. This incredible city is showing its strength, even when we are far apart. There’s nowhere we’d rather live. May you find peace in your surroundings, comfort in your family and health and wellness ahead.

Love and Strength, Sam Corea, Chris Fullerton, Alison Kalstrom and the entire SAM Team

Not Not intended intended to to solicit solicit properties properties already already listed listed for for sale sale nor nor intended intended to to cause cause aa breach breach of of any any existing existing agency agency relationship. relationship.

F A R T H E R A PA R T B U T

STRONGER THAN EVER

KITCHEN

It seems like the more time we spend at home, the more trips we make to the fridge! People are becoming gourmet chefs and master bakers during this time of physical separation. They are going to the grocery store less frequently. What does this mean for kitchens moving forward? We predict the pantry and ample

cabinet storage will become even more important. Kitchens will continue to be designed to be warm and welcoming as home owners spend even more time in this part of the home. Here are a few of our most spectacular kitchens.

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OFFICE

Having a dedicated work space has become paramount! If you have a good office set up, a lot can be accomplished from home thanks to technology. Meetings will be held virtually more frequently and commuting to the office will become less common. We predict that having a large office with space

for several desks or even multiple home offices will be a high priority for buyers even after the COVID threat subsides.

Homework rooms will become more common as will craft areas and library nooks. Check out these great home offices from our current listings.

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CALL TODAY TO GET YOUR HOME IN OUR NEXT ISSUE

F A R T H E R A PA R T B U T

STRONGER THAN EVER

OUTDOOR LIVING

It’s getting warmer, and we’re all itching to get outdoors!

With limited access to public parks and playgrounds home owners will increasingly value their own large lots, big yards and unobstructed views. Each of these properties offers a special outdoor living experience. Whether it be expansive

lawns for games of tag or badminton, cozy fireplaces to roast marshmallows, patios for warm summer evenings, access to the lake or unsurpassed views, these types of features will become even more desirable for buyers after this virus crisis over.

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HERITAGE POINTE | $1,195,000

24 SPRING WILLOW WAY SW

COZY COVERED DECK WITH FIREPLACE

41 ARTESIA POINTE

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RICHMOND | $1,050,000

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ENTERTAIN FRIENDS IN THIS CITY GARDEN

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STEPS AWAY TO DOCK ACCESS

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RECREATION ROOMS

The quality time we have playing, talking, watching movies and connecting with one another within our family unit is one of the silver linings of the quarantine. However, kids need space to build forts, play video games and set up lego cities, and that isn’t always ideal when everyone shares the same living ASPEN WOODS | $1,165,000

18 ASPEN DALE COURT SW

MOVIE NIGHTS WITH THE WHOLE FAMILY GARRISON WOODS | $995,000

45 MOREUIL COURT SW

A SPACE FOR THE CHILDREN TO PLAY SPRINGBANK HILL | $1,195,000

242 FORTRESS BAY SW

MODERN AND BRIGHT WALK OUT BASEMENT

BOOK YOUR OWN PERSONAL TOUR

room! Moving forwards, families will want space for the kids to let loose. Recreation rooms will become even more crucial.

And for teens, snack bars, game rooms, and media rooms get extra points. We’re sharing a few of favourites courtesy of our current listings.

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27 ARTISTS VIEW POINTE

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AMJ is Canada’s largest moving company with over 35 branches coast to coast. Offering moving services in residential, international, commercial, special products and home deliveries with such companies like Crate and Barrel, Urban Barn and Ethan Allen to name a few. Additionally, if you are looking to furnish your office space, we are happy to assist with our Logiflex line out of Quebec.

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COMMERCIAL CONSTRUCTION IN THE NEW NORMAL // CONSTRUCTION

COMMERCIAL CONSTRUCTION IN THE NEW NORMAL FROM THE CALGARY CANCER CENTRE TO $30 MILLION IN PAVING

BY JOHN HARDY

T

he construction sector is an undisputed key driver of the Canadian economy. The related industries--residential, non-residential and engineering, repair and other construction services---employ millions of people, contribute more than $73 billion and account for approximately six percent of Canada’s GDP. Despite various business broadsides---from the downturn, the toll of COVID-19, social distancing and employment--Calgary continues to be recognized as one of Canada’s largest and most influential markets for commercial, residential and infrastructure development.

Although some Alberta and Calgary economy speedbumps and some recent completions of major projects have impacted the dynamics of Calgary’s commercial and industrial construction, the sector is resilient, forwardthinking and gutsy.

“With such a significant backlog of work in the commercial sector that was happening in 2015, the industry appeared to lag the falling commodity prices more than normal, mostly because there was still so much momentum,” says Bill Black, president of the Calgary Construction Association, the professional association of more than 850-member companies throughout the Calgary region.

“Over the course of 2017 and 2018, as that work was completed, it became increasingly obvious that the backlog of opportunities was also reducing quickly. That was further borne out last year, as organizations began to see the direct impact of reduced workload and the looming realities of a prolonged period of lower volumes.”

Although Black is cautious and concerned about recent cycles in Calgary’s commercial and industrial construction sector, he acknowledges that several ongoing project and work

ABOVE: PCL’S MASSIVE CALGARY CANCER CENTRE PROJECT. PHOTO SOURCE: PCL

BUSINESSINCALGARY.COM // BUSINESS IN CALGARY // MAY 2020

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COMMERCIAL CONSTRUCTION IN THE NEW NORMAL // CONSTRUCTION

readying to start may breathe much needed life into Calgary construction industry and provide the backlog that industry needs to make it solid for the next two or three years.

The many cranes, even the clusters of orange cones and the buzz of construction activity throughout the Calgary area are encouraging, very good signs.

The colossal $1.4 billion Calgary Cancer Centre is taking shape and on track for its scheduled 2023 opening.

Condos, retail and office space, parks in the East Village and University District are bustling and growing. Several major residential and mixed use projects (like the 50acre Greenwich Village near Olympic Park and others) are busy with construction. The $550 million new Event Centre (just north of the Saddledome in the Victoria Park neighbourhood), the $500 million expansion of Calgary’s BMO Centre (from 500k square feet to a space with more than one million square feet), and the first leg of Calgary’s $4.9 billion Green Line LRT project ----are readying for construction work starting next year.

As Bill Black points out, a fact and basic reality of commercial and institutional construction life is that, while the construction industry is a major employer with more than 41,000 firms across Alberta, there are relatively few high profile big companies doing projects. The stats prove that the average commercial construction firm is small, with 20 or less workers.

One aspect of commercial construction does differ throughout the country. In the Calgary area, like other major municipalities, the city is commercial and institutional construction’s biggest customer with infrastructure projects and expenditures like the ring road related work, Green Line work, overpasses, and kilometers of road widenings, paving, interchanges, overpasses, and more.

Infrastructure planning and investment continues to be a high priority for Calgarians, as shown in the 2019 Citizen Satisfaction Survey and it is a detailed masterplan of details, scheduling and a driver for economic recovery.

“The City is using its resources to support the continued recovery and diversification of Calgary’s economy and build the foundation of a great future,” says Kerensa Swanson Fromherz, director of Transportation Infrastructure. “Our goals are to help create jobs and support new opportunities

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MAY 2020 // BUSINESS IN CALGARY // BUSINESSINCALGARY.COM

for investment, expansion, job growth and retention while delivering long-term value and affordability for Calgarians.”

This year is already a busy year with infrastructure construction. As Alberta Transportation continues the construction of the Southwest Calgary Ring Road and the West Calgary Ring Road, construction on two Ring Road integration projects will be completed by The City this year.

The City is doing a major Glenmore Trail widening and interchange upgrade, including, top-lift paving and landscaping. There is construction of two Airport Trail interchanges---at 19 Street N.E. and Barlow Trail---which the City explains will improve access for movement of goods, services and people to and from YYC. Because it has been done in stages since 2017, Crowchild Trail upgrades---a major City infrastructure construction project---will be wrapping up by the end of this year. The $87 million project is adding lanes for drivers, rearranging off-ramps, and improving surrounding roads and pathways while more than 100,000 vehicles per day continue travelling along Crowchild Trail. “Keeping Calgarians moving along this major arterial road has been a priority because commuters, businesses and emergency services all rely on using this road 24/7,” says Jeff Baird, Senior Transportation Engineer.

Although commuters grumble about navigating around orange coned slowdowns and detours, traffic commotion is an occupational hazard of all infrastructure commotion and, despite the nuisance aspects, it is a good sign. And it is happening throughout Calgary.

“Paving projects---spelled out in the City’s Annual Pavement Rehabilitation Program---is more than $30 million of annual investment to maintain road and sidewalk infrastructure and employs both City and private contractors to complete the work. “Our life cycle paving program is less costly than full road reconstruction and allows Calgary’s roads and sidewalks to be improved, returning them to like-new condition,” explains Barry Poon, Calgary’s manager of Roads Construction.

According to PCL, one of the few, major commercial construction firms in Calgary and making the massive Calgary Cancer Centre project happen, “In the last five

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COMMERCIAL CONSTRUCTION IN THE NEW NORMAL // CONSTRUCTION

years, commercial construction activity has been down in the traditional commercial markets. PCL has diversified the resources and diversified the work we do to react to this change in the market. We are seeing more small to mid-size projects having much greater competition than normal, due to the changing construction industry in Alberta.

PCL adds that “Generally, we have two or three major commercial projects going at any one time. Additionally, we have numerous mid-sized commercial and infrastructure projects going in the last year.”

For the balance of 2020 and planning for some key projects in 2021, Bill Black cautions that Calgary’s commercial and industrial construction may have to re-tool for the Calgary economy new normal, the post COVID-19 new normal life and the Calgary business new normal.

“Recovery in this town traditionally means ‘next boom’” he says. “I think our vernacular needs to change for the

foreseeable future. In a city conditioned by a cyclical boom and bust economy, the biggest adjustment has been coming to terms with the fact that we may not be returning to the next boom cycle and our traditional strategic habits may no longer apply.

“Learning how to compete in a saturated market which is still sized for higher volumes than what we are likely facing, is going to be a major adjustment for many. The market will likely have to right size and this may occur by attrition rather than choice. Ultimately we will have to consider the prospect of a more level marketplace with average growth year over year rather than the aggressive cycles from our past.

“This is a much less stressful market to live and work in,” Black adds. “But the adjustment required to function in such an economy, should it materialize after so many decades of reacting to the cycles, will be challenging.”

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MAY 2020 // BUSINESS IN CALGARY // BUSINESSINCALGARY.COM

CALGARY’S OVERLOOKED TRANSPORTATION AND LOGISTICS // TRANSPORTATION & DISTRIBUTION

CALGARY’S OVERLOOKED TRANSPORTATION AND LOGISTICS SECTOR TRANSPORTATION AND LOGISTICS EMPLOY MORE THAN 76,000 CALGARIANS

BY JOHN HARDY

L

ike flipping a switch, turning on the tap, going to the fridge, logging in and this year’s transformational COVID-19 life changer occasionally reminds us---we take basics and modern creature comforts for granted.

Particularly aspects that we don’t really notice because they don’t directly impact us. Like transportation.

Whether it’s the hard core essential of the economy with containerized cargo, crude oil, potash, and petroleum products or despite fluky and grave challenges, making sure grocery shelves are stocked---it is transportation! Not only a vital lynch pin of Canada’s economy and an essential fact of Canadian life. Whether it is trucks, rail and ships, Canada has an efficient, high-capacity multimodal transport spanning often vast distances between natural resource extraction sites, agricultural and urban areas, from Calgary, Montreal, Vancouver and Halifax.

It’s a statistical fact that Canada is the world’s secondlargest country in total area. Transportation is sometimes challenging but it is crucial. Canada’s transportation system includes more than 1,400,000 km of roads, 10 major

international airports, 72,093 km of functioning railway track and more than 300 commercial ports and harbours.

Research recently done by Trucking HR Canada and the Conference Board of Canada says that about 300,000 truck drivers in Canada move an estimated $850-billion worth of goods annually, including $550 billion in imports and $300 billion in exports.

For comparison, Canada’s largest railway, CNR, transports about $250 billion worth of goods annually.

With the various high profile dimensions of other Calgary business sectors, it may be a revelation that transportation and logistics employ more than 76,000 Calgarians in some 4,900 businesses and there are significantly more Calgarians employed in transportation and logistics than in the energy sector.

According to Dr. Osman Alp, associate professor, operations and supply chain management at Calgary’s Haskayne School of Business, “The trucking industry is the strongest and most viable among the three. Railroad industry is probably at its maturity, performances can be improved with investment in

BUSINESSINCALGARY.COM // BUSINESS IN CALGARY // MAY 2020

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// TRANSPORTATION & DISTRIBUTION

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OSMAN ALP ALSO POINTS OUT THAT THE INDUSTRY IS GETTING MORE GLOBAL AND COMPLEX. “AS THE GLOBAL TRADE INCREASES, NEED FOR INTERMODAL TRANSPORTATION ALSO INCREASES.” capacity. We can also see this in the GDP by industry. Trucking industry GDP for Canada steadily increases since 2013 whereas rail industry GDP is stable during the same time horizon.”

He also points out that the industry is getting more global and complex. “As the global trade increases, need for intermodal transportation also increases.”

Intermodal transportation is also an effective tool to decrease costs of operations for competitiveness. It can also be configured effectively to decrease the carbon footprint of companies. Intermodal transportation is expected to increase significantly until 2050, more than any other individual transportation mode.

“Intermodal transportation is especially important for Canada, as we are connected to Asia and Europe from two coastal sides and there are strong rail connections to USA freight transportation between the two countries,” he says. “As operational efficiency is increased with intermodal transportation, overall costs can be decreased and total transit times along the supply chains can be decreased.”

Of course rail is vital and, despite some challenging outside factors, continues a steady growth in Canada. According to the most recent report from Railway

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ABOVE: DR. OSMAN ALP, ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR, OPERATIONS AND SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT. PHOTO SOURCE: MARK SKOGEN

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MAY 2020 // BUSINESS IN CALGARY // BUSINESSINCALGARY.COM

The 24/7 Work Lifestyle F

or a couple of months of social distancing and worse, as many people managed abnormal workdays and working by remote, the 24/7 technology option and choosing to be plugged and unplugged lines were blurred.

The HR industry, constantly bombarded by changing employeremployee trends, is dealing with a tsunami of new ways of work routines and work places. “Flexibility” is not only a hot buzzword but a broad umbrella word used to describe any job or role that breaks the traditional norm of the formerly rigid 9-to-5. About 92 percent of Millennials openly admit that flexibility is a top priority when job hunting.

The octopus of flexibility has many tentacles. One of the most common is being accessible and on-call, 24/7 and (for some) the daring risk of being unplugged.

During “normal” work routines, there are occasionally written--but most often unwritten---rules, protocols and personal routines about being on-duty 24/7 and choosing to be unplugged. HR insiders mention the 24/7 lifestyle and always being plugged-in as a factor for productivity as well as stress management and the therapeutic value of disconnecting.

“My phone is off from 10 pm to 7 am.,” says Miren Savard, founder, owner and president at Savard Properties and a Calgary EO member. “And it will ring only when someone calls three times straight---that’s how I’m on call for afterhours emergencies. If someone calls me and wakes me up, and it’s not an emergency, my staff knows I get really angry. Between 7 am and 10 pm, I answer emails when I can.

“When I am at dinner with my family, I leave the phone on the charging station in our mudroom. When I am in a personal event or lunch or dinner or meeting, I put my phone on silent.”

Worktime discipline and making off-duty a priority are also the key for Glenn Street, the personable president (the business card says “Top Dog”) at Street Characters, one of the largest mascotmaking operations in the world and a Calgary EO member.

“My company was 24/7 for me, but now I have a great team, with proper accountabilities,” he says. “Now I have my business working for me, not the other way around. I am very protective of my free time, and am protective of my team’s time out of the office as well. I expect all Members of our Street Gang to switch off after hours and on holidays.”

Savard doesn’t subscribe to 24/7. “If I get a call afterhours that is not an emergency, I just say no! It works. I tell them to call again during regular hours. But if it is an emergency, I get up and do the work, and call whoever I need to get the work done.”

Street suggests that being accessible 24/7 may be telltale. “If you feel you have to be on top of things 24/7, then you’re probably not running your business right. Many Owners want to be the hero, constantly running their business. It’s likely that you’re actually a better leader if your business doesn’t need you.

Contributing Members:

Glenn Street

Miren Savard

the personable president (the business card says “Top Dog”) at Street Characters

founder, owner and president at Savard Properties

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.

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CALGARY’S OVERLOOKED TRANSPORTATION AND LOGISTICS // TRANSPORTATION & DISTRIBUTION

Association of Canada (RAC), “Record results in 2018 show that Canada’s railways have fully recovered from the shock of the 2008-09 global recession, originated a record number of more than 6.1 million carloads while delivering unprecedented performance and service.”

The RAC Report outlines that the increases enable rail customers to compete and win in the global marketplace and underscores that that investments in rail were also at a record high (at almost $2.4 billion into Canadian networks) and RAC members paid a record-high $2.0 billion in taxes to Canadian governments, allowing them to deliver important services that Canadians rely on daily.

Calgary shares in the success. The Calgary Region is home to two major intermodal operations. CP Rail not only has its headquarters in Calgary but has its Calgary Logistics Park with terrific connections to not only Vancouver and eastern Canada, but also to the port of Prince Rupert, B.C., which is advantageous for access to the lucrative Far East market.

Industry experts voice consensus that the trucking and logistics sector is a massive economic force in Canada, employing hundreds of thousands of workers and acting as a key component of interprovincial and international trade. Over the years, the transportation and logistics industry has experienced steady and dependable growth. The industry continues to play an important role in the health of the Canadian economy.

“Trucking is the dominant sector in terms of business volume,” Alp says. “The rail sector is key for Canadian transportation, as rail is a cost-effective alternative for long distance movement of freight which is tied to intermodal transportation through seaports for overseas exports/ imports and that can connect to trucking for the final segment to destination.”

Calgary’s competitive edge in the trucking sector of transportation is that it sits at the epicenter of major east, west, north, south highway routes, connecting not only eastern and western Canada but also northern Canada with the United States and Mexico (through the CANAMEX corridor). Within one truck’s day drive of Calgary (13 hours being a trucker’s standard day), can access a market in excess of 18 million people. Extend that to a 24-hour day and it can access more than 50 million people.

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MAY 2020 // BUSINESS IN CALGARY // BUSINESSINCALGARY.COM

The strength and growth of the trucking industry is also good business news for Calgary. “The tonne-kilometers of truck shipments has fluctuated in recent years, but the revenue per tonne-kilometer has an increasing trend in both domestic and trans-border shipments,” Alp says. “This is a positive sign for the profitability of the sector. The price index for trucking industry has increased about 10 per cent in the last few years but the general trend is also strong to support the industry. Contrary increases in the trucking industry, the revenue of rail industry per tonne kilometer has been steady since 2017.”

Although transportation sector deals with consistent challenges like the economy, the weather, and the whims of supply and demand, transportation (particularly truck and rail) is confronting two contemporary issues.

Haskayne’s Osman Alp emphasizes that the key factor for transportation is: sustainability. Transportation accounts for 20 to 25 per cent of Canada’s overall GHG emissions. The experts agree that although there are numerous initiatives taken in industry in all sectors (rail, road, air) to reduce emissions, changes are important.

“In trucking and the railroad industry,” he says, “alternative fuel adoption must increase. Electric or hydrogen fuel are the two candidates for this transformation. Carbon offsetting requirements will start for aviation in the near future; reducing emissions will also be a driving factor for other transportation modes.

Alternative fuels coupled with autonomous technologies will be standard of future for the trucking industry, and the rail industry, as well. This is a challenge for the transportation sector in general.”

The trucking sector has a lingering and quirky issue to deal with: people. A looming driver shortage has been a lingering problem for the trucking industry for a few years and industry insiders say it may now be reaching a critical point, not just for Canada but in North America in general. Boomer drivers are ageing and younger generations do not find the trucker lifestyle or the trucker profession very appealing. The shortage is particularly pronounced for long-haul drivers, for whom the job vacancy rate is 9.4 per cent compared to an industry rate of 6.8 per cent.

The Calgary Chamber is the voice of the business community. We double down on commerce and work with businesses to create catalysts for growth.

BUSINESSINCALGARY.COM // BUSINESS IN CALGARY // MAY 2020

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#Here4YYC Business Toolkit

#Here4YYC The Calgary Chamber is #Here4YYC Earlier this month we launched #Here4YYC – the Chamber’s response to COVID-19. #Here4YYC is both how we are rallying for our business community and how we’re empowering our community to rally together.

We have assembled this toolkit to support you and your business through this uncertain time.

As always, should you need to get in touch with the Chamber please don’t hesitate to reach out to us directly at membership@calgarychamber.com. We are here for you Calgary!

COVID-19 Resources for Business

#Here4Y C

COVID-19 Support Webpage: This is your one-stop shop to find resources to support your employees, help navigate all the recent government announcements, access our job board and to share your own stories.

Daily Webinars: The Chamber is hosting a daily webinar with government and business leaders to provide updates, share tools and answer your questions directly. You can find recordings of all previous webinars and the upcoming schedule on the COVID-19 webpage.

Government Announcements: We compiled and categorized all government announcements and assembled all the resources for your business. We update this page on a daily basis as announcements are made.

Business Community Surveys: In addition to reaching out to our members individually we also have a survey open to the business community. Don’t wait, fill out our survey and share your needs with us.

Job Board: While we understand many companies are being forced to close, others are moving operations online and pivoting to new business models and therefore are looking for people to fill various roles. The Chamber has launched a job board to support businesses who are hiring, these businesses are ensuring access to products and services remains constant for the community. Please reach out and let us know if you have a job posting you’d like to share.

Share you #Here4YYC story with us Being #Here4YYC means doing what Calgary businesses have always done – harnessing our entrepreneurial spirit, getting down to business, and looking out for our neighbours.

Businesses are showing great resiliency in these challenging times and actions like this are how Calgary earned its can do reputation.

We want to hear your stories, share them online using #Here4YYC and add in the #Here4YYC badge.

Together we will overcome this, together we are #Here4YYC.

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COVID advocacy

T

he COVID-19 outbreak is a considerable global challenge.

The World Health Organization has declared COVID-19 a global pandemic. The federal, provincial, and municipal governments have instituted various protective measures and recommendations and are providing updates daily.

COVID-19 will impact all Canadians one way or another, from physical distancing, to school and daycare closures, to travel bans – our way of life has been disrupted. The Calgary Chamber is actively supporting our business community, and the residents they employ and serve, through this uncertainty.

If you are a business owner and you are unsure what steps you should be taking, please contact the Chamber team, and we can assist you.

POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS We understand the stress and uncertainty of the last few weeks, and continued uncertainty looking towards the next few weeks and months for the physical and economic health of our community. We know that all Canadians – everyday citizens, business owners, and our elected representatives – can meet this challenge. In order to ensure this, we ask policymakers to consider the following outcomes.

Delivering on these outcomes will keep us safe, ensure our Canadian economy continues to function, and allow us to emerge from this outbreak on our front foot and ready to lead in a globalized, connected world.

Short term outcome (next three months): Stabilization •Flattening the curve. All Canadians need to follow the directives and recommendations of our public health and emergency management authorities, especially when it comes to physical distancing. It is critical that we “flatten the curve” to stem the outbreak, and following the direction of our public health and emergency management authorities is an important part of achieving that goal. We all have a shared responsibility to protect our families, colleagues, friends, and our community, and ultimately it is how we get back to stability, for our society and our economy.

•Debt/ household financial relief: We need all levels of government to work together to ensure that households receive the necessary relief and monetary support for monthly payments such as utility bills, tax deadlines, rent and mortgage payments and the like. Canadians must be able to focus on their health first and foremost.

•Supply chain integrity and labour: The integrity of the Canadian supply chain, and access to labour, must continue to remain a priority. Canadians and Canadian business

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owners need assurance that while balancing public health concerns and safety, good, services, and labour will continue to enter Canada in a safe and predictable way.

•Ease of access: Reduce the regulations and/or waive them for the next three months to enable ease of access to benefits and financial resources presented at all three levels of government.

Medium term outcome (end of 2020 and into 2021): Resiliency •Securing global supply chains: We need all levels of government working together to continue to enact policies that ensure confidence in the global supply chain, and to work with allies around the world to ensure this confidence with tangible measures.

•Alberta’s innovation opportunity: For the Government of Alberta specifically, continue to commit to economic diversification and ensure a more stable and consistent revenue mix. The COVID-19 outbreak combined with a breakdown in negotiations and cooperation between OPEC members and Russia has led to a massive decrease in the world price for oil, and further highlights a long-standing issue Alberta has faced and the need for stable revenue to ensure our ability to weather crises.

•Canadian Economic Task Force: Led by the federal government, we recommend the establishment a dedicated economic task force to examine the structural economic vulnerabilities highlighted by the COVID-19 outbreak, and mandate that the task force provide recommendations to Parliament to improve all sectors of the Canadian economy to ensure further resiliency and preparation for the next national crisis.

•Canadian Tax Review: We recommend the appointment of a Royal Commission to conduct a comprehensive review of the Canadian tax system in consultation with industry stakeholders and sub-national governments, and report prior to the next election in 2023. o As previously outlined by the Canadian Chamber, the Royal Commission’s terms of reference should be guided by the principles of tax competitiveness, simplicity, fairness, and neutrality. The inquiry should have the objective of expediently raising sufficient revenues to fund public spending, without imposing excessive costs on the Canadian economy.

•Governance: All levels of government should engage in good governance and accountability, specifically by:

o Respecting the rule of law and honouring contracts that have been signed and increasing business confidence in the process. o Providing a reasonable time for consultation before implementing new policies, with appropriate implementation timeframes for businesses and the marketplace to adjust.

Long term (2021 and beyond): Winning • Public health system preparedness: All levels of government need to commit to ensuring our public health system can respond to and withstand a similar outbreak in the future. o We recommend a Royal Commission should be appointed to holistically study the federal government’s response to COVID-19 and offer recommendations for the future, with a particular focus on the continued functioning of the Canadian economy, support for businesses during a crisis, ensuring public health, and methods for timely and streamlined communications.

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• Exporting Canadian IP: We recommend policy is enacted which allows for the export of technology and continued and improved access to international markets for Canadian businesses to help improve the global supply chain. We have to double down on exporting Canadian intellectual property, to ensure we are ready to meet the future economy.

• Solving Climate Change: As we’ve said previously, climate change is the issue of our time and by being innovative, we have an opportunity to be leaders in solving this issue. Each order of government must be committed to meaningful, thoughtful policy solutions to solve climate change, and that those policy aims and outcomes must be in harmony and reconciled with one another.

Canada can be a leader in natural resource development AND solve climate change simultaneously. When doing both, however, we need tangible outcomes and conviction. The success of our businesses, the well-being of our families, and our strength as a country all depend on it.

BUSINESSINCALGARY.COM // BUSINESS IN CALGARY // MAY 2020

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GOLF TECHNOLOGY... IS IT WORTH IT? // SCOTT ORBAN

McKenzie Meadows Golf Tip:

Golf Club Technology…

Is it worth it?

BY SCOTT ORBAN, PGA EXECUTIVE PROFESSIONAL, MCKENZIE MEADOWS GOLF CLUB

I

was speaking to a room of 100 ladies golfers about club fitting: “If you saw a beautiful pair of Gucci shoes on sale and they were a size 6 and you were a size 8, would you buy them?”…. a lady shouts out “I’d make them fit”.

Check out the effects physics has on the balls flight below:

That about sums up how most golfers buy golf clubs. What you need to know and accept is that professionally fitted Clubs will result in improved performance immediately.

And for the higher handicap golfer, the greater the variance of improvement.

Most golfers think of two sizes; Men’s or Ladies; but there are a multitude of sizes (combination of specs) which when fitted to your swing will make a significant difference in how you strike the ball. Lie angle is one critical spec which you need to pay attention to.

TOO FLAT – BALL FLIGHT IS RIGHT OF TARGET

TOO UPRIGHT – BALL FLIGHT IS LEFT OF TARGET

Hockey sticks had different lie angles stamped on shaft of the old wooden sticks; some hockey players will remember picking out their favorite lie 5, 6, or 7. Change their stick with a different lie angle during a game and their ability to shoot, pass or deak effectively is compromised immediately because the lie angle does not fit them. Today the pros have these customized at the factory.

The lie angle simply defined makes the club more upright or flat. Because there are so many different lie angles available, golfers need the lie angle that fits their personal swing so your shot is not compromised.

At impact during your golf swing the sole of your club head should be parallel to the ground to give you the maximum benefit of your irons. When your lie angle is too flat or too upright you may experience topped shots and off center hits.

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CORRECT – STRAIGHTER SHOTS

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BUSINESSINCALGARY.COM // BUSINESS IN CALGARY // MAY 2020

43

Community spirit shines through as Calgary’s tourism industry finds new ways to share the best our city has to offer FROM VIRTUAL TOURS, CLASSES AND EVENTS TO NUMEROUS ACTS OF COMPASSION AND HUMANITY, CALGARY’S TOURISM INDUSTRY REMAINS DRIVEN BY BIG DREAMS AND DETERMINED TO MAKE A CONTRIBUTION.

BY BRIDGETTE SLATER

A

s proud Calgarians, we know that our community spirit is what sets us apart and reinforces our position as ultimate hosts. The Calgary attitude remains that no matter what comes our way, or what life has in store, we work together to make it through and we come out stronger. It’s at times like these when our community spirit shines brightest. We accept the challenges and devise collaborative, innovative solutions to forge ahead.

Calgary’s tourism industry is facing tough times. Despite all this, we’re seeing so many examples of collaboration and perseverance as our industry looks for new ways to help residents and potential visitors unlock the best version of Calgary from the safety of their own homes. From virtual tours, classes and events to numerous acts of compassion and humanity, Calgary’s tourism industry remains driven by big dreams and determined to make a contribution.

As an industry leader, Tourism Calgary is committed to fostering our city’s undeniable community spirit and to supporting our valued partners as they adjust to new realities. This has included gathering valuable input from tourism industry stakeholders around the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and around support needs during this time. This input has proved incredibly valuable in guiding Tourism Calgary’s advocacy efforts as the organization communicates the impact to Calgary’s tourism industry and communicates support needs to different orders of government and other response partners. Adding to these

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support efforts, Tourism Calgary has launched a campaign called #LoveYYC From Home. The purpose of this campaign is to leverage Tourism Calgary’s highly-visible digital channels and marketing resources to highlight the new ways tourism industry partners are sharing Calgary’s experiences.

Some examples of ways organizations have safely engaged Calgarians in ways that connect and inspire include: • Glenbow from home – Virtual tours, online collections, educational videos, activities, webinars and more offered Wednesdays at 10 a.m. for school-aged kids and Fridays at 10 a.m. for adults. Available at glenbow.blog/glenbow-from-home.

• TELUS Spark science from home – DIY science experiments, activities, virtual tours, exhibit updates and online challenges. Updated regularly and available at sparkscience.ca/spark-science-from-home.

• Calgary Zoo Daily Dose at Home – Daily educational videos featuring fun facts about the many animals who call the Calgary Zoo home. Videos and accompanying educational activities available at calgaryzoo.com/yourdailydoseanddaily doseathome.

Tourism Calgary remains committed to supporting our industry through this difficult time. For information about COVID-19 specific to Calgary’s tourism industry, see visitcalgary.com/industry/covid19.

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PARKER’S PEN // DAVID PARKER

Parker’s Pen

BY DAVID PARKER

I

can’t remember when I first started writing for publishers Pat and Tim Ottmann, but I have a copy of a column dated August 2006 that began by saying ‘I’m back in business, back writing for Business in Calgary about the comings and goings in our marketing and communications community.

As an alumni of that industry I do enjoy chatting with agencies and public relations practitioners, and I will still call them, but it is time for a change so that I can ramble on about others who continue to invest their time and talent in running businesses in this city.

Despite the problems of a terrible virus, never mind tax increases, we have a pretty resilient group of business and association leaders who have the confidence and experience to see us through.

A couple of those are Geoff Hardwicke and Todd Blevins who, after running the day-to-day operations for the past three years, have bought the marketing division of Trigger Communications from Larry Bannerman who will be focusing his efforts on running Trigger Financial Division.

It has been nice to relax with a quiet lunch at home; a cheese and onion sandwich with a nice cup of green tea and a good book. I can usually get through four or five pages before I nod off. But I have missed lunches with business people which are so much nicer than any Zoom conversations. A couple of my favourites are with Lou MacEachern at his favourite Il Chianti Restaurant on 20th Avenue N.W. for a

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hearty bowl of minestrone, and at the Austrian Canadian Club for a plate of Wiener Schnitzel and a glass of red wine while swopping stories with Hardy Neilsen of Norcal Group.

But golf season will come eventually for those of us who haven’t had the good fortune to play in Palm Springs all winter. Playing elsewhere can be fun, especially when teamed with complete strangers. On Maui I’ve had couples from Comox who bragged about playing year-round, and one lady who scared me a little by announcing, “I’m from Sant Cruz and play twice a week – how often do you play?” Best story is from Tony Militano of Carbon Copy Digital who arrived with his wife on Maui’s Wailea Emerald Course and checked in to find they were to enjoy 18 holes with Alice Cooper and Stedman Graham.

A big booster of local business, I found it frustrating during the extended quarantine period when libraries were closed one could buy a book from Costco but stores like Pages in Kensington had to be closed to the public. Hope ordering online worked for them.

End Quote If the mountain was smooth you couldn’t climb it.

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Thank you for doing your part to stop the spread of the Coronavirus.

Stay positive. There is light at the end of the tunnel.

Despite the stress and uncertainty, we continue making the sacrifices needed to protect our community. Thank you for staying home yet finding meaningful ways to connect with others.

Thank you for keeping safe and still reaching out with acts of kindness to your neighbours.

In the most challenging time, we are standing up for each other.

The staff at all our dealerships are here to help too. We have been deemed an essential service and we take that responsibility very seriously.

Our service departments are open six days a week during this critical time. We offer valet service and sanitize every vehicle after the work is done.

Our sales professionals are here to provide you with a complete virtual experience so you can shop, price and purchase a vehicle online. We’ll even bring the vehicle to you for a test drive.

Our stores offer a broad range of credit options including deferred payments or cash back on most vehicles.

Like you, we too are adjusting to the times.

So remember to stay safe and remain positive. We’re in this together and together is how we’ll get through.