Business in Edmonton - January 2022

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THE DRIVE TO

Make a Difference PM42455512

THE PRESIDENT & CEO OF JA NORTHERN ALBERTA INSPIRES PEOPLE, BUSINESSES AND COMMUNITIES

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EDMONTON CHAMBER SECTION

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STORY TITLE // SECTION

Supporting the visions of entrepreneurs one story at a time.

Volume 10 | Number 1

REGULAR COLUMNS

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Starting Up in the New Year

By John Liston

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Our Wishes For 2022: Strong Local Supply Chains and People

By David MacLean

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Edmonton Chamber of Commerce

CONTENTS COVER FEATURE

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he Drive to Make a T Difference The President & CEO of JA Northern Alberta inspires people, businesses and communities

By Nerissa McNaughton

ON OUR COVER: ABOVE: JENNIFER MARTIN, PRESIDENT & CEO OF JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT NORTHERN ALBERTA. PHOTO SOURCE: EPIC PHOTOGRAPHY INC

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STORY TITLE // SECTION

Supporting the visions of entrepreneurs one story at a time.

Volume 10 | Number 1

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CONTENTS THIS MONTH’S FEATURES

COMPANY PROFILES

29 64 67

52 14

B OSS Lubricants Celebrates 30 Years

C anadian Valuation Celebrates 30 Years

R ussell NDE Systems Inc. Celebrates 50 Years

26

FinTech: The Future is Now Fintech leaders and Canadian government collaborate to keep businesses competitive and protected

By Natalie Noble

Associations Build Up Business Leaders

By Will Porter

45

The Team that Plays Well Together, Works Well Together Team building for corporate health and wellness a big focus for the New Year

By Natalie Noble

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JANUARY 2022 // BUSINESS IN EDMONTON // BUSINESSINEDMONTON.COM

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STARTING UP IN THE NEW YEAR // JOHN LISTON

Starting Up in the New Year

BY JOHN LISTON, VICE PRESIDENT, ALBERTA ENTERPRISE GROUP

H

appy New Year. Let’s see if we can’t keep our focus on things with optimism and hope attached. The rearview mirror in our vehicle is tiny compared with the windshield for a reason; we are meant to spend our time looking forward. Let’s make 2022 the best year yet!

I participated along with 75 investors in the most recent Summit. It was an incredible experience, and I learned so much about angels, venture capital funds and tech companies.

I realize that tech is just a tool to solve problems, and it really broke down my intimidation around the whole ecosystem.

In a meeting with Premier Kenney in July, he challenged businesses to do some work advocating for tech startups, assisting them in find financing to build out our tech ecosystem.

This is about private investors helping private entrepreneurs in their natural environment. They started with 25 investors pre-committing $5,000 each and have now raised $5.4 million for 34 companies from 189 investors in 22 months.

They are building an investment pool that is sophisticated, active and community minded. There are first-time angel investors alongside some of the most sophisticated tech investors in Edmonton. Some of them have now participated in four summits (pitch competitions) and now share their wisdom and approach with newcomers. This is how our startup community should function.

Alberta Enterprise Group went out to learn more and see how we could help. Enter an absolute ball of energy called Zack Storm, co-founder of Startup TNT. It turns out he was well ahead of us. A Ph.D. from McGill, Zack found his way to Alberta, and went looking for people who wanted to join him in learning about, and investing in, tech startups.

Thanks to folks like Zack, co-founder Tim Lynn and their team, Edmonton is the fastest growing tech community in North America according to CBRE and it shows. We’re scaling – and this is an Edmonton story and an Edmonton approach to business that embodies who we are as a community. Down to earth. Approachable. Accepting. Open minded. Scrappy. Resourceful. Grassroots. Other cities are now learning from Startup TNT and there are now Startup TNT groups in Calgary and Saskatchewan.

The Business in Edmonton community has jumped in and gotten involved in TNT and we hope involvement will grow. Blaine Labonte, a Junior Achievement Laureate, is a past summit participant and active angel investor in the community. Sam Pillar, Innovation award winner, is a past summit keynote speaker. His company embodies the success story they seek for startups that raise money at the summits.

Keep an eye on past summit winners Drugbank, True Angle, Honest Door and Pulse Medica – some of them could be as big as Jobber in a few years’ time.

No one else is going to build the business environment that we seek. Entrepreneurs must build it themselves. We can build world class tech companies right here in Edmonton and we can use all our existing resources to do it. Startup TNT encourages business leaders from traditional backgrounds to re-invest their capital and their expertise into a new generation of Edmonton entrepreneurs that are building an innovation-based and knowledge-based economy.

There is no lonelier journey than the entrepreneurial one.

Business owners and leaders make lonely, difficult, stressful decisions almost daily. What Zack and team have created is a culture of support. Their motto is: Have Fun – Make Friends – Build Companies. Does it get more Albertan than that?

ALBERTA ENTERPRISE GROUP (AEG) PUTS ALBERTA BUSINESSES FIRST BY SHARING INFORMATION, ADVOCACY AND BUILDING BRIDGES TO NEW MARKETS. AEG MEMBERS ARE BUSINESS OWNERS, SENIOR EXECUTIVES, INVESTORS AND ENTREPRENEURS REPRESENTING FIRMS IN EVERY MAJOR ALBERTA INDUSTRY. AEG MEMBERS EMPLOY OVER 100,000 ALBERTANS AND GENERATE BILLIONS IN ECONOMIC ACTIVITY EACH YEAR.

BUSINESSINEDMONTON.COM // BUSINESS IN EDMONTON // JANUARY 2022

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OUR WISHES FOR 2022: STRONG LOCAL SUPPLY CHAINS AND PEOPLE // DAVID MACLEAN

Our Wishes For 2022: Strong Local Supply Chains and People

BY DAVID MACLEAN

L

et’s begin with the good news, shall we? Alberta’s business community ended 2021 on a high note.

Rising oil prices resulted in the rosiest drilling forecasts we’ve seen in years. More drilling means more trucks on road, increased demand for manufactured goods and more money circulating in the economy.

It also means more money in government coffers. The province’s fall fiscal update forecasts a $5.8 billion deficit.

While daunting, this is remarkably better than the $18.2 billion deficit forecast in spring.

Dow Chemical announced a new, net-zero petrochemical facility near Fort Saskatchewan that’s rumoured to amount to a $10 billion investment. Northern Petrochemical Corporation announced a $2.5 billion ammonia and methanol production facility for Grande Prairie. Amazon announced a $4.3 billion cloud computing hub for Calgary.

It’s been way too long since we saw investment announcements of such magnitude.

While there’s a spring in the step of Alberta manufacturers, there remains significant challenges. Survey results released

by Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters (CME) shows manufacturers are facing severe labour shortages, ongoing supply chain disruptions and rising input costs. Combined, these challenges will hamper the sector’s recovery in 2022.

Here are some of the survey highlights: • 77 per cent of respondents say attracting and retaining a quality workforce is their biggest challenge.

Shortages in the skilled trades are also growing, particularly for millwrights, welders and machinists.

• Labour and skills shortages are so severe today that 1 in 5 manufacturers are considering moving some or all their production outside Canada.

• 88 per cent of respondents said that their suppliers’ delivery times were slower compared with the situation one year ago.

Manufacturers need solutions. Governments must do more to promote skilled trades and manufacturing careers, provide more financial support for investment in automation, but most of all, increase the intake of economic class immigrants.

We need the federal government to step up and set bold economic class immigration targets. We should aim for 500,000 economic class immigrants per year as of 2030, which is more than double of our current intake of this specific immigration class. We should also streamline the temporary foreign worker program so that it can act as a release valve on labour shortages in the short term. Bottom line, we need a lot more people coming into Canada in order to grow.

Lastly, the historic supply chain disruptions of 2021 teach a valuable lesson: our reliance on global supply chains is a big risk. When you boil it down, we’re left with one solution – making more things right here in North America. Let’s hope in 2022 that governments and businesses alike start strategically developing local suppliers – even if it means going outside their comfort zones.

• 70 per cent of businesses say they are having the most trouble filling general labour and assembly positions.

CANADIAN MANUFACTURERS & EXPORTERS (CME) IS THE VOICE OF CANADIAN MANUFACTURING. CME REPRESENTS MORE THAN 2,500 COMPANIES WHO ACCOUNT FOR AN ESTIMATED 82 PER CENT OF MANUFACTURING OUTPUT AND 90 PER CENT OF CANADA’S EXPORTS.

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National Organization Mitacs Helping Alberta SMEs Innovate to Emerge Stronger Post-Pandemic Unique financial incentive assists companies with COVID-19 recovery by significantly contributing to the cost of hiring top student interns Small businesses across Alberta grappling with the impact of COVID-19 are getting support from an unexpected resource: top post-secondary students.

Thanks to a unique financial initiative recently launched

by Mitacs – a national innovation organization that helps solve business challenges with research solutions from universities, colleges and polytechnics – students across the province are adding much needed skills for employers looking to manage and grow their operations in an environment disrupted by the pandemic.

What’s more, the Mitacs initiative – available to all smalland medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and not-for-profit organizations with fewer than 500 employees – offers a significant cost reduction. Qualifying partner organizations contribute only 25 per cent of the intern’s $10,000 or $15,000 stipend for the first four months of an innovation project done in collaboration with a post-secondary institution instead of the usual 50 per cent. Mitacs interns are available to support business, not-for-profit, hospital, and municipal innovation in all sectors – everything from agriculture, arts and entertainment, and energy, to healthcare, technology, tourism and utilities.

“Through this effort, we are simultaneously helping Canadian small- and medium-sized businesses to grow and innovate, and our country’s up-and-coming top talent and researchers to secure valuable employment opportunities in spite of a challenging job market caused by COVID-19,” said Mitacs CEO Dr. John Hepburn. “Both SMEs and academic talent are integral to Canada’s economic recovery, and Mitacs is committed to making the connections needed to help Canadian organizations solve their business issues, remain competitive, and thrive.”

Since the start of the pandemic, more than 2,000 businesses – about 70 per cent of which are SMEs – partnered with Mitacs for the first time. Since 2011, Mitacs has helped more than 8,500 organizations, the majority of which have 500 employees or less. The total value of all industry-related

innovation projects funded through Mitacs nears $1 billion, with businesses contributing about half that amount.

“We have the tools, connections, and solutions that small businesses need to navigate the current economic challenges, and we’re seeing firsthand how many of those companies that take advantage of working with us are thriving,” Hepburn added.

Quick Facts: Mitacs is a not-for-profit organization that fosters growth and innovation in Canada by solving business challenges with research solutions from academic institutions.

Mitacs is funded by the Government of Canada along with the Government of Alberta, the Government of British Columbia, Research Manitoba, the Government of New Brunswick, the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, the Government of Nova Scotia, the Government of Ontario, Innovation PEI, the Government of Quebec, the Government of Saskatchewan and the Government of Yukon.

For information about Mitacs and its programs, visit mitacs. ca/newsroom.

ABOVE: DR. JOHN HEPBURN, MITACS CEO ARTICLE SUPPLIED BY GAIL BERGMAN PR

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FINTECH: THE FUTURE IS NOW // BANKING

FINTECH:

THE FUTURE IS NOW FINTECH LEADERS AND CANADIAN GOVERNMENT COLLABORATE TO KEEP BUSINESSES COMPETITIVE AND PROTECTED

ABOVE: MOGO PHOTO SOURCE: MOGO

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// BANKING

BY NATALIE NOBLE

T

he gradual growth of fintech product and service adoption in Canada over the last decade is poised to take off. Accelerated by the pandemic’s overhaul to the ways business is conducted, these technologies are creating a decentralized financial world that gives consumers more control over their finances. It’s become apparent that embracing opportunity over resisting change is critical and industry leaders are collaborating with the Canadian government to keep Canadians competitive and protected.

“The pandemic has highlighted to most businesses how important scalability and adaptability are,” says Adam O’Brien, founder and CEO of Bitcoin Well, the longestrunning, founder-led Bitcoin ATM business in Canada.

“From the perception of the consumer, it identified the gap that exists in how reliant we are on legacy styles of banking and the traditional custodial model. The consumer’s eyes have certainly opened up to what our money can do.”

That realization has people seeking more control over their financial data, such as with open banking. “The essential premise is to give consumers and small businesses alike control over their financial data by consenting and directing their banks to release their data to a specified third party,” says Alice Davidson, chief legal officer at Mogo, one of Canada’s first established fintech businesses providing a full suite of digital financial product and services accessible within the free Mogo app.

Canada’s Department of Finance is also taking steps to ensure proper regulations are in place to protect individuals and businesses. Recently released, their Final Report, Advisory Committee on Open Banking suggests Canadians can expect more security and portability in third-party financial data sharing as soon as 2023.

“I welcome this report with open arms. It’s been slow moving in Canada, but it’s on the horizon,” says Davidson.

“I commend the Department of Finance for working closely with our industry in the consultation process to generate that final report.”

BUSINESSINEDMONTON.COM // BUSINESS IN EDMONTON // JANUARY 2022

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FINTECH: THE FUTURE IS NOW // BANKING

Amongst other industry leaders, Mogo assisted the advisory committee and pushed for the government-industry stakeholder hybrid model outlined. “The government requires industry expertise around all the moving parts of an open banking framework – the technology, the data standards, the security requirements, the design, the consent and liability pieces,” says Davidson.

Developing the framework is a response to increased consumer desire for innovative products, more choice, and the ability to share their financial data on their own terms.

“Open banking is a more secure and standardized way to do this,” says Davidson. “There’s going to be a regulatory regime around it and anyone participating will need to be registered.

There will be security safeguards in place, including a liability regime and recourse for any breaches.”

It’s an option that’s been a long time coming for Canadians.

The U.K., the E.U. and Australia have been up and running with open banking for years. “We need to move fast and ensure we don’t continue to lag behind and instead make Canada a competitive, leading nation in the field of financial services,” says Davidson.

BINNS AGREES THAT CANADA’S FINTECH PROGRESSION BECAME ESPECIALLY INTERESTING WHEN THE PANDEMIC HIT. “WE SAW A DECLINE OF THE GLOBAL ECONOMY. AT THE SAME TIME, CANADIANS STARTED TO LOOK OUTSIDE OF TRADITIONAL INVESTMENTS LIKE STOCKS, CURRENCIES AND COMMODITIES IN SEARCH OF ALTERNATIVE STORE HOLDS OF VALUE, LIKE BITCOIN,” HE SAYS.

That open and direct flow of financial information helps business-to-consumer (B2C) and business-to-business (B2B) companies by removing barriers such as intermediary parties or competing businesses for information. “Without open banking, the only way people can currently share their financial data is by sharing their banking credentials with data aggregators, which is often unreliable given banks’ efforts to thwart this,” says Davidson. “It also raises security concerns and privacy issues.”

It also reduces reliance on credit bureau scoring by allowing lenders to make underwriting decisions based on the borrower’s cash flow, savings, and outside contributions. “It gives a more holistic view of the individual’s financial situation,” says Davidson. “Having direct access to the business’ financial data and transactions enables the lender to make more informed decisions with better efficiency. The opportunities in open banking are endless in terms of innovation and the ability to create innovative products and services.”

The open banking framework isn’t the first collaboration between the Canadian government and the fintech industry.

In 2018, industry associates in the crypto currency space initiated conversations with the Canadian Securities Administrators (CSA). “We wanted to be proactive in forming a regulatory framework while having input on the regulatory process,” says Mark Binns, CEO of Netcoins, Canada’s first publicly owned, fully regulated crypto trading platform. “We must now adhere to requirements set out by our provincial and federal governments. Everything from our procedures to

ABOVE: MARK BINNS, CEO OF NETCOINS, CANADA’S FIRST PUBLICLY OWNED, FULLY REGULATED CRYPTO TRADING PLATFORM.

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JANUARY 2022 // BUSINESS IN EDMONTON // BUSINESSINEDMONTON.COM

IS E-COMMERCE RIGHT FOR YOUR BUSINESS? Roseanne Carey, Practice Leader, Financial Transformation

E

-commerce can be a great option to grow your business if you’re looking to bring your product to a new customer base or audience, differentiate your business or enter new markets. It can work as a stand-alone selling option, in a blended approach or as an addition to your current business—but it’s important to first determine the right set up and to understand the necessary time commitment and resources.

How do you set up an e-commerce system?

Consider these infrastructure, logistics and technology factors when setting up an e-commerce system.

Assess your business objectives If you’re entering into a new online market, consider whether this expansion supports your business strategy, and whether your business has the capabilities to reach its new objectives.

Consider your operational capabilities and logistics Is your current warehouse or storage facility ready for increased output? Is it in the optimal location to reach your chosen markets? You’ll also need to evaluate your workforce to ensure it can handle the additional fulfillment, shipping and returns workload.

You’ll also need to review your pricing strategy to factor in the cost of overheads, shipping to different jurisdictions and returns.

Assess your technology capabilities Your website and payment platform will need to be considered as user experience is an important factor for successful e-commerce performance, and so is the reliability of the system you intend to use. The system should be easy to navigate and powerful enough to handle complexities like sales taxes in different jurisdictions.

Leverage customer and sales data Your customer and sales data can help you understand your customer base and make appropriate strategy decisions based on real-time market information.

Should taxation influence your e-commerce strategy?

Selling online to another province or country will have tax implications that require preparation before you begin.

Consider these questions when determining the applicable tax rate that will apply to your product or service: What are you selling?

Products, services and intangibles are taxed at different rates in various jurisdictions, according to specific rules.

Who are you selling to?

Are you selling directly to consumers, businesses, or nonresidents of Canada? There may be different rates and registration requirements.

Where are you selling?

Within Canada, provinces have different provincial sales tax rules. Familiarize yourself with which provinces have a harmonized sales tax versus a federal and provincial sales tax—and the registration requirements for each. When selling into the United States, you may need to consider the applicable income and sales taxes due.

Be aware of changing tax rules Tax rules are always changing. One area to follow closely is the treatment of digital goods and services, such as software, which is evolving in many Canadian and international jurisdictions. Ensure you keep accurate records and track where your customers are located so that you can charge and remit the proper taxes. You may need to demonstrate this in the event of any audits that might occur in the future.

Consult with your advisor before you begin selling online to determine what income or sales tax considerations should be reflected in your sales platform or other processes. Don’t assume your payment platform has all the right settings off the shelf. Not all payment platforms are powerful enough to track revenue by province or state and customer location.

What are the risks of e-commerce?

Any user of an online platform should be aware of digital risk and cyber threats, including compromised systems, data leaks and reputational damage.

Consider these best practices to help reduce cyber risk and keep your data and systems secure: • Train and test staff on Cybersecurity awareness.

• Conduct annual Cybersecurity assessments.

• Establish password policies, system patching policies, and policies on the acceptable use of the company network.

• If your business receives and stores payment card information, be familiar with the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard.

Incorporating an e-commerce strategy requires significant planning and expertise. It’s important to work with advisors that understand the complexities associated with online sales.

Roseanne Carey is Practice Leader, Financial Transformation at Grant Thornton.

Connect with Roseanne at Roseanne.Carey@ca.gt.com or +1 780 401 8228 to discuss how Grant Thornton’s consulting team can support your e-commerce solution.

www.grantthornton.ca

FINTECH: THE FUTURE IS NOW // BANKING

WITH REGULATION COMES COMPLIANCE, WHICH HELPS INSTILL CONSUMER CONFIDENCE. FOR BITCOIN how we onboard customers and hold assets will be overseen by these regulatory bodies.”

Binns agrees that Canada’s fintech progression became especially interesting when the pandemic hit. “We saw a decline of the global economy. At the same time, Canadians started to look outside of traditional investments like stocks, currencies and commodities in search of alternative store holds of value, like bitcoin,” he says. “As the crypto industry continues to mature, we’ll see more crypto-related products like lending and borrowing of crypto assets, crypto loans and interest rates, and more. In the end, everyone – from retail investors to businesses – will have a relation to, or dependence on, crypto.”

With regulation comes compliance, which helps instill consumer confidence. For bitcoin and other crypto currencies, pricing action and legitimacy in the U.S. are also expanding north of the border. “That legitimacy is going to open it up and continue to unveil the benefits of a society that uses bitcoin,” says O’Brien.

Canada has introduced a dual-model bitcoin system where bitcoin can be purchased in either the custodial or non-custodial model. O’Brien describes the custodial model as similar to traditional legacy banking. “You give someone else your money, you tell them which kind of trades to make, that person makes the trades on your behalf and then hopefully gives the money back later,” he says. “I say, ‘hopefully’ gives the money back later because that’s a real thing that’s happened in the past.

Custodians in this business can make a ton of mistakes.”

Operating in the non-custodial business model allows consumers to control their own finances and realize the benefits of decentralized currency and financial services.

“The differences between custodial and non-custodial models can seem small, but they are really important,” says O’Brien.

“Society right now only knows a custodial financial system.

You cannot buy a house, a car, or make a payment, without a custodian unless you’re using cash in your day-to-day dealings, which can tend to be frowned upon. Those who use bitcoin enjoy the capability and security of holding their value – their money – themselves.”

While this system provides options, it’s confusing for many.

The main distinction to keep in mind is this: custodial service

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JANUARY 2022 // BUSINESS IN EDMONTON // BUSINESSINEDMONTON.COM

AND OTHER CRYPTO CURRENCIES, PRICING ACTION AND LEGITIMACY IN THE U.S. ARE ALSO EXPANDING NORTH OF THE BORDER. “THAT LEGITIMACY IS GOING TO OPEN IT UP AND CONTINUE TO UNVEIL THE BENEFITS OF A SOCIETY THAT USES BITCOIN,” SAYS O’BRIEN. providers must register with the CSA and non-custodial businesses cannot. “We need clearer guidance and better communication from the government and regulators to the public as far as who they’re regulating and why regulation is needed in those cases,” says O’Brien.

For instance, the technology is available for realtors or car dealerships to use bitcoin for home or vehicle purchases, but the first question people have when O’Brien discusses the possibility is, “is this legal?” “The fact that that’s the first question demonstrates that the regulators have work to do and they’ve scared people into thinking bitcoin is illegal and using it is scary. That needs to change,” he says.

More optimistically, the Retail Payment Activities Act (RPAA) recently passed including a federal regulatory framework to oversee payment service providers (PSPs).

Its penultimate goal provides PSPs with direct access to the real-time rail (RTR), Canada’s real-time payments system.

“The innovation and growth coming out of this development for the consumer and B2B spaces is huge,” says Davidson.

“It’s going to take time but it’s happening, with the requisite technology and oversight being put into place.”

Meanwhile, the fintech products and services set to open up over the next three-to-five years are positioned to put consumers into the driver’s seat in terms of what they want, where their money goes, and why it’s important. “We are creating products and services focused on the fact that the consumers who are using them today and those who will use them in five years are going to be different,” says O’Brien.

“Everything is only going to become more user-friendly, safer, and more affordable for everyone.”

THE DRIVE TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE // COVER

THE DRIVE TO

Make a Difference THE PRESIDENT & CEO OF JA NORTHERN ALBERTA INSPIRES PEOPLE, BUSINESSES AND COMMUNITIES

BY NERISSA MCNAUGHTON

J

ennifer Martin is the president & CEO of Junior Achievement Northern Alberta.

Martin has been a staple in the local and national media for over a decade. Her credits include being a reporter for CTV Toronto, an anchor on A Channel/Citytv and Alberta Primetime, co-host for CISN 103.9 FM’s Morning Drive show, manager of programming for Shaw and a director of advertiser integrations for Corus Entertainment.

After being in the media for her entire career, what inspired the switch to working with Junior Achievement Northern Alberta (JA)?

“There are so many things that happen in our city and our world that are not only interesting, but that we should be aware of so we can take action in our own lives or businesses, or ensure we have a say,” says Martin. “The switch to JA stems from that same concern for our community’s welfare that I had as a journalist. I think as members of our society we all have a contribution to make. When a business or organization can provide real value, whether its for profit or not, I like being able to be of service and deliver a meaningful impact for people.”

Her meaningful impact extends to giving back in the community.

“I don’t have piles of money to give but I have time and ideas,” Martin smiles. “Imagine our city, our province, if no one stepped up to make life better for others? When a place gives us so much opportunity, I think it is important to try to ensure as many people as possible are included and have support to be successful too. So many others in our community set that example. I have lived in other major Canadian cities; this area is so generous. I call Edmonton a city with a soul.”

It is that soul that helps inspire her despite a deep, personal loss – and keeps her moving forward with determination and strength despite the tragedy.

Martin shares, “Tragically, my husband, a former police officer, took his life. I have dedicated a lot of time to speaking about mental wellness and concussions and currently volunteer as chair of the International Critical Incident Stress Foundation (ICISF) – Canada. It provides peer support and resilience programs for public safety personnel. It’s good to see more support and less stigma in general around mental wellness but there’s more to be done.”

In addition to supporting ICISF, Martin dug deep to overcome the challenge and move forward in a positive way.

She continues, “It may surprise people to know that self worth was something I had to work on, especially after my RIGHT: JENNIFER MARTIN, PRESIDENT & CEO OF JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT NORTHERN ALBERTA. PHOTO SOURCE: EPIC PHOTOGRAPHY INC

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JANUARY 2022 // BUSINESS IN EDMONTON // BUSINESSINEDMONTON.COM

THE DRIVE TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE // COVER

BUSINESSINEDMONTON.COM // BUSINESS IN EDMONTON // JJANUARY 2022

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THE DRIVE TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE // COVER

husband’s difficult years and ultimately his suicide. Events and influences happen to all of us that are beyond our control and we often don’t realize how they impact us. As a grieving and solitary parent, I realized my kids would only be as well as I was, so being self assured and resilient became a real focus. You would be surprised at how many successful people don’t value themselves enough or have that nagging voice of criticism inside their heads.”

When she is not leading people or organizations or giving back in the community, Martin relaxes with her circle of friends, golfing in the summer and skiing in the winter. She also loves to combine her love of travel with her love of football by checking out NFL games in places she has never visited before.

She’s travelled the world but for Martin, Edmonton is home.

“To me, the people are what make Edmonton so special.

You don’t have to look far to find support for a worthwhile project if you need it. This city punches above its weight on

giving, on spirit and unique endeavours. We’re also super humble, but I’d like that part to change!”

Part of that change, in putting Edmonton on the world stage, is to showcase the achievements in our business community and with our enterprising youth. Martin points out how JA is pivotal to this need.

“JA has been operating in Canada and around the world for over 100 years. We prepare youth to become financially capable adults, ready for the world of work and entrepreneurship.

When it comes to non-profits, there is often a desire to help as many people as possible but that must be balanced with the resources you have available. JA Northern Alberta is being run like a business. We keep our eye on cost savings and sustainable growth. We make sure our donors know our business plan, where their investment is creating value for youngsters and making a lifelong impact. Transparent relationships build trust.

Stewardship is also key; we want our stakeholders to know how much they are appreciated.”

ABOVE: JA HALL OF FAME GALA.

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JANUARY 2022 // BUSINESS IN EDMONTON // BUSINESSINEDMONTON.COM

How employee share ownership plans benefit your bottom line Retaining top talent and establishing succession strategies are two key challenges for business owners. Lynne Fisher can show you how MNP’s SMARTShare service helps you share ownership, profits, and value with employees, while also potentially creating your transition plan.

Lynne Fisher, National Team Leader, SMART Services | 780.401.7085 | lynne.fisher@mnp.ca MNP.ca

THE DRIVE TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE // COVER

JA, like every other business, was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Martin, in her signature way, took the challenge head on and used it as a way to continue evolving the organization.

“In light of the pandemic, like most things in life, its important to be nimble. That’s how you survive and also find the silver lining,” she says. “JA was able to pivot from having volunteers from the business community deliver our programs in schools, to online. That allowed us to reach many more students in many more Alberta communities and at less expense. Now, we’ll always keep a virtual option available.

“Moving forward, we’re working to get more Albertans to understand that JA fills a gap in the school curriculum and is critical in preparing our next business leaders and dynamic workforce. You can’t complain about a lack of talent unless you’re willing to do something about it! Those who support JA know the things we teach are foundational. We want to grow our reach and give more young Albertans the skills and confidence JA provides. We want to equip more youth for success; that will help build prosperity for all Albertans.”

She continues, “The pandemic proved why JA is critical for kids. We never know what may come at us. COVID underscored the need to always maintain a strong balance sheet and the skills and confidence to meet unforeseen challenges. We teach both personal finance and business acumen, so JA students are better equipped to face whatever comes in their generation.”

JA is pivotal for children but has just as big an impact on the volunteers and mentors. Martin explains, “JA volunteers bring our programs to life! In JA kids learn by doing, they have fun with interactive activities that teach concepts of spend-save-give, a want versus a need or how to build a small business plan for shovelling snow or selling cookies.

Teachers sign up their classrooms and our volunteers go in and provide the real world experience and inspiration. There is nothing more magical than seeing businesspeople turn on a lightbulb in a youngster’s mind!”

Martin is loving her time at JA, watching both children and business owners evolve while helping to usher in the new century of organizational impact.

ABOVE: JENNIFER MARTIN, PRESIDENT & CEO OF JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT NORTHERN ALBERTA. PHOTO SOURCE: EPIC PHOTOGRAPHY INC

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THE DRIVE TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE // COVER

“Many people don’t realize that the JA program is free of charge for teachers and their students,” she points out. “They also should know that youth who get JA have less household debt, achieve middle or upper management jobs more often, start more companies – and when they do – hire more staff and create more revenue. What a gift, and what results!”

Another thing many people don’t realize about JA is how many famous alumni have come out of the program.

“Billionaire entrepreneur and media proprietor Mark Cuban took JA, as did the founders of Subway Sandwiches, The Home Depot, Domino’s Pizza, AOL and the western Canadian brothers who started Skip The Dishes and became millionaires… yup, JA.” The need for JA in classrooms is only outpaced by the need for volunteers in the program.

“Get involved!” Martin encourages. “Teachers are clamoring for JA. We need volunteers from the business community to just give a few hours of their time to make lifelong impacts on the youth they’ll lead through our programs when they come into classrooms, virtually for now but hopefully soon, back in person.”

Interested in volunteering? Learn more here: www. janorthalberta.org/volunteer.

Although she’s been instrumental in the current direction and success of JA, Martin is very humble and thanks the Laureates for their long history of supporting and growing the program – and the people within it.

“JA supporters launched our Northern Alberta Business Hall of Fame in 1980 – that’s a long tradition and a venerable honour! Our Laureates include J.R. Shaw, Max Ward, Robert Stollery and many others. These very accomplished businesspeople are also incredibly generous to our mission of empowering young Albertans. JA would not be what it is today without our Hall of Famers.”

What comes next for JA? Martin says it will be “100 more years equipping our future workforce and business leaders to reach their full potential, creating prosperity for all Albertans as young JA alumni work toward achieving their dreams.”

“I’m happy at JA but I feel I have a lot of unique experience and ideas to offer when the time comes for a change.

I’m interested in corporate boards and transformational leadership. I gravitate to new things that are energizing, where I know I’m making a positive contribution.”

She concludes with a smile, “It’s a real cliché but ‘you only live once’ resonates with me. Those who know me will be the first to tell you I don’t muse about doing things at work or in my personal life. I like to make stuff happen. I don’t want to look back and wish I’d done more. On my first day at JA, I walked to our office and noticed a mural on the side of our building that says, ‘Take a Chance, It’s the Most Edmonton Thing You Can Do.’ I like that. I like that a lot.”

Learn more about JA at www.janorthalberta.org online and @JANorthernAlberta on Facebook.

CRITICAL INCIDENT STRESS FOUNDATION (ICISF)

H

ere for our heroes and first responders, the International Critical Incident Stress Foundation (ICISF) is on a mission to develop, maintain and empower peer-led support systems for those on the front line. ICISF has also developed the Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) method to help first responders that are emotionally and/or physically affected by high-risk incidents. The programs and systems are delivered by medical professionals as well as those in the industry to provide 360 degrees of support while helping responders return to a normal, balanced lifestyle.

Learn more about how you can support ICISF at icisf.kindful.com.

As for her own future, Martin is leaving her options open.

BUSINESSINEDMONTON.COM // BUSINESS IN EDMONTON // JANUARY 2022

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ASSOCIATIONS BUILD UP BUSINESS LEADERS // MANAGEMENT & PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

ASSOCIATIONS BUILD UP BUSINESS LEADERS

BY WILL PORTER

I

n the world of industry, many leaders, current or future, may find themselves feeling isolated and alone or with a barrier blocking their growth that they can’t overcome by themselves. For these people however, there are options available in the form of professional services provided by associations.

Professional associations and organizations are available throughout Alberta, Canada and the world for every industry. These associations provide vital services for those looking to advance their careers to their pinnacle, help them build on their existing knowledge and provide networking connections to like-minded professionals.

The first professional service association Business in Edmonton talked with for this article is MacKay CEO Forums. Founded in 1999 by their founder Dr. Nancy MacKay, it has grown to an international association providing learning opportunities for business leaders the world over.

To learn more about MacKay CEO Forums, Bernie Kollman, Forum Chair tells us about the association and what makes it tick at its heart. “MacKay CEO Forums is a peer mentoring program established to help executives and CEOs tackle their biggest challenges and pursue their greatest opportunities.

Our founder, Dr. Nancy MacKay, established our dream to populate the world with inspiring leaders. We do this by creating a safe place for leaders to share, to learn and to grow together.”

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JANUARY 2022 // BUSINESS IN EDMONTON // BUSINESSINEDMONTON.COM

ASSOCIATIONS BUILD UP BUSINESS LEADERS // MANAGEMENT & PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

Through skilled facilitation by the Forum Chair, members support each other through shared experience focused on their biggest challenges or opportunities in a highly confidential and trusted environment. “ Further breaking down the local connection in Edmonton, Kollman says, “In Edmonton, we have established several forum groups led by three forum chairs with offerings for both executives and CEOs. Globally, MacKay CEO Forums has over 1,200 members and 60 Forum Chairs. We also have a virtual offering for executives and CEOs who prefer to meet remotely.”

FURTHER BREAKING DOWN THE LOCAL CONNECTION IN EDMONTON, KOLLMAN SAYS, “IN EDMONTON, WE HAVE ESTABLISHED SEVERAL FORUM GROUPS LED BY THREE FORUM CHAIRS WITH OFFERINGS FOR BOTH EXECUTIVES AND CEOS. GLOBALLY, MACKAY CEO FORUMS HAS OVER 1,200 MEMBERS AND 60 FORUM CHAIRS. WE ALSO HAVE A VIRTUAL OFFERING FOR EXECUTIVES AND CEOS WHO PREFER TO MEET REMOTELY.” In order to better understand how they provide learning and opportunities to create inspiring leaders, Kollman explains the services that the association offers for professionals.

“Through an annual membership, leaders are part of a peer group that meets for six full-day sessions plus a two-day retreat. Each session has a learning opportunity provided by a carefully selected guest speaker. Together, our members explore these new concepts and look for practical applications to immediately apply to their workplaces.

Professional service associations like MacKay CEO Forums can have value that is hard to narrow down, but we asked Kollman to best describe the value they can have for CEOs and other business leaders around the world. “The role of the CEO or senior executive can be lonely and at times, overwhelming. Now more than ever, there are immense challenges and emerging opportunities that have not been faced by leaders in the past. MacKay CEO Forums offer a highly trusted, judgement free group of peers to explore the opportunities and develop innovative ways to overcome the challenges. Together there is strength, support, friendship, admiration and accountability developed in our Forums.”

For more information regarding MacKay CEO Forums, or to contact them if you are a CEO, senior executive or business owner looking to expand your knowledge base and reach out to others in similar positions, visit https://www. mackeyceoforums.com.

Looking at the more educational side of professional services, we reached out to the 1000 Women movement, established in 2010 in Alberta by NorQuest College to enhance opportunities for students. The current campaign aims to raise money and strive to provide opportunities for women looking to earn an education in the fields of science, technology, engineering and math. In the past, barriers both social and financial prevented women from entering these fields, but with the help of associations like the 1000 Women, women have been entering the STEM fields in record numbers that continue to grow every year.

Catherine Vu, current Chair of the 1000 Women Committee, gave us a rundown about 1000 Women and their goals for the association. “1000 Women aims to

ABOVE: BERNIE KOLLMAN, FORUM CHAIR, MACKAY FORUMS.

BUSINESSINEDMONTON.COM // BUSINESS IN EDMONTON // JANUARY 2022

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ASSOCIATIONS BUILD UP BUSINESS LEADERS // MANAGEMENT & PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

VU EMPHASIZES, “GIVING WOMEN OPPORTUNITIES TO PURSUE – AND THRIVE IN – STEM CAREERS HELPS NARROW THE GENDER PAY GAP, PROMOTES HEALTHY CULTURAL AND INDUSTRY CHANGE, ENHANCES WOMEN’S ECONOMIC SECURITY AND INDEPENDENCE AND ENSURES A DIVERSE AND TALENTED STEM WORKFORCE.”

make a transformational impact on the number of women working in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) in Alberta. We’re in the first year of a three year, $3-million campaign that will create an inclusive, equitable and resilient legion of women ready to demonstrate their promise to their families, their communities and most importantly, themselves.”

Vu also gave us insight into the types of services that 1000 Women offers to those looking to pursue an education and career in a STEM-related field and ultimately boost the number of women in STEM. “Women working in STEM can achieve incredible things, but their potential will not be realized on its own. That’s why we are looking to energize the community of donors to empower hundreds of women to access STEM education and career opportunities. We know that opportunity alone is not enough, so we’re also leveraging partnerships with organizations who share our vision to create and support workforce pathways and develop mentorship opportunities.”

Vu continues, “NorQuest is also working to make sure that these women who join the STEM workforce do not arrive to a workplace culture that is not accepting of their talents, knowledge, and efforts. By incorporating equity, diversity, and inclusion training into industry through NorQuest’s Colbourne Institute for Inclusive Leadership, STEM workplaces across Alberta are becoming more welcoming and inclusive for women.”

1000 Women offers a large amount of value for women looking to get into STEM, and for the long-term growth of STEM industries through the inclusion of women.

“NorQuest is well known for advancing the participation

of women in the workforce while also extending beyond a traditional post-secondary institution to remove barriers into post-secondary education. By anticipating the emerging needs of both industry and learners, the college continues to provide the training required for success in the economy of today, and the economy of tomorrow. STEM jobs in particular future-proof the work force. We know this is where labour shortages will be in the future, and where labour shortages are being experienced now in fields like Alberta’s booming artificial intelligence and machine learning industries.”

Vu emphasizes, “Giving women opportunities to pursue – and thrive in – STEM careers helps narrow the gender pay gap, promotes healthy cultural and industry change, enhances women’s economic security and independence and ensures a diverse and talented STEM workforce.”

If you are interested in more information about 1000 Women, or to join the movement and make an impact, visit https://www.norquest.ca/supporters/1000-women.aspx.

Growth in any industry cannot be had in isolation.

With the help of associations like MacKay CEO Forums assisting industry leaders to learn from each other and better pursue their goals, and 1000 Women assisting women getting into STEM industries, strength and resilience for industries can be found in working together for the betterment of all. If you find your career stagnating, then you should reach out to an appropriate professional service association related to your industry or position and start your journey towards professional growth with like-minded professionals.

ABOVE: CATHERINE VU, CURRENT CHAIR OF THE 1000 WOMEN COMMITTEE.

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Brad Flegel, Jarrett Flegel, Murray Flegel and Steve Jakubec.

Photo by Riverwood Photography Inc.

Serving Canadian Companies for 30 Years

by Rennay Craats 29

BOSS Lubricants • Celebrating 30 years • 2

B

OSS Lubricants has established itself as a top player in Canada’s lubricants industry by honouring the company’s core values implemented when it was founded in 1992: providing quality products and superior service at fair prices. For 30 years, this family-owned and operated business has grown as it navigated the rollercoaster of boom-and-bust economies and evolved with the times to remain on the cutting edge of the industry.

From its inception, BOSS has been proudly Canadian owned, offering Canadian-made products that work in the diverse and often extreme Canadian climate. BOSS possesses an impressive line of products including gas and diesel engine oils, gear oils, tractor fluids, transmission fluids, hydraulic oils, synthetics, greases, coolants and various environmentally friendly products.

BOSS prides itself on providing a one-stop shopping experience for its customers. BOSS can fill tanker trucks, drums and totes as well as

BOSS prides itself on providing a

one-stop shopping experience for its customers. BOSS can fill tanker trucks, drums and totes as well

as one-litre, five-litre and 20-litre pails. All products are tested by

a third-party lab to ensure high

quality standards are maintained on every product they sell.

one-litre, five-litre and 20-litre pails. All products are tested by a third-party lab to ensure high quality standards are maintained on every product they sell.

This Trans-Canada operation wasn’t always so prolific. It started out as a small family

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BOSS Lubricants • Celebrating 30 years • 4

Jim Koshman wins Make It Happen Award.

endeavour, with Murray handling local sales and operations while his wife, Arlene, took care of invoicing and accounting. Their sons, Jarrett and Brad, helped on weekends and holidays, learning the business from the ground up. With Murray’s strong work ethic and knowledge of the industry garnered after two decades with major companies including Turbo and Texaco, the company grew and with it Murray’s reputation for quality and integrity.

In 1996, to get where he wanted to go, Murray welcomed in silent partner Bill Dickson, whose business and industry expertise helped steer the company to achieve the organic growth and success Murray was striving toward.

“Bill was a 14-year partner with my dad and was one of the key spokes in the wheel that gave us the experience, knowledge and financial help we needed,” says Jarrett Flegel, president of BOSS Lubricants.

This support and guidance allowed BOSS to find its long time and current headquartered location at 6303 30th Street SE in Calgary. To accommodate its growth over the 30 years, BOSS has continued to expand its operations in the facility by taking over bays in the building as other tenants have left.

With Murray’s strong work ethic and knowledge of the industry garnered after two decades with major companies including Turbo and Texaco, the company grew and with it Murray’s reputation for quality and integrity.

“We came into this building in 1996

and we thought, ‘Wow, it’s too big for what our needs are’,” says Jarrett.

“Now, so many years later, we have

bought the building and occupy the entire space.”

“We came into this building in 1996 and we thought, ‘Wow, it’s too big for what our needs are’,” says Jarrett. “Now, so many years later, we have bought the building and occupy the entire space.”

BOSS has enjoyed an incredible impact on both the industry and the community. Over its 30-year tenure in business, the company has been active in the community, proudly giving back to the communities they serve. Murray has been a 22-year member of Rotary Calgary (Stampede Park), performing large community projects throughout the year. BOSS has also been a significant supporter of Youth Unlimited, which provides youth with access to fundamental work and life skills and has supported area food banks to help those in need.

“We continue to keep expanding and growing our company. We have branches in Vancouver, Edmonton, Red Deer, Lethbridge, Saskatoon, Regina, Brandon and Toronto while establishing 150 distributors across Canada,” says Murray Flegel, founder and CEO of BOSS Lubricants.

As BOSS continued to add branch locations, it slowly added more delivery trucks to its fleet and delivery infrastructure to make it one of the largest in Western Canada. The transportation side now boasts 27 tandem delivery trucks across the branches that perform local and outside city deliveries, and

BOSS Lubricants • Celebrating 30 years • 5

Throughout the years, BOSS has also supported various sports and charity events including cancer foundations and the Heart and Stroke Foundation, and the company is a major contributor to the Gordie Howe Cares Foundation in support of the fight against Alzheimer’s and Dementia. In three decades, BOSS has supported many groups and causes in the places in which it does business, and it has grown to eight branch locations to better serve its clients across the country, all managed by the talented team at its headquarters in Calgary.

BOSS Lubricants • Celebrating 30 years • 6

the fleet includes three semi-trucks that deliver stock trailers to the individual branches and distributors. This strong delivery infrastructure has only further fueled BOSS’s growth as it opens new opportunities and extends the company’s market reach for its products.

“One of the important things is that it’s been growth from expansion and entering new jurisdictions, new territories and new industries.

We’ve grown from coast to coast now through our own branches and distribution network that allow us to reach anywhere in Canada,” says Steve Jakubec, general manager and controller for BOSS Lubricants.

During this period of unprecedented growth and expansion BOSS has had to face the challenge of ensuring that its products continue to be of the highest

“In the last five years we have initiated multiple upgrades

and renovations in our main

location here in Calgary. Adding

additional storage tanks, blending capacity and becoming ISO

9001:2015 certified has enabled us to maintain our high level of product quality and ultimately

take on more sales volume,” says Brad Flegel, vice-president of

Operations for BOSS Lubricants. and becoming ISO 9001:2015 certified has enabled us to maintain our high level of product quality and ultimately take on more sales volume,” says Brad Flegel, vicepresident of Operations for BOSS Lubricants.

These upgrades and renovations at the Calgary location have allowed BOSS to double the amount of private labelling with OEMs and retailers it has done over the past five years. All manufacturing, blending and distribution is done out of the Calgary location, and as the company sales volume has grown so has its need for increased tank storage capacity and space.

“In the last five years we have initiated multiple upgrades and renovations in our main location here in Calgary. Adding additional storage tanks, blending capacity

“Especially in the last couple years, there have been a lot of product shortages and we’ve been able to get ahead of it and try to build a buffer for our customers to make sure we don’t run them out of product,” says Steve.

From end to end, the renovated warehouse, plant and office reflects the image BOSS

BOSS Lubricants • Celebrating 30 years • 7

quality going forward while also ensuring sufficient storage space that could facilitate increased sales. Taking on this challenge, BOSS initiated several projects and upgrades in the Calgary location.

Today BOSS can boast more than 100 tanks which provide a whopping total of 3.5 million litres of product storage capacity. This large storage capacity allows BOSS to have ample supply on hand for any of the high-quality products it provides to its customer base all within a controlled indoor environment while attempting to protect its customers from unnecessary price increases.

MAG 1 OILS, LUBRICANTS, AND CHEMICALS The MAG 1 family of products was created to be a high quality, full line offering that would be flexible enough to fulfill the demanding requirements, conditions and tests of multiple markets and equipment manufacturers. MAG 1 products can be found in many retail locations, service bays, bulk suppliers and distributor warehouses around the globe. Our desire to continually improve our products and manufacturing processes keeps MAG 1 performance levels consistent across all categories. This strategy keeps our quality levels high and our production costs low. MAG 1 lubricants are built using Superior Chemistry to achieve Superior Performance in the market place. We use the highest quality base stocks and advanced additive systems. Our API licensed fluids meet or exceed all testing, ensuring long term performance you can count on. MAG 1 products offer advanced technology and protection to help consumers and industry drive forward around the world. Thank you for selecting MAG1 products! We sincerely appreciate the opportunity to help you ignite performance and protect engines, vehicles and equipment.

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BOSS Lubricants is the exclusive distributor of Mag1 in Western Canada (Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia)

BOSS Lubricants • Celebrating 30 years • 10

Photo by Riverwood Photography Inc.

is working hard to embody as a company: professional, well organized, state of the art and pristine. BOSS has been rebranding and elevating the image of the company not only to customers but also to staff.

The management team works hard to create a great environment for staff to increase productivity as well as morale and employee satisfaction.

From end to end, the renovated

“We believe our staff should have a great working environment, a safer working environment, a more positive working environment because we feel we owe it to our staff, and they will become more productive because of it,” says Brad.

been rebranding and elevating the

To support the company’s commitment to quality, efficiency and to doing business better, BOSS became ISO-9001:2015 certified in 2017. In establishing the ISO manual and customizing the company’s platform, BOSS

warehouse, plant and office

reflects the image BOSS is working hard to embody as a company:

professional, well organized, state of the art and pristine. BOSS has image of the company not only

to customers but also to staff. The

management team works hard to

create a great environment for staff to increase productivity as well as

morale and employee satisfaction.

Congratulations to Murray Flegel and the team at BOSS Lubricants on your 30th anniversary!

UniFirst is proud to partner with BOSS Lubricants for their uniform and facility service needs.

unifirst.ca

Congratulations BOSS Lubricants on your 30th Anniversary.

Thanks for selecting Pumps & Pressure Inc. as your fluid handling equipment supplier.

1-888-430-9359 Red Deer • Edmonton • Calgary • Grande Prairie • Lethbridge • Saskatoon • Brandon

www.pumpsandpressure.com

Congratulations BOSS Lubricants on your 30th Anniversary.

We wish you many more years of continued success.

“ISO is a custom-tailored platform around the company’s most important core goals: 1) Product Quality, 2) Customer Service and Support and 3) Workplace Safety and Environmental Stewardship. ISO has been great for the company and has changed how we do business and made us better overall,” says Brad.

Safe. Secure.

Environmental Services

This reinforces the company’s focus on quality as a core value, and to achieve quality products

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BOSS Lubricants • Celebrating 30 years • 11

has created processes and procedures for quality assurance while adding productivity metrics from within the ISO framework that help management gather valuable data points. After the long hours put in by the senior management team and Chad Watson, BOSS’s Human Resources manager and safety officer, and years of documentation and fine-tuning the program, the team is extremely pleased to see the benefits of ISO compliance that reach beyond quality management benchmarks and boosting profitability.

BOSS Lubricants • Celebrating 30 years • 12

requires quality people. The Flegels know they have the best in the business working for them and in turn take care of them and treat them like family. The strong culture and positive atmosphere throughout the company keeps people engaged and invested in the work they do at BOSS. It has maintained a small-business feel despite its large client base and workload, and the phone is answered by a person not an automated system or a call centre.

People come first, and both the staff and the customers feel the difference that makes. Relationships are key, and senior management knows everyone personally in the office and fosters inperson relationships with clients. That has led to a list of long-time customers as well as long-tenured employees.

“Some of our employees have been with us for 15 and 20 years. The tendency is for employees to stay long-term. We’re really proud of that,” says Murray. “We have five, 10- and 15-year employment awards.

We’re giving away more awards this year than we ever have before,” Jarrett adds.

In the end, the staff make the company successful, and the management team is proud to have such amazing people representing them day in and day out.

Their knowledge, dedication, detail to quality, reliability and professionalism have earned the company its stellar reputation in the industry and it is what attracts customers and partners to do business with BOSS. Thanks to that reputation, in 2018 BOSS became an

BOSS Lubricants • Celebrating 30 years • 13

Brad Flegel, Jarrett Flegel, Murray Flegel and Steve Jakubec.

Photo by Riverwood Photography Inc.

BOSS Lubricants • Celebrating 30 years • 14

Long Time BOSS Customer “South Pro Auto” Owners Shaun and Ryan Rankine pictured with BOSS President Jarrett Flegel.

authorized distributor for Shell Canada’s lubricant line, which allowed them to sell Shell’s products to its customers Then in April 2020, BOSS’s relationship with Shell expanded as it started performing DFOA (Delivery For Own Account), delivering product to Shell’s customers throughout Saskatchewan and southern Alberta.

“We were able to create new revenue streams utilizing our established infrastructure.

Basically, we started delivering litre one when they declared a global pandemic,” says Steve.

Delivery and its relationship with Shell have become important business opportunities for BOSS and a feather in the company’s cap to have a strong association with an industry leader like Shell. It is also appealing and convenient for BOSS’s clients to have extensive product offerings all in one place.

BOSS has grown in an

ever-evolving industry for the past 30 years, but its

business model has remained consistent – ongoing

investment in its technology, staff and relationships with customers as it provides

top quality products and

unbeatable service. The team

is celebrating three decades of

service in the industry, but they are not done yet.

“What sets us apart is our service and product menu,” says Jarrett. “Now that we’ve brought on Shell and Mag 1’s product portfolio and expanded our own product portfolio, we have over 700 lubricant products we can offer customers – most of our competitors would have 100 to 200.”

8724 53 Ave Edmonton AB 1-800-844-9457 info@bosslubricants.com www.bosslubricants.com

BOSS Lubricants • Celebrating 30 years • 15

BOSS has grown in an ever-evolving industry for the past 30 years, but its business model has remained consistent – ongoing investment in its technology, staff and relationships with customers as it provides top quality products and unbeatable service.

The team is celebrating three decades of service in the industry, but they are not done yet. BOSS Lubricants will continue to expand its offerings, grow the business and elevate the branding of its impressive product portfolio into the future.

We are proud to say we’ve been in business for 30 years, but we aren’t done yet.

BOSS Lubricants continues to evolve, expand and improve so we can help our customers do the same.

It has been an exciting journey since we opened our doors in 1992, and we couldn’t have done it without all the dedicated employees and valued customers who have supported BOSS Lubricants along the way. On behalf of the team at BOSS, I’d like to extend a sincere thank you to our customers for their trust and confidence in us over the years and for helping us become what we are today.

We are grateful to be a leader in the industry and we look forward to continuing to offer our great service and unbeatable product quality as we transition into the next 30 years of business serving customers across Canada.

THANK YOU! Murray Flegel Founder and CEO, BOSS Lubricants

THE TEAM THAT PLAYS WELL TOGETHER, WORKS WELL TOGETHER // CORPORATE HEALTH & WELLNESS

THE TEAM THAT PLAYS WELL TOGETHER,

WORKS WELL TOGETHER Team building for corporate health and wellness a big focus for the new year

BY NATALIE NOBLE

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s businesses put 2021 behind them to welcome the new year, many have a renewed focus on health and wellness. In that spirit, with hybrid offices in play and large gatherings still on shaky ground, corporate team and social building strategies are increasingly important to workplace satisfaction for Edmonton’s professionals.

Outdoors, soccer, slo-pitch, beach volleyball, flag football and ultimate frisbee are popular. There’s no membership, leaving participants free to sign up and play as they like as individuals, small groups or full teams for any league, tournament or sport they choose year-round.

Last fall, Rob Gillespie, CEO and founder with the Calgary and Edmonton Sport & Social Clubs, saw a spike in interest for the Clubs’ events with every weekend tournament sold out. “The demand is far exceeding the supply we can logistically provide over the last couple seasons,” says Gillespie. “People are raring to get out and be active again.”

Single-day tournaments, such as curling “fun-spiels” and snow-pitch competitions are a flexible offering many enjoy.

“They’re a ton of fun with more of a party atmosphere,” says Gillespie. “Our beach ball volleyball tournaments often have a beer garden. We have sponsors who like to show up with their services, including physiotherapy and massage professionals or local brewers with samples of their products. These tournaments are just as social as they are sporting events.”

The Edmonton and Sport & Social Club (ESSC) is a onestop shop for adults wishing to maintain physically and socially active lifestyles. They host approximately 1,000 teams, upwards of 10,000 people, per season. Around the calendar, the Club offers seasonal nine-week league sessions including indoor sports such as dodgeball, basketball, volleyball and pickleball.

Over the years, the ESSC has worked with many corporations. Oftentimes, company HR programs or social committees cover or subsidize the cost for employees to join.

In other cases, staff organize their own group attendance.

Either way, corporate team building events are increasingly a larger focus. “One of our big initiatives this year is to reach out to more companies and get them involved in these

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THE TEAM THAT PLAYS WELL TOGETHER, WORKS WELL TOGETHER // CORPORATE HEALTH & WELLNESS

amazing opportunities for team building and getting people active,” says Gillespie. “[There are so many] trickle-down benefits these healthy physical, social and team building activities have to offer. We’re seeing more companies become increasingly organized in helping their people to get more involved in these kinds of activities. We also recognize that the organization around these events is time consuming and we’re happy to take that on [where people] don’t have the time or resources.”

Also popular are leagues organized around a single industry as great networking opportunities that serve up some friendly competition. For instance, several different law firms around the city have participated in an ESSC slo-pitch league over the last few years.

While the last two years’ pandemic restrictions saw the ESSC intermittently forced to shut down about 50 per cent of the time, they are ensuring all participants are vaccinated so they can safely resume in-person activities. Also challenging has been the inability to rent out school gyms as was traditionally done in the past, but Gillespie and his team are happy to help support their private facility providers.

They’ve also created mutually beneficial partnerships with sponsoring businesses, including pubs around the city.

“They welcome and provide discounts to our players after their games for additional socializing,” says Gillespie. “That social aspect is so important to players as well as it’s a great opportunity for these pubs to get some additional business and recognition.”

Turning pandemic challenges into opportunity and despite many people reimagining new career paths, Gillespie is proud to report that both the ESSC and the CSSC retained a strong core group. As an organization, the Clubs are reenergized in terms of keeping happy staff. “We’ve spent some time working on creative new perks and benefits to offer our people,” he says. “We’re really excited to keep things fun, creative and interesting for everyone working here.”

Amongst new corporate culture strengthening strategies are additional Fridays off to allow more long weekends, a paid day off on the employee’s birthday and free snack and beverage offerings at the offices. “We’ve had fun brainstorming all these different things we can do for our people to help keep them healthy and happy to be here,” says Gillespie.

Pandemic-related challenges pushed other team building businesses to pivot into exciting new directions. “I’m proud of the ways our team found new opportunities through all of this uncertainty while staying true to our core purpose, which is connecting people through play,” says Kristi Herold, CEO and founder with JAM, a Canadian-based international company specializing in corporate team building events and adult rec sports leagues.

JAM is a recently rebranded evolution of Herold’s original organization, the Sport & Social Group started in 1996.

The business continues a tradition of intramural-style adult sports leagues with a new suite of virtual and hybrid event offerings. Up until the pandemic, the company hosted adult ABOVE: EXPANDING UPON THEIR INTRAMURAL-STYLE ADULT SPORTS LEAGUES TO INCLUDE A NEW SUITE OF VIRTUAL AND HYBRID EVENT OFFERINGS, JAM IS BRINGING TEAMS TOGETHER ACROSS MULTIPLE CITIES. PHOTO SOURCE: JAM

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THE TEAM THAT PLAYS WELL TOGETHER, WORKS WELL TOGETHER // CORPORATE HEALTH & WELLNESS

Bringing on approximately 60 part-time hosts including actors and comedians with a knack for getting people engaged and laughing, JAM’s corporate team building events kept the 25-year-strong company in business. “We can now cover off both the events and the sports sides of our business and we’re back to our pre-pandemic number of people working for our organization with sports going again,” says Herold. “We still have a way to go to get fully back to our prior revenue numbers, but I do think that two years from now, we will be better off because of this journey.”

Corporate health and wellness is a topic Herold is especially passionate about. She’s spoken internationally on the importance of creating healthy corporate culture and is currently writing a book on the benefits of play in the workplace. She identifies three key pillars that help create a strong culture – clear vision, clear purpose and clear values.

“But you also need a team that works well together to live those values while driving that purpose and vision forward,” says Herold. “I believe one of the easiest ways to build that strong team is to make some time for play. When we play together, bonds form. We then become more willing to offer to help coworkers out when they need support.” sports leagues in 11 different cities for 150,000 people in Ontario and Michigan. They’ve since grown to 13 cities including Winnipeg and have affiliations with similar adult rec sports leagues in the Edmonton and Calgary Sport & Social Clubs.

“When the pandemic hit, we were forced to stop our adult sports league operations entirely,” says Herold. “It was pretty soul crushing and scary to be honest. We didn’t know how our business would survive. We had 40 full-time and 350 part-time employees.”

Government-regulations put a halt to in-person sports and shut down Herold’s core service offering for 18 months.

She and her team worked to create new revenue generating strategies, expanding their offerings into the virtual events realm, including bingo, trivia nights, escape rooms and game shows. “We realized people were really enjoying this playful connection we were providing. We rebranded as JAM, selling these events to companies working remotely around the world,” says Herold. “It took off. We produced over 1,500 events, connected over 55,000 people through play in that first year and we’re still growing strongly.”

The benefits in establishing a healthy corporate culture are numerous and wide ranging. Employee turnover is vastly decreased while creativity is sparked, energy is boosted and happy employees increase customer service and satisfaction.

The time and cost investment can be minimal with endless advantages. Herold says company employees across multiple cities can team build over a simple lunch and laugh virtual experience while avoiding hotel and flight expenses.

Since expanding their events offerings west just over a year ago, JAM has already produced over 80 events for corporate clients in Edmonton and Calgary. Available as virtual, inperson or hybrid events for groups of 10 to 1,000 people and 45 minutes to three hours in length, JAM provides staffing for a multitude of play opportunities. Amongst some of the most popular are Survey Says, Guess My Sketch, Jeopardy, escape rooms and Name That Tune bingo. JAM’s event planners can also partner with businesses to custom create events.

“Connecting through play is so important to physical and mental health in our society,” says Herold. “We’re so excited to have built this B2B business that we didn’t have before the pandemic.”

ABOVE: AS PEOPLE ARE INCREASINGLY KEEN TO FOCUS ON PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH, THE EDMONTON SPORT & SOCIAL CLUB IS SUPPORTING BUSINESSES WITH A ROBUST AND FLEXIBLE SELECTION OF TEAM BUILDING OPTIONS. PHOTO SOURCE: THE EDMONTON SPORT & SOCIAL CLUB

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Laying foundations for economic recovery in 2022

2022 Board of Directors Board Executive

Chair: Dennis R. Schmidt Principal, ALTURA Legal Advisory Vice Chair: Haydar Al Dahhan President and CEO, Design Works Engineering Secretary-Treasurer: Jason Pincock CEO, DynaLIFE Medical Labs Past Chair: Elan MacDonald Vice President (External Relations), University of Alberta Jeffrey Sundquist President & CEO, Edmonton Chamber and World Trade Centre Edmonton

Board Directors Nicole Bird Owner, Rsvp Design Inc.

Aziz Bootwala Managing Principal, Edmonton, Vice President, Business Development, Kasian Architecture Interior Design and Planning Ltd. Nathan Carter Vice President, Projects and Construction, ATCO Energy Solutions Jonathan Gallo Managing Partner, Gallo LLP Chartered Professional Accountants Sandy Jacobson Vice President, Richardson Executive Search Sam Kemble Chief Operating Officer, Workforce Delivery Inc. Annemarie Petrov President and CEO, Francis Winspear Centre for Music Amir Shami President and CEO, Rotaflow

Edmonton Chamber Executive

Scott Channon Director, Marketing and Communications Christen Rumbles Director, Finance Amin Samji Director, Member Services

Contact

Edmonton Chamber of Commerce #600 World Trade Centre 9990 Jasper Ave Edmonton, AB T5J 1P7 T: 780.426.4620 | F: 780.424.7946 edmontonchamber.com

Jeffrey Sundquist, President & CEO

W

elcome to 2022! The New Year is an annual milestone where we reflect on the experiences gained in past months and consider how that wisdom can be applied in the future. It is remarkable how we have managed to adapt to life with COVID-19 in unexpected ways. When hard-pressed, many of you learned how capable you are at reimagining solutions and generating fresh ideas for innovation.

With new strengths to test, we all want to know if 2022 will be the year business recovers to pre-pandemic form. While that isn’t certain, the Chamber has already started the groundwork toward that vision. We have been talking to government decision-makers at all levels to highlight your business concerns and priorities and get the support and competitive business conditions to drive growth.

Federal election platform Fall 2020 featured a packed season of municipal and federal elections, and a hectic time for our advocacy team. Unprecedented pandemic challenges called for a strong, coordinated response. We partnered with the Calgary Chamber of Commerce to develop a federal election platform, “From Challenge to Change.”

Together, we launched the election platform with one united and powerful voice on behalf of Alberta’s leading business regions.

“From Challenge to Change” presented the federal government with five policy pillars along with recommendations for: Economic recovery and diversification; talent, skills, and jobs; environment and climate; finance and taxation; and trade and market access.

Municipal election business priorities On the municipal level, we saw big changes. Edmonton elected its first new mayor in eight years, Amarjeet Sohi, and newcomers on council now outnumber the veterans. The new mayor and council are the most diverse group ever elected which better reflects Edmonton’s changing demographics.

We wasted no time in bringing the top priorities of our business community to the new council’s attention. Support for an inclusive economic recovery; support for vibrancy downtown and in the other business districts; addressing houselessness and addictions; resolving red tape and permitting delays; and balancing fiscal accountability and service delivery to control municipal spending.

We continue to take initiative and have already met with the mayor and councillors.

Governments should work collaboratively The Chamber believes that governments should collaborate and strategically leverage all the tools and resources at their disposal to support the economy. We believe that creating the best possible conditions to sustain business and promote economic recovery should be a top priority for governments. continued on next page

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J O I N E D M O N TO N ’S BUSINESS LEADERS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS AS W E TOA S T TO A N E W Y E A R .

L I M I T E D T I C K E T S ST I L L AVA I L A B L E .

J A N UA RY 22 , 2 02 2 E D M O N TO N C H A M B E R . C O M

PRESENTING SPONSOR

R E C E PT I O N S P O N S O R

S I LV E R S P O N S O R S

B RO N Z E S P O N S O R S

E N T E RTA I N M E N T S P O N S O R

S U P P O RT I N G S P O N S O R S

One important example of how this can work is the game-changing agreement between the Government of Canada and the Government of Alberta to provide access to quality, affordable early learning and child care. This was a high priority expressed by Chamber members who rightly identified the critical need to address social and economic barriers. Through the power of advocacy, we pushed for the support and investment that can lead to economic benefits like higher workforce participation, improved productivity, talent attraction, and more.

Local and regional activities Your Chamber works with the Downtown Business Association to address shared issues such as business attraction and retention, economic development, houselessness, and mental health, and safety. As Edmonton has grown, business associations and interest groups have grown. Building partnerships across the city and among different interests strengthens the greater business community.

In our work with Edmonton Global and the Greater Edmonton Chambers of Commerce, we were part of attracting a $15 million investment in the Air Services Opportunities

Stay connected.

Follow us and be up-to-date with events, policies, member news and more.

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Fund to attract airlines back to the Edmonton International Airport. We are proud to contribute to regional success and will seek more opportunities to do so.

Looking ahead Advocacy is an essential role of the Edmonton Chamber that is greatly enhanced by the knowledgeable input and lively participation of members both as individuals and on our policy committees. Through this unceasing work, we support our business community and can lay the foundations of a strong and stable economic recovery.

Although there are many uncertainties surrounding COVID-19 that constantly change around the world, we have seen a strong ability to adapt by many businesses. We will continue to advocate and keep the momentum going in a positive direction. We look forward, with best wishes to all of you, to a more prosperous year.

The Edmonton Chamber wants to hear from you.

What do you see as the top issues and priorities for your business in 2022? Start the conversation by writing to policy@edmontonchamber.com.

@EdmontonChamber edmontonchamber.com

Navina Yoga Member Profile Meg Stevenson, Founder and Community Director www.navinayoga.ca | www.online.navinayoga.ca What’s your story?

I was introduced to yoga when I was studying psychology to help mitigate stress from working full time and going to school. It was truly love at first downward dog and it was not long after that I decided to switch my career path and became a yoga teacher. I knew that teaching classes was not a sustainable option for the life I wanted to create so I started working on building my business by teaching workshops and training private clients. Through the first five years of teaching, I found that there was quite a disconnect in how yoga studios operated, and I wanted to create something different so I decided it was time to open my own studio so I could foster the supportive community that I knew yoga teachers and their students deserved. We have been in operation for nearly five years now and this has been an exceptionally challenging year, COVID has pushed me to pursue the projects that were put off since opening the studio and now we are open and stronger than we have ever been as a company.

What do you enjoy most about being a member of the Edmonton Chamber of Commerce?

It is inspiring to be surrounded by fellow ambitious entrepreneurs who are open to potential partnerships. My mentor always encouraged building strong partnerships to help grow not just my business but contribute to a stronger community. During the first couple of years in operation this was exceptionally challenging but now being a more established brand, we have found more success in recent years with this initiative. On your own, everything is perceived as competition, but as a member of the Edmonton Chamber of Commerce it is more about community and that is why Navina Yoga is in business.

What is one thing people are surprised to learn about your business?

There is a common misconception that in order to enjoy the practice of yoga you need to be good at it, so most people are pleasantly surprised at how good it feels after their

Meg Stevenson

first class. This practice of yoga and mindful movement is so much more than striving to touch your toes. We offer a space that can act as a catalyst for growth in all aspects of life.

What has been your biggest challenge in business, and how did you overcome it?

Business owners can all relate that COVID is likely the biggest challenge they have faced, but the fitness industry has been hit exceptionally hard. Over the last year, we have been closed for 7 months, faced heavy restrictions for the remaining 5 months and although we are now permitted to operate—it is under even heavier restrictions than before. Like many others we offered zoom sessions to keep our community moving through the shutdown and with that, we knew we needed to continue to create a strong online presence, while still offering the same level of quality we offer in the studio. We created an online studio that offers our clients an exceptional experience with music and high-resolution imaging to make them feel like they are right in the studio with us and keep them feeling connected, which is so crucial for people’s mental wellbeing—especially at this time. We built this platform to offer on-demand and live-stream classes, workshops, and now we offer challenges to keep people active and engaged and are finding great success with it.

We launched our podcast called Strength & Grace: Off the Mat, in which we welcome other entrepreneurs, and through our conversations promote mental well-being. Finally, we started working with corporate clients to focus on offering tailored virtual experiences to meet their team’s needs, with a weekly live class and on-demand program.

If you could make one substantial improvement to Edmonton’s business environment, what would it be?

To have all businesses more fully support each other locally, both giving and getting new clients, as well as referrals—thus creating the strongest business environment for Edmonton going forward.

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SERVING STUDENTS, PARENTS AND COMMUNITIES // PRIVATE SCHOOLS

ALBERTA INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS: Serving students, parents and communities

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ndependent schools (referred to as private schools in legislation) have been part of the fabric of Alberta since the province joined Confederation. In fact, there are independent schools that have been operating consistently since the early 1900s. Over the years there has been incremental growth in the number of students attending independent schools, as well as expansion in the number and types of schools. This year there are over 40,000 students in Alberta who attend an independent school. This includes students who attend community-based Early Childhood Services organizations, and students who are home-educated but are registered with an independent school.

Parents choose to send their children to independent schools for many reasons. Some schools operate with a special focus on students with specific learning needs. Others are built to offer a unique type of educational approach like Montessori or Waldorf. Sometimes parents choose a school that respects and supports their child’s faith and world view (like Sikh,

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Jewish, Muslim or Christian), or because they want their child to learn about their culture, or for a specific academic, athletic or other educational focus. In recent years, the Government of Alberta has formally acknowledged and recognized the rights of parents to choose the education for their children by passing school choice legislation.

For the past 50 years the government has also recognized that independent schools serve the public good by providing partial funding for students attending our schools. This partial funding has allowed parents of diverse socioeconomic backgrounds to access independent schools; recent research suggests that in more than 80 per cent of independent schools in Alberta the average household income of the parents is slightly below the provincial household income average.

While the partial public funding helps, in order to be able to operate, many independent schools have to charge tuition. These fees will vary considerably depending on the

SERVING STUDENTS, PARENTS AND COMMUNITIES // PRIVATE SCHOOLS

INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS ARE ALSO INCREDIBLY ACCOUNTABLE TO THEIR PARENTS. AS SCHOOLS OF CHOICE, THERE MUST BE STRONG ALIGNMENT BETWEEN THE NEEDS OF THE STUDENT AND THE PROGRAM BEING OFFERED, OR ELSE PARENTS WILL CHOOSE TO PLACE THEIR CHILD IN A DIFFERENT SCHOOL SETTING. TO ENSURE THE SCHOOL IS MEETING THE NEEDS OF THE CHILD, THERE IS OFTEN A HEIGHTENED EMPHASIS ON COLLABORATION AND PARENTAL ENGAGEMENT IN INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS. kind of capital investments for buildings, teacher/student ratios, extracurricular program activities and additional technological costs associated with the COVID-19 pandemic.

Moreover, there are often other fundraising initiatives that help alleviate the cost of operating a school. Some schools also offer bursaries to assist parents in managing the tuition requirements. Parents from a broad socio-economic, cultural, religious and geographic background choose to send their children to independent schools.

Although each independent school is operated by its own school board, Alberta Education ensures thorough accountability measures are in place. Each year, the schools must submit an audited financial statement which confirms that the public dollars the school receives are appropriately spent on the educational needs of the students. Most independent schools are accredited and must teach a program of studies that is approved by the Minister of Education and hire Alberta-certified teachers to maintain this accreditation. There is also regular on-site monitoring by Alberta Education staff, and schools must annually submit education results reports and three-year plans.

Independent schools are also incredibly accountable to their parents. As schools of choice, there must be strong alignment between the needs of the student and the program being offered, or else parents will choose to place their child in a different school setting. To ensure the school is meeting the needs of the child, there is often a heightened emphasis on collaboration and parental engagement in independent schools.

One of the most powerful arguments in support of independent schools is also the most basic. They serve a public good. Education, at its core, is about providing an opportunity for children to learn, grow and equip themselves to be ethical, engaged and innovative citizens. To ensure this occurs, Alberta Education surveys students, parents and teachers in all schools in Alberta each year. The results show that independent schools are highly successful at meeting student needs.

For almost two years, the pandemic has impacted the lives of all Albertans. For students in independent schools the shift saw similar challenges to the rest of the education system: switching to at-home learning in March 2020, adjusting to new technologies, protocols for re-entry as school re-started in the fall. The value of independent schooling has only increased during this time. The close connection between the school and the home has allowed independent school leaders and teachers to make the required adjustments to learning in a way that fits the needs of their specific groups of students.

The nimble and targeted response that independent schools have been able to demonstrate has ensured that the students in their care have continued to receive an elevated level of support as they navigated these uncertain times.

Independent schools are an integral component of Alberta’s excellent system of school choice.

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As time moves on, our society will become more advanced, which is why we place a high value on learning technology. Logic, coding and robotics are key parts of our math and sciences program for students starting as early as kindergarten.

Private Schools: Raising the Next Generation of Leaders

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e can already see the writing on the wall, with the swings in fortune for our province and its economy, the push to move toward electric vehicles and more efficient housing and to solve climate change issues overall. At some point in our future, Alberta will be much less reliant on fossil fuels to power its economy.

While that day may not be tomorrow, it is the current generation’s responsibility to ensure that our children are ready for the changes that are coming. They must be ready to face new challenges and create new solutions to be able to compete on the global stage. Innovation and entrepreneurship in markets and products that we are not even currently aware of are our collective future.

But when does that leadership, innovation and drive to succeed start? Do we wait until the student has reached university before they take their first courses in leadership?

For many of today’s business leaders, mentorship was a key to their success. Having someone to help guide creative energies without putting a stopper in the bottle is key to creating new companies that are creating new products.

To truly be successful, entrepreneurial skills need to be taught from the moment a student takes their first steps into school. They need to feel like they’ve stepped into a world that values their opinion and challenges them to contribute at every opportunity. They need to feel empowered to make choices even when we know those decisions might not lead to immediate success.

Mentorship needs to start at that early stage in life when we are full of seemingly crazy ideas, because it is those same ideas that will change the course of our world and the fortunes of our province.

13212 106 Ave Edmonton AB T5N-1A3 Telephone: (780) 455-8344 Email: info@progressiveacademy.ca

The environment that a young student grows up in is key to fostering creativity and leadership. At Progressive Academy, we approach the classroom as a place of mentoring young minds. This starts with every student addressing every adult staff member solely by first name. While that may seem like a radical idea, it is the foundation of building a learning environment of mutual respect where every student is recognized and appreciated as an individual.

The classroom is a place where students have the right to question everything, as well as the right to decide to what extent they contribute to any activity or discussion. The student is not limited to learning material that is in their grade, so if they want to pursue more advanced studies in subjects like mathematics or language arts, they are given that opportunity.

As time moves on, our society will become more advanced, which is why we place a high value on learning technology. Logic, coding and robotics are key parts of our math and sciences program for students starting as early as kindergarten.

By placing these powers in the hands of all students, they grow up being confident of themselves, their abilities and the value of their opinions and ideas. We provide them the space to grow, learn and experiment, the right to fail and learn from mistakes and the right to pursue advanced studies at their own pace. The goal is the student that has learned to take real leadership of themselves so that they can learn to guide, mentor and lead people in the companies of tomorrow.

What we as individuals can’t control is world markets. What we can control is how ready our children are to meet the challenges those markets bring in the future.

THIRD SCHOOLS

A NEW NAME FOR OUR DYNAMIC SCHOOL SYSTEM

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hird Academy opened its doors in 1997 to 26 students in the lower level of what was then the Euro-Canadian Centre. Our vision then, as it remains today, is student success.

Since that time, we have not only served the special education community, but have expanded programming choices to include parent-directed home education, shared responsibility programming, distance online education, and nature inspired education. Today, 1515 students are on our 20212022 roll supported by 101 professionals serving the diversity of Alberta families. From our humble beginnings, we have evolved into a school system.

Our school system’s name must reflect our past, present, and future.

There is a Latin phrase omne trium perfectum which translates as “everything that comes in threes is perfect.” Triads have incredible significance and are important in mathematics, music, spirituality, astronomy—consider for a moment that the Earth is the third planet from the sun—and much more.

We toyed with the idea of “Third Academy Independent Schools” as our system name and in fact used this for our 2019-2020 Annual Report. However, this name wasn’t quite right as we no longer solely serve students with special education needs. Further, while our independence allows us to best serve our families, we embrace other values as well. Henceforth, we shall simply and collectively be Third Schools. But who are we?

Third Schools is: Independent: as an Alberta Education accredited and funded school system, we ‘serve the public good’. That means supporting parental choice in education. That means doing so in innovative ways that provide value to our families. That means not only being regulated

by Alberta Education, but also directly responsible to the families that we serve.

Inspiring: purposefully designed to ensure that our 21st Century Learners are Engaged Thinkers. Ethical Citizens, and individuals with an Entrepreneurial Spirit. Our children and students are the leaders of our collective futures. Our greatest hope is for all of us to realize our greatest human potential.

Inclusive: that means a way of thinking and acting that demonstrates universal acceptance of, and belonging for, all children and students, regardless of race, religious belief, colour, gender, gender identity, gender expression, physical disability, mental disability, family status, sexual orientation, or other factors. All Third School students have access to meaningful and relevant learning experiences that include appropriate instructional supports. We have a programming choice for all kinds of learners, respecting the diversity of Albertan families.

These are the common values that the three Third Schools —Third Academy, ursa, and LYNX—embrace.

At Third Schools, it truly is ‘education your child’s way’.

Learn more at www.thirdschools.ca

URSA: OFFERING A

CONSTELLATION OF CHOICE!

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t’s all about respecting choice in education. We feel that parents know their children best. All students learn differently and deserve a program that will best enable them to be ‘happy and learning’. Parents: you have choices in education. Here’s how ursa can work for your family. ursa is launched under the leadership of Tracy Gilluley, Principal. ursa Distance online programming, grades 1-12, complements ursa parent directed home education programming with the ‘middle’ ground found in ursa Shared responsibility programming. Currently, there are 1265 students registered with ursa in every community across Alberta being supported in their learning. This support is provided by Alberta Education certified & experienced Home Education Managers and Distance Online Teachers. Flexibility in programming is the key that allows for ‘education, your child’s way’.

We want to ensure parents understand the different types and levels of support provided by the three programming choices ursa offers for home-based education.

Choice #1:

ursa Distance online programming. This a teacher directed, home-based program for students across Alberta, with the opportunity for greater Calgary based students to attend onsite programming at our new East Calgary location for physical education, music, drama, and art classes on Wednesday afternoons.

Parents of students in grades 10-12 that are seeking to accomplish an Alberta High School Diploma are choosing a program that is maximum 80% teacher directed.

Shared responsibility students not seeking an Alberta High School Diploma will be granted greater flexibility to earn high school credit through Section 6 of the Home Education Regulation.

• Grades 1-12 • Maximum class size of 18 students including your student • Classes are not only synchronous (live), but are also recorded to offer flexibility for families • Planned, taught, and evaluated by a team of experienced Alberta Education Certified distance teachers

Choice #3:

ursa Parent Directed programming. This is traditional home education for students in grades 1-12 delivered under the Home Education Regulation. Our Home Education Managers are not only Alberta Certificated Teachers but also have home educated their own children.

• Alberta Program of Studies • Offered to students in every community across Alberta • High school programming leading to an Alberta Diploma is designed for ‘motivated’ students

Choice #2:

ursa Shared Responsibility programming. This is homebased education, with part of the program delivered by the teacher and part of the program delivered by the parent.

Parents of students in grades 1-9 can choose 20% to 80% of the program to be teacher directed. Again, the maximum class size is 18 students. That means your student gets the attention they need to succeed in their learning.

Visit ursa at www.goursa.education https://www.facebook.com/groups/friendsofursahomeed

SERVING STUDENTS, PARENTS AND COMMUNITIES // PRIVATE SCHOOLS

DIRECTORY Columbus Academy

Edmonton Academy

Grades 7 - 9, Grades 10 - 12 6770 129 Avenue, Edmonton, AB T5C 1V7 Phone: (780) 440-0708 Fax: (780) 440-0760 Abh_admin@boscohomes.ca

Grade 4 to 12 Unit 2, 810 Saddleback Road, Edmonton, AB T6J 4W4 Phone: (780) 482-5449 e.richards@edmontonacademy.com Website: www.edmontonacademy.com

Coralwood Adventist Academy Kindergarten to grade 12 12218-135 St NW, Edmonton, AB T5L 1X1 Phone: (780) 454-2173 Fax: (780) 455-6946 office@coralwood.org Website: www.coralwood.org

Covenant Canadian Reformed School ECS, Grades 1 - 6, Grades 7 - 9, Grades 10 – 12 3030 Twp Rd 615A County of Barrhead, AB T0G 1R2 Phone: (780) 674-4774 Fax: (780) 401-3295 ccrs.office@gmail.com Website: www.covenantschool.ca

Dante Alighieri Italian School K, Grades 1 - 12 c/o Archbishop O’Leary High 14230 – 133 Ave Edmonton, AB T5L 4W4 Phone: (780) 474-1787 aristidem@shaw.ca

Devon Christian School Preschool to Grade 9 205 Miquelon Avenue West Devon, AB T9G 0L8 Phone: (780) 987-4157 dcs@devonchristianschool.ca Website: www.devonchristianschool.ca

E2 Academy (DSEPS) ECS, Grades 1 - 6, Grades 7 - 9, Grades 10 - 12 14907 45 Ave NW, Edmonton, AB T6H 5K8 Phone: (780)438-0824 info@e2academy.com Website: www.e2academy.com

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Edmonton Bible Heritage Christian School

Gabriela Mistral Latin American School

Ivan Franko School of Ukrainian Studies

Pre K, K, Grades 1 – 9, Adults 9359 - 67A Street Edmonton, AB T6B 1R7 Phone: (780) 914-6574 gabrielamistraledmonton@gmail.com

Grades 10 - 12 10611-110 Ave Edmonton, AB T5H 2W9 Phone: (780) 476-7529 lsukhy@hotmail.com Facebook: @IvanFrankoSchoolCommunity

German Language School Edmonton

Kneehill Christian School

Grades 1 - 6, Grades 7 - 9 35-55517 Rge. Rd 240 N.W. Sturgeon County, AB T0A 0K5 Phone: (780) 454-3672 Fax: (780) 488-3672

K-6, Grades 7 – 12, Grades 10 - 12 7608-154 Street Edmonton, AB T5R 1R7 Phone: (780) 435-7540 c/o Rio Terrace School Preschool

Edmonton Islamic Academy

ECS, Grades 1 - 6, Grades 7 - 9, Grades 10 - 12 26404 Highway 16, West Spruce Grove, AB T7X 3H5 Phone: (780) 960-0235 Fax: (780) 960-9235 bdcoldwell@gmail.com

ECS, Grades 1 - 6, Grades 7 - 9, Grades 10 - 12 14525 - 127 Street, Edmonton, AB T6V 0B3 Phone: (780) 454-4573 Fax: (780) 454-3498 info@islamicacademy.ca Website: www.islamicacademy.ca

Edmonton Khalsa School

Harvest Baptist Academy

Headway School Society of Alberta

ECS, Grades 1 - 6, Grades 7 - 9 4504 Millwoods Road South Edmonton, AB T6L 6Y8 Phone: (780) 450-8753 Fax: (780) 461-6927 edkhalsa@telus.net Website: www.edmkhalsaschool.org

ECS, Grades 1 - 6, Grades 7 - 9, Grades 10 - 12 10435-76 Street NW, Edmonton, AB T6A 3B1 Phone: (780) 461-7683 Fax: (780) 485-0507 headman@telus.net Website: www.headwayschool.org

Elves Special Needs Society Elves School program

ECS, Grades 1 - 6, Grades 7 - 9, Grades 10 - 12 10306 - 102 Street Grande Prairie, AB T8V 2W3 Phone: (780) 539-9161 Fax: (780) 532-6932

ECS, Grades 1 - 6, Grades 7 - 9, Grades 10 - 12 10825 - 142 Street and 10419-159 Street Edmonton, AB T5N 3Y7 Phone: (780) 454-5310 ext. 232 Fax: (780) 454-5889 info@elves-society.com Website: www.elves-society.com

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Hillcrest Christian School

Inner City High School Grades 10 - 12 11205 – 101 Street, Edmonton, AB T5G 2A4 Phone: (780) 424-9425 Fax: (780) 426-3386 info@innercity.ca Website: www.innercity.ca

Grades 1 - 6, Grades 7 - 9 P.O. Box 370 Linden, AB T0M 1J0 Phone: (403) 546-3781 Fax: (403) 546-3181

Lakeland Christian Academy K, Grades 1 - 6, Grades 7 - 9, Grades 10 - 12 P.O. Box 8397 Cold Lake, AB T9M 1N2 Phone: (780) 639-2077 Fax: (780) 639-4151

Living Truth Christian School ECS, Grades 1 - 6, Grades 7 - 9, Grades 10-12 Box 89, Mirror, AB T0B 3C0 Phone: (403) 788-2444 Fax: (403) 788-2445 ltcs@abchristianschools.ca Website: www.abchristianschools.ca

Living Waters Christian Academy ECS, Grades 1 - 6, Grades 7 - 9, Grades 10 - 12 5 Grove Drive W. Spruce Grove, AB T7X 3X8 Phone: (780) 962-3331 Fax: (780) 962-3958 enrolment@lwca.ab.ca Website : lwca.ab.ca

MAC Islamic School Accredited Accredited Kindergarten to G9 11342 127th Street, Edmonton, AB T5M 0T8 Phone: (780) 453-2220 Fax: (780) 453-2233 office@macislamicschool.com Website: www.macislamicschool.com

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Maskwachees Cultural School

Peace Hills Adventist School

Grades 10 - 12 P.O. Box 960 Maskwacis, AB T0C 1N0 Phone: (780) 585-3925 Fax: (780) 585-2080

ECS, Grades 1 - 6, Grades 7 - 9 R.R. 3, Wetaskiwin, AB T9A 1X1 Phone: (780) 352-8555 peacehillsschool@gmail.com Website: www.peacehillsadventistschool.ca

Meadows Baptist Academy ECS, Grades 1 - 6, Grades 7 - 8 2215 - 17 Street, Edmonton, AB T6T 1J1 Phone: (780) 440-1195 Fax: (780) 490-4410 bhunter@meadowlandsbaptist.com Website: www.meadowsbaptist.ca

Menorah Academy 10735 McQueen Rd NW Edmonton, AB T5N 3L1 Phone: (780) 451-1848 office@menorahacademy.org Website: menorahacademy.org

Morinville Christian School Kindergarten to Grade 9, Home Education Grade 1 - 12 10515 100 Avenue, Morinville, AB T8R 1A2 Phone: (780) 939-2987 Fax: (780) 939-6646 mcfs@telus.net Website: www.tfhchurch.ca/care/receive/ morinville-christian-school

Nebula Academy Islamic School Program Daycare - Out of School Care, Kindergarten to Grade 9 12023 81 Street, Edmonton, AB T5B 2S9 Phone: (780) 761-0250 info@nebulaacademy.ca Website: www.nebulaacademy.ca

Parkland Immanuel Christian School ECS, Grades 1 - 6, Grades 7 - 9, Grades 10 - 12 21304 - 35 Avenue N.W. Edmonton, AB T6M 2P6 Phone: (780) 444-6443 Fax: (780) 444-6448 infor@parklandimmanuel.ca Website: www.parklandimmanuel.ca

Norwood Chinese School Kindergarten to grade 12 11124-130 Street, Edmonton, AB T5M 0J2 Phone: (780) 908-6406 info@norwoodca.net C/O Westmount School

Phoenix Academy Grades 1 - 6, Grades 7 - 9, Grades 10 - 12 6770 129 Avenue Edmonton, AB T5C 1V7

Polish Sienkiewicz School in Edmonton Grades Kindergarten to Grade 12 P.O.Box 78076 RPO Callingwood Edmonton, AB T5T 6A1 Phone: (780) 454-0205 and 780-439-5916 Fax: (780) 439-5916 polishschool@shaw.ca Website: www.pshs.ca Accredited Heritage Language School

Progressive Academy Full-Time early childhood program for 3 – 5 year olds, Pre-school, Grades 1 - 12, Gifted and Talented Program, Special Interest Programs (Robotics, Outdoor Education, International Travel), Out of school care, Summer programs 13212 - 106 Avenue Edmonton, AB T5N 1A3 Phone: (780) 455-8344 info@progressiveacademy.ca Website: www.progressiveacademy.ca

Rimbey Christian School Fingerprints, ECS, Grades 1 - 9 P.O. Box 90 Rimbey, AB T0C 2J0 Phone: (403) 843-4790 Fax: (403) 843-3904 office@rimbeychristianschool.com Website: www.rimbeychristianschool.com

Russian Educational Centre K to Grade 12 9566 – 101 Ave Edmonton, AB T6K 3H6 Phone: (780) 966-7157 oprokhorova@hotmail.com

Slave Lake Koinonia Christian K, Grades 1 - 6, Grades 7 - 9, Grades 10 - 12 328 2nd St. NE Slave Lake, AB T0G 2A0 Phone: (780) 849-5400 Fax: (888)881-0428 admin@slkcs.com

Solomon College Grades 10 - 12 Suite 228, 10621 - 100 Avenue Edmonton, AB T5J 0B3 Phone: (780) 431-1515 Fax: (780) 431-1644 pingping@solomoncollege.ca Website: www.solomoncollege.ca

South Side Christian School Kindergarten to grade 9 P.O. Box 219, Red Deer, AB T4N 5E8 Phone: (403) 866-2266 admin@southsidechristianschool.ca Website: www.southsidechristianschool.ca

SML Christian Academy ECS, Grades 1 - 6, Grades 7 - 9 5014 - 53 Avenue Stony Plain, AB T7Z 1R8 Phone: (780) 963-2715 Fax: (780) 963-7324 info@smlacademy.ca Website: www.smlacademy.ca

SCcyber E-Learning Community Grades 7 to 12 200, B102 – 5212 48 St. Red Deer, AB T4N 7C3 Phone: (403) 872-0487 administration@sccyber.net Website: www.sccyber.net

Tempo School ECS, (Lower School) Grades 1 - 4, (Middle School) Grades 5 - 8 and (Upper School) Grades 9 - 12 5603 - 148 Street, Edmonton, AB T6H 4T7 Phone: (780) 434-1190 Fax: (780) 430-6209 admin@temposchool.org

The Chinese Cultural Promotion Society Grades 7 - 9, Grades 10 - 12 P.O.Box 32, Main Post Office Edmonton, AB T5G 2G9 Phone: (780) 485-9718 Email: ccps.clc@gmail.com

Thomas More Academy Grades 7 - 9, Grades 10 - 12 6770 129 Avenue, Edmonton, AB T5C 1V7 Phone: (780) 430-6969 Fax: (780) 431-9627 Email: Abh_admin@boscohomes.ca

Waldorf Independent School of Edmonton ECS, Grades 1 - 5 7114 98 St, Edmonton, AB T6E 3M1 Email: info@thewise.ca Website: www.thewise.ca

ALTERNATIVE SCHOOLING The Banff Hockey Academy Grades 7 – 12 Box 2242, Banff, Alberta T1L 1B9 Phone: 1-888-423-6369 Fax: (403) 760-0868 registrar@banffhockey.ab.ca www.banffhockey.ab.ca College bound hockey athletes

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Your local Edmonton firm that thinks regionally, nationally and globally

At APP & Associates LLP, our objective is to provide value added business advisory services including: • Accounting and Assurance • Tax and Estate Planning • Advisory and Consulting Suite 212, 1524 – 91 Street S.W. Edmonton, AB T6X 1M5 Telephone: (780)489-4424 • Facsimile: (780)489-4420 info@appllp.ca • www.appllp.ca

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Peter Smith and Gary Smith.

Photo by Rebecca Lippiatt.

Canadian Valuation Group: On Mission for Fair Tax

By Nerissa McNaughton

F

or 30 years, Canadian Valuation Group (CVG) has helped home and business owners reduce their property taxes by handling appeals and complaints on property assessments. What started out as a small local Edmonton company, CVG now handles appeals throughout Western Canada.

Peter’s son, Gary Smith, President, joined CVG after enjoying a successful career in nursing and health care administration. “I still enjoy nursing and helped with the COVID response, but now nursing is the hobby and CVG is the full-time job. Both career paths allow me to do what I love best – helping people,” he says.

The company was co-founded in 1991 by Peter Smith.

Peter continues, “Clients want to pay a fair share – and ensure that they are not overpaying in property taxes. That’s our job.”

“At that time my business partner, Tom Janzen, and I were real estate appraisers,” says Peter, “but we saw a real need – a market niche. That was the motivation to focus on this specific part of property taxation.

When CVG launched, the company focused on helping property owners running multi-family buildings. Peter and Tom quickly realized that there was a need for their services on every type of property, from residential homes to industrial warehouses. But, as Peter describes, “There were no training courses or mandatory guidebooks. We had to learn on the go.”

It’s not an easy job. The City uses a math-based appraisal system that Peter and Gary call “95 per cent accurate.”

The five per cent, however, is what doesn’t fit into a computerized algorithm, resulting in an appraisal that requires additional review.

“There are a lot of checkpoints that a property owner needs to meet and if you miss any step in the process, the appeal does not continue on,” Gary explains. “It is not uncommon for a property owner to call and say, ‘please help, I’m in over my head.’ It is truly a difficult process to navigate.”

CVG celebrates 30 years 64

Peter adds, “We still have clients that have been with us since 1991. When we get a call from a client, they know that the person on the phone is going to be with them from start to end.

That is what we strive to do. It is these relationships that have been fostered that have allowed CVG 30 years of success.”

Peter and Gary also note that the process of appealing and reassessing has changed over the years. In the early days it was an easier and free process. Now it involves a great deal of complex paperwork and costs $650 for non-residential properties. If the forms are not filled out correctly the fee is not refunded, and the appeal does not continue. CVG ensures the process meets all the checkpoints, relieving the property owner of shouldering this burden alone.

CVG handles cases across Western Canada and is proud to offer a very boutique, hands-on local service. Gary notes, “The team has more than 300 years of collective experience and not a lot of turnover. The strong family aspect is part of our values and culture.”

Founders, Tom Janzen and Peter Smith.

Peter adds, “We still have clients that have been with us since 1991. When we get a call from a client, they know that the person on the phone is going to be with them from start to end. That is what we strive to do. It is these relationships that have been fostered that have allowed CVG 30 years of success.”

Between 2016 and 2017, CVG won a case that resulted in the biggest decrease of an assessment in the City’s history. The case also sparked a change in legislation.

Gary and Peter conclude, “Know that appeals have to be filed in January through March when you get your assessment notice. When you get your tax bill, it is too late.”

CVG enjoys great relationships with assessors across Western Canada, knowing that all involved are focused on helping property owners receive a fair assessment. The company looks forward to continuing to grow as a trusted and helpful service for clients. CVG passed $5 billion in real estate valuations in 2016 and is on track to hit $8 to $10 billion by 2024.

St. Albert, AB (780) 459-4447

Congratulations

Canadian Valuation Group on 30 years!

10665 Jasper Ave, Edmonton, AB T5J 3S9 (780) 421-4200 www.canadianvaluation.com

CVG celebrates 30 years

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Meaningful, Practical Innovations Russell NDE Systems Celebrates 50 Years

By Nerissa McNaughton

I

n 1972, Dave Russell and his wife Julie set in motion a company that would grow to service the globe with leading non-destructive testing technologies (Russell NDE Systems Inc.: RNDE) and electromagnetic in-line inspection tools (PICA: Pipeline Inspection & Condition Analysis Corporation: incorporated in Canada and the USA). Headquartered in Edmonton and with offices spanning Vancouver; Montreal; Toronto;

New Orleans; Los Angeles; and San Antonio, TX, RNDE and PICA are making a tangible difference for their clients in the oil, gas, power, pulp, pipeline, municipal water and waste-water sectors.

“The company was initially founded to provide non-destructive testing (NDT) services to the Alberta oil patch,” explains Dave. “Today, RNDE and its subsidiary PICA provide specialized

Russell NDE Systems Inc. || 50 Years

67

16” HydraSnake.

NDT services and equipment to the vibrant NDT community in western Canada and to municipalities around North America and abroad.

Our services and equipment are used to find flaws in pipelines and pressure vessels so that they can be operated safely, to prevent failures and to extend their useful life.”

The company grew quickly. In 1988 RNDE debuted the Ferroscope™ 101, the world’s first commercial instrument for testing carbon steel tubes and pipes in heat exchangers and boilers. In the early 1990s, RNDE launched a five-year program with Edmonton Water (aka Aqualta) to co-develop the HydroScope™, which was used for the city’s water main inspections. That same year RNDE designed and developed I-PIT™ and E-PIT™ (internal and external tools for pipeline inspections).

Four short years later RNDE released the upgraded Ferroscope 308 and Ferroscope 308 ECT, which use internal probes in their inspections of heat

Congratulations Russell NDE on your 50th Anniversary!

We wish you many more years of continued success.

HydraSnake launch.

exchanger and boiler tubes. It was a giant step forward for the Ferroscope and the company, but the innovations were far from over. VertiScan™, a robot to inspect boiler water wall and slope tubes was designed in 2001. The Bracelet Probe™ for corrosion detection in bare and insulated pipes came out in 2008. Between 2008 and 2019, a series of in-line inspection tools were developed for a variety of pipe sizes in the water, wastewater, raw water and brine disposal sectors.

It was in 2008 when PICA was formed. Since then, RNDE’s role is to design and manufacture in-line inspection tools and PICA goes to work using those tools to inspect ferritic (ductile iron, cast iron, steel and PCCP pipelines) pipelines for corrosion, erosion and cracks. Just how effective is this two-pronged preventative maintenance strategy? Clients typically save hundreds of thousands of dollars by using surgical repairs before they become emergency leaks and blowouts; one client saved more than $10,000,000 on a single project. As Dave likes to say about PICA, “Good decisions start with good information.”

Russell NDE Systems Inc. || 50 Years || 2

Julie and Dave.

PICA delivers critical information to its customers so that they can make informed decisions, and RNDE builds the tools that empower PICA to gather the information.

The variety of tools is what keeps RNDE coming up with solutions. “What most people get wrong about non-destructive testing is when they believe that one technique can inspect their item for any type of flaw – when it usually requires several techniques,” says Dave. “For example, ultrasonic thickness gauge instruments are not designed to find or size cracks.”

“We focus on gaps in the marketplace where we can offer non-destructive testing solutions that others do not offer,” he continues. “For example, we inspect water and wastewater pipes where there is very little competition, a very high cost of entry and we have unique capabilities.”

While there is little competition in the market, that in itself can present a challenge. It’s hard to raise capital when the investors don’t have a benchmark to understand the emerging tech. Dave explains, “A challenge was a lack of capitalization for growth. All growth was financed out of personal funds plus two American friends who put up seed capital.”

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Congratulations on 50 years in global business, Russell NDE Systems!

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Congratulations Russell NDE Systems on 50 years of business excellence!

That being said, the challenges continue to push RNDE and PICA to keep innovating and pushing the envelope. Since September 2020 the group has filed six new patents.

“The amazing people who make my ideas turn into products and services that are used by and valued by the industry is one of the most rewarding aspects for both Julie and I,” says Dave.

Despite growing from a startup company in Edmonton to service a world-wide market, Dave, Julie and the teams of RNDE and PICA remain grounded and grateful. “Our goals are your goals,”

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Russell NDE Systems Inc. || 50 Years || 3

Dave says of what he wants the clients to know. “We are on the same team.”

Typical See Snake Data report showing local pits

He continues, speaking about what he likes about the local business community, “Alberta as a whole has been very good for us. First the oil and gas business was vibrant and growing exponentially in the 70s, 80s and 90s; however, now that we have pivoted to mainly municipal clients, we are in a more stable business with less of a cyclic nature.”

The Russell family, along with RNDE and PICA, are passionate about community involvement.

“We regularly support the homeless through Hope Mission,” says Dave. “We also support men’s health through Movember (the leading charity changing the face of men’s wellbeing by focusing on men’s mental health and prostate cancer prevention/awareness) and we support potable water and sanitation for remote towns and reserves.”

In recognition of the brands’ outstanding work, innovations, team environment and community involvement, RNDE and PICA have been pleased to accept numerous recognitions including two ASTech Awards (one for business excellence) and a Frost & Sullivan Best in Class award. The Alberta Science and Technology Leadership (ASTech) Foundation’s mission is to identify and celebrate outstanding achievements in science and technology in Alberta. Frost & Sullivan has, for 60 years, helped companies grow around the world.

While Dave accepts the deserving honours, he, in turn, thanks his wife, team, vendors, suppliers, clients and supporters for their role in the growth of the RNDE and PICA group of companies. In particular, he thanks Mr. Brian Shannon of HSIG Group for his instrumental role in helping the company to grow and thrive.

As the RNDE and PICA group enter 50 years of innovation and service, there are no plans to stop moving forward. In addition to constantly changing and challenging the boundaries of what nondestructive testing can achieve and how pipes of all sizes can be assessed for preventative maintenance inspections, the brands will continue to grow their presence in the municipal marketplace.

Learn more by visiting www.russelltech.com online, LinkedIn and Twitter; and PICA at www.picacorp.com.

4909 - 75th Avenue, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T6B 2S3 Tel: (780) 468-6800 • Fax: (780) 462-9378 Toll Free In North America: 1-800-661-0127 info@russelltech.com • www.russelltech.com

Russell NDE Systems Inc. || 50 Years || 3

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