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WHEREVER SHE GOES, TRANSFORMATION FOLLOWS

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WELCOME TO OUR WORLD

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Supporting the visions of entrepreneurs one story at a time.

Volume 5 | Number 6

REGULAR COLUMNS

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Sometimes, Silence is not Golden

By Cody Battershill

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Alberta Businesses Aren’t Looking for a Handout

By Paige MacPherson

Edmonton Chamber of Commerce

CONTENTS COVER FEATURE

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r. Jodi L. Abbott: D Wherever she Goes, Transformation Follows

By Nerissa McNaughton

ON OUR COVER: ABOVE: DR. JODI L. ABBOTT, PRESIDENT AND CEO OF NORQUEST COLLEGE. PHOTO SOURCE: EPIC PHOTOGRAPHY INC.

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STORY TITLE // SECTION

Supporting the visions of entrepreneurs one story at a time.

Volume 5 | Number 6

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CONTENTS

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COMPANY PROFILES

17 35 59

THIS MONTH’S FEATURES

E NMAX Corporation

Edmonton Sets its Sights on District Energy Centre

United Roofing

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Celebrates 10 Years

What Corporate Diversification Looks Like in Post-Recession Alberta

By Laura Bohnert

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A IRCO

Celebrates 30 Years

B OMA Edmonton News Summer 2017 I s Alberta Losing its Competitive Edge?

By Nerissa McNaughton

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JUNE 2017 // BUSINESS IN EDMONTON // BUSINESSINEDMONTON.COM

Growing Alberta Agriculture continues to be a growing economy in the province, and the technology required for today’s farms is growing too.

By Nerissa McNaughton

What does your tomorrow look like?

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To find out more, speak with an adviser today.

Glen Demke KPMG Tax Partner T: 780-429-7395 E: gdemke@kpmg.ca kpmg.ca/enterprise

© 2017 KPMG LLP, a Canadian limited liability partnership and a member firm of the KPMG network of independent member firms affiliated with KPMG International Cooperative (“KPMG International”), a Swiss entity. All rights reserved. 16660

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JUNERUN 2017 // BUSINESS2017 IN EDMONTON // BUSINESSINEDMONTON.COM February

SOMETIMES, SILENCE IS NOT GOLDEN // CODY BATTERSHILL

Sometimes, Silence is not Golden

BY CODY BATTERSHILL

“I

f you’re right and you know it, speak your mind,” Gandhi said. “Even if you’re a minority of one, the truth is still the truth.”

The women and men who form the backbone of our province, our energy sector and our country constitute a group that’s much, much larger than a minority of one. We’re the people who think energy derived from Canada is far more attractive from a moral perspective than oil imported from political regimes notorious for human rights abuses and poor worker and environmental conditions.

But another group, U.S.-based 350.org, is active in our markets making unfounded claims of environmental destruction designed to pressure customers, investors and regulators in North America to avoid Canadian oil – in spite of the fact the Canadian energy sector has shown time and time again its leadership in being fully committed to the highest environmental and ethical standards.

When 350.org promises to “double-down on pressuring cities, schools, banks and other institutions to divest from fossil fuel companies” (including Canadian ones), we think it’s time to stand up and support the energy and pipeline companies that play by the rules, that operate in our neighbourhood, that create good jobs and that participate in our community.

Our volunteer-driven organization, CanadaAction.ca, is just one of many vehicles available to citizens who want to speak out. If you agree with Gandhi’s premise, then you should feel free to tell your elected officials how proud you are of the Canadian energy sector, or write a letter to your local newspaper exploding some oilsands and LNG myths.

LET OTHER ALBERTANS KNOW THEY’RE NOT ALONE IN HAVING WORKED IN OIL AND GAS-RELATED BUSINESSES. SAME GOES FOR NON-ALBERTANS: OUTSIDE ALBERTA, THE NUMBER OF CANADIAN COMPANIES WITH DIRECT BUSINESS LINKS TO THE OIL AND GAS INDUSTRY IS STAGGERING. Tell them 97 per cent of the oilsands land area can only be developed ‘in situ’ with drilling – not mining. Tell them in the last 50 years of development just 0.7 per cent of the land area has been mined, and every acre will be reclaimed back to nature. That’s Alberta law. Tell them global demand for oil and natural gas is in fact growing and the world needs more Canada.

Let other Albertans know they’re not alone in having worked in oil and gas-related businesses. Same goes for non-Albertans: outside Alberta, the number of Canadian companies with direct business links to the oil and gas industry is staggering. This includes hundreds of First Nations-owned companies and workers from coast to coast.

If Canadians feel unfairly targeted by activist campaigns such as 350.org, led by U.S. entertainers and fuelled with U.S. foundation dollars, then maybe it’s time Canadians said so.

Because when it comes to influencing public policy, there’s still no substitute for just speaking your mind.

CODY BATTERSHILL IS THE FOUNDER/SPOKESPERSON FOR CANADAACTION.CA, A VOLUNTEER ORGANIZATION THAT SUPPORTS CANADIAN ENERGY DEVELOPMENT AND THE ENVIRONMENTAL, SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC BENEFITS THAT COME WITH IT.

BUSINESSINEDMONTON.COM // BUSINESS IN EDMONTON // JUNE 2017

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ALBERTA BUSINESSES AREN’T LOOKING FOR A HANDOUT // GUEST COLUMNIST

Alberta Businesses Aren’t Looking for a Handout

BY PAIGE MACPHERSON

C

orporate welfare is on the rise in Alberta. While politicians are picking and choosing which businesses they favour for subsidies, they’re taking that cash out of the pockets of other job creators, restricting the growth of other industries and businesses that put food on tables.

While the government is increasing taxes and acting as if those increases are out of necessity, it is also increasing the tax burden for future generations. The Alberta government is borrowing heavily, with the debt level in line to hit a record-setting $72 billion by 2020. Someone has to pay for it sooner or later.

But handouts to government-friendly businesses aren’t required. Alberta businesses have long thrived on their own.

Corporate welfare is only one of the many unnecessary expenditures taken by the government. And it didn’t start yesterday. While Alberta once shied away from big government subsidies to big business, leaving more room for the organic growth of job creators, these programs found new life under Premier Ed Stelmach in 2006 and have grown since.

Subsidies to business have grown substantially under Premier Rachel Notley. And unfortunately for aforementioned future generations of taxpayers, the biggest bills are yet to come.

According to a new report from the Canadian Taxpayers Federation penned by Mark Milke, between 2011 and 2017 subsidies to business and forecast costs extending beyond that point will total more than $6.7 billion.

In Alberta’s corporate welfare du jour, green is the new black. Of that cash, 67 per cent is for green initiatives and/or renewable energy projects. Across Canada, corporate handouts have trended away from traditional subsidies and toward socalled green projects. That’s not to say the traditional taxpayer drains aren’t still receiving their cheques – Quebec-based

Bombardier, for example, has been sopping up tax dollars for years and continues to do so. But as our report tracked the trends in corporate welfare, we found green is in.

The Alberta government, and indeed governments from coast to coast, have a terrible track record with picking winners and losers on which to waste taxpayer money. In Alberta, the government has wasted billions of dollars in the name of economic diversification with no real return for taxpayers, according to Professor Ted Morton at the University of Calgary. There’s no reason to believe their judgment will improve just because the handouts are directed toward green companies. The intention may be good, but it’s the outcomes taxpayers have to pay for.

Future generations should be more concerned with the potential big costs coming down the pipe. Albertans could be on the hook for $25.1 billion in toll payments to the North West Upgrader bitumen refinery.

Alberta businesses haven’t been asking for handouts. They’ve been asking – sometimes begging – government to get out of the way. Governments at all levels are spending money they don’t have – expanding new programs such as government daycare and hiring almost 3,000 new government employees at the provincial level; and councillors voting in salary increases for themselves in Edmonton. The justifications for spending beyond their means are unacceptable, such as Mayor Don Iveson’s response: “It is what it is.”

If governments stopped spending excessively on compensation and programs including corporate welfare, they could step aside and make room for genuine economic growth – the kind job creators in Alberta have been creating for decades without a wink, smile and a handshake from some politician looking to score votes.

PAIGE MACPHERSON IS ALBERTA DIRECTOR OF THE CANADIAN TAXPAYERS FEDERATION.

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JUNE 2017 // BUSINESS IN EDMONTON // BUSINESSINEDMONTON.COM

The Difference between a REALTOR® and a Real Estate Agent

W

hether you are looking to sell your home or buy a new home, it can be overwhelming to try to find a skilled real estate professional to work with. Especially when there are many different titles and consumers frequently use them interchangeably. There are some very important differences between a REALTOR® and a real estate agent.

Both real estate agents and REALTORS® are licensed to help people buy and sell real estate, and they both start their careers in the same way. They must complete prelicensing educational requirements, pass an exam, pass a Certified Criminal Record Check and find employment with a real estate brokerage.

Where they begin to differ is in the types of services they can use. When you hire a REALTOR®, you are tapping into a network of thousands of professionals who are working to bring a purchaser to the table for your home sale. Only REALTORS® have access to the Multiple Listing Service® (MLS) System or REALTOR.ca for their listings. The MLS® System is a cooperative marketing program that ensures maximum exposure of properties to the greatest number of potential buyers, and it has been Canada’s most powerful real estate marketing system for over 40 years.

The word “REALTOR®” is a trademarked term that refers to agents who are also members of the Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA). To be an Alberta REALTOR®, the agent must also be a member of the Alberta Real Estate Association (AREA) and a local real estate board, and uphold the standards of each of those associations.

A special place together.

James Mabey, Chair, REALTORS® Association of Edmonton

Real estate agents do not have to belong to any of those organizations. REALTORS® must follow a strict Code of Ethics and Standards of Business Practice, which has been used in organized real estate for more than 40 years. This REALTOR® Code sets high standards of professional conduct for all REALTORS®. REALTORS® are also expected to adhere to ethical obligations that are based on moral integrity, competent service to clients and customers, and a dedication to the interests and welfare of the public.

When you’re buying or selling your home, you are looking for a competent professional REALTOR® to be on your team who can understand your needs and is knowledgeable in the process of buying and selling.

An exciting new addition.

Trademarks and their associated logos are owned and controlled by The Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) and identify real estate professional who are members of CREA (REALTOR®) and/or the quality of services they provide (MLS®).

OFF

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All Weather Windows Staff Spend Quality Time on Habitat for Humanity Project Recently, staff at All Weather Windows spent their day off preparing donated windows for Habitat for Humanity’s Carter Work Project.

Habitat for Humanity® was founded in 1976 in America with a mandate to build no-profit housing by using money from the Fund for Humanity. The fund was built from new homeowners’ house payments and fundraisers. No-interest loans were provided by supporters of the program. Habitat for Humanity came to Canada in 1985 and has since served more than 2,800 families within Canada.

Former American President Jimmy Carter, along with his wife, former First Lady Rosalynn Carter, have gone around the world with Habitat for Humanity since 1984, devoting themselves to raising awareness of the benefits of affordable home ownership. In the span of 33 years, the Carters have worked with more than 100,000 volunteers in 14 countries, and they have been involved in the building or repair of more than 4,000 homes. “Habitat has successfully removed the stigma of charity by substituting it with a sense of partnership,” President Carter has been quoted saying.

This year, the Carter Work Project comes to Habitat for Humanity Edmonton to assist with 75 affordable homes that will be built in the Capital City and Fort Saskatchewan. All Weather Windows was happy to play an important role in this project.

All Weather Windows, Canada’s largest privately owned window and door manufacturer, has supported Habitat for Humanity for more than seven years. Henry Banman, vice president, noted in a press release, “All Weather Windows supports Habitat for Humanity Canada’s important work because we believe that everyone in Canada has the right to a safe, affordable and decent place to live in, one family at a time.”

All Weather windows headquarters in Edmonton and has two manufacturing plants with nearly 400,000 square feet

of space, along with nine branches in Canada and more than 1,000 dealers nationwide. The agile window and door company places a strong focus on its community and team, which has led to three consecutive years of Platinum Club status in Canada’s Best Managed Companies program.

President and CEO, Richard Scott says of this honour, “As a recipient of this status… we realize the significance that this best-in-class achievement represents. We are very proud of this recognition and share it with every single one of our hard-working employees. We also congratulate all the other recipients of this award as we know the commitment and dedication it takes to stay at the top of your game.”

In April of this year, All Weather Windows’ corporate office in Edmonton was chosen as the location for Shannon Phillips, the Alberta Government’s minister of environment and parks, to announce the Energy Efficiency Alberta rebate program, for which the window and door company is an approved contractor. It was a natural fit for a company that prides itself on providing energy efficient, sustainable, weather-resistant solutions that reduce environmental impact. All Weather Windows is also a strong advocate for ENERGY STAR® program.

Learn more about All Weather Windows at www. allweatherwindows.com, and about Habitat for Humanity at www.habitat.ca.

ABOVE: ALL WEATHER WINDOWS WAS HAPPY TO DONATE TIME TO THE HABITAT FOR HUMANITY EDMONTON CARTER WORK PROJECT

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JUNE 2017 // BUSINESS IN EDMONTON // BUSINESSINEDMONTON.COM

Join us in celebrating Edmonton’s Leaders Awards.

We will be honouring 20 individuals for their business acumen, contribution to community and to their industry.

These are the people who are making Edmonton a great city to live and work in.

Business in Edmonton will celebrate the 2017 winners at our 5th Annual Awards Gala, and our July issue will feature the Leaders and their companies.

Wednesday, June 21st | 6pm | The Sutton Place Hotel

Contact us for tickets

Nancy Bielecki | 403.264.3270 x 230 | nancy@businessinedmonton.com To stay informed on details for our event, visit www.businessinedmonton.com/leaders

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Droning On: Edmonton International Airport Supports Transport Canada’s Recreational Drone Rules Drones have been big business over the last few years, both for the companies that make them as recreational toys as well as the companies and institutions that use them for commercial and research applications. However, the fact that drones share airspace with commercial aircraft has proven to be increasingly problematic, prompting the Transportation Canada to introduce new rules. In a recent press release, Edmonton International Airport (EIA) spoke out in favour of the new rules.

As recreational drone incidences have tripled since 2014, Honourable Marc Garneau, minister of transport, introduced the following measures for model aircraft and drones between 250 grams and 35 kilograms: • Recreational operators must put their contact information on the drone.

• The drone may not fly higher than 90 metres.

• The drone may not fly at night.

• The drone must remain a minimum of 75 metres away from building, vehicles and people and 9 kilometres away from the centre of any airport, heliport, aerodrome or water aerodrome where aircraft take off and land.

The rules do not apply to drones that are operated for commercial, academic or research use, thanks to previously established rules, along with the typical responsible use of most commercial or professional unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) operators.

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vehicles,” said Steve Maybee, EIA vice president, operations.

“We want people to be able to enjoy using their drones or model aircraft, and these rules will allow them to do that within a safe area.”

Recreational UAV operators that fail to comply with the restrictions can face fines, and citizens are encouraged to call 911 if they see a drone being flown in an unsafe manner.

“The RCMP encourages recreational drone users to be responsible when operating in public places. We encourage all drone operators to think about the safety of those around them and follow the new regulations at all times,” points out Eric Stubbs, chief superintendent with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

“I take very seriously the increased risk to aviation safety and to people on the ground caused by drones. That is why I am proceeding with this measure, which takes effect immediately — to enhance the safety of aviation and the public while we work to bring into force permanent regulations,” said Minster Garneau.

Edmonton has had a few drone incidences, including one where a drone interrupted an Edmonton Police A-1 (helicopter) responding unit last year. A separate incident had officers charging a drone operator that was flying his UAV dangerously around buildings, roads, Rogers Place and near the Royal Alexandrea Airport, which has a helipad for STARS® air ambulance.

“This is a sensible move. Drones are readily available to the public, so they are now part of our airspace, and that means they need to be regulated for safety like any other flying

EIA’s endorsement of Transportation Canada’s rules for drone use notes that the organization feels, “Transport Canada strikes a good balance between safety and recreation.”

JUNE 2017 // BUSINESS IN EDMONTON // BUSINESSINEDMONTON.COM

ENMAX PROFILE

EDMONTON SETS ITS SIGHTS ON DISTRICT ENERGY CENTRE Edmonton is one of the last large municipalities in Canada operating without the benefits of a district energy system but that may soon change thanks to the efforts of the City of Edmonton and ENMAX. District energy roots go as far back as the ancient Roman baths and the concept is surprisingly simple and effective for modern times.

It’s the production of thermal energy in the form of hot water, cold water or steam from a central location which is used to heat a district or a community through a network of underground pipes. Much like using public transportation or carpooling, efficiencies can be gained by heating water for many buildings from one central place rather than buildings being heated individually.

In Canada, district energy systems heat millions of square feet of commercial, residential and institutional space.

ENMAX currently operates a 55-megawatt District Energy Centre in Calgary and is looking to leverage its success and add the City of Edmonton to this list. As one of Canada’s last major metropolitan centres to implement a district energy system, its construction within the downtown core’s underground pedestrian walkway network will enable civic and privately-owned buildings to utilize a system that can potentially provide long-term economic and environmental benefits.

“Putting in a new district energy system and retrofitting it in a downtown core is a highly-challenging prospect, due largely to access to land for the energy centre and installation of the thermal pipeline network,” says Jan

de Wolde, director of district and community energy with ENMAX. “It’s so important that we partnered with the Winspear Centre of Music and the City of Edmonton in selecting a central location in the heart of downtown. And, given that many buildings’ boiler systems are reaching end-of-life we feel now is the time to initiate a district energy system in Edmonton.”

The District Energy Centre will be located at the Winspear Centre, which is looking to expand. The plan is to put the District Energy Centre on a site that currently serves as street-level parking, building it in conjunction with Winspear’s expansion and also providing it with heat.

Initially looked at in the 1990s, the idea for the Edmonton project was revamped about five years ago, according to de Wolde. The downtown core has increased in density and buildings have aged to the point where there is now a core of potential customers and buildings to connect and sustain a district energy system.

ENMAX has engaged with the City of Edmonton and city council to continue to push this initiative forward.

It is partnering with EPCOR, which will be installing the pipeline, and the City of Edmonton, which will be providing the location and connecting a number of municipal buildings.

ENMAX is working to have approvals in place within the next six to eight months. Prior to that, it will be delivering to city council its engineering feasibility study in August

ENMAX DISTRICT ENERGY

ENMAX PROFILE

provincial and federal greenhouse reduction plans and provides an opportunity for those levels of government to show leadership in this area by connecting their buildings to the system.

It is also a major infrastructure project providing jobs for almost two years.

HERE ARE SOME OF THE BENEFITS OF A DISTRICT ENERGY CENTRE, ACCORDING TO ENMAX: • Reduced operational risk associated with owning boiler assets and the avoided capital spent to install or replace them. This in turn leads to increased efficiency, productivity and revenue through reduced operating expenditures; • There is no longer a need to purchase/replace, operate and maintain boiler plants for domestic hot water and space heating within the building.

Boilers can cost up to $1 million for certain buildings. The space which would have been allocated to this mechanical infrastructure can be recovered and repurposed to potentially generate new revenue; • Building operators can focus on providing increased customer service to tenants as opposed to maintaining a boiler plant;

JAN DE WOLDE, DIRECTOR OF DISTRICT AND COMMUNITY ENERGY PHOTO CREDIT: SMILEY EYES PHOTOGRAPHY

providing an overview of costs, engineering design, physical design and potential buildings to connect.

Construction is expected to begin at the earliest in 2018 with completion in 2020, says de Wolde. Initially it will provide 20 megawatts of thermal energy capable of heating about five million square feet of space or the equivalent of about 10 buildings but will have the potential to increase the capacity to 60 megawatts.

ENMAX is going beyond the scope of its conventional business and driving out value to the community with more responsible energy generation and distribution.

“Edmonton is a very unique city given its population density and climate. Buildings need lots of heat for many months of the year and yet it’s actually one of the last large municipal cities within Canada to have a district energy system. A district energy system directly aligns with a number of the city’s municipal objectives, specifically GHG reductions and green initiatives. It’s valuable municipal infrastructure that can actually help smooth out municipal investment for the next 50 years when it comes to heating their buildings,” says de Wolde.

• The carbon footprint of the building can be reduced by connecting to an environmentallyresponsible energy source which can contribute to attaining designations such as LEED; • By connecting to district energy, building administration will have a predictable thermal energy rate for the term of their contract allowing for more accurate long-term budget forecasting; • There is no capital expense required by the building owner to connect to the district energy system. ENMAX assumes all the capital risk to connect each building and owns and maintains all equipment installed at the customer site for the term of the thermal energy agreement. There is no maintenance of this equipment required by the building operator.

A District Energy Centre in Edmonton not only aligns with municipal objectives, it also directly aligns with

ENMAX DISTRICT ENERGY

Jason Grabinsky Manager, Business Relationships 141-50 Ave SE Calgary, AB T2G 4S7 Phone | 403-689-6779 Email | jgrabinsky@enmax.com

WHAT CORPORATE DIVERSIFICATION LOOKS LIKE // CORPORATE DIVERSIFICATION

WHAT CORPORATE DIVERSIFICATION LOOKS LIKE IN POST-RECESSION ALBERTA

BY LAURA BOHNERT

E

dmonton is still in the recovery stage following a recession that forced a lot of businesses to turn to diversification in order to pull through, but where has this left Edmonton’s recruitment practices?

As Anurag Shourie, partner at Davies Park, describes, “A combination of factors has led to a pickup in recruitment” in today’s economy, but the biggest is diversification itself.

“Despite the recession, Edmonton is more diverse than places like Calgary in terms of industry and the kinds of positions that come up through the public, private, and nonprofit sector. There has also been a shift, either in individuals at the retirement stage (Baby Boomers), or in those retiring early because there have been too many economic ups and downs. The result is that there are a lot of positions opening up that employers may have been waiting to fill, and they can’t wait anymore.”

Of course, the factors that are leading to the increase in recruitment are also changing the shape of recruitment trends, Shourie describes, “Positions in the financial sector or in human resources are the kinds of positions currently being sought by a variety of organizations in the broad-based sector. Organizations look to human resources when there is a downturn. It becomes important to retain good employees, but also to make sure those who are being let go or laid off are being looked after and treated properly.”

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JUNE 2017 // BUSINESS IN EDMONTON // BUSINESSINEDMONTON.COM

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WHAT CORPORATE DIVERSIFICATION LOOKS LIKE // CORPORATE DIVERSIFICATION

“ORGANIZATIONS ALWAYS TAKE A DOWNTURN IN THE ECONOMY AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO RIGHT-SIZE AND LOOK AT THE TALENT THEY CAN AFFORD TO MAINTAIN.” ~ ANURAG SHOURIE

However, these are the conditions that bring executive recruitment into demand as well. “When it comes to unique or leadership roles, companies often need more thorough and expanded research to identify talent,” says Shourie. “It’s important to recruit for specific kinds of positions. At end of the day, any company or organization wants qualified, experienced executive employees who can help shape the business as it moves into the future.”

Does that mean more businesses are hiring externally to fill the new positions required by the business after it diversifies? Yes and no.

of individuals at the latter stages of their careers who have taken early retirement from long-term positions, but are still young enough to take on other roles; these people are offering services on contracts or as consultants,” Shourie explains.

“Employers are becoming more accepting of these types of employees now, not only because they understand the value of individuals who are at a later stage of experience, but also because there are benefits, when facing uncertainty, to hiring short-term employees who can help coach other employees and help succession plan for the future of the business.”

In other words, external hires can complement the diversity a company needs to achieve to continue moving forward in a tough economy, “but the good people are still working within the organization,” Shourie adds. “Organizations always take a downturn in the economy as an opportunity to right-size and look at the talent they can afford to maintain.”

Shourie continues, “Entrepreneurs say that the best time to develop is during a downturn of the economy. The downturn provides the opportunity to right-size the company so it can get the right talent to build more effective plans to carry it through a tough economy. During an upswing, organizations require bodies and talent without looking closely at the future or fully appreciating the value an employee can provide the organization in the longer run. A downturn provides the opportune time for a company to make sure that the right talent is being brought in and mentored (whether by the Baby Boomers or retirees). It’s also the perfect time to diversify, and with diversification comes an upswing of new job creation and an ability to hire new talent, whether internally or from out-of-province.”

That’s where the retirees and Baby Boomers are making an impact on the shape of recruitment: “We are finding a lot

An economy that requires diversification, says Marcie Kiziak, B. Mgt., CPHR, vice president of people & safety

“We find that there is always a combination of internal and external hires,” Shourie explains. “The primary reason is that any board, council, or organization head wants the best person for the position. If that person is internal, that’s wonderful; but an external candidate could bring in skills that are more relevant, or that may not exist within internal candidates.”

ABOVE: ANURAG SHOURIE, PARTNER AT DAVIES PARK. OPPOSITE PAGE: MARCIE KIZIAK, B. MGT., CPHR, VP OF PEOPLE & SAFETY FOR MAGNUM ENERGY SERVICES, AND VICE CHAIR OF THE HUMAN RESOURCES INSTITUTE OF ALBERTA (HRIA).

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JUNE 2017 // BUSINESS IN EDMONTON // BUSINESSINEDMONTON.COM

WHAT CORPORATE DIVERSIFICATION LOOKS LIKE // CORPORATE DIVERSIFICATION

for Magnum Energy Services, and vice chair of the Human Resources Institute of Alberta (HRIA), provides the perfect economic conditions to retrain to promote diversity within Alberta’s skilled workforce, too.

“These are exactly the market conditions that demonstrate the need for cross training and flexible employees,” Kiziak describes of a tough Alberta economy that has forced businesses to diversify in order to remain operational. “I would suggest that, unless a required skill set totally changes, employers would want to keep the existing employees and continue to build on their abilities whenever possible.

Diversification isn’t the same as changing the direction of a business, so the previous skill sets are often still needed.”

In other words, diversifying the skill sets of current workers is a good way to strengthen the company’s ability to operate flexibly within the demands of the market economy.

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WHAT CORPORATE DIVERSIFICATION LOOKS LIKE // CORPORATE DIVERSIFICATION

“TAKE THOSE COURSES, READ BOOKS AND MAGAZINES TO BROADEN YOUR EXPERIENCE, MEET WITH INDUSTRY GROUPS, AND NETWORK!” ~ CAM MACMILLAN

“This year, most of our candidates are local to Alberta, which is helpful when onboarding and allocating resources,” Kiziak describes of the shifting trends in the job market, noting that the HRIA hasn’t noticed as much of a shortage in skilled or qualified candidates as was expected or seen last year.

Kiziak also noticed a shift in the employment market. “The employee market has undergone significant correction to return wages, variable pay, and perks to a manageable place, and in some cases, perhaps, overcorrected. As we start to see the economy stabilize, we will see employee total compensation and employee tenure do the same.”

However, with respect to hiring practices, Kiziak says diversity is paramount. “Employers are often looking for employees who demonstrate skill and attitudinal flexibility as we are still stretching resources while everyone recovers.”

Cam Macmillan, president and co-founder of The Headhunters Recruitment Inc., reports that, “We are seeing cautious optimism in the market. Business has steadily increased in the first quarter of 2017, and our clients are discussing strategic hiring with us on a regular basis. Many businesses try very hard to retain their existing staff.

Helping staff to retrain is frequently offered, but when counselling our candidates, we encourage them not to wait: take the initiative and keep your skills cutting edge for a changing world.”

In other words, the key to surviving a tough economy isn’t just diversification of the company, it hinges on the ability of employees to diversify their skills as well. A downturn provides opportunity—and an important reminder—but the true key to employment success lies in maintaining that ambition for diversification when the economy is good, too.

“I really believe it is so important for everyone to take control of their personal career,” Macmillan stresses. “Take those courses, read books and magazines to broaden your experience, meet with industry groups, and network!”

“We are a resource-based province, so we will remain dependent on that sector for years to come,” says Macmillan, “but I do think this last downturn marked a dramatic shift, particularly in how many of our business leaders are thinking about the future.

“We have a vibrant start-up community with organizations like the University of Alberta Venture Mentor Services,

ABOVE: CAM MACMILLAN, PRESIDENT AND CO-FOUNDER OF THE HEADHUNTERS RECRUITMENT INC.

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JUNE 2017 // BUSINESS IN EDMONTON // BUSINESSINEDMONTON.COM

THIRTY YEARS OF DISTINCTION

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chaired by one of Alberta’s most successful entrepreneurs, Ray Muzyka (co-founder of Bioware), leading the way. Many of the start-ups are not resource-based companies. There is a real mix of socially conscious, really innovative companies leading the charge.

There is a powerful group of business leaders helping to lead the next generation of entrepreneurs; those small business owners who provide the bulk of the jobs in our economy. Another interesting trend is how so many of our companies are expanding outside of Alberta, either nationally or on a global basis.”

“For successful recruitment practices,” Macmillan concludes, “it’s all about diversification. The need for innovation, hard work, and ethical behavior will be key.”

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DR. JODI L. ABBOTT: WHEREVER SHE GOES, TRANSFORMATION FOLLOWS // COVER

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JUNE 2017 // BUSINESS IN EDMONTON // BUSINESSINEDMONTON.COM

DR. JODI L. ABBOTT: WHEREVER SHE GOES, TRANSFORMATION FOLLOWS // COVER

Dr. Jodi L. Abbott: WHEREVER SHE GOES, TRANSFORMATION FOLLOWS

BY NERISSA MCNAUGHTON

D

r. Jodi L. Abbott, president and CEO of NorQuest College, is passionate about transformation, and it’s a passion that has taken her from community work, to a master’s degree, to the healthcare field, to the government sector, into post-secondary education and right back to the world of health – and every step of the way, she’s completely reinvented herself and the direction of the places she’s worked.

“I decided to get my master’s degree while working in the spinal cord injury field,” starts Dr. Abbott. “So I got my master’s while working full time at Spinal Cord Injury Alberta. From there, I worked in disability management for a while with law firms and insurance agencies, but decided to go back to school for my PhD. I obtained my PhD and went to work with Catholic Social Services (CSS). I finished my PhD while I was working for CSS.”

Dr. Abbott’s roles at CSS included working with developmentally disabled persons, adoption services, HIV programs, safe houses and family counseling, to name a few.

“One of the great learnings for me at CSS was how important it was to have a vision that brought people from all different backgrounds together,” she notes, hinting at the inclusive policies she would later encourage at NorQuest College.

After her time at CSS, Dr. Abbott joined the staff of the Canadian Diabetes Association and became the executive lead in chronic disease management for Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba.

“That is where I got to understand the government and learn how to work with them. We were advocating for people with diabetes to have their supplies covered, and we

ABOVE: DR. JODI L. ABBOTT, PRESIDENT AND CEO OF NORQUEST COLLEGE. PHOTO SOURCE: EPIC PHOTOGRAPHY INC.

BUSINESSINEDMONTON.COM // BUSINESS IN EDMONTON // JUNE 2017

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DR. JODI L. ABBOTT: WHEREVER SHE GOES, TRANSFORMATION FOLLOWS // COVER

demonstrated the positive impact this action could have on their lives and on the health system as a whole.

fixing and building – it’s hard…it’s really hard! But I like to do that work.”

“Through that work I ended up with a government job offer where I managed the portfolio for communicable disease.

Then I moved into physician compensation, which looked at paying physicians in a different way when they worked in an academic and physician delivery setting.

Hard work was instilled in Dr. Abbott from a very early age. She grew up in Edson, Alberta, a small town a couple hours from Jasper. Her mother had the philosophy that her children needed to be involved in activities and busy to stay out of trouble. For her young daughter, Jodi, that meant figure skating in the winter and swimming in the summer, along with piano lessons in between. By the time she was a young teen, Dr. Abbott wanted to skate year-round.

“From there, it was on to Capital Health as the vice president for creating clinical pathways for patients in core areas. That led to a senior vice president role, where I was involved with province-wide patient safety initiatives. Here, we developed an alert process that sent a message across the whole system when incidences occurred. Patient complaints were under my area, as was clinical integration for a while. We brought LEAN process improvement, which is usually used in more industrial settings, to transform our work so we were better using our resources and time. Just before I left Alberta Health Services (formerly Capital Health), I took on roles with infection prevention and control.”

It was while Dr. Abbott was at Alberta Health Services that she became interested in NorQuest College. At this point, she was on the college’s board. “The then-president had announced he was going to retire and the college started recruiting. I was intrigued. I resigned from the board and participated in the national selection process.”

She got the job.

When she looks back at her journey, even she is a bit surprised.

“I never imagined myself here, but I know I always wanted to be in an organization where there would be some kind of fire and passion. I’m not the kind of person that can just go to work every day. I live through my work. I really love change – not just for the sake of change, but change to get to a particular goal. Transformation is what excites me and motivates me to do more. I have also come to know myself as a fixer and a builder. In organizations that I’ve worked in, we’ve had challenges. That’s the fixing part. That’s not a negative. It’s how we further develop the organization. I’ve had lots of challenges in the organizations I’ve been in, but to me, it’s how we get to that next stage. The combination of

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JUNE 2017 // BUSINESS IN EDMONTON // BUSINESSINEDMONTON.COM

“My mother, who was a very strong community volunteer, told me ‘you need to give back to the sport.’ You can start training to become a figure skating judge at age 16, so I did,” she smiles.

“It’s an intensive process. You practice-judge alongside a mentor.

As you progress through the process, if you are competent and a little lucky, you get the opportunity to write the Olympic exam in Germany. I worked my way up through the system, did the exam in judging, and had the incredible opportunity to judge two Olympic winter games. I personally think you get an opportunity like this once in a lifetime, and I’ve had it twice: the Vancouver Olympics and Sochi Olympics in Russia.”

Of course, her transformative nature would not allow her to stop at being an Olympic figure skating judge. Dr. Abbott has touched, and therefore, transformed the sport at the highest level. After the judging scandal in Salt Lake City (she was not a judge at that event) a small panel of judges from around the world was created. This panel became the Officials Assessment Commission (OAC) that oversaw the ways judges did their duties at the Olympics. Dr. Abbott was one of a small number of officials selected for the OAC. Through the work of the OAC, education needs for officials are identified, and direction, in regards to changes and challenges in the sport, is provided.

“My latest experience for OAC was a test event in South Korea. Every time there is an Olympic event, a large-scale test run is performed on the venues, processes, security, etc.

I was there in February and can say that the Pyeongchang venues are absolutely beautiful. From my perspective, they are very ready to host the winter Olympics.”

Wait….what? February? Of 2017? Isn’t NorQuest in the middle of a major transformation right now with the

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DR. JODI L. ABBOTT: WHEREVER SHE GOES, TRANSFORMATION FOLLOWS // COVER

opening of the Singhmar Centre for Learning, runaway growth in student enrollment, the introduction of industryfocused programs and sweeping fundraising initiatives, all of which Dr. Abbott is either directing, leading or heavily involved in? How does she find time to do it all?

To this, Dr. Abbott simply laughs as she gives up her secret to balancing work, her passions and family time. She simply doesn’t.

“I haven’t figured out work-life balance! I don’t think I have it, but I’m okay not having it. For me, what’s important is to balance my activities, but not the time. Balance, for me, is getting results in everything I do.”

She credits her down time, where she relaxes, reads (silly books, no business documents), spends more time with her husband; along with being mentored by industry professionals, mentoring the younger generation, cooking, hand making jewelry and walking her dogs, as the things that fill her tank and keep her from burning out.

But yes, things have also been a little busy at NorQuest for

the last six years of her presidency – because Dr. Abbott is transforming the educational institution on all levels.

“When I left Alberta Health Services to come here, I was so excited,” remembers Dr. Abbott. “I sent an email to about 100 people telling them I would be working at NorQuest.

NorQuest College has trained about 77 per cent of all the healthcare aids in the province, and it has one of the largest practical nurse programs in Canada – but I had a dozen people email me back asking what province I was moving to!

The system I was leaving, where we send all the graduates to, had no idea where the graduates were coming from, and that horrified me!”

It’s true. Just a few years ago, NorQuest was not a name many people recognized as a college, despite its status as one of the most prolific schools for graduates in Edmonton. Dr. Abbott wasn’t having any of that. In addition to getting the word out about the incredible impact NorQuest was having in the Capital City and on the economy, she also looked at what was going on inside the school, and the impact the school itself was having on the students.

ABOVE: DR. JODI L. ABBOTT, PRESIDENT AND CEO OF NORQUEST COLLEGE. PHOTO SOURCE: EPIC PHOTOGRAPHY INC.

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DR. JODI L. ABBOTT: WHEREVER SHE GOES, TRANSFORMATION FOLLOWS // COVER

IN 2015, WOMEN’S EXECUTIVE NETWORK™ NAMED DR. ABBOTT AS For example, one day the college was made aware that a normally great student’s grades were slipping. It turned out that the young lady could no longer afford a bus pass, so she was walking two hours to get to school. A simple bus pass was all that was needed to get the student back on track, but it also got people think about how many other students needed a short-term solution like this.

Plenty, it turned out. One had an abscessed tooth, but no money for a dentist. Others were couch surfing because they couldn’t scrape together the money for a damage deposit on an apartment.

“We identified that, if we asked 1,000 women for $1,000 dollars, we could create a fund to help students be successful, says Dr. Abbott of how the 1,000 Women: A Million Possibilities Movement started. The movement raised its first million quickly, and then stayed in force to launch the Singhmar Centre for Learning and associated child care centre that will integrate with NorQuest’s early learning and child care program.

Other initiatives Dr. Abbott has spearheaded at NorQuest, with the goal of making every program as industry-relevant as possible, include the Workforce Advisory Council, the Alberta Aboriginal Construction Careers Centre and the Edmonton Oilers Community Foundation Hospitality Institute.

“NorQuest College is an important player for the city and the economy,” Dr. Abbott stresses. “In the past, we have been, sadly, the forgotten institution. No longer! We have been incredibly grateful for this building and the new building (Singhmar Centre for Learning), but we anticipated the two buildings would allow us our regular growth to 2024.

However, I can tell you that we are out of space in 2019.

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In 2015, Women’s Executive Network™ named Dr. Abbott as one of the 100 most powerful women in Canada, an honour that “feels pretty awesome,” to the exceptional woman – but she’s not done yet.

Dr. Abbott has come full circle, combining her knowledge of the healthcare field with her passion for impactful education. On behalf of Edmonton Mayor Don Iveson, she is leading the Health City Initiative, which will make the city a leader in healthcare innovation, while simultaneously planning another infrastructure build for NorQuest to create a learning and research centre that will test new models of care and teaching in the continuing care spectrum.

Dr. Abbott is profoundly grateful to her mother. “She taught me I could do anything I put my mind to, and not to let anyone bring me down.” She is also thankful for her husband, who she calls her biggest cheerleader and confidence builder, along with her personal and professional mentors and the Young Presidents’ Organization.

“Since 2010, we have seen a 114 per cent increase in enrollment and we have 35 per cent more applications than last year. Also, we’ve seen almost a 30 per cent increase in budgeted revenues with most of this being new business opportunities that we have chased.

“The textbook doesn’t always work,” she concludes. “You need to find your own leadership style, and my way is always about results. Women can be, should be and are in leadership roles because of their results. I need to continue to be challenged. I need to continue to transform organizations. I get excited, fulfilled and rejuvenated by the next big challenge.”

“We are in a shifting landscape. The direction of the post-secondary environment and its policies, along with governments, students and corporate partners, are changing.

We can be responsive or disruptive. We choose to disrupt.

Whatever comes next for Dr. Abbott, she will always be ready, willing and able to rise to the occasion, and transform the people, places and initiatives she works with until they exceed all expectations.

BUSINESSINEDMONTON.COM // BUSINESS IN EDMONTON // JUNE 2017

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EDMONTON’S BIG BUILDINGS: LEADING THE TRANSITION TO A LOW CARBON FUTURE S

ustainability isn’t just a buzzword in Edmonton.

The City of Edmonton has long been an advocate of initiatives that improve our environment and our economy. Projects like the waste-to-biofuels facility, building sustainable communities like Blatchford, expanding the LRT network, and infill development that brings new life to old neighbourhoods are all concrete examples of work being done to make Edmonton a sustainable city.

For the City, sustainability means finding ways of living, developing and growing that supports people, the planet and profits in perpetuity. To be truly sustainable, these ways must be economically feasible, respectful of our natural environment and supportive of social well-being. Increasingly, the City and Edmonton businesses are striving to achieve this triple bottom line approach.

Environmental goals don’t have to come at a cost to growth and development. Now, more than ever, it is clear that when businesses focus on social and environmental issues, profitability will often follow. Social initiatives improve customer satisfaction and employee performance while environmental initiatives like energy efficiency and waste reduction mitigate environmental impact and foster a positive reputation.

ENERGY CONSUMPTION IN BUILDINGS

Commercial and residential buildings account for 42 per cent of the energy consumed, and 40 per cent of the greenhouse gas emissions in our city. Addressing energy efficiency and reducing greenhouse gas emissions in Edmonton’s large buildings is a critical component of our city’s transition to a low carbon, sustainable energy future.

Best practices clearly show that large building energy reporting and disclosure programs improve energy efficiency. More than 23 American cities have adopted energy reporting and disclosure policies covering more than 86,000 large municipal, multi-family, commercial and institutional buildings. These programs provide building owners and managers with an easy-to-understand measure of their building’s performance and allow them to see where they stand

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June 2017 | BOMA Edmonton Newsletter | www.bomaedmonton.org

compared to similar buildings. This informs changes to building operations and results in energy savings to both tenants and owners. Energy reporting and disclosure programs provide annual, accurate data and allow for a tailored approach to energy efficiency, further supporting climate, and market transformation objectives.

Many of Edmonton’s large building owners and managers already engage in building energy reporting and benchmarking as part of their BOMA BEST certification. BOMA Edmonton is a leader on this front and has paved the way for collaborating with the City on expanding these efforts to reach more and more buildings.

MOMENTUM IS BUILDING ACROSS THE COUNTRY

At the end of 2016, the Federal Government released the Pan Canadian Framework for Clean Growth and Climate Change. The plan outlines strategies for achieving emissions reduction targets and economic benefits. It specifically states that “federal, provincial, and territorial governments will work together with the aim of requiring labelling of building energy use by as early as 2019. Labelling will provide consumers and businesses with transparent information on energy performance.” This signals that energy reporting and disclosure for both commercial and residential buildings will be regulated nationwide in the near future, and provides an excellent opportunity to pilot programs that will help Edmonton’s market prepare for and influence the direction of future government programs.

Ontario is ahead of the curve with their recent, province-wide building energy reporting and disclosure regulation. On July 1, 2017, they are launching the Energy and Water Reporting & Disclosure regulation, mandating annual energy reporting and disclosure for large commercial and multi-unit residential buildings, demonstrating what roll-out of the Pan Canadian Framework could look like for the rest of the Country.

While there is currently no centralized energy reporting and disclosure program in Edmonton, there is great interest in sustainable building practices across all stages of the building life cycle. High-per-

forming green buildings and excellence in energy performance are top-of-mind for many building owners and operators. Organizations such as the CaGBC and BOMA publish reports with data on the energy performance of their Canadian certified buildings. There are more than 200 BOMA BEST certified buildings in Edmonton and nearly as many buildings with LEED certification. Also, Natural Resources Canada has licensed ENERGY STAR portfolio manager and adapted it for use in Canada, and reports that the free, online tool currently has 14,000 Canadian participants including 450 Edmonton buildings. All of this is evidence of the leadership demonstrated by the business community for implementing sustainable building practices in buildings across the city; positioning Edmonton for launching the first municipally-led, voluntary building energy reporting and disclosure program in Canada.

CITY OF EDMONTON’S LARGE BUILDING ENERGY REPORTING AND DISCLOSURE PILOT PROGRAM

In spring 2017, the City of Edmonton launched a voluntary Large Building Energy Reporting and Disclosure pilot program that will lay the foundation for broader market transformation by providing energy performance information to building owners, managers, and other key stakeholders. The program will collect annual energy performance of large buildings, including: commercial, light industrial, municipal, institutional, mixed-use, and multi-unit residential buildings (typically greater than 20,000 square feet). The information collected will be used to benchmark building energy performance, facilitate energy efficiency improvements and greenhouse gas reductions.

It is critical for the City of Edmonton to demonstrate leadership in sustainable building practices if the Large Building Energy Reporting and Disclosure program is to be a success. The program is an essential element of the City’s strategic objective to reduce energy use in buildings, and this project is considered foundational to achieving the energy efficiency and greenhouse gas emissions reductions targets. In order to encourage building owners and managers to participate in this program, the City is committing to include many of its largest buildings in the pilot program. City participation will increase year-after-year until all large City-owned and operated buildings participate annually.

Building owners and operators can realize environmental, social and economic benefits by participating in the Large Building Energy Reporting and Disclosure program. In the short term, benefits can include: • Competitive advantage in the market achieved through leadership recognition that boosts reputation • Potential to influence the direction of upcoming provincial and federal regulation of energy use in buildings • Access to the City of Edmonton’s tenant education workshops (resources and toolkits) and benchmarking support services • Eligibility for up to $1,500/building rebate for commercial energy audits (ASHRAE Level 2) • Recognition as a leader through the City’s awards and recognition program

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In the long term, program participants will: • Help improve energy efficiency and reduce city greenhouse gas emissions • Be eligible to receive an energy label that communicates the energy performance of your building • Increase property value and tenant satisfaction and reduce operating costs • Contribute to achievement of the City’s climate goals.

Sustainability can’t be achieved by any one organization or community alone. It’s only when everyone works together and does their part that the big changes will happen. This program can inspire thousands of changes in buildings across the city, from how buildings are built to how they are maintained and operated. The program is aligned with ener-

“F

LEARN MORE AND REGISTER TO PARTICIPATE

Edmonton’s large building owners and property managers from all sectors are welcome to sign up for the pilot program. Everyone is invited to attend an information session or request a presentation that includes program background, details about the pilot program’s design and the benefits of participation. Please direct questions and sign up to participate by emailing energystar@edmonton.ca, or by visiting edmonton.ca/ energybenchmarking.

HIGH RISE FIRE WISE

ire safety is one area that doesn’t seem to get attention,” admits Mike Jackson, who’s in charge of sales and estimating for Meridian Fire Protection. “It’s ironic, because it’s one of the most important areas we should focus on, it can mean saving our own and other people’s lives.”Meridian Fire Protection has been in the city since 2006, providing a full range of fire safety services to all types and sizes of buildings, from single family homes to large commercial and institutional proper-ties. Jackson says it’s still surprising to him how many home and building owners aren’t fully aware of the fire protection services in their area, and the regulations around installing and maintaining fire equipment.

“Home owners only think about their smoke alarm, but don’t worry about it once it’s up and operational,” he says. “Meanwhile business owners, especially small ones, don’t realize their roles and responsibilities when it comes to maintaining and keeping records of their fire safety procedures.”

Jackson shares some of the top things home owners, along with building and property managers, should know about fire safety.

KNOW THE CODES

In Alberta, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and the Alberta Fire Code regulate inspections and fire safety in buildings. While these rules and regulations don’t generally apply to homes or

3 June 2017 |

gy-related strategic planning initiatives at all levels of government and is especially impactful in Alberta with carbon-intensive, electricity generation and where energy efficiency leads to significant greenhouse gas reductions.

BOMA Edmonton Newsletter | www.bomaedmonton.org

even smaller businesses, they are very important in larger buildings, such as apartments, schools, hospitals and seniors centres. The NFPA’s full list of codes and standards is listed on their website (nfpa.org) and its regulations are updated every 3-4 years. The Alberta Fire Code can be found on the Alberta Government’s Municipal Affairs section.

PROTECT YOUR HOME

In homes, there is actually much more to fire safety than just having a smoke alarm. “Homeowners often move in, make sure their fire alarm is working, and then forget about it unless they hear the beeping to replace the battery,” says Jackson, adding that smoke alarms should actually be maintained and replaced regularly. “The battery in your smoke alarm should be changed annually, and the alarm itself should be replaced every 10 years.”

Homeowners also often overlook their carbon monoxide (C/O) detector. “This is an extremely important safety alarm,” says Jackson. “It should be replaced every five years and tested annually.”

When it comes to installing the smoke alarm and C/O detector, Jackson recommends having a certified journeyman electrician install these items to ensure it’s done correctly.

Every home should have the right kind of fire extinguisher. General extinguishers will put out most fires, but for some rooms, a higher end and more spe-

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cialized extinguisher is best. The classifications of extin-guishes are: Class A: ordinary combustibles like cloth, wood, and paper Class B: flammable liquids like grease, gasoline, and oil Class C: electrical appliances and tools Class D: flammable metals (mostly in factories) Class K: vegetable oils, animal oils, or fats in cooking appliances Be sure to maintain your fire extinguishers and replace them when necessary.

PROTECT YOUR BUSINESS

The NFPA and the Alberta Fire Code regulate some buildings, but not others; this usually depends on three factors: • The square footage of the building • The occupancy of the building • The type of building

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It’s best to ask your current service provider, or contact City of Edmonton’s Fire Rescue Services to find out the latest regulations on the fire codes for your building.

In general, most commercial and industrial buildings should cover these areas when it comes to fire safety: • Ensure your fire alarm systems are installed and maintained. This includes checking your smoke alarms, heat detectors and pull stations, which is the insider term for those fire alarm handles everyone’s tempted to pull now and again.

• Testing is required monthly in regulated buildings.

Testing must be completed and documented by a designated person in your building. Annual tests must be completed by a certified professional, such as Meridian Fire Protection. It’s a good idea to do your fire alarm testing at the same time as your fire drill since you need to pull the alarms anyways. Records of all inspections and maintenance must be kept on site for two years.

• In regulated buildings, every 5-12 years, fire extinguishers must be taken in to a certified inspector to be broken down for maintenance. The timeline is dependent on the class of extinguisher.

• Make sure you meet sprinkler system guidelines.

“This is a big deal, particularly in larger buildings and in seniors homes,” says Jackson. Sprinkler systems must be checked quarterly for inspection and maintenance, and full testing must be done annually. These inspections and any maintenance should be done by a certified sprinkler installer. The responsibility is on the owner to test, inspect, and maintain the sprinklers, and to keep records of the maintenance on site for two years.

• Emergency lighting is required by the Alberta Fire Department for some buildings, depending on the size, occupancy and type. These buildings must have emergency lights at the exits, and a certain number of lights per square foot and over certain distances.

• Maintain your fire hydrants. Many larger commercial spaces, like condo corporations and retail spaces, will have their own private fire hydrants, and these must be maintained by the property or building owner. Fire hydrants require annual flushing and inspections, and additional inspections after any use. A certified sprinkler installer must complete all inspections and maintenance. One important thing to know when it comes to fire hydrants is Bylaw 16200, which mandates that sprinkler maintainers must clean chlorine out of the water before draining. Infrac-tions on this bylaw can cost upwards of $20,000, so be sure your contractor includes this in his or her quote up front, and make sure they do it, as the contractor and the owner can both be fined for this infraction.

SETTING THE STANDARD FOR

10 YEARS

BY RENNAY CRAATS

United Roofing • 10 Years • 1 35

Photo by 3iii inc (Massi).

Back row left to right: Walter Salva- Chief Estimator Commercial Projects United Roofing (Edmonton) Inc., Charles Barnicott - General Manager, Commercial Operations United Roofing (Edmonton) Inc., Dave Montagnon- Branch Manager/ Partner United Roofing (Edmonton) Inc., Patrick Genest- CEO- Operator United Roofing Inc., Chris Vermette- Project Manager Residential Division and Simon Benoit - Chief Estimator Commercial Project. Front row left to right: Katie Ewanchuk- Senior Accountant - CPA, Stephany Allard- Residential Operations Manager, Taran Sandhu- Human Resources / Accounting and Shandler Kohlman- Junior Estimator Commercial Projects.

A

lot has changed for United Roofing in the past 10 years. From their humble beginnings in 2007, the people who have made United Roofing the company it is today have honed their skills, built up a solid reputation, and created a thriving company. In only a decade, United Roofing Inc. has grown from a three-man operation to the benchmark in the industry.

“For the first couple of years it was only me on the roof, doing estimates, and doing customer service to get the business,” says Patrick Genest, owner/operator of United Roofing.

Since then the company has grown, evolving to include commercial projects in 2012 and expanding operations to Edmonton in 2014.

The small company has swelled to over 100 staff in the two offices and United Roofing has established itself as the go-to roofer for general contractors and private owners across Alberta.

United Roofing goes above and beyond for customers, providing services in a variety of areas in order to make the construction process easier for them. On the commercial side, the company does flat roofing and reroofing, foundation waterproofing, below-ground work, siding and building envelop while on the residential it offers services in slope roofing, siding, eavestroughs, soffits, fascia as well as occasionally garage doors and windows for insurance claims.

“We try to get the building from the ground up. Then our client only has to work with one trade for all their building envelop needs,” he says.

United works for individuals, businesses, general contractors and smaller developers on custom builds, but regardless of the client, the roofers bring the same

high standards and exceptional level of service to every job. A team lead is assigned to each project, giving clients one point of contact for the duration of the job. While reachable by phone much of the time, if a lead happens to not be available, the tight-knit management team can step in. They all have a good understanding of every project and are able to answer questions or troubleshoot any issues that might arise.

“The team in the office is reasonably small so we always talk to each other. We have good communication inside the office so even if it’s not our project, we know enough to be able to deal with it if something comes up,” says Simon Benoit, commercial estimator with United Roofing.

The crews are knowledgeable and experienced as well, so they are a great resource to tap in the event of on-site questions.

Each crew member is well trained, licensed and insured and is dedicated to getting every project done right, on time and at a competitive price. In an industry known for high employee turnover, United Roofing enjoys a group of loyal, long-term employees. Management treats employees like family and makes sure they feel appreciated and valued. In return, employees embrace the corporate culture of customer service, quality and hard work.

“At the end of the day, if you don’t have good employees you don’t have a business,” says Stephany Allard, residential operations manager at United Roofing.

United’s employees are the best in the business and the company’s greatest asset. Their dedication and investment in the success of the company has contributed to its growth over the past 10 years. From a full-time safety officer

United Roofing • 10 Years • 2

United aligns itself with those companies whose philosophy matches its own. This gives clients peace of mind knowing their roofing and exterior needs are being met and that a job as important as a new roof will be done properly. The company’s pride in a job well done has been validated by its status as a preferred vendor at many insurance companies and by its membership in the Alberta Roofing Contractors Association (ARCA).

“ARCA sets the standard for roofing practice. So again, it’s another proof of quality: when you hire an ARCA contractor, you know we have to meet those standards to even be a member,” says Benoit.

The United team is devoted to the business and wants to raise the profile of roofing and exterior specialists industry wide.

implementing COR practices to a CPA streamlining project costs to the fantastic crews on the roofs, United Roofing and its staff have become a benchmark for other roofers. And the goal of these roofing professionals is simple: to exceed expectations, and it has earned a solid reputation in the business over the past decade because of it.

We would like to extend our appreciation to United Roofing, and best wishes for future growth and success.

Congratulations!

“We try to improve the quality on every job we do. We don’t cut any corners. We have the highest standards in the industry,” says Dave Montagnon, Edmonton branch manager and partner.

Those high standards apply to its partners as much as its staff. United uses only the best products with proven warranties from the best manufacturers in the industry.

Visit www.carlislesyntec.com to learn more about Carlisle’s unmatched manufacturing capabilities, innovative product offering and commitment to delivering the Carlisle Experience.

United Roofing • 10 Years • 3

By acquiring memberships and being recognized by insurance companies, United is ensuring the trade is viewed as a reputable, professional segment of construction. With 10 years under their belt, they have shown United Roofing is established and reliable.

Clients often share their stories of fly-by-night operators who swoop in, do a terrible job, overcharge, and then are never seen again. Many potential clients with this experience are understandably cautious when hiring a roofer. But by doing superior work, providing quality service and following up with customers long after the crews have left, United Roofing is changing how roofers are viewed, one client at a time. It’s obvious the effort is working, as the company has many repeat roofing customers.

In order to serve these and future customers better, the company is looking at the next decade as one of growth.

The management is always looking for new opportunities to evolve and improve their services. United strives to be ahead of competitors on all aspects of business, including safety and product innovation, keeping abreast of changes in the industry to stay ahead of the curve.

“We’re always trying to stay aware of what the industry needs and if there’s a need, we try to meet it,” says Benoit.

United Roofing has been meeting needs and exceeding expectations for 10 years, and in the next 10 it plans to expand into other service areas to bring its unique services to more customers.

“We work hard on every site for every job we do and we are working harder to continue providing that same level of service that our customers expect. I think so far we’ve done a pretty good job,” says Genest.

With United Roofing’s practice of hard work, dedication and solid relationships, it has done better than pretty good, and the best is yet to come.

Calgary - (403) 870-2753 | Edmonton - (780) 245-2753

unitedroofing.ca United Roofing • 10 Years • 4

Opportunities North 2017: Choosing Our Path to Prosperity

2017 Board of Directors Executive

Chair: James Merkosky Partner, Tax Services, Pricewaterhouse Coopers LLP Vice Chair: Len Rhodes President & CEO, Edmonton Eskimo Football Club Treasurer: Bryan DeNeve Senior Vice President Finance & CFO, Capital Power Past Chair: Bill Blais President and CEO Maclab Development Group

Directors

Dr. Glenn Feltham President & CEO, Northern Alberta Institute of Technology Crystal Graham Partner & Licensed Interior Designer, Kasian Architecture Interior Design & Planning Ltd. Dawn Harsch President & CEO, Exquisicare Inc. Alyson Hodson President & CEO, zag creative Elan MacDonald President, Impact Consulting Scott McEachern Vice President, Engineering & Projects, Enbridge Pipelines Inc. Dennis Schmidt Partner, Dentons Canada LLP Craig Thorkelsson Manager, Corporate Taxation PCL Constructors Inc. Liza Wold Partner, Miller Thomson LLP

Chamber Executive

Janet Riopel President & CEO Edmonton Chamber of Commerce Max Frank Vice President, Membership & Operations Edmonton Chamber of Commerce Ian Morris Vice President, Finance Edmonton Chamber of Commerce Danuta Woronowicz Vice President, Policy & Outreach Edmonton Chamber of Commerce

Contact

By Janet M. Riopel, President & CEO

A

t 53 degrees north, Edmonton is Canada’s largest north-facing city, and with an $88 billion economy, our region is one of the five largest population centres in Canada.

Since the late 19th century, much of Edmonton’s growth has been directly attributable to our role as the “Gateway to the North.” Though some still refer to Edmonton as the Gateway to the North, a more accurate metaphor is that of a major hub—a portal—facilitating a wide variety of mutually beneficial two-way, North-South exchanges of goods and services, talent and ideas.

The Edmonton Northern Partnership grew out of a collective desire to strengthen and grow the many connections that we share—business to business, government to government, and community to community. This innovative entity brings together the City of Edmonton, Edmonton Economic Development Corporation, Edmonton International Airport, the University of Alberta, and the Edmonton Chamber to build and strengthen committed relationships between our region and northern communities.

Many organizations, including those of us who founded the Partnership, were already actively involved in northern initiatives and seeking northern partners.

Discussions between the partners made it obvious that it’s so much more powerful to work collaboratively. The Partnership has brought a unified focus, with a broad expanse of knowledge and experience, to one table.

We developed a set of core values: • We aim to foster the shared prosperity of partners and stakeholders.

• We will always display recognition and respect for indigenous peoples, communities, governments, and other organizations in Edmonton and throughout the North.

• We will be mindful of the unique environmental considerations in the North.

• We intend to focus on initiatives that represent a long-term commitment and demonstrate sustainability.

We’re focused on ensuring that Edmonton remains the destination of choice for northern and southern partners in business, education, tourism, and health care.

Edmonton Chamber of Commerce #600 – 9990 Jasper Avenue Edmonton, AB T5J 1P7 T: 780.426.4620 • F: 780.424.7946

Continued on the next page...

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We’re leveraging off the considerable intersection that already exists between our economies.

Chambers of Commerce. Opportunities North will prove to be even stronger and more valuable due to the support and participation of the Edmonton Northern Partnership.

• Edmonton’s International Airport has existing relationships with both the Yukon and the Northwest Territories in a wide variety of sectors including tourism, cargo importing and exporting, and health.

Depending on seasonality, there are generally over 75 flights a week between Edmonton, Yellowknife and Whitehorse.

This year, it’s Edmonton’s turn to host Opportunities North. Please mark your calendars for September 12 to 14, 2017. It will be a great place for your business to make key contacts so that you can build strong and trusted relationships that will eventually lead to market growth and greater diversification.

• Clark Builders, PCL, Stantec, Tetra Tech, Ledcor and Driving Force are all highly valued Edmonton–based companies who have long been invested in Canada’s Northern development.

We’re very busy finalizing our program and securing a range of top-notch speakers with valuable experiences, perspectives, and knowledge to share. We’re including many opportunities to connect and to network.

• The University of Alberta has launched many exciting initiatives through its Northern Strategy. They have a UAlberta North coordinating office, a joint bachelor degree with Yukon College, and a Diamond Exploration and Research Training School.

Working together, to develop our understanding of shared opportunities and interests, we will deliver real value to our members, partners, and communities and build stronger economies for both of our regions.

If we continue to develop even more effective partnerships, the opportunities and potential for growth are seemingly endless.

The Edmonton Chamber of Commerce, with its established links with the North, is well-suited to work in partnership to help ensure the success of North-South initiatives. The Chamber has participated in a northern-focused conference for six decades - since 1957. Opportunities North is now held annually, in partnership with the Yukon, Northwest Territories and Edmonton

Make Opportunities North 2017 a priority in your calendar!

Visit OpportunitiesNorth.com to register and learn more about sponsorship options.

Members in this Issue Davies Park and The Headhunters Recruitment Inc. in What Corporate Diversification Looks Like in Post-Recession Alberta on page 18 Argus Machine and Packers Plus Energy Services Inc. in Is Alberta Losing its Competitive Edge? on page 47 ATB Financial in Growing Alberta on page 51

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JUNE 2017 // BUSINESS IN EDMONTON // BUSINESSINEDMONTON.COM

AMVIC Licensed

Lumican Member profile Lumican David Mitchell, CEO lumican.com With Lumican poised to launch the world’s first LED amber street light using their new patent pending technology, we wanted to find out more about how this innovative, Edmonton based small business is evolving to deliver environmental, economical, and dark-skyfriendly solutions for our city.

What’s your story?

Lumican began with a commitment to help the largest users of energy to reduce their carbon footprint and lower overall consumption.

We started as an LED retrofit service-based company over 4 years ago, expanding our offering in 2014 to include full scale energy management solutions.

A typical project would be retrofitting an office tower or large commercial building of 200,000 square feet or more to improve energy efficiency.

We have recently moved into product development and manufacturing based on the demand from our clients. We are aiming to open an R&D lab in Edmonton with plans to start manufacturing locally by the end of 2017.

What are three things people are surprised to learn about your business?

• We custom manufacture products for our clients.

• We own patents for our core technologies.

• We are launching the world’s first LED amber street light with our new patent pending technology. Our amber street light is the only product on the market able to reach the comparable warm color temperatures found in traditional street lights (high pressure sodium solutions), with the added benefit of LED energy efficiency.

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JUNE 2017 // BUSINESS IN EDMONTON // BUSINESSINEDMONTON.COM

David Mitchell, CEO, Lumican

What do you think is the biggest issue impacting Edmonton’s small businesses at this time?

The “feast or famine” cycles that result from the fluctuations in the oilfield create a business environment that requires completely different mindsets and operations for each end of these cycles.

It’s challenging for small businesses to adapt quickly enough to learn how to thrive in the extremes of the fluctuating economy because it affects all aspects of business, including opportunities, the financial climate, and the hiring market.

What has surprised you in the last 12 months?

Through the research process for our new amber street light, we learned the full extent of light pollution and its effects on both health and the environment. As we continue to learn through our R&D activities, the more passionate we become about the importance of providing dark-sky-friendly solutions to the market.

What has been your biggest challenge in the last 12 months?

LED is becoming a major commodity and more competitors are coming out of the woodwork with lower prices, which naturally leads to the production of lower quality products.

If it’s not a reliable product, it’s not a good deal at any price. So, rather than become a “me too” product provider we’ve decided to stay away from the “low price - low quality” game and focus

on supplying custom quality products that fit our customers’ needs and fill gaps in the market.

What’s your secret to keeping your employees engaged?

Empowering people and allowing them to make mistakes as part of the learning process.

It’s difficult to give that freedom because the temptation to micromanage every critical area is the pain of every business owner’s journey.

Without allowing that freedom, a business and its teams can get stuck in a perpetual circle without significant growth.

Do you have a personal mantra?

Making the “impossible – possible” What do you enjoy most about being a Chamber member?

The Edmonton Chamber offers the welldeveloped roots of a supportive and positive community of local business owners who care about building success right here in our city.

Our Chamber mandate is to create the best environment for business in Edmonton. If you could make one substantial improvement to

Edmonton’s business environment, what would it be?

Continue to find new and creative ways for companies to network and collaborate.

What is your favorite thing to do in Edmonton?

Walk in the river valley or enjoy the mountain biking trails with my family, and go to an Oilers game.

Apple or android?

Apple, apple, android. Apple, android, apple. I like to switch up to see the latest and greatest from the two biggest players in technology, but Apple is still my favorite.

Your most favorite place in the world?

Wherever I travel to next.

Coffee or tea?

Almond milk latte with cinnamon - no sugar.

To find out how your business can become more environmentally viable and save money on lighting, contact David and his knowledgeable team today for a customized solution. www.lumican.com

Connecting Business Speed Leads Networking Event

Connecting with friends and making new contacts, Speed Leads aways draws an engaging crowd of business professionals.

It’s business card ‘quick draw’ at Speed Leads with only 45 seconds each to share business info and contact information.

BUSINESSINEDMONTON.COM // BUSINESS IN EDMONTON // JUNE 2017

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Making Membership Mobile

G

iven that the Edmonton Chamber of Commerce first started in 1889, as the Edmonton Board of Trade, it’s fun to ponder what our original members might have thought of the idea of ‘going mobile?’ Horses and buggy, perhaps? Or, maybe they would’ve thought of it as a simple encouragement to get one’s feet moving in those arduous and difficult days on the great frontier?

One thing is certain. If we were magically able to go back in time and show our ancestral Chamber members what it truly means to ‘go mobile,’ in the present day: we would blow their minds!

Just imagine, placing a smartphone in the hands of a member at the turn of the century, and telling them that this ‘phone’ contains a

new Chamber Connector ‘app’ that will do all this and more: • It immediately puts you in touch with a community of over 136,000 chamber members • It gives you the ability to promote your business directly to each of those members, share and recommend other member businesses, and instantly ‘rate’ a member business for a job well done • It gives you the ability to have an instant and impactful voice on the issues of the day through policy polls and surveys • It organizes your schedule, arranging your upcoming events and coordinating automated reminders.

It’s tempting to think of the initial reaction to this as being shock and awe. But we know our Chamber members, and we’re willing to bet that after the initial shock wore off for those pioneering members, they would have soon been putting this new tool to use to transform and grow their businesses.

Because that’s what our Edmonton Chamber of Commerce business community has always done: adapt, evolve, and innovate.

For that reason, when the Member Advisory Council for the present day Edmonton Chamber of Commerce provided a clear mandate to develop a mobile member application to help them streamline the process of connecting with their fellow members, we were quick to respond.

The tools of communication and networking have evolved greatly for Chamber members over the years.

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JUNE 2017 // BUSINESS IN EDMONTON // BUSINESSINEDMONTON.COM

In May of this year, the new Chamber ‘Connector’ App was made available for both Android and Apple users, and members were invited to road-test the new app during this initial pilot program phase. Member feedback received at this time was essential in refining the app experience to be as simple and intuitive as possible. Once again, our members proved themselves a forward thinking and tech savvy group with a host of suggested tweaks and improvements. In turn, the Edmonton Chamber of Commerce was pleased to repay our members’ efforts, with the opportunity to freely promote their own member discount offers during this pilot phase. Doing so enabled participating members to showcase their business within the app which, in turn, helped to

From letter to email, from phone to fax, and now from desktop to smartphone, the preferred tools of business continue to evolve. highlight how simple it actually is to promote a member business across the entirety of the app.

As a result of this collaboration, Chamber Connector has truly become a tool ‘by the people; for the people.’

Now, with a couple taps of their fingers, our members can personalize their own

member contact lists, easily share or promote a member business to their existing contact lists, coordinate their events schedule, promote an upcoming promotion or product launch for their business, or simply stay abreast of emerging issues impacting our local business community.

Our members are now truly ‘going mobile’ in ways that would’ve been largely unimaginable to our pioneering Chamber members.

From letter to email, from phone to fax, and now from desktop to smartphone, the preferred tools of business continue to evolve as does the Chamber. Because, when you’re Edmonton’s first and largest business advocacy organization charged with creating the best environment for today’s business community, standing still isn’t an option. In fact, the only option that makes sense is, ‘going mobile!’

Surveyors photo courtesy of the Government of Alberta archive.

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The 48th Annual

Edmonton Chamber Golf Tournament Thursday, June 15, 2017 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

The Quarry Golf Club 945 167 Ave NE Edmonton, AB Make putts and top flight networking connections at Edmonton’s largest annual corporate golf tournament.

Get out of the office and onto the green to experience a dynamic day of golf, business and fun at this always sold-out event.

• 18 holes of championship golf • Power carts • A full breakfast • A tasty BBQ banquet • Entertaining activities • Plus excellent gifts and prizes!

Registrations now open for teams, pairs and individuals. Secure your place today to play alongside over 200 business leaders from across the Edmonton business community.

Presented by

Sponsors:

IS ALBERTA LOSING ITS COMPETITIVE EDGE? // OIL & GAS

IS ALBERTA LOSING ITS

Competitive Edge?

BY NERISSA MCNAUGHTON

L

ate in 2016, the Financial Post ran this attention-grabbing headline: “Alberta losing reputation as energy investment destination in wake of higher taxes.” The article, written

by Jeremy Van Loon, warned, “Just as its oil and gas producers reel from a price crash and hurdles to pipeline projects like TransCanada Corp.’s Keystone XL, an increase in corporate taxes and a royalties review helped push down Alberta’s position to 38th from 16th in an annual survey of 126 locations by the Vancouver-based Fraser Institute.”

For a province known for its energy production, this popularity drop was a bitter blow, especially for the many companies that provide products, goods and services for the struggling sector.

“Albertans have to keep an eye on our overall competitiveness,” stresses David MacLean, Alberta vice president at Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters (CME).

“Within Canada, our royalty and tax structure is fairly competitive, but our energy sector competes globally for

investment dollars. Lower cost plays in the United States and elsewhere threaten to draw investment capital away from Alberta, so we need to continually reassess how we compete globally.”

MacLean continues, “From the perspective of the supply chain and manufacturers in particular, it’s a bit more problematic. Saskatchewan and Ontario both have manufacturing and processing tax rates that are significantly lower than Alberta’s, so Alberta manufacturers are behind the eight ball from the outset.

“Alberta is a high-cost jurisdiction, and investment in technology and machinery lags behind the rest of the world.

If we want our exports to grow and diversify our economy, we need to take a good look at our tax rates and incentives.

“It begins with a manufacturing strategy for Alberta. In every meeting CME has with public officials, we encourage them to work with CME and other experts to develop a formal

BUSINESSINEDMONTON.COM // BUSINESS IN EDMONTON // JUNE 2017

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IS ALBERTA LOSING ITS COMPETITIVE EDGE? // OIL & GAS

“WHEN WE SPEAK TO COMPETITIVENESS, WE ARE SPEAKING TO HOW WE STACK UP AGAINST OTHER JURISDICTIONS IN THE WORLD. COST UNCERTAINTY RELATED TO GOVERNMENT POLICIES HAS ENCOURAGED INVESTMENT TO LEAVE OUR PROVINCE AT ALARMING RATES AT A TIME WHEN THAT INVESTMENT IS DESPERATELY NEEDED FOR US TO RAISE THE BAR IN INNOVATION AND PRODUCTIVITY.” ~ KRIS MAUTHE

manufacturing strategy that identifies our strengths and weaknesses, and develops a set of policies aimed at making Alberta more productive and competitive. For example, we’re looking for what we call a SMART Green Program for Alberta that would provide an incentive for manufacturers to invest in machinery or equipment that reduces emissions and the impact of the carbon levy.

“We also need to recognize the unique nature of the manufacturing sector and bring in a manufacturing and processing tax credit that will make us truly competitive with jurisdictions like Saskatchewan and Ontario.”

The president and CEO of Argus Machine, Kris Mauthe, CPA, CMA, agrees. Argus is a full service manufacturing facility in Edmonton, providing solutions in mechanical engineering, high precision machining and proprietary niche products.

“The potential to be competitive on the global energy stage exists; however, political uncertainty and lag in ability to make strategic long-term decisions are significant barriers to success,” Mauthe points out.

“When we speak to competitiveness, we are speaking to how we stack up against other jurisdictions in the world. Cost

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uncertainty related to government policies has encouraged investment to leave our province at alarming rates at a time when that investment is desperately needed for us to raise the bar in innovation and productivity.”

What would it take to correct this problem? “Encourage continued investment in the province with a long-term sustainable vision,” he says. “The recent addition of an investment tax credit for manufacturers for a two year period does little to incentivise corporations that look at capital investment in much longer cycles. Additionally, increased support for R&D, training and continuing the existing accelerated CCA program would assist in increasing our competitiveness.”

Marlon Leggott, chief production officer for Packers Plus Energy Services Inc., has similar concerns. The Canadianowned company is headquartered in Calgary and has its progressive manufacturing plant in Edmonton.

“We have been competitive in the past,” notes Leggott. “We compete around the world. We’ve been competitive because of our supply chain and the model we used to set it up.

Packers Plus has invested in high-end manufacturing and automation to be competitive. With those advancements,

IS ALBERTA LOSING ITS COMPETITIVE EDGE? // OIL & GAS

WEDDINGS | BOUDOIR | FAMILY

PRODUCT PHOTOGRAPHY

CORPORATE | HEADSHOTS

Tammy Deren is the owner of Smiley Eyes Photography, a full-service photography firm for business portraits, weddings, events, products and more. She is also the innovative founder The Photographer Studio, (three separate studios for photographers to rent, complete with props, backdrops and lighting). Tammy’s ability to draw out the best in her subjects, along with her sunny personality and innovative poses, has taken her across Canada, overseas for destination events, onto magazine covers and into the homes of her clients as she captures special moments and immortalizes them with each click.

www.smileyeyesphotography.ca

info@thephotographerstudio.ca 780-240-9032

BUSINESSINEDMONTON.COM // BUSINESS IN EDMONTON // JUNE 2017

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IS ALBERTA LOSING ITS COMPETITIVE EDGE? // OIL & GAS

we have been competitive, but it’s getting tougher with new challenges like the potential new labour laws, regulations and taxes. The tax on carbon truly hurts manufacturing in Canada; competing against countries that don’t have a carbon tax puts us at a huge disadvantage.

These frustrations are echoed by CSA Piping Solutions Ltd. president and founder, Clayton Ottenbreit, whose company supplies engineering products along with mainline products to pipeline companies and producers that tie into the mainline process.

“Some of the major oil and gas companies are divesting themselves of Alberta and leaving it for the intermediate companies to take over. It puts uncertainly in our longterm strategy and makes us wonder if it’s still best to invest locally when these companies are taking their investment out of the country.”

Alberta, Ottenbreit says, is not in a position to be competitive on the global energy state. “Alberta doesn’t play ball anymore. Alberta is not open for businesses. It’s hard for large and small companies to do effective business and make large infrastructure investments when the ball is always moving. You don’t know where the next increase is or where the next tax is going to be.

Leggott would be happy to see changes. “I heard a comment from a government official at a recent industry event, and he said ‘you can’t expect be competitive.’ The attitude of the government seems to be that we can’t and won’t be competitive internationally. They seem to feel that we only need to be competitive with the rest of Canada. That attitude needs to change, and they need to look at helping the manufacturing industry, not continually piling on new challenges. All manufacturing uses energy – a lot of it. It’s a big part of our cost base. Our ability and ease to export needs to be more friendly.

[The government] needs to make sure we remain competitive from a labour standpoint. If we are not, jobs are going to go elsewhere—they will not stay in Alberta, or even in Canada.

“Packers Plus has brought automation into Alberta that no one in our industry worldwide has, and now we are thinking, ‘should we continue?’ We’ve got new technology that we are holding off on. We know we have to come out of this downturn running at full speed, and to do that, we need to be putting new manufacturing technology in place now, but we are holding back because of the uncertainty.”

Leggott makes it clear, however, that leaving Alberta is not a decision the company would take lightly. “We are a proud Alberta company. We want to keep manufacturing here.

We want to work with governments and agencies, but we haven’t found any avenues to do this. If we become more uncompetitive here though, we will be forced to look at options, which is a shame because we set up an amazing facility in Alberta.”

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“Business is a hard thing to do. It’s not for everyone. It’s doing the unpopular thing to do the right thing. [Political leaders seem to be] reading Facebook, Twitter and Instagram on people’s opinions about political positions, and that seems to hold more weight, these days, than the things that actually matter.

“When you make it expensive to do business and business owners cannot see the bottom line, they will not invest, or they will find a cheaper way to invest – such as doing business in Saskatchewan, Manitoba and British Columbia.

“For business, it’s about the bottom line. You can be the nicest person in the world, but if you have a guy that is 10 per cent cheaper, you won’t sell. If you want to have a carbon tax to improve the environment and push companies to have more efficient processes or technology, you set that up and say ‘if you meet these guidelines, here are more incentives that increase taxable revenue at the same rate.’ If you can do that and keep the province competitive, you are going to attract business.”

Ottenbreit concludes with a statement that underlines the growing discontent among Alberta’s businesses.

“Making it more expensive across the board to sell anything – oil, gas, farming, grain – is not a good idea. If you cannot generate cash flow, you do have not a tax base. With no tax base, you have to increase taxes. It’s a vicious circle.”

GROWING ALBERTA // AGRICULTURE

Growing Alberta AGRICULTURE CONTINUES TO BE A GROWING ECONOMY IN THE PROVINCE, AND THE TECHNOLOGY REQUIRED FOR TODAY’S FARMS IS GROWING TOO.

BY NERISSA MCNAUGHTON

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A

lberta is known as an oil and gas province, but agriculture is a strong player in the economy too.

While the overall economy fell four per cent in 2015 (following growth of 4.5 per cent in 2014), Alberta’s agrifoods sector remained relatively unchanged, bringing in $5.4 billion in gross domestic product. Now, as Alberta seeks to continually diversify and reduce dependency on oil and gas, it’s time to take a closer look agriculture and farming.

Did you think farming was a nice aging couple going outside and planting seeds, then using a little tractor at harvest time? That’s how it was done back in the day, but today’s farmers are using everything from drones that inspect crops to the in-development “Tarzan,” a Georgia Tech-built robot with swinging arms and 3D claws that can get up close and personal with individual weeds.

FARMING THESE DAYS REQUIRES A COMBINATION OF TECHNOLOGY, ROBOTICS, BUSINESS MANAGEMENT AND LOANS TO SUPPORT THE PROCESS OF TAKING FOOD FROM THE FARM TO THE TABLE. Farming these days requires a combination of technology, robotics, business management and loans to support the process of taking food from the farm to the table.

“It is true that there has been a shift from smaller to larger farming operations,” admits David Hirch, managing director,

ABOVE: LEADER OF THE TRACK PHOTO SOURCE: HI LINE EQUIPMENT

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GROWING ALBERTA // AGRICULTURE

product and pricing, ATB business & agriculture. “This trend has been ongoing since the 1920s. That said, there continues to be farms of all sizes that operate under different business models and are doing very well. As a financial institution, it is important for ATB to provide financial services to operations regardless of size.”

The first Alberta Treasury Branch (ATB) opened in 1938, and the institution always had an affinity for the province’s farmers and entrepreneurs.

“I was born a farm kid, and we had a lot of respect for what the leaders of the time were doing. We respected the function of the Treasury Branch, which was to benefit the farmers and small business. That’s the reason I went to Treasury Branches. I felt some sort of bonding with them,” an early customer, Doug Ross, noted way back in 1949.

Things have changed, but the support of farming in the province has not.

“In terms of how lending has changed, the basics are the same, but what has changed is that operations have become more specialized and, in turn, so have financial institutions,” Hirch points out. “Most farms are no longer mixed operations (cropping, cattle, hogs, etc.). Rather, the larger farms are more specialized, focusing on producing one commodity; so most grow just crops, just cattle and so on.

“As the operations have specialized, so have financial institutions. For example, a bank might have a resource who is an expert in the dairy industry and provides guidance to relationship managers and others who have dairy customers. The other change is that financial institutions have adapted to larger cropping operations, owning less land and leasing more land. The focus is then on providing the capital they require for the more expensive and larger equipment without the large owned land base.

“As the operations grow in scale, the financial reporting they provide, and that most financial institutions ask for, has changed. The larger scale operations may have financial managers or, at a minimum, an accountant who is quite involved in the operation. These operations, as they are larger and the capital required is significant, are more likely

to be incorporated and run more like businesses versus the traditional older farm of decades ago.”

Large scale operations require large scale equipment, like the four wheel drive track tier 4B Stieger 620 from Case.

Featuring 620 engine rated horse power (you can get 682 out of it at maximum speed), this giant tractor costs a cool $673,000 – and larger farms own more than one.

“This product is very popular in Alberta because of its size and Alberta’s conditions,” notes a consultant from Hi Line Equipment in Wetaskiwin. “It’s been a leader of the track for 20 years. Provincially, large commercial farms could be running multiple units; some farms, upwards of six units.”

The consultant points out that big farms simply need big equipment to be competitive.

“Obviously, farms are getting bigger, so there is a demand for bigger equipment and higher horsepower. Also, technology is rapidly changing. There is a big swing in sectional control to avoid any overlap in seeding or spraying, and some tractors actually drive themselves! The producer can sit and home with a laptop and control the equipment in the field. Who knows where we will be five years from now?”

Case is just one supplier of these future-forward farming machines. Lexion’s CLAAS 780TT combine harvester is the biggest in their fleet. A fully loaded 780TT can sell for over $780,000. It’s a machine that Cedric Schramm, sales representative at Pentagon Farm Centre/Alberta Harvest Centre in Westlock, is happy to discuss.

“The Lexion is gaining more and more market share over the recent years, but there is still a lot of work to be done before we have majority market share.” He smiles, “It’s not impossible as it is a superior machine in comparison to the competition!”

Schramm is proud of the Lexion name and what the equipment under the brand can accomplish on Alberta’s farms. “We usually sell the biggest models available, which are able to handle about 2,500 to 3,000 acres of harvesting depending on the year and operation. Therefore, the majority of our customers purchase one unit. I have noticed a trend in regards to combine harvesters, specifically since the majority of the units we sell are the two biggest machines out there. Even though there are plenty of options, it seems as if the majority of our customers

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MANY ALBERTANS CAN TRACE THEIR ROOTS BACK TO A FARMSTEAD IN THE PROVINCE, AND TO THIS DAY WE LOVE TO BENEFIT FROM LOCAL FARMS OF ALL SIZES: FROM PICKING UP ALBERTA-GROWN PRODUCE, DAIRY AND MEAT AT THE GROCERY STORE TO BUYING CARTONS OF EGGS AND JARS OF HONEY AT THE FARMER’S MARKET.

opt for the biggest and most powerful machine, even when they come at a large dollar amount.”

The retailer has a special affinity for what he does every day.

“I come from a farming background. Selling farm equipment is the next best thing to farming.”

Many Albertans can trace their roots back to a farmstead in the province, and to this day we love to benefit from local farms of all sizes: from picking up Alberta-grown produce, dairy and meat at the grocery store to buying cartons of eggs and jars of honey at the farmer’s market.

“Agriculture is a vibrant business and, along with the energy sector, is vital to this province,” Hirch concludes. “ATB believes in the importance of supporting those who produce our food. Many ATB teammates continue to be involved in agriculture throughout the province, and ATB even has an Agriculture Centre of Expertise that provides support to our customers and teammates.

“Agriculture and food processing are important parts of diversifying the Alberta economy. The agriculture and food industry is important to feeding Alberta as we use the advantages of our climate, soil and know-how to export and feed the world. As agriculture grows in this province, and especially with the move to more food processing, more and more jobs can be connected to the agriculture industry.

“But it isn’t just those who grow food or process agriculture products. There are also many jobs in industries that support agriculture, including everything from equipment dealerships to veterinarians, trucking to crop input dealers.

All of these are integral to rural Alberta. ATB has heard the voice of rural Alberta, and those who depend on rural Alberta, from day one.”

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Alberta is a proud centre of agriculture for Canada, and as farms continue to grow and evolve, our appreciation of what our farmers do for consumers and our province will continue to grow with each successive crop.

BUILDING CAPACITY IN BUSINESS AVIATION // AVIATION

Building Capacity

IN BUSINESS AVIATION

BY DEBRA WARD

M

ost Albertans know business aviation contributes to the province’s economy – flying into remote locations to support resource-based industries, helping sell Alberta goods and services internationally, and connecting remote communities to the world.

But, there is another aspect to business aviation that is equally important and has the potential to provide great benefits – manufacturing. There are a lot of elements to aerospace and aircraft manufacturing including the airframe, engines, landing gear, interiors, avionics and more.

Historically clustered in Quebec and Ontario, other provinces including Alberta are working to develop their own capacity in some or all of these areas and get a piece of that pie. And there are a lot of reasons why this may be one of the smartest investments any province could make.

To start, there’s a solid foundation. Aerospace/aircraft manufacturing has been considered a strategic sector in Canada for many years. That means it has had the weight of government investment and policy behind it, pushing it forward. And the investment has paid off with Canadian companies that have become marquee brand names around the world: Bombardier, Pratt & Whitney and CAE among others.

Canada’s aerospace sector is comprised of some 700 companies generating direct annual revenues of more than $28 billion in 2014. The industry is highly integrated into the global value chains and exports 80 per cent of its production globally. A large part of this is business aircraft: airframes, engines, simulators, landing gear and finishing.

Canada leads the world in business jets, engines and simulators. The high demand for Canadian-build business

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aircraft has positioned Bombardier Business Aircraft as the industry leader in new business jet deliveries. Pratt & Whitney Canada estimates that every second a P&WCpowered aircraft takes off or lands somewhere in the world.

CAE, the world’s leading supplier of civil flight simulators, directly supports business aviation through its global network of training centres and innovative technologies to deliver simulation-based training tools along with its experienced instructors.

The success of Canadian aviation companies rests on a number of factors, all of which help develop the sector even further. Canadian companies and post-secondary institutes invested $1.8 billion in 2014 in aerospace-related research and development – a critical metric in a world where countries vie for the best and brightest minds to create innovative technologies. The research is supported by a nationwide network of provincial post-secondary educational institutions that offer aviation and aerospace-related courses.

Many of Alberta’s leading educational institutions offer these learning opportunities, providing advanced degrees, diplomas and certificates in a wide variety of fields that include aeronautical engineering, science, robotics and other advanced technologies, imaging and drafting, design, avionics and maintenance engineering, among others.

Students are also exposed to cutting-edge research, including machine learning, nanotechnologies and more.

Governments support many different sectors as they diversify and strengthen their economy and export base.

Looking at the benefits of aviation and aerospace, it is clear there are many reasons why Alberta would build capacity in this key sector. For one thing, with an average salary of $91,900, aircraft manufacturing and related opportunities are one of the most lucrative sectors in the country, boasting some of the highest wages in Canada for skilled labour. Moreover, the skill sets and expertise it requires are transportable from jobs in other sectors – something that is particularly desirable as the province works to diversify its economic base.

Alberta’s commitment is showing a strong return. According to the province’s website, the industry contributes $1.3 billion

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in revenue annually to the provincial economy, is home to 170 aerospace and aviation companies, and employs over 6,000 highly-skilled Albertans. Among other niche capabilities, Alberta-based companies provide maintenance, repair, overall and modifications of civil and military aircraft, made up of small companies that create highly-specialized products.

Alberta is home to global brands such as Viking, manufacturer of the Twin Otter and other iconic Canadian aircraft, and houses Pratt & Whitney Canada’s assembly and test plant in Lethbridge. The province has 25 per cent of Canada’s 1,900 geomatics, navigation and global-positioning firms, exporting 60 per cent of its wireless communications and sensortechnology products to U.S. and European markets.

These successes come as no surprise to Rudy Toering, president of Canada Business Aviation Association, who has been noting the growth for years. “Alberta has always been a linchpin for business aviation; both in how Alberta companies use their aircraft and now, how the province is becoming a player on the manufacturing side.”

Toering describes the long-standing and strong relationship between CBAA and the Alberta business aviation community.

“We work with the Government of Alberta to support their efforts to develop the export market, and our annual national convention is held in Alberta frequently,” he says. CBAA was last in Alberta at its Calgary convention in 2016, where it broke attendance records. “It was one of the best-attended and overall highest-quality conventions we held in years,” says Toering. “It’s a testament to the dedication and passion of the business aviation sector in Alberta.

“With this year’s national convention, we are staying close to our Alberta base, holding our event in Abbotsford, B.C. in August. For the first time, CBAA has partnered with other major aviation groups to create a one-of-a-kind event that marries the best of CBAA’s convention, exhibit and static display of aircraft with one of North America’s biggest airs shows and a major aerospace conference,” Toering says.

“The response has been very enthusiastic and I see this as part of how Western Canada is stepping up its presence in aerospace. I look forward to welcoming my Alberta colleagues to CBAA 2017.”

DIRECTORY // AVIATION

ALBERTA AVIATION OPERATORS Adventure Aviation Inc. Michael Mohr, Owner Tel: 780.539.6968 Aircraft Operated: (3) Cessna Skyhawk C172, (1) Piper Twin Comanche PA30, (1) Cessna Centurion P210N, Precision Flight Controls “Cirrus II” Simulator

Ahlstrom Air Ltd. Kyle Wadden, Operations Manager / Chief Pilot Tel: 403.721.2203 Cell: 403.844.0978 1 - ASTAR 350 SD2, 1 - ASTAR 350 B2

Air Partners Corp.

Vik Saini, President Toll Free: 1.877.233.9350 Alternate Number 403.291.3644 Aircraft Operated: (3) Cessna Citation X, (1) Beechcraft King Air 200, (2) Beechcraft King Air 350, (3) Cessna Citation Ultra 560, (1) Cessna CJ2, (1) Hawker 800A, (1) Bombardier Learjet 45

Airco Aircraft Charters Ltd Ed Schlemko Tel: 780.890.7780 Piper Navajo Chieftain, Beechcraft King Air 100, Beechcraft 1900D www.aircocharters.com

Albatros Aircraft Corp.

Joe Viveiros, Ops Manager Tel: 403.274.6103 www.albatrosaircraft.ca Aircraft Operated: Beechcraft King Air B200, Cessna Citation CJ4, Citation X, Agusta A109S Grand

Avmax Group Inc. Don Parkin, Executive VP Tel: 403 291 2464

E-Z Air Inc.

Peregrine Helicopters

Aries Aviation Service Corp

Matt Wecker, Owner; James Pantel, Operations Manager/Chief Pilot/Chief Flight Instructor; Andrew Mills, Director of Maintenance Tel: 780.453.2085 Aircraft Operated: R22, R44; Aircraft Serviced: R22, R44, R66, BH06

Tel: 780.865.3353 www.peregrineheli.com peregrinehelicopters@gmail.com Aircraft Operated: (1) B206B3, (1) Bell 206 L3

Marvin R. Keyser, President Tel: 403-274-3930 sales@ariesaviation.com Aircraft Operated: LR36 Learjet, PA-31 Navajo

Phoenix Heli-Flight Inc.

Calgary Flying Club

Paul Spring, President Tel: 780.799.0141 Aircraft Operated: EC120B, AS350B2, AS350B3DH, EC130B4, AS355N, AS355NP, EC135T2e

Logan Ketchum Tel: 403-288-8831 www.Calgaryflyingclub.com Flight training/rental heading Cessna 152, Cessna 172, PA30, Citabria, Cirrus SR20

Edmonton Flying Club Ralph Henderson, President Tel: 780-800-9639 www.flyefc.ca 4 G1000 C172’s, 1 Standard gauge (FEGU), 2016 Piper Seminole with G1000

Edmonton Police Service Tel: 780.408.4218 Aircraft Operated: (2) EC120

Enerjet Darcy Morgan, CCO Tel: 403.648.2800 Aircraft Operated: Boeing 737-700NG

Guardian Helicopters Inc. Graydon Kowal, President/CEO Tel: 403.730.6333 Aircraft Operated: Bell 206 B Jet Ranger, Bell 206 L1/ L3 Long Ranger, Bell 205 A-1, Bell 205 A-1+, AStar 350 BA, AStar 350 Super D, AStar 350 B3, Bell 212, BO 105, Astar 350 BS2

Integra Air Brent Gateman, CEO Toll Free: 1.877.213.8359 www.integraair.com Aircraft Operated: (3) BAE Jetstream – 31, (3) King Air 200, SAAB 340 B

Kenn Borek Air Ltd. Brian Crocker, Operations Manager Tel: 403.291.3300 Aircraft Operated: Twin Otter DHC6, Turbine DC3, King Air BE200, Beechcraft 1900

Calgary Police Service Tel: 403.567.4150 Aircraft Operated: (2) EC120

Can-West Corporate Air Charters Art Schooley, President Tel: 780.849.4552 Aircraft Operated: Citation 560 Ultra, Piper 31 Navajo, Cessna 210 Centurion, Cessna 206 Stationair, Beechcraft King Air 200, Cessna 185 Skywagon, Cessna 182 Skylane

Canadian Helicopters Limited Don Wall, President & CEO Tel: 780.429.6900 Aircraft Operated: Robinson R22B, Robinson R44II, Bell 206B | BIII, Airbus Helicopters EC120B, Bell B206L | L1, Airbus Helicopters AS350BA | B2 | B3 | B3e, Bell B407, Airbus Helicopters, AS355F2 | N, Sikorsky S76A | A++, Bell B212, Bell B412 EP, Sikorsky

Delta Helicopters Ltd. Don Stubbs, President Toll Free: 1.800.665.3564 Aircraft Operated: (7) Bell 206B (2) A-Star 350 BA (7) A-Star 350 350B2 (4) Bell 204B

Edmonton Shell Aerocentre Sarah Gratton, Aerocentre Manager Toll Free: 1 888 890 2477 Tel: 780 890 1300

Million Air Calgary Charlyn Stang, General Manager Tel: (403) 718-0447 Toll Free: 1-855-718-0447 www.millionair.com info.cyyc@millionair.com

Mountain View Helicopters Paul Bergeron, President/CP Tel: 403.286.7186 Aircraft Operated: R22 Beta & Beta II, R44 Raven II, Bell 206 Jet Ranger

North Cariboo Air Brent Knight, Business Development Toll Free: 1.866.359.6222 www.flynca.com King Air 200, Beech 1900D, Dash 8 100/300, Avro RJ 100

OpsMobil Toll Free: 1-877-926-5558 Aircraft Operated: (4) C-172, (1) C-206, (1) C-208, (1) PA-31, (3) R44, (28) R44-II Raven, (5) BH-206B, (1) BH-206L3, (2) AS-350BA, (1) AS-350B2, (11) AS350FX2, (2) EC-120B

Sunwest Aviation Ltd. Richard Hotchkiss, President/CEO Toll Free: 1.888.291.4566 Passenger Aircraft Operated: (1) Falcon 900EX, (2) Challenger 604, (2) Challenger 300, (2) Citation Sovereign, (1) Gulfstrem 150, (1) Hawker 800XP, (1) Lear 55, (3) Lear 45, (1) Lear 35, (4) Dash 8 300, (1) Dash 8 200 (6) Beech 1900D,3 Metro 23, 2 King Ai

Canadian North

R1 Airlines Ltd.

Can-West Corporate Air Charters

Matt Lomas General Manager Toll Free: 1.888.802.1010 www.r1airlines.ca Aircraft Operated: (2) Dash 8-100, (2) Dash 8-300, (2) CRJ100/200, (1) Dash 8-200

Art Schooley, President Tel: 780.849.4552 Aircraft Operated: Citation 560 Ultra, Piper 31 Navajo, Cessna 210 Centurion, Cessna 206 Stationair, Beechcraft King Air 200, Cessna 185 Skywagon, Cessna 182 Skylane

Ridge Rotors Inc.

Enerjet

Hans Nogel, Ops Mgr Toll Free: 1.877.242.4211 Aircraft Operated: Eurocopter AStar AS350, Bell 206 Jetranger, Robinson RH44

Darcy Morgan, CCO Tel: 403.648.2804 Aircraft Operated: Boeing 737-700NG

Nick Samuel, Senior Director, Charters Tel 403 705 3118 www.canadiannorth.com nsamuel@canadiannorth.com Aircraft operated: (3) Dash 8, (5) 737-200 Combi, (10) 737-300

Integra Air Rotorworks Inc. Jim Hofland, Chief Pilot/Ops Manager/Instructor; Ryan Cluff, Chief Flight Instructor/Commerical Pilot Tel: 780.778.6600 Aircraft Operated: (2) R22 Robinson, (1) R44 Robinson

Westjet Airlines Ltd. Toll Free: 1.888.937.8538 www.westjet.com Aircraft Operated: Boeing Next Generation 737-600, 737-700, 737-800, Bombardier Q400 NextGen, Boeing 767-300ER

ALBERTA CHARTER OPERATORS CHARTER FIXED WING Adventure Aviation Inc. Michael Mohr, Owner Tel: 780.539.6968 (1) Piper Twin Comanche PA30, (1) Cessna Centurion P210N, Precision Flight Controls “Cirrus II” Simulator

Air Partners Corp.

Vik Saini, President Toll Free: 1.877.233.9350 Aircraft Operated: (3) Cessna Citation X, (1) Beechcraft King Air 200, (2) Beechcraft King Air 350, (3) Cessna Citation Ultra 560, (1) Cessna CJ2, (1) Hawker 800A, (1) Bombardier Learjet 45

Absolute Aviation Ron VandenDungen, Chief Flight Instructor Tel: 780.352.5643 Cessna Citation X (3), Beechcraft King Air 200 (1), Beechcraft King Air 350 (2), Cessna Citation Ultra 560 (4), Cessna CJ2 (1), Hawker 800A (1), Bombardier Learjet 45 (1), Bombardier Learjet 40 (1)

Toll Free: 1.877.213.8359 www.integraair.com Aircraft Operated: (3) BAE Jetstream – 31, (3) King Air 200, SAAB 340 B

Kenn Borek Air Ltd. Brian Crocker, VP Operations Tel: 403.291.3300 Aircraft Operated: Twin Otter DHC6, Turbine DC3, King Air BE200, Beechcraft 1900

North Cariboo Air John Green, Vice President Operations & Charters Toll Free: 1.866.359.6222 www.flynca.com King Air 200, Beech 1900D, Dash 8 100/300, Avro RJ 100

Northern Air Charter Rob King, President Tel: 780.624.1911 Aircraft Operated: Piper Aztec, Piper Navajo, King Air 100, King Air B200, Beechcraft 1900D

OpsMobil Ron Ellard, Operations Manager - Fixed wing Toll Free: 1-877-926-5558 Aircraft Operated: (4) C-172, (1) C-206, (1) C-208, (1) PA-31

Sky Wings Aviation Academy Ltd. Dennis Cooper, CEO Toll Free: 1.800.315.8097 Locations in Red Deer and High River Aircraft Operated: (9) Cessna 172, (1) Piper Senaca I

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DIRECTORY // AVIATION

R1 Airlines Ltd.

Delta Helicopters Ltd.

Remote Helicopters Ltd.

Enerjet

Matt Lomas General Manager Toll Free: 1.888.802.1010 www.r1airlines.ca Aircraft Operated: (2) Dash 8-100, (2) Dash 8-300, (2) CRJ100/200, (1) Dash 8-200

Don Stubbs, President Toll Free: 1.800.665.3564 Aircraft Operated: (7) Bell 206B (2) A-Star 350 BA (7) A-Star 350 350B2 (4) Bell 204B

Jeff Lukan, President Tel: 780.849.2222 Aircraft Operated: Bell 206B, A-STAR 350 B2, A-STAR 350 SD2, A-STAR 350 B3E, Bell 205, Bell 212

Darcy Morgan, CCO Tel: 403.648.2804 Aircraft Operated: Boeing 737-700NG

E-Z Air Inc.

Ridge Rotors Inc.

Matt Wecker, Owner; James Pantel, Operations Manager/Chief Pilot/Chief Flight Instructor; Andrew Mills, Director of Maintenance Tel: 780.453.2085 Aircraft Operated: R22, R44; Aircraft Serviced: R22, R44, R66, BH06

Hans Nogel, Ops Mgr Toll Free: 1.877.242.4211 Aircraft Operated: Eurocopter AStar AS350, Bell 206 Jetranger, Robinson RH44

Brent Genesis, President Tel: 403.940.4091 www.genesisaviation.ca Aircraft Operated: Full complement of turbo props & business jets

Slave Lake Helicopters Ltd.

Tempest Jet Management Corp

Tel: 780.408.4218 Aircraft Operated: (2) EC120

George Kelham, President; Debbie Kelham, Owner Tel: 780.849.6666 Aircraft Operated: (3) AS350 B2, (1) Bell 206 BIII, (1) EC120, 2 AS350B3e’s

Brent Genesis Tel: 866.501.0522 www.tempestjet.ca Aircraft Operated: Citation Ultra

Great Slave Helicopters Ltd.

Sloan Helicopters Ltd.

Sterling Aviation Services Inc.

Chris Basset, President; Corey Taylor, VP Global Operations Tel: 867-873-2081 Springbank Base Facility, Tel: 403.286.2040 Aircraft Operated: Bell 206B, Bell 206 LR, Bell 206L3, Bell 206L4, Bell 212, Bell212S, BK 117 850D2, Bell 412EP, Bell 407, Bell 205 A1++, Airbus 350 B2, B3, B4

Troy Sloan, President Tel: 780.849.4456 Toll Free: 1-888-756-2610 or 1-888-SLOAN10 Aircraft Operated: (2) RH44, (1) EC120B, (1) AS350B2

Louise Dunlop, President Tel: 403.250.6707 www.Sterlinginflight.com operations@sterlinginflight.com Inflight Services, cabin attendants, training, ac interiors

Sunwest Aviation Ltd. Richard Hotchkiss, President/CEO Toll Free: 1.888.291.4566 Passenger Aircraft Operated: (1) Falcon 900EX, (2) Challenger 604, (2) Challenger 300, (2) Citation Sovereign, (1) Gulfstrem 150, (1) Hawker 800XP, (1) Lear 55, (3) Lear 45, (1) Lear 35, (4) Dash 8 300, (1) Dash 8 200 (6) Beech 1900D,3 Metro 23, 2 King Ai

Genesis Aviation Inc.

Edmonton Police Service

Tempest Jet Management Corp Brent Genesis Tel: 866.501.0522 www.tempestjet.ca Aircraft Operated: Citation Ultra, King Air 200

Viking Air Limited Evan McCorry, VP International Sales & Marketing Tel: 1.250.656.7227 www.vikingair.com info@vikingair.com Viking is the OEM for the Twin Otter Series 400, and fully supports the legacy de Havilland fleet, DHC-1 through DHC-7. Twin Otter Series 400

ALBERTA CHARTER OPERATORS CHARTER ROTARY WING Ahlstrom Air Ltd. Kyle Wadden, Operations Manager / Chief Pilot Tel: 403.721.2203 Cell: 403.844.0978 1 - ASTAR 350 SD2, 1 - ASTAR 350 B2

Albatros Aircraft Corp.

Joe Viveiros, Ops Manager Tel: 403.274.6103 www.albatrosaircraft.ca Aircraft Operated: Agusta A109S Grand

Bailey Helicopters Ltd. Brent Knight Tel: 403.219.2770 Cell: 403.370.2750 www.baileyhelicopters.com Aircraft Operated: Bell 212, Bell 206 B, AS 350 B2/ BA, AS 350 B3

Black Swan Helicopters Ltd. Kim Steeves Tel: 1-780-338-2964 purchasing@blackswanhelicopters.com (2)AS350FX2, (1)B206B, (1)B204C

Canadian Helicopters Limited Don Wall, President & CEO Tel: 780.429.6900 Aircraft Operated: Robinson R22B, Robinson R44II, Bell 206B | BIII, Airbus Helicopters EC120B, Bell B206L | L1, Airbus Helicopters AS350BA | B2 | B3 | B3e, Bell B407, Airbus Helicopters, AS355F2 | N, Sikorsky S76A | A++, Bell B212, Bell B412 EP, Sikorsky

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Guardian Helicopters Inc. Graydon Kowal, President/CEO Tel: 403.730.6333 Aircraft Operated: Bell 206 B Jet Ranger, Bell 206 L1/L3 Long Ranger, Bell 205 A-1, Bell 205 A-1+, AStar 350 BA, AStar 350 Super D, AStar 350 B3, MD 530 FF

Highland Helicopters Ltd. Patrice BelleRose, Director of Operations Tel: 604.273.6161 www.highland.ca Aircraft Operated: (13) Bell 206B, (2) Bell 206 L-3, (2) AS350 BA, (16) AS350 B2

Mountain View Helicopters Paul Bergeron, President/CP Tel: 403.286.7186 Aircraft Operated: R22 Beta & Beta II, R44 Raven II, Bell 206 Jet Ranger

Mustang Helicopters Inc. Tim Boyle, Ops Manager Tel: 403.885.5220 Aircraft Operated: AS350 B3e, AS350 B2, MD500 D, BELL 205A-1++, BELL 212 HP

OpsMobil Bertrand Perron, General Manager - Rotary wing Toll Free: 1-877-926-5558 Aircraft Operated: (3) R44, (28) R44-II Raven, (5) BH-206B, (1) BH-206L3, (2) AS-350BA, (1) AS350B2, (11) AS-350FX2, (2) EC-120B

Peregrine Helicopters Tel: 780.865.3353 www.peregrineheli.com peregrinehelicopters@gmail.com Aircraft Operated: (1) B206B3, (1) Bell 206 L3

Phoenix Heli-Flight Inc. Paul Spring, President Tel: 780.799.0141 Aircraft Operated: EC120B, AS350B2, AS350B3DH, EC130B4, AS355N, AS355NP, EC135T2e

JUNE 2017 // BUSINESS IN EDMONTON // BUSINESSINEDMONTON.COM

Thebacha Helicopters Ltd. Kim Hornsby, President Tel: 780.723.4180 Aircraft Operated: (1) AS350B2, (1) AS350BA, (1) Bell 206B

Wood Buffalo Helicopters Michael Morin, President Tel: 780.743.5588 Toll Free: 1.866.743.5588 operations@woodbuffalohelicopters.ca Aircraft Operated: Bell 206B, Eurocopter EC120B, Eurocopter AS350-B2, Bel 412

JET CHARTERS Air Partners Corp.

Vik Saini, President Tel: 403.291.3644 Aircraft operated: (3) Cessna Citation X, (1) Beechcraft King Air 200, (2) Beechcraft King Air 350, (3) Cessna Citation Ultra 560, (1) Cessna CJ2, (1) Hawker 800A, (1) Bombardier Learjet 45

Albatros Aircraft Corp.

Joe Viveiros, Ops Manager Tel: 403.274.6103 www.albatrosaircraft.ca Aircraft Operated: Beechcraft King Air B200, Cessna Citation CJ4, Citation X

Aurora Jet Partners - Head Office / Edmonton Base Toll Free: 1.888.797.5387 Fax: 780.453.6057 www.aurorajet.ca Gulfstream Astra SPX, Phenom 100/300, Challenger 300/605, Global 5000

Canadian North Nick Samuel, Senior Director, Charters Tel: 403 705 3118 www.canadiannorth.com nsamuel@canadiannorth.com Aircraft operated: (3) Dash 8, (5) 737-200 Combi, (10) 737-300

AIRCRAFT SALES Genesis Aviation Inc. Brent Genesis, President Tel: 403.940.4091 www.genesisaviation.ca jetsales@genesisaviation.ca Aircraft Operated: Full complement of turbo props & business jets

Prairie Aircraft Sales Ltd. Kathy Wrobel, President Tel: 403.286.4277 www.prairieaircraft.com sales@prairieaircraft.com Prairie Aircraft Sales is the EXCLUSIVE DEALER FOR: Manufacturers of Pre-owned aircraft, as well as Blackhawk Modifications. Market appraisals, importing and exporting and leasing.

Hopkinson Aircraft Andrew Hopkinson, President Tel: 403.291.9027 Fax: 403.250.2459 www.hopkinson.aero sales@hopkinson.aer Aircraft: Specializing in commercial and corporate aircraft

FRACTIONAL OWNERSHIP & JET MANAGEMENT Airsprint Inc. Judson Macor, Chairman & CEO Toll Free: 1.877.588.2344 www.airsprint.com flywithus@airsprint.com Selling Interests in Legacy 450 & Citation CJ3+

Ed Schlemko

Airco Aircraft Charters Turns 30 Wherever you need to go, Airco gets you there faster in comfort, convenience and style

By Nerissa McNaughton with photos by Smiley Eyes Photography

Y

ou need to travel by air. Do you cringe at the mad dash to the airport followed by paid parking in a distant lot? How about long lines at the self-check in and even longer lines at the baggage drop? Or cramped seats with noisy chair mates that leave you arriving at your destination tired and disgruntled?

There is a better way to fly, and today you can learn why individuals, corporations, celebrities, families, politicians and tour groups are taking advantage of how Airco Aircraft Charters gets them safely and calmly to their destination with plenty of time to chat or work comfortably on the plane.

In addition to charter flights, Airco is a Transport Canada approved maintenance organization (AMO #225-92) with a dedicated group of licensed engineers and extensive experience in

working on private, corporate and commercial aircraft. Airco also provides professional aircraft management for the maintenance, tracking, crew hiring and scheduling, training, hangar storage and insurance requirements of other private aircraft.

“I’ve always had a passion for aviation,” says Ed Schlemko, a pilot and one of Airco’s founders. He helped launch the company in 1987 after realizing there were no local aviation companies providing the level of service needed in the Edmonton area.

“Things were quite different from what we have today,” he laughs. “We started with a single engine float plane and did aircraft recovery and repair.” Now, Airco has a high-tech fleet for business charters, direct flights, access to remote areas, cargo, sightseeing tours and hot shot service.

AIRCO || 30 Years || 1 59

Beechcraft 1900D

“Airco is one of the largest aircraft charter companies in the Edmonton area,” says Schlemko. “Other companies are headquartered out of the city or out of the province.”

“In 1991, we had a big turning point when we bought our first Piper Navajo Chieftain,” says Mary Anne Stanway, managing director. “With that, we went from a small single engine operating company to the charter operation we are today.”

“After we bought our first Navajo, we increased the fleet with several more. We could see the market was moving towards turbines,” Schlemko adds. “In 1995, we bought our first pressurized turbine airplane, the Beechcraft King Air, which is larger, faster, flies higher and carries a larger payload than the Navajo.” In 1998, Airco was pleased to purchase their first hangar at the City Centre Airport, and in 2004, they expanded the fleet again with their first 19-seater, the Beechcraft 1900D. However in 2013 things would change for Airco. Edmonton City Council decided to close the Edmonton City Centre Airport completely on November 30 of that year, so the company needed a new home.

Kingston RossPasnak Pasnak LLP Kingston Ross LLP

CHARTERED PROFESSIONAL ACCOUNTANTS

CHARTERED PROFESSIONAL ACCOUNTANTS

ENTREPRENEURIAL.

ENTREPRENEURIAL. INNOVATIVE.

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Congratulations to

Ed Schlemko & 1500, 9888 Jasper Avenue | Edmonton AircoSuite Aircraft Charters Ltd.AB | T5J 5C6 P | 780 424 3000 F | 780 429 4817 W | www.krpgroup.com E | info@krpgroup.com on 30 years of success.

Suite 1500, 9888 Jasper Avenue | Edmonton AB | T5J 5C6 P | 780 424 3000 F | 780 429 4817 KRP has the privilege of working with W | www.krpgroup.com E | info@krpgroup.com

Airco and we look forward to continuing our association for many more years.

Suite 1500, 9888 Jasper Avenue | Edmonton, AB | T5J 5C6 P | 780 424 3000 F | 780 429 4817 W | www.krpgroup.com E | info@krpgroup.com

AIRCO || 30 Years || 2

congratulates congratulates Now, Airco operates out of a new facility at the Edmonton International Airport.

Leonard TraubThis & location includes a stylish passenger Leonard Traub & lounge, large,Wilbert bright hangar Alberta Sales and plenty of parking surrounding Alberta Sales on 50 Wilbert years success. the building.

No ofdetail is overlooked. Clean washrooms, a wellon 50 years of success. stocked refreshment area, comfortable seating, and boarding KRP has had the privilege of working with the aircraft is as simple as walking out the lobby door.

Alberta Wilbert Sales since 1978. We are

KRP has had the privilege of working with proud to be associated with a business that Alberta Wilbert Sales since 1978. We are mirrors our core values; a commitment to Stanway with pride. “There “It’s that personalised service,” says proud to be associated with a business that excellence, top quality client service provided is so much flexibility.

You pick when you want to depart. On mirrors core values; a commitment to by a our knowledgeable team, and treating both the flight, communication with your excellence, top quality serviceand provided team or family is easy. The clients and staffclient with integrity seats are comfortable, and there are snacks and a bar.” by a knowledgeable respect. team, and treating both clients and staff with integrity and We look forward to continuing our Airco enjoys getting business people quickly to their respect. association with Alberta Wilbert Sales and

destinations, and business clients greatly enjoy the efficient, wish them continued success for the

Wehassle-free look forward to years! continuing our that the privacy of charter service and the fact next 50 association Alberta Wilbert their Salesbusiness and allowswith them to continue discussions while wishenroute them continued success for the to their destinations. next 50 years!

For emergencies, such as flying a part to an oilfield camp or quickly transporting personnel, Airco can (under ideal conditions) be airborne within 90 minutes of getting the call.

Airco is also a huge boon for remote areas. Fort Chipewyan, for example, is just one location where access is primarily by barge or, in the winter, by an ice road. For many places in Canada like this, flight is the best, and often the safest, option. “There

CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR

30Th ANNIveRSARY

AIRCRAFT CHARTERS

FROm YOUR CONSTRUCTION PARTNeRS www.scottbuilders.com

CONGRATULATIONS TO AIRCO ON 30 YEARS IN BUSINESS!

We focus on what we know, and in those areas, we are leaders.

780.425.9510 Toll Free: 1.800.661.7673 www.rmrf.com

AIRCO || 30 Years || 3

are probably a dozen airports that have scheduled service in Alberta, but there are still over 100 communities without any scheduled services,” Schlemko points out.

With a 30-year reputation to fly on, an expertly managed company, and top-of-the-line aircraft that has flown some very famous characters (confidentiality is assured, so don’t ask whom!) Airco now turns its focus to educating companies on the value of chartering fights.

“Charter provides you with the best service if you are a group of people trying to be efficient,” says Stanway. Instead of waiting for flights, you just show up. You do not need to be here two hours in advance like you would for a commercial flight. You can work or hold meetings on the plane, or relax and let your busy day wash away as Canada’s magnificent landscape unfolds beneath you.”

Airco thanks their loyal clients for making them their trusted charter company for 30 years. Many have flown with Airco since the early 1990s. The company also thanks their staff, expressing pride and appreciation for each team member’s hard work and dedication.

“Our future involves growing the fleet,” concludes Schlemko.

“We will have larger aircraft, but the same commitment to service, all while being agile to the changing needs of our customer base and industry. We are happy here in Edmonton.

This is where our roots are.”

Roots in Edmonton and planes in the sky – the next time you need to get to where you have to be, consider a charter flight.

It’s the affordable, convenient, safe, efficient and reliable transportation solution you may be overlooking.

“For someone who hasn’t chartered before, they will find it’s more convenient and cost effective than they think,” says Schlemko. “A lot of customers are paying employees by the hour or by the day. You waste money sitting on the road driving, or in terminal buildings, or sitting in hotel rooms waiting on scheduled flights. For example, High Level is a ninehour drive! How much is your time worth?”

“The feedback we get from our clients is that they like Airco’s reliability,” adds Stanway. “They can depend on us. If we say we can do a flight, they know they are going to get to where they need to go. We are straightforward and honest.”

Congratulations Airco on your 30 year anniversary from everyone at EFC!

3620 – 60 Avenue East Edmonton International Airport Alberta T9E 0V4 1-800-724-7261 www.aircocharters.com

Congratulations Airco!

Fuel supply, storage and delivery.

www.efcaviation.ca

Congratulations to Airco on 30 years!

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Av i a t i o n S p e c i a l t y G r o u p www.aon.com/canada AIRCO || 30 Years || 4

Congratulations to Airco on 30 years!

We are proud to be a part of your success.

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