Fredericton Chamber of Commerce Insight Magazine

STRONGER COMMUNITY THROUGH BUSINESS PROSPERITY

SUMMER 2020 Leadership & Advocacy | Members & Community | The Buzz & Events

Advertise Here call Wendy at 506-458-8006 or email fchamber@ frederictonchamber.ca

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FREDERICTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

FREDERICTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

Publisher – Peter Stafford, Cambridge Pen & Design Printer – KKP Fredericton Project Manager & Adverising Consultant – Wendy Morrell Contributors: Krista Ross, Karen Grant, Morgan Peters, Christine Little, Tanya Senechal, Jessica Newman, Laurie Guthrie, Andrew Lockhart, Fredericton Tourism, Andrew Byrne, Rachel Clarke

Contents President’s Message

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CEO’s Message

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Advocacy Update

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Celebrating a Century of Care

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Chief Executive Officer Krista Ross kristar@frederictonchamber.ca

Chamber of Commerce hit the 1,000-member mark

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Policy and Research Manager Morgan Peters advocacy@frederictonchamber.ca

COVID- 19 Reflections and Recovery

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#SupportFredLocal initiative launched to encourage residents to buy local

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How Fredericton’s businesses are adapting during the COVID-19 pandemic

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Fredericton Chamber of Commerce President Karen Grant kgrant@kiers.com

Membership Development and Marketing Manager Christine Little membership@frederictonchamber.ca Event Manager Tanya Senechal events@frederictonchamber.ca Operations and Communications Manager Wendy Morrell fchamber@frederictonchamber.ca Bookkeeper Brianne Phillips bookkeeper@frederictonchamber.ca Fredericton Chamber of Commerce 364 York Street, Suite 200 Fredericton, NB E3B 3P7 Tel: (506) 458-8006 Fchamber@frederictonchamber.ca Frederictonchamber.ca @fton_chamber Facebook.com/frederictonchamber

It’s time to vacation…in your own backyard! 14 New Brunswick Bioscience Steps Up

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Resilience for Today’s World17

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M2M Special Offers

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The Chamber Buzz

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Pete Stafford 506.472.4230 Cell 506.292.5624 petes@nbnet.nb.ca cambridgepen.com

Fton_Chamber Fton_chamber

INSIGHT SUMMER 2020

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MESSAGES

A Message from the President

A Message from the CEO

Karen Grant, President

Krista Ross, CEO

M

W

y term as president for 2019-2020 is coming to an end. I was fortunate to have this experience, and to be surrounded by an outstanding, knowledgeable board of directors. Our chamber staff are exceptional, dedicated, hardworking individuals who take pride in the work they do for our members.

Thank you for your support of our Fredericton chamber. Your membership allows our chamber to have a strong voice and advocate for business – not only at a municipal level, but provincially and federally as well.

The highlights during my term: We welcomed our 1000th member. We started discussions with members of the Indigenous business community about how we can work together. We started a new strategic plan. We held another successful State of the Province Address in January. In March - everything stopped.

COVID-19 hit New Brunswick. Every day there was so much information thrown at us. So many programs announced. So many regulations to follow. Our heads were spinning. The Fredericton chamber physical office was closed, and staff started working from home. They were NOT working on a reduced schedule or workload, in fact, their workload increased. They were dissecting the daily briefings, writing letters for clarification, advocating on issues that were important to the business community as a whole – not just our members – but the entire business community. And they communicated, in clear language, what we all needed to know.

I was so proud that the leadership in our province, which came together with one common goal – working together through the pandemic for the people of New Brunswick. All party leaders worked together as one unit to get things done. It would be wonderful to continue this trend – what a great province we could be.

ith our first ever virtual annual general meeting coming up in late June, it’s going to be an unusual experience for all of us at the chamber. Our AGM is normally a chance for new, continuing and outgoing board members to connect and for the chamber to publicly recognize the efforts of our amazing volunteers. It won’t quite be the same this year, but we’ll make the most of it – I think we’ve all learned a thing or two about what’s really important, how to roll with changing circumstances and the value of a positive outlook.

We are going to need to maintain this focus moving forward. Beyond the COVID-19 crisis, we continue to have big economic challenges in New Brunswick which are only going to be exacerbated over the coming months – an aging workforce, a small population, a large debt and high taxes – to name a few. Broadly speaking I think we need to focus on three things in relation to the economy: a collective public health effort, a groundswell of support from local communities, and aggressive economic stimulus and other financial support on the part of the federal and provincial governments.

I know we can get through this together. That’s been clear to me since Day One when some of the very first messages I started to receive were from businesses offering support to other businesses to help get the community through the crisis. Similarly, we had many people putting their names forward to join our board this year – I commend all of them for being willing to step up with their time and expertise when they’re needed most, even when their own organizations are navigating a new reality. As the old saying goes – if you need something done, ask a busy person.

When you read this magazine, it will have been a full month since I wrote and submitted this to the editorial team. Businesses will have reopened, with lots of changes to their structures. Support

Speaking of busy people - a HUGE thank you to ‘Team Chamber’.

Our organization is so fortunate to have this team of highly dedicated and talented individuals who work on your behalf every single day.

I already considered Brianne Phillips, Wendy Morrell, Christine Little, Morgan Peters, and Tanya Senechal to be my dream team, but the past few months have further highlighted their professionalism and commitment to our members. Their work on behalf of our members has always been incredible but even more so during this time of economic challenge .

Continued on page 6

Continued on page 6

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FREDERICTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

ADVOCACY UPDATE

Advocacy Update

by Morgan Peters

T

he chamber’s advocacy efforts have been mostly focused on COVID-19related issues over the past few months.

The first phase was largely focused on gathering information, communicating to our members, advocating for government support and answering member questions.

Copies of letters we’ve sent to government can be found on our website.

As an initial response, we launched our Open, Operational and Offering Help webpage so that local businesses could let the community know if they were open and in what capacity. From Day One, we had members reaching out to offer free services to other businesses as assistant – so we included those as well.

As the reopening process began, sharing information on how to do this safely and within Public health requirements took on paramount importance. Amongst other efforts, we launched two initiatives with a view to helping businesses and organizations through the re-opening process.

First, we created two new sections in our Open, Operational and Offering Help listing: 1. Businesses that sell Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) such as masks, disposable gloves, etc.

2. Businesses that sell Business Protective Products (BPP) such as plexiglass protection, signage, floor decals etc.

We expect these products to be in demand for quite some time. If you sell PPE and/or BPP – add yourself to these new listings so businesses and organizations can easily find you. If you sell in both categories – be sure to list yourself twice. If you are already on our list – please submit an additional listing specifically for PPE and/or BPP. Second, in partnership with the chambers of commerce in Moncton and Saint John, we published a re-opening guide to help outline the main steps and points of consideration to comply with Public Health requirements. If you are looking for an example of an Operational Plan, the chamber’s is posted on our website for your reference.

More recently, we have been able to spend more time forward-looking to what the post-crisis economic rollout might look out like and how we can be involved in that process. We are working with groups of local and provincial stakeholders on recovery plans.

Post-Budget Breakfast On 11 March 2020, we hosted Finance Minister Ernie Steeves along with seven other government ministers at our annual post-budget breakfast. The format was changed this year as in the past we cohosted with NB Real Estate Association only, but at the 2019 breakfast, the government suggested we consider broadening the

group. In total, nine associations were present for the meeting.

Paper and Packaging Products – Extended Producers Responsibility The Department of Environment and Local Government is looking at implementing a packaging and printed paper extended producers’ responsibility system in the province. Krista attended an initial session in December where little detail was available. On 12 February 2020, the province sent out discussion documents and requested feedback by 28 February 2020.

We wrote the minister to request more time, stating: 1. The subject matter is complex with many variables to be evaluated in the context of the NB economy. Exacerbating the complexity is the lack of detail and guidance in the discussion document provided.

2. The timeframe is far too short to provide meaningful feedback. For these types of consultations – even one with less complex subject matter - we would typically consult with our members and other stakeholders who may have valuable expertise and insight into this issue. It is impossible for us to provide informed feedback within the allotted timeframe.

We hosted a meeting with government officials in May to get more information on the process and will continue to participate in the consultation phase.

INSIGHT SUMMER 2020

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MESSAGES

President...

CEO..

them – PLEASE! Our local businesses NEED our support. That’s ALL our local businesses, not just hospitality and retail; servicebased businesses as well. In December, I asked you to shop local.

I am asking you to do that again. And not just for a couple of months, but for the long term. Business supports our community in so many ways. It’s our turn to support them.

Finally, I want to thank our outgoing board members and our amazing 2019-2020 president, Karen Grant of Kiers Marketing. Karen’s commitment to the chamber and her love for Fredericton are secondto-none. Our immediate Past President Ryan Boyer of Cain Boyer Benefits Group is leaving our board this year after seven years - thank you, Ryan for your leadership and perspective. The other talented and community-minded individuals leaving our board this year are Lori Clarke of Lori Clarke Interior Design; Kim Nash-McKinley of St. Mary’s First Nation; Lori Stickles of NB Liquor Corporation; Dhirendra Shukla of UNB; and Ken Critchley or Morneau Shepell. Thank you all.

As I “pass the buck” to Bob Chisholm, I know the Fredericton chamber will continue to be the strong voice for business under his leadership. I will be forever proud and grateful that I was able to be part of this award-winning organization.

Thank you, and all the best.

Karen Grant

NEW MEMBERS

Say Hello To Our Newest Chamber Members Atlantic Fusion Law Group 105 Prince Edward Street Saint John, NB E2L 3S1 Tel: (506) 640-1343 Email: janet@atlanticfusion.ca Website: atlanticfusion.ca Main Contact: Janet Thompson-Price The Details Design 65 York Street Fredericton, NB E3B 3N4 Tel: (506) 260-9406 Email: info@thedetailsdesign.com Website: thedetailsdesign.com Main Contact: Tanya Duffy

Pj’s Wings an Things 202 Inglewood Drive Fredericton, NB E3A 2K6 Tel: (506) 260-5300 Email: pjswingsanthings@gmail.com Website: wingsanthings.com Main Contact: Peter Jones

The Complex dba The Cap 362 Queen Street Fredericton, NB E3B 1B2 Tel: (506) 260-0341 Email: info@thecapitalcomplex.com Website: thecapitalcomplex.com Main Contact: Zach Atkinson

York County Cider 38 Main Street Fredericton, NB E3A 1B8 Tel: (506) 440-5416 Email: yorkcountycider@rogers.com Website: yorkcountycider.net Main Contact: Ed Teale

Surface Float Inc. 42 Durelle Street, Unit 1 Fredericton, NB E3C 0G2 Tel: (506) 292-5502 Email: hello@surfacefloat.com Website: surfacefloat.com Main Contact: Katina Garduno-Roberts

CP Gear (Wheeler Accessories Ltd) 1971 Lincoln Road Fredericton, NB E3B 8P3 Tel: (506) 444-8959 Email: marika@cpgear.com Website: cpgear.com Main Contact: Marika Wheeler Mahshad Inanloo Fredericton, NB Tel: (506) 230-8656 Email: mahshad.inanloo@unb.ca

Social Media Love Inc. 10 Carina Lane Hanwell, NB E3C 1M9 Tel: (506) 455-7239 Email: contact@socialmedialoveab.com Website: socialmedialove.com Main Contact: Angelique Binet Moose Bell Products Inc. 24-245 Hilton Road Fredericton, NB E3B 7B5 Tel: (506) 883-3388 Email: info@pollipop.ca Website: pollipop.ca Main Contact: Carina Lin Continued on page 8

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FREDERICTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

A.R. MENZIES

Celebrating a Century of Care

by Jessica Newman, The Word Wiz

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or 100 years, A.R. Menzies & Sons Ltd. has been helping people navigate the challenges associated with missing limbs and other mobility limitations. The first step is often the hardest, which is why the team at A.R. Menzies always takes care to prioritize the patient experience.

Whether someone was born with a limb difference or they’ve had an amputation later in life, no two people’s situations are the same. Similarly, every prosthetic limb A.R. Menzies makes is as unique as the people who wear them. Since the goals and range of activities are always different, a prosthetist’s #1 goal is understanding their patient’s lifestyle so they can design a custom prosthetic device so they can rebuild their life and independence.

This patient-centric approach has helped the company form meaningful relationships, and A.R. Menzies is now the oldest continually-run family prosthetic business in North America— and certainly one of the oldest businesses in New Brunswick. It remains proudly independent after all these years.

100 Years of Helping Patients Get Back on Their Feet From hand-carved wooden sockets wrapped in rawhide to “smart legs” with computer-assisted knee units, sensors and Bluetooth technology, a lot has changed over the course of a century for A.R. Menzies and their patients.

When A.R. Menzies first opened their doors, prosthetic fittings took up to a week to fabricate. People often had to travel long distances for their fitting, so the Menzies family welcomed traveling patients into their home.

Today, they no longer need to board patients because they can complete a fitting in a matter of hours. They don’t manufacture artificial limbs in a garage where the family cow was also kept. And they don’t accept payment in barrels of potatoes, apples or peaches anymore either.

While the clinic has seen a lot of change throughout its 100 years of operation, some things remain the same, including A.R. Menzies’ compassion, accurate

measurements and the artistry and craftsmanship that goes into making each and every prosthesis and orthosis.

A Family Affair: Three Generations Strong “This has always been a passion for me. It was instilled in me at a young age,” says Allan Menzies, the founder’s grandson and current president, remembering the old days of sweeping floors and cleaning the potbellied stove. Like his dad, Laurie, and his uncle, Norris, Allan followed in his father’s footsteps as a prosthetist—and the rest is history in the making.

For 44 years, Allan and his father worked side by side, sharing an office in what was once an army hut moved from across the street in the 1950s. The founder’s artificial leg still rests in the corner, a reminder of what started it all: an accident with an ax in the middle of New Brunswick’s woodlands. Allan’s grandfather, Allan Ronald Menzies, lost his leg, then established A.R. Menzies in 1920, where he worked until the day he died of a heart attack in 1943.

INSIGHT SUMMER 2020

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A.R. MENZIES People are often asked ‘if you could meet one person dead or alive, who would it be?’ Without hesitation, I answer granddad!”

A.R. Menzies has been blessed with many passionate and long-serving family and employees. Allan’s mother, Miriam, was their registered nurse; Allan’s sister, Cindy, ran the hearing aid division; his cousin, Jane, worked administration; his brotherin-law, Wayne, oversaw maintenance; his aunt Wilma (Norris’s wife) worked reception and was their bookkeeper.

Today, Allan’s daughter, Heather, has assumed the role of her late mother, Debi, as office manager, and Allan’s wife, Bridget, also works at the clinic.

The A.R. Menzies Personal Touch Just as prosthetics change as technology advances, patients’ bodies change over time—as people age and muscles atrophy.

Because of this, A.R. Menzies often develops lifelong relationships with their patients.

“Our patients are family,” says Allan.

“They still travel to see us and we’re on a first name basis. We’ve developed a strong rapport.” One of their most loyal patients, Jerry McFarland, has been coming to A.R. Menzies after he fell off a farming wagon and lost his leg in 1943. His first prosthesis was fit by Allan’s grandfather.

After all these years, patients still put their trust in A.R. Menzies, sharing emotional, often life-changing moments. “People think it’s the end of their life when they lose a limb,” says Heather. “They’re depressed. Their partners and family are stressed. It’s amazing to see the difference once we help them get back on their feet again.”

She adds that the profession provides incredible perspective. “You think you’re having a bad day, then in walks someone with only one leg or arm,” she says. “The determination and resourcefulness of our patients is inspiring.”

A Century of Fond Memories A.R. Menzies has prospered for 100 years and counting thanks to being surrounded by family, patients and a supportive community that wholeheartedly believes in this important work. Their history is dotted with long-lasting achievements, stories and memories. “I know Dad would agree that working on Terry Fox’s prostheses was a definite highlight of our career,” says Allan. The memories and stories the Menzies family have created with their patients and staff while building their successful business will live on forever.

NEW MEMBERS Mwana Villages 94 Mooers Drive Fredericton, NB E3C 1K4 Tel: (514) 377-0344 Email: cheryl@mwanavillages.org Website: mwanavillages.org Main Contact: Cheryl Walker Student Works Painting 54 Dougnorth Street Fredericton, NB E3G 0X2 Tel: (506) 262-2159 Email: jlebla22@unb.ca Website: studentworks.com Main Contact: Jacob LeBlanc

Darin Squire Fredericton, NB Email: darinsdesk@gmail.com OT Fort Inc. 31 Waggoners Lane, #29 Fredericton, NB E3B 2L2 Tel: (506) 897-5003 Email: rezk@otfort.com Website: otfort.com Main Contact: Mohamed Rezk Jim Quigley Fredericton Email: jquigley@nbnet.nb.ca

Goguen Architecture Inc. 212 Queen Street, Suite 310 Fredericton, NB E3B 1A8 Tel: (506) 458-8220 Email: info@goguenarch.com Website: goguenarch.com Main Contact: Brent Stewart

3D Datacomm 14 Avery Street Hanwell, NB E3C 0E6 Tel: (506)462-6622 Email: mmilburn@3dav.ca Website: 3ddatacomm.ca Main Contact: Mike Milburn

Plume Financial Services Inc. 494 Queen Street, Ste 300 Fredericton, NB E3B 1B6 Tel: (506) 462-7260 Email: mikeplume@plumefinancial.ca Website: plumefinancial.ca Main Contact: Mike Plume

Innovative Medicines Canada 106 Portland Hills Drive Dartmouth, NS B2W 6L7 Tel: (902) 209-2442 Email: cstewart-walsh@imc-mnc.ca Website: innovativemedicines.ca Main Contact: Cheryl Walsh-Stewart

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FREDERICTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

Tina Tu - ca.shop.com/tina2019 88 Cambridge Street Fredericton, NB E3B 4N9 Email: tinatu3368@yahoo.ca Website: ca.shop.com/tina2019 Main Contact: Tina Tu Simms Home Hardware Building Centre 190 King Street Fredericton, NB E3B 1C9 Tel: (506) 454-4663 Email: sales@simmshomehardware.ca Website: homehardware.ca Main Contact: John Burgess Jarid Manning (Telus Business Solutions) 1381 Regent Street Fredericton, NB E3C 1A2 Tel: (506) 260-7537 Email: jarid.manning@telus.com Website: telus.com Main Contact: Jarid Manning

Continued on page 11

We’re pleased to announce that during 2019-2020, the Fredericton Chamber of Commerce hit the 1,000-member mark – which has been a long-time goal of chamber staff and board of directors and a significant benchmark amongst chambers throughout the country.

Shoppers Drug Mart Kings Place (Quinn Pharmacy Ltd.) joined the chamber in late December and officially became our 1,000th member.

Having strong membership numbers not only gives weight to our organization’s advocacy– we also take your strong support as a show of confidence in our efforts. Thank you to all of our members!

INSIGHT SUMMER 2020

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COVID-19

COVID- 19 Reflections and Recovery

by Krista Ross

L

ooking back at the first few months on the COVID-19 crisis, New Brunswickers should take pride in our collective response. We’ve been able to achieve best-case-scenario projections and are now seeing more benefits to that success. As Dr Russell has said, dealing with COVID-19 is not a linear process and we will be dealing with it to varying degrees for a long time to come - but this is still an important milestone and New Brunswickers should be proud of our collective efforts. We have made tangible progress by working together, following the advice of experts and taking decisive action. Let’s keep doing that.

Many groups, organizations and individuals deserve credit for putting New Brunswick in the relatively positive position we are in today. All levels of government have been responsive to the crisis – particularly the provincial government and its all-party provincial COVID-19 cabinet committee. The leadership of Dr Russell and the cooperation by all parties and political leaders through the crisis has set an example for all to follow.

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I am so proud of the business community’s response to COVID-19 - both because of their efforts to follow Public Health advice and contribute to our collective success and because of their adaptability, innovative efforts and resiliency that are core pieces of the entrepreneurial spirit.

I would also like to acknowledge the hard work of the province’s media members over the past months. I believe that keeping New Brunswickers informed throughout the crisis has been a key contributing factor to our success. I know it has been a relentless grind for many of you, but your efforts have not gone unnoticed!

Of course – none of the previously mentioned efforts would have mattered if citizens did not step up to do our part as individuals. This really is an #NBProud moment, and we can have many more of those in the future if we can harness this collectiveness that we are living and breathing right now.

These are still early days and there are many unknowns that will be with us for quite some time, but there have been a

few key observations that we shouldn’t let pass in the moment.

1. Government can make decisions and act more quickly than it usually does.

Being in crisis-mode with a State of Emergency in effect and unprecedented political cooperation are obviously the big factors to getting decisions made more quickly over the past two months.

Those won’t last, but that spirit of “getting things done” can – by doing more to empower the civil service once this is all over.

It has long been a concern of the private sector in New Brunswick that it is difficult to compete with government as an employer – this has led to many talented people moving to the public sector over the years. This means that the civil service is now full of talented people that are eager to use their experience, creativity, and passion.

2. There are opportunities to do things differently if we are properly motivated.

This is likely true across all government departments (and outside of government), but the two most obvious

COVID-19 and impacted are health and education.

It seems like for decades that there has been a consensus that both of these areas are in need of reform and modernization – but transformative action has not taken place. Now when pressed by the virus and State of Emergency both have responded with developing and implementing innovative solutions that can remain with us moving forward.

3. The relationship between the economy, the government’s finances, and its ability to deliver services are symbiotic and inextricably linked. In other words, in order to provide the services that New Brunswickers need and deserve - we must all be focused on economic growth and business success. That is a message that we have been delivering for many years and it will become clearer as the economic toll of the virus mounts. Government revenues will be strained and the only sustainable way to get back into a better financial position will be economic growth – so please continue to support your favourite local businesses. (The other two options are raising taxes and/

or cutting services – neither of which are appealing – and quite frankly, NB doesn’t have a lot of room left for either).

Moving forward, government should view business as more of a partner when it comes to policy making, program development and economic decision making. Get us in on the ground floor – consultation processes can often seem like the government checking off a box and the decisions have already been made. We can help guide processes that makes practical, real-world sense and help set realistic timelines. Businesses could have used more specific guidance on when we would be moving from one phase to another in order to prepare for opening.

4. We have to be forward-looking and leverage our strengths. The whole world is dealing with COVID-19 and facing many of the same struggles as we are in Canada and New Brunswick.

This is as close to a global reset and creating a “new normal” as we can ever expect to get. With our borders

being closed for the foreseeable future, we should soberly evaluate our strengths and challenges (most of which are well known) and plan to focus on what we do best throughout the various regions of the province.

Despite our isolation, New Brunswickers are feeling connected to a common purpose like has been rarely seen – I hope this continues throughout the recovery process and beyond.

As the reopening and recovery process continues to unfold and evolve, we cannot become complacent – Dr Russell has told us to expect setbacks, but we can continue to limit those through our collective actions. We also cannot become complacent when it comes to supporting our local businesses that are so central to what makes our communities great.

They will need our support now more than ever. And let’s not slip back into old ways of interacting with government – which can sometimes feel like a push/pull relationship – we now know that we can do better at pulling in the same direction with a common purpose, like we have been for the past months – let’s keep that momentum going!

NEW MEMBERS Fretwork Solutions 4 – 58 Regent Street Fredericton, NB E3B 3W4 Tel: (506) 470-6800 Email: brandyrivers@fretworksolutions.ca Website: fretworksolutions.ca Main Contact: Brandy Rivers Cojo Diving Inc. 158 Garden Grove Road Lincoln, NB E3B 7G8 Tel: (855) 646-2646 Email: cojodriving@gmail.com Website: cojodriving.com Main Contact: Connie Bishop Travelodge by Wyndam Fredericton 42 Chaparral Road Wasis, NB E3B 0G9 Tel: (506) 446-9077 Email: travelodgefredericton@gmail.com Website: travelodge.ca Main Contact: Miten Mavani

CAA Atlantic 50 Crowther Lane, Suite 140 Fredericton, NB E3C 0J1 Tel: (506) 230-1305 Email: msibbald@atlantic.ca Main Contact: Martyn Sibbald Shapethebusiness.app 50 Crowther Lane, Suite 140 Fredericton, NB E3C 0J1 Tel: (819) 213-9264 Email: epereira@shapethebusiness.app Website: shapethebusiness.app Main Contact: Elio Pereira Two Roads Consulting 50 Crowther Lane, Suite 140 Fredericton, NB E3C 0J1 Tel: (506) 440-6114 Email: luisa.flogeras@gmail.com Main Contact: Luisa Montoya

Zfort ICT 50 Crowther Lane, Suite 140 Fredericton, NB E3C 0J1 Tel: 3.80985E+11 Email: shekin@zfort.com Website: zfort.com Main Contact: Roman Shekin The Gap Group of Companies 122 Route 105 Keswick Ridge, NB E6L 1B1 Tel: (506) 363-9708 Email: info@gapauto.com Website: gapauto.com Main Contact: Bruce Gourley Barb Fletcher & Associates 157 Friel Street Fredericton, NB E3A 2P3 Tel: (506) 440-1440 Eamil: barb@barb-fletcher.com Website: barb-fletcher.com Main Contact: Barb Fletcher Continued on page 16

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#SUPPORTFREDLOCAL

• Use the hashtags #SupportFredLocal / #SoutenirFredLocalement where possible, and repost/share social media messages. We also encourage you to tag your *business agency – see list below.

• Display a #SupportFredLocal window decal in your place of business (Contact your business agency to get yours: Fredericton Chamber of Commerce, Business Fredericton North, Downtown Fredericton, Fredericton Tourism, Ignite Fredericton).

• Adhere a #SupportFredLocal sticker on your customers’ shopping bags.

• Incorporate a message in your email signature line i.e. Find out who’s open and how you can #SupportFredLocal businesses!

• Display the #SupportFredLocal logo on your website, and use the logo and webpage links in your digital communications. [English www. fredericton.ca/supportfredlocal and French www.fredericton.ca/ soutenirfredlocalement ] • Thank your customers for supporting local business to keep the message top of mind.

#SupportFredLocal initiative launched to encourage residents to buy local

by Laurie Guthrie, Civic Innovation, City of Fredericton

O

n April 30th, the City of Fredericton (Tourism), Fredericton Chamber of Commerce, Downtown Fredericton Inc, Business Fredericton North, and Ignite Fredericton launched a #SupportFredLocal partnership to encourage residents to buy from local businesses.

During the coming weeks, Frederictonians will see and hear various messaging designed to point residents to a dedicated #SupportFredLocal webpage www. fredericton.ca/supportfredlocal which directs residents to businesses that are open or offering alternative forms of purchase like online shopping, take-

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out, and delivery during COVID-19. This partnership bolsters the tremendous work of the agencies in serving their members and creating ‘open-for-business’ lists.

The #SupportFredLocal campaign’s key message is “Small businesses are the heartbeat of Fredericton’s vibrant community. Don’t let that fade away. Put your money where your heart is.” (see adjacent ad) Here’s some ideas on how you can help spread #SupportFredLocal awareness, and help us in creating a viral campaign on a local scale:

• Be creative with your #SupportFredLocal approach i.e. Hold a contest to drive patron traffic or use trivia to inform your customers about the jobs your business creates. For example, Taylor Printing Group is launching a business package (floor decal and thank you cards) designed to inform your customers about your economic impact in the business community.

With your help, we are confident this will be a successful campaign now, but also continuing into the future to drive #SupportFredLocal business! If you have an idea – feel free to share it by contacting the project manager laurie. guthrie@fredericton.ca. #SupportFredLocal is a Fredericton-centric initiative; however, if you are interested in sourcing local products throughout the province – please visit https://buylocalnb. ca/ and https://nbmade.ca/ .

FREDERICTON BUSINESSES

How Fredericton’s businesses are adapting during the COVID-19 pandemic

by Andrew Lockhart, Economic Development Specialist, Ignite Fredericton

I

am by no means an interviewer. But when a global COVID-19 pandemic was declared, our businesses were impacted, and I wanted to hear what they had to say. From day one, we’ve been bombarded with information – from government, businesses, and the general public – on new programs for businesses, updates on the pandemic, and other changes.

This wealth of information has made it difficult to know which businesses were still open. That is why I started Locked In with Lockhart, a web series where our local businesses can share how they’ve been impacted by COVID-19, and how they’ve adapted during the pandemic.

During each interview, these businesses have shared the difficulties they are facing, as well as what they’ve done to overcome these challenges. For example, some businesses are facing significant revenue loss, but continue to get up every day and work to overcome during these unprecedented times.

While each entrepreneur had their own unique stories and challenges, they also share some commonalities: 1) Community support: One of the biggest reasons I started this web series was to help spread the word about our businesses in the Fredericton community. I found that often, if I spoke with someone and asked,

did you know this business is open and operating right now? they often had no idea. However, once I began speaking with business owners, many shared encouraging stories about customers and community members who reached out and offered to help.

For example, Betty Blanchard of My Closet Consignment accidentally double sold the same product, and was told to “hold on to the money, I’ll eventually find something else.”

2) Competition? Not now: Over the past few years, I’ve read many business plans and seen many presentations.

All of them included a section about competition. Every business owner is aware of their direct and indirect competitors. However, during these interviews, I’ve noted that competition was not important to these business owners. In fact, many of them were working to help the competition. For example, Adam Clawson of Red Rover developed DrinkNB, a website that has brought together the province’s craft breweries, regardless of the fact that they were competitors. Another example is Chef Naz of Caribbean Flavas, who reached out to other restaurants to ask how they were doing, saying, “We are all in this together.” It has been quite impressive to see all of these businesses put their

competition aside and work together to get through these unprecedented times.

3) Perseverance and positivity: We often hear about entrepreneurial perseverance, and how business owners can work through difficult times. With COVID-19, we are seeing that on a massive scale, whether through lay-offs, revenue drops, and uncertain times. Despite this, every business owner I’ve spoken with has maintained determination and more importantly, positivity. This positivity was demonstrated through their ability to adapt their business models and plans. When I interviewed Silas Robinson of Lift Personal Fitness, he said “The effort that could go into trying to make something temporary, that effort could be better focused into working on your business and your business procedures”. Many business owners had that same positive attitude in that these changes, while difficult, will lead into more efficiencies and opportunities. I believe Adam Clawson said it best: “They say when you put enough pressure and heat on a stone, you make a diamond. I think COVID-19 is the heat and pressure and I think that every business has some part of their business that is a stone they can make a diamond out of.”

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VACATION

It’s time to vacation…in your own backyard!

by Fredericton Tourism

T

here has never been a more opportune time to explore Fredericton. This summer is all about appreciating the wonders right outside your front door in our beautiful city!

New Brunswick’s capital city has so much going for it – an inspiring blend of culture, nature and history spanning trails, city sidewalks and outdoor public spaces. Not to mention our culinary gems and craft brew scene.

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Art is at the Heart Fredericton has a vibrant arts community with awe-inspiring galleries, the likes of the Beaverbrook Art Gallery, Gallery 78 and Gallery on Queen. But art in Fredericton expands into the great outdoors with public art spanning both sides of the city, more than 30 pieces to explore!

VACATION Live the History Take a few steps back in time and make some history of your own at Kings Landing! Only 20 minutes from Fredericton, Kings Landing is a living history museum depicting 19th century rural life. Situated on 300 acres, you can learn about life as it was through the costumed villagers as they work and play. There are about 90,000 artifacts - one of the largest collections in Atlantic Canada!

Take Advantage of Patio Season Patio season is here, and it is the perfect time to finally dine at some of our favourite local restos! Fredericton is blessed with an abundance of culinary delights to choose from and let’s not forget sipping our favourite beverage! If you’re a craft beer enthusiast, be sure to check out the new Fredericton Taproom Trail! Featuring 11 local taprooms you can enjoy the individual varieties with the added bonus of collecting swag along the way!

Boasting over 25 local craft producers, there is good reason that Fredericton has been tagged Atlantic Canada’s Craft Brewing Capital!

Natural Playground Known as one of the city’s crown jewels, Fredericton is blessed with a sprawling 120 km trail system, a network that meanders along the beautiful Saint John River. Whether you are a walker, biker or a runner, the trail system guarantees one thing: lots of photo ops (the walking bridge at sunset makes for a great shot!).

Be sure to pick up a copy of the Fredericton Trail Guide and find your own path!

Narrowing down the fun experiences in Fredericton to only a few highlights was a tough job! And with the ever-changing landscape of businesses beginning to open, your best bet is to visit TourismFredericton.ca for up-to-date inspiration to help with your summer planning.

Want to get up close and personal with the Saint John River?

Rent a canoe, kayak or paddleboard from Second Nature Outdoors. Or experience Atlantic Canada’s only houseboat rentals with Lakeway Houseboats.

Markets & Local Shops Fredericton is well known for its markets and the variety of seasonal produce grown locally. A staple of the city’s market scene, the Fredericton Boyce Farmers Market is a must stop for locals, with a variety of food and handmade products. Don’t forget to check out the Cultural Market in its new location downtown on King Street (former Read’s), it has a wide array of international foods and gift items.

Fredericton is home to the most working artisans per capita in Canada, so it comes as no surprise that it is easy to find oneof-a-kind treasures throughout the city. With local hand-crafted artisans shops you will find everything from pewter to pottery, jewellery, textiles and more!

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NEW MEMBERS

NEW BRUNSWICK BIOSCIENCE

Classic Stoves & Fireplaces 1715 Route 640 Hanwell, NB E3C 2B9 Tel: (506) 454-4328 Email: billing@classicstoves.net Website: classicstoves.net Main Contact: Cindy Connors

New Brunswick Bioscience Steps Up

by Andrew Byrne, Marketing and Communications Director, BioNB

A

s the COVID-19 crisis continues to impact worldwide economies, highlighting logistical and knowledge gaps in areas such as healthcare and food security, innovators worldwide continue advocating for rapid change. Here in New Brunswick, our bioscience companies have stepped up.

LuminUltra Technologies, based out of Fredericton under Pat Whalen’s leadership, is well known outside the province in international markets. Founded in 1995, they are a molecular diagnostic testing company headquartered in Fredericton with operations in six countries. Despite having dozens of Fortune 500 customers, they have not been well known in New Brunswick...They are “a global firm with customers and sales network partners spanning from North America to Asia and all points in between. Since our initial launch in 2003, we’ve converted our line of test kits into solutions tailored to specific applications for monitoring and controlling microbes in drinking water, manufacturing industries, energy applications and wastewater treatment.”

However, they were not so well known in New Brunswick… that is, until the Prime Minister mentioned their name live on national television.

After Prime Minister Trudeau put out the call for Canadian businesses to step up in any way they could and several regional organizations began to shift their operations to meet the need, LuminUltra stepped up almost immediately after they concluded that they could help in a big way. They began contacting the people they knew could help, including BioNB. “We responded immediately to the Prime Minister’s call to action to join in the fight against this virus by refocusing our team to develop the critical reagents

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needed for COVID-19,” said LuminUltra Chairman and CEO Pat Whalen. “We are now producing and delivering 500,000 tests per week over the coming year, which is a crucial step towards defeating the pandemic, protecting Canadians and alleviating the human cost of this disease”. As Pat said during an economic town hall event, the government representatives are so busy, that Mr. Whalen “that weekend, probably spoke to about 120 people.” He was able to get a hold of the right people and the company and country have since benefitted.

With the help of a few government departments, LuminUltra is now capable of providing 500,000 COVID-19 tests/ week nationwide while also expanding their operational facilities and increasing employment along the way.

Innovation has been important in New Brunswick and in Fredericton for some time now. The city has won awards and gained international attention. Whether it be in cyber security or in the biosciences, our region has the capability to do even more. The lessons we learn today, will help guide us towards, what, we at BioNB hope, is a more sustainable and even brighter future for Fredericton and the province. The bioscience organizations that BioNB supports are at the forefront of new technology in health care, agriculture, and value-added/waste-todollars processes. These organizations can and have already helped us weather unexpected shocks and will continue as we move forward out of this pandemic.

We are all in this together! Thanks to the tireless efforts of organizations such as LuminUltra, we will get through this uncertain time together and even find opportunity to contribute, grow and thrive.

Colbr Consulting Inc. 31 Mill Street Fredericton, NB E3A 4L5 Tel: (506) 261-4511 Email: chelseapasch@colbr.ca Website: colbr.ca Main Contact: Chelsea Pasch Earthworks Landscaping & Design Inc. 230 Hodgson Road, Unit 5 Fredericton, NB E3C 2G4 Tel: (506) 454-4769 Email: alex@theearthworks.ca Website: theearthworks.ca Main Contact: Alex Brennan Jani-King of NB & PEI PO Box 4671 Rothesay, NB E2E 5X4 Tel: (506) 848-5464 Email: michelle.macdonald@janiking.ca Website: janiking.ca/newbrunswickpei Main Contact: Robert McNamara Safety Source Industrial 518 St. Mary’s Street Fredericton, NB E3A 8H5 Tel: (506) 453-1995 Email: c.kerr@mmfss.ca Website: safetysourceindustrial.ca Main Contact: Chris Kerr

Your Ad Could Be Here call Wendy at 506-458-8006 or email fchamber@ frederictonchamber.ca

RESILIENCE

Resilience for Today’s World

by Rachel Clarke, University of New Brunswick

I

n the current climate it can be challenging to take care of ourselves when there are so many conflicting demands being placed upon us. However, wouldn’t we all be better equipped to handle our new, shifting rolls if we had a toolbox of proactive skills to draw upon when needed? This is where resilience comes into play and with a few quick tricks we can all start living in a more proactive way.

Have you stopped recently and asked yourself how you’re really doing? Not the generic response you give to colleagues when they ask but the real, honest self-check in. How am I doing assessment. What feelings / emotions do I currently possess?

Why am I feeling these emotions? How am I dealing with my feelings? Or the more honest…Am I dealing with my feelings?

It’s very easy in the current climate to want to focus on only the positive and ignore anything that makes you experience the world in a negative way. However, if you prevent yourself from feeling those emotions they will eventually sneak up on you and quite possibly when you least want them to (ie. grocery store melt down, Zoom call explosion, etc). Similar to choosing to ignore the leaky kitchen pipe and only look at your beautiful kitchen plants does not mean the leak has resolved itself; the same goes for our emotions. Ignoring emotions does not make them go away. Unless we are honest about how, what, and why we are feeling we cannot work thought the emotion.

Right now, it is 100% OKAY to feel mad, angry, sad, anxious, guilt, joy, gratitude, peaceful, etc. Whatever you are feeling

today, tomorrow, a week from now is valid and the right thing.

Learning to accept and process how you are feeling is the first proactive tool to add to your personal resilience toolbox.

Processing our emotions on our own is great but why not invite others to join a conversation? Developing a network of people, we can trust is key to our sense of community and belonging.

Having individuals, we can turn to for laughs, share our wins with, and when we are struggling are people whom we have a social connection to is important. The key in developing social connection is having another person or persons in which you’re engaging in regular meaningful conversation. Deeper level than “I’m fine, how have you been?” type conversations. These connections aren’t just for us however, they are an excellent opportunity for us to check in on the ones we love. With today’s climate building a strong community where we support each other is how we move forward, stronger together. That’s why social connection is the second proactive tool to add to your toolbox Some additional tools to look into: • Developing a routine • Sleep hygiene • Rethinking Stress We are all learning how to navigate our new world; by being kinder and gentler with ourselves we will make it through, together.

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2020

Here are some of the member to member deals the Fredericton Chamber of Commerce offers to you and your employees to save on costs and encourage local shopping. For the complete list of savings, check out http://business.frederictonchamber.ca/marketspace

RV World Receive $50 off a rental of any RV product.

Algonquin Resort Relax by the fire, splash in the indoor pool, speed down the waterslide, indulge at Braxton’s...

Experience the Reimagined Algonquin at our exclusive Fredericton Chamber of Commerce rate starting at $139 per night* Please call 1-855-529-8698 to book online at algonquinresort.com using promo code 1KH *Rate based on double occupancy and availability.

Member rates starting at $129 to April 30, 2020 $189 May 1 - Oct 31, 2020 $139 Nov 1-Dec 30, 2020 Membership ID required at check-in

Golf NB Receive $10 off the regular price of the Golf NB 2 for 1 card.

Hilton Garden Inn Fredericton Downtown 10% discount on food purchase in Pickle Jar or Southside Shake

OK Tire & Auto Service – Rod Hussey’s Auto Repair Receive a 5% discount on the next tire and steel wheel purchase (labour not included).

Amazon Pools and Spas Inc. Receive the following discounts: $100 off Above Ground Pools $125 off Hot Tubs or free GFCI or Steps $200 off in ground pools or free solar blanket 10% on pools accessories at regular price Free water testing.

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KKP Kwik Kopy Printing Chamber members receive 50% off their first business card order.

Sharief Aesthetics We offer 30% of regular prices for all our services To members of the Fredericton Chamber of Commerce

Serenity Wellness Inc. Chamber Special Rate on Massage Show your Chamber member card to receive our membership rate on massage therapy without the commitment.

One hour massage for $70, HST included, a savings of $15. This is valid with all RMTs of Serenity Wellness

Volvo Cars New Brunswick Receive $400 discount on any New or Certified Preowned Vehicle Purchased Free Vehicle Wash with Every Service Visit Preferred Courtesy Car Access M2M Special Offer Only!

THE CHAMBER BUZZ Our February Business After Hours was hosted by Naveco Power who is celebrating four years in business!

Greener Village hosted the Fredericton Business Over Breakfast with a fantastic breakfast spread.

Pluris Consulting presented a boardroom session on How Swim Lane Diagrams Can Improve Your Processes.

The New Brunswick Association for Community Living hosted a community hour for members to tell them about the impact they have in the community and how others can get involved.

March’s Business After Hours was hosted at RBC on Queen St where our members learned about the New Brunswick Medical Education Foundation.

The 2020 Curling Funspiel was held at the Capital Winter Club in March and was a blast for everyone involved.

Due to COVID-19 all events have been on hold since mid-March. However, during this time the Chamber has been putting on numerous webinars that you can check out at https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL6abA2OuQvHn_cxirzwCMsxHcrqP_-U-r Thank you to all the presenters of these webinars including The Chapman Group, The Ginger Agency, Connors Stilwell, McInnes Cooper, Symplicity Designs, Beauceron Security, Porter O’Brien, Deloitte and UNB TME Program.

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COREY INSURANCE AD