ELCA PRESIDIUM AND THE FUTURE OF GREEN
GARDEN CENTRES BLOSSOM INTO YEAR-ROUND HUBS
CYBER SECURITY IS ONLY PART OF THE EQUATION CAN RESISTANCE BE BRED INTO BOXWOODS?
CiB CELEBRATES 30TH IN BEAUTIFUL PEI
ONGOING CHANGES TO THE TFWP
GREENWASHING: PROTECT YOUR BUSINESS
HAMILTON FOREST GREENER THROUGH GCF PARTNERSHIP
ATLANTIC ASSOCIATIONS’ HARMONIZATION AGREEMENT
HORTEAST 2024 SEES RECORD GROWTH
The CNLA is proud to be part of the official event program of the Canada Pavilion at the 29th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP29), held at Baku Olympic Stadium in Baku, Azerbaijan from November 11-22, 2024. This was a unique opportunity to highlight the diversity of Canadian action on climate change, and to collaborate with climate leaders and actors from around the world.
During a November 20 presentation titled “Greener Cities, Cleaner Air, and Healthier People - Where is the Tipping Point?” panelists discussed why plants and natural solutions are pivotal in urban settings, and how integrating green spaces and nature-based solutions can mitigate the negative impacts of climate change. CNLA 2nd-Vice President Alan White introduced the Clean Air Calculator, a tool designed to illustrate the impact of green spaces. By providing the end user with tangible numbers to show the environmental impact of trees, shrubs and lawns, the Clean Air Calculator provides a snapshot of how small changes to our personal environment can create positive impacts that add up to a greener, healthier urban climate.
On October 23, the CNLA attended the United Nations’ sixteenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP16) Convention on Bio Diversity in Cali, Colombia. This is the second Convention on Bio Diversity CNLA has attended, the first was in Montreal in 2022 as a guest of the International Association of Horticultural Producers (AIPH). CNLA is honoured to have once again received observer status for this multi-day event.
President Bill Hardy, CLHM - BC
Past President Anthony O’Neill - NL
Vice President, Communications Committee Chair Anita Heuver - AB
Second Vice President, Climate Change Adaptation Chair Alan White - ON
Treasurer, Professional Development & Human Resources Chair Jeff Foley, CLHT, CLHM - BC
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
BCNLA Heike Stippler, CLD - BC
Landscape AB Jeff Oudyk - AB
Landscape SK Leslie Cornell - SK
MBNLA Guy Dowhy, RSE, CLHT, CLHM - MB
Landscape ON Lindsay Drake Nightingale - ON
Landscape NS David Thompson - NS
Garden Centres Canada Chair Robin Godfrey - NS
Landscape NB/PEI, Member Services Chair, Insurance Chair Kevin Nauss, CLHM - NB
Landscape NL Peggy Head - NL
Landscape Canada Committee Chair Peter Guinane - ON
Research Chair Phil Paxton CLHM, CLHT - AB
Government Relations Chair Christine LeVatte CLHM, CLD - NS
Growers Canada Chair Stuart Gillies - NB
CNLA STAFF
Executive Director Victor Santacruz, CLHM, CAE victor@cnla-acpp.ca
Deputy Executive Director Rebecca Doutre, CLHM, CAE rebecca@cnla-acpp.ca
Finance Manager Cheryl Gall, CAE cheryl@cnla-acpp.ca
Communications Manager Dave Mazur dave@cnla-acpp.ca
Policy & Stakeholder Manager Leslie Sison, CAE leslie@cnla-acpp.ca
Member Services & Administration Manager Nicole Xavier nicole@cnla-acpp.ca
Garden Centre, HR & PDC Specialist Anne Kadwell, CLHT anne@cnla-acpp.ca
Administrative Services Catie Cane catie@cnla-acpp.ca
Member Services Coordinator Cathy Scott cathy@cnla-acpp.ca
Policy Coordinator & CNCI, COPF Edith Oyosoro edith@cnla-acpp.ca
Growers & Research Specialist Jamie Aalbers jamie@cnla-acpp.ca
Events Specialist & Communications Coordinator Lauryn Mullan lauryn@cnla-acpp.ca
Content & Design Coordinator Sarah McIntosh sarah@cnla-acpp.ca
CiB & GCF
Program Specialist Sonia Parrino sonia@cnla-acpp.ca
Media Coordinator Stuart Service stuart@cnla-acpp.ca
Landscape Priorities Specialist & GCF Program Coordinator Teagan Schroeder teagan@cnla-acpp.ca
CiB & GCF
Program Coordinator Vivian Shum vivian@cnla-acpp.ca
BY CHRISTINE LEVATTE, CLHT
The European Landscape Contractors Association (ELCA) Fall 2024 Presidium was held in conjunction with the Future Green City Congress in the city of Utrecht, Netherlands. Jointly produced and hosted by International Association of Horticultural Producers (AIPH), World Urban Parks, International Federation of Municipal Engineers and the Royal association of Gardeners and Landscapers (VHG), this conference included 30 participating Associations representing 58 countries.
The combination of events provided a unique opportunity for CNLA Committee Chairs from Landscape Canada, Government Relations and
Climate Adaptation to share, learn and align on our Canadian sector issues on a global scale.
Attendees representing the CNLA included President, Bill Hardy, Alan White, Christine LeVatte, and Peter Guinane.
The three days of the Future Green City Program covered topics that included case studies of city initiatives including building urban parks, software to inventory street trees, engaging grassroot volunteers, creative storm water management, asset management of urban green infrastructure and growing food in the city. A broad range of
attendees included city employees, government representatives, allied associations and industry business owners of which many were growers, landscape contractors, landscape architects and designers. This broad range of expertise made for lively, informative engagement with diverse opinions and experiences.
With the passing of the EU Nature Restoration Law, an ELCA initiative to engage with their member businesses on these fast-moving opportunities and the global efforts focused on nature-based solutions, biodiversity and green assets, it is clear that the CNLA and its member businesses are in key positions to optimize this market.
July 6-9, 2025 Winnipeg, MB
The Garden Centres Canada Summit 2025 will be held in Winnipeg, Manitoba, offering a prime networking and educational opportunity for independent garden centre owners, entrepreneurs, and senior leaders in the industry. Participants will gather to discuss the latest trends, explore new patterns, and share innovative ideas.
Over the course of three days, attendees will tour local garden centres, growers, have a tourist adventure and engage in a full day of sessions led by industry experts.
Don’t wait! Contact Anne Kadwell at anne@canadanursery.com to get on the waitlist!
Scan for more info!
BY STUART SERVICE & ANNE KADWELL, CLHT
The seasonality of a garden centre business is focused on making the most of the peak growing season, accumulating most of their annual revenues during the spring and summer period. However, this limited sales window continues to widen as more independent garden centres across Canada discover successful ways to make it economically viable to keep their stores open during the “shoulder season” from September until April.
By creating a year-round destination shopping experience, garden centres are drawing customers in by hosting workshops, expanding product inventory, and organizing fun and enterprising community events.
A great example are the many events hosted at Greenland Garden Centre in Sherwood Park, Alberta. These include an Indoor Gardening Day in February with seminars and in-store specials, and a Howl-ween Pooch Parade in October, when customers dress up their pets in support of a local animal shelter. And the fashion shows, which have been going on since 2010, continue to be as popular as they are profitable. Greenland currently hosts shows twice a year during the bookends of the gardening season in March and September.
“Both are much anticipated by our customers and sell out quickly every time,” said Greenland General Manager Patti Ambrock. “Our fashion buyer Sharon plans specific outfits to be featured and sets aside a portion of clothing inventory to be showcased exclusively at the event. The models are Greenland’s very own staff members who also work on the sales floor after the show.”
Registration fees, as well as raffle draws throughout the evening, go towards a local womens’ shelter. Attendees also receive a complimentary glass of wine.
“It has become a fun evening out for so many of our customers that many attend year after year.”
In Spruce Grove, AB, Kiwi Nurseries Ltd. has embraced putting on multiple events throughout the year, including an Easter Egg Hunt, Craft Beer Night, and Christmas Walk. But far and away the biggest draw is the Kiwi’s Haunted House. In August, Kiwi staff build a seven-foottall skeleton to start promoting the month-long event. Every weekend in October, the garden centre welcomes between 500 to 1,500 people every night.
“We charge admission, or a donation to the Parkland Food Bank gets you entry,” said Kiwi Nurseries’ garden centre coordinator Ashleigh Munro. Guests can skip
the lines by purchasing a speed pass, which costs three times the price, “and people are quite happy to have that option as well.”
The haunted house starts earlier in the night, when kids under 6 get in for free. There are no actors in the haunted house creating jump-scares, allowing younger families a chance to enjoy a more subtle-scare experience.
As the night goes and it gets darker outside, the atmosphere “gets scarier and scarier.”
Kiwi’s Haunted House is so popular that traffic often backs up on the nearby Yellowhead Highway. The October event has become such a defining part of the business that many customers who drive by in the summer are surprised to discover “that haunted house place” is a huge, 200-acre garden centre and nursery grower that has been in business for 45 years.
Jardin Hamel near Quebec City creates an annual, sixweek event called Papillons en Fête. Staff set up a huge, 1,000-square-meter aviary where more than 15,000 butterflies from over 35 species flutter about the plant material. With the timing of the event coinciding with March Break, and with tickets costing only up to $9, this low-cost wintertime event has become a hit for families. “This aviary is set up in a tropical style, with orchids, flowers, and tropical plants, and there are thousands and thousands of butterflies flying freely,” said Francois Parent, co-owner of Jardin Hamel.
Leanne Johnson, president of Canada GardenWorks Ltd., frequently works with businesses in the communities local to her 10 store locations in British Columbia. They host meetings for garden clubs and special holiday events for the clients of realtors.
Jordan and Debbie Hiebert from Lacoste Garden Centre in Winnipeg say their store’s customer experience requires multiple reasons to visit. “We always make sure there’s three things on the go – there’s always got to be three reasons to visit us and not just one,” Jordan said. “We always have clothing at our boutique, tropical plants, pottery, and accessories for the home garden. And we always have coffee.”
“We’d invite them to the store, have music, snacks, beverages, and the realtor is there welcoming them and providing them a nice holiday gift,” she said.
They’ve done similar exclusive events for VIP customers to give them a chance to see new merchandise and to feel valued. They’ve also hosted financial institutions to invite-only parties that include hands-on workshops. “We just had to provide the expertise and passion,” she added. “That was easy.”
Art Vanden Enden spent his 44-year career working in, managing and leading independent garden centres in the Greater Toronto Area. Even though a garden centre may not be profitable during the winter months, “the value of retaining experienced employees in a small business is immense,” he said.
“A well-organized, progressive garden centre will use staff resources to paint, to build, to renovate, to train, to invest in all sorts of things that can make your garden centre more attractive and run more efficiently once you get into April and the floodgates open,” Art continued.
“The things you can do to ready for that are important, and that’s the beauty of January, February and March. If you use the time wisely, you can have significant operational improvements.”
Another reason to stay open in the wintertime is that providing an indoor, tropical oasis where customers can browse amongst the water features creates an escape from the dreary weather.
“It allows customers to maybe pick up one, two, three plants and bring a little bit of that colour and sunshine
related to trending gardening topics, Olsen said that one of the most beneficial aspects of year-round store hours is that it’s greatly improved staff retention.
back home with them,” he said, adding that garden centres can be “An oasis at your doorstep in the wintertime for a lot of people.”
Discovering niche events that bring people in is an ongoing process that may require some trial and error, as every garden centre has a demographic that differs from place to place.
“Discovering the type of event that works in your area can only occur by trying something new,” said Garden Centres Canada Chair Robin Godfrey. “This fall andwinter, take a step outside of the box and give workshops and community events a try, as they may end up being a hit.”
BY MARSH CANADA
Cyber security Awareness Month 2024 urged us to “secure our world,” but doing so requires more than just technical measures. The risks organizations face today are continuous, evolving, and far-reaching, demanding constant vigilance.
While technical defenses – like firewalls, anti-malware systems, and encryption protocols – are essential, cyber risk goes beyond cyber security. It encompasses everything from security controls to internal vulnerabilities, organizational readiness and resilience. Yet too few organizations give cyber risk the priority it requires.
As we move beyond Cyber Security Awareness Month, now is the perfect time to build on its foundations by creating a comprehensive plan that addresses cyber security as part of the broader topic of cyber risk – a vital business risk that must be managed with a multi-pronged insurance, mitigation, and resilience approach.
Too often, organizations rely entirely on technical defenses to keep their data safe. For example, a company might have state-of-the-art cyber security tools to protect against breaches or system failures, but lack a clear incident response plan that assigns roles and responsibilities for when one happens, leading to avoidable business disruptions. It’s like preparing for a natural disaster – recovery is just as important as prevention.
Effective cyber risk management takes a holistic view, addressing everything from security controls to human behavior, which may be the weakest link. Human error remains a significant cause of cyber incidents, but it can be reduced with regular internal training and by fostering a culture of cyber awareness. Organizations that broaden their focus are better positioned to mitigate the fallout from a cyber event.
Managing cyber risk effectively requires a proactive, multi-layered approach. Promoting good cyber hygiene across the organization is one of the simplest yet most effective measures. This includes basics like multi-factor authentication, secure data storage, and regular updates
to software and hardware systems. Training staff to recognize phishing attempts and suspicious activity also plays a key role in preventing breaches.
When adopting new technologies, such as artificial intelligence, organizations must take a long-term view. Too often, vulnerabilities are embedded in systems because security was an afterthought. Involving cyber security professionals from the start of a new technology project may help ensure that these tools are integrated into the overall security framework.
Preparedness also means having a robust incident response plan that not only contains damage during a breach or system failure, but ensures the business can recover quickly too. Without proper response strategies, even minor incidents can cause major disruptions.
Cyber insurance is a vital layer of protection. It allows organizations to better manage their risk balance sheet, helps with compliance targets, and may provide financial support for breach and other incident remediation.
A good cyber insurance policy can cover everything from business interruption and extortion to risks stemming from key suppliers. The financial impact of a data breach or system failure can be crippling, so insurance helps organizations recover by providing resources that may help rebuild. It gives businesses an extra level of confidence that they are managing potential risks.
It’s also important to tailor insurance policies to an organization’s specific needs. Policies can be customized to include first-party coverage for immediate response costs and third-party coverage for liability to customers or partners.
Cyber risk is not just a technical problem; it’s a business problem. By promoting good cyber hygiene, planning for new technologies responsibly, partnering with trusted advisors, and securing the right insurance, organizations can build a strategy that instills confidence. While the risks are real, potential solutions are within reach. With the right approach, businesses can better secure their world every day of the year.
BY JAMIE AALBERS, B.Sc. (Agr) Hort
Pests and diseases continually challenge all of us when growing and maintaining ornamental plants, whether we are growing them on our nursery or in our landscapes. Boxwood, or Buxus, species are no exception and when boxwood blight was first reported in Europe in the early 1990s, selection and breeding programs were initiated to identify and develop plants resistant to boxwood blight. Although it took significant time and dedication, four Better Boxwood varieties that exhibit boxwood blight resistance have recently been introduced. With the introduction and spread of box tree moth into Europe and North America, it seems natural that breeding programs will shift to focus on developing boxwood varieties that exhibit resistance to box tree moth (BTM).
CNLA’s New Plant Development Committee (NPDC) has had multiple discussions on this topic over the past couple of years and this past spring contracted Dr Daryl Somers to conduct a literature review on the topic of breeding BTM resistant boxwood. The committee was interested in the feasibility of using genetic modification to insert the Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) toxin gene into the boxwood genome as one method for resistance breeding and asked that the process be investigated and outlined in the report.
Historically, Buxus breeding has relied on chance seedlings and sport mutations to derive new varieties, or relied on open pollination of Buxus collections to generate seedlings. Sheridan Nurseries introduced three varieties in the early to mid 1970’s (Green Gem, Green Mountain, Green Velvet) which were interspecific hybrids of B. sempervirens x B. microphylla var. Koreana. B. sempervirens is native to Europe, northwest Africa and southwest Asia while B. microphylla is native to Japan and Korea. The Sheridan varieties are grown extensively here in Canada, as they are some of the few varieties in the market that combine winter hardiness with the valuable aesthetic ornamental traits.
Currently there are three Buxus breeding programs of note – Herplant in Belgium (Better Buxus), Saunders Genetics in Virginia (NewGen) and USDA-ARS program at the national arboretum in Beltsville MD.
Dr Didier Hermans of Herplant began breeding Buxus in 2007. They have bred a large collection of hybrids that are interspecific crosses between B. sempirvirens and different B. microphylla subspecies of Asian origin.
Although not breeding specifically for BTM resistance, Herplant tested several Buxus genotypes for BTM resistance which included the four-boxwood blight resistant varieties – ‘Renaissance’; ‘Skylight’; ‘Heritage’; and ‘Babylon Beauty’. Once BTM larvae developed into caterpillars on the plants, they were able to determine the % dead vs live caterpillars. The new varieties showed a remarkably high percentage of caterpillar mortality whereas B. sempirvirens remained a good food source for caterpillars. These tests concluded that Asian Buxus
species and the 4 hybrid varieties 1) showed less pupae forming, 2) showed a high number of dead caterpillars and 3) remained relatively green in field tests under BTM pressure.
Since they were not directly breeding for BTM resistance, these results were simply a side effect of using Asian species in their hybrid development and selecting hard for blight resistance. Similarly, the use of Asian boxwood parentage in the Saunders program is present with the intent to develop resistance to both BTM and blight. The USDA program was not working on BTM resistance and is focused heavily on blight resistance and other performance features. However, they have recruited a Post Doctoral researcher to begin work on genetic modification for BTM resistance.
The obvious modification would be to add the Bt toxin expression into Buxus that would provide resistance to BTM just as the Bt spray does. Genetic modification involves the insertion of a specific DNA sequence (a gene) into the cells of the receptor plant to introduce the expression of that gene and thus change the traits of the plant. In regard to BTM resistance in Buxus, one could imagine introducing the gene for Bt toxin into Buxus and have Bt toxin expressed to eliminate BTM larvae.
First, the receptor plant should be amenable to tissue culture and invitro propagation methods. The second step is introducing the gene sequence typically via agrobacterium infection or particle bombardment. Particle bombardment is coating microscopic gold particles with the gene sequence and ‘shooting’ the particles at the tissue to be modified. Finally, the sections of the cultured tissues or single cells that have stably incorporated the gene into their genome would need to be amplified. This involves invitro growth followed by conversion into plantlets with roots/shoots using various hormone treatments that could then be transplanted to soil and eventually clonally propagated by cuttings. These cuttings would then be grown into plants that could be lab and field tested for BTM resistance.
As can be seen, classical breeding or genetic modification will be a slow process. Is it worth the commitment and effort, and who is willing to invest the resources into this long-term project? As mentioned earlier, CNLA’s NPDC is currently having those discussions, based on Dr Somer’s review and further investigations with other tissue culture labs and breeders. It’s likely others are having similar discussions.
30th
BY STUART SERVICE
The 30th edition of Communities in Bloom’s National Symposium and Awards ceremonies brought 147 delegates from more than 40 communities across Canada and around the world to the City of Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island from October 17-20.
Members from East Coast Art Party were busy working on a beautiful, flowery chalk art display outside the waterfront Delta Hotels Prince Edward throughout October 17, finishing just in time for the opening reception where delegates connected with familiar faces and new friends.
The morning of October 18 had insightful keynote speakers from the City of Charlottetown. Simon
Wilmot highlighted the vital work of restoring urban forests in the aftermath of Post-tropical Storm Fiona in 2022. The morning concluded with a panel led by Katrina Cristall on building a resilient local food system.
Various municipal- and community-lead projects were featured during four technical tour stops in and around Charlottetown. Delegates visited the MacPhail Woods Ecological Forestry Project & Native Plant Nursery, delving into inspiring work in forest stewardship, wildlife enhancement, and watershed protection. The next stop at the Farm Centre Legacy Garden showcased the power of sustainable agriculture and local food production. The group then got a tour of a net-zero City of
Charlottetown building, powered by geothermal heating and rooftop solar panels. The technical tour concluded at Wright’s Creek Watershed & Andrew’s Pond, a peaceful walk that highlighted ongoing efforts to conserve and enhance wildlife habitats right within city limits.
The busy day was capped with the Community Showcase at the PEI Brewing Company, honouring the hard work and dedication of the Communities in Bloom participants in the Atlantic Edition, National Edition and International Challenge.
October 19 began with keynote speakers, with Steve Bellamy sharing details about upgrades to cultural hub that is the South Pavilion at the Confederation Centre of the Arts. A panel discussion about the techniques and benefits of gardening with native species was introduced by surprise special guest, PEI Senator Mary Robinson.
The surprises continued while led on a walking tour of the beautiful art installations throughout Charlottetown, when CiB delegates were treated to performance art at Victoria Row with a flash mob by Thriller PEI, who performed the classic 1982 anthem to raise money for local food banks.
The night concluded with the Atlantic, National & International Awards Ceremony and Dinner, honouring the dedication and achievements of communities from across Canada, Ireland, Italy, Hungary, and the USA.
“On behalf of our national Board of Directors, our volunteer judges, sponsors, and partners, I sincerely thank and congratulate all the communities that have participated in the CiB provincial, national, and international programs in this, our 30th year,” said CiB National Chair Susan Ellis.
Next year’s CiB Symposium will take place in Stratford, Ontario on October 16-19.
Scan this QR code for the full list of winners:
Jamie Aalbers, jamie@cnla-acpp.ca
Nicole Xavier, Member Services & Administration Manager nicole@cnla-acpp.ca www.cnla.ca
Anne Kadwell, Garden Centres, HR & PDC Speacialist anne@cnla-acpp.ca www.cnla.ca
Anne Kadwell, Garden Centre, HR & PDC Speacialist anne@cnla-acpp.ca www.cnla.ca
Anne Kadwell, Garden Centre, HR & PDC Speacialist anne@cnla-acpp.ca www.cnla.ca
Leslie Sison, Policy & Stakeholder Manager leslie@cnla-acpp.ca www.cnla.ca
Stuart Service, Media Coordinator stuart@cnla-acpp.ca www.cnla.ca
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BY LESLIE SISON, CAE
As we head into the winter, we continue to see more changes being made to the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP). Many of these changes signal a strong indication that the program is going to be more restricted and harder to access. This is happening in light of a very political environment and has been alluded to in messaging from Randy Boissonnault, former Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Official Languages.
In a news release on August 26, 2004, Boissonnault announced the reduction of Temporary Foreign Workers in Canada. In this release, he stated that the TFWP was designed as an extraordinary
measure to only be used when qualified Canadians were unavailable to fill Job vacancies, but that it has been used as a way to avoid hiring Canadians. The government is now in the process of developing new restrictions and strengthening compliance measures.
As of September 26, 2024, the following changes were implemented:
• Refusal to Process - “Labour Market Impact Assessments (LMIAs) in the Low-Wage stream, in metropolitan areas with an unemployment rate of six per cent or higher. Exceptions will be made for seasonal and
non-seasonal jobs only in food security sectors (primary agriculture, food processing and fish processing), construction, and healthcare;
• Cap on the proportion of low-wage positionsEmployers will be allowed to hire no more than ten per cent of their total workforce through the TFWP. This maximum employment percentage will be applied to the Low-Wage stream and is a further reduction from the March 2024 reduction. Exceptions from this measure are for low-wage positions in the Primary Agriculture stream, seasonal positions of less than 270 days, and highly mobile or truly temporary positions (120 calendar days or less)
• The maximum duration of employment for workers hired through the Low-Wage stream will be reduced to one year, from two years. Low-wage positions in the Primary Agriculture Stream will be exempt from this measure. Primary Agriculture does not include Landscaping unless the landscaping happens on a farm”
Starting November 8, 2024, the provincial and territorial wage threshold used to determine the applicable stream will be increased by twenty per cent over the current level.
As of November 8, employers, before submitting an LMIA application, will be able to consult the updated reference table available on the TFW Program website to find out the new applicable thresholds. This change does not apply to LMIA applications received before November 8 that are currently being processed, or those for which decisions have already been made.
Each stream has different requirements, particularly with respect to recruitment efforts, transportation, and housing obligations. Employers are reminded of their obligation to ensure these requirements are met at all times.
Supporting documents required for the LMIA - Starting October 28, 2024:
• Attestations from Chartered Professional Accountants or lawyers (or any other member in good standing with a law society) will no longer be accepted as supporting documentation to demonstrate the legitimacy of the employer’s business.
• However, attestations from official representatives of regulated financial institutions will still be accepted, but only to substantiate the following legitimacy factor: The business has the ability to fulfill terms of the job offer.
This change also applies to LMIA applications received before October 28, 2024, that are still under assessment and for which a decision has not been rendered by Service Canada. Service Canada officers will contact employers who have submitted an attestation that has become ineligible, if applicable. Employers will then have the opportunity to provide additional supporting documents.
This new information and details of the supporting documents required for LMIAs are available on the TFWP website as of October 28, 2024.
Jamie Aalbers, Growers Sector Speacialist jamie@cnla-acpp.ca www.cnla.ca
As part of the LMIA applications, employers must determine if they are within the allowable proportion of low-wage TFWs with LMIAs relative to the total workforce at a given work location. This includes fulltime and part-time workers, whether they are Canadians, permanent residents, asylum seekers or foreign workers.
Nicole Xavier, Member Services & Administration Manager nicole@cnla-acpp.ca www.cnla.ca
Anne Kadwell, Garden Centres, HR & PDC Speacialist anne@cnla-acpp.ca www.cnla.ca
Scan the QR code below to visit the TWFP website, which includes information about existing exemptions and cap requirements for low-wage workers.
Anne Kadwell, Garden Centre, HR & PDC Speacialist anne@cnla-acpp.ca www.cnla.ca
Anne Kadwell, Garden Centre, HR & PDC Speacialist anne@cnla-acpp.ca www.cnla.ca
Leslie Sison, Policy & Stakeholder Manager leslie@cnla-acpp.ca www.cnla.ca
Stuart Service, Media Coordinator
stuart@cnla-acpp.ca www.cnla.ca
BY LESLIE SISON, CAE
We live in a very environmentally conscious time and while it may be tempting to advertise your goods and services as “Green” by using certain terms or images to tug on consumer purse-strings, we advise you to understand the current rules around “Greenwashing”. On June 20, 2024, new provisions were added to the Competition Act that explicitly target this. So, what does this mean for you and your business, and how do you avoid it?
The government is now stipulating that if you are going to market something as “green”, you need to be able to back it up with hard evidence proving that it is an environmentally friendly product. Simply stated, businesses are now required to
have testing or substantiation to support certain environmental claims.
In a letter to MPs and senators, Competition commissioner Matthew Boswell said:
“Portraying products or services as having more environmental benefits than they truly have is an illegal practice in Canada. False or misleading claims by businesses to promote ‘greener’ products harm consumers who are unable to make informed purchasing decisions, as well as competition and businesses who offer products with a lower environmental impact.”
More than ever, Canadians are aware of environmental impacts and the effects of climate change. They want to shop “green” and in some cases may be willing to spend more to do so. With this knowledge, companies must be careful that they are not using this interest to make a profit using false claims. “A global review led by the International Consumer Protection and Enforcement Network found that 40 per cent of green claims made online could be misleading consumers.”
For ornamental horticulture this isn’t too much of a problem, because the very basis of our sector is nature and that in and of itself is “green”, though we do need to be mindful of how we promote our goods and services. Businesses should steer clear of using vague terms like “eco-friendly” or “safe for the environment,” as these can be interpreted in various ways, potentially causing confusion or even misleading consumers. If your company promotes environmental benefits for a product or service, keep in mind that the competition bureau enforces laws against false or misleading claims that aren’t backed by proper and thorough testing.
If you are utilizing lawn sprays, pesticides, chemicals or anything else that may not be considered “environmentally friendly” in the public’s eye, we need to explicitly state these things as we do not want to appear to be green washing in any way.
Jamie Aalbers, Growers Sector Speacialist jamie@cnla-acpp.ca www.cnla.ca
Claud Daccord was a devoted father to Tom, Brian, and Diane, a cherished father-in-law to Bill, Daniela, and Milena, and a beloved grandfather to Joey, Alexandra, Alex, Julia, and Andrew. Born in NDG, Claude attended Michigan State University in 1955, where he studied horticulture and landscape design.
To ensure that you are on the right side of this, please take note of the following best practices.
• Stay as true to the facts. Don’t blur any lines and make sure your statements are truthful and aren’t misleading;
Nicole Xavier, Member Services & Administration Manager nicole@cnla-acpp.ca www.cnla.ca
• Be specific, precise and honest about the environmental benefits of your product;
In 1965, Claude succeeded his father, Emmanuel, as owner of Paysagiste Daccord, which blossomed into one of Québec’s most prestigious landscape design and construction companies.
• Substantiate and verify: Statements need to be backed up and claims must be tested, adequate and proper;
Anne Kadwell, Garden Centres, HR & PDC Speacialist anne@cnla-acpp.ca www.cnla.ca
• Claims cannot lead to misinterpretations; intentional or unintentional
• Do not exaggerate the environmental benefits of your product;
Anne Kadwell, Garden Centre, HR & PDC Speacialist anne@cnla-acpp.ca www.cnla.ca
• Only state or imply endorsement by a third-party organization if it is actually is.
We are undeniably a “green industry”, and in most respects we do not have much to worry about with this act. By Staying true and not embellishing to capitalize on the environmental importance to consumers, you should be clear to run your business as usual.
Anne Kadwell, Garden Centre, HR & PDC Speacialist anne@cnla-acpp.ca www.cnla.ca
Leslie Sison, Policy & Stakeholder Manager leslie@cnla-acpp.ca www.cnla.ca
In 1967, Claude was elected president of the Association des Paysagistes Professionnels du Québec, and later, he was elected a “Senator” representing the Canadian chapter of the American Nursery and Landscape Association. Under Claude’s five decades of leadership, Paysagiste Daccord won numerous landscape design awards, and one of his professional highlights was creating landscapes for two pavilions at Expo ‘67 in Montréal.
A skilled athlete, Claude played junior hockey in Vancouver and was a semi-professional bowler who participated in the first PBA tournament held in Canada. Claude was best known for his warm and infectious personality, beaming smile, booming laugh, and genuine desire to help others. He spent his last 10 years at Le Cambridge retirement home in Pointe-Claire, where he was very happy, immensely popular, and grateful to be surrounded by many friends. Claude will be greatly missed as a loving father, grandfather, godfather, uncle, in-law, and friend. He will remain forever in our hearts. In lieu of flowers, the family would appreciate donations to Sun Youth.
The Certified Landscape Designer (CLD) certification is offered to designers looking to elevate their skills to meet the industry standard.
Depending on work and education experience, those interested may follow the regular or legacy paths to earn their CLD certification.
It is a mandatory requirement for both regular and legacy paths for candidates to submit three landscape design projects installed in Canada, in which the candidate played the lead design role, for peer review.
Before commencing the portfolio review, regular candidates are required to complete a series of six written online tests. Similarly, legacy candidates must include two CLD sponsors for their application, and may use the LHCP Search Directory to find suitable sponsors.
Certification is a self-study process with study manuals to help candidates prepare for their exams. When candidates are ready to start, they may download, complete, and return the appropriate registration form for their chosen path.
BY STUART SERVICE
Volunteers from the Hamilton Naturalists’ Club (HNC) have spent the last few years combing through the seven-acre Rolston Community Forest, manually removing an invasive species that crowds out other plants and trees: Common Buckthorn.
That diligent removal work by HNC volunteers created an opening in the woodlot for about 300 native trees and shrubs to be put into the ground by about 40 volunteers during a community planting day on October 26.
“Everyone was really excited to just get some plants in the ground,” said Brittany Killingbeck, Stewardship Technician with the Hamilton Naturalists’ Club. “Some of our regular volunteers came out and we had people who’d just come out to volunteer for the first time; high school students, families – it was a great mix of people. Everyone is from the area, knew about the park, and they were excited to see the positive changes here.”
The HNC is a 105-year-old, volunteer-led organization dedicated to the study, appreciation and conservation of Hamilton’s wild plants and animals.
“One of our barriers is funding,” Brittany said. “When we were able to work with the Green Cities Foundation, it was fantastic. We were able to bring the expertise, help with the onsite planting, get the volunteers together, while the Green Cities Foundation was able to provide us funding and logistical support for actually getting those trees.”
Peter Guinane, a director with the Green Cities Foundation, helped plant the huge variety of native trees and shrubs supplied by Verbinnen’s Nursery Ltd. Peter said that lending a hand at the Rolston Community
Forest, located within Captain Cornelius Park in Hamilton, ON, was an “energizing” experience.
“It’ll make a nice community opportunity to interact with a natural environment,” he said.
“The Green Cities Foundation loves getting involved in these sorts of projects,” Peter continued, noting that the foundation has been involved in more than 20 projects across Canada in 2024 alone.
“This movement is multiplying and it’s great that Green Cities has the resources to help facilitate all these projects. There’s a lot of momentum in what’s happening here.”
Jamie Aalbers, Growers Sector Speacialist jamie@cnla-acpp.ca www.cnla.ca
Nicole Xavier, Member Services & Administration Manager nicole@cnla-acpp.ca www.cnla.ca
Anne Kadwell, Garden Centres, HR & PDC Speacialist anne@cnla-acpp.ca www.cnla.ca
Anne Kadwell, Garden Centre, HR & PDC Speacialist anne@cnla-acpp.ca www.cnla.ca
Anne Kadwell, Garden Centre, HR & PDC Speacialist anne@cnla-acpp.ca www.cnla.ca
Leslie Sison, Policy & Stakeholder Manager leslie@cnla-acpp.ca www.cnla.ca
Stuart Service, Media Coordinator stuart@cnla-acpp.ca www.cnla.ca
BY STUART SERVICE
Landscape Nova Scotia, Landscape NB/PEI, and Landscape Newfoundland and Labrador are excited to announce the signing of a Harmonization Agreement to enhance collaboration among Atlantic Canada’s landscape associations.
The agreement unites these associations to share staff and resources, benefiting their members. While this collaboration fosters greater efficiency, each association will retain its autonomy regarding branding, finances, Boards, AGMs, and individual memberships within the Canadian Nursery Landscape Association (CNLA).
Dan Coleman, President of Landscape New Brunswick / P.E.I., said the sharing of resources and retention of autonomy among each respective Atlantic Canada provincial association is a “Win, win, win as far as I’m concerned,” adding that “We haven’t lost any of our autonomy. We are still Landscape New Brunswick & P.E.I., and will still focus as a board on issues we have in our provinces.”
A management committee, composed of two representatives from each Atlantic association, will oversee the harmonization process. The committee will manage a joint staffing and administration
budget and explore collaboration in education, expanded sponsorship opportunities, events, and trade shows within the region.
David Thompson, Chair of the Management Committee, said the harmonization agreement is a significant step toward greater opportunities and efficiencies for the Atlantic associations.
“We’re excited to work together as a region, offering enhanced member services and creating new collaborations that benefit our industry,” he said.
Steve Smith, President of Landscape Nova Scotia, said the development is positive and will lead to even better communication among the east coast.
“It brings our three Atlantic CNLA representatives to the table, our three association presidents together, and that alone I think will bring some positive things for all three associations and for the region.”
Kevin Nauss, who is Landscape New Brunswick & P.E.I.’s representative of the CNLA Board, said the harmonization is “a no-brainer.” Discussions about a harmonization of the Atlantic Canada provincial associations has been a discussion since the day he joined the CNLA board 10 years ago.
While in attendance at HortEast in Moncton, NB, on November 13, Kevin reflected on his time on the HortEast
planning committee, and how the eastern Canada trade show’s success in growing annually is a testament to collaboration between the Atlantic provincial associations.
“We’re all brothers and sisters here,” he said. “We need each other, and we have so many similarities.”
Jan Loner is now the new Atlantic Executive Director. The search for additional staff support is underway, and the CNLA office is providing interim assistance.
This milestone collaboration represents a unified effort to strengthen services and foster growth in the region’s landscape sector. By pooling resources and expertise, Landscape Nova Scotia, Landscape NB/PEI, and Landscape Newfoundland and Labrador are working toward a more cohesive and prosperous landscape community in Atlantic Canada.
BY STUART SERVICE
The 2024 HortEast trade in Moncton, NB saw a remarkable increase in delegates, with exhibitor participation up by 76 per cent from 2023, signaling strong industry growth.
Karen Carrier has been part of the HortEast committee since 2015, and has seen the annual trade show grow each year.
“We’ve all come together to try to raise the level of professionalism and bring exhibitors, speakers, and delegates to the game,” Karen said. “We believe so strongly in education and giving people an opportunity to come together and share those experiences and information.”
Among the goals of HortEast, which took place this year at the Moncton Coliseum, is to provide small business owners a voice, a chance to connect with colleagues, and to create an annual hub to access to information through educational seminars that will only keep growing through word of mouth.
“Word of mouth and talking with our colleagues is what sells the show. Our exhibitors appreciate the value of getting together with the contractors and trying to understand what equipment they need, the supplies they need, and how to improve,” she said.
Matt Giles, Vice President of Landscape Nova Scotia, and who will be the chair of the HortEast committee in 2025, has been a regular at HortEast, having attended show each year since 2012 as a delegate or as an exhibitor for
his company Nova Turf. He said his lone goal next year, when HortEast is hosted in Nova Scotia, is for the trade show to pick up on the momentum of 2024 edition in New Brunswick.
“The team here in Moncton has done a great job this year, the floor is full, it’s a good speaker program,” he said. “We just want to build off that and keep the momentum going for the green industry.”
Jamie Aalbers, Growers Sector Speacialist jamie@cnla-acpp.ca www.cnla.ca
Nicole Xavier, Member Services & Administration Manager nicole@cnla-acpp.ca www.cnla.ca
Anne Kadwell, Garden Centres, HR & PDC Speacialist anne@cnla-acpp.ca www.cnla.ca
Anne Kadwell, Garden Centre, HR & PDC Speacialist anne@cnla-acpp.ca www.cnla.ca
Anne Kadwell, Garden Centre, HR & PDC Speacialist anne@cnla-acpp.ca www.cnla.ca
Leslie Sison, Policy & Stakeholder Manager leslie@cnla-acpp.ca www.cnla.ca
Stuart Service, Media Coordinator stuart@cnla-acpp.ca www.cnla.ca
Reaching New Heights in Horticulture Leadership
This event will include an industry tour for members, a networking lunch, and presentations from four guest speakers on industry related leadership topics. It will conclude with a dinner hosted by Caterpillar and include directors and North Carolina Nursery Landscape Association members.
Dive into a day of leadership insights, career growth and exclusive networking opportunities!
Landscaping can be a beautiful business, but you need a versatile machine that can do the dirty work. The 184 G-Tier Compact Wheel Loader has the power and precision to help you shape the land, carry big pallet loads, and handle heavy piles. Consider it your all-purpose paintbrush.
