September - October Advocate

SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER 2018

The Province and Municipalities: The Role They Should Play to Grow the Region’s Economy

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You, your business and your employees are the heart and soul of our communities. You want the best and we want the best for you. As a Chamber 0HPEHU %HQH¿W SDUWQHU &RZDQ¶V 2QH 6RXUFH Advantage program can help you succeed!

What’s in it for you? *URXS %HQH¿WV

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advocate SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER 2018

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features 16

COVER STORY Collective Investment in Waterloo Region’s Future Avvey Peters

FEATURE

22 2018 Election of Directors Nominating Committee’s Slate of Candidates Nominee Profile

FEATURE

23 All Options Must be on the Table to Get Goods Moving through the Toronto-Waterloo Corridor

Jan De Silva

FEATURE

25 Opening Up Municipal Construction Work to all Qualified Bidders an Easy Win for New PC Government

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF:

Art Sinclair

EDITOR:

Heather Hutchings

DESIGN AND PRODUCTION

M&T Printing Group

PHOTOGRAPHY: Adamski Photography, Su Buehler Photography, WWCFDC

ADVERTISING AND SALES:

David MacLellan – dmaclellan@greaterkwchamber.com Don Critelli – dcritelli@greaterkwchamber.com Karen Cross – kcross@greaterkwchamber.com

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS:

Jan De Silva, Ian DeWaard, Tony Giovinazzo, Christine Hogle, Ian McLean, Michael Melling, Allison Mitchell, Avvey Peters, Art Sinclair

Ian DeWaard

CONTRIBUTORS:

SPONSOR PROFILE

ADVERTISING AND COPY DEADLINES:

26 An Evolving Business; A Steady Commitment to Community: Bell Media’s transition to the digital age in Waterloo Region

Michael Melling

FEATURE

28 Investments in Infrastructure Required to Maintain Strong Housing Market

Tony Giovinazzo

4 Nobody Asked Us - and They Ain’t Listening Either Art Sinclair

MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT

5 Ontario Business Looking for Change Agenda Ian McLean

EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING

7 Accessing Student Talent Allison Mitchell

PERSPECTIVE ON HEALTH CARE

8 20th Annual Physician Recruitment Weekend Showcases K-W Christine Hogle

September 21, 2018 for November-December 2018 November 16, 2018 for January-February 2019 January 18, 2019 for March-April 2019 March 15, 2019 for May-June 2019 July 19, 2019 for September-October 2019 September 20, 2019 for November-December 2019

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departments ADVOCACY

Aislynn Cooper and Sally Burns

NEW MEMBERS

10 April 1, 2018 to July 31, 2018 NETWORKING

12 Summer Networking

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HI-LIGHTING MEMBERS

18 Where to Book Your Holiday Party EVENTS

20 Mark Your Calendar MEMBER NOTABLES

32 Chamber Members Achieving Success

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The Advocate is a bi-monthly membership benefit publication of the Greater Kitchener Waterloo Chamber of Commerce.

Advertising content and the views expressed herein are those of the contributors and do not constitute endorsement by the Chamber. The Advocate follows the Canadian Code of Advertising Standards (1990), copies are available through the Publisher. The Chamber cannot be held responsible for any errors or omissions that may occur and has the right to edit material submitted. The Chamber will not accept advertising with competitor comparison claims and has the right to refuse advertising that is deemed to be false, misleading, or inappropriate.

advocate SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER 2018

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advocacy

Nobody Asked Us – and They Ain’t Listening Either On June 8, the day Doug Ford’s staff measured the dimensions of the Premier’s Office, the analysis from experts in media, academia and elsewhere was that Ontario voters wanted change. They got it and are still getting it.

The 2018 election is not the first time Ontario wanted someone other than the incumbents. In 1990, David Peterson’s party pollsters told him voters liked his government but they really didn’t know the reason. The strategy was to get everyone to the polls ASAP and confirm four more years in office before Peterson or another cabinet minister did something ridiculous.

Bob Rae stormed the Premier’s Office in September of 1990 and no one in Canada has since deliberately called an election after three years. Rae did such a fine job that six months after he was elected voters generally decided they wanted change again and got it with Mike Harris in 1995.

Some of us remember that Ontario was governed by the same party for 42 years. There was a popular saying in rural Ontario from 1943 to 1985 that voters would remain Tory until they died. Changing the name of a provincial highway was considered radical reform.

The initial agenda of the Ford administration included the education curriculum and green energy. Most analysts have taken the position that even if these new measures are wrong in principle Ford told the electorate to expect a different approach – and in the education portfolio it might not be new but different. An elected official doing what he or she said is still significant for Canada.

The cancellation of green energy projects is not surprising since a large number of Ford’s rural caucus members have been leading the opposition for the past decade. Wind turbines have been highly divisive in the ridings of senior ministers so the status quo is not an option.

Ford’s agenda for reform exploded on July 27 when he announced plans to reduce the size of Toronto council.

Apparently such a measure was not announced on the campaign trail – and probably for good reason. Opponents claimed that Ford’s post-election actions were unprecedented and unconscious. There had been no public consultation – or as mentioned above no one said anything related to municipal restructuring during a campaign where beer prices generated far more interest.

The same day that Ford announced his plans for Toronto restructuring newly-appointed Municipal Affairs Minister Steve Clark, the former Mayor of Brockville, indicated Queen’s Park will be looking at regional government reform across the province. Waterloo of course has regional government.

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In Toronto voters are apparently willing and eager to talk about how many councilors are needed to run an efficient city government. In Waterloo Region, the response has been the opposite. No one wants to even say the words amalgamation or reform. We are not going to talk about it. Remember the municipal referendum in 2010?

Fundamentally, the debate is not around Toronto or Waterloo Region or Halton, York and Peel. Specifically the issue is twotiered municipal administrations with upper and lower levels.

Harris started the debate 20 years ago and whether current councils in any areas of Ontario support or oppose restructuring, the heat is dialed up. The critical debate centres on whether one tier of government or two is more efficient and no one should expect a quick and uncontested consensus.

The interesting component of municipal reform as it evolves over the next four years will be possible municipal restructuring in rural Ontario. Most of Ontario apart from the major urban centres is governed by the county system that existed before Bill Davis and John Robarts. The counties have wardens and the townships have reeves or mayors who serve on county councils. Waterloo Region used to be Waterloo County. Different names for the same governance structure.

When Harris was in office rural towns and townships merged but kept the two-tier county system. The issue is how many municipalities will change and by what variations.

And clearly in Waterloo Region a municipal election campaign that could have been dominated by garbage collection days received a seismic shock from Queen’s Park. Right or wrong everyone will have their opinions.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Art Sinclair

Art is Vice President Policy and Advocacy for the Greater Kitchener Waterloo Chamber of Commerce.

message from the president

Ontario Business Looking for Change Agenda Our Chamber and the Ontario business sector are expecting a lot of change for the new Ontario government.

There appears to be some consensus by the government on areas such as minimum wages and energy rates. However for two important issues locally – fair municipal tendering and interest arbitration – the response from the new administration is unclear.

Despite strong analysis which measures the negative impacts on municipalities’ budgets, which means higher business taxes, Queen’s Park has not moved on these files. This is not acceptable.

The current process where the bidding on public projects is restricted to construction companies connected with a single designated union is grossly unfair. In many cases across Ontario, local companies and their workers are prevented from working on new courthouses, schools and a wide range of municipal services such as transportation and water treatment.

Clearly, the current process of restricting bids is driving up the cost of projects at a time when municipalities and school boards cannot afford it. It is our Chamber’s position that all qualified union and non-union companies should maintain the right to bid on publicly funded projects. Fair and open tendering is the only method for giving all taxpayers the right to work in their own communities and achieve maximum value for taxpayers’ dollars.

In Toronto alone, it is estimated that $174 million could be saved annually by opening the bidding process. The savings could be directed to social and other essential services that municipalities are struggling to deliver.

At one of our recent Chamber Provincial Candidate Forums, a candidate indicated that municipal tendering is not a priority issue for either Waterloo Region or Ontario. That position runs entirely counter to the evidence that has been well documented and forwarded to the Ontario government for over a decade.

With respect to interest arbitration - the process for resolving municipal contract disputes with police and fire departments an analysis compiled by the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) concluded that if police and fire personnel had

received the same economic adjustment as other municipal employees from 2010 to 2014, the cumulative savings would have been $485 million. This analysis is the cost to the municipal sector alone and does not calculate the potential impacts on business taxes.

In the early days of the Ford administration there does not appear to be any urgency in addressing these issues. Voters might assume that if Queen’s Park is indeed focused on reducing the size and cost of government then matters such as tendering and arbitration would be the highest priorities.

There is also an expectation locally, and across Ontario, that the Ford administration will assist businesses with on-going labour and skills challenges. The shortage of skilled trades in manufacturing was a key area of discussion at the Chamber Manufacturing Summit this past May and also discussed at a subsequent Point of View luncheon on integrating immigrants with professional credentials into Canadian workplaces. While we are making progress locally there is still work to be done.

For many small businesses the decision to freeze the minimum wage is welcome relief from legislated pay increases on January 1, 2018 that were very difficult to absorb. It should be noted that Bill 148 was very wide ranging legislation covering labour relations and other areas of employment law that require further analysis and revisions, so the business community is waiting for further details.

The business community has high expectations that the Ford government will deliver a mandate of change to create the jobs and economic prosperity promised during the campaign. Now is the time.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Ian McLean

Ian is President and CEO of the Greater Kitchener Waterloo Chamber of Commerce

advocate SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER 2018

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feature

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experiential learning

Accessing Student Talent Finding the right talent is a challenge that many businesses face or will face as more of the workforce retires. At the Greater Kitchener Waterloo Chamber of Commerce, we consistently hear about this struggle from our members. One of the ways that a business can approach their talent strategy is to engage with college and university students and the Chamber is here to help! We are piloting an initiative in collaboration with the University of Waterloo, Wilfrid Laurier University, and Conestoga College to help small businesses more easily connect with college and university students for co-op and nonco-op experiential learning opportunities.

There are many benefits for businesses to working with postsecondary students. These benefits include: • providing businesses with the help they need to be more productive now • building a qualified talent pipeline for future talent needs • students bring new and innovative ideas to your business • exposure to technology that you are not aware of According to Ontario’s Ministry of Training, Colleges, and Universities, experiential learning is an opportunity for students to work with a business (in a workplace or simulated workplace) to apply their academic knowledge and experience to help a business address a real business need. Students are exposed to authentic demands, which allows them to develop the skills, experience, and networks that better prepare them for their careers.

In a 2016 report published by the Ontario Chamber of Commerce called Talent in Transition, the top cited challenge that employers were facing when recruiting staff was finding someone with the proper qualifications. Engaging with postsecondary students will help to address the skill gap that employers often face because they will be developing the skills and experience that employers are looking for. With the change and advancements that happen in business, the skills that employers need their employees to have are also changing. As cited in the Ontario Universities 2017 Report, Partnering for a Better Future for Ontario, Ontario needs a dynamic talent pipeline to remain competitive and satisfy the needs of tomorrow’s workplaces. In their report, they indicate that experiential learning is one of the key areas of focus to help prepare the youth to meet the needs of employers.

Many businesses know that hiring a paid co-op student can be an option. In addition to those co-op opportunities, there are other low cost/no cost ways that a business can work with postsecondary students including projects, practicums, placements, and apprenticeships.

The Chamber recently conducted a survey of its members to learn about the experiences that businesses have had working with students. Through this survey, as well as through a number of conversations with small business owners, we found that there are several reasons why businesses have not worked with students; those reasons include not being aware of opportunities to work with students, financial constraints, time constraints, and not knowing how to connect with students.

Through the Chamber’s initiative, we are helping small businesses overcome these obstacles so that they can start experiencing the benefits of working with post-secondary students. In addition to educating businesses about the various ways that they can work with students and the tax credits and incentives that are available, we are also helping the businesses save time. When a business is interested in learning about how they can work with a student, we connect with that business to understand their needs. We then reach out to our postsecondary school partners to gather all of the information about the options that employer would have to work with a student. If the business would like to proceed, then they determine which option(s) works for them and we will connect them directly with a representative at the appropriate postsecondary school.

Do you have a project that has been put on the back burner? Is there work that you are not getting done? Could your team use some assistance? Students can be a great solution to your talent challenges! If you would like explore the possibility of working with a student, then please contact Allison Mitchell and we can talk about your needs, amitchell@greaterkwchamber.com.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Allison Mitchell

Allison Mitchell is the Experiential Learning Outreach Coordinator with the Greater Kitchener Waterloo Chamber of Commerce. Allison is leading the Chamber’s Access Student Talent initiative, which is funded in part by the Government of Ontario. advocate SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER 2018

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perspective on health care

20th Annual Physician Recruitment Weekend Showcases K-W

Having access to Health Care professionals is very important to the lives of those who work and live in Kitchener-Waterloo.

Unfortunately the reality is that many residents still do not have access to a family physician. The objective of the Chamber Health Care Resources Council is to recruit family physicians to Kitchener-Waterloo & Woolwich to meet the needs of residents living and working here. One of our central events of this initiative is the Annual Physician Recruitment Weekend.

Our 20th Annual Physician Recruitment Weekend will take place November 2 – 4th, 2018. This weekend brings first, second and third year medical and emergency residents from all over Ontario and allows us to showcase Kitchener-Waterloo as a great place for practice opportunities, to live and to work.

This weekend is planned, organized and hosted by the dedicated members of the Chamber’s Family Physician Liaison Task Force.

This eventful weekend includes touring the family medicine residents through Grand River Hospital and the Medical Centre at The Boardwalk. Residents will also be introduced to local family physicians and other health care professionals, learning more about the different range of practice opportunities available here in the region.

Emergency residents will be offered private tours through Grand River Hospital and St. Mary’s Hospital. These residents will participate in the rest of the weekend’s activities, in hopes of recruiting and retaining new emergency physicians to our hospitals.

Partners/spouses of our visiting residents will be taken on tours of our rural and urban communities and have the chance to explore employment opportunities as well as discover the region’s diverse, strong, innovative and entrepreneurial spirit.

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This weekend has been well received in previous years by the visiting family medicine residents and their partners and has been our best recruitment tool over the past 19 years. We know that this weekend is a key element of the success we have enjoyed in recruiting family physicians to our community.

Our efforts continue all through the year to recruit new and established family physicians through personal community visits. These tours allow us to explore what the physician is looking for and find a practice opportunity that meets their needs.

Our successes and efforts would not be possible if it wasn’t for our generous corporate, municipal and individual sponsors and volunteers of this program. The Chamber Health Care Resources Council sincerely thanks our partners for their generous and continued support as we continue to strive to eliminate the physician shortage in Kitchener, Waterloo and Woolwich.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Christine Hogle Christine Hogle is the Physician Recruitment Lead for the Greater Kitchener Waterloo Chamber of Commerce.

Photography by Adamski Photography

advocate SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER 2018

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new members

April 1, 2018 to July 31, 2018 AK Advisory

Management Consultants

Alan Keeso, Owner alan@akadvisory.ca Phone: (519) 404-4970 Alina Telescu - Peak Realty Ltd. Real Estate

Alina Telescu, Sales Representative alinusht2002@yahoo.com alinatelescu.ca Phone: (519) 504-2588

Alpha Group Investments

Shaun Shadd, Partner shadd.shaun@gmail.com Phone: (519) 729-0623

Anchor Logistics Inc. Logistics

Joerg Hess, President/CEO PO Box 633 Mount Forest, ON N0G 2L0 joerg@anchorlogistics.ca anchorlogistics.ca Phone: (519) 323-1146 Fax: (519) 323-2820

Ash Electrical Solutions Electrical Contractors

Travis Mitchell, President 529 Brittania Cr Kitchener, ON N2R 1Y9 info@ashelectricalsolutions.com ashelectricalsolutions.com Phone: (647) 883-3439

Avia's Inc.

Manufacturers

Avia Lee, Founder 29 Blue Oak St Kitchener, ON N2R 0K3 avialee@gmail.com Phone: (226) 748-4252

B Hospitality(Cambridge Hotel & Conference Centre) Hotels & Motels

Billie-Anne Arthur Managing Director 700 Hespeler Rd, Cambridge, ON N3H 5L8 info@cambridgehotel.ca bhospitality.ca Phone: (519) 624-7740 Fax: (519) 622-7026

Brian Greer's Tin Ceilings, Walls & Unique Metal Work Ltd.

Manufacturers (Main) Metal Fabricators

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Brian Greer, President/Owner 1572 Mannheim Rd, RR 2 Petersburg, ON N0B 2H0 bg@tinceiling.com tinceiling.com Phone: (519) 743-9710 Fax: (519) 570-1447 WWW.GREATERKWCHAMBER.COM

Century 21 Heritage House Ltd. Brokerage

Real Estate

Rose-Ann Nathan Chief Operating Officer 515 Riverbend Dr, Suite 103 Kitchener, ON N2K 3S3 marketing@century21hh.ca century21.ca/heritagehouse Phone: (519) 570-4663

Chestnut Park Realty Southwestern Ontario Ltd. Brokerage Real Estate Brokers & Agents

Fairbank Ventures Inc.

Digital Marketing Agency

Dan Quinn, Founder/CEO dan@fairbankinc.com fairbankinc.com Phone: (226) 808-3003

Focus21

Software - HealthCare

Tara Wilson, COO 101 Frederick St, Suite 902 Kitchener, ON N2H 6R2 makeithappen@focus21.io focus21.io Phone: (855) 723-6287

Lee Quaile, Broker of Record 75 King St S, Unit 50, The Shops at Waterloo Town Square Waterloo, ON N2J 1P2 info@chestnutparkwest.com chestnutparkwest.com Phone: (519) 804-4413

Fresh Look Design Inc.

Accounting & Bookkeeping Services (Main), Bookkeeping Services & Office Support

Goemans Custom Climate and Hearth

Cloud International Advisors Clara InĂŠs Aguilar, Owner info@cloudintadvisors.ca cloudintadvisors.ca Phone: (519) 709-6682

Curve Hair Studio Hair Salons

Erin Schmucker Director-Owner 900 Fairway Cr, Unit 3 Kitchener, ON N2A 0A1 info@curvehairstudio.com curvehairstudio.com Phone: (519) 893-8938

Dietrich Plumbing & Pump Ltd. Plumbing Contractors

Lindsey Dietrich Owner/Office Manager 1061 Industrial Cr, St Clements, ON N0B 2M0 info_bjd@bellnet.ca dietrichplumbingandpump.ca Phone: (519) 699-4605 Fax: (519) 699-5064

Edge Electrical Solutions Inc.

Electrical Contractors

Kevin Bechtel, President 500 Glacier St Waterloo, ON N2V 2J3 kevin@edgeelectricalsolutions.ca edgeelectricalsolutions.ca Phone: (519) 747-3343 Fax: (519) 747-3343

Event Planning (Main), Wedding Planning, Services & Supplies

Emilie Weiler, Office Manager 175 Borden Ave S Kitchener, ON N2G 2Z3 info@freshlookdesign.ca freshlookdesign.ca Phone: (519) 743-3531 Air Conditioning Contractors

Terri Crawford, Sales Manager 4585 King St E Kitchener, ON N2P 2G2 terri@goclimate.ca goemanscustomclimate.ca Phone: (519) 650-0249 Gotcha Covered Blinds

Georgia Prendergast, Owner/Design Consultant 6 Upper Mercer St, Unit C14 Kitchener, ON N2A 0E4

georgiaprendergast@gotchacovered.com

gotchacovered.com Phone: (519) 781-3448

Granite Homes Home Builders

Stefanie Freitas, Human Resources Manager 7 Edinburgh Rd S Guelph, ON N1H 5N8 info@granitehomes.ca granitehomes.ca Phone: (519) 822-3988

Hearts & Flowers Florists

Marie Slater, Owner 75 King St S, Unit 30 Waterloo, ON N2J 1P2 hearts@bellnet.ca heartsandflowersatwaterloo.com Phone: (519) 886-6410

HeartZAP Services Inc.

First Aid Service (Main), Safety Consultants & Training

Ray Snow, President 190 Turnbull Crt, Suite 4 Cambridge, ON N1T 1J1 raysnow@heartzap.ca heartzap.ca Phone: (226) 887-0254 Fax: (866) 253-3915

HY Mould & Die Limited Manufacturers

Arvind Chugh Director - Engineering 120 Turnbull Crt, Unit H-I Cambridge, ON N1T 1H9 info@hycanada.com hycanada.ca Phone: (519) 584-9999

Innovative Wildlife Solutions Inc.

Pest Control Services (Main), Wildlife Control

Mark Rouble, President 20 Firella Place Wellesley, ON N0B 2T0

mark@innovativewildlifesolutions.com

innovativewildlifesolutions.com Phone: (226) 218-7828 IPC Securities Corp Hadjiyianni Financial Corp

Financial Planning Consultants

Paulina Hadjiyianni Sr. Wealth Advisor paulina@ipcsecurities.com ipcwaterloo.ca Phone: (519) 725-8895 Fax: (519) 725-5525

Irene Ekweozoh

Business Development (Main), Investments

Irene Ekweozoh, Owner irene.ekweozoh@gmail.com Phone: (613) 600-9034

Irvin Accounting & Tax Services

Accounting & Bookkeeping Services (Main), Tax Consultants

Navneet Patel, President 539 King St E Kitchener, ON N2G 2L9 info@irvinaccounting.com irvinaccounting.com Phone: (519) 578-5781 Fax: (647) 795-2667

Janet Holmes Consulting Training & Development

Janet Holmes, Creative Learning Consultant 617 Coldstream Dr Waterloo, ON N2V 2H3 janet@janetholmesconsulting.com www.janetholmesconsulting.com Phone: (519) 502-8492

new members

April 1, 2018 to July 31, 2018 Jenn Wilson Pet Portraiture Photographers

Jenn Wilson, Owner/Photographer 336 Dumfries Ave Kitchener, ON N2H 2G1 hello@jennwilson.com jennwilson.com Phone: (519) 503-6963

Journaling Through Health & Wellness

Christine Bergsma, Owner info@journalingthrough.ca journalingthroughlife.com Phone: (519) 835-1017

Julie Witmer Custom Map Design Cartography

Julie Witmer, Cartographer solutions@juliewitmermaps.com juliewitmermaps.com Phone: (226) 989-0799

Key Element Solutions Business Consultants

Cheryl Himburg, CEO 1267 Old Zeller Dr Kitchener, ON N2A 0A2 success@keyelement.ca keyelement.ca Phone: (226) 789-1920

Kindred Credit Union Kitchener Branch

Credit Unions (Main), Financial Services

Ruth Konrad, Branch Manager 50 Kent Ave, Unit 101 Kitchener, ON N2G 3R1 ruth.konrad@kindredcu.com kindredcu.com Phone: (519) 576-7220 Fax: (519) 576-9188

Kindred Credit Union Waterloo Branch

Credit Unions (Main), Financial Services

Andrew Yantzi, Branch Manager 53 Bridgeport Rd E Waterloo, ON N2J 2J7 andrew.yantzi@kindredcu.com kindredcu.com Phone: (519) 746-1770 Korn Ferry

Consultants

Kathryn Brooks Senior Client Partner 181 Bay St, Suite 3810 Toronto, ON M5J 2T3 kathryn.brooks@kornferry.com kornferry.com Phone: (416) 365-1841

Kuntz Electroplating Inc.

Manufacturers

Michael Kuntz Executive Vice President 851 Wilson Ave Kitchener, ON N2C 1J1 mike.kuntz@kuntz.com kuntz.com Phone: (519) 893-7680

KW Expo Productions Event Planning

Tina Plett, Founder 5-420 Erb St W, Suite 225 Waterloo, ON N2L 6K6 tplett@kwexpoproductions.com kwexpoproductions.com Phone: (519) 496-2998

Lalonde Muller

Digital Marketing Agency

Paul Lalonde, Managing Director 90 Cardigan St Guelph, ON N1H 0A4 paul@newsy.ca Phone: (416) 659-1415

Life Coach & Life Mastery Consulting

Coaching (Main), Health & Wellness

Ourlaine Pashley, Owner 59 Margaret Ave Kitchener, ON N2H 4H3 o.pashley.lifecoach@gmail.com

ourlainepashley.lifemasteryconsultant.com

Phone: (519) 277-0185

liveedgelumbergirl & Company Lumber (Main), Building Materials

Paula Goulding, Owner 250 Madison Ave S Kitchener, ON N2M 3H4 paula@liveedgelumbergirl.ca liveedgelumbergirl.ca Phone: (519) 998-0471

Martin Chiropractic Clinic

Chiropractors (Main), Health & Wellness

J. Scott Martin, Doctor of Chiropractic 57 Albert St Waterloo, ON N2L 3S1 martinchiropractic@bellnet.ca martinchiro.ca Phone: (519) 886-2570 Fax: (519) 886-2577 Master Care Janitorial and Facility Services

Janitorial Services

Gordon Stone Account Executive 30 Madeleine St Kitchener, ON N2R 1V5 ontario@mastercare.com mastercare.com Phone: (647) 417-1114

(Continued on page 14)

MennoHomes Inc.

Photo Stars Photo Booth

Dan Driedger Executive Director 50 Kent Ave, Unit 202 Kitchener, ON N2G 3R1 ddriedger@mennohomes.com mennohomes.com Phone: (226) 476-2535

Qdoba

Charitable & Community Organizations

Michael Ellis and Lumi Mironescu, Investia Financial Services Inc. Financial Services

Michael Ellis Investment Advisor 30 Dupont St E, Suite 201 Waterloo, ON N2J 2G9 mellis@mcwaterloo.on.ca investia.ca Phone: (519) 886-7300 Fax: (519) 886-7086

Restaurants

Dale Irwin, Operating Partner 10 Manitou Dr Kitchener, ON N2C 2N3 irwind@qnorth.ca qdoba.com Phone: (519) 895-2200 Office Furniture & Equipment

Manufacturers

Heather Jacklin Executive Assistant 613 Colby Dr Waterloo, ON N2V 1A1 hjacklin@idexcorp.com Phone: (519) 884-9660 Fax: (519) 884-0253

Mary Hulme, Workplace Strategist Sales 1535 North Routledge Park London, ON N6H 5L6 info@ravenstudio.ca ravenstudio.ca Phone: (226) 970-1388

Royal LePage Wolle Realty, Brokerage (Waterloo) Real Estate Brokers & Agents

Mark Wolle, Broker 180 Northfield Dr W, Unit 7A Waterloo, ON N2L 0C7 info@wollerealty.com wollerealty.com Phone: (519) 747-2040 Fax: (519) 747-2081

Mint Ridge

Renovations & Construction

Corey Hundt, Partner 32 Sandsprings Court Kitchener, ON N2E 2A4 corey@mintridge.ca mintridge.ca Phone: (519) 500-5151

Rustico Kitchen + Bar Restaurants

NeuStyle Software & Systems Computer Software

Rick Baker, President 465 Phillip St, Suite 203A Waterloo, ON N2L 6C7 info@neustylesoftware.ca neustylesoftware.ca Phone: (519) 886-6522

Simon Mathias, Owner 907 Victoria St N Kitchener, ON N2B 3C3 rustico@rusticokitchen.ca rusticokitchen.ca Phone: (519) 576-6737

Skynet Software Services Inc. Information Technology

Norton Engineering Inc. Engineers - Consulting

Barbara Robinson, President nortonengineeringinc@gmail.com nortonengineeringinc.ca Phone: (519) 744-8879 Information Technology

Marcus Lapworth, Owner 444 Garth Massey Drive Cambridge, ON N1T 2G5 info@photostars.ca www.photostars.ca Phone: (519) 267-2328

Raven Studio

Microfluidics International Corporation

PCC Integrate Inc.

Photo Booths

Lynda Crawley, VP Finance & Marketing 137 Glasgow St, Unit 455A Kitchener, ON N2G 4X8 lynda.crawley@pccintegrate.com pccintegrate.com Phone: (519) 900-4388

David Chilton, Director 181 Bay St, Suite 4400 Brookfield Pl Toronto, ON M5J 2T3 whitney@chelseaavondale.com Stecho Electric

Electrical Contractors

Steve Stecho, President 100 Rankin St, Unit 8 Waterloo, ON N2V 1V9 steves@stecho.ca stecho.ca Phone: (519) 746-0047

advocate SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER 2018

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networking

Summer Networking

GUESTS ENJOYING A DRINK AT CELLAR 52 DURING A CHAMBER YOUNG PROFESSIONALS EVENT. Photo by Su Buehler Photography

A FULL HOUSE AT THE ANNUAL SPEED NETWORKING 2.0 HELD AT THE INN OF WATERLOO. Photo by Adamski Photography

GUESTS NETWORKING DURING THE TRADESHOW AT THE 2018 MANUFACTURING SUMMIT HELD AT BINGEMANS. Photo by Adamski Photography

ALLISON BOURKE AND NOOR AL-ATTAR REPRESENTING OXFORD LEARNING WATERLOO AT LEADERCAST 2018 HOSTED AT CIGI. Photo by Adamski Photography

THE BEAUTIFUL LOBBY AT CIGI IS FILLING UP AS PEOPLE CHECK-IN FOR LEADERCAST 2018. Photo by Adamski Photography

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BIRDSEYE VIEW OF THE CIGI LOBBY DURING LEADERCAST 2018, WHERE PEOPLE ENJOYED A DELICIOUS LUNCH CATERED BY BINGEMANS. Photo by Adamski Photography

CHAMBER MEMBERS MAKING NEW CONNECTIONS AT THE 2ND ANNUAL WHO’S IN YOUR BACKYARD EVENT, HOSTED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE TOWNSHIP OF WOOLWICH AND WELLINGTON WATERLOO COMMUNITY FUTURES DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION. Photo provided by WWCFDC

networking

TRIOS COLLEGE POSING AT THEIR TABLETOP AT THE 2ND ANNUAL WHO’S IN YOUR BACKYARD AT CELLAR 52 IN ST. JACOBS. Photo

provided by WWCFDC

BILL FANTIN, PURCHASING SPECIALIST AT TOYOTA MOTOR MANUFACTURING CANADA DISCUSSING MANUFACTURING AND INNOVATION AT THE 2018 MANUFACTURING SUMMIT HELD AT BINGEMANS. Photo by Adamski Photography

A GROUP OF NETWORKERS LAUGHING DURING THE SPEED ROUND OF THE ANNUAL SPEED NETWORKING 2.0 EVENT AT THE INN OF WATERLOO. Photo by Adamski Photography

CHAMBER MEMBERS LAUGHING AT THE SPEAKERS DURING LEADERCAST 2018 AT CIGI. Photo by Adamski Photography

PEOPLE ENJOYING A FRESH COFFEE FROM VAN HOUTTE DURING THE 2018 MANUFACTURING SUMMIT. Photo by Adamski Photography

KATE AND RICK PEISTER, OWNERS OF CELLAR 52, HOSTED A LIBRO CHAMBER YOUNG PROFESSIONALS EVENT. Photo by Su Buehler Photography

GUESTS ENJOY A QUICK BREAK FROM THE EXCITING PROGRAMMING AT LEADERCAST 2018. Photo by Adamski Photography

STUDENT LEADERS FROM ACROSS THE REGION POSE ON STAGE WITH PRESIDENT & CEO OF THE GKWCC, IAN MCLEAN AT LEADERCAST 2018. Photo by Adamski Photography

BRIAN PERISSIONOTTI, MIKE KUNTZ & JOERG STIEBER OFFERING INSIGHTS AT THE 2018 MANUFACTURING SUMMIT AT BINGEMANS. Photo by Adamski Photography

advocate SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER 2018

13

new members

April 1, 2018 to July 31, 2018 Su Buehler Photography Photographers

Su Buehler, Owner su@subuehler.com subuehler.com Phone: (519) 897-8237

TallMan.Promo

Promotional Products

Jeroen Oosterom, CEO 162 Erie Street Stratford, ON N5A 2M7 j@tmpintl.com tallman.promo Phone: (519) 273-4427 Fax: (519) 273-4938

The Armoury Sports Medicine and Performance Clinic Health & Wellness

Randy Bahadur, President 245 The Boardwalk, Suite 201 Waterloo, ON N2T 0A6 info@thearmouryclinic.ca thearmouryclinic.ca Phone: (226) 336-8961 Fax: (519) 513-0500

The Cora Group Inc. Real Estate Developers

Manfred Conrad, CEO 43 Allen St W Waterloo, ON N2L 1C9 adrian@coragroup.com coragroup.com Phone: (519) 570-2672 Fax: (519) 570-0811

The Fitzpatrick Company Manufacturers

Heather Jacklin, Executive Assistant 613 Colby Dr Waterloo, ON N2V 1A1 hjacklin@idexcorp.com Phone: (519) 884-9660 Fax: (519) 884-0253

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The Story

Website Design & Development

Trevor Hamilton, President 15 Monterey Rd Kitchener, ON N2B 1V2 info@thestorywebsites.com thestorywebs.com Phone: (519) 512-1530

The Tax Advantage

Accountants, CPA-CGA

Jackie Hundt, Partner 700 Strasburg Rd, Unit S28 Kitchener, ON N2E 2M2 jackie@thetaxadvantage.ca thetaxadvantage.ca Phone: (519) 579-8989

Things Engraved Manufacturers

Jacob Metcalfe, Account Executive 61 McBrine Pl, PO Box 9024, Stn C Kitchener, ON N2R 1H5 customerservice@thingsengraved.ca thingsengraved.ca Phone: (519) 748-2211 Fax: (519) 748-2808 Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada Inc. Manufacturers

Scott MacKenzie, Manager, Business Planning & Government Affairs 1055 Fountain St N PO Box 5002 Cambridge, ON N3H 5K2 communications@tmmc.ca tmmc.ca Phone: (519) 653-1111

(Continued from page 11)

UWork Inc.

Employment Agencies

Thomas Lowry, President 105 University Ave E, Unit 9 Waterloo, ON N2J 2W1 thomas@uworkapp.com uworkapp.com Phone: (519) 747-2955

Velofix KW

Bicycle Dealers, Sales & Service

Tim Gale, President/Co-Owner 220 Wellington St N Kitchener, ON N2H 5K7 tim@velofix.com velofix.com Phone: (519) 781-8356

VisionTek Canada Inc

Security Services & Systems

Hemanth Dondolu, Director 148 Peel St, Unit 10 New Hamburg, ON N3A 1E7 hkr@visiontekgroup.com visiontekgroup.com Phone: (519) 742-9200

Wellington-Waterloo Community Futures Business Finance

Jane Shaw, Business Manager 294 Mill St E, Unit 207 Elora, ON N0B 1S0 jane@wwcf.ca wwcf.ca Phone: (519) 846-9839 Fax: (519) 846-2343

Wild Birds Unlimited Retail

Catherine Hale, Owner 4391 King St E, Unit 4B Kitchener, ON N2P 2G1 wbukitchenerwaterloo@gmail.com wbu.com/kitchener Phone: (519) 650-9800 Fax: (519) 650-0800

Windmill Bookkeeping Services Bookkeeping Services & Office Support

Evelyn Snieder, Owner, Certified Professional Bookkeeper Waterloo Region Kitchener, ON evelyn@windmillbookkeeping.com windmillbookkeeping.com Phone: (226) 647-5324

Wired Electrical Contractor Inc.

Electrical Contractors

Sue Costigan, Owner/Business Manager 108 Chapel St Kitchener, ON N2H 2T5 info@wiredelectric.ca wiredelectric.ca Phone: (519) 576-0035 Fax: (519) 743-6417

WonderProxy Inc.

Internet & Technology Products & Service

Paul Reinheimer, President 204 rue Notre Dame W, Suite 350 Montreal, PQ H2Y 1T3 support@wonderproxy.com wonderproxy.com Yyost Digital Media

Digital Marketing Agency

Chris May, President 5-420 Erb St W, Unit 211 Waterloo, ON N2L 6K6 chris@yyostdigital.com yyostdigital.co

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cover story

Collective Investment in Waterloo Region’s Future Walking through downtown Kitchener, it is hard not to be awed by the changes unfolding in the heart of Waterloo Region.

The Tannery and Kaufman Lofts, along with the City Centre and One Victoria condos, have all changed the urban landscape downtown, and ground has been broken – or soon will be – on another $1.2 billion in new developments. This includes thousands of new apartments and hundreds of thousands of square feet of new commercial and office space.

This growth is being replicated throughout the Region, from uptown Waterloo to downtown Galt, where new developments are breathing life into old buildings, and creating vibrant, walkable urban cores.

What is perhaps equally remarkable is that over the next five years, this growth is only going to accelerate.

Ten years ago, the tech sector in Waterloo Region was dominated by a few large companies, most notably Research In Motion (now BlackBerry) and OpenText. However, there were few new startups stepping forward to follow in their footsteps.

That began to change when private and public partners decided to make a conscious and concerted effort to invest in new startup creation. This effort included the Tannery’s conversion into the home of the Communitech Hub and major engineering offices for Google and D2L, as well as the expansion of the Accelerator Centre at the R+T Park, and creation of the Velocity program at the University of Waterloo.

Since that time, more than 3,000 new startups have been created, and Waterloo Region now has the second-highest density of startups in the world. These companies have attracted $1.7 billion in new investment, created thousands of new jobs and helped to attract companies such as Shopify, Point Click Care, NetSuite and Google to increase their investments in the region as well.

As exciting as these developments have been, their true value will only be realized over the next several years. The goal of supporting startups isn’t about the sheer number of new companies, and it does not assume that every startup will succeed. Like taking as many shots on goal as possible in a hockey game, supporting lots of startups is about increasing the odds, and ending up with a healthy number of companies that can grow into globally competitive enterprises.

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Thanks to nearly a decade of focused effort on supporting startup entrepreneurs, Waterloo Region now has dozens of growth firms with the potential to become $100-million annual revenue companies, and together, they form a larger cohort than the one in the late 1990’s that produced so much success.

These companies have raised hundreds of millions of dollars and plan to hire thousands of new employees over the next several years.

However, as much as a series of investments at both the municipal and provincial levels helped to lay the groundwork for the current growth in Waterloo Region, a number of important investments will need to be made over the coming years to ensure these companies realize their full potential to compete globally, and to realize the broader benefits for Waterloo Region that will flow from this growth.

The biggest challenge facing startups in the early part of the last decade was the lack of risk capital available. This began to change when young companies like Vidyard and Thalmic Labs took the bold step of returning to Waterloo Region from California’s famed Y Combinator accelerator program, to build their companies here at home, and when D2L raised US$80 million in 2012, followed by another $85 million a year later.

It now seems there is a round of growth funding announced every couple of weeks, and while we still have work to do if we want to match the major U.S. tech hubs, particularly on earlystage investment, capital is no longer the biggest challenge constraining the growth of the sector. The bigger challenge today is in finding people with the specialized skills needed to help companies scale rapidly.

In a recent survey of our 47 highest-potential companies, they collectively planned on hiring more than 1,000 new employees in 2018 alone. This survey did not include larger companies like D2L, OpenText, Google or Shopify, who are also looking to hire hundreds, if not thousands, of employees themselves.

The two biggest questions facing local and provincial governments are how do we attract, retain and train the talented employees we need to help our companies grow? And how do we ensure that this economic growth benefits the entire community?

From Communitech’s perspective, there are a couple of key investments that can put us in a strong position to take advantage of this opportunity.

cover story

Two-Way All-Day GO

If Waterloo Region is going to fulfil its potential, we need to have two-way, all-day GO Train service to Toronto and Pearson Airport. This is necessary to help our companies recruit the talent they need, and increase the productivity of their work forces. But it is equally necessary to help improve economic opportunities and quality of life for citizens of the entire region, who waste a significant amount of time commuting in and out of Toronto by road.

A recent report from McKinsey estimated that connecting the Toronto-Waterloo Corridor had the potential to add $17.5B in GDP and create more than 170,000 new jobs, but without physical infrastructure connecting the two regions achieving these gains will remain difficult.

Talent and Co-operative Education

The University of Waterloo is the engine that drives the tech sector in Waterloo Region, through its math and computer science programs, its focus on entrepreneurship and the Velocity program, and most importantly, through its cooperative education program. Wilfrid Laurier University has also adopted the co-op model, and produces some of the best business and sales graduates in the country. Conestoga College leads all Ontario colleges in graduate employment rates and in employer satisfaction.

Local graduates are sought the world over, and if we are going to compete internationally, the province needs to produce more graduates of this calibre, and the Region needs to do a better job at retaining them.

Whether in business areas like sales and leadership, or in technical areas like software development, data science and applied AI, we need new models of learning where companies can invest to make sure their employees have the right skills to help them grow their companies.

Investing in an Equitable Community

We also need to be vigilant about the potential negative effects that a booming economy can have on affordability and income disparity. One only has to look at what has happened in San Francisco and Silicon Valley to see the dangers of not investing in community infrastructure that looks after all citizens.

Municipal governments have done a great job in investing in the economic growth of the region; as a community we also need to continue to invest in areas like affordable housing, improved healthcare and thriving arts and culture, to make sure that Waterloo Region is a place where everyone can succeed.

There are some great examples of companies becoming proactively involved in community initiatives, like Kiite’s recent creation of a Community Fund with the KW Community Foundation. This is something we need to encourage more of across the tech sector. Communitech’s ‘True North’ conference is one initiative aimed at encouraging this dialogue, and engaging companies in the broader ‘tech for good’ mandate.

Walking through downtown Kitchener, there’s little doubt that tech has been good for our region. With some key investments and continuing dialogue with the community, we can make sure it remains so well into the future.

Looking at the success of the co-op model in Waterloo, it’s hard to understand why we haven’t replicated that in other Universities across the province. This is a clear competitive advantage for Ontario that we have not taken full advantage of.

Mid-career Education

As important as post-secondary education is, there is also a greater need to invest in mid-career education and training.

This is an area where growth companies have under-invested, and is something Communitech is focused on working to fix, in collaboration with our companies and educational institutions, through our Communitech Academy programming.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Avvey Peters, MJ

Avvey Peters is the Chief Strategy Officer, Communitech and Managing Director, Canadian Digital Media Network

advocate SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER 2018

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hi-lighting members

Where to Book your Holiday Party

Proof Kitchen & Lounge

110 Erb Street West Waterloo proofwaterloo.com (519) 208-3333

Delta Waterloo

Delta Waterloo

Celebrate the season with your colleagues at Delta Waterloo. Our unique venue offers rooms for groups large or small. Exceptional food crafted from local ingredients through our Holiday or custom menus.

Our impeccable service will leave your guests with lasting memories.

St. George Banquet Hall St. George Banquet Hall represents a fine line of style, service and hospitality.

We do our best to make sure that you receive the best possible type of service.

Our hall can hold anywhere from 20-800 Guests. Give us a try and we can promise you will not be disappointed.

Charcoal Steak House The Charcoal Steak House, Martinis and dels Enoteca would like to help you entertain this holiday season. Superb private and semi-private spaces are available for your group of 10 to 60 guests. Call our group events coordinator Meredith Roberts today at 519-893-6570 ext 243

Golfplay Golfplay combines the world's #1 indoor golf simulator technology with an upscale menu featuring our stone pizza oven and a fine selection of craft beer and wine. With eight simulator bays and a spacious interior, Golfplay is the perfect venue for hosting corporate team-building events of up to 100 people.

Concordia Club Plan your employee holiday gathering with us! Our private rooms seat 20 400 as well as our Schenke restaurant which boasts our authentic German menu and warm feeling of "Gemuetlichkeit".

We can accommodate all your needs. Book early as space may be limited.

Borealis Grille & Bar

Obsessively Local

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Proof Kitchen & Lounge

A theory can be proven by experiment. Don't experiment with your event, book Proof and take the praise! Designed to delight the senses, our private and semi-private rooms for groups of 10-50 are the perfect backdrop to any occasion. Let us take the work out of your work event.

At Borealis we feature locally sourced and prepared foods, wines and beers because we genuinely believe "Local Tastes Way Better”.

We offer a casual dining experience with comfortable dining rooms and a relaxed bar. Our private rooms can accommodate groups from 4 to 120.

110 Erb Street West Waterloo (519) 514-0404 wat.sales.sm@deltahotels.com marriott.com/hotels/travel/ykfdwdelta-hotels-waterloo/

St. George Banquet Hall 665 King Street North Waterloo (519) 884-0311 gm@stgeorgehall.com www.stgeorgehall.com Charcoal Steak House 2980 King Street East Kitchener (519) 893-6570 meredithr@charcoalgroup.ca charcoalsteakhouse.ca

Golfplay 4500 King St E Unit 6 Kitchener Steve Harris (519) 650-4242 steve.harris@golfplay.ca www.golfplay.ca Concordia Club 429 Ottawa Street South, Kitchener (519) 745-5617 mail@concordiaclub.ca www.concordiaclub.ca

Borealis Grille & Bar 4336 King Street East Kitchener (519) 219-9007 jess.borealis@gmail.com www.borealisgrille.ca

hi-lighting members

Where to Book your Holiday Party

Hacienda Sarria 1254 Union Street Kitchener (519) 585-1681 reservations@haciendasarria.com www.haciendasarria.com

B@themuseum Ltd 10 King St W, Kitchener, ON N2G 1A3 Leanne Campbell (519) 742-2337 (BEER) bthemuseum@gmail.com

Hacienda Sarria Celebrate the holidays with Hacienda Sarria. Whether it's a casual cocktail reception or formal soirée, our in-house Event Planners will take care of every last detail. Relax and enjoy the holiday season in Old World Elegance. Now taking lunch & dinner reservations for 2018 & 2019.

B@themuseum Tired of the same old, same old? B-unique and choose our cozy venue located downtown Kitchener. Holiday gatherings from 10 to 100 guests - no set menu , customize to your preferences and your budget. Book your Holiday party here and B-impressed !

Descendants Beer & Beverage Co.

Descendants Beer & Beverage Co.

319 Victoria Street North Kitchener, (226) 241-3700 www.descendantsbeer.com info@descendantsbeer.com

Just like Santa, Descendants Beer & Beverage Co. has something for you this holiday season!

Our working brewery and bierhalle venue produces craft beer on site plus offers a casual setting for groups of 20-130. We offer a full beer, cider and spirits bar, delicious food, warm approachable service with private and semi-private options and a catering menu. Ask about FREE brewery tours for your party when booking! Experience real craft beer seven days a week.

Cambridge Hotel and Conference Centre

Cambridge Hotel and Conference Centre

700 Hespeler Rd, Cambridge, ON Nelia Demmery (519) 624-7732 Ndemmery@Cambridgehotel.ca tastetannery.ca

If you have been tasked with planning an unforgettable Christmas party and you’re hunting for the perfect venue then look no further. We can help tailor any event with interactive food stations or an all inclusive package.

Contact us today!

Gusto & Beckford Catering

Gusto & Beckford Catering

665 Colby Dr. Waterloo, ON N2V 1C2 (519) 888-0634 info@gustocatering.ca beckfordcatering.ca gustocatering.ca

Whether you're planning a corporate lunch, gala event or even a festive party at your own residence you'll want to impress your guests with our deliciously creative cuisine! Wonderful options available from both menus (Gusto & Beckford).

St Jacobs Catering

St Jacobs Catering

1396 King St N. St Jacobs (519) 664-2288 Ext 277 catering@stjacobs.com www.stjacobscatering.ca

Whether the gathering is at your office, a rented venue or in St. Jacobs, we can provide a holiday feast for groups large and small.

Call today for menus and booking information.

Try our Turkey Dinner to Go-online ordering available for pickup!

Bingemans

Bingemans

425 Bingemans Centre Drive Kitchener, Ontario N2B 3X7 (519) 744-1231 ex.2230 vpanacci@bingemans.com

Bingemans is one of Waterloo Regions premier banquet and catering facilities. We offer outstanding catering services to groups of all sizes. We provide a truly exceptional catering experience onsite at our conference centre, at one of our boutique venues or at any venue of your choice.

advocate SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER 2018

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events

Mark Your Calendar September 12, 2018

September 25, 2018

4:00-6:00pm • Location: CIGI • Member: Complimentary Join us for our Annual General Meeting where you can learn more about what we are doing to meet the needs of our diverse membership and the public. It’s a great networking opportunity as the new Board of Directors will be installed during the event.

Jan DeSilva, CEO of the Toronto Region Board of Trade will update us on the Toronto Waterloo Innovation Corridor.

Host: Activa Design Studio Member: Complimentary • General Admission: $10 Activa Design Studio offers a home for every lifestyle. Come touch, feel and experience the quality features. A home is a true reflection of your taste and style!

Annual General Meeting

Event Sponsors:

Home Hardware Business After 5 Kick-Off

Title Sponsor:

Gold:Sponsor: Host: Media Sponsor:

11:30am – 1:30PM • Location: Westmount Golf & Country Club Members: $47 • Future Members: $60 • Table of 8: $375 Accessing and retaining the right talent can help leverage your business and encourage growth.

This can include embedding co-op programs and utilizing local resources. Join us as e learn more about talent in the first event of the Economic Development Speakers Series.

Event Sponsor:

September 20, 2018

12th Annual Inspiring Women Event

8:00am-4:00pm Location: Bingemans • Ticket: $150 • Table of 8: $1100 The largest event in the area designed to celebrate business and entrepreneurial women featuring dynamic inspirational speakers, book signings, exhibitions, networking opportunities and our Dress for Success Drive! Be motivated by the inspirational stories and what drives their passion from leading Canadian Women:

• Elizabeth Heald, President & CEO of Kitchener Waterloo Community Foundation • Jody O’Malley & Kirstie Herbstreit, Co-Owners of The Culinary Studio & The Well • Sarah Richardson, Host of Sarah Off the Grid on HGTV Canada • Zahra Al-Harazi: Entrepreneur and Transformative Leadership Expert

Print Sponsor: &

G

Economic Development Speakers Series Presents: Growing Your Business through Talent

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September 13, 2018

PRINT

September 27, 2018

Libro Chamber Young Professionals presents Sangria Social

5:30-7:30pm Location: Workplace One Member: $10 • General Admission: $15 You are invited to join us for a Spanish-infused series kick-off at Workplace One. This is a perfect opportunity to kickstart the fall season and make new connections.

Title Sponsor: Event Sponsor: Host:

We’ve Moved Lackner McLennan Insurance Ltd. and Erb and Erb Insurance Brokers are now receiving clients at 818 Victoria Street North, Kitchener.

See what we’re up to by following us on Social Media: @LacknerMcLennan and @ErbAndErb

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events

Mark Your Calendar October 3, 2018

October 19, 2018

7:15-9:00am Location: Inn of Waterloo Member: $35 • General Admission: $45 Table of 6: $205 • Member Season Pass (5 Events): $160 Join us for the Networking Breakfast Series Kick-off as we welcome Chief Bryan Larkin. Come hear an update how policing is handling cannabis, opioids and all things WRPS.

11:30am-1:30pm • Location: Crowne Plaza Kitchener-Waterloo Member: $47 •General Admission: $60 • Table of 8: $375 Join us for a conversation with David MacNaughton, Ambassador of Canada to the United States as he talks about the future of NAFTA and deepening Canada’s bilateral partnership with United States.

Title Sponsor:

Silver Sponsor:

MNP Networking Breakfast Series Kick-Off with Chief Bryan Larkin

Media Sponsor:

Chamberfest

6:00-9:00pm Location: Concordia Club Member: $55 •General Admission: $65 Don’t miss an opportunity to entertain your clients or enjoy with coworkers at one of KW’s most distinctive event attractions, Oktoberfest!

Enjoy a German Style Dinner, a complimentary drink, plenty of networking and access to the tent for Corporate Night.

Bronze Sponsor:

Event Sponsor:

100 Mile Feast - Greece

6:00-9:00pm • Location: Delta Waterloo Ticket: $150 • Table of 10: $1500 Andrew Coppolino of Waterloo Region Eats hosts this event and several local chefs will prepare and guide you through a menu focused on Greek specialties while using locally sourced ingredients. The multicourse meal includes wine pairings and a live auction with proceeds going towards physician recruitment efforts.

Title Sponsor:

Business Expo powered by your local Chambers of Commerce

2:00–7:00pm • Location: Bingemans Members & General Admission: Complimentary The Cambridge, Guelph and Greater Kitchener Waterloo Chambers of Commerce are excited to host this large-scale exhibitor event with over 200 booths and over 1500 attendees. Local restaurants and caterers will be on hand to provide samples of their delicious specialties.

Gold Sponsor: Silver Sponsor: Bronze Sponsors: Design Sponsor: Media Sponsor: Print Sponsor: &

G

BEAGLE

October 16, 2018

Title Sponsor:

October 29, 2018

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Small Business Partners:

Title Sponsor:

Bronze:

October 11, 2018

Title Sponsor:

Point of View Luncheon presents David MacNaughton, Canada’s Ambassador to the United States

PRINT

advocate SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER 2018

21

feature

2018 Election of Directors Nominating Committee's Slate of Candidates Nominee Profile Glenn has proven to be a forward-thinking leader in his career and through his roles in the community.

He’s passionate about business, economic development, and making a positive difference towards our future.

In his career Glenn is the Director of Sales & Marketing at OE Canada Inc., a B2B consulting, sales, and service company with two locations serving Waterloo Region, Guelph, Brantford, and London areas. They help other companies and organizations with the way they print and manage documents, with a focus on reducing costs and waste, while improving security and efficiencies.

GLENN THORPE Director of Sales & Marketing OE Canada Inc. Digital Office Solutions

He’s also involved in a few organizations where he volunteers his time in an executive capacity. He’s currently Chairperson of The Young Professionals Network of Ontario, as well as a committee member at The Ontario Chamber of Commerce. Here at GKWCC he spent five years with the Chamber Young Professionals as a committee member, Vice Chair, Chairperson, and Past Chair. He’s a Judge for the annual DECA Provincials competition held in Toronto. Previously he’s been involved in other organizations such as the KW Symphony, and Startup Weekend Toronto Youth Edition. He’s also been a guest speaker and workshop host for business events.

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feature

All Options Must be on the Table to Get Goods Moving through the Toronto-Waterloo Corridor The Toronto-Waterloo Corridor is the economic zone powering Canada’s growth.

Representing more than 20 per cent of Canada’s economy and anchored by the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA) and Waterloo Region, the Corridor is home to the country's highest density of manufacturing and technology, fullyintegrated cross-border supply chains and significant passenger and cargo transportation hubs. It is also among the fastest growing regions in North America, adding the equivalent of Kingston’s population every year.

Global tech giants like Amazon and Google are active in the region, attracted by our tremendous talent, research and tech capabilities. General Motors, based in Oshawa, is using every corner of the Corridor to their advantage with their new Canada Technical Centre in Markham, where 700 engineers have been hired to build software for their global autonomous vehicle program.

For businesses in the Corridor to compete globally, it's critical we tackle our regional growth challenges, particularly our ability to move goods seamlessly on our roadways and rail network, and through our ports and airports.

As the Toronto Region Board of Trade has demonstrated with five reports focused on goods movement in the Corridor, delivery delays currently hold up 1 million tonnes—$3 billion worth of goods—being trucked through the region every day.

This costs each household $125 each year.

Developing a strategic, multimodal approach to regional goods movement is the key to connecting and building the Corridor, providing opportunity at home, enabling global trade among small and medium-size enterprises, and creating jobs for residents.

We are working closely with our members in the industry and our Chamber network in the region—including the Greater Kitchener Waterloo Chamber of Commerce—to develop solutions for our biggest bottlenecks.

While there are no perfect options, the Board put forward three ideas for discussion to alleviate congestion in our biggest chokepoint around Toronto Pearson International Airport at Canada’s Innovation Corridor Summit in June.

First, implement Off-Peak Deliveries (OPD) to move trucks making non-essential deliveries off the 401 during rush hour.

Second, develop a Mega-Hub strategy around Pearson,

Brampton, Mississauga and Vaughan to improve goods movement connectivity and promote growth. Third, unblock the chokepoint at the 401 near Pearson by increasing capacity through highway expansion.

The nine-kilometer stretch of the 401 near Pearson—a critical hub for goods and people movement throughout the Corridor—is Canada’s biggest chokepoint.

92 per cent of passengers travel to and from Pearson by car, as do a similar percentage of the 300,000 people working within the airport employment zone, resulting in more than 1 million cars moving through the area daily. As trucks move between CN’s Brampton Intermodal Terminal through the Pearson area to distribution centres, this congested section of the highway is further constricted by the narrowing of 16 to 10 lanes.

We can’t dig ourselves out of congestion simply by building more roads. We need a strategy for the movement of people and goods throughout the Corridor.

That means ensuring we shift goods to rail, ports and airports when possible. We must also focus on getting more people out of their cars as well.

A multimodal strategy anchored by robust public transit is key to alleviating our mobility challenges. That’s why the Board has long championed and remains committed to building more transit in the region, including all-day two-way GO train service between Toronto and Kitchener-Waterloo. All options should be considered—and acted upon.

The Corridor can no longer be viewed as 37 separate municipalities divided by urban and suburban interests. Ours is an interconnected region forming a single economic zone driving Canada’s economic growth.

For the Corridor to succeed we need to get it moving.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jan De Silva

Jan De Silva is President & CEO, Toronto Region Board of Trade

advocate SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER 2018

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feature

Opening up Municipal Construction Work to all Qualified Bidders an Easy Win for New PC Government When Doug Ford assumed the premier’s position in June, he declared that “Ontario is open for business.” That was refreshing news, but for construction workers in certain Ontario cities, that is not the case. While Ford’s statement makes for a good sound bite, it will take more than a declaration to solve a problem that currently affects thousands of workers, and millions of taxpayers.

In the Region of Waterloo, and cities such as Hamilton, Sault Ste. Marie, and Toronto, construction workers who aren’t members of the “right” union are ineligible to work on much of the construction work paid for by those municipal governments.

The reason? The Ontario Labour Relations Act provides a collection of special rules for unions that represent workers in the construction industry, but it fails to make a distinction between municipalities (which are mostly a purchaser of construction services) and actual construction contractors.

As a result, when municipalities are unionized by a construction craft union they become subject to strict no-contracting-out provisions. They must therefore ignore qualified bids from companies that aren’t also signatory to the union to which the municipality is bound.

This is what happened in Waterloo in 2012 when two workers erected a garden shed at a local library. The workers were represented by the Carpenters Union. Now, work on most regional infrastructure is restricted to firms affiliated with that union.

The consequences of this closed tendering dilemma are costly and a growing body of research has shown when the number of bidders is reduced, pencils become less sharp. According to Brian Dijkema and Morely Gunderson, authors of the 2017 report “Restrictive Tendering: Protection for Whom?” these unnecessary constraints result in a total project increase estimated to range from 8 to 25 percent. Millions of tax dollars are needlessly wasted, and affected municipalities have less money to spend on other badly needed public projects.

Unions are supposed to bring workers together to equip them to influence workplace conditions as a collective group. The laws that govern how they are formed and how they operate are

designed to ensure that workers enjoy a fair and measured balance of power in the workplace. They ensure that unions remain democratic and accountable, and that members have access to tools that provide for the peaceful and timely resolution of disputes between workers and employers.

But the current state of Ontario law creates a labour monopoly for certain construction craft unions because they alone can access publicly funded work that is subject to this legislative loophole. This is neither an intended nor fair consequence of the current legislation.

There have been several failed attempts to address this problem in the courts. All of these cases make clear that the only real solution is an adjustment to Ontario’s labour legislation.

Many groups, including the Association of Municipalities of Ontario, the Greater Kitchener Waterloo Chamber of Commerce, the Ontario Chamber of Commerce, and my union, CLAC (Christian Labour Association of Canada), have called on the government to eliminate the legislative loophole that defines municipal governments as construction contractors.

Such a solution would be simple to implement and would leave intact a worker’s right to belong to a union of his or her choosing.

If the new Ontario PC government is looking for some early wins and some quick fixes to Ontario’s infrastructure deficit, making sure all municipal construction projects are fairly and openly tendered is a good place to start. It would also demonstrate that this government is able to stand up to the special interests of the few in favour of the many more who are unfairly excluded from municipal construction projects, and on behalf of the millions more who pay taxes to fund those projects.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Ian DeWaard

Ian DeWaard is the Ontario Director for CLAC (Christian Labour Association of Canada), a national union representing over 60,000 workers in almost every sector of Canada’s economy.

advocate SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER 2018

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sponsor profile

An Evolving Business; A Steady Commitment to Community Bell Media’s transition to the digital age in Waterloo Region For 64 years CTV Kitchener has served Waterloo Region by providing news, entertainment, and a strong community connection among the viewers we serve. However, it’s no secret the media landscape has shifted dramatically through technology and changing viewer habits, posing challenges and opportunities for Canada’s broadcasting industry.

Over the last couple years our station has taken a range of important and necessary steps to adapt to this shift. Our goal was to get out ahead of the curve, and we’ve achieved it by doubling down on strong local story telling, increasing the number of journalists we have on the ground, and undergoing forward-thinking technological transformations that have streamlined our workflow to ensure we remain focused on delivering the stories our region counts on us to deliver each and every day.

This combined focus on investment in content and modernization is paying off – last September we added an

ROSIE DEL CAMPO ANCHORING A CTV KITCHENER NEWSCAST

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additional hour of local news at 5pm, and ratings for the station’s newscasts remain as strong as ever.

“CTV News at Five gives us a chance to focus on more community and lifestyle-driven news, while keeping the six o’clock show focused on hard news,” explains Kristin Wever, News Director, CTV Kitchener. “So far we’ve had great feedback on the introduction of the 5pm show, and we feel the back-toback shows complement each other nicely.”

The success with our televised news content has also translated into the digital space. The station’s website – Kitchener.CTVNews.ca – remains the top local website in the region, and the station’s social media following is also ranked #1.

Our investments in the Waterloo Region are not only seen on television and the web, they can also be heard on our sister radio stations 105-3 Virgin Radio and 99.5 KFUN.

Two years ago, following extensive research, our parent company Bell Media brought its popular Virgin Radio brand to the local market. Targeted to listeners 18-44, the station combines the power of a massive international brand with a strong commitment to locally produced content.

“Our listeners have come to expect a fun, entertaining and engaging radio station,” says Karen Steele, Program Director, 105-3 Virgin Radio. “Virgin Radio is all about being connected to our listeners and community while playing the most hit music in K-W.”

At 99.5 KFUN, a renewed focus on playing everyone’s favourite hits from the 70s, 80s, and 90s has made the station a huge hit with all ages, particularly the target audience of Adults 25-54.

“Our goal is to give listeners a sense of nostalgia every time they tune in,” says Scot Turner, Program Director, 99.5 KFUN. “Being able to pick the best songs from three great decades of music makes it a really fun station to program.”

Being involved in our community is key to the success of CTV Kitchener, Virgin, and KFUN. Each year, the teams support more than a hundred local charity and community initiatives, including the Stuff-A-Bus Food Drive supporting the Food Bank of Waterloo Region, and our annual holiday tradition, Toy Mountain, in support of the Salvation Army.

CTV Kitchener partners with the Chamber of Commerce and Heffner Toyota to profile a local business every week on CTV News at Six. The segment, Made Right Here, allows a local business to explain in their own words the story of what they do and why they do it. The segment, also made available on Kitchener.CTVNews.ca, has proven to be an important resource for our local viewers.

And our support of the Chamber also extends to sponsoring and hosting the annual Business Excellence Awards Gala, The Inspiring Women Event, and The Women’s Leadership Series Luncheons. These events provide unparalleled networking opportunities while celebrating our community pride.

American author Dan Millman once said: “The secret of change is to focus all your energy not on fighting the old, but on building the new.” That’s what we’ve aimed to do at Bell Media as we transform our business. But one thing that won’t change is our total commitment to this outstanding community and our support for the Greater Kitchener Waterloo Chamber of Commerce and its members.

A large part of our community involvement is as a member of the Greater Kitchener Waterloo Chamber of Commerce, where we continue to work with the Chamber and hundreds of its members to grow and strengthen our local economy and the community we serve.

“Using our platform to highlight what our community and local businesses have to offer is an essential part of what we do,” explains Kim Parker, General Sales Manager. “We get tremendous satisfaction watching our partners grow their businesses through their relationship with us. Whether it’s through an advertising campaign, a brand integration, or a promotional opportunity, our team has a track record of success in helping our partners get their message out.”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Michael Melling Michael Melling is General Manager – TV & Radio – Southwestern Ontario for Bell Media, supporting the company’s stations in Kitchener-Waterloo, London, and Windsor.

advocate SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER 2018

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feature

Investments in Infrastructure Required to Maintain Strong Housing Market Although the housing frenzy appears to have subsided, the Canadian dream of home ownership is alive and well in Ontario and Waterloo Region. As a result, the homebuilding industry continues to be an important engine that drives both the provincial and local economy.

Housing starts in Ontario have decreased from recent record highs but continue to be strong nonetheless, bringing many direct economic benefits. According to the Ontario Homebuilders’ Association, housing starts in the province are currently anticipated to be slightly less than 70,000 in 2018, down from almost 75,000 in 2016. Still it is estimated these housing starts will represent a value of approximately $56 billion, generating some 337,000 jobs and $20 billion in wages.

The impact in Waterloo Region is estimated to be roughly proportional, with a continued strong pace of local housing starts anticipated in 2018.

Although overall residential sales in Ontario and Waterloo Region for both new and resale homes have subsided from previous highs, demand for ground related housing is still strong. As recently reported by the Kitchener-Waterloo Association of Realtors (KWAR), even though residential sales in Kitchener-Waterloo have been trending downward compared to this time last year, detached homes sold for an average price of $575,000 in June, representing an approximate 7% increase compared to the year before. During the same period, the average sale price for apartment style condominiums was just over $314,000 and the average sale price for townhomes was approximately $378,500. This represents increases of about 10.8% and 2.9% respectively compared to the year before.

The demand for ground related homes is anticipated to remain strong moving forward, even as affordability erodes. However, we are starting to see a shift in the proportions of home types changing from higher-priced homes to lower-priced homes.

The mix of homes sold now appears to be based on a higher proportion of smaller units than what was sold in previous years.

This hints to affordability as a fundamental concern in the local housing market going forward. Quite simply, affordability is the housing story of 2018 and beyond and with that, it can be expected that we will see a continued shift in demand, with particularly stiff competition and increasing activity in the sub$500,000 market.

This shift is largely a product of consumers continued preference for ground related housing despite the upward pressure on house prices driven by diminishing supply and

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negative economic factors. These would include restrictive growth policies; recent changes to new mortgage rules; upward movement in interest rates; and continued demand created by strong inter-regional migration from other less-affordable areas in the GTA. All of these factors are working to erode housing affordability in Waterloo Region.

Governments receive significant revenues from the homebuilding industry. In addition to the growth in municipal assessment from new housing starts, governments bring in record revenue from other housing taxes, such as municipal development charges, the Harmonized Sales Tax on new housing, land transfer taxes, and the new Non-Resident Speculation Tax (recently imposed on non-resident purchasers in the Greater Toronto Area). In total, all levels collectively receive billions of dollars from various taxes on new housing, in addition to the direct income taxes generated by wages in the homebuilding industry.

With these billions of dollars in revenue, governments should be directing resources to supporting strategic, growth-related infrastructure aimed to bring more housing supply and choice to Ontarians. In Waterloo Region, priorities should include: •

• • •

the immediate establishment of two-way, all-day GO Transit service to Toronto;

an increased investment in local transit services to west and southwest Kitchener, linking this planned future growth area to rapid transit and GO Transit; an elevated investment in the local sewer, water and transportation infrastructure required to allow housing choice within the local market; and

a new connection to Highway 401 west of the Grand River.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Tony Giovinazzo

Tony Giovinazzo is the President of Activa, Waterloo Region’s largest land developer and home builder.

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Helping Us Make Our Vision Possible A special Thank You to each of these Chamber Sponsors.

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MEDIA PARTNERS 30

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advocate SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER 2018

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member notables

Member Notables Notable Order of Canada Appointments

Governor General of Canada Julie Payette recently announced 105 new appointments to the Order of Canada, including 3 Companions, 20 Officers, and 82 Members. Canadian Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Perrin Beatty and Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics Director Neil Turok were both appointed as Officers.

Mr. Beatty was recognized “for his lifetime of public service and devotion to the development of our nation as a community leader and corporate visionary.” Mr. Beatty served as M.P. for Wellington, Dufferin and Grey Counties and the Region of Waterloo Townships during his 21 year career in office.

Mr. Turok was appointed “for his substantial contributions as a scientist in the fields of theoretical physics and cosmology, and for providing new models that test fundamental theories of the universe.”

The Greater Kitchener Waterloo Chamber of Commerce congratulates both individuals on their prestigious recognition of exemplary Canadian service.

Reis Information Systems Expands into Europe

Reis Information Systems of Kitchener recently expanded into Europe through a new technical services hub located in Lisbon, Portugal to serve hundreds of clients in North America, Europe and other global markets.

Company founder Henrique Reis decided not to outsource the hub’s work, keeping business in-house to maintain standards, processes, security, compliance, quality and outstanding service for their clients. The new hub also provides 24 hour assistance.

Dutch Mill Flower Shop Celebrates 20 Tropical Years with November 30 and December 1 Open House

Owner Janice Jamieson of Dutch Mill Flower Shop in Waterloo invites the community to her 20th Anniversary Open House at 41 Princess Street on November 30 and December 1, 2018.

Janice’s unique Christmas offerings are legendary, including festive and elegant table centres, “your style” outdoor pots, and “high style” seasonal designs. Organizations have been ordering Christmas arrangements for their clients for many years while other businesses decorate their shops and restaurants with brilliant holiday tropical displays.

Visit the Dutch Mill website at dutchmillflowershop.com for further details as the open house approaches.

University of Waterloo Appoints New Chancellor

Canadian business leader Dominic Barton was recently appointed by the University of Waterloo Senate to a three-year term as the institution’s 11th chancellor. Mr. Barton is departing McKinsey and Company where he served for nine years as Global Managing Partner, advising both government and business leaders.

Mr. Barton is Chair of the influential Government of Canada Advisory Council on Economic Growth established by Minister of Finance Bill Morneau in March of 2016. The Advisory Council has issued a series of reports outlining policy initiatives for sustained economic growth across Canada, including substantial recommendations for the national agri-food sector.

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Dominic Barton succeeds Tom Jenkins, Chair of Open Text, who served as chancellor from 2015 to 2018. Other local business leaders to hold this position include Mike Lazaridis and Val O’Donovan.

member notables

Member Notables Chartwell Terrace on the Square Turns Twenty

Chartwell Terrace on the Square Retirement Residence is marking their 20th anniversary of service. Built in 1998 by a local family, they were adopted into the Chartwell family in 2007.

The Terrace residence stands in the historic Uptown Waterloo core, with the Town Square in their backyard. They invite the community to an Open House and Anniversary Party on September 22, 2018 from 1 – 4 pm where visitors can tour the facility and view the excellent services offered to residents.

PeaceWorks Technology Solutions Honoured as Best for the World and the Workers In June of this year, PeaceWorks Technology Solutions of Waterloo was recognized for creating an extraordinary positive impact as a business based on an independent, comprehensive assessment administered by the nonprofit B Lab (bthechange.com).

PeaceWorks was recognized in the Best for the World Overall list, which measures a company’s overall impact on its workers, community, customers and the environment. The company provides IT support and software solutions for clients seeking technology to strengthen their missions. This is their sixth consecutive year receiving the Best for World and Workers honours. © 2018 Phillips Lytle LLP The Communitech Hub, 151 Charles Street West Kitchener, Ontario N2G 1H6 Registered foreign legal consultants practicing U.S. law.

Phillips Lytle has been partnering for many years with Canadian startups and companies interested in doing business across the border. From licensing agreements, intellectual property, venture capital and corporate formation to immigration, customs, trade and export controls, Phillips Lytle is ready to help companies expand into the U.S. and beyond.

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advocate SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER 2018

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