Ottawa Business Journal June 19, 2017 by Great River Media inc.

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Inside Ottawaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s galas, fundraisers and networking events

Dogged by wet weather and perception that cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lodgings are already sold out, hotel industry has flat start to 2017 > PAGE 14

June 19, 2017 Vol. 20, NO. 17

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President and CEO Jennifer Stewart, centre, and Syntax Strategic’s team of communications, PR and marketing professionals. PHOTOGRAPHY BY MICHELLE VALBERG (VALBERG IMAGING) AND STYLING BY CAMILLE AND CATHERINE (RENT FROCK REPEAT).

Ottawa communications firm puts strategic storytelling at the centre of its success It has often been said that change is the only constant in business – a philosophy the team at Syntax Strategic embraces. “The communications and marketing landscape is in a constant state of flux,” says Jennifer Stewart, President and CEO, Syntax Strategic. “Industries and organizations need to adapt how they communicate to reach their audience, as well as embrace new tools and strategies to do so effectively.” In its seventh year, Syntax has grown from a twoperson shop to an agency with national breadth and clientele. At the helm of their organization is Stewart, who has seen the media landscape change, and has adapted her practice to stay ahead of the curve.

MONDAY, JUNE 19, 2017

A changing media landscape

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A significant shift in the communications industry has been the changing face of the media. Digital is king and many newsrooms continue to shrink in size. New players have emerged, such as bloggers and online influencers, with significant followings and audiences. This has shifted how the team approaches media pitching. “It’s more important than ever to have a thorough engagement strategy, be nimble, and take a grassroots approach to what you do,” said Stewart. According to Stewart, the days of sending out a press release to a mass group of reporters is ‘dead in the water’ and engagement really comes down to customized outreach efforts and relationships. “Organizations are competing for media

space. Rather than casting a wide net for a story, it’s important to determine which reporters would be interested in writing about a particular subject, and being much more strategic than far reaching,” said Stewart.

It’s more important than ever to have a thorough engagement strategy

thanks to social media and the 24/7 news cycle. This means that as communicators, you need to constantly monitor the web, and be ready to respond quickly to a crisis. “Organizations are really under the microscope when a crisis unfolds. A growing area of our business has been training our clients and providing them with strategies to effectively navigate a crisis from a communications standpoint,” said Madigan.

Behind every success is a solid strategy While change has been abundant in the communications sector, the business remains rooted in strategy and storytelling. “I don’t see the actual foundation of our industry shifting. The tools expand, and we adapt, but telling a good story is really at the heart of what we do,” said Stewart.

- Jennifer Stewart

Appealing to the eye online While traditional media is still a big player, online blogs and news sites are expanding by the day. This can impact where an organization invests its communications budget, depending on where their audience is spending time. “There are a lot of influencers or potential brand ambassadors for an organization that can make a great impact through social engagement,” said Jennifer Madigan, Senior Director of Media Relations and Public Affairs. “Getting the right people to share your message online can be more impactful than any ad. It comes from people that have an established level of trust with your target audience and adds credibility.”

Social media doesn’t take evenings and weekends off The face of consumer engagement has evolved and has become a constant for organizations

As a team of talented writers, multimedia content producers and communications strategists, Syntax Strategic works with local and national companies to help them get noticed—in the media, online, and by government officials. With a strong business sense at core of their strategies, they work with clients to ensure communications is the driving force to success.

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Market inn-decision

INFLUENCERS

Inside Ottawa’s galas, fundraisers and networking events

Dogged by wet weather and perception that city’s lodgings are already sold out, hotel industry has flat start to 2017 > PAGE 14

OBJ.social PAGES 10-13

June 19, 2017 Vol. 20, NO. 17

For daily business news visit obj.ca

Well-built enterprise OBJ columnist Bruce Firestone sits down with OakWood founder John Liptak to find out the home renovator’s secrets to success. > PAGE 8

Seven years after launching his company, Bluink founder Steve Borza is hoping for a breakout year, projecting revenues of $1.5 million. PHOTO BY MARK HOLLERON

Software success you can bank on Courting financial heavyweights such as Visa, tech startup Bluink on fast track to growth Ottawa firm says one-of-a-kind technology is making it easier for consumers to protect ever-expanding number of passwords > PAGE 4

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LAUNCH PAD Bluink cracking password to global e-commerce security market Tech startup on pace to book 2017 revenues of $1.5M, eyes deal with Visa BY ADAM FEIBEL adam@obj.ca

MONDAY, JUNE 19, 2017

ttawa tech startup Bluink is on the brink of a breakout with password management and authentication software it says is one-of-a-kind in the market. While many people use the same or similar passwords for multiple account logins, password managers generate, store and retrieve super-strong passwords to better protect one’s digital identity. Meanwhile, two-factor authentication is becoming the standard among websites such as Google and Twitter due to its extra level of security, and federated-identity technology allows web users to link their electronic identities across multiple accounts for greater ease of use. Bluink offers an all-in-one solution that has all three of those features, setting it apart from competitors such as Duo, LastPass, Okta and Ping Identity, says founder and CEO Steve Borza. “They quite often do one or two of the things we do,” says Mr. Borza. “But if we look at our competitors, there’s no one with the complete suite of solutions.” The firm has been developing its technology since 2014, and now it’s ready to reap the rewards from its first sales cycle. The bootstrapped startup has passed the proof-of-concept and pilot phases with its initial customers and has now reached the large-scale deployment stage. Bluink has begun generating sales, and the company expects revenues to hit $1.5 million this year. “That’ll move us well into the black,” says Mr. Borza.

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Bluink founder Steve Borza is looking to raise $2 million in new funding. PHOTO BY MARK HOLLERON

Bluink’s initial target market is the financial services sector, where customers have plenty of reason to guard their personal information. Mr. Borza made the trip down to California recently to work on a proof of concept with Visa, a client he says would be “huge” for his company. “They’re a premier name in financial services, so I’m pretty proud that they find our solution compelling and unique enough that they want to use it,” he says. “They’re a well-respected name in financial services and they have a very deep IT security knowledge … If we get through all the hoops with Visa, it’s a massive win.”

Mr. Borza says his trip to California also included talks about an upcoming financing round, in which Bluink will be looking to raise $2 million in fresh equity. The firm originally started in 2010 as an R&D consulting company. A couple of years later, it pivoted to developing and selling a shift-scheduling product for SMEs, mainly restaurants. In 2014, Mr. Borza recruited an ex-CEO with whom he had previously worked who was developing an early version of the software that Bluink sells today. He saw enough potential in the product that he changed the course of the company, banking on a unique software solution that

promised “bigger (customer) targets and bigger dollars per customer.” The password management market is expected to be worth US $710 million by 2019, while the larger identity and access management market is anticipated to be worth nearly $15 billion by 2021, according to market research firm MarketsandMarkets. As a customer of a financial-services company, “you have something to protect,” says Mr. Borza. “This is a solution that a bank can roll out to their customers and allow them to strongly authenticate while using banking systems or confirming transactions.” Dom Fedronic, Visa’s senior director of identity and access management, calls Bluink’s technology “the Swiss Army knife of authentication.” While business from big-name firms such as Visa would certainly be a boost, Mr. Borza says his ideal endgame is to have large players white-label Bluink’s solution – such as companies that provide software to the managed service provider market, or large software security firms such as Cisco Systems, BlackBerry and PayPal – and he says a number of those types of companies have already approached him to begin talks about doing just that. “We don’t see ourselves building a sales force. We see partnerships with security and network companies, and whitelabelling our solution with them so they can sell it through their channels,” Mr. Borza says. “Visa is a great marquee brand, but if I can do a white-label with a company that has 40 Visas in their sales stable, that’s where my efforts should go.”

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ZINATION HONOURED WITH IN-TAC EMPLOYMENT AWARD Digital retailing startup ZINation received props from Ottawa talent recruitment group In-TAC recently. The company was honoured with the ambassador award, recognizing the employer that has helped the greatest number of In-TAC clients find employment in the past year. The former L-Spark portfolio company offers automated merchandising for e-commerce retailers. ZINation’s CEO David Ker says that while the firm remains a small operation, it has helped many people find work through its internships. The company has doubled its staff and grown revenues 30 per cent since joining L-Spark in 2015, he says. It also closed a $210,000 seed funding round last fall.

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CENGN GETS BOOSTS TO NETWORK DEVELOPMENT Ottawa startups looking to test next-gen network innovations can look for support at an expanding resource centre in their own backyard. The Centre of Excellence in Next Generation Networking recently announced a new partnership with Waterloo-based Eleven-X, a first-of-its-kind network in Canada designed to offer low-cost connectivity and data communications for Internet of Things and smart-city initiatives. CENGN is a consortium of organizations aimed at accelerating the commercialization of next-generation networks. The Ontario government also recently announced it will be providing CENGN with $63 million in funding over the next five years, which will go toward the centre’s project to connect 18 innovation centres across the province.

CALENDAR Open Source Networking Meetup Wednesday, June 21 at 5:30 p.m. Innovation Centre, 7 Bayview Rd. More information at cengn.ca/events Social Media for Your Business Tuesday, June 27 at 10 a.m. Innovation Centre, 7 Bayview Rd. More information at investottawa.ca/events

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PROCUREMENT Federal contracts a ‘lost opportunity’ for too many SMEs, Telfer study says Most small Canadian firms don’t see government as a potential client, according to new research from University of Ottawa professors BY DAVID SALI david@obj.ca

new study that shows fewer than one in 10 small and mediumsized Canadian enterprises does business with the federal government should be a wakeup call to companies looking for avenues to grow, the report’s

co-author says. “Being in the nation’s capital, to me this represents opportunity,” said Barb Orser, a professor at the University of Ottawa’s Telfer School of Management. “A lot of small businesses, they don’t see the feds as a prospective client. What we see in the data is that once small businesses do business with the federal government, they seem to be able to overcome some of the

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Telfer professor Barb Orser co-wrote the new study. PHOTO COURTESY UNIVERSITY OF OTTAWA

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classic, stereotypical challenges that have been well-identified.” The study found that just 9.8 per cent of Canadian SMEs sold goods and services to the federal government between 2012 and 2014, and more than 80 per cent of smaller firms said they don’t see the government as a potential client. “That’s a lot of lost business opportunity for Canadian small businesses,” Ms. Orser

said. “I’m hoping one of the things that this study does is alert small businesses to the opportunities that government provides – at all levels. It’s not just the feds. When close to 13 per cent of our GDP relates to federal, provincial and municipal procurement, that’s a big chunk of our economy that represents opportunities for small businesses.” Many SMEs also buy into the belief that

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“I’m hoping one of the things that this study does is alert small businesses to the opportunities that government provides – at all levels. It’s not just the feds. When close to 13 per cent of our GDP relates to federal, provincial and municipal procurement, that’s a big chunk of our economy that represents opportunities for small businesses.” – BARB ORSER, PROFESSOR AT UNIVERSITY OF OTTAWA’S TELFER SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT

doing business with government requires navigating through never-ending reams of red tape. More than four in 10 enterprises that do sell to government cited the complexity of the contracting process as a major obstacle. Ms. Orser says many firms aren’t aware of government agencies that help companies seek out government contracts, such as the Office of Small and Medium Enterprises. “It’s really important for Ottawa businesses, because we’re in the nation’s capital and we’re close to the federal procurement epicentre,” she said. The study also found that most SMEs that did obtain contracts tend to be older, have a fairly large number of employees and are run by men. MediaPlus Advertising president Don Masters has done deals with a host of government agencies and Crown corporations since launching the firm in 1984. He said he checks procurement sites such as buyandsell.gc.ca and MERX.com first thing every morning – and suggested any company looking to win government business should do the same. “I think all of the opportunities are there,” he told OBJ. “Sure, if it’s a big multimillion-dollar contract, (governments) are probably going to look

to bigger firms first. But that’s not the nature of everything that they post by a long shot. There’s opportunities on there for everyone from people that know how to build fishing piers to repairing roofs – you name it, it’s on there. If people are finding they’re not succeeding at it, maybe it’s in the approach that they’re taking more than the process itself or any bias toward large firms.” Melissa Pinard, who founded Kanatabased tech firm InitLive four years ago with her mother Debbie, said the 12-person company registered with buyandsell.gc.ca in 2014 but found it difficult to get on the government’s preferred vendor list. LABOUR-INTENSIVE PROCESS “We found the tender process to be time-consuming, complicated and usually not specific enough to a small company’s product,” she said in an e-mail. Eddy Abou-Nehme, CEO of local digital marketing firm seoplus+, has landed a couple of government contracts since launching the business in 2012. He said many fledgling startups would love to do business with the federal government, but bidding on contracts is labour-intensive and comes with no guarantee of success. “The problem is, it’s oftentimes a very difficult and long process to apply,” he

explained. “You get into a situation where you literally have to put in like 50, 60, 70, 80, 90 man hours, even longer. Sometimes, small businesses just can’t support that, whereas you can go meet a couple of small businesses, in a couple of hours turn (deals) around and be done.” Gabe Batstone, co-founder of Ottawabased artificial intelligence startup Contextere, has been selling to the federal government for two decades. While he argues the government could do a better job of simplifying the procurement process for small companies, he also says many businesses aren’t doing enough to take advantage of the opportunities available to them. “I think it’s just a reality of a bureaucracy and a large company,” he said. “In fairness, it’s not that much easier to deal with a Fortune 500 company. When you deal with big organizations, whether it’s a government or a multinational, it takes time. If you can have the patience, if you can have the maturity and are willing to take the time, there are benefits. I think that a little bit of (being in) business is you have to figure it out.” Mr. Masters agreed. “If you consider spending some human resources to develop a proposal as fighting red tape, I guess that’s your choice, but

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that’s the way the process works,” he said. “In an organization that’s doing billions and billions of dollars of procurement a year, how else are they going to do it?” Ms. Orser said the federal government is aware of the perception that it can be difficult to do business with and is working to streamline its procurement systems. In fact, she said it was two senior managers at Public Services and Procurement Canada, Quang Duong and Jerome Catimel, who proposed the new study. “It’s really easy to fall back on being critical of the government, and that’s sort of the norm,” she said. “But in my mind, this is a bit of a good-news story because they’re trying to inform their policy with quality evidence-based insight. That’s what motivated (the report).” The study did not break down results by region or city, so Ms. Orser said the authors aren’t sure yet if Ottawa firms are more likely to do business with the federal government or see it as a potential client than companies in other parts of the country. She said that type of analysis will be done in future reports, adding Telfer researchers are already working on the next in a series of studies that will examine topics such as the link between procurement and innovation.

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COMMENTARY OakWood building strong reputation Family-owned Ottawa home renovation firm nails down coveted endorsement from key industry player, Bruce Firestone reports

think it’s fair to say that Ottawa is not exactly renowned for having a plethora of great companies. So imagine my surprise when I walked into OakWood founder John Liptak’s gigantic design centre in eastend Ottawa to learn that his $10-million building is Canada’s highest LEED-certified structure stuffed with more than 7,500 high-end products – everything from fantabulous kitchens and bathrooms to safe rooms hidden behind false walls. In addition to the in-house inventory, OakWood offers another 150,000 products via QR codes, which are everywhere. John runs the business with his wife, Debbie. His two daughters, Patricia Liptak-Satov and Angela Liptak, are also active in the organization. It is the largest home renovation company in Ottawa, doing 485 jobs last year ranging from in size from $20,000 to $6 million. Recently, I sat down with Mr. Liptak to find out more about this remarkable company. What follows is an edited transcript of our conversation.

MONDAY, JUNE 19, 2017

BF: How many employees do you currently have and how many do you think you will have by the end of 2017? JL: We currently have 59 in our main construction company, not including all the other areas. We also work with over 650 trade partners and suppliers. We expect to have around 27 per cent controlled growth in 2017.

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BF: What’s the fastest-growing part of your business and why? JL: Our new HandyManPRO service, which was launched in February 2016, is technically the fastest-growing division of OakWood, but the fastest-growing division financially is our investment property division. BF: How difficult is it to transition to the next generation? JL: For me it is truly easy. When you run a construction company, business is personal and personal life is mixed in with business, so our children were always immersed in the business world. Both Patricia and Angela have been working with my wife Debbie and me since they played with their dolls and teddy bears. During university, we encouraged both girls to

experience other work – always trusting our instincts that someday they would return with new added experiences. That is exactly what happened. We are truly blessed that we all get along so well and have a common vision. BF: What role does Angela play? JL: Angela is the CFO who guides our finances within our group of companies and divisions. Being a CMA, she has professional insight and knowledge that makes our family businesses even stronger. Angela oversees all accounting and manages our finances. BF: And Debbie? JL: It started out with Debbie doing all accounting and then transitioned into Debbie helping with the accounting to now Debbie providing childcare for our four wonderful grandchildren and also helping with the accounting. Debbie is my soulmate, and she is the primary reason that I am not living in a tent because I would not even know what size clothes I wear. She is the quiet person in the background that always takes care of business. BF: How hard is it to train your subcontractors and bring them up to your standard? JL: Employee and trade partner training are a large part of what we spend a huge amount of company resources on. First of all, interviewing and finding the best employees and trade partners is enormously time-consuming to do properly. We want the best trades and employees that we can find. Truly talented trades are very hard to find, and we are hopeful that the next generation coming out of our colleges will be better trained. We are also hopeful that the age of “entitled to their entitlements” is over and the next generation will once again be a hard-working one. We weigh ethics and attitude almost 50 per cent in interviews. When a trade has a great attitude, then we have very little issue establishing higher expectations and asking them to improve their skill set. We lead the way. There are many other ways to entice a trade to meet your expectations, and one method is to reward trades that work well with more work and early payment. OakWood has a trade partner rating system where we rate

different aspects of each trade partner … and being in first place gives first dibs on the next project. BF: Is the Ottawa market sufficiently quality conscious or is everyone just looking for the lowest price? JL: This is difficult to answer, as it is yet to be determined. We definitely are increasing our market share, but do not yet know where it will top out. Canada and specifically Ottawa have nowhere near the level of quality consciousness of Europe or specifically Germany, where supply and service is much more of a priority in terms of quality and longevity. For example, in Germany families invest and make decisions about their homes for generations and expect to pass the family home down to their children and grandchildren. BF: How has Google or Facebook changed OakWood? JL: OakWood changed the way we market ourselves in the late ’90s and much more dramatically in the last five years. Google and Facebook are very important to OakWood, but, having said this, there is still a big demand in our marketplace to actually touch and feel the products. Since we opened our new by-appointment-only design centre, our success rate (closing rate) has gone way up – from one out of every six proposals to one out of every 2.5. People are still very visual for the most part, and that is also why we are investing heavily in new hologram technologies. Mr. Liptak is very proud of his German heritage, and he feels that attention to detail is one of the fundamental reasons why the firm has achieved success – that and creating a top-rated brand are the two “secrets” that Mr. Liptak credits for the growth of the business. He also mentions that his firm is the only one hard-charging Mike Holmes has endorsed in Ottawa; he went out of his way to show me the spacious and wellappointed office that is exclusively reserved for the media sensation when he visits OakWood monthly. Mr. Liptak also says the firm is very picky when it comes to hiring – OakWood accepts just one out of every 111 applicants who apply. He expects the firm’s head office headcount to reach 75 employees this year, with room in the building for 45 more. The total number of contracts it will put through this year will top 500 in what Mr. Liptak says will be more “controlled growth” for the company. Control is very important to Mr. Liptak, lest anything tarnish the OakWood brand.

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What will Ottawa’s new real estate landscape look like? Find out how EY helps business owners and entrepreneurs in Ottawa and across Canada ask better questions. Be inspired today. Visit ey.com/ca/private

Can shining a light on high achievement inspire more of it?

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MONDAY, JUNE 19, 2017

People who move the world forward are the kinds of people who build our success at EY. That’s why we’re so proud to congratulate our own Aaron Smith for being named one of the Forty Under 40. It’s a well-deserved honour in testament to his exceptional service to Ottawa’s businesses and the community.

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FUNDRAISER

Twinkle Gala raises big money for tiny hearts in need

MONDAY, JUNE 19, 2017

All the stars aligned for the Twinkle Gala, creating a magical and flawless From left, Twinkle Gala co-chair Gary Zed with Ottawa evening that unfolded June 8 in the the doctors Pradeep Merchant and George Tawagi at the Mary Taggart, publisher of Ottawa At Rockcliffe Park backyard party paradise fundraiser in support of The Ottawa Hospital’s neonatal Home magazine, with Andrea Laurin belonging to Ottawa tech pioneer Michael intensive care unit at its General campus. at the Twinkle Gala on June 8. Potter. The $5,000-a-plate gala, presented by the charitable Lift Foundation, began with more than 200 ticket-purchasers and their grateful guests strolling through a pretend portal of time to reach the Alice in Wonderland-inspired event. There, attendees discovered through the course of the whimsical evening just how deep the rabbit hole goes. Proceeds from the evening will go toward a $5-million fundraising campaign to provide the best possible care for From left, Clara Downey-Silcoff and premature and critically ill newborns at Emma Hickey from 100 Watt Productions performed during the Alice in The Ottawa Hospital’s neonatal intensive Wonderland-themed Twinkle Gala hosted care unit (NICU) at the General campus. by the Lift Foundation in support of The From left, Canadian singer-songwriters Alan Doyle and Organizers were hopeful that the Twinkle Ottawa Hospital’s neonatal intensive care Serena Ryder with Mark Critch at the Twinkle Gala Gala would bring them very close to unit at the General campus. held at the Rockcliffe Park home of Michael Potter. reaching the campaign goal. The only negative to the night was the realization that there were guests in the crowd that had gone through the agonizing experience of losing a baby. Mark Shabinsky, president of real estate developer Glenview, took up the cause after his grandson, Joseph, died at age five weeks on Jan. 10, 2016, at the NICU’s General campus. Shabinsky was able to quietly collect large donations for the NICU in the months leading up to the Twinkle Twinkle Future Stars Gala, the largest third-party Michael Potter, seen with his partner fundraising event ever held for The Ottawa Diane Cramphin, opened up his estate for the inaugural Twinkle Gala in Hospital. From left, John Ruddy, Michael Potter and Roger Greenberg served as honourary co-chairs of the support of the neonatal intensive care The campaign, thanks to the fundraising Twinkle Gala held at Potter’s Rockcliffe Park estate on unit at The Ottawa Hospital’s General efforts of the prominent and well-liked campus. June 8. Shabinsky clan and the family’s own

generous donation to the cause, had passed the $3-million mark prior to the Twinkle Gala. “He took a bad situation, and rather than letting my grandson die in vain, he’s making a difference, so that hopefully what happened to my grandson will never happen again,” wife Lynn Shabinsky told OBJ.social. The Shabinsky family is not alone. “When you go out and start talking with people about making donations, everybody has a story. Our story is sad, but everyone has a story,” she added. If there’s a silver lining in all of this, it’s that Joseph’s twin brother Isaac, who was also a patient of the NICU, turned 18 months old on the evening of the gala. The Ottawa Hospital delivers roughly 6,000 babies a year. Of that number, more than 800 end up in the NICU. The gala presented an all-star roster of Canadian talent with legendary Randy Bachman, proud Newfoundlander Alan Doyle and powerhouse Serena Ryder all rocking the room. The very funny Mark Critch from This Hour has 22 Minutes fame was there to emcee, or, as he put it, fulfil the role of dancing monkey. He introduced gala co-chair and volunteer fundraiser extraordinaire Gary Zed as being so Canadian that his last name is Zed (as opposed to “Zee,” which is how our American friends would pronounce it). Plans to specifically hold the NICU benefit at Potter’s breathtaking estate all started over a backyard play structure, the room heard. Potter, a father of three daughters, realized it was finally time to get rid of the thing, while Zed saw this as an opportunity to erect in its place some

Collaboration. Is it the new innovation? ey.com/ca #BetterQuestions

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massive party tents with staging and a dining area. “I’m actually standing where Mike Potter used to have a very, very large play structure, back in March,” Zed told the crowd. “Mike called me up and said, ‘Gary, do you know anybody who wants a play structure?’ And I said, ‘No, but I know two great doctors that want to throw a great party, if you can get rid of your play structure.’” Zed, co-founder of the charitable Lift Foundation, chaired the gala with Dr. Pradeep Merchant, a perinatologist and site chief of neonatology at the Civic campus of The Ottawa Hospital, and Dr. George Tawagi, chief of obstetrics at The Ottawa Hospital. Sponsors in the crowd included everyone from Mike McGahan, president of CLV Group, to Liza Mrak, executive vicepresident at Mark Motors Audi dealership, to Peter Nicholson, president of WCPD, to real estate lawyer Charles Saikaley, to John Lindgren, an IP consultant with Tessera Technologies, and his wife, Crickett. Potter was honorary co-chair with Roger Greenberg, executive chair of The Minto Group, and John Ruddy, executive chair of Trinity Development. The latter two gentlemen were late arriving to the gala due to the Ottawa RedBlacks’

preseason game (they’re part-owners of the football team). Invited guests included Dr. Jack Kitts, president and CEO of The Ottawa Hospital, and Tim Kluke, chief executive of its foundation, as well as Shopify COO Harley Finkelstein and some of his colleagues. There were enough obstetrical doctors in the room that the pregnant women were in safe hands, should their water have broken that night. The evening featured food stations and harvest table-style dining beneath delightfully decorated party tents. The gourmet dishes were collaboratively prepared by chefs Marc Lepine (Atelier), Pat Garland (Absinthe), Justin Faubert (Thyme & Again), Chris Deraiche (Wellington Gastropub), Tim Stock (Play food & wine) and Joe Thottungal (Coconut Lagoon). As well, young actors from 100 Watt Productions performed in character from Alice in Wonderland during the poolside cocktail reception. ZedEvents produced the gala while Event Design handled all the decor and Thyme & Again, led by owner Sheila Whyte, organized the food and drinks. FOR MORE ON THE EVENT, CHECK OUT CAROLINE PHILLIPS’ VIDEO AT OBJ.CA

Harley Finkelstein, COO of Shopify, with its director of government affairs, Alex Clark, and senior vice-president of human relations, Brittany Forsyth, at the Twinkle Gala.

From left, honourary co-chair Roger Greenberg with Mark Shabinsky at the Twinkle Gala in support of The Ottawa Hospital’s neonatal intensive care unit at for premature and critically ill babies.

More than 200 attendees dined under a massive party tent erected in Michael Potter’s backyard in support of The Ottawa Hospital’s neonatal intensive care unit at the General campus.

Iwona Albrecht, a partner at Soloway Wright LLP, with her husband, Krys Albrecht, at the Twinkle Gala held at Michael Potter’s Rockcliffe Park estate.

Randy Bachman, formerly of the legendary Canadian bands The Guess Who and BTO, performed his classic hits at a fundraiser presented on June 8 by the Lift Foundation in support of The Ottawa Hospital’s neonatal intensive care unit at its General campus.

Soloway Wright LLP proudly celebrates Canada’s 150th birthday

Happy Birthday Canada! Bonne fête Canada !

MONDAY, JUNE 19, 2017

2017 Macan Life, intensified.

11 Mark Motors

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613-749-4275 611 Montreal Rd. markmotorsporsche.com / Mark.Motors.Porsche

OBJ.social From left, Nick Pantieras and Aik Aliferis of Primecorp Commercial Realty were the cochairs of the 32nd annual Gold Plate Dinner held at the Hellenic Meeting and Reception Centre on June 13.

PRESENTED BY

Stories and photos by Caroline Phillips

Melanie Adams, president and CEO of the Queensway Carleton Hospital Foundation, is flanked by (left) Dr. Gerry McNestry, chief of psychiatry at the hospital, and foundation board member Jeff Darwin at the Gold Plate Dinner.

Radio personality Angie Poirier of Majic 100 reacts with surprise as the remaining five contestants decide to throw in the towel during the reverse elimination draw at the Gold Plate Dinner.

From left, Peggy Taillon, lawyer Daniel Fernandes, Bill Malhotra of Claridge Homes and Anand Aggarwal of Manor Park Development at the 32nd annual Gold Plate Dinner.

FUNDRAISER

Gold Plate Dinner pays tribute to beloved philanthropist Peter Foustanellas

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development industry. The $500-a-ticket night saw Aik Aliferis and Nick Pantieras, both partners at Primecorp Commercial Realty, step up to chair the signature event, which was previously led for three decades by its now-honorary chair, Steve Ramphos, president of District Realty.

Canada Day weekend / Grand re-opening Join us for two days of free activities as we celebrate Canada Day weekend and the grand re-opening of the NAC. CELEBRATION PARTNERS

JULY 1–2

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#NAC2017

Honorary Patrons Grand Re-Opening The Honourable Hilary M. Weston and Mr. W. Galen Weston

MONDAY, JUNE 19, 2017

The Greeks gave us democracy, organized sports and the rule of law, but it was their invention of philanthropy that was celebrated and upheld at the Hellenic Community of Ottawa’s 32nd annual Gold Plate Dinner (GPD), a sold-out benefit that attracted movers and shakers from the local real estate

The high-end benefit, held Tuesday, grossed roughly $420,000 in support of the Hellenic Community of Ottawa and the Queensway Carleton Hospital Foundation’s $5-million mental health campaign. The evening paid tribute to the late Peter Foustanellas, founder and owner of premiere sponsors Argos Carpets and Olympia Homes. The successful businessman, father of four sons and grandfather of 10 came from humble beginnings, having immigrated to Canada from Greece in 1967. He passed away May 24 at age 70. Regular attendees of the dinner, held at the Hellenic Meeting and Reception Centre, will remember how Foustanellas made GPD fundraising history in 2015 when he volunteered to match every $5,000 charitable donation given that night. “He was an intriguing and very capable businessman, with a sense of humour,” Ramphos, a long-time friend, told the room. “He believed that anything could be achieved with long hours and hard work. No challenge was too big.” Above all, Foustanellas had a big heart, said Ramphos. “Although it was not in good health, I think he had the biggest heart of anybody known to me. He was the definition of philanthropy, giving generously to many causes. “Peter received more pleasure from giving to charity than from spending on his own comfort and lifestyle.” Guests were entertained over dinner by Ottawa-raised comic Angelo Tsarouchas and some beautiful bouzouki playing by Tony Pantieras, brother to Nick Pantieras (they’re both musicians in the band Poseidon). Majic 100 radio personalities Angie Poirier and Jeff Hopper filled the very big shoes of their out-of-town colleague

“Stuntman” Stu Schwartz, who’s usually the event host. A trip to New York for eight on a private jet, with dinner, sold for $18,000 during the live auction. A dinner for 10 catered by Giovanni’s Restaurant went for $5,500 while a backyard Greek barbecue brought in $6,000. Another $3,750 was raised from a catered dinner for 12 by EVOO Greek Kitchen. Always exciting is the $30,000 reverse elimination draw, supervised by Ernst & Young’s Ottawa tax practice market leader Ian Sherman. It pulls 20 ticket-holders up on stage. The group either unanimously agrees to split the money or risk having one of their names pulled from the lottery drum, followed by the traditional audience cheer of “Exo” (a polite Greek alternative to “Get off the stage!”). If only one contestant is left, he or she can take the 30 grand or opt for a new Mercedes-Benz luxury car from Star Motors. This year, the remaining five contestants chose to take the cash and donate half of their winnings back. The evening continued late into the evening with a dessert reception, back in the tent, and more entertainment from DJ Katrella and Karl Wolf. Steve Klein, founder and CEO of Marketing Breakthrough, was back to produce the event. Other faces seen in the crowd included Bill Malhotra from Claridge Homes, Queensway Carleton Hospital president and CEO Tom Schonberg and its foundation president, Melanie Adams, and some of her board members, including past chair Alan Whitten, president of Huntington Properties. Hellenic Community president Tony Georgiou attended, as did its popular spiritual leader, Father Alex Michalopulos, who opened up the evening nicely with a good joke. — caroline@obj.ca

EVENT

GEMSTONE CREATES ITS OWN JEWEL WITH NEW CENTRETOWN OFFICE When Josh Zaret said he was throwing a “fun, casual pizza party” to celebrate the official launch of Gemstone Corporation’s new office building, design centre and showroom, he wasn’t talking about serving take-out ‘za from cardboard boxes. Rather, he meant freshly prepared by Vittoria Trattoria in wood-burning ovens set up in the backyard at 252 Argyle Ave. Dozens of friends, clients and suppliers turned out earlier this month to offer their congratulations and check out the beautiful new space that is now the headquarters for the family-owned custom home builder and real estate development firm. Gemstone bought the property two years ago from the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Ottawa, but it took throwing a party to motivate the firm to complete all the final details on the rundown heritage building. Gemstone spent many months restoring the house to create a spacious, bright and modern feel. Just as an example, it added tempered glass to the

front porch and balcony and touches of zinc cladding to the traditional red-brick exterior. “You’ve done a great job; this place was a dump,” well-known Ottawa real estate and business lawyer Lawrence Soloway was overheard telling Zaret. Special guests included deputy mayor Mark Taylor. He thanked Zaret and his father, Neil Zaret, president of Gemstone, for “changing the face of our community” and for helping the city to evolve. Coun. Jan Harder, chair of the city’s planning committee, had visited earlier that day. “I think that when you look at the designs that they deliver on street corners across the city, you can see how they’re delivering modern designs for a modern, vibrant world-capital city,” said Taylor in his remarks. “At the same time, they are prizing the heritage aspects of a lot of these properties and putting them front and centre, and recognizing there doesn’t have to be a disconnect between the heritage aspects of our community and its history and the functional realities

From left, Charles Mirsky, a broker with District Realty, seen with Soloway Wright LLP commercial litigation lawyer and partner Kenneth Wright, Julie Nott and Lawrence Soloway, also a partner at Soloway Wright, on June 1 at the official launch of Gemstone Corporation’s new office, showroom and design centre in Centretown.

Barry Hobin, arguably the best-known architect in Ottawa, is flanked by Gemstone president Neil Zaret and his son, Josh, vicepresident, at the official launch of Gemstone’s new office, design centre and showroom on Argyle Avenue.

of what you can do with a modern building.” Gemstone, he added, is among a group of developers in Ottawa that makes a difference and for whom it’s not just a business. “They pour passion into their work, and that is very clear when you walk through these front doors,” said Taylor. Also seen was John Bassi, president

of Bassi Construction (he lives in Gemstone’s upscale condo building by Patterson Creek in the Glebe). Former Ottawa surgical oncologist Dr. Hartley Stern, CEO and executive director of the Canadian Medical Protective Association, was seen mingling in the crowd, as was popular radio host and Ottawa Senators PA announcer “Stuntman” Stu Schwartz. He, like Dr. Stern, is a close family friend.

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Hydro Ottawa Launches Innovative New App to Elevate the Customer Experience

The new app reports electricity consumption data in near real-time, offering ‘High Usage Alerts’ that tell customers when their electricity usage is higher than normal. It can also identify spikes in electricity consumption by detecting increased heating and cooling costs allowing a customer to

Using patented analytics, the app also gauges the power output and cost of individual home appliances, without the need for any hardware, such as sensors. The app can breakdown a customer’s electricity usage into as many as 12 appliance categories. This enables customers to track their electricity usage over a year to see how it changes based on the season, weather and their behaviour. The app provides immediate insights as well. Customers

can view their ‘Always On’ usage – the electricity consumed by devices even when turned off, such as computers, phone chargers, and televisions. With the ‘Neighbourhood Comparison’ feature, customers can benchmark their usage against that of similar homes in their area. Customers can save on electricity costs simply by changing their behaviour in response to these insights. Hydro Ottawa’s power outage map is available on the app as well. It details the location,

type of outage, number of customers affected, and the estimated time when power will be restored. It also confirms when crews have arrived at the site of the outage. Hydro Ottawa customers that have downloaded the app, report that it’s helpful in understanding how they use electricity and how they can reduce their electricity costs. Available in English or French, this free app can be downloaded at the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store.

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“Our surveys show that many of our customers want tools to help them conserve electricity,” says Julie Lupinacci, Chief Customer Officer. “This

convenient, intuitive and feature-rich app gives them new insights into their electricity usage, costs and much more. We believe it will significantly enhance their customer experience.”

ON THE HOME SCREEN, CUSTOMERS SEE THEIR CURRENT MONTH’S ESTIMATED ELECTRICITY COST AND THE COST OF THEIR MOST CURRENT USAGE.

MONDAY, JUNE 19, 2017

ydro Ottawa recently launched a new mobile app that allows its customers to monitor their electricity usage, see its estimated cost, access billing information and find out about current power outages. Other companies offer electricity apps today, but few offer this complete level of intelligence in one, easy-to-use and customizable tool.

understand, for example, if an air-conditioner has been left on longer than usual. Based on a customer’s consumption patterns, the app further provides personalized electricity saving tips. For instance, customers learn that if they use an advanced power bar with a timer to power down their computer at night and while they’re away, they can significantly reduce the annual electricity usage of their computer.

TOURISM Room for improvement in hotel occupancy Wet weather, perception that rooms are sold out have tempered what many hoteliers felt would be a record 2017, industry leaders say david@obj.ca

MONDAY, JUNE 19, 2017

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January: February: March: Total:

2016 53.5% 71.2% 65.1% 63.3%

2017 54.8% 70.3% 67.7% 64.0%

SOURCE: OTTAWA GATINEAU HOTEL ASSOCIATION

Mr. Ball is optimistic the situation will improve as the weather heats up and the Canada Day celebrations approach. Leisure travellers often don’t decide on their vacation plans until practically the last minute, he explains, so many of the Ottawa 2017 marketing campaigns targeting those summer tourists only launched a few weeks ago, he says. “You don’t want your marketing to be too, too early because it’s too far in advance of the decision-making process. I think that’s a big part of it,” Mr. Ball says. “It was a little concerning a couple of weeks ago, but we’re feeling a lot better about things.” Mr. Smythe shares that sunny outlook, saying he’s confident other marquee events such as Moment Factory’s Kontinuum multimedia show in the Lyon LRT station and the giant mechanical creatures of La Machine, which are both coming to the city next month, will kickstart what he hopes will be a sizzling summer for the industry.

BY DAVID SALI

ttention, visitors: There is indeed still room at the inn this summer. That’s the message local hotel industry officials are pushing after what’s been a softer spring tourism season than they expected – ironically, a situation they say was caused partly by a misconception that lodgings in the nation’s capital are all booked up thanks to the plethora of major events celebrating Canada’s 150th birthday. That perception, they say, couldn’t be further from the truth. “Somehow, it got out there in the media – and it wasn’t just in Ottawa, it was carried on national broadcasting – that Ottawa’s sold out for the summer and the rates are incredible for Canada Day, you can’t get a room anywhere,” says David Smythe, general manager of the Lord Elgin Hotel. “I beg to differ. That is simply not true.” He says many hoteliers were expecting a bumper crop of tourists to flock to the region throughout much of 2017, attracted by a year-long slate of heavily publicized events from Red Bull’s Crashed Ice competition and the Juno Awards in March through to the outdoor NHL game between the Senators and Montreal Canadiens in December. So far, however, the anticipated uptick in business hasn’t materialized. “It’s been a decent year – it hasn’t been the best of the best, so to speak,” Mr. Smythe says. “I don’t think any of us are complaining or really hurting. I think we’re just kind of saying, ‘Gosh, I thought it would be busier.’ The demand for guest rooms wasn’t as high as we had anticipated.” Chateau Laurier director of public relations Deneen Perrin says her hotel has enjoyed a “really good” start to 2017, bolstered by a rare March night of full occupancy during Crashed Ice. Canada Day weekend is already a sellout at the Chateau Laurier as well, but the hotel still has plenty of rooms available at other times. She agrees with Mr. Smythe that some potential customers have shied away from booking trips to the capital due to a mistaken belief that there are no vacancies in the downtown core.

HOTEL OCCUPANCY RATES

Ottawa Gatineau Hotel Association president Steve Ball. FILE PHOTO

“I don’t think any of us are complaining or really hurting. I think we’re just kind of saying, ‘Gosh, I thought it would be busier.’” – DAVID SMYTHE, GM OF THE LORD ELGIN HOTEL

“I think people are confusing Canada Day (weekend), which is four days, with the entire summer,” Ms. Perrin says. Overall occupancy rates across the city for the first five months of the year were about the same as they were for the same period in 2016, according to Ottawa Gatineau Hotel Association president Steve Ball. While many hotel managers were probably expecting better numbers than that, he says record-setting rain this spring put a bit of a damper on attendance

at events such as the Canadian Tulip Festival. “Even during Winterlude, there were some weather issues,” Mr. Ball says. “It was touch and go whether the canal was going to be ready. Weather has been a factor.” Ms. Perrin echoed those thoughts. “I don’t know that people were really thinking about summer,” she says. “But now that it’s getting warmer, I think the phones are starting to ring a little bit more.”

‘REALLY OPTIMISTIC’ “Quietly, we’re overconfident perhaps that we’re about to see a tsunami of tourists coming to Ottawa for the summer months with all the fabulous things that are happening,” he says. “We are very confident the 2017 summer is going to be outstanding.” Mr. Ball agrees, saying he believes the capital’s star-studded lineup of events and activities will lure tourists from across the country and beyond over the next few months. “Those are events that are going to draw leisure traffic throughout a longer period of time. We’re really optimistic that the added summer attractions are going to get more leisure travel through July and August.” As for the Canada Day weekend, tourists planning to celebrate the nation’s sesquicentennial in Ottawa aren’t out of luck yet, officials say. The Lord Elgin, for example, had dozens of rooms available for July 1 as of midJune, and Mr. Ball is urging potential visitors to call around and find lodging while those vacancies exist. “Canada Day is never a problem (for the hotel industry),” he says. “What we’re trying to do is extend Canada Day all summer long – at least that thinking.”

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LOTS TO SEE AND DO: Ottawa Welcomes the World, year-round: More than 75 high commissions, embassies and international partners highlight their culture in a series of free cultural events at the Horticulture Building at Lansdowne. May 20 – Sept. 4: On York Street in the ByWard Market neighbourhood, Inspiration Village—comprised of modified shipping containers—highlights Canada’s provinces and territories with a succession of special exhibits and performing arts events. Snap a selfie at the OTTAWA sign, too! June 15: The National Gallery of Canada unveiled Canada’s Masterpieces: Our Stories, including the transformation of the Canadian and Indigenous Galleries as part of its 2017 celebrations. The reenvisioned 45,000-square-foot gallery tells the story of art in Canada by interweaving Indigenous history and art. June 15 – July 23: The National Arts Centre hosts a diverse cultural festival called Canada Scene. On July 1, the NAC unveils its dramatic new entranceway and atrium. June 21: A new permanent Arctic Gallery opens at the Canadian Museum of Nature. June 30 – Oct. 15: MosaïCanada 150, an impressive free horticulture event in Jacques Cartier Park, Gatineau, featuring sculptures, paintings and a one-kilometre stroll through fantastic plants. A Gatineau 2017 event. July 1: The new Canadian History Hall opens at the Canadian Museum of History.

Invite your friends and family for Ottawa’s 150th celebrations Our nation’s capital is marking Canada’s birthday in style

Ottawa – it’s a full year of celebration,” said Michael Crockatt, President and CEO of Ottawa Tourism. “And residents of Canada’s Capital Region can all play the role of ambassador so their friends and relatives can enjoy all we have to offer. Let’s spread the word that our party continues for many months to come!”

There are of course Ottawa’s fantastic lineup of festivals, unique neighbourhoods, and free Parliament Hill favourites like yoga, Changing of the Guard and the Sound and Light show, Northern Lights. But we also have signature cultural exhibits, sporting events, death-defying acrobats and mechanical monsters to keep your friends and relatives entertained.

OttawaTourism.ca is the best resource for residents and visitors alike to plan their 150th activities in the nation’s capital. Check out the online events calendar and download the easy-toprint PDF of all the signature events.

July 2 – WE Day Canada: The world’s largest youth empowerment event takes over Parliament Hill. A star-studded lineup joins international activists, WE co-founders and some of our country’s most remarkable future leaders. Rousing stories and performances anchor an open-air, festival-style evening of inspiration and celebration. Admission is free. July 7-22 (excluding July 10): Sky Lounge, a gourmet experience 150 feet in the air at Ottawa City Hall with Chef Stephen La Salle of feast + revel. Coming this Summer: Kontinuum, an underground multimedia experience, brings a free interactive sound and light fantasy voyage into an unfinished underground light rail transit tunnel – a world first! July 6-9: Canadian Track and Field Championships at the Terry Fox Athletic Facility. July 27-30: La Machine takes over downtown Ottawa with a roving, larger-than-life mechanical spider and fire-breathing dragon. A North American first! Aug. 3-27: Cirque du Soleil presents a new show called VOLTA on the Zibi development site near the Portage Bridge, overlooking the Ottawa River. Aug. 21-27: Canadian Pacific Women’s Open at the Ottawa Hunt and Golf Club. For more information, please visit OttawaTourism.ca or follow on Twitter, @Ottawa_Tourism.

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“The celebration of the 150th anniversary of Confederation isn’t just one day or even a long weekend in

And to book a hotel, your best bet for Canada Day weekend is to contact individual hotels directly; for the rest of the year, consult the options at OttawaTourism.ca – rooms are available during all the exciting programming.

July 1 – Ottawa’s Weekend-Long Bash: In honour of Canada’s 150th, Canada Day organizers are extending festivities over three days, from June 30 to July 2. Free entertainment will be available at official sites around Ottawa and Gatineau on July 1, followed by fantastic fireworks on Parliament Hill at 11:00 pm.

MONDAY, JUNE 19, 2017

anada Day is just days away. While this will surely be Canada’s biggest birthday party ever, don’t think that July 1 is the end of celebrating in Ottawa! Au contraire – the action continues throughout the year. There is still lots of time to plan an exciting summer, and to invite your friends and family to participate.

July 1: The Bank of Canada Museum (formerly the Currency Museum of the Bank of Canada) reopens in a totally renovated building on Sparks Street.

PROFILE Immigrant’s pioneering spirit lives on Renowned community activist and real estate executive Barbara Farber has continued a family tradition of working hard at business while doing good work for charity BY CAROLINE PHILLIPS caroline@obj.ca

MONDAY, JUNE 19, 2017

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ehind every building is a story of what came before. Take College Square, for example, a busy open-air shopping mall located on Woodroffe Avenue and Baseline Road, next to Algonquin College. It’s got your giant supermarket and home improvement retailer, beer and liquor stores, bank, restaurants and clothing stores. But at one time it was farmland owned by a Russian Orthodox Jew named Harry Leikin. He came to Canada at age 25, on Dec. 4, 1925, to escape the anti-Semitism that was prevalent in his homeland. For the first couple of years, Mr. Leikin did whatever jobs were available to him in Ottawa, from watchmaking to tanning, in order to afford the first-class passage to bring his wife and children to Canada, as well as his sister. Then, he “scrimped and saved and saved and scrimped” to buy a piece of property that was, in those days, in the middle of nowhere. “Jews had never been able to own land in Russia, and it was his dream and his passion to become a landowner,” says his granddaughter, Barbara Farber, 65, a long-time community leader and president of Leikin Group, a privately owned Ottawa company focused on real estate development and property and asset management. At first, Mr. Leikin earned his living buying and selling cattle. He would drive out to the country in his little red truck to do business, always with a supply of candy for the farmers’ children. Out of respect for his religious dietary laws, the farmers knew he was allowed to eat eggs and would serve him a dozen hard-boiled eggs for lunch. Eventually, Mr. Leikin switched over to dairy farming and kept as many as 300 Holsteins. A barn fire in 1969 forced him to move the dairy operation to another piece of property at what is now home to the South Merivale Business Park and RCMP national headquarters. By now, he had acquired significant real estate holdings in Nepean. “He really was a self-made man who was a tough businessman but 100 per cent fair in every way,” says Ms. Farber. “He mellowed when he became a grandfather and more so when he became a great-grandfather, but throughout his lifetime he was honest

FIVE THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT BARBARA FARBER

Of all her roles, her favourite is that of bubbie (Yiddish name for grandmother). She and Len welcomed their first grandchild, Reagan Francis Rose, a year ago.

Ms. Farber was the first female president of the Agudath Israel Congregation. She followed in the footsteps of her father, well-respected educator Stan Katz, and her grandfather, who was founding president. Their three-generation leadership was a first for the congregation.

One of the best pieces of advice came from her mother, Libby Katz. She told her brother before his trumpet performance with the Nepean High School band: If you don’t know, don’t blow. “I think that applies for life in general,” says Ms. Farber.

One of Ms. Farber’s worst moments was during the Ice Storm of 1998. The power outage meant they couldn’t operate the milking machines. It was dark, freezing and the cows were ready to explode with milk. “It was a nightmare,” recalls Ms. Farber. “My heart was aching for those poor animals. There’s an old adage: If you don’t ask, you don’t get. Well, I called in every favour.” A backup generator was eventually found.

Barbara Farber is president of real estate developer Leikin Group. PHOTO BY CAROLINE PHILLIPS

“He really was a self-made man who was a tough businessman but 100 per cent fair in every way.”

Nepean High School history teacher Bob Erlandson was Ms. Farber’s absolute favourite. He was young, energetic and very cool. Years later, her son Michael brought home his future wife, Leah. Guess who her dad is? Mr. Erlandson.

and truthful and proud of his religion and his background.” Mr. Leikin, one of the pioneers of Nepean, gave up some of his property for the building of Algonquin College. He started slowly selling off other parcels to housing subdivision developers. He left his mark, though: Leikin Group and First Capital Realty own the redeveloped College Square. It opened in late 2002 and early 2003, replacing the Shoppers City strip mall built in 1961. Ms. Farber – the eldest of the grandchildren – started working for her grandfather after graduating from university in 1972. She was 21 and newly married to Len Farber. The discussion had taken place over a traditional Shabbat family dinner. Ms. Farber had been visiting from Toronto and was excited about meeting with management recruiters on her campus at York University. “My grandfather listened to me and

– LEIKIN GROUP PRESIDENT BARBARA FARBER, ON HER GRANDFATHER AND COMPANY FOUNDER HARRY LEIKIN

Harry Leikin. PHOTO PROVIDED

he finally said, ‘Listen, young lady, this all sounds great, but I’ve been waiting a hell of a long time for you to grow up. I need you in the business.’” Ms. Farber took care of the accounting and made sure the farmhands got paid on time, in keeping with the biblical proverb: Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due. She still remembers rushing down to the CIBC at Rideau and Sussex to withdraw the necessary cash before the bank closed at 3 p.m. “Some of those big galoots were the warmest, sweetest guys,” says Ms. Farber, recalling how the foreman, while still a bachelor, temporarily moved in with her grandfather to keep him company after he became a widower. She did bail a few

farmhands out of jail, though, for bar fights and minor assaults. Ms. Farber has two sons, Steven, who’s presently working for former British prime minister Tony Blair, and well-respected Ottawa chef Michael. Throughout her career, she’s always been highly active in the community. She was founding board chair of both the Queensway Carleton Hospital Foundation and the Algonquin College Foundation. She’s on the board of the Community Foundation of Ottawa and is currently the first female chair of the University of Ottawa Heart Institute Foundation board. “What fills my life more than anything right now is the volunteer work,” says Ms. Farber. “That is what my passion is and what it’s always been. I know it sounds like a cliché to say you get more out of it than you put in, but it really is the truth.”

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17 OBJ.CA

THE LIST 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 11

Whiprsnapr Brewing 106-14 Bexley Pl. Ottawa, ON K2H 8W2 613-281-9882 whiprsnaprbrewingco.com

MONDAY, JUNE 19, 2017

OBJ.CA

Stalwart Brewing 10 High St. Carleton Place, ON K7C 4S2 613-253-2307 stalwartbrewing.ca

Rurban Brewing 416 Cumberland St. Cornwall, ON K6J 5C4 613-360-0661 rurbanbrewing.com

Company/Address/ Phone/Fax/Web Beau’s All Natural Brewing Co. 10 Terry Fox Dr. Vankleek Hill, ON K0B 1R0 613-678-2799 beaus.ca Covered Bridge Brewing 6-119 Iber Rd. Ottawa, ON K2S 1E7 613-915-2337 coveredbridgebrewing.com Perth Brewery 121 Dufferin St. Perth, ON K7H 3A5 613-264-1087 perthbrewery.ca Lowertown Brewery 73 York St. Ottawa, ON K1N 5T2 613-722-1454 lowertownbrewery.ca Beyond the Pale Brewing Co. 106-250 City Centre Ave. Ottawa, ON K1R 6K7 613-695-2991 beyondthepale.ca Brasseurs Du Temps 170 Montcalm St. Gatineau, QC J8X 2M2 819-205-4999 / 819-205-1079 brasseursdutemps.com Cassel Brewery 715C Principale St. Casselman, ON K0A 1M0 613-369-4394 casselbrewery.ca Calabogie Brewing 12612 Lanark Rd. Calabogie, ON K0J 1H0 1-613-752-2739 calabogiebrewingco.ca Microbrasserie-Bistro Gainsbourg 9 Aubry St. Gatineau, QC J8X 2H1 819-777-3700 gainsbourg.ca

Waller St. Brewing 14 Waller St. Ottawa, ON K1N 9C4 613-860-1515 wallerst.ca Clock Tower Brew Pub 575 Bank St. Ottawa, ON K1S 5L7 613-238-7849 clocktower.ca

Cartwright Springs Brewery 239 Deer Run Rd. Pakenham, ON, K0A 2X0 613-295-3377 csbeer.ca

Nita Beer 17-190 Colonnade Rd. Ottawa, ON K2E 7J5 613-668-2337 nitabeer.com

Brasseurs de l’Outaouais 332 Industriel Rd. Gatineau, QC J8R 3N9 613-298-1974 brasseursdeloutaouais.com

LARGEST CRAFT BREWERIES (RANKED BY LITRES BREWED IN MOST RECENT 12 MONTHS))

Volume brewed, litres

No. of local employees

Year established in Ottawa area

Key local executive(s)

Brands and specialties

5,000,000

160

2006

Steve Beauchesne, CEO

Lugtread; Wild Oats series; LCBO; The Beer Store; Farm Table series; Gruit grocery chains series; Tom Green beer

600,000

2013

John vanDyke president

Dirty Blond; Amber Rose; Eternally Hoptimistic; MSB: Double Double

450,000

1993

Jeremy Steeves Terry Steeves Cathy Brown co-owners

330,000

2014

David Morphy Todd Brown

121 Craft Lager; Euro Pilsner; Bonfire Black Lager; Hopside IPA; Calypso IPA; Oh Canada Maple; Honey Lager; Easy Amber Ale Lowertown Lager; Lowertown Pale Ale; Lowertown Dark Lager; Lowertown IPA; Lowertown Red Fife; assorted seasonal brews

Points of sale

Company description Certified Benefit Corporation for social and environmental performance; all ingredients are certified organic.

Local pubs and restaurants, brewery retail store LCBO; The Beer Store; local pubs and restaurants

Family-run business for over 23 years, 12,000 sq. ft. open retail tasting bar; free tours and tastings

On-site restaurant

Brew pub; craft beer; comfort food

Pink Fuzz; Rye Guy; The Darkness; Aromatherapy; Saison Tropicale; Party Animal; Mullet

Brewery retail stores; LCBO; Ottawa area licencees

Specializes in full-flavoured ales. Distribution is currently focused on the Ottawa area, with plans to start expanding elsewhere in the province in 2017.

300,000

2012

Rob McIsaac Shane Clark Al Clark co-owners

300,000

2009

Alain Geoffroy Dominique Gosselin Marc Godin owners

Et La Lumière Fut; Allumante; Carpe Diem; Diable Au Corps; La Nuit des temps; Bouillon de la Chaudiere

La Trappe a Fromage; Broue Ha Ha; selected IGA and Metro locations in Gatineau

Beers brewed on-site. Contemporary craft beers, traditional beers, stouts, brown ales, pale ales and ambers.

2012

Mario Bourgeois Benjamin Bercier co-owners

Golden Rail Honey Brown Ale; Caboose IPA; White Fog Belgian Wheat Beer; Station Craft Lager

Grocery stores; restaurants; LCBO

Franco Ontarian brewery producing year-round and seasonal beers. Exhibits at more than 80 events and festivals per year; on-site tours and tastings

Front Pork; Black Donald; Bogie; Double Bogie; Local pubs and Onsite pub; outdoor patio; brewery Grassy Bay; Brown Cow; restaurants; retail store at tours; specializing in barrel-aged Blond Bombshell; KMP Ale; brewery beers Whistling Paddy Côte Ouest IPA; Double IPA; Orange Tie Wrap Saison Session

250,000

140,000

2014

Mike Wagner president and general manager

120,000

2013

René Lessard

90,000

2015

Adam Newlands Edwin McKinley Phil Kelsey Nathan Corey

Full-flavoured ales: Dr. Feelgood IPA; Big Papa pale ale; Bad Moon rye stout; The Zigzagger IPA; The Bachelor double IPA, Space Dragon black IPA; Dos Jefes grapefruit-vanilla IPA; Thriller chocolate imperial porter Stops and Goes; Palatine Pale; Johnstown’s Best Bitter; Alestake and Evergreen IPA; Welcher’s Hop Juice Double IPA; Penumbra Black IPA Root of Evil Pre-prohibition Lager; Carolanne Irish Blond; Inukshuk Canadian IPA; OK Lah Ginger Coriander Cream Ale; Black Sunshine Black Lager; Slingr Maple Cream Ale

Chelsea Pub; Broue Ha Ha; Veux-tu une bière

Bistro restaurant and microbrewery featuring a selection of microbrewery beers on tap

On-site retail store and tap room; restaurants and bars in Carleton Place Formed by former restaurant area, Ottawa and Valley co-workers; brewing a balanced and and down to Kingston and full-flavoured beer. Rideau lakes; Dr. Feelgood expected in LCBO this fall. Local pubs and restaurants; Best Western Parkway Inn & Conference Centre; Canadian Forces School of Aerospace Control Operations

Independent, family-owned small-batch brewery using allnatural ingredients; beer is unfiltered and unpasteurized

80,000

2013

Andy Rorabeck Karen Rorabeck

80,000

2014

Ian McMartin owner

42,000

2015

George Bush Elie Dagher Marc-André Chainey

Bootleg Blond; Speaakeasy Red; Moonlight Porter; Blind Pig IPA

Brewery’s retail shop; local pubs and restaurants

David Morphy owner

Kölsch; Raspberry Wheat; ESB; Clocktower Red; Bytown Brown; Oyster Stout; The Pumpkin; Session IPA; Criek; Vienna Spring Ale

The Whalesbone; Murray Street Charcuterie; Elmdale Oyster House; LCBO; Neighbourhood pubs serving local The Beer Store; Raymond patrons. Chabot Grant Thornton Park (Ottawa Champions baseball games)

24,000

100

1996

20,800

2015

10,000

2015

5,000

2014

Maple Porter; Smash; Five Span APA; Crème CaraAndre Rieux mAle; Pakenham Bitter; I’d president and brewmaster Tap That: Blonde; Crème Brulée Stout; Kinburn Honey Lager Ten 12 Blonde Ale; 5 Fingers Brown Ale; Mr Brown Andy Nita Has Gone Coconuts; OPA Bridget Carey Balanced OPA; Perfectum Stout; seasonal and experimental offerings

LCBO; The Beer Store; A company that believes you should grocery stores; local pubs “earn your beer” by playing outside, and restaurants getting shit done and having fun.

Tasting bar; brewery tours; Flights of Hope charity program;

Brewery; Craft Beer Market

Made with spring water located fifteen meters from the brewery; rural destination with tasting room and tours

Local pubs and restaurants

Passionate about beer, life, and making the most of them both.

Local pubs and Bounthao Thammavongsa La Gatineau Blond Ale; restaurants; grocery president L’Outaouais; L’Ambre; Noir stores in Quebec

WND = Would not disclose. Should your company be on this list? If so, please send details to research@obj.ca This list is current as of June 14, 2017. © 2017 by Ottawa Business Journal. All rights reserved. This material may not be reproduced by any method in whole or in part without written permission by Ottawa Business Journal. While every attempt is made to ensure the thoroughness and accuracy of the list, omissions and errors sometimes occur. Please send any corrections or additions by e-mail to research@obj.ca. OBJ lists are primarily compiled using information provided voluntarily by the organizations named. Some firms that may qualify for the list are not included because the company either failed to respond to requests for information by press time, because the company declined to take part in the survey or because of space constraints. Categories are drawn up in attempt to gather information of relevance to the Ottawa market. Research by Patti Moran. Please send questions and comments to research@obj.ca.

FOR THE RECORD Contracts The following contains information about recent contracts, standing offers and supply arrangements awarded to local firms. Calian Ltd. 340 Leggett Dr. Description: Health care providers for CSTC Buyer: DND $6,450,095 National Arts Centre Corp. 53 Elgin St. Description: Hospitality function and housekeeping services Buyer: Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development $3,051,000 Pavage Inter Cité 485 Vernon Description: Soil remediation Buyer: PWGSC $1,587,774 Calian Ltd. 340 Legget Dr. Description: Recruit medical analyst Buyer: DND $809,084 Valcom Consulting Group Inc. 85 Albert St. Description: Interoperability start-up Buyer: DND $663,323 GasTOPS Ltd. 1011 Polytek St. Description: Real time analysis: science and technology related

(R&D) Buyer: PWGSC $439,139

arms Buyer: DND $178,671

Capital Controls & Instrumentation Inc. 830 Industrial Ave. Description: BACS maintenance Curtis/Sampson Buyer: PWGSC $383,616

Automated Logic – Canada, Ltd. 95 Denzil Doyle Crt. Description: Building automation control systems Buyer: PWGSC $146,349

Nortrax Canada Inc. 190 David Manchester Rd. Description: Skid Steer Loader Buyer: DND $349,679

Colliers Project Leaders Inc. and Tiree Facility Solutions Inc., in joint venture 1050 Morrison Dr. Description: Temporary help services – professional and technical Buyer: PWGSC $140,000

Advanced Chippewa Technologies Inc. 802 Nesbitt Pl. Description: ADP software Buyer: Canada Border Services Agency $339,458 Emergency Response Portal Corp. Box 67010 Description: Communications network software (R&D) Buyer: PWGSC $249,634 Dynamic Personnel Consultants 420 O’Connor St. Description: Six project administrators Buyer: Correctional Service of Canada $245,912

Randstad Interim Inc. 1600 Carling Ave. Description: Temporary help services – professional and technical Buyer: PWGSC $140,000 SureSkills Inc. 1 Rideau St. Description: Learning Services Requirement Buyer: DND $133,311

People on the move

Hats off Morguard was recognized with

Bruce H. Wolfgram joined Proveras

Commercial Realty as a principal. Mr. Wolfgram is a senior member of Ottawa’s commercial real estate industry where he has specialized in tenant representation for many years. Prior to working in tenant representation brokerage, he had senior real estate responsibilities within both NAV Canada and Canada Post.

three Leadership in Environmental Advancement Program Awards from Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan. The awards recognize a core operational focus on sustainability and dedication to best practices, which includes effective collaboration among building management teams and tenants. InitLive won the award for Best Use

of Technology in the Omega Dubai Desert Classic at the Middle East Event Show. The award recognises the best technology, through a service or software, in any type of event or exhibition in Middle East.

REAL ESTATE

Imagine the Possibilities • Last of the Campeau lands off Sixth Line Rd. • 1,600 feet of waterfront • 140 acres • A developer’s dream

For Sale Info Robert Archambault | 613-769-3246 arch01@sympatico.ca www.waterfrontpropertyottawacanada.com

Nitam Solutions Inc. 1125 Newmarket St. Description: 56 Sparks – The Senate fitup Buyer: PWGSC $118,8443

Rampart International Corp. 2574 Sheffield Rd. Description: Swivel, sling, small

FUNDRAISING

SOCIAL SERVICES

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GUIDE 2017