Landscape Ontario - December 2015B

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December 2014 www.horttrades.com

RE LO PO AN RT NU IS AL SU E

Volunteering

ROCKS PM 40013519

Peter Vanderley, one of the many volunteers responsible for LO’s success. Page 7

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Don’t Miss Your Chance to See the NEW DEWALT 40V MAX* Outdoor Products at The Landscape Ontario Congress Show Jan 6-8 in Booth #1612

CORDLESS

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Learn more by visiting, www.DEWALT.com/outdoor Copyright ©2014 DEWALT. The following are examples of trademarks for one or more DEWALT power tools and accessories: the yellow and black color scheme; the “D”-shaped air intake grill; the array of pyramids on the handgrip; the kit box configuration; and the array of lozenge-shaped humps on the surface of the tool. *Maximum initial battery voltage (measured without a workload) is 40 volts. Nominal voltage is 36.

2  LANDSCAPE ONTARIO DECEMBER 2014

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PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE Raising your prices? By Dave Braun LO president

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ost companies in our industry have battled for survival since the Great Recession. If you’re reading this, it means you’ve made it. Congratulations. You’ve probably succeeded by downsizing, conserving, innovating and battening down the hatches. We’ve survived. We’ve come out of the darkness. Now that our heads are above water, many of us are realizing that it’s time to move towards our past levels of profitability. Some have managed to match their sales numbers to “the good old days,” but even with those increased sales numbers, many of us have not managed to match our past profits. Walmart recently reported quarterly results of $3.71 billion profit on $119 billion in sales. Clearly, any of us would

Formerly Horticulture Review

December, 2014 • Volume 32, No. 12 horttrades.com Landscape Ontario’s mandate is to be the leader in representing, promoting and fostering a favourable environment for the advancement of the horticultural industry in Ontario. ISSN 1928-9553 Publications Mail Agreement No. PM40013519

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love to have profits, but until we can match their enormous volume, we can’t thrive on three per cent margins. Conversely, in 2014, Apple had a profit of $52.5 billion on sales of $183 billion, making its operating income profit margin over 28 per cent. Which company would you rather be? It’s not what we sell, it’s what we take home. For over half a decade, most of us have absorbed the increasing costs of fuel, labour and materials, instead of passing those costs on to the consumer. All of us create value for our customers Are you raising prices next season?

5% NO

95% YES

that they can’t find elsewhere: beauty, increased property value and a sense of comfort and peace at home. Often businesses fail to increase prices because they believe the competition won’t. This year is different. In a question on our weekly enews, we asked members, “Are you planning to increase prices for the next season?” Over 95 per cent of those answering the question said they will increase prices. That reflects virtually every conversation I have had with fellow members this fall. If you miss this opportunity to widen your margins, you may always be a year behind. Your neighbours might be doing the identical work, but be twice as profitable as you at year end, for the sole reason that they increased their prices and you didn’t. We all work too hard not to be robustly profitable. In years past, I’ve heard things like, “We’ll make it up in volume.” Have we really? Again, I think we need to ask ourselves who we would rather be, Apple or Walmart? “Making it up” in volume generally means being harder on your equipment, harder on your staff and harder on yourself and your family. Why work like that for essentially the same result? When you’re setting up your pricing sheets for 2015, don’t worry that you’ll be the only business increasing your prices. You’re in good company. Wishing you the very best for 2015! Dave Braun may be reached at dbraun@landscapeontario.com.

Publisher Lee Ann Knudsen CLP lak@landscapeontario.com, 416-848-7557 Editorial director Sarah Willis sarahw@landscapeontario.com, 647-723-5424 Editor Allan Dennis adennis@landscapeontario.com, 647-723-5345 Graphic designer Mike Wasilewski mikew@landscapeontario.com, 647-723-5343 Sales manager Steve Moyer stevemoyer@landscapeontario.com, 416-848-0708 Integrated solutions representative Greg Sumsion gsumsion@landscapeontario.com, 647-722-6977 Communications coordinator Angela Lindsay alindsay@landscapeontario.com, 647-723-5305 Accountant Joe Sabatino jsabatino@landscapeontario.com, 647-724-8585

LANDSCAPE ONTARIO STAFF Shawna Barrett, Darryl Bond, Kim Burton, Myscha Burton, Tony DiGiovanni CHT, Rob Ellidge, Denis Flanagan CLD, Sally Harvey CLT CLP, Jane Leworthy, Heather MacRae, Allie McInnes, Kristen McIntyre CHT, Kathy McLean, Linda Nodello, Kathleen Pugliese, Ian Service, Tom Somerville, Martha Walsh

Views expressed are those of the writer concerned. Landscape Ontario assumes no responsibility for the validity or correctness of any opinions or references made by the author. Copyright 2014, reproduction or the use of whole or any part of the contents without written permission is prohibited. Published 12x per year. Rates and deadlines are available on request. Subscription price: $43.51 per year (HST included). For subscription and address changes, please e-mail subscriptions@landscapeontario.com

LO ANNUAL REPORT

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FOUNDATION REPORT Page 50

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FEATURES What women want Peter Vanderley scholarship WINNERS

ASSOCIATION NEWS New Members EVENTS Industry NEWS COLUMNS Classifieds Ad Index WWW.HORTTRADES.COM  3

Women are looking for products that will be good for their families and good for the planet. This plant was grown in a coconut coir pot instead of a traditional plastic pot. The coir pot can even be planted with the ornamental grass, the coir pot is completely compostable. Good point-of-purchase information can help get this message across.

What women want Understand your customer, and how to sell her green living By Jennifer Llewellyn

Every garden centre retailer knows that the major consumer group for ornamental plants are females, between the ages of 35 and 55 years old. Yet very few have taken the time to understand what she is really looking for and what her decision-making process is for her purchasing style. There was a brilliant film, What Women Want, which came out in 2000, starring Mel Gibson. If you haven’t seen this movie, you really should. In the film Mel’s character can hear women’s thoughts and the experience gives him incredible insight and understanding of the female mind. It probably wouldn’t surprise you to know that the purchasing style of this female consumer is not a very streamlined process, nor is it predictable or, dare I say, necessarily practical. Perhaps it’s more accurate to say that it’s not a man’s type of practical.

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We know what we want when we see it

I am a woman in the 35 to 55 age group, which includes several of my girlfriends and sisters. If you asked us what we wanted and why, I bet there would be times when we wouldn’t be able to tell you in a language that anyone outside the age and gender group could understand. We may not always know what we want before we go shopping, but Baby, we sure know it when we see ‘it’! Navigating female relationships is tricky business, even for me. Of the long-term female friendships I’ve had, I would have to say that I’ve been in the dog house a lot. And most of the time, I didn’t even know why. Sound familiar? On top of that, I’m raising a ‘tween’ daughter, so I know what’s coming for me. Recently I have re-married and my sweet husband tells me that one of things he really likes about me is that I quite often think like a man. Uh-oh.

So one of my girlfriends told me about this great book she had read, it’s called The Female Brain by Louann Brizendine. Once I saw the cover — a telephone cord all tangled up in a big knot — I knew this was the book for me. The author uses medical science, psychology and humour to explain why females think the way they do. And she does it really well. Brizendine states that male brains are typically nine per cent larger than female brains, even when you take into account the difference in body size. The cool thing is that both male and female brains have the same number of cells; the female brain cells are just packed in more tightly together. Now that explains a lot already, doesn’t it? Brizendine explains that female and male brains are pretty much guided by, you guessed it, hormones. The hormones that are the biggest drivers in the aforementioned female consumer age group are estrogen, progesterone and oxytocin, as well as others. These hormones bathe female brains and direct behaviour and values like connection, communication and nurturing. The male brain is also guided by hormones, but these are testosterone, vasopressin and MIS (Mullerian inhibiting

substance). These hormones bathe the male brain and direct behaviour and values such as physical activity, aggression, protection and social hierarchy. Brizendine goes on to say that the part of the brain largely responsible for emotion and memory, the hippocampus, is actually larger in the female brain. That means that in addition to memorizing every detail of that argument we had with you eight years and 2.56 months ago, both positive and negative shopping experiences can stay with us for a long time. Women have deep connections with other women in friendships and find a lot of satisfaction in these relationships. I’d have to say that my girlfriends and I spend at least one-third of our time referring each other to products and services that we and our loved ones have benefited from. Being able to pass on this information to each other feels really good to us. I started giving you advice in the first paragraph! I’m sure women in this age groupare significantly responsible for referrals in retail, both good and bad.

Three distinct groups

Within this female consumer age group, there are three distinctive groups. The first is those still involved in child-rearing. Their mommy brains are geared for their children’s well-being, development, education and safety. They are coping with increased work stress and perhaps a little maternal guilt. These women have an incredible attachment to their children and have made a significant emotional investment in their families, thanks to the hormone oxytocin. These women are looking for products that will be good for their families and good for the planet. They want products that will enhance their children’s enjoyment of the outdoors, but they want child-friendly oriented products. They are interested in instant vegetable gardens and small shrubs and trees that will bear fruit that is delicious and nutritious for their family (e.g. Haskap berries or the Romance series of dwarf cherry trees). These consumers are more likely to purchase children’s gardening accessories and child-based gardening projects like home-made stepping stones and participate in fun workshops for children. Having sales staff that can entertain and somewhat occupy young children can be a wonderful boost for your business and give mommy a little more time to shop. The second group is made up of those women in the middle. These middle-aged ladies are still very focused on family, but their own health and well-being are becoming increasingly important. These women

are learning to make time for themselves without the 24-7 pressures of raising young children. They buy products for themselves that are attractive and give them a boost, at a fair price or a decent volume discount. When they purchase a plant, they want to know where it comes from and the factoids on what it’s used for medicinally and nutritionally. They want to know that they are doing a good thing. And, they want to bestow all of this wisdom onto their girlfriends. These women will pay a little more for something, but only if it means that it will help give their house some curb appeal, help the planet or a charitable organization, or significantly reduce their workload when they get home (e.g. finished designer planters). This savvy female consumer is current on environmental issues. Many women shop when they want to celebrate something. Provide her plants in well-signed They shop when they need to lift their spirits. In the ornamental plant industry, you have the right kind of product to containers that are made from accomplish that.” coconut coir, corn or biocomposites (plant based materials combined with recycled plastics) that are and bathroom upgrades is actually more compostable. I remember receiving a samlike $0.60 for every dollar spent And this: ple of biodegradable coir pots years ago The addition of a shade trees and some for some research I was doing. Some of landscaping along with some minor home the ladies in the mail room came over and improvements can boost buyer traffic and actually gave me a pat on the back and the resale house value by as much as 17 smiles of approval. per cent (Elam and Stigarll, Journal of EnviThe third group is the 50-somethings. ronmental Horticulture, December, 2012). These women have a very big interest in What it really comes down to is that staying healthy, improving their well-being shopping can be a very emotional expeand embracing new challenges. So what’s rience for women. Picking out plants for on the brain of these female consumers? some of us is along the same lines as pickMany are still quite focused on their famiing out a puppy or a kitten. And yes, some lies, but career, community and the enviof us have to look at every single one ronment play a very important role as well. before we decide which one we are going to They are planning for retirement and take home. So, give us the space to do it. looking to make home improvements to Female consumers become stressed increase market value. Gardening personwith over-attentive sales people. That part ality Carson Arthur says that landscaping of our bain that registers emotional kind of and outdoor rooms have replaced kitchen stress registers strongly and locks away in and bathroom as the number one way to our long-term memory. That means that the improve the resale value of our homes. stress of the extra sales attention can be Focus on home improvements enough for us to leave the store before buySince Scotiabank has gone on record to ing anything, even if we found something say that 50 per cent​of Canadians plan we really liked. And, we will never return. to sell their homes in the next five years, A sincere, “Hello, let me know if I can home improvement statistics for landscaphelp you,” with eye contact and a smile, is ing should flow off your staff’s tongues like a great way to welcome your customer and melted butter. make you look accessible without being How about this? Carson Arthur says pushy. that for every dollar you invest in landKnow emotional triggers scaping, the return is actually $2 or more, So knowing that women have these emoespecially as the landscape becomes tional triggers, what can retailers do to cash more established. The return on kitchens WWW.HORTTRADES.COM  5

in? Make your retail experience welcoming and hire (how shall I put this?) experienced sales staff that are very professional, personable and good at reading social cues. Provide simple, attractive tags or signs that provide educational factoids, something like “when this tree is mature it will sequester enough carbon to offset the carbon dioxide emissions of driving your vehicle 2,200 km”. Or how about “one large tree can provide a day’s supply of oxygen for four people” (North Carolina State University). Inspire them with demonstration gardens like Canadale Nurseries does. Give a value-added experience by providing take home “howto” information and provide accessories like supplies for canning their own fruits and veggies. Provide after-hours workshops for “make your own” health and beauty products, basil pesto and salsa and turn it into a private party with some light refreshments and music. Several retailers are already doing this with wreath-making and holiday urn workshops for consumers and found it to be quite worthwhile to the business. ​​ Inspire them with demonstration gardens as found at Canadale Nurseries in St. Thomas. Give a value-added experience by providing take home how-to information and provide accessories like supplies for canning their own fruits and veggies. Provide after-hours workshops for make your own health and beauty products, basil pesto and salsa and turn it into a private party with some light refreshments and music. Several retailers are already doing this with wreath-making and holiday urn workshops for consumers. They have found it to be quite worthwhile. It probably wouldn’t surprise you to know that many women view shopping as a pleasurable experience. They shop when they want to celebrate something. They shop when they need to lift their spirits. In the ornamental plant industry, you have the right kind of product to accomplish that, now why not create a retail space that lets those female customers hang out and stay a while with some light refreshments and a comfortable sitting area? What if you added a TV with gardening shows and magazines on the table? Men and women often have two very distinctively different styles of shopping. Most men go in a store to buy socks and come out with a pair of socks. Women go in a store to buy socks and they find three pairs like the ones that are made out of a renewable resource such as bamboo. Then, there are the other thoughtful items they bought for themselves and their loved ones.

6  LANDSCAPE ONTARIO DECEMBER 2014

Women enjoy shopping

Men usually have a short list of what they need and don’t mind paying a little more if they only have to go to one store. Women know at least some of the items that they need, but those items need to match certain emotional criteria and they don’t mind searching for a bargain. Many, many women enjoy shopping and they don’t mind shopping around for the best price and value. This is what sets your female consumer apart from males. I know a certain lady who deliberately leaves the original price tag on gifts, accidentally. Every time I unwrap a present from her, I get the same sheepish smile with an, “Oh did I do that?” This is followed by a long gushing description of how many stores she had to go to and how much it was marked down. A lot of women are hard core bargain hunters. If you look around at the Costco warehouse, it’s the men pushing the carts as they follow their female partners scanning all of the items and subconsciously going through her emotional checklist, while evaluating volume discounts. But the men keep coming. Why is that? Simple: the perception of good quality at a decent price. There are no sales at Costco. It’s a well-known fact that many men will pay more for a brand name than women. This is where Costco delivers. The members-only aspect is also attractive to a lot of men. Costco has a lot of display items that are manly, like big screen TVs and electronics. Ever notice that these are the first items you encounter when you walk in their store? Costco parking is usually easy to access (except for weekends), customer service is very good and their checkout lines move relatively quickly, even when they are busy. And at the end, there is inexpensive food and a lounge area. Clothing retailers have bought into this a little, providing manly lounge areas near dressing rooms and stocking men’s magazines, or even a TV. Retailers know that if they can just keep the men occupied, the women will be able to go off and do some unencumbered impulse shopping without being nagged.

Influence women shoppers

Women enjoy shopping for plants more than men. Look around most garden centres and you will see the vast majority of customers are women. If you aren’t in a position to attract more of their male companions, what can you do to influence your female customers to buy more or more often? A woman might bring her male partner to the garden centre, because they

Provide simple, attractive tags or signs that provide educational factoids, something like “when this tree is mature it will sequester enough carbon to offset the carbon dioxide emissions of driving your vehicle 2,200 km.”

can’t stand to be away from each other. Or, a woman might bring her male partner because she needs his help to get the items into the vehicle and home. Have staff available in clearly-labelled company clothing near check-out and exit. Many retail centres have super-friendly staff who will offer to help carry out items and load them in the customer’s vehicle. Having a home-delivery and landscape service is also very attractive to this group of female consumers. There’s something else you can do for your female consumer: talk to them. Have someone very personable, maybe who isn’t the owner or an employee, engage some of your customers in conversation. Ask them what they like and what they think they would like to see in addition to the products and services you provide. But ask them while you are doing something for them, while you are making them a complimentary snack or loading purchases into their vehicle. Show them that you genuinely care, but be sure to take only a few minutes of their time. To help improve your understanding of your main consumer group and the women in your life, I highly recommend reading The Female Brain. For those of you wondering if Brizendine has written about the male brain, good news, she has. After several requests she did write The Male Brain. I must say, it was an interesting and entertaining read. Now of course the running joke is that if she wrote a book about the male brain, it would be a lot shorter than The Female Brain. So I was genuinely surprised to receive my copy and find out that The Male Brain book was almost as thick as The Female Brain book. But do you know what? Half the pages in The Male Brain are notes and references. Jen Llewellyn is a Nursery Crops Specialist with the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food.

Volunteers are lifeblood of Landscape Ontario

TRADE MEMBERS’ LOGO

influenced by the importance of association work, by seeing Marc Thiebaud serve as president of LO. He began by working in the booth at the annual London Home Show and the from fellow members that he runs a good London Home and Garden Show. meeting. One of his favourite memories during “I do get nervous at his time volunteering is meetings hoping that when 16 London Chapeveryone will enjoy and ter members came find benefit from the together to tear down event. At the end ofCONSUMERS’ the the Canada Blooms and TRADE MEMBERS’ LOGO RE LO evening, if members garden in 2012. “It (i.e. Garden Centres, Website PO AN RT NU Print/Media, etc.) come up and congratuwas particularly excitIS AL SU E late me on a well run ing to see the enthusimeeting, I’m relieved asm our Chapter had and very satisfied that I for an event outside of helped a number of LO our community,� says members.� Vanderley. Vanderley has a long Former LO presiVolunteering history of observing dent Gerald Boot CLP what it meant to give of says about volunteerhis time to the associaing, “There is no bettion. Before college, he ter way to get to know TRADE ASSOCIATION LOGO worked from 1975 to and network with your 1978 for his uncle John industry leaders and Van Staveren, who had served as presipeers, than volunteering with LO.� dent of LO in 1977. In 1983, Vanderley Every year, nearly 400 LO members began work for the Thiebaud family, ownfind Boot’s statement to be true. ers of OGS in Brooklin. He was again

Winston Churchill said, “You make a living by what you get, but you make a life by what you give.� If he was around today, the famous leader could well be speaking of the hundreds of volunteers who have made Landscape Ontario one of the most successful associations in North America. Each year LO lists all the volunteers who have assisted the association through activities that range from handson to education to mentoring. That list on page 40 of the Annual Report includes nearly 400 names. Peter Vanderley CLP (see cover), who owns and operates Vanderley Landscaping in Denfield, has an impressive list of volunteer activities at Landscape Ontario. “I receive so many benefits from the time I put into volunteering with Landscape Ontario,� says Vanderley; education and networking opportunities were two benefits he specifically mentioned. Vanderley, who serves as London Chapter president, appreciates hearing

December 2014

www.horttrades.com

ROCKS Peter Vanderley, one of the many volunteers responsible for LO’s success.

PM 40013519

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• NEW PLANTS - To excite your customers • UNIQUE PLANTS - To set you apart • PW PLANTS - To meet their increasing demand • SALE PLANTS - To drive traffic • QUALITY PLANTS - To maintain your reputation

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Scholarships are investments towards industry’s future When the Ontario Horticultural Trades Foundation was formed in 1979, it set out to encourage young people to look at the horticultural industry as a viable career. To do this it provided young people with scholarships to help them pursue formal education towards the industry. Along with the scholarships, the Foundation also provides financial assistance towards research projects. The Foundation has been very successful raising money to maintain a healthy fund, which year after year provides over $25,000 in scholarships. In 2014, 20 students were awarded scholarships, who are all listed below. The students will also be introduced during the Awards of Excellence ceremony at Congress on Jan 6. As well, the scholarship recipients have been invited to the Legacy Room at Congress.

The Foundation is governed by a volunteer board, comprised of respected industry members. Members of the board include John Wright, president; Monica van Maris, vice-president; Brian Cocks CLT, secretary; Hank Gelderman CLT, treasurer; Directors, Bob Allen; Tony DiGiovanni CLT; Ben Kobes; Mark Ostrowski; John Peets; Mike Thomas; Dave Turnbull CHT; Neil Vanderkruk and Bob Wilton. This year the Foundation received several large donations, including a pledge from Mark Cullen to provide $30,000, Bob Allen pledging $10,000 and Unilock announcing its intention to give $10,000 towards design scholarships. Foundation chair John Wright said, “The major contributions are wonderful, and will greatly boost our fund, and potentially help more students create a future in our industry.”

The Foundation offers four methods to support the program: • Sponsorship: Join the Foundation by making a pledge — an annual donation or a one-time gift. • Memorial Gift: This is a meaningful way to honour a friend, loved one or professional contact and help support the industry • Legacy Gift: Earmark funds through your estate to sustain the horticulture industry. Contact your estate planner or lawyer to include this legacy provision in your will. • Stewardship Program: Many Foundation sponsors share their expertise by speaking to groups, and directing their honorariums to the Foundation. A donation to benefit Ontario’s horticultural community is tax-deductible. More information and forms may be found online at www.ohtf.ca. Photos and information are not available for Zac Hertel of St. Clair College, Michael Masson of Fanshawe College, George Peacock of Seneca College and Lingping You of Seneca.

Scholarship recipients introduce themselves Chad Huggett Post-Secondary Scholarship

I currently reside in Woodstock, and am enrolled in my second year of the Horticulture Technician program at Fanshawe College. My recent co-op work term experience at the City of Woodstock Parks reinforced my desire to pursue this field. After graduation, I plan on working within the industry, applying my academic training with my managerial background to make a difference through landscaping, thus contributing to the overall quality of community living.

Sharri Honsberger Post-Secondary Scholarship

I am in my final year of the Horticulture Technician program at Fanshawe College. I love anything to do with native plant species and conservation for future generations.

Tyson S. Jennett Graduate Research Assistant Program

I completed by Honours B.Sc. (Environmental Sciences) in 2008 and a Masters in Land Resource Science, specializing in Toxicology, in 2011. My Ph.D. project with Dr. Youbin Zheng will focus on modelling and attenuation of phosphorous runoff from green roof substrates.

Patti Prieur Post-Secondary Scholarship

I have several environmental interests including stewardship for Adopt-An-ESA in London. I am looking forward to a fulfilling career in landscape design. I am so grateful for having been chosen for this scholarship. Thank you all so much!

Scott Ferguson Post-Secondary Scholarship

A nature-lover to the core, I have lived in and travel to places all over the world. I am inspired by nature all along the way. I hold a BA from UBC, and I am finishing my last year of Humber’s Landscape Technician program with the hopes of pursuing a career in sustainable landscaping and horticulture.

Amanda Henderson Tony DiGiovanni Scholarship

With a passion for horticulture, I am currently apprenticing as a horticulture technician. I plan to expand my knowledge in hopes to educate and inspire others about the importance of Ontario’s green industry.

Matt Shushack Post-Secondary Scholarship

I am a graduate of the Landscape Design program at Fanshawe College and currently a student at the University of Guelph for Turfgrass Management. I have worked in the golf course construction industry and golf course maintenance with hopes of being involved in golf course design in the near future.

8  LANDSCAPE ONTARIO DECEMBER 2014

Lindsey McCain High School Program

Derek McIntosh Post-Secondary Scholarship

Stephen Corradino Post-Secondary Scholarship

Jonathon Jacques Post-Secondary Scholarship

Elizabeth Roy Post-Secondary Scholarship

Jordan Valters Casey van Maris Memorial Scholarship

I am a recent graduate of Sinclair Secondary School where I graduated with honours and received individual achievement awards in Visual Arts and Creative Writing. I am currently attending the Landscape Architecture program at the University of Guelph and enjoy my summer job at Vandermeer Nurseries in Ajax.

I am 23 years old, and born and raised in Richmond Hill. I am an enthusiastic young adult with a strong passion for horticulture, and beyond thrilled to have received acknowledgement for my effort in this growing field.

I am a final year student of Landscape Technician Program at Humber College. I worked as a summer intern gardener with the City of Toronto’s Parks and Recreation Department.

I am an experienced, mature student (26), who has the good fortune to become a student. I am very appreciative of all who support me. I am passionate about the environment with vested interest in water and sustainability.

I am a second year Turfgrass Management student at the University of Guelph and Turf Club co-president. I currently work at Cutten Fields in Guelph. I did an internship this past summer at Bigwin Island Golf Club.

I am a SHSM/Red-Seal graduate with the help and expertise of teacher Allan Nason. I was the first-ever high school co-op student at Vineland Research and Innovation Centre.

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ASSOCIATION NEWS

Mary Ann Westover prepares the grounds surrounded by grave stones in Beechwood Cemetery.

Ottawa honours veterans at Day of Tribute This year marked the ninth edition of the Day of Tribute by the Ottawa Chapter to honour members of the military and their families. For over a decade, Ottawa Chapter members have volunteered their staff, equipment and materials to clean up the grounds at Beechwood, the National Cemetery of Canada, in preparation for Remembrance Day services on Nov. 11. This event was initiated in 2003 by Sharon Rouette-Urquhart, of Green Unlimited, to honour veterans during the Year of the Veteran. Rouette-Urquhart wanted to give back to the servicemen, veterans and their families, who gave the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom. She believed that industry members would want to participate in a day of caring for the grounds in preparation for Remembrance Day. The day was clear and sunny with colder than normal temperatures. Attendees were welcomed at registration with coffee and muffins, courtesy of Bradley’s Commercial Insurance. Warrant Officer

Clayton Nevell worked alongside members and provided hands-on support. Members went through their paces, aerating, fertilizing, seeding and cleaning leaves on the fields and among the grave sites. The Chapter’s refurbishing took on

a special significance this year, following the murder of two Canadian soldiers. Remembrance Day ceremonies grew into a crowd of thousands watching the ceremonies. Princess Anne with her husband, Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Lawrence, attended the ceremonies at Beechwood. The Oct. 31 Day of Tribute chair, Canadian Forces Retired Chief Warrant Officer Pete Campbell, of Geosynthetic Systems, introduced the following dignitaries in attendance: Commonwealth War Graves Commission Operations Director Captain Harry Harsch, OMM CD RCN (ret’d.) Commonwealth War Graves Commission Technical Services Officer (Horticulture) Captain Joe Sipos, CD RCN (Ret’d), Canadian Forces Warrant Officer Clayton Nevell, and Roger Boult, Chief Operating Officer Beechwood Cemetery. Members in attendance at this year’s event included Green Unlimited, Peter Smit and Sons, Natural Impression Landscaping, Geosynthetic Systems, Algonquin College and Weedman. Product this year was kindly provided by Manderley Turf Products and Plant Products, with equipment from Peter Smit and Sons, Weedman, Green Unlimited and Natural Impressions Landscaping. A thank you goes to Sipan Tires for the attendee giveaway, D. B. Promotions as T-shirt sponsor, and Norleans Technology as event sponsor. Even though attendance was down for this year’s event, Campbell was amazed at the enthusiasm and camaraderie displayed by those who participated. “What we lacked in numbers was certainly made up for in our typical can-do fashion.” Beechwood Cemetery was established in 1873 and is the final resting place of more than 75,000 Canadians.

Some of the crew and dignitaries who attended Ottawa Chapter’s Day of Tribute at the National Cemetery.

10  LANDSCAPE ONTARIO DECEMBER 2014

e

E

Windsor Chapter presents Awards of Distinction

Oct. 30 saw a number of Windsor Chapter members honoured for their high level of professional and creative work during the annual Awards of Distinction. Over 60 people, including students and employees, attended the awards ceremony and dinner at Walkerville Brewery. Judges Jay Terryberry, Sandy MacDonald and John Lein had a difficult time choosing the award winners. Landscape Effects Group won awards in Landscape Construction – Commercial, Landscape Construction – Residential, and Hardscape Residential (five awards), in Landscape Maintenance – Commercial, Landscape Maintenance – Residential . Bellaire Landscape won three awards in Landscape Construction – Residential. Cedar Springs Decks and Fences received an award for Landscape Maintenance – Commercial. Cypher Systems Group won in Landscape Construction –Commercial and Landscape Maintenance – Commercial. Garlatti Landscaping won Landscape Maintenance – Residential.

A special thank you went to sponsor Santerra Stonecraft. Chapter president Don Tellier was the evening’s master of ceremonies. Event organizers were Chris Power and Jay Rivait. A number of St. Clair College horticultural students were in attendance.

Congress is right around the corner

Do you suffer from post-holiday blues? Landscape Ontario has the solution. Congress, now entering its 42nd year, has grown to become Canada’s premier green industry trade show and conference. It’s the perfect place to find the new products, ideas, equipment, tools, services and connections to build a better business. But Congress is not just a trade show and conference; several special events are held during the three show days. Opening day, Jan. 6, will be a busy day, with the trade show floor opening 9 a.m. and running to 5 p.m. The New Products Showcase will be a popular stop, along with the new education hub stage and the Legacy Room, open from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., where scholarship recipients will be introduced to our

community. And, if that wasn’t enough, the day will be topped off with the Awards of Excellence ceremony that evening. Across the street from the Toronto Congress Centre, at the International Plaza Hotel, we will be announcing the 2015 winners where the talents and creativity of landscape construction, maintenance and design contractors will be showcased — late-night talk-show style. Our amazing presenting partners Draglam Salt and Earthco Soil Mixtures and supporting sponsor Connon Nurseries CBV Holdings make all of the fun stuff possible. The awards portray a competitive spirit, and strive for continuous achievement and improvement. Our members offer services distinctly different from the competition and are stewards of the horticultural trades, sharing a vision for a vibrant and prosperous future. They continue to reach new levels of craftsmanship and the award winners consistently raise the bar for the rest of the industry. This event is not to be missed. If you haven’t attended the ceremony before, you are in for a treat. This is not your grandmother’s awards ceremony. Tickets are available at the Landscape

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Ontario booth or at the door, $75 per person. A display featuring the winners will be showcased in the Mirvish Hall on Wednesday and Thursday during the trade show, and will be available online post-show. Register for Congress, the Awards ceremony and other events at locongress.com.

Dream Garden featured at Ottawa home show

Landscape Ontario, led by Ottawa Chapter members, will create the Dream Garden at the 2015 Ottawa Home and Garden show, taking place at the EY Centre in Ottawa from Mar. 26 to 29. The garden, which measures 2,800 sq. ft., will be a celebration of the Canadian landscape and the rich history of horticulture in our nation’s Capital. The garden will showcase a variety of Canadian landscapes, both urban and rural. It will also highlight some of the many benefits of gardens and green spaces to our communities, health and environment. The year 2015 is also the 70th anniversary of the Gift of the Tulip to Canada from the Netherlands. The gift led to the creation of the Tulip Festival. In celebration of this important anniversary, the tulip will be highlighted as the feature flower in the Dream Garden and in the other landscape features throughout the show, with Landscape Ontario as a partner. The design phase is well underway and is led by a team of Ottawa landscape designers. Several industry suppliers have stepped forward with offers of materials. The Home Show has provided funding as part of its partnership with Landscape Ontario. This will allow for the purchase of forced plant material, which will be used throughout the garden to create a vibrant spring environment for the public to enjoy. The path through the garden will lead visitors through a variety of spaces and landscapes intended to inspire homeowners with examples of what is possible in the Canadian landscape. The path will exit directly in front of the Landscape Ontario booth, where the association and membership and companies involved in the creation of the garden will be showcased to the public. The 2015 garden is the launch of what is planned to be an even more ambitious partnership with the Home Show in 2016, when the plan is to develop a garden event inspired by the Canada Blooms format. This will include several feature gardens designed and constructed by Landscape Ontario member companies as the centrepiece of the show. The Public Awareness Committee of the Ottawa Board of Directors has taken the lead on this project. The committee is currently in the process of assembling the team, which will manage the preparation and construction of the garden. If you would like more information, or are interested becoming involved, contact Martha Walsh at mwalsh@landscapeontario.com. The link to the drop box with the renderings of the design is http://gfl.me/x2lN.

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sales@krausnurseries.com 12  LANDSCAPE ONTARIO DECEMBER 2014

Dufferin Aggregates was recognized as one of Canada’s Safest Employers in 2014. The honour identifies Canadian companies that are making a difference in promoting the health and safety of their workers, and operating a safe and successful organization. Dufferin Aggregates, a member of Landscape Ontario, was selected as silver winner in the mining and natural resources category. This is the second time in as many years that the com-

pany has been recognized by the Canada’s Safest Employer program. Apart from meeting criteria related to excellent safety performance, part of the nomination process for the program involved employees completing an Employee Safety Perception Survey. This gauges the safety culture at an organization and how successful the company has been in communicating and embedding health and safety at a grassroots level. Being selected as one of Canada’s Safest Employers continues a positive trend for the company, and demonstrates the results of its philosophy of Zero Harm, which encourages positive, proactive prevention to create a culture that demonstrates a commitment to every person going home safely at the end of every day. “Achieving our vision of Zero Harm is an everyday challenge. I am proud of Dufferin Aggregates’ employees who have integrated their commitment to this goal into everything they do. They have embraced our vision and understand that our goal can only be reached if we all contribute individually and as a team,” said Ed Persico, General Manager. Canada’s Safest Employers’ Awards 2014 winners were announced at a gala in Toronto on Oct. 28.

Design Challenge inspires future green industry leaders

Landscape Ontario is currently partnering with Come Alive Outside founder Jim Paluch to produce the Design Challenge, which creates the opportunity for college, high school, elementary and pre-school students to work together with landscape professionals to design and build engaging outdoor learning environments at schools and childcare facilities. “The Come Alive Outside Design Chal-

lenge is future-building in a most relevant way,” said Tony DiGiovanni. “It is also encouraging students to set aside their computer screens in favour of appreciating the outdoors.” Nowadays our lives are moving indoors, with more and more people, especially children, spending the vast majority of their time inside and sedentary. The dangerous effects of this lifestyle to physical and mental health are becoming increasingly wellknown, yet many people do not realize and appreciate the direct connection between

Gelderman Landscape Services purchases Guelph company

Gelderman Landscape Services of Waterdown has announced that as of Nov. 1 it has purchased the longtime Guelph landscape company Outdoor Services. “Our satellite location in Breslau will be relocated to the Guelph location (the former Outdoor Services site) and service the K-W-Guelph area from there,” says Nathan Helder, president of Gelderman Landscape Services. “We’ve known of Outdoor Services and its owner, John Cruickshank, for many years through our industry association, Landscape Ontario, and we know his reputation for great work and committed service,” said Helder. “John had been thinking of retiring for some time, but it wasn’t until we got into discussions about our shared values of reliable, caring service and how we would transition his clients to a new company that he felt confident that it was time to make the move.”

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ASSOCIATION NEWS

A focus group with the students at St. Teresa Catholic Elementary School and Durham College, allowing the younger students’ input on the design.

horticulture and public health. In an rapidly urbanizing world in which over 90 per cent of North Americans will be living in cities by 2050, landscape professionals have a critical role to play in creating the awareness and opportunity for individuals, families and communities to enjoy the health benefits of great outdoor spaces where they live, work and play. Through a collaborative and participatory design process, The Come Alive Outside Design Challenge helps to reconnect children with nature and also connect more

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young people in high school and college with rewarding careers in the landscape profession. Landscape and horticulture students from Fanshawe College, Durham College, Seneca College, and Ryerson University teamed up with high school students to conduct a site analysis and interactive focus group with younger children who will use the space to get their input on the design. Landscape and horticulture students from Fanshawe teamed up with high school students from Parkside Collegiate Institute

25

for over

in St. Thomas, while students from Durham College and Thomas A. Stewart Secondary School in Peterborough joined forces. Seneca College and King City Secondary School students formed a team, while Ryerson University and Ursula Franklin Academy in Toronto make up the fourth team. They each held design charrettes with professional designers and contractors to complete design concepts. Each team conducted a site analysis, as well as interactive focus groups with the younger children who will use the spaces. The four teams have submitted designs to be judged by a panel of industry professionals ahead of the Jan. 5 Cultivate and Connect Conference, being held in conjunction with Congress 2015. Each design will be judged based on how well it: • Encourages interaction with the space using all five senses. • Repurposes materials in an innovative way to help develop a cost-effective budget. • Creates a habitat for wildlife. • Integrates the creative input of the children who will be using it. • Creates a functional space that teachers can use with their classes. Faculty at both the secondary and postsecondary level, value the service learning opportunity for their students, which not only allows the students to work on a real project in the community but also to work closely with industry professionals throughout the process. In addition to the learning opportunity for the students, the Design Challenge also provides a valuable way to strengthen connections between secondary and post-secondary educators with professionals in the industry. CNLA and Landscape Ontario will host Cultivate and Connect as the second annual event aimed at connecting educators, industry and government at Congress 2015 at the International Plaza Hotel. The

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purpose of Cultivate and Connect is to: • Inspire Connectivity amongst all levels of education. • Improve connections between industry and education to ensure programming supports industry skills requirements. • Build bridges between stakeholders. • Attract youth and newcomers to the industry. The Design Challenge team that receives top scores from the judges will be recognized on Jan. 6, at the Landscape Ontario Awards of Excellence ceremony. The Grounds Guys and the Ontario Horticultural Trades Foundation are Platinum sponsors of the Design Challenge, LS Training Systems is a gold sponsor and Compass Creative is the Silver sponsor of the program. Arden Urban, vice president of LS Training System, says, “The Design Challenge aligns extremely well with our commitment to providing practical education and training that prepares high school students for their next step into a productive career in the landscape industry, whether that be through a post-secondary program, apprenticeship or directly in the workplace.” Following Congress, the teams will continue to work with Landscape Ontario Chapters and other leaders in their communities to budget and build the designs.

Landscape Designer Conference promises to inspire

The Landscape Designer conference at Congress 2015 is scheduled to run on Jan. 5 — snow or shine — at the International Plaza Hotel. Landscape Ontario’s Designer Sector Group is the organizing committee for this all-day event full of sessions, socializing and plenty of time for getting caught up with your peers.

The group has strived to ensure that the information delivered will help inspire those working in the landscape design sector in the coming season. The conference will run on Warm-Up Monday (pretrade show) in conjunction with Congress. Delegates are provided the opportunity to learn more about the latest products and technologies available for horticulture design during the breaks, at lunch time and at the closing reception with the event sponsors, Natural Landscape magazine, Unilock, Dynascape, Select Stone, Connon Nurseries NVK Holdings and Moonstruck Landscape Lighting. The 2015 edition kicks off at 8:45 a.m., and highlights include opening keynote from Alexander Reford on Colourful, Creative and Controversial: International

Gardens at the Festival; Create Harmony With Fire and Water, presented by Jennifer Gannon; Ajon Moriyama’s presentation, Looking at the World from Within. A personal journey towards a sustainable future; Customizing Customer Interaction with Andrew Wall, and the closing keynote by noteworthy author, lecturer and designer, Julie Moir Messervy, with Get Out! Designing Landscapes that Bring Everyone Outside Again. The day will wrap up at 4 p.m. with the ever-popular networking reception. This is another opportunity for delegates to meet and mingle before the trade show. Online registration is available at locongress.com. For more information, contact events@landscapeontario.com.

LO Safety Group 2014 The final meeting of the LO Safety Group took place on Nov. 21 at the LO home office. On hand was WSIB consultant Jeff Pearce to congratulate the members on completing the year. In photo are those who took part in the final meeting of the Safety Group. In front, from left, Nicole Taylor, Sharon Craig, Ted Vanderveen, Nancy Marinaccio and Janet Lott. In back, from left, Robin Stafford, Pierre Kuehnhold, Ron Sikkema, Jay vanGelder, Paul Williamson and Jeff Pearce.

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ASSOCIATION NEWS Home office hosts certification tests

The final hands-on Landscape Industry Certified test in 2014 took place in October at Landscape Ontario’s home office in Milton. Sponsors of the test day included Platinum sponsors Stihl, Battlefield, Clintar, Hustler; Gold sponsors ProPower, Silver sponsors Van Dongen’s Vanden Bussche, Permacon, Premier Tech Home and Garden, Gelderman Landscape Services, Echo, Snap Edge, Bobcat of Hamilton, and Greenhorizons. Safety sponsor was BOT Aggregates. Judges at the testing were Hank Gelderman CLT, Jeff McMann CLT, Richard Lubbers, Matt Mintz CLT, Tim Elliott, Lucas Michielsen CLT, Stephen Anderson, Alex Zalewski CLT, Keri Wilby CLT, Michael Rennie CLT, Alan Malcolmson CLT, and Jeff Gilberds CLP, CLT. Time keeper was Colin Vince, with Samantha Thomson and Anne Bowering as proctors.

A written test will take place at Congress 2015 on Jan. 6 at the International Plaza Hotel. For more information, or to register, go to horttrades.com/certification.

Mark’s and GM popular benefit programs

Each month Landscape Ontario magazine will present a report on the usage of Endorsed Supplier Program. This program, exclusive to Landscape Ontario members, will help your business save money on a wide range of business products and services. Administered by the Canadian Nursery Landscape Association (CNLA), LO members automatically become CNLA members through their membership in LO. For more information, call the CNLA at 1-888-446-3499, or visit cnla-acpp.ca/benefits To view all the benefits available to LO members go to http://gfl.me/h6N. The number of LO members using programs in September were

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Volunteers needed for LO’s Canada Blooms garden

Volunteers are needed to help with the development and construction of Landscape Ontario’s feature garden at Canada Blooms. The build runs Mar. 6 – 12 at the Direct Energy Centre in Toronto. “We are seeking anyone who is interested in supporting the leadership at this time and builders and for tear down at the end of the show,” says Landscape Ontario Executive Director Tony DiGiovanni. The first leadership meeting is Dec. 16, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Landscape Ontario home office, in the Hawthorne Room. Contact Allie McInnes at amcinnes@ landscapeontario.com, as a lunch will be served.

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2014 ANNUAL REPORT

2014 Annual Report President’s Message

It’s been a year of growth My first year as the president of Landscape Ontario has been great opportunity and learning experience. I thank the executive, all the board members, and the LO staff for all the support that has been given to me over the past 12 months. I look forward to working with this great team over the next year. Event highlights this year include Congress, Canada Blooms, the Industry Auction, Expo and the various Chapter meeting and special events I had the privilege to attend. I also want to comment on our great membership. From one end of the province to the other, there are busy business people who find the time, energy and money to ensure their association is a viable and important entity. It’s amazing to see the level of commitment from LO members who give of themselves to community and association projects right across the province. During my visits to chapter meetings this year, I left each one

impressed with the results of all the work that went into creating interesting and viable meeting topics. It’s not an easy task to come up with relevant material each month. My goal when I began my term was to increase membership. I was hoping we could see a five per cent increase. With the Chapter Challenge, as created by our membership department, our growth in membership has achieved that goal and beyond. It’s been a huge success, with every chapter achieving at least a five per cent increase in membership numbers over last year. Members need support along the way and that’s what Landscape Ontario provides. Our mission is to be the leader in representing, promoting and fostering a favourable climate for the advancement of the horticulture industry in Ontario, which simply means that Landscape Ontario is here to help. I encourage all of you to become involved in this great association. I guarantee you will find nothing but positive results. Respectfully submitted, Dave Braun President 2014

Treasurer’s Report

LO continues prosperity This was another interesting year. Members I have spoken to, myself included, were affected by the heavy winter and late start in the spring. Once things got going, they didn’t slow down until the snow arrived in midNovember. We continue to hear of other associations south of the border struggling, but we continue to grow. President Dave’s challenge to grow the chapters was met by solid growth and our annual Congress continues to wow attendees and grow in a prosperous way. Our net surplus for the year ending August 31, 2014, was $152,874. The surplus was allocated as follows: $15,000 went to the Promotion Fund, $20,000 to the Technology Fund and the remainder went to the Industry Development Fund.

Next year looks like it could be very prosperous for the association with our pending land sale. The funds generated by the sale will go towards upgrading and developing our office space and teaching facilities, which will make it easier for our members to connect, grow and prosper. Who knew that over 20 years ago a quick decision by some members with forethought, would lead us to where we are today with a financial legacy that will help to support our membership for many years to come. I look forward to another year as your treasurer and steward of your legacy. Respectfully submitted, Dave Wright Treasurer 2014

2014 ANNUAL REPORT  17

Executive Director’s Report

Annual reports are a time for reflection and evaluation Please forgive the personal nature of this introduction. The year 2014 marked my 25th year working for Landscape Ontario, as well as my 60th birthday. The year also marked the 41st anniversary of Landscape Ontario. When I started at LO, I was usually one of the youngest at meetings. Now I am one of the oldest. I was a little startled the other day to receive a call from Past President Monica van Maris. She urged us to start working on a 50th anniversary book. Years ago I received a similar call from Monica. It became the genesis of a 25th anniversary book. Annual Reports are valuable because they encourage reflection and evaluation. They look back in time. However, the real purpose is to stimulate, inspire, mentor and mobilize the next generation as they build the future. Although there are hundreds of thousands of complex interactions within our Landscape Ontario community, core benefits, values and principles define and are responsible for the association’s success over the years. We continue to attract contribution-oriented members who embrace the framework of mutual and collective improvement to grow a prosperous, professional, ethical, recognized and valued industry. We continue to attract members who are passionate about their industry, customers, employees and community. We continue to attract leaders who give freely of their resources in order to build a better world. At Garden Expo this year, I overheard Ben Damm, from Floral Dimensions, say, “Nothing happens unless someone sells something.” Recently, I read a book by Daniel Pink about sales. The premise of the book is that we are all engaged in selling a product, service, idea or ourselves. In Landscape Ontario’s case (keep in mind that Landscape Ontario is not a building or staff in Milton), it’s members. Landscape Ontario is you. We sell community, collective benefit, inspiration, renewal, social interaction, prosperity, life enhancement, legacy and a lot more. At the end of the book, the author suggested a framework to evaluate our sales offerings. On an organizational level, “Has our offering enhanced and improved lives? On a community level, “Has our offering made the world a better place?” When you read through the material in this annual report, ask yourself those questions. If you don’t like the answer, please call me. We would like your help. Here are some highlights of Landscape Ontario issues and activities for 2014.

chapters. A new membership services chair Lexi Dearborn has been appointed to guide our progress.

Sustainability plan to investigate hiring a regional manager in Eastern Ontario

The board is investigating the possibility of hiring a regional manager in Ottawa as part of long range staffing plan that would eventually see regional offices in the London and Ottawa areas. The regional manager would continually build relationships with media, government, schools and members. It is envisioned that the regional manager would be funded through a combination of Ottawa trade show revenues and provincial budget allocation. Past president Joan Johnston is leading the investigation.

Costing model for growers

In conjunction with the accounting firm SB Partners, we have produced a Profit Improvement Guide for Growers and Garden Centres. One unique feature of the guide is an interactive spreadsheet that demonstrates the effect of discounting on margins. The guide is available at http://gfl.me/x2kU. A seminar, based on the guide, was held in November.

Mitigating effects of seasonality on labour recruitment and retention

This issue is part of the human resource priority that is common to all provinces. We participated in the CNLA summit. Harold Deenen also agreed to chair the LO Human Resource Committee to ensure maximum alignment with CNLA.

Chapter governance training and support, including integration of sector groups and chapters We are focusing on helping our chapter and sector groups work better together. We now have part-time event staff dedicated in most

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The issue of human resources is a priority.

2014 ANNUAL REPORT

Chapter governance has taken on a bigger priority.

Complete sale and development plan for home office

We are in the middle of a land sale. If all goes well, the closing date will be Mar. 15, 2015. The sale will give us the resources to accelerate our activities.

Complete Certified Irrigation Auditor Program

Landscape Ontario was hired by one of the regional governments to develop a Certified Irrigation Auditor Program. Any irrigation contractor dealing with the region must be certified. This is the region’s strategy to reduce water use by using professional conservation-oriented companies.

barrier to progress has been the lack of trainers. OJT remains a HR priority.

Investigate compulsory trade

Landscape Ontario has started the compulsory trade discussion with its chapters, through the magazine and on its LinkedIn page. It is a very controversial subject, eliciting deep passions on both sides. LO looks forward to continuing the investigation as part of the CNLA Human Resource Committee activities. The next step should be a world-wide review of jurisdictions with a compulsory system. This will allow us to understand the benefits and barriers.

Peer to Peer Network

As the next step of the Prosperity Partners program, the association hired two consultants to operate a peer to peer network focused on helping members grow their businesses.

Complete lighting manual and certification process

The Lighting Sector Group has developed a Certified Landscape Lighting program. A manual has been developed and test questions have been composed. A final edit is the next step, before introducing the program to the trade.

Company accreditation investigation

The investigation of company accreditation has been on the agenda for the last five years. The investigation has broadened beyond Landscape Ontario to Planet and CNLA. We hope to make progress on this issue by late 2015.

On-the-job training program

OJT has the potential to significantly increase professionalism, because it fits the existing training profile of the industry. The main

LO developed a Certified Irrigation Auditor Program.

2014 ANNUAL REPORT  19

The sale of 24 acres at the home office will provide resources to accelerate LO priorities.

Practice Act for LAs and Name Act for Designers The Landscape Designers Sector Group is pursuing a Name Act in conjunction with the OALA pursuing a Practice Act. LO has representation on the OALA committee. This is a long-term project.

Improve image of horticulture in high schools

This activity is part of the CNLA Human Resource Committee. It is a huge multi-dimensional issue. Please see Come Alive Outside Design Challenge Project below. We are also involved in Skills Canada competition as well as Specialist High School Major program.

Next Steps for Green for Life Branding

Green for Life branding has been very successful. We are currently planning a review of the past five years of branding activity to determine next steps for the future.

Support Trees for Life campaign

Landscape Ontario is a founding member of Trees for Life — the Urban Tree Coalition. This alliance was started by Mark Cullen. The goal of the alliance is 40 per cent urban tree cover. TFL has just hired an executive director (Carla Grant) in order to accelerate the activity. LO is supporting the organization with staff and financial resources.

Ottawa Canadian Horticultural event

We continue to work with Michel Gauthier in promoting a horticultural event in Ottawa as a catalyst for developing a national botanical garden in 2017 to mark Canada’s 150th anniversary.

Reducing emissions program

The Environment Committee is developing a Reducing Emissions

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Program. It was determined that this is one area of environmental improvement that would have a significant positive effect. Our members have the collective power to take measurable actions.

Communications Review

We are currently reviewing capacity with the goal of enhancing and improving the way we communicate. We are developing a communication plan to direct the future of the magazines, websites and social medial activities.

Garden Expo Review

The Garden Centre Sector Group has taken responsibility for directing Garden Expo. Previously it was under the direction of the Congress Committee. We are planning to renew and reinvent Garden Expo.

Government Relations, re: Acceptance of low risk products

We are continuing our efforts to promote the acceptance of low risk plant-protection products. Since the pesticide ban the lawn care and grounds sectors are facing huge challenges trying to control pests, diseases and weeds.

Property Managers Promotion, re: Maintenance guidelines

The Grounds Management Sector Group has developed a brochure Landscape Maintenance Guidelines for Property Managers. The guidelines encourage property managers to write guidelines based on specific requirements and budgets. The brochure is available at horttrades.com under the Grounds Management Sector tab.

Canada Blooms

2014 ANNUAL REPORT

Landscape Ontario continues to support Canada Blooms as North America’s largest indoor garden event. Over 200,000 people attend the show. Canada Blooms has just hired a new general manager Terry Caddo. We also have a new partner Building Industry and Land Developers (BILD).

Ottawa Home Show Partnership

Landscape Ontario Ottawa Chapter is partnering with the Ottawa Home Show to create a garden event like Canada Blooms in the region.

Additional highlights

Mark Cullen pledged $30,000 per year as scholarship challenge. Landscape Ontario already distributed $25,000 to 30,000 per year. These additional funds will accelerate and enhance our ability to support tomorrow’s horticultural leaders. Mark’s generosity has already stimulated additional contributions. Unilock announced a $10,000 donation to the Landscape Designers Scholarship. Russ Loney from the Upper Canada Chapter is also making a generous contribution.

Legal insurance

In conjunction with CNLA, we implemented a legal insurance program. The program consists of two options: Telephone legal advice and legal insurance. The telephone legal advice program has been very well received. The legal insurance program will be launched in 2015.

HR Toolkit

The HR Toolkit is an excellent resource available to all members at horttrades.com/HRtoolkit. We are currently updating the kit and developing face-to-face seminars based on the information.

Garden centre information packets service

We partnered with ZRB and Laurie Scullen to develop information packets for members who require content for their blogs, newsletters and social media.

Dry Stone Walling Institute

We are partnering with the British Dry Stone Walling Association to deliver an education, training and certification program.

Come Alive Outside Design Challenge

We partnered with Jim Paluch to host the Come Alive Outside Design Challenge. The goal of the challenge is to raise awareness for our industry at the elementary, secondary and post-secondary school levels. You can find more information at http://gfl.me/x2kV.

National War Memorial on Cabot Trail

One of our members, Bernie Wolfe, is working with Toronto visionary Tony Trigiani on a concept of building a national war memorial on the Cabot Trail. Please see http://gfl.me/x2kW for more information. Landscape Ontario has agreed to assist the project. We are currently in discussion on developing a Mother Canada rose. The rose will raise awareness for the project. The hope is that the funds can be raised by 2017 the centenary of the end of the first world war.

Salt research study

Landscape Ontario supported pioneering salt rate research at the University of Waterloo. The final report was published in November. There is no other study in the world that outlines a standard for salt use on parking lots. This research will mitigate the liability risk of snow operations. Our next step is to verify the research in practical settings. We will then develop processes to help our members implement best practices.

Other industry development projects and activities

• Smart About Salt Program • Green Infrastructure Government Relations • Maple Leaves Forever — Promoting native maples • LO Canada Blooms Garden being planned as an “Otium” exercise garden • Skills Canada • Toronto Parks and Trees Foundation • Garden Days Celebration Ottawa and University of Guelph • Durham College tree planting • Veterans Memorial Highway Project • Connecting Educators Event • Grey to Green Conference Respectfully submitted, Tony DiGiovanni CHT Executive Director 2013 - 2014

Labour recruitment is a major focus of the industry.

2014 ANNUAL REPORT  21

Membership and Public Relations Report

Chapter Challenge increases membership Every Landscape Ontario Chapter had another excellent year, giving back to their respective communities. The events were all covered in Landscape Ontario magazine and member companies were recognized at Chapter meetings and at the Provincial Board. We also used the services of our PR agency, Enterprise Canada, to garner local media coverage for Chapters. Issued on a monthly basis our press releases resulted in many interviews and articles. Data provided by Enterprise Canada shows that from January to June this year, we had 4,463,842 media impressions, resulting in an estimated value of $441,531. For print media, impressions totalled 1,165,805, resulting in a PR value of $120,801. Our online media numbers amounted to 2,377,623 impressions, with an estimated PR value of $271,730. We had 920,414 estimated broadcast media impressions, with a PR value of $49,000. The Awards of Excellence continues to prove to be a useful tool for individual member companies to gain recognition at a local level by utilizing a template press release kit from home office. We continued to explore possibilities of creating our own Green for Life television shows. Stay tuned for more information on that project. Several presentations that promoted reasons to hire LO members were made to provincial groups, such as Master Gardeners and Horticultural Societies. We support three meetings a year for garden writers at Canada Blooms, Garden Expo and Congress. At these meetings, we supply information for the writers to promote our industry. This year, the Membership Department organized Chapter Challenge. It was an initiative inspired by Landscape Ontario President

LO hosted the annual meeting of Ontario Master Gardeners.

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Dave Braun. The goal of the Challenge is to increase membership across the province. It has proven to be a very effective program. Each chapter was given a goal of increasing its membership by five per cent in from March 2014 to December 2014. All chapters that increase membership by five per cent, as of Dec. 31, will be granted $500 to put towards its meetings. The chapter that increases its membership by the highest percentage will be granted an additional $500, bragging rights, as well as the Golden Grout Award. As important as it is to continue to grow membership within Landscape Ontario, we want to retain existing members and ensure they all see the value of membership. Some of these include utilizing membership benefits and promoting the reciprocal support between LO and its members. We have also increased member visits this year. This keeps LO accessible by having staff go to members, rather than only having them come to the home office. It’s a great way for us to get a hands-on perspective of the current realities of the industry. We continue to promote to consumers on why they should hire a LO member; thanking them for hiring a member as a way of supporting their decision, and providing background information to what LO is about. We also encourage Associate members to promote membership to encourage possible members. This allows potential new members to hear about the benefits of Landscape Ontario membership from people active within the industry. We have also worked to connect industry members across a variety of sector groups, geographic areas and business types, demonstrating the high standard of professional and excellence reflected by our members and the association Respectfully submitted, Denis Flanagan CLD Director of Public Relations and Membership Services 2013 - 2014

2014 ANNUAL REPORT

2014 Chapter reports The regional needs of the members are served through a network of nine chapters. Through monthly meetings and promotional activities, the chapters represent an ideal way for member companies to keep abreast of local industry concerns. The two most sought after membership benefits — education and networking opportunities — are provided through the association’s regional chapter structure.

Durham

President: Greg Scarlett CHT Past president: Brian Marsh Provincial board representative: Brian Baun Vice president: Ed Hewis Secretary/treasurer: Carol Fulford Directors: Norm Mills, Brian Marsh, April Scarlett, Mark Humphries, Brian Shelfoon, Steve Wall, Janice Shingler The Durham Chapter held meetings on the first Tuesday night of each month, typically at the Quality Suites in Oshawa. August 2013: Durham Chapter’s Annual Barbecue was held at Sheridan Nurseries. There were 19 suppliers in attendance and approximately150 people enjoyed an evening of good food and networking. Everyone enjoyed beef-on-a-bun, pop, chips, corn-on-thecob and refreshments provided by chef Mark Humphries. October 2013: Our October meeting focused on what our Chapter members would like to see in the coming months. A small group met and had an informal discussion over drinks and snacks regarding future meeting ideas and plans. November 2013: It was an evening on all things plants in November. Kobes Nursery supplied unlabeled plants for the Plant ID Night, where all members in attendance were challenged to identify them.

Keeping with our plant theme and in light of the coming winter season, Janice Shingler from Sheridan Nurseries provided a hands-on seminar on how to decorate a winter interest planter with cut greens. February 2014: Technology takeover was the theme for our February meeting. Three guest speakers covered all aspect of Internet marketing from posting videos on YouTube, web marketing, to LinkedIn. These presentations showcased many powerful ways to stay connected with your existing clients, as well as connecting with potential clients through the Internet. March 2014: To prepare for the coming season, two MTO officers attended the March Chapter meeting to discuss new regulations. This was a great opportunity for attendees to get the latest updates and to ensure that their vehicles are in compliance with all regulations before hitting the road for the new season. In addition, a pickup truck and enclosed trailer was provided for a sample road-side inspection, which resulted in a great many questions from the crowd. Elections were held for the Chapter’s executive board and members were excited to welcome some new faces to the 2015 board. It has been another successful year, and I would like to take the opportunity to thank all of the board members for their continuous support. Also, thank you to all the companies that donated items towards door prizes at our meetings. Thank you to Carol Fulford, who always goes beyond the call of duty as treasurer. She keeps all our meetings running smoothly and spends additional time organizing events for the chapter. As President of the Durham Chapter, I have enjoyed another year of being a part of our board. Respectfully submitted, Greg Scarlett CHT President, 2013-2014

Georgian Lakelands

President: Lexi Dearborn Past President: Jeff Lee Treasurer: Andrew Beattie CIT Provincial Board Representative: Margot Byers Secretary: Lynne Barnes Directors: Laurie-Ann Stuart, Michael LaPorte CLT, Teresa Matamoros, Georgie Hamilton, Brenda Maitland, Tyler Speirs

Durham Chapter’s Annual Barbecue attracted 19 suppliers.

As a kick off to the 2013-14 season for Georgian Lakelands Chapter, directors met with LO members in Collingwood at the Huron Club to socialize and talk about upcoming Chapter events. Attendees were given tips on how to update their member profile. In mid-October, the Chapter welcomed LO President Phil Charal and Executive Director Tony DiGiovanni to our Barrie meeting. Phil and Tony answered questions from the over 40 attendees regarding membership and LO behind the scenes. In late November, we travelled to Collingwood for an evening of Whine and Cheese. Although it was a very stormy night, all who attended had a great time. In order to make our events and meetings successful and to bring 2014 ANNUAL REPORT  23

LO to members, the board decided to rotate our meetings and events throughout the Chapter region to Barrie, Huntsville and Collingwood. In late January, over 20 members and their staff members picked up great tips on health and safety in for the green industry. Randy Dignard from Industry Safety Trainers provided an amazing presentation and Q&A for all who attended. A wonderful surprise at the meeting was having Dave Braun, LO President, attend and speak to members. In early February, our Huntsville meeting was a great success for all who attended. With over 50 in attendance, local LO member and non-member companies enjoyed a morning of round-table discussion about industry-relevant topics. I Survived Ski and Spa Day 2014 was cold. Actually, it was really cold with tons of snow and road closures. But still we had over 70 people attend the event. New for 2014, was an opportunity for tranquillity and relaxation in a winter wonderland setting. This annual event is not just for the skiers and boarders anymore, as we introduced a new twist on an old favourite. Those who wanted a relaxing day of pampering found it at the Scandinave Spa Blue Mountain, which offers an active, flexible and healthy environment where guests can rejuvenate and invigorate themselves naturally. On the hills at Craigleith Ski Club, tons of fun with the Poker Run had participants collect clues from around the resort to make a poker hand. The annual race down the hill saw awards handed out to the fastest and most cautious skiers. Spring 2014 Chapter meetings and training included introduction to SketchUp, Designers Round-table, Traffic Control Training, Damage Prevention — Dig Safe, and Lighting 101. The annual Spring MTO Tune-up with Officer Hank Dubee is our most popular Chapter meeting. In early April, over 60 people attended this presentation and discussion. Designed to help members and their staff take a proactive approach to compliance, this meeting helps everyone get ready for the roads. Thank you to Clearview Nursery in Stayner for hosting our August sector group update meeting and social. Educational and fun, Clearview offered farm tours to start the meeting, followed by dinner. Sector group representatives Chris Mace (Designers), Ryan Heath (Contractors) and Mark Ostrowski (Growers) provided attendees with an indepth look at what sector groups are working on for LO members. This was a great event, with loads of fun and wonderful hosts in an amazing setting. Respectfully submitted, Lexi Dearborn President, 2013 - 2014

Golden Horseshoe

President: Jeff Smith Vice President: Fran MacKenzie Second Vice President: Andrew Barz Provincial Board Representative: Tim Cruickshanks Treasurer/Secretary: Dan Grieve CLP Past President: Fiore Zenone Chapter Coordinator: Lee Rozon Directors: John Bos CLT, Allard DeVries, Dan MacLean, Rob Mendonca, David Pierce, Tim Rivard CLT, Bruce Wilson What a busy year it’s been. On Sept. 12, Golden Horseshoe Chapter held its annual Chicken Roast. The event was held at Windmill Power Equipment in Dundas in celebration of the company’s 25th anniversary. The roast was an overwhelming success. Over 275 people of all ages enjoyed a delicious chicken dinner. Chief Chicken Chef, Paul DeGroot, and his crew of

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Over 275 attendees enjoyed this year’s Golden Horseshoe Chicken Roast.

volunteers perfectly cooked 300 lbs. of chicken on the 30 ft. charcoal barbecue. The Chapter showed its appreciation to Doug Coote and his wife Barbara for their years of volunteering. Over the years the couple has kept the food table filled for hungry Chapter members. The board wishes Doug all the best in the future, as he steps down from this position. Our September Chapter meeting, on Sept. 19, was held at the Halton Industry Education Council. The meeting, presented by Phil Harwood of Pro-Motion Consulting, was entitled Snow Risk Management. Attendees participated in this very informative seminar that demonstrated methods to manage your snow portfolio and ensure profitability. Guests were also provided access to a spreadsheet to help them analyze their respective portfolio and calculate profits on a pro-forma basis. Golden Horseshoe Chapter thanks Phil Harwood for his excellent presentation and advice. The Nov. 11 Chapter meeting was an evening meeting at Vineland Research and Innovation Centre. The meeting was entitled, Whine and Cheesed-off; The Good, the Bad and the Ugly of 2013. Attendees engaged in a discussion involving a variety of challenges, struggles and pet peeves surrounding the landscape industry. Discussion was moderated by none other than the executive director of Landscape Ontario, Tony DiGiovanni. The meeting was a very successful networking event for everyone in attendance. After a cold and snowy start to winter, our February Chapter event, Family Skating Day was held on Family Day, Feb. 17. The special day took place at the Gateway Ice Centre in Stoney Creek and was generously sponsored by Grand River Natural Stone. Landscape Ontario members and their families enjoyed a free family skate, shinny and food from Don Cherry’s Sports Grill. The day was a complete success, and a great way for members to network and have fun with fellow members. To get the Chapter motivated and ready for the season ahead, our spring meeting was held Mar. 27 at the Ancaster Fair Grounds. It took on a whole new spin. The event was entitled, Workplace Safety and Prevention Trade Show. It featured our always-popular presentation by the Ministry of Transportation, coupled with a newly-added tradeshow

2014 ANNUAL REPORT Thank you to all Chapter members, the Chapter Board, and all those who have attended events and supported the Golden Horseshoe Chapter. Respectfully submitted, Jeff Smith President 2013 - 2014

London

President: Jarrett Woodard Treasurer/Provincial Board Representative: Pete Vanderley CLP Past President: Grant Harrison CLT Secretary: Nicola Kamp Chapter Coordinator: Wendy Harry CLT Directors: Derek Geddes, Jerry Hakkers, Michael Martins, Paul Snyders, Jason Zehr

portion. The event was a great success with capacity with over 250 LO members and potential members, along with a selection of over 25 vendors who displayed and promoted products to a targeted audience of Golden Horseshoe members. None of this would be possible without the hard work and dedication of the MTO committee meeting chair Tim Rivard and Chapter Coordinator Lee Rozon. Keep an eye out for this season’s even larger event, featuring exciting new speakers and an expanded array of exhibitors. April was a busy month for the Chapter with involvement in the 2014 Waterdown Blooms program, as well as Arbor Day celebrations. The Chapter partnered with the Waterdown Blooms Program, an initiative of Waterdown’s Business Improvement Association, which allows local landscaping companies the opportunity for some friendly competition and to beautify the community. Chapter President Jeff Smith was a key player in organizing this competition, and Chapter Coordinator Lee Rozon was responsible for arranging RBG staff to judge the competition, which featured seven area landscapers who each created a15- x 25-ft. planting bed. Entrants competed for the People’s Choice Award, judged by the local community. The Judge’s Award, as decided by RBG, had gold, silver and bronze categories. To wrap up chapter activities before a busy season, the Golden Horseshoe Chapter partnered with John William Boich Public School for Arbor Day on April 30. Over 800 students were able to enjoy the annual tree planting ceremony, which included songs and skits by the students, guests from Halton District School Board, as well as city officials. Landscape Ontario was thanked by Burlington city arborist, Rick Lipsitt, for the Chapter’s 34 years of support for Burlington Arbor Day programs. Ten native trees were planted on the school site for shade and ambience, in addition to the grade 8 graduating class planting a tree in hopes of continuing the tree planting ceremony of graduating classes for future generations. Fiore Zenone represented the Golden Horseshoe Chapter and spoke to the students on the value of tree cover, and the benefits of trees. This tree planting will give the students and members of the public an opportunity to care for the trees, continue to learn about the benefits of trees and has strengthened Landscape Ontario ties within the Golden Horseshoe Chapter community.

In early September 2013, we held our annual golf tournament at Pine Knot Golf Course in Dorchester. Our attendance was slightly under 100, and the weather was cool and damp. However, our spirits were high despite the weather. Once again, we had great sponsors and prizes. Proceeds from the golf tournament went towards the garden feature we planned to install in October 2014. After several years of hosting an annual garden tour, the Chapter decided to suspend the tour for 2014 due to declining participation from both our members and the public. We are using the upcoming year to reflect on if we should re-instate the tour, and how to best attract more interest from the public and our members. Essentially, we had suspended our participation in the home show for similar reasons. In early October, for the second year in a row, our Chapter partnered with the Veterans Memorial Parkway Community Project with the installation of 400 two in. caliper trees. Our Chapter members took the lead in preparing the planting holes, placement of the trees and setting out the tree stakes along with bags of mulch. On the day of planting, a great number of citizens from various groups placed the soil, mulch and inserted the tree stakes. On Oct. 8, we held our first Chapter meeting, which featured Sally Harvey addressing the members on the value of being an LO member. She provided a comprehensive overview of the benefits that LO provides, focusing particularly on the educational aspects. We also featured Sheila Creighton of the Million Tree Challenge, who presented the goal of planting a million trees over the next ten years in the city of London. On Nov. 12, our second Chapter meeting featured Ron Koudys, a local landscape architect, former teacher of Landscape Design of Fanshawe College and proud LO member, who talked about Top Trends in Landscape Design. On Feb. 12, our third Chapter meeting featured the local Conservation Authority. Discussion centred on native plants and how to identify and deal with noxious weeds. Lunch was generously sponsored by Permacon. Mar. 11 was our fourth and final meeting of the season, which has become our annual Safety Day. We had speakers from the MTO and WSPS in attendance. They provided valuable information and answered a myriad of questions from our members. At this meeting, we had a member profile moment featuring Mountsview Landscaping from Princeton. This meeting also provided a lunch, generously sponsored by Unilock. Respectfully submitted, Pete Vanderley Treasurer/Provincial Board Representative 2014 ANNUAL REPORT  25

Ottawa

President: Ed Hansen Vice President: Sundaura Alford CLD Past President: Chris Burns CLT Treasurer: Mark Mallette Provincial Board Representative: Bruce Morton CLP, CIT Chapter Coordinator: Martha Walsh Directors: Kelly Mulrooney-Coté, Patricia Stanish CLD, Sarah Johnston, Jim Curran, Chris Urquhart CLP, Mike Fulcher, Steve Neumann Ottawa Chapter meetings for 2013-2014 saw an increase in attendance of 20 per cent over the previous year’s meetings. Topics included time management, marketing solutions for your business, and round-table discussions on business issues of small, medium and large landscape firms, and how to develop your key staff. At the January 2014 Ottawa Chapter AGM, there was a record set with 72 in attendance. We were the first Chapter to welcome LO President Dave Braun and Tony DiGiovanni, LO executive director. February 2014 saw the 21st edition of GreenTrade Expo at EY Centre. There was a record number of attendees and exhibitors. The MTO contractors’ breakfast was sold out, and it was standing-roomonly in business education seminars. Students from Horticultural Industries programs at Kemptville College and Algonquin College with Ottawa designers worked in a collaborative effort to create the coffee bar and show floor. In March, the Ottawa Chapter booth at Ottawa Home and Garden show had over 20 members volunteer their time over three days to field questions from the public about the horticulture industry and the local chapter. Members created a pamphlet that was distributed at the event. April saw a garden build at the Big Backyard Show. This effort was lead by Ed Hansen, along with design by A Cultivated Art, plant material from Greenlife Wholesale Nursery, hardscape product from Permacon and over 40 students pitching in from Algonquin College Horticultural Industries Program. From April to October, members continued weekly maintenance of Ottawa Cancer Survivors’ Park. This year students from Algonquin College participated in whole day maintenance of the park, as on-thejob experience. They were mentored by Clintar. June was the first annual Ottawa Garden Days event celebration. A Garden Volunteer Recognition Ceremony, organized by the Ottawa Chapter and the Mayor’s office, recognized over 45 Ottawa Chapter members, public organizations, gardening groups and horticultural societies that contributed to the development and maintenance of Ottawa public gardens for the benefit of Ottawa residents. The Mayor’s office declared June 13th as Ottawa’s first official Garden Day. A cheque for $3,000 was presented to Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario Foundation Telethon. The money was raised from the 2013 golf tournament. In July, the membership department from LO Home Office visited Ottawa area companies to view building sites of Hansen Lawn and Garden, Greenscape, RJ Rogers Landscaping, Patricia Stanish Landscape Design, Green Thumb Garden Centre and Algonquin College Horticultural Industries. The annual Ottawa Chapter Golf Tournament attracted 90 golfers and volunteers, who enjoyed a day of networking and golf to raise money for the local Children’s hospital foundation. In October, Chapter meetings resumed with a timely topic, What You Don’t Know about Legal Issues. The meeting addressed snow removal and the surrounding issues concerning legal, insurance and

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member representation. This discussion took the form of a round-table format. Ottawa’s Day of Tribute took place on Oct. 31 at the National Military Cemetery at Beechwood. In its ninth year, representation came from Ottawa Chapter members, home office, the War Graves Commission and the Department of National Defense. Planning is underway for Floral 2017 event with Ottawa Chapter representation, Canadensis Botanical Garden Society and Canadian Garden Council. Planning is also underway for the dream garden at the March 26 to 29 Ottawa Home and Garden Show, with a 40 x 70 ft. booth garden build, a 20 x 10 ft. LO booth for information to the public, and planter designs for the show floor. The year 2015 looks very busy with lots of new exciting challenges for the Ottawa Chapter. Respectfully submitted, Ed Hansen President 2014

Toronto

President: Ryan Heath CLP, CLT Past President/Provincial Board Representative: Lindsay Drake Nightingale Secretary: Janet Mott CLP Treasurer: Sabrina Goettler CLP Directors: Paulo Domingues CIT, Janet Ennamorato, Shawn Foley CIT, Allan Kling CLP, Craig Mathews, Jonas Spring, Mike Watson It has been a busy year for the Toronto Chapter. This year we have been working on our 2013 goal of increasing attendance at Chapter meetings by providing interactive learning and networking opportunities. I can say that this year was a success and we are already looking ahead to 2015. Our Chapter meetings began in October with guest speaker Paul Zammit of the Toronto Botanical Gardens. Paul shared his expertise on the latest trends in container gardening, winter plantings, and new plant varieties. Despite this being a busy time of year, we had a great turnout. November was a busy month, including a Chapter meeting, and fall clean-up at the Toronto Botanical Garden. Thank you to those who dedicated their time for the clean-up. The November Chapter meeting provided members with a glimpse into the past of the horticulture industry with one of Landscape Ontario’s pioneering members, Bill DeLuca of Aldershot Landscape Services. Bill shared his expertise and experience in the industry, as well as the challenges he has faced, including juggling family and work responsibilities. The end of the season went out with a bang and we certainly celebrated in high-style. Our Holiday Social event featured a traditional holiday meal and the dazzling wonders of Magic Mike, a magician from Sorcerer’s Safari. Meetings returned in February with an all-day educational event. Attendees got the latest WSPS and MTO updates, as well as a seminar from guest speaker Nathan Helder of Gelderman Landscaping. Nathan shared his expertise on estimating for maintenance projects, a perfect way to prepare for the coming season. Our April meeting featured the first installment of the What’s up with That? lecture series. It featured a panel discussion on natural stone products, including the process for quarrying the stone, labour relations, how various stone products cope with Ontario weather, and

2014 ANNUAL REPORT future trends. Representatives from Unilock, Banas Stone and All Stone Quarry were given time to showcase their company’s products and features, followed by a moderated discussion with moderator LO executive director Tony DiGiovanni and questions from the audience. A special thank you to Jonas Spring for using his acting chops to help promote this event. Look for more videos to come in the future. This event was extremely well attended and inspired the continuation of this lecture series in the 2014/2015 Chapter meeting season. Though Mother Nature threw some curveballs at us with the delayed arrival of spring and an extremely busy summer to follow, the Chapter hosted its annual golf tournament in July and baseball tournament in August. We were back at the beautiful Nobleton Lakes Golf Club and over 100 golfers shared in a gorgeous day of golf, incredible food and prizes galore. Richmond Greens hosted the 2014 baseball tournament with eight teams in competition. We would like to congratulate our top three teams of the 2014 baseball tournament, the Sheridan Nurseries, the Zander Sod, and Best Way Stone teams. Thank you everyone who took time out of your extremely busy schedules to attend this event. The year 2015 is already looking busy with Chapter events, including the continuing What’s up with That? lecture series, guest speakers, family-friendly events, and an exciting community project in partnership with James Robinson Public School in Markham. This project will create an accessible outdoor learning space to foster learning and provide members of the community with unique physical and developmental needs. The Eco Schoolyard will feature a sensory garden, food gardens, and accessible fitness and learning trails and outdoor classroom space. This outdoor space will encourage social interaction with the students, create a unique learning environment, and improve the safety of the school’s outdoor space for those with a variety of special needs, including low vision, mobility, etc. Toronto Chapter is proud to partner with James Robinson P.S to complete this multi-phased project. Thank you to the Toronto Chapter board members for their hard work in organizing these events and taking care of all the behind the scenes work. Thank you to our members who come and support our events, our generous sponsors, volunteers and everyone who helps to make these events a success. We look forward to seeing you in the New Year and continue to bring you learning opportunities, as we foster the growth and strength of the Toronto Chapter. Respectfully submitted, Ryan Heath President 2014

Upper Canada

President: Terry Childs Vice President: Andre Ypma Past President: Neil Bouma Treasurer: Judy deBoer-Bell Secretary: Sian Pritchard Directors: Diana Cassidy-Bush CLP; Paul Doornbos CLP, CLT; David Gunn; Pamela McCormick CLP The Upper Canada Chapter Facebook page is being utilised as a communication tool with some of the members. We do need to increase the use of this medium. The winter (February) of 2014 was the third annual Chapter squash tournament, held in Gananoque. It was a great event and 2015 is already being planned for by organizers.

The annual Upper Canada Golf Tournament raised over $1,800 for the Children’s Wish Foundation.

The golf tournament this year saw 64 competitors provide us with over $1,800 to go to the Children’s Wish Foundation. Meetings were held at Loyalist College to try to get a first year apprenticeship intake for 2014. Chapter meetings began in October 2013 with the subject, “Natural stone, its qualities and uses as well as demonstrations on its use.” At the November meeting, the topic of human resources was the theme. Information was provided about On-The-Job-Training, along with Certification and Red Seal. There was also an overview on how LO can help you develop your staff. The new year began with a round-table meeting. The Chapter members discussed topics to stimulate honest and open discussion on many aspects of our industry. This has proved to be one of the best meetings we have had in the Chapter. Another round-table format was held at the February meeting. The subjects this month were production rates and overhead recovery. The Chapter AGM and annual elections took place in March. In the spring, a very successful On-the-Job-Training event took place over two days in Gananoque at Nature’s Way head office. Upper Canada Chapter was well represented this year on Congress and Expo, along with Association planning boards, and other provincial committees. Scott Wentworth and Wentworth Landscapes created an awesome garden at Canada Blooms for Landscape Ontario, following in the footsteps of Thornbusch Landscaping. It’s amazing what a small chapter can produce. We have very qualified, professional, and community minded members. Respectfully submitted, Terry Childs President 2013-2014 2014 ANNUAL REPORT  27

Windsor

President: Donald Tellier CLT Vice President: Chris Power Secretary and Chapter Assistant: Jay Rivait Directors: Jessica Aytoun; Sal Costante; Dan Garlatti; Karl Klinck; Jay Terryberry, St. Clair College liaison/director

Waterloo Chapter’s School Greening Project took place at Stanley Park School.

Waterloo

President: Jeff Thompson Past President: Randy Adams Vice President: Richard Burch, CIT, CLP, CLT Provincial Board Representative: Thomas Blatter CLP Treasurer: Cor Bultena Secretary: Sean Jordan Directors: Jason Dietrich, Robert Tester, Al Murray, Mike Silva, Jamie Carman, Eric Horst, Blake Sicard, Trevor Garner, Scott Durst Waterloo Chapter had an exciting and eventful year with seven Chapter meetings. Each one averaged 50-plus members. Annually, we sponsor the Kitchener-Waterloo Home and Garden Show. This year at our booth, we had over 2,500 attendees, with each one taking home a pine or spruce seedling for their yard. The Fall Freeze-up Dinner and Dance in November was enjoyed by over 150 members and guests. The July Golf Tournament at the Rebel Creek Golf Club raised over $10,000. A portion of the proceeds go to a children’s charity, the school greening project and the scholarship foundation. The annual School Yard Greening Project was at Stanley Park School, which was celebrating its 50th anniversary. This event was attended by local politicians and senior school board staff. In addition, it was celebrated by the students and staff at Stanley Park School. Our members donated their time, equipment and materials to enrich the school with shade trees, shrubs and an outdoor class room with stone seating. We are looking forward to another eventful season of strengthening the Landscape Ontario brand, while supporting each of our members in developing their businesses. Thanks to our wonderful members who plan and participate each of these events and our numerous social activities. It is great to be a member of the Waterloo Chapter. Respectfully submitted, Jeff Thompson President 2014

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The 2013/2014 fiscal year has been an interesting and productive one for the Windsor Chapter of Landscape Ontario. With a very proactive board, the Windsor group was able to generate a good list of topics for the general membership, while being heavily involved in community projects and social activities. Overall, it was a successful year with good attendance at our meetings and good participation in the community projects. Our fall meeting season started off with our annual Windsor Chapter Awards of Distinction program, which recognizes excellence in the construction and maintenance of residential, commercial and industrial sites. A new venue was selected for the October 2013 event, with the majority of participants giving their nod of approval to Walkerville Brewery as the location for the 2014 event. The event brought out over 60 members and employees who enjoyed the audio-visual and awards presentations. This annual event has traditionally been one of our more popular events, with the staff from St. Clair College Horticulture program once again judging the work submitted. Many thanks to the St. Clair staff. The November, January and February general meetings brought out above-average crowds with good interest in topic areas. They included: November, Health and Safety in the Workplace, with Ken Poisson of IHSA; January, Social Media, Making it Work for your Business with Anne Bowering of CNLA; February, New and Newer Woody Plants with Brian Worfolk of Sheridan Nurseries. All sessions were informative and well received by our general membership. The March meeting allowed members to learn the lessons of the road from two Ministry of Transportation officers. The two officers provided an audio-visual presentation relating to vehicle safety, load restrictions and load security. Once again, this has proved a popular event with over 50 members attending the informative session. Windsor Chapter was well represented at the March Windsor Home and Leisure Show. A small, but effective booth that was staffed by local members help spread the word about our local membership, as well as promoted the branding of Green for Life. Many gardening questions were answered at the booth, courtesy of our special guest Denis Flanagan, along with other members of the Windsor Chapter. The board was pleased with the show exposure. We have plans to carry on with this venue for 2015. With the sudden passing of Perry Molema in December of 2012, the Windsor Chapter was instrumental in building the Perry Molema Memorial Garden at Zonta Park in Chatham. Numerous hours of donated labour and equipment, as well a substantial Chapter board monetary donation, aided in the development and dedication of a beautiful garden in the spring of 2014. A new Green for Life boulder was recently installed in the garden in a prominent location. This reminds residents and visitors of our support for this lasting legacy to Perry. Special thanks to Sasha Hunter and Chuck Catton from Aquascape Ontario for their numerous hours of planning and organization that allowed this project to become a reality. We would also like to thank all member companies that participated and especially Alan Pinsonneault and the staff from Al’s Lawn Care for the endless support of this project. With the assistance of our member companies and some special promotions funding, two community projects were added to the Wind-

2014 ANNUAL REPORT

Windsor Chapter’s Awards of Distinction recognized excellence in construction and maintenance.

sor Chapter activity list. A fall cleanup at Hospice of Windsor Essex was followed up with a summer cleanup, as well as the addition of new LED lighting in the two pergolas found in the healing gardens and several new plantings. This project is planned as an ongoing effort with a fall cleanup and additional lighting added in the future. A new initiative with Safety Village of Windsor allowed Windsor

Chapter members an opportunity to carry out some badly needed cleanup, pruning and installation of edging, mulch and new plant material to the entrance of the main building. A Green for Life boulder was recently added to the garden with fall cleanup and more entrance garden maintenance planned for later this fall with some projected phased-in work on rear gardens. Aside from the informative general meetings, Windsor Chapter members were able to partake in several social events this year. Our fall golf tournament was once again a success, allowing us to raise additional monies for future projects. A night of bowling was enjoyed by several member companies with some 10-pin action and door prizes for the lucky participants. Many thanks to Dan Garlatti and Jay Rivait along with their social committee for organizing these well attended events. It has been a pleasure serving on the board in the past and I look forward to a good program and social calendar for the 2014/2015 year. Respectfully submitted, Donald Tellier President 2014

2014 Sector reports The scope and mandate — and therefore the needs — of the various industry sectors served by Landscape Ontario are distinctly different. The specific requirements of each of these groups are facilitated by the association’s sector group structure. The objective of each sector group is to respond to current concerns resulting from marketplace pressures and government legislation.

Garden Centre

Chair/ Provincial Board representative: Michael Van Dongen CHT Members: Barry Benjamin; Perry Grobe; Georgie Hamilton; Kristin Ego MacPhail; Chas. Lawton CHT, CIT; Shannon Lindensmith; Bob McCannell (deceased); Art Vanden Enden CHT The year of 2013/2014 was a year of reflection, evaluation, and setting up for the future. In October of 2013, we had Jim Hole presenting “They Don’t Make Gardeners Like They Used To” at our annual lunch The Garden Centre Sector Group had a busy year of reflection, evaluation and setting program at Expo. His first-hand experiences with his famup for the future. ily garden centre and creation of the Enjoy Centre in Alberta amazed garden centre owners. This year, we also featured a Top 10 revamped the product knowledge video, which we are looking forward presentation, where garden centre owners and operators shared 10 to releasing in the Spring of 2015. Additionally, LS Training continued unique tips to inspire other compnaies. to offer more comprehensive compliance packages to garden centre The Garden Centre Sector Group continued to promote and owners in wake of the changes to mandatory health and safety traindevelop the online Garden Centre Training Program in partnership ing this year. with LS Training and CNLA. Another online project, GFL Marketing Program, was created by This year LS Training, with the Garden Centre Sector Group, Frank Zaunscherb and Laurie Scullin. It generated a great deal of 2014 ANNUAL REPORT  29

interest in the garden centre community. This was a series of information packages with timely and relevant gardening tips that garden centres could plug into online and social media platforms. CNLA and Garden Centres Canada, under the continued leadership of chair Anthony O’Neill and with support from Landscape Ontario and the Garden Centre Group, are getting ready to launch some new initiatives. The first is the creation and development of an inspection program that will utilize local examiners in order to expand the program. The second is the announcement of the IGCA Garden Centre Tour coming to Ontario in 2017. With all these exciting programs in the future, the Garden Centre Sector Group must also reflect on the past. This is especially so for all the individuals who have given their time over the years to make these programs happen. This past year the Garden Centre Group, and the industry, lost a legend of character, Bob McCannell. His knowledge of the industry, leadership, and his unique contribution to the industry and the association is and will be sadly missed. On behalf of the Garden Centre Sector Group, we want to acknowledge our appreciation for the years of contribution by Bob. Leading into the 2014/2015, the Garden Centre Group looks forward to new projects. This year Expo will be directed by the alwayshelpful staff at Landscape Ontario and the Garden Centre Group. We strive to create value for the industry, and will do so by having Peter Cantley as our guest speaker at Expo. The group also continues to explore hosting a growers and garden centre bus tour, which should come to fruition in the 2015 season. As always, we welcome garden centre owners and operators to join our group. We now host many meetings online, making contribution to the sector easier than ever. Respectfully submitted, Michael Van Dongen Chair 2013-2014

Grounds Management

Chair: John Hewson CLP Provincial Board Representative: Brian Marsh Members: Kevin Almeida, Jeff Fennema, Carmine Filice CLP, Anthony Kampen, Jeff McMann CLT, Brad Paton, Dean Schofield, Kate Terpstra, Rodger Tschanz, Jay VanGelder I would like to begin by extending a thank-you to all the members of the group for giving their time and effort to help promote professionalism within the Grounds Management sector of the industry. As in past years, our goal has been to help identify issues within the grounds maintenance industry and assist with providing education and working tools to its members. This past year the group focused on the following areas: Landscape Maintenance Guidelines for Property Managers was completed and distributed to the Industry. It’s available on LO website on the Grounds Management Sector Group page at http://gfl.me/x2l4. The purpose of this initiative was to attempt to simplify, update and add some consistency to the various contract functions within the Grounds Maintenance industry. The guidelines were also designed to simplify the preparation of the property maintenance specifications for property managers. Our goal is ultimately to have this information passed on to the property managers through exposure with presentations at seminars for property managers and an article in publications concerning property managers. The 8th Annual Trial Gardens Open House was held at the LO

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home office site in Milton on Aug. 21. Through the never-ending efforts of Rodger Tschanz of the University of Guelph, the trial gardens have continued to achieve the goal of highlighting and introducing new and interesting bedding plants to the Industry. Those in attendance were treated to a day of informative presentations by guest speakers and Industry experts. Following the tour of the trial gardens, everyone was invited to view the trial gardens at the University of Guelph. The group is also in the process of organizing our first grounds maintenance symposium entitled Taking Planting Design, Installation and Maintenance to the Next Level. The date and venue of the symposium are yet to be confirmed, but topics to be highlighted will include best annuals and bullet-proof perennials, salt tolerant perennials; award-winning gardens and how to maintain them; the science of fertilizer. Other issues the Group will continue to address are regulatory issues involving maintenance, safety issues and regulations and clarification of Ministry of Transportation regulations Respectfully submitted, John Hewson Chair 2014

Growers

Chair/Provincial Representative: Gerwin Bouman Treasurer: Bill Putzer Members: Jamie Aalbers, Rob Albrecht, Dave Braun, Harry DeVries, Jeff Gregg, Jennifer Llewellyn, Glen Lumis, John Mantel, Darby McGrath, John Moons, Rob Naraj, Mark Ostrowski, Bill Putzer, Joel Schraven, Fred Somerville, Melissa Spearing, Donna Speranzini, Christine Stein, Dave Tillaart, Jeanine West, Rita Weerdenburg, Henry Westerhof, Youbin Zheng The Nursery Growers Sector Group continues to work on the strategic priorities throughout the year. There has been an increased focus on ways to market Ontario grown nursery material to municipalities, garden centres and landscapers, while increasing profitability. To achieve these goals, we are endorsing programs such as Trees for Life, exploring a provincial or national brand for nursery products, while also seeking to involve arborists, municipalities and landscape architects in our discussions and meetings. As well, the Growers research sub-committee continues to identify projects that align with our key research and development priorities. We continue to support and direct researchers across the province in our quest to find answers to never ceasing questions and problems. The Growers Sector Group continues to receive regulatory and informative updates from CNLA, OMAF, and the Plant Health Committee that pertain to the nursery industry in Ontario. Aside from the usual business meetings, the Growers host several events throughout the year to further educate, as well as provide networking opportunities for members. The annual Fall Dinner meeting was again well attended with almost 60 growers. This year’s event was held at the Teatro Convention Centre in Milton, and the main guest speaker was Andrew Wall from Sandler Training. He spoke on A President’s Top Four Priorities. Along with industry updates from Tony DiGiovanni and Jeanine West, there was lots of opportunity to network during dinner and between presentations. The Growers Short Course was held on Feb. 5 at the Burlington Convention Centre. Though a wintery day, many growers were in attendance to hear keynote speaker Dr. Ed Gilman from Florida speak

2014 ANNUAL REPORT about tree roots and crowns. During the event there were a number of innovative nursery practices demonstrated. Other speakers presented topics ranging from IPM, pests and diseases, fertilizer and other research. As usual, the day closed with the Grower Good Idea session. The annual Growers Auction was held this year at Winkelmolen Nursery in Lynden. Not only did Winkelmolen celebrate its 35th anniversary this year, they also were honoured with the Canadian Grower of the Year Award, and then went on to compete in the international competition in China in September. Winkelmolen was an excellent host, providing facilities, staff, as well as lunch for the auction. Many in attendance bid on the amazing plant material available. At the end of the day, the auction raised almost $23,000 for scholarships and research. I would again like to thank the directors, volunteers, staff and many sponsors who support this Nursery Growers Sector Group throughout the year. Respectfully submitted, Gerwin Bouwin Chair 2013-2014

Interior Plantscapes

Chair/Provincial Board Representative: Stephen Schell CHT Members: Hella Keppo CHT, Fred Prescod CHT, Phil Van Alstyne CHT, Nanthankumar Paramanathan, Sue Blaney In October, 2013, at Expo, the Interior Plantscape Sector Group hosted a luncheon. The topic of the event was, Living Walls and Green Roofs — Green Plants for Green Buildings. Guest speaker was Chris Raimondi CLP, of Raimondi Horticultural Group. There were 40 participants who learned about living wall systems that are appropriate for specific needs, as well as how biophilic design factors that profoundly affect the well-being and profitability of the modern built environment. In October, 2014, at Expo, our group hosted a luncheon, Holidayscaping: The revenue stream you need to know about. Guest speakers were Yves Renaud, VP of Plantera, and Marc Prudhomme, project manager of Christmas décor and illumination business at Plantera. There were 65 participants who learned about the services of thematic décor, interior plantscape, green walls and wholesale plants at Plantera. They also learned how to keep existing clients by offering new products and services, how to grow sales, and how to keep your staff year round. During the year the group discussed promotion of the interior plantscape sector to other industry sectors and consumers and the value of having plants in office space, malls, etc. The Sector Group also worked with Green Plants for Green Buildings on the new Train the Trainer program. Respectfully submitted, Stephen Schell Chair 2013- 2014

It was a busy year for the Irrigation Sector Group, focusing on certification, promotion and training.

Irrigation

Chair: Steve Macartney, CIC, CLIA, CIT Members: Steve Brewer CIT, Nick Conte, Louise Cottreau, Chris Davies, Kara Gibbons, John Lamberink CIC, Chris LeConte CIC, CLIA, Roy Neves CLIA, CID, CIC, Paul Proulx, Jamie Riddell, Mike Ross CIC, CLIA, Scott Sim CIT Thank you to the members of the Irrigation Sector Group for their hard work and dedication. This year has been a little challenging due to the wet and cool season. This gives us a little more time to look into new technologies and trends in our industry. The focus is becoming about efficiency. New products are allowing irrigation to be more efficient, and training is allowing us to be more aware of what is required to keep plant material healthy. Our efforts are being recognized, as we strive to positions ourselves as problem solvers. In January, 2014, the annual Irrigation Conference was held at Congress. It was a half-day event and well received by the industry. Guest speaker was Brent Mecham CID, CLWM, CIC, CAIS, CLIA, CGIA, Director of Industry Development for Irrigation Association. The topic was what are the key elements of a green irrigation system and how can implementing best practices help distinguish you in a competitive market? Over 70 professionals attended the event. The Sector Group is working on numerous issues that affect the irrigation sector. These include the following: • Water Smart Irrigation Professional Training and Certification Program. • Continued communication with Irrigation Association (IA), regarding certification and other training for the industry. • Promoting Smart Irrigation Month, which is July each year. • Overtime issues. • Preparing for the Irrigation Conference at Congress 2015. We continue to work with numerous municipalities so that they understand the irrigation industry and our challenges. By providing efficient systems, new technology, well trained staff and continued corporation with municipalities, the future looks positive. Respectfully submitted, Steve Macartney Chair – 2014 2014 ANNUAL REPORT  31

Landscape Contractors

Chair/Provincial Board Representative: Peter Guinane Members: Michelle Alkerton; Ken Bekendam; Thomas Blatter CLP; Janet Ennamorato; Jason Gaw; Barry Hordyk; Steve Hary; Ryan Heath CLP, CLT; Arvils Lukss; Julien Marit; Brian Marsh; Arthur Skolnik; Mike Travis; David Turnbull CHT I would like to thank the seasoned and new members of our committee for the time they contribute to the Landscape Contractors Sector Group. The Contractors Group hosted its annual Lecture Series in February at the Paradise Banquet and Convention Centre. Outgoing committee member Harry Gelderman CLD, CLT was master of ceremonies. Speakers were Adrian Bartels, of Cedar Springs Landscape Group, and John Szczepaniak, OALA, from Ottawa. Both provided interesting insights into the successes, challenges and motivations that have guided them to where they are now. We were grateful for the details and photos they shared from dozens of beautiful gardens. Generous sponsors of the event included Beaver Valley Stone, Eloquip, Gro-Bark, York Region Equipment, Sheridan Nurseries and Unilock. They helped to make the event a success. The 2015 Lecture Series will be held on Feb. 24. The Landscape Contractors Group has always assisted with the feature gardens at Canada Blooms, by reviewing the entries to ensure they meet industry standards and quality. The 2014 Canada Blooms Flower and Garden Festival was a great success, and the sector group is continuing to assist with the feature gardens for 2015. Ryan Heath will lead the committee as a member of the Canada Blooms Board. The following items were of interest over the past term: • The Contractors Group updated the rate card, providing a valuable tool when preparing competitive labour estimates and sharing with clients for verification of industry standards. • We are continuing our work on a benchmarking study to assist contractors to understand industry averages. We believe by gathering productivity statistics, LO members may identify their strengths and weaknesses more effectively. We hope a large group of LO members will continue to contribute to the database for more accurate results. • The Group is reviewing the accredited company system as it develops in the U.S. through PLANET, and the consideration of making our industry a licensed trade. Accreditation would encourage members to look at Landscape Ontario membership as a journey to continual improvement. It would also act as a model for best practices. Licensing will limit the number of casual entries into our industry and increase the professional aspect of our services. There is always room on our committee for new members to join. We meet at Landscape Ontario in Milton about six times per year and encourage new ideas and productive discussions affecting our industry. Please contact me, any member of the committee or Landscape Ontario home office for more information. Respectfully submitted, Peter Guinane Chair 2013 -2014

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Landscape Designers

Chair/Provincial Board Representative: Chris Mace Treasurer: Beth Edney CLD Members: Paul Brydges OALA; Ron Koudys OALA, CLD; Don Chase CLD; Haig Seferian OALA, CLD; Mark Kimmerly; Ron Swentiski CLD; Jen Cuddie; Kelly Keates; Ryan Heath CLT, CLP; Carolyne Planck; Brandon Gelderman; Chris Clayton OALA; Tony Lombardi CLD I would like to thank all the members of the committee for all the hard work, time and dedication they contribute to the Landscape Designers Sector Group. They really are an inspiring group of people to work with. The group hosted the annual Landscape Design Conference at Congress on January 6, 2014. The full-day event featured guest speakers Ron Koudys, Christene LeVatte, Ron McCarthy, Rob Kennaley and Diarmuid Gavin. All were very well received by the 150 people in attendance. Alice Klamer received the annual Outstanding Service Award presented at the conference. We would like to thank our sponsors for their continued support. Without them the event would not be possible: Platinum: Blue Sky Nursery; Gold: Unilock, Dynascape; Silver: Aquaspapools and Landscape, Molnar Metal Art Design. There was a networking reception after the conference where sponsors of the event were able to display their products and connect with participants. The Certified Landscape Designer (CLD) exam was changed this year to reflect the content of the CLD manual that was launched at the 2013 conference. The exam is now in testing and review prior to being unveiled at the 2015 conference. The sub-committee members who worked tirelessly on this include Ron Koudys, Don Chase, Haig Seferian, Beth Edney and Sally Harvey from Landscape Ontario. The group is very proud to announce that in 2014 we will present our first Landscape Designers’ scholarship. This was made possible by a very generous $10,000 donation from Unilock. We would like to thank Unilock and Carolyne Planck for spearheading this initiative. There will be one $1,000 scholarship per year. The group has also agreed to donate $1,000 annually to the fund from the proceeds of the Landscape Designer Conference. The Ontario Horticultural Trades Foundation will manage the funds The past 12 months have been very busy for the sector group. We have been working on a number of projects including: • Develop a new national list of 400 plants to be included in the plant identification section of the CLD exam. • Successfully developing and launching a new portfolio evaluation review process that reflects the CLD manual and new exam. • Create a National Landscape Designer Subcommittee under Landscape Canada. This subcommittee is chaired by Beth Edney. • Beth Edney and Welwyn Wong will organize a Landscape Designers Tour for August 2015. • Developing Certified Landscape Designers grandfathering process and application form. The grandfathering will be promoted at the Landscape Designers Conference, and more broadly across Ontario. A story will also be written in Landscape Ontario magazine and Landscape Trades. The review committee for the grandfathering process is Ron Koudys, Don Chase, Haig Seferian and Paul Brydges. • We continue to work on a proposed Name Act for Landscape Designers in conjunction with the OALA, as those members pursue a Practice Act for Landscape Architects. • Launching a new website to promote landscape designers and the CLD certification. The new website is up and running and can

2014 ANNUAL REPORT be found at certifiedlandscapedesigner.com. • Planning for the upcoming Landscape Designers Conference. Respectfully submitted, Chris Mace Chair 2013-2014

Lawn Care

Chair: Steve Tschanz Provincial Board Representative: Alan White Vice Chair: Kyle Tobin Members: Kyle Tobin, Tom Somerville, John Wright, Paul Grotier, Paul Gaspar, Gary Van Haastrecht, Mike Miltenburg, Richard Reed, Pam Charbonneau, Don McQueen, Bill Van Ryan, Kerry Whale, Rohan Harrison, Ken Pavely, Don Voorhees, Gavin Dawson, Tim Tripp The Lawn Care Sector Group continues to promote the benefits of turf with our involvement with Canada Blooms and with St. James Park in Toronto. In our eyes, the addition of turf to the displays accented the gardens. Other community opportunities may emerge in the future to promote the benefits of what most just step on and do not think much about in the course of their everyday lives. This past spring was hard on lawn care, as the slow start kept the phones from ringing and all the wet weather kept the weeds growing. This continuous germination and regrowth really affected the scale of weed control applications. We continue to be engaged with fresh water quality, as it remains a potential issue for our sector. We are working on a phosphorousfree campaign that will let the public know that Landscape Ontario members continue to think of the environment. Many lawn care companies have been phosphorous-free, in their main programs, for several years. If there are members who are not phosphorous-free, they should re-think their position. The lawn care sector uses a lot of plastic from our fertilizer applications. We have looked at avenues in the past to recycle these bags. There may be a viable option for us in the next couple of years. Our sector continues to limp along, as we wait for new affordable tools to be introduced. Last fall we had been informed that there would be a revamping of exterminator licensing, but one year later, there is no further movement. Respectfully submitted, Steve Tschanz Chair 2013 -2014

Lighting

Chair/Provincial Board Representative: James Solecki Members: Frank DiMarco, Carl Hastings, John Higo, Leon Hordyk, Cory MacCallum CIT, Ken Martin, Jamie Riddell, Joe Willemse, Corey Yourkin The Lighting Sector Group has had a busy year and continues its work in the areas of professional development, education, and eventually with certification. The Group is also working on a couple of new initiatives that will help in raising awareness of professional outdoor lighting design and installation in very dramatic ways. The Sector Group hosted its annual Lighting Symposium on Feb. 6, 2014, at the Teatro Conference Centre in Milton. Even with the horrible weather conditions that day, we attracted almost 100 attendees and eight exhibiting companies. Keynote speaker was Tim Ryan from

Lite4 Outdoor Lighting in Indianapolis. Tim wowed the audience with his presentation, which showcased many fabulous installations and provided a wealth of knowledge in the realm of lighting design and installation. The Group also participated in the judging of the Landscape Ontario Awards of Excellence in the Lighting Category. Priorities in the coming year include a significant role in the development and planning of the Canada Blooms Festival as well as undertaking a significant project at Niagara Falls for the Niagara Parks Commission. The Group will continue its work in the development of a lighting education and training program, as well as developing a new and improved website. We are always looking for new members in the Lighting Sector Group and encourage all Landscape Ontario members who are interested or involved in the outdoor lighting industry to come out and join us. Respectfully submitted, James Solecki Chair 2014

Snow and Ice Management

Chair: William Jordan Provincial Board Representative: Mark Humphries Committee: Vince Arone, Nicole Ashton-Jordan, Michael Boffo, Robert Boffo, Gerald Boot CLP, John Fulford, Edward Hewis, Leanne Lobe, Jim Melo, Brian Mettel, Jim Monk, John O’Leary CLT, Fred Persia, Robert Roszell, Robert Tester, Dan Winstanley.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank the committee members for all their time and effort over the past year discussing numerous issues pertaining to this sector. The group hosted the annual Snowposium on Sept. 16, at Landscape Ontario home office. Approximately 85 people were in attendance with 15 exhibitors taking part in the trade show portion. This year we had the following speakers and topics: Contract Management with Mark Bradley, Gerald Boot and Jim Monk; Driver Fatigue and health and safety issues with John O’Leary; The Real Scoop on Insurance Claims with Dan Winstanley; New Rules on the Road with Jennifer Grabar; Best Practices with Mike Lysecki; and What We learned from Winter 2014 with Pat Lamanna. The group has been meeting on a regular basis to discuss issues and research pertaining to this sector: • Research project on Optimum Deicing and Anti-icing for Parking Lots and Sidewalks under the supervision of Dr. Liping Fu of the University of Waterloo • Insurance issues for the industry sector • Develop a professional image brochure For 2015, the committee will review the format of the Snowposium (what worked/what didn’t) and review contractors’ rating system. Respectfully submitted, William Jordan Chair 2014

2014 ANNUAL REPORT  33

2014 Committee reports

The Building Committee is working on the sale of a portion of the property at the LO home office, which will be a big game changer.

All of Landscape Ontario’s affairs are governed by its members. Regional needs are met at the chapter level, while industry-specific issues are dealt with at the sector group level. All other affairs are conducted at the committee level. Some, such as Congress, Communications or Finance, are long-standing committees that oversee the association’s very important, revenue-generating activities. Often, committees are formed on an as-need basis to deal with specific matters. Once a committee has successfully completed its mandate, the committee is discontinued.

Building

Chair: Karl Stensson Directors: Hank Gelderman CLT, Tom Intven, Paul Olsen, John Putzer, Haig Seferian CLD, Marc Thiebaud, Rene Thiebaud CLP, Bob Tubby CLP, Monica van Maris, Neil Vanderkruk The association received three unsolicited offers for the sale of approximately 24 acres of our 48-acre property. After a thorough legal review, we signed the Offer of Purchase and Sale with a company named Broccolini Construction. This organization is a major construction and development firm out of Quebec. As of this writing, we are in the middle of a due diligence period that was expected to end on Dec. 4, 2014. If all goes according to plan, the closing date is Mar. 15, 2015. The net income to our association is approximately $9.2 million. In addition to this amount, the purchaser agreed to pay for our water and sewer connections, as well making the storm water pond large enough to handle any further needs on our remaining site. This is estimated to cost well over $200,000. The entire 48-acre property, including the buildings, was purchased for $1.2 million. As the Association is classified as a not-for-profit group, there is no capital gains payable, as long as the money is ear-

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marked for the betterment of the association. Therefore, the money will be allocated to the various funds already set up for this purpose. A portion of the money will be earmarked to upgrade our existing building, or build a new building based on studies now being performed. We have engaged an architect and planner to recommend options on how to optimize the value of our remaining property. We have also engaged engineers to design the water and sewer connections. Landscape Ontario is in a very fortunate position as the property is currently mortgage free. It is the intent of the Board of Directors of Landscape Ontario and a recommendation from the Past Presidents that a committee be formed to ensure the most appropriate use of the funds. I would like to thank my committee members for their continued hard work and support. Respectfully submitted, Karl Stensson Chair 2013 - 2014

Canada Blooms

Landscape Ontario and the Garden Club of Toronto founded Canada Blooms almost 20 years ago. Its purpose is to inspire, educate and engage the public in order to raise awareness for the life enhancing benefits of gardens, landscapes, plants and green spaces and to showcase the creativity, talent and passion of our professional members. Over the years, over one-million people have been touched in memorable ways by walking through the awe-inspiring gardens and floral displays. In addition, over $600,000 in proceeds have been contributed to community related horticultural projects, thereby extending the promotional benefit of the festival. The media attention enjoyed by Canada Blooms reached millions more. Last year over 200,000 peo-

2014 ANNUAL REPORT

Canada Blooms provides a great opportunity for the industry to reach out to consumers.

ple visited Canada Blooms and the co-located National Home Show. The Landscape Ontario garden was once again spectacular thanks to our amazing members. The theme of Come Alive Outside elevated our industry as an important solution to today’s sedentary lifestyles. Canada Blooms is also excited to announce the hiring of new general manager Terry Caddo. Terry has the perfect background for the festival. He started his career with the Sportsmen Show and moved on to make positive contributions to the Toronto Star, Ontario Place and the Royal Botanical Gardens before landing at Canada Blooms. In 2014, Landscape Ontario was well represented by Warren Patterson, Anna van Maris, Adam Bienenstock and Arvils Lukss. Your new representatives are Anna van Maris (co-chair), Janet Ennamorato, Ryan Heath and me. Landscape Ontario would also like to acknowledge the immense contributions of Charlie Dobbin and Colomba Fuller. The festival owes a great debt to their passion, creativity and tireless efforts. Respectfully submitted, Gregg Salivan LO Board Representative

CNLA

LO representative: Alan White I have the privilege of serving as your representative on the Canadian Nursery Landscape Association (CNLA) Board. It is important to note that the goals of CNLA are identical and aligned with Landscape Ontario. It is also important to realize that you are automatically a member of CNLA through Landscape Ontario. CNLA’s purpose is to grow a prosperous, professional, ethical, recognized, valued and contribution-oriented industry. We are also proud to communicate our aligned public message, “Our industry and the Landscape, Nursery, Retail, Lighting, Irrigation and Lawn Care professionals that derive their living from it, enhances the environment and quality of life.” Here is a brief summary of CNLA activities supporting the mission:

Human resources development

All associations identified human resources development as one of the main priorities. CNLA convened a summit to identify aligned goals and actions to accelerate the development of our industry. The plan was divided into three main areas focusing on the three stakeholders (own-

ers, employees, future employees): 1. Professional development (member owners and managers) a. Business development b. Technical and operational improvement 2. Employees a. Competency/skills improvement and certifications b. Apprenticeship c. Recruitment and retention d. Labour programs 3. Future employees a. Career awareness b. School support c. Skills Canada partnerships In order to leverage the resources that result from alignment, Harold Deenen CLP now serves as chair of the National Human Resources Committee, as well as the Ontario Human Resources Committee. In addition, Sally Harvey CLP, CLT from Landscape Ontario is now working with Stacey Porter and others from CNLA. Two major projects include the wage survey and research into making horticulture a compulsory licensed trade, similar to electricians

Landscape Canada

CNLA has a number of sectors (similar to Ontario). Landscape Canada looks after the needs of the design, landscape, grounds and lawn care firms. Some of the activities include: • Developing partnerships of benefit: Canadian Society of Landscape Architects (joint national standards), Common Ground Alliance and Canadian Federation of Municipalities • Working with LEED program to ensure that landscapes are given appropriate credit for environmental enhancement within the scheme • Working with the European Landscape Contractors Association by sharing experiences and resources • Creating a new Landscape Designer sub-committee • Evaluating the benefits of an accredited company designation

Certification

CNLA is the umbrella organization for the various certification programs available to the membership. A great deal of effort and resources are dedicated to the design and implementation of the certification schemes. The certification committee is investigating the 2014 ANNUAL REPORT  35

development of a new nursery certification. The committee is also developing a marketing plan aimed at raising awareness for the benefits of certification at the customer level.

Public relations

Public relations is another priority of CNLA. This year CNLA is supporting the Canadian Garden Council, formed to promote the joys and benefits of gardens to the public. The council is busy linking all botanical and public gardens into a network that can better promote value of botanical and public gardens to society. The Council is also very active promoting Garden Days, Gardens and Tourism Conference and many other public outreach projects.

Insurance

The industry insurance programs are also under the responsibility of CNLA. These programs are of enormous value to the industry. Recently, CNLA also supported the new free legal insurance product.

Government relations

The goal of government relations is to raise awareness for the economic and quality of life enhancing benefits of our industry and encourage government support to assist in directing and protecting the industry. CNLA Government Relations activity is very broad and complex ranging from: • Advocacy of National Tree Day • Trade enhancement between countries • Encouraging safer plant protection products • Facilitating the movement of nursery stock between countries • Developing new rose cultivars • Working with the research community to identify opportunities and solve problems • Funding economic impact studies • Encouraging research into the documented benefits of our industry • Developing risk management programs and much more Respectfully submitted, Alan White CNLA representative

Communications

Chair: Hank Gelderman CHT Members: Gerald Boot CLP, Paul Brydges, Laura Catalano, Marty Lamers, Jan Laurin, Gregg Salivan, Bob Tubby CLP This report is a treat for me to file each year, because it is an opportunity to talk about the work our Communications team does — largely behind the scenes. If you have ever been to LO’s Milton home office, you have seen the flurry of activity that constantly takes place: meetings, seminars and administration of LO’s membership, trade show, safety, education and other initiatives. However, few members have ever been upstairs at LO, where the Communications Department is housed. It is quieter upstairs, because your team is nearly always on deadline. Staff members are busy at their computers: writing stories, coming up with design ideas, building ads, creating web pages, serving customers and maintaining databases. Their work is critical to your association’s success. The following is just an outline of the team’s productivity: • Landscape Trades magazine is the leading publication for Canada’s green industry. It goes to 8,500 professional readers

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across the country, and generates $650,000 in revenue. In our last reader survey, over half of readers report saving all their issues for future reference; just one indicator of the value this magazine delivers. • Landscape Ontario magazine is the voice of your trade association. It is the “People” magazine for Ontario’s horticulture industry, important for informing members about LO, promoting association initiatives and recognizing volunteer contributions. It enjoys phenomenally high readership, because members care about LO and their industry colleagues. Its mission is supported by weekly e-news broadcasts. • landscapeontario.com, centrepiece of LO’s Green for Life promotional initiative, has been a huge success for the industry, and a model for our sister trade associations. Attracting up to 60,000 unique visitors per month, the site inspires homeowners to enjoy the beauty of outdoor living, and connects them with our professional members. • horttrades.com hosts high traffic, because it is rich in content. This site is the first go-to for any Ontario green industry question on events, education, business management, chapter activities, our Foundation, news, sectors and certification. Your team also functions as a marketing agency, supporting your trade shows, education programs, sector groups and more. I am continually impressed by the volume of work your team members produce, and their high standards for writing, design and communication effectiveness. Plans for the coming year include new energy and ideas for our advertising sales program. Marketing budgets were cut drastically during the recession, and many advertisers disappeared due to attrition and consolidation. We are actively prospecting for new advertising customers, and taking a fresh look at our sales promo materials. We are also very excited about working more closely with the trade show department in the sales area. Our digital footprint continues to grow; we have just completed helping Congress launch a completely new website, featuring a database-driven backend. Delivering content through the vehicles our industry prefers is the foundation of our strategy. Look for improved electronic communications in the New Year. As a longstanding volunteer on the Communications Committee, I keenly understand how important our communications profile is to achieving our association objectives. Thanks are due to my fellow Committee members for contributing their valuable guidance and insights. Respectfully submitted, Hank Gelderman CHT Chair 2013-2014

Congress and Expo

Chair: Terry Childs Vice-chair, Congress: Nathan Helder Vice-chair, Garden & Floral Expo: Michael Laporte CHT Past chair: Beth Edney CLD Members: Doug Coote, Brian Cocks CHT, Paul DeGroot, Barry Dickson, Brian Lofgren, Bob McCannell (deceased), Mike Riehm, Klaas Sikkema, Nick Solty, Jack VandeRee CHT, Monica van Maris and David Braun, as the LO Board liaison Two major trade shows are hosted by Landscape Ontario’s Show Committee. The events serve a dual purpose of meeting members’

2014 ANNUAL REPORT

Congress and Expo continue to be major events for LO members.

needs for product sourcing and professional development. The events include exhibits, education seminars and peer-networking, as well as special features, such as the New Product Showcase, floral displays and gardens. Landscape Ontario’s Garden and Floral Expo, Canada’s fall show for the garden and floral industries, was held Oct. 23-24, 2013, at the Toronto Congress Centre. Exhibit space revenue was down 22.27 per cent from 2012, and sponsorship sales fell, as well. While attendance was slightly lower, Expo attracted a good quality audience. Despite the declines, net proceeds from the show were still favourable at $152,017. Expo’s educational programming was formatted to give attendees a great experience. Destination Inspiration Theatre was conveniently located on the show floor. Coupled with a re-formatted program, it enhanced the attendee experience. We are proud and appreciative of our event partners and sponsors at Expo 2012: Flowers Canada Retail, Greenstar Plant Products, Global Arch/Stone Arch, Sheridan Nurseries and Landscape Trades. Congress, Canada’s top green industry event ran from Jan. 7 to 9, 2014. It generated a lot of energy among exhibitors and industry professionals. Among the main highlights was the upswing in exhibit sales. Revenue trended nearly $100,000 above the event’s budgeted $1.9 million. An additional savings on expenses resulted in a very positive bottom line. Attendance was down due to the weather conditions, however, the event still attracted 11,000 delegates. The Canadian Fence Industry Association was a partner in the show, and sponsors were Banas Stones, Chrysler Canada, Global Arch/Stone Arch, Doubletree by Hilton, Landscape Trades, Bobcat Company, Vermeer Canada and Medallion Fence. The juried New Product Showcase was bursting with innovative products, displayed in an area of over 2,000 square feet. Students who benefit from the theoretical knowledge acquired at schools offering horticulture programs, had the opportunity of handson experience through the Congress student garden builds. The 2014 colleges included Humber, Fanshawe, Niagara and St. Clair, Durham and University of Guelph (Ridgetown Campus). Sally Harvey and Kristen McIntyre, from LO’s Education Depart-

ment, re-formatted the pre-event program and Congress conferences to give delegates a program that featured the industry’s most popular speakers under the banner. This brought together power-house industry experts and top-notch panels to demonstrate to delegates how to balance work and play, while growing their businesses. The program is designed to improve professional development and reduce business expenses. Delegates responded with positive feedback, specifically on the quality of the topics, programming and great lunches. The Awards of Excellence ceremony, a Congress favourite, was hosted by Frank Ferragine of Breakfast Television and CityTV, and included several special presentations. Finally, it is my pleasure to thank volunteers and committee members for all their guidance, insights and help. Our success stems from the personal touch that our volunteers add to our events Respectfully submitted, Terry Childs Chair, 2013-2014

Education, Training and Human Resource Development

As you will note in this report, the human resource file is vast and continues as a priority for our industry. With that, the HR committee continues to work diligently on your behalf to ensure that we are maximizing resources that provide results that support our members immediately and strategically in the future. This committee oversees the activity of the Education and Labour Development Department. Labour development from career awareness and promotion and the development of engaging training opportunities aimed at youth continued to be a focus. The vision was centred on inspiring connectivity between the industry, youth and parents and educators and government with the intention that this work will support the future skilled labour requirements of the industry. Professional development for our industry is paramount to our continued success in the ever-changing business environment in Ontario. 2014 ANNUAL REPORT  37

• Skills Ontario competition saw 16 secondary and five post-secondary teams compete in horticulture and landscaping. Five secondary teams competed in Landscape Design. • Skills Canada event was held in Toronto. St. Clair College represented Team Ontario and placed fourth of six teams. • Supporting Come Alive Outside Design Challenge for 2015.

Apprenticeship

• Support of all apprenticeship programs across the province. • Partnership with Hamilton District School Board and Mohawk College as the employer and workplace readiness partner for an Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program for grade 11 and 12 secondary school students. • Partnership with Humber College as the employer and workplace readiness partner to provide pre-apprenticeship horticulture technician programs to Microskills Women’s Directorate, Miziwe Biik. The Landscape Industry Certified testing saw four practical test opportunities in 2014. • LO has representation on The College of Trades Board. Landscape Ontario provided an extraordinary professional develop• Working with OCOT and CCDA on review of ment program last year through the seminar and conference programs apprenticeship program. and numerous sector symposia and workshops to continue to support • LO representation on the Kemptville College Task Force: higher levels of professionalism for both the employee and employer supporting continuation of apprenticeship program delivery in with the intention to ultimately increase prosperity for each and every Eastern Ontario. business. Advocacy at the multiple levels of government continued to drive Professional development this committee, as well. Government relations and connectivity with • CNLA/LO partnership projects include a national HR plan with the the multiple ministries have been a focus to ensure that we are at the goal to align priorities and develop positions on HR issues and table when the conversation does or can impact our industry. opportunities, including wage survey, a job description project, We are pleased to present a summary of the highlights of the past compulsory trade/licensing research and a national landscape year in labour development, professional development and governstandard review project. ment relation.

Career promotion

• Skills Ontario and Skills Canada workshops and career booths provided experiential opportunities that elevated career awareness for over 1,000 youth, parents and teachers. Supported members and participated in career awareness and promotion opportunities aimed at both secondary and postsecondary students. • Hosted a Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program seminar at Congress • Connecting Educators event at Expo 2013 was a success and will continue to strive to connect educators, industry, youth and policy makers to enhance career opportunity awareness among educators, parents and youth, as well as set the stage for improved industry and education alignment. This will ensure that training is relevant to industry needs and that employers are providing appropriate on-the-job training opportunities.

Secondary and post-secondary

• Continue to support the Specialist High Skills Major program in horticulture and landscape. There are currently 26 programs across the province. • Supported the Skills Ontario and Skills Canada competitions. LO chaired the national competition held in Toronto in June.

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Landscape Industry Certification

• Four test sites and four tests were scheduled in 2014 at Milton, Kemptville College, Ridgetown College and Fanshawe College. • Industry candidate participation was down over 2013. • Fanshawe College leads in Canada by including the testing within its second year technician curriculum. • CLD exam revision and study manual update near completion. New web site certifiedlandscapedesigner.com.

WSIP Training and Certification Program

• Provides selected irrigation companies with specialized training and certification to provide Water Smart irrigation system efficiency and maintenance services to ICI clients in York and Peel Regions that support environmental protection and sustainable water use. More information is on horttrades.com/wsip.

Conferences, seminars and events

• Numerous sector seminars/symposiums. All were successful due to marketing and participation of sector group members (Snow Symposium, Landscape Contractors Lecture Series, Lighting Symposium and Growers Short Course) • Additional symposia and workshops held at Expo (garden centre and interiorscape) and Congress (landscape designers, effective management, irrigation and IPM).

2014 ANNUAL REPORT • Congress provided a three-day jam-packed conference program that inspired over 500 attendees.

HR Toolkit

• Updated annually by our HR consultant and full of free downloads and best practices that are aimed at supporting small business in managing HR asset. • Free download at horttrades.com/HRtoolkit.

Seminar programs

• Prosperity Partners program (horttrades.com/prosperity) supports business owners at every stage, from launch to maturity. • Seminars are organized by topic and by the corresponding Prosperity pillars: Customers for Life, Financial Health, Leadership, Operational Excellence and Sales Success. • A total of 145 practical training and business focused seminars that inspired and trained over 1,200 attendees last winter. • Online learning opportunities were provided last year by trusted industry Prosperity Partners. See the website at horttrades.com/ prosperitytemplates.

Safety

• The 2013 LO Safety Group had 23 firms participating with a total rebate of approximately $50,000. • MOL meetings raised awareness of industry challenges and alignment with multiple regulations. • Investigation into a partnership with WSPS to develop a landscape contractor and maintenance safety program and template tool to serve our members. • Worker and Supervisor Awareness compliance at labour.gov.on.ca/ english/hs/training.

Government relations

• Committee leaders and staff continue to build relationships with College of Trades, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Training Colleges and Universities, Ministry of Labour, Ministry of Transportation, Workplace Safety Prevention Services, Workplace Safety and Insurance Board, Ministry of Agriculture, Horticulture Value Chain Roundtable Labour Working Group, Canadian Agricultural Human Resources Council, Labour Issues Coordinating Committee and numerous other green industry related organizations and associations. • Meetings with MOL, LO and WSPS to meet with Employment Standard Office to discuss Landscape Gardener definition regarding overtime exemption and overtime challenges for the industry.

This is my first year serving Landscape Ontario in the role of HR chair. I have had the same position on the CNLA board over seven years. This is a natural fit given that LO makes up so much of the portfolio. The CNLA Strategic Plan had a number of LO members participating and helped us map our future direction. This coupled with LO’s strategic plan, gives us a roadmap for the committee. It has been many years since I was president of LO, so it is a great honour to once again find myself serving our great association and its members. It would be impossible to achieve even a fraction of these activities without the staff resources and the leadership of Sally Harvey. Respectfully submitted, Harold Deenen CLP Chair 2014

The IPM Symposium continues to be a major attraction during Congress.

IPM Symposium 2014

Chair: Kyle Tobin Committee members: Pam Charbonneau, Paul Gaspar, Rohan Harrison, Monica van Maris, Ken Pavely, Lee Ratcliffe, Violet Van Wassenaer, John Wright. The 2014 edition marked the 49th annual event. It was held in conjunction with the Congress trade show and conference, on the pretrade show day, ‘Warm-Up Monday’ in the Toronto Congress Centre. The schedule for the day included back-to-back technical sessions focusing on solutions to common problems regarding Integrated Pest Management (IPM) strategies. The intent was to provide a sense of assurance as lawn care operators, ‘we are not alone,’ and all endure the same hardships, and can learn from each other’s successes. The technical sessions were capped off by a keynote presentation on ‘The Culture of Care.’ These sessions spoke to leaders at all levels, encouraging them to get closer to creating a team that is competent, engaged, fun, fulfilled and committed to providing customers the best possible service. The technical sessions qualified attendees for IPM Council of Canada CECs. Lunch was included as well as a networking reception at the end of the day. A special note of appreciation to all of the sponsors; we could not achieve the high level of experience to our guests without their contributions. Also appreciated are the returned attendee surveys. The comments will help build and shape future events. This symposium could not be as successful without our dedicated committee members. They all contribute to the success of the event, and their time and expertise is appreciated. We strive to continue to be regarded as professionals in our field of turf and landscape management. I wish to express my thanks to all who attended. Respectfully submitted, Kyle Tobin Chair 2013 - 2014

Pesticide Industry Council Chair: John Wright Secretary: Tony DiGiovanni Manager PIC-PTP:Tom Somerville

In 2000, the Ontario Ministry of Environment (MOE) implemented new requirements under the Pesticide Act (originally Ontario Regulation 914). Under the new requirements, anyone who applied pesticides had to be either licensed or have Technician Status. The new regula2014 ANNUAL REPORT  39

tion required that all unlicensed assistants working with licensed exterminators must complete a basic pesticide safety course to acquire Technician Status in order to legally apply pesticides. The Pesticide Technician Program (PTP) was then established as the basic pesticide safety course to acquire Technician Status and meet the new requirements. The PTP is a basic two-part safety program that incorporates both a practical component and an academic exam in the training requirements. The Pesticide Industry Council (PIC) was formed on behalf of the pesticide industry by the Lawn Care Commodity Group to implement the new requirements. PIC has worked with MOE since 2000 to meet the new requirements and administer the Pesticide Technician Program. Landscape Ontario is the administrator of the Pesticide Technician Program on behalf of the Ontario Ministry of Environment under the guidance of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). PIC is a council that has representation from Hydro One, Canadian Golf Superintendents Association, Ontario Golf Superintendents Association, Professional Lawn Care Association of Ontario, Urban Pest Management Council, Crop Protection Institute, International Society of Arboriculture, Ontario Parks Associations, Ontario Vegetation Management Association, Structural Pest Management Association and Landscape Ontario Horticultural Trades Association. This is the fourth year that PTP and PIC have worked within the framework of the Cosmetic Pesticides Ban Act, 2009. In 2014, 857 technicians enrolled in the PTP program. Members of Pesticide Technician Advisory Council (PTAC) for 2014 include Violet Van Wassenaer, Crystal Lafrance and Suzanne Durst, all of MOE, John Wright and Tom Somerville, both from PIC, and Gerald Vander Ploeg from PIRC. Respectfully submitted, John Wright Chair 2013-2014

Prosperity Partners Chair: Jacki Hart CLP

The Prosperity Partners program has been hugely successful from many perspectives. The five pillars approach has given us an excellent and useful tool to help members compartmentalize the various aspects of their businesses. It has provided a framework for our Professional Development Program and given directions for the content of our magazine. Hundreds of members have taken part in the introductory program, which has helped them understand their strengths and weaknesses. It has also allowed us to compile an excellent list of business templates. The Prosperity Partner articles in Landscape Ontario magazine are well read, well received and (I am told) very helpful to many members. The Prosperity Partners program has helped us structure a network of preferred coaches, who are working with individual members. The program has given birth to the Effective Management Short Course at Congress, and stimulated the Peer to Peer Network concept. Prosperity Partners has been used as a mission and vision, “We

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are each other’s prosperity partners.” Over time PP has evolved and has actually become systemized in everything Landscape Ontario does. Recently LO President Dave Braun appointed Harold Deenen as chair of the newly-formed Human Resource Committee. Harold also serves as chair of the national Human Resource Committee under CNLA. This gives us the opportunity to truly align and leverage human resource development as partners across Canada. Prosperity Partners fits within the Human Resource Committee mandate. I am excited to participate in the continued development of the Prosperity Partners program in the role of coordinator of the new “You are in good company” Peer to Peer network. Respectfully submitted, Jacki Hart Chair 2013-2014

2014 Volunteers Committees

The heartbeat of Landscape Ontario is from amazing contributions from the heroes who serve their association throughout the year, in a wide variety of duties. From sitting on committees, to deciding the future of the industry and the association, or helping at special events, LO proudly points to hundreds of members who care. Committees include, Accreditation, Awards of Excellence, Board of Directors, Branding, Building, Chapter Boards (Durham, Georgian Lakelands, Golden Horseshoe, London, Ottawa, Toronto, Upper Canada, Waterloo and Windsor), Communication, Executive/Finance, Environmental Stewardship, Foundation, Sector Groups (Garden Centres, Grounds Management, Growers, Interior Plantscapes, Irrigation, Landscape Designers, Landscape Contractors, Lighting, Lawn Care and Snow and Ice Management), IPM Symposium, Past Presidents, Pesticide Industry Council, Prosperity Partners, Trade Show and Trial Gardens. The following members have freely offered their time, energy and expertise to help keep Landscape Ontario a valuable and strong association. Jamie Aalbers Northern Mini Roses Randy Adams RM Adams Trucking Robert Adams Adams Landscaping and Property Maintenance Rob Albrecht John’s Nursery Sundaura Alford CLD A Cultivated Art

Bob Allen RW Allen Horticultural Services Kevin Almeida Almeida and Almeida Landscaping Gus Amro So Green Canada Susan Antler Composting Council of Canada Vince Arone Pinpoint GPS Solutions

2014 ANNUAL REPORT Jessica Aytoun Sutton Creek Golf Club Karin Banerd Garden by Design Aileen Barclay Resource Management Strategies Lynne Barnes Heartwood Landscapes Andrew Barz Meadowbrook Landscape Contracting Brian Baun B.K. Baun Landscape Bill Beamish Beamish Landscape Services Andrew Beattie CIT Ideal Landscape Services Ken Bekendam Cedar Springs Landscape Group Barry Benjamin Barry Benjamin and Associates Sue Blaney Lechuza Canada Thomas Blatter CLP Dreamestate Landscaping Michael Boffo Boffo Landscaping Robert Boffo Boffo Landscaping Adam Bonin CLT Fern Ridge Landscaping Gerald Boot CLP Boot’s Landscaping and Maintenance John Bos Bos Landscaping Neil Bouma Picture Perfect Landscaping Quinte Gerwin Bouman Stam Nurseries John Bouwmeister Bouwmeister Inc. Dave Braun Braun Nursery Steve Brewer CIT Gelderman Landscape Services Paul Brydges Brydges Landscape Architecture Cor Bultena Eloquip Richard Burch CLT, CLP, CIT Burch Landscape Services Matt Burke CLT Clintar Landscape Management - Hamilton Chris Burns CLT Clintar Landscape Management - Ottawa Margot Byers Ladybird Garden Design Tiffany Byrd Brydges Landscape Architecture Jamie Carman Premier Equipment Rentals Ltd Diana Cassidy-Bush CLP Fresh Landscape and Garden Solutions Laura Catalano Nisco National Leasing

Phil Charal Allweather Landscape Pam Charbonneau Guelph Turfgrass Institute Don Chase Seferian Design Group Terry Childs Nature’s Way Landscaping Chris Church Outdoor Supplies and Equipment Chris Clayton Christopher Clayton Landscape Architect Brian Cocks CLT Nick Conte John Deere Landscapes Douglas Coote DG Coote Enterprises Sal Costante Cedar Springs Decks and Fences Louise Cottreau AWS Irrigation Management Tim Cruickshanks Cruickshanks Property Services Jim Curran Lafleur de la Capitale Chris Davies Vanden Bussche Irrigation Milton Gavin Dawson GreenLawn Harry de Vries Judy deBoer-Bell Treefrog Design Paul DeGroot Connon Nurseries/NVK Holdings Lexi Dearborn Dearborn Designs and Associates Harold Deenen CLP Hank Deenen Landscaping Bill Degraaf Permacon Frank DiMarco DiMarco Landscape Lighting Barry Dickson B.R. Dickson Equipment Jason Dietrich Ace Lawn Care Paulo Domingues CIT Aquaman Irrigation Paul Doornbos CLT, CLP Thornbusch Landscaping Company Lindsay Drake Nightingale Yorkshire Garden Services Scott Duff Aura Landscaping Scott Durst Orchid Gardenscapes Beth Edney CLD Designs By The Yard Janet Ennamorato Creative Garden Designs Jeff Fennema Gelderman Landscape Services Carmine Filice CLP Greentario Landscaping Shawn Foley CLIA, CIT, CIC

The Waterboys Contracting Mike Fulcher Permacon Ottawa Carol Fulford Gerrits Property Services John Fulford Gerrits Property Services Dan Garlatti Garlatti Landscaping Trevor Garner LP Landscape Plus Paul Gaspar Weed Man - Toronto Jason Gaw Sycamore Landscape Derek Geddes Coldstream Land Escape Company Brandon Gelderman Jameson Pool Landscape Hank Gelderman CLT Harry Gelderman CLT Gelderman Landscape Services Kara Gibbons Toro Company Jeff Gilberds CLT, CLP Clintar Landscape Management Sabrina Goettler CLP Oriole Landscaping Nick Graham Sifton Properties Jeff Gregg V Kraus Nurseries Dan Grieve CLP Grieve Home Maintenance Perry Grobe Grobe Nursery and Garden Centre Paul Grotier Direct Solutions Peter Guinane Oriole Landscaping David Gunn Gunn-Duncan Landscaping Kevin Hackson CLT Hackstone Landscapes Jerry Hakkers Sifton Properties Georgie Hamilton Kell’s Garden City Ed Hansen Hansen Lawn and Gardens Grant Harrison CLT Escapes Outdoor Living Designs Rohan Harrison Premier Turf Matt Hart MPH Hardscapes Steve Hary The Landscape Company Carl Hastings Arbordale Landscaping Scott Hayles Coivic Contracting Ryan Heath CLT, CLP Ryan Heath Professional Landscaping Nathan Helder Gelderman Landscape Services Edward Hewis

Ground Control Contracting John Hewson CLP Greenscape Lawn Maintenance John Higo Turf Care Products Canada Barry Hordyk Shademaster Landscaping Leon Hordyk Shademaster Landscaping Eric Horst Alltask Property Improvement Mark Humphries Humphries Landscape Services Kim Iceton Somerville Nurseries Tom Intven Canadale Nurseries Sean James Fern Ridge Landscaping Joan Johnston Peter Knippel Nursery Kennedy Johnston CLT Peter Knippel Nursery Sarah Johnston Greenlife Sean Jordan Nutrite William Jordan Urban Meadows Nicola Kamp Nicola’s Garden Art Anthony Kampen Boot’s Landscaping and Maintenance Tim Kearney CLP Garden Creations of Ottawa Kelly Keates Ginkgo Design Robert Kennaley McLauchlin & Associates Hella Keppo CLT Stems Interior Landscaping Christoph Kessel Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food Mark Kimmerly Allweather Landscape Karl Klinck Orchard Farm Nursery Allan Kling CLP Urban Garden Supply Ben Kobes Kobes Nurseries Ron Koudys CLD Ron Koudys Landscape Architects Tim Kraemer Future Lawn Michael LaPorte CLT Clearview Nursery John Lamberink Aquality Irrigation and Illumination Marty Lamers Oaks Concrete Products Janice Laurin Connon Nurseries/NVK Holdings Chas Lawton CHT, CIT Taylor Nursery Chris Le Conte CIC, CLIA

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Smart Watering Systems Jeffrey Lee Lee’s Landscaping Shannon Lindensmith Georgina Garden Centre Jennifer Llewellyn Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food Brian Lofgren Horta-Craft Limited Anthony Lombardi CLP, CLD Dr. Landscape Jeff Lowartz CLT Cedar Springs Landscape Group Arvils Lukss Landscapes By Lucin Glen Lumis University of Guelph Mike Lunau CLT, CLP Cory MacCallum CIT Greenscape Watering Systems Fran MacKenzie South Oakville Chrysler Fiat Dan MacLean Grand River Natural Stone Steve Macartney CIT Raintree Irrigation and Outdoor Systems Chris Mace Gelderman Landscape Services Tinka Magocsi Perfectly Planted Botanical Designs Brenda Maitland Second Nature Gardening Mark Mallette Mallette Landscaping Jim Maloney CLT Clintar Landscape Management - Kitchener John Mantel Connon Nurseries/AVK Holdings Brian Marsh Earth Art Landscapes Kevin Marshall CLT Turf Pro Landscaping Ken Martin Copper Expressions Landscape Lighting and Design Michael Martins Kimmick Landscaping Mark Mastantuono CLT Clintar Landscape Management - Oakville/Burlington Teresa Matamoros Garden Holistics Craig Mathews Unilock Limited Pamela McCormick CLP Simply Landscaping and Garden Designs Jim McCracken Hugh McCracken Limited Darby McGrath Vineland Research and Innovation Centre Mike McGrath CLT Jeff McMann CHT Mount Pleasant Group of Cemeteries Burke McNeill Don McQueen CIT

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Nutri-Lawn - Burlington Jim Melo Melo Landscaping Rob Mendonca Unilock Brian Mettel B&L Mettel Norm Mills The Gardenin’ Guy Mike Miltenburg Turf Revolution Jim Monk Markham Property Services John Moons Connon Nurseries/NVK Holdings Bruce Morton CLP, CIT Greenscape Watering Systems Janet Mott CLP Christine’s Touch Gardening Kelly Mulrooney-Côté Geosynthetic Systems Alphonse Murray Murray Enterprises Rob Naraj CHT Sheridan Nurseries (Georgetown) Steve Neumann Algonquin College Roy Neves CLIA, CID, CIC DJ Rain John O’Leary CLT Clintar Landscape Management Paul Olsen Brookdale Treeland Nurseries Peter Olsen Royal City Nursery Mark Ostrowski Laurel Forest Farms Nanthakumar Paramanathan Michael Pascoe CLT Fanshawe College Brad Paton Shades of Summer Landscaping and Maintenance Warren Patterson Barrie’s Garden Centre Ken Pavely CLT Lawn Life John Peets John Peets Landscaping Mike Pennington Lakeridge Contracting Fred Persia Risk Approved Frans Peters Humber Nurseries David Pierce CAP Brick Nick Pisano National Research Council Canada Carolyne Planck Unilock Chris Power Bellaire Landscape Fred Prescod CLT Plan It With Plants Sian Pritchard The Cutting Garden Paul Proulx Hunter Industries Bill Putzer

M. Putzer Hornby Nursery John Putzer M. Putzer Hornby Nursery Tyler Rancourt Tydan Landscape Design Lee Ratcliffe Dr. Green Services Richard Reed Lawn Life Jamie Riddell John Deere Landscapes Mike Riehm Envirobond Products Jay Rivait Top Grade Landscape and Garden Solutions Mike Ross CIC, CLIA Rain Bird International Robert Roszell Road Equipment Links Gregg Salivan Salivan Landscape Matt Sandink CIC, CLIA Smart Watering Systems April Scarlett Urban Landscape Solutions Greg Scarlett CLT Urban Landscape Solutions Stephen Schell CLT The Plant Lady Dean Schofield Landmark Landscaping Joel Schraven Pickering Nurseries Haig Seferian CLD Seferian Design Group Frank Selles CLT Framar Landscape and Maintenance Contractors Brian Shelfoon Permacon Janice Shingler Sheridan Nurseries (Whitby) Gord Shuttleworth Delaware Nursery Blake Sicard UPI Energy LP Klaas Sikkema Mike Silva Platinum Stone Design Scott Sim CIT The Toro Store Arthur Skolnik Shibui Landscaping Steve Snider CLT Snider Turf and Landscape Care Paul Snyders PGS Landscape James Solecki Integra Bespoke Lighting Systems Nick Solty Solty and Sons Fred Somerville Somerville Nurseries Donna Speranzini Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food Jonas Spring Ecoman Patricia Stanish CLD Patricia Stanish

Landscape Design Christine Stein Direct Solutions Bill Stensson Sheridan Nurseries (Georgetown) Karl Stensson Sheridan Nurseries (Georgetown) Laurie-Ann Stuart LA Gardens Ron Swentiski CLD Trillium Associates Donald Tellier CLT Deerbrook Landscaping And Nursery Jay Terryberry St. Clair College Robert Tester TNT Property Maintenance Marc Thiebaud OGS Grounds Maintenance Specialists Rene Thiebaud CLP OGS Landscape Services Mike Thomas The Investment Guild Jeff Thompson Native Plant Source Kyle Tobin LawnSavers Plant Health Care Tim Tripp Neudorff North America Rodger Tschanz University of Guelph Steve Tschanz Turf Management Systems Bob Tubby CLP Arbordale Landscaping David Turnbull CHT David Turnbull and Associates Chris Urquhart CLP Green Unlimited Christopher Utter Chris Utter Landscaping Phil Van Alstyne CLT Michael Van Dongen CHT Van Dongen’s Landscaping and Nurseries Anna van Maris Parklane Nurseries Monica van Maris Van Maris Holdings Bill Van Ryn Jr Jay VanGelder DenBok Landscaping and Design Jack VandeRee CLT Boot’s Landscaping & Maintenance Art Vanden Enden CHT Sheridan Nurseries (Whitby) Neil Vanderkruk Connon Nurseries/NVK Holdings Peter Vanderley CLP Vanderley Landscaping Mark Verbinnen Verbinnen’s Nursery Don Voorhees Steve Wall Wall To Wall Landscaping Mike Wardell

2014 ANNUAL REPORT Rural Roots Landscaping Mike Watson Kelly’s Tree Care Jeanine West PhytoServ Henry Westerhof Kam’s Growers Supply Kerry Whale Allturf Alan White Turf Systems Joe Willemse DiMarco Landscape Lighting Bruce Wilson Permacon Robert Wilton CLT Clintar Landscape Management Dan Winstanley Marsh Canada Limited Jarrett Woodard Grand River Brick and Stone David Wright CLP Wright Landscape Services John Wright Wright Lawn Care Service Corey Yourkin CIT, CIC Vanden Bussche Irrigation - King City Andre Ypma Modern Earthscapes Land Design Alex Zalewski CLT Parklane Nurseries Jason Zehr Rural Roots Landscaping Fiore Zenone Tumbleweed Landscape Contracting Helmut Zgraja Helmutz Landscape and Interlock Youbin Zheng University of Guelph

Special Event Volunteers

Each year Landscape Ontario receives volunteer help at our many special events. The Association wants to recognize those individuals who step up to ensure the smooth operation of events such as Canada Blooms, certification, golf tournaments, baseball tournaments, Chapter home shows, awards judging, Congress, Expo, GreenTrade Expo, Ottawa Day of Tribute and many other Chapter and Sector events. Eric Abram Fanshawe College Shane Adamson Lawnworks Stephen Anderson Stihl Jason Beatty Adam Bonin Fern Ridge Landscaping Menno Braam Adam Braun CLT Gelderman Landscape Services Emily Bright Pro Gardening Advantage Gina Brouwer Aecom Charlotte Buffett Gro-Bark (Ontario) Irene Bultena Eloquip Matt Burke CLT Clintar Landscape Management - Hamilton Patrick Callon CLT Patrick Callon Landscape Designer Harry Chang Humber College Amanda Coller Garden Holistics David Comfort Fanshawe College Cassandra Cotter Lloyd’s Landscaping Kim Cotter Lloyd’s Landscaping Carol Cowan Zebra Promotions Trevor Cullen CLT Cullen Landscaping James D’atri Ken Davies Caroline de Vries TradeWinds International Sales Lori Di Monte Who Does Your Garden Matthew Dressing Sheridan Nurseries Kim Edwards Frank Ferragine Breakfast Television CityTV Brian Ferreira The Scott Wentworth Landscape Group Matt Ferreira Steve Ferreira Lorraine Flanigan Trellis Magazine Adrien Gallant Gallant Horticultural Solutions

Tara Galpin The Scott Wentworth Landscape Group Morwyn Griffith Fanshawe College Margarete Haefele CLD Landscape Garten Rick Harvey CLT, CLP Green Design Landscaping Sam Hasbini Fanshawe College Kyle Haskett Fanshawe College Keith Heaton Mike Wade Henry Diane Hill Skylar Holbrook Fanshawe College John Hordyk Allan Hunter Hunter Home and Garden John Hutten Artistic Landscape Services Alistair Johnston Strybos Barron King Sean Kampen Sara Katz Wild At Heart Design Leisa Kirkaldy Gro-Bark (Ontario) Dave Kok Anna Kollman-Suhr Melissa Kopcok CLT Greentario Landscaping (2006) Brent Kraemer Peter Kriens Corey Leader Fanshawe College Jeffrey Lee Lee’s Landscaping Skai Leja Skai Leja Landscape Design Stephanie Lemesurier Lloyd’s Landscaping Andre Lemieux Justine Lodder Emily Lougheed Fanshawe College Jeff Lowartz CLT Cedar Springs Landscape Group Mike Lunau Evan MacAdam Fanshawe College Alan Malcolmson Henry Mandawoub Teresa Matamoros Garden Holistics Joshua McCarthy Dean McLellan Dean McLellan Stonework

Dylan McLeod Fanshawe College Jay Middleton CLD Gib-San Environmentals Matt Mintz CLT Terry Moffatt The Scott Wentworth Landscape Group Chaz Morenz CLP Gardens in the City Mark Muehmer Fanshawe College Kevin O’Hara Pro Grass Services Jim Philip The Scott Wentworth Landscape Group Adele Pierre CLD Adele Pierre Landscape Design Irina Polstvin Greg Redshaw Redleaf Landscape Richard Rogers CLT R J Rogers Landscaping Jessica Rowland Fanshawe College Robyn Saunders Edel Schmidt Edelweiss Landscaping Ron Sikkema Kema Landscape Claude Smith Kemptville College Ivan Stinson Margaret Stinson Brandy Suchostowsky Fanshawe College Ben Szajnowski Nutri-Lawn — Burlington Tom Szajnowski Nutri-Lawn — Burlington Colleen Tataryn CHT Loblaw Supermarket Dale Thomas Amanda Trader Gro-Bark (Ontario) Cameron Trudeau The Scott Wentworth Landscape Group Chuck Turner The Scott Wentworth Landscape Group Louise Tyrrell Lloyd’s Landscaping Jaimi Uram Fanshawe College Violet Van Wassenaer Ministry of the Environment Bruce Warren Andrew Wentworth The Scott Wentworth Landscape Group Scott Wentworth The Scott Wentworth Landscape Group Sarah Willits The Professional Gardener Andrew Wilson Matt Wolfe Eric Wright

2014 ANNUAL REPORT  43

LANDSCAPE ONTARIO AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS YEAR ENDED AUGUST 31, 2014 BALANCE SHEET

2013 Audited Statements

2014 Audited Statements

265,501 1,229,108 53,890 1,919,230 705,060 29,925 57,645 580,462 1,243,947

345,973 1,380,691 40,893 1,993,657 770,248 22,444 57,645 580,462 1,243,947

Total Assets

6,084,767

6,435,959

Liabilities and Surplus Accounts Payable Accounts Payable-Sector Groups Accounts Payable-Chapters Accounts Payable-Special Projects Deferred Revenue Hort. Centre Improvement Fund Hort. Industry Development Fund Technology Fund Promotion Fund Surplus-Members Equity Net Income

457,770 140,041 181,787 (119,647) 2,987,365 730,862 563,708 9,079 4,916 1,046,568 82,317

602,191 113,082 414,528 152,549 2,844,195 656,349 418,948 27,259 7,416 1,046,568 152,874

Total Liabilities and Surplus

6,084,767

6,435,959

Assets Cash Investments Accrued Interest Accounts Receivable Prepaid Expenses Capital Assets Land/Building-Vineland Land/Building-Steeles Ave Land/Building-Head Office

FUND ALLOCATIONS

2013 Audited Statements

2014 Audited Statements

582,334 (18,626) 0 22,317 586,025

586,025 (167,077) 0 117,874 536,822

Horticultural Centre Improvement Fund Opening Balance Expenditures Industry Funding/Donations Transfer from Net Income Closing Balance

793,857 (62,995) 0 0 730,862

730,862 (74,513) 0 0 656,349

Technology Fund Opening Balance Expenditures Transfer from Net Income Closing Balance

23,638 (14,559) 40,000 49,079

49,079 (21,821) 20,000 47,259

Promotion Fund Opening Balance Expenditures Industry Funding/Donations Transfer from Net Income Closing Balance

20,470 (15,554) 0 20,000 24,916

24,916 (17,500) 0 15,000 22,416

Horticultural Industry Development Fund Opening Balance Expenditures Industry Funding/Donations Transfer from Net Income Closing Balance

INVESTMENTS

Bank of Nova Scotia Coupon Bank of Montreal Coupon Res H&R Real Estate Coupon Res BC Telephone Res Fairfax Financial Res Transalta Utilities Royal Bank Gic Cash Position

Maturity Date

Rate of Return

Opening Value At Cost Sept. 1/13

Purchases At Cost

Disposals

Gain/Loss Disposals

Jan 22, 2016 Apr 21, 2016 Mar 2, 2020 Oct 20, 2013 Nov 29, 2013 Mar 26, 2014 Nov 15, 2013

2.43 % 2.63 % 3.64% 3.94 % 4.18 % 4.03 % 1.30 %

449,999 647,312 131,798

0 0 0 449,999 300,009 478,883 20,000 2

449,999 647,312

7,848 14,807

1,229,108

1,248,893

1,097,311

22,655

Totals

Realized Interest On Disposals

0

Accrued Interest Aug. 31/14

Closing Value At Cost Aug. 31/14

Market Value Aug. 31/14

0 0 7,304 15,787 9,448 8,354 0 0

0 0 131,798 449,999 300,009 478,883 20,000 2

0 0 140,418 483,371 314,757 491,695 20,000 2

40,893

1,380,691

1,450,243

INCOME STATEMENT - DEPARTMENTAL SUMMARY

Revenue General Membership Publications Congress Expo Education Total Revenue Expenses General Membership Publications Congress Expo Education Total Expenses Net Income(Loss)

44  2014 ANNUAL REPORT

2013 Audited Statements

2014 Audited Statements

2014 Revised Budgets

2015 Revised Budgets

2016 Proposed Budgets

278,647 1,053,754 798,510 1,998,840 429,649 259,713 4,819,112

263,024 1,098,107 827,460 2,070,843 401,428 262,644 4,923,507

249,400 1,062,681 832,000 1,994,350 391,000 256,700 4,786,131

252,400 1,100,000 860,000 1,998,040 364,000 250,000 4,824,440

252,400 1,100,000 860,000 1,998,040 364,000 250,000 4,824,440

2,385,406 619,016 235,205 1,033,705 284,727 178,736 4,736,795

2,399,787 660,847 227,125 1,067,314 249,411 166,148 4,770,632

2,341,400 680,244 247,250 1,068,345 275,800 169,620 4,782,659

2,363,500 682,646 238,250 1,095,345 297,550 142,000 4,819,291

2,363,500 682,646 238,250 1,095,345 297,550 142,000 4,819,291

82,317

152,874

3,472

5,149

5,149

2014 ANNUAL REPORT LANDSCAPE ONTARIO AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS YEAR ENDED AUGUST 31, 2014 INCOME STATEMENT, GENERAL

Revenue Rent Administration Fees Earned Interest Gains/Losses-Investments Information Technology/Web Fees Miscellaneous Total Revenue Expenses Property Taxes Telephone Hydro Heat Maintenance-Yard Maintenance-Building Office Supplies Office Equipment Computer Equip/Software Information Technology/Web Exps Postage Courier Audit Legal Fees Advertising Insurance Expenses Meeting Expenses Travel Dues and Subscriptions Donations Training (Staff) Miscellaneous Expenses Bank Charges and Interest (Gain) Loss on Foreign Exchange Total Expenses Compensation Wages Benefits Source Deductions Total Total Expenses Net Income (Loss) Wage Allocations Overhead Allocations Net Income (Loss) Net of Allocations

2013 Audited Statements

2014 Audited Statements

2014 Revised Budgets

2015 Revised Budgets

2016 Proposed Budgets

116,073 73,762 30,974 22,191 23,400 12,248 278,647

118,860 74,631 38,478 22,655 8,400 0 263,024

116,000 73,000 50,000 1,000 8,400 1,000 249,400

117,000 75,000 50,000 1,000 8,400 1,000 252,400

117,000 75,000 50,000 1,000 8,400 1,000 252,400

63,908 21,501 32,158 18,063 52,649 64,229 20,398 7,939 5,309 21,975 7,576 3,641 18,000 205 678 20,849 11,698 64,773 5,219 1,384 2,332 8,145 68,639 2,416 523,687

70,736 20,668 38,928 16,549 39,213 74,071 20,663 9,503 4,557 22,308 10,362 1,337 19,250 1,556 653 21,682 11,847 55,205 6,711 1,940 9,795 12,914 73,653 (3,037) 541,064

70,400 20,000 31,000 19,000 50,000 62,000 16,000 7,000 6,000 22,000 10,000 4,000 18,000 1,000 500 21,000 13,000 60,000 7,000 1,000 3,000 8,000 70,000 2,500 522,400

77,500 20,000 38,000 19,000 40,000 60,000 18,000 8,000 5,000 22,000 8,000 3,000 18,000 2,000 500 22,000 12,000 58,000 7,000 1,000 4,000 8,000 72,000 2,500 525,500

77,500 20,000 38,000 19,000 40,000 60,000 18,000 8,000 5,000 22,000 8,000 3,000 18,000 2,000 500 22,000 12,000 58,000 7,000 1,000 4,000 8,000 72,000 2,500 525,500

1,642,165 126,179 93,375 1,861,719

1,637,982 124,404 96,337 1,858,723

1,600,000 125,000 94,000 1,819,000

1,614,000 128,000 96,000 1,838,000

1,614,000 128,000 96,000 1,838,000

2,385,406 (2,106,759) 1,417,113 594,593 (95,053)

2,399,787 (2,136,763) 1,396,876 609,444 (130,443)

2,341,400 (2,092,000)

2,363,500 (2,111,100)

2,363,500 (2,111,100)

2013 Audited Statements

2014 Audited Statements

2014 Revised Budgets

2015 Revised Budgets

2016 Proposed Budgets

20,751 186,941 52,021 259,713

25,172 207,217 30,255 262,644

15,000 208,500 33,200 256,700

18,000 205,000 27,000 250,000

18,000 205,000 27,000 250,000

5,745 103,710 53,238 4,043 12,000

17,330 106,408 25,261 5,149 12,000

12,300 97,100 44,220 4,000 12,000

5,000 100,000 20,000 5,000 12,000

5,000 100,000 20,000 5,000 12,000

178,736 80,977 (175,909) (74,324) (169,256)

166,148 96,496 (129,959) (76,181) (109,643)

169,620 87,080

142,000 108,000

142,000 108,000

INCOME STATEMENT, EDUCATION

Revenue Special Projects Trade Courses Certification Total Revenue Expenses Special Projects Trade Courses Certification Promotion Foundation Scholarships Funding Total Expenses Net Income (Loss) Wage Allocations Overhead Allocations Net Income (Loss) Net of Allocations

2014 ANNUAL REPORT  45

LANDSCAPE ONTARIO AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS YEAR ENDED AUGUST 31, 2014

INCOME STATEMENT, PUBLISHING: LANDSCAPE TRADES MAGAZINE 2013 Audited Statements

2014 Audited Statements

2014 Revised Budgets

2015 Revised Budgets

2016 Proposed Budgets

545,019 8,180 45,467 3,326 2,569 44,000 648,560

582,972 4,020 38,908 4,198 1,916 44,000 676,014

572,000 7,500 40,000 5,000 4,000 44,000 672,500

600,000 5,000 40,000 4,000 2,000 44,000 695,000

600,000 5,000 40,000 4,000 2,000 44,000 695,000

Discounts Member Discounts Agency Discounts Total Discounts Gross Revenue

63,378 15,648 79,027 569,533

77,218 12,098 89,316 586,698

70,000 15,000 85,000 587,500

70,000 15,000 85,000 610,000

70,000 15,000 85,000 610,000

Expenses Printing Freelance Editorial Editorial Travel Sales Travel Mail Preparation Poly Bag Costs Postage (2Nd Class) Postage (Foreign) Courier Charges Subscription Campaign Promotion/Media Kits Ccab Circulation Audit Miscellaneous Bad Debts Total Expenses

51,089 14,322 2,347 10,227 10,297 8,495 53,871 1,404 1,520 1,461 4,219 4,291 1,427 0 164,968

59,730 8,363 1,354 8,361 6,127 9,776 57,570 1,498 1,802 0 2,594 4,851 308 0 162,334

54,000 10,000 3,000 14,000 10,500 9,500 55,000 1,500 1,500 1,000 4,000 5,500 500 2,000 172,000

52,000 12,000 3,000 14,000 9,000 9,000 55,000 1,500 1,000 1,000 2,000 5,000 500 2,000 167,000

52,000 12,000 3,000 14,000 9,000 9,000 55,000 1,500 1,000 1,000 2,000 5,000 500 2,000 167,000

Net Income (Loss)

404,565

424,364

415,500

443,000

443,000

Revenue Advertising Web Display Ads Polybag Classified Ads Subscriptions Member Subscriptions Total Revenue

INCOME STATEMENT, PUBLISHING: LANDSCAPE ONTARIO MAGAZINE

Revenue Advertising Polybag Classified Ads Web Classsified Ads Enews Ads Subscriptions Member Subscriptions Total Revenue Discounts Member Discounts Agency Discounts Total Discounts Gross Revenue Expenses Printing Editorial Travel Mail Preparations Polybag Costs Postage Miscellaneous Bad Debts Total Expenses Net Income (Loss)

46  2014 ANNUAL REPORT

2013 Audited Statements

2014 Audited Statements

2014 Revised Budgets

2015 Revised Budgets

2016 Proposed Budgets

135,983 11,934 4,317 16,030 0 39 44,000 212,303

144,915 7,854 5,721 18,608 1,750 77 44,000 222,925

145,000 8,000 5,000 14,000 6,000 0 44,000 222,000

152,000 8,500 5,000 15,000 6,000 0 44,000 230,500

152,000 8,500 5,000 15,000 6,000 0 44,000 230,500

23,700 321 24,021 188,282

25,478 585 26,063 196,862

25,000 500 25,500 196,500

25,000 500 25,500 205,000

25,000 500 25,500 205,000

24,578 1,282 8,349 3,900 17,033 150 0 55,291

21,463 1,369 5,402 2,400 17,647 590 0 48,870

25,000 1,000 7,000 3,500 18,000 250 500 55,250

25,000 1,000 7,000 3,500 18,000 250 500 55,250

25,000 1,000 7,000 3,500 18,000 250 500 55,250

132,990

147,992

141,250

149,750

149,750

2014 ANNUAL REPORT

LANDSCAPE ONTARIO AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS YEAR ENDED AUGUST 31, 2014 PUBLISHING, SPECIAL PROJECTS 2013 Audited Statements Revenue Expenses Net Income (Loss)

2014 Audited Statements

2014 Revised Budgets

2015 Revised Budgets

2016 Proposed Budgets

43,900 15,920 27,980

48,000 20,000 28,000

45,000 16,000 29,000

45,000 16,000 29,000

2014 Audited Statements

2014 Revised Budgets

2015 Revised Budgets

2016 Proposed Budgets

960,411 61,474 8,914 22,955 1,053,754

1,004,483 66,545 5,408 21,671 1,098,107

979,181 60,500 5,000 18,000 1,062,681

1,010,000 65,000 5,000 20,000 1,100,000

1,010,000 65,000 5,000 20,000 1,100,000

280,984 88,000 80,874 4,812 2,044 8,050 0 13,215 27,123 38,669 11,319 555,091

294,544 88,000 97,686 6,994 1,894 0 0 9,312 11,136 49,263 11,750 570,579

289,770 88,000 94,450 6,000 2,200 5,000 5,000 15,000 20,000 40,000 10,000 575,420

295,000 88,000 95,000 7,000 2,000 2,000 5,000 12,000 15,000 45,000 11,500 577,500

295,000 88,000 95,000 7,000 2,000 2,000 5,000 12,000 15,000 45,000 11,500 577,500

3,200 6,550 3,833 6,332 6,290 10,609 6,264 6,234 3,426 3,733 3,158 263 (919) 233 890 (59) 2,369 1,149 373 63,925

4,640 8,728 9,666 9,438 9,136 10,864 8,536 8,776 5,040 2,774 5,753 235 1,055 2,138 1,392 (1,242) 1,548 538 1,253 90,268

4,640 8,728 9,666 9,438 9,136 10,864 8,536 8,776 5,040 3,000 3,000 3,000 3,000 3,000 3,000 3,000 3,000 3,000 3,000 104,824

4,760 8,536 9,686 9,434 9,016 10,802 9,232 8,800 4,880 3,000 3,000 3,000 3,000 3,000 3,000 3,000 3,000 3,000 3,000 105,146

4,760 8,536 9,686 9,434 9,016 10,802 9,232 8,800 4,880 3,000 3,000 3,000 3,000 3,000 3,000 3,000 3,000 3,000 3,000 105,146

619,016 434,738 (461,201) (148,648) (175,112)

660,847 437,260 (436,610) (152,361) (151,712)

680,244 382,437

682,646 417,354

682,646 417,354

40,695 14,945 25,750

PUBLISHING, SUMMARY 2013 Audited Statements Net Income (Loss)-Publishing Department Wage Allocations Overhead Allocations Net Income (Loss) Net of Allocations

563,305 (469,162) (111,486) (17,343)

2014 Audited Statements 600,335 (494,674) (114,271) (8,610)

INCOME STATEMENT, MEMBERSHIP SERVICES

Revenue Membership Dues Awards of Excellence Merchandise Referral Fees Total Revenue Expenses General CNLA Membership Dues Member Subscriptions Awards of Excellence Membership Plaques Annual Report Merchandise Membership Campaign Membership Booth Promotion-Members Promotion-Canada Blooms Promotion-Gfl/Branding Total Expenses Chapters and Sector Groups Windsor London Golden Horseshoe Waterloo Ottawa Toronto Georgian Lakelands Durham Upper Canada Growers Lawn Care Garden Centre Landscape Contractors Grounds Maintenance Designers Irrigation Interiorscape Snow and Ice Landscape Lighting Total Chapter and Sector Groups Total Expenses Net Income (Loss) Wage Allocations Overhead Allocations Net Income (Loss) Net of Allocations

2013 Audited Statements

2014 ANNUAL REPORT  47

LANDSCAPE ONTARIO AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS YEAR ENDED AUGUST 31, 2014 INCOME STATEMENT, CONGRESS 2013 Audited Statements

Revenue Exhibit Space Exhibit Space-Partners Registration Sponsorship Miscellaneous Total Revenue

1,977,425 65,570 132,719 31,077 2,357 2,209,148

2014 2014 2015 Audited Revised Revised Statements Budgets Budgets 2,040,477 1,979,500 1,994,000 79,625 59,750 60,940 122,669 132,000 125,000 27,824 30,000 30,000 4,658 2,000 2,000 2,275,253 2,203,250 2,211,940

2016 Proposed Budgets 1,994,000 60,940 125,000 30,000 2,000 2,211,940

Discounts Member Discounts Member Discounts-Partners Total Discounts Gross Revenue

204,108 6,200 210,308 1,998,840

197,710 6,700 204,410 2,070,843

200,000 8,900 208,900 1,994,350

205,000 8,900 213,900 1,998,040

205,000 8,900 213,900 1,998,040

Expenses Exhibit Hall Security Show Services Feature Area Garden Subsidy Speakers Conferences-F&B Registration Services Audio Visual Equipment Receptions Printing Promotion Public Relations Services Advertising Photography Flowers Insurance Move In/Move Out Snow Removal Travel Parking Police Postage Janitorial Software Labour Commissions-Partners Miscellaneous Total Expenses

389,545 25,612 108,551 3,500 14,153 24,490 27,121 33,745 19,421 32,226 22,817 6,650 9,120 32,588 2,500 1,458 5,881 110,552 0 43,947 12,285 1,743 23,007 50,725 8,717 2,584 13,568 7,203 1,033,705

394,966 25,947 106,180 3,500 14,875 27,943 23,110 34,684 18,393 47,166 23,328 5,642 9,120 42,728 1,800 1,334 5,881 109,218 0 43,594 12,900 1,785 24,540 53,255 8,568 2,836 16,660 7,361 1,067,314

401,545 25,500 110,000 3,500 14,000 25,000 30,000 34,000 22,000 33,000 30,000 11,500 9,800 29,000 2,500 1,000 6,000 110,000 10,000 40,000 12,500 2,000 25,300 48,600 8,600 5,000 13,000 5,000 1,068,345

409,545 28,000 113,300 3,500 14,000 35,000 29,000 36,500 22,000 33,000 30,000 8,000 0 32,000 3,500 1,000 6,000 114,000 10,000 40,000 13,700 2,000 25,900 51,500 8,600 5,000 14,300 6,000 1,095,345

409,545 28,000 113,300 3,500 14,000 35,000 29,000 36,500 22,000 33,000 30,000 8,000 0 32,000 3,500 1,000 6,000 114,000 10,000 40,000 13,700 2,000 25,900 51,500 8,600 5,000 14,300 6,000 1,095,345

965,135

1,003,529

926,005

902,695

902,695

Net Income (Loss)

MEMBERSHIP COUNT 2004-2014 EXCLUDING HORT MEMBERS

MEMBERSHIP

MEMBERSHIP

MEMBERSHIP COUNT 2004-2014, ALL MEMBERS

FISCAL YEAR

48  2014 ANNUAL REPORT

FISCAL YEAR

LANDSCAPE ONTARIO AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS YEAR ENDED AUGUST 31, 2014 INCOME STATEMENT, EXPO 2013 Audited Statements

2014 Audited Statements

2014 Revised Budgets

2015 Revised Budgets

2016 Proposed Budgets

440,715 6,916 2,500 918 451,049

409,567 6,087 4,500 150 420,303

400,000 4,000 7,000 0 411,000

375,000 4,000 5,000 0 384,000

375,000 4,000 5,000 0 384,000

Discounts Member Discounts Total Discounts Gross Revenue

21,400 21,400 429,649

18,875 18,875 401,428

20,000 20,000 391,000

20,000 20,000 364,000

20,000 20,000 364,000

Expenses Exhibit Hall Security Show Services Registration Services Printing Promotion Public Relations Services Advertising Photography Move In/Move Out Travel Parking Receptions Postage Janitorial Software Miscellaneous Total Expenses

97,236 10,797 49,982 10,202 9,621 7,048 6,923 15,292 1,250 26,591 17,807 2,100 7,609 7,144 8,100 6,927 98 284,727

75,783 11,308 46,635 9,653 5,159 9,656 6,750 17,388 800 20,506 12,577 5,950 3,898 5,211 10,000 6,859 1,277 249,411

78,000 10,300 52,000 12,000 10,000 12,000 5,750 20,000 1,000 28,000 13,750 2,000 7,000 7,000 8,000 7,000 2,000 275,800

107,000 12,200 50,000 12,200 8,400 10,000 0 20,000 1,000 25,000 13,750 6,000 6,000 6,800 10,200 7,000 2,000 297,550

107,000 12,200 50,000 12,200 8,400 10,000 0 20,000 1,000 25,000 13,750 6,000 6,000 6,800 10,200 7,000 2,000 297,550

Net Income (Loss)

144,921

152,018

115,200

66,450

66,450

2013 Audited Statements

2014 Audited Statements

1,110,056 (310,840) (260,134) 539,081

1,155,547 (335,632) (266,632) 553,283

Revenue Exhibit Space Registration Sponsorship Miscellaneous Total Revenue

TRADESHOWS, SUMMARY

Net Income (Loss)-Tradeshow Department Wage Allocations Overhead Allocations Net Income (Loss) Net of Allocations

HORTICULTURAL (181) 7.9%

MEMBERSHIP BREAKDOWN 2014

INTERIM (16) 0.7%

CHAPTER ASSOCIATE (91) 4.0%

ASSOCIATE (401) 17.6%

ACTIVE (1589) 69.8%

WWW.HORTTRADES.COM  49

Ontario Horticultural Trades Foundation

2014 Annual Report

MANDATE

“To ensure a healthy future for the horticultural industry”

50  2014 ANNUAL REPORT

2014 2012ANNUAL AnnualREPORT Report The Ontario Horticultural Trades Foundation is the research and scholarship arm of Landscape Ontario. The Foundation’s mandate is to ensure a healthy future for the horticultural industry, through financial support of research and scholarships through interest generated on capital investments.

(BOARD PIC)

Officers and Directors

John Wright President Monica van Maris Vice President Brian Cocks CLT Secretary Hank Gelderman CLT Treasurer Bob Allen Director Tony DiGiovanni CLT Director Ben Kobes Director Mark Ostrowski Director John Peets Director Mike Thomas Director David Turnbull CHT Director Neil Vanderkruk Director Robert Wilton Director

Supporting the Foundation

The Foundation would like to thank donors. A donation is an easy and effective way to benefit Ontario’s horticultural community and is tax-deductible. More information and forms may be found online at www.ohtf.ca.

2014 ANNUAL REPORT  51

How to Support the Foundation The Foundation developed a new information brochure Support the Ontario Horticultural Trades Foundation (can be found on www.ohtf.ca). With a donation to the Foundation, you have the satisfaction of knowing that you are “making a difference and leaving a legacy” for the industry that you love. You can support the foundation by: a) Sponsorship: Join the Foundation by making a pledge – an annual donation or a one-time gift. b) M emorial Gift: This is a meaningful way to honour a friend, loved one or professional contact and help support the industry c) L egacy Gift: Earmark funds through your estate to sustain the horticulture industry. Contact your estate planner or lawyer to include this legacy provision in your will. d) S tewardship Program: Many Foundation sponsors share their expertise by speaking to groups and direct their honorariums to the Foundation.

Legacy Room At Congress 2014, the Foundation hosted The Legacy Lounge for the pioneers of the industry and LO members. Approximately 20 pioneers visited the lounge to talk about old times, what is happening now in the industry and what they hope will happen in the future. The industry thanks the pioneers for their continued support and contribution. This year, the Foundation invited the Chapter Board and Industry Sector Group members to attend the Legacy Room. Approximately 65 members visited the lounge. The lounge was a friendly spot to sit, relax, talk with others and enjoy refreshments. The Foundation would like to thank the following companies who sponsored the Legacy Lounge.

Scholarship Program Providing scholarships is particularly close to the hearts of Foundation supporters, who point with pride to the many recipients who are now successful industry members. A list of the scholarships can be found on the web site: www.ohtf.ca. A new Horticultural Scholarship Opportunities brochure was developed this year listing all the scholarships available. This brochure was distributed to all post secondary and secondary schools. This year, we distributed $25,200 in scholarships to students enrolled in horticultural programs across the province. Congratulations to the 2014 recipients High School Scholarship ($1,000) Lindsey Elise McCain University of Guelph Casey van Maris Scholarship ($1,000) Jordan Valters, Ridgetown/Univ. of Guelph John and Ruth Wright Scholarship ($2,000) Anne-Miet Van Den Nieuwelaar, University of Guelph Craig Harnock, University of Guelph

52  2014 ANNUAL REPORT

Tony DiGiovanni Scholarship ($1,000) Amanda Henderson, Humber College Waterloo Chapter Scholarship ($1,000) Hailee Moynihan, Fanshawe College Sarah Robinson, University of Guelph Graduate Research Assistant Program ($6,000) Tyson Jennett, University of Guelph

Post-Secondary Scholarship ($1,000) Stephen Corradino, Seneca College Scott Ferguson, Humber College Zac Hertel, St. Clair College Sharri Honsberger, Fanshawe College Chadwick Huggett, Fanshawe College Jonathan Jacques, University of Guelph Michael Masson, Fanshawe College Derek McIntosh, Seneca College George Peacock, Seneca College Patti Prieur, Fanshawe College Elizabeth Roy, Humber College Matt Shushack, University of Guelph Lingping You, Seneca College

2014 2012ANNUAL AnnualREPORT Report Research Programs

The Foundation has also contributed to numerous research programs. In 2013 - 2014 fiscal year, the Ontario Horticultural Trades Foundation contributed to the following projects: • Veterans Memorial Parkway Project ($121,528) —Tree planting and commemorative signs along highway in London • Green Roofs for Healthy Cities ($58,000) — Community green infrastructure planning and evaluation project • Vineland Research ($20,000) — funding of new research chair position to assist industry • Skills Canada ($3,500) — Ontario Skills Canada competition – horticultural sector • Trees for Life ($28,850) — Stated goal of TFL fund is to achieve 40 per cent urban tree cover • Ontario Turfgrass Research Foundation ($5,000) — Integration of tools and turf species to promote sustainability in residential lawns.

OHTF FINANCIAL STATEMENTS STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL POSITION

FUND BALANCES Year End Year End Aug. 31, 2013 Aug. 31, 2012 General Fund

$5,353

($39,326)

Dunington-Grubb/Sheridan Nurseries Research Fund

$255,693

$251,893

Growers’ Group Research Fund

$376,716

$365,595

Ottawa Chapter Val Kirshner Scholarship Fund

$62,488

$60,566

Scholarship Fund

$82,355

$83,741

Casey van Maris Scholarship Fund

$31,148

$27,250

IPM Symposium Research Fund

$202,619

$196,385

$16,250

$20,649

Turf Research Fund Tony DiGiovanni Scholarship Fund

$96,954

Year End Aug. 31, 2013

$116,794 $0 $116,794

$64,369 $854 $65,223

$1,097,016 $57,711 $581 $43,366

$1,050,160 $57,711 $581 $38,472

$1,198,674

$1,146,924

$1,315,468

$1,212,147

$27,937

$40,025

Accumulated Fund Balances Fund Balances

$1,287,530

$1,172,122

Total Liabilities/Funds

$1,315,468

$1,212,147

STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS & FUND BALANCES

Long Term Investments Investment-Vineland Consortium Investment-Steeles Ave Property Accrued Interest Receivable

Total Assets LIABILITIES Current Accounts Payable and Accrued Charges

$94,951

John/Ruth Wright Scholarship Fund

$37,556

$33,799

Horst Dickert Scholarship Fund

$4,541

$4,401

J T Somerville Fund

$10,507

$10,184

Trees For Life Fund

$32,250

$0

Robert/Ruby Allen Fund

$10,109

$0

Waterloo Chapter Scholarship Fund

$62,993

$62,035

$1,287,530

$1,172,122

Totals

Year End Aug. 31, 2014

ASSETS Current Bank Accounts Receivable

REVENUES Interest/Gains (Losses) Auction Proceeds Miscellaneous Research Grants Donations

Year End Year End August 31, 2014 August 31, 2013 $51,752 $25,523 $980 $215,408 $115,285

$42,263 $0 $293 $260,676 $41,783

$408,948

$345,016

EXPENSES Administration Fees $1,695 Audit Fees $3,390 Bank Charges and Interest $136 Legal Fees $0 Supplies/Misc $4,495 Directors Liability Insurance $665 Disbursed as Research Grants/Sponsorships$260,158 Disbursed as Scholarships $23,000

$1,695 $2,938 $138 $0 $4,260 $665 $272,656 $26,200

Total Expenses

$293,540

$308,552

$115,408 $1,172,122 $1,287,530

$36,464 $1,135,658 $1,172,122

Total Revenue

Excess of Revenue Over Expenses Fund Balances, Beginning of Year Fund Balances,Year End

2014 ANNUAL REPORT  53

NEW MEMBERS

Green Art Landscape Design

Nancy Green 14 Rockport Dr, Scarborough, ON M1C 5C2 Tel: 416-505-4010 Membership Type: Active

Kettleby Contracting

Mark Weedon 111 - 6 -14845 Yonge St, Aurora, ON L4G 6H8 Tel: 905-955-1992 Membership Type: Active

S. Albanese Landscapes & Construction

Durham Hedgerow Home & Garden and Hedgerow Landscaping Jonathan Walsh 781 Hedgerow Place, Pickering, ON L1V 3H2 Tel: 416-862-5767 Membership Type: Active

The Grand Water Co Inc

Erich Wilson 225 Elm St E, PO Box 141, Durham, ON N0G 1R0 Tel: 519-369-6363 Membership Type: Associate

Verbancic Tree Supply & Landscaping Ltd Joe Verbancic 1939 Altona Rd, Pickering, ON L1V 1M8 Tel: 905-509-2500 Membership Type: Active

Steven Albanese 126 Moore Cres, Ancaster, ON L9G 4Z8 Tel: 905-741-5923 Membership Type: Active

Doug’s Snowplowing & Sanding Ltd Doug Coleman 540 First St, London, ON N5V 1Z3 Tel: 519-451-4349-x222 Membership Type: Associate

Natural Elements Home Lawn & Property Services Inc

Victory Sod and Supply

Frank Van de slyke 332434 Plank Line, PO Box 368, Tillsonburg, ON N4G 4H8 Tel: 519-842-4976 Membership Type: Active

Ottawa

Earth Elements

Ottawa Equipment & Hydraulic Inc

John Beacock

John Beacock 67 Manning Ave, Collingwood, ON L9Y 2E5 Tel: 705-445-4487 Membership Type: Associate

R & G Electric

Preston Salata 227 Aspen Ridge Dr, Stayner, ON L0M 1S0 Tel: 705-715-8802 Membership Type: Associate

Keren Abu 4 - 62 Alness St, Toronto, ON M3J 2H1 Tel: 647-878-8780 Membership Type: Active

London

Georgian Lakelands Bill Kilpatrick 1131 Millar Hill Rd, Huntsville, ON P1H 2J6 Tel: 705-380-4867 Membership Type: Interim

M.E. Contracting

Michel Pouliot 2628 Edinburgh Pl, Ottawa, ON K1B 5M1 Tel: 613-748-9000-x201 Membership Type: Chapter Associate

Toronto

Vertical Horizons Contracting Inc

3 T Lift Division Ltd

Joshua Fawcett 12764 Yonge St, Richmond Hill, ON L4E 1A3 Tel: 905-773-0024 Membership Type: Associate

Todd Pozzebon 2324 Line 10, RR 2, Bradford, ON L3Z 2A5 Tel: 905-775-7232 Membership Type: Associate

Waterloo

Bam Bam Constructon

Golden Horseshoe

Brian Gallant 1011 Upper Middle Rd E, Oakville, ON L6H 5Z9 Tel: 905-825-8636 Membership Type: Active

Sean Nyland 67 Sixth Conc C, Millgrove, ON L0R 1V0 Tel: 905-638-5644 Membership Type: Active

Pro Mow Maintenance

Andrew Fuller PO Box 566, Campbellville, ON L0P 1B0 Tel: 905-693-5312 Membership Type: Active

Crave Contracting Inc

Robert Craven 20 Darby Rd, Guelph, ON N1K 1R4 Tel: 519-841-0040 Membership Type: Interim

Cedargate Landscaping Inc

Prestigious Landscaping

Peter Irvine 202323 County Rd 109 , Grand Valley, ON L9W 0P9 Tel: 519-943-2560 Membership Type: Active

Dell Services (1632884 Ontario Ltd) Doug McCanley 58 Rowley Dr, Caledon, ON L7E 0C6 Tel: 905-880-4699 Membership Type: Associate

Empire Landscaping

Robert Chiarantano 290 Rowntree Dairy Rd, Woodbridge, ON Tel: 905-652-8680 Membership Type: Associate Danny Lio 27 Shetland Cres, Maple, ON L6A 3B7 Tel: 416-688-4354 Membership Type: Active

Tofflemire Ag Products Inc.

Next Step Landscaping

RDA Inc

VLB Grounds Maintenance

Adrian Zaffino 26511 Woodbine Ave, Keswick, ON L4P 3E9 Tel: 416-566-5562 Membership Type: Active

Jamie Tofflemire 1962 Carlyon Line, Orillia, ON L3V 6H4 Tel: 705-323-3788 Membership Type: Associate

Dan Legault 1126 - 1011 Upper Middle Rd E, Oakville, ON L6H 5Z9 Tel: 905-876-6634 Membership Type: Active

Rainmaker Landscape Sprinkler Systems Inc Donald Smith PO Box 24, Elmira, ON N3B 2Z5 Tel: 519-578-8899 Membership Type: Active

Darron Osterlee 13552 10th Side Rd, RR 2, Georgetown, ON L7G 4S5 Tel: 905-877-2485 Membership Type: Active

UXBRIDGE NURSERIES LIMITED Premium grower to the landscape trade

Specializing in exceptional quality trees & evergreens

8080 BALDWIN ST., BROOKLIN, ONTARIO L1M 1Y6 sales@uxbridgenurseries.com P: 905.655.3379 • 1.877.655.3379 • F: 905.655.8544

www.uxbridgenurseries.com 54  LANDSCAPE ONTARIO DECEMBER 2014

JANUARY 6-8, 2015 TORONTO CONGRESS CENTRE, TORONTO, ONTARIO

Canada’s Premier Green Industry Trade Show and Conference

Don't miss these keynote presenters! MONDAY JANUARY 5 TUESDAY JANUARY 6

IPM SYMPOSIUM KEYNOTE

Teamwork and Leadership presented by

MICHAEL ‘PINBALL’ CLEMONS

LANDSCAPE DESIGNER KEYNOTE

GET OUT! Designing Landscapes That Bring Everyone Outside Again presented by

JULIE MOIR MESSERVY

OPENING KEYNOTE

Protecting Pollinators: Why Bees are Struggling and How We Can Help presented by

NIGEL RAINE MA, DPhil (Oxon.)

WEDNESDAY JANUARY 7 THURSDAY JANUARY 8

REGISTER NOW! LOCONGRESS.COM

OPENING KEYNOTE

Eco-cities: Adopting Nature’s Technology in Urban Landscape Design

OPENING KEYNOTE

MARK SIMMONS Ph.D.

presented by

presented by

Wit, Fit and Balance: Strategies for Success! MEG SOPER

#ReConnect #ReInvent #ReEnergize #LOcongress

WWW.HORTTRADES.COM  55

EVENTS Bookmark horttrades.com/comingevents for up-to-date event information. January 6 - 8

Congress 2015

Toronto Congress Centre Find over 600 leading green industry manufacturers and suppliers on over eight acres of trade show floor at Congress 2015. Go to the new Congress website for more information or to register at locongress.com. January 13

Ottawa Chapter 2015 AGM

Royal Canadian Legion # 641, 3500 Fallowfield Road, Nepean Ottawa Chapter’s 2015 annual general meeting features elections of the 2015 Board of Directors. The meeting begins at noon. Pre-registration is opening soon. For more information, contact Martha at mwalsh@landscapeontario. com, or call 613-796-5156. January 14

Upper Canada Chapter meeting

Quinte Sports and Wellness Centre, Belleville Join the Upper Canada Chapter for its first meeting of the year. This event will feature a

roundtable discussion on such as topics as professionalism, compliance, customer service and satisfaction, best practices and staffing. The meeting will run from 11 a.m to 2 p.m., at the Multipurpose Meeting Room at the Quinte Sports and Wellness Centre in Belleville. Refreshments will be served. For more information, contact Myscha Burton at myscha@landscapeontario.com, or call 1-800-265-5656, ext. 354. February 11

GreenTrade Expo 2015

EY Centre, 4899 Uplands Drive, Ottawa The 22nd annual event is presented by the Ottawa Chapter. For more information, contact Martha at mwalsh@landscapeontario.com, or call 613-796-5156. February 16

Golden Horseshoe Chapter Family Fun Skate

Gateway Ice Centre, Hamilton Celebrate Family Day with your Landscape Ontario family and the Golden Horseshoe

Come Visit us at Landscape Ontario Congress!

Booth 2427

534 5th Concession W. Millgrove, Ontario, L0R 1V0 info@millgroveperennials.ca www.millgroveperennials.ca

T 1.905.689.1749 TF 1.866.689.6222 F 1.888.867.1925

56  LANDSCAPE ONTARIO DECEMBER 2014

Chapter from 10 a.m. to 12-noon. Landscape Ontario members and their families are welcome to come and enjoy a free Family Skate, all courtesy of Grand River Natural Stone. Lunch follows at Don Cherry’s Sports Grill. Don’t forget to bring donations of non-perishables for the Stoney Creek Food Bank. For more information, contact Lee Rozon at 1-877-640-4005 or lrozon@landscapeontario.com. February 18

Upper Canada Chapter meeting

Invista Centre, Kingston Join the Upper Canada Chapter for its February meeting in Kingston. The topic of this meeting is business management. It will take place downstairs A&B Room at the Invista Centre, from 11 a.m to 2 p.m. Refreshments will be served. For more information, contact Myscha Burton at myscha@landscapeontario.com, or 1-800-265-5656, ext 354. February 26

Georgian Lakelands Chapter Ski and Spa Day

Craigleith Ski Club, Blue Mountain Join fellow members to celebrate the 18th year of Ski and Spa Day at Craigleith Ski Club and Scandinave Spa at Blue Mountain. Event sponsor is Braun Nursery.

INDUSTRY NEWS

Visit us at Congress - Booth #530

Support needed for occupation skills review

A week-long session for The National Occupational Analysis for the Landscape Horticulturist occupation was held in November in Ottawa. In photo, those attending the conference, are from left, Guy Dowhy, Heike Stippler, Karen Carrier, Tim Kearney, Mike Gallant, William Dorman, Kurtis Langton, Michael Murray, John Soychak, Sally Harvey, Doug Conrad.

“Our industry is blessed with an amazing training program that supports skills development and competency during the off season,” says Sally Harvey, Landscape Ontario’s Manager of Education and Labour Development. Harvey provides support for human resource development for both Landscape Ontario and the Canadian Nursery Landscape Association (CNLA), and is speaking about the Landscape Horticulturist Red Seal apprenticeship program. She laments the disappointing fact that apprenticeship programs are being cancelled in Ontario due to poor uptake by the horticulture trades. Colleges, the training delivery agents for the apprenticeship programs, work hard to stay current with the demands of the trade. Program staff makes connections with industry members in order to be sure they are teaching students skills that are relevant in the workplace. Despite the work to stay current, Harvey says in some cases, associations and colleges are marketing and promoting apprenticeship training opportunities to no avail. Recently, industry volunteers from across Canada gave up a week of work

in November to take part in the review of the National Occupational Analysis (NOA) for the Landscape Horticulturist occupation with staff from Education and Skills Development Canada (ESDC) in Ottawa. Harvey says that despite the fact that our apprenticeship registrations and completions in the last five years do not indicate strong industry support, ESDC still granted us the opportunity for an occupation skills review. The government believes in the growth and strength of the industry, and has invested in us by bringing leaders together to update the NOA. Tim Kearney, president of Garden Creations of Ottawa, was pleased to be invited to take part in the process and has written a passionate plea asking others to support the training programs. Following is Kearney’s letter addressing his thoughts on the issue: “The landscape industry is crying out for skilled labour, yet no one is taking advantage of a program that pays young people to obtain a practical education and recognized credential. “In an industry where there never seems to be enough time, a group of dedicated, intelligent, and passionate

144798 Potters Road, Tillsonburg, ON N4G 4G7

P: 519-688-0437 • F: 519-688-6359 info@pottersroadnursery.com

Pottersroadnursery.com WWW.HORTTRADES.COM  57

INDUSTRY NEWS leaders met to discuss the requirements of a Red Seal Landscape Horticulturist. “For me, this was the first time attending such an event, and quite frankly I was somewhat intrigued and excited about getting my first chance to offer an opinion. “Our facilitators were nothing but fabulous and most accommodating and also, somewhat sympathetic because in their world, verbs mattered. In my world it’s, ‘who cares — just get it done and don’t screw it up.’ “But patiently we drilled down to the lowest common denominator the requirements of the Landscape Horticulturist. We had to review what was done in 2008. It just goes to show the changes to our industry, when we had to include things such as environmental stewardship, and horticultural principles thus requiring new ground to be covered. “Anyone reading this may simply say, ‘how boring.’ But, you couldn’t be further

from the truth. To watch people who ‘get it’ go word for word, line by line, verb by verb and create a document that can be used to exemplify the skills a Red Seal apprentice must have was most rewarding. “But it also did show a desperate need to elevate all of our education programs to include these new fields about which we are now required to be knowledgeable. Education committees from across the land need to immediately look at their programs and confirm that they are current and offering courses to help all our members become even more relevant. “There is the need to call to action every member who proudly proclaims their CNLA membership. This is the only way we will ever create relevance and a desire to have every member with a Red Seal certificate. “Quite frankly, we are lousy at spreading the word as to what we are all about. No wonder we are desperately in need of

people coming into our industry — Canada wide! I have heard story after story about no staff. Seriously? No wonder. When programs are put in place to create relevance, we do not get buy in. “So, a group of people from across the land clarified what we require. Some things change, and yet some things never change. Do we, as an industry have the desire to work together to create change and say enough is enough? In hindsight, the week we gave in early November was an honour because I was in a room of winners wanting to help each other. So we can decide to be a functional team working together to create relevance or remain dysfunctional until the next NOA meetings.” Harvey says it is now up to companies in the horticultural trades to show that we deserved this investment, and that we support the industry and our country by adopting competency training such as the apprenticeship program. One place to start is by attending the Cultivate and Connect program at Congress on Jan. 5 and 6, which will be a great place for industry members to make connections with horticultural educators from all programs.

Our BIGGEST and BEST event ever!

MONDAY, JANUARY 5, 2015

INTERNATIONAL PLAZA HOTEL Registration open at 8:00 a.m.

Celebrating 50 years of pest management

January 5, 2015

SAV E Toronto Congress Centre THE DAT E! Lunch is included and attendees

will qualify for six CECs from the IPM Council of Canada.

Registration will open September 1, 2014 at LOcongress.com. Net proceeds are donated to lawn care research. New VIP dinner event to be held after the Symposium — details coming soon! Held in conjunction with:

LOcongress.com

Closing Keynote from

Julie Moir Messervy, followed by a networking reception.

REGISTRATION FEES: l Until December 5: $135 for members and $185 for non-members. l After December 5: $185 and $265 respectively. Admission to Congress 2015 trade show is included with registration. Register at LOcongress.com Held in conjunction with Congress 2015. An initiative of LO's Landscape Designer Sector Group

58  LANDSCAPE ONTARIO DECEMBER 2014

Report released on Kemptville College

Kemptville College has been an important training facility since the early 1900s; in 1997, it was designated as a campus of the University of Guelph. However, the financially pressured university recently announced it could no longer support programming at Kemptville, threatening an end to horticulture training in eastern Ontario. A community-based task force is working to continue post-secondary education on the campus, and engaged McSweeney & Associates to prepare a report outlining a renewal plan. The Kemptville College Renewal Task Force welcomed the resulting report, tabled at North Grenville Council at the end of October. The Task Force is in full agreement with the report’s findings that program delivery has to be completely re-thought. Programs need to be highly experiential and modular in design, resulting in the ability to meet the employer needs and attract a broader student population, while at the same time enhancing classroom experience. Landscape Ontario’s Manager of Education and Labour Devel-

opment Sally Harvey CLP, CLT, is a member of the Task Force. The Task Force encourages everyone to take the time to review it and call upon the Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, Hon. Jeff Leal, to implement the report’s recommendations. Campus stewardship will be through a not for profit corporation formed by the Municipality of North Grenville, positioning itself as the owner/manager of the physical campus, but not being involved in actual program delivery. The report envisions the municipality forming a non-profit corporation as future campus owner while leaving program delivery to others. Specifically, it identifies four potential program partners: Olds College, Vermont Technical College, Trent University and Algonquin College. The issue of the horticulture program was touched on in the report. “The program has strong industry association (Landscape Ontario) support,” states the report. “There is a need to continue and to expand the delivery and service offerings of the program.” The report published statistics on the industry, “The economic impact of horticulture is significant, with almost 70,000

employees working for 6,000 employers in Ontario. Horticulture has an aging and shrinking workforce: 48.9 per cent of the workforce is aged 45 to 64 years. The Landscape Horticulture Industry presently has more jobs and careers opportunities than skilled workers. Only 250 postsecondary graduates annually enter into the industry.” The report also noted that “Kemptville’s contribution to the horticultural industry has been the addition of 16 per cent of Ontario’s graduates on an annual basis.” A recommendation in the report stated, “The Horticultural Technician apprenticeship Level 1 and 2 apprenticeship intakes must continue in Eastern Ontario at the Kemptville Campus to meet the growing needs of the local industry.” In conclusion, the report states, “There is a proven and growing need for programming in horticulture. The horticultural program has been successfully run on the Kemptville Campus.” To read the entire report, go to horttrades.com/kemptvillerenewal.

WWW.HORTTRADES.COM  59

INDUSTRY NEWS Avoid interruption to your operations

People are hard-wired to get the job done. To do that, some will go so far as to take shortcuts or jury-rig repairs to hazardous machinery. Members of Landscape Ontario will understand how human nature intersects with the risks inherent in industrial machine shops, and the imperative of implementing machine guarding controls to keep people safe from harm. The Ministry of Labour understands these points of intersection, too. That’s why the ministry scheduled a Health and Safety Blitz. The ministry has laid out some ideas to create a safe workplace: Inspect your own workplace: Being proactive is in your best interests. Conduct proper hazard identification and risk assessment. Prioritize your hazards, and prepare and execute a plan. Give yourself time: Safeguarding a

machine means setting aside the duct tape and giving yourself time to do it properly. You may need to design and fabricate an effective guard, conduct a pre-start health and safety review, or seek approval from management for additional resources. Document, document, document: Supervisors should document any real or suspected guarding issues; a critical first step before seeking management’s support to implement the necessary controls. Complying with your legal responsibilities as outlined under Ontario’s Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) is critical, and involves not only acting in a healthy and safe manner, but formalizing your program in writing. Be well informed: Know your options. Stay on top of guarding developments and solutions. Take courses. Visit machine guarding exhibitors at trade shows and speak with manufacturers and experts. In the realm of safeguarding, you’re rarely limited to just one solution. Choose the one

60  LANDSCAPE ONTARIO DECEMBER 2014

most appropriate for your workplace. Observe your workers: Supervisors need to spend time on the floor, observing what workers are actually doing. Understand the requirements of the job better than your workers do. What hazards are they exposed to? Are workers following the rules and using the right personal protective equipment, or are they bypassing safeguards—and if so, why? Open your toolbox: Sometimes safety messages are drowned out in the din of other workplace imperatives. Don’t let that happen. You can ignite an ongoing focus on injury prevention through many different means: toolbox talks, joint walk-arounds, pay cheque messages, signs, contests and one-on-one coaching. Make a call to action: Boost interest in machine guarding by alerting everyone at your workplace. Ask for ideas on how to improve safety. Check that all issues and concerns are on the table. Emphasize the underlying rationale for diligence: we don’t want anyone to get hurt. For more information look for simple, easy-to-use resources provided at no cost by Workplace Safety and Prevention Services at wsps.ca.

EXECUTIVE DESK Matchmaking is now an LO benefit Tony DiGiovanni CHT LO executive director

I

have always thought of Landscape Ontario as a family. On November 22, 2014, former LO board members Tim Kearney and Jacki Hart took the concept to a whole new level. They were married in a beautiful, intimate and interactive ceremony, in the presence of friends, family and two dogs at their Bracebridge home overlooking a natural cathedral of trees and gardens. This is a Landscape Ontario first. I had the honour of

being the best man. I have had the pleasure of knowing Tim for over 25 years. We have spent many hours in deep conversation trying to figure out how to make things better for our industry. I often find myself using Kearneyisms when I am talking to others. Almost all Kearneyisms are about raising the spirit, communicating the wonder of gardens and enhancing lives. I have also had the pleasure of knowing Jacki for many years. She came into the office one day with an idea that she wanted to share her knowledge and experience in the service of others. With Bob Tubby, we worked very closely developing the Prosperity Partners program. Although I don’t know for sure when Tim and Jacki met, I suspect it was when they were both on Landscape Ontario’s Board of

Directors. They were (and still are) both totally dedicated contributors to the association and industry. A few years ago, a number of us started seeing signs of Jacki and Tim a merging relationship. In a sense, this is the first Landscape Ontario marriage. Individually, Jacki and Tim are wonderful people. Together they are an even better hybrid of passion, vision and caring. Together they embody the spirit that resides in the quiet and beauty of the landscapes and gardens of which they both are lovers and stewards. Jacki and Tim are managing Peers Helping Peers. It’s Landscape Ontario’s new Peer to Peer Network. Find out more at their session at Congress January 5, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Toronto Congress Centre. It’s online at http://gfl.me/x2ls. Tony DiGiovanni may be contacted at tony@landscapeontario.com, or at 1-800-265-5656, ext. 304.

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PUBLIC RELATIONS Year of the green wooden sheep By Denis Flanagan CLD Director of Public Relations and Membership Services

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ccording to the Chinese Zodiac, 2015 is the year of the sheep, with some versions adding the words green and wood. This relates to the prediction that the year will be connected to the earth and trees (wood), which means it should be a great year for our industry. Signs of the zodiac and horoscopes regularly make predictions, so I thought it would be fitting as we close out the 2014 season,

that we should reflect on what the crystal ball gazers think will be in the cards for the horticultural industry. During recent growers’ meetings, discussions revolved around trends in plants for the future. At an interesting panel discussion on the topic of locally grown versus west coast grown cedars, the merits of both were strongly debated. All concluded that the geographic area was not as important as the care and after-care of newly planted cedars. This resulted in a goal to have a stronger educational program for contractors and the general public on proper planting techniques. At a second meeting, hosted by the Growers Sector Group, representatives from the Ontario Association of Landscape Architects (OALA) were invited to give a presentation. Virginia Burt ASLA,

62  LANDSCAPE ONTARIO DECEMBER 2014

OALA, who specializes in healing gardens, labyrinths and sacred spaces, gave an interesting talk that showcased some of her projects. Burt also highlighted a list of plants she felt would be in demand in the future. The list includes many native plants, plants suitable for green roofs and an emphasis on unique mature dwarf tree specimens. This dovetails nicely with the November issue of Landscape Trades magazine, which features the new plant introductions for 2015. Our members are predicting a strong year ahead, with many spring contracts already signed. Some challenges still remain, such as a shortage of certain materials and skilled labour. These issues are being worked on by your association. Several successful leading edge companies are starting to offer complete onestop shopping for clients. This includes not only comprehensive planning and installation services, but also lighting, irrigation, sound systems, holiday decorating, year-round maintenance, plant rentals and event planning services. Speaking of events, our Garden Centre Sector Group members see success in the future through unique giftware,

niche plant collections and social events, such as ladies’ nights and charity events. We have never had a more diverse set of consumers to match with marketing strategies. From baby boomers to millennials, they are very well informed, tech savvy, into food, wine, entertainment and travel. Represent all of those interests in your landscape designs, and you should do well. Our members will also compete for discretionary dollars in 2015. A major media story will be the Pan Am Games. We trust that the representatives from 42 countries will visit some of our great green spaces and take home a positive memory of Ontario. Make sure you come to Congess, Canada Blooms and your local Chapter meetings and read the trade magazines in the new year, so that you can stay ahead of the market. Denis Flanagan may be contacted at dflanagan@landscapeontario.com.

From left, Gerwin Bouman; Virginia Burt and Sarah Culp, both of OALA; Greg Clarke and John Chisholm, both of SB Partners, enjoy the annual Growers’ Fall Dinner.

… GreenTrade Expo 2015 ow! THE ‘Don’t Miss It’ Sh

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for 2015 – The First Annual Ottawa Chapter Awards of Distinction Gala  &NEW Casino Night – The Ottawa Chapter is pleased to announce the launch of this new,

ticketed event, in conjunction with GreenTrade Expo 2015, the evening before the show. Open to Active & Interim Ottawa Chapter members for the 2015 season (first Member Awards presented at the 2016 Gala), this competition will recognize & inspire excellence among our members and stimulate achievement & improvement. To celebrate the launch with an Ottawa flare, we’ll be presenting the ‘Customers Choice’ awards for Best Suppliers. As an exhibitor or sponsor, this event offers you an extra evening of face-time and networking with clients & prospects. Following the Awards Gala we’re presenting a ticketed, Vegas-style Casino Night. Finger food, good times & great fun will be had by all! Watch for details. Upwards of 1,400 solution seeking green industry professionals will attend GreenTrade Expo 2015, offering you a great sales & marketing opportunity

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February 11th, 2015 • 9 am - 3 pm • EY Centre • Ottawa Airport WWW.HORTTRADES.COM  63

UNDERGROUND WORLD ORCGA promotes safety and professionalism By Terry Murphy CLP

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ew members are the lifeblood of any association. Just as Landscape Ontario is always looking for new members, so is your Ontario Regional Common Ground Alliance (ORCGA). Being progressive and proactive, ORCGA is looking to double its current membership of 450 members to over 1,000 in the next two years. Any firm who digs and or excavates, can make a valuable contribution by becoming a new member. There are many good reasons to consider joining and supporting this organization.

Valuable Partnership

What are some of the important reasons for your firm to join ORCGA? It is a valuable partnership. By sharing these benefits with other firms, you can enhance your company’s position in your marketplace. It can also increase your profit and productivity. If what you learn through ORCGA can save you only one utility hit, it will pay for 24 years of your membership. This is true value and is like work insurance. Having your firm practice safe excavation practices, assures your customers that you are not only safety conscious, but you value your employees’ safety. Customers want to deal with safety minded companies. With a membership, you have an advantage over nonmembers! Being members of a professional organization translates professionalism into your business model. This promotes safety, worker protection and professionalism within your firm. Your firm can participate in professional training for the development of qualified locators, assuring timely and accurate locates.

ORCGA provides an industry publication, Ear to the Ground, to provide members with up-to-date information from governments and regulators. This free publication is available twice a year, and includes industry stories, facts and figures and allows the ORCGA a vehicle to communicate more effectively with the industry. It also updates you on any new laws or safety regulations that may save you money on fines and penalties.

Sign ALA agreements

ORCGA reminds member firms to contact the utilities in their market area and to sign ALA agreements. These will allow Ont1Call to give your firm approval over the phone to dig. It also eliminates the need for a locator to visit your project for normal markings. When using this service, there is no need to put actual markings on the ground before digging starts. By saving only one day due to locate delays, a landscape firm can save over $500 for that day. These ALAs are free to industry excavators. The Winter Symposium, Fall Expo, Rodeo, and Local Geographic Council meetings are events that provide many opportunities for developing relationships with fellow industry professionals. This will result in great chances to further your company’s productivity and profit. Most events are free and provide members with important damage prevention information and networking opportunities. ORCGA represents the damage prevention industry. This representation allowed the industry to secure the passage of Bill 8 in the Provincial Legislature. This Bill not only brings all utility owners under one roof, but solidifies what was a fragmented structure of enforcement, under Ont1Call. This lobbying was the result of a unified industry effort under the ORCGA. Mapping of all underground utility assets must be submitted to Ont1Call under this legislation.

64  LANDSCAPE ONTARIO DECEMBER 2014

Counsil networking

The 13 geographic councils of ORCGA allow members to participate in local area functions, such as the annual April Dig Safe. Local meetings allow members contact with their fellow industry professionals, together with industry suppliers. Members promote to the public, and other industry firms such as Home Depot, Tim Hortons and others partner with the ORCGA creating special damage preventions promotions.

Best Practices Manual

The Best Practices Manual is available to all members. This ORCGA document covers all associated industry excavation standards and provides industry members with proven industry safe practices that were developed by industry practioners with proven successful results. Following the established practices can save you many dollars. Statistics are available to ORCGA members through the annual Damage Information Reporting Tool known as The DIRT Report. This allows members to learn about the root cause of utility strikes and what sectors of our Ontario industry are causing damages. By networking, belonging to geographic councils and attending ORCGA events, members learn about locates, locate paperwork, TSSA requirements, Best Practices, new government regulations and other damage prevention information that can save them thousands of dollars.

Noticeable improvement

Calling ONT1Call is fully supported by the ORCGA and its members and its effectiveness is streamlined by the passage of Bill 8. ORCGA board members lobbied for the industry for passage of this Bill over a three-year period. This service will allow one telephone call to give you a locate in fewer than five days. You will see noticeable improvement in the next short while. We welcome your inquiries on any of the above-mentioned items and any other membership questions. For more information, go to orcga.com, or call 1-866-4464493. Your suggestions and comments are welcomed at tvmurphy@ca.inter.net.

MEMBERSHIP Putting the professional back in professionalism By Myscha Burton Membership and Chapter Coordinator

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s 2014 draws to a close, there is a lot of time to reflect on the past year. Personally, I have been thinking about how we define a professional, and what that means within Landscape Ontario. The concept of professionalism is something my entire family has hashed out over numerous dinner conversations. What makes a professional, and why are people getting away with calling themselves professionals without adequate training, experience and skill? My father, who owns a photography company, has experienced this dilemma on countless occasions. As a professional photographer, someone with decades of experience and education to boot, he constantly faces the challenge of having these pseudo-professionals standing beside him (or pushing him out of the way) and claiming they’re pros. Despite the dramatic difference in quality of the images, there continues to be a growth in the world of these non-professionals, which has been very hard hitting

on his business. Anyone can buy the latest and greatest tools of the trade without knowing the trade itself. I know you experience this, too; the person down the street with no insurance, no proper training and who only works with under-the-table cash dealings. Then there is the teenager borrowing dad’s lawnmower and offering the cheapest price, which seems to appeal to many clients. While I have a great appreciation for the up-and-comers in the industry, I understand they need a chance to get experience, professionalism, but the quality of work should never be overlooked. There is a reason someone is defined as a professional within his industry. We need to give greater value and respect to the term. This is why I want to take this time to thank you. There’s a reason we ask for insurance information, proof of education or job site photos and references from our Active and Interim members. We can without a doubt say that our members are professionals, and we can prove it. We also try and help support you as professionals by offering opportunities for continuing education, as well as fostering the strength of the LO community at various events and chapter meetings. Displaying the Landscape Ontario logo or utilizing the variety of endorsed supplier programs available are additional ways in which you

can utilize your membership for the benefit of your company. We continue to work with the public and to spread awareness of what LO is about and the high standard of professionalism our members possess. I have had quite a few calls recently from individuals seeking a company to hire. They are looking at your online profiles, so be sure to keep them updated so potential clients can see all that you have to offer as a professional company. I am sure many of us are glad to see the end of this year after the wild ride Mother Nature took us on this spring. I would like to thank all of the Chapter executive boards for working so hard to plan wonderful meetings and events for our members. I also thank everyone who has attended these events, and for the continued support of Landscape Ontario. It has been incredible to see the hard work of our members in their own businesses, along with the variety of community projects we have seen this year and your dedication to LO. How about signing your staff up for the weekly e-news so they too can stay connected with industry updates? It’s free, just go to horttrades.com/freesubs. Or what about attending a seminar before the new season gets underway? Your membership services team is looking forward to an exciting 2015 and would love your feedback and input on how we can meet your needs and offer support. Remember, we are here for you. As 2015 approaches, I encourage you to have a look at what chapter events are coming up, as well as the membership benefits that can assist you, your staff and your business. This information is available on horttrades.com, or you can contact me directly at myscha@landscapeontario. com, or call 1-800-265-5656, ext. 354.

Get inspired by the talent and creativity of our landscape construction, maintenance and design contractors.

Ceremony and President’s Reception TUESDAY JANUARY 6, 2015

4:45 p.m. President’s Reception 5:15 p.m. Awards Ceremony

International Plaza Hotel, Plaza Ballroom Ticketed Event: $65

LOawards.com Presenting Sponsors:

Supporting Sponsor:

WWW.HORTTRADES.COM  65

PROSPERITY PARTNERS You’re in good company By Jacki Hart CLP Prosperity Partners Program Manager

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he newest resource offered to business owners by LO’s Prosperity Partners program is the Peer to Peer Network. Tim Kearney and I will launch this new program on Warm Up Monday at Congress 2015. Already, there’s a buzz in the registration office. Last month I introduced the Peer to Peer Network basics, and promised a peek in this month’s column on how it will roll out. The Peer to Peer Network will use the common denominator of the Prosperity Partners language as the base onto which we will add new business owner resources and tools. This includes aligning business discussions with the five Prosperity Partners Pillars: Financial Health, Professional Operations, Sales Success, Leadership and Developing Customers for Life. The Business Navigator we lean on follows this sequential premise: • Every business is an expression of who the owner is (Leadership) • This personality drives the style of game plan deployed (Professional Operations) • The game plan applies critical skills with processes (Sales Success) • This converts company resources into goods and services (Customers for Life) • The delivery of which produces financial results (Financial Health)

ing the key concepts in Prosperity Partners, Peer Group members will have a clear understanding of what their mission-critical issues are — and will engage with peers with clarity, purpose and a results driven focus. At our Peer to Peer launch, participants will review these Prosperity Partners concepts briefly, and reassess their own current reality by using our updated gap analysis tool. This process will help form the roadmap for each member to identify key objectives within their group. Groups will be formed using a crosssection of participants by intermingling

Jacki Hart and Tim Kearney

sectors with regional locations and business maturity. One of the most exciting parts of this network is that just like in any other LO event, seasoned veterans will rub shoulders and exchange ideas with newcomers, with everyone gleaning fresh perspectives, new resources, creative ideas and honest input from peers. Some of my most poignant ‘aha’

We overlay the above premise, with the concept of preferences, strengths and blind spots. When combined with the maturity factor of a business, business owners have a snapshot of their current reality, and starting point for improvement throughout their business. The clarity achieved for hundreds of business owners using this system is amazing. What’s even more amazing is how helpful it is to reassess using this analysis tool once a year. By understand-

66  LANDSCAPE ONTARIO DECEMBER 2014

moments have come from start-up entrepreneurs asking great fundamental questions that I’d long since ploughed through and forgotten about. And, some of the best advice I’ve had in business has come from owners whose businesses are in a different sector than mine. We all have the challenge of being entrepreneurs! In this Peer Group, we will: • Connect — using a variety of technologies together • Share — challenges, discussions, ideas, creativity • Learn — new techniques, styles, information, resources • Rise — to a new level for ourselves and our businesses, side by side • Inspire — pick up and dust each other off, move forward with renewed enthusiasm and hope In addition to group discussions and facilitator support, LO plans to offer four facilitated Peer to Peer Network sessions in 2015. We hope to hold one each in London, Milton, Oshawa and Ottawa. Dates and locations are yet to be determined. These sessions will be daytime ticketed events, offering new tools, candid discussion and take-away objectives to keep moving forward. We are really excited to be launching this new initiative, and looking forward to a great dynamic session next month with everyone interested in taking their businesses and careers to the next level. You will be alongside peers who ‘get it’ and want to engage for mutual improvement. For more information on the Peer to Peer Network at Congress, go to http://gfl. me/x2j0. Jacki Hart may be contacted at prosperity@landscapeontario.com.

Free prosperity tool: Best Practices Checklist for Financial Health Are your habits effective when it comes to financial management? Do you wonder if there are simple ways you could improve cash flow? This easy checklist helps you take a look at best practices for finance; if it generates even one improvement in your process, it is worth your time. Download this checklist and a wealth of other free Prosperity resources at horttrades.com/prosperitytemplates. The templates are organized by Prosperity Pillar, and can be customized to suit your business needs.

Get CONNECTED

CLASSIFIEDS

employment OPPORTUNITIES

All classified ads must be pre-paid by credit card. Rates: $50.85 (HST included) per column inch Min. order $50.85. 15% discount on ads run for entire calendar year. Box Numbers: Additional $10. Confidentiality ensured. Deadlines: 20th day of the month prior to issue date. (eg: June issue deadline is May 20th). January deadline is Dec. 10. Space is limited to a first come, first served basis. To advertise: E-mail your name, phone number and ad to Robert at classifieds@landscapeontario. com or fax to (905) 875-0183. Online advertising: Website only ads are available for $67.80 (HST included) for Associaton members and $90.40 HST included for non-members. Website ads are posted for 31 days. View ads online at www.horttrades.com/classifieds

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES

employment OPPORTUNITIES

ESTABLISHED MUSKOKA LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE COMPANY FOR SALE Successful, respected company, locally owned and operated, is looking for a professional and dedicated purchaser. Well-maintained fleet of trucks and equipment. Dependable staff, loyal customer base. Year-round operation. For serious inquiries only, please reply in confidence by email to: MuskokaOpportunity@gmail.com

PAO Horticultural We are looking for experienced farm workers required to perform manual work. Hand cultivating, digging and tree planting. Hourly rate $11.00 per hour. Seasonal employment starts April 1 to November 30, 2015. Based out of Hornby, Ontario. We thank all applicants for their interest, however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted. Please no phone calls, fax or email resumes to: info@paohorticultural.com Fax: 905-875-1511

LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE COMPANY FOR SALE Successful, respected and well-established company, serving the Dundas, Hamilton and Burlington area for 25 years. Locally owned and operated, Is looking for a professional and dedicated purchaser. Well-maintained equipment. Dependable staff, loyal customer base. Owner retiring. For serious inquires only, please reply in confidence by email to: knightspropertymaint@hotmail.com

Landscape Ontario’s Green for Life brand is designed to promote your professional Get INSPIRED business

Get CONNECTED

Macuto Nurseries Experienced farm workers required to perform manual work. Hand cultivating, digging and tree planting. Hourly rate $11.00. Seasonal employment starting April 1, 2015 to Nov 30, 2015. Job site Keswick, Ontario. Fax resume 905-476-1534 or mail P.O. Box 284 Keswick, Ontario L4P 3E2 Tel 905-727-3666 opportunities at davey tree Davey Tree is currently expanding operations and looking for experienced Arborists, Foremen, Climbers, and Groundspersons. We are the largest employee-owned company in the green industry, and Canada’s trusted source for complete plant health care. Our roots extend back to 1880, and we have branches from Ontario to British Columbia. Davey provides: • Excellent training • Career advancement • Company benefits • Employee ownership • Opportunities in all aspects of arboriculture • Solid industry compensation bases and incentive programs. If you are interested in being part of our growing team, please email or fax resume to: John Arico. Email: John.Arico@davey.com Fax: 905-304-7605. www.daveytree.ca

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Landscape Lecture Series 2015

Join your peers for an evening focused on creativity, vision and inspiration. Wednesday, February 18 Chateau Le Jardin Conference & Event Venue 8440 Hwy 27, Woodbridge Tickets are $20 per person, includes dinner.

LandscapeLecture.ca WWW.HORTTRADES.COM  67

If you haven’t received your FREE copy of our 2015 catalogue contact our office today! 1155 Dundas St. W. (Hwy. #5), West Flamborough, Ontario Tel.: 905-628-0112 • 905-523-0442 • Fax: 905-628-3155 email: mail@connonnurseries.com

connonnurseries.com 68  LANDSCAPE ONTARIO DECEMBER 2014

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