Landscape Ontario - January 2020

LANDSCAPE ONTARIO

HortTrades.com • January 2020

THE

WRIGHT

PATH

Second generation business owner,

Dave Wright strives to create his own path for business and association success.

Page 4

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January, 2020 • Volume 38 - No. 01 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 profession in Ontario.

Features 4 Dave Wright 6 Fusion Program

Departments 8 12 13 14 15 18 23

Association News Events New Members Volunteer Profile Professional News Columns Advertisers

Editor Robert Ellidge rellidge@landscapeontario.com, 647-722-5645 Multimedia designer/IT coordinator Mike Wasilewski mikew@landscapeontario.com, 647-723-5343 Contributor Kim Burton kburton@landscapeontario.com, 647-723 5447 Account manager 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 Publisher Lee Ann Knudsen CLM lak@landscapeontario.com, 416-848-7557 LANDSCAPE ONTARIO STAFF Scott Barber, Darryl Bond, Amy Buchanan, Tony DiGiovanni CHT, Denis Flanagan CLD, Cassandra Garrard, Meghan Greaves, Sally Harvey CLT CLM CAE, Keri MacIvor, Heather MacRae, Kathy McLean, Ian Service, Myscha Stafford, Tom Somerville, David Turnbull, Lissa Schoot Uiterkamp, Martha Walsh

Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: Circulation Department Landscape Ontario 7856 Fifth Line South, Milton, ON L9T 2X8 Canada Phone: 905-875-1805 ISSN 1928-9553 Publications Mail Agreement No. PM40013519 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 2020, reproduction or the use of whole or any part of the contents without written permission is prohibited. Published 11x per year. Rates and deadlines are available on request. Subscription price: $43.51 per year (HST included).

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PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

Opportunities are ours for the taking

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to surround myself with experts who are passionate about what they do. These are the people I now learn from every day.

Legacies need nurturing: they are built, maintained and grown. As landscape professionals, we have the opportunity to surround ourselves with other experts in this organization that we call Landscape Ontario. We create opportunities for ourselves to learn and grow when we attend seminars, committee meetings, chapter meetings or tour the halls at Congress. Being involved with Landscape Ontario has allowed me to make the connections and access knowledge that has brought me to where I am today. A lot has changed since dad became a member of Landscape Ontario in 1973.

As landscape professionals, we face an ever complex set of issues: a sector-wide labour shortage, insuring snow contractors, a decade-old pesticide ban, invasive pest species, and climate change.

I am honoured to carry on the legacy of leadership that moves our profession forward and committed to our journey together for the next two years. There are amazing opportunities to improve our labour, insurance and climate change issues. They say that climate change can be slowed by planting trees. Who better than us to grow them, plant them and make sure they survive to cool our cities and clean our air. We can give our youth and new Canadians the opportunity to make a difference and change the world for the better. We are Green Professionals and the legacy is ours to carry.

s I sat down to write my first President’s Message, I thought about all of the presidents before me, and their contributions to this organization’s amazing history. I am humbled to be in this position, but readily admit there is plenty to do — both to build on this legacy and ensure it is future-ready.

I’ll start by bringing you on a personal journey. I could tell you that I come from a long line of landscapers, but the line is pretty short. My dad, John Wright, founded Wright Lawn Spray in 1967 in a small rented garage in Waterloo, Ont. Dad grew up on a farm, so he knew what hard work was all about and what it means to be a steward of the land. He came from a long line of farmers and wanted to carry on that legacy, but he and his father didn’t see eye-to-eye. I learned many years later that it is difficult to work with your father when you have your own opinions to share.

It seems stubbornness is a family trait. I grew up in the business and witnessed its evolution from a small spray business to a full-service landscape company. I left home, went to school, and worked around the continent before coming home to carry on the family legacy. I’ve often heard that it is harder to start a business than it is to carry one forward as a second generation owner, but I have to disagree. It can be just as difficult, full of risk and uncertainty.

Transitions are hard: there is a lot of weight on your shoulders, fear of failure, fear of losing your shirt — and the shirts of those that came before you. Luckily, my dad had some good advice and taught me

Dave Wright LO President davew@wrightlandscape.ca

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LANDSCAPE ONTARIO

Dave Wright

is the new president of

Landscape Ontario D

ave Wright can’t remember life without Landscape Ontario. Wright is the owner of Wright Landscape Services in Bloomingdale, Ont., and the new president of the association — an elected position he will hold for the next two years.

“Even though I wasn’t involved in LO, I can remember as a kid, dad going to meetings,” Wright says of his father John Wright, who passed away in 2015. “I didn’t know life without it.”

Dave’s dad was a founding member of Landscape Ontario and served as Hamilton Chapter president (1976), then Waterloo (1979-80), and as director of the Ontario Horticultural Trades Foundation. David’s parents, John and Ruth Wright started the family business, Wright Lawn Care, in the late 1960s.

“I grew up in the business and started doing maintenance when I was 13,” Wright recalls. “One of the things I didn’t like was that it was very routine. Once I got the chance to get into construction, I really enjoyed building things.”

Dave realized in his late teens that due to his height, getting up and down all day at work was causing frequent headaches. With a love for building things, but the need for a desk job, Dave embarked on a career as a landscape architect, completing a five-year education at the University of Guelph.

After graduation, Dave spent a summer working at Grobe Nursery, where he learned all about plant material and how to help customers. He also worked closely with Heritage Stoneworks as a sub-contractor for hardscape installs. “I believe I only worked for LO members,” Dave says, adding that he got “a lot of support” from both Paul and Peter Grobe, and “learned a lot” from

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Obviously there are hiccups to manage. With rapid growth, Wright says sometimes communication has suffered.

And when new hires prove they are not right-fit employees, the situation needs to be addressed right away.

The great people mantra for Wright even extends beyond his own skills. “If I’m not good at something, I have to hire someone to do it, and do it better than me. If I can do something better than them, then that’s the wrong person for the job. There’s no reason for me as an owner to meddle in what they’re doing and micromanage if they are doing it better than I am.”

Following these beliefs over the years has led the company to the point where Wright says it pretty much runs itself. He does the selling and the contracts, but cites outstanding operations and management staff that have directly contributed to recent success. Today, the successful 50-year-old company has over 30 employees and runs yearround with extensive snow removal contracts.

“It’s a brand new company with an old name,” Wright explains. “Everyone is on the same page with similar ideas and goals. I have two employees who have been with us for more than 10 years, two for just five years, and 30 others.”

What drives Dave and the team at Wright Landscapes to do what they do? “There is some real satisfaction out of seeing a customer who is excited about building a project.

Just that level of excitement and going through that design process and wrestling with them about budget and ideas and taking that idea and seeing their faces when it’s built. That’s why I do what I do,” Wright says.

With the company running so well, Dave looks to a future where he can retire from the business and have the time and freedom to concentrate on whatever he wants to do.

For now, he loves spending weekends at the cottage with wife Tracy and their two kids. Both his 10-year-old son and 13-year-old daughter are into martial arts and the family has travelled throughout North America for competitions. His daughter is also a world champion.

For his term as LO president, Dave has a few things on his agenda. In addition to the labour shortage, he feels the cost of doing business and the many changing regulations that make it “harder and harder to run a business” are the biggest challenges for the profession. “I remember a day when my dad looked at me and said, ‘I could never do what you are doing now,’” Dave says.

For the association, Dave would like to improve recognition of the profession by the public. “We are regarded around North American and the world among our peers, but the public doesn’t know who we are and it’s been a long-time struggle. We need to build on what we’ve got here, so the public knows who we are, and why we are here.”

With the renewal of the LO building, he wants to build on that energy and take the association to the next level. As with his success in business, Dave says having the association’s newly-updated plan as a guide will help. “It’s all about moving together in the right direction and it’s exciting to be a part of something that is much bigger that we are.”

Dietmar Bischoff (at Heritage). “They saw the bigger picture.

I wasn’t just a competitor’s son, I was someone who wanted to be in the industry,” Wright explains.

Landscape architecture took Dave to Vancouver, B.C., where he worked on some really big projects for some very large clients, including the Vancouver waterfront and the FedEx world headquarters. “They were cool projects, but I realized I wasn’t getting joy out of it. I got a lot of personal satisfaction, but missed seeing the excitement of a customer — you don’t get that when you’re designing a park for a developer that has to pay for it then has to give it back to the city who wants it as cheap as they can.”

9/11 hit, and Dave wanted to be closer to home. So he moved back to Ontario, became a business partner with his dad and set out to expand the design-build portion of the company.

During his time at the helm, Dave has strived to create his own path, both in business and in Landscape Ontario.

“When I joined the company in 2002, John Keenan, my operations manager at the time, had been with the company for 30-something years,” Wright explains. “He was on the local chapter board, and he volunteered me for a position on the board. That’s how I got on to the chapter board. And then I missed a meeting once and got nominated to be the president.”

Working his way up through the ranks, Dave has also served on the association’s Provincial Board of Directors, something his father never did despite decades of volunteering with the association.

In 2006, Dave’s father retired and the business was in full transition. Dave says during those early years in business he took every course that LO had available. He made contacts through the association and a network of competitors he could call to ask for advice. “My association with Landscape Ontario also introduced me to Jeffrey Scott, who has been a big part of our business growth, helping me to go in the right direction.”

Wright also completed sales and business management training with Sandler Training, another partner of LO. “I used to believe the philosophy, ‘the customer is always right,’” he says, but “unfortunately with the internet, the customer can get a lot of information that may not be right.

It’s very important to educate clients and find the ones that fit what we do.”

Like all business owners, Dave learned a lot by making mistakes. He says he used to focus on customers, but has flipped things to focus on employees. “By focusing on employees instead of customers, as an owner, the end result is a better project, a better maintained property, a better design and better built project, and in the end, a really happy client that will keep coming back.” A key for success has definitely been finding right-fit employees for the team.

“I think that’s the most important part. If you build a team of employees who love what they’re doing and love coming to work everyday and you give them great designs to build, great projects to manage, then they can’t help but make happy clients.”

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WILL CLIMATE CHANGE

AFFECT THE

FUTURE

OF

YOUR COMPANY?

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Fusion Landscape Professional program is here to help

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ver the last decade, news reports of our changing climate have dominated headlines and our lives.

These stories often paint a gloomy picture of the future, leaving us feeling helpless and unable to make a difference. But this is not the case. There are solutions and opportunities available — and the landscape and horticulture profession has a significant role to play.

With changing climate and weather patterns causing an increase in intensity and frequency of rain events, communities are experiencing an urgent need for stormwater management and Low Impact Development (LID) practices. These practices mimic natural processes that result in the infiltration of runoff of rainwater into the ground, improving water quality and reducing the load on stormwater infrastructure.

The demand for stormwater management and Low Impact Development currently is, and will continue to be, driven by property owners and insurance companies working to protect assets and mitigate risk. Municipal, provincial and federal governments are also very concerned and are focused on preserving stormwater infrastructure and keeping communities healthy and safe. These factors will continue to drive the growth in the market for stormwater management and Low Impact Development.

Industry and government working together

Landscape Ontario prides itself on being a leader in representing, promoting and fostering the advancement of the horticulture profession. The challenges created by climate change represent a significant opportunity for our profession. In alignment with our mission, Landscape Ontario, in partnership with the Region of Peel and York Region, developed the Fusion Landscape

Professional (FLP) program — the first and only stormwater management training and certification program developed by industry and government for the landscape profession in Ontario.

The Regions originally partnered with Landscape Ontario back in 2013 to develop the Water Smart Irrigation Professional (WSIP) program, which focuses on irrigation system efficiency. Due to the success of the WSIP program, the next challenge was to tackle water efficient landscapes that help with stormwater management. Two of the largest and most rapidly growing municipalities in Canada, the Region of Peel and York Region, were also looking for solutions to reduce outdoor water use and lessen the load on stormwater infrastructure. Together with key players in the landscape profession, the partners developed the Fusion Landscape Professional program, which launched in November, 2017.

Now in its third year, the FLP program provides experienced landscape designers and architects, construction and maintenance contractors with the tools and knowledge to promote and provide aesthetically-pleasing landscape products and services that utilize residential lot-level stormwater migration. The program focuses on skills needed to design, construct and maintain Fusion landscapes. It also includes the science behind Fusion landscaping, advanced site analysis from a stormwater management perspective, and how to educate clients about the benefits of these types of landscapes. The program’s training manual and seminar were developed by Credit Valley Conservation, in collaboration with Landscape Ontario, through the lens of a landscape professional. The program will help participants to meet the needs of a variety of clients and sites, while increasing the sustainability of our communities.

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Program expanding across the province

Previously only available to Landscape Ontario members operating in Peel and/ or York Region, the Fusion Landscape Professional training and certification program will now be available to all members of Landscape Ontario across the province. For companies operating predominately within Peel and/or York Regions, the cost of training and certification will still be sponsored by the Regions, and eligible companies will be able to access the region’s incentive program.

Companies operating outside of Peel and/or York Regions can participate in the program for a set fee.

Regardless of where your business operates, the Fusion Landscape Professional program will open doors to new business opportunities and will help to support you and your company to remain relevant and competitive in an evolving market.

Over the past six years, the Region of Peel and York Region have provided Landscape Ontario with support for the WSIP and FLP program development and delivery. Landscape Ontario is grateful for this partnership. We are proud of the quality programs that have resulted, and the subsequent impact on lot-level stormwater management. Our intention is to support our members in continuing to move forward toward a more sustainable future.

With a new year (and new decade) upon us, the Fusion Landscape Professional training and certification program may be just what you need to further your professional development goals for the future. For details, visit HortTrades.com/fusion or contact Cassandra Garrard at 1-800-265-5656, ext.

2397 or cassandra@landscapeontario.com.

Strengthen your business. Enhance the environment. Create resilient communities.

LANDSCAPE ONTARIO

ASSOCIATION NEWS Educators connect to engage youth

Round-table discussions allowed educators to share resources and brainstorm ideas to address current challenges.

create awareness of the diversity of careers available in the landscape horticulture profession. Educators at the secondary and post-secondary level strive to provide relevant programming to serve the needs of the profession.

Organizers would like to thank Michael Pascoe from Fanshawe College and HEA Chair, for emceeing the day and facilitating some meaningful discussions.

Landscape Ontario provided an update on workforce development highlights, and classroom resources and facilitated a hands-on activity for educators to take back to their class to highlight work done by landscape horticulture professionals.

As part of the workforce development strategy, Landscape Ontario will be encouraging members to connect with any of the 24 Specialist High Skills Majors (SHSM) programs in Horticulture and Landscaping and over 100 green industry programs at the high school level across Ontario. To enable that connection, LO will be revitalizing the Adopt A School Program to enable members to strengthen connections with local programs and serve as guest speakers, industry partners and to provide access to a pool of students looking for work experience through co-op placements and potential careers.

Educators of these programs all expressed a great deal of interest in connecting with landscape horticulture professionals. If you or your company are interested in connecting with a local school to support student education in the profession, please contact Lissa Schoot Uiterkamp, Landscape Ontario Youth Engagement Coordinator, at lissa@landscapeontario.com.

Landscape Ontario, in partnership with the Horticulture Educators Association (HEA), held a professional development day at Landscape Ontario on Nov. 27.

Landscape and horticulture educators and guidance counselors from secondary and post-secondary programs attended. The purpose of the event was to connect educators, share resources and continue to develop engaging ways to connect students to the landscape horticulture profession.

Keynote speaker, Adam Bienenstock from Bienenstock Landscapes, raised awareness about the importance for youth to be exposed to nature. Bienenstock stressed the important role professionals and educators play in helping to get kids outside and in creating awareness about the many career paths in the profession.

Paul Clipsham, Director of Stakeholder Relations at Skills Ontario, provided an update on Skills Ontario Competitions and activities, plus some ideas on how to get classes involved.

Steve Anderson from Stihl reported details of the successful LO/Stihl experiential learning day hosted last April and discussed plans for another experiential learning day in 2020.

In addition, a number of post-secondary partners provided updates on their programs.

The horticulture educators professional development day was also a time for networking. Participants broke out in table discussions and focused on developing solutions to challenges, sharing resources and brainstorming future initiatives to further engage students in the classroom and

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Warren Patterson, LO president, with Jeff Winkelmolen of Winkelmolen Nursery.

Growers gather for annual fall dinner The Landscape Ontario Growers Sector Group held its annual Fall Dinner Meeting on Nov. 26 at Piper’s Heath Golf Course in Milton, Ont. The end-of-season celebration gives growers a much-needed break to catch up and compare stories on the trials, tribulations and successes of another busy growing season. More than 60 community members enjoyed a delicious buffet dinner and participated in a town hall style discussion on sector issues.

Plaques were also presented to the 2019 LO Growers Awards of Excellence winners. Entries into the various categories were judged and announced at the Industry Auction, held Sept. 12 at J.C. Bakker & Sons Nursery in St. Catharines, Ont. Jennifer Llewellyn, Ontario Ministry of Agriculture Food and Rural Affairs, and Bart Brusse, Sheridan Nurseries, provided an update on the box tree moth. The pair are part of a larger industry working group that was formed to help mitigate the spread of this new pest and to educate homeowners and industry on the issue.

To learn more about this invasive pest discovered in the Greater Toronto Area, visit HortTrades.com/box-tree-moth for a pest identification card, webinar, and more.

The full list of LO Grower Awards of Excellence winners can be found online at gfl.me/h687.

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Georgian Lakelands celebrates best suppliers and members of 2019 announce this year’s event was the largest one yet.

The chapter would like to thank the generous sponsors and volunteers who helped make this event possible, including Barrie’s Garden Centre who donated beautiful poinsettias for the tables.

This year, the awards committee wanted to emphasize the importance of local suppliers. Nominations and voting were exclusive to members of the Georgian Lakelands Chapter. Thank you to all who attended the event, submitted nominations and voted for their favourite suppliers within the chapter.

Congratulations to winners of the 2019 Georgian Lakelands Chapter Awards of Distinction:

• Hardscape Material Supplier of the Year: Cast-n-Stone • Plant Material Supplier of the Year: Ego’s Nurseries Limited • Equipment and Accessory Supplier of the Year: Cast-n-Stone • Best Salesperson of the Year: Debra Lidstone, Barrie’s Garden Centre • Best Boss of the Year: Steve Schepers, Pinnacle Rockscapes • Volunteer of the Year: Laurie-Ann Stuart • Employee of the Year: Nick Honeywood, S.C. Charlebois • Young Entrepreneur of the Year: John Corner, Northshore Tree Experts • Service and Leadership Award: Lynne Barnes

Nick Solty (left) with Boss of the Year winner, Steve Schepers.

Landscape Ontario’s Georgian Lakelands Chapter celebrated its fifth annual Awards of Distinction at Casino Rama in Orillia, Ont. Emceed by chapter board member Teresa Matamoros, the evening event, held Nov. 28, 2019, included socializing and dinner prior to the announcement of winners.

With nearly 100 people in attendance, organizers are pleased to

See more photos from the evening on the Landscape Ontario Facebook page. For a link, visit gfl.me/h6C7.

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Growers Short Course to focus on marketing and proven production practices

Lunch and learn at 2020 grounds management lecture Landscape Ontario’s Grounds Management Sector Group will host its annual lecture event on Feb. 20 at the association’s office and training facility in Milton, Ont. The full-day event will feature many valuable information and learning sessions of specific interest to those who manage and work in the grounds management sector.

Landscape pros will learn about soil, tree planting, new plants and mulch, from a lineup of well-respected experts that includes: Dr. Darby McGrath, Bob Reeves, Rodger Tschanz, Roy Kuehn and Jon L. Peter.

The event includes lunch and networking breaks, plus a number of exhibitors will be on-hand.

Registration opens at 8:30 a.m. and all attendees receive lunch, two networking breaks, and access to exhibitors. The day will conclude around 3:30 p.m.

The event is sponsored by WPE Landscape Equipment and Eloquip.

Tickets are $75 for LO members and $95 for non-members.

After Feb. 6, prices go up. Full agenda and online registration is available at LandscapeLecture.ca.

Landscape Ontario’s Growers’ Sector Group will host the 2020 edition of its popular Nursery Growers’ Short Course at the Royal Botanical Gardens in Burlington, Ont., Feb. 5. The event provides a full-day of topics aimed at educating nursery growers on the latest trends, methods, research and technology.

This year’s theme is: “Propagation, Mechanization, Irrigation, IPM, Marketing and proven production practices.” Guest speaker Brian Decker, owner of Decker Nursery in Groveport, Ohio, will headline two sessions: “How We Have Improved Efficiency in Nursery Production” and “Marketing Trends and Sales Strategies – Where Must We Go From Here?”

A dozen other experts will provide relevant information pertaining to pests, diseases, pruning, improving soil health and more.

The event will conclude with the popular “Grower Good Ideas” session, where audience members present home-grown solutions they have developed to solve a particular problem faced in the field, or that help to improve efficiency or production.

Kam’s Growers Supply is the platinum sponsor of the event.

The cost to attend is $90 for an LO member, $100 for a potential member, $50 for an educator or $35 for a student. Registration includes continental breakfast, lunch, refreshment breaks and door prizes. Prices go up after Jan. 24. For a full agenda and registration, visit HortTrades.com/growers-group.

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LANDSCAPE ONTARIO

EVENTS Full details and registration information for all events can be found online at HortTrades.com/events or at specific chapter or sector pages.

Jan. 7-9

Congress 2020 Toronto Congress Centre Canada’s Premier Green Industry Trade Show and Conference for landscape professionals has something for everyone. Don’t miss the LO awards ceremony (Jan. 7) and LO AGM (Jan. 8). LOcongress.com.

Jan. 21

Georgian Lakelands Chapter Meeting Jan. 22

Ottawa Chapter Meeting Jan. 23

Windsor Chapter Meeting Jan. 30

Toronto Chapter Meeting Feb. 5

Nursery Growers Short Course Royal Botanical Gardens, Burlington Get the latest research reports and hear from experts on innovative production practices and marketing techniques.

Feb. 5

Premium grower to the landscape trade

Georgian Lakelands Ski, Spa and Snowshoe Day Feb. 5

Upper Canada Chapter Meeting Feb. 5

Waterloo Chapter Meeting Feb. 6

Toronto Chapter Meeting Feb. 7

London Chapter Plant Symposium Bestwestern Lamplighter Inn, London A full-day event for plant lovers, featuring expert speakers and a marketplace. Register online.

Feb. 11

London Chapter Meeting Bestwestern Lamplighter Inn, London Michael Lewis will discuss strategies for communicating effectively, assertively and clearly. Sponsored by Permacon.

Feb. 12

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Ottawa Chapter Awards of Distinction EY Centre, Ottawa Join the chapter for dinner, entertainment and award presentations.

GreenTrade.ca.

Feb. 12-13

GreenTrade Expo EY Centre, Ottawa Free admission, free parking, education sessions, trade show and fun activities. Presented by Permacon. Register online at GreenTrade.ca.

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NEW MEMBERS GEORGIAN LAKELANDS

GOLDEN HORSESHOE

1791559 Ontario Inc O/A Essential Helicopters Jeremy Wilson 1 Mapleview Pl, North Bay, ON P1C 1C6 Tel: 705-888-2433 Membership Type: Chapter Associate

Bioline Aerosciences Brad Vandermey 4890 Victoria Ave, Vineland Station, ON L0R 2E0 Tel: 604-404-2699 Membership Type: Associate

1854684 ON Inc O/A BGL Contracting Jane Groom 2305 Sandy Cove Rd, Sudbury, ON P3G 1H4 Tel: 705-626-7520 Membership Type: Chapter Associate 8470928 Canada Inc Cody Cuff 4-115 First St, Suite 455, Collingwood, ON L9Y 4W3 Tel: 705-443-0905 Membership Type: Chapter Associate Arbtech Ltd Ryan Jennett 417208 10th Line, Thornbury, ON N0H 2P0 Tel: 705-441-2391 Membership Type: Active Barber Millwork Corp Ken Barber 2028 County Rd 42, Stayner, ON L0M 1S0 Tel: 705-428-3388 Membership Type: Chapter Associate Blue Mountain Property Services Matt McCartney 200 Yellow Birch Cres, Collingwood, ON L9Y 0Z3 Tel: 705-607-2599 Membership Type: Interim Central Painting Inc David Graham 1-761 Bayview Dr, Barrie, ON L4N 9A5 Tel: 705-721-2421 Membership Type: Associate JPB Stone JP Benoit 28 Albert St, Flesherton, ON N0C 1E0 Tel: 226-668-3360 Membership Type: Associate Jade Equipment Eric Bouchard 1-47 Forest Plain Rd, Oro-Medonte, ON L3V 0R4 Tel: 705-325-2777 Membership Type: Chapter Associate Northern Home Builders Peter Nault 291 St Agnes St, Azilda, ON P0M 1B0 Tel: 705-983-4663 Membership Type: Chapter Associate Rick Grant Landscaping Rick Grant 3779 Agnew Dr, Washago, ON L0K 2B0 Tel: 705-350-9446 Membership Type: Active Tim McDowell Equipment Tim McDowell 21 Thompson Rd, Skead, ON P0M 2Y0 Tel: 866-969-4182 Membership Type: Chapter Associate Turf King North Bay Rob Tonkin 33 Dalys Rd, North Bay, ON P1B 8G4 Tel: 705-472-9299 Membership Type: Active

Demelos Lawn and Property Care Roberto Demelo 1325 Fisher Ave, Burlington, ON L7P 2L5 Tel: 289-208-8413 Membership Type: Active

Jason’s Landscaping & Snowplowing Inc Jason Lorraine PO Box 1000, Stittsville, ON K2S 1B1 Tel: 613-229-9977 Membership Type: Active

Spassiani Services Inc Gian-Paolo Spassiani 294 Henderson St, Bolton, ON L7E 4X8 Tel: 647-850-7742 Membership Type: Active

Metcalfe Grasshopper Ryan Boyd 8191 Victoria St, Metcalfe, ON K0A 2V0 Tel: 613-316-5224 Membership Type: Interim

U-Pak Disposals Ltd Tim O’Connor Sr. 15 Tidemore Ave, Etobicoke, ON M9W 5H4 Tel: 416-550-7099 Membership Type: Associate

TORONTO

Verdant Landscape Matt Robertson 799 Frobisher Blvd, Milton, ON L9T 3L8 Tel: 905-299-9403 Membership Type: Interim

Green Response Environmental Inc Jon Legato 103A-735 South Service Rd Stoney Creek, ON L8E 5S2 Tel: 905-643-0882 Membership Type: Associate

2346154 ON Inc O/A Stonewater Construction Group Mike O’Connor 351 Hutchcroft Crt, Newmarket, ON L3X 1H8 Tel: 416-303-5855 Membership Type: Chapter Associate

Lawrence’s Lawn Care Ltd. John Overbeeke 1353 Balfour Stm Fenwick, ON L0S 1C0 Tel: 905-658-7400 Membership Type: Active

Acan Landscape Lucas Triska 7 Dean Rd, Mulmur, ON L9V 3E7 Tel: 647-823-3572 Membership Type: Interim

Streamline Irrigation & Landscape Services Inc Blue Verge CIT 33 Upper - 20 Roy Blvd, Brantford, ON N3R 7K2 Tel: 519-759-6200 Membership Type: Active

Bartlett Tree Experts Amandeep Tiwana 16-1950 Ellesmere Rd, Scarborough, ON M1H 2V8 Tel: 416-631-8111 Membership Type: Active

The Gardener Hamilton/Ancaster Residential Jag Kalsi 3-35 Stone Church Rd, Suite 194 Ancaster, ON L9K 1S5 Tel: 647-725-9697 Membership Type: Satellite

Groundworks Landscaping Jason Dahonick 11965 Hurontario St, PO Box 57006 Brampton, ON L6Z 0E7 Tel: 416-566-1140 Membership Type: Active

LONDON

Maintenance 4 U Brian Vieira 17999 Winston Churchill Blvd Caledon, ON L7K 1J3 Tel: 519-927-9000 Membership Type: Active

Elite Landscapes & Construction Daryl Banks 2-1215 Wellington St, Port Elgin, ON N0H 2C3 Tel: 519-389-3548 Membership Type: Active Federal Asphalt Lance Marsh 23247 Beame Line, Wardsville, ON N0L 2N0 Tel: 519-671-1760 Membership Type: Chapter Associate

Marquis Gardens Ltd Chris Marchese 2851 Hwy 7, Concord, ON L4K 1W2 Tel: 866-559-0591 Membership Type: Associate

Fisher Bros Trucking John Fisher 1087 Harrietsville Dr, Belmont, ON N0L 1B0 Tel: 519-670-1260 Membership Type: Chapter Associate

R.J. Marine Sales and Service Brian Sutherland 573 Chartwell Rd, Oakville, ON L6J 4A8 Tel: 905-510-0380 Membership Type: Chapter Associate

PBR Excavating Inc Herman Peters 240 Elm St, Aylmer, ON N5H 2M8 Tel: 519-808-4407 Membership Type: Associate

RICO Lighting & Electrical Services Shiv Sudan 5895 Whittle Rd, Mississauga, ON L4Z 2H4 Tel: 888-224-7426 Membership Type: Chapter Associate

Stonecraft Masonry Inc Brad Lubbers 226 Wimpole St, Mitchell, ON N0K 1N0 Tel: 519-801-9961 Membership Type: Chapter Associate

Rheeder Demolition Sean Rheeder 21411 McCowan Rd, Mount Albert, ON L0G 1M0 Tel: 905-836-3650 Membership Type: Associate

Woodstock Tire Service Ltd Jeff Stackhouse 701 Norwich Ave, Woodstock, ON N4S 7W3 Tel: 519-421-9580 Membership Type: Associate

OTTAWA

Season’s Property Maintenance Shane Gear 207 Taylor Mills Dr Nm Richmond Hill, ON L4C 2T5 Tel: 647-700-5982 Membership Type: Active

1977487 Ontario Inc O/A The Tire Pros Jean Quesnel 2577 Stagecoach Rd, Osgoode, ON K0A 2W0 Tel: 613-282-2609 Membership Type: Associate

Somerville Hino Beth Stevenson 75 Arrow Rd, Toronto, ON M9M 2L4 Tel: 416-860-1600 Membership Type: Associate

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Via Trailers Ltd Tyler Viaene 12621 Hwy 50, Bolton, ON L7E 1M4 Tel: 905-857-9920 Membership Type: Associate Greg Weber Brampton, ON Membership Type: Horticultural

UPPER CANADA 2656980 Ont Inc O/A Ryan Bodden Ryan Bodden 184 Lauretta Lane, Bancroft, ON K0L 1C0 Tel: 613-334-1840 Membership Type: Chapter Associate

WATERLOO Craig Dool Property Maintenance Inc Craig Dool 59 Duke St, Guelph, ON N2H 5L1 Tel: 519-362-0609 Membership Type: Chapter Associate Dominic’s Outdoor Maintenance Dominic O’dea 6 St. Ann Ave, St. Agatha, ON N0B 2L0 Tel: 519-590-9755 Membership Type: Active Joseph Wagler Homes Inc Joseph Wagler 6495 Line 84, Listowel, ON N4W 3G7 Tel: 519-503-6017 Membership Type: Chapter Associate Kast Concrete Forming Corp Joan Hoffer-Darling 1071 Industrial Dr, St Clements, ON N0B 2M0 Tel: 519-699-5354 Membership Type: Chapter Associate Scott Reinhart Trailer Sales Ltd Scott Reinhart 556007 Mulmur-Melancthon Townline Mulmur, ON L9V 0A3 Tel: 519-925-2089 Membership Type: Associate

WINDSOR 2457751 Ontario Inc O/A Volkswagen Chatham Jesse Howell 90 Keil Dr N Chatham, ON N7L 3W1 Tel: 519-352-8890 Membership Type: Associate

LANDSCAPE ONTARIO

VOLUNTEER PROFILE

Brian Cocks offers real-world experience to students Landscape Ontario’s Congress trade show and conference provides many experiences to both exhibitors and visitors each year.

Providing these experiences falls largely onto the shoulders of the LO Show Committee.

Brian Cocks, owner of Brian Cocks Nursery and Landscaping in Winona, Ont,. has taken on the role of supporting the student gardens build at Congress.

How did you get involved in this industry?

I started back with my grandfather in 1972, working in his small maintenance and landscaping company. Trimming has always been my specialty, and that was his specialty.

Why did you get involved with the show committee?

“ These kids are our future.

They will be buying our businesses and taking care of our customers.

They are willing to learn.”

— Brian Cocks

I got involved with the show committee because there was a lot of fancy equipment at the show, but no basic things like wheelbarrows and shovels — things that every landscaper needs.

What do enjoy most about volunteering?

The more you put into anything, the more you get out of it. I enjoy the relationship building and meeting other members of LO that have similar problems and being able to help them.

What do you enjoy most about the student gardens?

After I served as show chair, I got heavily involved with the student gardens. Having a person from the committee dedicated to the student gardens has really helped them to grow. It’s relationship building with teachers and students. Some have come up to me years later and thanked me for some little thing I helped them with years ago.

These kids are our future. They will be buying our businesses and taking care of our customers. They are willing to learn. The practical experience they get at Congress doing the garden build is like a real job.

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What lessons do you try to teach the students during the build?

The kids are coming out of school much smarter than we were. I like showing them little tricks of the trade that can make their job easier, because I have that experience. I also try to teach them they are actually working for the customer, not their boss. The customer is the one who pays the wages. Make the customer happy. They also have to work safe, work smart and keep a clean job site. I even introduced a deadline for them to finish, to put a little bit of pressure on them and to treat it like a real job.

What advice do you have for students coming to Congress?

Get out there and socialize with contractors face-to-face. Take advantage of the opportunities presented to you. Be proud of the fantastic work you are doing.

What has changed with the gardens over the years?

There used to be a huge gap in the skill levels between schools. That gap is no longer there. The quality of work has come a long way and what they are all doing now is outstanding. The kids look at what other schools are doing and take it upon themselves to improve each year.

We also have the schools working together now. It’s like one big crew.

They work in the same space and share equipment. I’ve also pushed to have them all sit down and have lunch together.

Is there anything you would like to change?

These students are really proud of their work.

I wish more people could see the faces of these kids on Sunday afternoon when they finish. I would love to see the top officials from the schools come down to see what these kids have done. I’m proud of what they’ve done.

LANDSCAPE ONTARIO

PROFESSIONAL NEWS

Royal Botanical Gardens reveals long-term master plan design concept

The 2,700 acre Royal Botanical Gardens is home to 20 per cent of Canada’s wild plants.

Royal Botanical Gardens (RBG) together with primary consultant MT Planners, shared new details of its 25-year master planning initiative as part of the Seeding our Future Public Open House, held Nov. 21.

As a core environmental system within the fastest growing region in Canada, RBG’s 2,700 acres of environmentally sensitive areas (including nature sanctuaries, cultivated gardens and an arboretum), make up the last ecological corridor between Lake Ontario and the Niagara Escarpment and contain biologically diverse Carolinian Forest that is home to the highest concentration of wild plants in the country — 20 per cent of Canada’s wild plant population — as well as 58 species-at-risk. These areas are threatened with potentially devastating habitat loss stemming from environmental factors that include climate change and urbanization.

“While RBG serves as a significant tourist and cultural destination, and the need to achieve financial sustainability is clear, our intrinsic value is to affect real and positive change in how humanity interacts with our environment,” said CEO Mark Runciman.

“We have pledged to take full advantage of our resources, knowledge and reputation in order to achieve our vision.”

The plan will define RBG’s diverse

geographic impact as:

• A community hub and daily centre for immersion and refuge in nature, educating the local community to develop daily practices that benefit the health of people and local ecologies.

• A regional resource and tool for action and partnerships to protect and enhance natural systems.

• A provincial partner with institutions, agencies, organizations and businesses to create collaborative offerings, attractions and educational programming for Ontarians and tourists.

• A national laboratory for ecological research.

• A global citizen that provides sciencebased input to drive global initiatives for a better future for our planet.

The plan’s framework has been developed through an extensive companyassessment and benchmarking exercise that includes case studies on trending product, programming, natural systems and infrastructure development. Key areas of aspiration have been identified to build the financial strength to serve RBG’s future, including enhanced programming, infrastructure and amenities to attract diverse audiences from local, national and

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international markets.

A “new” Royal Botanical Gardens would connect its diverse properties to create a unique set of destinations and new experiences that connect visitors to its our green spaces. RBG revealed very early design concepts of several potential longterm projects aimed to transform the gardens into a world-leading tourist, conservation and environmental education destination.

“The opportunity to transform, not only RBG, but make significant positive change in our community, region and beyond is truly inspiring,” said Runciman. “To make these ambitious goals a reality, RBG will be launching a major capital fundraising campaign. The implementation of the plan will involve input from all stakeholders in determining the future direction of RBG and deepen partnerships with municipalities, conservation authorities, commissions, and other provincial institutions.”

The completed plan will identify shortterm capital projects to be addressed in the next five years, as well as the longerterm projects for the next 25 years, while imagining RBG’s role as an environmental steward for several generations. The plan will be completed at the end of February 2020 and approved by RBG’s board of directors in mid-March 2020.

LANDSCAPE ONTARIO

Utility damage costs Canada $1 billion annually The Canadian Common Ground Alliance (CCGA) released the 2018 Damage Information Reporting Tool (DIRT) Report in Niagara Falls, Ont., during its annual National Damage Prevention Symposium in October. The report presents characteristics, themes and contributing factors leading to damages in Canada as reported via the DIRT system.

In 2018, there were 11,693 damages reported via DIRT for Canada; on average, 47 reported damages per work day (assuming 254 work days per year). The estimated cost of these damages to underground infrastructure in Canada continues to be at least $1 billion per year.

Among all damage reports with an identified and known root cause, 22 per cent occurred because no locate request was made to a One Call Centre and 38 per cent were the result of insufficient excavation practices.

While reporting damages in DIRT is voluntary, the data is critical for the CCGA to determine root causes and develop mitigating measures to reduce and eliminate them.

The complete DIRT Report 2018 is available for download at canadiancga.com. Stakeholders interested in submitting data to the 2019 report, or establishing a Virtual Private Dirt account, should visit the DIRT website at cga-dirt.com.

Re gis te rt od ay !

CONFERENCE Are you and your staff prepared for the future of the Irrigation profession in Ontario?

ALL IN ONE EVENT FOR LIGHTING CONTRACTORS!

Join your peers at the 2020 edition of the Irrigation Conference.

February 27, 2020

Content intended for Landscape Irrigation Contractors.

LANDSCAPE ONTARIO 7856 Fifth Line S., Milton, ON

Join industry peers and learn about lighting industry specific issues.

Meet with suppliers to find out about new products and technologies at this annual conference.

An initiative of

FEBRUARY 28, 2020

Landscape Ontario, 7856 Fifth Line S., Milton, ON L9T 2X8

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LANDSCAPE ONTARIO

WSIB launches new Health and Safety Excellence program

Donations required to help keep Toronto gardens free for all

The Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) Health and Safety Excellence program is a performance-based incentive program integrating the strengths of the previous WSIB Small Business, Safety Groups and Workwell programs.

Launched in late 2019, this new model provides a clear road map for Ontario businesses to improve workplace health and safety.

Whether you are just getting started or want to optimize systems and processes you already have in place, the Excellence program can help you reach your goals.

Businesses that are successful in the program will earn rebates and other non-financial recognition for their investment in health and safety.

For more details on the program, visit WSIB.ca or follow the link at gfl.me/h6Cj.

The Toronto Botanical Garden (TBG) is asking garden lovers for financial support to keep its admission free gardens thriving for all to enjoy.

With limited government funding, TBG must generate 99 per cent of its annual operating revenue from the cumulative support of individuals, organizations and companies.

The TBG exceeded its fundraising goal of $175,000 for its Hearts and Flowers campaign in 2018, and thanks to an anonymous donor, any new gifts or increased renewed gifts for 2019 campaign were matched dollar for dollar, up to $50,000.

With the 2019 campaign wrapped up, donations can still be made at anytime throughout 2020, and tax receipts will be issued for that year.

To donate, visit the TBG website at torontobotanicalgarden.ca or call 416-397-1483.

2020 Damage Prevention Symposium announced The Ontario Regional Common Ground Alliance’s (ORCGA) annual signature event, the Damage Prevention Symposium, will take place Feb. 11-13, 2020 at the Hotel Fairmont Chateau Laurier in Ottawa, Ont. The event attracts over 250 damage prevention management professionals and decision-makers from across Ontario, including sectors such as oil and gas, municipalities, telecommunications, emergency management, electrical distribution, surveyors and regulators.

The event provides an exchange on information focused on public awareness initiatives for damage prevention in an effort to protect essential infrastructure.

The itinerary includes a welcome reception, education sessions, awards luncheon, keynote address, reception and trade show.

A three-day pass, contractor day pass or municipal day pass are available online. For full details and registration, visit orcga.com.

Re gi st er to da y!

February 20, 2020

LANDSCAPE ONTARIO HEAD OFFICE 7856 Fifth Line S., Milton, ON L9T 2X8

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LANDSCAPE ONTARIO

EXECUTIVE DESK

Ways to help minimize the insurance crisis

W

e are in the midst of an insurance crisis. I have received many calls from members who can no longer get insurance for snow and ice operations.

Others report that their insurance rates have doubled or tripled, and their deductibles have also increased. In one day I even received three calls from desperate members asking that we organize a protest at Queen’s Park.

This is a serious, complex issue.

Some insurance companies have decided to walk away from snow and ice operations.

One reason is that slip and fall claims cost more than the premiums collected. Insuring snow and ice operations is too much of a risk. The ubiquitous commercials from personal injury lawyers are not helping. The constant refrain, “you don’t pay unless we win” is having an effect.

Another factor is the public’s expectation that roads, parking lots and sidewalks should be bare at all times — even during a snow and ice event. Our members cannot be everywhere at the same time. The expectations are unreasonable. A common sign on the highway states,“drive according to winter conditions.” Pedestrians should dress according to winter conditions. It is everyone’s responsibility to do the best they can to stay safe.

This is not the first time we have faced an insurance crisis. About 13 years ago the insurance market did the same thing and walked away from $12 million in premiums built-up in our endorsed insurance program.

It sent us scrambling to find another insurance broker. We finally partnered

with Marsh — one of the largest insurance brokers in the world. Marsh was able to find an insurance company willing to take our business, but only if members did not sign a “hold harmless” clause. We also focused on helping members mitigate risk through optimum operational practices and better documentation.

If you are not with Marsh, look them up at Hortprotect.com. They may be able to help. In addition, below are some actions we are taking (and some that need your help) in order to weather this storm.

Contact your local MPP

MPP Norm Miller has put forward a private member’s bill to amend the Occupiers’ Liability Act, which aims to reduce the statute of limitations from two years to 10 days. The bill has gone through second reading, and if passed, it will have a huge impact in limiting liability. We need every member to email or visit their local MPP to ask them to support Bill 118. Go visit if you can.

We have laid the groundwork for you with a sample email/letter available online. Simply lookup the contact info for your local MPP at ola.org/en/members/current, then visit the online version of this article at gfl.me/h6Cs and click the CONTACT MY MPP button.

Add the MPP’s email (it will cc: MPP Norm Miller, Attorney General, Doug Downey, and LO’s Tony DiGiovanni) and customize the body of the message with the name of your MPP, your name (top and bottom), and hit Send. There’s also a template of the email for you to download on that page.

Tony DiGiovanni LO Executive Director

tony@landscapeontario.com

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Strength in numbers

We have joined an alliance called Freshwater Working Group. The alliance is proposing legislation that will make it mandatory for snow operators to become Smart about Salt (SAS) accredited.

Accredited companies will be protected from liability. This legislative remedy is modelled after similar legislation in New Hampshire.

A number of members have formed an insurance alliance through a company called the Insurance Market. Please contact Mark Jackson at mark@ theinsurancemarket.com if you are interested in exploring this option.

We are exploring the feasibility of starting our own captive insurance company.

We have hired a government relations firm to help guide us.

Tools and resources

We have developed a standard form contract that limits your liability. We suggest that you use it. You can find it at HortTrades.com/snow-contracts.

We developed risk management guidelines. Please see: HortTrades.com/ snow-and-ice-operations-riskmanagement-guidelines-released.

About 20 years ago, Landscape Ontario’s Snow and Ice Management Group was responsible for reducing the Statute of Limitation from seven years to two. It is now time to get it to 10 days to match the municipalities. You can help.

LANDSCAPE ONTARIO

PUBLIC RELATIONS

2020 vision

A

Circular economy

s we leap into a new year, it’s always wise to collect your thoughts and do some planning for the year ahead. According to the Chinese zodiac, 2020 is the year of the rat. Legend has it that a wise rat was once competing in a race and spent most of the course riding on the back of an ox. Then, just before the finish line, the rat leapt off the ox and crossed the line in first place.

Before we get too far into our own rat race this year, now is the perfect time to be wise and reflect on the past and consider the future. According to Garden Media Group, the following are some of the the main trends in gardening which also happen to reflect our association’s own goals.

Using nature as a template, minimizing waste, making the most out of resources and replacing planned obsolescence with restoration is forecasted to generate $4.5 trillion in new output by 2030. This new ethos is not just for dreamers anymore. Large corporations such as Unilever are jumping on the circular bandwagon. Its sustainable brands grew 40 per cent faster than the rest of its business. What products do you sell that could be circular instead of being trashed? Could this impact the number of products you sell? Would you focus on plants that provide multiple services to the environment?

Speaking of plants...

Green collar jobs

Vertical gardening will continue to be very popular for the next few years, ranging from a simple staghorn fern mounted in a recycled window frame, to a fully-irrigated herb wall integrated into an outdoor kitchen space. Talk about a houseplant revolution! The African violet generation will make way for a new breed of tropical plant fanciers that create dramatic architectural patio planters while at the same time realizing that our well being and moods can be enhanced by a well-planned interior planting plan.

It’s predicted that indigo will be the colour of the year in 2020. Plants such as hydrangea, lavender and salvia will be in demand. There’s no need to change your entire business model — just use the colour in marketing materials and on social media to promote the plants you already sell.

And for more trends in plants and the profession this year, be sure to pick up a copy of our Garden Inspiration magazine that will be distributed at Canada Blooms, March 13-22.

About 50 per cent of the world’s population live in cities. This number is expected to rise to 70 per cent by 2050. These expanding urban areas will place an importance on green infrastructure, including parks and the creation of recreational districts.

Garden spending is expected to reach $49.3 billion dollars by 2023. This urban growth will create a massive demand for green collar workers, and yet we all know that horticulture jobs already outnumber grads by 2 to 1. Today’s generation does not want the burden of massive student loans. We need to be think about diversifying education. Many careers in our profession require higher learning, but many green jobs require less education. We need to be more creative about how we train future generations. Are you providing on-the-job training? Have you considered using the Apprenticeship Program? Apprenticeship has been a big help in Europe.

Denis Flanagan CLD LO Manager of Membership and Public Relations dflanagan@landscapeontario.com

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LANDSCAPE ONTARIO

SLIP AND FALL

Changing monetary limits will impact slip and fall cases

T

he Ministry of the Attorney General recently announced major reforms to Small Claims and Simplified Procedure as of Jan. 1, 2020.

Small Claims Court(1)

• The monetary jurisdiction of the Small Claims Court will increase from $25,000 to $35,000.

• The minimum amount that may be appealed to the Divisional Court will increase from $2,500 to $3,500.

• Litigants who have previously commenced a claim in Superior Court can seek to transfer their case to Small Claims Court if the claim falls within the new threshold.

The government expects the change in monetary jurisdiction will make it faster, easier and more affordable for people to resolve disputes. However, it’s not clear from the government’s press release whether additional resources will be diverted to the Small Claims Courts to handle a potential increased case load.

Simplified Procedure(2)

• The monetary jurisdiction for proceeding under Simplified Procedure will increase from $100,000 to $200,000.

• The per-party time limits for conducting examinations for discovery will increase from two hours to three hours.

• Actions will be tried by a judge alone. No jury trials will be permitted.

• Parties will have to to schedule a pretrial conference within 180 days of the action being set down for trial.

• At least 30 days before pre-trial, parties must agree to a proposed trial management plan which contains a number of items including, a list of all witnesses, including experts, and an agreed-upon division of time between parties for all stages of the trial.

• Pre-trial judges will have the power to fix the number of witnesses, other than experts, fix dates for the delivery of witness affidavits and set the date for the trial.

• Trials will be limited to five days.

• All evidence at trial will be submitted in affidavit form. Parties will have a right to cross-examine the deponents who are adverse in interest. Examinations in chief will no longer be permitted.

• Recovery of costs will be capped at $50,000 and disbursement recovery will be capped at $25,000.

The government hopes the changes will have a significant impact on how personal injury actions, including slip and fall cases, are pleaded and litigated. It’s a safe bet more slip and fall cases will be commenced under the Simplified Procedure.

A Plaintiff’s lawyer will have to take a close look at the realistic value of a claim before issuing a Statement of Claim.

Whether to issue under the Simplified Procedure or the ordinary procedure is now

(1) O. Reg. 343/19: SMALL CLAIMS COURT JURISDICTION AND APPEAL LIMIT, filed Oct. 23, 2019 under Courts of Justice Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. C.43.

(2) O. Reg. 344/19: RULES OF CIVIL PROCEDURE, filed Oct. 23, 2019 under Courts of Justice Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. C.43.

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a much more important decision. The costs consequences of Rule 76 provide that a plaintiff can be refused costs if she sues under the ordinary procedure, but reasonably should have sued under the Simplified Procedure. So choosing the Simplified Procedure may be the safest route.

For a winter maintenance company that is sued in a slip and fall case, there are a few important things to know.

First, fewer slip and fall actions will be commenced under the ordinary procedure. Most slip and fall cases will be commenced under the Simplified Procedure. Some believe that there will be more trials because trials will be less expensive under the Simplified Procedure. If it works out that way, winter maintenance contractors and their staff may find themselves in court more often.

Second, keeping good records becomes more important than ever.

The Rule changes have eliminated oral testimony in examination and chief. That’s the part of the case where parties used to tell their side of the story. Instead, a party will file a written affidavit. Records will be attached as exhibits to the affidavit to back up what is said in the affidavit.

Carefully kept records will provide essential support for what is described in the affidavit — especially if those records are detailed, and generated contemporaneously with the winter maintenance work that was done.

Third, since jury notices are not allowed under Simplified Procedure, jury trials in slip and fall cases will be the exception rather than the rule. For the most part, slip and fall trials will be judge alone trials. On one hand, that may make for more consistency and predictability in trial results down the road. But on the other hand, in the near term, it creates uncertainty for defendants. That’s because defendants have typically chosen trial by jury, based on common beliefs, rightly or wrongly held, that juries are less likely to find liability than judges, and more modest in their damages awards than judges.

Will we see fewer settlements and more cases going to trial? Will the move away from the civil jury trial affect liability and damages outcomes? We’ll have to wait and see. The jury is still out.

Visnja Jovanovic

Moodie Mair Walker LLP

LANDSCAPE ONTARIO

MEMBERSHIP

Creating culture

A

ccording to Chinese zodiac, 2020 marks the year of the ‘metal rat.’ In addition to sounding like a good band name, this year is said to be one of renewal, new beginnings and prosperity.

The start of the new year is a perfect time to re-examine your current company culture and take steps to develop a healthy environment for the start of the spring season. As a member of the generation known as Millennials, I know that the younger workforce of today wants more from their job that just a paycheque. They also crave engagement, which creates better staff that are loyal, productive, and miss fewer work days.

At Landscape Ontario, we consistently hear from members that finding staff is one of their biggest challenges. This issue is not isolated to Ontario, nor is it an issue specific to our profession. To start to fix this problem, it’s time to re-examine your own business philosophies and culture, and stop blaming the high demands of potential employees.

Your company culture sets the stage for your day-to-day activities. The better your culture, the more engaged you and your team will be.

If all business owners developed a culture so great that employees wouldn’t want to leave, it could easily remedy these current challenges.

When a young visitor saw the LO staff’s newly-renovated offices for the first time, he said our space looked “just like Google.” And while it may look great, it has also given us a renewed energy and inspired us to function as a more effective team. Google, along with some other companies ranked best in the world for employee satisfaction, adopted some key components into their culture I have summarized as the “four Fs.”

Flexibility

Flexible companies that work with their staff to set schedules, accommodate time off and add variety to daily tasks show higher rates of employee satisfaction.

Giving employees flexibility adds ownership to their position. Give your staff the chance to own their role, so they can feel like more than just a bit cog part of the machine working for someone else. Provide opportunities for growth and development so that your team members don’t have to look elsewhere for these opportunities.

Employees who feel they play a crucial role toward achieving a common goal will be engaged, productive and enjoy coming to work.

Focus

Your company’s mission should also be your entire team’s mission. Everyone should be working toward a goal that is clearly communicated to all staff and they should know how their role contributes to the overall mission. By focusing on key values for your company, you provide opportunities for employees to align themselves with these goals and values, creating greater job satisfaction and engagement with the company. Focus also refers to a company’s need to focus on the needs of staff. Without these people, you have no business. Without your business, your staff have no job. There is a reciprocal interest here that must be respected. By addressing the needs of your staff and creating a healthy work environment, you will earn yourself reliable, hardworking employees focused on the success of your business.

Myscha Stafford LO Membership and Chapter Coordinator myscha@landscapeontario.com

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Fun

We all spend a lot of time at work, so there has to be some element of fun. It can’t be all fun and games, but companies that make an extra effort by providing staff with unique perks can create higher job satisfaction. Team building activities, staff celebrations and contests are just some examples. I recently came across the NVK Staff Newsletter, which inspired me to create one for the LO office staff. It’s a simple way to keep things light-hearted and connect employees in a fun way. Other perks like health and dental benefits, classified as FUNdamentals, have also been proven to increase employee engagement.

Family

You have likely heard our executive director say on at least one occasion that Landscape Ontario is like one big family. Your co-workers truly do become like a second family — especially in those really busy months where you spend more time at work than at home.

Families treat each other with respect, have open and honest communication, and value what each unique person brings to the table.

Families also have disagreements, but it’s the way these situations are handled that matter most. Think the Bradys (the Brady Bunch) rather than the Lannisters (Game of Thrones).

Stamp out the politics and drama in the workplace and create a culture that values openness, trust and hard work to create a healthy environment.

The new year offers an opportunity to develop new strategies for bolstering a positive company culture. I hope you make 2020 a fantastic year.

LANDSCAPE ONTARIO

PROSPERITY PARTNERS

The Boom-X Paradigm shift

T

here is a paradigm shift upon us that has been creeping into many industries for about 10 years. In this past year, it seems to have reached a critical mass. Those who don’t fully embrace it are being left behind in the labour market. It’s a transformational metamorphosis of our labour force, being driven by unexpected agents of change — not by the economy, but by younger generations that are thankfully joining our business teams.

If the terms: ‘gig economy,’ ‘boomerang employees’ and ‘tours of duty’ are unfamiliar, it’s time for you to get with this paradigm shift that is now upon us. I’ve created a new thought-leader term for it: the ‘Boom-X Paradigm’ as it applies to the Baby Boomers and Gen-Xers who make up the majority of employers at the present time. Let me explain…

The way in which we recruit and seek employment has been turned upside down.

If you’re an employer, I’d dare to wager that you had at least one candidate not show up for an interview this past year. For the tech savvy, finding a job, or for that matter, a better job, is like finding a new pair of jeans — just search, click, and you get what you want, when you want it. There so much to choose from. That’s why many don’t show up for interviews. They browsed your job posting like a store in a mall — with so much selection out there, the choice then becomes one of convenience and the best deal. This is the impact of technology on recruiting and job hunting.

For several years, I’ve been reading, observing, listening and brainstorming on the subject of employee attitudes. I’m absolutely convinced that our biggest labour

challenge is rooted in how employers think about the structure of their business and the people who work there. Using the same jeans shopping analogy, selling your brand ahead of the competition is more about convenience, simplicity and appeal to the buyer.

Jobs are the item for sale and Millennials and Gen Z are the buyers. And God bless them, because they are forcing us to reinvent old, stale habits.

I believe our companies aren’t unappealing because of what we do, but because of how we think. In fact, what we do in the landscape field is totally aligned with Millennials’ desire to contribute to the overall good of the climate, communities and the environment.

We need to transform our ways and tap into this fact to solve our labour crisis. Employers need to learn how to navigate the Boom-X Paradigm shift — and FAST! Many employers still think about filling seats in trucks and not what the criteria are to match the mindset of those they seek to bring on board.

Gone are the days of hiring labourers and treating them as such. No self-respecting Millennial is going to be treated as a labourer.

This wonderful, creative generation is looking for more opportunity. They want to bring meaning to their day by making purposeful contributions to the big picture and being a part of the solutions and success. They want to be included, and despite what you think, they are not lazy. If you engage them properly, you won’t be able to keep up with them.

In the past, business success across many industries has been achieved by focusing on efficiency, in a stable and highly-predictable environment. Workers chose a trade and stuck with one career, or one company, for life. It was an era when people were man-

Jacki Hart CLM Prosperity Partners Program Manager info.peertopeer@landscapeontario.com

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aged as a commodity to produce profit. I’ll paraphrase Simon Sinek’s formula: People + Productivity = Profit.

Today, we face a different reality which is unstable and highly unpredictable. This new reality is made up of changing attitudes toward work and a rapidly-changing marketplace. Recent statistics across all industries indicate that 80 per cent of employees under the age of 35 will change jobs every three to five years. The reasons for job change vary, but ‘lousy boss’ is the highest ranked, and better pay one of the lowest.

I have come to believe that what has made our industry successful in the past (People + Productivity = Profit) is a big part of what’s holding us back from success now and will in the future. The Boom-X Paradigm is shifting to both a focus on effectiveness and engagement in a way never thought of before now. Profit now must be managed as a commodity used to grow and nurture the people. This new reality demands a new formula for success: People + Purpose = Performance.

I’ve spent the last year developing ways to help employers deploy fresh thinking to solve stale problems — and they’re getting better results — so I’ve seen first-hand and know there’s more to solving the labour shortage than looking at attracting different demographic groups. As an industry, we need to engage, equip and empower our teams and ignite leaders with new beliefs.

The Boom-X Paradigm is here to stay!

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