Landscape Ontario - May 2018

May 2018 HortTrades.com

BUSINESS AND PLEASURE Landscape business ownership allows James Walke a lifestyle like no other.

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PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE A lesson from the farm

By Warren Patterson LO President

T

he new generation is at least two generations removed from the farm.

The farm is where hard work gets done every single day. If you were born in the ’60s or earlier, you either grew up on a farm or had a relative or family friend who did.

You saw the hard work that needed to get done and everyone pitched in when needed.

Today’s generation doesn’t do manual labour, let alone are able to describe what it means. So how attracted will they be to an industry that has job postings for labourers as the entry level position?

To solve this problem, we need to market our industry differently and begin to work differently.

I have talked to many contractors in the last three months. Most have a problem finding labour. The ones that seem to be able to fill their benches have one thing in common: they are removing the

May, 2018 • Volume 36, No. 5 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.

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Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: Circulation Department Landscape Ontario 7856 Fifth Line South, Milton, ON L9T 2X8 Canada Phone: 905-875-1805

manual labour aspect of their work as much as possible.

These businesses are investing heavily in equipment to attract operators rather than labourers. Not to say that equipment can do all of the work. When the majority of sidewalk shovelling is done by a stand-up snowplow, the new generation looks at that type of work differently. They have already spent countless hours driving things in video games, so it is a natural extension of their childhood.

Able to better manage productivity with equipment and depending on the type of equipment, quality becomes more consistent and controllable. Using more equipment also provides more job opportunities to those who can’t physically endure a full day’s worth of manual labour.

Last week, I visited LO member, Mark Humphries, owner of Direct Landscape Supply and Humhpries Landscape Services in Durham. Mark is a forward thinker. He is actively promoting robotic mowers to his lawn services clients. I was surprised to learn the payback time on this technology is very short. The outcome for the customer is the same — a

Editor Robert Ellidge rellidge@landscapeontario.com, 647-722-5645 Assistant editor Scott Barber sbarber@landscapeontario.com, 647-478-3171 Multimedia designer/IT coordinator 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 Publisher Lee Ann Knudsen CLM lak@landscapeontario.com, 416-848-7557 LANDSCAPE ONTARIO STAFF Darryl Bond, Amy Buchanan, Kim Burton, Tony DiGiovanni CHT, Denis Flanagan CLD, J. Alex Gibson, Meghan Greaves, Sally Harvey CLT CLM, Heather MacRae, Kristen McIntyre CHT CEM, Kathy McLean, Linda Nodello, Kathleen Pugliese, John Russell, Ian Service, Myscha Stafford, Tom Somerville, David Turnbull, Lissa Schoot Uiterkamp, Martha Walsh, Cassandra Wiesner

nicely manicured lawn, but the business benefits and opportunities are far greater.

Robotic mowers create both upfront and recurring revenue that is scalable.

But more importantly, the skills and interest required of staff are totally different from current lawn care technicians.

This new employment opportunity is part technician, part technologist, part robotics engineer. Think of the job posting and how many young people would be interested in this: “Robotic Technologist.”

Today’s generation is not going to change for us. We need to change for them. We need to look at everything we do in our businesses and move to more technology, robotics and equipment if we are to have sustainable, growing businesses.

Oh, and getting back to the farm…. my brother-in-law owns a dairy farm and all his cows are milked by robots. It seems times have changed, even on the farm.

Warren Patterson may be reached at warrenpatterson@barriegardencentre.com.

4 6 7 15 16 17 18 22 22

FEATURES TOTAL GARDENING SERVICES CERTIFICATION TEST DAY

ASSOCIATION NEWS NEW MEMBERS EVENTS INDUSTRY NEWS COLUMNS ADVERTISERS CLASSIFIEDS

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 2018, 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).

For subscription and address changes, please e-mail subscriptions@landscapeontario.com

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concerts, in choirs, or at funerals.

Walke finds many of Total Gardening’s customers are supporters of the arts and are often “impressed when they go out for an evening of quality entertainment and see their landscaper onstage in a tuxedo, not only performing, but often doing solo work.”

Walke says that combination builds a unique business relationship, including a handful of loyal customers that have been with him for over two decades.

Focus and balance

Total Gardening Services focuses on residential maintenance in Guelph, Ont.

Making the right choices for 35 years

By Robert Ellidge The arrival of spring in 2018 marks a milestone for James Walke, president of Total Gardening Services. His Guelph Ont.based landscape maintenance, construction and snow removal business has now been in operation for 35 years.

Over those years, Walke has had to adapt to many challenges and make conscious decisions about the focus, direction and future of his business. Those decisions have led to a lifestyle Walke believes would not be possible in any other profession, allowing him to both make a decent living and spend time participating in musical performance, something he thoroughly enjoys.

Currently, Walke sings with three choirs: The Guelph Chamber Choir, The University of Guelph Symphonic Choir, and St. George’s Anglican Choir.

Finding the right career path

Walke’s career actually began at age 12 — cutting grass where he lived in Toronto.

At 15, he became a soloist and cantor at his church and began making good money singing church services, weddings and funerals. In his late teens, he worked at St. Joseph’s Health Centre in Toronto as a male nursing attendant and was accepted into the nursing program of two area colleges.

Headed for a career in nursing, Walke says his father talked him out of it because nursing was not considered a ‘manly’ career choice back in 1979.

4 LANDSCAPE ONTARIO MAY 2018

Walke fell back to his other love, music performance, and began classes at Humber College, but was forced to leave the program due to health issues.

The University of Guelph was the next stop in Walke’s education, headed on a new path that would lead to a degree in law. While at university, Walke continued singing and performing and worked successfully in various sales jobs, learning valuable lessons about customer service.

In his third year of university, Walke returned full circle to his first-ever job and decided to cut lawns once again.

“I had flyers made up, bought an old van and a lawnmower and I was in business in 1983,” Walke explains. I named the company Total Gardening Services, incorporated in 1987 and have been operating as such for the last 35 years.”

Expansion and growth

By 1990, the company Walke started had grown to three trucks with six employees.

But with the added work came added headaches and Walke did not see that as the type of lifestyle he wanted lead.

With further expansion on the horizon, Walke says he made the conscious decision to stay small: “At that point, I decided I wasn’t going to go big and I was going to be happy staying small and being manageable,” he says.

By staying small, Walke says he can provide exceptional service to the clients he does take on and can also afford time to perform on stage as a soloist in benefit

Walke’s decision to stay has small proved to be a blessing for the survival of his business during several challenging periods.

Around 1998-2000, Walke says he noticed a shift in business practices, and some much larger franchises entered the Guelph market, offering lower priced maintenance to commercial property owners.

His competitors offered lower standards and prices, instead of fair annual increases based on long-term relationships.

Once again, Walke made a conscious business decision to provide maintenance services only to residential customers, and to focus only within the Guelph area.

In 2009, the biggest challenge yet to Walke’s business came knocking with the Ontario government’s implementation of the Cosmetic Pesticide Ban — lawn care had become a large part of the services provided by Total Gardening.

“The government came along and literally wiped out my 25-year business,” Walke says of the total number of customers he lost, “It was absolutely crushing.”

Through hard work and exceptional customer service, Walke has since recovered and says he now has as much work as he cares for. He is honest with potential customers about what he can and can’t deliver.

Community support

Walke says a number of health issues over the years have also presented challenges to running a business. In 2014, Walke had major open heart surgery.

In his time of need, Walke was fortunate to have the support of his church and local community. While in hospital in Newmarket for four days, Walke says “The people at St. George’s Anglican Church were really good to me,” describing how the priest looked after his dogs and recalling how the priest and organist made the hour and a half journey from Guelph to Newmarket just to visit him in hospital. While recovering at home, Walke says the support continued as the priest would check in on him and arranged for meals to be delivered to Walke at home every day for six weeks

Sales from his music CD allowed James Walke to purchase two defibrillators for St. George’s Anglican Church in Guelph, Ont., and pay for training for 10 staff.

while he recovered.

Walke truly appreciated the amount of support he received, so in 2015 he began working on a project to give back, combining his love and talent in music.

“The entire community were so good to me and so supportive before, during and after the surgery that I felt I had to do something to thank them,” Walke explains. “I recorded a CD of religious music that I have been hired to sing at funerals and named it “Mourning Music.” It was kind of a play on the fact I had survived a silent killer.

I produced a professional CD and sold 300 CDs — enough to purchase and install two defibrillators at St. George’s Anglican Church and pay for 10 people on staff to be trained on them.”

Walke is now working on a second CD to benefit Guelph Wellington Hospice.

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Training and lessons learned

Walke included the training as part of his donation to the church because he says training is paramount when it comes to the operations of his business. Over the years, Walke has attended countless seminars and completed a number of courses. “I remember my father telling me when I graduated university, ‘Son, don’t think that today ends the process of learning. Never stop taking courses, whatever they may be. Never stop learning.’”

Industry mentors

When the business got underway in 1983, Walke began dealing with Peter Olsen of Royal City Nursery. “Peter was great,” Walke recalls. “He took me under his wing and gave me a lot of information on both horticultural and business practices. Peter was the one who urged me and sponsored me to join Landscape Ontario. And once I was a member, Peter suggested I put my name forward to run for the board of directors. I agreed, and he nominated me.”

Walke was a member of the Provincial Board of Directors for several years and president of the Waterloo Chapter from 1992 to 1993, including chair of the chapter’s annual Fall Freeze Up social event.

“Volunteering with LO gave me an incredible step up in operating my business,” Walke says. “I will forever be greatful to people like Peter Olsen, Paul Grobe of Grobe Nursery (I sang at Perry Grobe’s wedding!) and John Wright of Wright Lawn Care. All three men were incredibly generous in sharing their tips for running a successful business and educating me in horticultural practices.

All three mentors have now passed on. I hope in some way, my 35 years of business success is part of their legacy.”

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Demonstrating safe work practices is a requirement for Landscape Industry Certification.

Certification supports stronger growth and career opportunities

By Adam Braun CLT

On June 23, another round of Landscape Industry Certification candidates will descend up Landscape Ontario’s home office in Milton, Ont. Their goal is to challenge the tests and prove they can demonstrate a standard level of competency and safe work practices.

My name is Adam Braun and I became certified in 2011.

Since then, I have sat on the Certification Committee and participated in each test day as a judge. In that time, I have interacted with many people with varying degrees of knowledge, including students of horticulture from well-known colleges at the pinnacle of their careers, industry veterans making new commitments to themselves as professionals, and newcomers to the profession looking to learn and grow in the green industry amongst

supportive peers. All of them have different reasons and motivations for seeking an industry designation and all of them share the goal of seeking to align themselves as professionals. All have inspired stories.

I often reflect on my own path in the days and weeks leading up to certification test day. What brought me here? I have always worked outdoors in horticulture or in similar roles. I maintained parks and was a facility attendant for the City of Kitchener. At the same time, I worked as a grounds care labourer for a private park, where I would eventually become the operations manager. I never thought I would end up with the career I have now.

I studied art and design throughout high school and later attended the Ontario College of Art and Design in Toronto. But all the while I continued to work outdoors — planting gardens, and maintaining park spaces. I came to the realization that although I love art and design, I believe I was meant to work in the green profession. For me, certifica-

Candidates are supported by judges and volunteers at each test day.

6 LANDSCAPE ONTARIO MAY 2018

tion became a critical step after that realization. I had plenty of experience: eight seasons through school and an additional four years in a full-time role. With certification came validation, and I carry that with me every single day in this profession.

On certification test day it’s always exciting to see all the passionate individuals come out on a Saturday. Some come from as far as Quebec to challenge their practical knowledge and technical skills in an effort to become Landscape Industry Certified. Becoming certified is a mark of professionalism which designates you as someone who has demonstrated a standard level of competency and safe work practices in this industry. It’s not a requirement for the job, but those that have it should be very proud. They are the ones who are making our industry stronger and helping us to raise the bar — and creating more career opportunities for themselves along the way.

As committee members and judges, coming out on test day gives us a chance to engage with the next generation of landscape professionals. We love and enjoy that opportunity. It’s a way to promote the strength of our trade and support its growth for the future. Together, we are proud to be Landscape Industry Certified professionals.

Good luck to all the candidates who have signed up to participate this year, and congratulations on taking this important step to reward yourself and your profession.

For more details on Landscape Industry Certification, including test dates and an application form, visit LandscapeIndustryCertified.com.

Adam Braun is a Sales and Project Manager at CSL Group in Ancaster, Ont.

ASSOCIATION NEWS

Discussions included common concerns of women in the landscaping profession.

First Women in Landscaping event Women in Landscaping held its first event on a sunny, wintry morning at Fanshawe College in London, Ont., on March 2.

Women in Landscaping is a grass-root movement with the goal to welcome, support, learn and inspire others in the landscaping and horticulture profession to

e

see the potential career paths available to everyone.

The group is led by four leaders in the profession: Carla Bailey, TLC Landscaping; Pam Cook, Fanshawe College; Michelle Peeters, Ron Koudys Landscape Architects; and Riley Irwin,

Baseline Nurseries — all from different walks of life.

At the inaugural event, over 30 professionals and educators who attended heard keynote speaker, Sally Harvey, CAE, CLT, CLM, Director of Education and Labour Development at Landscape Ontario, speak passionately about her entrepreneurial path and extensive background within the profession. Following Harvey’s address, lively roundtable and panel discussions produced engaging conversations about common concerns of women in the profession.

From students to professionals, college grads to life-long learners, the range of perspectives made for meaningful conversations and a memorable experience for all.

Organizers would like to recognize the following event sponsors: Fanshawe College, Baseline Nurseries and Garden Centre, Ron Koudys Landscape Architects, TLC Landscaping Design & Pools.

For information on upcoming events, please check out Women in Landscaping at Facebook.com/womenlandscaping or email womeninlandscaping@gmail.com.

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ASSOCIATION NEWS TORONTO CHAPTER SUPPORTS COMMUNITY PROJECTS ACROSS THE GTA

This year, the Toronto Chapter of Landscape Ontario decided to repeat the bursary program initiated in 2017 that offered grants to community greening initiatives.

Due to the overwhelming number of fantastic applications last year, the chapter board also decided to increase the budget for 2018. A total of $15,000 was made available to distribute to applicants, with a maximum of $1,500 awarded to any one project.

The intent of the bursary program is two-fold: to encourage and support worthy greening activities in communities, and to promote Landscape Ontario’s ‘Green for Life’ brand. This year, the chapter received requests to support community gardens, pollinator plantings, native plant gardens, laneway rehabilitation projects, as well to support organizations that in turn support all these activities through sharing of

knowledge and resources.

The successful applicants for the 2018 program are: Bilton Laneway Bowery Project Cedarvale Community Garden The Church of St. Stephens in the Field The David Suzuki Foundation’s Butterflyway Project Donview Middle Health and Wellness Academy Guildwood Butterflyway Project Horticultural Societies of Parkdale and Toronto Laneway Garden Laneway Project Oakvillegreen Conservation Association Parkdale Village Business Improvement Area PARC The Seed Library Commons Sunnybrook Hospital All successful applications included a clear vision of community benefit from

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The Toronto Chapter’s 2017 bursary program supported a number of community initiatives, including Bowery Project — a not-for-profit organization that grows food for local shelters in milk crates on vacant lots.

the project; a viable implementation plan, including a realistic budget; a strong, experienced team of engaged volunteers and ongoing maintenance planning. In many cases the projects reflected longterm engagement by dedicated community members, and it was gratifying to the committee members who reviewed the funding requests to be able to support

these enterprising groups.

The chapter invites all LO members to review the list of projects and to consider supporting one of these projects directly by way of labour, materials or expertise.

Some members have already agreed to provide materials or services to some of the projects at no cost. Many of the funding requests included purchase and delivery of soil amendments, mulch or plant material. Members could help out by providing left-over paving materials, extra plants or natural stone, or simply offering to deliver materials at cost or for free to help maximize a projects budget and allow for other expenditures.

Keep an eye on LO’s social media outlets for updates throughout the season as these projects get under way. LO members should take pride in knowing the fundraising activities of local chapters helps to support many deserving initiatives.

If you would like to support one of the community projects, contact Myscha Stafford at myscha@landscapeontario.com.

GOLDEN HORSESHOE CHAPTER GETS READY FOR SPRING

Landscape Ontario’s Golden Horseshoe Chapter held its annual Gear Up for Spring event at the Ancaster Fairgrounds on March 27. Over 400 landscape profes-

Alicia Reid and Chris DeCock from Ferrell Builders’ Supply accept the best booth award.

sionals attended the event that included sold out exhibit space, new products and free safety training from the Ministry of Transportation – Ontario and Halton Police Commercial Vehicle Inspection Unit.

Congratulations to best booth winners: Ferrell Builders’ Supply (first place), Martek Supply (second place), and Millgrove Perennials (third place).

Organizers would like to thank main event sponsor, Windmill Power Equipment, for its support.

Gear Up for Spring will return next year on March 26, 2019.

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ASSOCIATION NEWS

additional topics, including: • Rick Serrao, General Seed, lawn care best practices.

• Bob Reeves, Root Rescue, microbial life in soil.

• Ed Sobkowich, Ed Sobkowich Greenhouses, walked the audience through his favourite new plant introductions as well as tried-and-true selections from Proven Winners.

• Ernest Williams, Aquascape, highlighted how waterscaping can help generate revenue.

At the event, Connon’s Terry Vanderkruk welcomed guests and announced the company will now have a horticulturist on staff answering phones in order to also help with plant related questions.

Experts on various topics were brought in to speak to contractors.

CONNON CBV PREPS CONTRACTORS FOR SPRING

The Connon Nurseries/CBV Holdings crew held a two-day trade open house at its Robson Road location in Waterdown, Ont., March 20-21 featuring full educational seminars created to help landscape

contractors and ground managers hit the ground running this spring.

Seminar topics included landscape design concepts for small spaces, annuals and tropical patio plant trends, and new nursery stock and perennials. Special guests were brought in to speak about

LO CHAPTERS PROVIDE FINANCIAL SUPPORT TO NEXT GENERATION OF PROFESSIONALS

With the plethora of chapter meetings, events and training activities that go on throughout the year, it is clear the nine regional chapters of Landscape Ontario are extremely committed to education. In addition to hosting these education based events, LO chapters are also committed

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to furthering the development of emerging professionals in the landscape and horticulture profession. Some chapters offer scholarships, grants and bursaries to support these future members of the green profession while in pursuit of their horticultural education.

The Ottawa Chapter has a $500 scholarship available to a graduate of any horticultural program in Ontario who is currently working for a member of Landscape Ontario’s Ottawa Chapter. Applications are due by June 30.

The Upper Canada Chapter has three available scholarships of $500 for students who have furthered the development of a horticulture education and awareness within the Upper Canada Chapter. The three scholarships have been named for the East, Central and West regions within the Upper Canada Chapter; the Dan Clost Scholarship, the Lisa Purves-Smith Scholarship and the Esmonde-White Scholarship. Eligible students must be enrolled in a college or university within the boundaries of the chapter. The application deadline is March 31 each year.

Special considerations may be given if a candidate’s school is within the geographical region, but resides outside the boundary. The Upper Canada Chapter would like to congratulate Rachel Craig, recipient of the 2018 Dan Clost Scholarship.

The Waterloo Chapter has a scholarship of $750 for up to 10 first-year apprentices who are in the process of completing the practical, hands-on component of their training with a member within the chapter.

The 2018 Waterloo Chapter apprenticeship scholarship recipients are: • Roman Cordova, John’s Nursery, attending Fanshawe College.

• Jason McDaid, John’s Nursery, attending Fanshawe College.

• Aaron Duncan, Snider’s TLC, attending Fanshawe College.

• Kerry Kollar, Royal City Nursery, attending Humber College.

• Dana Van Oosterwijk, Dreamestate Landscaping, attending Fanshawe College.

• Rachel Den Engleman, Crewsons Corners Landscaping, attending Humber College.

A second scholarship, the Waterloo Chapter Green Industry Scholarship, is a $1,000 bursary available to a student enrolled in a ‘green profession’ program as it relates to one of LO’s 11 sector groups. The applicant must be attending an accredited college or university, and be a member of the Waterloo Chapter, including family, employee of a

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ASSOCIATION NEWS member company or family of an employee. Applications are due by June 30 and are reviewed by the Waterloo Chapter Board of Directors.

In addition to these specific chapter scholarships, the Ontario Horticultural Trades Foundation (OHTF) and Cullen Family Scholarship Program offer over $40,000 in annual scholarships to post secondary, post-graduate apprenticeship students pursuing a careers in the green profession.

In the last 10 years alone, the Foundation has awarded over $330,000 in scholarships to students pursuing a career in the green profession.

The deadline to apply for scholarships is June 30, 2018. Learn more about the many opportunities available that support education at HortTrades.com/scholarships.

NVK HOLDINGS TO HOST INDUSTRY AUCTION SEPT. 13

Landscape Ontario’s Growers Group will hold its annual buying event for garden centres, contractors and plant lovers at NVK Holdings, 1155 Hwy. 5, Dundas, Ont., on Sept. 13. The full-day event features a live auction of nursery stock and live judging of entries in LO’s Growers Awards of Excellence Program. Money raised from the auction helps to fund industry research and scholarships.

The schedule of events on auction day begins with the lot preview and farm

Various lots of plant material go up for bid at the annual industry auction.

tours from 10 to 11:45 a.m., followed by a free lunch and refreshments. The live auction will begin sharply at 1 p.m. and end around 3:30 p.m. Winning lots will be ready for pick up upon completion.

The auction offers buyers some of the best nursery stock in Ontario — skids of trees, shrubs and perennials, as well as related products and individual silent auction items — all donated by retailers, suppliers, contractors and growers within the landscape community. Be ready to bid on plant materials of all colours, shapes and sizes, landscape supplies, and hard goods. There is no entry fee or RSVP required.

Proceeds from the event help to fund industry research, scholarships and sector development and promotion through the Ontario Horticultural Trades Founda-

tion. Over the past 10 years alone, the auction has raised just over $200,000 and the Foundation has awarded just shy of $900,000 to support research and scholarships.

The event also offers grower members of Landscape Ontario the opportunity to showcase their best plant material by entering the LO Growers Awards of Excellence Program. Entries are judged and winners are announced on-site before being auctioned off at the event.

Winners in the Growers Program will be presented with a plaque during a ceremony at the Garden Centre Symposium on Jan. 9, 2019 in conjunction with Congress.

To donate items to the auction, enter the Awards of Excellence program, or for more information, please visit IndustryAuction.ca.

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IN MEMORIAM TRACY EASTMAN

Humphries Landscape Services and Direct Landscape Supply of Oshawa, Ont., are sad to announce the sudden and unexpected passing of Tracy Eastman on April 9, 2018 at the age of 57.

Tracy was the companies’ financial controller, a valued member of the team, and the glue that held the team together.

A funeral was held in Oshawa, Ont., on April 16.

Donations to the Breast Cancer Foundation would be greatly appreciated.

For online condolences, please visit armstrongfh.ca.

VOLUNTEERS UNITE TO CLEAN UP THE PARK FOR EARTH DAY

Over 30 volunteers from Landscape Ontario member companies worked with volunteers from the local community for the seventh annual Clean Up the Park Day at St. James Park in downtown Toronto on April 21. Supported by the St. Lawrence Market BIA, Plant Products and Lawn Life, the Earth Day weekend event provided some much needed maintenance to the park in only a few short hours.

The event is organized by members of the LO Turf Maintenance Sector Group, spearheaded by Kyle Tobin and Alan White.

Thank you to the following companies and individuals who volunteered for the event: Allweather Landscape: Samantha Cain, Allan Hyslop, Richard Lubbers, Jordan Rice.

Clintar Landscape Management: Andrew Kousik, Jennifer Heath, Marco Neofotistos, Lindsay Renner,

Green industry volunteers assembled at the park’s gazebo to go over the maintenance plan before getting to work.

Jose Santiago, Robert Warr, Brian Welch.

LawnSavers Plant Health Care: Stacey Atkins, Kevin Chan, Josh Pavely, Haseeb Popal, Kyle Tobin, Tristen Tobin, Jeff Walsh.

Turf Systems: Steph Brydon, Veronica Duff, Matt Fraser, Robyn Kurvits, Andrew Maganja, Clayton Markham, Mike Taylor, Alan White, Kelsey White.

Weedman: Marshall Irving, Deo Ottaviani, Ian Pascual, Steve Tschanz.

Organizers would also like to thank the following individuals who volunteered: Chris Clayton, Christopher Clayton Landscape Architect; Bob Tubby, Arbordale Landscaping; Don Voorhees.

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SCHOLARSHIP PROFILE Jana Freeman appreciates native plants With a passion for native plants and naturalized landscapes, Jana Freeman was the perfect fit for the Horst Dickert Memorial Scholarship. The Foundation scholarship, created by the Dickert family to honour industry pioneer Horst “Dynamite” Dickert, is awarded each year to a post-secondary student with an interest in native plants and their use in the landscape.

Freeman, a second year student in the Landscape Technician program at Humber College, fit the bill.

“I enjoy the challenge of reintroducing native plants to the landscape that used to be there, but have been pushed out,” Freeman explained, adding she also strives to fight the issue of plant blind-

14 LANDSCAPE ONTARIO MAY 2018

ness. “I think it’s important to introduce people to the plants they are walking by every day, without really knowing what they are or why they are important to the environment.”

Freeman grew up with an appreciation for plants, and her interest grew after taking a botany elective in high school. That experience led Freeman to the landscape ecology program at Laurentian University, where she focused on landscape restoration.

While she learned a great deal at Laurentian, Freeman says the program and the career paths it was designed for were “too hands-off” for her. A lifelong gardener, Freeman was looking for a career that would allow her to work hands-on, in

the field with plants in the landscape.

Now, as Freeman approaches the end of her tenure at Humber College, she is “thrilled with the courses and the career options it is leading towards.”

One aspect of the college that has been particularly beneficial was Freeman’s work experience at the Humber Arboretum. “I was fortunate to be part of a research project that was looking at invasive Phragmites,” Freeman said.

“We were organically removing them from waterways and water meadows. And I was also a research assistant for a project where we were studying native pollinator plants for highway roadsides.”

Freeman was also part of the arboretum’s maintenance team, which worked towards controlling invasive species on the property, including dog-strangling vine and garlic mustard.

This season, Freeman will be working with perennial plants at Plant World in Etobicoke, Ont. “I’m looking forward to spending the summer there while gaining some valuable industry experience,” Freeman said.

“Long term, I’m hoping to end up with a grower that has a native focus, likely down in the Niagara area.”

NEW MEMBERS DURHAM D&G Property Maintenance Ltd David Quinnell 2390 Annanwoods Dr Pickering, ON L1X 2K6 Tel: 905-426-8015 Membership Type: Active

DMS/EMRGCanada

Dave McCutcheon 610 Neal Dr Peterborough, ON K9J 6X7 Tel: 705-750-1111 Membership Type: Active

GEORGIAN LAKELANDS All Ways Roofing & Siding

Kenneth Robertson 1-3365 Muskoka Rd 117 Baysville, ON P0B 1A0 Tel: 705-644-9313 Membership Type: Chapter Associate

BPJ Renovations (Ontario 806631216) Brian Jones 3 Silver Cres Collingwood, ON L9Y 0G1 Tel: 905-601-3952 Membership Type: Chapter Associate

Chalmers Auto Body Ltd

Gary Chalmers 1624 George Johnston Rd Minesing, ON L0L 1Y0 Tel: 705-627-6021 Membership Type: Chapter Associate

Georgian Bay Home & Cottage Jonathan Funston 3049 Fesserton Sdrd Waubaushene, ON L0K 2C0 Tel: 705-730-4884 Membership Type: Active

Joanis Wood Services

David Joanis 807 Hwy 652 Cochrane, ON P0L 1C0 Tel: 705-262-9080 Membership Type: Chapter Associate

Northern Fertilizing (749441 ON Inc) Brian Castilloux 104 Lindsley Dr PO Box 190 Falconbridge, ON P0M 1S0 Tel: 705-693-3826 Membership Type: Active

Orillia Electric Ltd

Robert Williams 1082 Anderson Line Box 662 Coldwater, ON L0K 1E0 Tel: 705-623-6196 Membership Type: Chapter Associate

PV Enterprises

Phill Van Niekerk 111 Lionsgate Blvd Barrie, ON L4M 7E5 Tel: 705-716-9353 Membership Type: Active

R.B. Evans Landscaping Ltd Richard Evans 227 Santas Village Rd RR 1 Bracebridge, ON P1L 1W8 Tel: 705-646-0845 Membership Type: Active

Robertson Rent-All

Cameron Robertson 255 Michael Cowpland Dr Kanata, ON K2M 0M5 Tel: 613-834-1077 Membership Type: Chapter Associate

GOLDEN HORSESHOE

TORONTO

CB. Renovations

Action Home Services

Cargo Ease

Meridian Auto Sales Inc

Descon Pools Inc

Metro Asphalt Interlocking and Paving

Pools for Home Design

Perimeter Fence & Deck Inc.

Stonecast Contracting Ltd

Queen Beez Garden Design

Wellscape

Sticks and Stones Landscape Design & Construction Inc

Drew Hosty 1601 Brookbridge Dr Burlington, ON L7P 457 Tel: 905-516-7615 Membership Type: Interim Arthur Bluhm 22 John St Hagersville, ON N0A 1H0 Tel: 905-768-2650 Membership Type: Associate Luke Facey 111 Hwy 5 W Dundas, ON L9H 7L6 Tel: 905-928-9100 Membership Type: Active Marc Leblanc 207-2186 Mountain Grove Ave Burlington, ON L7P 4X4 Tel: 905-319-7502 Membership Type: Active Joe Lima 3161 Regional Road 8 Grassie, ON L0R 1M0 Tel: 905-643-3330 Membership Type: Active

Jeff Wells 183 Nisbet Blvd Waterdown, ON L0R 2H9 Tel: 905-466-2394 Membership Type: Active

LONDON Jeff Wischlinski

London, ON Membership Type: Horticultural

OTTAWA Green Works Contracting Inc Kellaway Thompson 800 River Rd Manotick, ON K4M 1B2 Tel: 613-406-7373 Membership Type: Active

Lockwood Brothers Construction Corey Lockwood 2010 Totem Ranch Rd E Oxford Station, ON K0G 1T0 Tel: 613-258-4225 Membership Type: Associate

Yevgeniy (John) Karpov 25 Cole St Toronto, ON M5A 4M3 Tel: 647-937-1023 Membership Type: Active

Michael Condren 1-295 Alliance Rd Milton, ON L9T 4W8 Tel: 905-876-8777 Membership Type: Chapter Associate Tony Strazzanti 7-241 Applewood Cres Concord, ON L4K 4E6 Tel: 905-761-9707 Membership Type: Associate Theodore Pelleboer 5200 Hwy 9 Schomberg, ON L0G 1T0 Tel: 905-939-9200 Membership Type: Associate Susan Martin 144 Jones Ave Toronto, ON M4M 3A3 Tel: 647-343-1392 Membership Type: Active

Kyle Stoll 1319 Redbank Cres Oakville, ON L6H 1X4 Tel: 647-393-5954 Membership Type: Active

Unique Hardscapes Inc Sean Hannan 29 Stewarttown Rd Halton Hills, ON L7G 4S5 Tel: 416-605-5691 Membership Type: Active

Utility Force Construction Inc David Beswick 50 Bertal Rd York, ON M6M 4M4 Tel: 905-266-1500 Membership Type: Associate

Daria Nardone

Toronto, ON Membership Type: Horticultural

WATERLOO Dal Hastings Haulage & Excavating Inc Jordan Hastings 1520 Edworthy Sdrd RR 2 Cambridge, ON N1R 5S3 Tel: 519-621-3839 Membership Type: Chapter Associate

Ground Force Environmental Inc Tyrone Heiman 75 Ardelt Pl Kitchener, ON N2C 2C8 Tel: 519-664-0767 Membership Type: Active

Krown Rust Control- Kitchener/Waterloo Nick Laurette 228 Shoemaker St Kitchener, ON N2E 3E1 Tel: 519-893-5999 Membership Type: Chapter Associate

Meadowville Landscape Systems Inc Joanne Saliba 687 Eramosa Rd Guelph, ON N1E 2N7 Tel: 519-836-6600 Membership Type: Active

Natmar Natural Stone

Mark Wilkie 58 Harper Cres Fergus, ON N1M 3V9 Tel: 519-820-4993 Membership Type: Associate

Vanica Inc

Javan Martin 16 Caroline St PO Box 169 Moorefield, ON N0G 2K0 Tel: 519-588-4908 Membership Type: Associate

WSM Construction Inc

Scott McBride 11 Pandora Ave N Kitchener, ON N2H 3C1 Tel: 519-465-0643 Membership Type: Chapter Associate

WINDSOR Rudak Excavating INC.

Brian Rudak 1578 Oriole Park Dr South Woodslee, ON N0R 1V0 Tel: 519-946-0297 Membership Type: Chapter Associate

Yard-Worx Landscape & Supply Shane Dupuis 3641 Charlevoix Ave Windsor, ON N9E 3B4 Tel: 519-980-5280 Membership Type: Active

Ottawa Home and Garden Andrew Peterson 632 Pleasant Park Rd Ottawa, ON K1H 5N5 Tel: 613-227-1054 Membership Type: Active

WWW.HORTTRADES.COM  15

EVENTS

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

May 15-16

June 1

June 16-24

Downtown Toronto The annual conference for architects, landscape architects, policy makers, manufacturers, growers, landscapers and green infrastructure professionals features a trade show, networking events, workshops and tours of projects across the GTA. Further details at GreytoGreenConference.org.

BraeBen Golf Course, Mississauga LO members are invited to help the OPA Foundation raise money for scholarships by registering for the golf tournament or becoming a sponsor. Details at OntarioParksAssociation.ca.

Organize an event in your community and participate in Canada’s annual coast to coast to coast celebration of gardens and gardening. See a full listing of events, register your own event or download a proclamation template to take to local government to have your town declare an ‘Official Garden Day.’ Visit GardenDays.ca.

May 16

Toronto Botanical Garden’s 31st annual selfguided garden tour will highlight 20 private gardens in the neighbourhood of Windfields Estate.

Visit TorontoBotanicalGarden.ca/mcttgg for details and to purchase tickets.

Grey to Green Conference

Member Appreciation Day

Beaver Valley Stone and 404 Stone, 8081 Woodbine Ave., Markham Join LO’s membership team for a free breakfast, free swag and find out how to get the most out of your LO member benefits.

May 29

TBG Blossom Party

Tickets and patron tables are now available at TorontoBotanicalGarden.ca for TBG’s annual garden party and fundraising event. Highlights include the announcement of the Monica van Maris Green Professionals Woman of Influence Award supported by LO and TBG.

Dave Gower Memorial Event

June 9-10

Through the Garden Gate

June 14-25

The Urban Forest of Tomorrow: Strategies for a Changing Environment

University of Toronto - Mississauga Campus This two-day conference features leading experts from three continents who will guide participants through the challenges and opportunities that environmental changes pose for our urban forests and focus on preparing for the future.

Details at ufis.ca.

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Garden Days

June 23

Landscape Industry Certified Exam

Landscape Ontario, Milton Verify your skills and expand your career path by becoming Landscape Industry Certified. Already certified? Volunteer as a judge to earn recertification credits. Visit LandscapeIndustryCertified.com.

June 26

ORCGA Golf Tournament

The Club at Bond Head, Bond Head Save the date for this annual gathering of stakeholders and suppliers in the damage prevention industry. Watch ORCGA.com for details.

INDUSTRY NEWS

HIRE A YOUTH AND GET UP TO $2,000

Six tips for spring safety At long last, it’s spring! Landscape and horticulture professionals are now out working in the elements and there are many outdoor hazards that come with the change of season.

“We’re in the middle of a transition from one season to the next,” says Workplace Safety and Prevention Services (WSPS) Consultant Kristin Hoffman. “We are still getting some winter hazards, starting to see some summer hazards, while managing some unique spring hazards. It’s a unique time of the year.”

Ideally, workplaces already have programs and controls in place for these hazards, but spring is a good time to review, refresh, evaluate and implement any opportunities for improvement.

Six hazards to prepare for

Severe weather. Crazy weather patterns seem to affect us particularly in spring.

There can be snow, rain, sleet, hail, thunderstorms, even tornados. Be clear about your expectations for outdoor workers, whether they are working onsite or in a remote location.

Dangerous driving conditions. In some parts of Ontario, driving in snow and ice persists well into spring. Other areas may be thawing out, resulting in flooding or muddy and slippery driving conditions.

Have protocols in place for every scenario and provide refresher training on defensive driving techniques and distracted driving.

Flooding and high water levels. Washed out roadways and creeks are a definite

hazard for both outdoor workers and drivers. Whether walking or driving, workers need to avoid flowing water (which can carry us or our vehicle away) and standing water (which may be deeper than we think and contain debris, tree branches or pot holes).

Slips, trips and falls. After everything melts, you need to protect workers from muddy, slippery conditions in your workplaces, especially in entrances, parking lots and on stairs. For servicebased businesses, there is extra liability if customers are hurt on your property.

Sun hazards. These include heat stress, sunburns and UV radiation. It’s easy to forget that the sun is no safer in April than it is in July. Don’t wait until summer to put your ultraviolet exposure policy in place, and provide proper breaks, shade and access to water.

Insects and vegetation. Poison ivy and ticks that may carry Lyme disease are prevalent in spring. It’s important for workers to wear gloves and long sleeves, and use insect repellent when working near long grass or forested areas.

Rodents may also have wreaked havoc on the wiring of equipment inside your facility. Check the wiring on all equipment that has not been used recently.

The WSPS website includes free downloads on a number of hazards and solutions, including slips, trips and falls, sun safety, housekeeping, working at heights, and more. Visit wsps.ca.

Employers who hire a young person (aged 15 to 29) through one of the province’s various employment services can receive up to $2,000 through the Employing Young Talent Incentive.

Jeff Leal, Minister Responsible for Small Business, made the announcement on Apr. 3 at Morello’s Independent Grocer in Peterborough, Ont., alongside Mitzie Hunter, Minister of Advanced Education and Skills Development (MAESD).

A $1,000 incentive is available to any small business with fewer than 100 employees who hires a young person through the provinces new Employment Service, or for larger companies who hire through Youth Job Connection.

An additional $1,000 retention incentive is also available after the person has been employed for only a few months.

Financial incentives are also available for hiring a high school student (15 to 18 years old) through the Youth Job Connection Summer program and additional financial help is available to offset training costs.

To qualify, employers must also prove they are licensed to operate in Ontario, comply with workplace, human rights and labour legislation, have workplace safety and liability insurance and offer job opportunities taking place in Ontario.

The incentives are part of a $124 million investment by the government to help youth aged 15 to 29 find a job through the Employing Young Talent Incentive.

For employers who hired youth clients through Employment Service before April 1, 2018, the first of their two $1,000 incentive payments will be delivered as a threemonth retention incentive rather than as a payment upon hiring.

For full details, visit ontario.ca/page/hire-young-person.

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EXECUTIVE DESK The power of story Tony DiGiovanni CHT LO Executive Director

I

recently attended a meeting of my counterparts from across North America. One of the sessions was called “How the 7 Elements of Story Telling Can Grow Your Business.” The speaker began the conference by telling us people love, respond to, and remember stories. In my experience, I know this to be true. I still have former students tell me they can recall stories I told them 30 years ago when I was a teacher at Humber College. I’ll bet they don’t remember the course subject matter.

The speaker then made the point that our websites and marketing materials are so full of information that people get overwhelmed and confused. Often, the messages are not about the customer, but about the company. We need to put ourselves in their place and demonstrate empathy and understanding.

While he was talking, I logged into our HortTrades.com website and tested his comments. I pretended to be a non-member

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18 LANDSCAPE ONTARIO MAY 2018

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interested in membership. What a wake-up call! It is very challenging for a non-member to understand how to become a member. Try this with your own website or marketing materials. How difficult is it for your customer to understand and hire you?

The speaker alluded to an excellent book by Donald Miller, called “Building a Story Brand: Clarify Your Message So Customers Will Listen.”

Spring is finally here, so to respect your time, I have chosen a few quotes from the book I hope will be helpful to you.

“Your customer should be the hero of the story, not your brand. This is the secret every phenomenally successful business understands.”

“The more simple and predictable the communication, the easier it is for the brain to digest. Story formulas put everything in order so the brain doesn’t have to work to understand what’s going on.”

“The first mistake brands make is they fail to focus on the aspects of their offer that will help people survive and thrive. The second mistake brands make is they cause their customers to burn too many calories in an effort to understand their offer.”

“The key is clarity. If you confuse, you’ll lose.”

“Here is nearly every story you see or hear in a nutshell: A CHARACTER who wants something encounters a PROBLEM before they can get it. At the peak of their despair, a GUIDE steps into their lives, gives them a PLAN, and CALLS THEM TO ACTION. That action helps them avoid FAILURE and ends in a SUCCESS.” “All marketing material should answer the following questions: What do you offer? How will it make my life better? What do I need to do to buy it?”

Here are the seven principles outlined in the book: 1. The customer is the hero, not your brand.

2. Companies tend to sell solutions to external problems, but customers buy solutions to internal problems.

3. Customers aren’t looking for another hero; they’re looking for a guide.

4. Customers trust a guide who has a plan.

5. Customers do not take action unless they are challenged to take action.

6. Every human being is trying to avoid a tragic ending.

7. Never assume people understand how your brand can change their lives. Tell them.

Here is how our story goes at Landscape Ontario: you are the hero. Your goal is to build a prosperous business that makes a positive difference in the lives of your family, employees and customers. As a business owner, life is a constant challenge to survive and thrive. You are responsible for enhancing the quality of life of your network, while trying to avoid the many pitfalls that lead to business failure. LO is here for you. We are your guide, coach and mentor. By engaging and collaborating with others who share your values and experiences, we develop a network that helps each other to succeed. We are your prosperity partner.

We are each other’s prosperity partners.

Tony DiGiovanni may be reached at tony@landscapeontario.com.

PUBLIC RELATIONS

phoning, e-mailing, mailing and calculating the results. I would like to thank Myscha, Meghan and Meredith from the membership department, and Kim from our communications department for her creative assistance.

Member Days

LO staff, Myscha Stafford, Kim Burton and Meghan Greaves discuss a targeted marketing campaign.

Three approaches to a membership makeover

By Denis Flanagan CLD LO Manager of Membership and Public Relations

W

e generally lose a few members over the winter months for various reasons. Some go out of business, some change the focus of their business, and some feel they are not getting enough value for their membership dollars.

Cost savings and benefits

When members don’t renew their dues, we often take the opportunity to chat with those business owners to remind them of the many benefits available to Landscape Ontario members. Using just one or two of the member savings programs offered through the endorsed supplier program administered by the Canadian Nursery Landscape Association (CNLA) can save enough money to cover the cost of dues for several years. Members also get access to some great resources, services and marketing materials.

We find that sometimes a company has not attended Congress or a local chapter meeting for a couple of years, or has lost track of all the educational, networking, information sessions and industry updates available to all LO members. In spring, land-

scape companies are extremely busy taking stock of their equipment, hiring crew, and preparing for the upcoming season. So when they finally get around to requesting free promotional material, or a confirmation letter of membership to save thousands of dollars on a new truck, they then realize these benefits are gone because they somehow forgot to renew their membership over the winter. If this happens to you, don’t worry, just contact our membership team to get re-instated right away.

Over the coming months our membership campaign will hit the road to hold our popular Member Days at the locations of some of our Associate members in various chapters across the province. We will serve breakfast, provide information on the many benefits available to LO members, and give out some free swag. We hope you can stop by.

Watch for dates, details and locations in your weekly LO e-news.

And finally, on the public relations front, we will be using what’s known as the pull-through effect, by sending out press releases focusing on how to hire a professional landscape company. The goal is to educate the public on what to look for and what to ask when hiring a contractor. Things like WSIB clearance, liability insurance, solid references, and of course, Landscape Ontario membership.

Denis Flanagan can be reached at dflanagan@landscapeontario.com or at 905-875-1805, ext. 2303.

Targeted marketing campaign

Our second approach to increase membership numbers involves an annual campaign directed at companies that should seriously consider becoming a member of the association. This year, we took a different approach. We used the information from various lists to narrow down eligible companies and then developed several different ways to market to them. In total, we targeted over 2,000 firms. Of these, 500 were phoned with a personalized message, 500 received a customized post card, and 1,000 were sent a personalized e-mail. We are tabulating the results and will give a report at the next provincial board meeting. Hopefully, the campaign will give us an indication of what marketing methods are most effective to companies in the landscape sector.

Of course, none of these targeted marketing efforts happened by magic. A hard working team spent the last few weeks

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WWW.HORTTRADES.COM 19

MEMBERSHIP Mental health in the workplace

By Myscha Stafford LO Membership and Chapter Coordinator

S

pring is a very stressful time for green professionals! The late arrival of spring has companies running behind a couple of weeks and staff returning after a long winter lay off have gone extra time without consistent income.

They will also have to work even longer hours to try and make up for lost time at an already super busy time of year.

With all this stress, it’s important to think about your own mental health and that of your employees. Can

Keep in touch with

LANDSCAPE

ONTARIO Join our discussion forum

http://linked.in/LOLinkedIn

@LOassocMag @LOMembership @TonyDiGiovanni1 @denisflanagan @green_for_life @LOevents

www.facebook.com/ landscapeontario

20 LANDSCAPE ONTARIO MAY 2018

you recognize the signs of an employee struggling with mental health? Can you navigate conversations around mental health? What resources does your company offer to employees around mental health? What strategies do you have in place for them to get help? As a business owner, helping employees overcome and cope with things like depression and addiction are your responsibility under employment laws in Ontario.

May 7-13 marks the 67th Mental Health Week hosted by the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA). Mental health is just as important as physical health. Statistics say one in five Canadians will experience a mental health problem this year.

As a business owner, the mental health of your staff has potential costs to your company. According to Workplace Safety and Prevention Services (WSPS), mental health accounts for 30 per cent of short- and long-term disability claims and costs the economy $51 billion annually.

To add to this, 85 per cent of employers rank stress as their top workforce risk. Add the risks of operating heavy machinery and equipment on a job site and the daily stressors of personal life, and that’s a lot of stress your staff are coping with.

Earlier this year, many LO chapter meetings across the province discussed mental health in the workplace. WSPS is a strong ally to the landscape and horticulture profession and can provide training opportunities, including workshops for managers (and forepersons), as well as consulting services to implement strategies and safeguards to manage mental health in the workplace.

Deborah Connors, a CMHA certified psychological health and safety advisor, leading Canadian workplace coach, speaker, and author suggests seven practices to improve mental health and promote a healthy, productive work environment. Five of her points are incredibly relevant to all employees and business owners alike: Increase positive emotions. Practice gratitude by writing down three things you’re grateful for every day. Incorporate this into your tailgate talks or team meetings. It releases stress, creates a

positive work environment and will bring your team closer together.

Ask yourself transformational questions such as, “What can I start doing on a daily basis that will help me achieve my goal?” These types of questions will help your staff stay motivated, encourage productivity as they work towards a goal, as well as feeling integrated and valued in the company.

Take real breaks, even if it’s only for a few minutes at a time. Allowing yourself frequent, short breaks and a change of pace such as a quick walk, or switching to a different type of task will energize you and enable you to refocus.

Move from a “vicious” cycle to a resilient cycle. The example Connors uses sounds like your average spring day for a landscaping company; “When the going gets tough, I just put my head down and work harder and longer to get the job done.” For short periods of time this might be okay, but for sustained periods (like spring) this just makes you more tired and a less effective employee. Make sure you continue to take time for yourself outside of work for important things like eating properly, sleeping, family time, etc.

How stressed are you are at work?

Connors suggests completing the Guarding Minds at Work initial scan: a sixitem questionnaire (guardingmindsatwork. ca/resources) that indicates how stressed or satisfied you are at work. These results can help you to develop strategies to manage stress at work.

Connors’ suggestions can easily be implemented into your company policies and practices. They will result in more engaged employees and you will be helping to contribute to the overall well-being of your staff. Being trained in mental health awareness will have positive effects on your company. By incorporating strategies into your workplace that recognize the mental health needs of staff, you will have fewer absentees, a more productive and effective team, and staff who are committed to a company that is making an effort to care for its workers. Who would want to leave a job like that?

More resources and helpful articles can be found on the WSPS website at WSPS.ca and at ThinkMentalHealth.ca.

Myscha Stafford can be reached at myscha@landscapeontario.com or 1-800-265-5656 ext.2333.

UNDERGROUND WORLD 2016 vs. 2017: No change in utility hits

By Terry Murphy CLM

T

he total number of utility hits in the province of Ontario went from 6,075 in 2007 down to 3,872 in 2014. This was a solid improvement we were all very proud of. Since then, however, that number has gone back up — increasing 33 per cent, bringing the total number of utility hits to 5,149 in 2017.

Why is it that we cannot continue to substantially reduce the number of underground utility hits in the province of Ontario?

The numbers indicate we are going in the wrong direction. When we look at the root causes for those utility hits, nothing has changed. The lack of locates is still the number one reason for utility damages. Let’s look at the overall numbers

and let you be the judge. It’s important to first note some of the increase may be due to an increase in the number of firms that are mandated by Bill 8 to submit their data and be part of the new provincial ON1CALL system.

It seems in the last three years we have gone to sleep at the switch. The trend in the numbers may not seem that serious, but it does signal there could be a fundamental problem that we should address now, rather than later. Let’s now look closer at the landscaping and fencing sectors of the green industry to see how we are doing. Some of this data was released only very recently.

Things have not changed very much for the landscaping and fencing sectors over the last 12 months. The green industry continues to be responsible for 15 per cent of the total underground utility hits in Ontario. This has remained the same for years. As you can see from Chart 1, we are relatively constant in the total number

CHART 1: TOTAL UTILITY HITS OVER FIVE YEARS

Year 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017

Total 5,006 3,872 4,595 4,597 5,149

Hits per 1,000 notifications 1.14 0.69 0.72 0.70 0.76

CHART 2: GREEN INDUSTRY PERFORMANCE Sector Fencing Landscaping Irrigation Agriculture Waterways Total

2015 362 318 11 1 1 693

2016 424 351 8 2 2 787

2017 428 338 11 4 1 782

Percent of total (2017) 8.3% 6.6% 0.02% Nil Nil 14.92%

CHART 3: HOMEOWNERS AND THE PUBLIC Year 2015 2016 2017

Public hits Total hits in province 651 4,595 599 4,597 631 5,149

Percent of total 14.2% 13.0% 12.3%

of hits in the province. Yes, we can take some consolation that the total hits per 1,000 notifications is slightly declining or remaining about the same. Chart 2 specifically deals with the landscape professions. Please note that while landscaping has made some small improvements, fencing is not improving at all and may require some attention.

The goal of the Ontario Regional Common Ground Alliance (ORCGA), is to educate all those who dig — contractors and the public — on the requirement by law for locates and the dangers lurking underground. Despite our efforts at Congress, Canada Blooms, and through various Dig Safe events, the numbers have not changed dramatically. Why is it that the statistics remain the same even with increased advertising through ON1CALL and the ORCGA? Is anyone listening?

Public awareness

Let’s look at the figures for homeowners/ the public to see how they are doing.

Just like the green industry, the public accounts for about 15 per cent of the total number of utility hits in the province.

Unlike industry, their overall numbers are coming down nicely. This could be due to many things, including a recent advertising campaign by ON1CALL on CTV, participation of the ORCGA at Canada Blooms/National Home Show, and work done in the 13 ORCGA Geographic Councils. This is great news and we will continue to work hard to keep the numbers going in the same positive direction.

The annual spring “Dig Safe” events in different municipalities also create great public awareness.

Conclusion

Although the numbers can be discouraging at times, efforts will continue with the goal of reducing the number of hits for all those who dig. Making drastic changes takes time and a lot of perseverance.

Our mission remains to educate both members and non-members of industry associations, as well as the public on the provincial law that requires all those who dig to first obtain locates.

Terry Murphy can be reached at tvmurphy@ca.inter.net.

WWW.HORTTRADES.COM 21

CLASSIFIEDS Rates: $50.85 (HST included) per column inch Deadline: 20th day of the month prior to issue date. Space is limited. To advertise: E-mail name, phone number and ad to classifieds@landscapeontario.com. Online advertising: Website only ads are available.

Website ads are posted for 31 days. Visit horttrades.com/classifieds. Post employment ads for free online at landscape.jobs.

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES LAWN AND GARDEN BUSINESS Toronto based lawn and garden business celebrating its 36th year anniversary for sale.

Included in sale; customers, trucks, plows, trailers, lawn and garden equipment, etc. Owner is willing to stay on for a period to make sure the buyer knows the customers, plus their requirements. Asking $100,000 plus equipment.

Serious inquiries only.

Call Paul 416-580-9223

Breaking news, events and membership information available online at HortTrades.com

ADVERTISERS Baumalight by MTB MFG

www.baumalight.com

866-820-7603

Page 8

www.brandt.ca

888-227-2638

Page 24

Brandt Tractor Ltd. Connon Nurseries/CBV Holdings Inc. Expressway Hino Waterloo

www.connon.ca

888-775-2687

Page 9

www.expresswaytrucks.com

800-558-7364

Page 18

www.gogps.com

866-964-6477

Page 16

www.glwp.ca

877-266-0636

Page 11

www.greenlifenursery.ca

613-692-3047

Page 11

www.haltonautolease.com

877-837-5674

Page 12

GoGPS Great Lakes Wood Products Inc. Greenlife - Ottawa Wholesale Nursery Halton Autolease Inc. John Deere Corporate

www.johndeere.ca

Page 2

John Deere Dealers

www.johndeere.ca

Page 23

M Putzer Nursery

www.putzernursery.com

905-878-7226

Page 5

www.metalpless.com

866-362-1688

Page 7

Millgrove Perennials Inc.

www.millgroveperennials.ca

888-867-1925

Page 14

Newroads National Leasing

www.newroadsleasing.com

416-587-1021

Page 14

www.pottersroadnursery.com

519-688-0437

Page 10

www.sipkensnurseries.com

866-843-0438

Page 8

Metal Pless Inc.

Potters Road Nursery Inc. Sipkens Nurseries Ltd. South Oakville Chrysler Fiat Stam Nurseries

www.southoakvillechrysler.com

905-845-6653

Page 10

www.stamnurseries.com

519-424-3350

Page 22

Sunbelt Rentals, Inc. Uxbridge Nurseries Limited V. Kraus Nurseries Ltd.

www.sunbeltrentals.ca

800-667-9328

Page 13

www.uxbridgenurseries.com

877-655-3379

Page 17

www.krausnurseries.com

905-689-4022

Page 16

SA VE TH ED AT E

LANDSCAPE ONTARIO’S

RY AUCTION INDUST

SEPTEMBER 13, 2018 and

G RO W E R

S

TRY AUCTION INDUS W E AR and G RO W ERS NC DS E OF EX CELL

A

INDUSTRY AUCTION Hosted by NVK Holdings Inc, DUNDAS, ONTARIO AW

Stam Nurseries Inc. 593836 Hwy 59, Burgessville ON N0J 1C0

Growing quality shade trees and evergreens P: 519-424-3350 F: 519-456-1659 info@stamnurseries.com

stamnurseries.com 22 LANDSCAPE ONTARIO MAY 2018

AR N LE DS O INDUSTRYAUCTION.CA F E XC E L G ROW E R S G RO U P

CE

Proceeds benefit industry research, scholarships, and sector development and promotion through:

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For more information, stop by your nearest Ontario John Deere dealership or visit online.

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DYNAMIC DUO. The Ditch Witch® SK755 and C16X provide the perfect one, two punch on your jobsite. Both machines deliver class-leading productivity with features like a high-drive track system and enhanced operator station that provide more ground clearance, greater lift capacity, faster ground speed, longer track life, and more operator comfort. SK mini skid steers also send more horsepower to the attachment for a knock-out blow to any competitor. Best of all, every DitchWitch product is supported by Brandt, the best 24/7, after-sales support team in the business. That’s Powerful Value. Delivered.

brandt.ca 1-888-227-2638 24 LANDSCAPE ONTARIO MAY 2018