Landscape Ontario - November 2017

FOUNDATION ANNUAL REPORT

November 2017 horttrades.com

HEALING GARDENS Brian Miller’s efforts assist patients and families affected by cancer.

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PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE Challenges facing the landscape profession

By Paul Brydges LO President

A

fter recently returning from the annual Great Lakes Conference in Indianapolis, Ind., along with Dave Wright and Tony DiGiovanni, we were pleased to see almost all of the Great Lakes horticultural trade associations have rebounded from the downturn of 2009. As expected, topics at the conference ranged from Millennials to the value of staff as our number one asset.

The number one recurring theme was the shortage of staff. Many different tactics were discussed and have been implemented by our colleagues in the U.S. for recruiting new, young staff. Unfortunately, there did not seem to be one thing that was guaranteed to fill the void we are all seeing in North America. As LO’s

November, 2017 • Volume 35, No. 10 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.

ISSN 1928-9553 Publications Mail Agreement No. PM40013519

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

second vice president, this was the first of potentially five Great Lakes Conferences for Dave Wright to attend. Over the next couple of years, my hope is for the group to provide us with a solid answer to attracting young workers.

Our ongoing discussions with the Ontario Association of Landscape Architects (OALA) have us all several steps closer to the Name Act and Practice Act legislation we have been pursuing for a couple of years. OALA has draft wording working its way through the political system in hopes it will pass before the next election. With constant work and ongoing discussions, we as landscape designers are continuing to work towards our own Name Act. Our latest and most pressing concern is the new minimum wage legislation that is quickly barrelling down on us. There are several other side issues running along with this, but it seems to be the main concern for our members.

I led an open forum discussion at the Waterloo Chapter meeting in October,

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, Rachel Cerelli, 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, Ian Service, Myscha Stafford, Tom Somerville, David Turnbull, Martha Walsh, Cassandra Wiesner

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 2017, 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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and asked the question of whether or not we should try to keep the landscape gardener exemption which allows us to not have to pay overtime. After a rousing discussion with many insightful comments, we put the question to a vote. It was virtually unanimous that LO should fight to keep our profession from having to pay overtime. One great idea came out of the discussion that may be a good alternative: to have the time extended to which overtime must be paid. Perhaps if the recording period could be over four weeks instead of two.

I have been discussing the issue with as many members as I can. I equate this new challenge to when we faced the implementation of HST. There will be several months of pain and suffering until we all get used to whatever new policies are put in place and then we will figure out how to deal with the impacts of the system. I do know that we are going to have to raise prices across the board; so will everyone else. The provincial government has promised some relief in the form of tax incentives. I feel this will be a very tough test for all us to work through together.

Here’s hoping for a long, dry fall to make up for the wettest year ever recorded — and a soft winter.

Paul Brydges may be reached at paulbrydges.la@sympatico.ca.

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The rejuvenated Healing Garden at Southlake Regional Health Centre in Newmarket, Ont.

Dusty Miller rejuvenates hospital garden

By Robert Ellidge In June 2017, a special event was held at the Stronach Regional Cancer Centre at Southlake Regional Health Centre in Newmarket, Ont., celebrating the grand re-opening of the Healing Garden — a beautiful outdoor space that was totally rejuvenated by Brian Miller and his team at Dusty Miller Landscaping, with the help of many other landscape professionals.

Miller’s involvement with Southlake goes back over a decade and includes other members of his family. Before passing away from cancer in 2006, Brian’s dad, Pete Miller, was a long-time volunteer at York County Hospital (now Southlake). The senior Miller would dress up as Santa Claus and visit with patients and kids at Christmas time, bringing smiles to their faces.

“I suspect he got just as much out of it as they did,” the younger Miller says. After his father’s passing, Brian felt the need to give back to the hospital that had taken such good care of his father. The Pete Miller Memorial Golf Tournament was born and the annual event has raised close to $300,000 for Southlake’s Foundation since 2007.

Through his charitable work with Southlake, Miller attended a donor recognition event in the Healing Garden at the hospital. A talented and accomplished landscape professional, Miller noted the maintenance of the garden was not up to professional standards and saw an opportunity to create something truly special for patients and families during their difficult times.

4 LANDSCAPE ONTARIO NOVEMBER 2017

Miller was with his “go to” person, Corinna Jones, Specialist, Philanthropy and Engagement, Southlake Regional Health Centre Foundation, and inquired about the possibility of totally revamping the Healing Garden into something very special.

Through his strong relationship with Southlake Foundation, Miller met with the hospital’s facilities manager and got the thumbs up to proceed. At that meeting, Miller says he made it very clear he wanted complete control to do the job his way in order to get the job done and get it done quickly.

“We’re known for our exceptional work and quality, so there is absolutely no issue there at all,” Miller explains, noting he took the same approach as he does with a residential client, often saving thousands of

dollars in design fees, time and revisions.

Miller didn’t want to do the project on his own. He wanted to make a huge impact and realized for that, he would need help from many suppliers and sub-trades.

“Every one of them with open arms offered up their services, whether it was materials or labour,” Miller says. “The more I spoke with suppliers, the more it snowballed, so I went after other suppliers and trades. Once that snowball started rolling, it allowed me expand from what I originally wanted to do.”

In the fall of 2016, most of the removal and prep work was done on site. “We wanted to do as much in the offseason as possible to lessen the impact to the business,” he explains. Miller is highly-appreciative of his hard working staff who never complained, even while installing sod in the rain and snow in December.

Later that December, Miller’s suppliers decorated the garden for the holidays: adding lights to the trees, a decorated Christmas tree and Miller providing seasonal flower pots. The work created a lot of excitement around the hospital, as Miller was still the only person privy to the final design.

Jones says, “The children in our cancer centre were watchful at how the crew put together a beautiful Christmas tree full of lights as a surprise after Brian and his crew noticed them peering from the windows above. Truly, they lit up our lives and with that, have helped make the centre brighter for all.”

Work continued in the spring of 2017.

The water feature was fixed and the stone cladding was repaired. Plant material was installed in May and annuals planted in June, ready for the grand re-opening.

As a key part of the Stronach Regional Cancer Centre, the Healing Garden was specifically designed as a peaceful, nonclinical environment to promote healing

Companies who donated to the project were encouraged to attend the official unveiling in June 2017. Photo courtesy of snapd Newmarket.

and reflection for patients and visitors alike as they cope with one of life’s most difficult journeys.

“We’re so grateful to Brian for his commitment to rejuvenate this space, and to everyone who contributes to the garden projects at Southlake,” says Susan Mullin, CFRE, President and CEO of Southlake Regional Health Centre Foundation. “There were a lot of people who came together to make this possible, and that’s so telling of the generosity of our community.”

Without that community, Miller would not have been able to realize his vision. He is grateful to many, including Tree Valley Garden Centre for donating all of the trees and plant material, and Beaver Valley Stone for supplying hardscape material. Others donated time, labour and materials.

“We often see patients, family members, and even staff sitting in the garden, enjoying their lunch or chatting with someone – or sometimes using it as a quiet, peaceful place to reflect alone,” continues Mullin. “This recent rejuvenation has refreshed the space beautifully, allowing our patients, staff and visitors to continue to enjoy this healing space.”

To keep all of his hard work intact, Miller has offered his services to maintain the

e

garden for one year. The hospital has a regular maintenance contractor, but Miller is actively meeting with hospital staff and educating them on what a professional service he can bring to the table.

Miller continues to support Southlake initiatives. The money raised from this year’s golf tournament went towards a campaign that will help to increase the number of hospice beds in York Region.

“Everyone is touched by cancer,” says Miller, including his sister Suzie who has been treated at Southlake. “I know a lot of people who go in and out of that cancer centre, so it was my way of showing my appreciation for the professionals who help people through a trying time.”

Suzie has spearheaded her own fundraising initiative to benefit Southlake’s Cancer Program. Her broken butterfly campaign allows donors to buy a keychain where one half is kept by the donor, the other half hung from one of the locust trees in the healing garden. Miller had originally thought of making the Healing Garden attractive to insects and butterflies, and thanks to Suzie’s endeavour, there is a permanent presence of butterflies within the garden.

While showing Southlake Foundation staff the Christmas decorations in the gar-

A plaque in the garden recognizes the collaborative effort spearheaded by Brian Miller.

den last year, Brian asked if anyone had continued to visit the kids at Christmas as Santa Claus. Jones explained there was a retired doctor who had done so, but was no longer able to. Brian seized the opportunity. “Now you’ve got someone,” he replied, happy to follow in his father’s footsteps.

In 2016, Brian, dressed as Santa Claus, accompanied by his daughter and niece as Santa’s helpers, carried on the tradition started by this father so many years ago.

“What a wonderful experience,” Miller says. “It is very touching to see the smile on the kids faces. “For me, giving back to Southlake simply feels like the right thing to do. They’ve given my family, and our community, so much.”

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Drive LIVE!

Proper vehicle safety is one of the most popular topics for landscape professionals. Anyone who drives a vehicle should attend Drive LIVE! at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. daily for live instruction from Toronto Police and Ontario Provincial Police officers. This safe vehicle refresher demonstration uses a hands-on approach to show how to apply daily vehicle inspection rules, pre-trip inspection reports and itemize defects in compliance with Ontario regulations. Learn how to conduct a proper circle inspection, the difference between minor and major defects and how to operate safely to help avoid costly tickets and fines. Bring key staff and crew leaders to ensure they are ready for the season.

Warm-Up Monday conferences

Trade show attendees learn proper vehicle safety on the show floor at Congress.

Congress 2018 boasts more learning opportunities In less than two months, thousands of professionals will explore over eight acres of products and services from leading suppliers at Congress 2018. For 45 years, Congress has continued to evolve with the growing needs of the landscape and horticulture profession, and the latest edition, running Jan. 9-11, 2018 at the Toronto Congress Centre, is no different.

Congress ’18 will include three unique, live demonstrations, each held twice daily directly on the show floor. In addition, a full, four-day conference program will feature many leaders and business experts who will deliver coutless learning opportunities of value to each sector of the profession.

Hardscape LIVE!

In partnership with Landscape Ontario’s Hardscape Committee, the third edition of Hardscape LIVE! will return to the show floor with daily instructions at 10:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. Featuring the latest in hardscape installation techniques, the live build over the three show days will enlighten audiences on many topics related to hardscape installation and efficient business operation.

6 LANDSCAPE ONTARIO NOVEMBER 2017

Green LIVE!

New to the show floor this year is an upclose approach to re-learning the important basics of tree selection, preparation, planting and maintenance. In partnership with Landscape Ontario’s Growers Group and International Society of Arboriculture Ontario (ISAO), Green LIVE! will include several experts on stage for this highlyanticipated event, twice daily at 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Topics include: Selection of Trees: Learn what questions to ask to choose the best tree for the location and how to find the best specimen for your site. Plant Handling and Transport: Demonstrations on how to move trees from the nursery to the final planting site, including packing on a truck or trailer; Site Preparation: Learn how to best prepare a site for tree planting, including soil amendments and fertilizers; Proper Planting Techniques: Watch how to properly install a container, wire basket, or bare root tree for success; Maintenance During Establishment: Learn how to water, fertilize and prune in order to minimize transplant stress and help trees thrive; and Long Term Care: What does a tree require to continue to thrive and provide many years of enjoyment and beauty? The sessions will highlight do’s and don’ts, and prepare contractors for the upcoming season.

The four-day conference program that runs alongside the Congress trade show actually begins the day before on Jan. 8 with Warm-up Monday. This series of industryspecific events includes: Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Symposium, Landscape Designer Conference and the Peer to Peer Workshop. Each requires a separate ticket purchase and includes admission to the trade show.

Attendees of the IPM Symposium will earn six IPM Council of Canada CEC’s by attending all six technical sessions. The symposium includes time for delegates to visit with several suppliers as well. The Designer Conference will host five sessions followed by a popular networking reception, also including supplier displays and time for guests to circulate throughout.

At the Peer to Peer Workshop, instructor Jacki Hart will provide business owners with some face-time to work on their journey to continued business improvement.

On Jan. 10, the Garden Centre Symposium will feature a prominent and soughtafter Millennial expert, David Coletto. David will dive deep into how to hire this group who are key to our future labour force as well as how to sell to them — a topic that applies to not only retailers, but to all other sectors as well.

Conference program

The full conference program (Jan. 9-11), presented in partnership with LMN, will help delegates learn valuable insights from leading industry experts. The program has options for owners, managers and key staff who want to stay one step ahead of their competition. The schedule features daily opening keynotes, kicking off with an ice-breaker session hosted by Beth Edney CLD, followed by Harry Jongerden from the Toronto Botanical Gardens

refreshing the sense of purpose for each professional in the room, capped off by the infamous economist Charlie Hall from Texas A&M University with his forecast for 2018’s green industry’s economy. The concurrent sessions are filled with business development and industry-specific topics, with inspirational and provocative speakers such as Bill Arman, Janna Bradley, Ed Laflamme, Dan Heims, Paul Tobey, Sean James and Yuill McGregor. Back by popular demand this year are Mike Lysecki and Mark Bradley.

Life Lessons at Lunch will see Javed Khan share his insights on why traditional networking doesn’t work and how to improve building your own network on Jan. 9, followed by the inspiring and entertaining Meg Soper teaching delegates how to get connected and stay plugged-in on Jan. 10.

Ron Buist, the brain behind Tim Horton’s iconic “Roll up the rim to win” campaign will share his magic marketing tips on Jan. 11.

The final keynote to close the conference has ultimate star-power. Cheryl Pounder and Becky Kellar, Canadian Olympic Women’s Ice Hockey gold medalists and world-champions, will coach the audience on strategies for leading a winning team.

Evening networking events

Attending the trade show and conference is hard work, so be sure to mingle and unwind on Tuesday night at LO’s Awards of Excellence ceremony (the Oscars of the green profession) and at the infamous Tailgate Party on Wednesday night The conference program gives attendees access to leading experts in the profession. which includes free dinner and entertainment. chasing decisions, labour force issues, Trade show and new products productivity or manage the budgets of Congress offers eight acres of more than your business, you won’t want to miss this 600 exhibitors; the ideal communityevent. building and purchasing environment for Congress is strategically held each design-build, fence, landscape and pool January so horticulture professionals can contractors, grounds managers, landscape all kick off the new year together. Congress designers, irrigation and lighting contracliterally is a one-stop-shop for professional tors. The popular New Product Showcase development, innovative products, education and community-building opportunities. area also features the latest equipment, Register online now at LOcongress.com. tools, products and technologies from the Congress exhibitors. If you influence pur-

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ASSOCIATION NEWS

Snow contractors and supplies gather to prepare for the upcoming season.

Snow arrives early in Milton Snow arrived at the Landscape Ontario office in Milton, Ont., with Snowposium on Sept. 28. After a two-year hiatus, the Snowposium Conference and Trade Show, an initiative of LO’s Snow and Ice Sector

Group, attracted over 200 attendees, 30 exhibitors and a sold-out conference.

Conference attendees were treated to a comprehensive session on the legalities of winter maintenance work. Ian Mair,

Marie T. Clemens and Taylor Casement, from Moodie Mair Walker LLP, shared their expertise with presentations on recent court decisions, the various stages of a civil lawsuit and what to do to defend yourself. They were joined by Rob Kennaley, Kennaley Construction Law, and Mark Humphries, Humpries Landscape Services, for a mock examination for discovery of a snow contractor.

During the day, two very popular outdoor events included a de-icer equipment calibration demo with John O’Leary (retired, Clintar) and Ken Jorgenson, MPS Property Services, and a police demo including an in-class information session and outdoor vehicle check with officers Pat Martin, Scott Oldfield and Jeff Sandifer, Commercial Vehicle Safety Inspectors with Halton Regional Police Service.

Also included in the conference schedule was a session on Sustainable Salt Research and Solutions with Phill Sexton of Snow and Ice Management Association (SIMA).

Snowposium attendees got one-onone time with 30 snow and ice management exhibitors and suppliers, including: All Ontario Ice Control; Bauman Manufacturing; B.R. Dickson Equipment; Connect Equipment; Cornerstone Landscaping;

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CoTech/Shaw Bros.; Delta Power; Delaware Pump; Draglam Salt; Duke Distribution; Eastern Farm Machinery; Eloquip; Georgetown Chevrolet, Buick, GMC; Georgian Chev Olds; Hitch City; Holder Tractors; Hort Protect; Kissner Group; Manulift EMI; Metal Pless; Nanophyll; Pro-Power Canada; SiteOne Landscape Supply; Smart About Salt; Specbilt Enterprises; Spucewood Leasing; Tillson Brands; Twin Equipment; Venture Business Solutions; and WPE Landscape Equipment.

Everyone enjoyed a barbecue lunch catered by Milton’s own Troy’s Diner in partnership with Allstone Equipment.

A huge thanks to conference session sponsors: BP Landscaping and Snow Removal, Delta Power, HortProtect and WPE Landscape Equipment. Thanks also to Draglam Salt for donating the door prize of a Toshiba 55-in. TV, won by Mike Alati of Optimal Irrigation.

PLANT PROPAGATORS HONOUR KEITH OSBORNE

Keith Osborne was recently honoured with the Fellow Award during the 2017 IPPS Eastern Region Conference, held in Grand Rapids, Mich., in mid-October.

A long-time member of the International Plant Propagators’ Society (IPPS),

Keith Osborne (left), with Brian Decker, IPPS recognition committee chair.

Osborne is a sales representative at GroBark (Ontario), a supplier of soil, amendments and mulch, located in Caledon, Ont. Osborne has shown strong leadership as a director on the Eastern Region board of directors (2011-14) and creative enthusiasm as chair of the 2014 Local Site Committee. Osborne has been heavily involved in organizing IPPS Area Meetings for Ontario and has been very successful in developing and executing the sponsorship role since 2015. Osborne is currently on staff as the IPPS Eastern Region board

sponsorship coordinator. Without sponsorship funds, the operating budget for IPPS Eastern Region would have to be dramatically curtailed.

Osborne began his career assisting his parents with their garden centre in Blenheim, Ont. He then went on to study business and finance and eventually plant biology at the University of Guelph.

Landscape Ontario and IPPS would like to congratulate Keith on receiving this welldeserved honour.

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ASSOCIATION NEWS

NIAGARA PARKS SCHOOL HONOURS TONY DIGIOVANNI

Georgian Lakelands holds putting challenge LO’s Georgian Lakelands Chapter held its annual Putting Challenge on Sept. 21 at the Cascades Putting Course at Blue Mountain Resort in Blue Mountains, Ont. Over 50 people joined the chapter for the putting challenge, followed by dinner and celebrations in the Blue Mountain Village. The chapter would like to thank the many generous sponsors who made the event possible.

PA L A C E P E R E N N I A L S Proudly growing perennials for over 28 years

The Alumni Association of the Niagara Parks School of Horticulture honoured Tony DiGiovanni, executive director of Landscape Ontario, with an Honourary Membership at the 65th Educational Conference, held Sept.

15-17, 2017 in Niagara Falls, Ont. Honorary Membership is conferred upon an individual who has made outstanding contributions to the Association or the horticultural industry, holds a distinguished position, and supports the aims and objectives of the Alumni Association.

One of the world’s largest and most active horticultural associations, Landscape Ontario has a membership of over 2,600 companies, publishes two magazines, produces three annual trade shows and hosts over 250 seminars and workshops.

DiGiovanni also serves as Executive Director of the Ontario Horticultural Trades Foundation (OHTF), a separate, charitable entity of Landscape Ontario. Since its inception in 1979, the Foundation has distributed over $400,000 in scholarships and millions of dollars worth of research support. Among the annual scholarships awarded is the Tony DiGiovanni Scholarship. Started in 2004, the scholarship

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awards $1,000 to one student enrolled in any post-secondary landscape or horticultural program who best exemplifies the qualities that build trust in the profession.

For many decades DiGiovanni has been an active supporter of horticultural education across Ontario, including the Niagara Parks School of Horticulture and has long had a strong connection with many Alumni.

DiGiovanni is also celebrated for his promotion of many facets of horticulture industry development. Tony has a passion for carrying out Landscape Ontario’s mission to grow a prosperous, professional, ethical, recognized, valued, and contribution-oriented horticultural industry.

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ASSOCIATION NEWS

Students add mulch to one of 11 trees planted on the school grounds.

TREE DONATION INSPIRES STUDENT LEARNING

Students at Sainte-Marie Catholic Elementary School in Oakville, Ont., were excited to welcome 11 newly-planted trees to the school grounds, courtesy of Landscape Ontario member, Bloemen Decor, and the Canadian National Exhibition (CNE).

Bloemen Decor’s owner, Albert Graves, was able to find the new home for the trees at his daughter’s school after

a display he had created for the CNE had concluded.

On Oct. 13, classes from junior kindergarten to grade six were read a traditional French story that helped to explain the importance of trees, including the vital role they play in helping the environment. Classes were each assigned a tree and students then went outside and gathered around each of the trees.

Each group was asked to name their tree, some choosing a name right away, others

deciding to later vote on a list of possible names.

The trees will become an integral part of the childrens’ studies, says Vicky Thiffault, vice principal at the school.

“We are going to encourage the teachers to use the trees for different projects at the school,” Thiffault explains, “to write a poem or an imaginary story or create art.”

The students will continue to observe the trees throughout each of the four seasons, noting how they change, which insects and animals they attract and what to do if a tree looks sick.

Moving forward, students will be responsible for watering the trees once teachers create a proper schedule and rotation.

Thiffault believes having the students take ownership of the trees will not only help to teach them their value, but also give students a sense of accomplishment, noting a student who is now in JK will be able to see the trees mature as they progress to grade six some eight years later.

In addition to being part of their studies, Thiffault says maintaining the trees, and having a member of the local community provide them, aligns with one of the school board’s new policies aimed at engaging the students in projects that help to develop a sense of community.

Other projects include a food drive and writing cards for hospital patients.

“We have been lucky to have the Graves’ family with us,” says Thiffault, noting many other parents also help to promote a sense of community through various volunteer efforts at the school.

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GROWERS GROUP EVENT TO FOCUS ON LABOUR CHANGES AND PRODUCTION COSTS Landscape Ontario’s Growers Group will hold their annual Fall Dinner Meeting at Piper’s Heath Golf Club in Milton, Ont., on Nov. 28, 2017.

Tickets for the event are $55 per person and include a buffet dinner, networking, and an evening of information sessions relevant to owners and operators in the growing sector.

Moderated by John Mantel, LO Growers Group chair, the first post-dinner session will feature Ken Linington, Labour Issues Coordinating Committee for the Canadian Agricultural Human Resource Council (CAHRC). Linington who will discuss changes to agriculture labour under Bill 148, the Fair Workplaces, Better Jobs Act, 2017, including the overtime exemption and minimum wage hike and how efforts are attempting to mitigate the impact to the agriculture sector.

After a short break, John Van de Vegte, P. Eng., from Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) will present proven methods to reduce production costs in nursery operations.

The annual event also helps LO’s Growers Group to get valuable feedback on concerns and issues facing the growing community, as well as inform growers on future trends, technologies and business practices affecting operators.

Registration for the event is available online until Nov. 20 at horttrades.com/ growers-group.

MEMBERS INVITED TO LO AGM JAN. 10

Under the association bylaws, all Landscape Ontario members are invited to attend the Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Jan. 10, 2018 at the Delta Hotel Toronto Airport, Ballroom B, located at 655 Dixon Road, Toronto.

Registration and breakfast start at 7 a.m. and the meeting at 8 a.m. Members will get a recap of association activities from 2017 and hear plans for 2018

and the years ahead. If there are any issues that require a vote by members, one representative from each Active member company is eligible to vote. The AGM is just one of many events where LO members can provide feedback to help direct the initiatives and energy of the association on current and future endeavours.

An RSVP to Kathleen Pugliese at 1-800-265-5656, ext. 2309 or kpugliese@ landscapeontario.com is required.

Garden Club of Toronto recognized for support of campaign A special plaque recognizing The Garden Club of Toronto for their outstanding contribution as a founding sponsor of the Highway of Heroes Living Tribute (HOHLT) was unveiled during a special event in mid-October. Located at Keele St. and Hwy. 401, the garden is adjacent to the Coroner’s Office, which marks the end of the journey each fallen Canadian solider takes along the Highway of Heroes from C.F.B Trenton.

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NEW MEMBERS Newhouse Home Comfort

DURHAM Powerscreen of Canada Ltd

Pierre Couture 800 Farewell Ave, Oshawa, ON L1H 6N5 Tel: 905-576-0037 Membership Type: Associate

Woodland Landscape Construction Inc

Steve Newhouse 2505 County Rd 124, Box 12 Duntroon, ON L0M 1H0 Tel: 705-446-4769 Membership Type: Associate

Steve’s Masonry

Mark Lawrence 704 Durham Rd 13 Leaskdale, ON L0C 1C0 Tel: 647-228-0052 Membership Type: Active

Stephen Wall 21 Telfer Rd, Collingwood, ON L9Y 5H5 Tel: 705-441-6803 Membership Type: Active

Young’s Construction Limited

Arizona Irrigation

Scott Young 34 West St S Fenelon Falls, ON K0M 1N0 Tel: 705-887-2813 Membership Type: Active

GEORGIAN LAKELANDS Advantage Comfort Solutions

Allan Cameron 605-132 Commerce Park Dr Barrie, ON L4N 0Z7 Tel: 705-722-4328 Membership Type: Chapter Associate

B. Foreman Electric Ltd

Brody Foreman 1079 Torrance Rd Torrance, ON P0C 1M0 Tel: 705-646-6430 Membership Type: Associate

C Nootchtai Technical Services

Craig Nootchtai 109B Lakeshore Dr Naughton, ON P0M 2M0 Tel: 705-222-6713 Membership Type: Chapter Associate

Method Contracting

Jason Mclean 4559 County Rd 124, RR 2 Collingwood, ON L9Y 3Z1 Tel: 705-888-1238 Membership Type: Satellite

GOLDEN HORSESHOE Rick Malda 1 Jefferson Ave Hamilton, ON L8H 1A6 Tel: 905-627-7485 Membership Type: Active

Southwest Property Care (2380563 ONT Inc)

Nu Build Contracting Inc

Umberto Guerriero 9-1 Nickel Gate Woodbridge, ON L4L 8L7 Tel: 905-265-9300 Membership Type: Chapter Associate

Syd Marsh 1491 Fanshawe Park Rd W London, ON N6H 5L3 Tel: 519-668-6105 Membership Type: Active

Reliable Design Landscaping

Majestic Metal Works

Gandi Hammoud 19 Cleopatra Dr, Ottawa, ON K2G 0B6 Tel: 613-228-2666 Membership Type: Chapter Associate

Margaret Ramsay 177 Mineola Rd E Mississauga, ON L5G 2E7 Tel: 905-274-7995 Membership Type: Active

TORONTO

WATERLOO

Mike Zoryk 70 Frances Colbert Ave, Carp, ON K0A 1L0 Tel: 613-799-3939 Membership Type: Active

Aquahalt Inc

Bobcat Company

JR Grass

Northern Landscaping

Harry Beyerle 2625 Meadowpine Blvd Mississauga, ON L5N 7K5 Tel: 226-755-2570 Membership Type: Associate

Water Depot Waterdown

David Klien 2500-120 Adelaide St W Toronto, ON M5W 1C2 Tel: 416-690-3622 Membership Type: Chapter Associate

LONDON

Kevin Beswick 16188 Bathurst St King City, ON L7B 1K5 Tel: 905-713-3711 Membership Type: Associate

Henry Post 9592 Concession 5 Rd Caistor Centre, ON L0R 1E0 Tel: 905-981-0655 Membership Type: Active Craig Killinger 170 Rockhaven Lane Waterdown, ON L8B 1B5 Tel: 905-690-4114 Membership Type: Chapter Associate

Accent Landscape & Pools Dan Vernooy 101-340 Sugarcreek Trail London, ON N6H 0G4 Tel: 519-285-2153 Membership Type: Active

The Perennial Gardener

Zoryk’s Property Maintenance

Jeff Hinson 250 E Beaton Dr, West Fargo, ND 58078 Tel: 701-280-7887 Membership Type: Associate

Jamie Ryerse 556 Chamberlain Rd Burlington, ON L7L 2V4 Tel: 905-407-4778 Membership Type: Active

Nick Aversa 229 Clara St Rockwood, ON N0B 2K0 Tel: 416-768-3637 Membership Type: Active

OTTAWA

Dynablast Equipment

Ground Force Foundations Inc

Hillside Media Communications

KB Developments Ltd

Bob Dunbar 666-B Colby Dr Waterloo, ON N2V 1A2 Tel: 519-746-7368 Membership Type: Associate Josh Nafziger 335 Waydom Dr Ayr, ON N0B 1E0 Tel: 519-897-0639 Membership Type: Active

WINDSOR Rocks-N-Roots Landscaping Larry Jeffrey 7120 Hwy 3 Maidstone, ON N0R 1K0 Tel: 519-254-1572 Membership Type: Active

North Star Landscaping Inc Frank Soave 24 Newbridge Rd Etobicoke, ON M8Z 2L7 Tel: 416-239-0227 Membership Type: Active

Proud to serve the leasing industry

for over 25 years

13-3245 Harvester Rd., Burlington, ON L7N 3T7 1-888-634-9559

Laura Catalano President

14 LANDSCAPE ONTARIO NOVEMBER 2017

niscocanada.com

Ontario Horticultural Trades Foundation

2017 Annual Report

MANDATE

“To ensure a healthy future for the horticultural industry”

OTHF.ca

WWW.HORTTRADES.COM 15

About the Foundation

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

Officers and Directors President: Vice President: Secretary: Treasurer: Directors:

David Turnbull Mike Thomas Bob Allen Hank Gelderman Brian Cocks Tony DiGiovanni Ben Kobes Mark Ostrowski Audrey Partridge John Peets Neil Vanderkruk Bob Wilton

Legacy Room

At Congress 2017, the Foundation hosted “The Legacy Lounge” for pioneers of the profession to engage with Landscape Ontario members and future members of the profession. Approximately 20 pioneers visited the lounge to reminisce about earlier times, discuss the current happenings of the profession and express thoughts and dreams for future generations. The profession owes a huge debt of gratitude to the pioneers for their continued support and contribution.

The Foundation also invited members from LO’s nine chapter boards and 11 sector groups. Approximately 65 members visited the lounge and enjoyed a friendly spot to sit, relax, talk with others and enjoy refreshments.

The Foundation would like to thank the following companies who sponsored the Legacy Lounge:

Supporting the Foundation

The Foundation would like to thank all donors. A donation is an easy and effective way to benefit Ontario’s landscape and horticultural community and is tax-deductible.

How to support the Foundation

The Foundation has several brochures available to explain the process and importance for supporting the Foundation. Donors know by supporting the OHTF they get the satisfaction of knowing they are making a difference and leaving a legacy for the profession they love. Support can come in a number of ways:

Ways to support the Foundation: Sponsorship

Join the Foundation by making a pledge – an annual donation or a one-time gift. Donations can be made online by credit card, or mailed in using a donation form found online.

Memorial Gift

This is a meaningful way to honour a friend, loved one or professional contact and help support the landscape and horticulture profession.

Legacy Gift

Earmark funds through your estate to sustain the horticulture profession. Contact your estate planner or lawyer to include a legacy provision in your will.

Stewardship Program

Many Foundation sponsors share their expertise by speaking to groups and direct their honorariums to the Foundation.

16 LANDSCAPE ONTARIO NOVEMBER 2017

Scholarship Program

Providing scholarships is particularly close to the hearts of Foundation supporters, who point with pride to the many recipients who are now successful leaders in the profession.

A list of all available scholarships and recipients can be found online at www.ohtf.ca. In addition, the website also contains the Scholarship Application Form. All applications are due by June 30 each year.

In recent years, many new, individual scholarships have been added to the existing program. These include: • Bob and Ruby Allen Scholarship Fund • Russel and Karen Loney Fund • Peter Olsen Memorial Fund • OJ Muller Memorial Fund • Unilock/Landscape Designers Fund • Crystal Lawn Care Scholarship Fund Another major part of the scholarship program added in the past few years is the Cullen Family Scholarships, a distribution of an additional $30,000 per year. This program was designed to encourage and inspire leadership qualities in students who have a passion and enthusiasm for the landscape and

2017 OHTF ANNUAL REPORT horticulture profession. Candidates are selected by their peers and teachers. Individual amounts were assigned to each school offering horticultural programs.

This year, the Foundation distributed $45,600 in scholarships to students enrolled in horticultural programs across the province. Congratulations to this year’s recipients:

Congratulations to this year’s recipients Apprenticeship Program ($600) Mihali Schindle Bob and Ruby Allen Membership Scholarship ($500) No applicants Casey van Maris Memorial Scholarship ($1,000) Emily Birss Russel and Karen Loney Scholarship ($500) Not awarded Unilock Collaborative Communications Scholarship ($1,000) Shawntanna Atkinson-Gingrich Horst Dickert Memorial Scholarship ($1,000) Jana Freeman John and Ruth Wright Turf Management Scholarship ($2,000) Not awarded Graduate Research Assistant Program ($6,000) Not awarded Tony DiGiovanni Scholarship ($1,000) Kathleen Minkowski High School Program Scholarship ($1,000) Amy Hoy

Horticulturist Scholarship ($500) Not awarded Cullen Family Scholarship Program Kathryn Nikota, Landscape Architecture, University of Guelph Ling Shi, Horticultural Science, University of Guelph Brett Zylstra, Horticulture, Niagara Parks Rachael Radauskas, Landscape Design, Fanshawe College Robert Fischer, Horticultural Technician, Fanshawe College Stephanie Gleinas, Horticultural Technician, St. Clair College Christian Shumovsky, Horticultural Industries, Algonquin College Rocky Johnson, Landscape Technician, Humber College Suzanne Graab, Horticultural Technician, Durham College John Gray, Environmental Landscape, Seneca College Emily Cousins, Horticultural Technician, Niagara College Evan Jenkins, Assoc. Diploma in Horticultural, Ridgetown College Sidney Wilpsta, Apprenticeship, Hort. Technician, Fanshawe College George Rizopoulos, Apprenticeship, Hort. Technician, Fanshawe College

Research programs

The Foundation has also contributed to numerous research programs. In the 2016-2017 fiscal year, the Ontario Horticultural Trades Foundation: • $ 5,000 towards Ontario Turfgrass Research Foundation (OTRF) for a study on the impact of fertilization on nutrient losses through runoff and leaching.

• $ 25,000 for research funding on sustainable snow and ice control of parking lots, platforms and sidewalks.

Other programs

• S kills Canada: Awards for horticultural sector winners at annual Ontario Skills Canada competition.

• H ighway of Heroes Living Tribute: Planting of trees along the 401 from Trenton to Toronto in memory of those veterans who lost their lives well in the services.

• V eterans Memorial Parkway (VMP), London.

• J T Somerville Fund: For the Christmas tree industry.

Post Graduate Scholarship ($1,000) Alexandra Lazarevski Post Secondary Scholarship ($1,000) Phillip Amaral Jason Bekkering Carolyn Burke Giovanna Catenacci Norna Hugasdottir Elissa Janca Indira Kannan Jensen Maunder Josephine McCormick Tesabella McEachern Heidi Palfrey Sara Sedarous Darlene Taylor WWW.HORTTRADES.COM 17

Meet some of this year’s scholarship recipients Shawntanna Atkinson-Gingrich Unilock Collaborative Communications Scholarship, $1,000 I am very grateful to have been chosen for this scholarship. It will help to greatly further my Landscape Design studies at Fanshawe College. This honour encourages me even more to pursue something I am so passionate about. Coming from a small town with agriculture all around me, I always knew I wanted to put an artistic spin on the landscapes around me.

Jana Freeman Horst Dickert Memorial Scholarship, $1,000 Jana has had a lifelong fascination with plants and the environment. While studying Landscape Ecology with a focus on Restoration at Laurentian University, she developed a deep appreciation for the great potential and rewards of working with native plants.

Jana is currently in her second year of the Landscape Technician program at Humber College and hopes to develop a hands-on career working with native plants.

Amy Hoy High School Program Scholarship, $1,000 Amy was a student at McKinnon Park in Caledonia, Ont., where she completed her Specialist High Skills Major (SHSM) in horticulture and landscaping under the teachings of Joey Runhart. Amy went on to do maintenance work for the Hamilton Conservation Authority and is currently a student at Niagara College in the Greenhouse Technician (Co-op) program.

Giovanna Catenacci Post Secondary Scholarship, $1,000 The Landscape Technician program is just the beginning of Giovanna’s journey in the horticultural profession. Giovanna wants to pursue the Urban Arboriculture program and hopefully end up on a path to Niagara Parks School of Horticulture. There are many stepping stones along the journey, and thanks to the motivation, support, and encouragement from the Foundation, professors and supervisors, it will be an easier road to travel.

Nora Hugasdottir Post Secondary Scholarship, $1,000 Working toward the Horticulture Technician Diploma at Fanshawe College, Nora enjoys exploring all things plant — from folklore to new technologies, and their applications for the health of both people and the planet. Nora’s goal is to provide services that inspire others to connect with nature in a busy world, something as simple as the inner peace that comes from taking an enjoyable walk through the wilderness.

18 LANDSCAPE ONTARIO NOVEMBER 2017

Elissa Janca Post Secondary Scholarship, $1,000 Elissa has a background in International Development Studies, with a particular interest in food security in a global context. Elissa is excited about the direction her career is taking through the Landscape Technician program at Humber College and the opportunities to be engaged in education, design, and preservation of diverse landscapes for the benefit of local ecosystems and populations. Elissa is grateful to her instructors at Humber College, the Foundation, and Landscape Ontario.

Indira Kannan Post Secondary Scholarship, $1,000 Indira Kannan has been a producer and presenter on television networks like CNN, CNBC and BBC World.

She is also a published author. With the Landscape Technician program at Humber College, Kannan is returning to her original subject of interest, having previously earned a B.Sc in Botany. “I am grateful and thrilled to receive this scholarship,” Kannan said. She would also like to thank her teachers and classmates at Humber College for providing a great learning environment.

Jensen Maunder Post Secondary Scholarship, $1,000 I would like to thank the Foundation for the postsecondary school scholarship. I am currently in the second year of the Horticulture Technician program at Fanshawe College. Throughout the summer, my co-op involved working in the maintenance department at Gelderman Landscape services, where I gained a tremendous amount of experience in the field. I hope to one day work for a large landscape company or to run my own business.

Tesabella McEachern Post Secondary Scholarship, $1,000 I would like to thank Landscape Ontario and the Foundation for providing such gracious opportunities.

I am honoured to have been selected for this scholarship. It seems I’ve never been the one to luck-out or win a contest, but I can honestly say this feels like a win! I have an immense passion for the Horticultural Industries program at Algonquin College. My spirits have been lifted and my dedication continues thanks to your recognition.

Heidi Palfrey Post Secondary Scholarship, $1,000 Heidi Palfrey is thrilled to receive a scholarship. By combining her extensive 35-year graphic design experience with the education she has received from Humber College’s Landscape Technician program, her future plans include a freelance landscape/garden design firm that will serve both the GTA and beautiful Prince Edward County, intended to complement her husband’s landscape construction and maintenance business.

2017 OHTF ANNUAL REPORT Sara Sedarous Post Secondary Scholarship, $1,000 From Burlington, Ont., 20-year-old Sara Sedarous is enjoying her second year of the Horticulture Technician Program at Fanshawe College where she enjoys the hands on experience and truly getting her hands dirty.

Sara entered the profession with an interest in working in a greenhouse and her horizons are broadening each day. Sara is looking forward to a future as a horticulturalist after graduation.

Robert Fisher Cullen Family Scholarship, $2,000 Robert says, “Thank you to everyone who made this scholarship possible. I have found my passion and look forward to seeing what the future holds for me. I look forward to finishing my education and getting out there and putting my knowledge to good use within the green profession.” Robert is from Chippewa Nation, studying at Fanshawe College.

Stephanie Gelinas Cullen Family Scholarship, $2,000 Stephanie holds a diploma in Landscape Horticulture and was the recipient of the Faculty Academic Award in 2017. She enjoys educating and assisting clients in creating healthy, practical landscapes while making their garden vision a reality. During her free time, Stephanie is an active member in local horticultural societies and community gardens in Windsor-Essex County. The program at St. Clair College has allowed her the privilege of studying under spectacular professors that have helped her to grow solid roots in the horticulture profession.

Suzanne Graab Cullen Family Scholarship, $2,000 I would like to thank the Cullen family, the Foundation, and my instructors at Durham College for selecting me for this award. My instructors have made going back to school at my age (over 50) a stimulating, thoughtprovoking and pleasant experience. My goal was to broaden and deepen my knowledge of the landscaping profession, thereby enriching my current work practice. I have over seven years of garden design and installation experience, running my own landscaping company.

Evan Jenkins Cullen Family Scholarship, $2,000 “I am very excited and grateful to have been awarded one of the Cullen Family Scholarships,” says Evan. He is currently in his second year of Horticultural Studies at the University of Guelph, Ridgetown Campus. Although he grew up on a dairy farm, Evan has always been interested in environmental and horticultural studies.

Having worked at a golf course, a retail greenhouse and lately as part of the grounds crew at Ridgetown College, Evan is finding his passion in landscape construction and tree management.

Rocky Johnson Cullen Family Scholarship, $2,000 Rocky is thankful for the Ontario Horticultural Trades Foundation and peers for selecting him as a recipient for the Cullen Family Scholarships. Rocky is currently enrolled in the second year of the Landscape Technician program at Humber Collage where he has a strong passion for the horticultural trades and landscape design. Rocky wishes to continue to expand his knowledge and skills and contribute greatly to the profession.

Kathryn Nikota Cullen Family Scholarship, $2,000 Katie wants to dedicate her life to the conservation and protection of the environment and bring the natural wonders into everyone’s homes and hearts.

Her education began at Fanshawe College, where she earned a diploma in Landscape Design and an applied Degree in Integrated Land Planning. Katie has worked as a laborer and design assistant for private landscape companies. She is in her final year of completing her Masters in Landscape Architecture at the University of Guelph, improving the world one plant at a time.

Rachel Radauskas Cullen Family Scholarship, $2,000 Entering her third year of Landscape Design at Fanshawe College, Rachel’s goal as a landscape designer is to create outdoor spaces that enhance quality of life and encourage people of all ages to spend more time in nature. After completing her diploma of Landscape Design at Fanshawe College, one of Rachel’s goals is to continue her education to achieve a Bachelor of Landscape Architecture.

Ling Shi Cullen Family Scholarship, $2,000 Ling Shi earned a BLA degree in China and is currently a Master of Plant Agriculture candidate, studying turfgrass management at the University of Guelph, where her current research focuses on restoring tall grass prairie in Ontario. Tall grass prairie supports native pollinators and keeps species rich and it helps golf courses in Ontario to be more environmentalfriendly. Ling’s thesis research aims to enhance native prairie seed mixtures for golf courses managers, as well as for native growers in Ontario. Ling would like to thank the Foundation and Cullen family for the award.

To see a full list of scholarship recipients from this year and previous years, visit ohtf.ca.

WWW.HORTTRADES.COM 19

2017 OHTF ANNUAL REPORT OHTF FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FUND BALANCES

STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL POSITION Year End Year End Aug. 31, 2017 Aug. 31, 2016

General Fund Dunington-Grubb/Sheridan Nurseries Research Fund Growers’ Group Research Fund Ottawa Chapter Val Kirshner Scholarship Fund Scholarship Fund Casey van Maris Scholarship Fund IPM Symposium Research Fund Turf Research Fund Tony DiGiovanni Scholarship Fund John/Ruth Wright Scholarship Fund Horst Dickert Scholarship Fund JT Somerville Fund Highway of Heroes (Trees for Life) Unilock/Designers Grp Fund 10K Trees for the Rouge Fund Russel/Karen Loney Fund Cullen Family Fund

ASSETS

Year End Aug. 31, 2017

Year End Aug. 31, 2016

$442,507 $60,095 $502,602

$108,784 $54,709 $163,492

$1,243,592 $57,711 $87,374

$1,145,414 $57,711 $99,988

$1,388,677

$1,303,113

$1,891,279

$1,466,605

$4,181

$15,030

$1,334,082 $553,017

$1,310,973 $140,603

$1,891,279

$1,466,605

$15,846 $6,355 Current

Bank Accounts Receivable $244,141 $245,815

Long Term $372,557 $362,443 Investments

Investment-Vineland Consortium Accrued Interest Receivable $67,262 $65,436

$76,814 $78,245

Total Assets $32,553 $32,646

LIABILITIES $200,488 $195,045 Current

Accounts Payable and Accrued Charges ($8,257) ($3,257)

Accumulated Fund Balances $101,807 $100,020 Fund Balances-Regular Funds

Fund Balances-Special Projects $61,361 $59,548 Total Liabilities/Funds

$1,807 $2,734 STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS & FUND BALANCES

$10,451 $10,167 Year End Year End $553,017 $99,575 Aug. 31, 2017 Aug. 31, 2016

REVENUES $10,533 $10,247 Interest/Gains (Losses) $79,402 $46,212 Miscellaneous $59,230 $16 $0 $41,028 Research Grants $25,000 $50,000 Donations $1,017,519 $437,535 $10,006 $9,734 $4,332

$7,144

$1,181,151

$533,763

OJ Muller Fund

$20,902 $20,334

EXPENSES $2,107 $2,049 Administration Fees/Expenses Disbursed as Research Grants $29,095 $28,305 Event/Sponsorship Expenses Disbursed as Scholarships $10,263 $9,028

$281,253 $30,000 $388,775 $45,600

$125,459 $80,000 $212,132 $49,400

Perry Molema Fund

($1,769)

$745,628

$466,991

$435,523 $1,451,575 $1,887,098

$66,772 $1,384,804 $1,451,575

Robert/Ruby Allen Fund Crystal Lawn Care Fund Peter Olsen Fund

Waterloo Chapter Scholarship Fund Totals

($902)

Total Revenue

Total Expenses

Excess of Revenue Over Expenses $71,785 $69,836 Fund Balances, Beginning of Year

Fund Balances,Year End $1,887,098 $1,451,575

For information on the Foundation, including scholarship applications, supported research programs or to donate, visit ohtf.ca 20 LANDSCAPE ONTARIO NOVEMBER 2017

EVENTS

Full details and registration information for all events can be found online at horttrades.com.

Nov. 17

Waterloo Fall Freeze Up

Binegmans Embassy Room, 425 Bingemans Centre Dr., Kitchener Don’t miss the social event of the season featuring dinner, dancing, prizes and more. Buy tickets online at LOwaterloo.com.

Nov. 22

Golden Horseshoe Chapter Meeting

Vineland Research and Innovation Centre, 4890 Victoria Ave. N., Vineland Station Share your thoughts on Bill 148 with Tony DiGiovanni, LO executive director.

Doors open at 6:30 p.m.

Nov. 28

Growers Fall Dinner Meeting

Piper’s Heath Golf Course, 5501 Trafalgar Road, Hornby LO’s Growers Group presents dinner, networking and sessions on changes to agriculture labour and reducing nursery production costs. Register online

by Nov. 20 at horttrades.com/growers-group.

josh.sparks@expresswaytrucks.com

Nov. 30

Georgian Lakelands Chapter Awards of Distinction

Casino Rama, 5899 Rama Rd., Orillia Featuring a social hour, dinner and awards. Doors open at 5 p.m.

Tickets available online for $20 each. Sponsored by Bobcat of Barrie.

www.expresswaytrucks.com Expressway Trucks Windsor 3817 Essex Rd 46, Maidstone, ON. N0R 1K0

Expressway Trucks Waterloo 2943 Cedar Creek Rd, Ayr, ON. N0B1E0

Expressway Trucks London 125 Towerline Place, London, ON. N6E 2T3

Dec. 6

Waterloo Chapter Meeting

Schwaben Club, 1668 King St. E., Kitchener Watch for details at horttrades.com/waterloo-chapter.

905.841.4321 jjbarronrealty.com

Jan. 8

IPM Symposium

Toronto Congress Centre, Cohen Ballroom, 650 Dixon Rd., Etobicoke Lean about weather patterning, pests, invasive plants and more at the annual gathering of turf care specialists. Attendees can earn six CEC’s from the IPM Council of Canada. Register online at LOcongress.com.

Jan. 8

Designers Conference

Delta Hotels Toronto Airport, International Ballroom, 655 Dixon Rd., Etobicoke A full day of sessions on everything from edible gardens and water features to earning client trust. Plus LO Designer Group AGM and popular networking reception. Register online at LOcongress.com.

Jan. 8

Peer to Peer Workshop: The Business of Improving Business Delta Hotels Toronto Airport, New York Room, 655 Dixon Rd., Etobicoke If being more successful in 2018 is one of your goals, this workshop led by Jacki Hart is right for you. Learn how to improve your leadership abilities.

Register online at LOcongress.com.

Jan. 9-11

Congress ’18

Toronto Congress Centre Canada’s largest green industry trade show and conference features over 600 exhibitors, new products, live demos, a four-day conference program and more. Visit LOcongress.com.

RETIREMENT SALE - OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS!!

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FIRST TIME OFFERED FOR SALE. $6,495,000. FOR MORE DETAILS CALL JIM BARRON OR ROBYN OFFEN. TEXT: T40270755

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Jason Barron SALES REPRESENTATIVE

WWW.HORTTRADES.COM 21

INDUSTRY NEWS

A workshop held this past June looked at ways to provide sustainable funding to the nursery/ landscape sector.

Industry leaders convene to determine research funding strategies Working cooperatively, Landscape Ontario (LO) and the Canadian Nursery Landscape Association (CNLA) held a one-day facilitated workshop, designed to brainstorm creative solutions for providing the nursery/ landscape sector with sustainable funding solutions.

An important first step in addressing this critical need, the workshop engaged industry leaders from across Ontario and Canada to focus on the single objective of determining creative research funding strategies which would drive innovation and development of the sector across Ontario and Canada.

Like most agricultural and horticultural commodity groups, Canada’s wholesale

nursery grower sector is acutely aware of the need for ongoing research to ensure the prosperity of the sector in today’s increasingly challenging business environment. As evidenced by the results of recent priority-setting workshops, the sectors research needs are diverse and seek outcomes resulting in improved production technologies, business profitability and marketplace enhancement.

According to Landscape Ontario Growers’ Group chair John Mantel, “Ongoing production improvements have long been a part of our sector’s traditional research priorities, but increasingly we see that our priorities are being driven by the need for enhanced environmental sustainabil-

ity.” The list includes, among other things, environmental best practices such as the optimization of nutrient delivery, efficiency of water management and decreased energy use.

Very new and as of yet largely unfulfilled business opportunities have also presented themselves to the nursery/landscape sector as a result of the new green infrastructure economy. These too, have generated the need for research that leads to expanded application of ornamental products for climate change mitigation and environmental enhancement.

As these new opportunities and challenges have motivated the sector’s appetite for increased research, the need for sustainable funding to support these ongoing requirements has become increasingly evident. As noted by Vic Krahn, chair of the Canadian Nursery Landscape Association’s Research Committee, “We have been particularly fortunate that our respective provincial and national trade organizations have been able to meet the financial commitments of our research initiatives to date.

However, we must also recognize the need for more reliable and sustainable funding sources if we are to move forward with our new and expanded research priorities.”

The workshop engaged industry leaders from across Ontario and Canada to focus on the single objective of determining creative research funding strategies which would drive innovation and development of the sector across Ontario and Canada.

Using criteria that included flexibility, simplicity, security, integrity and above all, sustainability, the workshop participants developed a list of options to present to the Board for further discussion and consideration. At the conclusion of the workshop, Krahn noted, “Above all, our board understands the importance of ownership. The ultimate decision of the board, based on the recommendations that will be

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presented to them as a result of the workshop will be based on a plan that all our members can own as ‘their’ plan for the betterment of ‘their’ industry.”

This project was funded in part through Growing Forward 2 (GF2), a federal-provincial-territorial initiative. The Agricultural Adaptation Council (AAC) assists in the delivery of GF2 in Ontario.

TURFGRASS FARMERS TO VOTE ON MARKETING BOARD

DON’T LET SALT SLIP YOUR MIND THIS WINTER.

The Nursery Sod Growers Association of Ontario (NSGAO) has received confirmation the Ontario Farm Products Marketing Commission will proceed with an expression of opinion vote to gauge PRE-ORDER AND SAVE NOW support for the proposal and establishment of the Turfgrass FarmCall your Account Manager today! ers of Ontario marketing board. With support from members and industry stakeholders, the NSGA presented a proposal to the com416.798.7050 I 1.888.907.SALT (7258) mission in August. The Commission has indicated the vote, open to all sod producers in Ontario, will be held before the end of 2017.

The main purpose of the proposed organization will be to promote the production and marketing of turfgrass sod in Ontario and to advocate, promote and conduct research for the turfgrass industry.

In recent years, Ontario sod producers have seen declining sales. Lower housing starts and smaller lot sizes are affecting new home installation sales. The pesticide ban and municipal watering restrictions have also negatively influenced sod purchases by homeowners as well as by municipal and project decision makers.

The NSGA has engaged the marketing promotion firm Edelman to perform consumer market research on the perceptions of turfgrass sod. The results confirm an education gap exists regarding the environmental and wellness benefits of turfgrass in general. draglamsalt.com The mission of Turfgrass Farmers of Ontario will be to fill the educational gap through a major marketing campaign to the benefit of all turfgrass stakeholders.

The proposal can be viewed online at nsgao.com under “ON Sod Marketing Board.” For more information, contact the GNL 27448 DS Ad Aug 2015.indd 2 15-08-10 NSGA at nsga@rogers.com.

CHANGES FOR MENTAL STRESS BENEFITS

Policy changes will come into effect Jan. 1, 2018 in regards to chronic mental stress and traumatic mental stress benefits.

After completing the consultation phase, Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) have finalized and approved the new Chronic Mental Stress policy (Policy 15-03-14) and made changes to the Traumatic Mental Stress policy (Policy 15-03-02) to provide clarity between the two types of work-related mental stress.

Under the new policies, WSIB gives some examples of what would and would not likely qualify workers for benefits under the proposed legislation and policy. For example, a construction worker who develops post-traumatic stress disorder after witnessing a horrific workplace accident would likely be entitled to benefits under the Traumatic Mental Stress policy. Under the new Chronic Mental Stress policy, instances of harassment, both verbal and physical that result in a depression disorder would also likely result in entitlement to benefits.

Examples of situations where mental stress benefits are not likely to be awarded include shift changes, general labourers who are suspended as a result of repeatedly ignoring company safety rules, and a contract worker not being offered permanent employment after several probationary contract extensions.

The changes come as a result of the Ontario government’s 2017 budget legislation, Bill 127, that among many things, also called for changes to the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, 1997 to provide benefits under the insurance plan for chronic or mental stress arising from a worker’s employment.

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stamnurseries.com WWW.HORTTRADES.COM 23

6:04 PM

EXECUTIVE DESK

Canadian Landscape Standard

The benchmark standard for industry stakeholders

To purchase, visit csla-aapc.ca/standard

Planting trees along the Highway of Heroes will help to raise awareness of the expertise and passion of Landscape Ontario members.

Help showcase our contribution ethic to the world Tony DiGiovanni CHT LO Executive Director

Landscape Ontario Annual General Meeting

Moving forward TOGETHER

Be informed about your association — join your fellow LO members at the AGM January 10, 2018, 7:00 to 9:00 a.m.

Ballroom B, Delta Hotels Toronto Airport 655 Dixon Road, Toronto.

Breakfast at 7:00 a.m.

Meeting at 8:00 a.m. sharp.

Open to all Landscape Ontario members.

RSVP Kathleen Pugliese by December 29, 2017 1-800 265-5656 ext. 2309 or email kathleenp@landscapeontario.com

S

ince it’s November, I thought it would be fitting for this month’s article to write about the Highway of Heroes Living Tribute (HOHLT).

In case you haven’t heard about this wonderful program, HOHLT is planting 117,000 trees along the Highway of Heroes (Hwy. 401 from Trenton, Ont., to Keele St. in Toronto) for each of Canada’s war dead since Confederation. This living, breathing memorial will last for generations. Landscape Ontario is involved in raising money and in-kind services to help plant the trees.

We also plan to plant an additional two million trees on either side of the highway to honour the two million men and women who have served our country through military service. Please see HOHtribute.ca for more information.

We need $10 million to realize these goals. However, a wise man I know is fond of saying, “money comes in different ways.” It’s true. The ultimate sacrifice made by the 117,000 men and women was based on duty, contribution and a passion for the values of our country.

24 LANDSCAPE ONTARIO NOVEMBER 2017

I believe it is far better and more meaningful for our profession to contribute our expertise, equipment, labour and trees to better represent our contribution ethic.

I have long observed that members of Landscape Ontario are incredible community builders. Many of our chapters and individual members give back to their communities in significant ways. Their selfless efforts are valued at millions of dollars. I also believe the best way to raise awareness about our wonderful profession is to use those talents in efforts that leave a green legacy. Many of our members have already contributed labour, equipment and trees to plant 12,000 trees along the Highway of Heroes. We have many more to go. Ask yourself how you can help us to build this green legacy.

If you can spare some time, expertise, advice, connections, equipment, trees, mulch, compost, soil or labour please contact me. We need everyone in our profession to get behind this amazing project.

We have an opportunity to change the landscape for this generation and future generations. We have a unique chance to transmit our values and our appreciation to those we will never meet. As always, your help will also beautify the landscape and help to clean the air where it is needed most.

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

PUBLIC RELATIONS Planning for the year ahead

By Denis Flanagan CLD Manager of Membership and Public Relations

O

ver the next few weeks, your Landscape Ontario membership team will be having planning meetings to ensure our activities in 2018 will continue to align with the changing needs of our members.

Our direction comes from LO’s Provincial Board of Directors, who prioritize the needs and direction of the association.

As always, we will pay close attention to the needs of our nine regional chapters, through the many annual events they hold and through hundreds of face-to-face meetings at Congress. The valuable feedback we get from our engaged members is necessary for us to formulate a plan for 2018. Just as it is important for you to review the past year in your own business, in order to recognize particular successes, and build upon those for even more success in the coming year, we too, must do the same. Here are just a few of our successful undertakings from the past 12 months.

As the season winds down each fall, members provide valuable insight into their knowledge of the association and how it works at the annual LO governance meeting. Here, representatives from LO’s nine

chapters and 11 sector groups continue to amaze us with their commitment and creative energy that always comes out at this special meeting. One change we are making this year as a result of your feedback is changing the timing of the governance meeting to coincide with Congress instead of being held in late fall when members are really busy.

Public relations remains a priority at Landscape Ontario. Educating media and the public on the many benefits of hiring a professional member of LO is our number one goal. Through LO’s extensive network, we utilize several vehicles to reach the masses, such as Canada Blooms, countless home and garden shows (at which many LO chapters have a strong presence), our popular Garden Inspiration magazine, various TV, radio and magazine features, and a monthly message to our media members/partners. Through these efforts, we aim to promote awareness of horticulture and encourage the public to hire a professional. This past year, our largest increase in awareness came through social media. The stunning work of LO members in the LO Awards of Excellence program always creates a plethora of comments when posted on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. In 2018, we plan to make an even more concentrated effort on showcasing the inspiring work of LO members.

Canada 150 was a fantastic opportunity to celebrate and promote with our many partners who share our goal of promoting awareness of horticulture: Garden Days,

the Canadian Garden Council, Master Gardeners, Canada Blooms, Toronto Botanical Gardens, Royal Botanical Gardens, Ontario Parks Association and Canadian Nursery Landscape Association. In late June, we held a special Canada 150 member day barbecue at LO’s home office in Milton to recognize pioneer members and their families. We also celebrated the fact we have a viable LO membership with many strong partners and organizations, that together, engage over 150,000 people in the world of horticulture.

The past six months have been extremely busy with many chapter and sector group events, including eight golf tournaments, three baseball tournaments and many educational sessions. In September, CNLA hosted the International Garden Centre Association congress (ICGA), showcasing Ontario to over 250 delegates from over 22 countries. The event included tours to some of Ontario’s finest garden centres.

This past summer, Gatineau, Que., hosted the Mosaicanada event to coincide with Canada 150, drawing huge crowds from around the world to their larger than life exhibit.

Getting out to see so many world-class landscape projects, garden centres, botanical gardens and special exhibits this past summer made me realize just how lucky we are to have such greatness in Ontario.

In 2018, I challenge everyone who is a part of the landscape and horticulture profession to make a point of visiting more of these fantastic, inspiring sites.

With the year almost behind us, it’s now on to the business of planning for 2018. If you have any ideas, suggestions or comments for LO’s membership team, please contact me.

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

Monday January 8, 2018

A full day event including keynote speakers, lunch, supplier showcase and prizes.

Held in conjunction with Congress ’18.

Visit LOcongress.com for complete details.

Landscape Ontario’s Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Symposium has been a uniquely respected event since 1965. Attendees will earn 6 CECs from the IPM Council of Canada.

REGISTRATION FEE: $120 per ticket until December 15. $160 per ticket after December 15.

Admission to Congress ’18 Trade Show Exhibits and the Tailgate Party is included in registration prices. The Congress Conference and other special events are a separate fee.

WWW.HORTTRADES.COM 25

MEMBERSHIP How to attract new staff

By Myscha Stafford Membership and Chapter Coordinator

F

or years, companies have been having an increasingly difficult time finding reliable staff. Why? Of course, there are many factors involved.

Perhaps it is time to change the perspective — from examining the shortage of workers to examining the companies looking to hire. What are you doing to attract new staff? It appears the game has changed and potential employees are looking to get more out of their jobs than just a paycheque.

What do employees look for?

For answers, I went right to the source and asked full time green professionals a series of questions about their jobs.

They all shared similar answers. Your staff enjoy working outside; that is why they are in this profession. They know the work is hard, that conditions can be rough, and that is a challenge of their work that they actually enjoy. That being said, conditions are also one of the greatest challenges of their jobs (precarious hours on rainy days, working long hours, working weekends).

How is your company adapting the workplace environment to address these

challenges? Has your business enacted an overtime policy? Do your staff work weekends? Do you hand out awards at the end of the season to boost morale and recognize your top staff? Do you have profit-sharing or give out bonuses?

Review your screening process

Another thing to consider when hiring new employees is your screening process. Just because landscaping often requires physically demanding work, you shouldn’t automatically count out applicants who are much older than what you desire. Think about how a more experienced person could fit in on one of your crews, or work elsewhere in your shop or office. Consider them for all of the various roles within your company. Also consider how you could reallocate responsibilities of current employees if a particular candidate over the age of 40 or 50 has a specific area of expertise or experience.

A candidate with other expertise could also give your company an opportunity to expand into different areas or take on different types of projects. If you are looking for hard-working, reliable staff, you should not be excluding older candidates.

Opportunities for advancement

When asked what they would change about their job, full time professionals said they are looking for more opportunities for advancement in the companies they work for, as well as more opportunities for training and development. Staff

are far more likely to be remain loyal to the company they work for if they feel there is room for growth and this applies to staff of any age. When staff members feel they play a valuable role within the company and there is room for their career to develop, they are very likely to perform to the best of their abilities and will want to return next season.

Invest in training

Through the challenges of finding good, skilled labour, Landscape Ontario’s annual Professional Development Series and many other opportunities were born (see Terry Murphy’s column on page 28).

LO members can now register for the many training opportunities held from now until April (including Congress conference sessions, and special events) at a reduced member rate. Make learning and development company-wide. You and your staff can also attend a local, informative chapter meeting where topics are relevant to the success of your business. Participating in the many opportunities will result in more skilled, engaged staff who feel valued and a part of the company for which they work and will be more likely to return next year — saving you the time, headaches, and cost of having to find and train new employees.

Myscha Stafford (LO’s thought-provoking Millennial) can be reached at 1-800-265-5656, ext. 2333 or myscha@landscapeontario.com.

Join your fellow Congress delegates for dinner and entertainment. Delta Hotels Toronto Airport, Plaza Ballroom (upstairs), 5:00 p.m. to 12:00 a.m.

party

WEDNESDAY JANUARY 10th

tailgate Your trade show badge is your admission ticket.

That’s right; no fee to attend!

26 LANDSCAPE ONTARIO NOVEMBER 2017

Entertainment provided in partnership with

BY LS TRAINING SYSTEM

APPRENTICESHIP Pathways on the journey to success

By Rachel Cerelli LO Education and Labour Development Program Coordinator

N

ot every person travels the same road to get to where they want to go. Every person’s idea of success is different. Just because your road is different doesn’t mean it’s the wrong one or the final one. One thing I have learned over the years is that we are always learning, always growing, always changing — and always facing new forks in the road.

Over the next few months, I plan to share the stories of various landscape professionals, describing how they started out their career and the paths they took towards achieving their own definition of success.

Lindsey’s road

Lindsey Ross is a father, a husband, and a leader within the landscape profession. Lindsey is also active in the association as a director on Landscape Ontario Ottawa Chapter board.

Lindsey’s road began in 2001 where he studied parks and recreation at Fleming College in Peteborough, Ont. With a love for the outdoors and no desire to sit at a desk all day, the program seemed a natural choice for Lindsey after completing high school.

Upon graduating college in 2003, Lindsey had learned a lot and did very well in studies. He had spent over $10,000 on his education and was working various retail/service type jobs.

In 2005, Lindsey got a small taste of the landscape/horticulture profession while working for a small landscape maintenance company. By the spring of

2007, Lindsey decided to explore a new path, and applied for a job at Garden Creations of Ottawa, a large landscape company owned and operated by Tim Kearney. Lindsey was offered a position, but another opportunity presented itself, and Lindsey seized the opportunity and took a job as a Watch Officer, working on a tall ship. Suddenly, on July 13, 2007 everything changed. The tall ship had a serious fire. A couple of days after the fire, the crew were sent home for a break.

This event proved to be a turning point in Lindsey’s career and his journey would now lead him to new heights.

While returning home, Lindsey received a call from Garden Creations.

They had an opening, and wanted to know if he was still interested in the position from a few months before. This time, Lindsey took the job and a new path appeared before him. Lindsey began his career as a landscape maintenance professional.

After only a couple of months at Garden Creations, it was obvious to owner Tim Kearney that his new, young employee was someone to hold on to.

Tim needed to seize Lindsey’s energy, passion and enthusiasm and feed him knowledge and experience. Tim registered Lindsey as an apprentice.

While Lindsey completed the in-class portion of the Apprenticeship Program, he steadily worked in the profession, gaining over 5,400 hours of practical experience.

In a span of 10 years, Lindsey’s role progressed several times: junior foreman, foreman, maintenance supervisor, assistant snow manager, maintenance manager and general manager.

Today, Lindsey has once again taken a new opportunity presented by a new path. On June 1, 2017, Lindsey along with two of his colleagues, Kent Merkley and Lynda Blackburn (also apprentices), started a new company called Living Green Landscaping, and acquired the maintenance contract portfolio from Garden Creations.

Although Lindsey and his team are only in their first year as business owners, they are thoroughly enjoying their new career path and are planning to help

others like themselves who have a passion for the profession. They too, will be taking advantage of the training available to their staff through the Horticulture Technician Apprenticeship program.

The future goals for this new team are to complete their sign-off books and register as official Journeypersons with their Certificate of Apprenticeship, followed by challenging the Certificate of Qualifications by early 2018.

As in life, the road through the Apprenticeship Program may be different for everyone. Sometimes it can be a sprint, other times more like a marathon. If the path towards completing the journey is three, four or 10 years long, the end goal remains the same.

Find your path and help others start and find their own path. Learn. Teach.

Raise the bar of our profession, one apprentice at a time.

For more information or help getting started with the Apprenticeship Program, visit horticulturetechnician.ca, or contact LO’s apprenticeship team.

Rachel Cerelli 1-800-265-5656, ext. 2354 or rachel@landscapeontario.com.

Alex Gibson at 613-809-5093 or jagibson@landscapeontario.com.

An initiative of the Landscape Ontario Designer Sector Group.

Monday January 8, 2018 Delta Hotels Toronto Airport

A full-day event, with keynote speakers, lunch and closing reception.

Held in conjunction with Congress ’18.

Visit LOcongress.com for complete details.

REGISTRATION FEES : $140 for members and $190 non-members, before December 15 $190 for members and $270 non-members, after December 15 Admission to Congress 2018 Trade Show and Tailgate Party is included with registration.

Presenting Partner

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WWW.HORTTRADES.COM 27

UNDERGROUND WORLD Invaluable educational opportunities

By Terry Murphy CLM

W

hen reviewing my emails this morning, I saw a message featuring Nathan Helder, Landscape Ontario show committee chair, mentioning the annual trade show and conference, Congress, is just around the corner.

Where did the summer go? Upon opening my mail, I then discovered LO’s 2017-2018 Professional Development Seminar Guide, listing the many training and educational opportunities held across the province over the next several months. These incidents prompted me to reflect back on the state of industry education some 25 years ago, when I had just started my job at Landscape Ontario.

Winter traning was developed

During my first couple of years at Landscape Ontario, I talked to several senior member companies about education and training. We had some differences of opinion on what the industry needed. It wasn’t about the need for education and training itself, or the content required, but on the delivery method. Most older members wanted two- to four weeks of concentrated training in certain areas. We already had the Apprenticeship Program for that type of training. My thinking was that younger employees had trouble sitting for long periods of time and therefore wanted short, concise training that focused more on doing that listening. I remember having this discussion with my boss, Tony DiGiovanni, LO executive director, and he wisely suggested the only way to proceed was to run some shorter training courses over the winter to test out my assumptions. We went ahead and built three training rooms in the warehouse at the Milton site, and LO’s Winter Workshop Series was born.

The seminars were very successful because they not only filled the need for education, they were also an enormous value (because of their relatively low

cost), contained relevant content, and many included a practical component as well. All that, plus coffee and lunch for under $100 per one-day seminar. There was no better value around and the training became extremely popular.

We later branded them as “Professional Development,” and the courses have expanded to include other areas such as safety, business management, accounting, strategic planning, supervisor training and more. Over 20 years later, these seminars continue to attract over 1,500 participants over the winter months.

Continuing education has great value

What is the value in education and training? For an employee, they gain a perspective on the subject matter, get a good grounding on technical knowledge, listen to and talk to other participants on the subject, learn about safety and safe working procedures, take away key literature, and get any of their questions answered. Employees feel a sense of pride and self-improvement that will help them to develop their career. For the employer, they are helping to develop a better employee, who learns the correct way of producing quality work. Better workmanship and better quality also means fewer technical errors and jobsite corrections which saves time and money.

Education in action

In the 1990s we had a serious problem where Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) premium rates for rate group 190 (landscaping) were increasing at an annual rate of almost one per cent. For employers, we had to do something to keep costs down and reverse the trend, with WSIB premium rates going from five to almost 10 percent within five years. LO developed a strategic plan based on education and training and began implementation in 1995. The plan included a dedicated safety message via Horticulture Review magazine, educational seminars with WSIB, nearly mandatory safety education and training for landscape companies, safety training within the Apprenticeship Program,

28 LANDSCAPE ONTARIO NOVEMBER 2017

promotion of education and safety via the Winter Workshops and the creation of LO/WSIB Safety Groups. It was an all-out educational effort by Landscape Ontario and member firms. The result was a reduction in the WSIB rate for landscaping from nearly 10 per cent, back down to 3.5 per cent within five years. This was a tremendous industry effort which saved employers millions of dollars. This result was accomplished solely by education and training.

Education for your employees

We’ve all heard the very true expression, “You are never too old to learn.” Employees are very open to learning, but employers must first take the lead. Why not sit down with each of your employees and go through LO’s Professional Development Seminar Guide to develop a program of two or three seminars for each person for this winter. You will gain a more proficient, improved, more productive employee as a result. Members of the Canadian Fencing Industry Association (CFIA), and registered members of the Ontario Regional Common Ground Alliance (ORCGA) also qualify for the reduced, member rate — another benefit to belonging to a professional organization.

Conclusion

Everyone can benefit from continued education and training. The entire industry also benefits from individuals improving their technical expertise and how to make the most of new technologies and methods. Seminars and courses offered in landscaping are geared for all levels: from a new employee to senior management. Another excellent training program is the Horticultural Technician Apprenticeship Program. Through support from the government, participating in the program costs practically nothing, and actually has a cash incentive of $4,000 for each employee and tax benefits for the employer. It is currently offered in the offseason at five colleges across the province. Space is limited, so you must register now. To find out the many ways the program can help your business, or with help through the registration process, contact the LO office. The Apprenticeship Program and other training opportunities offered by LO are a tremendous value. Start planning your winter training opportunities now.

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

PROSPERITY PARTNERS Faster than a speeding bullet

By Jacki Hart CLM Prosperity Partners Program Manager

“L

ook! It’s a bird, it’s a plane…” No, it’s today’s entrepreneurs running madly in all directions, trying to figure out how to engage their teams. If that opening phrase takes you down memory lane to a guy in a red cape, then you probably belong to the older generation and there is room for improvement in your human resources strategy.

If you’re not sure about the “bird and the plane” analogy, then you should read on, because help is on the way. More than ever, business owners and managers are finding it increasingly difficult to engage and retain their younger workforce. The generation gap seems wider than ever. You are not alone.

The old versus the new

Whether we choose to call them Millennials or not, employees age 35 and younger have different values than employers and managers who are over 35. Millennials are the first career-seekers who were referred to as “latch-key” or “tech-savy” kids. Their world revolves around being accepted, making a difference and contributing to the greater good — and all at relatively breakneck speed compared to the pace at which information and change took place 20 years ago. This helps to explain why Millennials are impatient, which in my opinion, is actually a good thing. They’re also curious, ambitious and want to do their best for you. Once you figure out how to leverage their desire to change your processes from doing things “the old fashioned way,” you’re off to the races. The challenge I hear across every sector of our profession is how to figure that leverage.

CTRL>ALT>DEL

Having just read that heading, do you realize many people under the age of 25 (and most under 20) don’t know what it means?

You don’t press keys to reboot a smartphone. If your team makes you feel out of date, you likely are. This young, vibrant

generation brings lots of creativity and different skills to your workplace and its processes. Bosses need to figure out how to leverage this. While it’s human nature to resist change, I think Charles Darwin said it best: “It is not the strongest species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the ones most responsive to change.” Businesses are no different. What has changed in our younger workforce over the past 10 years is the culture of what’s considered fulfilling in a job or career. Gone are the days where working the longest hours at the hardest manual labour meant you kept your job and likely got a promotion. Gone too, are the young, eager-beavers who join your company looking for a life-long career.

An honest days work

Each generation to move up into the workforce of the industrialized world has been frowned upon by their elders and labelled as lazy, having weak character and not understanding the true meaning of an honest days work. Sound familiar? I remember my parents and their friends snubbing the work ethic of my generation, believing they were doomed as the last generation to understand the meaning of hard work. As an employer of 20 landscape technicians, up until recently, I often caught myself thinking the same way. “Why don’t they get it?” I would lament to whoever would listen. It’s not until after a few years of wading through dozens of books, articles and blogs on the topic of Millennials, that I feel I’ve finally figured out how we can engage and embrace them in our businesses.

Values of a generation

Here’s a glimpse into part of my “Coles Notes Millennial-ready checklist” to get you started: Impatience: This younger workforce grew up with instant gratification and information at their fingertips. From Amazon purchases arriving in hours to entire television seasons available on Netflix whenever they feel like it. Even finding a hot date without leaving the house is at reach in the palm of their hand. Your business has to adapt in some way to the speed of light.

Hint: If you’ve never experienced Amazon or Netflix, you’re probably going to need help with this generation shift.

Hard work equals meaningful work: If what Millennials do every day isn’t changing lives (including their own), they’re not interested and your company will become a revolving door.

Having a story to tell is more important: If Millennials have nothing interesting or personally gratifying to share on social media, they won’t feel successful or important, and they won’t show up for work.

They need to feel included and appreciated: Feedback, feedback feedback… now, tomorrow, and the next day. A company with a ‘no news is good news’ approach to feedback will be dead in the water. Hint: If you don’t know what onboarding is, let alone have it established in your company culture, you really need to get up to speed.

To get a handle on leveraging the skills and needs of Millennials, sign up for the Peer to Peer workshop on Jan. 8. Details at LOcongress.com.

Jacki Hart may be contacted at info.peertopeer@landscapeontario.com.

MONDAY JANUARY 8, 2018 Delta Hotels Toronto Airport

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REGISTRATION FEES l $120 for Members until December 15 l $160 for Members after December 15 Held in conjunction with Congress ’18.

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WWW.HORTTRADES.COM 29

CLASSIFIEDS

ADVERTISERS

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.

Arborjet Inc.

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Qualifications: 2-3 years of experience in landscaping, attention to detail, ability to work under pressure and tight deadlines, knowledge of landscape construction and installation techniques, good communication and interpersonal skills, plant knowledge and identification.

Location of work: 16388 Kennedy Road, Stouffville, ON, L4A 2M7 Terms of employment: Permanent, Full time Vacancies: 3 Salary: $26 per hour Hours of work: 40 hours per week Benefits: Eligible for bonuses and/or salary increases in accordance with company policy.

Contact: mary@lomco.ca

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Page 22

www.baumalight.com

866-820-7603

Page 9

Canadale Nurseries Ltd.

www.canadale.com

519-631-7264

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City Buick Pontiac Cadillac Ltd.

www.citybuick.com

416-751-5920

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Expressway Hino Waterloo

www.expresswaytrucks.com

800-558-7364

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G & L Group (Draglam Salt)

www.draglamsalt.com

416-798-7050

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Baumalight by MTB MFG

Georgian Chevrolet

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www.kobesnurseries.com

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Great Lakes Wood Products Inc. Halton Autolease Inc. J.J. Barron & Associates Realty Inc. Kobes Nurseries Inc. Maple Leaves Forever

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Metal Pless Inc.

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www.newroadsleasing.com

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www.niscocanada.com

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www.pottersroadnursery.com

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www.sipkensnurseries.com

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www.southoakvillechrysler.com

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Page 23

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the heat is on

Garden Centre WEDNESDAY JANUARY 10, 2018 TORONTO CONGRESS CENTRE

celebrating achievement in

construction, maintenance and design January 9, 2018 5:00 pm – 8:30 pm

Share David’s research insights by looking at where Millennials come from and how it impacts their expectations for work.

This data will be valuable to any employer looking to recruit, retain, and engage Canada’s largest generation.

REGISTRATION FEES l

Plaza Ballroom, Delta Hotels Toronto Airport

Purchase tickets for $65 per person at LOcongress.com PRESENTING PARTNER:

SUPPORTING PARTNERS:

l

$75 a ticket (for a member or non-member) until December 15th.

AFTER December 15th, $100 a ticket.

David Coletto

Held in conjunction with Congress ’18.

Visit LOcongress.com to register or for more information.

30 LANDSCAPE ONTARIO NOVEMBER 2017

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JANUARY 9, 10 & 11, 2018

TORONTO CONGRESS CENTRE, TORONTO, ONTARIO

FEATURING GARDEN EXPO AND FENCECRAFT

register today!

LOcongress.com

Canada’s Premier Green Industry Trade Show and Conference Register with FREE VIP trade show admission code: LO1117

WWW.HORTTRADES.COM 31

GEORGIAN COMMERCIAL FLEET CENTRE

Over 35 plow ready trucks in stock, all cabs, gas or diesel.

GEORGIAN CHEVROLET • BUICK • GMC

32 LANDSCAPE ONTARIO NOVEMBER 2017