TBB February 2023

Solid 2022 Shipping Season at the Port of ThunderBay

BYSCOTTA. SUMNER Thunder Bay BUSINESS

The shipping season started in late March 2022 and ended January 15th, 2023. That is when the Soo Locks close as they are run by the Army Core of Engineers and it has always been that way. Overall the sea-

even 20 below temperatures, you can gain 4 inches of ice per day.”

The shipping season is about 10 months long these days and that is up about 25% over the early years in the fifties. There have been some efforts made to make it longer. This weather is still variable though and the Port of Thunder Bay have had years when the ice breaker is here in June.

How did the Port of ThunderBay perform this shipping season?

“ It was fortunate for us with potash shipments higher which was related to the Ukraine situation. Grain was down as the crop was pretty poor last year. Usually you have two parts to the season, the leftover from last years harvest and the current years harvest which starts in the fall. This year there wasn’t much leftover from the prior years harvest. The harvest this year was the third best in history so it started to balance out from where it was.The wet spring did cause a later planting.You need 90 days of good weather.” said Tim Heney.

son has been a pretty good one for the Port of Thunder Bay.

“This season has been good weather wise. It started out cold and then ice started to form but the recent big winds blew the ice out causing it not to form in many areas. Then it warmed up,” said Tim Heney, CEO Port of Thunder Bay. “At this time there is some ice in the Kam River up to the grain elevators there. The Mobile X terminal has one more ship to come in this season. In that area the wind doesn’t affect it as much. We may have to get an ice breaker in there. If you get straight 40 below, or

“ There are no ships that come to Thunder Bay empty. They may come into Lake Michigan and have a load up to Thunder Bay at least for part of their overall journey. The ships come from Europe with various steel parts usually and then return with grain. Europe is well known for steel production and Canada hasn’t made certain types of steel for many years so there is a lot of imported steel.”

“ Overall the season came out pretty well for us over last year.We are down because of the grain.The grain was 6.3 million

tonnes and last year 7.2 million, and normally we are over 8 million so a pretty weak year for grain. Potash was 1.2 mil-

considering what it looked like in the spring. Grain is a large portion of the shipments through the Port.”

lion versus 600,000 last year so double and made up for some grain.Overall we were down about 5% which was pretty good

Continued page 4

Tim Heney, CEO Port of ThunderBay

Basically your health is a central factor of how you feel each day. Besides your mind and how you think, it is the next most important area of life. We hear so often the phrase "If you don't have your health what do you have." This is an extremely true statement. You can have all the money you'd ever want but if your body is injured, or you constantly feel fatigued, it's impossible to find fun in life.

In the last many years, I've invested countless hours thinking, reading, and obtaining help with my own health. One can assemble a great team of health consultants to address basic requirements. There are many skilled professionals who can help you achieve optimal health. These can range from your family doctor, to personal trainers, to massage therapists, to certified dieticians, chiropractors and to physiotherapists. The list can go on depending on your circumstances, but these would form a great start for anyone.

The overriding fact I learned in health is

Exercise Aerobic

that even with all the help from people, there is only one person who can make a major difference in your personal health. YOU! You have to make it happen because no one will eat for you, or exercise for you or get the proper rest for you. They will assist you, but at the end of the day YOU! must do what has to be done.

Many years ago I had a physiotherapist design a fitness program for me. He not only prescribed a personal exercise plan, but actually attended each session for 12 times to help me form the habit of wanting to do it. Fitness training always requires numerous sessions before the benefits and the results become measurable, and only then do you become self motivated to want to go yourself. Remember YOU are the only one who can exercise your body. Apersonal trainer can encourage but you control you muscles.

Cardiovascular training occurs when your heart activity level gets into the TRAINING ZONE. What's that you ask? Its when your heart beats fast enough to make it as a muscle improve. At rest our

heart doesn't have to work to it's full capacity. In essence it can coast, and when it coasts it doesn't improve. If you are doing something more strenuous your heart will pump harder, resulting in a capacity gain and a strength gain. You can tell whether you are in the training zone by subtracting your age from 220 and then taking 60- 85 % of the level. Next measure your heart beats to determine whether your heart beat is in your training zone. For example, if you are 40 years old subtract 220 - 40 = 180. Take 60 to 85 of this or 108 to 153. Take your pulse at your wrist and measure the number of beats in 10 seconds and multiply by 6. If you count 20 x 6 or 120 you know you are in the training zone, and are getting great benefits for your heart and lungs. You are using 67% of your heart's capacity.

So how do you get your heart rate up? Basically you have to get moving. My favorite exercise has always been the Stairmaster. This program simulates stair climbing which you can make easier or harder depending on the resistance level on the machine. Also, the time duration is important. Standard thinking suggests

that getting you heart beat elevated for at least 20 minutes for three times per week is a minimal level for cardio vascular fitness. My feel is if you could aim for 30 minutes, 4 times per week all the better. However, every person is different, and your current level of fitness has a big impact on this.

Other forms of cardiovascular activity includes the tread mill which allows you to walk inside, rowingmachines, the stationary bike , the skiing machine, and an endless variety of other physical enhancement machines. The outdoors should also be an option. Brisk walking, running, bicycling and so on are great. You must remember to get into the TRAINING ZONE. So check you heart rate before you start, as well as during your fitness activity. Acardiovascular activity level coupled with good diet will balance your body to its desired weight. Your body wants to be efficient and not carry extra fat or weight. This type of activity will let it operate the way it should and YOU WILLFEELBETTER!

www.scottsumner.com

How Much do You Value YourHealth?

What do you value?People will spend all sorts of money, time, and energy on things they deem important.Do you really like that cup of coffee and muffin from the coffee shop?You will spend $5 plus per day, $25 per week, $100 per month, $1200 plus per year just to have a coffee and a muffin. You say it’s more convenient, but you are probably spending at least an extra ten minutes to drive there and pick it up.This is over 40 hours per year plus gas.A week of work. Each of us has the right to spend our hard-earned money and extra time how we choose.But when someone tells me they do not have the time or money to improve their health I would dare to suggest that you are not being honest with yourself.It is more honest to

simply say that you do not value your health as much as a daily trip to the coffee shop.

In our fast paced and over stimulated lives, our bodies and mind put up all kinds of mental and physical blockers as subconscious survival mechanisms and we lose body awareness.As such, often your health takes a back seat to all the other things you value most. If pain, poor function and or mental stresses can be numbed by popping a pill they are often ignored.For many of us it isn’t until our poor health interferes with our quality of life that we finally choose to act.

Have you heard of the phrase “touch and go”?That is the term used by airplane pilots when they are practicing their take offs and landings.They take off, circle round, land and then without stopping take off again.Often, people will take this approach with their health care. They start, stop, start, stop again, never really taking advantage of building a momentum of healing by reaching cruising altitude.Yet they use huge amounts of energy and effort to circle back to start all over again.

Most people seek health care to improve the quality of their lives.Some may only be focused on pain management; others want to increase function.But in the end, they just want to be able to:get a good night sleep or eat a good meal without feeling sick or play with their children and grandchildren or swing the golf club or go out on the town etc.These are the things we value.If we start by making a commitment to ourselves to engage in daily

and weekly strategies to improve our physical and mental health you will be amazed at how much money, time, and energy you will save.

Whether that happens through self-help strategies such as increasing exercise, improving your diet or learning to meditate; or needing to frequently visit a health practitioner or therapist.Just like the plane, your body needs to create momentum by doing that healthy activity several times per week if not daily.

Like an airplane engine reaching higher altitude, your body works much more efficiently when it reaches a higher level of health.

So, what do you value most?I can almost

guarantee that having a higher state of health will allow you to enjoy those things to the fullest!

James DiGiuseppe is a local chiropractor with a busy family and wellness practice.For more health information or to contact Dr. DiGiuseppe visit: www.portarthurchiropractic.com

Solid 2022 Shipping Season at the Port of ThunderBay

Continued from page 2

The Port of ThunderBay has diversified overthe years which has helped operations?

“ All of our buildings at the port are full as there is a big demand for warehousing with the pandemic because of the take off of couriers and companies like Amazon. Direct delivery businesses require warehouse space.We have the largest warehouse space between Sault Ste Marie and Winnipeg.”

“The continuing of Phosphate shipments from Morocco is a new thing for us.”

“ The best thing for us was pipe shipments coming from Europe. Once you get good at handling it it is very consistent, a repeat business.”

How did the Ukraine conflict affect the port?

“ We couldn’t supply the short fall of grain because of the Ukraine war because

we didn’t have the harvest to ship. It will be interesting to see how much grain we will have this year to ship because of the Ukraine situation. The crops around the world affect the situation. Ukraine grain is relied upon for some markets.

The 2023 season looks to be betterfor the Port of ThunderBay?

“We feel grain will be better this year and are hoping to build on this pipe business, as well as potash. There is a new potash mine coming on board in Saskatchewan, which was accelerated due to the demand for potash in the world, so that will help us.”

“ The Port is linked to the outside world and things from very far away can affect us. We were affected by Covid and the situation in the US with the tariffs during the Trump years which affected steel shipments and actually benefited us. Supply chains were dramatically affected by Covid and are still affected.The trucker situation has had an impact with driver availability and electronic logs especially to the US.”

“ We are strengthening the business development side of the port with the appointment of Chris Heikkinen to a new position.We had one retirement.”

©2023 Brian Babcock

In business you may judge your success by profit, but other key indicators also measure your performance. Which are most important to you?

However you approach performance, you likely realize that if you do not know where you want to end up, it is difficult to get there.

The same is true in legal services. Both you and your lawyer need to know where you hope to end up, in order to find the best path to get there with the greatest odds of success and the most reasonable cost.

Strategy and tactics, whether in negotiat-

What is YourObjective? Legal Matters

ing a deal or resolving a dispute, are important parts of the lawyer's job that are often overlooked. Even if we are simply drafting you a contract, it helps to know whether it is a “one off” or is intended to be a template for you to do a series of transactions.

Clear communication with your lawyer is essential to reaching your objectives. Together with clear thinking about your goals, it will help you avoid winning the battles but losing the war.This applies not just when drafting or negotiating

contracts. It also is important in any sort of negotiation or dispute resolution, whether commercial litigation, family law, or an estates matter.

If you are not clear on your must haves, traders, and nice to haves, your lawyer is left working in the dark, unable to spot any legal landmines,not fully armed to assist you in the negotiations. If you are not clear on your objectives, your lawyer is handicapped as to strategies and tactics.

This is a reason to develop a trusting relationship with a lawyer who knows you and understands your business. Otherwise, you might find yourself struggling like in the old story of the six blindfolded men trying to describe an

elephant.

Your lawyer can help you sort out your objectives, but that takes time and money and sometimes there just isn't enough time. Far better that your lawyer understands from past shared experience.

Knowing your desired destination is also a beginning point if damage control becomes necessary, together with understanding where you ended up, and why. Objectives change, and you and your lawyer need to keep that in mind.

At Weilers LLP, we are goal oriented lawyers. We enjoy helping clients achieve their objectives. If you think that fits your needs, and it should, give us a call.

ThunderBay CEDC Board of Directors welcomes two new Board Members

The Thunder Bay Community Economic Development Commission Board of Directors are pleased to

announce the appointment of Michelle Salo and Roger Souckey to the Board of Directors.

“On behalf of the Board and staff I would like to welcome Michelle and Roger to the Thunder Bay CEDC," says Peter Marchl, Chair, Thunder Bay

CEDC Board of Directors. “Both individuals bring new perspectives and fresh ideas to our organization. We look forward to working together for the benefit of our community.”

Michelle is a Certified Professional Accountant (CPA) with over 30 years of experience.She is currently the Chief Operating Officer at Confederation College where she has been employed since May 2019. Michelle spent most of her career in the Pulp, Paper, and Personal Care sector where she had the opportunity to serve in many different finance roles. Her strengths are in strategic planning, finance and operations, her knowledge and expertise will be a great asset to the CEDC Board of Directors.

Roger is the Vice President of HR and Environmental, Social and Governance with Argonaut Gold. Born and raised in Northwestern Ontario, Roger is an active community member and previously served as an elected official in Marathon Ontario and on various boards.Roger has over 35 years of experience in the mining sector with international expertise, his knowledge will be an invaluable asset to the CEDC Board of Directors.

Memorial Home Hardware Building Centre Expands!

Thunder Bay BUSINESS

If you are driving down Memorial Ave in Thunder Bay you will certainly notice the new store front presence of the Memorial Home Hardware Building Centre. You will also see Thunder Bay’s first lumber store drive through!

Chris Sauer, age 53, has been the Dealer-Owner of Memorial Home Hardware Building Centre since 2018. His wife Shannon and son Justin work full time in the business. Other son Jordan is an electrician.

Chris Sauer has been in Thunder Bay since 1978 and been in this business since 1990 started out selling lumber at the previous Beaver Lumber in County Fair. He then came to the current Memorial Home Hardware Building Centre location to work, back to County Fair and then returned to Memorial. When the previous owners of Memorial Home Hardware Building Centre decided to retire Chris took over.

“ The current store has been here since 1978 and the people have supported it for years and years. Not a lot had been done to the location over those years until we took over. We put on a new store front to give it a lot more curb appeal. You can’t see it now but there is more greenery out there, with planter

boxes and more coming this spring and we have trees coming for the boulevard,” said Chris Sauer. “ We added the drive through lumber yard which people were waiting for and excited about. You can pick up all your lumber, drywall, insulation, building materials and cements inside in a drive through out of

the weather. It’s unheated so the wood doesn’t twist or warp. It is a trend in the industry and Memorial Home Hardware Building Centre is the first drive through for building materials in Thunder Bay.”

BYSCOTTA. SUMNER

Shannon and Chris Sauer, Dealer-Owner of Memorial Home Hardware Building Centre

Memorial Home Hardware Building Centre Expands!

Continued

“ We started some minor renovations when we took over in August of 2018 with the plan to start the main construction in 2020. That got pushed back twice because of the pandemic and we finally

got going in 2021 in the fall.We were under construction for all of 2022 and would like to thank all of our customers for supporting us during that time as it was a little challenging getting in and out of the store, working around various construction.Our busy season is the con-

struction season so you couldn’t shut down.” said Chris.

The general contractor for this project was Tom Jones Corporation. The construction started with an earth works pro-

is 22,000 square feet. Memorial Home Hardware Building Centre also have the old lumber yard storage area behind the building and will continue to use that for overflow. The footprint on Memorial Ave is not big enough to close the old

gram removing muskeg and putting in proper fill. Next piles were driven down to a depth of around 50 feet, concrete poured and the building built on top of that. The drive through addition was 8500 square feet and the existing store

lumber yard. They do have enough room in the the new drive through building to keep a lift of everything. Continued

Memorial Home Hardware Building Centre Expands!

Continued

There have been significant renovations done inside and outside the original building as well.

“ We redid the storefront which was old and tired and gave it a much more pleasing look, more dramatic when you drive down Memorial Ave and see it. In the interior when we started we lifted the front of the store floor 5 inches, as the

already have new lights and it is far brighter than ever before.”

Tom Jones Corporation was very good to work with stated Chris. The sub trade contractors were good.

There is a specialized company in Winnipeg that lifts the floor called Polymor Canada. They survey the floor and drill 3/4 inch holes in the floor and

allows more inventory indoors and reduced labour and equipment costs.

“ The pandemic was a tough situation for us having just recently taken over the store.We were forced to deliver all of our products to our customers in the parking lot, taking orders over the phone. It was time consuming, hard and hectic with twice the number of people to sell half the product, so it was extremely challenging. Financially it wasn’t a good time to do a major renovation.We were getting shut down all the time as we couldn’t count on supplies or being able to work.” said Chris. “ Today things are moving along nicely. Interest rates are rising however which will put a damper on peoples renovations unfortunately.”

“ It is a good business to be in. I enjoy helping people bring their dreams and ideas to fruition. The home renovation market is a key area of our customers. We do new construction home work and have major industrial customers as well. We do a fairly large business with First Nations mostly through ice roads.”said Chris Sauer.

“ I enjoy being able to come to work and do what I want to do with my business, say renovate it, expand it or change it and don’t have to ask anyone. We can serve our customers in the way that best suits our community. There are some things that Home Hardware does that don’t make sense here in our market.”

store was crooked being built on muskeg. We put in the bathroom design centre, the paint boutique is in and are working currently on the flooring centre. The customer service centre was moved to the back of the store. All of the store fixtures from the centre of the store back have been changed and updated. The warehouse in the back of the store has been updated as well.” said Chris

The Canadian owned company Home Hardware head office is located in St, Jacobs Ontario near Waterloo and has 1100 stores in Canada.

“ We are members, not franchises and own Home Hardware Store Ltd. The only way you can become a member is to have a Home Hardware store,” said Chris Sauer.

“They have store planning which helps us but all the 1100 stores are unique to their location and market so are different and have to be fitted in. About 500 of the stores sell lumber. The stores can range in size from a 200 square feet corner store to huge super centers of over 100,000 square feet. We lease the space for the building from Home Hardware Store Ltd. but are responsible for everything that goes on inside the building including the racking and all the interior renovations. The entire cost of our renovations to date is in the range of $ 3 million for all investments. We are getting close to being a state of the art Home Hardware. There is still a lot of work to do inside the store.We are looking at lifting other portions of the store floor this winter and put in new flooring.We

pound a copper pipe 4 feet into the ground and inject foam into the peat under the gravel to stabilize. They then drill another hole into the slab and inject another material to lift it. It is a unique process according to Chris Sauer.

Paul at the Autostak company provided a unique stacking system with a roller bin combined with pallet racking, and cantilever rack designed to reduce display storage space needed by 35%. This

Memorial Home Hardware Building Centre Expands!

Continued

“ I’m optimistic about 2023. I am concerned with the rising interest rates that may cause people to invest less in their homes because it will cost more so optimistic but cautious at the same time. Lumber pricing went up sky high

but have come backdown. Some of the products in the store have not come down but there have been some price decreases. Inflation will stabilize.”

Memorial Home Hardware Building Centre have 37 employees and run 6 days a week to give their staff Sunday

Gillian Siddall appointed Lakehead University’s next President and Vice-Chancellor

Dr. Gillian Siddall has been named Lakehead University’s next president by the University’s Board of Governors. The announcement was made earlier today in a notice to students, faculty, and staff by Lakehead University Board of Governors Chair Maria Vasanelli. Dr. Siddall will become Lakehead’s ninth president on July 1, 2023.

Vasanelli, who also served as Chair of the President’s Search Committee, was very pleased with the committee’s work to select a successor to current Lakehead President and Vice-Chancellor, Dr. Moira McPherson, who ends her distinguished term in June 2023.

“I am very proud of all the time and work members of our Presidential Search Committee undertook to arrive at this point, including a thorough review of a competitive list of applicants and our engagement in a consultation process that heard from many segments of our University community,” said Vasanelli.

“The result of everyone’s efforts is a candidate who understands our University — its people and achievements, our unique campuses and the communities and regions they serve, and Lakehead’s goals and potential.”

Vasanelli thanked Dr. McPherson for her ongoing dedication as president especially given the global events of the last few years.

"Dr. McPherson has led the University successfully through many challenges, including those posed by the pandemic,” explained Vasanelli.

“She has advanced Lakehead University's strategic and academic priorities, and strengthened collaboration with our communities near and far, leaving a legacy of a strong national and global profile and reputation.”

Dr. Siddall, who has been the President of Emily Carr University of Art + Design in Vancouver since 2018, is very familiar with Lakehead University and is looking forward to returning in her new role.

“Lakehead University is a vibrant place where I’ve spent much of my career and I’m thrilled to rejoin the community that is very special to me,” said Dr. Siddall.

“I look forward to working collaboratively to advance priorities in reconciliation, equity, diversity and inclusion, climate action and excellence in research, teaching and learning. In addition to my personal connection to Lakehead, the university’s diverse offering of programs, strong international presence, stellar research record and clear commitment to the student experience energizes me. There is so much good to build on and I’m looking forward to achieving excellent work together in the years ahead.”

Dr. Gillian Siddall first joined Lakehead University in 1998 in a tenure-track appointment at Lakehead University in the Department of English. She went on to become the founding director of Lakehead’s Teaching and Learning Centre before serving as Dean of the University’s Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities for six years.

Prior to joining Emily Carr University (ECU), she served as Vice-President

Indigenous faculty and staff; initiating ECU’s first climate action plan; and continuing to advance ECU’s international ranking for art and design education, most recently ranked as 24th and the only Canadian art and design university to rank in the top 50.

Dr. Siddall is an advocate of Indigenization and decolonization within the university sector. She holds an honours BAand MA in English from the University of Guelph, and a PhD in English from the University of Western Ontario. Her research area is Canadian literature, and she has published extensively on the subject of musical improvisation. She is also a jazz vocalist and co-founder of the Guelph Jazz Festival.

As President at Emily Carr, Dr. Siddall led a number of initiatives, including developing ECU’s first equity, diversity and inclusion action plan; advancing the university’s commitment to reconciliation and Indigenization through curriculum, research and increasing the number of

“The Board of Governors looks forward to working with Dr. Siddall while acknowledging Dr. McPherson’s successful presidential tenure,” said Vasanelli.

Lakehead Universityis a fully comprehensive university with approximately 9,700 full-time equivalent students and over

2,000 faculty and staff at two campuses in Orillia and Thunder Bay, Ontario. Lakehead has nine faculties, including Business Administration, Education, Engineering, Graduate Studies, Health & Behavioural Sciences, Law, Natural Resources Management, Science & Environmental Studies, and Social Sciences & Humanities.Lakehead University’s achievements have been recognized nationally and internationally, including being ranked in the top half of Times Higher Education's 2023World Universities Rankings for the fourth consecutive year, andthe number one university in the world with fewer than 10,000 students in THE’s 2022 Impact Rankings (which assesses institutions against the United Nations’17 Sustainable Development Goals). Visitwww.lakeheadu.ca

Academic and Provost at Toronto’s Ontario College of Art and Design University.

Prosperity Northwest Business to Business Trade Show and Conference

This article has been submitted by the Thunder Bay Chamber of Commerce.

The Thunder Bay Chamber of Commerce, in partnership with Anishnawbe Business Professional Association (ABPA) and supported by Nishnawbe Aski Development Fund (NADF), is excited for the return of

Prosperity Northwest Business to Business Trade Show and Conference on February 15th, 2023.

Prosperity Northwest is a platform for those looking to embrace growth opportunities, form new connections, and strengthen existing ones. There are several upcoming opportunities as the region sees a record amount of

investment in its mining and mining services sectors and this event will help businesses understand the big picture and how they can potentially benefit as a result.

We're all about trying to engage members and empower them,” Robinson said. “Helping them make connections that they need to grow their business, helping them acquire information that they need to expand their business, to grow their staff.”

During the one-day conference, supply company representatives will also have the opportunity to interface directly at the trade show, to promote business advantages.

The program will feature a diverse lineup of speakers addressing relevant issues such as; energy opportunities and challenges as mining expands in NWO Ontario, indigenous partnerships successes and ways to build strong partnerships for future projects, procurement processes and how local businesses can bid on government contracts, and upcoming mining projects, their project timelines and how to engage with them. For registration information tbchamber.ca/prosperity

The original version of this story was published in partnership with NorthernOntarioBusiness.com

Prosperity Northwest Business to Business Trade Show and Conference

Schedule

9:30 AM -10:00AM

Opening Ceremony

• Elder Aaron Therriault

• Jason Rasevych

• Jason Thompson

10:00 AM -11.:00AM

Power for Prosperity

Industry representatives will share insights into the energy opportunities and challenges in the Northwest region.

Moderator: John Hefford - Vice President

Regional Operations, Western RegionOntario Power Generation (OPG) Inc.

Gary Rose - Vice-President New Nuclear Growth - Ontario Power Generation

Daniel Levitan – Vice President, Stakeholder Relations - Hydro One

Steve Rakidzioski, RNG Specialist, Business Development - Enbridge Gas Inc.

Session sponsor - Ontario Power Generation

Continued

Continued

11:00 AM

Coffee Break &Trade Show

Break Sponsor Lakehead Electric Ltd.

11:15AM -12:00AM

2023 Ontario Economic Report – Insights & Analysis

The Ontario Chamber’s Ontario Economic Report (OER) offers analysis on business confidence, business conditions and economic outlooks and what that means for the Northwest.

Moderator: Charla Robinson - PresidentThunder Bay Chamber of Commerce

Daniel Safayeni – Vice President, PolicyOntario Chamber of Commerce (OCC)

Claudia Dessanti - Senior Manager, PolicyOntario Chamber of Commerce

Session sponsor Thunder Bay CEDC

12:00 PM

Buffet Begins

12:25PM - 1:20PM

Luncheon Keynote – What’s Happening With Mining in Northwestern Ontario?

Find out what is happening now and in the future in mineral exploration and mine development and the potential opportunities.

Moderator: Andrew Kane Manager, Natural Resources Business Development.

Bob Macdonald: General Manager, Rock Tech lithium Inc.

David Newhook: Director of Operations; Greenstone Gold

More Speakers To be Announced

Session sponsor Smart Modular Canada

1:30 PM - 2:30PM

The Procurement Puzzle: How to do business with Government & Large Industry

Governments and large industrial operators buy billions of dollars worth of goods and services each year. Attend this session to learn about contracting processes, becoming a registered supplier, and ways to search for opportunities.

Moderator: Jason Thompson - PresidentSuperior Strategies Inc. & Warrior Engineering

Ltd

Dan Munshaw - Manager of Supply Management - City of Thunder Bay

Rob Hicklin: Supply Chain Manager, Newmont

– Musselwhite Gold Mines

Matthew Brady - Policy Advisor at Public

Services and Procurement Canada

Session sponsor Wright

2:30 PM

Coffee Break & Trade Show

2:45 PM -3:30 PM

Partnership Successes

Sharing of lessons learned and best practices in developing partnerships between Indigenous businesses, communities, and large industries.

Moderator: Jason Rasevych – Co-Founder -

Anishnawbe Business Professional Association

Peter Collins - CEO - Chi Mino Ozhitoowin

Ken Ogima - President & CEO - Biigtigong

Dbenjgan

Session sponsor Impala Canada

3:30 PM

Coffee Break & Trade Show

Break sponsor TBTEngineering

3:45PM - 4:30PM

Exploring Innovative Wood Construction

Solutions for the North

Advances in wood based construction are presenting an opportunity to re-think residential and commercial development which can provide solutions to address housing solutions and labour shortages while creating regional economic development opportunities. Two leading edge companies will share their innovative projects and ideas.

Moderator: Chris Walton - CEO - Centre for Research & Innovation in the Bioeconomy

Jeff McKinnon - President - Relay

Developments

Patrick Chouinard - VPMarket Strategy -

Element5

Session sponsor BMS Thunderbird

4:30 PM

Annual General Meeting

5:00 PM

Chair’s Networking Reception

Chair’s Reception &AGM sponsor Newmont

2023 Community Food Systems Report Card’Released

The Thunder Bay + Area Food Strategy released the 2023 Community Food Systems Report Card, which provides an updated snapshot of the trends, challenges, and opportunities related to Thunder Bay’s regional food system.

There has been an array of pressures impacting our local food system in recent years, ranging from climate change to Covid to the war on Ukraine. The effects have been broad and cumulative. Climate change has impacted harvests from California to Thunder Bay which has often led to higher prices at the grocery store. Covid together with war between Russia and Ukraine has increased the costs of many goods and services-driving up the cost of doing business

while also increasing prices for consumers.

Food Strategy Coordinator Karen Kerk argues: “We need to be paying closer attention to our regional food system because it makes our region more resilient. Thunder Bay is a major importer of food and the number of people who are hungry has gone up dramatically in the last couple years. When Covid hit, a lot of people looked to local producers to fill their fridges and freezers. If we’re going to ensure that everyone has access to food over the long term, we need to build that capacity while ensuring that everyone who needs it can access food”.

Charles Levkoe, Canada Research Chair in Equitable and Sustainable

Food Systems at Lakehead University, Acting Chair of the Thunder Bay + Area Food Strategy, and one of the report’s co-authors explains: “The role of the Community Food System Report Card is to assess the food system as a whole by tracking changes to 119 indicators across seven different food system pillars. Having updated data allows us to see what’s changed in our food systems compared to 2015 when the first Report Card was released.”

And it’s not all bad news. There’s been growth in land-based learning programs at area schools, a growth in community garden plots and an 800% increase in the sales of locally grown seeds.

Ultimately the Report Card is about action. The Report Card is a call to action for stakeholders to get involved

in building a more equitable and sustainable food system for all. The Report Card is the culmination of two years of research and analysis and is presented digitally at https://foodsystemreportcard.ca/ though data indicators, infographics, narrative analyses, as well as highlight stories and videos. This project was supported by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC), the Sustainable Food Systems Lab at Lakehead University, and the City of Thunder Bay.

The Thunder Bay + Area Food Strategy has a number of activities and events planned to share the findings of the Report Card and help build some of the “calls to action” towards a better food system for all. Follow their website and social media to learn more about building a more equitable and sustainable food system in Thunder Bay.

@tbayfood tbfoodstrategy.com foodsystemreportcard.ca

***

The Thunder Bay + Area Food Strategy works with over 60 partners across the region to build a more sustainable, healthy, and equitable food system. Visit tbfoodstrategy.com and foodsystemreportcard.ca to find out more.

If you would like more information, please contact Karen Kerk, Thunder Bay + Area Food Strategy Coordinator at 807-683-6129 or coordinator@tbfoodstrategy.com

CELEBRATE THE JOYOFSNOWMOBILING ATTHE 18th ANNUALGRAND PORTAGE LODGE AND CASINO SNOWARAMA

Snowmobilers will hit the trails on February 11, 2023 for the Grand Portage Lodge and Casino Snowarama for Easter Seals Kids. Once again, the Thunder Bay Snowarama for Easter Seals Kids will head south of the border to Grand Portage, only 45 minutes from Thunder

packages.

Over the past 17 years, the Grand Portage Lodge and Casino Snowarama has raised over $540,000 for children and youth with physical disabilities.

Snowarama for Easter Seals Kids would not be a success without the support of

Bay, attracting snowmobilers from across northwestern Ontario and Minnesota to enjoy some of the finest groomed trails in northern Minnesota.

"Glad to see Snowarama back and the trails should be an excellent shape". Says Bob Vogel from the Grand Portage Trail Riders

“For over four decades, Easter Seals has proudly worked with local partners to continue this time-honoured community event started by famous wrestler and dedicated Easter Seals champion, Whipper Billy Watson,” says Kevin Collins, President & CEO, Easter Seals Ontario. “We are grateful for the continued dedication and participation of the Thunder Bay community and surrounding areas. Through your generosity, we are able to grow this legacy together and continue making a meaningful difference in the lives of Easter Seals children and families.”

All Snowarama participants will enjoy a complimentary dinner and live Saturday night entertainment, featuring Smoke House. Snowarama is truly a family event: participants can enjoy the trails, a bonfire, and prizes throughout the weekend. Minnesota trail permits are $51 (available at Ryden’s 66) and will be required for those riders who venture off the Grand Portage Reserve trails. The event is generously sponsored by Grand Portage Lodge and Casino, the Grand Portage Trail Riders, and the Grand Portage Band of Lake Superior Chippewa.To celebrate the 18th year at Grand Portage Lodge and Casino, with every $100 participants raise, they will receive a ballot to win Snowarama prize

the local snowmobiling community. Together we are helping kids BE KIDS.