Prairie Manufacturer Issue 2 • Volume 4

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Would you eat these?

Issue 2, Volume 4 • Fall 2019

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In this issue View from the C-Suite

6

Two entrepreneurs are combining their passions for food, entomology, and environmentalism to orchestrate a takeover of Canadians’ pantries, one cricket at a time. Learn how insect protein can help feed our world’s growing population while reducing the environmental impact.

Prairie Economic Roundup

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If food processing is important for Canada as a whole, it’s even more important for the Prairies. Jayson Myers shares his analysis on the importance of food processing and manufacturing in the Prairies, and offers insights into what the industry needs to do to remain globally competitive.

Booming Biotech

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Traditional and non-traditional industries are collaborating to unleash the potential of new and improved products into the market. Learn what biotech is and how it’s shaping the future of manufacturing in the years to come.

For the health of it

30

The breadbasket of the Canadian Prairies, Saskatchewan has always been a leader in food manufacturing. Today, companies across the province are offering new products that are not only healthy and profitable, but sustainable too.

Pulse on Policy

48

In the lead up to the 2019 federal election, Derek Lothian shares his thoughts on issues facing Canadians and businesses nationwide. Learn why we need to get over ourselves and unite to truly compete on the global stage.

How Saskatchewan is creating a culture of safety

50

Last year, 88 per cent of Saskatchewan workplaces achieved zero injuries, zero fatalities, and zero suffering. Phil Germain, CEO of Saskatchewan Workers’ Compensation Board, tells how his organization is working with others to make that 100 per cent.

Next issue Spotlight: 20/20 might be perfect vision, but what does it mean for industry in a time of constant change? We re-visit some of our past contributors to ask where they see manufacturing going into 2020 and beyond.

Regional feature: Some say the music stopped playing almost 10 years ago, and that Alberta lost her groove. Others say the music has simply changed, and Alberta is grooving to a new rhythm. We’ll explore the changed beat of Alberta.

Booking deadline: November 8, 2019 Material due: November 15, 2019

Editor Jeff Baker jeff@prairiemanufacturer.ca Special thank you to our editorial advisory committee.

Creative Director Dana Jensen Sales info@prairiemanufacturer.ca Cover photo courtesy Camola Sustainable Foods. © Copyright 2019 Prairie Manufacturer MagazineTM All rights reserved. The contents of this publication may not be reproduced by any means, in whole or in part, without prior written consent of the publisher.

Publications mail agreement #43155015 Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: Prairie Manufacturer Magazine 207 Hugo St. North, Suite 3 Winnipeg, MB R3M 2N1 To change your address, or to be removed from the mail list, email info@prairiemanufacturer.ca.

While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained in and the reliability of the source, the publisher in no way guarantees nor warrants the information and is not responsible for errors, omissions or statements made by advertisers.

Opinions and recommendations made by contributors or advertisers are not necessarily those of the publisher, its directors, officers or employees.

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Editor’s Notebook

In order to make an omelette, you’ve got to break a few eggs Disrupting and diversifying the status quo

By Jeff Baker

W

hether it’s ideas, materials, or culture, in order to create something new, you often need to break something down before building or rebuilding. Buildings need footings and foundations; mines break rock to get ore which is then broken down again to get the minerals; metal needs cutting and bending to create machinery and goods.

Disruption creates ‘white space’ which is the room needed to create something different, something out of the ordinary; something truly unique.

It’s in those spaces, too, where we see a diversity of ideas and possibilities blossom into something outstanding.

The people and companies you’ll meet in this issue are working to not only disrupt their businesses and sectors, but the entire world around them for the better.

Since the last issue, we’ve heard from a good number of you about the contributors featured and the manufacturing stories we shared from across the region. The positive feedback is great, and it makes all of us at the magazine want to keep doing more of this rewarding work.

In the months since our summer issue, we’ve been busy working to uncover some amazing contributors and

stories for the fall issue, featuring the great province of Saskatchewan.

A question, a mystery, an enigma For me, growing up in western Manitoba (Brandon, to be exact), Saskatchewan was something of an enigma. It was a huge province we had to drive across to get to Alberta and the west coast. It always seemed to take forever, and the towns sort of ‘blurred together’ after a while.

Sure, there was always the highlight of a milkshake at the Red Barn in Moosomin (at its original location in town!), stopping for ice cream at Twisted Sisters in Chamberlain, marvelling at the salt flats of Chaplin Lake, or wading out a goodly distance from the beach at Good Spirit Lake, but Saskatchewan always remained something mysterious to me.

That changed in the summer of 2000.

I took a summer position at the Canada-Saskatchewan Business Service Centre in Saskatoon, providing information and research assistance to entrepreneurs across the province who were looking to start or expand a business.

The ideas and plans they brought were amazing, and the energy and drive they demonstrated was inspiring. The

The creativity of our industry is undeniable, but it takes work to ensure we never lose this advantage.

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Prairie Manufacturer Magazine • Fall 2019

innovative nature of the province had begun to emerge before my eyes, and I haven’t seen Saskatchewan in the same way since.

In the Land of Living Skies, it’s the energy of the people and the land that make those skies come alive. No doubt about it!

The breakdown Companies across Saskatchewan are changing what it means to be food processors, and they’re changing how we’ll feed the world’s ever-growing population. Joanne Paulson, in her feature article starting on page 30, introduces us to local companies making positive differences across the globe, from right here on the Prairies.

In this issue’s HERstory, we meet Madeline Conn of Saskatoon’s High Key Brewing, who tells us how she ended up in the craft beer business. She also shares how owning a brewery is challenging people’s perceptions of the industry and of a female’s role in a male-dominated sector.

On page 6, you’ll meet a couple of Italian expats with entomology and environmental science backgrounds, who are disrupting Canadians’ snacking and cooking habits. They’re combining their foodie nature and heritage with an

innovative source of protein to change the snacking habits of Canadians.

It’s not just food innovation we’re covering in this issue; the innovations abound at the intersection of biotechnology and manufacturing.

Over on page 18, you’ll learn just what a powerhouse the Prairies are when it comes to biotech and manufacturing. You’ll meet one company who has the potential to turn crops and crop residue into a multi-million-dollar industry serving the agriculture, building products, and automotive parts industries.

In addition to these stories of innovators and disruptors, the Prairie Manufacturer team is introducing you to some innovations of our own.

Our favourite economist, Jayson Myers, is back with a new column, Prairie Economic Roundup. He’ll provide you both the high-level Canada-wide analysis you’ve come to expect, plus a special focus on our region’s individual

provinces and their performance in a particular sector.

We also welcome back Derek Lothian. In Pulse on Policy, he gives you the lowdown on policy insights and analysis that is sure to get you thinking and spur you into action. If you read only one pre-election commentary, make this the one.

The build-up As we continue the journey that is Prairie Manufacturer, I hope we continue to respectfully challenge your assumptions about the industry and its people. We want to highlight the diversity of this amazing industry, in this amazing region, driven by the amazing people we call neighbours.

The creativity of our industry is undeniable, but it takes work to ensure we never lose this advantage. It takes concerted effort to ensure that every person and every idea is accepted, encouraged, and celebrated for simply being.

We’re working on some very exciting things for our winter issue, and the year ahead. Our next issue will put the spotlight on Alberta, including what’s changed in the province’s manufacturing sector, and where the sector is headed in the years ahead. Alberta’s a province of energy and dynamism, so we’ll find out if it’s a case of same old, same old or if it’s a brand-new engine beneath the hood.

Stay tuned!

In the meantime, please continue to reach out to me with your feedback and story ideas by sending an email to jeff@prairiemanufacturer.ca. I love hearing from you!

Until the next time we chat, I hope you enjoy the read.

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5

View from the C-Suite

Would you eat these?

How two entrepreneurs are orchestrating a takeover of your pantry, one cricket at a time

By Claudio La Rocca

W

hat makes two Italians decide to start a food business in Alberta that involves ground-up crickets?

The answer is simpler than you might think.

Silvia Ronzani, my business partner, and I arrived in Edmonton seven years ago to pursue our graduate studies at the University of Alberta. We both have backgrounds in environmental sciences and entomology (Ah... the first clue!).

In what can only be described as a fateful event four years ago, one of our colleagues brought in a bunch of dried grasshoppers for everyone to try during a lab meeting. That’s probably because the idea of edible insects was already floating around. We tried them, and as any Italians worth their salt would do, we graded them based on taste, texture, and potential. Did I mention we are also a couple of food nerds?

That took us down a path of discovery of what edible insects are, why they were becoming so popular, and what we could do with them.

Feed the world, save the planet After reading a 2013 report from the Food & Agriculture Organization of the United Nations on the environmental and cultural value of edible insects as an alternative crop, we started thinking about this idea as something that could be turned into a business opportunity.

The main points driven by the report were that the world population is increasing (estimated to be 10 billion by 2050), and we need to find an environmentally sustainable and healthy source of protein within the next two decades. So, hey... why not insects? (Here’s your second clue!).

Did you say farming?

But why insects? Well, there are a few answers to the question. First of all, lower environmental impacts related to their farming. Yes, farming!

Contrary to what some people may think, edible insects are usually not “harvested” in the wild (except for few exceptions in some tropical countries), rather they’re farmed under controlled conditions. This allows us to control their diet and avoid any impact on wild insect populations.

The farming requires significantly fewer resources than any other livestock and most plant-based protein. To provide some perspective about the differences, one kilogram of crickets (the most widely farmed insects) requires about four litres of water, while one kilogram of beef can require, depending on farming protocols and other factors, up to 40,000 litres of water. That’s 10,000 times more!

Insects are also farmed in small spaces, which additionally reduces their environmental footprint by reducing land use.

A second big plus about insects is the quality of the protein.

Compared to, for example, beef, farmed insects don’t require hormones, antibiotics or – no surprise here – pesticides. The resulting protein is very lean with virtually no cholesterol, and it’s high in bioavailable iron and vitamin B12. The percentage by dry weight of protein in, for example, cricket powder is 60 to 65 per cent, which means 10 grams of powder contains, at a minimum, six grams of protein. By comparison, beef has around 18 per cent protein content (1.8 grams in 10 grams of product). The amino acid composition is also of high quality, with all essential amino acids present in the protein composition.

When combining these aspects of edible insects, the food and environmental science backing up their incorporation in people’s diets, and considering our backgrounds and passions, starting work in the edible insect industry was a no brainer!

Taking the ‘scary’ out of insects The first step in creating our company was to figure out a way to make it more palatable and less “scary” for the Canadian (and Alberta) market. Fortunately, we didn’t have to, as they say, “re-invent the wheel.”

The idea of introducing edible insects to markets and customers, other than those where insects have been a staple of people’s diets for years (i.e. tropical areas of South America, Africa, and Asia), is not completely new. Several companies in Europe, the United States and Canada have been slowly but successfully marketing edible insects. So, we researched and studied what other companies did or were doing, took into consideration what niches and alternatives we could exploit, and we tried to create something new.

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PHOTO COURTESY CAMOLA SUSTAINABLE FOODS

7

The question that we asked ourselves was, ‘How can we be different from them?’

The main products that were and in large part still are available fall under three main categories: cricket powder (roasted and ground-up crickets), protein shakes, and energy bars. This is where our Italian heritage comes into play.

You’ve got to start somewhere The first incarnation of our company started in September 2017. Camola – Sustainable Bakery drew heavily on our culinary experiences growing up in Italy: good food from simple, healthy ingredients and taste are the main goals creating a new recipe.

That’s how we created our first products: baked goods that were known to customers, like our Bugscotti, a biscotti cricket powder, that had the environmental and health benefits of edible insects.

This leads to customers’ perception. The first reactions were mixed. Although people had already heard of edible insects and cricket powder, some of them were skeptical or too intimidated to try.

It took a lot of talking and some science to convince the majority of people we met at farmers’ markets to try our products.

But slowly and steadily people got on board with the idea.

PHOTO COURTESY CAMOLA SUSTAINABLE FOODS

The question that we asked ourselves was, ‘How can we be different from them?’

Siliva Ronzani (L), Claudio La Rocca (R)

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Prairie Manufacturer Magazine • Fall 2019

A big help has come from the media. In our first year in operation, local media have been very keen to share our story, and this has helped us in spreading the word and educating consumers.

Making insects part of the everyday One thing we found out in the first six months is that people were interested in products that went beyond simple baked goods; they wanted products to use in their everyday cooking. And, most surprising of all, they were looking for a locally farmed cricket powder! This was an absolutely unexpected and very pleasant surprise for us. It meant that people were not only embracing the idea, but they started looking at it as something they wanted in their everyday meals, and possibly farm fresh!

That knowledge of what our customers wanted kickstarted the second incarnation of our company in June 2018: Camola – Sustainable Foods. We were more focused on everyday cooking and ingredients, with a cricket farming component included!

After a bit of rebranding, new packaging graphics, and some new products, we were once again ready for our customers!

Keep it local, keep ‘em coming!

While promoting our products and working on increasing sales, we were working behind the scenes on our biggest project to date: our own cricket farm!

Like any new enterprise, we did hit some snags along the way, but after several months’ delay, we officially launched our farming operation in May 2019. And it couldn’t have happened at a better time. Even before the first batch of cricket powder was ready, orders were coming in!

Take an educated leap What advice do we have for other entrepreneurs looking to disrupt the ordinary, whatever that might be?

Do your research! Taking a risk is great, but it’s only smart if you’ve done the work beforehand to know what you’re getting into. Going blindly into the unknown is never smart in business, especially when trying to disrupt something as basic and common as food.

And most of all, listen to your customers! The people who love and buy your products often can’t wait to share how they currently use them and how they would like to use them in the

future. It’s about being open to ideas no matter where they come from.

Where to next?

In our vision for the future of the company, we see ourselves expanding our farming operations and our product line to satisfy the market demands and customers’ requests.

We see more and more people embracing the change. Right now we almost can’t keep up with the orders, especially for our cricket powder. Not bad for two crazy Italians trying to convince Alberta to eat crickets!

Claudio La Rocca is co-Founder of Camola Sustainable Foods. He has a background in Biology, Environmental Sciences, and Entomology, and has taken part in entomological research for the past 10 years in both Italy and Canada. He got hooked by the idea of entomophagy after eating his first grasshopper, and hasn’t stopped trying to find a way to get everyone to enjoy edible insects.

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9

Learning

Sask Polytech helps manufacturers unleash value through collaboration

By Dr. Larry Rosia

D

PHOTO CREDIT: ANDY HAMILTON PHOTOGRAPHY

isruptive technologies, external factors such as globalization and international trade pressures, and shifting business models are just a few of the things forcing change across many sectors. Manufacturing is no exception.

Manufacturers are critically important to Saskatchewan’s economy. According to the Government of Saskatchewan, manufacturing makes up seven per cent of the province’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). In 2017, the most recent year statistics are available, manufacturing shipments totalled $16 billion.

The strength of the manufacturing sector is its people, for they are the ones who keep the industry innovative. As part of our mission to educate students and provide skilled and successful graduates, Saskatchewan Polytechnic is focused on ensuring that companies have access to graduates with the skills and experience they need to be competitive.

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Prairie Manufacturer Magazine • Fall 2019

Applied Research Expertise Collaboration is, of course, a key component to innovation. Manufacturers that partner with Sask Polytech are discovering that collaboration has the power to unleash incredible value. This is especially apparent with companies that choose to partner with us on applied research projects.

Applied research is different than theoretical research that many universities undertake. Applied research enables companies to solve real-world problems.

For example, Vega Stone, a Saskatchewan-based company that manufactures high-quality stone and brick veneer made for Canadian winters, is currently collaborating with Sask Polytech to develop a new environmentally friendly, economical lightweight aggregate for its light concrete mixture. The aim of the project is to develop a new aggregate

mixture from crop residues in order to lower production costs.

Program Advisory Committees Everything Sask Polytech does is based on industry demand and participation.

Our focus on applied, industry-aligned learning—where students receive hands-on training to complement coursework—is a major reason graduates are able to hit the ground running once employed. It is also why 95 per cent of employers say they would hire a Sask Polytech graduate again.

Strong ties with business and industry are vital to this. Sask Polytech works hand-in-hand with professionals and industry experts through our Program Advisory Committees. These committees are composed of approximately 700 experts from businesses around western Canada, who let us know where labour markets are headed and what skills graduates need to succeed.

Industry was instrumental in the decision to launch our Innovative Manufacturing diploma program.

Companies identified a need for multiskilled workers—workers who need the education and right skills, particularly ones that are technology-focused, to adapt to the changing manufacturing landscape.

Now entering its second year, the program offers a wide range of skillbased training in all aspects of the manufacturing industry, including design, CAD/CAM drafting, Computer Numerical Control (CNC) machining, welding, fabrication, robotics, 3D printing, and project management.

Innovative Manufacturing Centre While programming is important, having modern, up-to-date facilities is also necessary. A great example of this is our Innovative Manufacturing Centre (IMC).

The IMC is an integrated, multi-campus network of facilities that incorporate established and

emerging manufacturing methods and technologies. The IMC includes: • Teaching facilities furnished with state-of-the-art CNC and manufacturing related technologybased equipment.

• Teaching and research facilities focusing on automation technologies such as robotics and mechatronics.

• Non-destructive testing and metallurgy facilities.

• Facilities for biomaterials testing and prototyping.

• State-of-the-art additive manufacturing (3D-printing) equipment.

For industry, the IMC is a resource like no other, available to start-ups, small- to medium-sized businesses and large manufacturers serving international markets.

Agricultural equipment manufacturers, for example, can access the latest tools, equipment and expertise to improve production methods and test new ideas, such as experimenting with bioplastics to make lighter, stronger, more environmentally friendly components for their products.

RAMP Facility Another facility we are extremely proud of is the Research, Additive Manufacturing and Prototyping (RAMP) Facility, located on our main Saskatoon campus.

The RAMP Facility, which is a key component of the IMC, is the most advanced additive manufacturing (3D printer) facility in Saskatchewan. Sask Polytech has been on the leading edge of 3D printing since 1995—back when it was known as rapid prototyping.

Today, the RAMP Facility has the capacity to print in almost a dozen different materials. It contains the only metal 3D printer in the province, as well as a waterjet cutter and a portable 3D scanner.

Manufacturers that are interested can arrange prototyping and research projects through the RAMP Facility.

Such arrangements not only help the

The strength of the manufacturing sector is its people, for they are the ones who keep the industry innovative.

companies, but they allow Sask Polytech students to work with industry partners, gain valuable experience and learn to use advanced equipment, preparing them for work after completing their programs.

Gene Haas Manufacturing Technology Lab In May 2019, Sask Polytech officially opened the Gene Haas Manufacturing Technology Lab at Regina campus, which includes a new computer lab, 16 CNC lathes and other machining centres. New CNC machines were also purchased for Saskatoon campus.

The Gene Haas Manufacturing Technology Lab is used by Innovative Manufacturing program students, CAD/ CAM Engineering Technology, Mechanical Engineering Technology, Machinist, Welding and Welding Fabricator students and professionals working in the manufacturing industry.

The lab is an excellent example of how students—tomorrow’s workforce—can benefit from the generosity of forwardthinking business leaders. In 2017, the Gene Haas Foundation (named for the founder of Haas Automation Inc.) gifted Sask Polytech $435,000 to pay for renovations and construction at Regina campus to accommodate the installation of new Haas Automation equipment.

What’s next?

Innovation and the changing nature of work and learning are topics that preoccupy much of my time and thinking. Much of what I read and my conversations with business leaders across Canada have led me to conclude that our labour market will continue to be challenged to have the skilled workers it needs.

As disruption forces changes across manufacturing, Sask Polytech will remain focused on ensuring that our graduates have the skills to keep the sector innovative, strong and competitive far into the future.

Dr. Larry Rosia is President & CEO of Saskatchewan Polytechnic, leading the province’s primary provider of technical education and skills training. Saskatchewan Polytechnic serves 28,000 distinct students and offers programs that touch every sector of the economy.

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11

“I

f West Nile kills one person, malaria kills hundreds of thousands every year.”

Steve Kroft, President & CEO of Conviron, says as he leans back in his chair with his hands steepled in front of him in conversation with Rhae Redekop, Pinnacle Senior Recruitment Consultant, about the Game Changers within his organization that contributed to 40% growth this year over last.

“We had a customer in Maryland a number of years ago, The National Institute of Health (NIH) agency in the US. They were doing research into malaria and needed controlled environments to house mosquitoes infected with the disease. Through strategic questioning we were able to determine that they needed rooms that were a certain level of containment, pressure, temperature and humidity. Mosquitos will go dormant at less than 50 degrees. In the event they escaped the screened cages inside of the rooms, the researchers needed to be able to very quickly lower temperature with the push of a button. Once the bugs were dormant, someone could go in, sweep them up, get them in their cages and turn the temperature back up. It was a highly complex system with built in redundancies. I think that’s what sets us apart from the competition. We’ve become known for our specialized solutions.”

Conviron designs, manufactures and installs controlled environment chambers. Everything from reach-in products the size of a large household refrigerator to rooms over 2000 square feet.

Steve elaborates, “What we do is give our clients the ability to create very specific environmental conditions primarily for agricultural research, and more recently for agricultural production as in the cannabis space. Cannabis has been interesting for us, because no other company in the world has the level of experience we do when it comes to growing plants under

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Prairie Manufacturer Magazine • Fall 2019

precise conditions. But we're not taking the business and saying, we're all in research or we’re all in cannabis. We've opened the window to cannabis, because there’s potential to add value there too. Our research clients still depend on us to continue to move the needle forward in their industry. They have incredibly important work to do.”

RR: Have you learned something from the Cannabis industry to apply to your technology?

SK: “We've always prided ourselves on whatever the client wants, the client gets. However, the reality is that in order to maintain your quality, get your supply chain right, get volume through, remain competitive, give your clients value and then on top of everything, continue to grow your operations, we had to find ways to design alternatives for configurable systems. Speed and cost are critical considerations for start-ups, and we needed to adapt.”

RR: How have you seen that affect your team in regard to recruitment?

SK: “When it comes to recruiting, when every product and project was custom and you hired someone, it was two years before they could really contribute. Now they can plug into process and predictability.”

RR: Was there something that ultimately changed how you operate the business? Someone or a scenario you would refer to as a Game Changer?

SK: “Working with great recruiters has been beneficial. If you looked around our table – even as recently as seven years ago,

“If West Nile kills one person, malaria kills hundreds of thousands every year.”

GAME CHANGERS

almost everyone was Conviron bred. Now when you look around, we have people from Standard Aero, Buhler Versatile, New Flyer; some great Winnipeg design engineering companies. This combination of experiences has been wonderful for us.

To me, what's important is curiosity and passion. We want people who are curious and who will ask questions. And I know, it's probably the same answer everyone gives, but we want team players. When my kids or any student is worried about their future because of a bad grade, I say, look, I have almost 300 employees. I can’t tell you what any of their marks were or even where more than a few of them went to school. But I can tell you who asks great questions and who’s got a great handshake. I can tell you who the good listeners are and who is a real collaborator.

I can't tell you what they got on their GMAT or their second-year chemistry mark. And I don't really care.

Some of our best leaders, including our chief engineer who just retired, was not a professional engineer. He grew up in this business and understood it. He was amazing with clients, knew what to ask, and he was the most passionate guy. He was our best salesperson. He was one of the guys that I always thought, what are we going to do when he retires? Well, guess what, we have a whole group of people who have learned under him and we’re in awesome shape.

When we’re hiring, we talk a lot about our values. We don't need you to be a plant growth chamber expert, or an ag. expert. We don't need you to come in and explain to us how photosynthesis works, or the difference between different light sources.

At the end of the day, we are a client centric business that focuses on C.A.R.E. - Collaboration (internally and with clients), Accountability, Respect, and Engagement.”

RR: What's your vision for Conviron going forward?

Five years, 10 years?

SK: “We try to go where science is going. We manage massive amounts of data with our clients on grows and we're concentrating on how we can use that data and turn it into even more useful information for our clients so that they can really hone in on the details. For example, if we control the environment this way, with these nutrients, in this light, at this temperature, and this humidity, CO2, etc, we're going to get the perfect crop. This research is used in medicine, food, textiles, companies producing a flu, cancer and other vaccines, and the list goes on.

We’re going to continue to lead with technology. And we're going to continue to hire the best, brightest and most passionate people we can.”

About Pinnacle Pinnacle is Winnipeg’s leading local recruitment firm with 25 industry-specialized recruiters in two areas: Executive & Professional Search, and Staffing & Recruiting. Learn more at www.pinnacle.jobs.

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13

The Principal Resource

Employer Considerations on Termination of Employment

By Jeff Palamar of Taylor McCaffrey LLP

Be Aware The best time for an employer to get legal advice on termination of employment issues is before hiring the employee. The second best time is before the termination actually takes place.

Whether considering a termination with or without just cause there are always options, risks and potential costs. With complete control over the timing of things, an employer has no excuse for not becoming well informed before taking action.

Termination of Employment Generally An employer can quite properly decide to terminate a nonunionized employee “just because” it wants to do so. It cannot terminate for "illegal" reasons however, such as by discriminating against the employee contrary to human rights legislation or because the employee has exercised rights under some other statute. Typically there is a reverse onus and the employer must prove its reasoning was not illegally tainted. Failing to do this can lead to the employee being reinstated, with back pay and other remedies as appropriate.

Termination With Just Cause To terminate with just cause, and so with no obligations to the employee, the employer has to prove the employee did something wrong which warranted some form of discipline and that termination (instead of some lesser response, like a warning or suspension) was appropriate.

In almost all cases progressive discipline is required. This is a series of warnings culminating in an express statement that ongoing employment is at risk, followed by a breach.

Context for what occurred is key, including past practice with that employee or others, as well as overall any aggravating factors (e.g. poor record, lying about the events) or mitigating factors (good record, sincere apology).

If an employee has an addiction or mental health condition that contributed to the misconduct, this becomes a human rights and accommodation matter, not simply a disciplinary one.

Termination Without Just Cause An employer generally can terminate a non-unionized employee without just cause, but must pay the price for that.

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Prairie Manufacturer Magazine • Fall 2019

In Manitoba, most employers are covered by The Employment Standards Code, which requires notice or pay in lieu up to 8 weeks depending on length of service.

Federally regulated employers may have some employees subject to the Canada Labour Code’s provisions dealing with “unjust” dismissals. Such employees cannot be terminated unless there is a layoff due to lack of work or discontinuance of a function, or in circumstances where there is just cause.

These employees may seek reinstatement, with back pay and other remedies as appropriate.

Just cause arises from the misconduct of an employee as opposed to any idea of fairness or legitimacy. Therefore, while a restructuring may "justify" or provide a proper business reason for the termination, it is not "just cause" at law, and so does not disentitle the employee to compensation for the lost job.

Reasonable Notice By common law "reasonable" notice or pay in lieu is required for an employee dismissed without just cause unless the parties have expressly agreed to something else. Reasonable notice is normally far greater than the minimum standards in The Employment Standards Code.

For example, the most anyone is entitled to by statute in Manitoba is 8 weeks (unless there is a “group termination” of 50 or more employees within a 4 week period) but someone might be awarded up to 24 months as reasonable notice. It would be a serious error to call Employment Standards for advice as that will only lead to details on what the statute requires as a minimum, not what an employer's actual obligations are.

There is no absolute definition or exact formula to apply when assessing reasonable notice, and it is always up to the court to determine based on the particular circumstances. The court considers various factors such as length of service, age of the employee, the nature of the employment and market place, and overall how long it would take for the employee to find a reasonable replacement position.

The period of reasonable notice is intended to put the employee in the position he/she would have been in had employment continued through that time and so includes all aspects of compensation such as salary, non-discretionary bonus, pension, coverage under group insurance plans, etc.

Mitigation

Punitive Damages and Costs

Any possible award is subject to the employee’s obligations to act reasonably so as to try and mitigate or minimize any losses. To the extent the employee actually does minimize losses (or reasonably could) that reduces the award.

In some cases mitigation might mean going back to school, moving to a new city, or perhaps even taking a lesser job for a period of time as that is all that is available at the time.

The onus is on the employer to prove a failure to act reasonably, and a mere suspicion that the employee could have found something if he/she "tried harder" is not enough. There must be proof of real employment opportunities that were actually available to that specific employee.

Needlessly publicizing unproven allegations of wrongdoing or dishonesty, or maintaining an implausible argument for just cause are typical mistakes leading to punitive damages or awards of solicitor and client costs where the employee is indemnified for all legal costs incurred.

Employment Contracts A formal employment contract is useful to clarify the obligations of the parties and can specify what notice is required to terminate, provided that is not less than required by The Employment Standards Code.

To have a binding contract, a party has to receive some valuable "consideration" in exchange (for example, a new employee signs, and gets the job). If the contract only appears after the job has started, there is no consideration, and the contract likely is not binding.

Be Smart As Michelle Rowen said “…it’s important not to jump into a swamp until you’ve properly assessed how many alligators there are.” Hopefully then, after reading this you will be on the lookout for alligators. Please also seek advice from counsel specific to your location and circumstances, as the law can vary between provinces and can change from time to time.

About the Author Jeff Palamar is a partner at Taylor McCaffrey LLP who has been listed among the peer-selected The Best Lawyers™ in Canada in labour and employment law since 2008. He practices primarily in the areas of labour relations, employment law, human rights and dispute resolution, usually representing employers. He works in all matters related to the workplace.

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ECONOMIC ROUNDUP

Leadership, Technology, People, and Process: Recipes for the Future of Prairie Food Manufacturing

By Jayson Myers

T

he numbers speak for themselves. Food processing is a major contributor to the economic prosperity of all Canadians. It is the largest manufacturing sector in the country. Food manufacturers produce and ship around $108 billion worth of product annually – that amounts to 15 per cent of all sales by Canadian manufacturers. When input costs are netted out, food processing accounts every year for just over 14 per cent of the total value added by Canada’s manufacturing sector and 1.5 per cent of Canada’s Gross Domestic Product – the total value generated by the Canadian economy as a whole.

More than 238,000 people are directly employed by food processing companies across Canada. What’s more, in addition to helping put food on the table for Canadian families, the sector generates over $35 billion in export revenue, with offshore sales going in large part to the United States, China, and Japan.

It’s a dynamic industry. Sales have increased by 21 per cent over the last five years, growing twice as fast as for the Canadian manufacturing sector as a whole. Sales are up by 36 per cent over the past decade. In fact, food processing is the only manufacturing sector in Canada to have recorded continuous sales growth over the past twenty years.

The strength of the sector is also reflected in job growth. There are five per cent more people working in food manufacturing today than in 2008, just before the last recession.

In fact, while employment in Canadian manufacturing has fallen by eight per cent or by about 128,000 jobs over the past ten years, more than 11,000 net new jobs have been created in the food processing sector. The number of people employed in food processing has increased by almost eight per cent over the last five years alone.

Demand for high quality value-added food products is growing by leaps and bounds around the world. As Canada’s Agri-Food Economic Strategy Table reported last year, growing middle classes around the world are demanding higher-quality products, while socially conscious consumers want foods with specific qualities, such as being locally sourced and sustainable.

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Prairie Manufacturer Magazine • Fall 2019

Canada is incredibly well positioned to service the world’s burgeoning demand for food, but there are clouds on the horizon.

Canada’s food manufacturers need to be ready to take advantage of new opportunities. They need to deploy new technologies in order to develop new and more custom products, improve quality and efficiency, secure and trace supply chains, and attain the degree of agility that will allow them to respond to changing market conditions and consumer demands.

Yet, our food processors invest less than any other manufacturing sector in Canada in new machinery, equipment, and technology in relation to total sales. And, rates of capital investment have been falling since 2015. Little wonder then that food manufacturing lags behind other industries when it comes to adopting advanced technologies. Earlier this year, Statistics Canada reported that only 50 per cent of food processing companies across the country deploy any sort of advanced or emerging technology in their operations. Fewer than a third are using advanced digital or automation technologies in their processing activities. Less than 14 per cent use digital technologies to maintain the integrity or efficiency of their supply chains. Only 1.3 per cent use biotechnology.

As industry experts have said many times before, “in a very short time, players who do not embrace automation, digitization and other technological advances will simply become non-competitive.”

If food processing is important for the Canadian economy as a whole, it is even more important for the prairie provinces.

Manitoba Manitoba manufacturers produced more than $5 billion of processed food products in 2018. That’s about a quarter of the province’s total manufacturing output. Over half of the food products processed in Manitoba ($2.6 billion) were exported.

Sales are on track to increase further this year, as are jobs in the sector. In 2018, 10,000 people worked in Manitoba’s food processing industries.

In Manitoba, this year, manufacturers say that they will be investing more than $260 million in new food processing

Canada is incredibly well positioned to service the world’s burgeoning demand for food, but there are clouds on the horizon.

facilities. That’s on top of the $345 million invested in 2018.

Investment in new machinery and equipment is slated at $235 million in 2019, about four times the amount invested five years ago. Food processing will account for more than 55 per cent of all capital investment made by Manitoba manufacturers this year.

Saskatchewan In Saskatchewan, sales by food processing companies topped $4.9 billion in 2018, with exports amounting to $3.0 billion (62 per cent of the total). Food processing accounted for about 27 per cent of all manufacturing output in the province. Sales are expected to grow by more than six per cent this year, as are the number of jobs in the sector. In 2018, 4,300 people were employed in Saskatchewan’s food processing industries, 14 per cent more than five years ago.

The story is much the same in Saskatchewan. While capital spending estimates in new facilities are unavailable, food manufacturers in that province are looking to invest more than $60 million in machinery and equipment in 2019, up 37 per cent from five years ago.

Alberta Alberta also boasts a thriving food processing sector. Sales in 2018 amounted to $14.1 billion (about 18 per cent of total manufacturing output in the province), and sales growth this year looks like it will top five per cent. Over 40 per cent of the food processed in Alberta is sold in international markets. More than 22,000 people work in Alberta’s food manufacturing sector.

That’s up by almost 25 per cent since 2014.

In Alberta, food manufacturers intend to invest over $450 million in plant and equipment this year, more than double the

amount they invested five years ago, and five times more than the level of investment prior to the 2008/2009 recession.

Looking forward Maybe it’s the opportunity that Prairie manufacturers see in food processing, but the sector is definitely bucking the trend when it comes to investing in both plant expansion and the deployment of new machinery, equipment, and technologies.

Prairie companies manufacture 22 per cent of all processed food produced in Canada. This year they will account for 42 per cent of all capital spending in food processing plant and equipment across the country.

According to the Agri-Food Economic Strategy Table, Canada has the potential by 2025 to become one of the top five competitors in the world in agri-food, recognized as the most trusted, competitive, and reliable supplier of safe, sustainable, high quality agri-food products, and innovator in value-added products to feed the dynamic global consumer market. We will have a leading digital and technology-based supply chain and stand out as the world’s favoured protein provider.

That’s no small goal. But it is eminently achievable if we can build on our strengths in agriculture, fisheries, and especially our value-added food processing sector, strengthen our regulatory, logistics, and technology support infrastructure, and take advantage of the opportunities that new technologies and market changes have to offer.

Prairie manufacturers look like they are well on the way.

Jayson Myers is the CEO of Next Generation Manufacturing Canada – the country’s advanced manufacturing supercluster. An award-winning business economist and leading authority on technological change, Myers has counselled Canadian prime ministers and premiers, as well as senior corporate executives and policymakers around the world.

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Booming biotechnology

It’s the overnight manufacturing success that’s been millennia in the making

PHOTOS COURTESY BIOCOMPOSITES GROUP

By Jeff Baker

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Prairie Manufacturer Magazine • Fall 2019

B

iotechnology. Even in 2019, that word alone remains enough to put a shiver down the spines of many people. It can sound familiar-enough, but there’s something behind the term that elicits a hesitance among many.

Maybe your mind goes to such popular portrayals as Audrey Junior, the giant Venus flytrap with shark-like teeth from 1960’s cult-classic movie Little Shop of Horrors, or to Peter Parker being bitten by a genetically engineered spider, giving him spider-like abilities and superpowers.

Or perhaps you’re thinking of Lee Majors’ portrayal of superhuman strongman Steve Austin in The Six Million Dollar Man, who was rebuilt with bionic implants that enhance his strength, vision, and speed. Better…stronger…faster…

Hollywood may make biotechnology seem like a far-off dream, but the sector is real and is helping shape a more prosperous and sustainable future for Canadian industry.

What the heck is biotech?

The United Nations defines biotechnology as any technological application that uses biological systems, living organisms, or derivatives to make or modify products or processes for specific use. Depending on the tools and applications, biotechnology often overlaps with the related fields of bio-engineering, bio-sciences, and bio-manufacturing.

Despite ‘biotechnology’ being a relatively new term – believed to have been first coined in 1919 by a Hungarian engineer – humankind has been using biotechnology in agriculture, food production, and medicine for thousands of years.

It’s only our terminology that’s new; the practices behind this sector are beyond old hat.

When biotechnology meets the world of manufacturing, this is where we get biomanufacturing. Simply put, biomanufacturing uses biological systems to produce

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commercially important biomaterials and bioplastics for use in medicine, food and beverage, and industrial applications, including detergents and plastics.

Bio is big

PHOTO COURTESY BIOSCIENCE ASSOCIATION MANITOBA

Biotechnology and bioscience in Canada is big business.

According to the Ontario-based MaRS Discovery District, the industry drives an $86.5-billion Canada-wide bioeconomy that includes health technologies and products, agricultural and veterinary products, food and beverage, and industrial products.

On the Prairies, bioscience and biotech might have a smaller footprint than the industry in Ontario or Québec, but the sector is growing. The industry is starting to take advantage of the natural competitive advantages of the region and play to those strengths.

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Prairie Manufacturer Magazine • Fall 2019

Figures from BioAlberta, an association representing and promoting Alberta’s life sciences industry, indicate there are more than 400 bioscience-focused companies in that province, employing more than 16,000 people.

Biosciences Association Manitoba reports that the province’s biosciences and biotech sector had more than 5,600 employees generating in excess of $2.5 billion in total industry revenue in 2016.

The 2018 Biotechnology Industry Data Survey, released last September by BIOTECanada, included responses from more than 200 companies across Canada who provided valuable insights into their current and forecast realities.

A key finding of the survey was that the vast majority of biotech firms in Canada employ fewer than 25 people and generate less than $500,000 in annual revenue. However, these small companies are thinking big, with most forecasting rapid and significant growth in both employment and financial performance over the next few years.

Manitoba keeps Canadians healthy

Not without challenges

In Manitoba, biotech and manufacturing often means pharmaceuticals and medical support products including vitamins, supplements and health products.

According to Tracey Maconachie, President of Biosicence Association Manitoba, the province is a powerhouse in the fields of bioscience and associated manufacturing; a fact not well-known outside of industry circles.

“Manufacturers in Manitoba are producing many of the pharmaceuticals and supplements taken by Canadians across the country. Chances are you’ll see a Manitoba address on the side of the packaging.”

“We’re actually the third-largest hot spot for pharmaceutical manufacturing in Canada – behind only Quebec and Ontario – and it’s big business in Winnipeg, Steinbach, and other communities,” says Maconachie.

Like almost every industrial sector, biotechnology firms are facing challenges in securing skilled workers in order to maintain and expand their businesses. In the BIOTECanada report, onethird of companies surveyed identified recruiting and retaining talent as a top challenge to their business.

The issue of securing and retaining talent may be compounded with and be one of the causes of capital access issues for Canadian companies. Investors look for a strong and experienced executive team, while many would-be executives

It’s the manufacturers who are willing to think outside the box who will be best positioned to take advantage of this new evolution of industry.

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look for a company with a financially- and operationally strong footprint – which often requires investor capital. It’s a chicken and egg situation all too familiar for growing businesses.

Mel Wong, President & CEO of BioAlberta, explained that biotech companies in Alberta face an investment ecosystem that traditionally favours the energy sector as a destination for venture capital.

“There might be lots of capital on the books and ‘out there,’ but investors still tend to be a bit shy in looking beyond oil and gas,” said Wong.

“We still don’t have a significant investment fund, private or public, for the life sciences in Alberta.

“There has been to date, a significant safety net in the sense of public programs – like NRC-IRAP – and some provincial programs on top of that. Larger health delivery agencies and authorities, like Alberta Health Services, do spend money on research and development in the biotech sector, and companies are able to take advantage of that spending locally.”

According to Wong, a good number of biotech companies are simply ‘walking wounded,’ due to the nature of the business and the intense competition for limited investment dollars that chase the next big thing.

“You’ve got a few larger firms that are attracting investors and are making a good go of it, but there’s also a good number that are just hanging on or are considering the inevitable next step.”

The nature of the biotech investment ecosystem means that successful biotech companies are faced with constant pressure from investors to relocate to the United States. Whether it’s for eligibility for funding programs or access to more robust supply networks, this has led to Canada being seen as a great incubator but a poor sustainer of the sector.

“We can take that straw, use it in our manufacturing, and in turn create another revenue stream for farmers and grow our own business. It’s taking a waste product, turning it into money, and keeping that money in the local area.”

There is no quick and easy solution at hand. It’s going to take time, effort, and money, but in the end it will be worth it. Canada has to work at it.

Across the Prairies, there is optimism that biotechnology firms and traditional manufacturers can more closely collaborate and improve each other’s products.

Wong and Maconachie both agree the biggest opportunities for the two sectors are in the areas of supply chain and product development.

“We don’t have to send manufacturing off-shore,” says Wong.

“We have great manufacturing capability and capacity in this country, so we just to more closely align the groups and demonstrate that we can make things here competitively. We would love to work more closely with manufacturing companies and their industry associations to bring all of our members together and figure things out.”

Maconachie sees a trend toward a ‘customer pull’ innovation system, where biotech companies are addressing specific needs of a customer, rather than working independently on a hunch and hoping a market will emerge.

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Prairie Manufacturer Magazine • Fall 2019

PHOTOS COURTESY BIOCOMPOSITES GROUP

What’s the solution?

“There’s much more of a focus on what the customer wants,” says Maconachie, “and the customers aren’t always the public; they can be the healthcare system and food processors.”

“The products from our industry take a long time to develop; it is costly. And things are heavily regulated, especially therapeutic products and food products, so knowing that there’s a customer who wants what you’re making is key.”

The road ahead Looking down the road 10-20 years, Jamie Hilts, Dean of the School of Mining, Energy, and Manufacturing at Saskatchewan Polytechnic in Regina, is optimistic about the future of biotech and the opportunities for collaboration and even transformation of the manufacturing sector.

“There’s always going to be a need within industry for specific wood products or steel products; you’re not going to be able to produce everything out of a new biomaterial. What I think you’re going to start seeing is an evolution of materials which are able to use the various composites, which will be friendlier to the environment but also with the aesthetic qualities we demand.”

“I think what you’ll continue to see is the evolution of materials into something cost-effective, useful in its application, but also in how we can create these materials that will have a minimal to zero carbon footprint. There’s even the potential to reduce the carbon footprint to beyond neutral, into absorption territory by using waste as feedstock such as flax straw that would normally be burnt off each fall.”

“Beyond manufacturing, there’s also the potential for the biotech sector to help address energy needs in remote communities across the North. Where there’s diesel generation of electricity, there’s an opportunity to either replace that fuel

entirely by changing the systems in place to use biomass or other fuel, or simply changing from regular diesel to biodiesel.”

According to Hilts, an easy intersection for biotech and manufacturing is in the area of plastics. The current focus on the plastic waste in our environment – and its negative effects on both humans and wildlife – means industry is ripe for the largescale introduction of biomaterials to replace or reduce the use of traditional plastics.

It’s the manufacturers who are willing to think outside the box who will be best positioned to take advantage of this new evolution of industry.

Start by building an industry In West Central Alberta, along the Highway 22 Cowboy Trail, is the town of Drayton Valley. Located in an area rich with natural resources – water, oil, gas, boreal forest, and arable land – the community is becoming a hotspot for the intersection of the biotech and manufacturing sectors.

Next door to the Weyerhauser sawmill is Drayton Valley’s Bio-Mile, an area of industrial land designed to provide a home to companies focused on creating new products from waste products including biomass from the forestry and agriculture industries.

One of the companies located along the Bio-Mile is BioComposites Group. Family-owned and operated, BioComposites Group is breaking ground by building a valueadded industry from the bottom up, based on fibre content from hemp, wood, and other bio-based feedstocks.

The company takes hemp and turns it into products as diverse as erosion and weed control mats, interior automotive components, and building products including insulation, siding, and ceiling tiles. In the development pipeline are other consumer-

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PHOTO COURTESY SASKATCHEWAN POLYTECHNIC

focused items including seating, commodity packaging, sporting equipment, and recreational and leisure items.

“Where there’s a moulded plastic, polymer, or even glassreinforced thermoplastic being used,” says Dan Madlung, BioComposite Group’s President & CEO, “there’s the potential to use a bio-fibre product in its place.”

“The hemp fibre is just as strong and durable, and it has the added benefit of being a bio-based material that is much more environmentally friendly than traditional oil-based materials.”

“The hemp we use for our products is Canadian-grown, and we process and manufacture everything right here in Drayton Valley, so it’s keeping the money local and the environmental footprint significantly smaller,” says Madlung.

When asked about the challenges the company has faced in developing its products and markets, Madlung says the biggest challenges are a lack of knowledge in the market, a lack of understanding by potential investors and lenders, and the issue of securing feedstock in the local market.

“In North America, we’re growing tonnes of cannabis for the marijuana and consumables market,” says Madlung, “while the rest of the world is growing it for the fibre potential. We pretty much consume all the hemp fibre in Canada.”

“We can take every bit of ‘waste’ from the cannabis industry, plus what we grow specifically for fibre, and turn it into higher value products that will help create jobs and additional business opportunities in rural communities that are facing tough economic times.”

Fibre for the future

Opportunity up in smoke

Coming from a background in the forestry and wood products sector, Dan Madlung says that even though the company has shifted into using hemp fibre as its primary fibre, it’s not actually that big of a change.

While the machinery and plant used by BioComposites Group to produce their Terrafibre hemp-based products was originally designed for wood fibre processing, Madlung says it’s not a huge adjustment to use another feedstock.

“Ultimately, fibre is fibre. Where they differ is in the detail of the structure and the chemistry. We extensively researched the properties of all the fibres at our disposal and found hemp to be the best performing for our manufacturing needs.”

Beyond hemp and wood fibres, BioComposites Group also uses flax straw and other agricultural residues in their manufacturing process. Normally burnt off in the fall, crop residues like straw from oilseed and grain crops are a cost to producers, reducing their bottom lines.

“We can take that straw, use it in our manufacturing, and in turn create another revenue stream for farmers and grow our own business. It’s taking a waste product, turning it into money, and keeping that money in the local area,” said Madlung.

“Just with the straw residues today, it could be turned into $250-million-worth of value-added products and mean more than 1240 direct jobs across the industry. That’s like building five new sawmills in small, rural communities.”

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Prairie Manufacturer Magazine • Fall 2019

SPONSORED CONTENT

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PHOTO COURTESY SASKATCHEWAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

Achieving Business Excellence since 1984 – the ABEX Awards

SPONSORED CONTENT

Achieving Business Excellence since 1984 – the ABEX Awards

S

ince 1984, the ABEX Awards have been celebrating the achievements of the Saskatchewan Business Community.

As the largest business awards program in the province, the ABEX Awards have seen first-hand the resilience and innovation of Saskatchewan businesses in tough economic times and through boom times.

In 1984, the list of ABEX finalists reflected Saskatchewan industry at the time. Agriculture, manufacturing, and the chemical industry were all big winners. This year, the finalists are also a reflection of Saskatchewan’s business mix.

Agriculture is still a cornerstone in the local economy, with Saskatchewan products exported across the globe.

Manufacturing in Saskatchewan was strong in 1984 and is still strong today. The tech sector was clearly not part of Saskatchewan’s business mix in the 1980’s but is the most represented business sector at the ABEX Awards this year.

Saskatchewan tech has an excellent international reputation,

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Prairie Manufacturer Magazine • Fall 2019

serving international clients and attracting the best and brightest from across the globe. The “Prairie Silicon Valley” is constantly growing and competing on a global stage and the ABEX Awards are celebrating that success.

Every year since 1990, the ABEX Awards, presented

by Conexus Credit Union, have inducted a long-standing, cornerstone Saskatchewan business into the Saskatchewan Business Hall of Fame. This year, that honour is awarded to O & T Farms. O & T Farms was established in 1967 and is one of Canada’s most successful egg producers. They have become experts in other areas of the agricultural industry, including animal feed and supplement manufacturing, pullet production, and international agri-value management projects. O & T Farms, based in Regina, have revolutionized the agri-value industry.

Wayne Clifton, CEO of Clifton and Associates, has been an inspiration for business leaders across the province and, indeed,

across Canada for many years. He is an outspoken trailblazer who has led a successful engineering firm since 1978, and the ABEX Awards is honoured to name him the Business Leader of the Year in 2019, sponsored by the University of Regina.

While the ABEX Awards focus on business success, business is best when combined with a strong, healthy community. The Community Leader of the Year, sponsored

by SaskEnergy, recognizes those in our communities who lead community initiatives and inspire others to do the same.

Wally and Colleen Mah have been stalwart supporters in their community and used Canada’s first social impact bond to change the way that government, non-profit, and private business work together to improve communities in sustainable ways. The Mah’s have gone above and beyond in their support of mothers and families in Saskatchewan, and the ABEX Awards are honoured to name them the ABEX Community Leaders in 2019.

As the organizers of the ABEX Awards, the Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce also celebrates an individual who has supported the Chamber network across the province with the Roger Phillips Chamber Builder Award. This award will be presented during the ABEX Awards gala.

2019 ABEX Awards Finalists Innovation sponsored by Saskatchewan Polytechnic 7Shifts Restaurant Scheduling Lumeca Road Coffee Inc. SkillShark Athlete Evaluations Sperling Silver Distillery Territorial – Hugr

Community Involvement sponsored by Cogent Chartered Professional Accountants LLP Fitness 2J2 Prairie Sky Recovery Centre Inc. Spotlight Sport & Corporate Wear The Foggy Lemon Development Unity Credit Union

Export Industrial Machine & Manufacturing Inc. sMedia Temple Audio Design WaterCycles Recovery Inc.

Marketing sponsored by Handy Special Events 7Shifts Restaurant Scheduling Escape Manor Regina Federated Co-operatives Ltd. Lumsden Florist Spotlight Sport & Corporate Wear Vendasta

New Venture sponsored by the Ministry of Trade and Export Development Bravo Dance Co. GreenWave Innovations Inc. Intellicon Mo’ Solar Sherpa Territorial – Hugr

Priority Focus sponsored by the Saskatchewan Indian Gaming Authority Clarence Campeau Development Fund Fitness 2J2 GreenWave Innovations Inc. JNE Welding Ltd. RGAL Ray Gosselin Architect Ltd.

Service sponsored by World Trade Center at Prairieland Park Complete Technologies Outsourced IT Ltd. CRAVINGS maternity-baby-kids ESTI Consulting Services Kindersley Transport Ltd. Saskatoon Fire & Flood Two Fifty Two Boutique

Young Entrepreneur of the Year sponsored by Cameco Alisha Esmail – Road Coffee Inc. Andrey Olinov - Complete Technologies Outsourced IT Ltd. Brodie Johnston – Flash Electric Chelsey Harder – Passions Beauty Studio Jennifer Denouden – Avana Homes Meagan Barabash – Bravo Dance Co.

Growth & Expansion sponsored by PFM Capital Inc. Avana Homes Gravelbourg Mustard Inc. Sperling Silver Distillery Sveinco Developments Ltd. Unity Credit Union Vendasta www.prairiemanufacturer.ca

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Saskatchewan’s Value-Added Agriculture Sector Set for Growth Saskatchewan is a driving force in the food manufacturing industry.

And all the ingredients are in place to stimulate future growth: •

Saskatchewan Value-Added Agriculture Incentive offers a corporate income tax rebate of 15 per cent on capital expenditures valued at $10 million or more for new or expanded agri-value operations.

•

10% corporate income tax rate for manufacturing and processing – one of the lowest in Canada.

•

A highly skilled and productive workforce.

•

Home to Protein Industries Canada pan-prairie ‘supercluster’ and the Saskatchewan Food Industry Development Centre.

Value-Added Agriculture 2018 Revenue

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Saskatchewan - A World Leader in Plant Protein

S

askatchewan, Canada has built its pulse sector to be the largest in the world. It is one of the leading exporters of lentils and dried peas and a significant producer of chickpeas. Saskatchewan is recognized worldwide for the quality of its crops, and in recent years agri-value companies have stepped in to make significant investments into further processing of these crops.

head office here and 20 manufacturing facilities,” says AGT President and Chief Executive Officer Murad Al-Katib.

Since it started in 2003, AGT Food and Ingredients has worked with producers and crop development scientists to perfect the types of pulses best suited for processing and exporting. The Regina-based company has grown into the largest exporter of lentils in the world.

The Saskatchewan Food Industry Development Centre is a state-of-the-art facility that provides assistance to food processors, including expertise in R&D, interim processing, extrusion technology and path-finding.

In 2013, Agrocorp Processing Ltd. opened what is now a $20 million high-throughput pulse, grain and oilseed facility centre in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan. The company is the wholly-owned Canadian subsidiary of Agrocorp International, based in Singapore, which is one of the world’s largest pulse traders.

One of the newest players to Saskatchewan’s valueadded pulse scene is a company founded by expatriate Canadian and Hollywood movie director James Cameron and his wife Susie Amis Cameron. In 2017, their company Verdient Foods Inc. opened a pea processing plant in the town of Vanscoy, Saskatchewan, which they expect to become the largest organic pea protein plant in North America.

These three companies have had the opportunity to be part of Saskatchewan’s growth in plant-based foods and value-added agriculture.

“Saskatchewan has the competitive cost environment, stable regulatory regime, accessible government, great workers and work ethic, and an overall culture of innovation. All of these things led us to establish our

A key competitive advantage for the province is the strong partnerships between researchers, industry, producers and government to add value to crops produced here.

“Saskatchewan is probably the world’s model on collaboration between government and industry,” Al-Katib explains. “That’s what drew us here, the ability of government and industry to partner to come up with new varieties and technologies to enable the private sector to be agents of commercialization.”

Furthermore, Saskatchewan has one of Canada’s lowest corporate income tax (CIT) rates for manufacturing and processing operations – at 10 per cent. The Saskatchewan Commercial Innovation Incentive can lower the CIT rate to six per cent for corporations that commercialize their qualifying intellectual property in Saskatchewan. In addition, The Saskatchewan ValueAdded Agriculture Incentive offers a further corporate income tax rebate of 15 per cent on capital expenditures valued at $10 million or more for new or expanded agrivalue operations.

With the world’s population forecast to grow to 9.2 billion by 2050, the demand for plant protein is increasing exponentially. Companies are realizing that Saskatchewan offers the best value proposition for those wanting to be part of that growth.

For the health of it Saskatchewan food manufacturers use innovative technologies to create healthy products including plant-based proteins, nutritional oils, teas and much more

By Joanne Paulson

H

urricane Matthew slammed into Haiti, killing more than 500 residents and leaving thousands unsheltered and hungry. The 2016 storm was the country’s most destructive disaster since the 2010 earthquake.

The people at Mera Food’s plant protein processing facility in neighbouring Dominican Republic knew what had happened. And they knew what Haiti needed. Food.

“It wasn’t so bad where we were, but parts of Haiti were just destroyed,” said Wayne Goranson, founder and owner of Mera Food and its parent company, Mera Group. “Our guys volunteered over the weekend to make extra product, and we loaded up the truck with nine tonnes of food – mostly soymilk – and took it across the border and did distributions in schools, Artists for Peace and Justice, city hall, everywhere we could in the southern part of the island.”

Mera Food makes shake-style beverages from soybean and other protein-rich plants such as lentils and chickpeas. Nutritionally, it’s similar to cow’s milk with the same protein and fat profile; and by all accounts, it tastes good, too.

Mera Food, based in Regina, uses the Dominican plant to supply markets in Asia and North America.

“It was a real adventure,” Goranson recalled. “Things were in really tough shape. The international press covering (the disaster) ran into us out in the countryside and said, ‘you guys are here before Doctors Without Borders and before the Red Cross. How do you do that?’

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Prairie Manufacturer Magazine • Fall 2019

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PHOTO COURTESY INFRAREADY PRODUCTS

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PHOTO COURTESY BOREAL HEARTLAND

“I said, “Well, we’re from Saskatchewan. When the neighbour’s barn is on fire, you jump in the truck and you put it out. You don’t have a meeting; you just get it done.’

Mera had previously been called in by the United Nations to feed 20,000 prisoners who had been largely abandoned by the state, so they had experience in trucking food to Haiti.

“We were feeding at one school about 4,500 kids in a few hours one afternoon, and about 2,500 one morning,” said Goranson. “In the prisons we fed 210,000, so probably about 420,000 (total servings) across the island.”

This just in... protein is hot!

Protein, says Wilf Keller, is a hot item today because of the need to feed a growing global population. Plant-based protein, like the Beyond Meat burger, even makes the news.

“This is being driven by societal change, with the millennial generation, the affluence in China, environmental sustainability issues and so forth,” said Keller, CEO of Ag-West Bio, Saskatchewan’s bioscience industry association.

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Prairie Manufacturer Magazine • Fall 2019

“I do see great opportunities for Saskatchewan because we create so much raw material.”

Pulses are big. Yellow peas, for example, are being used for meat and dairy alternatives, as are lentils, chickpeas, and fava beans.

“A lot of this in the U.S. was driven by soybean, but soybean does have some challenges with allergy and the protein balance and so forth, so I think there are better opportunities for this part of the world looking at these other pulses.”

Canola, Keller added, offers another protein opportunity, while oats, flax, mustard and quinoa are other crops with a future.

Exporting is good, value-add is better Although Saskatchewan’s food processing industry has doubled in size over the last decade, less than 10 per cent of raw pulses and other crops are being processed; most are sold as bulk commodities. There’s a long way to go, but that also means vast opportunity, Keller said. The new federallysupported Protein Industry Cluster is

just getting underway and should lead to more processing.

The industry has grown considerably in the last few years, said James Kettel, Executive Director of the Agriculture Ministry’s Trade and Value-Added Branch. It defines value-added as food, seed, and bioproduct manufacturing.

“Our food and beverage industry includes more than 300 processors and over 5,000 employees as of 2018. Our value-added revenue … has grown more than 50 per cent between 2012 and 2018, reaching $5.2 billion last year.

“We have a target to increase our value-added sector from $3.5 billion in 2012 to $6 billion in 2020.”

Kettel noted that the sector is important to both the Province and primary producers.

“It creates a local demand for some of the product and lowers the shipping cost. There are opportunities too, in rural Saskatchewan. Agriculture is a large part of our rural base but not everybody wants to farm in rural economies, and we need more opportunities out there — in urban economies as well.”

Soy, Soviets, and submarines Opportunity often requires technology, and so it was with Mera Food. Goranson, an engineer, has built an international business around disruptive technologies in several sectors. In the case of Mera Food, it’s hydrodynamic cavitation.

For those unfamiliar, think of The Hunt for Red October. In the movie, one of the crew tells the captain the submarine is “cavitating” — too many water bubbles are being generated, and the propeller is about to dissolve. This basic action of water is bad for a ship, but good for soy.

“The underlying core technology comes from the military complex from the former Soviet Union,” Goranson said.

“They had developed some technology to actually dispose of garbage in submarines, take big particles and turn them into little particles, silently.

“We were able to turn it into a controlled activity. We’re taking whole beans, lentils or chickpeas or yellow peas, expose them to those bubbles and it breaks down into tiny pieces.

“That creates heat. Digestive inhibitors or enzymes and flavours and smells go away. It’s a neutral product which is protein and fat. We make hot dogs and shakes and anything you can make out of milk like yogurt.”

Saskatchewan food manufacturing doesn’t stop with protein, however; nor with high-tech processing. At Air Ronge, in the province’s boreal forest, a very different product is brewing. Tea.

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Something brewing up north Boreal Heartland was founded by the Keewatin Community Development Association (KCDA), a 23-year-old nonprofit with a mission to provide career and economic development in the North.

“Right now, we’re focusing on the non-timber forest sector, trying to develop an anchor business the sector can build around,” said CEO Randy Johns. “When we started looking at the sector, we looked at the opportunities.

We saw right away some opportunities in bulk herbs.

Although Saskatchewan’s food processing industry has doubled in size over the last decade, less than 10 per cent of raw pulses and other crops are being processed; most are sold as bulk commodities.

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“There were some specific markets there, but not enough to do a sustainable operation. We started looking at valueadded products. The teas and mushrooms are value-added products, but the processing is fairly straightforward.”

Boreal Heartland purchases foraged harvests from local people and processes the products in a certified facility.

“One of our main teas is a fermented fireweed tea,” Johns said. “We buy the fireweed. We have people strip the leaves by hand from the stalks; then those leaves go to the second stage of the process, which is grinding.”

Once ground, the leaves are fermented and dried.

“When you’re working with fermented product, you’re walking the line between what you want and spoilage. Mould is your enemy.”

The fireweed is then dried and blended with other herbs such as mint and packaged and sent to retailers.

“Last year we made these products to experiment with and then we ran out of product. All our retailers are waiting for new product to come in,” said Johns.

“We have independent retailers at this stage. Right now, we’re with eight in Regina, Saskatoon, Meadow Lake, Beauval, and La Ronge. We’re looking to

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Prairie Manufacturer Magazine • Fall 2019

expand that. We’re starting to look at some distributors. We need to do more volume to make it sustainable.”

KCDA received help to do just that in late July, when Western Economic Diversification announced $975,000 in Regional Innovation Ecosystem funding to scale up the non-timber forest sector, including teas and mushrooms. Boreal Heartland also dries, processes and packages chanterelles and morels.

It takes a village Government help such as this is highly beneficial in creating what Mark Pickard, founder of Saskatoon’s InfraReady Products, calls the “positive enabling environment in Saskatchewan for food ingredient manufacturers.”

InfraReady began in 1998 by using infrared technology to quickly partiallycook pulses in the company’s unique manufacturing system. Since then, InfraReady has added many other products and a proprietary crop — purple wheat — to its business.

Today, the company is receiving capital assistance from Saskatchewan Lean Initiatives in Manufacturing (SLIM) to improve operational efficiency, “and that is key to remaining competitive,” said Pickard. Various

costs and taxes are rising, but Pickard notes he can’t raise his prices to customers at the same rate.

“So the only way to survive is to become more operationally efficient, and that is to reduce the cost per unit that we produce. We need some assistance from the enabling environment.

“We’re spending close to a million dollars on equipment that makes us more efficient.”

“Our business is built on either helping a customer solve a problem or creating an opportunity for them. That’s really what gives our business vitality.

It’s why I go to work in the morning, and I think it motivates many of us here,” said Pickard.

Purple what?

“One of the new crops is purple wheat, relatively rich in anthocyanins (flavonoids) and phenolic acid compounds that have a demonstrated positive physiological effect in humans.

We’ve done some research with Agriculture and AgriFood Canada and Guelph University’s Department of Human Health and Natural Sciences.”

“We created prototype purple wheat products, and they were fed in a clinical trial to determine their potential health

benefits. That research is now starting to be published.”

InfraReady’s purple wheat ingredients include flours, flakes and meals; and the company produces a precooked lentil product called NutraReady — a meat additive that preserves colour and flavour, and extends shelf life.

“We’ve long been involved with whole grains and whole plant ingredients,” Pickard said. For example, “we don’t fractionate pea protein. We prefer to sell a precooked whole pea flour.”

Investing in the future Kettel notes that SLIM is only one such program supporting the valueadded sector. The Province also invests in research, such as its $17.5 million investment in the Saskatchewan Food Industry Development Centre, which is dedicated to diversifying, processing,

and commercializing new products.

The ministry also funds three research chairs in lipids, proteins, and starches, and supports other programs that provide tax incentives, training, and market development. Since 2013, it has invested $50 million in related research, infrastructure, and programming.

The next oil boom Healthy oils constitute another product sector Saskatchewan is known for, and outside the massive canola industry, Bioriginal Food and Science Corp. is at its forefront. Established in 1993, its first major product was borage oil, considered the highest plant-based source of gamma-linolenic acid (GLA).

“Since then, our product line has grown to include dozens of plant and marine-based oils, nutritional seeds and proteins and a wide variety of nutraceuticals,” said President Joe Vidal.

“We focus on fostering shorter supply chains by getting to know the producers and growers directly and then manufacturing our products in facilities we own,” he said. “Many of our manufacturing processes are developed with the final products in mind so that we can ensure our products are meeting our clients’ nutritional needs.”

Traceability is key, said Vidal. The company documents its processes and shows customers how products are sourced, tested, and delivered.

The products are formulated for the nutraceutical and food industries.

“We work closely with clients to keep them on the leading edge of new ingredients and technologies,” he added.

“Our expert team of innovators and experts has the knowledge and insight to anticipate trends in the industry, determining which ingredients will be successful drivers of growth for our customers.”

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Ally Fluid Bisexual

Lesbian

Questioning Sexuality

Identity

Cisgender

Inclusive

Queer

Pansexual Asexual

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Gay

Pride

Intersex

2/Two Spirit

Transgender

Prairie Manufacturer Magazine • Fall 2019

just ask...

LGBTQ2S+ When there’s a full spectrum of colour, the world is a more interesting and diverse place

By Kimberley Puhach

T

he rainbow and the alphabet. What does LGBTQ2S+ mean, and why does it matter that you know? As has been the case with earlier Just Ask columns, this topic comes with so much curiosity, and if we are being honest, likely fear as well. It also comes with misunderstanding and, perhaps, judgement.

In this article, not being expert myself, I felt it important to share perspectives from folks with lived experience from the community. This would allow for knowledge sharing in a respectful way. Building bridges of understanding and providing

a forum for information and healthy dialogue are core to these articles as a start to your own self-education. In that spirit, I took my own advice to just ask.

I have the honour of knowing members of the community that represent varied perspectives and lived experience on gender and sexual identity. Three of them were gracious and kind about providing their insights. Cynthia Fortlage was a key contributor and took the main pen for this article. Together we co-wrote what we believe to be only the beginning of an evolving learning opportunity.

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37

Through Their Eyes: Cynthia, Albert, and Janine The phrase ‘Just Ask’ has been reiterated over and over. In regard to the LGBT2SQ+ community, the same applies. I could say it’s because it’s 2019, maybe that language can be oppressive to folks, or it’s the law in Canada, perhaps even because it’s just common human decency. For me it’s deeply personal, and while I never attempt to speak for others and their lived truths, I do speak from my truth and my experiences.

For the first 50 years of my life, I was part of Winnipeg’s business community and lived the stereotypical life of a technology executive who was a white cisgender male. Today I am founder of a start-up firm as an independent female business owner. Yes, I am a woman with a transgender history.

One of the more common aspects I hear folks asking about is what I refer to as the rainbow alphabet, listed here as LGBT2SQ+.

Each letter matters, as does the plus versus an asterisk at the end. I had to find my letter to know myself and my community of like folks. It was important to grasp the emotional, psychological, and physical aspects I would be encountering as I started my journey. I don’t live there, as it was just a starting point for me in “coming out.”

I can come out and tell you about myself, but for you to tell someone I am transgender means you “outed” me. This may not be done to cause harm, but it can pose a dangerous, even life-threatening risk to me. You nor I may know how everyone will react, and their reactions could impact me in a variety of ways. If you were introducing me, I would simply be Cynthia, the woman that wrote that article.

It's an evolution For every term, there are folks who will use it, and folks who do not use it. So how do you know? Just ask, of course!

Take the word ‘queer’ for example. It was used as a slur for the longest time, but I and others are reclaiming that word, declaring we are queer people. When we use it, we know who

we are. Others who are also queer can use it, but if you’re not, it’s inappropriate for you to call us queer. We don’t know if you’re trying to be cool or slanderous, so it is more respectful to not create that doubt and ask how we wish to be referred to.

In some groups the phrase or a version of “gender and sexually diverse people” is emerging as a replacement to the rainbow alphabet for non-queer people to use who wish to be respectful and not miss a letter. I have seen almost every organization and level of government use a different set of letters in their rainbow alphabet, so I try and adjust my language around the group with whom I am interacting. You’ll often see the letters rearranged based on whose voice is being shared.

This raises another key question between gender and sexuality. For that I use a model called the Genderbread Person

by Sam Killermann. There are four aspects we use in the very complex discussion of identity. The first is our gender identity which exists in our brains. Next is our sexuality that we refer to as the heart or who we love. Third is our genitalia which doesn’t define our gender, but societal expectations are often determined based on a doctor’s visual inspection of our genitalia at birth. The fourth aspect is how we present in the way we dress.

As each of the four elements in the model have a spectrum or sliding scale, there are infinite variations in identity that exist.

Some may refer to this as ‘fluid.’

It’s nothing new Some communities dating back thousands of years had as many as seven words to describe gender, says Albert McCloud of Two-Spirited People of Manitoba. The ‘2S’ used in the rainbow alphabet is to recognize and include those people who prefer to use their heritage reference rather than one assigned by nonIndigenous persons.

Two Spirit is a term used to describe Indigenous people who assume cross- or multiple gender roles, attributes, dress, and attitudes for personal, spiritual, cultural, ceremonial, or social reasons. These roles are defined by each cultural group and can be fluid over a person’s lifetime. Modern terms like gay, lesbian,

We invite you to donate to Rainbow Resource Centre. The centre fosters a proud, resilient and diverse LGBT2SQ+ community through delivery of counselling, education, and social support groups.

We provide resources, reduce social isolation, build community, and truly transform the lives of youth, families, new comers, and older adults.

Your investment will ensure we can continue serving those who seek our services.

A non-profit organization that serves the LGBT2SQ+ community in Manitoba and North Western Ontario. Our missions is to provide support, education, and resources to foster a proud, resilient, and diverse LGBT2SQ+ community.

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Prairie Manufacturer Magazine • Fall 2019

Thank you for all the things you have done to help and make a difference in people’s lives. You will always be there when they're in need, which gives them hope and motivation in life . - Youth program client Visit: www.rainbowresourcecentre.org to learn more and to donate.

For every term, there are folks who will use it, and folks who do not use it. So how do you know? Just ask, of course!

bisexual, transgender, transsexual and intersexed (in combination with, or exclusive to, Two Spirit) may be adopted by some Indigenous people to define who they are. The alphabet in this case often is expressed as 2SLGBTQ+.

to disclose details about their identity or experiences.

I personally believe it is up to the uninformed to ask. When someone wishing to learn more asks questions, this opens up healthy dialogue.

Engage with youth

It’s only a start

The youth give me hope; they generally don’t see life as a binary of yes/no or male/female. They understand the differences between applying equality and equity, and when privilege is an inherent bias in interpretation and use of language. I would encourage you to seek reverse mentoring from these youth because they are your workers and emerging leaders. If you want to attract a future workforce, you need to engage with them.

Janine Brown shared that it never hurts to start with a simple Google search where you can typically find which terminology is appropriate. From there, by using proper language when asking a member of the LGBTQ2S community or an ally for further clarification, you can be sure you are asking in a respectful and friendly way.

When you wish to ask a question, it may be helpful to start off with ‘May I ask you a question about _____?’ This prepares the person you are asking so they will not be taken aback as well as avoiding an uncomfortable situation if the person prefers not

We can agree that words matter. They can be inclusionary or exclusionary. They can create a safe place to be open and creative at work, or they can threaten someone’s social, economic, psychological, emotional, physical, or spiritual sense of safety. What we can do is just ask.

Cynthia Fortlage, an award-winning leader with a passion for helping people and organizations, is founder of CAF Services, a multidisciplinary consulting, coaching, and public speaking firm. She serves as board president for Rainbow Resource Centre in Winnipeg, and she is national board chair for Women’s March Canada.

Kimberley Puhach is Associate Vice President, Human Resources – Western Region for Gallagher. She also serves as chair of the Mayor’s Indigenous Advisory Circle in Winnipeg, and was recently appointed to the MAVEN Leadership Council, which aims to address gender equality in the tech sector.

Have a question? Just ask.

Conversation is a powerful tool. It has the potential to break down barriers, dispel stereotypes, build understanding, and strengthen relationships.

Sometimes, however, the sensitivity around a particular topic can result in those conversations not taking place, regardless of how important they really are. That’s why, in 2019, we here at Prairie Manufacturer Magazine are committing to steps to improve the dialogue.

Winter 2019 will focus on workplace diversity.

I hope you will join us and be a part of the conversation.

Ronda Landygo Kimberley Puhach

Publisher, Prairie Manufacturer Magazine

Just Ask Guest Columnist

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39

Meet Apollo Dear Prairie Manufacturer Reader, asked us The minute our son was born, the doctor lo!

Apol said we and be d woul what his name strong She immediately said that it was quite the a sickly been r name to live up to. Apollo has neve age the e befor just but child (quite the opposite!) . This tions infec ear ring recur have of 2, he started to were they ht thoug we first at and while a for continued evident he was it sted from swimming class, but when it persi needed ear tubes. ed up on the left side of his During this time a suspicious bump show fevers, which would show head. Then he started suffering from high up and disappear within a day. were scheduled for After countless doctor’s appointments, we . The surgery bump this ine exam surgery for ear tubes and to fluid from the ct extra to tried they but ssful for tubes was succe d he needed mine bump and came up with nothing. They deter to have an ultrasound. a suspected case The results from the ultrasound showed This news was ).

(LCH is cytos of Langerhans cell histio ren’s Hospital Child to ht straig us took it and devastating, and a cranium tests where Apollo had to endure a series of 18, 2018 with May on osed surgery before finally being diagn 4 lesions on of total a had He .

LCH tem single cell multi-sys his skull. of a year for both Apollo Since that day, it has been a rollercoaster medications, hospital o, chem and our family. A year full of tests, has lived up to his strong lo Apol all, it ugh stays, and setbacks. Thro name. ed 3-year-old who is way too wise Apollo is a vibrant, determined strong mind love for anything super hero related, me extre for all he has been through. He has an loves Disney his favourite being Wonder Woman. He also but he especially loves lady super heroes, .

Anna Elsa/ being Moana and Princesses, some of his all-time favorites g the planet like the dressing up in super hero costumes and savin Apollo loves to play with his big brothers, ing the ball to throw and ng s or just watching big bro play, chasi Avengers or pretending to play video game his doggy, Jett. to make Apollo’s dream come true to meet To learn that The Dream Factory is going will put the ultimate smile on his face. his favourite princesses and superheroes guy with a big dream and forget It will allow him to enjoy just being a little ’s what we call his meds). We all the needle pokes and yucky yum yum (that Dream for our Apollo! tiful beau could not be more thankful for this

Please – consider supporting The Dream e Factory today to make more dreams com true for kids like Apollo. Kids that live right here in our community, are fighting some incredibly tough battles, and could . benefit from the joy of a dream come true

From our Factory to yours, thank you for helping Manitoba Kids!

WHEN IT COMES TO MANUFACTURING FACTORIES ARE WHERE THE MAGIC HAPPENS. At The Dream Factory, we manufacture a different kind of magic: dreams come true for Manitoba kids bravely battling life-threatening illnesses.

Everything we do starts with the belief that sometimes kids deserve to get carried away. For sick kids in our community, their dreams are what help lift their spirits and carry them to a place where things aren’t so difficult. That could be a far-off adventure, a meeting with their hero, or simply time spent laughing with their family.

The manufacturing community is one that is near and dear to us here at The Dream Factory. We are proud to have worked closely with New Flyer, Motor Coach, MacDon, and many more to help make dreams come true right here in our own backyard.

Upcoming dreams include princess makeovers at Disney World, along with trips to Paris, Tokyo, and Vancouver.

We have Dream Kids that want a backyard full of adventure, and some that just want to go fishing.

Our Dreams are unique and diverse - and we rely on support from people and businesses like you to help bring them to life. To find out how you can help make a dream come true today, contact Andrew at (204) 989-4010 or by email at andrew@thedreamfactory.ca

From all of us at The Dream Factory thank you for making dreams come true!

WOMEN IN MANUFACTURING

Enough talk...

It’s time for action!

It’s time to make like manufacturers and actually change things through actions.

By Carrie Schroeder

S

urveys, meetings, round tables, working groups, consultations, and more meetings. Talk, talk, talk...

Where has all of this gotten us?

I’ll tell you where. We have greater understanding; we’ve set the stage; and we’re ready to take the Women in Manufacturing initiative to the next level.

We have identified important actions around sharing stories to highlight female role models. We have provided employers with tools to help build an inclusive and diverse workplace culture. And we continue to raise awareness of the untapped potential that exists to build our future workforce by attracting and engaging females in Canadian manufacturing.

To validate if the initiative is moving in the right direction (I know...more talk), I asked a few people from various backgrounds and experiences to weigh in on what they see as some tangible next-step actions.

ALISON KIRKLAND (AK) is Director, Communications and Client Services for the Women's Enterprise Centre of Manitoba CAMERON HAY, CPA, CMA (CH) is Chief Executive Officer at Acrylon Plastics Inc. / American Custom Rotomolding

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Prairie Manufacturer Magazine • Fall 2019

SARAH HARRIS (SH) is a student at the University of Manitoba pursuing her Bachelor of Engineering, and is a Co-Op Student at Orthopaedic Innovation Centre (OIC), a multidisciplinary facility for orthopaedic medical device design SUSAN SULLIVAN (SS) is a Chartered Human Resource Professional with 20-plus years in the field, is Human Resource Manager at Controlled Environments Limited (Conviron), and is a participant in the WIM provincial working group in Manitoba What would you suggest that needs to be done today to attract and retain more women into careers in manufacturing?

AK - Profile women who are successfully operating businesses in the broader manufacturing definition. Add to the traditional graphic representation of manufacturing that shows men wearing hard hats and steel-toed boots, to include women who are adding value to their products in different ways, which tend to be less industrial.

CH - Manufacturing may have a stigma of being male dominated, especially on the shop floor. This couldn’t be further from the truth.

Ironically what we find works best to combat this view is to ignore gender altogether; manufacturing doesn’t care about gender. What we need to do, as manufacturing employers, is focus on safety and environment for everyone.

You can’t work on efficiencies if your employees don’t feel safe - whether that’s fall protection, lifting limits on weight and movement ranges, plant layout, or cleanliness.

Set up the job to work for the employee; don’t set up the employee to work for the job!

In today’s environment we need to look at all these things to have the best employees (which we do!) and to be competitive.

SH - When I graduated high school, my perception of careers was based totally on what I saw in society. What I did not realize was the way stereotypes had already influenced my decisions and options. Although I was always a strong math and science student, when my mom suggested I apply to engineering, I initially dismissed the idea entirely, I was a creative girl!

Engineering is a combination of creativity, math, and problem solving.

The response I received from many

people when I shared that I applied for engineering was ‘you don’t seem like an engineer.’ Without exposure to successful women working in fields like manufacturing and engineering, much of the world, perhaps like me, was reluctant to embrace the non-typical engineer.

Since joining the faculty of engineering and working in the manufacturing industry, it has become very important to me to share my positive experiences with other young women.

The most powerful way to influence young people is to give them role models. Young women want and need to see other young women who are passionate about their work and thriving and flourishing in important careers.

One reason I hesitated to go into engineering and manufacturing was the perceived disconnect between being a creative female and my impression of a stereotypical engineer.

Mentorship programs, outreach programs, and company tours are all excellent ways to reach youth. Show young people why manufacturing is important; show young people how manufacturing influences people every day environmentally, economically, and

It’s time to increase the awareness of the broader definition of manufacturing to illustrate that small changes or refinements made by hand are also manufacturing.

internationally. Young women need to see other women in action to embrace their own capacity.

SS - We need to start early in educating young women in potential careers in manufacturing and change the image of manufacturing that they may have in their minds. Share stories and images on social media that highlight those roles and how things look different than they would have 20 years ago. Provide internships – shortterm and long – to allow young women to experience and learn about a career path in manufacturing.

How has your perception of manufacturing changed since you have been actively engaged in the industry through your internship?

SH - My initial thoughts of manufacturing jumped directly to machinery and factories. Without understanding the skills behind manufacturing, it was not possible for me to understand how I would fit into a career in manufacturing. Since I have

been engaged in the industry, I grasp the diversity and importance of manufacturing.

My internship workplace performs testing for biomedical devices. I had always been motivated to work in the medical field, but I had never made the connection between manufacturing and healthcare. The source of medical devices and supplies is vital to successful healthcare.

Aside from a new appreciation for the components that make-up manufacturing, I am excited by the new innovative technologies that are emerging. Additive manufacturing and increasingly more intelligent technologies mean that industry is becoming more complicated and diverse.

What are the challenges for female makers to understand that they are actually manufacturers in the broadest sense? How do we change this perception?

AK - The general perception is that manufacturing is a process that involves major equipment and industrial production

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It’s time to increase the awareness of the broader definition of manufacturing to illustrate that small changes or refinements made by hand are also manufacturing.

lines where raw goods are transformed into finished products. It’s time to increase the awareness of the broader definition of manufacturing to illustrate that small changes or refinements made by hand are also manufacturing.

More emphasis is needed on the words producers are using to refer to the work that they do: ‘changers’ and ‘makers.’ These words also emphasize innovation and the change in the process of creation.

This broader definition should be shared; it will be the first step in changing perception. Additionally, ensure that women who are involved in the broader type of manufacturing have a seat at the board table for all manufacturing discussions.

What can we do to ensure women are engaged and valued?

SS - Flexibility with schedules would be a start. We offer that to office staff but not with production, and that may be eliminating a portion of our labour market right there.

Another idea would be providing discretionary or family time to allow for care of children, elderly relatives, and other family members.

Providing a career path and investing in training would also show that employers value all their employees, not just their female workforce.

There are definitely some common themes and encouragement to continue the initiative in a meaningful way.

Join me in engaging and inspiring our future workforce by providing education on the career paths in manufacturing.

Work to provide a healthy workplace culture to attract and retain the best people for the jobs you have. Empower, support, and accelerate women to achieve personal and professional growth in your company.

Can you influence the change?

Absolutely!

It’s time for us to stop talking the talk, and start walking the talk in our schools, our post-secondary institutions, our businesses, and our everyday life. We know what needs to be done, so let’s get doing it!

Carrie Schroeder is the Director of Operations for Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters (CME) in Manitoba, and is one of the driving forces behind CME’s Women in Manufacturing initiative. To learn more, visit womeninmanufacturing.ca.

Women in Aerospace

A career that makes a difference, keeping us safe in the sky!

Would you like to join us?

For career pathways in the aerospace and aviation industry, please contact Barb Bowen at bbowen@mbaerospace.ca

ManitobaAerospace

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Prairie Manufacturer Magazine • Fall 2019

mbaerospace

manitoba-aerospace | www.mbaerospace.ca

S

ometimes a fortuitous incident can spark a business idea. For Madeline Conn, president and majority owner of High Key Brewing Co., it was the distinct undertones in craft beer that led to a venture in Saskatchewan’s booming craft beer sector.

“In 2013 I went to Dallas, Texas for on-the-job-training, and was introduced to the craft beer scene,” says Conn.

“The beer was so different with complex flavours I had not experienced before.”

Along with the opportunity to sample various styles of brews, Conn was drawn to the collaboration and culture of respect evident among the craft breweries. There was an excitement, a shared passion to produce small batches of specialty beer.

“I could tell the quality of the beer was key and not the quantity. The master brewers loved what they were producing. For them, it was a labour of love.”

The principles of co-operation, independent ownership, and a role in the development of the local economy resonated with Conn’s prairie upbringing. Her undergrad background and entrepreneurial creativity ignited under the name High Key Brewing Co., based in Saskatoon, where she was born and raised. Conn wanted the name to be original, reflect her passion for beer, and embody an energetic presence.

Conn’s business dream became real when, through a family connection, she met Daniel Rommens, a Saskatonian, who had returned home to pursue brewing beer as a career.

Rommens left his industry job to become the head brewer and manager of brewery operations for High Key. Within a year, growth propelled the company to hire another brewer, Matthew Chevrier, also from Saskatoon.

As a woman-owned manufacturing business, Conn is in the minority. In a report conducted by PwC Canada for Women Entrepreneurs Saskatchewan, womenowned businesses account for less than 10 per cent of the Canadian manufacturing industry (Women Entrepreneurship in Canada, 2018).

Start-up of any business inevitably has obstacles. During Conn’s search for a commercial space, she learned city building codes for breweries restricted locations to heavy industrial areas, limiting options for a suitable and publicly accessible facility.

“Our location on Quebec Avenue offers space for production and the taproom,” says Conn. “Our initial marketing strategy had to change as we are a destination, without the benefit of foot traffic.”

On the plus side, in 2016 the Saskatchewan Liquor and Gaming Authority removed several barriers for craft beer manufacturers. Breweries could sell brews on site and distribute products directly to Saskatchewan retailers. The timing was perfect leading up to High Key’s official opening in April 2018.

Establishing a brewery is capital intensive. Conn acquired multiple entrepreneurial loans, combined with a share offering to family, friends and acquaintances, who have been major supporters of her enterprise from the beginning.

“Securing financing and finding investors was a bit daunting,” says Conn, “especially ensuring them that this business was a feasible venture.”

An MBA graduate of the University of Saskatchewan, Conn largely leaves brewhouse operations to Rommens and Chevrier while she concentrates on business activities. But all three often brainstorm new seasonal beers. As High Key founder, she noticed a gender bias at times when people mistakenly assumed her role in the business.

“Overall, I was received positively by suppliers and financial institutions,” says Conn. “When we first opened, people would often look to my dad, who is retired and helps to bartend, and ask him what got him into brewing. Or they would assume I was the brewer’s wife and there to support him.”

Brewmasters Rommens and Chevrier invest their hearts and souls into the recipes, using high-quality local ingredients and unique twists on traditional styles.

Customers reap a bounty of bold flavour in a pink IPA made with hibiscus and rosehips or an Irish Red Ale conditioned with toasted oak and Jamaican rum.

“Standing in the middle of something you have created is very exciting,” says Conn. “There were many highs and some lows. Owning a business involves risk and uncertainty but the public enjoying our product and space is very rewarding.”

PHOTO CREDIT: BAILEY FISCHL

HERstory: Madeline Conn

Join the movement.

At Prairie Manufacturer Magazine, we believe manufacturing needs more women — in the corner office, in the technical trades, and on the shop floor. Manufacturers of all sizes, in all sectors, stand only to profit by employing a more diverse and representative workforce.

Prairie Manufacturer Magazine is a Premier Champion for the national Women in Manufacturing initiative. We invite you and your organization to join us in this important work.

Our Women in Manufacturing feature in our Winter 2019 issue will focus on Harnessing the Power of Influencers.

To learn more, or to join the movement, contact info@prairiemanfacturer.ca

www.prairiemanufacturer.ca

45

SPONSORED CONTENT

SAFETY PAYS: IT TAKES MORE THAN SALES TO GROW YOUR BUSINESS.

L

oewen Windows is a pillar of the Steinbach community. Founded more than a century ago, Loewen manufactures wood windows and doors for the premium residential market. Over decades, the company has developed a reputation for inspirational products, design leadership and custom capabilities. But perhaps most importantly, generations of workers in the community have called Loewen their second family. Few other Manitoba companies can boast the same.

Many of Loewen’s guiding principles and their resulting success are driven by an overall commitment to “do the right thing”, whether for customers, suppliers or employees.

A culture of safety For Loewen, improving employee safety culture and pursuing SAFE Work Certification by Made Safe were obvious extensions of that basic philosophy. Still, members of Loewen’s leadership team were surprised at the significant difference

SAFE Work Certification made, not only for the bottom line, but to the top line as well. Almost immediately following the start of the certification process, the company began to experience increasing benefits related to their safety program.

Many of these outcomes took even the safety leaders by surprise.

For one, Loewen has always fostered a safe, positive environment that encouraged innovation, growth and teamwork. As an employer of choice

Since achieving certification, worker feedback consistently reflects respect and appreciation for Loewen’s safety culture, which employees believe is a breath of fresh air.

in the community, Loewen made great strides to create a workplace where diversity is valued and where everyone has the opportunity to make a difference.

But the addition of a safety certification – and the inclusion of employees from all levels of the organization to take ownership and direction for the program – has several meaningful and unintended benefits; not the least of which was a sudden improvement in recruitment, job satisfaction and employee retention.

Interviews and touch base meetings are woven throughout the company’s onboarding and exit processes.

attend monthly factory tours and training. In the subsequent debriefs the topic of culture is almost always raised as a highlight. Visitors to the plant can’t help but point out that employees are happy, safe and enjoy what they’re doing. More than once, it’s been said that this observable culture has provided the competitive differentiation that landed Loewen an important lead or new block of business. Safety feeds into culture, which in turn drives sales and market positioning.

Since achieving certification, worker feedback consistently reflects respect and appreciation for Loewen’s safety culture, which employees believe is a breath of fresh air. Employees stay longer and report better, healthier working relationships with coworkers and the company overall.

Last but not least, Loewen’s efforts payed off in a different way. The company had always anticipated that a rebate, coupled with a decrease in WCB premiums would help the bottom line. But a positive benefit was the opportunity to improve capacity and re-dedicate resources to more impactful work as a result of their Made Safe membership. Previously, Loewen’s health and safety training programs were developed and delivered in house. By taking advantage of Made Safe’s 30+ training programs designed and delivered for the needs of the manufacturing work environment, Loewen was able to dedicate people power to other day-to-

Safety sells From a top line perspective, Loewen’s management team has also attributed the company’s safety journey to a small but steady increase in sales. Every month, Loewen invites key salespeople, including dealers and architects, to

Working safely

day challenges, which have since been eased or eliminated. Through access to standardized training delivered by safety experts with a manufacturing background, Loewen’s in-house safety experts have been freed up to work at the right levels and focus on more mission-critical efforts.

The bottom line Since starting on this journey last year, Loewen has decreased lost time by 60 per cent and reportable injuries by approximately 50 per cent. Safety first powers a tangible culture along with a heightened awareness and commitment to Loewen’s overall strategies and goals.

The support and assistance provided by Made Safe through training opportunities, sample policies and other documentation has been invaluable. Made Safe is an industry-based safety association and its success is reflective of the sector’s efforts to help manufacturers grow and compete.

Learn more Made Safe can help with top and bottom line. For more information on how Made Safe can support your organization, connect with us today. We are stronger, and safer, together.

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Winnipeg, MB R3Y 2G4 204.949.1454 info@madesafe.ca An initiative of madesafe.ca

PULSE ON POLICY

This fall will be more about Canadian unity than electing government

By Derek Lothian

I

’m a huge fan of political fiction.

When the first season of House of Cards debuted on Netflix, I remember binging all 13 episodes back-to-back over the course of a single night. All the President’s Men, meanwhile, remains — in my not-so-humble opinion — one of the top five movies ever made. And Selina Meyer, Julia Louis-Dreyfus’s character in Veep, is probably the best original television persona of the past decade. Don’t @ me.

You can therefore appreciate my giddiness when I stumbled across an article a few weeks back from Philippe Fournier entitled, Imagining a federal election without Alberta or Quebec. Some folks drive in from the lake on the August long weekend to restock on beer; I do so to pick up the latest issues of Maclean’s and The Economist. It’s a mystery why I don’t get invited to more parties.

I do, though, have friends — honest — several of whom live in the Ottawa bubble, where I spent six years of my professional life. One of the questions I field from them often is whether the feeling of ‘western alienation’ is real, or whether it is a work of fiction contrived by the Jason Kenneys and Scott Moes of the world with an axe to grind against this particular Prime Minister. My response, illustrated quite eloquently in the Fournier piece, is always the same:

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Prairie Manufacturer Magazine • Fall 2019

It is real and it is palpable. Dismissing it as passing fodder or personality differences amongst leaders is not only disingenuous, it’s dangerous.

Fournier cites a recent poll from Abacus Data, which found that 71 per cent of residents in Alberta and Saskatchewan believe being part of Canada has been good for their respective provinces. Sure, that’s a sizeable majority, yet it is also five per cent less than Quebec (76 per cent) — which, I remind you, came within a single percentage point of leaving Canada altogether in the 1995 referendum. In fact, the same poll suggested that a quarter of Albertans would actually vote to secede today — roughly the same as their Quebecois counterparts. Next door in Saskatchewan, an unrelated Environics survey conducted in May echoed that sentiment, with 53 per cent of respondents agreeing with the statement, ‘Western Canada gets so few benefits from being part of Canada that they might as well go it on their own.’

Don’t kid yourself: We are close — if we’re not there already — to becoming embroiled in a crisis surrounding Canadian unity.

It would be easy to point to the political winds or policies of the day as the culprit (carbon tax, anyone?). Overlooking some of the more deep-rooted structures,

however, would fall somewhere between ignorance and naivety.

Take interprovincial trade as an example. The vision of ‘one Canada, one market’ was the very promise of confederation that our country was built upon. Despite replacing the antiquated Agreement on Internal Trade (AIT) with the Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA) two years ago, a litany of barriers remain in the form of province-byprovince exemptions, opt-out measures, and unharmonized regulations, costing our economy up to $130 billion each year. If we still can’t trade freely with each other as provinces 150-plus years later, how we can expect better treatment from other countries?

And then there’s the great equalization debate.

In the interest of full disclosure, I don’t fully understand how the equalization formula works. I’m not sure many do. It’s clunky, complex, and — if I didn’t know any better — purposefully confusing. The broad strokes, though, are this: The federal government transfers nearly $19 billion annually to provinces it deems less prosperous (‘have not provinces’) to ensure the delivery of a similar standard of public programs and services offered in ‘have provinces.’ Quebec alone receives more than three-fifths of the total sum. On

the flip side, Saskatchewan, Alberta, and Newfoundland — all of which have had to come to terms with a slower resource development sector and, as a result, stymied tax revenues— have fielded a grand total of zilch over the past five years.

I don’t think anyone should be shocked that, when the average Joe in Western Canada sees those stats and then looks east to Quebec gleefully trumpeting a $2.5 billion surplus, all the while funnelling billions more into programs like universal subsidized childcare starting at roughly $8 per day (did I miss the memo where that was also available in Saskatchewan?), frustration is a natural reaction.

Of course, western provinces leave themselves amply open to rebuttal criticism. Alberta, for instance, continues to shrug off a provincial sales tax. It’s hard to garner sympathy on an empty piggy bank when the government refuses to collect revenue in the same manner as every other province. But that’s a column for another day.

If Fournier’s exercise in political what-ifism demonstrated anything of substantive value, it’s that the pressures of the upcoming federal election are

We are competing ferociously with the rest of the world; and the only way we will succeed is if we truly find common ground and work fast, shoulder-to-shoulder, on the defining issues of our time — economic, social, and environmental.

unlikely to mend any wounds. The Conservatives need the west and the Liberals need Quebec to form the next government. And, although there is a far better chance of Liberal support eroding in French Canada than Conservative votes slipping in Alberta or Saskatchewan, either party campaigning on measures to dramatically alter the status quo is likely setting themselves up for electoral catastrophe.

So, where do we go from here? Are we simply too different, too polarized to reach meaningful consensus anymore?

Is it time to be more like Fournier and start hypothesizing what it would mean to throw in the towel on confederation?

Or, maybe we use this election to reset. Perhaps we demand our candidates exchange tribalism and political theatre for bold ideas and honest compromise.

Canada is at a crossroads. We are competing ferociously with the rest

of the world; and the only way we will succeed is if we truly find common ground and work fast, shoulder-toshoulder, on the defining issues of our time — economic, social, and environmental. We need to start with the foundational systems that have given root to imbalance. And we need to put aside the illusion there is more that divides us than unites us.

That’s the thing about fiction: If you’re not careful, it has a way of creeping into reality. As was true in 1867, we are stronger together. This fall, as you prepare to head to the ballot box, don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.

Derek Lothian is the former, founding editor of Prairie Manufacturer Magazine.

He currently serves as a business association CEO and on several public and not-for-profit boards. He is also an advisor to private manufacturing enterprises across Canada.

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49

How Saskatchewan is creating a culture of safety

By Phil Germain

I

n 2008, Saskatchewan had the second worst workplace total injury rate in the country. For every 100 full-time workers, more than 10 workers were injured on the job. Fast forward to today and the province’s workplace Time Loss injury rate has dropped to the fifth highest in Canada.

Impressive as this shift is, it doesn’t merit a gold star. However, it does suggest that Saskatchewan is moving in the right direction.

Pivotal on our path has been our ambitious goal of Mission: Zero — zero injuries, zero fatalities, and zero suffering. Launched in 2008 by WorkSafe Saskatchewan — the partnership between the Saskatchewan Workers’ Compensation Board (WCB) and

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Prairie Manufacturer Magazine • Fall 2019

the Ministry of Labour Relations and Workplace Safety — Mission: Zero was initially a call to action for employers and workers to prevent injuries and save lives on the job. In 2009, Mission: Zero was adopted by Safe Saskatchewan (the organization that co-ordinates injury prevention efforts in the province) as a prevention goal for everyone to pursue — both on and off the job.

To foster safer behaviour, Mission: Zero reached out to leaders who could model it. “We knew we had to transform the provincial culture so we turned to champions who were successfully aligning health and safety with the other values of their organizations,” says Gord Moker, CEO of Safe Saskatchewan. Consequently,

www.prairiemanufacturer.ca

51

PHOTO COURTESY SASKATCHEWAN WORKERS’ COMPENSATION BOARD

Phil Germain, CEO of the Saskatchewan Workers’ Compensation Board.

Last year, 88 per cent of Saskatchewan workplaces achieved Mission: Zero. They had zero injuries and zero fatalities.

in 2010, WorkSafe Saskatchewan and Safe Saskatchewan introduced the Health & Safety Leadership Charter.

The Charter features seven principles, two of which extend to the community at large. Leaders are expected to uphold and communicate the principles in ways that best fit their organizations. To date, more than 690 business, government, union, and community leaders have signed the Charter.

Nigel Jones is one of the 34 leaders who has signed the Charter in 2019.

Jones is CEO of Väderstad Industries Inc., a farm machinery manufacturer with 165 employees in Langbank, a southern Saskatchewan hamlet. Being part of the Charter group, he says, gives Väderstad access to expert guidance and peer support. It also helps the company get its safety message out to the community to which it’s so closely tied. “We rely on six or seven local communities for our workforce,” says Jones.

No time for complacency By 2017, Saskatchewan’s total injury rate (TIR) had steadily decreased to the lowest it had been in 65 years — 5.25 per 100 workers — a drop of almost 50 per cent since 2008. But there was no time for complacency. By 2018, our TIR had increased slightly and our workplace Time Loss injury rate had jumped by almost seven per cent. (Time Loss measures the number of workers hurt badly enough to be off work for at least one day beyond the day of injury.) Most disheartening, however, were the 48 lives cut short in workplace fatalities last year — a disturbing increase over the 27 fatalities in 2017.

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Prairie Manufacturer Magazine • Fall 2019

While one year’s statistics do not suggest a trend, they underscored the need for WorkSafe to review its approach to injury prevention and determine a new course toward Mission: Zero. As a result, we’ve launched a three-year strategy that will help our partners better understand and address the root causes of serious injuries and fatalities. The strategy focuses on work-related fatalities from working from heights, motor vehicle crashes, and exposure to asbestos and firefighter-related cancers. It also prioritizes industries in which so many serious injuries occur — manufacturing, health care, construction, first responders, and transportation.

In advance of the strategy, the Saskatchewan WCB developed a new and more comprehensive definition of “serious injury.” Because about 2,400 injuries annually fall under that definition, WorkSafe is now in a better position to understand their root causes and provide targeted awareness and education campaigns. The broadened definition may even help reduce Saskatchewan’s TIR. According to evidence from the International Social Security Association, prevention of serious injuries and fatalities increases the overall level of safety in a workplace.

Reducing serious injuries in manufacturing One of the objectives of WorkSafe Saskatchewan’s strategy is to work with industry and labour to reduce serious injuries in the manufacturing sector by five per cent by December 31, 2021. Hand injuries alone in that sector

account for more than 500 total injuries annually and WCB data show that hands are the most injured part of the body, contributing to about 20 per cent of claims accepted by the WCB. WorkSafe will be assessing the effectiveness of personal protective equipment (PPE) at facilities where serious hand injuries occur most often.

We also have plans to co-brand the Ansell Guardian® PPE program, as well as adopt or develop a machine guarding assessment protocol with the Saskatchewan Association for Safety in Manufacturing.

Working together to achieve the possible Last year, 88 per cent of Saskatchewan workplaces achieved Mission: Zero. They had zero injuries and zero fatalities. As a result of their tenacious health and safety efforts, there was less of a drain on their organizational re sources, on the Saskatchewan health care system, and on our economy. But more important, fewer people — mothers, fathers, sons, daughters, and the greater community — suffered because of a preventable injury or death.

As we continue to work with our partners to reduce workplace injuries and fatalities, we’re confident that that remaining 12 per cent is not beyond Saskatchewan’s grasp.

For more information about injury prevention in Saskatchewan, visit www.worksafesask.ca and www.safesask.com.

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Phil Germain is CEO of the Saskatchewan Workers’ Compensation Board.

www.prairiemanufacturer.ca

53

INDUSTRY EVENTS SEPTEMBER 2019 SAFE Work Awards | The Safetys September 25, 2019 - Winnipeg, MB www.thesafetys.ca Canadian Manufacturing Technology Show (CMTS) September 30 – October 3, 2019 - Toronto, ON www.cmts.ca

OCTOBER 2019 The ABEX Awards October 19, 2019 - Saskatoon, SK www.saskchamber.com/pages/abex World Trade Centre Winnipeg – Small Business Week Kickoff Lunch October 21, 2019 - Winnipeg, MB www.wtcwinnipeg.com/events BDC Small Business Week 2019 October 20-26, 2019 - Across Canada www.bdc.ca/sbw Southern Manitoba Manufacturers’ Summit (SMMS) October 24, 2019 - Morden, MB www.cme-mec.ca

2019 - 2020 DECEMBER 2019 Agricultural Manufacturers of Canada Convention & Trade Show December 4-5, 2019 - Saskatoon, SK www.a-m-c.ca/convention Made Safe Manufacturers’ Forum December 4, 2019 - Manitoba www.madesafe.ca

FEBRUARY 2020 CME Manitoba Kaizen Conference February 20, 2020 Winnipeg, MB www.cme-mec.ca

MARCH 2020 CME Dare to Compete Conference March 24, 2020 - Winnipeg, MB www.cme-mec.ca CME Manitoba Gala Awards Dinner March 26, 2020 - Winnipeg, MB www.cme-mec.ca

CPHR Manitoba’s HR Conference 2019 October 29-30, 2019 - Winnipeg, MB www.cphrmb.ca/2019conference

NOVEMBER 2019 AME International Conference November 4 – 7, 2019 - Chicago, IL www.ame.org/chicago FarmFair International November 6-10 - Edmonton, AB www.farmfairinternational.com CME Manitoba Deputy Ministers’ Dinner November 7, 2019 - Winnipeg, MB www.cme-mec.ca Manitoba Aerospace Dinner & Awards Evening November 28, 2019 - Winnipeg, MB www.mbaerospace.ca CME Manitoba Trade Summit November 28, 2019 - Winnipeg, MB www.cme-mec.ca

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Prairie Manufacturer Magazine • Fall 2019

To have your event listed in the next issue, contact info@prairemanufacturer.ca

Dear reader,

ity, and is industry, your commun ur yo t ou ab is ine az ag you to Prairie Manufacturer M mmunity, and we invite co e th t or pp su to d ou partner* your magazine. We’re pr supporting our charity d an ts en ev ng wi llo fo join us by attending the of choice. e Safetys SAFE Work Awards | Th The ABEX Awards Conference CME Dare to Compete ards Dinner CME Manitoba Gala Aw The Dream Factory* l-Stars Awards Manitoba Aerospace Al a milestone, making a big ing rat leb ce is y an mp co hear from If your organization or t or service, we’d love to uc od pr w ne a g hin nc announcement, or lau to tell us about it. prairiemanufacturer.ca o@ inf at us t ac nt co e as you! Ple

Yours in manufacturing,

www.prairiemanufacturer.ca

55

SPONSORED CONTENT

It’s Lonely at the Top: CME Executive Supports Can Help “...it takes some courage to step forward and invite outside eyes in.”

Above: Kyle Wiebe, Owner of Maverick Industries

B

y the mid-2000s, Kyle Wiebe, Owner of Maverick Industries, found himself in an enviable position. Under his leadership, the company had built a strong reputation in the construction market through respect for clients, suppliers and employees. Coupled with project management, high-quality work and a dedication to service and quality above all else, the young company was growing quickly as new opportunities sprang up in unexpected places.

It was during this period of rapid growth that an opportunity of a lifetime arose - to buy the well-known Intersteel brand, makers of industrial steel containers. With an established and diversified client base, this next step in Maverick’s journey promised to add stability and load balancing to the operation. But as Kyle soon found out, even the best laid business plans often present challenges that are impossible to see coming.

Six months into the acquisition, Kyle was wearing the usual small business hats, plus a dozen more. Despite trades expertise, an excellent operational education from the shop floor up, and a passion for customer service, Kyle had no formal background in business. He soon found himself needing an executive MBA on the fly, while on the shop floor. Opportunities for learning were there – every week it felt like a new and critical business decision would present itself – but like most owners, the daunting task of stepping away from the the day-to-day to work on the business instead of in the business never felt feasible. When growing a business, it’s impossible to know what you don’t know.

Ironically, it’s at this time when an advisory board of directors with expertise would be so beneficial, which is often out of reach for growing organizations. It’s because of this that owners like Kyle will readily admit that it’s lonely at the top.

Enter Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters (CME), an association by manufacturers, for manufacturers. CME experts have held senior positions in manufacturing or related industries and provide services and supports designed for the realities of today’s manufacturing environment. These include CME’s one-onone executive advisory supports and Manufacturers’ Executive Councils (MECs),

peer groups of like-minded, non competing business owners who share valuable lessons and best practices.

These supports go beyond one-size fits all textbook solutions. Experts are often the gateway to a powerful network that can help business owners leverage learnings and make connections. Kyle accessed a strategic sounding board that provided him with insights needed to navigate his evolving role as the head of the company to translate strategy into accountable action plans.Tough questions and fresh perspectives were discussed. Over a few short months, this ongoing coaching upped Kyle’s game and ability to see the bigger, broader picture while meeting the demands of the operation. He has hired the right team, improved sales and marketing decisions, and driven smarter choices on what to tackle today and what to put off for the mid-term.

Today, the family business is booming with multiple divisions specializing in multiple sectors and products that add diversity and stability needed to fuel continued growth.

A manufacturing ‘MBA’ is well within reach, but it takes some courage to step forward and invite outside eyes in.

Connect with the team at CME today for your own one-on-one advisory session and to learn more about these and other services. www.cme-mec.ca

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