CHAPTER REPORTS
ALBERTA CHAPTER
MARITIME CHAPTER
The cool weather arrived in Alberta in September, and we had our first frost in Calgary. (Nothing to brag about.) The board of directors meeting that usually coincides with the CHES National conference was a virtual event this year. I missed seeing all my exalted executive colleagues and friends in person. It’s great that technology allows us to continue our efforts to promote the goals of CHES, educate members and ensure excellence in healthcare facility management. National Healthcare Facilities and Engineering Week was Oct. 18-24. This was a wonderful opportunity to highlight all the great work we do daily to support the delivery of healthcare in our respective provinces. This year has turned out to be a bit of a dumpster fire but it’s almost over. 2021 offers hope to a return to some normalcy. Most of us are likely busy dealing with the challenges of maintaining our respective facilities during the pandemic. Too many priorities and limited resources. However, our dedication and commitment will see us through. Stay positive. I hope you and your friends and family are safe and have not been negatively impacted by the black cloud hanging over our heads.
It took some time but we are now used to the new norm of our Maritime bubble. Unfortunately, due to COVID-19, we had to postpone our 2020 fall education day at the Best Western Glengarry in Truro, N.S. The planning committee is working on the 2021 CHES National Conference, which will be held Oct. 17-19, at the Halifax Convention Centre. The theme is, ‘Enriching Patient Experiences by Optimizing the Environment.’ The recipient of this year’s Per Paasche bursary, valued at $1000, is Patrick LeBlanc from Bedford, N.S. Patrick is pursuing mechanical engineering at the University of Ottawa. His interest in mathematics, science, problem solving and making a positive change inspired his decision to pursue a career in the engineering field. In his free time, he enjoys playing hockey and guitar, and is an avid runner. Patrick is the son of CHES Maritime member Dave LeBlanc. Dave is a project manager with the Nova Scotia Department of Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal, building project services division, engineering design and construction, in Halifax. The chapter is able to balance its books while offering several financial incentives to members in the way of student bursaries, contributions to Canadian Certified Healthcare Facility Manager (CCHFM) exam fees, webinars, the fall education day and other rebates.
—Dan Ballantine, Alberta chapter chair
BRITISH COLUMBIA CHAPTER
—Helen Comeau, Maritime chapter chair
2020 has seen its share of disappointments with the cancelling of both the B.C. chapter conference and the CHES National conference in Halifax. It has challenged us all to come up with innovative ideas as we move forward and find a new normal during the pandemic. Ensuring our own health and that of our fellow coworkers has become a priority as we continue to serve in healthcare. On July 30, we held our first Zoom annual general meeting, with 30 people in attendance. We officially welcomed Doug Davis as the chapter’s new secretary. I’d like to thank Ken Van Aalst for serving on the executive team as treasurer and secretary for the last 10 years. As part of our education program, we continue to provide CHES webinars at no charge to B.C. members. We added several COVID-19 webinars, which included presentations by Mitch Weimer and Steve McEwan. I encourage all chapter members to take advantage of these webinars as they are a great opportunity to learn and discuss our experiences with healthcare staff across Canada. We are starting to plan for 2021, and our chapter conference in Penticton. At this time, we are looking at presentation options and how we can meet as a membership should our current provincial orders remain.
On behalf of the Saskatchewan chapter, I would like to acknowledge the province’s frontline workers, management staff and teams for their hard work and dedication during this trying time, and express everyone’s gratitude and sincere appreciation for all that you have done and continue to do. Each fall, we are normally frantically preparing for our annual conference and trade show. Unfortunately, as is the case with all chapters, the conference was cancelled because of COVID-19. It has been rescheduled for Oct. 18-20, 2021, at the Delta Hotel in Regina. On June 19, the chapter offered a one-day virtual session for members on programming and design considerations for healthcare facilities in the post-COVID-19 era. CHES Saskatchewan is in a solid financial position. As a result, we have made a sizeable donation to the province’s organ transplant unit. The chapter executive continues to meet via conference calls to keep everyone up-to-date on what’s happening in the province. Our annual general meeting was held Oct. 20. It was a virtual meeting by Zoom, with help provided by CHES National.
—Norbert Fischer, British Columbia chapter chair
—Greg Woitas, Saskatchewan chapter chair
8 CANADIAN HEALTHCARE FACILITIES
SASK ATCHEWAN CHAPTER
