Chapter Reports

If April showers bring May flowers, what does a single dumping of more than 100 centimetres of snow in January bring? That’s easy! Increased visits to emergency departments, smiles on the faces of chiropractors and rocket sales for the manufacturers of pain relief products.

Winter can be harsh on our facilities and the grounds surrounding them. On occasion, there is an extreme weather event and no amount of planning can prepare for the aftermath. This was the case with the record-breaking blizzard that hit Eastern Canada, aptly titled Snowmageddon 2020. A state of emergency was declared, lasting eight days. We found ourselves shovelling snow from one healthcare facility’s interior and wheelbarrowing it to the closest shower stalls for melting. Essential facilities staff, who worked more than 50 continuous hours performing duties well outside their normal job duties (cooking and serving meals, removing snow, driving courtesy vehicles, and so on), went above and beyond to ensure services could be delivered to clients. It was truly remarkable to see Newfoundlanders and Labradorians come together following this epic snowstorm.

The chapter executive met in December, to strategize how to better deliver CHES events to our members and others who wish to attend. Much discussion surrounded our spring professional development forum. We are considering incorporating roundtable discussions and lessons learned, keeping in mind the tight timeframe to deliver such an event over the course of one day. We are also evaluating whether to move this event across the province from year to year.

As a province, we are in a low. The number of residential and commercial new builds is at a minimum, and projects related to oil and gas are wrapping up. All predictions indicate this will continue for the next two to three years, so expect the status quo moving forward. For this reason, it is challenging for people to find funding to partake in voluntary groups like CHES. The chapter executive wants to assist our members and invest in their betterment, whether that involves providing education opportunities, sending additional members to the 2020 CHES National Conference in Halifax, paying for more webinars, or supporting members who take on the role of chair of a national committee.

On that note, I’d like to congratulate Wayne Stokes on becoming the new chair of the national professional development committee. —Colin Marsh, Newfoundland & Labrador chapter chair

Recently, the Alberta government presented a review of Alberta Health Services (AHS) by Ernst and Young to the province’s health authority. Many of the recommendations in the report are incentives that AHS has already implemented or is exploring. Ernst and Young also identified AHS as a “changeready organization” committed to providing excellence in healthcare to Albertans.

CSA Group hosted an infection control training course Feb. 24-25, in Edmonton. Topics covered included infection control during construction, renovation and maintenance activities in healthcare facilities.

The Alberta chapter’s spring conference will take place May 11-12, in Red Deer, Alta. Delegate and vendor registration can be found on the Alberta chapter section of the CHES website. Although much of the chapter’s resources are currently focused on the upcoming conference, we continue to promote CHES within Alberta and advocate education opportunities for our chapter membership.

I am excited to attend the 2020 CHES National Conference this fall with other members of the Alberta chapter executive. It will be my first visit to Halifax, so I’m looking forward to experiencing the beauty and history of the region.

—Dan Ballantine, Alberta chapter chair

MARITIME CHAPTER

The 2020 CHES National Conference will take place Sept. 20-22, at the Halifax Convention Centre. The theme is, Enriching Patient Experiences by Optimizing the Environment. Alan Mallory is the keynote speaker. Educational session topics include the commissioning process and how it enhances the patient experience; a new way to manage planned shutdowns and react to unplanned service failures; improving project delivery in operating hospitals; environmental controls for hospitals and the impact on patient safety; designing and retrofitting healthcare facilities for accessibility and wayfinding; and HVAC performance optimization for improved health outcomes.

The annual CHES golf tournament is scheduled for the first day of the conference, Sept. 20, at Glen Arbour Golf Course. During the evening, the opening reception will be held at the Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21.

The companion program includes a two-hour sailing adventure on the world-renowned Bluenose II. After the excursion is lunch at the Old Fish Factory and then an outing to the Fisheries Museum of the Atlantic. The following day, there will be a sightseeing tour of Halifax, before heading to Peggy's Cove for lunch.

2020 is an election year for the chapter executive. Nominations are now being accepted for the roles of vice-chair, secretary, treasurer, vice-chair New Brunswick, vice-chair Nova Scotia and vice-chair Prince Edward Island. If you are interested in any of these positions, contact Robert Barss at robert.barss@nshealth.ca.

The chapter is able to balance its books while offering several financial incentives to members in the way of student bursaries, contribution to Canadian Certified Healthcare Facility Manager (CCHFM) exam fees, webinars, the fall education day and other rebates.

—Helen Comeau, Maritime chapter chair

The cold weather has not stopped the Quebec chapter executive from planning events and promoting CHES within healthcare facilities.

Last year, we succeeded in making some noise in the healthcare industry. In 2020, we will push further and get our voice to all hospitals in the province.

The Quebec chapter aims to increase its membership by diversifying our offerings and choosing the right technical sessions. Our first event of the year will take place at one of the biggest and most advanced hospitals in Canada, McGill University Health Centre’s Glen site. It will include a site visit to mechanical rooms followed by a conference on legionella.

The chapter has many other events planned for 2020, and we will be participating in a variety of CHES events across the country. I encourage you to regularly check the Quebec chapter page on the CHES website and follow us on social media to stay informed.

—Mohamed Merheb, Quebec chapter president

CHAPITRE DU QUEBEC

Le temps froid n’a pas empêché les exécutifs de la chapitre du Québec de planifier des événements et de promouvoir la société à travers les établissements de santé.

L’année dernière, nous avons réussi à faire du bruit dans l’industrie. Cette année, nous continuerons à pousser plus loin et à faire entendre notre voix dans tous les établissements de santé.

Nous visons à augmenter le nombre de nos membres en diversifiant notre offre et en choisissant des conférences techniques ciblés. Notre premier événement de l’année 2020 aura lieu dans l’un des plus grands et les plus avancés des hôpitaux au Canada. Il s’agit du site Glen du Centre universitaire de santé McGill. Il y aura une visite des salles mécaniques suivie d’une conférence sur la légionellose.

Nous avons de nombreux événements prévus et nous participerons également à d’autres événements de la société à travers le pays. N’oubliez pas de nous suivre sur les réseaux sociaux et de consulter régulièrement notre site internet.

—Mohamed Merheb, président du chapitre du Québec

SASKATCHEWAN CHAPTER

The Manitoba chapter’s highly anticipated spring conference is almost upon us. To be held April 20-21, it will provide a full day and a half of speakers, a trade show, banquet and entertainment (on the first evening) and a chance to network with colleagues and trades professionals from across the province. This year’s theme is, Construction and Renovations in Healthcare Facilities. The keynote speaker, Dr. David G. Barber, will present on climate change in the Arctic and its effect on lower latitudes.

New to CHES Manitoba is two annual awards that recognize excellence in facilities management and project management, respectively, by regular CHES Manitoba members. The awards will be presented April 20, at the spring conference banquet.

CHES Manitoba representatives held an information session at Red River College in January, for Class 3 and 4 power engineering students. Approximately 50 attended the first of what will be many upcoming information sessions at the college. The goal is to educate future power engineers on what it’s like to work in the healthcare industry.

In support of our ongoing work with Red River College’s skilled trades and technology programs, CHES Manitoba has established a new student award, to be offered annually.

The chapter executive is in the beginning stages of planning next year’s CHES National Conference. It will be held in Winnipeg, in September 2021.

—Tom Still, Manitoba chapter chair

TORONTO, CANADA SEPTEMBER 17-21, 2022

27 TH CONGRESS OF THE INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION OF HEALTHCARE ENGINEERING

Plans continue for this year’s chapter conference. It will be held Oct. 19-20, at the Delta Hotel in Regina. The event features a one-day trade show and two days of guest speakers. More details to come. Our annual general meeting was held on the last day of the National conference, with approximately 20 members in attendance. The Member of the Year award went to Steve Kemp who has provided electrical engineering consulting on many healthcare projects over the past 24 years. Steve has been a CHES member for 17 years and serves on the Saskatchewan chapter’s board of directors. He also sits on CHES’s partnership and advocacy committee.

—Greg Woitas, Saskatchewan chapter chair Learn more at: www.IFHE2022.org

It’s Chaos Without Us

The words ‘emergency planning’ have become part of our everyday language. Floods, road closures, fire evacuations and system shutdowns now affect us year-round. It is with this in mind that the chapter chose the theme, The Physical Environment: Creating Patient Focused Facilities, for this year’s spring conference June 7-9, in Whistler, B.C. Registration is open and can be accessed via the B.C. chapter page on the CHES website. It’s going to be a great occasion to share experiences and learn from colleagues.

The chapter is doing well financially, which has allowed us to book venues for the 2021 and 2022 spring conferences in Penticton and Whistler, respectively. We continue to have funding available for our educational bursaries and CHES’s webinar series (free for B.C. chapter members). I encourage you to take advantage of these great opportunities.

2020 is an election year. The call for nominations has closed. Should an election be required, ballots will be sent out to members soon. The current chapter executive includes myself (chair), Steve McEwan (past chair), Sarah Thorn (vice-chair), Rick Molnar (treasurer), Ken VanAalst (secretary), Arthur Buse (membership), Mitch Weimer (public relations), Mark Swain (communications) and Caroline Reid (education). Contact any member of the executive team if you are interested in getting involved in a CHES committee or the chapter executive itself.

—Norbert Fisher, British Columbia chapter chair

ONTARIO CHAPTER

As I write this report, we are only one month into 2020 and we’ve seen devastation in Australia from the wildfires, a major snowfall in Newfoundland, bitter cold in Western Canada and the global health risk associated with the new coronavirus, COVID-19. All of these events present challenges to CHES members and our colleagues around the world. Our thoughts go out to everyone who has been affected.

On March 25, the Ontario chapter will co-host an event in Toronto with the Canadian Institute for Energy Training. It will be a networking opportunity to discuss energy efficiency best practices. The event is complimentary to CHES members. Ron Durocher and the 2020 conference planning committee continue to organize what we anticipate will be a well-attended spring conference May 31-June 2, in Windsor, Ont.

Planning for the 2022 International Federation of Healthcare Engineering (IFHE) Congress in Toronto is progressing well. Steve Rees, Roger Holliss, Craig Doerksen and I will attend this year’s IFHE Congress in Rome, May 22-27. We have arranged for booth space and will host a reception to promote the 2022 IFHE Congress.

The Ontario chapter executive continues to meet regularly by teleconference and looks forward to our annual general meeting at this year’s spring conference. I hope to see many of you there and at other CHES events throughout 2020.

—Jim McArthur, Ontario chapter chair

June 10 & 11, 2020 SHOW ’20 IMPACT OF TECHNOLOGY ON BUILDING MANAGEMENT AND OPERATIONS

Canada’s premier Real Estate Management Industry network (REMInetwork.com) presents 2nd annual forum and trade event for Building Owners, Facility & Property Managers. www.REMISHOW.com

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