CHES Year in Review

THE CANADIAN Healthcare Engineering Society (CHES) like most associations has had to navigate changes necessitated by COVID-19. Over the past 16 months, both the national committee and individual chapters have regularly rethought and adjusted their approaches to the way they do business and interact amid the exceptional circumstances. The fluidity of the public health crisis has required flexibility, with decisions made and strategies taken often dependent on geographic location and their respective pandemic situation.

In an effort to provide transparency, learning opportunities and create connectedness, here’s what CHES National and each chapter had to say about adapting during the pandemic. Answers were provided via questionnaire by Roger Holliss (CHES National), Colin Marsh (Newfoundland and Labrador), Helen Comeau (Martimes), Jim McArthur (Ontario), Mohamed Merheb (Quebec), Reynold Peters (Manitoba), Jim Allen (Saskatchewan), Mike Linn (Alberta) and Norbert Fischer (British Columbia).

CHES NATIONAL

Connectivity The increase of virtual meetings through Zoom now has become the default means when dealing even with just a couple of people. Financial Health Many years ago, the CHES executive team had the foresight to make sure we had enough assets that could be drawn upon in case of a ‘rainy day’ and boy is it pouring right now. We have tweaked our fiscal approach throughout our operating budgets to be a little more conservative, but not at the detriment of meeting our mission of bettering our membership’s ability to provide effective and efficient healthcare environments. We also continue to conduct three-year future budget and asset planning, erring on the side of conservatism. As a result, we know we can manage through the next three years easily, if we continue to responsibly manage our spending and assets. Membership CHES saw membership decline by just over 12 per cent between March 2020 and March 2021, from 1,022 to 897 members. The association lost more associate members (73) than regular members (62), representing roughly 17 per cent and 11 per cent of total member losses, respectively. The overall decrease may be attributed to members who either forgot to renew or have not had the opportunity to do so; however, the data is incomplete. As well, a number of people often join CHES as part of registering for various in-person events. Consequently, the cancellation of the 2020 CHES National Conference, as well as provincial conferences both this year and last, has resulted in lost membership opportunities. CHES

is engaged in various outreach programs ranging from e-blast reminders and mailings to the corporate advisory committee directly contacting peers. Phone calls often have the greatest success but it is time-consuming. 2020 CHES National Conference The seeds of doubt and subsequent talks as to what to do about the 2020 CHES National Conference started in March 2020. This included doing our due diligence about our options, including any contractual obligations already in place. Even timing of potential cancellation needed to be considered as everyone in the conference world learned about the legal nuances of the term ‘force majeure.’ The decision to cancel was made in April 2020, by a very small handful of key people and then quickly disseminated to those impacted shortly thereafter. Limited preparation time to assemble a virtual equivalent, the total lack of any experience on how to host a virtual event and the impact of the first COVID wave, which we were still in, made the decision to forego any 2020 event actually easy. 2021 CHES National Conference The inability to generate a stable, reliable forecast for September 2021 from a COVID perspective meant CHES couldn’t justify the high upfront costs required to commit to an in-person event. Downsizing was considered but immediately rejected. The upfront hotel and conference contractual commitments regarding guaranteed minimums presented far too much financial risk given the difficulty in trying to estimate the offsetting revenue via delegate attendance and sponsorship support. A hybrid event was also not feasible because it is significantly more expensive than a virtual or in-person event. The decision to switch to a virtual event was made in late 2020. This is historically late but we were holding out hope for an in-person event as long as reasonably possible. At the same time, we recognized that we needed to be decisive to provide enough time for the conference planning committee to assemble and start the steep learning curve of how to put together and host a virtual conference. 2022 IFHE Congress CHES has no plans at this time to scale back on or host an alternate type of event for the joint International Federation of Healthcare Engineering Congress and CHES National Conference in 2022. CHES’s approach today is to showcase Canada, our healthcare processes and approaches to the world in-person, though this needs to be done in a fiscally responsible manner. As to whether this conference will require modifications to our traditional offering, it is continuously scrutinized since it depends on where the world is with COVID. However, as was the reasoning behind the 2021 CHES National Conference, a hybrid event will likely not happen. The financial disadvantage is compounded by our belief that inperson attendance would probably drop at a hybrid event, resulting in reduced revenue since sponsorship would also likely suffer. Value-Add To improve the experience for existing members, CHES has increased its webinar offerings at no extra cost. This will continue for the foreseeable future. We have also created a unique pricing structure for the 2021 CHES National (Virtual) Conference. A group of five receives a registration discount of $45 each. The discount increases to $70 each with registration of a group of 10. The pricing structure has also been modified for sponsors to reflect the shift to a virtual event format.

NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR CHAPTER

Connectivity The chapter executive has remained connected through Microsoft Teams and continues to hold meetings on a regular basis. However, connectivity with members has been challenging and social media has not aided us in this respect. We are currently working toward more strategic electronic communication methods as a means of staying connected and updating our members of the latest CHES news. Financial Health The chapter is in good financial standing. Membership The pandemic has only added to an already glum situation. We were experiencing a slow decline in membership before COVID, which is believed to be a result of tougher fiscal constraints placed on health authorities. The province depends heavily on revenues from the oil and gas industry, which has declined significantly since COVID. As healthcare is the largest draw on the provincial budget, spending has been tightened. This has restricted the funding allotted by employers to pay for membership and committee participation. From March 2020 to March 2021, membership declined by just over 32 per cent. The decline in membership was even greater pre-pandemic. Between March 2019 and March 2020, it dipped nearly 36 per cent. The chapter is preparing a communications strategy to actively keep existing members in the loop and remind them of what CHES has to offer in order to prevent further losses. We struggle with what could be the best approach to bring old members back. 2021 Provincial Conference Cancellation was driven by the state of the pandemic within the province and in compliance with public health guidelines. Staff have also been extremely busy implementing swabbing and screening centres throughout each health authority region, so we felt it would be challenging for most to attend anyways. Time prevented us from hosting an alternate event type like a virtual conference, along with minimal people to assist in planning. We are a small chapter with the majority of members located in the largest health authority region and most heavily involved in implementing COVID action plans. 2022 Provincial Conference We hope to return to our inperson event. Value-Add The chapter is sponsoring all active members to attend the 2021 CHES National (Virtual) Conference.

MARITIME CHAPTER

Connectivity The suspension of the Atlantic bubble in late November last year (until recently) restricted travel between the Martime provinces. As a result, the chapter executive has relied on virtual meetings to stay in touch. As for our membership, information delivered through our e-blast has maintained connectivity. We have not adopted social media to communicate with members. Financial Health The chapter is in the same financial standing it was prior to the pandemic. Membership We experienced a decline of nearly 11 per cent in membership between March 2020 and March 2021, from 130 to 116, given everyone has been so focused on pandemic issues within their facilities. 2021 CHES National Conference Unfortunately, due to the pandemic, the CHES National Conference was cancelled in 2020, and then moved to a virtual format for 2021. Both years, the Maritime chapter was slated to host the event in Halifax. (See CHES National for details on cancellation reasoning and process.) Fall Education Day We are currently planning to host an education day in November. It will be held in-person at the Glengarry Best Western in Truro, N.S. 2022 Provincial Conference Planning is well underway for next year’s spring conference, which is scheduled to be held May 1-3, at the Delta hotel in Moncton, N.B. Value-Add The Maritime chapter offered members a significant discount on the 2021 CHES National (Virtual) Conference. Those who registered by July 31, only paid $62.50. That’s less than one-third of the regular $195 registration fee.

ONTARIO CHAPTER

Connectivity The chapter executive has always communicated by e-mail and conducted most executive meetings over Zoom, so not much has changed in that regard. The biggest adaptation was conducting our annual general meeting virtually in 2020 and 2021. It has always been held in-person at our chapter conference but, of course, it was cancelled both years due to the pandemic. Financial Health The chapter is in good financial standing thanks to past chapter executives who were prudent to put away for a rainy day. Right now, it’s a monsoon. Our current financials will keep us going for the foreseeable future and we will bounce back from this setback once we can host in-person conferences again. That being said, due to the cancellation of our 2020 and 2021 chapter conferences, we have lost our major revenue source for these two years. The Ontario chapter is also hosting the 2022 CHES National Conference in conjunction with the International Federation of Healthcare Engineering (IFHE) Congress, and profitability is uncertain at this time. Given these factors, we are mindful of our existing funds and cautious around spending, though we have agreed to sponsor an eligible candidate through the CHES Young Professionals Grant. This provides the candidate who is not currently a member but has been working in a healthcare facility for less than five years with a complimentary registration to the 2021 CHES National (Virtual) Conference, as well as membership for the remainder of the current fiscal year. Membership We lost only 12 members between March 2020 and March 2021, which represents a dip of nearly four per cent. Some have not yet renewed their existing membership and we are contacting them. It’s possible that members aren’t seeing the value without the in-person conferences. However, if you consider the many benefits of membership, including the webinar offerings, which have increased at no extra cost, and free access to CSA healthcare standards, it is well worth the price to be part of CHES. We are actively seeking new members and have reached out to long-term care associations to encourage their facilities to register as a member of CHES. We have experienced some mild success with this exercise. 2021 Provincial Conference It became apparent in early January that the in-person event scheduled to take place in Niagara Falls in May, would not be possible. We tentatively rescheduled it for early October; however, as time progressed and the pandemic worsened, we had to make the decision to pull the plug on any in-person conference. A hybrid event was never considered. As for a virtual event, we did not want to compete with CHES National for sponsors and participants. We are instead encouraging our members to register for the national conference. Fall Education Day If Ontario continues on its safe reopening path and we’re allowed to have 30 to 40 people indoors, we may offer a one-day educational event in November or December. 2023 Provincial Conference With the IFHE Congress to take place next year in Toronto, our next chapter conference will be May 2023, in Windsor. Our hope is life will be mostly back to normal, so the plan is the conference will be an inperson event only.

QUEBEC CHAPTER

Connectivity Virtual meetings have helped the chapter executive stay connected with each other and have proved easier to manage since we can organize ‘get-togethers’ at any time. Technology has also aided in staying connected with members and reaching more people, especially given the size of the province. For these reasons, we will continue to use virtual tools. Social media

has also proven to be a powerful tool. CHES National’s LinkedIn page has been especially helpful in spreading information to keep our membership up-to-date. Financial Health Although the chapter is young, it is in good financial standing. We have no debts and are in a positive cash flow when it comes to planned events. Those funds will be used to increase our offerings and attract more members. Membership Despite being a small chapter, membership has remained stable not only through the pandemic but over the past two years. Being able to provide learning opportunities that concentrate on COVID-fighting subject matter has helped increase awareness of CHES in the province, specifically within the healthcare sector. CHES has proven extremely helpful throughout the years, as members across the country communicate with each other on various topics. The healthcare field has many challenges and the best way to overcome them is to face them as a group, which is why we are working to establish an official rapport with Quebec’s public health authorities. This will help us establish a direct line with all hospitals in the province. Education Since the chapter is still young and we need to increase our membership, we do not have a dedicated conference or education day. Instead, we have opted to host several small events on sensitive healthcare subjects. This way, members enjoy a more hands-on experience. A province-wide conference will be considered once we have established a solid membership. Value-Add We offer very competitive rates to our members to participate in events.

MANITOBA CHAPTER

Connectivity The chapter executive has remained connected through the use of Microsoft Teams, when needed. Social media is not presently utilized to disseminate information to members. Financial Health The chapter is in good financial standing. Membership The Manitoba chapter experienced no decline in membership between March 2020 and March 2021, retaining all 72 members. This is good news given the hard work we put into recruiting new members. Prior to the pandemic, from March 2019 to March 2020, membership increased by nearly 24 per cent. 2021 Provincial Conference In November 2020, the chapter made the decision to pivot to a virtual conference in lieu of the ability to host an in-person event. Given this was a first for us, it was a great challenge in many respects and required creative marketing to entice people to attend. The conference was held over four days, April 27-28 and May 4-5, spread across two weeks. Each day’s education sessions revolved around the theme, Construction and Renovation in Healthcare Facilities, and ran between 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. By all accounts, it was a success and we gained 15 new members who had never previously held a membership. 2022 Provincial Conference We are planning to hold our next chapter conference in-person, if allowed.

SASKATCHEWAN CHAPTER

Connectivity Executive meetings have been held virtually, when possible, but the chapter has struggled to remain active and minimal work has been done. Many members have been consumed with work to support healthcare during this unprecedented period, with little time to spare. We have not utilized social media to maintain connectivity, though it’s likely a good forum to achieve this. Financial Health The chapter has significant financial holdings. We were in good shape before the very successful annual conference in 2019, and have had few expenses since. Membership The chapter shrunk by five members or approximately 16 per cent between March 2020 and March 2021, from 35 to 30. We have seen a steady decline since we hosted the 2019 CHES National Conference in Saskatoon. Members typically renew in conjunction with our annual conference. Given we have not held an event since prior to the pandemic, this has very likely contributed to our decline in membership. We have not yet developed a strategy to actively increase our membership. For this reason, it is important that existing members support the organization by getting involved. 2021 Provincial Conference After the cancellation of last year’s provincial conference, which was to be held in October, the chapter executive is considering holding a virtual education day this fall. While no date has been set, we have reached out to a couple potential speakers to gauge interest. Provincial Conference We hope to return to an in-person conference format. Value-Add The executive team is discussing supporting attendance at the 2021 CHES National (Virtual) Conference.

ALBERTA CHAPTER

Connectivity The chapter executive has relied on virtual meetings to remain connected. Financial Health The chapter is in good financial standing. Membership We lost 45 members between March 2020 and March 2021, representing a decline of 28 per cent. We have attributed this to lack of face-toface contact due to the cancellation of our annual conference both years, limited awareness of CHES and people struggling with the value of membership. 2021 Provincial Conference The decision to cancel the conference was made by the chapter executive in early 2021, given in-person gatherings and non-essential travel were restricted. Downsizing the event was initially considered but public health orders limited this option. A virtual event was not seen as providing any added value and we suspected limited attendance since so many people have

been heavily involved in the pandemic. Logistically, it would have also been challenging. 2022 Provincial Conference The chapter is planning for the return of an in-person event.

BRITISH COLUMBIA CHAPTER

Connectivity We have met consistently for both our executive meetings and as a conference planning committee. On one occasion, we had the opportunity to meet face-to-face as non-essential travel was allowed at the time; otherwise, meetings have been by way of video calls. Social media has played a limited role in staying connected with members. We have had some communications via CHES National’s LinkedIn account but understand that chapter members may spend limited time on this social media platform. Most of our communication has been via e-mails and e-blasts. Financial Health The chapter is in good financial standing. Membership We saw a 15 per cent reduction in membership between March 2020 and March 2021, down to just under 200 members from 234. We believe this is largely due to the fact we have not been able to meet in-person in a conference setting, both provincially and nationally, since prior to the pandemic. In an effort to increase CHES’s exposure, we opened up this year’s week-long virtual education forum to non-members, as well as all CHES members across Canada, at no charge. 2021 Provincial Conference In November 2020, we started to discuss cancelling the in-person event. Two months later, we opted to move our annual conference online, pare it down and change the format to a one-week education forum featuring a webinar each day in line with the theme, The Physical Environment: Creating Patient-Focused Facilities. The first day featured Dr. Marietta Van Den Berg as our keynote speaker. 2022 Provincial Conference At this time, we are planning a face-to-face conference in Whistler. Members have shared they are really looking forward to meeting in-person again. Value-Add The chapter paid expenses related to this year’s virtual education forum as a token of appreciation to all our supporting vendors and exhibitors who are struggling during the pandemic. We continue to offer bursaries, scholarships, education grants and the CHES National webinar series to B.C. chapter members at no cost, as well as prize draws for education forum attendance. We are covering the cost for any B.C. members who wish to attend the 2021 CHES National (Virtual) Conference through our education grants.

Your roofing system is out of sight. Flynn keeps it out of mind.

Flynn assesses and maintains the health of the roofing systems under your care, to protect your assets and help you control your long-term maintenance budget. A Flynn roof inspection and audit report will identify potential problem areas; our preventive maintenance program can mitigate risk and stabilize your costs. Get detailed reporting on over 20 aspects of your roofing system’s health, with photos and recommendations. Call Canada’s leading commercial roofer.

24-HR EMERGENCY RESPONSE WWW.FLYNNCOMPANIES.COM

Black & McDonald’s employees are committed to service excellence while adhering to the highest quality and safety standards.

A CENTURY OF SUCCESS

Celebrating Black & McDonald’s 100-Year Legacy

From its origin in 1921 as a Toronto-based electrical contractor, Black & McDonald has evolved into a multi-trade service provider with 30+ offices operating throughout North America. Built on the founding principles to “Do Things Right” and “Deliver Lasting Value,” the familyowned company now completes over $1.5 billion in sales per year and employs more than 5,000 people from coast to coast.

Reaching the 100-year mark is a great achievement for any business, and for Black & McDonald, it is a testament to the people, partnerships and meaningful moments that continue to shape its legacy — one that began as a two-man operation in 1921 when founding partners William R. Black and William J. McDonald launched their electrical wiring service.

“So many people have contributed to make this achievement possible,” said Ian McDonald, Co-President & CEO. “For the past 100 years, the support from our employee group, our client base, our suppliers, and the communities in which we operate, has been incredible. We are very appreciative of this support and we will strive to continue to be worthy of it going forward.”

Rapid growth through the decades

For two decades, World War I veterans William R. Black and William J. (W.J.) McDonald enjoyed success together as electrical contractors serving small businesses and households in the Toronto area. When Black passed away in 1946, W.J. took over sole proprietorship and was later joined by his sons, John and Bill, in the 1950s. By the early 70s, Black & McDonald had grown out of its humble roots into a national network of Canadian offices offering a range of services that included electrical and mechanical contracting, sheet metal fabrication, HVAC and refrigeration maintenance and repair, and utility contracting. This expansion continued through the 80s with the addition of design engineering and facility management and operations capabilities. By the mid90s, Black & McDonald had entered the U.S. market with utility construction and asset management services.

Today, the multi-trade company fulfils all building lifecycle needs and holds facility management contracts for multiple operations, including hospitals, museums, airports, industrial plants, office complexes and military bases. Led by third generation family members Ian and Bruce McDonald, it continues to adhere to the same core values that steered it so successfully in the beginning: to provide a quality service at a fair price and to treat people respectfully.

Looking ahead, Black & McDonald envisions a continued path of planned growth and profitability guided by a promise to put customer satisfaction and quality first; to remain true to its longstanding code of business while honouring a commitment to health, safety and environmental responsibility into the next century and beyond.

Black & McDonald’s first electrical wiring contract at a pharmacy at 568 Jarvis Street.

Success driven by adaptability, innovation and staying true to its founding principles

Black & McDonald has experienced continued change in its 100-year history, surviving the Great Depression, WWII, several recessions, and now a pandemic. The ability to adapt quickly, develop new services effectively, and remain on the cusp of new technology has been central to its success. Today, Black & McDonald proudly offers multiple products and services in the following core areas: • Electrical and Mechanical construction services –

Black & McDonald provides turnkey solutions for a wide range of applications including commercial buildings, institutional facilities, airports, mission critical data centres, hospitals, pharmaceutical, transit & transportation, water & wastewater treatment, oil & gas, mining, manufacturing, utilities, power generation and renewable energy across

North America. • Utility Construction – Serving both private and public sector clients, Black & McDonald has extensive experience in substation design, construction, retrofit, repair and maintenance, including testing and commissioning.

We provide construction services for overhead and underground transmission systems, fibre optic cabling, construction of stations, municipal installations, and their related civil construction. • Facility Services – Black & McDonald has extensive experience in operating and maintaining a diverse portfolio of facilities across both the public and private sectors. B&M’s experience covers a varied cross-section of facility types, including commercial offices, healthcare environments, major transportation hubs and airports, cultural facilities, life sciences laboratories, municipal government properties, educational institutions, data centres, utilities infrastructure, and major manufacturing and distribution plants.

100 YEARS OF MILESTONES

1921: W.R. Black and W.J. McDonald form partnership in Toronto. 1946: W.J. McDonald acquires 100% ownership in Black & McDonald. 1950: Black & McDonald enters the ventilation and A/C markets. 1955: Corporate headquarters opens at 101 Parliament St. in Toronto. 1955: Quebec office opens. 1957: H.J. and W.L. McDonald assume leadership. 1958: Black & McDonald enters the plumbing and heating markets. 1971: Atlantic region business activity begins. 1973: B&M enters the utility market. 1973: Operations begin in Western Canada. 1977: Vancouver and Dartmouth offices open, establishing coast to coast presence. 1984: B&M secures its first Facilities Management contract at Commerce Court in Toronto. 1990: Offshore energy business begins operations in Atlantic Canada. 1997: Ian and Bruce McDonald assume leadership. 1997: B&M begins operations in Kansas City, U.S. 2008: B&M begins first public-private partnership project at the Kelowna Vernon Hospitals in B.C. 2013: Women’s College Hospital redevelopment begins; B&M awarded 30-year FMO contract. 2019: B&M awarded major public-private partnership (P3) contract in Ottawa as part of the Innovate Energy Consortium under the Government of Canada’s Energy Services Acquisition Program (ESAP). 2021: B&M celebrates 100 years of excellence.

For more information on how Black & McDonald can serve you, please visit: www.blackandmcdonald.com.