WRLA Yardstick: Summer 2022

Summer 2022

Not Just Another Golf Tournament

DRIVING CHANGE

HELP WANTED

OTTAWA HILL DAY

C O N N EC T I N G T H E B U I L D I N G S U P P LY INDUSTRY

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Spring 2022

TABLE OF CONTENTS

IN THIS ISSUE PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

MASTHEAD Liz Kovach WRLA PRESIDENT

TECH CORNER

Changing is Growing

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CHAIR’S MESSAGE Looking Back to Look Ahead

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INDUSTRY NEWS Driving Change

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MEMBER CORNER

Carolynne Jansen

Knowledge is More Than Power— It’s Profits!

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Chris Allinotte

MEMBERS IN THE COMMUNITY Habitat for Humanity Manitoba Celebrates Largest Key Ceremony To Date 37 Windsor Plywood’s Operation Renovation— Doghouse Edition 38

Member Celebrations 15

TRAINING & DEVELOPMENT Where The Opportunities Are: Raising Awareness, Attracting Workers

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Ottawa Hill Day Meeting

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HR CORNER Help Wanted!

FEATURES Owens Corning Puts Sustainability Front and Centre

Myriah Martin

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GREEN GUIDE

FOR ADVERTISING INQUIRES Carolynne Jansen

204-953-1698 cjansen@wrla.org

Published August 2022 The WRLA Yardstick is the official publication of the WRLA and is published four times per year. It is mailed to all retail and associate members of the WRLA, to retail lumber dealers and others in the building supply industry in Northwestern Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia, and to selected dealers in the Yukon, Northwest Territories and Nunavut. Views expressed in the Yardstick are not necessarily official WRLA policy, nor does the publication of product information or any advertisement imply recommendation by the WRLA. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without the written consent of the WRLA.

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BETTER BUSINESS Be Agile and Adapt

Alisa Luo

DIRECTOR, MEMBERSHIP AND BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

DOLLARS & SENSE

Cattle Helping to Manage B.C. Wildfire Risk With Targeted Grazing

Travis Waite ACCOUNTING AND OFFICE MANAGER

EVENTS AND BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT COORDINATOR

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Demystifying Your Financial Statements (Part 2)

DIRECTOR OF MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS

GRAPHIC DESIGNER

BUILDING A GREENER WORLD

ADVOCACY BULLETIN

DIRECTOR, MEMBERSHIP AND BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

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Subscription rates in Canada: $12 per year, plus applicable taxes. Outside Canada: $15 per year, no tax. Rates quoted are for non-members only.

Canadian publication mail agreement #43754013.

Postmaster send change of Canadian address to:

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WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!

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Have articles you want to see or have a milestone to celebrate? Contact us at marketing@wrla.org and don’t forget to follow us on social media!

WESTERN RETAIL LUMBER ASSOCIATION 300-95 Cole Avenue Winnipeg, Manitoba R2L 1J3 Phone: 204-953-1698 Toll Free: 1-800-661-0253 Fax: 204-947-5195 wrla.org

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PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

CHANGING IS GROWING

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aking up for lost time has been the theme of summer 2022 and as we are still in the heart of it as we prepare this article we are looking ahead to the Fall as we will be busy on many fronts and will provide the opportunity for members to engage on a variety of initiatives that ultimately impact each of us.

As we look to the Fall, governments will be back in session and we are currently in the process of setting meeting dates with MLA’s and MP’s. We had good discussions in Ottawa this past June; however, we need to continue moving these discussions forward.

A call to participate will be issued to members to gauge interest, prep materials and next steps will be provided as we finalize dates and appointments.

Joel Seibert’s message features a strategy session we hosted this past summer to help develop Phase 1 of the public awareness campaign that we will be launching here in the Fall. This campaign is taking place during a time when we are also getting ready to launch our labour study, we expect the input from the labour study to provide us with excellent information that will shape subsequent phases of the campaign and of course help the WRLA establish new programming.

We are well on our way to meeting our goal of $35,000 in education grants and want to thank everyone that supported our efforts to ensure that we can invest in our member’s staff. It’s not too late to help out as there is still space available for Kenosee golf so if you haven’t yet had a chance to register please do sign up. A special thank you to Don Horvath for once again hosting this tournament.

Your support of the WRLA and commitment through the decades have been incredible and we are so grateful to have you as a part of our community. We appreciate your leadership, volunteerism and of course the team you have assembled to help make the Kenosee golf event such a success! Look forward to seeing the jacket of choice for this year!

Liz Kovach PRESIDENT, WRLA

Our Annual AGM will be taking place on Wednesday, September 7 at the Marriott Hotel Downtown Calgary. While we know not all members can join us in person, hosting this event as a hybrid will enable members to tune in from their offices. If you haven’t yet registered, please be sure to do so. While the AGM is a formality for every not-for-profit organization and is not seen as the most exciting event, it presents the opportunity to showcase our stewardship and fiscal responsibility to our membership and of course share our vision and strategic plan the Board invested time in developing over the course of the last year. We look forward to having you join us and invite you to join us for refreshments and an assortment of appetizers.

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As we look ahead to the next issue of the magazine, we will be including a section on Made in Canada products! If you are a Canadian manufacturer please be sure to reach out ASAP to Chris at callinotte@wrla.org.

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As Fall approaches, it also means that we are working on our lead-up to the show, we look forward to seeing you all again in January! Please stay tuned for regular updates to ensure that you can maximize the opportunities that will take place during Show week. Registration opens on September 15 and we will once again have an early bird rate for a limited time.

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CHAIR’S MESSAGE

LOOKING BACK TO LOOK AHEAD O

n June 23 I had the pleasure of sharing a conference room with a number of industry leaders for a WLRA Strategy Session, where participants shared ideas and opportunities on how to attract and retain talent to the Lumber and Building Materials Industry.

• Peter Kozak with Metrie

Through a moderator, participants actively engaged in a SWOT analysis of the industry and discussed challenges that need to be addressed. This sparked thoughtful conversation around diversity and inclusion, and participants openly shared stories of how each of their individual organizations currently attracts and retain employees, and discussed common hurdles we all face as an industry during the hiring process. Through this process, key areas were identified for the WRLA, as an association, to take an active role in exploring different avenues to help increase our industry’s visibility in the job hunt market. This topic has been discussed at numerous board meetings in the past, but until this strategy session, it was unclear to what extent or depth our members saw value in our association’s involvement. We look forward to launching phase one of our public awareness campaign in the coming weeks.

Understanding that this campaign is intended to help the industry, your engagement will be critical to its success.

• Heather Cooper with Johns Manville

This time of year, member interaction typically occurs during our Golf Tournaments, and I am proud to say, last year’s proceeds funded a record number of Scholarships that were handed out to a record number of current industry employees for continuing education classes, to not only better themselves, but better our industry as a whole. That said, I would like to take this opportunity to thank the strategy session attendees for their participation in this initiative. Their employers and colleagues should be proud of these forward thinkers. On a personal note, it’s refreshing to be able to gather a group of individuals and have meaningful conversations around the sustainability of our industry, and not have focus deviate to personal agendas. So thank you to the following participants for your professionalism, input and dedication to our industry!

Joel Seibert CHAIR, WRLA

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• Mitch Wile with the Cedar Shop • Curt Butala with Mclean Lumber • Crystal Workun with Johns Manville • Michelle Thompson with Pinkwood • Vicky Cato with Pinkwood • Eddie Choe with Trimlite • Mike Delaney with Kenroc

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I look forward to connecting with you all over the coming months, have a great summer!

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INDUSTRY NEWS

DRIVING CHANGE GOLF TOURNAMENTS LIKE THE ONE HELD IN KENOSEE EACH YEAR HELP REVITALIZE OUR INDUSTRY THROUGH WRLA EDUCATIONAL GRANTS. Chris Allinotte, WRLA

“If you think it’s difficult meeting people, just pick up the wrong ball.”

—Jack Lemon Left Top: Joel Siebert (bottom) and Wade Laurent (top) having fun at the 2020 Saskatoon Golf Tournament.

Left Bottom: Left to Right: Jonathan Middlestead, Mark Westrum, Tom Bell, and Liz Kovach bought the same trousers for the 2018 Kenosee Golf Tournament.

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Middle Top: Lotis Valias (left) and Cynita Periera (right) from The Delta Hotels sponsored a hole at the 2021 Winnipeg Memorial Golf Tournament.

Centre Middle: Al Richter (left) and Edwin Mueller (right) teamed up at the 2021 Winnipeg Memorial Golf Tournament.

Middle Bottom: Thank you All-Fab for providing bottled water for the 2021 Winnipeg Memorial Golf Tournament.

Right Top: Toni Berger (second to the right) and Kayla McIsaac (right) from Sexton Group not only sponsored a hole in the 2021 Winnipeg Memorial Golf Tournament but also brought some refreshing drinks from One Great City Brewing.

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There is no other sport like golf for bringing people together. It’s an opportunity to spend time with friends and business partners alike, out in a beautiful setting while doing something enjoyable. For WRLA members, it’s a chance to get to know clients better and deepen connections with peers. At our events it’s also a chance to get together and realize that although everyone has their own business to run, with accompanying challenges, we’re all a part of the larger industry. These connections make us stronger as they let us tackle obstacles together for the mutual benefit of all.

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INDUSTRY NEWS WRLA tournaments, including our member-hosted event in Kenosee, SK, have a very specific purpose. The net proceeds from all golf registrations and sponsorships go toward WRLA educational grant program. These grants allow members and their families to receive funding toward post-secondary education.

Recipient Robbie Hames, from TimberTown Building Centre in Edmonton, explains, “Receiving the WRLA Education Grant in 2021 made a significant impact on my early career. Thanks to this, I was able to learn more, faster than I would have from work alone, and I strongly feel my production in the workplace benefited. I am deeply appreciative and would strongly encourage others to apply in the future.” Robbie is now furthering his skills in Operations Management at Northern Alberta Institute of Technology.

A KENOSEE TRADITION For Don Horvath, who has been running the Kenosee tournament for 23 of its last 28 years, the tournaments are a way to give back to the industry, by helping the next generation get ahead.

“It’s a break from the rat race,” says Don. “A good chance to create some fellowship with customers.” Held at a course located in the heart of Moose Mountain Provincial Park, Don acknowledges that the trip out to Kenosee is not an insignificant ask, but it’s greatly appreciated. “Typically, we get 90 to 100 golfers out, but we can always take more—the more the merrier!” One particular point of pride for this tournament is that historically, over 50 per cent of the participants are from the retail side, with the rest being made up by vendors. For business owners, taking the day off to make the trip is a big deal, but it’s all for a good cause.

With 34 Education Grants awarded last year, at a combined value of $30,600, the program is a worthwhile investment in the people that can help make a business even more successful. “That’s how we promote the tournament.” Don notes. “And we’ve had really great vendor support for this cause.”

As sincere as the purpose for the tournaments might be, it’s important to remember that the events are also a lot of fun. “We focus on getting people out, making sure they have fun, and then getting them home at a reasonable time.” It’s one of the reasons that the Kenosee event has become so popular, and one of the reasons it will keep returning each year.

SPONSORSHIPS MAKE IT ALL HAPPEN The WRLA tournaments seem to bring out the best in our membership. Myriah Martin, Events and Business Development Coordinator—and the driving force at WRLA for organizing these tournaments—expressed her gratitude and admiration for the outstanding participation we see from our membership. “It’s turning out to be one of the most successful years to-date,” said Myriah.

“We’re sold out and have a waiting list for the Calgary and Winnipeg events, and sponsorships have never been better.”

In addition to supporting the tournaments through booking teams, the tournaments also offer many opportunities to directly sponsor the events. Sponsorships not only help ensure the tournaments are properly funded, but they can provide great brand recognition and awareness for members.

“Some WRLA members have booked sponsorships without booking players,” adds Myriah. “They just believe in the cause and want to get involved. It’s heart warming that so many companies want to support our commitment to education. More than that, it’s a way of giving back to the community, member and their families, which in turn will add to the longevity of their own companies as well.”

“The tournaments, and the educational grants that they support, have really become a way for members to invest in the workforce and help build employee retention,” says Liz Kovach, President of WRLA. “In recent years, there’s been an increased priority on making sure some of these grants get to recipients who are coming back to work in the industry. The labour pool is something that’s always in the back of our members’ minds, and this is a way to invest time and money to keep building that next generation of employees.”

This summer, as in years past, there are four tournaments planned.

Left: A group photo of Don Horvath (middle) with his wife Brenda Horvath (left) and Lois Dixon of Chatterson Lumber (right) at the 2019 Kenosee Golf Tournament.

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Each grant recipient receives $900 towards their post-secondary education. This year, the number of applications is on pace to be the most received in a given year. For that reason, WRLA has set the 2022 fundraising goal to $35,000 to ensure that as many students as possible can benefit from this program, which may, in turn, benefit the businesses the recipients work for.

The WRLA “tour” kicks off at the newest of the bunch in Saskatoon, SK on August 4 at The Willows Golf Course. From there, members in Manitoba get their chance on August 25 at the Winnipeg Memorial tournament at St. Boniface Golf Course. The fun moves to Alberta after that, with the Calgary Classic taking place on September 8, before the season wraps up back in Saskatchewan with the Kenosee Golf Tournament on September 14.

With the golf tournament program growing in popularity from year to year, everyone involved works hard to make sure the events well organized, well run, and provide great opportunities for mutually beneficial connections between vendors, buyers, and retailers.

MEETING OUR MEMBERS, HAVING FUN “It’s so important that we get out to meet our members on the ground,” says Liz. “And we always have a great time catching up with everyone.”

“Support for our program has never been stronger, but we’re always going to be pushing, to get to that next level, to be able to help even more people.”

So, what’s the final word on WRLA golf tournaments?

In addition to all the good they do, and the educational aspirations they support, these events are a fantastic opportunity to spend the day with friends chasing a little white ball down a beautifully manicured landscape with a bag full of shiny bent sticks.

We can’t wait to see you at the next tournament!

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GOLD

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BAD NEWS FOR THE SCORECARD, BUT WRLA MEMBERS ARE WAY ABOVE PAR… CHECK OUT SOME HIGHLIGHTS FROM PAST TOURNAMENTS!

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INDUSTRY NEWS

THANK YOU WRLA MEMBERS FOR SUPPORTING ANNUAL GOLF TOURNAMENTS. YOUR CONTRIBUTION MEANS ALOT. “I was extremely overjoyed and emotional at the same time when I learnt that I am one of the recipients of WRLA Education Grant 2021 Program. The unexpected benefit of receiving the award was that I was able to pay my tuition fees without worrying about loans and interests. I was able to focus more on my learnings and academics rather than being stressed about the tuition fees. The WRLA Education Grant has helped me to transform my potentiality into reality. I want to express my sincere gratitude to members of WRLA for initiating this education grant program to support enthusiastic and passionate students like me towards achieving their dreams.”

“The scholarship was a great help to receive. It took some financial stress off of me so I could focus more on my studies and I didn’t have to work as much during university since I did have the extra money. This allowed me to spend a little bit more time on taking care of myself and being with the people I love.

Scholarships help students tremendously, do not underestimate how much your contribution can help. I want to say a big thank you to anyone who is able to donate, please know that you are making someone’s life just a little bit easier.”

—Sarah Denoon, Home Hardware, Selkirk, MB

—Ishan Sharma, Dick’s Lumber and Building Supplies, Edmonton, AB

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“The WRLA Education Grant has provided me with the opportunity to further my education in hopes of finishing my undergraduate degree in Social Work, and I now have hopes to obtain my master’s degree in Social Work. Resources such as the WRLA Education Grant gives me the ability to follow my passion for education and helping underprivileged and marginalized people. This past year, it has meant the world to me to receive assistance to improve my university experience and increase my chances of success post-graduation.”

—Emily Wheatley, Kenroc Building Materials, Calgary, AB Top: Group photo of the Education Grant recipients in 2016.

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MEMBER CORNER

MEMBER CORNER LOAD LIFTER MANUFACTURING’S FOUNDER TURNS 90 This past March 9th, The President of Load Lifter Manufacturing, Hedley Thomas, celebrated his 90th birthday. 2022 also marks his 60th year of being in business. After moving to Canada in the late 50s from England, Hedley worked as a mechanic with various firms until he decided to start his own business in 1962. Hedley began the business primarily serving the local lawn and garden market selling lawn mowers and small tractors. The business was named Stanmore Equipment. Hedley and his wife Mercedes worked together building the business and operated it as a true family operation.

Stanmore would eventually become an Allis Chalmers dealer and that lead Hedley into the Forklift business and his dealings with the local Construction Industry in Ontario. He worked very hard to establish this business and dealt with many local contractors providing them equipment and especially forklifts. Some of his early customers were involved in the house construction business and Hedley grew his knowledge of equipment being used in in the housing industry, and that laid the foundation for the future with the Load Lifter brand.

In the mid-70s, Hedley decided to build his own forklifts and the Load Lifter brand was born. Initially, the first machines built were to serve the construction industry and the focus was on a machine that could handle the four seasons of Canada. The first machine produced was a Four-Wheel Drive, Four Wheel Steer Forklift that could handle the muddy soft conditions of the Canadian spring. This machine was known as the 4400 and the design was groundbreaking for contactors in the housing industry.

The introduction of this machine meant they could work year-round and be able to negotiate jobsites in all types of conditions. It wasn’t long before customers like Ontario Hydro and many northern sawmills began to purchase these 4WD machines and Load Lifter became widely recognized in the Lumber industry.

The first two-wheel drive forklifts were developed in the mid-80s and these would be widely used in lumber store applications where machines were driven on gravel lots and lumber yards. In the 90s, Load Lifter would introduce many other models to its line up such as the Laborer compact forklift which further added to the choice for customers in the Lumber business. Capacities from 5,000 lbs to 30,000 lbs are manufactured in the Uxbridge Ontario facility and these machines are shipped across Canada, the United States and the rest of the world.

Although Load Lifter manufactures many other Rough Terrain forklifts for other industries, the Lumber Industry is a focal point for the 46-year-old business. Attending lumber equipment shows, visiting Truss Manufacturing Plants in Canada and the USA, and meeting people involved in the lumber business still remains a favorite activity for Hedley. The family tradition continues on within Load Lifter with Hedley’s three sons, Paul, David and Donald and Load Lifters dedication to the Lumber Industry.

A 40TH ANNIVERSARY MESSAGE FROM THE KOHLTECH PRESIDENT Message from the President “Over the past 40 years, with the outstanding support of our family of employees, dealers, and loyal customers, Kohltech has grown to become a leading window and door brand across Canada.

We are committed to the highest standards of service to our customers, unrelenting pursuit of product innovation, and a lifelong passion for creating beautiful and functional windows and entrance systems.

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Our energetic and focused team helps to crystallize your dreams and make your house feel like home. Your vision and our unwavering commitment to quality unite to create an end product that is truly outstanding.”

Carl Ballard, President Kohltech Windows & Entrance Systems YARDSTICK MAGAZINE

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MEMBER CORNER

NEW NAME, NEW ADDRESS, SAME SERVICE

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he move west from Strathmore to our new location along the Trans Canada Highway in Rocky View County makes Remuda Supplies more accessible than ever. We are now just minutes from Calgary city limits, which allows us to better serve the needs of our growing list of Calgary-based builders and contractors. Not only that, but we are now in a central location that allows us to proudly provide our building materials knowledge, construction expertise, and professional-grade products to our local communities of: Langdon, Chestermere, Strathmore, Okotoks, and even out to Cochrane.

From the time we officially decided to make the move, we spent a fast 9 weeks expanding our existing Remuda headquarters to bring in the new Remuda Supplies storefront and warehouse under one roof. Over the final weeks of the project, it was amazing to see the entire Remuda team come together in an unbelievable final push—many staff members and their families came in on evenings and weekends to stock shelves, assemble furniture, clean, and put the final touches on months of hard work.

Fast forward 5 months, and although small changes and additions continue to be made, we can finally say we are settled into our new home. After months of stressing over getting the details of the move right, we were profoundly thrilled and proud to hear all the positive feedback that the local communities continue to share on the new store and lumber yard, including while we were participating in the Langdon Days and Strathmore Stampede festivities.

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Every day we are excited for the opportunity to go above and beyond ordinary for our customers and surrounding communities. The Remuda experience of individual attention, expertise, and reliability is one to remember.

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Left: Remuda Supplies new location at 272179 Township RD 241B, Rocky View County, Alberta

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TRAINING & DEVELOPMENT

WHERE THE OPPORTUNITIES ARE: RAISING AWARENESS, ATTRACTING WORKERS Chris Allinotte, WRLA

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ore than the price of lumber, more than the uncertainty of shipping routes, more even than inflation itself, there is one question that is always on the mind of business owners and managers in the Building Supply Sector— how are we going to stay in business if we don’t have enough workers?

members has always been a top priority, with our most recent Strategic Plan, Western Retail Lumber Association (WRLA) has identified recruitment as a key pillar of our mandate as an organization. Our four pillars, or the main purposes of the WLRA, are “Attract, Advocate, Connect, and Educate”.

The answer to that is as important as it is complex. What’s more, it is an issue that gets harder to comprehend the closer you are to it. When you work in the Lumber and Building Material (LBM) business, it’s hard to imagine that many people have no idea about this particular industry or, if they do know about “lumber” as a commercial sector, they are unaware of just how many unique career paths there are in this industry.

Starting this fall, WRLA will be undertaking a public awareness campaign on behalf of the building supply sector, focused on raising awareness of the various opportunities in the sector and attracting new talent to the workforce. As we begin, there are some great opportunities for growth that we’ll be highlighting through social media, a dedicated campaign website, and eyecatching advertising.

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office setting. Our industry plays a major role in the creation of Canada’s communities and our work brings with it a sense of accomplishment.

When the campaign begins in the fall, WRLA members will have an important role to play in sharing these messages with the help of custom toolkits and job posting strategies. As the program continues, we’ll be utilizing data from the soon-to-be-launched Labor Market Survey that we’re running in conjunction with the Government of Alberta to inform and direct our efforts and make our advertising and social media even more engaging.

We can’t wait to show you what we have in store, and our goal, as always, is to support our members to even greater success.

Careers in the LBM offer entry points at every level and a variety of jobs from on-site labor to high-level strategic planning in an 19

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OTTAWA HILL DAY MEETING Liz Kovach, WRLA

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RLA President Liz Kovach was back in Ottawa for a series of meetings with the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, then undertook direct meetings with the Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) as well as three Members of Parliament.

The Hill Day meetings organized by the Canadian Chamber of Commerce were focused on variety of topics. The Transportation and Infrastructure Committee (where the WRLA participated) had several meetings, including with the Hon. Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, Infrastructure and Communities, as well as Transport Opposition Critic Melissa Lantsman, MP George Chahal, and representatives of Transport Canada to discuss wealth-generating infrastructure investments and a competitive transportation sector.

There is an opportunity for greater collaboration as they are pushing for the federal government to create a housing roundtable, which would pull together stakeholders, such as the WRLA, to properly understand the true housing need in Canada. A three-year timeline would be requested, to hear from and work with industry partners. This roundtable could research the number of housing units required.

In meetings with the Opposition Shadow Minister for International Trade and Supply Chain Resilience, Randy Hoback, and Deputy Shadow Critic for Natural Resources Larry Maguire, a variety of items were discussed including: • Emphasizing the skilled trades to younger workers and current students, and the abundant opportunities in the lumber and building materials industry.

• The labour shortage in all sectors.

• MP Hoback noted labour mobility agreements contained in CUSMA, which Canada needs to leverage, and Liz Kovach is following up on this issue.

• Rail constraints and port congestion.

Another meeting was held with Saskatchewan MP Gary Vidal Opposition Shadow Minister for Crown-Indigenous Relations. Items discussed include: • How the WRLA wants to be a resource to government and to elected officials, to build a partnership.

Above: Liz Kovach (left), Minister Gary Vidal (right), and his legislative assistant Andrew Reid (middle) were having a delightful conversation on different challenges in the BLM industry.

• Liz noted that the WRLA is working to ensure more vocational training in high schools and raising awareness through outreach.

• Vidal noted the need to match unemployed people to available jobs.

• Vidal provided recommendations on engagement opportunities with First Nations communities.

This was a vital day to share WRLA’s message and to stress to decision-makers the importance of working together to solve challenges that are hindering Canada’s economic recovery and growth.

Above: A group photo of Minister Gary Vidal (left) and Liz Kovach (right) in Minister Gary Vidal’s office in Ottawa.

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Stay tuned for more information and opportunities to engage in these discussions. Any questions please reach out to Liz at lkovach@wrla.org.

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Following these meetings, the WRLA will continue to engage parliamentarians, public servants and other industry organizations to advance our shared objectives.

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HR CORNER

HELP WANTED! WHAT’S NEXT FOR THE WORKFORCE? Chris Allinotte, WRLA

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his is one of the questions that drives the WRLA in their vision to act as an innovative leader and connecting force in the building industry of Western Canada. After spending years building up a business, growing relationships, and establishing a network of suppliers and customers, that question of “what comes next” can be a daunting one to be sure.

WRLA is hoping to address this question head on with an in-depth workforce study in tandem with the government of Alberta. In taking a close look at the workforce in one province, we anticipate learning a great deal that will be both useful to, and practical for, the WRLA membership at large.

This study is coming at a time when various external factors are converging to make labour shortage issues a much more pressing problem than could have been foreseen even five years ago. With an ongoing housing shortage, and the continuing supply chain issues brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, it is important to understand how the building supply industry can play a role in helping the economy recover. When the building supply chain is strong, new housing projects can proceed unhampered by delays, which benefits communities, the provinces, and Canada as a whole.

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Despite the importance of our industry in providing goods and services to other critical industries, there is no current source of up-to-date information on human resource issues facing the sectors or the overall labour market. With the work done through this study process, we’ll be better equipped to answer these questions. Most importantly, we’ll have identified the skills/training gaps that will allow both our organization and our members to develop targeted training plans to attract and train new talent, especially from equity-seeking groups that are currently underrepresented in the Building Supply Sector (BSS), including newcomers (i.e. immigrants and refugees), youth, Indigenous peoples, women, mature workers, and people living with a disability. The study will also outline strategies to improve employee retention.

A complex challenge requires a measured, in-depth solution, so this Labour Study is taking place over the course of just over seven months and consists of several phases that will allow the final result to be as meaningful and useful as possible. When completed, the reports generated by this study will become reference material available to all members to help formulate their own best practices for recruiting and retaining a robust and resilient work force. We’ll quickly outline some of the methodology here, and then continue to keep our members updated on the progress of this project. In the coming weeks, employers in Alberta will receive communications from WRLA asking for participation in the survey. We are hoping for as high a participation rate as possible, as the more actual data we can collect, the more meaningful our results will be.

Phase One of this project involved the creation of a Steering Committee to guide the project and keep the work focused on our stated goals, and the goals of the Alberta government, who is sponsoring this survey. We are thrilled to have the following YARDSTICK MAGAZINE

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HR CORNER partners working with us on the study: Sexton Group of Companies, Castle Building Centres, Timbermart Buying Group, Brandt Materials Handling, and Prospectus Associates. All these organizations have agreed to donate their time and expertise to work on this project. In addition to having a stake in the outcome of the report, as all these partners are part of the same sector and face the same workforce development challenges, they bring the benefit of their own experiences and research to the table. Prospectus Associates are the one partner in the study not directly engaged in the BSS but have worked directly with the WRLA on the advocacy front and bring a wealth of knowledge in communications that will be extremely valuable to making this project a success.

Before launching the survey that you are being invited to complete, the steering committee partnered with R.A. Malatest & Associates Ltd. (Malatest) to conduct extensive research into the existing literature and data about labour market trends, key issues, and current practices in place to identify existing human resource challenges in the building supply sector. Following that work, the firm began a series of direct interviews with employers and stakeholders in the sector, including representatives from the Steering Committee’s businesses, to arrive at an understanding of what data would be most valuable to them.

From there, Malatest, in tandem with the Steering Committee, was able to set priorities for the next phase of research, including a preliminary survey of 100 to 200 employers. This survey examines various issues, such as hiring needs, current skill gaps, effective (or ineffective) recruitment and retention strategies, and expectations for the sector going forward. As an important part of the phase, the Malatest also recruited for and moderated focus groups with groups of people typically underrepresented in the current workforce, including women, youth, mature workers, Indigenous peoples, immigrants/newcomers, and persons living with disabilities. These sessions, conducted remotely, included participants from both rural, urban, and suburban areas across Alberta to also determine if there were different issues in the labour market at a regional level in the province.

Informed by the results of these initial phases, the Steering Committee and the research firm came together to examine the preliminary data and use these findings to help create the general survey that we are sharing with our members.

At that point, Malatest will step back in and commence with analysis of the survey data and the creation of a final report. That final report will, we anticipate, form the basis of an incredibly useful picture of the labour market for the BSS. It will profile the current market, and clearly outline the skill gaps, and areas of opportunity to grow recruitment and retention. With a clear understanding of the challenges faced by the various segments of the industry, business owners, managers, human resources, and decision makers will have the basis for strategic planning that will meet their specific needs.

The final phase of the project is the sharing and discussion of the results. With oversight by the Steering Committee, the research company will prepare the final analysis report and make a plan to bring together interested members to review the final presentation of the results. In addition to talking about the report on the WRLA media channels, you’ll find further updates in future editions of Yardstick. Additionally, all members will receive a copy of the report along with an email explaining the value of the findings and recommendations on how best to implement these findings into tangible best practices and policies.

With all that in mind—and it’s a lot of information—we’d now like to pass these questions over to you, the members, as we officially begin pre-registration for the Labour Market Survey. The survey, and links to participate, will have a prominent place in most of our electronic communications from now until the end of October, so you will have many opportunities to get in, and help us build this important data tool that is sure to benefit everyone.

What does the future hold for the labour market in the building supplies sector? We’re about to find out, and with your help, the answer will be, “a stronger, more diverse, and more effective work force.”

Thank you all in advance for your participation in this study. It’s only by working together with our members that we’ll achieve great results and increased prosperity for everyone.

For further information, or if you would like to participate in the survey, please email Sheila Harper, Assistant Research Manager at Malatest, at s.harper@malatest.com or by telephone on 780-448-9042 ext. 224.

Much of the work that been done to date has gone into finding the right questions, including, “Why do BSS workers leave the sector?” and “What are the current perceptions of the building supply sector as a potential career option?”

The survey is designed to be as short as possible, to demand the minimum amount of time investment from the respondents. By making it quick and easy to complete, we’re hoping to achieve at least 200 survey completions among our membership. It is anticipated the majority will come from Albertan BSS employees, though the survey will be open to all members. As such, WRLA members from every region in our organization can expect to hear a lot about the survey in the coming months until it closes at the end of October.

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Labour Market Development Agreement The Province of Alberta is working in partnership with the Government of Canada to provide employment support programs and services.

Les gouvernements de l’Alberta et du Canada travaillent en partenariat et financent conjointement des programmes et des services d’aide à l’emploi.

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DOLLARS & SENSE

DEMYSTIFYING YOUR FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (PART 2) BEST PRACTICES THAT CAN HELP YOU MAXIMIZE YOUR BUSINESS SUCCESS Travis Waite, WRLA

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ummer is finally here and long overdue after an especially cold and snowy winter and with it comes another addition of the finance corner. This is my second article in the Yardstick magazine and if you didn’t get a chance, please have a look back at our spring issue where I provided some insight about reading and understanding your company’s balance sheet.

“The income statement shows the financial performance over a set period, usually monthly, quarterly, or yearly by summarizing revenue and expenses.”

For this installment of the finance corner, I will be focusing on my personal favourite financial statement, the income statement.

Similarly, some buckets you may see for expenses include, selling and advertising, wages, office, bank and interest charges, etc.

THE INCOME STATEMENT

Companies selling goods (and sometimes even services) will often show their costs of goods sold COGS, which are the direct costs incurred to produce a good or service, at the top of their statement right below total revenue. COGS include raw material, labour, and overhead that a company allocates to the production of a particular good.

The income statement (also known as a profit and loss statement or P&L) for many business and financial professionals is the most important financial statement you will encounter. Its purpose is to show financial performance over a set period, usually monthly, quarterly, or yearly by summarizing revenue and expenses.

Not only can it help with assessing past performance, but it can also be a great tool in predicting future opportunities, improving business strategy, and budget and forecasting development and tracking.

STATEMENT PRESENTATION Depending on the nature of your business, your income statement can vary in its presentation or layout. In its most simple form, an income statement can have a line item for revenue, expenses and net income (revenue less expenses). Most companies will want to have separate line items or “buckets” that further classify revenue and expenses to provide a better snapshot of how money is earned and spent. This is especially helpful when doing comparative analysis over multiple financial periods.

Revenue is often recorded into its corresponding general ledger account and split on the income statement by product line, company division, or the activity that it is linked to. For example, when looking at the WRLA’s statement, there is advertising & marketing, education, events, member dues, programs and services and miscellaneous, with the corresponding general ledger accounts following under the appropriate bucket.

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Total revenue minus COGS will produce a company’s gross margin (also known as gross profit). Gross margin is an important component of the P&L because it highlights the core profitability of a company and the financial success of a particular product or service without factoring indirect expenses. Having a higher gross margin can provide a huge advantage for a company over its competition, whether it is due to being able to charge a higher price for a product or because of lower direct costs.

Another concept you may see on an income statement, typically for larger corporations is EBITDA. This stands for earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization. Companies use this metric to get a truer sense of operational profitability by removing the influence of accounting and financial deductions.

Items such as interest charges associated with debt, depreciation and amortization recognized for the period on capital assets (such as buildings, equipment, and intangibles), and income taxes owing during the period make up the variance between net income and EBITDA.

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DOLLARS & SENSE

INCOME STATEMENT ANALYSIS There are two types of analysis that are useful when reviewing an income statement: vertical and horizontal. These each serve a different, but important, function.

Vertical analysis is the method of financial analysis that lists each line item as a percentage of a base figure. it’s the process of reading down a column (financial period) of data within an income statement in order to determine how the individual line items relate to each other.

Below you will see an example of vertical analysis of a sample company’s income statement for their year ended December 31, 2021. All the percentages in the right-hand column are being calculated as a total of gross sales, but you can choose whatever base line you like depending on the needs and purpose of the analysis.

For example, you could just as easily list individual expense line items as a percentage of total expenses to see the proportion of spending within your organization.

Sample Company December 31, 2021 Income Statement 2021

Vertical Analysis

Total Income Sales

each line item over the two-year period. You can just as easily list the variance as a percentage but using dollar amounts is a more common practice.

Sample Company December 31, 2021 Income Statement 2020

2021

Horizontal Analysis

Sales

850,000

1,000,000

150,000

Cost of Goods Sold

200,000

275,000

75,000

650,000

725,000

75,000

Office

85,000

100,000

15,000

Wages

230,000

250,000

20,000

Sales & Marketing

100,000

75,000

25,000

Total Expenses

415,000

425,000

10,000

EBITDA

235,000

300,000

65,000

Amortization

20,000

25,000

5,000

Interest Expense

12,000

10,000

2,000

Tax Expense

12,500

15,000

2,500

Net Income

190,500

250,000

59,500

Total Income

Gross Profit Expenses

1,000,000

100.00%

275,000

27.50%

725,000

72.50%

Above: An example of horizontal analysis of a sample company’s income statement for their year ended December 31, 2021.

The extent of income statement review and analysis can go far beyond what is covered today. The first step is to understand what you are trying to learn from the statements and analysis and shape your statements’ format to help serve that purpose. I implore all business owners and managers to spend some time determining this objective and getting familiar with their companies’ statements.

As always, I am only a phone call or email away if you would like to discuss any of this in more detail.

Cost of Goods Sold Gross Profit Expenses Office

100,000

10.00%

Wages

250,000

25.00%

75,000

7.50%

Total Expenses

425,000

42.50%

EBITDA

300,000

30.00%

Amortization

25,000

2.50%

Interest Expense

10,000

1.00%

Tax Expense

15,000

1.50%

Net Income

250,000

25.00%

Sales & Marketing

Above: An example of vertical analysis of a sample company’s income statement for their year ended December 31, 2021.

Horizontal analysis (also known as trend analysis) is used to compare financial performance over at least two specific periods, making it an important method to investors and decision makers. It provides better insight than vertical analysis into a company’s consistency and growth over time. It also helps users to spot trends and determine what is driving an organizations financial performance.

You can reach Travis Waite by calling 204-953-1698 ext. 2 or email accounting@wrla.org.

Using the same sample company as an example of horizontal analysis, their previous year has been added and the analysis is now being done horizontally to show the variance in dollar amounts for YARDSTICK MAGAZINE

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Brenna Owen, The Canadian Press

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PHOTO: TYLER ZHAO / COLUMBIA BASIN TRUST

CATTLE HELPING TO MANAGE B.C. WILDFIRE RISK WITH TARGETED GRAZING

GREEN GUIDE

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handful of ranchers in British Columbia’s Interior are getting ready to graze their cattle in concentrated areas near homes and community infrastructure, where they’ll eat the grasses that dry over the summer and heighten the wildfire risk.

As part of a pilot program led by the B.C. Cattlemen’s Association, ranchers around Kelowna, Peachland, Summerland and Cranbrook will corral their cattle in targeted areas for two to three weeks, explained general manager Kevin Boon.

The cattle eat grasses that could serve as potential fuel for fires, which promotes new, green growth that doesn’t burn with the speed and intensity of grasses left to grow taller, drier and more likely to catch brush and trees on fire, he said.

“So, if we can keep that fine fuel down ... it won’t burn with the heat, the intensity or the speed and we’ve got a better chance of controlling it.”

The B.C. government contributed $500,000 in 2019 to help launch the pilot project. Targeted grazing is not a solution to all fuel management challenges, the province said in a statement at the time, but “it is a powerful tool when used in combination with other methods, such as prescribed burning and selective tree harvesting.”

Amanda Miller, an ecologist who’s working as a researcher on the grazing project, said the idea stemmed from the severe 2017 and 2018 wildfire seasons, which each saw more than 12,000 square kilometres of forests and land burn.

“We’ve found time and time again, as a fire comes through, that often it will meet a fence line to a pasture that had just been grazed and the fire will stop,” Miller said.

“So, anecdotally, I think we’ve always known this, but of course you do need actual data and science to back up any recommendations that you’re making.”

Boon said he hopes the pilot project can serve as a model to scale up across B.C. in partnership with the province, ranchers and local communities.

In the last two seasons, each grazing site typically saw around a 30 per cent reduction in grassy biomass, amounting to a substantial reduction in fine fuels, said Miller.

“That has impact on things like rate of spread and intensity. It just reduces those metrics and makes it easier to action a fire, if it’s moving slower and it’s not as hot.”

The program has a monitoring protocol to assess the effects of targeted grazing on the grassy and forested environments, Miller noted.

“We do have a lot of data to back up the fact that what we’re doing is not negatively impacting the ecosystem,” she said.

That was still the case in one area where cattle were able to eat 40 per cent of the grassy biomass last year, she added.

Grasses flourish as more sunlight reaches the forest floor, but they dry out and become tinder, raising the risk of a potential wildfire spark, she said.

“We use cattle to address that fine fuel concern, so you’ve hit your wildfire risk in two different ways. You’ve removed some of the danger associated with those overstorey canopies, and then you have a complementary tool in targeted grazing.”

After two years of below-average fire activity in B.C., the 2021 season saw more than 1,600 fires scorch close to 8,700 square kilometres of land.

Much of the Village of Lytton was destroyed by fire just one day after the temperature in the community southwest of Kamloops hit an all-time Canadian high of 49.6 C. Fires also razed properties between Kamloops and Vernon, and near West Kelowna.

Boon said the scorching late-June heat dome dried out the land, creating the right conditions for a destructive wildfire season.

“We’ve seen these things happen before,” he said of the fires, extreme heat and floods in B.C. last year. “Just not with the intensity and not one on top of the other.”

This year’s provincial budget allocated $145 million for B.C.’s wildfire and emergency management services through 2025 with the goal of moving from a reactive to a proactive approach to wildfires, including increases in year-round staffing.

At a news conference last month, the director of provincial operations for the wildfire service said B.C. needs a large-scale program to reduce risk, starting in backyards, moving to communities and extending into forested lands.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 3, 2022.

Cattle are also useful in grazing areas where forests have been thinned out to reduce the risk of a dangerous crown fire, where the entire length of a tree burns. Miller said it’s harder to fight and control a wildfire when the entire tree canopy is set ablaze.

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BETTER BUSINESS

BE AGILE AND ADAPT USEFUL TIPS ON MANAGING CHANGES DURING OPERATION Christlan Tolentino, University of Winnipeg PACE Project Management Graduate

T

he only constant in life is change, as the famous adage (or cliché) goes. Perhaps another thing constant for the most part in our workplace is “operations”. The basis of well-organized operations lies in delivering consistent products or services throughout. As unique as transactions can get, truly, operations could get tough. That’s why applying a different approach to how we do things could go an extra mile.

Agile project management, an approach that relies heavily on continuous customer feedback and changing environments in projects, may be utilized in day-to-day operations to be resilient to unpredictable circumstances.

COLLABORATE AND TALK: MIND OVER MATTER. 1

Yes, your workflows should be laid out and sales speech be practiced. However, the success of each transaction would still depend on making your customers feel good. ‘Agile’ tells us to grab every chance to speak with your customers to gather insights and manage expectations. Collection of customer feedback through survey forms could also keep you abreast with their wants and needs.

WELCOME CHANGING DEMANDS WITH OPEN ARMS.

LET SELF-ORGANIZED INDIVIDUALS DO THE JOB.

Humans are complex, and applying the same practice in your operations over a long time may result in unsatisfied customers because of their changing behaviors. After collating useful insights, allot some time for your team to review your current processes and tools vis-à-vis these responses and adjust things as appropriate.

Finally, the success of these would rely on your adaptable resources. Having motivated employees who know this approach will maintain a constant pace of your flexibility. After all, the people who work for you are the heart that keeps the blood running in your operations.

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3

EAT, SLEEP, ‘ITERATE’.

Doing things over and over and over again for frequent delivery of a more valuable product to customers is the highest priority in the ‘Agile Manifesto’. Hence, having your mind set to repeating the steps of your feedback mechanisms and continuous assessments and modifications of work procedures until you find the sweet spot for your operations could prove palpable results.

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4

Goals can be definite—but your mindset and strategies to achieve them could be changed as you learn. Whenever we try to spice things up, it could get difficult to see tangible outcomes. But as we learned with ‘Agile’, if we let constant feedback guide us during our iterations, then we will surely attain operations that are more customer-focused and change adaptable.

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PHOTO:

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TECH CORNER

KNOWLEDGE IS MORE THAN POWER—IT’S PROFITS! Chris Allinotte, WRLA

A

ttention hardware store owners and managers: How do your prices compare to the big box stores in your area?

How do you know? Did you look up their products online?

How about on that other product? How’s the pricing on that one? Better look that one up, too.

Now half the morning is gone and there’s a sale starting mid-week anyway so all the information is going to change.

How can you keep up with price changes, and make sure you’re staying in your area?

Product Sonar may have the answer you’re looking for. Recently introduced to WRLA members, Product Sonar is a tool that can help independent dealers compete with big box stores by providing pricing data sourced from your local market.

C

urrently tracking over 1.01 million unique SKU’s across 5 major retailers with 618 physical locations across Canada, Product Sonar produces weekly, or even daily reports that can help you ensure you know what your customers are seeing when they walk into your competitor’s locations, and give you the edge to help increase your sales without sacrificing your profit margins.

Once you’ve flagged the “high alert” products you want to keep an eye on, it’s just a matter of pulling your weekly report to keep track of the ebb and flow of pricing on those products in your area.

You also have the ability to customize the frequency of the reports. Checking in on a weekly basis may be more than enough, whereas in some markets, and with some products, you may want to be looking at your reports as part of your morning routine. It’s all customizable, and Product Sonar works with each of their customers to deliver the most useful data in an easy-to-understand format.

The Product Sonar website itself has a few surprises that make it worth the time to check out. The home page features random SKU’s from across Canada, and whether their price today is up or down. You’d be surprised how many times you’ll click the button to find out what they’re charging for laundry hose in Barrie, ON or ¾" PVC Tees in Winnipeg. How well do you know the price of common lumber off the top of your head?

Put it to the test with a round of “Stick Trivia”.

The most valuable offering on the website, by far, is the “try before you buy” local market report.

Select from up to 6 categories to track, put in your postal code and email, and Product Sonar will track those items in your market for a few days before sending you a full report.

On the next page, you’ll see a sample report that shows just how Product Sonar works to give you the best information in a readable format, comparing the largest retailers against the market average, and giving you trends across 7 days, 90 days, and the full year-to-date. It also lets you know how much time you’d be taking if you were to look up each of these items on your own!

While the pricing data is certainly trustworthy enough that it would be possible to just undercut the big retailers across the board, that’s not the intention of Product Sonar.

“It’s not intended to create a race-to-the-bottom culture,” says Nate Boscher, Sales and Support representative for Product Sonar. Rather, one of the benefits the reports provide is to help dealers identify products that you can charge more for thus improving your profitability.”

On their website, where you can obtain a free local market report before jumping into a subscription, you’ll find tips on “relevant” pricing. In short—know which products in your area customers are aggressively price matching, such as 2 x 4 lumber, and which ones they’ll pay for without a second thought, even if they cost a little more at your store—nails and fittings, for example. It’s this second category where stores armed with Product Sonar’s market data stand to benefit. Customers see that you’re right in line on the products they’re watching closely, and they’ll stay to do the rest of their shopping, and happily pay an increased margin on the extras.

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The WRLA Tech Committee vetted the program before launching to members.

Gary Fletcher from Trail Building Supplies undertook the pilot of the program and has offered to help other dealers that are thinking of adopting this program. Gary can be reached at gary@trailgroup.com or 780-463-1737.

For more information to trial the program, please scan the QR code on the next page or visit the link provided.

What have you got to lose?

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TECH CORNER

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FEATURE

BUILDING A GREENER WORLD Chris Allinotte, WRLA

C

limate change is happening, and the effects are all around us. Whether it’s paying attention to recycling, car pooling, or reducing consumption of materials, individuals are finding ways help the environment. While the combined efforts of individuals can make a difference, if major corporations, especially manufacturers, don’t get behind the global efforts to reverse the effects of climate change, meaningful progress will remain frustratingly out of reach.

Owens Corning has recognized this fact and is committed to leading the way towards a sustainable future.

As of 2021, Owens Corning’s mission statement reflects over 16 years of dedication to responsible manufacturing: Building a sustainable future through material innovation.

Driven by this mission, the company has committed to three pillars of sustainability: • Expanding our product handprint. We endeavor to increase the positive impacts our products have on the world.

• Reducing our environmental footprint. We seek to limit the negative impact our operations have on the environment.

• Increasing our social handprint. We work to safeguard people’s safety and help ensure that they live with health, happiness, and human dignity.

Beginning their journey toward these goals nearly two decades ago, the targets have changed and evolved, informed by the most current scientific findings. With the latest report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change affirming the need for urgent action, their science-based targets continue to inform their strategies and tactics from today to next week, next month, next year, and to 2030 and beyond.

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PHOTO: SUPPLIED

Owens Corning is building a more sustainable future on a solid foundation, one that is based on years of successful innovation and dedication to their goals. Recently, they published their annual sustainability report, outlining their aspiration to be a net-positive company and highlight both the progress they’ve made and the work ahead. In the 2021 report, the focus is on Owens Corning’s efforts to double their products’ handprint, or net positive impact, while halving their environmental footprint, which is the measure of contributions their manufacturing and business activities have on the world around them.

GOLD

PROGRESS THROUGH RENEWABLE ENERGY To achieve their goals Owens Corning is sourcing renewable energy use; and fuel switching from on-site fossil fuel use to low-or no-carbon solutions. Long-term, they’ll be working to develop and implement last-mile solutions for operational emissions through innovation and exploration of still-emerging renewable fuel technologies.

In 2021, the company completed two power purchase agreements that added to their existing renewable electricity commitments.

Sourcing 100 per cent renewable electricity, another goal for 2030, is an important step toward our ambition to fully decarbonize.

Owens Corning is further reducing demand through energy efficiency and has concurrently expanded their renewable energy investments and purchases globally, establishing programs in China, India, Mexico, Brazil, Europe, and Canada to reduce the footprint of both operations and of the products themselves. They have also committed to developing affordable technology to enable conversion from fossil fuel to carbon-neutral and renewable energy to power their processes.

AWARDS

PHOTOS: SUPPLIED

In 2021, for the 12th year in a row, Owens Corning earned placement in the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index in recognition of its sustainability initiatives. The DJSI World Index is an elite listing of the world’s largest companies based on long-term economic, environmental, and social criteria.

Owens Corning’s world headquarters in Toledo, Ohio, U.S., earned the Environmental Protection Agency’s ENERGY STAR rating for 2021.

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CLIMATE CHANGE Severe weather phenomena, from droughts and wildfires to storms and floods, are occurring with greater frequency and greater severity than ever before. Global climate change, linked to human behavior, is now a scientifically recognized driver of these localized weather events. To help stem the devastation that is occurring as a result, the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has issued recommendations aimed at limiting warming to 1.5° C. Their latest reports have made clear the need to act decisively.

Because we will be affected by the impact of these changes for countless generations to come, people, and especially corporations must elevate their focus on adaptation and carbon removal, even as they continue to work diligently to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions.

The United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were established in 2015 as a framework for governments, businesses, and individuals to use in addressing our society’s most pressing issues. By setting our collective sights on these goals, we can help reduce inequality, fight climate change, and more. As Owens Corning has set their own sustainability goals, they have looked to the UN SDGs for guidance and insight. In their most recent Sustainability Report, which outlines the ways that OC is aligning with many of the UN SDGs, some of the best examples are through their commitment to combating climate change by Achieve 50 per cent reduction in absolute Scope 1 and Scope 2 greenhouse gas emissions from the 2018 baseline, in line with what is needed to limit global warming to 1.5° C. Beyond this, Owens Corning is collaborating with their suppliers to increase transparency around the raw materials used in their products. Through this collaboration, they aspire to reduce greenhouse gas emissions related to purchased materials and services by 30 per cent by 2030. The entire global sourcing team will be trained and recertified annually on sustainability. All these actions, and more, align with UN Goal #13: Climate Action.

Circular economy looks to replace the classic take, make and dispose linear model for product production with ways to recycle and repurpose materials at the end of their life.

Top: Photo submitted by Karmakar Rupak from Silvassa, India.

The Owens Corning circular economy team, established in 2020, defines goals and prioritizes projects that accelerate our circular economy ambitions.

Wind power remains a central component of the world’s renewable energy strategies. Owens produces glass used in the reinforced composite materials that make wind turbine blades and nacelles.

However, wind power’s potential comes with the necessity to deal with responsible end-of-life solutions for the blades. In the U.S., Owens Corning has collaborated with American Composite Manufacturers Association (ACMA) and the Institute for Advanced Composites Manufacturing Innovation (IACMI), as well as other stakeholders in the wind industry value chain to develop solutions to effectively deal with this waste. In addition to extending the service life of turbine blades, from 20 years to 30 or 40 years, the company has been looking at ways to close the loop where waste is concerned. For example, the materials can be used in cement kilns where energy and chemical content can be extracted, and the remaining inorganic materials are a raw material source for the cement.

Specific actions include “Take-back” models, which encourage manufacturers to accept responsibility for downstream waste from customers using their products. For Owens Corning, this can include waste generated during construction, subsequent fabrication, installation, or protective packaging. Shingle recycling efforts are in place, as their Specialty Asphalt paving business is working with state departments of transportation, roofing contractors, and other stakeholders to create a circular economy model for roofing shingles.

Owens Corning is also a partner in the ZEBRA (Zero WastE Blade ReseArch) project in Europe, a cross-sector consortium launched in 2020 to develop the first 100 per cent recyclable wind turbine blade.

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WIND TURBINE BLADES

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PHOTO: KARMAKAR RUPAK

CIRCULAR ECONOMY

FEATURE

PRODUCT INNOVATION By 2030, Owens Corning aspires to offer the most recognized and preferred products for sustainability. To meet this ambitious goal, they are striving to implement strategies that deliver the lowest impact with respect to embodied carbon among all available options. Products are, or will be, designed for recycling or reuse at their end of life. In addition, they are increasing their transparency regarding the raw materials in Owens Corning products. Sharing the full impact of these allows customers the knowledge and context so they can do the same, making their own necessary contributions.

Recent product innovations in the Owens Corning portfolio include: • PINK Next Gen™ Fiberglas® insulation, launched in 2021, offers the highest recycled content in the industry1, and it is certified made with 100 per cent renewable electricity through the use of power purchase agreements.

• PAROC® Natura insulation is a carbon-neutral line of stone wool insulation that uses low-carbon melting technology, green electricity, recycled waste materials, new technologies, and purchased carbon offsets to minimize the amount of CO2 emitted during the manufacturing process.

• FOAMULAR® NGX™ insulation, introduced in 2020, features a proprietary blowing agent that is optimized to demonstrate greater than 80 per cent reduction in embodied carbon, compared to legacy FOAMULAR® insulation products. The product meets and exceeds stringent regulations going into effect in 2021.

• Trumbull® Asphalt has made significant strides over the last five years to reduce the number of oxidized products we produce for external asphalt markets. In 2015, 8 per cent of our products were non-oxidized2. Today, approximately 50 per cent of the products we produce for the external asphalt business are non-oxidized, requiring less energy, lower temperatures, and fewer emissions. This has resulted in a 3 per cent improvement in material efficiency across the 12 asphalt plants in the network.

One important aspect to these changes is that, despite finding ways to reduce their environmental footprint, and increase their sustainability, Owens Corning is remaining profitable and providing quality product.

Lindsay Eybs, Strategy Lead, explains, “One of the biggest challenges is continuing to meet the needs of customers, maintaining or the same or better per product performance, while understanding how we can positively impact the environment in meaningful ways.

Another challenge is education. Many are familiar with what it takes to achieve financial success and learning more about how sustainability fits into our business models will help. If everyone sees the value in financial success inclusive of sustainability, I believe the passion and commitment of our people will ensure success.”

Top: FOAMULAR® NGX™ insulation.

Bottom: PINK Next Gen™ Fiberglas® insulation.

commercial and industrial systems. The product includes post-industrial recycled glass, which in addition to diverting waste from landfills, minimizes energy consumption and optimizes manufacturing efficiency. FOAMGLAS® Compact Roof is a three-layer material designed to withstand high compressive loads and to resist deforming—which makes it a great option for rooftop gardens in urban settings which contribute to biodiversity and mitigation of climate change.

THE FUTURE IS NOW By 2030, Owens Corning will be well on their way towards building a sustainable future. In addition to being a global leader in cutting edge building materials manufacturing, these goals will position them to be global leaders in sustainability. By demonstrating that responsible manufacturing doesn’t have to come at the cost of profitability, Owens Corning is providing leadership that others can feel confident to follow down a road to a better world for everyone.

PHOTOS: SUPPLIED

IMPROVING THE HANDPRINT Beyond simply finding ways to curb emissions, and finding responsible ways to recycle and reuse materials, Owens Corning is manufacturing products engineered to help users achieve their own sustainability goals. FOAMGLAS® Cellular Glass is a high-performance insulation, offering water and fire resistance, high compressive strength, and long-lasting thermal protection in YARDSTICK MAGAZINE

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Owens Corning 15th Annual Sustainability Report, https://www.owenscorning.com/en-us/corporate/sustainability

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Middle Left: Habitat Partner Family biographies adorned the Key Ceremony room.

Middle Right: Vernelle Mirosh, Habitat Manitoba’s Director, Fund Development welcomes guests.

Bottom: Architectural rendering of Ken McCrae Cove, located in Amber Trails.

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PHOTOS: TOP: SUSAN BUFFIE; MIDDLE: SUPPLIED; BOTTOM: CHRIS D.COM

Top: Team WRLA attended Habitat for Humanity Manitoba’s Key Ceremony on June 16, 2022.

MEMBERS IN THE COMMUNITY

MEMBERS IN THE COMMUNITY HABITAT FOR HUMANITY MANITOBA CELEBRATES LARGEST KEY CEREMONY TO DATE On June 16, 2022 Habitat for Humanity Manitoba presented keys to ten Habitat Partner Families who now call Ken McCrea Cove home, in Amber Trails.

The key ceremony included sponsors, donors, and volunteers who all helped to make the dream of affordable homeownership a reality for these families. All the homes on Ken McCrae Cove consume 25 per cent less energy and have zero carbon emissions.

“This is why we do what we do. It is the epitome of the journey with Habitat, is to present the keys to the family, where they can go on, build strength, stability and independence through an affordable home ownership opportunity,” says Michelle Pereira, COO, Habitat for Humanity Manitoba.

Habitat for Humanity Manitoba is about to embark on their largest build in its history—55 homes on Pandora Avenue W., in Transcona. Learn more at habitat.mb.ca.

WRLA TEAM TO TAKE PART IN UPCOMING BUILD At the end of September, WRLA staff will participate in a Habitat Manitoba Build Day. Staff members are rolling up their sleeves, putting on their hardhats and getting to work on building a home which, in turn, helps families to build strength, stability and self-reliance through home ownership. The support makes a real difference in the lives of Habitat Partner Families and the communities in which they live.

WRLA President, Liz Kovach, is also participating in two cycling fundraising opportunities this year that benefit Habitat Manitoba and Habitat Southern Alberta.

From August 19-21, Liz cycled 300 km during “Ride Through the Rockies” to raise money and support affordable home ownership in Southern Alberta. This event is now in its ninth year and has raised over $865,000 in support of affordable home ownership.

From September 9-11, Liz will be taking part in Ride Around the Lake which is an approximately 400 km cycling adventure around Kenora, ON and is one of Habitat Manitoba’s longest-running, signature fundraisers. The event has raised more than $3.5 million since inception 16 years ago.

PHOTOS: SUPPLIED

Habitat for Humanity first came to Canada in 1985, when the country’s first Habitat home was built in Winkler, Manitoba. Just two years later, Winnipeg became the first local Habitat in Canada. Local Habitats are independent members of the organization and manage the homeownership application process, homebuilding operations and local Habitat ReStores. Today, Habitat for Humanity Canada is a leading national non-profit, with local Habitats working in every province and territory across the country. With the help of these local Habitats, volunteers, and Habitat homeowners, they provide a solid foundation for thousands of families to lead better, healthier lives in Canada and around the world.

Top and Bottom: Two Habitat Partner Families receive keys to their new homes.

Habitat for Humanity Manitoba are extremely grateful to the WRLA and its members.

The generosity and support of organizations like WRLA allow Habitat for Humanity to continue to help families build strength, stability and self-reliance through affordable home ownership.

If you are interested in fundraising or volunteering with Habitat Manitoba, visit habitat.mb.ca or Habitat Southern Alberta, visit habitatsouthernab.ca/.

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MEMBERS IN THE COMMUNITY

WINDSOR PLYWOOD’S OPERATION RENOVATION—DOGHOUSE EDITION

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couple of decades ago, an opportunity presented itself to Windsor Plywood when a member of the Saskatoon City Police K9 Unit was shopping at our store. While in the store that day, we struck up a conversation about his work and some of the challenges they face when it comes to training the police dogs. I couldn’t help but think that we would have the perfect facility to test the skills of the dogs and their handlers given the different hiding places, scents and partitioned rooms of our store.

This has worked very well over the years, as not only does the K9 Unit have access to the store and the compound outside of hours, they are also welcome in the store during open hours so that they can interact with people.

As our relationship with the K9 Unit continued to strengthen and grow, we were approached by the current Sergeant of the K9 Unit a few years ago with a set of blueprints for a doghouse for the new K9, “Hutch”. It immediately came to mind that this was a perfect suit for our skillset. Although his intent wasn’t for a donation, we had offered to not only provide the material free of charge, but to also build it and donate it as a token of our appreciation for keeping the people, our neighbourhoods and businesses of Saskatoon safe.

The doghouses became a great project and we took it a step further with fully insulated walls, floor and hinged roof that can be lifted for ease of access to clean. A removable partition was included for the winter months to block the wind from the doorway and easily removed for the summer. Each doghouse also includes an exact replica of their SPS K9 Unit police badge and personalized name plaque (thanks to Kelly and Chandi at Opheim’s Wooden Designs).

Attention is in the details and we wanted to make certain that with this project, we provided them with a very unique and functional doghouse. Since that time, we have built and donated three more doghouses for Oliver, Bane and Hyde and will continue to provide doghouses as well as the use of our facility for the growing demand of the SPS K9 Unit.

Windsor Plywood Saskatoon is very honored to be involved in an experience that is so rewarding, and we take great pride in being able to give back to the protection services that keep us safe. We feel very privileged to be involved with the community in this way.

PHOTOS: SUPPLIED

Top: Presentation day—Bane & Hyde get a first look at their new houses.

Middle: Bane and Hyde’s houses are completed and ready to present.

Bottom Left: Hutch poses for a well-timed photo.

Bottom Right: Oliver is relaxing after a “RUFF” day!

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GOLD

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