PDF - Halifax Chamber of Commerce

GOOD SPORTS
MARKETING HISTORY
BEYOND 65
Halifax hosting major sporting
events. Pg 16
Black Cultural Centre boosting
cultural tourism. Pg 24
Baby boomers redefining
retirement. Pg 26
BUSINESS VOICE
HALIFAX CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
|
APRIL 2014
|
VOLUME 23
ISSUE 3
MANY
STORIES
TO TELL
Canadian broadcast
icon, Peter Mansbridge,
will speak at Chamber
Spring Dinner
Page 16
HALIFAX’S BUSINESS MAGAZINE
CONTENTS }
My history with Halifax goes as far back
as I’ve lived in Canada.”– Peter Mansbridge 19
COVER STORY
06 Events
07 President’s message
08 New & noted
1 1 Members in the news
16 Many stories to tell
Canadian broadcast icon, Peter Mansbridge,
will speak at Chamber Spring Dinner
20 Bringing our A game
Halifax beginning to punch above its weight
in the sporting market
16
24 Profile
Many stories to tell
Black Cultural Centre
Canadian broadcast icon, Peter Mansbridge,
will speak at Chamber Spring Dinner
Photo: Contributed by CBC / © Sam Javanrouh, wvs.topleftpixel.com. All Right Reserved.
20
Trends
Working for you
Greater Halifax Partnership
Where are they now?
SPECIAL FEATURES
35 Transportation
36 Shipping and distribution
Bringing our A game
Halifax beginning to punch above its weight
in the sporting market
Board of Directors
Volume 23 Issue 3
Andrew Boswell, Nova Communications, Chair
Francis Fares, Fares Real Estate Inc., Vice-Chair
Paula Gallagher, Deloitte, Past Chair
Business Voice is published 10 times a year for
members of the Halifax Chamber of Commerce
and Metro Halifax’s business community. Views
expressed in Business Voice are those of the
contributors and individual members, and are
not necessarily endorsed by, or are a policy of,
the Halifax Chamber of Commerce
Directors
Stephanie Coldwell, Coldwell & Associates Consulting
Rob Batherson, Colour
Carol MacMillan, The Shaw Group
Level Chan, Stewart McKelvey
Valerie Payn, Halifax Chamber of Commerce
Cheryl Hodder, McInnes Cooper
Barbara Meens Thistle, Emera
Ruth Rappini
Capt (N) Angus Topshee, Maritime Forces Atlantic
Darren Nantes, The Nantes Group
Cynthia Dorrington, Vale & Associates
Mark Fraser, T4G
Lori Barton, Beaumont Advisors Ltd.
Chamber Staff
Valerie A Payn, President and CEO
Nancy M. Conrad, Senior Vice President
Colin J. Bustard, Director of Finance and Administration
Jennifer Pierce, Member Services Specialist
Becky Davison,
Marketing and Communications Specialist
4
26
32
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38
No part of this publication may be reproduced
without written consent of the publisher. While
every effort has been made to ensure accuracy,
the publisher cannot be held responsible for any
errors or omissions that may occur.
Please address editorial enquiries
and changes to information to:
Halifax Chamber of Commerce
656 Windmill Road, Suite 200
Dartmouth, NS B3B 1B8
Tel: (902) 468-7111
Fax: (902) 468-7333
[email protected]
www.halifaxchamber.com
Business Voice is published by
The Chronicle Herald, Custom and Community
Publishing Department
Publisher: Sarah Dennis
Director, Custom and Community Publishing:
Jeff Nearing
Editors:@e[o<_jpfơjh_Yaš`ǃ_jpfơjh_Ya6^[hơbZ$Yơ
Art Director: Jayson Taylor
Layout & Design: Julia Webb
Contributing Writers: J.L. Hochman, Jon Tattrie,
Heather Laura Clarke, Dan Rudisuela,
Richard Woodbury, Fred Morley
Sales Executives:
Colin Mason, David A. McNeil, Annie Langley
(902) 426-2811 x1163
Cover Image By: Contributed by CBC
Copyright 2014 by The Chronicle Herald
All rights reserved. Reproduction of any article,
photograph or artwork without expressed written
permission from the publisher is strictly prohibited.
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Halifax, Nova Scotia, B3J 2T2
Tel: (902) 426-2811
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APRIL 2014
Disclaimer
Business Voice magazine makes no warranties of
any kind, written or implied, regarding the contents
of this magazine and expressly disclaims any
warranty regarding the accuracy or reliability of
information contained herein. The views contained
in this magazine are those of the writers and adl[hj_i[hi1j^[oZedejd[Y[iiơh_boh[ǃb[Yjj^[l_[mi
of Business Voice magazine and its publisher
The Chronicle Herald.
Publications Mail Agreement No. 40032112
Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to
Halifax Chamber of Commerce.
2014 Conference
June 12-13, 2014
Renowned Keynote Speakers Coming to Halifax!
Enhance your skills and create a culture for business success.
Nilofer Merchant
Michael Kerr
Curating Greatness
Thinkers 50 shortlisted Nilofer as
a ‘Future Thinker’ one should pay
attention to & she was named the
#1 person most likely to influence
the future of management.
Inspiring Workplaces: The Way
Work Ought to Be!
Michael is one of North America’s
leading authorities on fostering
innovative and inspiring
workplace cultures.
Concurrent Session Highlights
Ethical Obligations of the HR Professional
Principles of Solid Labour Relations
An Interactive Conversation with Nilofer Merchant
Dealing with the Tuff Stuff!
and more...
Platinum Sponsor:
Register Online
www.hrans.org
CALENDAR
CATEGORY
CHAMBER EVENTS
April
S U N DAY
M O N DAY
T U E S DAY
W E D N E S DAY
F R I DAY
S AT U R DAY
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CHAMBER 101
DATE: Wednesday, April 16
TIME: 12:00 – 1:30pm
LOCATION: Halifax Chamber
of Commerce Boardroom,
656 Windmill Rd
ALL SHIPS RISE
NETWORKING
TRADESHOW
NETWORKING
FOR SUCCESS
DISTINGUISHED
SPEAKERS SERIES
PRESENTED BY: Rick Fair, Fairwinds
SPEAKER: Mr. Bernard Lord,
Training & Development Inc.
President & CEO, Canadian
Wireless Telecommunications
Association (CWTA)
SPONSORED BY: CWTA
DATE: Thursday, April 24
TIME: 11:30am – 1:30pm
LOCATION: Compass Room,
Casino Nova Scotia
DATE: Wednesday, April 23
TIME: 2:30 – 4:30pm
LOCATION: Halifax Chamber
of Commerce Boardroom,
656 Windmill Rd
DATE: Wednesday, April 16
TIME: 2:00 – 4:00pm
LOCATION: Heritage Hall, Pier 21
THANK YOU TO OUR MARCH SPONSORS:
6
T H U R S DAY
APRIL 2014
PROFESSIONAL SALES
DATE: Friday, April 25
TIME: 12:00 – 1:30 pm
LOCATION: Halifax Chamber
of Commerce Boardroom,
656 Windmill Rd
CHAMBERSPRING DINNER
SPEAKER: Mr. Peter Mansbridge,
Chief Correspondent of CBC News
& Anchor of The National
PRESENTED BY: Oland Brewery
DATE: Wednesday, April 30, 2014
TIME: 5:00pm – 9:00pm
LOCATION: World Trade and
Convention Centre
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
Time for bold action
Ray Ivany’s report challenges us to take charge of our destiny
What’s our next Honeycrisp Apple?”
– Premier Stephen McNeil
(February 18, 2014 at the Halifax Chamber of Commerce Luncheon)
VALERIE PAYN PRESIDENT
OneNovaScotia.
Now or Never.
Ray Ivany delivered an urgent call to
all of us last month. Like you, I’ve been
hearing a lot of talk about it wherever I
go. On the street, on the radio, on TV, at
the grocery store, even over the dinner
table — it is quoted and referred to all the
time, providing a much needed context
for us all.
The Commission’s message doesn’t
paint a pretty picture for our future. But
I — as one Nova Scotian — am happy
about this! Happy about the conversations that the tough love straight talk
has sparked. Happy that our conversations now have a new, shared, and widely
accepted language. Language that we
have not used before. Language that
resonates with us all. One that, secretly,
we have known all along.
And these are conversations that are
taking place all across our province. Finally, we are there. Ready to look at things
differently. Together. Publicly acknowledging that — urban and rural — we are
facing a “new normal”. Together.
Like many others across this great
province, we are looking at areas where
we are aligned with the OneNovaScotia
report. And we, like others, see a lot of
ourselves in it.
Do you?
In the Halifax Chamber’s case,
they include:
“Grow and Nurture the Skilled
Workforce” Task Force, led by Board
Member Mark Fraser, of T4G, is working
to promote immigration within our region. The Now or Never report set out
a goal of increasing Nova Scotia’s immigration; to reaching to the “2.7 per cent
of Canadian proportion” allocated to
Nova Scotia. To achieve this number —
alone — would raise our number of
BUSINESS VOICE
immigrants from our current 2,700 to
7,000 each year. Ambitious, but achievable. The “secret sauce” to getting there?
A shared plan and an open and welcoming attitude.
“Create a Positive Business Environment” Task Force, led by Darren Nantes,
is focused on promoting entrepreneurship. How better to grow our economy?
We have a lot already in place to provide
support to business start-ups and entrepreneurs. However, we have a real and
viable opportunity to grow larger, more
mature businesses. This is key if we are to
retain our highly skilled youth. OneNova
Scotia challenges us to achieve a 50 per
cent increase in start-ups.
Both the Halifax Chamber’s Strategic Plan and the Ray Ivany’s Now or Never
report have large, long-term challenges
that start with bold action. Everyone
(you, yes you!) has a role to play in working towards a brighter future for
our province.
7
NEWSMAKERS
NEW & NOTED
New to the Chamber this month
ALLWOODWORKS
BONAVENTURE AGENCY INC
Allwoodworks is dedicated to preserving memories of all kinds by offering
custom wood shadow boxes and display
cases. All of our display products are
designed with you in mind and come in
various styles, shapes and types of wood.
Can’t find what you are looking for? We
specialize in custom woodworks and ship
internationally. Why throw out those
memories? A suitable display can be a
viable option.
Bonaventure Agency has been in business for 18 years covering all of Atlantic
Canada. Bonaventure represents both
the industrial and retail sectors with high
quality products. Bonaventure’s competitive edge is having the ability to sell
quality and provide top quality technical
training. Bonaventure has been representing its core manufacturers for over
15 years.
Mike Dulude, Owner
Fall River NS
Ph: (902) 293-7481
[email protected]
www.allwoodworks.ca
Wood Products/Woodworking
AVAYA CANADA
Avaya is a leading global provider of
next-generation business collaboration
and communications solutions, providing
unified communications, real-time video
collaboration, contact centres, networking and related services to companies of
all sizes around the world. Avaya helps
our customers bring people together with
the right information at the right time in
the right context, enabling business users
to improve their efficiency and quickly
solve critical business challenges.
Jason Merry, Territory Account Manager,
Atlantic Canada
Ph: (514) 956-7265
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www.avaya.com
Telecommunications
THE BOARD ROOM GAME CAFE
Eat! Drink! Play! The Board Room Game
Cafe is the most fun spot in all of Eastern
Canada, with over 400 board and card
games available to play, along with local
craft beer, hand made grilled sandwiches,
and so much more!
Kris Moulton
1256 Barrington St, Halifax NS B3J 1Y6
Ph: (902) 423-7545
[email protected]
www.boardroomgames.ca
Restaurant
8
Denis Hachey, Business Partner
Ph: (902) 441-8441
[email protected]
www.bonaventureagency.com
Manufacturers Agents
BUELL & ASSOCIATES
Buell & Associates specializes in
Marketing Automation and Customer
Relationship Management (CRM) solutions. Frank Buell, President of Buell &
Associates, has been involved with CRM
for over 25 years and has been a certified
partner for several major CRM solutions.
Buell & Associates is an authorized partner for ACT!, Sage CRM, SalesFusion
and SwiftPage.
Frank Buell, President
Station Belmore, Box 55013
Montreal QC H4V 0A1
Ph: (514) 375-2465
ǃXk[bb6Xk[bb#ơiieY_ơj[i$Yơ
www.buell-associates.ca
E-Business
Ph: (902) 468-3548
www.cottoncandy.ca
Promotional Products/Sales
EVENTS CAPE BRETON
Glen MacDonald, Executive Director
70 Crescent St.
Sydney NS B1P 6R7
Ph: (902) 270-8551
[email protected]
Events - Planning/Management
GESSO COMMUNICATIONS
Gesso Communications has been delivering smart digital solutions for almost 10
years. We are a team of 12 professionals
who excel at delivering a spectrum of services including initial strategy, UI design
and robust development of responsive
websites and applications.
Kevin Bourgeois, President
503-84 Chain Lake Dr
Halifax NS B3S 1A2
Ph: (902) 442-9654
[email protected]
www.gesso.ca
Web Development/Training
JINRONG GE
Student Member
Ph: (902) 293-2762
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Individual Member
LE5 MANAGEMENT
COTTON CANDY
Cotton Candy is a marketing company
that excels at providing strategically
focused, branded merchandise for
promotional purposes as well as those
of corporate brand and image reinforcement. Other strengths include company
online store design and management,
direct importing, warehousing and
fulfillment, in-house embroidery and
employee rewards and recognition.
Established 1992.
Jolene Harnish,
Senior Account Executive
400-11 Akerley Blvd
Dartmouth NS B3B 1J6
APRIL 2014
Events: our passion, your success! Are
you looking for someone to plan your
event from the ground up, or do you just
need a few creative ideas? Le5 Management provides all levels of service
to make your dreams happen! Visit us
online and see how our passion can help
YOU succeed!
Remi Lefebvre, Owner & Event Manager
Ph: (902) 233-6422
[email protected]
www.le5management.com
Events - Planning/Management
NEWSMAKERS
MARA CONSULTING
Stewart Gray, Principal
2000 Barrington St
Suite 602, Cogswell Tower
Halifax NS B3L 3K1
Ph: (902) 492-6894
[email protected]
www.maraconsulting.ca
Information Technology Products/
Services
MY CANADA PAYDAY
My Canada Payday is an online payday
lender, licensed in British Columbia,
Saskatchewan, Ontario and Nova Scotia.
We lend up to $1,500 based on applicants
having a regular source of income.
Dale Evans, Director
57 Portland St
Dartmouth NS B2Y 1H2
Ph: (877) 730-8406
[email protected]
www.mycanadapayday.com
Financial/Banking Institutions
NOVA GEORGIA PROPERTIES LTD
Based in Atlanta Georgia and Bedford
Nova Scotia. Nova Georgia Properties is
a multi-family real estate investment firm
with a buy and hold philosophy. Founded
in 2009, the company continues to acquire quality assets in smaller South East
US markets. Nova Georgia Properties was
founded by its President Randy Stevens,
Trevor Hughes and Malcolm Rogers.
Randy Stevens, President
18-36 Brookshire Crt
Bedford NS B4A 4E9
Ph: (902) 455-4144
[email protected]
novageorgiaproperties.com
Real Estate - Residential
OFFICE EXTENSION STRATEGIC AND
ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES
Office Extension provides bilingual
strategic and administrative solutions to
small and mid-sized businesses. Our core
business is account management and
client retention. We also support business
owners by reducing their administrative
workload, offering affordable and sustainable services in order to facilitate the
growth of their businesses. Your challenge.....Our solution
Johanne Primeau, Owner
Halifax, NS
Ph: (902) 891-0932
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Virtual Office
PINK INK REALTY LTD.
Pink Ink Realty handles all aspects of
your leasing needs. Retail, industrial,
office, or warehouse, we can represent
your best interests and provide valuable
insight. We promote best practices in
real estate and support our clients’
objectives while delivering first class
service & results. Call us today.
Anna Murphy, Real Estate Broker
540 Southgate Dr
Suite 204
Bedford NS B4A 0C9
Ph: (902) 448-1008
[email protected]
www.pinkinkrealty.ca
Real Estate - Commercial
QUANTUM COMMUNICATIONS
Quantum Communications is a fullservice public relations and communications agency based in Halifax for
more than 20 years. Our services include
writing, editing, proofreading, website
development, design, media relations,
communications planning, and training.
Our promise to clients: personalized,
customized service of award-winning
quality — to deadline and on budget.
donalee Moulton, President
265 Torrington Dr
Halifax NS B3M 2V3
Ph: (902) 443-9600
[email protected]
www.quantumcommunications.ca
Communications
SACKVILLE BUSINESS ASSOCIATION
The Sackville Business Association is a
non-profit organization representing a
vibrant district of over 300 diverse businesses. We aim to make Sackville a great
place to live, work and shop through
beautification, community events, marketing, networking and advocacy.
Michelle Champniss, Executive Director
PO Box 572
281 Sackville Drive
Lower Sackville NS B4C 3G4
Ph: (902) 252-3099
BUSINESS VOICE
[email protected]
www.sackvillebusiness.com
Associations/Agencies/Commissions
SAFETY FIRST-SFC LTD.
Safety First - SFC Ltd. is a leading provider
of traffic control services, traffic safety
products and safety training courses.
With an extensive roster of staff, managers
and safety professionals our success is
built on superior customer service. Serving all of Atlantic Canada we offer over
30 safety training programs; anytime,
anywhere!
John Vosloo, Training Manager
116 Thorne Ave
Dartmouth NS B3B 1Z2
Ph: (902) 464-0889
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Training Programs
SCOTIABANK BLUE NOSE MARATHON
The 11th Annual Scotiabank Blue Nose
Marathon will be celebrated on Victoria Day Holiday Weekend – May 16-18,
2014. Starting on Sackville Street and
finishing on Brunswick Street, the routes
will showcase Halifax and Dartmouth’s
beautiful landmarks, historic downtown
streets, and scenic parks. Over 16,000
runners, walkers and volunteers will
participate in 2014 Blue Nose weekend
events.
Gina Brown, Executive Director
205-3600 Kempt Rd
Halifax NS B3K 4X8
Ph: (902) 496-1889
[email protected]
Health And Wellness
SOLID GOLD CONSTRUCTION LIMITED
Since 2001 Solid Gold Construction
has worked diligently to build a reputation of excellence in the construction
industry. Our company’s services range
from custom home builds to additions to
renovations. With attention to detail and
professionalism, our team of experienced
craftsmen is dedicated to providing superior quality to every project.
Gaius Carmichael, President
Ph: (902) 830-5768
[email protected]
www.solidgoldhomes.ca
Contractor/Construction Services
9
NEWSMAKERS
STAY AT HOME SOLUTIONS
Providing services & resources for
seniors & persons with disabilities to live
at home. Assistance with personal care:
bathing, hair & skin care, mouth care,
toileting, feeding, dressing and mobility. Assistance with all activities of daily
living: light cleaning, laundry, nutritious
meal preparation, shopping, banking,
transportation. Other Services: Respite
Care.
Stephanie-Lynn Osberg
Ph: (902) 425-9704
[email protected]
Personal Care/Services/Products
THE SUMMIT SEARCH GROUP
Cynthia McCuthcheon, Managing
Partner
Suite 101
647 Bedford Hwy
Bedford NS B3M0A5
Ph: (902) 405-3607
[email protected]
www.summitsearchgroup.com
Recruitment Services
TAMMY CRITCH
- THE DESTINATION EXPERTS
Ph: (902) 830-3450
[email protected]
Travel Services
Brenda Gallagher, President & Founder
Ph: (902) 717-5699
[email protected]
www.unisonspatherapy.com
Retail Distributor
TORPEDO RAYS SCUBA
URBAN RETREAT MASSAGE THERAPYLTD.
Jason Weickert, President
625 Windmill Rd
Dartmouth NS B3B 1B6
Ph: (902) 481-0444
[email protected]
Recreation/Sports/Fitness
UNISON SPA THERAPY
UNISON creator of the ORIGINAL
Collagen Mask Series. The Naturally
Replenishing Anti Aging Treatment for
home. An exclusive formula with hyaluronic acid to renew nature’s sugar in
your skin. It’s a “Liquid Facelift” without
injections. Continuously hydrate, fill fine
lines and soften wrinkles with UNISON.
Available at Lawtons Drugstores.
Urban Retreat Massage Therapy Ltd has
been providing the best in therapeutic
massage treatments on Spring Garden
Road since 2005. Our Registered Massage Therapists are highly skilled at deep
tissue massage, hotstone and more. We
offer direct billing for many health plans,
including the Chamber! Book online at
www.urbanretreat.ca.
Angela MacDonald, Owner/President
5411 Spring Garden Rd
Halifax NS B3J 1G1
Ph: (902) 444-8334
[email protected]
www.urbanretreat.ca
Health Care - Massage Therapy
VOGUE OPTICAL
Michelle Ashford, Manager & Optician
114 Woodlawn Rd
Dartmouth NS B3A 4X7
Ph: (902) 434-3232
www.vogueoptical.ca
Health Care - Optician
is
WANDA LECLAIR
Friday, June 13, 2014 | Glen Arbour Golf Course
BLAME YOUR GOLF GAME ON BAD LUCK
Join us on the course on Friday the 13th
Independent Jeweller - Fifth Avenue
Collection Jewellery
Ph: (902) 448-2625
[email protected]
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wleclair
Jewellery
Visit www.halifaxchamber.com to register today
Contact Lindsay Best, [email protected] to discuss
how you can engage key business leaders today!
10
APRIL 2014
Are you a new member?
To submit your 50-word blurb for
New & Noted, please contact Jennifer
Pierce, Member Services Specialist,
at [email protected]
or (902) 481-1227 within the first
six months of membership.
NEWSMAKERS
MEMBERS IN THE NEWS
Movers and shakers, our members are newsmakers
THE DATA GROUP LAUNCHES
DOCUMENT PROCESS MANAGEMENT
OFFERING
The DATA Group is now offering Document Process Management. “DATA has
decades of experience analyzing and
managing client data and processes. This
solution builds on that knowledge with
proven technology and services that allow us to take a closer look at clients’ document processes and design solutions to
improve them,” says local DATA Group
Representative Christopher White.
“Many organizations have large quantities of aged records that are stored in
unsafe and unorganized environments.
This makes it difficult and time-consuming to retrieve information, and also
makes them vulnerable to damage or loss
with a high cost of ‘disaster recovery’.”
Learn more at [email protected],
(902) 468-5300 or www.datagroup.ca.
SUCCESS COLLEGE EARNS PRESTIGIOUS NATIONAL ACCREDITATION
Success College has received the highest accreditation possible for its industry.
After a three year evaluation process,
Success College has been accredited by
the Canadian Education and Training
Accreditation Commission (CETAC).
This accreditation is confirmation that
Success College meets or exceeds the
highest quality standards in Canadian
post-secondary education. “This is a
proud moment for Success College,”
says Janice Currie, Director at Success
College. “It is validation that Success
College offers its students career training at the highest level.” Presently, Success College is the only classroom-based
campus college in the Maritimes to
earn this designation. Learn more at
www.thinksuccess.ca.
BUILDING ON SUCCESS: KBRS
EXPANDS NL RECRUITMENT PRACTICE
Knightsbridge Robertson Surrette
(KBRS) is expanding its St. John’s based
recruitment team. Beverley Evans joins
the Firm as Practice Leader for Executive
Search, while Shane McClafferty joins
as a Consultant with Meridia Recruitment. “The economic landscape in Newfoundland and Labrador has changed
dramatically since we first opened a St.
John’s office over 14 years ago,” said Jeff
Forbes, KBRS Vice-President. “It is with
great pleasure that we continue to grow
alongside our partners in business. Our
clients want integrated solutions that
look at the big picture and account for
local realities. Our recruitment teams,
working in collaboration with our leadership solutions team and our career
transition team, do exactly that.”
SMALL BUSINESS TURNS INTO
BIG BUSINESS FOR KITCHEN DOOR
CATERING COMPANY!
Kitchen Door Catering has brought
Avril Madore Mulholland on board to
expand its marketing and wedding/special event sales. “We have already been
a sought after company in the wedding
and special event market for exquisite
food and excellent service. With Avril’s
experience and expertise, it will allow us
to expand our wedding & event services
to cater to a growing market of discerning couples that are really looking for
creative food concepts that are on-trend
and unique,” says owner Patty Howard.
Kitchen Door Catering was the 2014 Silver Award winner for Small Business of
the Year at the Halifax Business Awards.
NEW CONVENTION CENTRE SECURES
16 EVENTS, LAUNCHES NEW BRAND
Sixteen organizations have already
committed to bringing national and
international conferences when the
new Halifax Convention Centre opens
its doors in 2016. “The new convention
centre will attract more people to Nova
Scotia and connect them with communities across the province,” says Michel
Samson, Minister of Economic and Rural
Development and Tourism. “Our convention centre is an opportunity to connect
63 McQuade Lake Crescent,
Halifax, NS, B3S 1C4
BUSINESS VOICE
11
NEWSMAKERS
our businesses, tourism operators and
researchers with visitors from around the
world that will explore our province and
all we have to offer.” The brand, Halifax
Convention Centre, has also been unveiled. The logo includes a circle icon — a
visual depiction of connections, collaboration and community unique to hosting
an event in Nova Scotia.
edition of the Benchmark Canada Directory recognized 20 Stewart McKelvey
partners from across Atlantic Canada as
leading litigation stars and two partners
as rising litigation stars.
QUANTUM COMMUNICATIONS’
PRINCIPAL FEATURED SPEAKER AT
INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE
JONNY STEVENS JOINS REVOLVE
Jonny Stevens has joined Revolve as
Brand Strategist, Digital. Most recently,
Stevens served as Executive Director
of the Halifax Pop Explosion. “From
traditional campaigns to driving a Honda
Civic into a nightclub, I have some fun
stories to tell,” says Stevens. “I look
forward to crafting new stories for our
clients’ brands and building meaningful
relationships between these brands and
their audiences.” “Jonny understands
the digital landscape and how to integrate traditional with new and emerging
channels to tell great brand stories,” says
Revolve CEO, Phil Otto. “Jonny’s passion
for brand, digital and social media is a
perfect fit on the Revolve team.”
BOYNECLARKE LLP CONGRATULATES
TIM HILL ON QUEEN’S COUNSEL
APPOINTMENT
BOYNECLARKE LLP recently announced the appointment of Tim Hill
as Queen’s Counsel. The designation is
an honour presented to a select group
of lawyers in recognition of leadership in
the practice of law and in our community.
Hill’s practice is focused on secured
creditor rights and liabilities, bankruptcy
and insolvency, as well as debt restructuring and commercial real estate litigation.
He is a member of the Canadian Bar
Association, the Nova Scotia Barristers’
Society, and the International Association
of Restructuring, Insolvency & Bankruptcy
Professionals (INSOL). A frequent speaker
on his areas of law, Hill has also been a
part-time lecturer at Dalhousie University’s
Schulich School of Law since 1998, teaching the Bankruptcy & Insolvency course.
Chris Cannon
Photo: Contributed
join our Engineering/Technical/Supply
Chain Practice. We continue to grow our
footprint in the local energy, construction
and industrial sectors, so to have Chris
join us truly enforces our commitment
to our clients’ operations and projects
throughout Atlantic Canada.”
BENCHMARK LITIGATION CANADA
NAMES STEWART MCKELVEY
FIRM OF THE YEAR – ATLANTICS
For the second year in a row, Stewart
McKelvey has been named Firm of the
Year – Atlantics by Benchmark Litigation.
“This award is truly a reflection of the
high caliber of our lawyers across Atlantic Canada and their significant accomplishments on behalf of our clients,” says
John Rogers, QC, CEO, Stewart McKelvey. “We are also pleased to celebrate
the 22 Stewart McKelvey partners listed
in the 2014 Benchmark Canada Directory who have been recognized for their
dedication to client success.” The 2014
donalee Moulton, principal of Quantum Communications, has been invited to be a featured speaker at the 2014
Education Forum and Annual Meeting
(EFAM) in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
EFAM, the world’s premier career
training and networking conference for
office professionals, is sponsored by the
International Association of Administrative Professionals and attracts upwards of 1,500 participants from across
North America and beyond. Moulton
will speak on Crisis Management and
the News Media to participants in the
Advanced Level: C-Suite stream.
CULINARY BOOTCAMPS
A SIGNATURE EXPERIENCE
In 2013, the Island Flavours Culinary Experience, offered through Holland College’s Culinary Bootcamps, was named
1 of 28 Canadian Signature Experiences
by the Canadian Tourism Commission.
“This signature designation is known for
its farm-to-table experience that includes
a visit to the local market,” says Culinary
Bootcamp Coordinator Karen Wortman.
“Learn all about our world famous seafood and locally produced meats through
the creation of authentic island recipes
CHRIS CANNON JOINS
DAVID APLIN GROUP
David Aplin Group has recently
expanded its Aplin Professional Division
in Halifax. Amy Reid, Vice-President for
the Atlantic Region is happy to welcome
their newest team member, Chris
Cannon. “We are excited to have Chris
12
A chef preps some
halibut in one of
Holland College’s
Bootcamps.
Photo: Contributed
APRIL 2014
NEWSMAKERS
with your personal chef instructor. With
a variety of other themed bootcamps to
choose from, including our new demo
experiences, this is an absolute ‘must do’
while visiting P.E.I.”
SCOTIABANK BLUE NOSE MARATHON
NAMES FEATURED CHARITIES
Since the Scotiabank Charity Challenge
was launched in 2009, more than 100
charities have been involved, raising
over $1,000,000 in vital funding for
their organizations. Featured Chamber member charities in 2014 include
Adsum for Women & Children,
Alice Housing, Autism Nova Scotia,
Brigadoon Village, Bryony House,
Canadian Red Cross, CNIB, Dress
for Success Halifax Society, Ecology
Action Centre, FEED NOVA SCOTIA,
Halifax & Region Military Family
Resource Centre, Heart and Stroke
Foundation of Canada, Junior
Achievement of Nova Scotia, Laing
House, Make-A-Wish Atlantic Provinces, Nova Scotia Nature Trust,
Ovarian Cancer Canada, Parker
Street Food & Furniture Bank,
Phoenix, Symphony Nova Scotia,
The Children’s Wish Foundation of
Canada, The Epilepsy Association
of Nova Scotia, The Halifax Sexual
Health Centre, and The Leukemia
and Lymphoma Society of Canada’s
TEAM IN TRAINING.
allow a good mix of participants, but at
the same time maintain a level of control
that has safety as the top priority,” says
Max Rastelli, Owner, Segway Nova
Scotia. “People now have the opportunity to see more of our province in a safe,
fun and unique way. It also presents new
tourism opportunities for other businesses and potential tour operators right
across Nova Scotia.” Learn more at
www.segwayns.com.
TOWER INTERIORS
IS THE CONSUMER’S CHOICE
Tower Interiors has been recognized by
the Consumer Choice Awards for the
fourth year in a row. Consumer Choice
Award recipients are not selected by a
panel of judges, but are chosen by the
consumer. Each year, consumers are surveyed all across Canada to gather their
opinions, perceptions and expectations
regarding the services they choose on a
daily basis. “We are honored once again
to be chosen by the public as their Interior Design firm of choice,” says owner
Pam Tower. “This is an incredible award
to win, to have our efforts acknowledged.
We are truly committed to creating
well-designed spaces that function efficiently for the end-user, while extending
exceptional customer service. Thank you
for all of you who made this a reality!”
Photo: Contributed
Gina
Brown
GINA BROWN NEW EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR OF SCOTIABANK
BLUE NOSE MARATHON
In September 2013, Gina Brown took on
the new role of executive director with
Scotiabank Blue Nose Marathon.
Brown’s interest in Blue Nose stretches
back a number of years. In addition to
volunteering on committees and during
the event, she served as co-chair of last
year’s 10th Year Running Committee. As
a legacy project, the committee created
Shoe Mountain, encouraging people to
donate running shoes to Nova Scotians
in need. More than 1,200 pairs were donated in the first year. In her spare time,
she is also an avid fitness enthusiast.
Most recently, she ran the Half Marathon
in Blue Nose, a 10k in Texas and has
completed a number of sprint triathlons
in Nova Scotia.
Tower Interiors staff with their 2014 Consumer Choice Award.
SEGWAY PILOT PROJECT APPROVED
FOR NOVA SCOTIA
The Department of Transportation and
Infrastructure Renewal has approved
a Segway Pilot Project for Nova Scotia.
“TIR staff got it right by putting together
regulations that are flexible enough to
Segway users will be allowed to ride on
some sidewalks in Nova Scotia as part
of a pilot project.
Photo: Contributed
Photo: Contributed
BUSINESS VOICE
13
NEWSMAKERS
ANNUAL GENERAL
MEETING
WHAT?
WHO?
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WHEN?
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To register visit www.halifaxchamber.com
AIR CANADA ROUGE TO OFFER
MORE CARIBBEAN DESTINATIONS
Air Canada recently announced that
its leisure carrier subsidiary, Air Canada
rouge, is expanding its choice of more
Caribbean destinations this summer.
The conversion of additional Caribbean
vacation destinations to Air Canada
rouge service represents an increase of
22 per cent more seats on these routes
to the Caribbean this summer than last.
“Customer response to Air Canada rouge
for vacation travel has been very positive
since it started flying just last summer,”
says Ben Smith, Air Canada’s Executive
Vice President and Chief Commercial
Officer. “The addition of more yearround Caribbean destinations to Air
Canada rouge’s network is the next
logical step, as our leisure carrier enables
us to compete on a more cost effective
basis on these routes while leveraging
the strength of Air Canada Vacations.”
MINTY DELIVERS KEEPS GROWING!
In addition to grocery delivery,
Minty Delivers now offers a full range
of courier services throughout the
HRM. “We are very happy to be able to
cater more to the needs of our business
customers and continue building strong
relationships in the business community
throughout Halifax,” says Josh Poulain,
Minty Delivers’ founder & owner. “Our
new courier services aim to fill the need
of any business in the city that needs
something delivered quickly and reliably.”
Learn more at www.mintydelivers.com/
courier.php
68/<3"
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7$
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April 16, 2014 | 2pm-4pm | Pier 21
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;
14
APRIL 2014
To make a submission to Members in
the News please contact Jennifer Pierce,
Member Services Specialist, at jenn@
halifaxchamber.com or (902) 481-1227.
Deadline for submissions is six weeks before
publication, on the 15th of each month.
Peter Mansbridge
is our Spring Dinner
Guest Speaker
on April 30th.
Details at
www.halifaxchamber.com
Photo: Contributed by CBC © 2009 Dustin Rabin
Many stories to tell
16
APRIL 2014
COVER STORY
A Canadian
broadcast
icon will
speak at
Chamber
Spring Dinner
By Richard Woodbury
excellence in broadcast journalism.
Despite the accolades, perhaps the
most amazing thing about Mansbridge is
his unlikely life journey. It’s a story which
backs up the old saying that truth is often
stranger than fiction. “My start was
different… I have no background, zero
background in broadcasting or journalism,” says Mansbridge. On top of that,
he’s a high school dropout.
His story is proof that a bit of luck,
lots of passion and hard work can take you
far in life. It’s a lesson that people from all
walks of life can take inspiration from.
Mansbridge’s reputation as a trusted
icon is one of the reasons the Chamber
is bringing him on as a keynote speaker.
“We expect his storytelling will inspire
our members with a positive message for
Canada’s future,” says Chamber President
Valerie Payn.
Mansbridge was born in London,
England, but immigrated to Canada when he was about six years old.
After this string of disappointments,
Mansbridge bounced around Western
Canada because he was too embarrassed
to go home. He ended up in Churchill,
Manitoba where he worked for Transair,
a regional airline. His duties included
doing whatever needed to be done, such
as loading bags on planes, gassing up the
planes and selling tickets. One day his
duties forever changed when a co-worker asked him to announce that a flight
was boarding. “Transair Flight 106 for
Thompson, The Pas and Winnipeg is now
ready for boarding at Gate One,” were
the words Mansbridge called out, according to his book Peter Mansbridge One on
One. “Passengers travelling with small
children and those requiring boarding
assistance, please check with the agent
at the gate.”
Mansbridge began heading to the
gate to be the ticket agent, but a man got in
his way and told him he had a great voice
and asked him if he had ever thought of
I grew up in a family that loved to talk about current events, whether they were
happening in whatever community we were living in or on the other side of the world,
and we always had dinner together every night and we’d talk about these things.”
– Peter Mansbridge
For more than 25 years, he’s been a con-
stant presence in the lives of Canadians,
helping bring clarity and perspective to
what happens both at home and around
the world. With his deep voice and calm
demeanour, he’s a comforting presence
in a world that is often anything but comforting. On Wednesday, April 30, Peter
Mansbridge will be the keynote speaker
at the Halifax Chamber of Commerce’s
Annual Spring Dinner.
Mansbridge has been the recipient
of many honours, including the Officer
of the Order of Canada, numerous honorary degrees from universities across
the country and 12 Gemini Awards for
Mansbridge and his family came via
boat and it passed through Halifax. He
didn’t disembark, but rather, got off in
Quebec City. Mansbridge and his family
then settled in Ottawa, where his father
worked as a civil servant. Regardless,
Halifax was Mansbridge’s first glimpse
of Canada.
In high school, Mansbridge didn’t
work hard and ended up dropping out.
From there, he joined the Navy because
it was a convenient thing to do and was
there for just under two years. The results
were similar. “I spent most of my time in
the Navy having a good time instead of
working hard,” says Mansbridge.
BUSINESS VOICE
working in radio. The man was the station
manager of CHFC, a CBC station in Churchill. The idea he had a good voice was
one that had never entered Mansbridge’s
mind. It still hasn’t today. “When I hear it
[my voice], I’m horrified,” he says.
It was an opportunity Mansbridge
did not pass up and one he knew he
couldn’t screw up. On the job, he learned
he loved broadcasting, but he knew
working as a music DJ wasn’t his calling.
(In his book, Mansbridge says during
the early years of the British Invasion, he
insisted to his friends that the Dave Clark
Five was the best British band, while his
friends were adamant it was the Beatles.)
17
COVER STORY
Photo: Contributed by CBC
Photo: Contributed by CBC / evenmitsui
18
APRIL 2014
At the station, Mansbridge noticed
there wasn’t a newscast, so he suggested the station start one. Naturally, this
became his responsibility. Mansbridge
began studying all of the short-wave
broadcasts he could listen to because
there wasn’t even anybody at the station
who could teach him the ins and outs of
this task.
Mansbridge’s passion for news
stemmed from his upbringing. “I grew up
in a family that loved to talk about current
events, whether they were happening in
whatever community we were living in or
on the other side of the world, and we always had dinner together every night and
we’d talk about these things,” he says.
COVER STORY
You cover so many awful stories that when
you get a chance to cover something nice,
you take a great deal of delight in it and
tend to remember it.”
– Peter Mansbridge
Photo: Contributed by CBC
Later in life, Mansbridge would
have similar discussions with his father,
who spent most of his career working
“in the bureaucracy of Parliament Hill.”
“We used to have many conversations/
arguments about various things that
were going on in Ottawa and the way we
were covering them,” says Mansbridge
with a laugh.
While lacking in experience at the
radio station, Mansbridge possessed the
most fundamental skills journalists need:
a fascination in the world around them,
the ability to ask questions, and challenge
assumptions and a love of communicating what one has learned to others.
After three years in Churchill, Mansbridge began his journalism ascent with
a move to Winnipeg. A year later he went
from radio to television. In Winnipeg,
people questioned whether he belonged
and looked at him as if he had three
heads. “I had to prove it,” says Mansbridge. “I had to show them. It wasn’t
easy, so I worked hard, really hard and
still do. There are many days where I’m
working 16, 17-hour days.”
After Winnipeg, Mansbridge had
stops in other provinces. In 1998, he became the anchor and chief correspondent
of The National, positions he continues to
hold to this day.
A trip to Halifax is an opportunity Mansbridge relishes and he usually
comes here two to three times a year.
He loves going to Pier 21 because he can
see the ship he came to Canada on. “My
history with Halifax goes as far back as
I’ve lived in Canada.”
One of his more enjoyable broadcasting experiences took place here as
well when he was covering the Tall Ships
back in 2000. It was a beautiful day and
four or five hours of live coverage was
produced. “You cover so many awful stories that when you get a chance to cover
something nice, you take a great deal of
delight in it and tend to remember it,”
says Mansbridge.
He’s also served as a moderator at
BUSINESS VOICE
two of the previous 4Front Atlantic Conferences, where the region’s top business
leaders meet to develop “concrete ideas
on how best to transform our economy,”
according to its website. These experiences helped reinforce his optimistic
view of the region’s future.
One thing the conferences reinforced was just how unpredictable the
world can be. “One year, Europe was in
great shape, the next year Europe was imploding,” he says with a laugh. “It taught
you a lot of lessons about the constant
changes that are at play in the world
economy, and how you position yourself
to handle those different changes.”
There is a lot that can be learned
from Mansbridge’s life. One of the most
important lessons is that regardless of
one’s achievements, one should still
approach each day with the passion and
enthusiasm that helped bring success
in the first place. “You can’t take things
for granted,” says Mansbridge, “not in
today’s world.”
19
FIVB Sand Jam Beach Volleyball Championships
Photo: Ted Pritchard/The Chronicle Herald
Mooseheads win
President’s Cup 2013
2013 Blue Nose Marathon
Photo: Ingrid Bulmer/
The Chronicle Herald
Photo: Ted Pritchard/The Chronicle Herald
Bringing our A game
Halifax beginning to punch above its weight
in the sporting market
By J. L. Hochman
20
APRIL 2014
HALIFAX’S SPORTING MARKET
H
alifax has come a long way in the new
millennium.
Looking back 20 years, our city
seemed to be dormant in the sporting
landscape. Its local semi-pro basketball team, the Halifax Windjammers,
ceased operations after four years and
failed attempts to find a home in a stable
league. The only major tournament in the
latter half of the 1990s was the Canadian
Interuniversity Sport men’s basketball
championship, an annual Halifax event
since 1984.
Even Halifax’s resident hockey
team, the American Hockey League’s
Halifax Citadels, moved to Ontario and
were replaced with Atlantic Canada’s
first team in the Quebec Major Junior
Hockey League — the Halifax Mooseheads — leaving the city with one recurring college basketball tournament and
a foray into unknown waters in the
hockey world.
“I think one of the things we didn’t
do as good a job on in the past was being
proactive in soliciting events and getting
them to come to Nova Scotia,” says
Patrick Sullivan, CEO of the Nova Scotia
Tourism Agency. “Nova Scotia is a location that people always seem to want to
come to, and are looking for an excuse to
do that — so when we provide them with
a sporting event to attend in Nova Scotia,
it raises the desire to come here.”
Despite prospects looking thin at the
time for Halifax, there began a gradual
shift in the city’s portrayal as a sports
town. As the city grew, and the Moose
heads began to experience success, Halifax gained increasing attention — and
ways to present itself — as a destination
for sporting events.
Success breeds success
The turn of the millennium seemed
to be the catalyst that sent our city on the
path to carving its niche in the broader
sports realm. In 2000, Halifax hosted
the Canadian Hockey League’s Memorial Cup — a tournament showcasing the
best junior hockey teams across Canada
and the U.S. The country was exposed
to Halifax’s ability to host a marquee
event, and it was a major success. Media
coverage, volunteer support, corporate
sponsorship and fan excitement was
everything the Canadian Hockey League
could have hoped for.
Canadian Adam
Hadwin chats
with his caddie
during the
second round of
the Brasil Classic
Presented by
HSBC at the Sao
Paulo Golf Club
on April 5, 2013 in
Sao Paulo, Brazil.
Photo: Scott Halleran/
Getty Images for HSBC
Brian Urquhart, Vice-President of
Business Operations for the Moose
heads, noted that the fans played a
pivotal part in that success, as they have
been remarkably consistent and engaged
with the team, from its conception right
through to today.
“The fans put this organization on
the map,” says Urquhart. “They love
their junior hockey and are among the
most passionate in the CHL.”
That support led to another sporting
coup for Halifax — landing the 2003 International Ice Hockey Federation World
Junior Hockey Championship, shared
with Sydney, Nova Scotia. Now front and
BUSINESS VOICE
center on the world stage, Halifax delivered a successful tournament.
Halifax Mayor Mike Savage, who
served as an MP during the latter half of
the 2000s, believes the World Juniors cemented Halifax on the international map.
“I think we established ourselves
as a great sports destination by hosting
a successful World Juniors,” says Savage.
“I talked to the people at Hockey Canada,
and Halifax really raised the bar.”
Not quite enough
common wealth
Halifax seemed to be on a roll when
it landed its biggest fish yet in 2006 —
21
HALIFAX’S SPORTING MARKET
being named the host city for Canada’s
bid in the 2014 Commonwealth Games,
a bid described at the time by the Commonwealth Games Canada group as
“eminently winnable.”
But, as the city learned, with rapid
growth and the desire to become a larger
player in any industry, there comes the
risk of biting off more than one can chew.
Just one year later the city had to withdraw
from the bidding due to the rising cost of
hosting the Commonwealth Games.
Derek Martin, President of Sports &
Entertainment Atlantic, says Haligonians
need to remember that Halifax is still a
relatively small city, and so hosting the
very biggest and best sporting events
isn’t always feasible. While the Commonwealth incident left a bad taste in everyone’s mouth, it actually served an even
greater purpose — giving Halifax a better
sense of where it can expect to succeed.
“We realize that while we may not
be the biggest city, and can’t compete in
Come sail away
Nova Scotia is inextricably linked
to the world of competitive sailing. Just
look at the Canadian dime. From the
historic dominance of the Bluenose to
the international events held in this
province today, we have a rich tradition
on the open water.
Frank Denis, Executive Director
for Sail Nova Scotia, says that our sailing landscape has been growing, with
a bevy of events each year, including
the alternating Marblehead to Halifax
Ocean Race and the Route Halifax
Saint-Pierre international events (Marblehead in odd years, Saint-Pierre in
even years), and the occasional world
championship.
Halifax hosted the 2002 World
Youth Championships, the 2009 World
22
some areas, we are starting to identify
the areas where we can compete, and
we’re running with those,” says Martin.
“That’s what’s been missing — acknowledging that we’re not Toronto; we need to
figure out where we sit. We’re somewhere
in the middle, and that’s good — that’s what
makes the quality of living here so great.”
Martin believes that Halifax can succeed by utilizing all its tools and exploring all the possible options for bringing
sporting events to our city.
“I think we need to continue to
look at new things,” says Martin. “In my
personal opinion, as great as hockey and
curling events are, there are more things
out there that we can be going for.
“We need to respect the size of
our city, and some of the things that we
have going for us, such as being a very
close city to Europe, in relation to other
cities in North America — what can we
do to strengthen those ties with major
events?”’
2009 Laser
Championships in
St. Margaret’s Bay
Photo: Julia Webb
Laser Championships and will be
hosting the 2014 IFDS Worlds Disabled
Sailing Championships.
“We try to aim for one world
championship every five years,” says
Denis, who attributes the number of
major events to our history.
“Nova Scotia has a culture of sailing,” says Denis. “If you look at the per
capita numbers, our results at national
sailing events and other major events
are off the charts.”
Denis adds that Halifax’s geography
helps as well — the region has a very
consistent and reliable wind, and a vast
amount of open water. There is one other
key element:
“We know what it takes to host an
event.”
APRIL 2014
Regaining momentum
Since the Commonwealth Games
hiccup, Halifax has successfully hosted
the 2008 IIHF Men’s World Hockey
Championship and the 2011 Canada Winter Games. The city has also gone “outside the box” over the past three years,
and hosted the FIVB Sand Jam Beach
Volleyball Championships — trucking in
sand directly to the Halifax Waterfront.
Halifax, in regaining its momentum,
is now forging an identity it can market to
event organizers. That identity is one of
a medium-sized city, with a strong community and great volunteer support.
“Our population is only around
400,000 people,” says Martin. “And
with some of these events, looking at
how many people you can draw, Halifax
punches above its weight in a lot of cases.”
Halifax also succeeds thanks in part
to a strong business climate. In early
February, the PGA TOUR announced
that its affiliate, the Web.com Tour, will
be hosting an event at New Ashburn Golf
Course, with the corporate support being
a key factor.
“I think [Halifax] is a fabulous market; it has a robust business climate and a
very proactive business mentality,” says
Tim Benton, Vice-President, Tournaments Business Affairs & Sponsorship
Sales with PGA Tour. “A lot of factors
come in to play, but first and foremost,
the market itself is really good.
“We play, on this tour, all around the
world, and I can say that Halifax was very
much a place we wanted to add on the
schedule.”
Think Global, Act Local
While attracting events and franchises is important, a critical part of revitalizing the sporting landscape in Halifax
was the growth of home-grown products.
The Blue Nose Marathon is now among
the city’s most highly-regarded annual
events, and has steadily grown over each
of its 11 years in existence.
Rod McCulloch, who co-chairs the
Blue Nose Marathon with Gerry Walsh,
says that the event has had close to a 15 per
cent growth in participation every year.
A combination of corporate and
community support, and picking the
proper way of executing the event —
focusing on the ‘everyman’ runner and
including the entire community, rather
than the competitive aspect — was the
key to success in McCulloch’s eyes.
HALIFAX’S SPORTING MARKET
Sporting legacies
Hosting a major national or international sporting event brings
excitement, suspense, and media exposure. Equally important is
the resulting economic impact, and the infrastructure such events
leave behind.
The 2011 Canada Games, for example, was a very successful
event, as it resulted in an increase in net economic activity (GDP)
of $34.9-million in Halifax (according to a 2011 Canadian Sport
Tourism Alliance economic impact assessment of the event). But
it also left Halifax with legacy pieces such as the Oval and the
Canada Games Centre.
Emera Oval
Photo: Adrien Veczan/
The Chronicle Herald
“We want to encourage the participation of people from all levels and
abilities, influence youth attitudes
towards health, serve as a vehicle for
raising funds for charities in our community and showcase Halifax’s beauty,”
McCulloch says. “This event involves the
whole community, through participation,
volunteering, sponsoring, fundraising
and spectating.”
The inaugural race hosted about 3,500
runners of various ages and skill levels,
while McCulloch expects about 16,000
when the starting gun goes this May.
Stadium will raise our game
With proof that well-known names
and groups now want to come to Halifax, and a reputation for being able to
welcome world-class events, Halifax’s
sporting landscape seems to be at an
all-time high. Mayor Savage says while
this is all good, there’s always room for
improvement.
“I think, as a city of 400,000, it has
expectations to get you to one place,”
says Mayor Savage. “But when you look
at it as a regional centre, with the kind of
corporate support that we have, I think
it has the potential to be better than our
population would lead one to believe.”
Savage says the next step will be a
big one, and one long in coming.
“I’ve made it no secret that I think
we should have a stadium, and if we have
a stadium, that opens the door for a lot of
things — international competitions and
professional sports. I think it puts us at a
new level, and this physically allows us to
do a number of things that right now we
can’t do.”
Martin believes that finding the
right-sized events for our market is key.
“No one would have thought four
Hosts for the most
Here is a list of just some of the major sporting events
Halifax has hosted since 2000:
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
CHL Memorial Cup (2000)
World Marathon Canoe Championship (2000)
Royal Bank Cup (National Junior ‘A’ Hockey Championship) (2002)
IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship (2003, co-hosted with Sydney)
Nokia Brier (2003)
IIHF World Women’s Hockey Championship (2004)
Canadian Canoe Championships (2004)
FIBA Under-20 Tournament of the Americas (2004)
BMO Financial Group Canadian Women’s Golf Open (2005)
World Indoor Lacrosse Championship (2007)
IIHF World Men’s Hockey Championship (2008)
World Canoe Championship (2009)
Canadian Senior Men’s Baseball Championship (2009)
Tim Hortons Brier (2010)
Canada Winter Games (2011)
FIVB World Beach Volleyball Championships (2011-13)
Canada-Russia Challenge (2012)
Telus World Skins Game (2012)
CIS Men’s Basketball Championships (1984-2007, 2011-12, 2014)
There are also a number of major events on the horizon:
– Web.com Tour Nova Scotia Open (2014)
– Ford World Men’s Curling Championship (2015)
– CIS Men’s Hockey Championship (2015-16/hosted jointly with St. F.X.)
years ago that we would host world-class
beach volleyball in Halifax,” says Martin.
“But we identified that it was the rightsized sport that could work in our market,
and we could compete with other cities
around the world to host that.”
No matter what people think Halifax
needs to do, or who has the best idea,
there is one thing everyone agrees upon
— the sporting buzz around Halifax is
BUSINESS VOICE
stronger than it’s ever been.
“There is some positive momentum
around things that have been kicking
around for decades — a stadium discussion, CFL team discussions; things that
may or may not be doable,” says Martin.
“At the end of the day we owe it to ourselves to give it a shot, and there seems to
be a sense that this is the time to pursue
our future work, and that’s exciting.”
23
PROFILE
A diamond in the rough
Black Cultural Centre working to boost cultural tourism By Heather Laura Clarke
Photo: Devaan Ingraham /The Chronicle Herald
T
o much of the world, Louis Gannon
says, Nova Scotia is only known for
“lobsters and fiddles.”
Gannon says many tourists have
no idea that Nova Scotia has such a rich
black history, because the marketing
simply isn’t there.
Gannon was brought on board two
years ago when the Black Cultural Centre
was struggling. He helped them define
their business plan, begin working on
new marketing strategies, and put together the African Nova Scotian Tourism
Guide, a booklet that highlights every site
in the province to attract visitors.
“The Black Cultural Centre is a diamond in the rough. We’ve been here for
over 30 years, but we’re still missing the
marketing,” says Gannon.
He believes the newly-assembled
African Nova Scotian Cultural Tourism
Association is the key to building a
booming cultural tourism presence here
in the province.
24
The Black Cultural
Centre is a diamond in
the rough. We’ve been
here for over 30 years,
but we’re still missing
the marketing.”
– Louis Gannon,
Executive Director
“This is a thriving industry in the
States — especially in Virginia, where you
have so many successful black museums
and cultural centres,” says Gannon. “It’s
a billion-dollar market in the U.S., but if
we just had five per cent of that, we’d be
very happy.”
APRIL 2014
Gannon travelled to Virginia to learn
more about how they’ve built such a solid
cultural tourism industry, and discovered
massive black history displays that were
larger than most of the museum buildings
in Nova Scotia.
“You can see actual uniforms of the
Ku Klux Klan, and one of them had blood
on it and everything,” says Gannon. “It’s
scary, but they believe if you don’t address
the pain, you can’t fix it.”
Gannon is in talks with tour companies about organizing a two-day African
Nova Scotia tour, where visitors will travel
to different sites across the province —
spreading the wealth to other spots, like
the Africville Museum and the Black
Loyalist Heritage Museum in Birchtown.
The tours would be a new source of revenue for hotels and caterers in the region,
as well.
“It seems to be a trend, as more people want to learn about our culture,” says
Gannon. “Ten years ago, if you wanted
PROFILE
an African drum, you had to bring one
from Africa or make it yourself. Today,
you can walk into Long & McQuade and
buy one.”
Gannon says more people have
African art in their homes than ever
before, and African pieces are becoming
a growing staple in stores all over the
province. Local fashion designer Nicole
Johnson recently organized a fundraising
fashion show for the centre, showing off
her modern ready-to-wear designs, as
well as the traditional African designs
from Kwestomar Kreations, owned and
operated by Toria Aidoo.
In the Black Cultural Centre’s gift
shop, Gannon says selling books, artwork,
replicas of artifacts, and souvenirs gives
them about 10 per cent of their budget.
A single bus tour can drop $700. Once a
These young people
need to know about the
trailblazers who gave
them the opportunities
they have today.”
– Louis Gannon,
Executive Director
group of six people purchased 40 T-shirts
— which Gannon says can have a big
impact on the local economy, since all
of their items are sourced locally.
He is hopeful the African Nova
Scotian Cultural Tourism Association
BUSINESS VOICE
will be able to bring more tourism dollars
to the region, and help the Black Cultural
Centre keep their doors open. They
currently rent out their classroom and
computer lab to companies looking for
video-conferencing facilities, and rely
heavily on the gift shop revenue. Largescale tours — with visitors coming from
around the world — would make it easier
to stay afloat.
“Our goal is to have this centre, and
the other resources, here in the future,
for our grandkids,” says Gannon. “The
biggest problem of young people today
is that respect is fading, and if you don’t
know where you came from, you don’t
know where you’re going.”
“These young people need to know
about the trailblazers who gave them the
opportunities they have today.”
25
TRENDS
Blazing new trails
Baby boomers are redefining retirement
building health-care costs into your
retirement savings plan. By planning for
these expenses, such as in-home care and
specialized treatments, ahead of time
by purchasing critical illness, disability
and long-term care insurance, you and
your family will be able to focus on your
health, and not the impact recovery has
on your savings.
Charitable giving
Photo: Tyler Olson / 123RF
ing to longer life expectancies. All these
factors indicate that this generation will
be looking to enjoy higher standards of
retirement as well. Achieving this involves
careful planning so that your savings are
able to provide adequate income for you to
enjoy the rest of your life on your terms.
DAN RUDISUELA
INVESTMENT ADVISOR,
RBC DOMINION SECURITIES
Even when baby boomers reach the
golden age of 65, they may not necessarily pack up their desk and enjoy a quiet
retirement lifestyle like their parents did.
If their influence on social revolutions
in the past is any indication, chances are
that baby boomers are going to enjoy
retirement differently.
If you’re part of this influential group
that is redefi ning retirement, you’ll also
need to redefi ne how you plan for this
exciting new chapter of your life.
Different retirement lifestyles
Characteristically, baby boomers
have enjoyed higher standards of living
than their parents. In addition, healthier
lifestyles and medical advances are lead26
Times have changed – and
so has the retirement age
Unlike their parents, baby boomers
may not necessarily be working towards
the goal of retirement. Many individuals
have found fulfi lling careers they want
to continue developing past the age of 65.
Some are even planning on starting a
second career after “retirement.”
Retiring later may mean you may
be able to wait longer before transitioning to strategies that protect your nest
egg. On the other hand, if your dream is
pursuing a new passion or to start a small
business after you “retire,” you may need
to save additional funds in order to avoid
financial stress.
For a lot of boomers, writing a cheque
to save taxes just isn’t enough. Many have
special causes that they are passionate
about. If charitable giving through time or
funds is in your retirement plans, you and
your advisor can evaluate how you can
balance both your retirement lifestyle and
charitable giving at the same time. With
sophisticated tax strategies, you may even
be able to make more significant contributions to your cause.
Creating a new family tradition
Instead of focusing solely on their
own needs, baby boomers place a great
deal of emphasis on leaving a legacy
and helping family members reach their
goals. Through efficient tax and estate
plan strategies, boomers are able to fulfill
their own retirement objectives while
making sure they can still leave a legacy
to care for their families.
You’ve seen it before
To longevity and good health
While you’ve been saving for your
retirement, you’ve experienced the ups
and downs of the markets and seen
generous and all-time low interest rates.
After you stop working, the markets and
interest rates will continue to change.
With the many different demands on
your retirement income, planning ahead
and planning with smart strategies is
important in order for you to achieve
your objectives and still be prepared for
economic swings.
Living longer ultimately means very
little without your health. With longer
life expectancies and medical advances
that allow people to recover from serious
illnesses, you also need to think about
Dan Rudisuela is an Investment
Advisor with RBC Dominion Securities
Inc. Member CIPF.
APRIL 2014
Business Voice
goes global!
THE CHAMBE
R’S WISH
The Business Voice app is available for
free download in Apple Newsstand, the
App Store and Google Play.
THE
SHAPING
LIST
happ
want to see
Things we
18
in 2014 . Pg
en
S
B US I N E S
H
CHAMB
ALIFA X
ER OF
QUALITY TIM
RCE
COMME
|
DECEMB
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on improve
more time
Spending
n. Pg 25
innovatio
ment and
MESSAGE
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ia helps cust
Moss Med
ence. Pg 21
r target audi
reach thei
VOICE
ER 2013
|
VOLUM
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Much to
rate
CBeUleSbI N
E
BRIG HT LIGH
TS, GREAT CITY
Making down
town a great
place
to live, work
and play. Pg
20
CLOS ING IN
ON CURES
Immunovaccin
e
medical break is pursuing
throughs. Pg
24
n
conversatio
anging the rselves Page 12
Ch
HALIFA X
C H A Mith
B E ou
we have w R O F C O M M E R C E
0
ISSUE 1
A NEW KIN
Performance
on Kejimkuji
S S VOI
|
NOVEMB
BU SIN
HA LIFAX ’S
E R 2 0ZIN
1 3 |E V O L
UME
ESS MAGA
One
Year In
Mayor Mike
Sava
reflects on his
firs
months in office t 12
Pag
HA LIFA X’S BUS
INE SS MAGA
ZIN E
B US I N E S S
H A L I FA X C
HAMBER
Now available for free download, the Business Voice app is a digital
replication of the magazine that offers interactive features such as links
to related web content and videos. Now available on iPhone, iPad and
Android devices, Business Voice magazine is free, published 10 times
per year, plus a special Outlook issue in February, and two editions of
All Ships Rise (spring and fall) for a total of 13 issues per year.
OF COMM
ERC
E | JANUA
RY
VOI
& FEBRUAR
Y
2 0 1 4 | VO
LU
TRENDS
=[j_dje]ơc_ǃ_Yơj_ed
A great addition to any marketing or social media strategy By Josh Poulain
Photo: auremar/123RF
Today I’d like to talk a little bit about
perhaps the single best way to encourage
engagement with your brand or business:
gamification. It doesn’t matter what
business you’re in or who your audience
is — there is a game that can be made for
your business that will peak the interest
of your customers, creating engagement
and interaction with your brand in a
genuinely fun and (hopefully) unique
environment.
As people get busier, we’re starting
to tune out the unnecessary noise of a
lot of traditional marketing channels.
It’s not exactly a secret that people are
spending more and more time on their
smart phones, so as business owners and
as marketers it’s up to us to go where our
customers are going.
Gamification provides an abstract
marketing channel — you’re not interrupting your customer’s day with aggressive
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APRIL 2014
ads, you’re offering rewards for completing fun tasks associated with your brand.
This can mean integrating simple reward
badges for reaching certain achievements on your website, or it could mean
developing a full blown platformer that
revolves around your business model. It
all depends on you, but it doesn’t have to
be complex or expensive to be effective.
Psychologically, gamification is used
to drive users towards a certain action. This
is usually done through positive reinforcement and feedback, with research indicating that negative feedback or punishment
for not completing a task will almost always
disengage the user completely. Over the
last few years lots of major companies
have been using gamification in different
ways, including Starbucks offering custom
badges from Foursquare, and Coca-Cola
releasing several mobile apps to engage
with customers. By checking in to multiple
Starbucks locations, for example, you get
unique Foursquare badges. Again: this only
works if the rewards are positive — there
are no negative badges for not visiting
Starbucks regularly.
You may be thinking that badges
are arbitrary, and can’t possibly have any
real effect on your customers thought
process, right? Not exactly. People love
feeling like they’re progressing towards
something, especially if it feels like
playing a game. By incorporating gamification into your marketing strategy
you are giving your customers a reason
to continue to use and engage with your
brand in a way that motivates them to do
something they might not be inclined to
do otherwise, such as make a purchase.
To quote the popular gamification guru
Gabe Zichermann: “If you can make
something more fun, and include notions
of play, you can get people to do things
they otherwise might not want to do.”
There are a lot of different ways
to incorporate gamification into your
marketing strategy, and they don’t all
have to be elaborate or expensive. The
biggest thing to remember is to keep it
simple, easy to use and rewarding and
your customers will keep coming back.
When done well, gamification makes a
great addition to any marketing or social
media strategy.
Josh Poulain is owner of Minty
Delivers. [email protected]
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BUSINESS VOICE
29
TRENDS
On seeking advice
Know how, when and whom to ask
PAT D’ENTREMONT PARTNER,
NICOM IT SOLUTIONS INC.
I recently attended an Entrepreneurs’ Forum session, this time as an
advisor. It was my fifth such session,
three of them as an advisor, two of them
as a person seeking advice. I always leave
one of their sessions energized, no matter
which side of the table I am sitting on.
Executive Director Kathleen Rayworth
says that Forum staff coach clients for
their meetings with the advisors, providing them with advice on getting advice.
I also belong to a Leadership Roundtable at the Greater Halifax Partnership,
where like-minded individuals gather
once a month to talk about issues and opportunities. In this discussion group we
are at once advisor and advisee, and we
take turns seeking and giving. Facilitator
John Wanczycki, President of Wyndale
Management Solutions, states: “It is
one thing to dispense advice, it is quite
another to share similar experiences,
and let the listener draw his or her own
conclusions.”
Over the years, I’ve belonged to such
formal groups, and also many informal
ones, with the objective of seeking and
giving business advice, and it dawned
on me that while there’s a superfluity
of information on giving advice, there’s
a dearth of material on how to receive
advice. So here is a short primer.
Get in the right mindset
The first thing is you have to admit
that you don’t know everything, and
it’s up to you to figure out the part that’s
inhibiting you. Don’t be shy about asking;
people are often flattered that you think
they can help.
30
Photo: Alexander Raths /123RF
Ask properly
and respectfully
First, ask to schedule a face-to-face
meeting or phone conversation, stating
specifically the nature of your request,
and if they end up being too busy then
just accept that. Offer to buy them lunch
or coffee if you think that’s helpful. Make
it as brief as you can, and tell them how
much time you expect to take. Go to
them. When you do meet, ask them for
specific advice on things you think they
know from experience. Don’t waste their
time. Don’t expect them to solve all your
problems, or to do your job for you. Don’t
expect them to prepare in advance or
research anything. (If they ask for some
background material or a set of questions, then by all means send it.)
Decide whether you need
paid advice
Some people say free advice is worth
what you pay for it but it’s not necessarily
so. If you can boil down what you are
seeking to a few questions, then you’ll
APRIL 2014
be okay. If you don’t know how to frame
your problem, or if it is the kind of thing
that consultants generally do, then maybe you need a paid consultant.
Select your advisors
carefully
Pick people who have achieved what
you hope to achieve; you are looking for
advice based on experience, not opinions. Don’t just look for people in your
line of business; often they’ve just solved
the same problems you’ve already solved,
and in the same way. And obviously, pick
someone you think you can trust.
Come prepared
and be specific
Explain your overall goals and have a
list of questions to which you are seeking
answers. Don’t worry if they are hard
questions; if they were easy you wouldn’t
need help. But keep the list small; this isn’t
a survey. And besides, what’s hard for you
might be easy for someone else. Tell them
what you’ve already thought of or tried.
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If you tell them half the problem
you’ll get half the answer. Try to make it
easy for them to understand what’s causing you grief and why. Paint a complete
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Have a tough skin
Your grandmother can tell you you’re
doing everything right. Listen to your
advisor with a non-defensive, somewhat
detached attitude. You don’t need to
respond, just hear what they are saying.
If you don’t think they understand then,
fine, clarify. If you don’t understand what
they are saying, then ask questions. But if
they are just not saying what you want to
hear, let them talk. In fact, take notes.
Follow up
Be sure to thank them. If something
they suggested is working, be sure to let
them know.
Pat d’Entremont is a certified
management consultant, and a Partner
with Nicom IT Solutions Inc. He can
be found at http://blog.nicomit.com
and followed on Twitter @nicomitpat.
He can also be reached at [email protected].
BUSINESS VOICE
DISCOVER!
VE
O
C
IS
D
Remember that the advisor has gotten just a thin slice of your reality. It’s up
to you to put context around what they are
telling you. It’s up to you to decide if what
worked for them will work for you, based
on the commonality and differences of
your individual circumstances. And it is
up to you to decide for yourself whether
or not you will take their advice.
R
Decide what to do with
the advice you receive
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31
WORKING FOR YOU
Shaking off complacency
The Chamber responds to the Ivany Report By Nancy Conrad, Senior Vice President, Policy, Halifax Chamber of Commerce
Last February the Ivany Commission
threw down the gauntlet and challenged
Nova Scotians to pull themselves back
from the brink of decline. While the 250page report looks like a daunting read, its
core message is simple: the status quo is
just not good enough anymore. Continuing on our current path will lead to a
serious decline in our standard of living as
our population shrinks and our economy
falls further behind the rest of Canada.
Fortunately, the report also provides
reasons to hope. We have a window of
opportunity to turn our province around
before the worst effects of decline set
in. Such a turnaround will require bold
decisions, capitalizing on our assets, and
a serious change in attitude.
The Chamber was excited to see
so many of our Strategic Plan’s goals
reflected in the Commission’s report. Promoting entrepreneurship, encouraging
government efficiencies, increasing immi-
gration, and enhancing our education
outcomes have been key issues for the
Chamber recently and we are thrilled that
the Commissioners share our concerns.
We strongly agree with the Commission that Nova Scotians have to stop
looking at government to solve all of our
problems. If we are going to reinvigorate
our province, it will have to be citizens
and the private sector leading the way.
Yet, government will still play a critical
role in creating the conditions for growth,
and there will be plenty of tough decisions for them in the coming months. We
all have to be ready to support our leaders
when they act for the greater good.
When Premier MacNeil spoke at the
Chamber’s ‘State of the Province’ event
a few days after the report’s release, he
gave the business community confidence
that his government understands the
scope of our problems. We are very interested to see how his government will turn
words into actions and will be among
the first to speak out if they falter.
If we are honest with ourselves,
nothing in the Commission’s report
comes as much of a surprise. Most of us
have known for a long time that we are
in trouble. We realized it every time we
saw a business close, our children move
west, or our provincial debt rise. Yet, by
shaking us out of our complacency, Ray
Ivany and the other Commissioners have
done Nova Scotians a great favour.
In the weeks ahead, many people will question whether the reforms
advocated by the Commission are even
possible. We freely admit that changing
our province will not be easy and we may
even fail, but the greatest tragedy would
be if we do not even try.
What do you think of the Ivany Report?
What can we do differently in response to
this challenge? Send your thoughts to
[email protected].
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APRIL 2014
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Winning attitudes
Take our test to see where you stand
The Ivany Report, released in February this year, talks about “engaging all
regions and interest groups in an open
conversation when a change in direction for the whole society is needed. It
recognizes that success in implementing
transformative change requires buy-in
from all sectors — business, labour, leading institutions, the voluntary sector and
communities — along with government.”
Where does change start? It begins
with….you and me, and everyone who
calls Nova Scotia home, taking a hard
look at our attitudes about growth.
Take a minute to ask yourself what
role you play in this “transformative
change” as a business leader, as a parent,
as a community leader or as a mentor to
the young people in your life.
Why?
Because we know, as human beings,
it is so much easier to point out what the
other guy is doing wrong. It is so easy to
see what he or she is missing. Looking
at our own attitudes and behaviours is a
more difficult task.
Ask yourself…Are you a Gatekeeper?
Follower? or Changemaker?
Not sure? Answer Yes or No to these
10 questions. At the end, tally up your
yesses and check the scorecard below to
see whether your attitudes and actions
are part of the problem or part of the
solution in growing Halifax’s and the
province’s economy.
1. You are telling your children there are
lots of career opportunities in Halifax
and Nova Scotia.
Photo: Ryan Taplin/Chronicle Herald
FRED MORELY, EXECUTIVE VICE
PRESIDENT & CHIEF ECONOMIST,
GREATER HALIFAX PARTNERSHIP
Ray Ivany, Chair of Nova Scotia Commission on Building Our New Economy, speaks at Pier 21.
2. You have hired an immigrant, new
graduate or an international student
in the past year.
Scorecard
3. You think business is primarily
responsible for making the province’s
economic situation better.
You’re pessimistic about the province’s future, tend to resist change
and growth, and block new ideas
and opportunities to partner.
4. You think Nova Scotia has the potential to grow beyond the status quo.
4-7 Yes = Follower
5. You share good ideas and look for opportunities to collaborate with others
outside your company to grow your
business and the economy.
6. You see other organizations and companies as partners, not competitors.
7. You think Halifax’s real competition
is China, not Moncton.
8. You are exploring opportunities to
export your business products or
services.
9. You had a meeting with a university
or college professor in your industry’s
field of expertise in the last year.
10. Significant growth is a key strategic
driver in your current business plan.
BUSINESS VOICE
0-3 Yes = Gatekeeper
You’re somewhat optimistic about
the province’s future and you’re open
to new ideas and opportunities presented to you, but you’re not leading
the charge.
8-10 Yes = Changemaker
You see opportunities where others
see problems and you’re creating and/
or collaborating on solutions that will
grow your business and our economy.
The bottom line? We need a massive
shift in attitudes and our approach to
economic development and growth for
Halifax and the region to be a thriving,
vibrant and attractive place to live and do
business, and that shift begins with YOU.
Find out how you can improve
your score at www.greaterhalifax.com/
attitudesmatter.
33
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APRIL 2014
TRANSPORTATION
SPECIAL FEATURE
Moving forward
Halifax devising more efficient transportation systems By Jon Tattrie
Halifax is a car-driven city, but there
are major plans in the works to turn it
into a multi-modal transit hub within the
next few years.
It starts with Metro Transit’s ambition to fully reboot its network of buses
and ferries. Director Eddie Robar says
they began tweaking the network. “We
quickly discovered it was the right time
to sit back and take a holistic view of the
service and not the myopic picture that
we were doing,” he said.
Metro Transit is investing $50
million in technology. Currently, Metro
Transit takes cash or tickets and routes
and schedules are issued mainly on paper. GoTime offers a phone number to call
for the scheduled time for a bus. The new
system will let people pay by smartphone
and see where their bus actually is before
they step outside. Metro Transit will also
message people about delays.
“It’s more than just transit. It’s how
we integrate with bikes, with CarShare,
with car-pooling, with trails,” he says.
That’s great news to Pam Cooley, the
head of Halifax CarShare. Her vision is
of a multi-modal city focused on motion,
not vehicles. People would take the bus if
that was the best option, use a CarShare
vehicle to run errands, and then walk or
bike for other trips.
She has two particular goals. One
is to build the workplace members list.
That’s where companies or institutions
like Dalhousie University use CarShare
for work and offer a deal so employees
also join for personal use.
“One of those things would be for
[HRM] to become a member. I’ve been
trying to get them for five years,” she
says.
Cooley’s second goal is to do a
Dynamic Duo deal with Metro Transit
where CarShare members would get
reduced rates for transit passes.
Instead of forever widening roads
for more cars, you make it so compelling
to not own a car that you CarShare, bus,
bike, taxi and walk, easing the burden on
the roads and improving the city’s health.
That network connects to the rest
of the region via carriers like the Coach
Atlantic Group, which operates Maritime
Bus and other companies.
“Our business is all about giving
people more options for transportation,”
says spokeswoman Mary Whitrow. “Our
goal is to let people know that you don’t
always have to drive yourself; sometimes
it’s more convenient and environmentally
friendly to let someone else do it for you.”
We’re going from one
of the most antiquated
systems in Canada
to probably one of
the most advanced
systems in Canada.”
– Eddie Robar,
Director,
Metro Transit
The network will turn from the
current series of long routes that get you
from Lower Sackville to downtown on
one bus to a system heavy in the urban
core, with suburban commuters transferring out to local buses.
Robar wants to better incorporate
cyclists. Most of the buses have been
fitted with bike racks and new stations
have bike lockers. He’s also looking
at Montreal’s Bixi Bikes, where rental
bikes are offered at bus stops and other
locations. Halifax’s slowly growing network of bike lanes will make this more
appealing.
BUSINESS VOICE
35
SPECIAL FEATURE
SHIPPING AND DISTRIBUTION
A gateway to the world
Infrastructure upgrades improving shipping efficiency By Richard Woodbury
Halifax has long been a gateway to
the rest of the world. With its proximity
to markets, deep, ice-free waters and
seamless transportation connections, it
has a long history in the shipping industry, given it is the closest mainland North
American port to Europe.
Five years ago, talk of the Halifax
Gateway was quite popular and generated a lot of chatter. The Gateway is an
umbrella term which includes the Halifax
Stanfield International Airport, the Port
of Halifax, two container terminals, CN
Rail, the logistics and warehousing sector, and highway infrastructure.
While the topic has faded from the
headlines, the value proposition behind
the Gateway is actually much stronger
today. “I think there have been a lot of
really good things that have happened
over the last five years,” says Nancy Phillips, the Executive Director of the Halifax
Gateway Council. HGC is focused on
improving the efficiency of the Halifax
Gateway and marketing the city as a
competitive international-trade hub.
Some of these things Phillips is
referencing are infrastructure upgrades,
such as the $28 million lengthening of
the main runway at the Halifax Stanfield
International Airport from 8,800 feet
to 10,500 feet. This extension officially
opened in January 2013 and allows the
airport to handle larger wide-bodied and
heavy aircraft year-round. It also helps
position the airport as a key international
air and cargo hub.
Other infrastructure upgrades include
work done at the Port
of Halifax. One example includes the pier
extension of the South End Container
Terminal. By doing this, the South End
Container Terminal will be “able to
simultaneously berth and service two
post-Panamax ships,” says the Port of
Halifax’s website. It adds the project will
ensure Halifax will be able to handle
any size ships. The pier extension and
associated dredging for this project were
completed last year and cost $35 million.
Perhaps most importantly, the Gateway is open for business and not facing
congestion issues. Looking at the Port
of Halifax, it has the potential to handle
much more cargo volume. “In terms of
growth, we can triple the existing cargo
volume moving through the port with
no significant additional investment or
impact,” says spokesperson Lane Farguson in an e-mail. “Through our existing
infrastructure, investments, connections
and experience, we can and will continue
to help strengthen and build the regional
economy through increased trade moving through Nova Scotia.”
Farguson says the long-term planning strategy is to ensure all of the Port’s
terminals are well-positioned to secure
new business.
Interestingly, some of the positive
developments for the Gateway have been
due largely to external forces. Last October’s announcement of an agreement in
principle between Canada and the European Union on the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) is a
good example. CETA “will significantly
boost trade and investment ties” between
Canada and the European Union, says
the federal government’s website.
As well, a falling Canadian dollar
seems to have been a boon for the Gateway. “Our phone seems to be ringing a
little bit more,” notes Phillips.
Even the mega projects in the region
are having a positive impact on the Gateway as they require supplies which may
need to be brought into the region. The
Atlantic Provinces Economic Council has
identified the value of the mega projects
in various stages of development as being
$115 billion. Notable examples include
the shipbuilding contract, offshore oil
and gas exploration in Nova Scotia and
the Maritime Link project.
An unusual example is some mining
projects in Newfoundland and Labrador,
which may require some larger components which could be shipped by container through Halifax. “Some of the best
ways to move product and to trans-load
product would be to move the product
here, trans-load it and then move it on
to Newfoundland [and Labrador],” says
Phillips.
The Halifax Gateway Council’s
current strategic plan covers the years
2010 to 2015. Work will soon begin on
putting together another strategic plan
which would become effective in 2016,
says Phillips.
Phillips is confident about the
Gateway’s future. “From our perspective,
we’re ready to go,” she says. “We have the
infrastructure in place. We’ve got lots of
capacity, so there are no wait times. Get
your product here and get it moving on.”
Photo: Oleksiy Mark/123RF
36
APRIL 2014
SHIPPING AND DISTRIBUTION
SPECIAL FEATURE
Average is not good enough
Air Canada’s Competitive Growth Strategy targets international expansion
2013 was a great year for Air Canada.
The company performed beyond investor
expectations, reached out to reassure its
employees, and won numerous awards
from various publications and organizations for service, performance and safety
practices. These include “Carrier of the
Year”, “Best Airline in North America” (for the ninth successive year) and
one of “Canada’s Safest Employers”.
And yet this globally branded ambassador for Canada is not resting on its
laurels according to CEO Calin Rovinescu in his speech to business leaders at the
Canadian Club of Montreal in January.
Rovinescu himself was recently selected
as “CEO of the Year” by the Globe and
Mail’s Report on Business, lending credibility to his vision and determination.
In his presentation to the Canadian
Club, Rovinescu described Air Canada’s
plan for continued global growth. He out-
lined 15 strategies* that an airline must
embrace to become truly competitive on
the world stage. Most of these strategies
represent a challenge for any firm planning to compete globally. Perhaps the
most relevant was the call to have operAir Canada’s new
Boeing 787 Dreamliner
Photo: Contributed / © 2012 The Boeing Company
ational excellence in all aspects of your
business — product, staff, equipment,
and network. For Air Canada success
going forward means no tolerance for
mediocrity and a corporate mantra that
average is not good enough.
Rovinescu exemplified his advice
by giving Canadians an initial glimpse
of the 37 newly purchased Boeing 787
Dreamliners, bound for duty on a number of international and overseas routes
this spring. The state-of-the-art aircraft
promises new levels of comfort and inflight technology to overseas travellers.
Initial flights for the new equipment will
be to Tel Aviv and central Haneda airport
in Tokyo by mid-summer. Air Canada is
also adding flights to Milan; and via Air
Canada rouge to Nice, Manchester and
Lisbon.
It would appear from the renewed
levels of enthusiasm at the airline and the
kind of results that 2013 brought that for
Air Canada “average” is officially over.
*For copies of the complete speech go
to www.aircanada.com/en/about/media/
presentations/documents/cdn_club_Jan27 _
2014 _en.pdf
GOODBYE, HALIFAX.
’ELLO, LONDON.
Enjoy daily non-stop flights
from Halifax to London.
Book at aircanada.com or call your travel agent.
BUSINESS VOICE
37
WHERE ARE THEY NOW?
Designing woman
House of Moda creations can be found across Canada and beyond By Heather Laura Clarke
Celebrating
Success
One of the Chamber of Commerce’s
strategic goals is to create a positive business environment through
the promotion of entrepreneurs and
small business success. Our “Where
Are They Now” section aims to
celebrate the continued success
of our past Halifax Business Awards
ǃ_dơb_ijiơdZm_dd[hi$:eoek^ơl[
a small business success story?
Contact [email protected]
to share your experience.
Photo: Devaan Ingraham /The Chronicle Herald
Ozlem Metinoglu was running a booth
at the Halifax Seaport Farmers’ Market
and wholesaling her “Moda by Ozlem”
jewellery to a few boutiques when she
was named a finalist for Small Business
of the Year at the 2009 Halifax Business
Awards.
Metinoglu’s business began generating buzz and sales rose quickly. Just six
months after the awards, Beyoncé fell in
love with the jewellery during a backstage
meeting before a Toronto concert. The
entrepreneur cleverly left a few pairs with
a backstage handler, and Queen Bey wore
them on stage that night.
In 2011, Metinoglu opened her first
retail location, House of Moda, on Spring
38
Garden Road. Today, Metinoglu travels
to major trade shows across Canada, and
her jewellery can be found in more than
35 boutiques nationwide.
Mary Zilba of Real Housewives
of Vancouver recently pulled over her
limo to visit House of Moda, after one
of Metinoglu’s loyal customers tweeted
about the beautiful designs. Zilba bought
several pieces, and later met Metinoglu in
Toronto for brunch to discuss her custom
designs for the Canadian Screen Guild
Awards.
Although her jewels are coveted by
celebrities, Metinoglu says the local support means everything to her, and she is
always careful to keep working for those
APRIL 2014
very first fans who purchased her pieces
at the market.
“If I lived in a bigger city, I might
have higher sales, but success in my eyes
is the whole package — not just sales and
money,” says Metinoglu. “It’s the respect
and the love.”
When other business owners approach
Metinoglu for advice, she always tells them
to take their time and be patient.
“We’re not in a huge city with a big
population, so it takes time,” says Metinoglu. “Make sure you’re pleasing your existing customers to the max, and then reach
out to new customers from there.”
A B OV E
B E YO N D
Your expectations are our starting point.