BUSINESS VOICE - Halifax Chamber of Commerce

POWER UP
PLAY TIME
ADVICE AVALANCHE
Nova Scotia’s energy prospects
Pg 18
Just a hop, skip and jump away
Pg 22
Navigating the sea of content chaos
Pg 26
BUSINESS VOICE
H A L I FA X C H A M B E R O F C O M M E R C E | J U LY & A U G U S T 2 0 1 5 | V O L U M E 2 4 I S S U E 6
THE
TRUTH
TELLER
Ray Ivany:
The Halifax Chamber
of Commerce
2015 Person of
the Year
Page 12
HALIFAX’S BUSINESS MAGAZINE
CONTENTS }
We had a difficult conversation
with our fellow citizens.” – Ray Ivany,
Chair of One Nova Scotia Commission
13
COVER STORY
12
THE
TRUTH
TELLER
Ray Ivany:
The Halifax
Chamber of
Commerce
2015 Person
of the Year
04 Events
05 President’s message
06 New & noted
09 Members in the news
12 The truth teller
Ray Ivany: The Halifax Chamber of Commerce
2015 Person of the Year
18 Tidal shift
Nova Scotia developing new sources of energy
22 Profile – Hop! Skip! Jump! Indoor Play Space
24 Halifax Partnership
26 Trends
28 Working for you
18
Tidalshift
38 Message from the Chair
SPECIAL FEATURES
32 Vibrant downtown
36 Workplace wellness
Nova Scotia
developing
new sources
of energy
Board of Directors
Volume 24 Issue 6
Rob Batherson, Colour, Chair
Carol MacMillan, The Shaw Group, Vice-Chair
Francis Fares, Fares Real Estate Inc., 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
Cynthia Dorrington, Vale & Associates
Level Chan, Stewart McKelvey
Lori Barton, Beaumont Advisors Ltd.
Darren Nantes, The Nantes Group
Mark Fraser, T4G
Jamie O’Neill, Bluteau DeVenney
Don Bureaux, NSCC
Margaret Chapman, Corporate Research Associates
Mark Sidebottom, Nova Scotia Power Inc.
Michele Williams, Grant & Thornton LLP
Stanley Julien, BMO Atlantic Canada
Sreejata Chatterjee, LeadSift
Capt (N) Angus Topshee, Maritime Forces Atlantic
Valerie Payn, Halifax Chamber of Commerce
Chamber Staff
Valerie A Payn, President and CEO
Nancy M. Conrad, Senior Vice President
Colin J. Bustard, Director of Finance and Administration
Gail Adams, Marketing Manager
Becky Davison,
Marketing and Communications Specialist
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
Vice President, Business Development: Jeff Nearing
Editor:@e[o<_jpfơjh_Yaš`ǃ_jpfơjh_Ya6^[hơbZ$Yơ
Layout & Design: Julia Webb
Contributing Writers: Heidi Tattrie Rushton
Erin Elaine Casey, Jessica Chapman, Jon Tattrie,
Fred Morley, M.E. Donovan, Matthew Harpell, John
MacDonald, Becky Davison, Floria Aghdamimehr,
Rob Batherson
Sales Executives: Victoria MacDougall,
David A. McNeil (902) 426-2811 x1163
Cover Illustration: Paul Darrow
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
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2717 Joseph Howe Drive
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Tel: (902) 426-2811
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BUSINESS VOICE
3
EVENTS
CHAMBER EVENTS
Spring 2015 was a busy
time at the Halifax Chamber.
We hosted over 30 events
including our All Ships Rise
Networking Tradeshow with
over 300 attendees. This event
offered Chamber members an
opportunity to connect with
major business developments,
projects and other industry
leaders. Response was positive
and the event continues to grow
into its third year. On April
30th, we hosted 700 members
and guests at our Annual Spring
Dinner, with keynote speaker
Nicholas Wyman, Chief Executive, Institute for Workplace
Skills & Innovation. Not to
mention Peter MacKay, Finance
Minister Diana Whalen, Jean
Charest, Steve Snider, Premier
McNeil, Daniel Muzkya, NDP
Leader Tom Muclair, Mayor
Nenshi and Don Forgeron,
whom focused on a wide variety
of topics that our members
have identified as important
for helping them grow their
businesses. Plus we hosted over
a dozen free networking events!
If you’ve been feeling too busy
to get out there and make the
connections, the Chamber
team is encouraging you to pick
an event this summer and try
something new! Check out
our great line up, found here:
www.halfiaxchamber.com.
All Ships Rise Networking Tradeshow
2015 Chamber Spring Dinner
Photos: Adams Photography
THANK YOU TO OUR
LUNCHEON SPONSORS
THANK YOU TO OUR
GOLF TOURNAMENT
SPONSORS
LOOK FOR OUR GOLF TOURNAMENT RECAP IN SEPTEMBER!
4
J U LY & AU G US T
2015
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
Truth...and consequences
Ray Ivany deserves Person of the Year accolades
accomplishments.
helped build confidence in the
– have
community.
VALERIE PAYN PRESIDENT & CEO
We are delighted to announce our
2015 “Person of the Year” winner is Ray
Ivany. A selection committee began their
work earlier this year with a number
of candidates in mind. It is our aim to
choose an individual who’s accomplishments are:
of long-lasting value to this community.
have drawn favourable attention to the
community.
encourage others to seek similar
–
–
–
It’s no surprise that Ray Ivany qualifies in all these areas. With the release
on the Now or Never report in February of
2014, he demonstrated leadership within
our region in a hard-to-tackle and broad
reaching topic. Ivany, with the help of his
commissioners, shed light on an underlying regional problem and provided
the public with a clear message that we
need change. More than a year later,
Nova Scotians are still talking about the
validity and applying ideas from this
report. Ray has challenged us to better
ourselves and our province with an urgent
call to action.
Our story is in part about Ray the
person, and his enormous personal contribution supported by the huge institutional
contribution of Acadia University, his
employer.
The Now or Never report could not
have happened in the absence of both
those extraordinary personal and institutional commitments and sacrifices. For
all of that, Ray, his fellow commissioners
and Acadia University are deserving of
the Chamber’s accolades.
I would like to thank the selection
committee which is comprised of the
Chamber’s Immediate Past Chair, Andrew Boswell and the former Immediate
Past Chair, Paula Gallagher, along with
Chamber Governor Ian Thompson, who
provided a broader, outside perspective.
I would love to have your feedback
on this month’s story and welcome you
to come out and celebrate Ray’s accomplishment at our mayor’s Annual State
of the Municipality Address in the fall.
illustration
WEB
EB
eBOOKs
APP
weusthem.com
Strategy
Brandi
ding
@WeUsThemInc
CAMPAIGN
[email protected]
BUSINESS VOICE
fb.com/weustheminc
5
NEWSMAKERS
CATAGORY
NEW & NOTED
New to the Chamber this month
ANCHOR PROFESSIONAL
& TRAINING SERVICES LIMITED
CONNAIRE VAN RIEZEN
- STUDENT MEMBER
ENHANCED LANGUAGE TRAINING
CONSULTANTS, INC.
Kathryn MacLeod, President
Halifax, NS
(902) 477-3352
[email protected]
BUSINESS & PROF. SERVICES
Halifax, NS
(905) 572-5205
[email protected]
Our international consultancy service
provides training to organizations
planning expansion into Latin American
markets, including country specific cultural awareness, business practices, and
employee coaching and transitioning.
Our language consultancy service
provides customized English language
training and assessment for employees
and employers, focusing on General
English for immigration and the Nominee Program, and Business English for
professionals and entrepreneurs.
Robert Doyle, Director
Box 141 Central Station
Halifax, NS B3J 2M4
(902) 483-0891
[email protected]
www.eltconsultants.ca
EDUCATION & PROF.
ANOMALY PRODUCTIONS
Anomaly Productions is a video production company that understands the
importance of individuality. With our
background in journalism and film, our
services capture the essence of your
story, with cinematic presentation that is
unique to you. Everything starts with an
idea. Our role is to bring that idea to life.
Leena Ali, Co-founder
& Production Manager
Halifax, NS
(902) 789-8497
[email protected]
anomalyproductions.ca
ARTS, CULTURE & ENTERTAINMENT
ATLANTIC SHIELD INSURANCE
& FINANCE INC.
Atlantic Shield Insurance & Financial
Inc. is a brokerage focused on providing high-quality service and customer
satisfaction. We have partnered with
the leaders in the insurance industry
allowing us to offer exceptional products
and services to our clients. We are a full
service brokerage covering all commercial and personal needs.
Brian Allt, President
3200 Kempt Rd, Halifax B3K 4Z1
(902) 406-7736
[email protected]
www.atlanticshield.ca
FINANCE & INSURANCE
BOOMERSWORK.COM
Kyler Crawford
1959 Upper Water St, Suite 1700
Halifax, NS B3J 3N2
(902) 446-4194
[email protected]
www.boomerswork.ca
HR, EMPLOYMENT & STAFFING
6
ANDRE BELLEFEUILLE, DIRECTOR,
MARKETING, BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT,
AND COMMUNICATION
Suite 1306, 2000 Barrington St
Halifax, NS B3J 3K1
(902) 334-1176
[email protected]
cpaatlantic.ca
EDUCATION & PROF. DEVELOPMENT
BOUTIQUE BOOKKEEPING SERVICES
We are committed to providing customers with quality, personalized bookkeeping and payroll services using the latest
technologies, including top of the line
accounting software. Our mission is to
help clients maintain the best and accurate financial records with a top priority
being the security and backup of your
information.
Julie Bellefontaine, Owner
8 Oland Cres, Halifax, NS B3S 1C6
(902) 407-7046
[email protected]
www.boutiquebookkeepinghfx.com
FINANCE & INSURANCE
DAVID JONES - INVESTORS GROUP
Through tailored, comprehensive financial planning I provide leading long term
value to clients through wealth management and wealth creation that aligns
with a client’s individual needs and
goals. Feel free to contact me personally for a confidential & focused look at
realizing your financial goals today
David Jones
207-7001 Mumford Rd, Halifax, NS B3L 4N9
(902) 423-8294
[email protected]
www.investorsgroup.com/en/
david.jones/home
FINANCE & INSURANCE
J U LY & AU G US T
2015
HOMEWOOD HEALTH
Homewood Health is the Canadian
leader in mental health and addiction
services. With over 130 years of experience, our suite of programs includes
organizational wellness and Employee
and Family Assistance Programs (EFAP)
helping Canadians live healthier, more
productive and fulfilling lives. Homewood services focus on helping people
and organizations thrive.
David Penney, Account Executive
99 Wyse Rd, Suite 930
Dartmouth, NS B3A 4S5
(902) 406-7644
[email protected]
www.homewoodhealth.com
HEALTH
INSPIREWORKS CONSULTING
Tammy Murray Reid,
Founder and Owner
Bedford, NS
(902) 448-5001
[email protected]
www.inspireworksconsulting.com
EDUCATION & PROF. DEVELOPMENT
NEWSMAKERS
INSTITUTE FOR CHINESE & ASIAN
RESEARCH (ICAR)
MADE IN THE MARITIMES
ARTISAN BOUTIQUE
ICAR is a Moncton based research
institute, whose primary interests are
consulting for Canadian companies
and institutions in the fields of business,
cultural awareness, market research and
entry (export/import); overseas, student
recruitment, language training, translation, interpretation; Chinese, Hindi,
Japanese, Korean and Arabic; certificates
and diplomas.
B. K. Vaswani, Sr. Consultant
304 Mountain Rd, Moncton, NB E1C 2M1
(506) 857-8619
[email protected]
www.icar-inst.com
BUSINESS & PROF. SERVICES
Joel Kelly, Managing Director
Sunnyside Mall, 1595 Bedford Hwy
Bedford, NS B4A 3Y4
(902) 406-2222
[email protected]
www.madeinthemaritimes.com
SHOPPING & SPECIALTY RETAIL
KATALIN ALLEN & ASSOCIATES INC.
Katalin Allen, CEO/Leadership and
Innovation Strategist
Halifax, NS
(902) 488-6119
[email protected]
www.katalinallen.com
EDUCATION & PROF. DEVELOPMENT
NOVA SCOTIAOFFICE OF IMMIGRATION
Melissa Brayley,
Administrative Assistant
1741 Brunswick St, Suite 110A
PO Box 2221, Halifax, NS B3J 2Y3
(902) 424-5230
[email protected]
novascotiaimmigration.com
BUSINESS & PROF. SERVICES
NOVA STAR CRUISES
Nova Star Cruises operates a seasonal
cruise-ferry service between Yarmouth,
Nova Scotia and Portland, Maine.
Nova Star is a state-of-the-art ship that
accommodates 750 passengers and features live entertainment and activities,
assorted dining/lounge options, a casino, duty-free shopping, a spa, children’s
play area, cabins, and conference and
wedding venues.
Danny Morton,
Director, Cruise Marketing
and Business Development
Yarmouth, NS
[email protected]
www.NovaStarCruises.com
TRAVEL & TOURISM
PROGRESSIVE CONSERVATIVE
ASSOCIATION OF NOVA SCOTIA
Jim David, Provincial Director
1003 - 1660 Hollis St
Halifax, NS B3J 1V7
(902) 429-9470
[email protected]
www.pcparty.ns.ca
NOT-FOR-PROFIT GROUPS
L.J. RYAN CONSULTING
AND ASSOCIATES INC
Lawrence Ryan, President
Halifax, NS
(902) 499-9531
[email protected]
BUSINESS & PROF. SERVICES
MATLEN STRATEGY CONSULTING
Matlen Strategy Consulting (Matlen)
works with companies to define, direct
and design authentic and distinguishing
strategies which are uninfluenced by the
vast emergence of tactical trends. Strong
advocates of critical thinking during
strategy development, Matlen’s consulting services include: marketing strategy,
brand ingenuity, custom literature and a
unique ‘director retainer program’.
Matthew Harpell, Owner & Consultant
61 Fathom Ct, Halifax, NS B3M 0A7
(902) 497-8919
[email protected]
matlenstrategy.com
ADVERTISING, PR & MEDIA
Halifax Business News on the Go
BUSINESS VOICE
7
NEWSMAKERS
RETIRE-AT-HOME SERVICES, HALIFAX
SOUPER DUPER SOUP
XLR8 CONSULTING
Sanaa Youssef, Executive Director
Halifax, NS
(902) 332-3778
[email protected]
www.RAHhalifax.com
HEALTH CARE
Jenn Service, Soup Whisperer
Dartmouth, NS
(902) 222-5055
[email protected]
souperdupersoup.com
RESTAURANTS, FOOD & BEVERAGE
SHIVANI’S KITCHEN
SYNERGYSCREENS DIGITAL SIGNAGE
John Robertson,
CXO | Chief XLR8ing Officer
69 Hammonds Plains Rd
Bedford, NS B4A 1K1
(902) 292-9578
[email protected]
www.XLR8Now.ca
BUSINESS & PROF. SERVICES
First time in Maritimes! Members and
guests are invited to Shivani’s kitchen; a
fun-filled Bollywood style Indian cooking
class. Time to learn how to use spices for
your curry. The classes focus on traditional, home-cooked Indian food that is
easy to replicate. The recipes are family
recipes that have been passed on for
generations and you get copies of them.
Shivani Dhamija
16 Tayberry Ct, Halifax, NS B3S 1L1
(902) 482-7714
[email protected]
www.tastelikehome.com
RESTAURANTS, FOOD & BEVERAGE
SynergyScreens is one of Atlantic Canada’s largest digital signage companies
with locations spread throughout NB,
NS, and PEI. We provide our advertisers
with a unique opportunity to promote
their products and/or services through
our dynamic digital display screens.
Advertisers can feature static, motion/
animated or video advertisements. We
can offer customized packages to suit
your needs. Ad space can be purchased
for weekly, monthly, and yearly exposure.
Mark Simmons, President, Owner
258 Summer St, Summerside, PE C1N 3K1
(902) 314-9449
[email protected]
www.synergyscreens.com
ADVERTISING, PR & MEDIA
SINASYS INC.
Farhad Raeisi, Managing Director
Bedford, NS
(902) 444-5908
[email protected]
www.sinasys.com
COMPUTERS, IT & TECHNOLOGY
ZAHRA ZAMAN PHOTOGRAPHY
ZAHRA ZAMAN has been creating
unique images since 2008. Through her
training in photojournalism, she uses
this documentary style to help showcase
each client’s personal story. She remains
professional while keeping the mood light
and fun. Zahra focuses on making her
clients feel at ease and building lasting
relationships. Her goal is to produce high
quality images and premium products
that her clients will enjoy for generations.
Zahra Zaman
(902) 830-6355
[email protected]
www.zahrazaman.com
www.facebook.com/zahrazamanphotos (Corporate Work)
www.zahrazaman.com (Wedding Work)
Twitter: @zamanphoto
Instagram: zahra_zaman
PERSONAL CARE
& SERVICES - PHOTOGRAPHY
Are you a new member? To submit your 50-word description for New & Noted, please contact Becky Davison, Marketing & Communications Specialist
at [email protected] or 902-481-1234 within the first six months of membership.
Get your message out on target and on time.
A full-service commercial printer with direct-mail capabilities, unique in Atlantic
Canada, Bounty Print offers a wide range of services for all your printing needs
including a newly installed wide format division.
Bounty’s industry-leading team has the knowledge and experience to deliver
great value and impact for your next print project.
BOUNTYPRINT
YOUR FULL-SERVICE COMMERCIAL PRINTER
902.453.0300
WWW.BOUNTYPRINT.COM
8
J U LY & AU G US T
2015
NEWSMAKERS
MEMBERS IN THE NEWS
Movers and shakers, our members are newsmakers
clients on the impact of changing demographics on their real estate portfolios.
For more information: (902) 429-1811 or
visit www.turnerdrake.com.
ECOLOGY ACTION CENTRE
BEGINS RENOVATIONS
Alexandra Baird Allen
ALEXANDRA BAIRD ALLEN
ATTAINS DESIGNATION
Congratulations to Turner Drake &
Partners Ltd.`s Alexandra Baird Allen
on being awarded her Member of the
Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors
(MRICS) designation! Alex is the Senior
Manager of our Economic Intelligence
Unit. Since joining Turner Drake, she has
implemented Geographic Information
Systems (GIS) and data mining as an
extension of our firm’s skills base. She
is responsible for utilizing GIS to marry
demographic, income and expense data
with our real estate databases to advise
The Ecology Action Centre (EAC)
has begun an exciting renovation of their
130 year old home in the North End of
Halifax. In 2005 the EAC office on Fern
Lane became one of the first green office
renovation sites in Nova Scotia and has
inspired hundreds of property owners
and builders on cost effective ways to
minimize their environmental impact.
Ten years later, the EAC has outgrown
its space and has decided to add a third
floor, increase the efficiency of the building
and continue its commitment to educating the community around cost effective
innovative green renovations. You can
learn more about this unique project at
www.ecologyaction.ca/expansion 2014.
DESTINATION HALIFAX WINS AWARD
Destination Halifax was awarded the
National Meetings Industry Day (NMID)
Atlantic Canada Chapter Influence
Award. The award recognizes people or
organizations outside the direct meetings industry, which have supported the
development of meetings and conven-
tions or policy and programs impacting
the industry. Patricia Lyall, President and
CEO of Destination Halifax, accepted the award at an NMID event at the
World Trade and Convention Centre
in downtown Halifax. Destination Halifax was chosen as the award recipient
because of their contagious team spirit
and collaborative work with partners.
This approach helps win convention
business and respect in the industry.
KNIGHTSBRIDGE ROBERSTON
SURRETTE MAKES ACQUISITION
Knightsbridge Robertson Surrette
acquires LHH Atlantic Operations,
Atlantic Canada’s leading recruitment,
career transition and HR consulting firm,
Knightsbridge Robertson Surrette,
has announced the purchase of the Atlantic Canadian operations of Lee Hecht
Harrison (LHH), the global leader in
career transition and talent development.
Knightsbridge Robertson Surrette,
independently owned and operated in Atlantic Canada for 40 years, will maintain
a strategic partnership with Lee Hecht
Harrison and represent the organization in Atlantic Canada, providing counsel and service to clients with the same
commitment to excellence and results
and further enhancing the firm’s existing
career transition practice. For more information visit www.kbrs.ca/LHH
63 McQuade Lake Cres, Bayers Lake, Halifax, NS B3S 1C4 • tel: 902-421-2116 • fax: 902-425-3517 • [email protected]
BUSINESS VOICE
9
NEWSMAKERS
DRESS FOR SUCCESS
CELEBRATES WOMEN
Dress for Success Halifax celebrates
two women who have been honoured
at the organization’s 15th annual spring
fundraiser. “The Woman of Spirit and
Client Recognition have become a
highlight of our event, with both distinctions having many common attributes,
honouring ordinary women who do
extraordinary things in our community”,
says Brenda Saunders/Todd, Executive
Director. Lorraine Reddick of Antigonish
(Woman of Spirit), and Zarghona Hashemi of Halifax (Dress for Success Halifax
client) received these distinctions during
the Fashionista Fling on May 14 at the
Casino Nova Scotia. For more information about Dress for Success Halifax:
halifax.dressforsuccess.org.
LOCAL REALTOR® OBTAINS
E-PRO® CERTIFICATION
Realizing the importance of technology
training, the National Association of
REALTORS® (NAR) created a comprehensive Technology Certification course
in 2000. And now that course, e-PRO®,
has been completely updated to include
information on Social Media and Web
2.0 aspects that is, and will continue, to
change the real estate business. The new
course will prepare real estate professionals to make the most of Internet technology and to identify, evaluate, and implement new Internet business models. The
elite group of course graduates represents
only four percent of all REALTORS® in
the country including Lisa Coates of
Precision Realty. The exclusive certification is presented online and certifies
real estate agents and brokers as Internet
professionals. The course is designed
to help REALTORS® stay at the leading
edge of technology and identify, evaluate
and implement new Internet business
models. For more information, e-mail
Lisa Coates at [email protected]
or call 902-489-1286
10
CENTURA ATLANTIC RECEIVES AWARD
Centura Atlantic, located on 66 Wright
Ave. in Dartmouth was presented with
the “Canadian Business of the Year
Award” by the Canadian Lebanese
Chamber of Commerce. The award
was presented to Peter Maddalena, owner and President of Centura Atlantic
at the CCCL’s annual Cedar and Maple
Gala on May 14th at Pier 21
in Halifax. The award recognizes the
long standing relationship Centura
shares with the local Lebanese business
community. Centura Atlantic is a
locally owned business specializing in
the distribution of flooring products
throughout the Atlantic Region.
CEED CHANGING LOCATIONS
We’re excited to share that CEED will be
moving down the road to our new office
in the Bayers Road Centre at 7071 Bayers
Road! The new space will come with a
larger training space, more opportunity
for growth and it will give us the room
we need to explore exciting new partnerships. We are now in the final planning
stages, and we’ll have a final move date
for you very soon. For more information:
ceed.ca
TROMPE L’OEIL STUDIOS
PARTICIPATES IN BRAINSTORM
Annemarie Johnson professional Artist
and owner of Trompe L’oeil Studios
was a participant in “BRAINSTORM”
Art Exhibit with nine fellow artists from
ArtFocus, an artist group from Dartmouth and area. ArtFocus partnered with
Sunnyside Mall in Bedford who provided
J U LY & AU G US T
2015
space for the event. “BRAINSTORM”
was a fundraiser for the Mental Health
Foundation of Nova Scotia, donating
thirty percent of the proceeds from art
sales. Johnson has also partnered with
the Halifax Chamber for the Nocturne
art exhibit entitled “PEEK SHOW”, and
a Paint Workshop for their Staff Team
Building Day. www.annemariejohnson.ca
MEDAVIE BLUE CROSS
LAUNCHES A NEW PERSONAL
HEALTH INSURANCE PLAN
Elements by Medavie Blue Cross
offers wide flexibility in personal health
insurance to match the needs of Atlantic
Canadian’s lives and budgets. It allows
consumers to mix and match their
coverage with optional levels of health,
drug, and dental benefits, as well as
additional types of benefits that protect
against critical illnesses, hospitalization,
and ensure the stability of their coverage.
Individuals can also upgrade their benefits
at key events in their lives, like when they
get married, have a child, or adjust for
affordability knowing they can upgrade
again later — it’s about responsiveness
that ensures coverage will remain flexible
wherever life takes you. To learn more,
visit livelovegrow.ca.
HOME INSTEAD SENIOR CARE
RECOMMENDS SHARING THE CARE
You may not have much in common with
your siblings now that you’re grown, but
there’s still one thing you share: your
mom and dad. A new local program —
the 50-50 Rule — offers strategies for
overcoming sibling differences to help
NEWSMAKERS
CONGRATULATIONS
to Chamber Members
who were recognized
in this year’s Atlantic
Business Magazine’s
2015 TOP 50 CEOS
Suzanne Bachur, President,
Premier Executive Suites/Atlantic Ltd.
Cory Bell, President,
Lindsay Construction.
Carolyn Booth, Senior Vice President,
Atlantic Provinces Division, BMO Bank
of Montreal
Rodd Hotels & Resorts
families provide the best care for elderly
parents. At the core of the 50-50 Rule is a
family relationship and communication
guide of real-life situations. The 50-50
Rule refers to the average age (50) when
siblings are caring for their parents, as
well as the need for brothers and sisters
to share 50-50 in the plans for care. For
more information and your complimentary guide, visit www.solvingfamilyconflict.com or call 902-429-2273.
NEPTUNE THEATER’S
ECONOMIC IMPACT STUDY
Neptune Theatre recently completed a
new economic impact study for its 201314 season, confirming that Neptune is
a multi-million dollar economic engine
that creates jobs, pays taxes and supports
other local businesses. Key highlights of
the study included the following: Of the
400 people earning employment income
at Neptune each year, 80 per cent are
Nova Scotia residents, Nova Scotia-based
patron spending (excluding Neptune
ticket purchases), and Neptune’s own
operational spending, amounted to
$7.37 million in direct spending within
the local economy, for every ticket sold,
Neptune generates nearly $41 in revenue
for local businesses and Neptune contributes an estimated $9.5 million to Nova
Scotia’s GDP, while generating more
than $1.5 million in tax revenues. “We
are extremely proud of the results of this
study,” says Robert Batherson, President
of the Neptune Theatre Foundation
“And we look forward to exploring new
opportunities to strengthen and grow
Neptune in the future.”
Don Bureaux, President & CEO,
Nova Scotia Community College
RODD HOTELS & RESORTS
CELEBRATES 80 YEARS
Damian K. Byrne, CEO & President,
Landmark Hospitality Group
For over 80 years, Rodd Hotels &
Resorts has welcomed guests from all
over the world to its renowned hotels and
resorts. Our professional staff would be
happy to assist and advise you on all aspects of creating a successful event, and
no detail, however minute, is overlooked.
In celebration of 80 years in hospitality
we would like to offer a limited time
incentive at all eight locations in Atlantic
Canada including complimentary meeting space, room upgrades and more. For
more information, contact: Kim Gowan,
Sales Manager Rodd Hotels & Resorts.
(506) 232-2932 or www.roddhotels–
andresorts.com
Doug Doucet, Owner & President,
rcs Construction Inc.
DR. BRAD MCRAE
TO MAKE PRESENTATION
Dr. Brad McRae, Director of The Atlantic Leadership Development Institute
has been invited to present at the World
Education Congress for Meeting Professionals International in San Francisco
on August 2nd and 3rd on the topic of
Becoming a Master Negotiator.
Scott D. Ferguson, President & CEO,
Trade Centre Limited (TCL)
Dr. Richard Florizone,
President & Vice-Chancellor,
Dalhousie University
Jennifer Gillivan, President & CEO,
IWK Health Centre Foundation
Guido Kerpel, General Manager,
The Westin Nova Scotian Hotel
Dr. Ramona Lumpkin,
President & Vice-Chancellor,
Mount Saint Vincent Univeristy
Stuart MacLean, Chief Executive
Officer, Workers’ Compensation Board
of Nova Scotia - WCB
Travis McDonough, Founder & CEO,
Kinduct Technologies
Dan Merzetti, President & CEO,
DSM Telecommunications Inc.
Troy D. Northrup,
President & CEO, Shred Guard Inc.
Brent Scrimshaw, President & CEO,
Atlantic Lottery Corporation
Ken Shea, President & CEO,
East Coast Credit Union
To make a submission to Members in the News
please contact Becky Davison, Marketing
& Communications Specialist at becky@
halifaxchamber.com or 902-481-1234.
Deadline for submissions is six weeks before
publication, on the 15th of each month.
BUSINESS VOICE
Ian D. Smith, Chief Executive Officer,
Clearwater Seafoods Limited
Partnership
John Volcko,
Vice President & District Manager,
PCL Constructors Canada Inc.
11
THE
TRUTH
TELLER
COVER STORY
Ray Ivany:
The Halifax Chamber of Commerce
2015 Person of the Year
By Erin Elaine Casey | Photos By Paul Darrow
I t was a bitter and windy day in Feb-
ruary 2014. The report of the One Nova
Scotia Commission, Now or Never: An
Urgent Call to Action for Nova Scotians,
had just been released, and Commission
Chair Ray Ivany was making his way up
Barrington Street with his coat collar
pulled up around his ears. A car stopped
next to him and a stranger rolled down
the window. “Ray!” the man hollered,
“Thanks for telling the truth!” Then he
drove away.
“That crystallized for me all the
things we were trying to do. The five of us,
all of us, love Nova Scotia,” Ivany says of
his fellow One Nova Scotia Commissioners. “Like anything you love, it doesn’t
mean you’re unwilling to look at the
aspects of it that need to change. We had
a difficult conversation with our fellow
citizens the same way you would with your
family if you were in a difficult spot.”
His unflinching honesty in facing
down the twin challenges of demography
and economy that have Nova Scotia in a
vice-like grip have earned Ray Ivany the
distinction of Halifax Chamber of Commerce 2015 Person of the Year.
The findings of Ray Ivany and the
One Nova Scotia Commission — that we
must be more hospitable to new ideas,
welcoming to immigrants, and understanding of the need for wealth creation;
that urban and rural dwellers must work
together, and growing the Halifax economy is vital for Nova Scotia to succeed
— have in the past 16 months galvanized
Nova Scotians.
It’s been a few years since his
childhood in Sydney, yet Ivany draws a
line that connects growing up in a steel
town in decline with his work on the
Commission. “Sydney to some degree is
a microcosm of a changing economy and
how that dramatically affects the nature
of a community,” explains Ivany. “My
father was a steelworker for 44 years and
I grew up at a time when the steel mills
were still paying decent salaries that
sustained families. I worked in the steel
plant, and I learned something about the
dignity of work. There was an honesty
and integrity that I learned from how
others approached their work that has
never left me.”
At the same time, Ivany recalls the
politics of scarcity — the feeling of being
on the outside looking in — that coloured
Nova Scotia then just as it does today.
“Politicians were looked at as people who
went to Halifax or Ottawa and brought
back resources,” he says. He still feels
the sting of growing up in a community
he describes as being on the wrong side
of the development curve. “The skills
you hone are the skills of competition
for crumbs that fall off the plate. Your
discourse is about scrabbling around to
find what scant resources you can, which
throws you into community-to-community competition. Those things were true
growing up in Sydney, and we saw them
in our work with the commission.”
Ray Ivany held leadership positions at the University College of Cape
Breton and NSCC before becoming the
15th President and Vice-Chancellor of
Acadia University in 2009. He is ViceChair of Nova Scotia Business Inc. and
a board member of the Association of
Universities and Colleges of Canada and
Nova Scotia Power. His awards include
an Honorary Doctor of Letters from St.
Thomas University and being named to
BUSINESS VOICE
13
COVER STORY
Now
or Never:
The Game
Changers
Now or Never: An Urgent Call to
Action for Nova Scotians includes
a list of 12 “game changers” that
outline the strategic directions we
will need to follow to achieve the
goals set out in the report. “Although
some action steps are suggested, these are not presented as
detailed recommendations for
policy implementation,” reads the
report. “They speak to the need for
i_]d_ǃ_YơdjY^ơd][i_dơjj_jkZ[iơdZ
outlooks across the province, and
for innovative policy and programmatic approaches to be adopted
by government, business, labour
and industry organizations, and
lead institutions and agencies. They
are not just directed at government,
but need to be seriously considered by all other sectors and the
general public.”
1. A New Politics
2. Attitude Shift — A Shared
Commitment to Growing
Nova Scotia’s One Economy
3. Strategic Priority on Business
Start-ups and Growth-Oriented
Enterprises
4. Renewing Rural Industries
5. A Shared Commitment to
Sustainable Development
and Regulatory Excellence
6. Rebuilding our Trade Economy
7. Excellence in Education and
Training
8. Becoming a More Inclusive
and Welcoming Province
9. Promoting Entrepreneurship
10. Integrating Economic
Development Services
11. Better Management of
Economic Development
Investment Funds
12. Finding a Committed Federal
Partner
14
That optimism came from the private sector,
those businesses, those communities.
Communities just say, ‘No way!
We’re not going to lose.’”
Maclean’s Honour Roll of Top Ten Canadians Who Made a Difference. He was
Halifax Chamber of Commerce Business
Person of the Year in 2004, and in 2011
was inducted into the Atlantic Business
Magazine Top 50 CEO Hall of Fame.
In November 2012, Ray Ivany
was appointed Chair of the One Nova
Scotia Commission on Building Our
New Economy. Tasked with diagnosing
what ails the provincial economy and
prescribing a remedy, the Commission
included representatives from multiple
disciplines across the province: Irene
d’Entremont, President of ITG Information Management in Yarmouth; Dan
Christmas, Senior Advisor in Membertou, Cape Breton; Susanna Fuller, Marine
Conservation Coordinator at the Ecology
Action Centre; and John Bragg, Founder
and CEO of Oxford Group of Companies.
Ivany emphatically credits his fellow
Commissioners and staff members Jo
Ann Fewer, Mark Austin, and Carolyn
Terry with the unprecedented success of
the Commission.
Asked why he agreed to take on such
a monumental task, Ivany responds without hesitation. “It’s just such an honour
to be asked to serve your fellow citizens
that there’s no answer but yes!” Chairing
the Commission wasn’t just adding a volunteer position; it was adding a full time
job, and the Acadia Board of Governors
was enthusiastic from the beginning.
Ivany recounts the first time all five
Commissioners were in the same room.
Every one of them felt an enormous
weight of responsibility. “Right away, the
five of us were in violent agreement,” Ivany laughs. The Commissioners knew that
their work had to be by, for, and about
Nova Scotians. It was the only way to
make sure the report didn’t sit on a shelf
and gather dust.
J U LY & AU G US T
2015
The long and intimate process of
engaging with people all over the province was carefully planned and executed.
“We knew it was going to be serious,
it was going to be frightening, it was
going to describe a situation of urgency,”
continues Ivany. “We didn’t want people
to turn to government and say, ‘What
are you going to do?’ We wanted people
to look in the mirror and say, ‘What can
WE do?’”
In the early going, digging deeper
into the economic and demographic
metrics had a “salutary effect like smelling salts,” says Ivany. “When we finally
understood — and we took mid-level
predictions, not worst case — that if Nova
Scotia stayed on the course it was on, on
the demography alone in 25 years we lose
four to five per cent overall population.
And that was the good news! The bad
news was the compression of the 18 to 64
cohort by 15 to 20 per cent. Nothing can
compensate for that!”
“That’s where we came up with the
mental image of the vice,” he says. “It’s
a demographic track that is frightening
and an economic performance — lowest
in the country for the past 20 years —
pushing on you from the other direction.
This is potentially cataclysmic and we
MUST do something about it. That’s
what we took out into communities, and
we said that to people. We agreed to tell
the truth.”
That attitude and culture would figure so prominently in the findings came
as a surprise to the Commissioners. Ivany explains that the way Nova Scotians
were processing what was happening
to them was, paradoxically, preventing
them from doing what had to be done to
make things better.
The process was difficult emotionally, and Ivany’s words sometimes take
on the tone of a love letter to his province
and fellow citizens. “I fell in love with
the province all over again. There is a
way of being and a sense of place in this
province that has incredible value, and
you can feel it. This explains some of our
resistance to change. Even communities
facing the most severe challenges, you’d
recognize the beauty of that community,
those people, how they saw themselves
and what they aspired to for their children.”
In every part of the province, Ivany
saw outstanding companies with incredible stories of hard work and success.
Many existed because an individual entrepreneur was determined to stay in that
community. At the town hall meetings
in the evening, the struggle of individual
people was more obvious. Ivany would
leave at night thinking “Wow, we saw five
great companies today; imagine if there
were 10!”
Despite having to come down hard
on the diagnostics and urgency, the
Commissioners came down “net positive
and net optimistic that we could turn it
around,” Ivany asserts. “That optimism
came from the private sector, those
businesses, those communities. Communities just say, ‘No way! We’re not going
to lose.’” But is that kind of optimism
an option for all 940,000 of us? Ivany
believes it is.
He contends that we don’t have to
look far back into our history for a more
promising model of doing business.
“Pre-Confederation Nova Scotia saw our
geography as strategically important,
established north-south trading patterns,
and added value to every product we
produced. If you look at some of our great
business success stories, they are evocative of pre-Confederation.”
The decision was easy to structure
Now or Never in terms of population, economic development, and governance and
fiscal goals, rather than a list of recommendations. The Commissioners’ frame
of reference for each “stretch goal” was
this: Where would we have to be in order
for Nova Scotia to be successful, “have”
province? This approach highlighted the
vast distance between where we are and
where we need to be. “My father used to
say, ‘You can’t push a rope.’ We decided to
pull on the rope,” says Ivany.
The next big decision was the
report’s title. The need to both empower
Nova Scotians and convey the urgency of
COVER STORY
On the positive side,
if you had asked me the
night before the launch if
16 months out we would
still be having the public
debate about how to
proceed, I wouldn’t have
believed it. And I’m elated.”
the situation was paramount. “It was less
us choosing the title and more the title
choosing us. It wasn’t an urgent call to action for the government; it was an urgent
call to action for Nova Scotians.”
The night before the launch of Now
or Never, the Commissioners had dinner
together and mused about what they
thought would happen. “We were all
wrong, but I was the most wrong,” laughs
Ivany. “I thought we would end up in a
three- to six-month bun fight with Nova
Scotians on the dimensions of the problem. I thought people would debate the
findings, but they did hear what we had
to say, they did reflect on it, and in some
existential way they came down with that
nod: There is something there we could
do better on.”
Today, Ivany is reflective. He’s
reluctant to go back and “haunt” the
report. But he still worries about whether
or not we understand the urgency. “On
the positive side, if you had asked me the
night before the launch if 16 months out
we would still be having the public debate
about how to proceed, I wouldn’t have
believed it. And I’m elated.”
Ivany admits that the tone of the
16
J U LY & AU G US T
2015
report is unrelenting. “That’s because our
deep and abiding belief is that the only
way through this crisis is to never avert
our eyes from how serious this is. When
confronted with a 10-ft chasm, two five-ft
leaps won’t do.”
And he cautions against seeing this
as simply a set of economic problems:
“Nova Scotia needs each and every one of
us to succeed, in every possible context.
You can look at this through a social lens,
a humanitarian lens, an environmental
lens, and you’d come up with exactly the
same results.”
This much is clear: Ivany considers
the demographic and economic situation
we find ourselves in an emergency, and
we — Nova Scotians — are responsible for
our own individual and collective future.
As dire as this sounds, he also believes we
have what we need to get the job done.
“If we can get up on our hind legs
and turn our attention and our resolve
— all these things that make this such a
great place — if we just say THIS IS NOT
GOING TO HAPPEN… If we can do that,
we can turn this thing around. Those
economic predictors are not going to tell
us our future.”
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17
Tidal shift
Nova Scotia developing new sources of energy
By Jon Tattrie
18
J U LY & AU G US T
2015
ENERGY
The whole world is watching Nova Scotia now,
and if we can harness energy in the Bay of Fundy,
we can pretty much harness it anywhere in the world,”
he says. “We’re building an expertise here that we’ll
be able to export around the world.”
— Michel Samson,
Nova Scotia’s Energy Minister
Photo: Aaron Beswick/
The Chronicle Herald/Truro Bureau
OpenHydro Technology Canada plans to install
two much larger tidal turbines like this one
(their bases alone weigh 1,000 tonnes each)
in the Minas Channel this fall.
I n November 2009, HydroOne and
Nova Scotia Power installed two powerful, 10-tonne tidal turbines into Nova
Scotia’s Bay of Fundy. Twenty days later,
the companies start pulling the wreckage
out of the water. The highest tides in the
world smashed apart all 12 turbine blades
in less than three weeks, delivering more
than 2.5 times the anticipated power.
It was a spectacular failure.
“This is man versus nature. Nature
won on the first go,” says Michel Samson,
Nova Scotia’s energy minister. But the
anchorage and power cables survived,
and this fall HydroOne and NSP will put
newer, more robust, turbines into the
monster tides.
“The whole world is watching Nova
Scotia now, and if we can harness energy
in the Bay of Fundy, we can pretty much
harness it anywhere in the world,” he says.
“We’re building an expertise here that
we’ll be able to export around the world.”
It’s all part of the plan for Nova Scotia
to hit this year’s target of 25 per cent of our
energy coming from renewable resources
and keeping the province on track to hit
40 per cent renewable by 2020.
“We’re very excited about the future
here in Nova Scotia. For a province that
was so dependent on coal for years — we
believe that our province is now moving
in a position that will have the right mix
of traditional electricity generation along
with renewable sources,” the energy
minister says.
The Maritime Link project between
Nova Scotia and Newfoundland will
play an important role in lifting Nova
Scotia up to that 40 per cent mark. The
government recently reached deals with
Mi’kmaq leaders and opened a Maritime
Link office in Sydney. They’re now identifying which contractors will do the work.
“That project is on target, and more
importantly it’s within budget,” Samson
says.
Much of the Maritime Link’s hydro-generated power will be sold onto
other markets, but Nova Scotia will get
some too. “It’s proceeding as we speak.
They’re basically waiting for the roads to
open from the spring weight restrictions
to be able to get at the project,” Samson
said in May.
Mike Sampson, Director of Asset
Management at Nova Scotia Power,
BUSINESS VOICE
says the big changes coming in how we
produce energy are being driven by successive provincial governments’ focus on
environmental and energy issues.
“These have been focused on a couple things. One is to increase the amount
of renewable energy that we have in our
generation mix. The other is to reduce
the amount of air emissions that we release into the environment. They amount
to some pretty dramatic changes to our
power system.”
Ten years ago, it was about 90 per
cent fossil fuels. Today, it’s about 75 per
cent fossil fuels and they’re on track for
the 2020 goal of 60 per cent fossil fuels.
NSP also uses less coal, and more natural
gas, to make up that fossil fuel source.
Sampson says NSP uses 53 generating units on 17 watersheds around Nova
Scotia to tap into hydro power. He says
we are in good shape for the 2020 target;
they been building a lot of wind and
biomass projects, too.
“We’re sourcing some of it from our
own project store and also sourcing some
of it from independent power producers,
we expect,” he says.
Sampson is confident that engineers will solve the problem of Fundy’s
powerful tides this time. He says similar
machines are working around Scotland’s
Orkney Islands and should be able to
capture Fundy’s energy. He says the
technology cycle has never been faster.
Wind power came slowly, over decades,
through trial and failure. But the new
tidal machines are rapidly improving.
The big machines go into the water
this summer.
“I think that will be a very, very,
interesting project to watch this summer.
I am very optimistic about that,” he says.
The province has been working with
Efficiency Nova Scotia to reduce power
usage. Michel Samson says Efficiency
N.S. has so far worked with 190,000
19
ENERGY
participants and reduced the use of electricity by seven per cent annually, for an
estimated savings of $99 million to rate
payers this year.
Online surveys have shown a public
appetite for more programs like Solar
City, a Halifax initiative to help people
install solar panels for home-energy gen-
see options, and they want choice,” he says.
Of course even if the province hits
the 2020 target, that still means fossil
fuels will account for most of our energy.
The Canada-Nova Scotia Offshore Petroleum Board put oil-and-gas exploration
parcels out for bids in 2013 and 2014, but
drew zero offers. They’re putting more
NS Power Energy Transition: 40% Renewable Energy in 2020
Biomass Hydro Imports
7%
1%
3%
Wind
1%
NG/Oil
13%
Coal
76%
Chart:
Nova Scotia Power
Hydro
9%
Biomass
3%
Wind
10%
NG/Oil
15%
2007
eration. “That’s something we’re looking
at. Solar is part of that discussion with
the whole electricity review,” the energy
minister says.
“We heard that Nova Scotians want
stability in their rates, they want some
predictability in their rates, they want to
20
Imports
3%
Coal
60%
2014
Imports
5%
Hydro
22%
Biomass
7%
Wind 18%
Coal
45%
2020 F
NG/Oil
3%
parcels out this year, and Samson is confident it’ll garner more interest.
“These are different parcels than
would have been included in the past,” he
says. The call for bids closes on Oct. 29.
Meanwhile, Shell will start drilling
this fall on parcels it owns the exploratory
J U LY & AU G US T
2015
rights to, and BP will do the same in 2017.
“That’s created a level of interest in our
offshore and hopefully we’re going to see
some activities around this current round
of bids,” Samson says.
“With the downturn with the price
of oil, both BP and Shell cancelled
projects throughout the world. They kept
their projects here in Nova Scotia. We
certainly see that as a sign of confidence
by those companies in our offshore.”
Shell has two years to explore. If it
finds something, production could start
in the mid-2020s.
Samson says the province faces an
apparent contradiction. “Nova Scotians
made it clear they want to see more
renewable energy, but at the same time
they don’t want to see rates going up
because of renewable energy. There’s a
balancing act there that the department
has to meet,” he says.
In 2014, the government changed
the rules so that alternative energy
producers can sell directly to consumers, and Samson expects more options
coming in spring 2016. At the same time,
they’ve paused the Community Feed-in
Tariff (COMFIT) program that fostered
small-scale energy producers because
it has enough approved projects on its
books to exceed its targets. Samson plans
to update that program in the fall sitting
of the legislature.
Mike Sampson at NSP calls it a
generational change. It’ll cost money
to make the switch to rewewables and
cleaner sources, but it’s an investment
he believes will pay off. Beyond 2020, he
thinks using sources like wind and tidal
will stabilize prices and remove much of
the volatility that comes with fossil fuels
like oil.
“I think that’s what our generation
is trying to reckon with: the fact that we
need to do this and we need to do it in a
cost-effective manner, but it might introduce new costs,” he says.
He sees natural gas as a bridging
technology to renewable resources. He
points to Germany, which is making a
strong push to renewable energy — in
part as an environmental measure and
in part as an energy security measure.
“If you make your own renewable
energy, you achieve a higher level of
energy security than if you have to bring
your natural gas from some other country,” he says.
He remembers the energy crises of
the 1970s and 1960s, when the interna-
ENERGY
Pinpointing powerful projects
u
Falls
1 Muskrat
The Halifax Gateway is
Wind
Energized!
Hydro
Biofuel
Tidal
Halifax
With wind technologies advancing and costs decreasing,
an increased number of turbines are being erected
throughout the region. Larger scale wind farms involve
a $400 million investment with contract opportunities
in the $100 million range.
T
he Halifax Gateway is the conduit for the
www.HalifaxGateway.com
movement of goods and people associated
with the diversified energy sector in Atlantic Canada.
According to the Atlantic Provinces Economic Council (APEC), energy
projects account for $57 billion, or 47% of our region’s major project
activity. The Gateway moves and stores biomass, windmill parts, tidal
turbines, hydro-electric equipment and transmission towers and we
also act as the major supply base for energy giants such as Shell and BP.
Quebec
Newfoundland
The hydroelectric potential of Muskrat Falls on the Lower
Churchill River in Labrador is one of the most significant
energy projects in North America. Nalcor and Emera are
partnering on the $7B project which includes an 824 MW
generating facility at Muskrat Falls, a transmission line
from Labrador to the island of Newfoundland, and a
further transmission link from the island to Nova Scotia.
Its name—The Maritime Link.
From importing the giant blades from EU, to trucking
windmill components to rural sites, the Halifax Gateway
has been instrumental in ensuring that key components
for the construction of wind farms have gotten to where
they need to be. To date, Nova Scotia has erected
181 turbines. Together, these turbines are capable
of generating 315 megawatts of electricity, that’s just
over 11% of the province’s total power generation.
A total of 500 megawatts is planned by 2020.
Renewables
The $1.6B Maritime Link is a 170km subsea transmission
cable and will give Nova Scotia access to power from the
Muskrat Falls Hydro Project. With our multi-modal transportation system, we have been instrumental in moving
key contractors, major supplies into the project site. As
well, the Halifax Logistics Park is the location to provide
transloading of equipment and supplies. Construction
is underway with more than $100 million in contracts
issued to date. Power is scheduled to flow by 2017.
1
Glen Dhu Wind Farm
2
Dalhousie Mountain
3
Nuttby Mountain Wind Farms
1
Muskrat Falls Hydro Generating Facility
Digby Neck Wind Farm
2
Maritime Link Subsea Transmission Cable
4
Other existing facilities
Renewable energy reduces greenhouse gas emissions and contributes to a more modern,
efficient, and reliable electricity system. These renewables will come from wind, hydro, and
tidal energy. Nova Scotia’s target is to secure 40% of its electricity from renewables by 2020.
The Port of Sheet Harbour and Richmond Terminals are capable of handling and transloading over sized components.
Other existing facilities
ort aux Basques
or
New U.S. regulations require a percentage of fuel to
come from renewable sources, obliging large diesel
companies to pay a premium for biodiesel. The outcome
is a ramping up of biofuel activity in Halifax.
The Bay of Fundy tides on Nova Scotia’s north shore
are the highest in the world. Its 10-metre tidal range
presents an immense tidal power opportunity.
The electricity that could be generated from the tidal
flow in the Bay of Fundy is enough to power one million
homes. The province’s goal is to produce 300 megawatts
of tidal power by 2020.
Biofuel Weiss Inc. is building a modern, continuous
flow biodiesel production facility in Mt. Uniacke, outside
of Halifax, Nova Scotia. The facility will use used cooking
oil imported from across Canada as feedstock. The entire
production, approximately 7 million gallons per year
of biodiesel, will be exported to the German market.
The region`s Fundy Ocean Research Center for
Energy (FORCE) is Canada’s leading research centre
for in-stream tidal energy. Four developers are testing
their innovative in-stream tidal turbines at FORCE –
OpenHydro, Black Rock Tidal Power, Atlantis Resources
and Minas Energy. With a sub-sea cable successfully
deployed, the first turbines are expected to be in place
in 2015.
Halifax start-up CelluFuel Inc. is also getting into the
biofuel business with plans to refine woody biomass
into low-emission diesel fuel. Currently, the company
is building a $5M, 1.5 million litre biodiesel demonstration-scale plant at ReNova, the former Bowater Mersey
Mill in Liverpool, Nova Scotia. With anticipated test-site
success, CelluFuel plans to develop a $35M commercial
operation requiring 80,000 green tonnes of fibre
annually and producing 20 million litres of fuel which
is being exported out of the Port of Halifax destined
for international markets.
1
Biofuel Weiss Biodiesel Production Facility
In construction
2
CelluFuel Biodeisel Plant
Many of the large turbines and parts needed for tidal
energy development at FORCE are being shipped
into the Port of Halifax or manufactured locally by
Cherubini Metal Works—located in the Halifax Logistics
Park—and Irving Shipbuilding and Marine Services.
Halifax welcomed tidal energy leaders from around the
world when it hosted the 2014 International Conference
on Ocean Energy (ICOE), signifying its growing expertise
in the marine renewable energy industry.
1
Fundy Ocean Research Centre for Energy
(FORCE) tidal test site
2
Halycon Tidal Power
Proposed Scots Bay project
n’s
Argentia
>
2
<
Fe
rry
Se
rvic
e
New
Brunswick
Grand Étang
< Ferry Service >
Prince Edward Island
line
l Gas Pipe
F d i t
North Sydney
dney
C
Charlottetown
Gla
Sydney
South Cape Mabou
5
Creignish Rear
Atlantic Ocean
Maine
USA
OCEANEX
EA
service: Halifax
H
with St. John’s
o
1
1
2
3
1
2
Point T
ircle
C
reat
G
te to
Rou
pe
Euro
Halifax Inset
Dickie Brook
CN Rail Line
3
Goodwood
Tankers
Supplies
4
<<<<
3
<<<<
Bear River
Sissiboo
Project
c information provided
o
by:
ho
urs)
15 min.
Bo
rde
r (5
Irving Halifax Shipyard
Emera Inc. Headquarters
Grain Elevator
8
Rail Station
Tra
nsC
an
ad
a
118
CN Rail
6
7
Ra
il
4
<<<<
Little Brook
Harmony
Richmond Terminal
5
>
Halifax
South Canoe
4
Gateway Facilities
CN
Breakbulk Terminal
Air
po
rt
Fall River
Lequille
Fairview Cove Terminal
Oil Storage Farms (4)
>
Airport
National Gypsum Wharf
2
3
US
Sheet Harbour
our
St. Mar
arg
rgaret’s Bay
rg
Paradise
Annapolis Tidal
1
>
< Fer
ry Ser
vice >
Nova Scotia
Nictaux
Halifax Stanfield
International
Airport
Access Highway
Halifax Regional
Municipality
1
nville
ville Fe
Ferry
Proposed Rail Line
Divided Highway
1
9
CN Intermodal Terminal
10
South End Terminal
11
Resupply Services
12
AutoPort
Biomass
Mersey
ey
Atlantic
Acres
Industrial
Park
Burnside
Business Park
1
102
Pubnico
Point
1
Roseew
Oil & Gas
Shell Offshore Parcels: Shelburne Basin
BP Offshore Parcels: Scotian Basin
3
Exxon Mobil’s Sable Offshore Platform
Thebaud Central Processing Facility
4
Deep Panuke Offshore Platform
Nova Scotia is also seeing an exploration boom. Shell and BP
are spending $1B each on offshore projects. Both companies
have completed 3D seismic surveying and drilling targets
are being identified.
5
Newfoundland Offshore Oil Projects
Hebron Oil, White Rose, others
Shell and BP seismic programs employ hundreds of people in
key logistics, environmental assessment, and support roles.
Other local companies involved include Atlantic Towing Inc.,
Cougar Helicopters, Mathers Logistics, Secunda Marine,
Superport Marine Services, and Survival Systems Training Ltd.
tional market for fossil fuels froze. “If
you’re making it with wind in your own
backyard, there is some security to that,”
Sampson says.
The key is to have a broad range of
energy suppliers so that Nova Scotia is
not overly reliant on any single source,
like it once was on coal and probably still
is on oil.
“If one of them is suddenly challenged by price, we can fall to some of
the others to offset some of that. In the
past if we were buying a lot of coal on the
world market, we would be very subject
to changes in the world market prices,”
he says.
Nova Scotia is working towards
more energy stability and sustainability,
and harnessing those powerful Fundy
tides is another step in that direction.
3
Bear Head, owned by LNGN Limited,
proposed facility, Port Hawkesbury, Nova Scotia
2
H-Energy’s proposed LNG Facility
Melford, Nova Scotia
3
Pieridae Energy’s proposed LNG Facility
Goldboro, Nova Scotia
Halifax Grain Elevator Ltd. provides the company with
storage for over 50,000 tonnes of industrial grade wood
pellets before Scotia Atlantic Biomass ships them to
Europe via the Port of Halifax. The dedicated storage
facility allows Scotia Atlantic Biomass to consolidate volume before exporting, resulting in significant savings on
shipping and maximizing the opportunities presented
by the Canada and the European Union Comprehensive
Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA).
1
Scotia Atlantic Biomass Ltd.
Wilsons
Dartmouth
4
5
Lakeside
Industrial
Park
Bayers Lake
Business
Park
103
e
Lin
2
The LNG terminals plan to source gas internationally and
locally from Encana’s Deep Panuke and ExxonMobil’s Sable
Offshore Energy projects.
Wood pellet biomass is one of the fastest growing
sources of renewable energy and a more popular
alternative to coal, especially for power generation in
Europe and Southeast Asia. Scotia Atlantic Biomass Ltd.,
a subsidiary of Viridis Energy, produces up to 120,000
tonnes industrial wood pellets per year.
ain
M
Projects like the $14B Hebron Oil project in Newfoundland
and Labrador are big, as are three LNG facilities proposed
for Nova Scotia: the $8.3B Pieridae Energy project, the $3B
H-Energy LNG plant, and the $2B Bear Head export terminal.
111
Ceres
2
1
1
Bedford Basin
Biomass refers to energy resources derived from organic
matter, including wood, wood waste, agricultural waste,
and other living-cell material that can be burned to
produce heat, electricity and liquid fuels.
CN
Atlantic Canada has one of North America’s fastest growing
offshore oil and gas sectors. It is estimated there are about
120 trillion cubic feet of natural gas and eight billion barrels of
oil offshore in Nova Scotia. As such, companies are investing
in petroleum geology research, oil prospecting and drilling,
oil and gas development, and liquefied natural gas (LNG)
facilities.
2
10-15 minutes to:
- Airport
- Port of Halifax
- Downtown Halifax
- AutoPort
Halifax
Logistics Park
2
Tusket
Service >
Maine < Ferry
Portland,
> Highway 102 > Airport
2
Halifax
Central Business
District
3
6
Imperial
Ocean
Industrial
Park
3
7
2 km
2 miles
N O RT H
8
9
www.HalifaxGateway.com
Irving
Halterm
3
Valero
10
Halifax Harbour
11
12
Halifax Gateway contact:
Nancy Phillips, Executive Director
[email protected]
1.800.565.1191
Minding the megaprojects
In her double roles as Director
of the Halifax Gateway Council and
Director of Business Development for
the Halifax Partnership, Nancy Phillips spends a lot of time promoting
megaprojects like offshore exploration
and the Maritime Link. They highlight:
“the capabilities that exist within the
gateway for moving the supplies and
products,” she says.
Halifax’s deep-water port, its ondock rail to take goods onward, and its
proximity to Europe all make it an ideal
place to handle the big changes coming to energy. Phillips says unusual items
like windmill blades and tidal turbines
BUSINESS VOICE
pose no problem for the port.
Further land is set aside in Burnside
to allow energy companies to grow,
or new ones to arrive.
Phillips point to developments
at Sheet Harbour, where many of the
large pieces are arriving, as evidence
the municipality can help the province
deliver its 2020 goals.
“[Sheet Harbour] has had really
good growth over the past couple of
years since the Port of Halifax started
managing it,” she says. “They’ve been
positioning it for the megaprojects.
“It’s pretty cool. It’s pretty powerful
when you put it all together.”
21
PROFILE
PlayTime
By Heidi Tattrie Rushton
Indoor playground just a hop, skip and jump away
T
he old adage: “Never mix business
with pleasure” doesn’t seem to apply to
Ashraf Adas and Mohamed Naim. The
longtime friends decided to partner
together to open an indoor playground
called Hop! Skip! Jump! Indoor Play Space
at 100 Susie Lake Crescent in Halifax last
22
year, and the results have exceeded their
wildest dreams.
“It is more than we expected,” Nadia
Shahin, Space Manager, says of the
steady stream of families through their
doors. “We are pleased with the turnout.”
The idea was born from Adas’s and
J U LY & AU G US T
2015
Naim’s roles as parents, not from their
professional backgrounds, and they
made it a true family affair, including
their wives, and even their children, in
the business. Adas and Naim were both
working in IT when they came up with
the idea. Shahin, who is Adas’s wife, is
Children need a safe and fun place to play,
be physically active, and simply be kids.”
– Nadia Shahin, Space Manager
Photo: Joe Robichaud/Tanglewood Studios
a nutritionist and used her background
to create the café menu. Naim’s wife,
Tahani Shaaban, lent her expertise in
architecture and design to the venture.
Three of their four combined children
make up the smiling faces on their logo.
“As fathers they knew the demand
for such a facility,” Shahin explained,
noting that the winters in Halifax can
make it especially hard to keep kids active. “Children need a safe and fun place
to play, be physically active, and simply
be kids.”
The 10,400 sq ft playground space
hosts the largest play structure in Nova
Scotia — a three storey, 3,500 square foot
activity centre that includes a climber
tower, wave slides, a ball blaster area,
and more.
Many parents worry about their
smaller children at indoor playgrounds
but hop! skip! jump! has taken that into
consideration and created a special space
just for the little tots. The toddler area is
filled with equipment to rival the bigger
kids’ area such as a merry-go-round, trampoline, and even a spinning palm tree.
Shahin says it’s hard to pinpoint
which piece of equipment is the most
popular, but admits: “It’s safe to say that
all the kids — and adults too — love the
three storey slides!”
Shahin says hop! skip! jump! stands
out from other indoor playgrounds because
of its size, unique play equipment, and
the well thought-out design.
“It’s a modern and welcoming atmosphere that families enjoy for hours and
like to come back to,” she explains. Their
admission system allows families to
purchase one play pass per child per day,
and then leave and return during those
hours as much as they need to, using the
same pass.
The space also includes three party
rooms, which have proven to be very
BUSINESS VOICE
popular for birthdays, special events, and
staff holiday parties, booking months in
advance. In fact, Shahin says when they
opened in November 2014 they received
birthday bookings for the summer of 2015.
The rooms will also provide a spot for
them to host their new weekly themed
summer camps kicking off this year.
In the near future they have plans
to expand to another location in Nova
Scotia and, shortly after, throughout the
Maritimes. It seems this business is only
a hop, skip, and a jump away from even
greater success.
HOP! SKIP! JUMP!
INDOOR PLAY PLACE
10-100 Susie Lake Crescent, Halifax
(902) 406-4406
www.hopskipjump.ca
23
HALIFAX PARTNERSHIP
Attitude adjustments
Pessimism is the Kryptonite of successful cities
We have heard over and over that Nova Scotians have bad
attitudes, so much so, that our population begins to believe
it, and more critically, believe they can’t do anything about
those bad attitudes. The big question has become: how do
we create effective and sustained change in such a climate?”
FRED MORLEY EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT AND CHIEF ECONOMIST
Since the release of the oneNS
Report there has been much ringing of
hands and gnashing of teeth about the
depth of our problems in Nova Scotia.
The report and its urgent message of
“now or never” landed on a populist
with a pessimist streak. The problem is
that this perspective probably firms up
attitudes of zero sum and urban vs rural
24
thinking. We find ourselves simultaneously ready to criticize government
while pointing to it as the solution to our
challenges.
We have heard over and over that
Nova Scotians have bad attitudes, so
much so, that our population begins to
believe it, and more critically, believe
they can’t do anything about those bad
J U LY & AU G US T
2015
attitudes.
The big question has become: how
do we create effective and sustained
change in such a climate?
But what if we thought about this
differently?
It may not be that our attitudes have
to change. It may be that some of the
attitudes we need most are already there;
they simply have to rise to the surface.
The right attitudes are present when
we are at our best — when we trust each
other and work together with a clear goal
and purpose like we did with the Ships
Start Here campaign. They are there
when we pay it forward by extending our
networks to students, young professionals and immigrants through the Connector Program. We did that so well, in
fact, this Halifax program is now active
in 20 cities and four countries around
the world. The right attitudes are there
when we collectively say “thanks” to
Boston each year for their help after the
Halifax Explosion. They are there when
we proudly welcome tourists, when we
extend trust, when we open our hearts
and even our homes to people we don’t
know.
Fortunately, a number of businesses,
big and small, are starting to think differently. They are starting to take action
through activities like the Chamber’s
“YES” campaign, through the Halifax
Partnership’s “Game Changer” initiative
and through informal groups of engaged
business and community leaders. These
businesses and organizations have rejected the mantra of the vocal pessimists
that our situation is hopeless. Indeed,
the economic evidence is in and it is not
hopeless…..not even close.
HALIFAX PARTNERSHIP
halifaxpartnership.com
Halifax is Progressing
and Poised for Growth
This 2015 Halifax Index reports that
Halifax’s GDP grew by 2.6 per cent to
$18.9 billion in 2014 — the second fastest
growth among Halifax’s five benchmark
cities. GDP per capita grew by 1.5 per cent
to $45,700 in 2014, tied with Regina for
the fastest growth among benchmark
cities. The Conference Board of Canada
tells us that Halifax will be tied for the
fastest GDP growth in Canada this year.
That’s something to build on.
Investment in R&D and innovation
is a key driver of economic growth and
opportunities. In Halifax where R&D
investment is led by the academic sector,
efforts are underway to increase collaboration between universities, the private
sector, and government when it comes to
product commercialization and development, including the announcement of the
new Halifax Ocean Innovation Centre
and the new Volta Labs space at the former central library. Increasing development of partnerships like these will drive
innovation and productivity growth for
years to come.
Halifax’s population grew by 1.1 per
cent from 2013 to 2014, to over 414,000.
Growth was on par with the national average and third among benchmark cities.
Population growth in 2013 was stronger
than reported in last year’s Halifax Index
after Statistics Canada released revised
estimates. Growth in 2013 was actually
0.8 per cent, twice the initially reported
rate and consistent with the long-term
average for the city.
We still have to do a better job
retaining talent, especially youth. The
influx of students from abroad and other
provinces each year continues to represent one of Halifax’s, and Nova Scotia’s,
greatest opportunities for population
attraction and retention. Policy should
increasingly focus on creating opportunities for recent graduates, both domestic and international, to enter the local
labour force.
Quality of life continues to improve
in Halifax. Total and violent crime rates
continued to fall in 2013, both down 30
per cent over the previous five years and
Without losing the
urgency of the “now or
never” challenge, we
have to recognize that
we have lots to build on
in Halifax.
at their lowest levels on record. Halifax’s
per capita personal income grew by 2.3
per cent in 2014, third fastest among
benchmark cities and outpacing increases in the cost of living. Perceptions of
physical and mental health picked up in
2013. In both categories, the percentage
of Halifax residents reporting “very
good” or “excellent” health was above
the national average. Halifax residents
also reported higher levels of activity
during leisure time and lower smoking
rates than the national average.
Living affordability has perhaps the
single largest impact on quality of life.
The cost of living and the average level
of income are the two sides of the affordability coin. Compared to cities across
the country, Halifax is a city of average
affordability with per capita incomes
and price levels both around the national
average.
Recent trends in housing construction and building permits indicate that
investors and developers are betting on
renewed growth in the Regional Centre.
Booming apartment starts over the past
three years have been concentrated on
the peninsula and in Dartmouth which
provides a broader range of living options
and increased affordability.
Without losing the urgency of the
“now or never” challenge, we have to
recognize that we have lots to build on
in Halifax. Having the best growth rate
in the country seems like a good place to
start. But we have to resist the tendency
of some, those pessimists among us, to
turn a silk purse into a sow’s ear.
Fred Morley is Executive
Vice-President and Chief Economist,
Greater Halifax Partnership.
BUSINESS VOICE
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25
TRENDS
Embrace the winds of change
Seven steps to make change easier
ethree.ca
change is being received, where greater
support is required, and when additional
communication is essential.
2. Ensure people truly understand the
“what” and the “why”
People need to understand exactly
what is going to change in their life and
why. Understanding the context helps
them grasp why the change is important
and how it will benefit them and their
organization.
JESSICA CHAPMAN
FOUNDER & PRESIDENT,
ETHREE CONSULTING
The pace of change is increasing
— and that makes many employees
uncomfortable. By our very nature, we
like comfort and stability. Change, particularly when thrust upon us, is not easy.
Fortunately, change can be managed,
and it can be effective. For everyone.
Here are seven tips to successfully
transform your organization.
1. Expect people to find change difficult
No matter what the change is, we
all have the same response curve: shock,
denial, anger, confusion and, finally,
acceptance. Everyone goes through these
stages, so expect them, plan for them
and garner feedback to let you know how
3. Equip them to be successful
Change is scary. Have up-front and
ongoing conversations with people to discuss their concerns. Identify issues and
barriers, and ways to manage these so
employees feel better equipped to handle
what lies ahead.
4. Recognize and reward progress
Finding ways to recognize those
that are moving forward — even a simple
thank you — is important for their morale
and that of their co-workers. They become role models for others.
5. Hold individuals accountable
for their progress and positivity
You cannot afford to let negativity
spread. It can take up to eight positive
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people to counter the effects of one negative person, so make sure employees are
sharing their fears and concerns in the
right place with the right person at the
right time and in the right way.
6. Communicate, communicate,
communicate
The biggest obstacle to effective
change is a lack of communication. In the
absence of communication, the rumour
mill takes over. Make regular, frequent
and open communication a part of how
you work through the change, and keep
talking even if the message is “nothing
new to share at this point.”
7. Don’t stop when the change
is implemented
It can take people three months to a
year, if not longer, to really get comfortable with the new way of doing things.
Make sure to support, communicate, recognize and reinforce change with people
long after implementation is over.
Jessica Chapman is the Founder
and President of ethree Consulting, an
Atlantic Canadian company that helps
organizations unlock the potential of
the people who work for them.
ANNAPOLIS VALLEY
NOVA SCOTIA
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26
J U LY & AU G US T
2015
TRENDS
Content marketing
Breathing through the avalanche of advice
MATTHEW HARPELL
OWNER & CONSULTANT,
MATLEN STRATEGY
You certainly don’t have to look far
to find advice. With the rapid deployment
of content and the ever-present opinions
on social media, one would think that
developing a winning marketing strategy
and architecting the perfect brand would
be as easy as downloading a template
and fi lling in the blanks. Therein lies the
problem. With such a vast array of e-books,
white papers, blogs, articles, how-to videos,
websites, etc., now readily available (for
free!), it has become next to impossible to
navigate the sea of content chaos.
For those who pride themselves
as marketing experts, this plethora of
information sharing can be viewed as an
invaluable asset for idea generation, inspiration and tactical execution. However, for the small company with minimal
marketing savvy or the mid-tier company
with a limited marketing budget, how
can they be expected to hear the voice
of reason amidst all the noise created by
such an avalanche of advice?
When we become overwhelmed in
life, the first recommendation is to step
back, take a break and BREATHE. It has
become very difficult to ‘breathe’ when
trying to market business effectively.
Marketing shouldn’t be stressful. In
fact, it should be the enjoyable part of
business: the place where you can get
creative, speak your mind and allow your
brand to blossom both internally and
in the eyes of your consumer. So when
the noise becomes too loud or you fi nd
yourself struggling to withstand the
metaphorical avalanche of ‘advice’, recall
the following simple thoughts and forge
ahead:
www.matlenstrategy.com
1. Breathe
5. Ask for help: IT’S OK
As in life, tking time to stop and
smell the roses is an imperative part of
marketing and a lesson not found in any
text. Good marketing comes from a clear
mind, quality thinking and confidence
in your company’s direction; it doesn’t
come from hours of aimless activity and
‘trend-spending’.
When it comes to marketing, companies very rarely ask for help (particularly B2B). Strategy is near and dear to
all companies and, as such, asking for
help from a third party is a difficult thing
to do. GET OVER IT. It happens in every
industry and it makes music out of noise.
If you feel that help can streamline your
strategy, boost your sales, bring clarity
to your brand and even save you money:
ask, accept and be on your merry way.
2. Don’t ignore success stories
The best and most compelling
marketing strategies are borne from the
realization that our predecessors (Ansoff,
Porter, etc.) knew their stuff and knew it
well, so who are we to ignore such success
and ingenuity? Often times the most compelling creation is based upon a mere adaptation or enhancement to a pre-existing,
stellar idea or method. In other words, in
the midst of marketing noise, never forget
to revisit the fundamentals and learn from
companies you admire the most.
3. There will never be
a silver bullet
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Simply stated. Much of the noise of
marketing ‘how-to’ comes from those
who claim to have unlocked the powers
of marketing prophecy. No matter how
compelling a specific marketing tactic
may seem at any given time (i.e. Instagram, YouTube, etc.), it, in and of itself,
is insufficient without the complement of
other marketing tactics working together
to weave the fabric of a bona fide marketing strategy.
4. Know your brand, audience
AND your budget
Amidst the noise and influence
from your biggest rivals or the latest and
greatest consumer trends, one can easily
become caught up in the novelty of all
things LOUD. Stay true to your brand
and to your company mission statement.
Always remember: if you wade in the
waters of an unstable brand with a capricious approach to strategy, you will find
that chasing rainbows is a costly venture
and a drain on time, money, resources
and reputation. So know your audience
and stick with the game plan.
BUSINESS VOICE
27
WORKING FOR YOU
WORKshift for the future
Work is not a place. It’s a thing you do. By Becky Davison, Marketing & Communications Specialist
In May I attended a conference on WORKshift
and the Transformation
of Work. The conference was well attended, and a thoughtful
panel gave unique
perspectives on the
case for a flexible
work environment,
including cost
savings, increased
productivity and
employee retention.
They are saying WORKshift is the
way we will be working in the future.
Here’s why:
1. At any given time, about one-third of
all professionals are working remotely.*
2. While in the office, people spend less
than 50 per cent of their workday at
their desk**
3. Working from home — even just one
day a week — significantly reduces
CO2 emissions, decreases mileage on
our highways and reduces fuel consumption and costs. Not to mention
the hours gained by not commuting.
Things you may not
have know about
WORKShift:
1. An estimated 30 per cent increase
in productivity, when employees
are given the opportunity for
flexible work environment.
2. Reduced environmental impact.
3. People who stop communing
give back 50 per cent of time
saved to their employer.
4. Over one quarter of the work
force already works from home.
5. Reduced real estate costs.
6. Prospective employees will see
WORKshift as a benefit.
28
But what is WORKshift anyway?
Beyond telecommuting, WORKshift is a flexible way to work from any
location. With today’s technology and
connectivity, working from home, the
road, or a local coffee shop is possible,
without a loss of productivity. In fact,
research suggests that productivity of
individuals participating in WORKshift
is 30 per cent higher than the traditional
office environment.
WORKshift is not a new concept.
Originally coined telecommuniting in
the early 1970s, the concept of working
away from the traditional office has
evolved over the past few decades.
WORKshift may not be for everyone
Not every job role lends itself to
transferring outside of the office, and
not every personality functions well out
of the traditional office environment.
New employees, employees on probation
or displaying lower performance levels
typically fair better in an office setting.
However, individuals who focus on
writing, research, analysis, or who spend
time on the phone, tend to be well suited
for flexible working conditions.
Executing WORKshift
Communicating the change is
important, and ideally a change agent
would champion the new way of working
to everyone in the office. Today’s technology makes it easy to work from home, but
also from a coffee shop, library and while
travelling. It is no longer necessary to be
glued to our desks to achieve maximum
productivity.
Once your office has adopted
WORKshift, it doesn’t mean that those
participating are never in the office. It
may be two days a week, or one day a
month. It may be setting up the WORKshift program so that there are no lost
workdays during those inevitable storm
days. Having a role model in the office to
help with the transition is helpful.
Performance Management
It’s about expectations for when
we are reachable, and if your manager
doesn’t trust you to work from home,
there’s a bigger underlying issue.
J U LY & AU G US T
2015
It’s acceptable — and encouraged —
to set certain days of the week, or hours,
as mandatory to be in the office. On Mondays we host a number of internal meetings, making it a day that is conducted in
the office for that important face to face
interaction. Your manager should know
what days you plan to work from home
and the projects that you are working on,
and when you will be reachable.
The focus of a successful transition to a WORKshift compliant office
should be about measuring achievable
outcomes, rather than hours at the work
desk. Collaboration tools and technology
are key to working productively outside
the office. These include a cell phone, laptop and other tools that allow employees
to perform job functions and overcome
roadblocks that reduce productivity. At
the Halifax Chamber we have a shared
server for all of our documents, and being able to access this remotely is key for
working offsite.
Things to consider about WORKshift
1. Offering a WORKshift compliant office
will attract more talent and also retain
current employees.
2. Productivity measures are key in a
high-functioning office, and WORKshift often brings this need to light.
3. Understanding what it really means
to have a flexible working hours office
and having buy-in from all levels.
4. It’s important to remember that just
because your office gives you a laptop
and a cellphone doesn’t mean they expect you to be connected all hours of
the day. Setting out the expectations
is key, and defining work/life balance
through flexible work hours.
5. Some employees may feel disconnected from their colleagues, but when
regular meetings are scheduled, it will
encourage quality connection time.
6. When people are given the flexibility,
the trust, the benefit of working from
home, people give back that time saved
in traffic, parking, unnecessary meetings and coffee breaks.
7. For more information check out:
www.workshiftcanada.com/halifax
*source: HOK benchmark study (Canada)
**source: CBRE Research (Canada)
WORKING FOR YOU
Our members speak up
Results of our annual member satisfaction survey By John MacDonald, Member Services Coordinator
dŚĞ,ĂůŝĨĂdžŚĂŵďĞƌŽĨŽŵŵĞƌĐĞŝƐĐŽŵŵŝƩĞĚƚŽĞŶŚĂŶĐŝŶŐƚŚĞ
ƉƌŽƐƉĞƌŝƚLJŽĨŝƚƐŵĞŵďĞƌƐĂŶĚƚŽƌĞĂůŝnjŝŶŐ,ĂůŝĨĂdž͛ƐƉŽƚĞŶƟĂůƚŽďĞĂŵŽŶŐ
ƚŚĞƚŽƉϯŚŝŐŚĞƐƚŐƌŽǁƚŚĐŝƚLJĞĐŽŶŽŵŝĞƐŝŶĂŶĂĚĂďLJϮϬϭϴ.
83%
92%
Of those
members
are small
businesses
In the fall of 2014
the Halifax Chamber
of Commerce surveyed
its membership for
feedback on how
we’re doing.
RECOMMEND JOINING
the Halifax Chamber of Commerce
to another business
SMALL
MEDIUM
LARGE
dKWhd/>/DDZ
BENEFITS:
ƐƐŝƐƟŶŐĂŶĚWƌŽŵŽƟŶŐ
Entrepreneurship
Is your business
involved with any
of the major
projects in our
region?
1. Group Health Insurance
2. Home & Auto Insurance
3. Merchants Visa/Mastercard
4. M2M Marketplace
5. All Ships Rise Training
According to our
members the
Reducing the Tax Burden
Championing Common Sense
ZĞŐƵůĂƟŽŶƐ
Helping members capitalize on
major projects
WƌŽŵŽƟŶŐ/ŵŵŝŐƌĂƟŽŶ
27%
5%
WHY DO YOU REMAIN
A CHAMBER MEMBER?
said yes
said they
will be in
the future
is the most
valuable of our 100
annual events – our
members love
ĐĞůĞďƌĂƟŶŐƐƵĐĐĞƐƐ͊
Network
and develop
business
contacts
Keep
up-to-date
on issues
ĂīĞĐƟŶŐ
business
Infographic designed by: Think Marketing
Last fall, we surveyed our membership on their overall experience with the
Chamber in 2014. We do this annually
to ensure we are offering the best value
to our 1,550 members. We had over 300
respondents weigh in on their own satisfaction.
With a high functioning staff of 15,
supported by our amazing volunteers –
including a very engaged Board of Directors. The HCC strives to meet the needs
of each Chamber Member. That includes
being you voice in the Business Commu-
nity when it comes to advocacy, offering
over 100 Networking Events annually,
high-level training to prepare members
for the major projects and cost-saving
Member Benefits.
In order to better showcase our fall
survey results we thought an infographic
would be effective in highlighting key
areas!
Thank you to all who participated
and I welcome your feedback, not only
through our annual survey, but at any
time; [email protected]
BUSINESS VOICE
29
WORKING FOR YOU
Energy innovation opportuniti
A changing local energy landscape By M.E. Donovan QC
Photo: Shirley Webb
structure at the consumer level is shaping
up to be a significant opportunity for the
Nova Scotia business community.
Recognizing the importance of
innovation and a changing local energy
landscape, QUEST – Quality Urban Energy Systems of Tomorrow, a non-profit
organization that conducts research,
engagement and advocacy to advance
Smart Energy Communities in Canada,
the QUEST Nova Scotia Caucus, and
the Nova Scotia Department of Energy
partnered in March to host the Smart
Energy Innovation Forum. The well-attended Forum included energy hardware
and software developers, such as Nedco,
ThermoDynamics, Siemens and IBM.
An important outcome of the Forum was
the launch of two Innovacorp challenges. The first was the Innovacorp Smart
Energy App challenge, which will offer
$10,000 in cash prizes for the development of apps which supports the Halifax
Solar City program’s customer base, the
Across Canada and internationally,
there are important innovations happening in the energy sector. For consumers,
the most impactful innovations are at
the local level, where innovations for
electricity, natural gas, thermal, and
storage are leading to lower energy costs,
enhanced reliability, greater environmental performance and local economic
benefits for consumers, industry and
governments.
In Nova Scotia, property owners
have been installing heat pumps at a
breath-taking pace with the addition
of 12,500 units per year in the last four
years. At a cost of $3,000 to $5,000
per unit, this represents about $37.5 to
$62.5 million being spent annually on
the installation of heat pumps in Nova
Scotia. Couple this with investments
in heating conversions to natural gas,
the addition of two new public electric
vehicle charging stations in mid-May and
it’s clear that investment in energy infraIllustration: cheskyw/123RF
30
J U LY & AU G US T
2015
WORKING FOR YOU
es
‘hackathon’ will take place in the fall of
2015. The second challenge, now closed,
was the Smart Energy Demo opportunity
that offered up to $100,000 ($50,000/
company) to Nova Scotia residents
for demonstration projects for energy
monitoring, management and efficiency
solutions.
The Innovacorp Smart Energy App
challenge is patterned off competitions
held by the Ontario MaRS Centre of
Energy Excellence which helped support
the establishment of the “Green Button”
apps that work with Ontario’s smart meter infrastructure. Energy apps use available data from smart energy products,
such as Wi-Fi enabled thermostats like
Nest and Ecobee, as well as smart energy
utility products including smart energy
meters. The apps enable consumers to
make better decisions on how to reduce
their energy use and costs.
Tied to the success of both of the Innovacorp challenges was the requirement
for access to consumer energy use data.
Accessing energy use data has proven to
be a barrier for new energy business development in Nova Scotia and elsewhere
across Canada. That’s why QUEST NS
and QUEST are providing forums, such
as the Smart Energy Innovation Forum,
for local stakeholders to engage in a wide
range of energy issues and are advocating for better access to energy use data.
In all cases, pathways to innovation
at the local level need to be enabled not
only for Nova Scotia businesses, but also
for Nova Scotians, and is the motivating
driver behind the Innovacorp competitions.
Welcome!
JOHN MACDONALD
MEMBER SERVICES COORDINATOR
[email protected]
Ph: (902) 481-1227
John joins the Chamber with an
arsenal of membership know-how. Prior
to joining the Chamber team, he spent
most of his career at a fast-paced, member-based retail organization where his
strategic direction led him to the top. John
also holds a Commercial Pilots license, is
an avid musician and loves being outdoors.
If you’re a member, chances are you’ll be
meeting John along the way either for a
coffee, at an event or for an onsite visit. He
believes in what the Chamber offers and is
working hard to help each member get the
value they need.
Presenting Sponsor
U n c h a r i ta b l e
How Restraints on Nonprofits Undermine Their Potential
Mary Ellen Donovan, QC is the
Chair of the QUEST NS caucus, and
has been actively involved in NS energy
issues for over 18 years.
Thursday, November 12th, 2015
visit www.halifaxchamber.com
To learn more about QUEST and the QUEST NS
Caucus, visit www.questcanada.org
Learn more about the Innovacorp challenge at
https://innovacorp.ca/acceleration-initiatives/
nova-scotia-smart-energy-challenges.
To learn more about Ontario’s Green Button
D a n P a l lot ta
Chief Humanity OfficeR of Advertising for Humanity
Program, visit www.greenbuttondata.ca
BUSINESS VOICE
31
SPECIAL FEATURE
VIBRANT DOWNTOWN
Commerce and culture
Downtown Halifax strikes the right balance By Heidi Tattrie Rushton
Photo: Ryan Taplin/The Chronicle Herald
Downtown Halifax is the perfect
marriage between business and culture. In
the midst of shops, banks, and businesses, you will find a true cultural mecca
filled with random acts of public art,
world-class festivals and events, and a
music scene that continues to produce
top-notch talent over twenty years since
we were deemed the “Seattle of the North.”
Brenden Sommerhalder is the Director of Communications and Marketing
for the Downtown Halifax Business
Commission and he explains that the
two sectors are often one and the same.
“Many of our members are photographers, movie makers, advertisers,
designers, artists, and creators of all
kinds. Many others are directly related
including art galleries, performance
spaces, and supply and craft retailers,”
he says, “People in the cultural industries
are also patrons of downtown businesses.
There is a symbiotic relationship between
those of us who create culture and those
of us who enjoy it. “
The most recent example of the
connection between the two seemingly
different worlds can be found at the corner of George and Barrington in the form
of the Barrington Benches; a seating area
that is also an “interactive 3D mosaic
public art piece,” as Sommerhalder describes it, which was designed by NSCAD
University student Catherine LaRoche.
It came about through a partnership
32
between the Downtown Halifax Business Commission, Fusion Halifax, and
EcoGreen Homes, and has received extensive public input. Phase One finished
in December and Phase Two is currently
underway.
“Other planned enhancements [to
the Barrington Benches] include adding
interactive lighting to the site, granite
seating to improve seating options and to
create a connection with Grand Parade,
high-quality bike racks, and native
landscaping features such as sustainable,
local, and edible vegetation,” he says,
and adds, “As part of 100in1Day this
year, we are placing a public piano at the
site for anyone to use that will stay at the
site all season long.”
The Barrington Benches are not the
only place that members of the public will
find pianos this summer. Lynn Ledwidge,
Director of Marketing for Destination
Halifax, says one of the first new events
of the summer season, called #PlayMeHFX, places three cheerfully decorated
pianos around the city in June, and they
stay there until the end of August for everyone to enjoy the “sounds and experiences of spontaneous street music.”
This merging of culture and business
extends into one of the busiest times of
the year downtown, when summer festivals and events bring streams of visitors
into the city centre.
“Festivals and events create a terrific
J U LY & AU G US T
2015
vibe in a city,” Ledwidge says, “It shows
the cultural fabric of a destination. It’s
good for young and old to experience their
own city and province in a different way.”
July and August are arguably the
busiest time of the year for events downtown including the Nova Scotia Tattoo;
the Halifax Pride Festival; the Busker
Festival; the TD Halifax Jazz Festival; the
Nova Scotia Open; and, of course, the
Canada Day and Natal Day celebrations,
to name just a few.
“Certainly events are a revenue
generator for businesses in downtown
and across the province,” Ledwidge says,
“[It’s] great to see store fronts and businesses take the event themes into their
stores, creating an extension of the event
by doing something as simple as dressing
their store windows — it’s like an invitation to the attendee to ‘walk through the
door’ and hopefully generates not only
more enthusiasm, but more money being
left behind.”
Sommerhalder agrees. He believes
that having great businesses downtown
is important, but is not enough by itself.
“It takes a human-centred perspective to make great public spaces,”
he explains, “For our businesses to be
successful, people need to want to come
downtown and spend time here, and that
means embracing culture and injecting
joy into our public spaces through art and
good design.”
VIBRANT DOWNTOWN
SPECIAL FEATURE
Living and buying local
Downtown Halifax is home to more
than 1,600 businesses; about 400 are
retailers or restaurants; and the majority
of these are independently owned. Add
to that the increase in residents moving
into the downtown area and this makes
Halifax “well-positioned to benefit” from
the buy local movement, explains Paul
MacKinnon, the Executive Director of
the Downtown Halifax Business Commission.
“There is a pride that many people have for their downtown, and the
buy local movement adds a degree of
connectedness to the people who operate
businesses here,” says MacKinnon.
He suggests that because of the global
tendency towards Internet and chain store
shopping, there is a reactionary movement
to go the opposite way.
“The buy local movement has
emerged almost as a counter-force to
this trend,” MacKinnon says, “And many
shoppers now are turning toward local
products, both because they like the individuality of them, and also from a sense
of community support.”
Wendy Friedman owns two of these
local businesses: Biscuit General Store
and The Independent Mercantile Co.
She loves being part of the community
of independent businesses downtown.
“Who would ever want to travel to
a ‘clone town’ where all of the shops and
restos are the exact same ones that you
have at home?” Friedman questions. “I
personally love independent shops and
restaurants for the unique character and
experiences you get.”
Friedman points to the close collaboration of the downtown businesses as an
appealing factor for both businesses and
customers.
“Many of us work together through
@ILoveLocalHfx to cross pollinate,
share ideas, and do fun promotions together like Open City and City Harvest,”
she says, “I think that most people don’t
know what a difference it makes to the
local economy if you shop with independent stores — 48.8 per cent of what you
spend stays in the local economy, vs.
13.6 per cent if you shop at a mall.”
Because of the layout of downtown,
local businesses have to go the extra mile
Photo: Ted Prichard/The Chronicle Herald
Many advantages to downtown lifestyle By Heidi Tattrie Rushton
I think that ‘curb appeal’
is really important for
street front businesses.”
— Wendy Friedman,
Biscuit General Store
BUSINESS VOICE
to share their wares and showcase their
brand to passersby, which adds personality and an artistic atmosphere to the
district.
“I think that ‘curb appeal’ is really
important for street front businesses,”
Friedman says, “Window displays, and
things like our garden in front of the
store, give us a way to communicate who
we are and what our business is about.”
Mackinnon agrees, “Part of the
pleasure of shopping downtown is experiencing the downtown itself — walking
the historic streets, enjoying the architecture, and getting a surprise around every
corner.”
Friedman says that she believes the
independent boutiques in downtown fit
their customers’ lifestyles, many of who
live in the area. MacKinnon agrees and
sees the influx of condos and the trend
of people moving to the city centre as a
good thing for businesses.
“The construction cranes that dot
the sky are a testament [to] the new sense
of vibrancy that is on its way,” MacKinnon says, “There’s no question that over
the next two to five years there will be a
lot more people living downtown, and
that is going to have a positive impact on
the businesses here.”
Trevor Delaney and his wife are two
such people. They recently sold their house
in Herring Cove and have bought a condo
under construction in the North End.
“We wanted to downsize and live
with less,” Delaney says, adding, “I run
my own business (Hop Creative) and I
meet with clients every now and then. It’s
great to be able to walk to the meetings.
We also support and shop at independent
businesses all the time.”
Delaney says living in a vibrant
neighbourhood filled with culture, great
restaurants, and cafés are just a few of
the benefits they enjoy in their new lifestyle downtown.
Whether your plans include shopping in a hip boutique, enjoying one of
the great local bands at a lively bar, or
simply taking a stroll through our beautiful city, be sure to check out some of the
unique, independently owned businesses
in Downtown Halifax to see what they
can offer you.
33
Where Business meeTs
saiLor Bup’s BarBershop
Come get a gentlemen’s haircut or
shave, and quality customer service fit
for Sailor Bup’s Barbershop’s historic
137 year old location.
5281 Sackville St.
Halifax, N.S.
(902) 478-2334
lbbb.v.
BisTro Le Coq
The Board room
Games Café
Let Bistro Le Coq treat you to
This isn’t your typical board-
Parisian charm and comfort
room… Hold meetings here
with rich, satisfying food and
with friends and play one of
quality wines.
the Board Room Game Café’s
1584 Argyle St.
over 400 games!
Halifax, N.S.
1256 Barrington St.
(902) 407-4564
Halifax, N.S.
www.btc
.c
(902) 423-7545
www.bg.c
c/bk
KeW
Try to contain your envy as you step
into KEW’s sleek showroom and
browse their collection of unique and
livable furniture and housewares.
1861 Granville St.
Halifax, N.S.
(902) 444-5486
www.kw.c
Le frenCh fix
aLLie’s BouTique
Get your fix of delicious
At Allie’s Boutique find the
macarons, patisserie, teas, and
handbags, accessories, and
coffees while you relax in Le
jewelry to help you keep up
French Fix’s intimate café.
with New York fashion, for
5233 Prince St.
Nova Scotian prices.
Halifax, N.S.
1144 Barrington St.
(902) 497-5308
Halifax, N.S.
www.lc.c
(902) 405-7223
pLeasure
freaK LunChBox
The original Freak Lunchbox location,
where everyone’s inner child can
indulge in candy and memorabilia
to their heart’s desire!
1723 Barrington St.
Halifax, N.S.
(902) 420-9151
www.klcb.c
rum runners rum
CaKe faCTory
Strolling down the Waterfront?
Full of Nova Scotian history,
Stop in to Historic Properties
visit Rum Runners Rum Cake
and step back in time, for
Factory for their famous cakes
fashion, food, and fun.
or check out their merchandise,
1869 Upper Water St.
either makes the perfect gift.
Halifax, N.S.
1479 Lower Water St.
(902) 429-0530
Halifax, N.S.
www.tct.c
(902) 421-6079
www..c
hisToriC properTies
urBan ouTfiTTers
With the coming of Urban Outfitters,
Halifax joined major cities across the
world in providing distinct, stylish
clothing, accessories, and housewares
for all.
1652 Barrington St.
Halifax, N.S.
(902) 425-0962
www.bttt.c
SPECIAL FEATURE
WORKPLACE WELLNESS
Sitting is the new smoking
Walking meetings increase productivity at the workplace By Floria Aghdamimehr
Photo: Ratthaphon Bunmi/123RF
Are you sitting down? Do you have
too many meetings? Most of us spend
much of the workday sitting down, and
we need to change the way we do things.
Human beings now sit more than
ever before in our history. We sit at our
desks, in meetings, conferences, in front
of computers or watching TV. In our
spare time we may be active — running,
walking, playing sports, or going to the
gym, but this is clearly not enough. It’s
been said that sitting is the new smoking
— we know it’s bad for our health, but too
many of us are stuck in the habit.
Sitting too much is affecting our
health and productivity. Obesity, high
blood pressure, type II diabetes, high
cholesterol, hypertension, backache, and
many other conditions are some of the
results of the sedentary work life. All of
the above can be better managed with
more standing or walking. You will also
Be Active at Work
• Sit-Stand workstations, tables and desk top platforms • Pneumatic or electric lift
• Desk top monitor arms, ergonomic keyboard drawers and accessories
TRANSITION FROM SITTING TO STANDING HAS NEVER BEEN SO EASY
*We can arrange for an office visit or qualified ergonomic assessment
*Some office desks and tables can be retro-fitted to sit-stand, using existing surfaces
LOCALY OWNED FOR OVER 53 YEARS WITH OFFICES IN KENTVILLE, DARTMOUTH, NEW GLASGOW
@FloriaWellness
relieve tension and stress while getting
a bit of fresh air, which is also good for
your lungs.
“Lack of activity destroys the good
condition of every human being, while
movement and methodical physical exercise save it and preserve it,” said no less
of an authority than Plato.
Sitting too much also decreases productivity. We need to move every 30 minutes. How can you increase productivity
while moving around so much? Try this
exercise to connect both hemispheres of
the brain and restore focus and energy.
Stand up lift your right arm and left leg
touching your left knee with your right
hand. Repeat on the other side, repeat
until flowing smoothly and stress has
decreased.
Do you like meetings? I have been
holding walking meetings for many
years. Although, most people are surprised and not sure, they soon like it. I
still prepare an agenda. Attendees enjoy
the meeting, creative juices flow better
and we often finish earlier than scheduled.
I also changed my desk to a standing
position more than four years ago. While
I don’t suggest you stand for eight to 10
straight hours, I recommend you alternate. Maintain good posture and stand
tall rather than slouching. I can pace a
few step around the office if I choose to.
In fact, I am standing like a flamingo with
tummy tucked in as I am writing this!
Increasing our mobility during the
day helps us become more creative and
think better. Exercise stimulates the production of dopamine and serotonin, two
brain chemicals that lift your spirits.
There is more to improving productivity, but by making those simple
changes, you can become healthier, less
stressed in the office and more productive.
Kentville – 902-678-6106 • Dartmouth – 902-468-1165 • New Glasgow – 902-752-3373
Interested in having happier customers, eliminate business stress, and higher
profits? For more information contact
Floria, Workplace Productivity Coach,
Consultant, Strategist & Speaker
(902)483-8400 or
[email protected]
Floria Aghdamimehr, BScHE.
www.RecognizeYourPotential.com
We service what we sell
1-(800) 565-2605
36
J U LY & AU G US T
2015
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MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR
Talking change is easy
Making it happen is harder
ROB BATHERSON
CHAIR OF THE BOARD
R
ecognizing Ray Ivany as Person of
the Year is a bit of mixed blessing.
On the one hand, Ray and his group
of fellow One Nova Scotia Commissioners — John Bragg, Dan Christmas,
Irene d’Entremont and Susanna Fuller
— helped sound the alarm last year for
drastic action to put our province on a
sustainable economic path. The Ivany
Report did not disappear from public
view the day after its release. It continues
to influence discussions in the boardrooms, the shop floors, the coffee shops
and community halls.
That’s a testament to the quality
of the issues raised in the report and its
relevance to Nova Scotians.
Unfortunately, can we honestly say
that businesses, everyday citizens and
governments are actually putting in
place the changes called for by Ray Ivany and his colleagues? Have our actions
reflected the urgency reflected in the
report’s title — Now or Never?
Last year, Premier Stephen
McNeil answered the call of my predecessor Francis Fares to form an all-party
coalition — with representation from the
private sector — to implement the goals
of the Ivany Report.
Although that coalition has been
active, many are asking what results are
actually taking place as a result of the
coalition’s work? We hope the 10-year
economic strategy the One Nova Scotia
Coalition is developing for presentation
at the end of 2015 will address some of
these concerns that people have raised
about what will actually change as a
result of Ray Ivany’s work.
Many business people — inside and
outside of the Halifax Chamber of Commerce — are now deciding to not wait for
government to lead the charge.
38
@rbatherson
In some ways, that’s a good thing,
because real, lasting growth in Nova Scotia will only come from business growth.
A number of experienced Nova
Scotia business people — including
individual Halifax Chamber members
— have come together to launch Youth
and Entrepreneurship Skills Nova Scotia
(YES-NS) Nova Scotia. YES-NS is aimed
at energizing and supporting youth entrepreneurship, so that we have the next
generation of business leaders stepping
up to create wealth, opportunities and
jobs in the province.
This private
sector initiative very much mirrors the
following conclusion of the Ivany Report
(page 33):
“We need more start-ups and, in the
larger scheme of things, it does not matter whether they are goods producers,
service sector firms, or creative sector
enterprises. And their size doesn’t matter
or whether they are conventional private
businesses, or co-operatives or social
enterprise. We just need them to grow,
employ more people and participate in
out-of-province trade.”
Meanwhile, the Halifax Chamber of
Commerce has been working closely with
the Nova Scotia Office of Immigration
to connect the talents of international
J U LY & AU G US T
2015
graduates who want to stay here in Nova
Scotia, become Canadians citizens and
build stronger, growing, more dynamic
businesses. This work reflects the Halifax
Chamber’s 2013-2018 strategic plan that
lists more immigration as one of eight
things we need to do to ensure Halifax
is one of Canada’s top three economic
growth cities by 2018.
This spring, I joined my Halifax
Chamber of Commerce board colleague
Michele Williams, the regional managing
partner of Grant Thornton, as she hosted
Immigration Minister Lena Diab’s announcement that Nova Scotia is becoming Canada’s first province with a Nova
Scotia Experience: Express Entry class
under a provincial nominee program
with the Government of Canada.
Nova Scotia Experience: Express
Entry provides a pathway to permanent
residency for highly skilled applicants
who have worked for a Nova Scotia employer for at least one year. This change
negotiated by the Nova Scotia government with the Government of Canada
responds to the request of a number of
companies and is an important step to
increasing the number of new permanent
residents to Nova Scotia to 7,500 per year,
as recommended by the Ivany Report. More
information on this program — and other
programs of interest to business — is available at www.novascotiaimmigration.com
We recognize that immigration is
not the be all and end all of our economic
challenges. Indeed, many businesses are
struggling to hire any new employees, let
alone new Canadian graduates or international graduates.
That’s why you can rest assured
that your Chamber will continue to be
a strong voice for policies at City Hall,
Province House and Parliament Hill that
will help businesses, starting with lower
taxes and common sense regulation.
If anything, the legacy of Ray Ivany
and his report — that we need major
changes to stimulate business growth to
reverse our decline as a province — will
hopefully serve as the turning point when
all of us, business, community and government, not only embraced change, but
started to make it happen through action,
not more talk.
DIRECTORS EDUCATION PROGRAM
Canada’s leading director
education program is returning
to Atlantic Canada
APPLY BY DECEMBER 3, 2015 FOR THE NEXT OFFERING.
WHY APPLY?
“The inaugural offering of the ICD-Rotman
Directors Education Program at Saint
Mary’s University in Halifax surpassed all
of my expectations. We had an impressive
group of business leaders and directors
from across Atlantic Canada, and even
though I knew many of the participants,
it was the first time we candidly shared
perspectives on different issues and
governance challenges. There was a strong
sense of confidentiality, which allowed
for open discussions on topics that we
wouldn’t normally bring up.”
JOYCE F. CARTER, FCA
PRESIDENT & CEO,
HALIFAX INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT AUTHORITY
The DEP is the only program of its kind in
Canada that bears the seal of the director
community itself.
DEP Alumni are part of a national network
of 3,500 directors (including 130 from
Atlantic Canada) and almost 9,000 ICD
members across Canada.
A dynamic learning environment rich with
peer-to-peer insights, director dilemmas,
board and committee simulations, and case
studies.
Acclaimed faculty - Taught by national and
local academics, seasoned directors and
leading governance experts.
Flexible scheduling - Modules may be
taken in any of the nine cities where the
DEP is offered (space permitting).
First step towards the ICD.D designation
upon completion of a written examination
and a board meeting simulation chaired
and vice-chaired by some of Canada’s most
senior directors.
Non-members of the ICD receive a
complimentary one-year membership
upon application.
The Halifax offering of the DEP is being offered in collaboration with
the Sobey School of Business, Saint Mary’s University.
Applications are now being accepted. Apply early. Contact the ICD
at 1.877.593.7741 x228 or [email protected].
1.877.593.7741 x228
icd.ca/DEP
MODULE I: April 1- 3, 2016
MODULE II: June 17-19, 2016
MODULE III: September 9 -11, 2016
MODULE IV: October 28 - 30, 2016
APPLICATION DEADLINE: DECEMBER 3, 2015