INCLUSIVE VALUES
MADE WITH PRECISION
NO PASSPORT REQUIRED
Persons with disabilities
belong at work Pg 24
Company enables quantum
leap in blood work Pg 28
Middle Eastern cuisine in
north end Halifax Pg 38
BUSINESS VOICE
HALIFAX CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
|
MARCH 2017
|
VOLUME 26
ISSUE 2
Fiscal Responsibility
A BALANCED BUDGET NEEDED TO PUT
NOVA SCOTIA ON SOLID GROUND
PAGE 20
HALIFAX’S BUSINESS MAGAZINE
A PERFECT BLEND
Our name has changed but our team is still the same. A team that is a part of your
community and has been committed to the growth and success of Atlantic Canada since
1976. Our merger with MNP combines homegrown pride and talent with deeper resources
and expertise that further strengthens our leadership and offers our clients local, regional and
national expertise where and when they need it. It’s a perfect blend.
Together as MNP, we will continue to focus on you so that you can focus on your
business. For more information contact Kirk Higgins, Regional Managing Partner,
Atlantic Canada, at 902.493.5452 or email [email protected].
CONTENTS }
COVER STORY
The cost of hiring a person with a disability
is not higher than hiring someone without.”
26
— Tova Sherman, CEO of ReachAbility
Illustration: Jorgen McLeman/123RF
04 Events
05 President’s message
06 New & noted
13 Members in the news
20 Fiscal Responsibility
20
Fiscal Responsibility
A BALANCED BUDGET NEEDED
TO PUT NOVA SCOTIA ON SOLID GROUND
Photo: Joseph Robichaud/Tanglewood Studio
Inclusive
values
24
Persons with
disabilities
belong at work
Volume 26 Issue 02
Carol MacMillan, The Shaw Group, Chair
Mark Fraser, T4G, Vice Chair
Rob Batherson, Colour, 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
Chamber Staff
Patrick Sullivan, President and CEO
Nancy M. Conrad, Senior Vice President, Policy
Colin J. Bustard, Director of Finance and Administration
Becky Davison, Marketing Manager
Melissa MacDonald, Communications Specialist
24 Inclusive values
Persons with disabilities belong at work
28 Profile: Precision Biologic
29 City desk
30 Working for you
SPECIAL FEATURES:
33 Meetings, conventions
and hospitality
36 Travel & tourism
Board of Directors
Cynthia Dorrington, Vale & Associates
Level Chan, Stewart McKelvey
Lori Barton, Beaumont Advisors Limited
Don Bureaux, NSCC
Jamie O’Neill, Uprise Consulting
Margaret Chapman, Corporate Research Associates
Mark Sidebottom, Nova Scotia Power Inc.
Michele Williams, Grant Thornton LLP
Captain (N) Sutherland, Maritime Forces Atlantic
Sreejata Chatterjee, LeadSift
Gavin MacDonald, Cox & Palmer
Paul Bent, CPA, ICA, CD.D
Robert Dean, MNP
Saeed El-Darahali, SimplyCast
A balanced budget needed to put
Nova Scotia on solid ground
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
100-32 Akerley Boulevard, Dartmouth,
Nova Scotia B3B 1N1
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, Client Marketing: Jeff Nearing
Editor: Joey Fitzpatrick • [email protected]
Layout & Design: Peter Ross
Contributing Writers: Erin Elaine Casey,
Carol Dobson, David Pretty, Jon Tattrie,
Kayla Cotton
Customer Relations Specialist: Jennifer MacLean
Sales Executives: Victoria MacDougall
902-426-2811 x1163
Cover illustration: Jorgen McLeman/123RF
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 advertisers; they do not
necessarily reflect the views of Business Voice
magazine and its publisher The Chronicle Herald.
Publications Mail Agreement No. 40032112
Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to
Halifax Chamber of Commerce.
Copyright 2017 by The Chronicle Herald
All rights reserved. Reproduction of any article,
photograph or artwork without expressed written
permission from the publisher is strictly prohibited.
2717 Joseph Howe Drive
Halifax, Nova Scotia B3J 2T2
Tel: (902) 426-2811
TheChronicleHerald.ca
BUSINESS VOICE
3
CATAGORY
EVENTS
CHAMBER EVENTS
SPEAKERS SERIES:
For a full and up to date list of our
Chamber events, please visit
www.halifaxchamber.com/events
NETWORKING EVENTS:
PRESENTED BY: Soles in Motion
Grow
HALIFAX
SPEAKER: Pre-Budget Speech
Honourable Randy Delorey,
Minister of Finance & Treasury Board
SPONSORED BY: CPA – Chartered
Professional Accountants
DATE: Tuesday, March 28th, 2017
TIME: 11:30 am – 1:30 pm
LOCATION: Halifax Marriott
Harbourfront Hotel
MEMBER SERVICE EVENTS:
DATE: March 15th, 2017
TIME: 12 – 1:30 pm
LOCATION: Halifax Chamber of Commerce
DATE: Wednesday, March 22nd, 2017
TIME: 4:30 – 6:30 pm
LOCATION: 133 Baker Drive, Suite 101,
12
Certificate in
Leadership & Innovation
DATE : March 23 – June 8
TIME: 9 am – 4 pm
LOCATION: Dalhousie University
Networking
@ Noon
DATE: March 30th, 2017
TIME: 12 – 1:30 pm
LOCATION: Halifax Chamber of Commerce
Complementary Human
Resources Training
DATE: April 4 – June 6
TIME: 8 am – 12 pm
LOCATION: Halifax Chamber of Commerce
PRESENTED BY: Moxie’s Dartmouth
SPEAKER: Stephen Sayle, SayleSafety
DATE: March 17th, 2017
TIME: 12 – 1:30 pm
LOCATION: Halifax Chamber of Commerce
EVENTS:
Dartmouth
DATE: Wednesday, April 12th, 2017
TIME: 4:30 – 6:30 pm
LOCATION: 9 Countryview Drive, Dartmouth
THANK YOU TO OUR JANUARY & FEBRUARY SPONSORS:
Advanced Project
Leadership Series with
BrenDaniel Productions Co.
DATE: May 3 – July 5
TIME: 8 am – 12 pm
LOCATION: Halifax Chamber of Commerce
KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR:
MAY 11TH, 2017
Networking Tradeshow
MAY 17TH, 2017
JUNE 15TH, 2017
4
MARCH
2017
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
A great time to be a member
The ABCs of your Halifax Chamber of Commerce membership
PATRICK SULLIVAN
PRESIDENT & CEO
There’s a lot happening with your
Halifax Chamber of Commerce lately.
We’re focusing on membership with an
ear tuned to making your membership
work for you. We’re advocating to government about different issues you face.
Great examples include the Premier’s
address last month where we focused
on the province’s big-picture issues and
our luncheon at the end of this month
with the Minister of Finance, which is
particularly important with an election
looming. We’re also providing opportunities for you to connect like never before.
Attendance is up across the board at all of
our networking events. It really is a great
time to be a part of the Chamber.
Have a hard time remembering all
of the great things going on? It’s as simple
as ABC…
[email protected]
1. Advocacy: Did you know that small
business make up the bulk of our membership? That’s roughly 83 per cent of our
1,600 members, employing 25 employees
or less. This percentage has given us a
clear indication that we must continually
zoom in on what small business needs.
One thing we’ve learned is the reputable
voice of the Chamber is highly valued in
the business community. Chances are, if
you’re facing an issue, other members are
as well. We want it to be easy for you to do
business in Halifax.
Here is what we’re focused
on right now:
a. Reduce the tax burden
i. Reduce corporate tax rate to
14 per cent from 16 per cent.
ii. Increase the small business
threshold from $350k to $500k.
b. Reducing red tape to help you run
your business more effectively and
with greater speed.
c. Grow the talent supply chain so you
have the staff you need, not only
today, but in the years to come.
2. Benefits: As a member, you are part
of a business community that is striving
to make our community a better place
to live and do business. The cost savings
you have access to through our benefit
program will save you time and money,
allowing you to put more back into your
business. You and your employees have
access to savings on group health, home
and auto insurances, office products,
merchant services, payroll discounts, car
rentals and fuel. Everyone likes to save
money and we’re happy to help you do it.
3. Connections: We’ll help you make
connections that go farther than the ones
you’ll make on LinkedIn. With more
than 100 events each year, there’s bound
to be one that fits your needs. We’ve got
Business After Hours all the way up to
gala dinners, and luncheons in-between.
Maybe you’re looking to meet somebody
in particular — we can help make the
introduction. We want your connections
to turn into relationships and for your
relationships to work for you.
Now that that’s stuck in your mind,
I encourage you to dive into the rest of
this issue where the provincial budget
is our focus. The province knows what
we are asking for as they build their
budgets, they hear what we have to say
and carefully consider it year over year.
Go a little farther in this issue and you’ll
learn about creating a more accessible
workforce for our community. We’re
proud of what we’re able to do as a
Chamber.
We’re proud to be here, working
for you.
THE NOVA SCOTIA
LEADERSHIP PRAYER
BREAKFAST
Join over 400 community members,
political figures, business leaders,
military personnel and faith
organizations at the annual
Leadership Prayer Breakfast.
Presents
Dr. Robert Strang will be sharing
personal stories of how his faith in
Jesus guides his family life and his
work in our provincial health care
system. Find out how Love can be
an integral part in living healthy
lives. Celebrate with us.
LIFE, LEADERSHIP AND LOVE
Dr. Robert Strang
Wednesday, May 3, 7:30-9:15am
Cunard Centre Halifax
Sponsored By
BUY now at www.nslpb.ca,
use Code BVReader for
10% off your ticket.
BUSINESS VOICE
5
NEWSMAKERS
CATAGORY
NEW & NOTED
We welcome our new Chamber members
APPILI THERAPEUTICS INC.
ARRIVALS + DEPARTURES
BAGE CPA
Appili Therapeutics Inc. is developing novel approaches to lead the fight
against infectious disease. Despite
numerous achievements in healthcare,
infectious disease remains the leading cause of death worldwide. Appili
currently has multiple products in the
pipeline, at various stages of development, which are designed to address this
critical unmet need.
Shauna Cater
21-1344 Summer Street, Halifax, NS
902-442-4655
[email protected]
www.appilitherapeutics.com
COMPUTERS, IT & TECHNOLOGY –
Biotechnology
Arrivals + Departures is a full-service
marketing and advertising agency
inspired by travel and the journeys we
take with our clients. We are driven
to arrive at rigorous strategic insights
and brilliant creative solutions, while
departing well-worn paths of traditional
thinking. Established in 1997 as Extreme
Group, we are a leading independent
Canadian agency with offices in Halifax
and Toronto.
Shawn King
1875 Upper Water Street, Suite 201,
Halifax, NS
902-461-2700
[email protected]
www.arrivalsdepartures.com
ADVERTISING, PR & MEDIA – Advertising
We are a CPA accounting firm providing
virtual and traditional accounting
services. BAGE focuses primarily on
small and medium-sized businesses
requiring accounting, tax, consulting
and efficiencies.
Gerard Jones
1959 Upper Water Street, Suite 1301
Purdy's Wharf Tower One, Halifax, NS
902-407-4204
[email protected]
www.bage.ca
FINANCE & INSURANCE – Accounting
BARN RAISERS
What do you get when you pair
marketing rock stars with clients in
a fast-paced ideation process? You
get Barn Raisers. Barn Raisers lets
companies collaborate directly with top
PR pros, creative directors and business
strategists to generate fresh ideas,
strategies and tactics that re-energize
their business, culture and their team.
Chaz Thorne
Bedford, NS
902-209-7735
[email protected]
www.barnraisersinc.com
BUSINESS & PROF. SERVICES –
Strategic Direction
BAYERS ROAD FAMILY DENTAL CENTRE
Our patient-centered practice offers
comprehensive dental care with an equal
commitment to preventative, restorative, and cosmetic dentistry. At our
clinic, our patients are our top priority.
We value personalized attention and
long-term relationships with our clients.
We are accepting new patients!
Halifax, NS
902-453-0873
[email protected]
bayersroaddental.com
HEALTH CARE – Dental
6
MARCH
2017
NEWSMAKERS
THE BIN DOCTOR LTD
Sharon Loppie
75 Akerley Boulevard, Unit K,
Dartmouth, NS
902-462-7468
[email protected]
www.bindoctor.com
ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT –
Environmental Services
CABCO COMMUNICATIONS GROUP
CABCO provides technology solutions
for business from pole top to desktop.
A locally-owned, trusted advisor since
1980, CABCO provides Telephone
(VoIP, digital, cloud), Security Solutions
(CCTV, Access Controls), Copiers by
Sharp, Cabling (fibre optic, copper, AV),
Video Conferencing (room-based and
Cloud), Wireless and IT Networking.
Andrew Glennie
31 Gloster Court, Dartmouth, NS
902-468-2252
[email protected]
www.cabco.ca
COMMUNICATIONS – Communications
(General)
COMPLIANCE IN MOTION
Elizabeth Villanueva
11 Morris Drive, Unit 115A
Dartmouth, NS
902-407-2500
[email protected]
www.cimcan.com
SAFETY & SECURITY – Security
CHARLOTTETOWN INN &
CONFERENCE CENTRE
Charlottetown Inn & Conference Centre
is located in the heart of Charlottetown
offering 143 guest rooms, 6,000 sq. ft.
of meeting space and free downtown
parking, breakfast and wifi.
Mary Ellen Davies
238 Grafton Street, Charlottetown, PE
902-892-2461
resevations.charlottetowninn@
silverbirchhotels.com
www.charlottetowninn.com
TRAVEL & TOURISM – Accommodations
(General)
DALLAS MERCER CONSULTING INC.
(DMC)
DMC provides Disability Management,
Safety Training, Safety Consulting and
Industrial Hygiene services to hundreds
of clients, across multiple industries,
nationwide. Our disability managers
work on behalf of employers to reduce
the time and cost associated with managing workers’ compensation and sick
leave claims. We don’t just monitor your
claims; we manage them to help minimize lost time and improve productivity.
Karen McCallum
47 Beclin Road, Mount Pearl, NL
709-364-3900
[email protected]
www.dmconsulting.ca
BUSINESS & PROF. SERVICES – Consulting
(General)
DEALER DIRECT AUTOMOTIVE
SOLUTIONS INC.
Abid Chaudhery
391 Windmill Road, Darmouth, NS
902-404-2277
[email protected]
www.dealerdirectauto.ca
TRANSPORTATION – Automotive
Sales/Leasing
DELTA AIR LINES
Delta Air Lines’ mission is to create a
customer-centric experience at every
touch point. Delta looks forward to
providing year-round service from
YHZ to JFK beginning Jan. 9, 2017.
Delta’s service to New York provides
both business and leisure travelers with
more options by offering a link to New
York City and connecting opportunities
throughout the U.S., Latin America
and Europe.
Steven Larkin
151 Bloor Street West, Suite 1105
Toronto, ON
1-800-221-1212
[email protected]
www.delta.com
TRAVEL & TOURISM – Airline
BUSINESS VOICE
DLC TRAINING LTD
In house courses: Defensive driving,
babysitting and First Aid and CPR.
Testing site for Prometric (MCAT
ONLY), Pearson VUE, Comica, Pal, PSI,
Castle Worldwide and KRYTERION.
400 Online courses.
Chuck Douthwaite
590 Portland Street, Suite 105
Dartmouth, NS
902-433-4138
[email protected]
www.dlctraining.ca
EDUCATION & PROFESSIONAL
DEVELOPMENT – Training Programs
DR. ELIZABETH HALLETT –
INDIVIDUAL MEMBER
Elizabeth Hallett
Halifax, NS
902-221-4048
[email protected]
HEALTH CARE – Chiropractor
EDCE – ENTREPRENEURIAL
DEVELOPMENT CONFERENCE AND EXPO
Whether you are in the startup phase
or a long-established company,
EDCE has the resources you need to
stay ahead of your competition. If you
are looking to propel your business
forward and take the next step to
success, join us at EDCE, Halifax World
Trade and Convention Centre, April
28-29, 2017. Atlantic Canada's #1 Small
Business Event.
Liam Byrne
Halifax, NS
1-800-313-8870, ext. 313
[email protected]
www.edce.ca
EVENTS – Trade Show
EMERGING OUTCOMES
COACHING & DEVELOPMENT
Ariana Elsie McNally
Halifax, NS
902-223-6621
[email protected]
www.emergingoutcomes.com
EDUCATION & PROF. DEVELOPMENT –
Coaching
7
NEWSMAKERS
EMI CONSULTING INC.
FALLEN TREE ENTERPRISES
EMI Consulting Inc. was incorporated
in Ontario more than 25 years ago. Our
main areas of business are corporate
consulting, bookkeeping, accounting
software training (QuickBooks, Simply
Accounting etc.) and office administration. Our clients are all corporate
businesses and at present are in Ontario.
Our office moved to Nova Scotia at the
end of October, 2016.
Darlene Emmink
Port Medway, NS
902-702-5495
[email protected]
FINANCE & INSURANCE –
Management Accounting
Bruce Densmore
Windsor Junction, NS
902-483-7996
[email protected]
BUSINESS & PROF. SERVICES – Consulting
(General)
MARKET PLACE
To place an ad call:
426-2811 ext. 1163
PLANNING
A TRIP?
Let us help you
get there!
Passport & ID Photos
US Waiver Services
• Parental Affidavits & Oaths
• Fingerprinting for Travel Visas
• Homewatch
•
•
FASTRAK GLOBAL INC.
ECommerce & Distribution Specialists –
Design to Delivery; Web Shop Development, Inventory Control, Warehousing,
Pick, Pack & Despatch; Worldwide
Import, Export – UK & Europe Specialists; Business Development, Strategy
& Planning; Innovative Marketing &
New Business Development; Process &
Procedure Auditing; Project & Interim
Management; Consultancy, Facilitation;
Training, Mentoring, Coaching
Jakki Brierley-Shorrock
Fall River, NS
902-233-9449
[email protected]
www.fastrakglobal.ca/home-1
BUSINESS & PROF. SERVICES –
Strategic Direction
FMP MORTGAGE INVESTMENTS INC.
A full-service mortgage brokerage offering clients exceptional customer service
in residential, commercial, private, and
syndicated mortgages. Our core focus
is assisting clients to invest in Canadian
real estate projects from top Canadian
development partners through syndicate
mortgage investments. Our mortgage
secured investors achieve predictable
returns, protected from market volatility.
Jeremy Martin
Founders Square, 1701 Hollis Street,
Suite 800, Halifax, NS
902-461-8173
[email protected]
www.fmpmortgages.com
FINANCE & INSURANCE –
Financial/Insurance Services
FOXWOOD CONTRACTING
Serving all of Nova Scotia with offices in:
Halifax • Truro • Kentville • Sydney
commissionaires.ns.ca • 1 877 322 6777
8
Donald Currie
409 Bluewater Road, Bedford, NS
902-443-8979
[email protected]
REAL ESTATE/CONSTRUCTION –
Contractor/Construction
MARCH
2017
HALIFAX CITADEL REGIMENTAL
ASSOCIATION
Roderick MacLean
Halifax Citadel National Historic Site
5425 Sackville Street, Halifax, NS
902-426-1990
[email protected]
www.regimental.com
ARTS, CULTURE & ENTERTAINMENT –
Museum
HABERMEHL CONTRACTING LTD
Habermehl Contracting Ltd. is a
full-service renovation and restoration
company, serving Halifax and beyond.
Our family tradition of quality work and
excellent customer service has been
turning dreams into realities since 1963.
From the consultation, right through
plans and construction, we professionally handle additions, renovations,
custom homes and restorations.
Kristen Habermehl
P.O. Box 2008, Fall River, NS
902-860-4900
[email protected]
www.habermehl.ca
REAL ESTATE/CONSTRUCTION –
Renovations
HEALTH NUTZ
Health Nutz is the brainchild of business
partners Peter Fenton and Beth MacKinlay. Wanting to return to his roots as an
entrepreneur, but honouring his nearly
two decades in retail nutrition, Peter and
Beth asked themselves two questions:
what do we love to do most and where
do we want to be? Proud to be a part of
the downtown revitalization of Halifax,
Peter and Beth are managing the void of
expert health and sport nutrition in the
city’s core and proud of be continuing
their lifelong pursuit in the retail nutrition industry. healthnutz.ca.
Peter Fenton
1723 Barrington Street, Halifax, NS
902-407-6889
[email protected]
Healthnutz.ca
HEALTH CARE – Health and Wellness
NEWSMAKERS
INTELIVOTE SYSTEMS INC.
MOVE MOBILE MASSAGE
Intelivote is an eVoting services company which provides online (web and
phone) voting solutions to government
at all levels, political parties, unions,
associations and other organizations
that are required to conduct elections,
surveys, referendums, plebiscites, or
other events that require secure, accessible member participation.
Dean Smith
202 Brownlow Avenue, Unit EG
Dartmouth, NS
902-481-1156
www.intelivote.com
COMPUTERS, IT & TECHNOLOGY –
IT Products/Services
Move is a mobile therapeutic massage
service that specializes in corporate
wellness for Halifax. With expertise in
workplace ergonomics, focusing on stress
reduction and workplace injury as well as
increased productivity and enhanced job
performance. Move tailors its services to
your business, offering on-site chair or table
massage so employees can take advantage
of health benefits and wellness initiatives.
Whitney Bysterveldt
Halifax, NS
902-802-0108
[email protected]
www.movemobilemassage.com
HEALTH CARE – Massage Therapy
LIVELENZ
MILLER’S GOURMET KETTLE CORN
Jon McGinley
1 Research Drive, Suite 213, Dartmouth, NS
877-282-7660
[email protected]
mobivity.com
ADVERTISING, PR & MEDIA – Marketing
Miller’s Gourmet is a locally owned
business that retails gourmet products
at Stanfield International Airport, Pete’s
Fine Foods, Pete’s Togogo, Scotiabank
Centre, Halifax Exhibition Centre,
Garrison Brewery, Pier 22 Terminal, and
Chameleon Cafe.
Terry Miller
Cole Harbour, NS
902-999-2422
[email protected]
www.MillersKettleCorn.ca
SHOPPING & SPECIALTY RETAIL – Retail
(General)
NO TIME FOR THAT
ANTI-BULLYING SOCIETY
Using personal stories and music, the
No Time for That Anti-Bullying Society’s
“No Time for That” Tour provides powerful presentations dedicated to youth
empowerment, mental health awareness, and bullying prevention.
Kathy Lynn Byrka
Port Williams, NS
204-750-2676
[email protected]
www.notimeforthattour.com/home
NOT-FOR-PROFIT GROUPS –
Charitable Organizations
BDC is where you need us to be:
right here in Halifax.
As the only bank devoted exclusively
to entrepreneurs, we’re here to give you
the financing and advice you need to steer
your business in the right direction.
Call us at 1-888-INFO-BDC
or go to bdc.ca
financing.
advising.
drive.
BUSINESS VOICE
9
NEWSMAKERS
NOVA FIRST AID
O’KEEFE LAW
PEACE BY CHOCOLATE
We believe that too many people know
too little about how to help someone
in an emergency. We run workshops to
change that, with first aid training for
organizations and individuals. CPR +
AED, Emergency and Standard First Aid
courses.
Laura Poirier
Shearwater, NS
902-209-8446
[email protected]
www.novafirstaid.com
EDUCATION & PROF. DEVELOPMENT –
Training Programs
O’Keefe Law is a boutique law firm with
Wills & Estates and Corporate Law as
our primary practice areas. We aim to
keep our operating costs low so the costsavings can be passed on to our clients.
O’Keefe Law is knowledgeable and
professional, while being down-to-earth,
compassionate and affordable.
Kristen O’Keefe
397 Bedford Highway, 3rd Floor
Halifax, NS
902-457-0251
[email protected]
www.okeefelaw.ca
BUSINESS & PROF. SERVICES – Law
Tareq Hadhad
32 Bay Street, Antigonish, NS
902-735-2762
[email protected]
www.peacebychocolate.ca
SHOPPING & SPECIALTY RETAIL – Gifts
NOVA INJURY LAW
NOVA Injury Law is a Halifax-based
personal injury law firm led by Jeff
Mitchell. The firm represents clients
seeking compensation and benefits from
an insurance company. Primary service
areas include; accident and injury
claims, long term disability benefits
claim, and medical malpractice claims.
No-cost initial case reviews provided.
Jeff Mitchell
1959 Upper Water Street, Suite 1301
Halifax, NS
902-442-8853
[email protected]
novainjurylaw.com
BUSINESS & PROF. SERVICES – Law
NTT DATA CANADA, INC.
NTT DATA partners with clients to
navigate the modern complexities of
business and technology, delivering the
insights, solutions and outcomes that
matter most. We’re a top 10 global IT
services and consulting provider that
wraps deep industry expertise around a
comprehensive portfolio of infrastructure, application and business process
outsourcing services.
Greg Foran
300-2000 Barrington Street, Halifax, NS
902-422-6036
[email protected]
www.keane.com
COMPUTERS, IT & TECHNOLOGY –
Computer Software
10
OUTFRONT MEDIA CANADA
As Canada’s leading full-service Outof-Home advertising company, OUTFRONT Media Canada has strong coverage in more than 60 markets across
Canada, including the 10 largest markets
in Canada. In Halifax OUTFRONT
Media offers advertisers street level
advertising with Transit Shelters,
10 x 20 poster panels, Superboards,
Digital Posters along with our new
Mobile Digital product. With prime distribution throughout Halifax and Dartmouth our presence provides advertisers with the ability to engage with both
mass and targeted audiences at many
touchpoints throughout the day.
George Hallett
90 Trider Crescent, Dartmouth, NS
902-468-2118
[email protected]
www.outfrontmediacanada.ca
ADVERTISING, PR & MEDIA – Advertising
OUTSHINE
Accelerate revenue growth with digital
advertising and data. Outshine helps
B2B clients engage the right audience,
then track their performance through
the funnel by unifying Analytics and
CRM data.
Andrew Breen
2171 Gottingen Street, Halifax, NS
902-293-1771
[email protected]
outshine.ca
ADVERTISING, PR & MEDIA – Advertising
MARCH
2017
PICK EMPOWERMENT
Pick Empowerment provides the
education and support to empower
individuals or teams to reach their health
and wealth goals. The mediums used to
support this process include interactive
workshops, mentoring and Social +
Emotional Intelligence assessment and
coaching. Let’s design a package to meet
your unique needs! Human Resources,
Personal Care & Services.
Charlene Pickrem
Lower Sackville, NS
902-225-5996
[email protected]
pickempowerment.blog
HEALTH CARE – Health and Wellness
THE PIKE GROUP REALTORS
We are leaders in the Halifax & area real
estate communities with a reputation for
integrity, dedication and as equally important, we are known for achieving results.
Our professional, motivated and trustworthy team members are committed to
delivering quality service for both buyers/
sellers in Halifax and the surrounding areas.
Sandra Pike
7071 Bayers Road, Suite 102, Halifax, NS
902-406-7653
[email protected]
www.sandrapike.ca
REAL ESTATE/CONSTRUCTION –
Real Estate Residential
PRECISION BIOLOGIC INC.
Precision BioLogic is a privately-held
company that develops, manufactures
and markets specialized products used
to diagnose blood coagulation disorders.
Since 1992, our products have been helping laboratories across North America,
Europe and Australia deliver timely, accurate diagnostic information. Our R&D
efforts seek to improve patient outcomes
by addressing challenges in the diagnosis
and therapeutic monitoring of disease.
NEWSMAKERS
Elaine Benoit
140 Eileen Stubbs Avenue, Dartmouth, NS
902-468-6422
[email protected]
www.precisionbiologic.com
HEALTH CARE – Medical Technologies
RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE
CHARITIES ATLANTIC
Ronald McDonald House Charities®
Atlantic is committed to keeping families close to each other, and the care they
need, when they need it most. These
programs include Ronald McDonald
House, a home-away-from-home for
out of town families with sick children,
and Ronald McDonald Family Rooms,
an oasis of calm and support inside the
walls of the hospital.
Shauna MacLennan
1133 Tower Road, Halifax, NS
902-429-4044
[email protected]
rmhatlantic.com
NOT-FOR-PROFIT GROUPS –
Charitable Organizations
SNOWY RIVER FARMS
SPYDER WORKS INC.
VERSACOLD LOGISTICS SERVICES
Ken Tencer
3176 Ridgeway Drive, Unit 59
Mississauga, ON
877-281-7896
[email protected]
www.spyderworksdesign.com
BUSINESS & PROF. SERVICES –
Business Consulting
Dealing with VersaCold as a single
supplier for each element of your
temperature sensitive supply chain
delivers peace of mind. With the
ability to combine Warehousing,
Transportation, third Party Logistics,
Transportation Management & 4PL,
Distributor Services and North America
Transportation Solutions into one
integrated offering, we are the supply
chain solution that no other Canadian
supplier can match.
Tom McMenamon
20 Pettipas Drive, Dartmouth, NS
902-468-4622
www.versacold.com
INDUSTRIAL & MANUFACTURING –
Cold Storage
SYMCOR INC.
Symcor is one of Canada’s leading providers of business processing and client
communications management services,
supporting major banks, insurance,
retail, and telecommunications companies in Canada. Our business is dedicated to providing outsourced services
and we are focused on being the best at
what we do.
Paula Matthews
1580 Grafton Street, Halifax, NS
902-404-4541
[email protected]
www.symcor.com
TECHNOLOGY – Data/Document Mgmt
TAB HALIFAX
Snowy River Farms is committed to
providing consumers with pastured
pork, chicken, lamb and eggs, created
in a humane and ecologically friendly
manner alongside our spray-free
produce. We practice responsible,
natural farming, which ties together
the organic, locavore, and sustainable
principles that benefit our land,
livestock and consumers.
Amy Hill
15439 Highway 224, Cooks Brook, NS
902-802-0450
[email protected]
www.snowyriverfarms.com
RESTAURANTS, FOOD & BEVERAGE –
Food Brokers
TAB Halifax helps forward-thinking
business owners grow their businesses,
increase profitability and improve their
lives by leveraging local business owner
advisory boards, private business coaching and proprietary strategy services.
No theories — just practical, real-world,
tried and tested solutions and invaluable
hands-on experience.
Geoff Tooton
Halifax, NS
902-719-8933
[email protected]
www.TABHalifax.com
BUSINESS & PROF. SERVICES –
Business Consulting
SUPERIOR PROPANE INC.
TOWER POWER GROUP
PAINTING CO. LTD
Brent Reid
538 Pleasant Street, Dartmouth, NS
877-873-7467
[email protected]
www.superiorpropane.com
ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT –
Energy/Natural Resources
Michael MacDougall
179 Edward Drive, Enfield, NS
902-430-2914
[email protected]
www.towerpowergroup.com
INDUSTRIAL & MANUFACTURING –
Painting Contractors
BUSINESS VOICE
COMMERCIAL
REAL ESTATE
OPPORTUNITIES
To place an ad call:
426-2811 ext 1163
11
NEWSMAKERS
WATERFORD ENERGY SERVICE INC.
Waterford Energy Services Inc. (WESI)
specializes in offshore related projects
such as oil and gas, marine renewables,
subsea engineering, geology, QAQC
and inspection services. From offices in
Halifax and St. John’s, our history and
experience has been built through projects in Newfoundland, Nova Scotia and
international locations such as China,
the UK, Nigeria, Angola, Kurdistan and
the Middle East. Established in 2003,
WESI has offered clients our skill sets
to major oil and gas companies as well
as government agencies in some of the
world’s most challenging environments.
Blair MacDougall
1533 Barrington Street, Suite 200,
Halifax, NS
902-404-3052
[email protected]
www.wesi.ca
ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT –
Energy Consulting
WOMEN IN LEADERSHIP AND
BUSINESS CONFERENCE INC.
Atlantic WIL-B Conference is a two-day
national conference for women leaders
that helps them find and leverage their
strength. We give women the platform,
solutions, and support they need to grow
their careers or businesses and thrive.
We partner with extraordinary people,
sponsors and speakers to deliver greater
community impact.
Tammy Sweeney
2970 Lake Shore Boulevard West,
Suite 401, Etobicoke, ON
905-359-4869
[email protected]
www.wilbconference.com
EDUCATION & PROF. DEVELOPMENT –
Seminars/Speakers
ZOMARON MERCHANT SERVICE
Omar Kadray
Bedford, NS
888-900-9192
[email protected]
www.Zomaron.com
BUSINESS & PROF. SERVICES –
Merchant Services/POS
STUDENT MEMBERS:
John Yu Yu
Finance & Entrepreneurship, SMU
902-329-1121
Halifax, NS
Jennifer Rocard
Civil Engineering, McGill
902-818-9907
Halifax, NS
Ryan Jackson
Business Administration, MSVU
778-232-1248
[email protected]
Halifax, NS
RETIRED MEMBERS:
Peter Mallette
Halifax, NS
902-222-1050
[email protected]
Edith O’Hearn
Dartmouth, NS
902-499-8397
[email protected]
Are you a new member?
To submit your 50-word description for
New & Noted, please contact Melissa
MacDonald, Communications Specialist at
[email protected] or 902-481-1238
within the first six months of membership.
12
MARCH
2017
NEWSMAKERS
MEMBERS IN THE NEWS
How our members are growing Halifax
MILLER’S TO GO OPENS AT
STANFIELD INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
Miller’s Gourmet recently launched
Miller’s To Go at Stanfield International
Airport pre security. We are excited
about this new partnership said Terry
Miller. This is the right fit with our current
partners at Trade Centre, Port of Halifax
Cruise Terminal, Hfx Exhibition Centre, Garrison and Pete’s locations. Our
partners have been key to our success and
early feedback has been outstanding. We
encourage customers to sample products
and Taste The Difference before buying,
stated Judith Miller. We carry various flavours of Gourmet Kettlecorn, Nuts, Brittle,
Fudge, Cotton Candy and Beverages.
SOCAN ACQUIRES MEDIANET
THE LEUKEMIA & LYMPHOMA SOCIETY
OF CANADA & SPIDER MABLE TEAM UP
TO DEFEAT BLOOD CANCER
SOCAN has purchased Seattle-based
MediaNet, a pioneer business-to-business music technology provider that will
offer 360-degree music rights administration to SOCAN members. With MediaNet, SOCAN will be able to identify digital performances from around the world
in real-time, with access to granular performance data to make better decisions,
identify trends and increase revenue for
members. This comes with a level of data
accuracy and transparency that few, if
any, music rights organizations in the
world can provide. The acquisition was
completed in May, 2016. To learn more,
visit socan.ca.
Mable Tooke, leukemia survivor and star
of the upcoming documentary “SpiderMable,” has come onboard with the LLSC
as the National Ambassador for their
School & Youth (S&Y) program. Leukemia & lymphoma account for almost 50
per cent of all childhood cancers under
the age of 14. On Feb. 4, World Cancer
Day, SpiderMable and the LLSC will
launch a campaign to recruit 100 schools
across Canada to raise $100,000.
Schools will be asked to host a Light The
Night School Walk on June 2 in recognition of National Cancer Survivor’s Day.
For more information, please contact
Trudy Dyer ([email protected]).
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.
BOUNTYPRI NT
YOUR FULL-SERVICE COMMERCIAL PRINTER
902.453.0300
W W W . B O UNT YP R INT . CO M
BUSINESS VOICE
13
NEWSMAKERS
DIGITAL OFFICE ADVERTISING IN
DOWNTOWN HALIFAX
Call Lana to find out how to promote
your business to business professionals in
downtown Halifax. Pattison’s Digital Office Network delivers more than
71,000 impressions EVERY week! Call
902-460-5511 for your Chamber Member
Discount.
HABITAT NOVA SCOTIA
ANNOUNCES PLANS FOR
AFFORDABLE HOME COMMUNITY
In December, Habitat for Humanity
Nova Scotia announced plans to build
the single largest Habitat development
project in all of Canada. Habitat Nova
Scotia plans to build a 90-plus affordable
home community on a parcel of land in
Spryfield. They have built three duplexes
on the donated land in the past two years
— and now plan to give even more Nova
Scotia families the opportunity for a safe,
healthy place to call home. The plans for
the proposed development are in the HRM
approval phase, and further communication and consultation will take place this
winter and spring. www.habitatns.ca.
ORANGE
IS THE NEW
GREEN!
SANDLER TRAINING
WELCOMES TRACEY KIELEY
WBLI MERGES WITH MNP LLP
WBLI is pleased to announce our merger
with MNP, one of the largest national
accounting and business consulting firms
in Canada. While WBLI was looking to
expand its breadth of specialty services,
MNP sought to build on its presence in
Atlantic Canada by joining forces with a
respected, client-focused firm that shares
the same values. Our clients will receive
the same level of commitment and benefit
from the additional knowledge, resources
and experience that MNP’s specialists
bring, across more than 75 locations,
coast to coast. For more information contact Kirk Higgins at 902-493-5452.
14
Sandler Training is pleased to
announce the addition of Tracey Kieley
to our team. Building on the momentum
from a successful sales, marketing, and
management career, Tracey has joined
Sandler Training in the role of Director
of Business Development. Tracey is
a certified Sandler Training graduate
and understands the critical role sales
professionals play in an organization. A
passionate, driven sales professional who
thrives on coaching business leaders and
sales organizations to reach their goals.
Sandler Training-where management
and selling professionals get their edge.
atlantic.sandler.com
MARCH
2017
ZedEvents
great productions recently
transitioned
to a virtual
operation
further reducing the negative impact of
our organization’s energy pollution. Our
company has worked hard to significantly
reduce our carbon emissions footprint
with green energy through Bullfrog
Power, Canada’s leading green energy
provider, and has recently expanded
efforts to include green fuel. Committed
to bringing our expertise right to our
clients’ offices, we do so with Bullfrog
Power’s green fuel — a renewable alternative to displace the fossil fuels we use
litre-for-litre.Based in Halifax, but found
virtually everywhere!
HOP! SKIP! JUMP! RECEIVES THE
2017 TOP CHOICE AWARD FOR TOP
INDOOR PLAYGROUND IN HALIFAX
Receiving the award is truly an honor for
us. We would like to thank our amazing customers for voting for us and for
believing in us. We would like to dedicate
a special thanks to our truly amazing
staff, whose hard work and commitment
had led us to this award. We will always
strive for excellence and perfection.
NEWSMAKERS
NOVA SPINAL CARE
GRAND REOPENING
Nova Spinal Care is excited to announce
our grand reopening. We are now conveniently located in the beautiful Santé
Centre in the Parks of West Bedford.
Nova Spinal Care is a multi-disciplinary
wellness clinic committed to making
a positive impact in the community by
assisting people on their mission of optimal health. Our services include gentle
chiropractic, full-time physiotherapy,
acupuncture and massage therapy. We
are proud to offer cold laser therapy, dry
needling and physio pilates. Our clinic
has many state-of-the-art technologies to
ensure you are cared for completely.
KEJI CONSULTING LAUNCHES
NEW DEMENTIA TRAINING
WORKSHOPS IN HALIFAX
ULRIKE BAHR-GEDALIA
WINS NATIONAL AWARD
Digital Nova Scotia (DNS) is pleased
to announce that its President and CEO,
Ulrike Bahr-Gedalia, has been named
a Women’s Executive Network (WXN)
2016 Canada’s Most Powerful Women:
Top 100 Award winner, marking the
second year in a row that she’s won the
prestigious, national award. While Ulrike
has been at the helm of DNS, the nonprofit industry association has significantly increased programming, funding,
membership and advocacy to support
the needs of Nova Scotia’s information
and communications technology (ICT)
industry. To learn more about the awards
please visit www.wxnetwork.com
LAUGHS FOR LUNGS!
The Lung Association of Nova Scotia
is excited to announce that they are the
new Charity of Choice for the Ha!ifax
ComedyFest in partnership with Premiere Entertainment Group. This partnership will feature three internationally
known comedians at Laugh of Lungs at
the Mic Mac AAC this April. This is an
opportunity to exercise your lungs by
laughing the night away. All funds raised
from Laughs for Lungs will support local
programs and services including lung
disease prevention initiatives. For more
information, visit www.ns.lung.ca.
MARCO GROUP OF COMPANIES
LAUNCHES NEW WEBSITE
Marco is excited to announce the launch
of their new website. With high-quality
photos, an easy-to-navigate menu bar
and a thorough listing of all the company’s key projects, the new site provides
the comprehensive way for visitors to
explore the company’s philosophy, projects, and services.
BUSINESS VOICE
There are approximately 17,000 families
in Nova Scotia who have a loved one with
Alzheimer’s or another type of dementia.
Many don’t know what to do or where to
get help. Rosanne Burke is a Certified
Dementia Trainer and has struggled
with the challenges of caring for a person
with dementia. Rosanne is launching
new dementia education workshops in
2017. Practical tips on how to care for a
person with dementia will be included
as well as communication strategies and
resources. For more information,
contact Rosanne Burke at 902-431-7827
or [email protected].
SOCAN ACHIEVES 2016 MUSIC
ALLY DIGITAL MUSIC AWARD FOR
INNOVATION IN PUBLISHING
SOCAN took home the award for
Innovation in Publishing, at the 2016
Music Ally Digital Music Awards on
Oct. 26, 2016 at the Café de Paris in
London, England, for acquiring the
state-of-the-art technology firms
MediaNet and Audiam and the launch
of our Royalty Guru analytics software,
fueling its continuing transformation to
a full-service music rights organization.
The Music Ally Digital Music Awards
showcase some of the most inventive
artists, startups and people in the digital
world, with Google Play as the lead
sponsor for this second annual edition.
15
NEWSMAKERS
APPILI THERAPEUTICS RAISES
$2.2M IN EQUITY CAPITAL TO
DEVELOP ITS ANTI-INFECTIVE PIPELINE
NUTRI-LAWN - AWARDS
At the Nutri-Lawn Annual Meeting in
Puerto Vallarta, Mexico the Nova Scotia
team was recognized with an Outstanding Sales Award, Platinum Sales Award
and Nourishment Award. Our Moncton
location took home the Franchise of the
Year, Platinum Sales Award, Customer
Service Award and Brand Award. Thankyou to all our customers and suppliers
for being a part of our success. Read
more about the awards here: www.blog.
nutrilawn.com/congratulations-to-the2016-nutri-lawn-award-winners
DIGITAL NOVA SCOTIA
WELCOMES CAITLIN PATTERSON
Digital Nova Scotia (DNS) welcomes
Caitlin Patterson as Director of Marketing
& Communications. With a Bachelor of
Public Relations, a minor in Marketing
and six years’ experience; Caitlin prides
herself on effectively crafting messages,
developing strong relationships, and
creating innovative marketing materials.
With expertise ranging from strategic communications and social media
management, to marketing and graphic
design, Caitlin brings passion and enthusiasm to her role with Digital Nova Scotia.
She looks forward to working closely with
DNS stakeholders, and helping to advance
Nova Scotia’s growing ICT sector.
16
GRATITUDE AT WORK RECOGNIZED
Gratitude at Work was recognized
within the top heartwarming news stories
in Nova Scotia in 2016. The story is about
the viral video 100 Halifax Doors, the
brainchild of Gratitude at Work, a simple
social experiment where the door was
held open for 100 people and they tracked
how many people said thank you. 99 of
100 said thanks. The video has more than
150,000 views on social media. “The
experiment and the popularity of the
video highlight what a great city we live in
and how proud people are of it.” says Steve
Foran, Grateful CEO at Gratitude at Work.
Appili Therapeutics Inc. (“Appili”),
an anti-infective drug development
company, announced on Dec. 18, 2016, it
raised $2,151,000 in its over-subscribed
private placement financing. The capital
raise included further investments from
Innovacorp and current investors, as well
as new investors, including institutional
support. Proceeds from the financing will
be used to advance its lead product candidate, a taste-masked antibiotic designed
to treat anaerobic infections like Clostridium difficile, into clinical trials. In
addition, the company will advance the
development of a novel class of antibiotics targeting drug-resistant gram-negative bacteria and evaluate opportunities
to add high potential anti-infective
programs to its pipeline.
HOME INSTEAD SENIOR CARE
LAUNCHES NEW ONLINE SERVICE
TO HELP KEEP SENIORS SAFE
SAYLE BROTHERS AND SAYLESAFETY
INC. FEATURED IN ENTREVESTOR
One of the most frightening scenarios for
families caring for someone living with
Alzheimer’s disease or other dementias is
a loved one wandering or getting lost. It
causes immediate panic and concern, and
happens all too often. Home Instead
Senior Care has launched a free tool, the
Missing Senior Network, now available in
Halifax. Available at www.MissingSeniorNetwork.ca, the platform enables family
caregivers to alert a network of friends,
family and businesses via text or email,
to be on the lookout for a missing senior.
For tips and program resources, contact
Natalie at 902-429-2273.
The Sayle brothers have started a safety
culture movement in Nova Scotia that’s
quickly moving across the country. By
merging their expertise in workplace
safety and software development, they’ve
created an online course that teaches
Safety Culture basics and a safety management system that improves the strategic position of organizations in industry
supply chains. Their third product, a
mobile safety app that puts a virtual safety
officer in your pocket on all job sites,
will launch in 2017. Read their story on
Entrevestor at www.entrevestor.com/ac/
blog/sayles-take-aim-at-workplace-safety.
MARCH
2017
NEWSMAKERS
DRESS FOR SUCCESS HALIFAX
WELCOMED
Dress for Success Singapore, (one of
the newest affiliates to join the international organization) at the annual conference in Chicago. “We were honored to
have Halifax represented on the stage, as
our Executive Director, Brenda Saunders/Todd, was chosen to speak at the
conference to inspire and educate other
affiliates around the world,” says President, Julie Morine. We are looking forward to an incredible year, as the international organization prepares to celebrate
the 20th anniversary and we are proud
to be doing our part that contributes to
serving 925,000 women in 145 cities in 21
countries. For more information:
[email protected]
AMY HOULE WELCOMED TO
G&R CHARTERED PROFESSIONAL
ACCOUNTANTS
COLOUR MEDIA WILL HELP
CLIENTS BETTER REACH AUDIENCES
IN CANADA & US
Fellow partners Lawrence Roche and
Steven Gray welcome Amy Houle to their
partnership, G&R Chartered Professional Accountants (formerly Rector
Colavecchia Roche). “We appreciate
Amy’s enthusiasm and the experience
she brings to G&R,” says Lawrence
Roche, CPA, CA. Amy’s promotion has
also been embraced by the rest of the
team at G&R where she has been a manager for the past five years. “Amy knows
how to relate to our staff,” explains Steven Gray, CPA, CA, “and she is great at
building relationships with her clients.”
As a partner Amy plans looks forward to
building those client relationships and
expanding her client base in HRM.
Creative social agency Colour has
launched a new business practice, Colour
Media, to help clients reach audiences
by using programmatic media buying.
With programmatic media, the purchase
and sale of advertising in real time uses
software to buy, place and optimize
media through a bidding system. Colour
Media’s work will be driven by four main
attributes — skilled traders, technology,
reporting and transparency. Perhaps
most important of all for marketers
who are watching every dollar, Colour
Media’s focus on transparency means
that we show our clients the full value
of every impression purchased so they
can more accurately plan and evaluate a
campaign’s return on investment.
NSCC LAUNCHES DIFFERENCE
DOLLARS FOR SERVICE LEARNING
FUNDING PROGRAM
DR. WENDY CARROLL, ACADEMIC
DIRECTOR OF THE SOBEY EXECUTIVE
MBA PROGRAM, HAS BEEN
RECOGNIZED AS ONE OF THE TOP 25
HR PROFESSIONALS IN CANADA.
From HR Reporter: “Wendy Carroll,
associate professor of management at
Saint Mary’s University in Halifax, has
refined and developed evidence-based
approaches to the teaching and practice
of HR management, while motivating her
students to do the same. She has also spent
time conducting research into unjust
workplace events and possible employee
reactions. A practitioner-turned-academic, Wendy’s excellence as an educator
has earned her seven teaching awards
during the past decade.”
Nova Scotia Community College has
launched a funding program to encourage students to use the skills they’ve
gained at the College to inspire social
and economic development across the
province. Through Difference Dollars for
Service Learning, $50,000 will support
a minimum of 20 student-led projects,
which help students strengthen their
communities while gaining hands-on
experience. The initiative is made
possible from an investment by the
Nova Scotia Department of Labour and
Advanced Education. Projects like these
create hands-on opportunities for young
Nova Scotians to apply their skills, and
to showcase their abilities to employers.
Communities will benefit, and so will
students and potential employers.
BUSINESS VOICE
HALIFAX CONVENTION CENTRE
CELEBRATES MARKETING EXCELLENCE
WITH TWO IABC SILVER LEAF AWARDS
The Halifax Convention Centre
has once again been recognized for
marketing excellence. They have been
selected by the International Association
of Business Communicators (IABC)
as Silver Leaf Award winners in two
categories: Marketing, Advertising and
Sales Vehicles and Marketing Communications. The panel was impressed with
the simplicity and elegance of the variety
of tactics used, which made the Centre
stand out amongst the competition.
“This was an exemplary entry in terms of
demonstrating the ability of communication to directly influence valid business
results,” said the judging panel.
17
NEWSMAKERS
ANNOUNCING THE MARISTELLA
AT KING’S WHARF
SOCAN ACQUIRES AUDIAM
In November, Francis Fares announced
the official plans for the next phase in the
popular King’s Wharf community —
The Maristella. The iconic structure
has been in the plans for several years,
but now Fares is ready to break ground
come the new year. Inspired by the vast
ocean, the dynamic city skyline and
the charm of the community in which it
resides, The Maristella at King’s Wharf
unites contemporary minimalist design
with creative living. Each residence
combines sophisticated aesthetics and
sleek modernism. Groundbreaking is
scheduled for fall 2017, with occupancy
expected in fall of 2019. Pricing starts at
$500,000 up to $2 million.
THE LEUKEMIA & LYMPHOMA SOCIETY
OF CANADA COMPLETES SUCCESSFUL
YEAR END CAMPAIGN
TROMPE L'OEIL STUDIOS INC.
LAUNCHES ART OF BUSINESS
WORKSHOP
Art inspires and unlocks creative potential. Art helps connect with clients. Art
improves employee experiences. ART OF
BUSINESS is an engaging “hands on”
experience, through motivational stories
and step by step training. The overall
objective is to leverage art to renew
participants’ sense of adventure and creativity, both of which are needed to grow
a business and increase the bottom line.
For more info and to book a workshop
contact Annemarie at 902-818-0903.
The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society
of Canada (LLSC) completed its most
successful online year end campaign to
date! With the help of numerous staff and
volunteers the LLSC's online year-end
campaign was able to raise more than
$220,000 for its patient support services
and researchers like Dr. Jason Berman
and his team at the IWK Health Centre.
We’d like to thank the local and national
community for their continued support
and efforts to help end blood cancer.
If you’re interested in supporting the
LLSC in any way please reach out to
the Atlantic Canada regional office at
855-515-5572.
SOCAN has purchased 100 per cent
of the innovative New York-based tech
company Audiam, empowering SOCAN
to provide a unique global music industry
solution with respect to licensing digital
services and royalty payment for songwriters, composers and music publishers.
With Audiam, SOCAN now has a comprehensive database, and metadata of all
compositions and commercially released
digital sound recordings, and the technology and business understanding to match
and connect the two, issue licenses and
get rights-holders paid all that they have
fairly earned. To learn more, visit socan.ca.
ECOLOGY ACTION CENTRE
5,000 MEMBERS STRONG
What some thought was impossible is
possible! In December, EAC achieved a
remarkable milestone of 5,000 members!
Thank you for recognizing the importance of respecting and protecting nature
and building a green and fair economy.
With every member, EAC’s voice grows
stronger and our impact widens. Our
ability to react nimbly with determination is only made possible by the community that supports us, our members.
Because of our members, our local food
movement is growing, more children
are riding bicycles and our parks and
protected areas are expanding.
Are you launching a new business
or product? The Halifax Chamber
wants to share your story! Please
contact Melissa MacDonald at Melissa@
halifaxchamber.com or 902-481-1238.
ARE YOU READY TO
RISE TO THE TOP?
Whether you’re in the market for a new career or curious to see
where your skills could take you, Cream Careers will connect
you with quality career options.
View career listings by industry, post your resume to be seen by
top employers and connect with us on social media so you
don’t miss the latest postings.
Join for free today and
get the career you deserve.
RISETOTHETOP.CA
18
MARCH
2017
Have an issue with a
federal contract?
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Procurement Ombudsman
We’re here to help!
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avec le fédéral?
Contactez-nous—Nous sommes le
Bureau de l’ombudsman de
l’approvisionnement
Nous sommes là pour vous aider!
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A BALANCED BUDGET NEEDED TO
PUT NOVA SCOTIA ON SOLID GROUND
By Jon Tattrie
T
he year was 2011, and Patrick
Sullivan was preparing to run 250
kilometres through the Sahara Desert.
A reporter asked him what he’d do if he
didn’t finish.
“My answer was: ‘I’ve already finished.’ By training for a year, by getting
in the best shape of my life, losing weight
and building muscle, I’d already won the
race,” says the President and CEO of the
Halifax Chamber of Commerce.
As Nova Scotia prepares to run
across the Sahara that could be Earth
2017, it’s not a bad way to think about
20
the spring budget and beyond. Nobody
knows what surprises the year will hold
on the global stage. So rather than guess
about unknown unknowns, businesses
and people can get themselves in the best
financial shape of their lives and trust
that they, too, have done the hard work
and are ready to run.
“We should probably all acknowledge that we’re in the fourth year of what
is typically a four-year mandate for most
governments, so as much as I would like
to see continued diligence and fiscal
responsibility, it is somewhat inevitable
MARCH
2017
that in the final year of the mandate,
purse strings will be loosened,” Sullivan
adds.
The Chamber has three goals it
wants the province to tackle in the
coming years. Paul Bent, Chair of the
Chamber’s Create a Positive Business
Environment Task Force, is a master of
the details.
Bent recently retired after a 37-year
career in public accounting, mostly with
Grant Thornton LLP. He’s been a Chamber member for many years and leads the
task force as it helps shape the Chamber’s
Illustrations: Jorgen McLeman/123RF
Fiscal
COVER STORY
We have to balance the budget before we can realistically expect
to add more competitiveness to our tax regime. If the assumption
works and lowering taxes will either help retain or encourage
new business to set up in Nova Scotia, then the long-term makes
this revenue positive.”
— Paul Bent, CPA, CA, ICD.D, Chair, Create Task Force
advocacy work. He sums up their case in
two words: fiscal responsibility. “It starts
with the need to keep with their commitment to balance the budget,” he says.
Bent lays out three things the task force
thinks government should do:
•
Lower the corporate tax rate from
16 per cent to 14 per cent
•
Increase the small-business threshold from $350,000 to $500,000
•
On the personal side, restore the
indexation of exemptions and
brackets to at least match inflation
Bent says the first two would put
Nova Scotia on an even footing with
other provinces, erasing a disadvantage.
“The taxation file is a challenging file.
We continue to be one of the highest-taxed provinces in the country. We’re
at the top of the HST and we’re two or
three in highest provincial tax rates,” he
says. “We’re competing nationally for
talent, and we’re looking at immigration.
People coming to the province have an
ability, long-term, to pick and choose
where they want to stay. Tax burden is a
significant element of that. Quite frankly,
we’re in a non-competitive position vis-avis many of the other provinces.”
Lowering the corporate tax rate
would make Nova Scotia more competitive with other jurisdictions, Bent says.
Increasing the small-business threshold
to $500,000 means companies could
earn that much before facing a higher tax
rate. The current rate “leads to a competitive disadvantage for corporations to be
operating here.”
Bent says the province is listening to
them and the Chamber is well aware that
the government has faced challenges in
negotiating deals with the Nova Scotia
Government and General Employees
Union and the Nova Scotia Teachers
Union. “The question becomes: How do
you in tough economic times face reducing a tax rate when you’re struggling to
balance a budget?” Bent asks.
He argues that balancing the budget
and lowering taxes doesn’t amount to
telling your ox to pull you in two directions. A “fair and competitive” tax
regime will grow existing businesses and
attract new ones, meaning the government will collect less money from more
companies. “We have to balance the
budget before we can realistically expect
to add more competitiveness to our tax
regime,” he says. “If the assumption
works and lowering taxes will either help
retain or encourage new business to set
up in Nova Scotia, then the long-term
makes this revenue positive.”
The third request would help individual workers. “As your income goes up,
and your exemption goes up federally,
you may have no increase in federal tax,
whereas every time your income goes up
in Nova Scotia, you end up paying more
tax,” he says.
The task force doesn’t expect the
government to do all three in the spring
budget, but it hopes it moves in that
direction on one or two of the items. “We
have unfortunately been on the wrong
end of the equation of economic growth
in the country for a long time. We have
an aging demographic. We have an aging
workforce. We need to have an environment where we can encourage people to
want to be in Nova Scotia, to see this as a
great place to live, to do business, and to
stay,” Bent says.
If we get there by the path we’re
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BUSINESS VOICE
21
COVER STORY
We need to create new
jobs — we can’t recycle
the wealth that we have
within the province
amongst ourselves.
We need to go out and
find other wealth outside of the province to
build those jobs.”
— Mike Davis,
Partner, Davis Pier
travelling, he says quality of life will
decrease, as more money gets spent on
health care for our aging population,
while fewer workers contribute to the
tax pool. Bent is also part of the Yes
campaign, which urges Haligonians
to think “yes” to growth, diversity and
innovation. He’s pleased that after years
of un-built buildings dominating the
skyline, cranes are now stretching as far
as the eye can see. It’s a sign the Yes idea
is popular.
The government will say little ahead
of the spring budget, but it seems unlikely
that they’ll take any of the Chamber’s
suggestions this time around.
Murray Coolican, Nova Scotia’s
Deputy Minister of Business, wouldn’t
answer questions about the corporate
tax rate, small-business threshold or
exemption indexing. “The government
recognizes that tax levels are higher in
Nova Scotia than in other provinces, but
we really need to get our budget into a
long-term sustainable position — a longterm surplus position — before we make
significant tax changes that will lower
revenue,” he tells Business Voice. “The
government’s view is that job creation
happens in the private sector and the
22
government’s role is to create an environment in which that can happen.”
To that end, the provincial government has worked with other Atlantic
Canadian provinces to adjust regulations
to make it easier to do business across the
borders. Coolican mentions aligning the
date on which minimum wages go up and
aligning record-keeping requirements
for employers. Those changes will save
businesses money, he says. “It’s important to be in a position where we are not
consistently adding to our deficit as we
look into the future and the challenges
we have in terms of demographics.”
Mike Davis, a partner with Davis
Pier, delivers management consulting to
the public and social sectors. “I’m right in
the middle,” he says. “It’s tough. I absolutely see both perspectives.”
Davis said lowering the corporate tax
rate and reducing red tape can’t hurt, but
he’s not convinced those measures will
drive the economy. “I think where we need
to be focused is on exports, more than anything else. We need to be bringing money
into the province,” he says. “I think this
government has been good at saying government can’t fix the economy on its own.
We need to create new jobs — we can’t
MARCH
2017
recycle the wealth that we have within the
province amongst ourselves. We need to
go out and find other wealth outside of the
province to build those jobs.”
He thinks the efforts in that direction are more likely to grow the economy than tax reductions or regulation
changes. “I don’t know what government
can do more of. I think they’re trying to
create an environment where they’re
attracting foreign investment, which I
think will be good. But at the end of the
day we need to figure out a way to make
products and export services that other
places want. I think the private sector
needs to look in the mirror and say, as
the private sector and as Nova Scotians:
If we want our kids to be able to grow
up here the way we have, we need to do
something.”
Back at the Chamber, Patrick Sullivan has gotten the same message from
Stephen McNeil’s government. “What I’ve
often heard from this government is: ‘Let
the private sector lead.’ The private sector
would like to lead, but we’d like to do that
in a competitive tax environment.”
He says corporate taxes represent
4.8 per cent of the province’s total revenue, which is why the Chamber is confi-
COVER STORY
dent lowering it won’t hurt the province’s
finances too much in short term before it
reaps more money long term. “We think
it’s very important to balance the budget.
In fact, we need to go further. We have a
$15 billion debt and debt-service payments that are more than $800 million
per year.”
That’s nearly nine per cent of the
total provincial budget. “Great in a
low-interest rate environment, but what
would happen if interest rates increased?
We need to get that debt down.” He
agrees with the Ivany report’s goal of
reducing the debt-to-GDP ratio from 37
per cent down to 30 per cent.
“The reality is we as a province need
to limit spending. That is the simple
reality — there’s not as much money,”
Sullivan says. “We have a worry for the
future. We need to plan for that future.
Letting the private sector grow is one part
of that. Reducing debt is a second part of
that. And having a better-than-balanced
budget is a part of that as well.”
Sullivan has run his own business
and worked in businesses rising and
falling. He says when making deals with
NSTU and NSGEU, the government can
learn from the business community. “We
need to ensure that we’re paying people
an appropriate amount of money for the
job that they do and that we have the
appropriate staffing levels — with any
business — and I would equate that to the
province,” he says. “We’re all shareholders in the business that is the province of
Nova Scotia.”
Businesses, in the meantime,
should follow the lead of companies like
Clearwater and Highliner and Emera,
all multi-national companies with
strong presences in Nova Scotia. “Every
business needs to think about expanding
its footprint. You can have a business in
Nova Scotia and sell around the world.”
Oh, and that long run in the desert
he took six years ago. To get a sense of
the challenge, step out of Halifax’s City
Hall, warmup in Parade Square, and run
to Moncton. Dress warmly to recreate the
47 Celsius heat of the Sahara. Sullivan
was the general manager of ComFree at
the time and ran to help raise $100,000
for the National Advertising Benevolent
Society. “It was very, very, very difficult,”
Sullivan says.
But he made it to the Pyramids of
Giza. Keeping Nova Scotia’s finances on
track seems much more manageable by
comparison.
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23
WORKERS WITH DISABILITIES
Inclusive values
Above: Michelle Wilson with Job Developer
Carlton McDonald in the kitchen of New Leaf
Enterprises, Easter Seals Nova Scotia’s skills
training and supported employment program.
Persons with disabilities belong at work By Erin Elaine Casey
Photos: Joseph Robichaud/Tanglewood Studio
H
PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES
WANT WHAT WE ALL WANT
ave you ever stopped to think about
why you get up and go to work every
day? Aside from the need to earn money,
we go to work for lots of reasons: To learn,
to help people, to solve problems, and to
make friends. If we’re really lucky, we have
jobs that challenge and satisfy us, and our
colleagues become almost like family.
Now, what if I said you might not be
able to have those things — a job you enjoy,
work buddies, and of course a paycheque?
For many people with disabilities, this
is a daily reality. According to Statistics
Canada, in 2011 Canadians 25 to 64 with
disabilities were employed at a rate of 49
per cent, compared with 79 per cent for
Canadians without a disability. And the
more severe the disability, the lower the
rate, with only 26 per cent employment
among those with a very severe disability.
24
The UN Convention on the Rights
of Persons with Disabilities defines
disabilities as “physical, mental, intellectual or sensory impairments which
in interaction with various barriers may
hinder [a person’s] full and effective
participation in society on an equal
basis with others.” A disability can be
permanent or temporary, visible or
invisible. According to Statistics Canada
and the Nova Scotia Disabled Persons
Commission, almost 20 per cent of Nova
Scotians identify themselves as living
with a disability, the highest rate of any
province in Canada. With the demographic and labour market challenges
facing Nova Scotia, employers have an
opportunity and a responsibility to learn
about and hire from this under-represented group.
MARCH
2017
Michelle Wilson has three jobs. She
works one day a week at the Colorworks
paint and decorating store on Strawberry Hill, and two days a week in the
mailroom at the Nova Scotia Department of Community Services. She also
spends a couple of days a week in the
kitchen at New Leaf, the skills training
and supported employment program
and social enterprise run by Easter Seals
Nova Scotia. Easter Seals is a charity that
provides services to promote mobility,
inclusion, and independence for persons
with disabilities.
Wilson also has a mild intellectual
disability. When I ask her what life would
be like without a job, she says: “I like to
be busy. Life would be boring if I didn’t
WORKERS WITH DISABILITIES
The best learning is on the job, pictured
here, Kelsie is supported by DASC
job coach Jill Eaton learning about
receptionist duties. Executive Director
Cathy Deagle Gammon is giving some
tips on filling out a schedule.
go to work.” She also likes making friends
and being included in social activities,
although her favourite place to be is at
her workstation. She laughs and adds:
“The best thing about going to work is
money!”
Carlton McDonald is an Employment Support Instructor with New Leaf
Enterprises. “It’s important for different
kinds of people to work together and
get to know each other,” he says. “The
friendships I see Michelle making with
her co-workers — they just want to share
and give Michelle the best experience
while she’s there. She’s part of the team.”
Cathy Deagle Gammon is Executive
Director of the Dartmouth Adult Services
Centre (DASC), a non-profit vocational
day program for adults with an intellectual disability. She adds that persons with
disabilities are “just like anyone. They
get bored, just like anyone else. They
have the same general characteristics as
anyone else. Anyone starting out today is
going to have many more jobs than older
generations — people with disabilities
are no different in wanting variety and
change and looking for an employment
culture that fits their values.”
Once an employee is
settled in a job, It’s
lifelong support as
needed. But sometimes
we get fired, we have
an employer who says,
‘We’re all good.’ Some
employers have said
to me: ‘It’s a lot easier
than I ever thought it
was going to be. There’s
just no difference
between them and any
other employee.”
— Cathy Deagle
Gammon,
Executive Director,
Dartmouth Adult
Services Centre
BUSINESS VOICE
SUPPORT FOR EMPLOYEES — AND
EMPLOYERS — IS ALWAYS AVAILABLE
A number of agencies and charities
in Halifax support adults with disabilities
in joining the workforce. In addition to
Easter Seals and DASC, Business Voice
spoke with Tova Sherman, co-founder
and CEO of ReachAbility, an organization “dedicated to equalizing the playing
field for people facing barriers.” This
includes persons with disabilities of
all kinds, including mental health; the
Indigenous, African Canadian, and new
immigrant communities; and the LGBT+
community. “Anyone facing a barrier is
part of my world,” she says.
In addition to a wide range of preemployment and employment supports,
ReachAbility offers diversity training to
employers. “When we look at inclusive
employment, we want to make sure the
foundation is built for people to believe in
themselves first,” says Sherman. “We do
self-awareness and self-confidence first.
We have a career navigation clinic with a
professional certified therapist. We have
a sustainability officer, so when they fall off
work, we grab them, pull them back and put
them back on the horse as soon as possible.”
25
WORKERS WITH DISABILITIES
L to R: Tova Sherman, Gordie Publicover
and Brea Hindy. Sherman is co-founder
and CEO of ReachAbility, an organization
dedicated to equalizing the playing field
for people facing barriers.
At DASC, three staff members are
dedicated to the person-centred community employment program. They help
people set goals, identify a skill set, and
plan for employment. Participants do
a lot of preparation, including training
in workplace safety, literacy, first aid
and CPR, understanding relationships,
protection of your own information, and
using public transportation.
“We even do workshops that
address appropriate attire and cell phone
use — anything that’s going to build a
skill set that’s transferable to any job,”
says Deagle Gammon. “Some employers
have remarked that the people DASC
supports have a very informed sense of
self that they’d like to see in their other
employees.”
Once a person with a disability has
been placed in a job, staff from DASC,
ReachAbility, and Easter Seals work hard
to help keep them there. Job coaches
and employment support staff help with
training, skill building, and identifying
supportive colleagues in the workplace. If
there’s a challenge, all three agencies are
there to ease transitions and bridge gaps.
26
“We gradually fade away” once
an employee is settled in a job, says
Deagle Gammon. “It’s lifelong support
as needed. But sometimes we get fired,”
she laughs. “We have an employer who
says, ‘We’re all good.’ Some employers
have said to me: ‘It’s a lot easier than I
ever thought it was going to be. There’s
just no difference between them and any
other employee.’”
IT’S JUST NOT TRUE: DISPELLING
MYTHS ABOUT EMPLOYEES WITH
DISABILITIES
This can be a hard thing to talk
about. There are plenty of myths about
persons with disabilities in the workplace: They need expensive accommodations, they enjoy repetitive tasks, they’ll
drive up the cost of benefits plans, or
they simply won’t fit in. None of these
things is true.
“Most people with disabilities have
figured out what they need a long time
ago,” says Sherman. In other words, they
have good self-awareness and coping
skills, an asset in any work environment.
And persons with disabilities want to
MARCH
2017
learn, have variety, and be challenged.
Deagle Gammon explains, “A person
with a disability does not necessarily like
doing the same thing day in and day out
— something repetitive. And they do not
have high medical costs. The cost of hiring a person with a disability is not higher
than hiring someone without.”
Finally, modifying a work area for
someone with a disability is not costly.
A study by the U.S. Job Accommodation Network showed that 57 per cent of
employers spent nothing at all, and for
those who did the typical one-time cost
was around $500. According to many
studies, workers with disabilities have
substantially lower rates of safety incidents, health care costs, and absenteeism.
“It’s all about giving and opportunity, and a lot of businesses in the
past weren’t quite willing to let people
in because they weren’t sure about the
energy and productivity they can bring,”
says McDonald. “That has come a long
way, and businesses are now seeing the
light. People with disabilities want to
come in with their energy and positive
work ethic and do a good job.”
WORKERS WITH DISABILITIES
THE BUSINESS CASE FOR HIRING
PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES IS
STRONG
According to the Government of
Canada report Rethinking DisAbility
in the Private Sector — Report from the
Panel on Labour Market Opportunities
for Persons with Disabilities, hiring people with disabilities is good for business.
Business leaders agree on the value of
inclusive workplaces, and “their beliefs
are supported by the performance of
corporate diversity leaders on the capital
markets, as well as data on employee
retention and productivity.”
Sherman says the business case is
clear. “You’ll make more money — it’s
proven. When you bring in people who
reflect your community, your customers
will support you. You’ll also have more
creative solutions. We have to speak
to employers in their language — if it
doesn’t make business sense, don’t do it.
I believe in right person — right job. But
I don’t expect businesses to know it in a
vacuum, which is why I provide training.”
When we look at inclusive employment, we want to
make sure the foundation is built for people to believe
in themselves first.”
— Tova Sherman, Co-founder and CEO, ReachAbility
An inclusive workplace is also likely
to be a happier workplace. “The benefits
are so intrinsic that people are no longer
asking me why they should have an inclusive workplace — it just becomes part of
their value system,” says Deagle Gammon. “And employers often find they can
tailor a job to fit a potential employee. If
you see everyone as equally valuable, it
breeds good workplace morale. When
you hire someone, and they’re supported
by agencies, family, and friends, you get a
person who is ready to engage in work. It
is fairly incredible in some people’s lives.”
Carlton McDonald has high praise
for workplaces that do what it takes to be
inclusive. “I’ve been doing this job for 12
years. When I first started, I was pounding the pavement with very little success.
Now people are contacting Easter Seals
and asking for people to come and work
with them. It’s huge for a business to
provide opportunities for inclusion, and
set people up for success — it’s matching
skills to opportunities.”
It’s easy to see that inclusion also
makes good economic sense for Nova
Scotia. More people working means more
people contributing to the economy,
paying taxes, and gaining financial independence. Persons with disabilities can be
found in all sectors and at all occupational
skill levels. “They’re really blossoming in
the labour market,” says Deagle Gammon, “Any job worth doing is worth doing
right, and somebody has to do it. Whether
you’re digging a ditch or being a doctor,
all jobs are important and have value. And
everybody has a right to be a fully participating member of society.”
Tips for making
your workplace
more inclusive
1. Learn the meanings of words like
disability, handicap, and impairment
so you can have more comfortable
and respectful conversations.
2. Remember that some disabilities
are invisible.
3. Create an atmosphere where
it’s ok to talk about disability,
mental health, inclusion, and
accommodation.
4. Find ways to accommodate.
Is your workplace physically
accessible? Are schedules flexible?
Can job duties be safely modified?
5. Make sure your hiring and
retention is inclusive. Reach out to
all corners of your community for
applicants. Be specific about what
the job entails so that applicants
can be confident about applying.
Ensure orientation, training, and
scheduling is respectful and flexible.
(Adapted from ReachAbility’s Tips for Inclusion
www.reachability.org/tips-for-inclusion)
BUSINESS VOICE
27
PROFILE
Made with Precision
Company enables quantum leap in blood work By David Pretty
Sometimes the most direct solution
can pay dividends. Such was the case
with Precision BioLogic. For the past 25
years, the Dartmouth-based company
has manufactured kits and reagents used
in the diagnosis of blood disorders such
as hemophilia and thrombophilia.
But what makes Precision's approach
so different from its competitors is that
these valuable assets are frozen and not
freeze-dried. According to Precision BioLogic CEO Paul Empey, this innovation
represented a quantum leap of convenience for busy labs around the globe.
“Freeze-dried kits and reagents have
to be reconstituted on the lab bench. This
can be cumbersome and take upwards to
an hour or so. Ours are frozen and ready
to go in minutes.”
This ambitious and practical product
line, dubbed CRYOcheck™, became the
foundation for Precision’s early success.
“Our uniqueness and creativity came from understanding how to
freeze these products and then get them
shipped around the world for our customers,” Empey says.
And while three-dimensional thinking was critical to Precision’s genesis, it’s
the company’s unflagging dedication to
customers that ensured its growth.
“Our marching mantra is to be the
solution finder, not only for potentially-new customers but existing customers,” Empey maintains. “This will always
to be part of our culture, our mission and
our vision.”
At Precision, this means proactive,
two-way communication designed to
help both vendor and client.
“We constantly leverage our relationships to ask questions,” Empey says.
“What are your needs? Are your needs
being met? Have they changed? Even
existing customers will have a changing
climate with new and different needs and
in order to stay at the forefront we need
to have open communication with all of
them.”
Empey is that rare breed of CEO
who insists that this approach extends
“right to the top.”
“I spend a lot of my time on the road
visiting customers and travelling with
our account managers so that I’m visi28
Photo: Contributed
Our marching mantra is to be the solution finder,
not only for potentially-new customers but existing
customers. This will always to be part of our culture,
our mission and our vision.”
— Paul Empey, CEO, Precision BioLogic
ble,” he says. “Our customers know that
when they’re talking to an account manager or the director of sales or marketing
that they’re one phone call away from the
CEO of the company.”
This has translated into a series of
glowing customer testimonials on Precision’s website, as well as consistently
positive satisfaction surveys.
“I’ve been in business for 36 years
and I’ve never worked for an organization
with marks as high as we get with our customers,” Empey beams. “It’s fantastic.”
A change Empey observed is who is
ordering from them. When Precision got
started 25 years ago, lab managers were
the primary decision makers. But now,
with cost-cutting measures set in place
in the U.S. and hospitals consolidating
together to generate more purchasing
power, the task of requisition has shifted
to purchasing departments and agents.
“It’s important that our relationships
with the lab personnel remain strong,”
MARCH
2017
Empey explains. “But going forward one
of the initiatives in our strategic plan is to
build strong relationships with financial
influencers.”
Precision is also putting priority on
forging long-lasting partnerships within
the pharmaceutical industry.
“Because of our nimbleness and
expertise, we can complement and work
with some of the pharmaceutical companies with their new releases of drugs,”
says Empey. “We can develop and launch
products to diagnose and treat patients in
need of these new therapies.”
Empey maintains that Precision’s
growth and future product development
will spring organically from partnering
up with these larger clients to bring value
to their daily operation.
“It’s very exciting,” he concludes.
“We’re actually in the process of developing two such opportunities right now and
we’re very excited. Things are going very
well for Precision. The future is bright!”
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identify individual and systemic growth
challenges, as well as opportunities.
Within two business days of the consultation, the business will be contacted by
a member of our SmartBusiness Action
Team — a group of more than 30 business and government organizations who
provide expertise, experience and access
to business development and growth services including financing, talent recruitment, training, and exporting leads.
Chamber members are encouraged
to take advantage of the SmartBusiness
program which is complementary to
the Chamber’s Grow Halifax initiative.
Along with the various services available
under Grow Halifax, Smart Business
is an additional resource members can
benefit from.
The opinions of local businesses are
crucial in measuring whether Halifax
is a good city in which to do business,
and where improvements need to be
made. From our thousands of business
consultations over 12 years, we have an
ever-growing data pool on more than 25
business climate factors and eight municipal services.
Our quarterly Smart Business reports
Photo: Ian Allenden/123RF
Chamber members are encouraged to take advantage
of the SmartBusiness program which is complementary
to the Chamber’s Grow Halifax initiative.”
outline SmartBusiness clients’ overall
views and opinions on several fronts,
including municipal services, taxation,
regulation, work force availability, and
infrastructure. We regularly analyze
SmartBusiness data to identify trends
and systemic issues. This intelligence is
shared with, and used by, our government
and industry partners to improve services
and make policy and regulatory changes.
(Only summary opinions on Halifax’s
business climate are released publicly and
to partners; company information and
individual opinions are confidential.)
The January 2017 SmartBusiness
Report, based on consultations with 269
clients last year, indicates that business
confidence is stable and positive. More
than 61 per cent of SmartBusiness clients
consider the current economy good or
excellent and clients’ opinions on the
state of past economic progress are in a
similar range. Meanwhile, 82.4 per cent
of respondents expect economic conditions to improve in the future. These
results are quite similar to those obtained
in the prior SmartBusiness report in
October 2016.
Business climate factors are also
broadly improving. Of the 27 business
climate factors and eight municipal serBUSINESS VOICE
vices, satisfaction ratings for 34 of them
have increased since January of last year.
The Issue in Focus in the most recent
report looks at trends related to Halifax’s
commercial property tax rates and how
these have been affected by trends in
development. It also explores business
opinions on municipal taxes and how
they have changed over time.
Our vision as a city is to grow Halifax’s population to 550,000 and our GDP
to $30 billion by 2031. To achieve this,
we must maximize every economic and
business opportunity and make Halifax a
more attractive place to live, work and do
business.
The Partnership is committed to
improving Halifax’s business climate and
helping our businesses and city succeed.
This quarter, the SmartBusiness team
is focused on meeting with companies
in the ICT and oceans sectors to get a
deeper understanding of these industries
and commonly experienced issues. If
your business is in these sectors, or your
company needs economic intelligence
or business advice, call us. Our team is
ready to help.
Ian Munro is Chief Economist
at the Halifax Partnership
29
WORKING FOR YOU
The Chamber's pre-budget
recommendations
Help us tailor our solutions for the greatest benefit By Nancy Conrad
MUNICIPAL
2017 is shaping up to be a very
important year for Halifax. The combination of last fall’s municipal election
and the release of the HRM’s 2016-2021
economic strategy means that Halifax is
working with newly empowered leadership and a new economic direction. As
well, key decisions will have to be made
that will shape how Halifax grows for
years to come, including:
•
Taxes: After Council gained new
commercial property tax powers last
year, tax reform is now a real possibility.
Implementing changes that are fair and
promote economic growth will be a major
challenge.
•
Regulation and customer
service: Halifax’s 2016-2021 economic
strategy commits Council to a number
of important actions to help improve
services for businesses and citizens.
•
Regional Centre Plan (RCP):
Council will have to decide whether to
approve the proposed Regional Centre
Plan, which will create a unified municipal planning strategy and land-use
by-law for the Halifax peninsula and
areas of Dartmouth within the Circumferential Highway.
•
Transportation: In 2017, both
Via Rail’s commuter rail proposal and
the Integrated Mobility Plan’s vision for
transportation in Halifax will likely come
before Council.
The recommendations below
highlight the Chamber’s view on these
and other critical issues and attempts to
balance the needs of our varied membership. Our overall goal is for Halifax to
have one of the top three fastest growing
economies in Canada by 2018. We believe
that our budget recommendations will
help move our city in the right direction.
RECOMMENDATIONS
1.
Taxation and Spending:
a. Balance the municipal budget
through expenditure reductions rather
than tax increases.
30
b. Implement commercial tax
reform without raising taxes on the
commercial sector.
2. Regulation and Customer
Service:
Carry out the regulatory and customer
service-focused actions from Halifax’s
2016-2021 Economic Strategy.
3. Planning and Development:
Approve a final version of the Regional
Centre Plan that is consistent with the
Chamber’s principles of predictability,
timeliness, transparency, and
accountability.
4. Transportation:
a. Finalize the Integrated Mobility
Plan and ensure that it allows for the
efficient movement of goods around
the HRM.
b. Continue working on a commuter
rail service provided that it can be done
at an affordable cost to taxpayers.
PROVINCIAL
As the provincial government is well
into the fourth year of its mandate, talk
is naturally turning to what comes next.
As we look to the next election, what will
be the big ideas that drive public policy in
Nova Scotia going forward? In past years,
we might have suggested balancing the
provincial budget or significantly boosting immigration, but these have either
been achieved or are well underway.
Provincial labour relations will obviously continue to be a major issue, and as
a Chamber we fully support the government’s position on this issue. The current
offer of three per cent over four years is fair
in the context of the provincial government’s finances and the current compensation and benefit levels of public employees.
Still, beyond labour relations it is not
clear exactly what the government’s next
big priorities will be. The recommendations below highlight the top priorities
of the Halifax Chamber of Commerce’s
membership. Our recommendations are
based on many conversations with our
members over the past year and work
on balancing the needs of the Halifax
MARCH
2017
[email protected]
business community. We feel that these
recommendations will help create a positive business environment, encourage
growth, and promote investment.
As of 2016, Halifax has roughly 45 per
cent of Nova Scotia’s population and comprises 56 per cent of Nova Scotia’s entire
economy. As well, in 2016 and 2017 the
Conference Board of Canada is estimating
that Halifax will grow more than two and
a-half times faster than the rest of Nova
Scotia. Clearly, our city’s success is critical
to the overall success of our province. Our
members have made it clear that they are
ready to support bold public policy and the
tough decisions that are necessary to make
Nova Scotia sustainable for years to come.
RECOMMENDATIONS
1. Taxation: Reduce the tax burden by
either reducing the corporate income tax
rate, increasing the small business rate
threshold, or indexing personal income
tax brackets.
2. Fiscal responsibility: Implement
a balanced budget for 2017/18 and keep
the provincial government on track to
achieve the Ivany Report’s fiscal sustainability goals. Consider more aggressive
action such as reducing departmental
spending by one per cent.
3. Regulation: Set annual targets for
red tape reduction and push for more
aggressive reforms.
4. Immigration: Increase the amount
of provincial immigration funding and
continue engaging the business community on how they can take advantage of
Nova Scotia’s immigration programs.
5. Education and youth retention:
Ensure that existing programs that
support youth in the workplace are fast,
flexible, and have a low administrative
burden. For example, allow all businesses
to take advantage of the Graduate to
Opportunity Program.
Nancy Conrad is the Senior
Vice President of Policy at The
Halifax Chamber Of Commerce
Matt Dorreen
Geoff Breen
Matt Saunders
Dorothy said it best.
There really is no place like home. Cox & Palmer would like to introduce three new
lawyers that have recently moved back to Nova Scotia after practicing in Ontario. Their
knowledge and depth of experience will help you grow your business and compete in
today’s global economy.
Matt Dorreen enhances our corporate legal team with experience in commercial real estate,
financing and natural resources matters. Geoff Breen works closely with our clients as they
navigate the complexities of employment & labour law. Our newest member, Matt Saunders,
brings diverse commercial litigation experience having acted for both domestic and
international clients in the banking, mining and technology sectors.
Matt Dorreen
Geoff Breen
Matt Saunders
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
SHAPING
Bob Hanf
AST Class of 2014
President and CEO
LEADERS
Leaders come in many forms. AST helps
develop post-graduate students to meet
the theological and ethical challenges of
today’s world. For over 40 years, AST has
provided an arena for ecumenical teaching
and research, public discussion, and
community engagement. Welcome to a
different kind of university.
astheology.ns.ca
BUSINESS VOICE
31
WORKING FOR YOU
Tell us what you think
Help us tailor our solutions for the greatest benefit
[email protected]
We are shining the spotlight on our members to
understand their unique needs and provide them
with the necessary resources needed to grow.”
KAYLA COTTON, PROGRAM
COORDINATOR AND EVENTS,
HALIFAX CHAMBER OF
COMMERCE
Businesses are like people. Every day
you pass by hundreds — on a daily commute to work, or taking a Sunday stroll.
Occasionally, something grabs your attention and you slow down, steadying your
focus and seeing what’s in front of you.
When this happens, a newfound curiosity
arises: you understand more and discover
the possibility of a mutual benefit. This
could mean finally finding the perfect
accessory to match your favourite outfit in
a store front or running into an acquaintance who has recently started a business
in your industry. Whether we believe it or
not, we could all use a little help. Sometimes all it takes is a closer look to discover
how what was once background noise
could change your life for the better.
Silk-screening
Our Grow HALIFAX initiative is
designed to just that. We are shining the
spotlight on our members to understand
their unique needs and provide them
with the necessary resources needed to
grow. We’re working to find the difference between ‘what is’ and ‘what should
be.’ However, like people, no businesses
is the same. We know that 83 per cent of
our members are small businesses, but
each one has individual challenges. Business solutions are ineffective when they
are based on the idea that all businesses
have the same problems. That’s why
Grow HALIFAX is asking what you need,
so our solutions can be tailored for the
greatest benefit.
Patrick Sullivan, CEO of the Halifax
Chamber of Commerce, summed the
importance of Grow HALIFAX perfectly
by saying “to grow Halifax, we need to
grow businesses, and to grow businesses
we must provide business owners with
the necessary resources.”
We created the Needs Assessment to
ask out members these big questions. It’s
a free online survey that can be completed in less than five minutes. You’ll be
asked what type of training would help
Embroidery
Team Sales
your company, what your organizational
challenges are, allowing your staff to be
more competitive or productions and
what’s included in your growth strategy.
Additionally, you’ll have the opportunity
to let us know the specific ways we can
help your business grow. Each month, the
results are gathered and we’ll connect
you to the right people and services.
The Halifax Chamber of Commerce
has 1,600 member businesses and every
day we work to grow and support these
businesses. Many of our members provide some kind of service, and connecting them allows each party to benefit.
Our goal is to have every member
fill out the Needs Assessment by 2018.
Everyone who completes the assessment
will be entered to win a $500 Grow
HALIFAX Scholarship. We will announce
the first recipient of the scholarship at our
Networking Trade Show on May 17.
You can find the Needs Assessment
right on our website at halifaxchamber.
com, under the Grow HALIFAX tab.
If you have any questions about
the Needs Assessment or the Grow
HALIFAX initiative, let me know, at
[email protected]
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MARCH
1-844-497-3449
2017
MEETINGS, CONVENTIONS AND HOSPITALITY
SPECIAL FEATURE
Beautiful DASC meeting rooms
When it comes to meetings and
events, the venue you choose can be
critical to your success. A beautiful and
functional space makes work time more
productive and social occasions more
fun. But it isn’t easy to find new, bright,
and modern facilities that have all the
technology and hospitality you need built
right in.
That’s where the Dartmouth Adult
Services Centre — or DASC — comes in.
With the most up-to-date features and
technology, DASC’s board and training
rooms take the stress out of planning a
meeting, luncheon, conference, or event.
DASC is a non-profit social enterprise
working with the community to provide
opportunities for adults with an intellectual disability and supports them in
realizing their individual potential.
“Our state of the art meeting facilities are perfect for your next event,” says
Alexandra Wilson, DASC’s Business
Development Manager. “Our barrier-free
executive boardrooms and training
rooms all include the latest AV technology, WiFi, surround sound, SMART
Board, projector, laptop, conference
phone, TV, and podium.” This is all
included in the room rental, and extras
like coffee service and flip chart paper are
available for a small fee.
The meeting rooms are beautiful,
filled with natural light from large windows on two sides. Comfortable swivel
chairs and shining wooden tables can
be configured into a variety of shapes:
Classic boardroom style, u-shaped,
classroom, theatre, clusters, or a hollow
Photos: Greg Richardson Photography
A perfect venue to buy social By Erin Elaine Casey
square. Groups as large as 75 can be
accommodated in DASC’s convenient
location in Burnside.
There is also plenty of free parking
and a kitchen dedicated solely to the
meeting rooms, available to the caterer
of your choice. Professional and friendly
staff complete the picture.
In other words, no dragging your
own projectors and laptops, no wrestling
with technology, no falling asleep in a
windowless room after lunch, and no
need to show up half an hour early to
search for parking. Plus, the price is right,
with extremely competitive hourly and
daily rates. The facility is available from
Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
There’s another really good reason
to book your next meeting at DASC.
As a nonprofit vocational day program
employing adults with an intellectual
disability in a range of social enterprise
businesses and offering programs which
support and prepare them for finding
employment in the community, DASC is
doing important work to grow the economy and ensure everyone is included.
“When you book your meetings here
at DASC, you’re allowing us to continue
our mission long into the future,” says
Wilson. “It’s the opportunity to buy
social and exercise a social conscience.
The proceeds go back into our programs
and services to our clients. It’s a great and
easy way to invest in your community.”
For more information or to book
your next event, call 902 468 6606 or
email [email protected].
LOOKING FOR A CHANGE OF SPACE?
State of the Art
Audio Visual and
Smart Board
Technology.
Free Parking
and Free Wi-Fi.
DASC
Dartmouth Adult
Services Centre
Book today. Call: 902.468.6606 ext. 227
or email: [email protected]
We’re located at: 59 Dorey Ave., Dartmouth, NS
BUSINESS VOICE
To book contact Chantel Cantley
902-843-4343
www.hampton3.hilton.com
35 Legends Avenue,
Millbrook, NS B6L 0C9
Valid until April 30, 2017
Terms and conditions apply
33
SPECIAL FEATURE
MEETINGS, CONVENTIONS AND HOSPITALITY
Photos: Contributed
Enjoy an Oceanstone retreat
A unique environment for that special gathering By Carol Dobson
It’s less than an hour’s drive and
yet a world away at Oceanstone Seaside
Resort in Indian Harbour. Corporate
guests can leave the downtown behind
for a property that offers ocean-side
cottages, the vista of Paddy’s Head lighthouse and distant islands, storm tossed
granite boulders, and the constantly
changing sea, all located five minutes
from Peggy’s Cove.
“We have a unique environment
here,” Susan Wilson, the President and a
partner of Oceanstone, says. “We have a
relaxing and very private site, with a major
emphasis on personal service. Oceanstone
is perfect for small groups — from two to
50 is ideal — for board meetings, corporate
retreats, strategic planning sessions and
team building.”
Oceanstone has all the bells and
whistles found at larger properties
including audio-visual technology
and wi-fi throughout the property. The
resort features a Great Room that will
seat approximately 100, a lower level
breakout room, and a main lodge with a
charming fireplace — perfect for morning
coffee and informal chats.
Guests have the choice of one of
their secluded cottages or rooms or suites
at the inn across from the main lodge.
There is an award-winning a-la-carte
Restaurant on the property, Rhubarb,
while the resort itself boasts an in-house
catering department led by chef Stephen
Drake. Off-site catering can also be
arranged.
34
“One of our favourite team building
programs is ‘Cook Like a Chef’,” Wilson
says. “The teams get to choose a menu
and work together, guided by the chef,
to create all aspects of it — appetizers,
mains, and dessert. They receive a
personalized chef’s hat and copies of the
recipes as a takeaway. It’s a fun event and
everyone gets to share a fantastic meal at
the end.”
That’s just one program that can be
offered to guests. Others include wine
instruction by a local sommelier, a paint
night led by a local artist, or an evening
featuring Nova Scotia musicians.
“If guests are coming in from the
airport, we have a number of excellent,
local drivers who will pick them up at the
airport and deliver them to their front
door at Oceanstone,” Wilson says.
Socializing is an important part of
any meeting, with a majority of business
actually being conducted outside of the
‘formal’ meeting times. They recognize
that at Oceanstone, and have set up fire
MARCH
2017
pits in front of the cottages as well as a
communal one outside the lower level
space down by the water’s edge. More
often than not, guests find themselves
there at the end of the day, with a cool
beverage in hand, and if someone’s
brought some instruments, much merriment can occur.
The location is second to none,
overlooking the St Margaret’s Bay. There
are many local walking trails available,
including some on the property, and the
iconic Peggy’s Cove Lighthouse is a short
five-minute drive away.
Depending on the season, visitors
to the resort may see a pod of dolphins
or even the occasional whale. Seals are
often spotted sunning themselves on the
rocks or chasing the schools of fish that
abound nearby.
“We have a piebald deer on the
property,” Wilson says. “Often, if we’re
having a yoga retreat, it will come over to
see what’s going on. These are shows that
you just can’t schedule.”
SPECIAL FEATURE
TRAVEL AND TOURISM
Our number one export
Photo: Vlad Ghiea/123RF
Tourism a vital pillar of Nova Scotia’s economy By Glenn Squires
The power of
Nova Scotia's
tourism industry
Source: Tourism
Industry Association
of Nova Scotia
(TIANS)
The numbers are impressive — tourism revenue in Nova Scotia is estimated
to be at $2.6 billion for 2016. This means
more than $300 million dollars in tax
revenue for all levels of government to
pay for those important social services
like health care and education.
Stats Canada estimates approximately 40,000 people are employed in
the tourism sector; spread out in every
region and every community.
Tourism is a revenue centre for
governments. With a significant part of
the revenue coming from outside the
province, this is a pure export industry.
The tourism industry is on the rise —
global conditions are good for tourism
and there is a growing understanding
of tourism’s broader economic impact.
According to the World Travel and
Tourism Council, tourism expenditures
have the highest multiplier effect in
the economy — with every $1 invested,
another $3.2 is generated in the
community. The cultural and social
impact of tourism is also incredibly
significant, as tourism encourages
preservation of culture and history and
our spectacular natural environment.
With a goal of increasing annual
receipts to $4 billion for the province,
36
one of
the most
important
challenges facing
the sector is seasonality.
Nova Scotia has tremendous potential to
greatly extend the season in many rural
communities and also greatly increase
tourism receipts in urban centres during
the November through April timeframe.
In order to do this we need to re-think
our approach to tourism and invest
in products that will drive visitation
and extend business well beyond the
traditional summer and early fall period.
The economics change dramatically
when business can be extended. One of
the best opportunities is the development
of events that drive visitation to communities outside the traditional travel periods.
Using existing assets, like the new Halifax
MARCH
2017
Convention
Center, as a
host for International shows and events
will be a significant driver for
regional travel. The International Link
to the United States will provide another
opportunity, leveraging marketing to target niche groups that travel in early June
and later in the fall, and are not weather-dependant.
Tourism will continue to be an
important part of Nova Scotia’s economic future, but how well it does will
depend on our ability to re-think traditional approaches to how we manage the
business of tourism.
Glenn Squires is Chairman, Tourism
Industry Association of Nova Scotia
Tourism Industry Celebrates
i
o
v
l
os d t
uri
n
Dennis Campbell,
Ambassatours
The Curse of
Oak Island
The Bite House
Restaurant
N w To i
ir
Festival Volunteer
Drive’ers
Association
i
C
Robert Risley,
RCR Hospitality
Antigonish
Highland Games
Amos Pewter
ulinary Tou ism
Excelle ce war
Par s
Year Aw
ada Sust
a l
sine
of t
erv
Anthony
Pollard
r m Cham
WHERE ARE THEY NOW?
Photos: Joseph Robichaud/Tanglewood Studio
No passport required
Enjoy the best of Middle Eastern cuisine in north end Halifax By Carol Dobson
The feelings of gratitude are
evident as Chef Abdul Kader Sadieh
(who’s known professionally as Chef
Abod) speaks about being a finalist in
the Halifax Business Awards.
“I am so happy and I thank my
friends and customers,” he says. “I am
so excited and glad to be nominated,
because it’s been five years of very hard
work. And because people have heard
about the award, I’m starting to see new
customers and am getting calls from new
companies for my catering.”
Not only is Chef Abod a former
personal chef to Saudi Arabian Prince, he
is an educator who is showing Nova Scotians that Middle Eastern food is more
than shawarma and kabobs and that each
country has its own unique, delicious
cuisine and the joy and pride he takes in
doing so shines through.
“Our menu has specialties from
Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Iraq,
Syria, Egypt…” he says. “If you are interested in the Middle East, you can come
to my restaurant and enjoy the food —
no passport, no visa required.”
“One of our most popular dishes is
38
I am so excited and glad to be nominated, because it’s been
five years of very hard work. And because people have
heard about the award, I’m starting to see new customers
and am getting calls from new companies for my catering.”
— Chef Abdul Kader Sadieh, Chef Abod
traditional Yemeni roasted lamb with
smoked rice. Everything in our restaurant is homemade right here — our dressings, our desserts, everything. We try
to get as much of our food locally so our
beef is from Oulton’s in the Valley. So, if
you want a hamburger, the beef is really,
really fresh.”
For those looking for familiar
cuisine, he also works his magic with
haddock in a lemon garlic sauce and
salmon smothered in a rosemary sauce.
His chicken shawarma plate features
the most tender chicken ever with silksmooth hummus, tangy garlic sauce and
a salad dressed with a zesty vinaigrette,
with a bed of rice.
Since he first opened, his business
MARCH
2017
has developed three streams — the
restaurant, his private chef service, and
catering. When it comes to catering, he
says that many customers choose his traditional Canadian style foods, but many
are venturing to try his Middle Eastern
specialties for variety.
He likes the fact that the flavours
of the world are available in restaurants
around the city.
“It’s hard to start a small business,”
he says. “I want to thank everyone who
has supported me. The first few years
were hard because people didn’t know
about my food. But since then they’ve
become accepting of it, have told their
friends about it and it’s grown by word of
mouth. People try it and they love it.”
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