THE LOCAL ADVANTAGE
UNITED WE STAND
TEN STEPS TO HEALTH
Shopping locally pays great
dividends Pg 22
The United Way plays
vital role Pg 26
A plan for active living
Pg 29
BUSINESS VOICE
HALIFA X CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
|
DECEMBER 2015
|
VOLUME 24
AGENTS OF
ISSUE 10
Change 4.0
Better things can happen
Page 16
HALIFAX’S BUSINESS MAGAZINE
Now
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aster.
Choosing Bell Aliant for yo
ess me
eans c
getting
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hy we’’ve justt increased
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bundles, including double the download speed on our most popular
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FROM
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$92.95/mo. thereafter
• Business FibreOP™ Internet –
up to 100 Mbps download and
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• Unlimited Internet usage3
• Wi-Fi modem4
• Fully loaded business phone line
with 8 calling features5
• Keep your existing phone number
Call 1 877 278-5114 or visit bellaliant.ca/fasterspeeds.
Current as of November 2, 2015. Offer ends December 31, 2015. Available to new customers in Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island, where access and technology permit and where Business phone service is not CRTC regulated. Subject to
change without notice and cannot be combined with any other offer. Taxes extra. Other conditions apply. FibreOP is a trademark of Bell Canada. (1) Promotional monthly price for months 1 to 3 with a 12-month term. The then-current monthly rate
(now $92.95, subject to change) applies thereafter. Early cancellation charges apply. (2) Speed and Wi-Fi signal strength may vary with your configuration, Internet traffic, server, environmental conditions or other factors. (3) Usage subject to
compliance with the terms of service; see bellaliant.ca/legal-regulatory/acceptable-use-internet. (4) Wi-Fi modem rental included; must be returned upon deactivation of the service. (5) Includes: Fax-to-Email, Call Display, Call Forwarding,
Call Transfer, Call Waiting, Ring Again, 3-way Calling and Speed Calling.
COVER STORY
CONTENTS }
Buying locally gives entrepreneurs direct feedback.”
– Laurie Cameron, President and CEO of CEED
23
COVER STORY
16
AGENTS OF
CHANGE 4.0
04 Events
05 President’s message
06 New & noted
Better things can happen
09 Members in the news
16 Agents of change 4.0
Better things can happen
22 The gift that keeps on giving
Buying local has many benefits
26 Profile – Sarah Napier
28 Working for you
29 Trends
Photo: Paul Darrow
22
The gift that
keeps on giving
33 Halifax Partnership
38 Message from the Chair
SPECIAL FEATURES
35 Urban development
36 Energy usage and supply
Buying local has many benefits
Board of Directors
Volume 24 Issue 10
Rob Batherson, Colour, Chair
Carol MacMillan, The Shaw Group, Vice-Chair
Francis Fares, Fares Real Estate Inc., Past Chair
Business Voice is published 10 times a year for
members of the Halifax Chamber of Commerce
and Metro Halifax’s business community. Views
expressed in Business Voice are those of the
contributors and individual members, and are
not necessarily endorsed by, or are a policy of,
the Halifax Chamber of Commerce
Directors
Cynthia Dorrington, Vale & Associates
Level Chan, Stewart McKelvey
Lori Barton, Beaumont Advisors Ltd.
Darren Nantes, The Nantes Group
Mark Fraser, T4G
Jamie O’Neill, Bluteau DeVenney
Don Bureaux, NSCC
Margaret Chapman, Corporate Research Associates
Mark Sidebottom, Nova Scotia Power Inc.
Michele Williams, Grant & Thornton LLP
Sreejata Chatterjee, LeadSift
Captain (N) Sutherland, Maritime Forces Atlantic
Valerie Payn, Halifax Chamber of Commerce
Chamber Staff
Valerie A Payn, President and CEO
Nancy M. Conrad, Senior Vice President
Colin J. Bustard, Director of Finance and Administration
Gail Adams, Marekting Manager
Becky Davison, Marketing and Communications
Specialist
No part of this publication may be reproduced
without written consent of the publisher. While
every effort has been made to ensure accuracy,
the publisher cannot be held responsible for any
errors or omissions that may occur.
Please address editorial enquiries
and changes to information to:
Halifax Chamber of Commerce
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, Business Development: Jeff Nearing
Editor:@e[o<_jpfơjh_Yaš`ǃ_jpfơjh_Ya6^[hơbZ$Yơ
Layout & Design: Julia Webb, Pete Ross
Contributing Writers: Carol Dobson,
Heidi Tattrie Rushton, Becky Davison,
Erin Elaine Casey, Jon Tattrie
Sales Executives: Peter Coleman,
Victoria MacDougall, David A. McNeil
(902) 426-2811 x1163
Cover Photo: Paul Darrow
Disclaimer
Business Voice magazine makes no warranties of
any kind, written or implied, regarding the contents
of this magazine and expressly disclaims any
warranty regarding the accuracy or reliability of
information contained herein. The views contained
in this magazine are those of the writers and 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 2015 by The Chronicle Herald
All rights reserved. Reproduction of any article,
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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
EVENTS
CHAMBER EVENTS
THANK YOU TO OUR NOVEMBER SPONSORS:
SPEAKER: Susan Scott-Parker,
Founder & Chief Executive of
Business Disability Forum
DATE: December 3, 2015
TIME: 11:30 am – 1:30 pm
LOCATION: Casino Nova Scotia –
Compass Room
DATE: December 11, 2015
TIME: 12:00 – 1:30 pm
LOCATION: Halifax Chamber
of Commerce Boardroom
DATE: December 16, 2015
TIME: 12:00 – 1:30 pm
LOCATION: Halifax Chamber
of Commerce Boardroom
HOLIDAY EXTRAVAGANZA
HOSTED BY: Ambassatours
DATE: December 10, 2015
TIME: 5:00 – 7:00 pm
LOCATION: Murphy’s The Cable
Wharf, Halifax Waterfront
DATE:Thursday, January 28, 2016
TIME: 5:00 – 9:30 pm
LOCATION: World Trade &
Convention Centre
SPONSOR: RBC
FRANCHISES
AVAILABLE
Pizza Pizza gives you the
opportunity to succeed in your
own business with the security of
an established brand behind you.
www. pizzapizza.ca/franchising
[email protected]
1-800-263-5556
Pizza Pizza is proud to
receive the 2015
Franchisee’s Choice Designation
4
DECEMBER
2015
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
Enjoying our new surroundings
Please drop in and visit us at 32 Akerley Boulevard
VALERIE PAYN PRESIDENT & CEO
On Tuesday, Oct. 6 we welcomed
more than 350 member and guests into
our new location at 32 Akerley Blvd.
You’ve heard me talk about this move for
most of 2015. It wasn’t an easy endeavour!
Now, we are settled into our new quarters, and members are enjoying the new
meeting and training space, while staff is
loving the open collaboration office.
We would like to say a big thank
you to all of the supporters who helped
us make our event such a success! We've
heard nothing but positive comments on
the food and beverages that were generously donated.
We also had some of our benefit providers onsite, including: Avis, Ceridian,
Esso, Grand & Toy and TD Insurance,
Meloche Monnex. Over the past year we
have been upgrading our benefit providers, and I encourage you to reach out to
John MacDonald, Membership Services
Coordinator (John@halifaxchamber.
com or 902-481-1227) to learn about these
cost-savings for your business.
If you missed our open house I invite
you to stop in when you are in the neighbourhood for a tour. Our boardroom and
small meeting room are available for
rental, and have state-of-the-art technology from VistaCare Communications,
and hold up to 25 people, with access to
a full kitchen. I encourage you to take a
look at our new space!
A big thank you to our open house supporters:
Food Courtesy of:
Beverages:
Chef Live
Halifax Marriott Harbourfront Hotel
Newfoundland Chocolate Company
Souper Duper
Taleb Abidali from Cresco
The Wooden Monkey
E & J Gallo Winery Canada Ltd.
Garrison Brewery
BUSINESS VOICE
5
NEWSMAKERS
CATAGORY
NEW & NOTED
We welcome our new Chamber members
A MILLION MOVING PARTS
SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING
DIGITAL NOVA SCOTIA
Mr. Art Pearce
30 Damascus Rd. Ste. 213
Bedford, NS B4A 0C1
902-832-2999
[email protected]
aegfinancial.ca
FINANCE & INSURANCE – Accounting
As the industry association for Nova Scotia's fastest growing sector, Digital Nova
Scotia (DNS) provides advocacy, industry
intelligence, facilitates connections
between industry and talent, and delivers
high-level projects and programming to
ensure Nova Scotia’s $2.5 billion digital
technologies industry (including $1 billion
in spin-offs) continues to flourish.
Emily Boucher, Director,
Marketing and Research
1 Research Dr.
Dartmouth, NS B2Y 4M9
902-817-6428
[email protected]
www.digitalnovascotia.com
NOT-FOR-PROFIT GROUPS
BREAKHOUSE INC.
DINNER ENVY
Ms. Jemma Rethman
1096 Marginal Rd. Suite 140
Halifax, NS B3H 4N4
902-431-3102
[email protected]
breakhouse.ca
ADVERTISING, PR & MEDIA –
Graphic Design
Ms. Kathy Doucette
500-6300 Lady Hammond Rd.
Halifax, NS B3T 2R6
902.406.0301
[email protected]
www.dinnerenvy.com
RESTAURANTS, FOOD & BEVERAGE –
Catering/Food/Drink
DAVIS PIER CONSULTING
DIVER CERTIFICATION
BOARD OF CANADA
Mr. Chris Campbell
Halifax & Dartmouth, NS
902-817-3825
[email protected]
ammp.ca
ADVERTISING, PR & MEDIA –
Advertising (Main)
AEG ACCOUNTING GROUP INC.
Davis Pier is a consulting firm that delivers the services necessary to improve the
operation of complex public and private
sector organizations. Our core services
are: strategy; analysis and design; implementation; and technology with a focus
on government, social services, healthcare and regulatory environments.
Mike Davis, Partner
1496 Lower Water St., Suite 420
Brewery Market, Halifax, NS B3J 1R9
902-406-1266
[email protected]
www.davispier.ca
BUSINESS & PROF. SERVICES –
Management Consulting
6
The Diver Certification Board of Canada
(DCBC) is a federally incorporated notfor-profit body which certifies occupational divers to the Canadian Standards
Association (CSA) Competency Standard
for Diving, Hyperbaric Chamber, and
ROV Operations (CSA Z275.4). DCBC
certificates are recognized by Australia
(ADAS), France, Norway, South Africa,
the UK (HSE) and the International Marine Contractors Association (IMCA).
David G. Parkes, CEO
208-5209 St. Margaret's Bay Rd.
Upper Tantallon, NS B3Z 1E3
902-826-2190
[email protected]
www.divercertification.com
EDUCATION & PROF. DEVELOPMENT –
Education/Schools
DECEMBER
2015
FINGERS @ WORK
HAIR SERVICES & CATERING
Ms. Ann Okwese
420 Herring Cove Rd.
Halifax, NS B3R 1W4
902-222-2265
[email protected]
www.fingersatworkhair.com
PERSONAL CARE & SERVICES –
Hair Services
FLAG EMPORIUM
Mr. Bruce Clark
95 Akerley Blvd., Dartmouth, NS B3B 1R7
902-468-9697
[email protected]
www.flagscape.com
ADVERTISING, PR & MEDIA –
Embroidery/Screen Print
FRESHII SCOTIA SQUARE CATERING
Freshii is a fast food healthy alternative.
This franchise was built by a Canadian,
Mathew Corrin from Winnipeg Alberta.
There are currently 200 franchises worldwide and growing to 200 more just this
year. Ben Rivard and Kerry Maher are
the owners of Freshii in Scotia Square.
Catering for healthy lunches is where
Freshii stands out, with many gluten free
options, and juice cleanses. Eat Energize
is our slogan!
Mrs. Kerry Maher
5201 Duke St., Halifax, NS B3J 1N9
902-407-9338
[email protected]
www.freshii.com/ca
RESTAURANTS, FOOD & BEVERAGE –
Catering/Food/Drink
NEWSMAKERS
FULLCYCLE ACCOUNTING &
BOOKKEEPING SERVICES
JANICE CUNNINGHAM –
STUDENT MEMBER
For peace of mind bookkeeping and
accounting at reasonable prices, Steve
Brown is available to serve Halifax
Chamber of Commerce members.
Twenty years of experience with
small and medium sized businesses,
including: payroll services, government
remittances, management reports,
income statements/balance sheets, tax
forms (income, HST, payroll remittance,
highway fuel rebates) and more.
Steve Brown, Owner
Halifax, NS
902-443-0594
[email protected]
www.fabs.ca
FINANCE & INSURANCE – Accounting
Janice Cunningham
902-266-4441
[email protected]
GREAT E.A.R.T.H. EXPEDITIONS
Great E.A.R.T.H. Expeditions is a Halifax
based eco-adventure tour company
specializing in hiking and kayaking
excursions. Having guided thousands of
happy clients throughout Atlantic Canada
over the past 10 years, they are now
expanding and offering international trips
and outdoor corporate team building
events within HRM.
Mr. Ryan Barry
Halifax & Dartmouth, NS
902-223-2409
[email protected]
www.greatearthexpeditions.com/
EDUCATION & PROF. DEVELOPMENT –
Team Building
HALIFAX PAPER HEARTS
We create opportunities for people to
cultivate closer connections through the
written expression of love, celebration,
encouragement and grace. Each and
every card that we make is an original
design, crafted from the heart and handpackaged in Halifax, Nova Scotia. We
offer free shipping in Canada from our
website: www.halifaxpaperhearts.com
Ms. Stefanie MacDonald
Halifax & Dartmouth, NS
902-293-4073
[email protected]
SHOPPING & SPECIALTY RETAIL – Gifts
SOT MARITIME CENTRE INC.
MS SOCIETY OF CANADA,
ATLANTIC DIVISION
Every day, the MS Society of Canada,
Atlantic Division assists people in our
community as they face their MS journey.
We work toward finding the cause, treatment and a cure for multiple sclerosis
and enabling people affected by MS to
enhance their quality of life.
Ben Davis, President
109 Ilsley Ave., Unit 1
Dartmouth, NS B3B 1S8
902-468-8230 X1003
[email protected]
www.mssociety.ca
NOT-FOR-PROFIT GROUPS
McCOR Management (formerly NewWest Enterprise Property Group and
High Peak Group of Companies) was
created in 2014 by Luc Corneli and Doug
McDonald and is one of Canada’s largest privately owned development and
property management firms with over
$3.5-billion in assets under third-party
management.
Christine DeLong,
Client Services Manager
Suite 1145, 1505 Barrington St.
Halifax, NS B3J 3K5
902-429-3210
[email protected]
www.mccor.ca
REAL ESTATE/CONSTRUCTION –
Property Management
Presenting Sponsor:
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NDU
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SOCIAL
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www.halifaxchamber.com
BUSINESS VOICE
7
NEWSMAKERS
NEWFOUNDLAND
CHOCOLATE COMPANY
The Newfoundland Chocolate Company, the home of Atlantic Canada’s
premium artisan chocolates, creates each
chocolate the old fashioned way, by hand,
without the use of artificial flavorings or
preservatives. We offer a full range of gifts,
wedding favours and corporate items,
providing a unique experience, tailor
made to each individual customer. Our
mission is to bring Newfoundland’s passion, ingredients and culture to the world,
one piece of delicious chocolate at a time.
Miss. Candice Mayo
21 Mic Mac Blvd, Unit 203
Dartmouth, NS B3A 4N3
709-579-0099
[email protected]
www.newfoundlandchocolatecompany.com/
SHOPPING & SPECIALTY RETAIL – Gifts
PROFESSIONAL BUSINESS
ACCOUNTANTS ASSOCIATION
OF ATLANTIC
Miss. Naomi Cook
30 Damascus Rd., Ste 213
Bedford, NS B4A 0C1
902-835-3923
[email protected]
pba-canada.org
FINANCE & INSURANCE – Accounting
SASSY SOLUTIONS CONSULTING
Our business is learning. We help organizations discover their true learning needs
and align them with their vision and
strategic goals. By helping organizations
focus on the right things, we can assist
in developing professional development
opportunities which engage and motivate
their people to reach their full potential.
Ms. Sandra Currie-Samson
Halifax, NS
902-802-9979
[email protected]
EDUCATION & PROF. DEVELOPMENT –
Training Programs
SUZANNE ROY – INDIVIDUAL MEMBER
Ms. Suzanne Roy
Halifax & Dartmouth, NS
902-476-5188
[email protected]
BUSINESS & PROF. SERVICES –
Strategic Direction
TIC TALKERS TOASTMASTERS CLUB
Whether you're speaking to the board
of directors, your customers, your
co-workers or your kids, Toastmasters
can help you do it better. Experienced
professionals and beginning speakers
alike can benefit from our practical, faceto-face learning program. Gain practice
conducting meetings, giving impromptu
speeches, presenting prepared speeches,
and offering constructive evaluation.
Ms. Brenda Saunders-Todd
Halifax, NS
902-452-2667
[email protected]
www.tictalkers.ca
EDUCATION & PROF. DEVELOPMENT –
Prof. Development
TRADEPAL BARTER EXCHANGE LTD.
TradePal has new business for you. Every
day we help our members make more
sales and increase their buying power
by simply trading their products and
services. It’s a simple exchange of trading
what your company has, for what your
company needs. We’re the Brokers who
make it happen!
Keith Miller, President
11 Akerley Blvd., Suite 300
Dartmouth, NS B3B 1V1
902-407-8881
[email protected]
www.tradepal.ca
BUSINESS & PROF. SERVICES –
Business Brokers
WILLIAM LECHUGA MUNOZ –
STUDENT MEMBER
William Lechuga Munoz
902-981-6638
[email protected]
Are you a new member? To submit your 50-word description for New & Noted, please contact Becky Davison, Marketing & Communications
Specialist at [email protected] or 902-481-1234 within the first six months of membership.
Get your message out on target and on time.
A full-service commercial printer with direct-mail capabilities, unique in Atlantic
Canada, Bounty Print offers a wide range of services for all your printing needs
including a newly installed wide format division.
Bounty’s industry-leading team has the knowledge and experience to deliver
great value and impact for your next print project.
BOUNTYPRINT
YOUR FULL-SERVICE COMMERCIAL PRINTER
902.453.0300
WWW.BOUNTYPRINT.COM
8
DECEMBER
2015
NEWSMAKERS
MEMBERS IN THE NEWS
How our members are growing Halifax
CHAMBER MEMBER AWARDED
ELITE EXECUTIVE RESUME WRITING
CREDENTIAL
Maureen Farmer, President of Word
Right Career & Hr Consulting,
has been awarded an international
designation as a Certified Executive
Résumé Master. Evaluated and awarded
by the Career Directors International
Board of Certification, her work
demonstrates an exceptional grasp
of the discrete personal and business
aspirations pertaining to astute, top-tier
executives. She is the second Canadian
to earn this esteemed credential.
Maureen is a recognized international
author and columnist and has been
published in several writing and cover
letter compilation books. In addition,
she has received multiple international
and national awards for résumé writing
and executive career strategy.
PROSTATE CANCER CANADA
ATLANTIC ON THE MOVE
Prostate Cancer Canada Atlantic
has moved to the eighth floor of the
CIBC office tower at 1809 Barrington
Street. Prostate Cancer Canada
Atlantic`s Executive Director Peter
Mallette says: “The move is an attempt
to contain costs and it also keeps us in
the downtown core, so it’s a win-win for
our donors, partners and volunteers.
We look forward to serving you from
our new location.”
ECOLOGY ACTION CENTRE
CREATES PERFECT WORLD
The day was beautiful, the sunset was
stunning, the food was incredible, and
the music was fantastic: the Ecology
Action Centre’s second annual Perfect
World event lived up to its name. Six
celebrated local chefs offered delicious
and creative canapés, as the crowd
mingled in the beautiful Wooden
Monkey Restaurant and enjoyed
the patio. Local artist Mary Garoutte
created a live painting, which was added
the silent auction alongside several
other high-quality items. Finally,
Dartmouth’s own Joel Plaskett took the
stage as the surprise musical guest, and
singlehandedly brought the house down.
It was a simply delicious evening!
Wishing you a joyous holiday season!
Thank you for your continued support.
63 McQuade Lake Cres, Bayers Lake, Halifax, NS B3S 1C4 • tel: 902-421-2116 • fax: 902-425-3517 • [email protected]
BUSINESS VOICE
9
NEWSMAKERS
Awards’ most-awarded Nova Scotia
agency in each of the last two years.
Its clients include Eastlink, O’Regan’s
Automotive Group, Efficiency Nova
Scotia, Destination Halifax, and Mount
St. Vincent University among others.
CHILDREN’S CLEAN AIR NETWORK
PROMOTES IDLE-FREE
Saint Mary’s University President Robert Summerby-Murray flanked by Enactus Saint Mary’s students.
CHESTER + COMPANY
APPOINTS NEW LEADERSHIP TEAM
Halifax-based marketing agency
Chester + Company has announced
changes to its leadership team. Pierre
Tabbiner rejoins the team as creative
director, bringing to the agency more
than a decade of creative ideas and client
solutions. Tabbiner is an experienced
senior art director and designer who has
worked with clients such as Moosehead
Breweries, Eastlink, Downtown Halifax
Business Commission and NSCAD. He
returns to C+C after two years at Impact
Communications and Extreme Group.
In addition, Tyler MacLeod takes on the
newly created role of Vice President. In
this role, MacLeod continues to lead the
agency’s client service team, oversees
strategy and planning and takes on
responsibility for agency operations.
Chester + Company is a Halifax-based
integrated agency and is the ICE
The Children’s Clean Air Network
(CCAN) is a network of like-minded
partners promoting ‘IDLE-IDLE Free
for our kids’, Canada’s leading IDLEFREE campaign. The vision is to inspire
North America to ‘go IDLE-FREE when
it’s parked’ — building a movement to
reduce vehicle emissions, saving billions
of dollars in fuel and millions of tons
of greenhouse gas. CCAN is the only
registered charity in Canada dedicated
to reducing excess vehicle emissions
and improving air quality. Partner
organizations include businesses,
media outlets, health and environment
organizations and schools, including a
growing partnership with Enactus Saint
Mary’s. www.IDLEFREE.org
HEATING & POWER SYSTEMS
ASK ABOUT REBATES & LOW INTEREST FINANCING
NOW AVAILABLE ON
Mini-Splits & Solar Hot Water Systems
Energy Solutions to Benefit our Global Community
24/7 Power
Protection
• Home
• Commercial
• Cottage
Phone 902-860-0081
311-01 Rocky Lake Dr, Bedford, Nova Scotia B4A 2T3
[email protected] • www.encom.co
10
DECEMBER
2015
• Propane or Natural Gas
for Long Run Times • 7kW to
150KW For All Needs • Factory
Trained and Certified Dealer
• Environmentally Friendly
NEWSMAKERS
LOCKHEED MARTIN CANADA TO
SUPPORT DIGITAL NOVA SCOTIA’S
STEAM EDUCATION INITIATIVES
RUN FOR THE CURE 2015 SUCCESS
JOYCE CARTER ELECTED TO
AIRPORTS COUNCIL INTERNATIONAL
WORLD GOVERNING BOARD
Congratulations to Halifax
International Airport Authority
(HIAA) President and CEO, Joyce Carter
who was recently elected to the 2015
Airports Council International North
America (ACI-NA) World Governing
Board as a Regional Advisor. The
mission of ACI-NA is to advocate policies
and provide services that strengthen
the ability of airports to serve their
passengers, customers and communities.
As a Regional Advisor, Joyce will
represent North American airports on
the ACI World Governing Board. Joyce
has been active in airport development
for many years, having worked at HIAA
since 1999 and was appointed President
and CEO in 2014. flyhalifax.com
The Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation CIBC Run for the Cure is a 5K
or 1K walk or run that raises funds for
Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation
(CBCF). The event takes place in more
than 60 communities across Canada and
is the largest single-day, volunteer-led
event in Canada in support of the breast
cancer cause. With the funds raised at
this annual event, CBCF is able to invest
in innovative research that is helping
determine the genetic causes of breast
cancer, finding innovative ways to detect
breast cancer, and personalized breast
cancer prevention and treatment options.
To learn more, please visit www.cibcrunforthecure.com. We’re all in this together.
In September, Digital Nova Scotia
(DNS) announced a donation of
$10,000 (US) from global technology
company Lockheed Martin in support
of the industry association’s initiatives
surrounding science, technology,
engineering, art and math (STEAM)
education. This is the largest private
sector donation of its size to be received
at one time by DNS. As the industry
association for Nova Scotia’s fastest
growing sector, Digital Nova Scotia
(DNS) provides advocacy and multisector industry intelligence, facilitates
connections between industry and talent,
and delivers high-level programming
to ensure Nova Scotia’s $1.5 billion
digital technologies industry (which
boasts an additional $1 billion in spinoffs) continues to flourish. For more
information, visit our website:
www.digitalnovascotia.com
PCWIZRD TAKES
THE LEAD
The only locallyowned IT solutions
business globally
recognized for
their innovative deployment of the
latest evolution of security technology,
OPSWAT Gears, PCWizrd has taken
the lead in offering global solutions
tailored to meet your specialized needs.
As one of three Sophos Certified Partners
in NS, PCWizrd also offers advanced
early detection and protection without
ever having to physically enter your
office or disrupt your busy workday. By
solving complex challenges before they
happen, PCWizrd can reduce valuable
time, costs, and advanced capabilities
required by your team to ensure ongoing
security - allowing you to focus on what’s
important — growing your business!
www.pcwizard.org
CHAMBER
CONNECTS
Gives you a steady staī contact at the Chamber for all
of your quesƟons and concerns
We will be connecƟng with members this fall!
BUSINESS VOICE
11
NEWSMAKERS
BRIAN DUGGAN,
PCC, EARNS
EXECUTIVE
COACHING
DESIGNATION
Atlantic Canadian Shinerama coordinators met at Mount St. Vincent University for the
Atlantic Region Shinerama Leadership Conference.
SHINERAMA
CONGRATULATES CAMPUSES
Shinerama has been a part of Canadian
colleges and universities since 1964,
and the Atlantic Region of Cystic
Fibrosis Canada would like to
congratulate our 16 Atlantic Canadian
College and University campuses on
another fantastic Shinerama campaign!
Shinerama is Canada’s largest postsecondary fundraiser in support of Cystic
Fibrosis Canada. More than 35,000
student volunteers from 60 Canadian
universities and colleges across the
country come together every year to
make a difference in the lives of those
battling cystic fibrosis (CF). Student
volunteers all over Canada are shining
shoes, flipping burgers, washing cars and
doing whatever it takes to raise crucial
funding to fight cystic fibrosis.
Since 1964, Shinerama has raised nearly
$25 million dollars for life-saving CF
research and care. We would like to
extend our heartfelt gratitude to all past
and present Shiners. To learn more:
www.cysticfibrosis.ca.
DIVER CERTIFICATION BOARD OF
CANADA TO HOST EXHIBITION
The Diver Certification Board
of Canada is preparing to host the
8th annual Canadian Underwater
Conference & Exhibition (CUCE) in
Halifax on April 3-5, 2016 at the World
Trade & Convention Centre. The CUCE
will focus on all aspects of the onshore
and offshore underwater industry.
With approximately 20 technical
presentations addressing diving,
12
ROV and AUV operations, 35+ exhibit
booths and numerous sponsorship
opportunities, the CUCE provides an
excellent opportunity for local industry
supporters to participate in Canada’s
premier underwater industry event. Plan
to join your colleagues in Halifax for what
promises to be the best CUCE to date.
For more information visit www.cuce.ca.
HIAA APPOINTS NEW
CHIEF COMMERCIAL
OFFICER
Halifax International
Airport Authority
has recently appointed
Ian Arthur as Chief
Commercial Officer. This is a new
position for HIAA, intended to optimize
revenue from both aeronautical and
non-aeronautical sources, with the
role of integrating HIAA’s marketing,
branding and revenue generation.
Ian will be responsible for overseeing
strategies to increase flights, passengers
and cargo. He will also lead all efforts to
grow revenue from all non-aeronautical
sources including parking, concessions,
advertising, and vehicle rentals, as well
as take the lead on the attraction and
retention of terminal building tenants
and land tenants. Having most recently
worked for Intrawest Resort Holdings
as their Chief Marketing Officer, Ian
was also Vice President of Marketing for
Republic Airway Holdings and Frontier
Airlines. Ian will begin his new position
Nov. 2, 2015. flyhalifax.com
DECEMBER
2015
After completing
the Certified
Executive Coach
Program at
Royal Roads
University,
Brian Duggan of Marathon Human
Resources Consulting Group qualified
for the Professional Certified Coach
Designation with the International
Coaching Federation. This designation
recognizes his ability to engage clients to
identify their strategic solutions that are
respectful of organizational and employee
objectives. Brian is a catalyst for personal
and business growth and offers services
based on his commitment to being
accountable, focused, and compassionate.
For more information on how Executive
Coaching can support your professional
growth contact Brian at 902.421.4400,
[email protected]
www.marathonhrcg.com
MIC MAC
MALL WINS
FOR
INNOVATION
The International Council
of Shopping
Centers
(ICSC) has
announced the
winners of the
2015 Canadian
Shopping Centre Awards competition,
recognizing Canada’s most innovative shopping centres for outstanding
achievement in marketing, development
and design, and retail store design. ICSC
has named Mic Mac Mall, as a Silver
winner in the public relations category for
their Pet Patrol campaign. Mic Mac Mall
launched a proactive pet safety campaign
to raise awareness and inspire action
against leaving pets alone in cars, especially in hot temperatures. The initiative
delivered an impressive 5.7 million gross
impressions while enhancing the centre’s
community profile and pet safety.
www.micmacmall.com
WHERE
BREAKTHROUGHS
BEGIN
Amazing advancements in
medicine are made right here
in the Maritimes. This is where
tomorrow’s big leap forward
takes its first step. It’s the
product of the hard work and
tireless effort of our researchers.
And it’s made possible
by generous donors who
contribute to a cause that will
benefit people around the world
for generations to come.
We are Dalhousie Medical
Research Foundation.
Learn more about our work DMRF.ca
NEWSMAKERS
NEW LEADERSHIP AT MS SOCIETY
MEETINGS IMAGINED
Ben Davis has signed on as President at
the MS Society of Canada, Atlantic
Division. Ben will lead a dedicated
team of employees and volunteers and
will be the most senior champion and
ambassador for activities in the region,
promoting the MS Society’s work to
people living with multiple sclerosis,
volunteers, donors, and governments.
Ben has been a leader in the non-profit
and charitable sectors, and will continue
to build on successful grassroots
fundraising initiatives such as the MS
Walk and the MS Bike, enhance major
gifts fundraising, grow diverse revenue
streams, and ensure outstanding client
services continue to enhance the lives of
those living with MS. www.mssociety.ca
The Halifax Marriott Harbourfront
is proud to share with you that Marriott
is reimagining the meeting experience
to be more relevant and impactful for
our customers and attendees. While
others are focused on tables and chairs,
we understand that every meeting has a
purpose. The new concept of Meetings
Imagined reinvents the planning process
to be more visual, social and purposeful.
The www.MeetingsImagined.com
website features thousands of images
as well as expert tips that are organized
by meeting purpose. It’s designed to
inspire through food and beverage,
event technology, room set-ups and
experiences. Please visit the Meetings
Imagined website to experience our
exciting new concept.
CARIBBEAN RENEWABLE
ENERGY FORUM A SUCCESS
Nova Scotia was well-represented at the
Caribbean Renewable Energy Forum
(CREF) in Miami, Florida that took place
from Oct. 19-21. The Maritimes Energy
Association led the delegation of 11 Maritime companies with the support of the
Nova Scotia Department of Energy.
CREF brought together more than 400
delegates and included a substantial
exhibition component with spotlights on
Cuba, Haiti, Dominican Republic, Jamaica and St. Lucia. CREF is an exceptional
opportunity for delegate companies to
make valuable contacts, explore potential
partnerships and grow their businesses in
the constantly evolving renewable energy
industry. The Maritimes Energy Association has been leading the delegation to
CREF since 2011.
14
ARCHWAY INSURANCE
ANNOUNCES NEW LOCATION
Archway Insurance is excited to
announce our new location in Bayer’s
Lake Industrial Park opening on Nov.
23, 2015. As a result of our growth, we
are merging our Halifax operations
(currently operating as Archway
Insurance - SNC, Basin, Prime Baldwin
and MacLaren Hebb) into one new,
modern, and centrally located office. The
same, friendly, experienced staff that you
know and trust will continue to assist you
with your insurance needs. Please come
and visit us at our new location. We look
forward to seeing you.
137 Chain Lake Drive, Halifax, NS B3S 1B3
Ph: 902-477-2511 Fax: 902-477-3743
www.archwayinsurance.ca
HOME INSTEAD SENIOR CARE
WELCOMES TRISHA SWAN
PLAYING FOR THE WIN:
GOALLINE’S GORD DICKIE AT
STARTUP CANADA HALIFAX
Trisha joins Home Instead Senior
Care as a Home Care Consultant.
Trisha will be responsible for working
with community partners to strengthen
existing referral relationships using
a collaborative approach, focused on
best outcomes for clients. Trisha has
more than 10 years’ experience working
as a Rehab Product Specialist. After
graduating from Mount Saint Vincent
University; Trisha, along with her
father and brother, owned and operated
Home Safe Living Inc. Her previous
experience will allow her to continue to
help seniors and their families find safe
and affordable solutions by providing
customized services, wherever they call
home. To congratulate Trisha, or for more
information, call 902-429-2273.
www.homesinstead.com
Gord Dickie, president of local sporting
company GOALLINE, recently shared
his small business success story as
a panelist during the Halifax stop of
Startup Canada’s #EveryEntrepreneur
Tour, a cross-country series of events
connecting Canadian entrepreneurs.
GOALLINE helps sports teams get
organized to play by streamlining
administrative activities, and is
currently one of Canada’s largest online
registration platforms. Dickie shared
the stage with Alexander Peh, PayPal
Canada’s head of market development
and mobile, and credits a partnership
with PayPal that allows Canadian youth
sports associations to accept registration
payments directly through GOALLINE
as a key factor in his company’s growth
and success.
DECEMBER
2015
NEWSMAKERS
Your benefits also include home and auto insurance...
with preferred insurance rates and personalized service.
HEATHER LABUCKI HAS JOINED
MERIDIA RECRUITMENT AS A SENIOR
CONSULTANT
For over 12 years, Heather has provided
interim and permanent staffing solutions
for accounting and finance needs.
Before joining Meridia, she worked
with a Toronto based firm, supporting
clients throughout the Greater Toronto
Area and the Maritimes. She now
works alongside Christine MacDonald,
Senior Consultant, as a part of Meridia’s
financial sector recruitment team.
“Employers are seeking experienced
recruitment professionals to assist in
finding top talent, for both contract
and permanent roles. Our combined
experience and networks enable us to
provide the solutions employers need.”
says Kevin Stoddart, Managing Partner,
Meridia and Knightsbridge Robertson
Surrette. www.kbrs.ca
STRICTLY STAFFING INC.
WELCOMES JENNIFER ADAMS
Strictly Staffing Inc. is pleased to
welcome Jennifer Adams back as the
company Office Manager. Jennifer
joined Strictly Staffing back in the fall
of 2012 and ran the office for almost
two years. With a strong background
in recruiting, she has worked with both
the public and private sectors and aims
to find the “perfect fit” for both the
client and candidate. To learn more
about Jennifer and how she can help you
overcome staffing challenges, visit www.
strictlystaffing.ca or call 902-444-7882.
To make a submission to Members in the News
please contact Becky Davison, Marketing
& Communications Specialist at becky@
halifaxchamber.com or 902-481-1234.
Deadline for submissions is six weeks before
publication, on the 15th of each month.
Take full advantage of your benefits.
We have worked with the Halifax Chamber of Commerce to
make it possible for you to save on both your home and auto
insurance. That’s why, as a Chamber member, you have privileged
access to the TD Insurance Meloche Monnex program, which offers
you preferred insurance rates and various additional discounts.
Make the most of your benefits — get a quote today and
find out how much you could save!
On average, members who have
home and auto insurance with us save $400.*
Our extended business hours make it easy.
Monday to Friday: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Saturday: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Home and auto insurance program recommended by
HOME | AUTO
1-866-296-0888
halifaxchamber.tdinsurance.com
The TD Insurance Meloche Monnex program is underwritten by PRIMMUM INSURANCE COMPANY. It is distributed by
Meloche Monnex Insurance and Financial Services Inc. in Quebec and by TD Insurance Direct Agency Inc. in the rest of Canada.
Our address: 50 Place Crémazie, Montreal (Quebec) H2P 1B6.
Due to provincial legislation, our auto and recreational vehicle insurance program is not offered in British Columbia, Manitoba
or Saskatchewan.
*Average based on the home and auto premiums for active policies on July 31, 2014 of our Atlantic Provinces clients who belong to an
employer group that has an agreement with us when compared to the premiums they would have paid with the same insurer without the
preferred insurance rate for groups and the multi-product discount. Savings are not guaranteed and may vary based on the client’s profile.
®
The TD logo and other TD trade-marks are the property of The Toronto-Dominion Bank.
BUSINESS VOICE
15
AGENTS OF
Change 4..0
COVER STORY
Better things can happen
By Jon Tattrie
I
Photos by Paul Darrow
For the past four years the December edition of Business Voice has focused on
change. Every autumn we gather together our selected Agents of Change,
and talk about how change that starts right outside your front door can morph into
ideas that can radically change Nova Scotia’s future for the better.
This year’s Agents of Change meeting was apropos on many levels. The gathering
at NSCC Waterfront campus took place mere hours after Canadians had voted
overwhelmingly for change, sweeping Justin Trudeau’s Liberal party into power.
One of those elected was a previous Agent of Change, Andy Fillmore, MP for Halifax.
On that note, we’d like to introduce you to Agents of Change, 4.0:
When Diandra Phipps decided to
open a vegan restaurant in Halifax, she
went to the banks to borrow money. But
the would-be lenders offered their own
menu suggestion.
“Well, you should probably serve
meat at your restaurant,” she recalls
them telling her.
Phipps was sure enVie would thrive
as a vegan restaurant — even if she didn’t
grill up steaks — but she still had to prove
it. The would-be lender asked her to get
letters from potential customers, stating
how often they would eat at her hypothetical vegan restaurant. The community
responded, and today enVie is a thriving
north-end restaurant (and you still can’t
order meat). In fact, only about one in five
customers is vegan — the other four out
of five just love the food.
It drove home for Phipps that our city
sometimes requires a bit of convincing
before embracing change. So when enVie
decided to convert a yoga studio into a
commercial kitchen to expand, Phipps
didn’t bother returning to traditional
money lenders.
“It was actually a lot more than our
initial opening. We realized we needed
about $20,000 extra,” she says.
She asked her customers to help out.
“The idea of being able to get a loan from
our customers was really exciting for us,
and to pay it back over time through VIP
dinners, T-shirts and gift certificates.”
The idea of being
able to get a loan from
our customers was
really exciting for us.”
– Diandra Phipps,
Owner, enVie Restaurant
BUSINESS VOICE
Phipps further broke with convention by adding a charitable fundraiser.
The restaurant wound up raising $3,000
on top of what they raised for the renovations. enVie gave the money to other
local organizations, including the expanding Ecology Action Centre and Ark
Outreach. And just like that, what could
have been a run-of-the-mill loan changed
into a community-building exercise.
“It was really amazing to see the
change that happened and the people
who got on board, just for our expansion,” Phipps says.
That’s why Business Voice named
Phipps one of our Change Agents 4.0. The
innovation drivers gathered at the Nova
Scotia Community College’s spectacular
waterfront campus one sunny morning in
late October, when change scented the
fall air. The previous evening, Nova Scotia
led the country in voting for change at
the federal government level, giving all
11 seats to the Liberal Party.
In fact, one of the high-profi le wins
in the election came from one of the very
first Change Agents. In 2012, Business
Voice spoke to a rising star on the city
planning scene. Today, Andy Fillmore is
the Member of Parliament for Halifax.
The Change Agents 4.0, while careful
not to assume political loyalties, see the
red tide as an example of how Nova Scotians can pull together — and how they
can lead Canada.
17
COVER STORY
Photo: Contributed
They slow down and they immediately understand that there are people here
who have value, who care about each other, who love each other.”
— Amy Schwartz, Co-facilitator of the Creighton Street painting project
Amy Schwartz knows that change
starts at home — literally. A 10-year
resident of Creighton Street, she grew
increasingly frustrated with drivers
blasting through the neighbourhood like
race track drivers. Most local kids walk
to school, and the danger and discomfort
troubled her.
“I wrote to the city a number of
times about how to get speed bumps
and got turned away several times,
and so have many residents in that
neighbourhood,” she says. “And then
I realized there was this place-making
program where you could actually paint
the street. I thought: that’s a positive
way to address it.”
So the former city worker pulled the
municipal levers, got an artist hired, and
they created a painting on the street. It
shows a woman’s braided hair turning
into trees, each symbolic of the area.
Most of the neighbourhood turned out
as the street painting turned into a street
party.
Not long after the face was added to
the street, the faceless drivers changed
their behaviour. “They slow down and
they immediately understand that there
are people here who have value, who care
about each other, who love each other,”
Schwartz says.
She still is trying to get physical
speed bumps installed.
WHEN BUTCHERS
AND VEGANS AGREE
Ted Grant, the Academic Chair of
Culinary Arts and Tourism at NSCC,
is bringing back pride in the traditional
trades.
Grant — who is too modest to mention that he once appeared on Live! With
Regis and Kelly — says entrepreneurs
like Chris deWaal of Getaway Farms
show Nova Scotians can and will support
local tradespeople. “We’re seeing that
artisanal butchery, artisanal baking, is
strong again,” he says.
Awkwardly, Grant says this while
sitting next to enVie’s vegan. He glances
nervously in her direction as he talks
about the joys of meat. “I feed my
dogs raw meat,” Phipps assures him to
laughter.
Grant dreams of the day more
young Nova Scotians begin raising their
own goats, milking them and turning
that into pro-biotic yogurt and delicious
cheese. That’s why under his leadership,
NSCC works hard to support small and
medium-size enterprises. “How we can
raise the bar for hospitality excellence,
tourism excellence, culinary excellence?”
he asks.
How we can raise the bar for hospitality excellence,
tourism excellence, culinary excellence?”
— Ted Grant, Academic Chair of Culinary Arts and Tourism at NSCC
18
DECEMBER
2015
COVER STORY
Building that place
where people can come
together and share
their experiences
and get somebody to
introduce them to an
expert in the field that
they’re discovering —
I think that’s a huge
value.”
— Melody Pardoe,
Executive Director
of Volta
A SOLUTIONS ECONOMY
Melody Pardoe, Executive Director
of Volta, also spends time thinking about
the dreams of young east-coasters. To
help turn them into reality, she helped
start Hoist with teenager Alex Gillis. He
told her how in high school, students are
encouraged to get a trade or a job with an
existing company, rather than risk starting a business.
Hoist gathers entrepreneuriallyminded youth once a month to brainstorm ideas and lay the foundation for
Nova Scotia’s prosperous future.
“What a lot of founders say to me
is that there’s absolutely no resource
like another entrepreneur. Building that
place where people can come together
and share their experiences and get
somebody to introduce them to an expert
in the field that they’re discovering — I
think that’s a huge value,” Pardoe says.
She intends to expand Hoist to
schools to give a path for future business
starters.
In the dream factory that is Volta,
she sees signs of Nova Scotians ditching
the — dare we say it — culture of defeat.
“We’re seeing, within entrepreneurship and intrapreneurship, a solutions
economy. They’re more interested in and
passionate about solving problems than
they are about making a salary or having
stability. They’re really leading the way,”
Pardoe says.
Those tech-minded teenagers who
do prefer to work for a company will
find a good home at Norex, the award-
We bring these individuals on because they’re interested
and engaged; they’re passionate about problem solving
and what they’re working on.”
— Jenelle Sobey, Managing Partner, Norex
winning digital design company. Norex
makes a point of hiring new graduates
and encouraging innovative thinking.
Jenelle Sobey, the new managing
partner, says Norex loves curious kids
tinkering in their basements, and wants
them to come tinker at Norex one day.
“We bring these individuals on
because they’re interested and engaged;
BUSINESS VOICE
they’re passionate about problem solving and what they’re working on. Young
people are just natural risk takers,” she
says.
It’s not just talk. Norex directs
employees to invest 20 per cent of their
time on innovation. That appeals to
young people, which improves Norex in a
virtuous process of change.
19
COVER STORY
MAKING CONNECTIONS
A common theme with our change
agents this year was reinvesting success
into the community. But while enVie
quickly found neighbours it could help
with its expansion, other communities
struggle from a lack of connectivity.
That’s where LaMeia Reddick comes
in. The North Preston woman started
her business literally out of nothing —
out of the spaces between Nova Scotia’s
communities.
“I’ve been able to build this business
of connecting people because of the gaps
that exist in society,” she explains. “I call
my business LaMeia Kinnects. I spell it
k-i-n because it’s more about building
familial relationship so that we can work
together.”
She knows from her own community’s experience that social networks in
the greater Halifax area don’t bring in
all communities. That means even if a
company or organization wants to reach
a community, they may have no bridge.
Reddick builds that bridge for them. For
example, she plugged the Nova Scotia
Barristers’ Society into North Preston for
its #TalkJustice campaign.
My work is about creating vibrant communities and all
that stuff, but I really also have to draw attention to some
of the problems that we have in society.”
— LaMeia Reddick, Owner, LaMeia Kinnects
Get where
you want.
Recruitment & Placement Specialists
AccountantStaffing.com
20
DECEMBER
2015
COVER STORY
Agents of Change 4.0 left to right:
LaMeia
Reddick,
Jenelle
Sobey,
Owner,
LaMeia Kinnects
Managing Partner,
Norex
Ted Grant,
Academic Chair of
Culinary Arts
and Tourism at NSCC
Diandra
Phipps,
Melody
Pardoe,
Owner, enVie
restaurant
Executive Director
of Volta
Amy Schwartz,
Co-facilitator of
the Creighton Street
painting project
Thank you to Nova Scotia Community College for hosting the meeting and photo shoot for this edition of Business Voice.
“There are some people in Preston who’ve never left Preston to go to
Halifax,” she says. And there are a many
Halifax residents who have never visited
Preston. Reddick doesn’t want that to
remain a problem.
“Linked with my entrepreneurship
is this social activism and promotion
of history,” she says. “My work is about
creating vibrant communities and all
that stuff, but I really also have to draw
attention to some of the problems that we
have in society.”
She helped the barristers’ society
to learn what Preston residents thought,
connecting them online and off to help
them improve their work.
Grant says that kind of collaboration
will help everyone. It inspires him to see
the entrepreneurial drive at NSCC.
“I want to do something different
than anyone around here, but what I
want to do that aligns with everyone is,
make a difference,” he says. “I want to
grow this economy. When I’m not with
my kids or my wife, I’m working hard
because I want to make a difference.”
Schwartz, the woman behind the
Creighton Street painting, once worked
for government. “In a lot of ways it was
extremely frustrating, because people
are not ready for collaboration on a lot of
levels,” she says. “I come from a place of
a lot of frustration — of hitting barriers,
and trying to work strategically around
them, which is still very much how most
people trying to make change in Nova
Scotia have to work: figure out some
strategic way around it.”
If everybody embraces
everybody’s successes,
then that positive
energy can perpetuate
throughout the
province and better
things can happen.”
— Melody Pardoe,
Executive Director
of Volta
Some of the barriers are psychological, she says, as in the Nova Scotian
tendency to let other regions lead. “We
need to start doing stuff first. To start being — I hate to use the word — bold,” she
says. “We need to be the first out there,
BUSINESS VOICE
the starters, and not have to constantly
wait until it’s been proven 10,000 times
before.”
She imagines Nova Scotia tapping
into its silver mine by becoming a
world leader in creating a city senior
citizens can easily navigate, and using
an enhanced public transit network
to attract car-shunning young people.
“There’s no excuse for us being 20 years
behind other cities in Canada. So I want
us to stop making excuses and lead,”
she says.
Nova Scotians must adopt “leapfrog” thinking to catch up, she says.
Phipps, who you’ll recall managed to
start a thriving vegan restaurant without
serving meat, still drives change in her
restaurant. But the problem is no longer
people demanding bacon.
“You put something on a plate that’s
unique and innovative, and it’s so different that people are going, ‘Where is my
lentil burger’?”
“We need to celebrate each other’s
successes, instead of picking them apart
or having that air of, ‘That should’ve
been me,’” Pardoe adds. “If everybody
embraces everybody’s successes, then
that positive energy can perpetuate
throughout the province and better
things can happen.”
21
JewelPop Jewellery
Liz Crocker of Woozles
Mark Smith and Joel Kelly,
owners of Made in the Maritimes
Nurtured Products
22
Souper Duper Soup
Stefanie MacDonald Owner, Halifax Paper Hearts
DECEMBER
2015
BUYING LOCAL
The gift that
keeps on giving
Buying local
has many benefits
By Erin Elaine CaseyšF^ejei9edjh_Xkj[Z
Buying local is about more than just
beer and vegetables. Local producers
are making and selling everything from
greeting cards to chocolate to furniture
and books. The holidays are the perfect
time to purchase from businesses in our
own cities, communities, and neighbourhoods.
We hear shopping local is good, but
just how good is it? According to a number of US and Canadian studies, between
$45 and $48 of every $100 you spend at a
local business stays and circulates in your
local economy. This is called the local
economic multiplier effect, and it really is
the gift that keeps on giving.
So why do local purchases matters
more? Some reasons are obvious. Buying
local creates jobs and wages for local
people. It also supports local infrastructure, local purchasing, and even local
banking. Stefanie MacDonald, Owner
of Halifax Paper Hearts, creates custom
cards for special occasions. “A decision to
purchase something locally matters more
to the quality of life of the person you’re
buying from,” she says.
Shauna Austin, who creates premium cakes at City Girl Cakes in Dartmouth, agrees. “In the old days, that’s
Your local merchants
pay attention to what
their local customers
want and need. They
tell us what kind of
products they want,
what kind of hours
they want, and we’re
very responsive to them
because they mean
everything to us.”
— Kathryn Kimery,
Co-owner of
Dartmouth Yarns
BUSINESS VOICE
how communities, families, and villages
thrived. There’s so much love and hard
work that goes into products and services
that are on a small scale. There’s such a
reward both ways: both for the person
buying the product or service, and for the
person selling it.”
Aside from the rapid recirculation of
money that comes from supporting local
business, Laurie Cameron, President and
CEO of the Centre for Entrepreneurship
Education and Development (CEED),
points out that investment in entrepreneurs pays off over the long term. “Buying locally gives entrepreneurs direct
feedback,” she explains. “When you buy
locally, you’re investing in that entrepreneur, which enables them to refine their
business model and figure out what their
business really is. It also helps people
build those informal networks that are so
important.”
It’s all about relationships. Buying
local is just as much about building
relationships as it is about keeping
money in the community. Liz Crocker is
Co-founder and Co-owner of Woozles, a
book and toy store for children. Woozles
has been doing business in downtown
Halifax for 37 years. You might say Liz
23
BUYING LOCAL
A decision to purchase
something locally
matters more to
the quality of life
of the person you’re
buying from.”
— Stefanie
MacDonald
Jill Franklin of Jill’s Chocolates
in Iona, Cape Breton
Owner, Halifax
Paper Hearts
Photo: Steve Rankin
We’re so talented in Nova Scotia. Life is busy, and there’s always a need for
convenience. But when it’s something special, and you have time to think local first,
then do it. That’s all small local businesses want you to do, is consider them first.”
— Shauna Austin, City Girl Cakes
is an elder stateswoman of small local
business in Halifax.
“One of the benefits I see is that you
have a relationship with your customers,” she says. “I would almost liken it to
having a family doctor. We have customers we’ve known for almost four decades
— through the lives of their families, and
the struggles of their families. It’s about
more than buying a book. It’s a place for
and about children. We really believe
that. Woozles is contributing to building
a healthy community.”
Because your neighbourhood
retailer or service provider knows you,
it’s also easier to get exactly the item or
service you need. That responsiveness is
hard to match. Kathryn Kimery, Coowner of Dartmouth Yarns, says: “Your
local merchants pay attention to what
their local customers want and need.
They tell us what kind of products they
want, what kind of hours they want, and
we’re very responsive to them because
they mean everything to us.”
Being part of a business community
also pays off. Jenn Service and Roz Wilson Oliver recently opened Souper Duper
Soup on Ochterloney Street in Dartmouth. Their restaurant, soup delivery,
and catering business is surrounded by
other small, local businesses. “You get to
24
know your neighbours, and we’re always
recommending each other and helping
each other out,” says Jenn. “You want
your neighbours to succeed, because that
brings people in.”
But what does local really mean?
It means different things to different
people, and the degree to which a store,
product, or service can be considered local depends on a few factors.
Made in the Maritimes Artisan Boutique at the Sunnyside Mall in Bedford
is the brainchild of Mark Smith and Joel
Kelly. They wanted to showcase beautiful
art and artisanal products made in Nova
Scotia, New Brunswick, and PEI, including pottery, fine arts, glassware, woodwork, furniture, fibre art, and stained
glass.
“We want to talk about true local,”
says Mark. “You can buy everything local
in Halifax, but what about where those
products are coming from? All our products are made locally, a lot of them using
materials sourced locally. They are often
of higher quality, longer lasting, and
more meaningful.” It’s the story behind
the product and knowing there is a direct
connection to the artist or supplier that
keeps many customers coming back.
Jolyn Swain of Nurtured, a store on
Agricola Street in Halifax’s North End
DECEMBER
2015
that specializes in products for parenting, points to the importance of having
a direct relationship with makers and
suppliers. “We source products we love.
We know the people we buy from, and
we meet them face to face,” she explains.
“Many of them are here in Canada.”
JewelPop, a jewelry wholesaler
based in Dartmouth, produces and sells
products to hundreds of retailers across
Canada and the United States. They also
sell to local shops and have their own
store in Dartmouth. All the design work,
customer service, accounting, and web
support is done locally, but the company
is not locally owned. President Brenda
Wilson says: “We win both ways — we
take care of local and we sell to local. We
employ 33 people. We have great product,
designed in town, supporting talented
people at all levels of our work. We employ, we pay taxes, and we try to use local
people whenever we can.”
In other words, local can take many
forms. Businesses can be completely
locally owned and operated, with local
product, suppliers, and staff. They can be
mostly local, or they can be local champions — larger companies who might not be
based here but who do what they can to
contribute to the local economy.
Local companies give back. By some
BUYING LOCAL
Liz Crocker of Woozles
Natalie Maglario,
Director of Sales (Canada) JewelPop
We have customers we’ve known for almost four decades — through the lives of
their families, and the struggles of their families. It’s about more than buying a book.
It’s a place for and about children. We really believe that.”
— Liz Crocker, Co-founder, Co-owner of Woozles
estimates, local companies give as much
as five times more per dollar of revenue to
local community groups than businesses
that aren’t locally owned. They also have
a smaller environmental footprint because they source more supplies nearby
and encourage shoppers not to get in the
car every time they need something.
Many small business owners point
to the desire to give back as a key reason
for being in business in the first place. It’s
early days for Halifax Paper Hearts, but
Stefanie MacDonald is already committed to donating a percentage of each
year’s profit to Atlantic Canadian charities. And at Souper Duper Soup, Jenn
and Roz do what they call Karma Soupra.
“Every Friday, instead of disposing of our
leftovers, we donate them to fire departments and volunteer groups to thank
them.” Amazingly, because they source
most of their ingredients locally, they
generate less than one bag of garbage
every two weeks!
Jill Franklin of Jill’s Chocolates in
Iona, Cape Breton, is running a holiday
market out of her inn and chocolate
shop. “I set up a market on Thanksgiving
Saturday, and didn’t charge for the tables.
I wanted to encourage local people to get
out there and sell whatever they make. It
was incredibly successful. So I’m going to
do it for the five weekends leading up to
Christmas. I think a lot of Nova Scotians
are crafty, knitting, scrapbooking,
making cards, and I like to provide a
venue for that.”
Suzanne Keith is a Senior Sales Manager at Yellow Pages and the Halifax lead
volunteer for Shop the Neighbourhood, a
national shop local initiative led by Yellow Pages. At the end of November, between Black Friday and Cyber Monday,
Shop the Neighbourhood Halifax works
with local commercial areas and small
retailers to promote local commerce.
“We work with businesses to connect
buyers and sellers all year round,” says
Suzanne. “To us, it’s not just a day — it’s a
movement. It’s eating, working, and playing in the areas in which you live.”
It takes a village. Even a small
commitment to shopping local can make
a big difference. Local entrepreneurs and
business people agree: We’re all in this
together.
“It takes everybody to make the
change,” says Mark Smith from Made
in the Maritimes. “Not just institutions,
government, universities. We can all
make a difference in turning the economy around.”
“It’s about keeping our communities
alive,” says Shauna Austin. “We’re so
BUSINESS VOICE
talented in Nova Scotia. Life is busy, and
there’s always a need for convenience.
But when it’s something special, and you
have time to think local first, then do it.
That’s all small local businesses want you
to do, is consider them first.”
So why not get creative about giving
this year? Buy a locally made piece of
art. Shop in a boutique where the owners
have sourced the best products from
across Canada. Give the gift of time:
Provide a gift certificate for a meal. Most
of us have more stuff than we know what
to do with, so consumables and services
are a great option.
“Christmas can be a good time to
make a conscious decision to buy local,”
says Jill Franklin. “You’re buying for your
children, but also the teacher, your chiropractor, or your neighbour. It’s the best
time of year to be supporting even very
small businesses.”
This holiday season, try buying a
certain percentage of your gifts at local
businesses. Or even all of them? Slow
down, meet your neighbours, and take a
few extra minutes to choose something
special for someone special.
Local businesses need you, not just
now, but 365 days a year. As Liz Crocker
from Woozles reminds us, “See it here.
Buy it here. Keep us here.”
25
PROFILE
Photos: Contributed
An advocate for hope
United Way Halifax works for positive change By Heidi Tattrie Rushton
Society is judged by how it treats its
“most
disadvantaged,” says Sara Napier,
the newly minted President and CEO
of United Way Halifax. Then she asks:
“How is Halifax going to answer that
question, and how are we going to stand
up and make sure that this is a city of
respect and opportunity for everyone?”
Napier says these questions are what
the United Way’s vision is based upon.
The organization is celebrating 90 years
in Halifax, continues to work tirelessly
with the community to make sustainable
change through delivering programs,
funding organizations, and partnering
with other groups working towards the
same goals. United Way Halifax currently funds 80 community projects across 50
organizations. Up to one in three people
in Halifax are affected by the work of the
United Way.
“We’re known as an organization
that cares, but who also acts upon that
caring thanks to generous donors, and
26
thousands of amazing volunteers who really step up to become part of the movement,” Napier says.
Many of their donors and volunteers
come from the business sector, through
programs such as workplace campaigns,
employer-employee donation matching,
and a Loaned Representative program —
where businesses loan their employees to
United Way for three month stints to share
their expertise and, in turn, gain valuable
professional and personal experience.
Day of Caring is one of the programs
that many local businesses participate in
and, in 2015 alone, more than 15,000 volunteer hours have already been logged.
A group of volunteers is matched with a
need in the community, and then spend
a day doing work such as painting a community centre or planting a community
garden.
Napier says their work extends
beyond fundraising and organizing
volunteers.
DECEMBER
2015
www.unitedwayhalifax.ca
“We are a funder of organizations,”
Napier explains, “But we also deliver our
own programs and contribute to partnerships designed to have a long-term
impact on our city.”
One such program is called Action
for Neighbourhood Change, with hubs
in North Dartmouth, Spryfield, and
Fairview.
“We work hand-in-hand with the
community on issues of concern and
it’s all about ‘What is the potential to
mobilize resident leaders for these
neighbourhoods?’ and ‘How can we create welcoming, warm, friendly, diverse
neighbourhoods where people have a
really high quality of life?’ ” she asks. Napier says the answer is in having “strong
social capital and strong connectivity.”
Another one of their key projects is
The Housing and Homelessness Partnership. Napier explains it as a group of
people representing many organizations
across HRM who work together towards
PROFILE
Sara Napier participating in poverty
simulation Living on the Edge
Sara Napier and
United Way team
at Metro Transit
campaign kickoff
Sara Napier with the Dalhousie Tiger
finding a long-term solution for homelessness and poverty. One way the United
Way contributes to this goal is through offering simulation programs — in-person
and online — to help people understand
the barriers faced by those who are living
on the edge of poverty.
The United Way says it’s the thousands of donors and volunteers, and
the hundreds of workplace campaigns
in Halifax that help them make change
possible.
“We’re a funder, we’re a partner,
we bring people together, and we’re an
advocate for positive community change
in Halifax,” Napier says.
BUSINESS VOICE
27
WORKING FOR YOU
Are you in or out?
A bright young mind challenges Generation Y
KRISTIN FORTUNE
CURRENTLY A STUDENT
While it is no secret that Nova Scotia is struggling
to retain its youth and its graduates, one bright
young mind tells us why she sees opportunity in
Nova Scotia, and challenges other Gen-Ys to do
the same. Kristen Fortune is in her third year at
university studying Communication and Business.
She is planning a career in economic and business
development here in Nova Scotia and hopes to focus
her attention on strengthening rural communities.
28
April 25 is the day I moved to Nova
Scotia — something I promised myself I
would do 13 long years ago — and here is
why.
As a young professional, the idea of
adding value in the business world often
seems far-fetched. As I began learning
about the economic and population
challenges that Nova Scotia faces, I
started to recognize that these challenges
present an incredible opportunity for
generation Ys like myself to make a
valuable and noticeable contribution —
not just to benefit the business world, but
to benefit the future of a province that I
now call home.
With a suitcase full of personal
effects and a heart full of curiosity and
enthusiasm, I arrived in Halifax excited
to be a part of the monumental change
that I had been reading about since the
Now or Never report was published.
DECEMBER
2015
The little girl in me saw a very raw
beauty — something that I still feel is
unique to Nova Scotia. She was enchanted by the charm of timeless rural
communities, the smell of the ocean, the
sound of the waves, and of course, the infamous and unrivalled Bluenoser charm.
While still every bit as enchanted today,
the young professional in me also sees
opportunity. Recently there has been a
lot of discussion around opportunity in
Nova Scotia, particularly for generation
Y, and the conversation typically starts
and ends with, “there is none.” This is
where I beg to differ.
In fairness, working for Nova
Scotia Business Inc. (NSBI) has no doubt
exposed me to the progress that the
province is making more than the average Nova Scotian. It seems every day we
are celebrating successes big and small,
whether it’s an existing company choosing to grow in Nova Scotia, or a Nova
Scotia company exporting their products
internationally for the first time. The
growth is happening and I’ve got a front
row seat.
My perspective was also shaped by
the chance to meet extraordinary agents
of change including Acadia’s Ray Ivany
and NSBI’s Laurel Broten. The confidence I have in Nova Scotia’s ability to
succeed in this time of change has been
kindled by the knowledge that we have
such inspiring leaders to help us reach
the bold targets set by the Now or Never
report. But even the teams with the best
coaches won’t win unless their players are
onboard. Unless they’re willing to accept
the challenge that lies ahead of them.
My challenge to you is this: as a
young Nova Scotian, it’s time to ask
yourself if you’re in or out. Ask yourself
if you are willing to accept the challenge
that lies ahead of us all. If so, I would love
to welcome you to Team Nova Scotia with
open arms. I can’t think of a better reason
to get out of bed in the morning than to
make the place you call home the best it
can be. If you’re out, well, I’m sure there’s
a condo in Toronto that would love to
have you.
TRENDS
Ten steps to healthy living
It all begins with a plan
www.halifaxchamber.com
We’re visiting all of our member gyms under our
Happy Healthy Halifax initiative. This is an opportunity
for members to try out different workouts and gyms
throughout our city. It’s a free, non-intimidating,
way to find the right workout for you.”
BECKY DAVISON MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALIST, HALIFAX CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
If your office is anything like mine,
winter is the craziest time of the year.
The colder temperatures and early sunsets make that evening walk or run that
much more of a challenge. I'll admit it,
fitness takes a backseat this time of year,
despite my best efforts. It’s just so easy
to get out in the summer. And we can all
remember what happened last winter,
where shoveling was the primary source
for cardio for many.
That's why this winter is going to
be different for me, and maybe some of
you want to make a commitment to a
healthier you, too. I’ve created a 10-step
plan to help us get there. Yes, us.
5. Break it down into months and then,
weeks. For example: If I want to lose 10
lbs, that means creating a 35,000 calories
deficit. That sounds unrealistic. But it’s
not if you break that down into weekly
and daily goals. “I will change my exercise and diet habits to reduce my caloric
intake by 500 calories a day.” That’s a
heck of a lot more manageable than “I
need to run for 88 hours to lose 10lbs.”
And truth be told, it doesn’t exactly work
that way! Always keep sneakers and
apples in your car. Trust me.
3. Make your goal visible. Hang it in
your office, write it on your notebook,
stick it on your fridge. Stick it on your
friend’s fridge. Seeing your goal daily
makes it real and you can’t hide from it.
6. Put the plan into your calendar.
If your goal is focused on healthy eating,
it will taking planning and time. Choose
a day of the week that will work for you
to go grocery shopping and cook those
healthy meals. Plan the snacks, and be
realistic. That 2 p.m. chocolate craving
isn’t going to disappear, but two squares
of your favourite dark chocolate packed
in your lunch is almost infinitely better than running to the gas station for a
double pack of Oh Henry. (Confession:
It’s totally happened to me.) If your goal
is to get to the gym three times a week,
will it be in the morning? Right after
work? Over lunch? Remember, you don’t
need 60 minute sweat sessions to make a
difference — 20 minutes will get the ball
rolling in the right direction.
4. Decide on a deadline for meeting
this goal: three months, six months, one
year. Signing up for a race has always
been my go-to. I pay the registration fee
and that’s what motivates me! Ideally
this goal will initiate a lifestyle change so
there is no deadline; it’s just what you do.
7. Treat those sessions in your calendar
like very important meetings. Don’t blow
them off. Imagine how you will feel after
that workout, or when all your meals are
prepared. Treat it like a meeting with
your CEO — because you are the CEO
of your own body.
1. Write down your goal, and make
it tangible and achievable. Having a
defined goal makes it measurable. “Go for
a run” or “Lose weight” are not tangible.
Here are some examples: “I will lower my
blood pressure to 120/80” or “I will lose
10 lbs in three months” or “I will run the
10K in May” or “I will eat 5 servings of
vegetables a day.”
2.
No really. Write it down. I’ll wait.
BUSINESS VOICE
8. Tell your closest person about your
goals. See if they want to come along for
the ride. If you don’t have the support of
someone who understands what you are
trying to achieve, it will be more difficult.
It’s important to find someone who will
motivate you on those dark, cold snowy
days when you just don’t want to go to the
gym. I’m sorry, those days are coming!
If you don’t have someone, there are lots
of amazing gyms and support systems
in Halifax that will help you. Yes, it may
require paying someone to get you out
the door!
9. Check back in weekly. Every Sunday
night I take a look at the previous week
and see where I fell down, or succeeded,
in my goals. Something is always better
than nothing! I take this time to plan out
what my week is going to look like, workwise, on the home front, and where I can
fit in my workouts and meal planning.
There is always 30 minutes in everyday
for this, I promise. My calendar often
looks like a game of Tetris, but it works
for me.
10. Take a peek at the Halifax Chamber
of Commerce events. We’re visiting all
of our member gyms under our Happy
Healthy Halifax initiative. This is an
opportunity for members to try out
different workouts and gyms throughout
our city. It’s a free, non-intimidating,
way to find the right workout for
you. We have been using the hashtag
#HappyHealthyHalifax on social media.
Follow us and add your own journey!
29
TRENDS
A wealth of information
On-trend business leaders use public libraries By Julia Khodos and Kasia Morrison, Halifax Public Libraries
A prominent businessman and
advisor recently visited Halifax Central
Library to see what we can do for him
and his clients. He walked away quite
surprised and excited. We had given him
access to products and services that were
current — thus valuable, plentiful and
diverse — thus powerful, and efficient —
thus cost-effective.
Public librarians deal with
information in all of its formats. It’s our
job to find quality resources, whether
by research or from our customers’
behaviour. Our business is to observe
trends in questions and then provide
the best answers in the most friendly,
accessible way.
Public librarians deal with information in all of its
formats. It’s our job to find quality resources, whether by
research or from our customers’ behaviour. Our business
is to observe trends in questions and then provide the best
answers in the most friendly, accessible way.”
Top three unexpected ways we can
help you to improve your business:
Access to credible industry sources –
from your home or office
Halifax Public Libraries has access
to online databases, which in the library
world means a searchable collection
of information provided by a trusted
source that you can access remotely for
free using your library card. Relevant to
businesses, we have two main databases
that are goldmines of information —
current and historical.
ProQuest houses a variety
of articles, from peer-reviewed to
magazine-style pieces. General
Reference Centre database acts the same
as ProQuest, but its content is strictly
American. They are like a Google Scholar
that is not limited to academia.
Business professionals use them
regularly as a means to stay on top of
trends, review market situations, conduct
name searches of potential clients, and
any number of other business searches.
With a database, you can use its
filters to be specific and you can feel
assured that the information is credible.
The results may not be as numerous as
a search engine, but that is the point.
In business, searching should be like
precision shopping: get in and get out.
Examine real, successful business
plans — annually
Gale’s Business Plans Handbook is
a collection of real (only the names are
30
Taken during Halifax
Central Library’s Small
Business Week 2015 programs,
a local expert speaks to
participants about financing.
changed), successful business plans that
are updated and published annually by
Gale Cengage Learning. These are not
just templates for new entrepreneurs
to use. They are a means to see what
others include in their business plans
and how they present them. What data is
attractive to investors or financiers? How
did a business in your industry succeed in
its move from domestic to export?
Find the best, tailored options
Librarians are information
navigators. Use us. Yes, you are capable
of finding what is out there, but when
you venture into new areas or updating
your knowledge, consider how long it will
take you to discover what book, study,
webinar, etc. is the best and suits your
needs most accurately. We know where
to find great resources and quickly.
Halifax Public Libraries is
DECEMBER
2015
Photo: Contributed
comprised of 14 branch libraries, a
website, and Borrow by Mail and Home
Delivery services. The Library serves a
population of approximately 400,000
spread over 5,889 sq. km. The collection
consists of over one million items—
including books, magazines, DVDs, CDs
and downloadable audiobooks, eBooks
and videos. Our mission is to connect
people, enrich communities, and inspire
people. Get a library card today and ask
us what we can do for you.
Julia Khodos is a librarian who specializes in small business services and
resources, and she is located at Halifax
Central Library. Kasia Morrison is the
library’s communications officer who
is always looking for ways to expose
people to the benefits of library services.
TRENDS
Making health a priority
No reason to put personal health on the back burner
www.3rddegreetraining.com
CARA BAULD FRANCHISEE/
TRAINER, 3RD DEGREE TRAINING
It’s December. The holiday season
is officially here. For most of us, it’s the
busiest time of the year, when daily
routines get shifted and the hustle and
bustle of holiday festivities are in full
swing. Trying to fit everything in can be
stressful, as often exercise and eating
well can get pushed to the sidelines,
regardless of our best intentions.
It’s a month when office parties,
family get-togethers, an unlimited
supply of seasonal treats and unfavorable
weather conditions can leave us with a
never-ending list of excuses to put our
health on the back burner.
Why wait until the New Year to
become a healthier version of yourself?
Exercise and a balanced diet can help to
alleviate stress and depression, help us
sleep better, help maintain body weight
and put a spring in your step. It doesn’t
mean you need to exercise two hours a
day, five days a week and be on a super
strict diet. Simply be conscious of your
decisions this month and you’ll thank
yourself in the new year.
HERE ARE SOME SIMPLE TIPS ON HOW
YOU CAN STAY HEALTHY THIS DECEMBER,
AMIDST THE HOLIDAY CHAOS:
TAKE IT OUTSIDE
Photo: Contributed
FOLLOW THE 80/20 RULE
It is unrealistic and nearly impossible
to avoid festive treats and beverages
over the holidays; they’re everywhere!
The 80/20 rule is an easy way to practice
moderation in your diet. Eat healthy
foods 80 per cent of the time, and allow
yourself to indulge 20 per cent of the
time. If you plan on attending a festive
holiday spread over the weekend, vow to
eat well throughout the week. You’ll stay
on track with your diet, and you won’t
have to feel guilty about indulging with
friends.
Don’t let the cold weather be an excuse.
Take pleasure in the beauty and the stillness of the season. Bundle up and relish
the clean, crisp air by going for an evening star gazing walk. Build a snowman
with your kids or get the entire family out
to help shovel the driveway. Better yet,
shovel a neighbor’s driveway.
SQUEEZE IN ACTIVITY
AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE
PLAN YOUR WORKOUTS
EAT A HEALTHY BREAKFAST
Mark your workouts on the calendar
and stick to it! You’re much more likely
to make it to your boot camp class if you
know beforehand which days you will
be going. Be sure to check off the days as
you complete them so you can look back
and see your progress. This will help you
stay driven on days when you don’t feel
motivated.
Kick start your busy day with an
energizing nutritious meal. A bowl of
wholesome oatmeal with nut butter and
banana can really fill you up. The oats
can help to stabilise your blood sugar
levels, which means that you won’t
suddenly start craving sugar and dive
into a bowl of not-so-healthy holiday
snacks later in the day.
Every bit counts! Walk a little faster
while getting groceries for your holiday
meals, squeeze in a morning walk before
the busy day begins, do jumping jacks
while watching TV or squats while you’re
brushing your teeth.
BUSINESS VOICE
WHITTLE YOUR LIST
Just for December, give yourself permission to drop a few things to make
room for exercise. That could mean not
volunteering in your kids’ school, slowing down on the social media or cutting
back on housecleaning. You could also
outsource tasks such as gift-wrapping or
untangling strands of lights.
STAY POSITIVE
A positive attitude is a powerful tool.
Encourage yourself daily by reflecting on
your health goals and the progress you’ve
made thus far. If you do veer off course,
don’t let discouragement lead to defeat!
It’s never too late to get back on track and
start making healthy choices.
TREAT YOURSELF
Enjoy your holiday season to the fullest
by making your health a priority. Treat
yourself on occasion while indulging in
family, friendship and memories. You’ll
feel happier, look better and start the
New Year with no regrets!
Get a head start on your New Year's
fitness plan! Register today for 3rd Degree
Training's next 8-week fitness camp
starting Jan. 4. For more information
email [email protected],
call 902-463-7575 or visit their website at
www.3rddegreetraining.com.
31
DIRECTORS EDUCATION PROGRAM
CANADA’S LEADING
PROGRAM FOR DIRECTORS
WHY APPLY?
APPLY BY DECEMBER 18, 2015 FOR THE NEXT
HALIFAX OFFERING OF CANADA’S LEADING
PROGRAM FOR DIRECTORS.
“The ICD-Rotman DEP provides an opportunity to
reinforce current thinking about what it takes to
be a successful director in Canada and to gain new
knowledge about how directors can contribute
to better boards and ultimately, better business.
The experience helped me to progress as a
director and afforded me more objectivity in the
boardroom. I highly recommend the program to
both future and current directors.”
ROB SOBEY, ICD.D
PAST PRESIDENT & CEO, LAWTON’S DRUG STORES LTD.
DIRECTOR, EMPIRE COMPANY LTD., SOBEYS INC., DHX MEDIA LTD.,
SEAFORT CAPITAL, NORVISTA CAPITAL, STANFIELD’S LTD.
MEMBER, DALHOUSIE UNIVERSITY BOARD OF GOVERNORS,
QUEEN’S SCHOOL OF BUSINESS ADVISORY BOARD
The DEP is the only program of its
kind in Canada that bears the seal of
the director community itself.
DEP Graduates are part of a national
network of 3,800 directors and over
10,000 ICD members across Canada.
A dynamic learning environment rich
with peer-to-peer insights, director
dilemmas, board and committee
simulations, and case studies.
Acclaimed faculty - Taught by national
and local academics, seasoned
directors and leading governance
experts.
Flexible scheduling - Modules may be
taken in any of the 11 cities where the
DEP is offered (space permitting).
First step towards the ICD.D
designation upon completion of
a written examination and a board
meeting simulation chaired and vicechaired by some of Canada’s most
senior directors.
Non-members of the ICD receive a
complimentary one-year membership
upon application.
ATTAIN YOUR ICD.D AND BE MORE EFFECTIVE AS A DIRECTOR.
The Halifax offering of the DEP is being offered in collaboration with the
Sobey School of Business, Saint Mary’s University.
MODULE I: April 1-3, 2016
MODULE II: June 17-19, 2016
MODULE III: September 16 -18, 2016
MODULE IV: October 28-30, 2016
APPLICATION DEADLINE: Dec. 18, 2015
CONTACT THE ICD
AND APPLY TODAY.
1.877.593.7741 x228
[email protected]
icd.ca/DEP
In collaboration with:
Jointly developed by:
HALIFAX PARTNERSHIP
Youth retention
a game changer
This is our city’s defining moment
@HfxPartnership
Halifax has great restaurants, music, culture,
history. We’ve also got the ocean — it’s a natural
draw. Everybody should want to live here.””
— Ron Hanlon,
President and Ceo, Halifax Partnership
RON HANLON PRESIDENT AND CEO, HALIFAX PARTNERSHIP
A smart company — a smart leader —
knows when it’s time for a new way of
doing business. An even smarter leader
knows when it’s time for a new way of
thinking.
Companies have had to be lean
and have had to operate in survival
mode for so long that, to some extent,
they’ve gotten used to it. Switching from
surviving to thriving demands a change
in thinking. It requires commitment and
determination.
Halifax requires this change in
thinking, as we stare down the most
pressing issue in generations: we are
not attracting enough immigrants; baby
boomers are retiring en masse; and we
are losing our youth at an alarming rate.
We are simply not replacing these people
fast enough.
We need to reverse this trend. It’s
Halifax’s defining moment.
That’s where Halifax Partnership’s
Game Changers Action Plan, which we
launched last month, comes in. Halifax
faces a net loss of 1,300 young people between the ages of 20 to 29 every year. They
take with them energy, ideas, potential
and vision. They also take $1.2 billion in
lifetime after-tax income each year.
What can we do, right now, to
bridge the gap? Hire youth. Wherever
possible, give a new grad a chance. It’s
as straightforward as that. It brings us
closer to where we want to be and to
where we need to be five to 10 years
from now.
From a purely business standpoint,
traditionally this has been perceived as
risky, time consuming or unnecessary.
Studies show that the short term
investment will pay off. A young person
brings with them a clean slate and a
level of “currentness” that only new
graduates possess. Pair them with a
veteran employee as a mentor and more
often than not your company will end
up with multiple energized employees.
Invariably these individuals show their
growth potential quickly and contribute
beyond your expectations, ensuring that
your short term investment more than
pays off.
If your company lacks capital to
hire, a co-op program is an option. Or
get involved in the Halifax Partnership’s
award-winning Connector Program
to help young people build their
professional network and connect with
job opportunities your contacts offer.
BUSINESS VOICE
Our organization’s mandate is to
move business and our economy forward
through private/public partnerships
and Game Changers is one of our most
ambitious projects to date. Retaining
the 1,300 young professionals who leave
our city each year depends on you, our
business leaders, making hiring youth a
priority. Joining our Game Changers plan
signals a long-term commitment to your
company and our city.
In business, as in life, we can change
the way people behave by rewriting
the rules. But real and lasting change
requires changing the way people think.
At some point we, as leaders, need to buy
into the plan; Halifax has reached that
point.
If we don’t take action now, we may
never get another chance. Halifax’s
defining moment requires making a
commitment and taking a risk. The
payoff is not only huge but also essential
to ensuring a vibrant and thriving Halifax
for generations to come.
Seize this opportunity for your
company, for your city. Your great
grandchildren will thank you.
Visit www.halifaxgamechangers.com
to join us in changing the game.
33
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URBAN DEVELOPMENT
SPECIAL FEATURE
Involved and engaged
Every community wants a vibrant business community that will attract
jobs, safe housing, and recreational opportunities, whether you’re talking
about downtown Dartmouth, Hubbards, or Sheet Harbour.”
– Bob Bjerke,
Chief Planner and Director, Planning and Development for the HRM
In terms of land mass, Toronto and
the Halifax Regional Municipality, are
roughly the same size. However, HRM,
with a population one-tenth of Toronto’s
— and being composed of almost 200
smaller communities — has both more elbow room and totally different challenges
when it comes to urban planning.
“Each community has its different
activities, developments, and focus,” Bob
Bjerke, the Chief Planner and Director,
Planning and Development for the HRM,
says. “But one of the good things is that
they are all under one single government.”
There are also many similarities
among the various HRM communities.
Every community wants a vibrant business community that will attract jobs,
safe housing, and recreational opportunities, whether you’re talking about
downtown Dartmouth, Hubbards, or
Sheet Harbour.
One issue faced by every community
is transportation. Our geography factors
into that and visitors are often amazed to
see gridlock as people leave the peninsula
at the beginning and end of the day’s
work. Fortunately, on the average day, the
duration is much shorter than it would be
in a more populous municipality.
“In the whole centre of the region,
we have eight points of access — four on
either side of the harbour,” he says. “So
we have to think about how we use them
— whether it’s going to work earlier or
staying later or thinking about how we
use mass transit. The conversation about
commuter rail is also showing that we’re
thinking about the future. So the fact that
we’re having a regional conversation on
how to move transportation forward is
very helpful.”
Bjerke is very positive about the
direction Halifax is taking. He points to
BUSINESS VOICE
Illustration: Sean Prior/123RF
Effective urban planning puts people front and centre By Carol Dobson
the vibe created around the new library
and the excitement that will be generated
when the new convention centre opens,
as well as the shipbuilding contract as
positives for the city.
While those are big items, organizations around the city are doing small
things that have a big impact. As an
example, this year’s “downtown pianos”
event drew people to three different locations where they could sit and tickle the
ivories at their leisure. He also looks at
the various efforts it change streetscapes,
such as the argyle-style paint that the
Downtown Business Commission added
to Argyle Street as an innovative way to
get people talking.
“These types of partnerships are
great because they get people involved
and enable them to do more things to get
people engaged in the life of our downtowns.”
35
SPECIAL FEATURE
ENERGY USAGE & SUPPLY
Innovative savings
Truro Nissan wins small business award for energy efficiency Contributed by: Efficiency Nova Scotia
When Nissan set out to build a new
facility in Truro, innovation was top of
mind.
“Everything that we do is making
sure that we’re innovative,” says John
MacNeil, Vice President, Truro Nissan.
“That’s no different in our buildings, it’s
no different than the lighting we use —
we want to make sure that we’re definitely innovative at all times.”
That thinking recently earned Truro
Nissan a 2015 Bright Business award in
the small business category. The award
recognizes a small business in Nova Scotia for a project that results in substantial
energy savings and positively impacts the
company and its employees.
President, Duane Rath, says energy
efficient features make the building more
comfortable for staff. Key features — like
lighting — also help showcase vehicles to
potential customers. “That certainly was
a win-win for us. We’re saving money,
plus we’re doing an even better job displaying our product in our location.”
Truro Nissan worked with Efficiency
Nova Scotia to include features like insulated concrete form (ICF), and in-floor
heating in its new facility in Onslow.
“From our shop floor, to our showroom, to the parking lot lighting — all the
lighting is LED. Everything is 100 per
cent LED,” says MacNeil.
In addition to being more efficient,
LEDs are more versatile, durable and
last longer. This means there is less time
wasted on maintenance and changing
bulbs. Plus, these energy efficient upgrades are expected to save Truro Nissan
$32,000 a year.
CO
PR MP
OF LE
IL TE
E
TO YOU
GE R B
U
T
ST SIN
AR E
TE SS
D.
Energy efficient upgrades
help you cut costs and
make your business
more profitable.
36
DECEMBER
2015
SPECIAL FEATURE
ENERGY USAGE & SUPPLY
Powering up
Nova Scotia looking towards sustainable energy future By Carol Dobson
The province has done a great deal of work to ensure
that it is not dependent on one source of fuel.”
– Muray Coolican,
Deputy Minister of the Department of Energy
Reliable electricity generation is a
prerequisite for our modern lifestyle. The
ongoing challenge is in generating that
power in an affordable and sustainable
manner.
“For the last number of years, we’ve
been facing the challenge of how to reduce
our greenhouse gas emissions,” Muray
Coolican, the Deputy Minister of the Department of Energy, says. “A majority of
our power generating stations burned oil
and we were hit during the price shocks of
the ’70s. Then we transitioned to coal. But
when you’re dependent on one source of
fuel, you’re fine when the price goes down,
but not when it goes up.”
The province has done a great deal
of work to ensure that it is not dependent on one source of fuel. Coolican
says targets were set to have one quarter
of the province’s electricity generated
by renewable sources by 2015, and the
province has met that target. The next
target is to have 40 per cent generated by
renewables by 2020 and he says that is
definitely achievable, and probably will
be achieved before the date.
A visible sign of this work is the
number of windfarms popping up around
the province. While wind can be intermittent, it can be said that there is always
wind blowing somewhere in this province,
whether it’s winds blowing in off the Bay
of Fundy or Les Souetes rolling over the
mountains in Cape Breton. To complement wind power, and provide backup,
Coolican says biomass is being used.
He says the COMFIT program,
where small energy generators can feed
their excess energy into the grid has been
successful.
“This type of community ownership has been extremely successful for
our First Nations communities,” he says.
“They’re generating more energy than is
used in all of their communities across
the province and that’s both a source of
revenue and pride.”
The Maritime Link will be another
source of renewable energy for the province and it has a target date of 2020.
Coolican says that the province —
through Efficiency Nova Scotia and Nova
Scotia Power — has a number of programs to assist citizens in making their
homes more energy efficient at no cost to
the homeowner.
“We’re completing an energy plan
for the province,” he says. “We’ve had
consultations around the province, conducted an opinion survey, and have held
meetings with stakeholders. One thing
we’ve heard is that people want stability
in their electricity rates.”
Natural gas is another component
of energy generation and Coolican says
the Tufts Cove plant alternates between
natural gas and oil, depending on the
price. The current trend is to burn
natural gas in the summer, when its
price is lower, and then switch to oil
during the winter months, when the
price of natural gas rises. As it stands
now, he says Nova Scotians are paying
the highest price in all of North America
for natural gas.
Tidal power is very much on the
mind of the government as efforts to
harness the Bay of Fundy tides are
underway.
“We expect to have two turbines
in the Bay at the Cape Sharp project by
the end of the year,” he says. “There are
a number of different companies using
different technologies to learn how to
create electricity there. One benefit of
the competition is that it will bring down
the final cost.”
The failed attempt, a few years ago,
of placing a turbine in the Bay, only to
see it demolished in a matter of days,
did bring some benefit.
“It proved to us that there was more
energy in the Bay than we expected,
therefore it’s important to get the technology right.”
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37
MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR
Let’s make real change
happen at City Hall in 2016
Strong, sustainable growth needs more action
ROB BATHERSON
CHAIR OF THE BOARD
W
e are now a month into a new federal
government under the leadership of Prime
Minister Justin Trudeau. Elected by
Canadians with a mandate to deliver real
change, the Trudeau government includes
11 Liberal MPs elected from Nova Scotia.
A majority of Halifax and Nova Scotia
voters cast their ballots for this government. It’s exciting to see the potential of
a new government with such strong support from our city and our province. And
wasn’t it great to see voter turnout in Nova
Scotia and across Canada reach levels not
seen in more than 20 years?
As I committed to you in my September Business Voice column during
the recent election campaign, regardless of who’s in government, the Halifax
Chamber of Commerce will continue to
be the voice for you — our members — in
championing your priorities — a lower
tax burden, common sense regulations,
a more vibrant downtown and more immigration. These priorities are part and
parcel of our strategic plan to see Halifax
become one of Canada’s top three growth
cities by 2018. Indeed, even before the
new Trudeau government was sworn
in, our CEO Valerie Payn wrote a letter
in support of Nova Scotia Immigration
Minister Lena Diab’s call on the federal
government to remove the cap on new
immigrants to our province under the
provincial nominee program.
Next year, we will be focusing more
attention on City Hall. Mark it in your
calendar — we will choose Halifax’s
Mayor and Council on Saturday, Oct. 15,
38
@rbatherson
2016. This makes the spring 2016 municipal budget even more important.
Last month, at his Annual State of
Municipality Address, Mayor Mike Savage
was recognized for the progress Halifax
has made over the last three years. Mayor
Savage graciously extended credit with his
colleagues on council and many businesspeople who are doing their part to drive
growth and job creation in Halifax.
Notwithstanding Halifax’s ongoing
moves in the right direction, we must do
more as a city. We need to keep pressing the Mayor and Council — as well as
candidates for these offices when they
step up to run later this year – to adopt an
agenda for sustainable growth. I continue
It’s exciting to see the
potential of a new
government with such
strong support from our
city and our province.”
to hear from businesses that are ready,
willing and able to pursue growth, create jobs and generate more revenues for
government to provide essential services
to our family, friends and neighbours.
We need to always find a way to say
YES! to these ideas and proposals instead
of just accepting the reasons why something can’t be done.
What does an agenda for sustainable
growth look like?
This fall, the Halifax Chamber of
Commerce shared our recommendations
to Mayor Savage and Council, consistent
with our strategic plan. You can read the
full municipal issues note at www.halifaxchamber.com under policy library.
For the Halifax Chamber, an agenda
for sustainable growth should focus on
reducing the tax burden, championing
common sense regulations, building a
vibrant downtown core and promoting
immigration.
DECEMBER
2015
REDUCE THE TAX BURDEN
– Keep municipal expenditures and
tax rates under control to avoid a repeat
of the last budget’s surprise tax increase.
– Negotiate collective agreements
that are fair to employee, affordable to
taxpayers and will not lead to higher
taxes in the future.
– Avoid commercial tax reform options that favour one type of business
over others. Chamber members want to
succeed on their own merits on a level
playing field.
CHAMPION COMMON SENSE
REGULATIONS
– Reduce the municipal regulatory
burden and collaborate with other levels
of government wherever possible.
– Clearly and publicly measure and
report on development approval timelines. There’s no public data on this in
more than two years. This is wrong and
should be corrected.
HELP BUILD A VIBRANT
DOWNTOWN CORE
– Approve Halifax Transit’s Moving
Forward Together plan. Good public transit is good for business, good for environment, good for employees and good for
helping people around our geographically
large city;
– Maintain the city’s progress on the
Regional Centre Plan project and avoid
unnecessary delays.
PROMOTE IMMIGRATION
– Help make Halifax an even more
welcoming city for immigrants and international students.
Taking these steps can bring about
more real, positive change for our city,
our businesses, our fellow citizens and
our economy.
Melinda Gates once said: “Optimism
isn’t a passive expectation that things will
get better, it is a conviction that we can
make things better.”
Let’s be optimistic as we finish up
2015 and move into 2016 and make things
better in Halifax.
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