Business & Industry North Summer 2014 by Business & Industry

INFRASTRUCTURE [ DEPARTMENT ] IN SASKATCHEWAN

THE ECONOMICS OF NEW STADIUMS

SUMMER 2014 VOLUME 3 ISSUE 2

MAGNA ELECTRIC

Working & Growing in Saskatchewan

C02 ENHANCED OIL RECOVERY

north sask

THE

INFRASTRUCTURE

EDITION

[ DEPT ] www.worksafesask.ca

www.safesask.com

I BELIEVE IN MISSION: ZERO

â&#x20AC;&#x153;

Since committing to the Mission: Zero charter in 2010, our safety record has improved every year. It is a huge part of everything we do, and we continually increase our investment in the program. Our return on investment is measured by the health and well being of our employees. We all share the responsibility for safety at work; we watch out for one another because we care. We take pride in Alliance Energy's commitment to Mission: Zero and strive to promote workplace safety on local, provincial, and federal levels.

â&#x20AC;?

Bryan Leverick, President Alliance Energy

Join the Mission: Zero movement by signing the Saskatchewan Health & Safety Leadership Charter. Call 306.352.3810 or email info@safesask.com for more information.

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[ DEPARTMENT ]

Welcome to York Executive Properties For your short or extended stays in Saskatoon, York Executive Properties offers a leading alternative to hotels. Whether temporarily assigned on business, or relocating and need a place to stay, you can feel at home away from home in a beautiful, contemporary suite in the heart of the city. York Executive Properties offers fully-furnished, spacious one or two bedroom suites featuring several amenities to ensure a comfortable stay, including: • • • • • •

fully equipped kitchen in-suite washer and dryer housekeeping services workspace with free Internet access and cable TV surface or underground parking fitness club access

Please contact us at 306.229.9098 for reservations or for more information on how York Executive Properties can help make your stay in Saskatoon an effortless and hassle-free experience.

York Executive Properties 306.229.9098 www.yorkexecutiveproperties.com

WiTH business & indusTRy associaTe publisHeR, paul HubeR

recently came across a great quote that highlights why we are so interested in focusing on Saskatchewan infrastructure for our summer edition: “A rising tide doesn’t raise people who don’t have a boat. We have to build the boat for them. We have to give them the basic infrastructure to rise with the tide.” Although the metaphor fits well with the excessive amount of water we have received this spring, it is really about the rising economic tide Saskatchewan is experiencing. From the first steps of constructing a new Mosaic stadium to the development of our highway systems to the expansion of our businesses and corporations, Saskatchewan is very aware of its demand and need for infrastructure — new and renewed. It’s the foundation that supports our daily lives and that foundation is always in need of repair and expansion. This edition looks at a variety of infrastructure challenges in the province and speaks to some of the prominent concerns confronting business and industrial sectors. For more information about the magazine, please visit our website at businessandindustry.ca. We are always happy to get feedback and discuss issues with our readers. Take care and have a safe and fun summer!

BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY NORTH SASK

north sask

volume 3 issue 2 editors erin legg lori mcKay sherry lee

erinl@bizmags.ca lorim@bizmags.ca sherryl@bizmags.ca

Art Direction amber moon, senior lisa Redden, associate Design natasha burkholder staff Writers melanie Furlong, Tobie Hainstock, Tonya lambert, Trina annand Cover Photography deanne bell Photography adam leclaire, cameco corp., canadian light source, city of Regina, magna electric, megan antoniuk photography, stephen Rutherford, Terra Fehr, sReda Worksafe saskatchewan Contributing Writers brook Thalgott, collin K. Hirschfeld, norm sacuta, paul Huber, paul sinkewicz phil symchych, shannon & byron briske victoria martinez, Worksafe saskatchewan Advertising Consultants crystal Reich Jason booker paul Huber Associate Publisher paul Huber paulh@bizmags.ca

crystal@bizmags.ca jason@bizmags.ca paulh@bizmags.ca

306.551.6632

Distribution & subscriptions paulh@bizmags.ca business & industry north sask is published four times a year. We reserve the right to edit any materials chosen for publication including photographs. We reserve the right to reject or accept any article, photograph, image or advertisement. all contents of business & industry north sask is copyrighted 2014 with all rights reserved, except for original articles submitted to business & industry north sask, where copyright resides with the author. no other part of this publication may be reproduced without the written permission of business & industry north sask or its writers. The name business & industry north sask, its logo and material cannot be reproduced without the written consent of the publishers. The views and opinions expressed in the expert advice columns herein are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views and opinions of business & industry north sask or the companies it represents. The information contained herein is of a general nature and is not intended to address the circumstances of any particular individual or entity. although we endeavour to provide accurate and timely information, there can be no guarantee that such information is accurate as of the date it is received or that it will continue to be accurate in the future. no one should act upon such information without appropriate professional advice after a thorough examination of the particular situation.

[ DEPARTMENT ]

Let’s talk Navigating the complex world of business technology can be a challenge. SaskTel can help you overcome these challenges by providing: • Insight through IT consultation • Strategies for systems implementation • Expert solutions to suit your unique business needs With world-class infrastructure and local Experts, SaskTel is committed to providing you quality end-to-end solutions for your business.

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BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY NORTH SASK

CONTENTS

INFRASTRUCTURE INFRASTRUCTURE IN SASKATCHEWAN

Entrepreneurship

Safety

Saskatchewan Industry

Science & Technology

Legal

46 6

Saskatchewan Junior Achievers; Saskatchewan Business Challenge (SKBC) Awards

Respect the Workspace

C02 Enhanced Oil Recovery

Advancements in Uranium-Driven Energy at the Canadian Light Source; CCWESTT Conference 2014

Buildersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Liens: Knowing Your Rights

Finance

Keys to Business Infrastructure

BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY NORTH SASK

Regional Economics

The Economics of New Stadiums; Life Without the Film Tax Credit

Magna Electric:

WORKING & GROWING IN SASKATCHEWAN 61

Sask. Life

Saskatchewan: Live, Work and Play

EVENT

Upcoming Conventions, Trade Shows, Workshops and Events

CALENDAR SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2014 ▶

▶

SEPTEMBER 8 - 13

Saskatoon Corporate Challenge

SEPTEMBER 9

Saskatchewan P3 Summit 2014 The Delta, Regina

▶

SEPTEMBER 8 - 13

SEPTEMBER 10 - 11

Lloydminster Heavy Oil Show Lloydminster Exhibition Building

▶

SEPTEMBER 23 - 24

STEP Trade Conference 2014 Radisson Hotel

▶

OCTOBER 5 - 8

SEPTEMBER 23 - 24

Agriculture Biotechnology International Conference 2014 TCU Place

▶

OCTOBER 7

North Saskatoon Business Association: Lessons Learned Wilson Centre for Entrepreneurial Excellence

OCTOBER 5 - 8

BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY NORTH SASK

[ ENTREPRENEURSHIP ]

Saskatchewan’s Junior Achievers

Celebrate Success, Honour Business Hall of Fame BY TOBIE HAINSTOCK PHOTOS COURTESY ADAM LECLAIRE OF PICTURE PERFECT PORTRAITS PHOTOS

It was an exciting evening packed with incredible talent and infectious energy. The Junior Achievement (JA) of Saskatchewan concluded this year’s program May 28 at TCU Place in Saskatoon. The purpose of the evening was to celebrate the hard work and ingenuity of the young members (Achievers) of the program.

esigned to offer business education programs to elementary, middle and high schools in partnership with volunteers, businesses and educators, JA is a global organization that teaches and inspires young people in 122 countries around the world. Over the course of one semester, high school students develop a product, along with

BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY NORTH SASK

a business and marketing plan. By learning business through a hands-on approach, the Achievers gain a better and more realistic knowledge of the ups and downs of entrepreneurship. “What Junior Achievement has taught so many young people over the years can’t be taught only from a book,” says Darren Hill, president and CEO of Junior Achievement of Saskatchewan.

Whether it’s a new snack food, an innovative way of repurposing used items or a new digital service, the students are expected to market their businesses in real life scenarios. “Students are working with real money and they have to prove what they are doing will work,” comments Hill. “They will make mistakes and they might even go bankrupt, but that’s real life. You can’t learn this from a text book.” This year’s Business Hall of Fame Inductees were Betty Anne LatraceHenderson of Airline Hotels and Grant Kook, founder, president and chief executive officer of Westcap Management Limited. Both Latrace-Henderson and Kook encourage entrepreneurs to challenge themselves and enjoy the thrill of their journey. According to Hill, some of the criteria for being chosen as an inductee includes having a solid background in business, fulfilling the mandate of the JA, contributing to youth in business and being an active member of the community. Both inductees have been icons in the Saskatoon business community for decades.

forward and change your destiny,” she states. “Everyone’s so afraid to make mistakes, but mistakes will take you to the next level.” Latrace-Henderson explains that as you learn from your mistakes, your goals will adjust, “A dream or destiny should be ever-changing.”

The Business & Philanthropic Leadership of Grant Kook For 25 years, Grant Kook has been instrumental in developing, capitalizing and managing a specialized family of funds that fill capital gaps in Saskatchewan. Over the decades, his ventures have included The Golden Opportunities Fund Incorporated, HeadStart on a Home Program, First Nations and Métis, the Business Ready Investment Development Gateway (BRIDG) Program and recently, Saskatchewan’s first fund focused solely on management buyouts (succession planning) with Saskatchewan business leaders.

The Entrepreneurial Influence of Betty Anne Latrace-Henderson In 2000, Betty Anne Latrace-Henderson became president of her family’s business, Airline Hotels. Since then, LatraceHenderson has expanded the company, taking it from two hotels in Saskatchewan, to nine hotels and one laundry facility in four provinces Canada-wide. Today, Airline Hotels employs 850 associates and earns more than $40 million annually. Under her strong leadership, Airline Hotels operates in accordance with their mission of “Respect, Integrity, Teamwork and Entrepreneurship.” Over the years, Latrace-Henderson has received a number of awards, such as Canada’s Top Female Entrepreneur in 2009 and Ernst and Young’s 2010 Entrepreneur of the Year, Prairie Region. In 2011, Airline Hotels was named one of Canada’s Best Managed Companies and one of Canada’s Top Employers for Youth. Latrace-Henderson encourages young entrepreneurs to take control of their own fate. “Don’t be afraid to take a step OPPOSITE Shara Marchildon from the Broadway BID presents the Teamwork Award to PractiQuality TOP Business Hall of Fame inductee, Grant Kook, with wife, Liza Kook BELOW Kevin Stanfield from Global Television presents the Advertising Contest Award to Enigma BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY NORTH SASK

[ ENTREPRENEURSHIP ]

LEFT Tyrone Johnstone from TD Canada Trust presents the Financial Management Award to Navdeep Hansra from Centennial Collegiate RIGHT Business Hall of Fame inductee, Betty Anne Latrace Henderson, with husband, Brian Henderson

Kook is well known for his business and philanthropic achievements and has received several awards over the years, including the 2013 Saskatchewan Order of Merit, the 2013 ACCE Chinese Canadian Entrepreneur Award for Community Involvement and the 2012 Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Commemorative Medal. When addressing the Junior Achievers and other entrepreneurs, Kook offers this advice: • There’s no predefined course. The path is not clear and there are many ways to

get there. “Don’t be in a hurry,” he says. “The road is about making mistakes and learning from them.” • Your reputation is your best asset. Conduct yourself with integrity and honesty. • Create your own opportunity. It’s not about luck; it’s about putting yourself in the right place. • Define what success means to you. It shouldn’t be about money because there’s always more money to make and you will only be disappointed in the end.

The Future Looks Bright Darren Hill expresses excitement about the future of business. “The creative ideas our Achievers are coming up with are very impressive, particularly in the areas of product development and marketing.” He adds if these JA participants are any indication of what’s to come, Saskatchewan’s business sector is in excellent hands. www.jasask.org

This awards ceremony recognized students for their distinctive efforts. Awards were given to participants from Saskatoon and area in the following categories: TEAMWORK AWARD

HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGEMENT

PRODUCT DESIGN

PractiQuality, Evan Hardy Collegiate

Nitanis Vandale of PractiQuality, Evan Hardy Collegiate

Kick Glass, Weyburn Comprehensive School

SALESPERSON OF THE YEAR Justin Vo of QIWIX, E.D. Feehan High School

PRODUCTION EXCELLENCE

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY EXCELLENCE

Allen Yang of Aura, Centennial Collegiate

Riel Castro-Zunti of Twinesty, Bethlehem Catholic High School

MOST IMPROVED COMPANY

MARKETING EXCELLENCE

Serenity Scents, Walter Murray Collegiate

ENVIRONMENT, HEALTH AND SAFETY Christiana Lee of Aura, Centennial Collegiate

SPIRIT OF JA Katarina Kostiha for Serenity Scents, Walter Murray Collegiate

BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY NORTH SASK

Ryssa Mae Alarcon of PractiQuality, Evan Hardy Collegiate

FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT Navdeep Hansra of Aura, Centennial Collegiate

PRESIDENT OF THE YEAR Vivien Varga of Serenity Scents, Walter Murray Collegiate

BEST FIRST YEAR ACHIEVER Tyya Stewart of Twinesty, Tommy Douglas Collegiate

PROFESSIONAL LEADERSHIP Nimish Biswal of Aura, Centennial Collegiate

ACHIEVER OF THE YEAR Christina Zhang of PractiQuality, Evan Hardy Collegiate

COMPANY OF THE YEAR PractiQuality, Evan Hardy Collegiate

[ ENTREPRENEURSHIP ]

Winners AWArded

in 2014 SaSkatchewan BuSineSS challenge BY TONYA LAMBERT PhOTOS COuRTESY TERRA FEhR, SREDA

Innovative ideas and ingenious solutions were on the menu at the 2014 Saskatchewan Business Challenge

nnovative ideas and ingenious solutions were on the menu at the 2014 Saskatchewan Business Challenge (SKBC) SYPE Silver Spade Awards held at the Sheraton Cavalier in Saskatoon June 26. Hosted by Saskatchewan Young Professionals and Entrepreneurs (SYPE) in conjunction with Regina Regional Opportunities Commission (RROC) and Saskatoon Regional Economic Development Authority (SREDA) â&#x20AC;&#x201D; co-organizers of the annual Saskatchewan Business Challenge â&#x20AC;&#x201D; the dinner and awards recognized the hard work and dedication of entrepreneurs from throughout the province and honoured significant achievements in the field. Several of the awards marked the culmination of the SKBC, six months of intensive training, mentoring, networking and competition.

BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY NORTH SASK

[ ENTREPRENEURSHIP ]

OPPOSITE Top 10 SKBC teams, L-R: Devon Fiddler (She Native), Kenny Zhen (Magic Ice), Dr. Axel Rohrmann (OrthoPrint, Second runner up SKBC), Brent Currie/Jessie Jardine (Cook by Colours), Serese Selanders (Kasiel Solutions, winner of SKBC), Sean heitmar (Vivid Auto Graphics), Maile Crowe/Danica Slattery (ThRIVE Juice CO.), Jay Maharaj (Quicklinkt Solutions Inc.), Thomas Chevalier (IMBh-Bast Fiber Processing). ABOVE LEFT Jim George, interim CEO & president, SREDA MIDDLE Jordan Boesh & Andree Carpentier, 7ShIFTS, receive Volta Award RIGhT Lisa Dunville, KPMG LLP, receives Young Professional of the Year. LOWER SKBC Runners-up, Cook by Colours, Brent Currie & Jessie Jardine

The SKBC began in January when organizers received a record number of applications to participate: more than 60. “Industry professionals reviewed these applications and selected the top 21 participants to advance to the second round based on the innovation, viability and growth potential of their business idea,” states Evelyn Cerda, economic development officer at RROC. The second round of the challenge, known as Design Weekend, took place in Saskatoon and Regina from March 28 to 30. Entrepreneurs participated at the location most convenient for them. Following two days of whirlwind meetings with industry leaders in marketing, human resources, technology and finance/accounting — each of whom provided participants with advice on how to improve their business plans by identifying weaknesses and suggesting possible solutions — participants pitched their newly revised business plans to a panel of judges.

BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY NORTH SASK

The 10 finalists advanced to a Business Boot Camp on April 11, hosted by SREDA. During the daylong camp, participants learned more from Saskatchewan industry leaders about many aspects of setting up and running your own business, such as incorporation, human resource management, financial planning and online resources. For the next monthand-a-half, each participant worked closely with their assigned mentor to revise and refine their business plans, which were submitted to the judging committee at the end of May. In June, participants pitched their plans to judges during a short limo ride. Participants described competing in the SKBC as a great learning experience. Dami Egbeyemi of Neurofitness Centre states, “The biggest part of the Challenge was doing so much in such a short period of time.” Thomas Chevalier of IMBH spoke of the need to be vulnerable and allow other people to critique and

registration from Blacksun. Axel Rohrmann and OrthoPrint were awarded third place. OrthoPrint will allow podiatrists to use 3-D printing technology to make customized orthotic devices for their patients. The third place prize includes $2,000 cash, consulting services from Deloitte, $3,500 worth of training services from Chris Street Negotiation & Sales, and one year of website hosting/domain registration from Blacksun. Thomas Chevalier and IMBH, a company specializing in producing highquality products from hemp, received fourth place. This includes consulting services from Deloitte, a $2,000 line of credit at Tradebank, and six months of website hosting/domain registration from Blacksun.

ABOVE Kevin Thompson, Industrial Alliance Securities, receives Peddle Award

dissect your ideas. According to Danica Slattery and Maile Crowe, co-owners of Thrive Juice Co., they already knew at the beginning of the SKBC where they wanted their business to go, but they did not always know how to get there; the SKBC taught them how to do this. States Devon Fiddler of SheNative Goods Inc., “I feel that I have come a long way. There have been many challenges. Throughout the SKBC, I constantly was pitching my business to people which was great practice; I have definitely gained confidence.” This is echoed by Kenny Zhen of Magic Ice, “When the SKBC started, Magic Ice was just an idea. Now, I know how to operate a business. I have gained financial and general business knowledge, and I know how to pitch my business.” Notes Axel Rohrmann of OrthoPrint, “During the SKBC, I learned just how much I did not know about business.” Every participant in the SKBC feels they benefited greatly from the expert advice and mentoring they received, as well as

the opportunities afforded them to forge connections and even partnerships with other members of the province’s business community. More than $50,000 in cash and in-kind services were awarded to the finalists at the awards dinner on June 26. First place went to Serese Selanders and Kasiel Solutions Inc., a company offering fall detection devices in the form of jewellery. The prize includes $10,000 cash, office space at Innovation Place, consulting services from Deloitte, a $2,000 line of credit at Tradebank, and one year of website hosting/domain registration from Blacksun. Second place was awarded to Brent Currie and Jessie Jardine with Cook by Colours Inc., a company that uses colourful graphics to teach young children, who cannot yet read, how to cook. The award includes $3,000 cash, $2,500 worth of marketing services by bCreative, consulting services from Deloitte, a $2,000 line of credit at Tradebank, and one year of website hosting/domain

Fifth place went to Kenny Zhen and Magic Ice, a company that markets ice sculpture moulds. The award includes consulting services from Praxis Consulting and six months of website hosting/domain registration from Blacksun. Blacksun will also provide six months of website hosting/domain registration to the five remaining finalists. The SKBC was created to provide entrepreneurs in the province with the tools they need to bring their innovative business ideas to fruition. The organizers of SKBC know that the development and growth of business, especially by entrepreneurs, is necessary for the provincial economy to continue to grow and thrive. As one of the participants, Sean Heitmar of Vivid Auto Graphics, notes, “Entrepreneurs are the backbone of the whole economy.” Finalist Devon Fiddler of SheNative Goods Inc. states, “A great entrepreneur is a go-getter, someone who goes and makes things happen.” As the SKBC again showed, making things happen as an entrepreneur is not easy; it requires a unique combination of creative thinking, practical knowledge, hard work and a willingness to take risks. Jim George, interim president of SREDA, reminded the entrepreneurs in the audience that they will experience great lows and extraordinary highs, but to always remember that, as entrepreneurs, they are living the Saskatchewan dream.

BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY NORTH SASK

[SAFETY]

RESPECT THE WORKSPACE 14

BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY NORTH SASK

BY WORKSAFE SASKATCHEWAN PHOTOS COURTESY WORKSAFE SASKATCHEWAN

e don’t yell in the library; we don’t wander in and out of a doctor’s exam room or throw food in restaurants, so why do people still think it’s okay to go speeding through a highway worker’s job site? That’s a question on the minds of a lot of highway workers this summer. Steve Wallace, executive director of the Heavy Construction Safety Association (HCSA) explains, “If I come to your office, I have to park my car, sign in at reception, you invite me in. When you come to our workplace, you basically have unlimited access. You come driving right through — we don’t even check if you have a driver’s license. Even when you slow to 60 km per hour, that’s a substantial speed. That puts us in a pretty vulnerable position.” Safety on site is a significant issue to the HCSA. According to the Saskatchewan WCB, 16 Saskatchewan youth (ages 18 to 24) died on the job between 2008 and 2013. Five of those were in the road construction industry. Ideally for worker safety, roads could be shut down for repair. The job would get done more quickly and at less worker peril, but completely closing a road to traffic during a repair usually isn’t a realistic solution. Most often, traffic is diverted alongside construction so vehicles pass right through the worksite.

Here, companies are able to slow down, divert and detour traffic to minimize the interaction with the workers. When roads are pocked with potholes, drivers complain about damage to their cars and unsafe conditions. But when drivers have to slow down or stop while those same roads are being fixed, they are equally frustrated. Wallace says, “As drivers, we need to accept the short-term pain of slowing down for construction for the longterm gain of smoother, safer roads. No one likes driving on deteriorating road surfaces, so we have to put up with the maintenance and repair time to get them back up to good shape.” In 2012, a young flag person was killed after she was struck by motorist who was speeding through a work zone. To prevent future injuries and deaths, the Ministry of Highways and Infrastructure and partners have instituted a number of changes to keep motorists and workers safe. Signage has increased. The first sign at a work zone will be an orange sign with a worker on it and the words “Workers Present.” This is the warning to slow down. The next sign is black and white and says “Maximum 60/Fines Triple.” At that point a driver must be slowed down.

Saskatchewan youth (ages 18 to 24) died on the job between 2008 and 2013

Other measures have also been put in place to slow down drivers and make them aware they are in a work zone. On some of the province’s busier highways, black and white gates and rumble strips may be used. Automated photo speed enforcement is being deployed randomly in highway work zones for the first time in Saskatchewan’s history. This project is being done in cooperation with partners such as the Ministry of Justice, SGI, the RCMP and the Saskatchewan Heavy Construction Association. Wallace hopes these new measures will improve Saskatchewan drivers respect of construction work areas, but he says it is not the signs, it is the people — the construction companies and the drivers — who have to work together to keep the area safe and get the job done. The companies have to respect drivers by only posting signage when the work is happening or when unsafe, rough or oil-covered conditions exist. “If a driver takes the same road every day, and sees the same sign and sees no work being done, he’s going to become complacent,” says Wallace. It breaks the drivers’ trust in the signage.

There are times when detours can be set up, but on highways, a grid road detour can cost a municipality thousands of dollars and it also causes drivers significant delays. In larger centres, companies will use fourfoot concrete barriers along the work site to isolate workers from traffic. This allows traffic to keep flowing alongside workers, while keeping workers safe. Wallace explains this is a solution with multi-lane, high-density traffic, but Saskatchewan’s traffic flow is still a low enough volume that the Ministry of Highways hasn’t deemed that necessary.

BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY NORTH SASK

[SAFETY]

What’s Your Distraction? Texting, arguing, talking on your handsfree phone or checking your GPS makes you just as dangerous behind the wheel as a drunk driver. Distraction has been identified as the leading cause of death on Saskatchewan highways for the past two years, and even if you think you can multitask behind the wheel, those on the road around you know that you can’t.

If there isn’t work being done, the HCSA urges construction companies to take down or cover the signs. “We will have better compliance and the signs will stay meaningful when they are only used when there is work being done.” Overall, the best solution to keep workers safe is to slow down, respect the construction zone, follow the directions at each site, and remember that at the end of the job, a new smooth surface awaits. For more information, visit: highways. gov.sk.ca/workzone/

BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY NORTH SASK

“We have to go to the door. We have to tell the parents or the wife. It’s terrible, especially if there are kids there. That’s by far the worst thing.” —Constable Trevor Bonnell, F Division Traffic Services Constable Trevor Bonnell, F Division Traffic Services, explains, “Even when there isn’t a device in someone’s hand, it’s obvious when someone’s eyes and mind aren’t on the road. You can see them swerving slightly in the lane, and at high speeds, that little swerve becomes extremely dangerous.”

Distraction at the wheel is more than cell use and texting. Fatigue, pets, sloppy food, dropping a lit cigarette, and noisy children all draw our attention from the road. We spend hours every week in our cars, but it is a myth that we can multitask effectively while we drive. A hands-free call is still dangerously distracting. An ergonomic study by Transport Canada and reported by the National Research Council compared the eye movements of concentrating drivers versus drivers using hands-free phones. Concentrating drivers viewed the road with a wide field of vision, scanning the roadway for hazards, remaining aware of the surroundings. When the drivers used hands-free phones, their viewing area narrowed to take in only a small percentage of the windshield, they reduced how often they checked their dashboard instruments and mirrors, they didn’t monitor traffic lights as carefully and some didn’t check traffic lights at all. A conversation with a passenger is a distraction, but passengers share the driver’s view of the road. In-person conversation naturally ebbs and flows with traffic outside, allowing a driver to focus. A conversing passenger will also be quick to point out impending danger. A caller on a phone call is unaware of high pressure traffic situations.

Inattention blindness could be deadly for you or anyone on the road around you. On the highway, a deer or moose can jump out of a ditch in seconds. A focused driver may have time to react. A distracted driver has no chance. Bonnell points out, “A lot can happen in a second at high speed. You are driving a behemoth of steel, metal and combustible material. The results of being distracted can be catastrophic.”

Don’t Drive Mad.

Emotional distraction is also an issue. “The text fight is a big problem,” says Bonnell. People have a disagreement so they get in the car, they read a text and they are angry. The driver is still thinking about the fight, or the last text he or she read. They start thinking about the next text. They are upset, and their minds are on everything but the road. Driving angry or upset is a recipe for disaster. If you are upset, turn off the phone, pull over and cool off, suggests Bonnell. It’s better to be alive and upset.

No Text is Worth It.

Seeing the results of distraction is the worst part of the job for Bonnell. “Going to the crashes is horrible. The destruction from a car crash is unbelievable, the metal and gasoline. To see people who are permanently injured or dead because of a choice they didn’t have to make. It’s awful looking down and pulling the blanket over someone’s face for the last time.” All too often, Bonnell is called on to go to knock on someone’s door to give the news that someone’s child or spouse won’t be coming home. “No one wants to see two of us on the door step with our hats in our hands. Going to the door to give that notice, that’s the hardest thing. “Sometimes, we get the call from another area of the province that the death was a person in our own area, so we have to go to that family’s door. We have to tell the parents or the wife. It’s terrible, especially if there are kids there. That’s by far the worst thing.” “I understand that death is part of the human experience, but I wish we didn’t have to make that visit.” It’s a visit that means the experience came too soon for someone.

“If you can’t wait for them to answer, you might be waiting forever.” — Constable Trevor Bonnell, F Division Traffic Services It Can Wait. August is one of the deadliest months on Saskatchewan highways, and Bonnell offers some advice. “If you know someone is leaving on a trip, don’t even text them. You might save their life.” When you do send a text, be patient for an answer. Tell friends and family that you won’t expect to hear from them until they arrive safely. Bonnell says, “If you can’t wait a little while for them to answer, you might end up waiting forever.”

Don’t

and drive. text be a DJ eat

Tips:

fight read do your hair

What’s your distraction? Keep your hands on the wheel and your eyes on the road.

Turn your phone off or put it in your trunk while driving. Set your phone voicemail and text messaging to auto-reply. Indicate when you are driving and away from the phone so you can relax and know people aren’t expecting you to hear from you immediately. Teach your teens to put away the phone when they drive. Check your teen driver’s text records. If they have used the phone when you know they have been behind the wheel, take the phone or suspend their driving privileges. When your rent a car, take time to learn the controls before you are in motion. Check your route and destination before you are underway. Don’t watch your GPS route map as your drive. Know your limits for distraction. Speak up if passengers are loud in the car. Teach children to respect the driver. Secure pets for your safety and theirs. Don’t eat messy food and hot drinks. Secure beverages.

WCBSK-0594B_Resto_13x17.indd 1

2014-06-10 1:59 PM

What’s Your Distraction? How many of these do you find yourself doing on a regular road trip? ❒ Talking on the phone ❒ Reading texts ❒ Sending texts ❒ Smoking ❒ Eating ❒ Drinking hot beverages ❒ Holding a pet ❒ Changing stations on the radio ❒ Checking the GPS screen ❒ Grooming (brushing hair, applying make-up) ❒ Daydreaming

BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY NORTH SASK

[ COVER STORY ]

MAGNA ELECTRIC:

Working and Growing in Saskatchewan BY TOBIE HAINSTOCK

BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY NORTH SASK

A Strong Step Forward

y adapting to meet the demands of Saskatchewan’s marketplace, MEC has grown revenue in excess of 700 per cent and expanded to more than 700 employees since 2007. MEC still has an appetite for development and has noticed a market need for an electrical company with capacity across North America. As a result of this observation, in December, Shermco Industries acquired MEC to become the largest independent electrical testing and maintenance service company in North America. The acquisition has doubled Shermco’s operating scale and significantly expanded the company’s ability to serve trans-border customers and projects. MEC’s current head office in Regina has become the Canadian head office of Shermco and will continue to be led by CEO Kerry Heid. The combined company will follow the same safety, operating and quality management policies and procedures as MEC. “We are very pleased to join the Shermco team and contribute to the significantly expanded scale and extended reach of the company. There are tremendous opportunities being created as Canadian companies work to meet strong demand for energy across North America, as well as a wide range of other products and services. By joining forces, we will be better positioned to help our customers meet those critical needs,” comments Heid.

When you’re dedicated to giving the best to your clients, you will go the extra mile to develop your skills and expertise. Magna Electric Corporation (MEC) is strongly committed to continued improvement and innovation, which is reflected in the practice of constantly reviewing and realigning internal resources.

Common Backgrounds The acquisition is ideal for both companies on many levels. From the grassroots beginnings to the growth and leadership they’ve experienced today, Shermco and MEC have much in common. Both companies boast industry-leading safety training practices and training centres for employees, customers and professionals working in other industries. Shermco and MEC believe one of the best investments made in a company is ensuring the services and products meet the highest standards and making this investment through

BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY NORTH SASK

[ COVER STORY ]

voluntary participation in international quality control organizations. According to Heid, the two companies have a strong and successful history of doing business together. They’ve partnered on such projects as the first phase of the Keystone pipeline and Hurricane Sandy disaster recovery efforts. As one company, they will offer large-scale electrical maintenance to trans-border projects and facilities completed in a minimal timeframe; this is a result of increased manpower and continuing service to existing and local clients. “It really is the best fit for everyone overall,” adds Heid.

Growing in Saskatchewan Saskatchewan continues to face the challenges associated with growth. There has been an increased demand among

BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY NORTH SASK

energy, industrial and utility customers across the province as the need for new infrastructure — and repair of existing infrastructure — continues to grow. Together with Shermco, MEC has the capital needed to invest in necessary means to deliver quality work for projects of every size. As a result of the acquisition, MEC has made a number of investments in the Saskatchewan operations. MEC will need to train more students, retain graduates and continue to bring trained individuals to Saskatchewan to meet the employment targets of the company. The expansion will allow the company to develop through satellite offices in booming communities in Saskatchewan and throughout Canada. All aspects of MEC’s work area are growing in Saskatchewan and it has expanded its range of service offerings — from electrical power system

engineering and testing to construction, manufacturing and commissioning. These services are highly complementary to those provided by Shermco and continue to grow the services offered by the company. Together with Shermco, MEC is generating growth and rising to the challenges of the growing Saskatchewan marketplace.

Why an Acquisition? MEC is a leader in establishing programs where everyone employed, every product manufactured and all projects completed by the company are the best in the industry. As the only Saskatchewan based company participating in international quality control organizations, MEC seeks to be the ultimate resource for quality products and service in the electrical power systems market.

MEC’s commitment to quality and safety was matched by that of Shermco, a company that continues to be a leader in electrical safety and training. The synergies in the corporate culture of the two companies are endless, and the acquisition was the natural next step in the growth of both. “We saw that MEC had the skills and expertise to operate at the next level, to pursue larger projects and expand throughout Canada,” remarks Heid. “Shermco’s acquisition gave us access to the capital and the manpower we needed to do that, without having to compromise the core values of the company. Now we have access to the entire North American market, which is really an added bonus.”

Jobs and New Opportunities in Saskatchewan Because of this exciting opportunity, MEC will need increased manpower to sustain growth. In-house training capacity has been expanded in an effort to meet the employment needs. Efforts have also been made to attract and retain trained employees from RIGHT Kerry Heid, President and CEO. Photo by DeAnne Bell. BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY NORTH SASK

[ COVER STORY ] across Canada and, in some instances, out of country. “Our greatest assets are our people,” says Luis Wilson, vice president of Corporate Services for MEC. “Our biggest branding is our quality of workmanship and because of that we are very focused on adding layers to our service. What we look for are people with professional skills and the capacity to do high quality work.” MEC employees are being integrated with Shermco and its operations, which has afforded employees a number of opportunities for further education and training offered through Shermco. Career advancement within the company will also increase as the demand for managerial positions grows. Employees will also have the options to work on innovative projects throughout North America, which will expand their experience and expertise. The goal is to attract top-quality, long-term employees with the same core values as MEC. Local manpower will allow the company to engage in maintaining and building provincial infrastructure from start to finish. MEC understands the reality of the Saskatchewan marketplace and the challenges presented by work in remote areas. Employees are located throughout the province with numerous areas of expertise, allowing MEC to complete projects on time and on budget. Since being acquired by Shermco, MEC has continued to support the local electrical industry, and specifically educational advancements. In April of this year, MEC made a $100,000 donation to the Saskatchewan Institute of Applied Science and Technology (SIAST) in support of the Electrical Engineering Technology program. MEC has a long-standing track record of community involvement, particularly in raising awareness and support for SIAST.

What’s the Advantage for Clients? Industries that operate throughout North American need electrical solutions from a reputable company. In the past, companies would be tasked with finding

BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY NORTH SASK

an American supplier and a Canadian supplier, and then coordinating the two. One truly full-service company with more than 1,000 employees can complete quality trans-border projects. It is a simple concept that is new to the electrical industry and North American industries are responding well to the possibility of hiring one stable and reputable employer for the job.

Forging Ahead at Home Through hard work, determination and a bit of risk, MEC has established and maintained a reputation for excellence, winning several awards: ABEX Business of the Year and Growth and Expansion Award in 2011, Canada’s Best Managed Companies in 2012 and 2013, Canada’s Top 100 Employers 2012 and 2013,

Saskatchewan’s Top Employers 2010 to 2013, Paragon Award for Business of the Year in 2013, and WorkSafe Saskatchewan’s Safe Employer Award 2010. The company is thrilled to be able to grow and develop in their home province, as affirmed by Heid: “We are very pleased to be able to have grown a company that employs hundreds of people right here in Saskatchewan.” Wilson adds, “We enjoy our local competitive edge and we’re glad to be able to work and grow at home.”

Magna Electric Corporation 1033 Kearns Crescent, Regina SK 306.949.8131 www.magnaelectric.com

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[ INDUSTRY/OIL & GAS ]

CO2 ENHANCED OIL RECOVERY WEYBURN AND BEYOND 24

BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY NORTH SASK

left Norm Sacuta PReVIOUS Page a Cenovus worker in the central plant facility photo courtesy of Cenovus energy

By Norm Sacuta

wila Walkeden intimately knows the hectic pace of the oil industry in southeastern Saskatchewan. As senior community relations advisor at Cenovus Energy’s Weyburn operation, she sometimes experiences weeks where two or three international tour requests have to be balanced off between the day-today operations of the company’s 26,000 barrels per day oilfield.

How does CO2 increase oil production?

“The Weyburn operation has drawn visiting delegations from South Korea, China, the United States, and pretty much every country in Western Europe,” says Walkenden. “That makes me very proud of our company and the community. We do our best to balance the world’s interest with the reality that we are, after all, operating an oil field.”

“Because CO2 is miscible — miscible means that it actually absorbs into the oil — when it is injected into an oil reservoir, the CO2 causes the oil to expand and move out of crevices and pores in the rock more easily. The end result is that oil that would otherwise remain trapped can now flow to production wells. A certain amount of the CO2 that was injected gets left behind permanently in the rock.”

The international interest continues in regards to the Weyburn-Midale carbon dioxide (CO2) monitoring and storage project mainly because 25 million tonnes of CO2 has been kept securely in place 1.5 kilometres deep underground in the two oil reservoirs since 2000. Cenovus and a second operator at the Midale oilfield have been using CO2 — shipped via pipeline from a coal gasification plant in North Dakota — to improve oil production. Injection of CO2 at Cenovus’s Weyburn site has helped the company prolong the life of the field, with an estimated incremental oil production of 200 million barrels of oil over the next 30 to 40 years.

Some of the CO2 returns to the surface mixed with the produced oil. The CO2 is separated from the produced oil, compressed and re-injected back underground along with new CO2 arriving from the United States. The end result is a closed loop system where 25 million tonnes of CO2 is currently secured in the two fields.

“Well, that’s an interesting question,” says Ken From, chief executive officer of the Petroleum Technology Research Centre (PTRC), a Regina-based research organization that managed a 12-year program called the IEAGHG Weyburn-Midale CO2 monitoring and storage project.

“We’ve known that CO2 is a good solvent for helping to increase oil production for a number of years,” notes From. “CO2 has been used for decades to increase oil production in places like Texas. But what made Weyburn-Midale so unique was our research program that measured and monitored the CO2 underground and

BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY NORTH SASK

[ INDUSTRY/OIL & GAS ]

RIght Cenovus workers in the control room at the Weyburn central plant facility belOW a Cenovus worker in the central plant facility photos courtesy of Cenovus energy

helped to establish best practices for other operators thinking of doing the same.” He goes on to note that the PTRC’s publication of Best Practices for Validating CO2 Geological Storage in 2012 has helped to establish the storage of carbon dioxide in depleted oil fields as a safe and effective practice.

Boundary Dam and Expanding CO2 Use Even with the boost in production seen at Weyburn, Cenovus still sees opportunities for more CO2 use in the field. In 2012, it signed an agreement with SaskPower to purchase all of the available carbon dioxide being captured from the new carbon capture facility recently completed at the Boundary Dam power plant outside Estevan. A pipeline has been built to transport the CO2 to the field, and SaskPower expects to begin deliveries in the second half of 2014. “Right now we have rolled out CO2 injection in approximately 60 per cent of the Cenovus Weyburn oilfield,” says Darcy Cretin, Cenovus superintendent, operations, Saskatchewan. “The additional one million tonnes per year from Boundary Dam will allow us to maintain the field as a solid oil producer for years to come.” And it’s not just the Weyburn-Midale oilfields that could benefit from future CO2-EOR, notes From. The PTRC is exploring new research programs aimed at studying the use of CO2 to improve oil

BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY NORTH SASK

left Cenovus workers in the central plant facility photo courtesy of Cenovus energy MIDDle a CO2 injection well in a canola field near Weyburn photo courtesy of PtRC bOttOM located 2.8 km from boundary Dam, aquistore’s wells reached 3400m, making them the deepest in the province photo courtesy of aquistore

production from horizontal wells like the ones being used in the Bakken formation — where there are billions of barrels in potential reserves. All that’s needed is an increased supply of CO2, which may be possible if additional sources of CO2 can be captured and piped to the oil fields. “PTRC also just received funding from the United States Department of Energy and the Government of Saskatchewan to further our research, looking at wellbore integrity in CO2-EOR,” adds From. With a potential prize for the province of millions or even billions of barrels in additional oil, additional royalties and reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, CO2-EOR appears to have a bright future.

What is Aquistore? the Petroleum technology Research Centre is operating a CO2 measurement, monitoring and storage project in connection with SaskPower’s boundary Dam Carbon Capture facility. as Canada’s first dedicated geological storage project, aquistore builds upon the research conducted at the Weyburn fields. Most of the CO2 captured from SaskPower’s coal-fired plant will be used in the Weyburn oil field for enhanced oil recovery. at times when Cenovus is performing field maintenance, aquistore will provide SaskPower with a secure storage location to conduct world leading research on carbon capture and storage. aquistore has drilled the two deepest wells ever drilled in Saskatchewan (at about 3.4 kilometres deep) — one for injecting the CO2 and the other for measuring and monitoring the CO2. the project’s research will focus on secure storage of CO2 and the role of storage in relation to CCS (continuous catalytic regeneration) and eOR operations. for more information about this important research project visit www.aquistore.ca.

BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY NORTH SASK

[ DEPT [ INDUSTRY/MINING ] ]

URANIUM:

THE CIGAR LAKE MINE ODYSSEY

BY BROOK THALGOTT PHOTOS COURTESY CAMECO CORP.

BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY NORTH SASK

[ DEPARTMENT ]

Uranium was first discovered north of Goldfields in 1935. By 1948, Saskatchewan was home to one of the largest staking rushes in Canadian history. Uranium City became a major mining camp in 1953. Government exploration incentives led to the discovery of the Rabbit Lake deposit at Wollaston Lake in 1968 (production started in 1975), Cluff Lake in 1969, Key Lake in 1975 and Midwest Lake in 1978. These discoveries established the Athabasca Basin as the world’s largest and richest uranium resource. The Cigar Lake deposit was found in 1981, and production at the Key Lake deposit began in 1983. In 1988, the discovery of the world’s largest and richest uranium deposit was located at McArthur River. McArthur River’s production came online in 1999 and mining began at McClean Lake. Cigar Lake was approved for final construction for a mine in 2005 and began production in 2014.

igar Lake is home to the largest undeveloped highgrade uranium deposit in the world. Discovered in 1981, it’s second in size only to the McArthur River mine. In 2004, Cameco Corp. announced plans to begin construction at the Cigar Lake site, with construction commencing in early 2005 and production slated for 2007 with planned production of 18 million pounds of uranium per year. Cameco was the majority shareholder, with AREVA Canada owning 37 per cent and two Japanese firms owning the remaining 13 per cent.

Jerry Grandey, Cameco’s then-CEO and president said: “We are excited about bringing Cigar Lake uranium into an expanding market that reflects a renewed worldwide interest in nuclear energy. After many years of waiting, we are now confident the long-term market fundamentals support our decision to invest in a large uranium development.” April 2006 brought the first delay. The company announced construction was delayed at the mine’s second shaft due to flooding. The delay would increase the price tag by 10 to 20 per cent with production

OPPOSITE Underground tunnels at Cigar Lake are reinforced with concrete to ensure a safe working environment. ABOVE Located in northern Saskatchewan, Cigar Lake is the world’s largest undeveloped uranium deposit.

BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY NORTH SASK

[ INDUSTRY/MINING ] At Cigar Lake, the innovative jetboaring mining method loosens the ore with jets of highpressure water.

pushed to 2008. Seven months later, disaster struck. Construction was about 60 per cent complete when on October 23, 2006, the mine flooded and attempts to protect the mine failed. Cameco reaffirmed its commitment to the mine and developed new timelines and cost estimates. Even so, the October 2006 flood would set the tone of the project for nearly eight years. The market had been anticipating that Cigar Lake would produce 18 million pounds of uranium annually by 2007. This output was considered critical to the world supply due to new reactor construction around the world. The flood, in part, would also lead to a price bubble in the uranium market, peaking in 2007. In November 2006, Cameco announced that remediation work had begun, and in December, admitted that Cigar Lake was proving to be more difficult than anticipated. “Drilling through the Athabasca sandstone has been more challenging than anticipated,” said Terry Rogers, Cameco’s then-senior vicepresident and chief operating officer. “However, the experience we gain in the first few holes is expected to accelerate progress in the future. We will be in a better position to estimate when we expect the first phase to be completed after the first concrete is poured.” By March 2007, Cameco expected to seal off water inflow by mid-year. They announced another date for production — 2010 — and assured investors the project was viable with the increased costs. Cameco announced in February 2008 that remediation was nearing completion, dewatering would begin once approval was granted, and production was expected in 2011. Approval was granted in June 2008, and pumping out the mine would take several months. August 2008 suspended remediation work because of inflow. Another year would pass before remediation work would restart. On October 23, 2009, Cameco announced that dewatering of the mine had resumed. In November, the remediation work was two-thirds complete, crews could

BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY NORTH SASK

access the main shaft, and dewatering was scheduled for completion in mid2010. Dewatering completed early, and inspections began in February 2010. The construction date was October 2010, four years after the flood. Progress came in 2011. The second shaft was sunk, underground mine systems restored and new regulatory approvals granted. In January 2012, the breakthrough occurred. Said nowpresident and CEO, Tim Gitzel: “The breakthrough is a key milestone on our path to safe, clean and reliable production from this exceptional orebody. We expect to resume full mine development and construction activities in 2012 and remain on track to start ore mining by mid-2013.” A mining license was granted in June 2013. Cameco planned to start jet boring in summer 2013, but delayed to December and production was pushed to early 2014. March 13, 2014 was the biggest day in the project, with the announcement that production had finally started. Seven years late, the Cigar Lake mine is operational. “Cigar Lake is among the most technically challenging mining projects in the world,” said Gitzel in March. “The start of ore production is a tremendous achievement and I want to

thank the many hundreds of people who helped to bring this exceptional orebody into production.” In full production, Cigar Lake is expected to account for nine per cent of global mine supply. However, the price tag for the project is a big one: as of December 31, 2013, the total capital cost of the Cigar Lake project was estimated at $2.6 billion — up from $450 million when construction was approved in 2004. The news that Cigar Lake is finally operational is great for Cameco, the uranium industry and Saskatchewan.

The Uranium Market: Then, Now and the Future Uranium has been hampered with market fluctuation and certain instabilities over the last decade. The upward trend was noted in 2003, and led to an increase in activity within the industry. Uranium prices began to climb from a price of $20 USD per pound in 2005, peaking at $135 per pound at its peak in mid2007. While speculation around nuclear programs in both India and China, and reduced availability in weapons-grade uranium contributed to the price spike, the cause of the uranium bubble in 2007 can be traced in part to the flooding of the Cigar Lake Mine. The Cigar Lake Mine flood had not only an impact

on uranium prices, but on the mining industry as a whole. The flooding created some uncertainty around the availability of uranium over the short-term. The bubble also coincided with significant rises in uranium mining and exploration company stock, and between 2005 and 2007, the number of known and inferred uranium reserves increased by 15 per cent due to increased exploration. The financial crash of 2008 hit the commodities sector hard, but things looked up by 2010, with prices spiking by $30 per pound, hitting a pre-crash high of $72 per pound in January 2011. Those days ended in March 2011, when the Tohoku Earthquake and Tsunami hit Japan, severely damaging the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. 2012 was all about uncertainty as the nuclear disaster in Japan led the nuclear energy-reliant countries — Japan, South Korea and Germany, among others — to reassess their commitment to uranium as an energy source. The disaster and the resulting hesitation around nuclear energy sank

the price for uranium, and four years later, the market is still recovering. Recently, uranium junior stocks have performed well despite analysts adjusting price forecasts downward. Early in June, RBC Capital Markets cut their forecast from $60 to $40, and Fraser Phillips and Patrick Morton dropped their forecasts from $45 per pound to $31.50. Despite this pessimism, RBC believes that the fundamentals have not changed, and that eventually the market will be hit with a supply shortage. RBC sees that happening in 2021, but other analysts are far more positive, predicting a shortage as early as 2018. While some analysts are still hesitant, Cameco is feeling positive. At a shareholders’ meeting in Saskatoon in May, Cameco CEO, Terry Gitzel, said the company is well-positioned for the future and there is growth in the nuclear energy industry. Today, 435 reactors are currently operating around the world and another 70 reactors are under construction. Growth is centred in

China, Russia, the Middle East and India — all countries with growing energy needs. “We haven’t seen growth like this since the 1970s and ‘80s when the U.S. and Japan and Europe were building reactors,” said Gitzel. The world is also focusing more attention on cleaner energy, as climate change drives the need to wean off carbon-heavy energy sources such as coal. While the market price for uranium remains lower, at the $30 to$35 per pound range, the Cigar Lake mine represents a veritable light at the end of the tunnel for the industry. Even with prices still at the $35 per pound range, there are bright lights appearing: China should exceed its 2020 nuclear energy target by 15 per cent and Japan’s nuclear industry should start reopening reactors in the near future. While there have been some impediments to the industry, collective thinking points a sure finger in the direction of growth for one of Saskatchewan largest sectors.

BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY NORTH SASK

[ INDUSTRY / INFRASTRUCTURE ]

INFRASTRUCTURE IN SASKATCHEWAN By Paul HuBer

BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY NORTH SASK

askatchewan is experiencing a period of economic success as one of the most booming economies in the country. A challenge that accompanies economic growth is building and maintaining infrastructure. This has been an issue for the Saskatchewan government; when contrasted to our neighbour to the west, we come out wanting. For many years prior to the current good times, needed improvements were put on hold. We are playing catch-up with huge infrastructure deficits in such areas as roads and highway systems, schools and health care facilities. Residents in rural and urban municipalities want action to address this problem so the province can realize the “boom” we all envision. In assessing the state of our province’s infrastructure, it is difficult to believe Saskatchewan is one of the country’s most prolific economies. Our roadways tell a story of neglect; one need only drive to Alberta to see the stark difference in highways. Urban and rural municipalities continue to express displeasure with the status of this provincial infrastructure. From an industrial standpoint, allowing infrastructure deficits to grow greatly reduces Saskatchewan’s competitiveness. The University of British Columbia’s Centre for Transport Studies produced a working paper in 2012 highlighting this issue. The paper provides research from other jurisdictions regarding improved roadway systems and concludes that, “Investments in infrastructure are long-lived. Good roads provide connectivity, facilitate economic and social relationships, and improve overall quality of life in communities.”

BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY NORTH SASK

[ INDUSTRY / INFRASTRUCTURE ]

A study at the University of California showed researchers that improved rehabilitation using new pavement technologies found a net present value savings to the California Department of Transportation of $1.17 billion, which can be translated into $21,268 per 2-lanekm equivalent. This may be of interest to Saskatchewanians considering the effect of our harsh seasons on the durability of our roadways. New technologies will help us meet our infrastructure challenges. The Centre for Transport Studies affirms the World Bank’s position that delayed maintenance will increase both direct and indirect costs. They state if roadways are neglected three years beyond their normal repair point, repair costs rise up to six times the maintenance costs; if this neglect extends to five years, it is 18 times the maintenance costs.¹ This information should motivate us. The longer we neglect our infrastructure, the more it will cost in the long run to restore it, hampering our future economic prospects. To their credit, the Government of Saskatchewan recognizes the issue must be addressed. The Saskatchewan Plan for Growth: Vision 2020 and Beyond reflects some very ambitious infrastructure initiatives. The plan’s main highlight is a $2.5 billion investment over the following three years. The establishment of SaskBuilds, a new government organization slated with the task of “driving innovation in infrastructure financing, design and delivery, including publicprivate partnerships”, is also progressive. SaskBuilds will prioritize the infrastructure needs of the province and find the best methods. Much of this task relies on leveraging innovations to meet our infrastructure goals. Government has to activate a partnership with private industry that creates an environment where innovation and progress flourish, and allows the private sector to do what it does best.

BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY NORTH SASK

The Government of Saskatchewan has also put together some impressive budgetary numbers. An average $1 billion has been pumped annually into the Saskatchewan infrastructure for the past seven years. This is a considerable increase from the average $300 million annual investment allotted for the previous 20 years.² However, the new levels of investment are not enough to address the problem. Levels of federal government funding are attracting criticism. Intent on balancing their budget, the federal government is doing so by cutting previously committed infrastructure funding. Essentially, funds promised in the federal budget are being clawed back for other initiatives. This frustrates the provinces as they watch equalization payments being reneged upon. Such government austerity initiatives seldom receive public approval, especially when elected officials pay “lip service” to serious issues without following through on their commitments.

BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY NORTH SASK

[ INDUSTRY / INFRASTRUCTURE ]

to addressing the infrastructure deficit is through collaboration and innovation. There’s no single solution, and no single order of government can achieve the goals. A major worry is Saskatchewan failing to adequately address its infrastructure deficit, causing our sectors to suffer. The value is inherent when it comes to this expenditure. Continually poor infrastructure will not mean the end of our valuable sectors; rather they will simply operate in less-than-ideal conditions. For example, the oil-rich southeast area is lacking a double-lane highway to the United States. The region is flush with transient workers who pay no taxes for infrastructure upkeep, yet are some of the largest users. Communities such as Estevan, Weyburn, Carlyle, and Carnduff are all feeling these pressures.

The federal budget introduced earlier this year was described as boring and lacking clarity. Their $53 billion Building Canada program only yielded Saskatchewan a meager $15 million for its first year, albeit with increased amounts from future transfers. Based on what the province needs, this is a shockingly low. It demonstrates the federal government does not understand nor take seriously Saskatchewan’s infrastructure deficit and its reasons to be rectified. Perhaps when Ottawa hears Saskatchewan is booming they shrug their shoulders, applauding we have finally moved away from being a “havenot” province. Fair enough. Anyone operating within Saskatchewan’s

BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY NORTH SASK

industrial sectors understands and is enthusiastic about the province’s potential. However, they also realize the incredible investments needed to achieve the vision many of us have for the province. No one level of government can completely address infrastructure concerns. Municipalities see most clearly the effects of poor infrastructure, but have limited ability to collect revenue. Federal and provincial levels see it as a big ticket item, but are saddled with a plethora of other concerns, including health care and education. Therefore, there must be cooperation between the different levels of government is necessary. As the Saskatchewan Urban Municipalities Association (SUMA) points out, the key

Infrastructure literally forms the foundation of our lives. Ironically, it is often taken for granted. Saskatchewan has long been known for its potholes and poor highways, and we were content to leave them alone. However, it’s different today and we are finding out just how uncomfortable it is to live with an infrastructure deficit in a booming economy. As a “have-not” province, we learned to live with poor infrastructure, but as a “have” province, we should demand more from our public and private sectors to capitalize on our current good fortunes. Currently, our province is really only at the cusp of its possible potential. Only responsible and thoughtful leadership in both public and private sectors will ensure our recent boom is the beginning of a long upward trend rather than a blip. 1. Building for the Future of British Columbia: The Importance of Transportation Infrastructure to economic Growth and employment 2.

cwf.ca/commentaries/saskbuilds-a-step-inthe-right-direction

[ MARKETING ]

EXPERT ADVICE ADVICE EXPERT

ONLINE MARKETING Create an Effective Marketing Infrastructure A marketing infrastructure involves developing a system and thinking it through from beginning to end. We need to understand how it will work and which resources we need to run it — where a prospect starts, where they go next and at what point they contact you. There are many important assets, however, I want to take you through a few critical ones every business should have in their kit.

Lead-Generating Website

Jason Orban Think Big Studios 1651 - 11th Avenue Regina, SK 306.205.5048 or 1.877.505.2835 big@thinkbigstudios.ca www.thinkbigstudios.ca

f you’re like the majority of businesses out there, you employ the “random acts of marketing” technique when it comes to advertising. You have a small website, a print ad here, a billboard there, and a radio spot creeping around the airwaves. You don’t have any systems in place to tell you what ads are working and which ones are wasting your money. You’re advertising blind and hoping something works.

A website is the easiest way for your customers to find you online. Your website is your number 1 sales tool. It’s a 24-hour-a-day sales agent whose goal is to generate leads for your business. Many websites take on the role of a digital brochure: they’re static; they don’t try to sell; they only passively ask you to contact or follow on social media. Your website can be much more. Your website’s goal should be to develop and capture leads from prospective customers. Design your website so that each page educates your customer and has a sales purpose. At a minimum, we want their email address so we can groom them for a sale.

Free Giveaway A simple technique for generating leads is to give away a free report or buying guide. It’s something your customers would find valuable enough to exchange

their email for, but doesn’t cost you money each time.

Newsletters & Email Sequences Once we have their email, we can move them onto other systems. Email sequences are similar to newsletters, but they’re more focused on developing a customer. They automatically send a sequence, providing more content each time. A good example is giving a customer a free report when we first collect their email, then each week delivering a video or another report that helps educate and build that customer.

Add More Valuable Assets to Your Arsenal What’s amazing about online marketing is that everything can be automated and tracked — from your social media to your email follow-ups. You can create the content once, and have a proven sequence deploy for every lead, then track how it does. As we develop more systems and build our infrastructure, we’re tracking our ads and dollars. We immediately know what’s working and what’s not, and so our results continue to improve. Thinking about and creating a marketing infrastructure will help put you ahead of your competition, most of whom will still be floundering in the dark with “random acts of marketing.” Visit thinkbigstudios.ca/BI/Assets

We need to develop a marketing infrastructure: systems you and your team have put in place to generate leads and convert prospects into buying customers.

BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY NORTH SASK

[ DEPT ]

EXPERT ADVICE ADVICE EXPERT

RECRUITMENT Beneﬁts of Using a Recruiting Firm will learn of the hiring company and its opportunities only through direct contact by a recruiter. This increases the pool of qualified candidates that can be presented in a shorter period of time. The role of professional recruiters does not stop at candidate sourcing. They can further expedite the hiring process by facilitating necessary background checks, including reference checks, and continuing to touch base with both the client and successful candidate after the recruitment process to ensure successful onboarding.

Jacqueline Gallagher Managing Consultant

David Aplin Group, Saskatchewan 306.665.1382 jgallagher@aplin.com www.aplin.com

ffective recruiting is critical to any organization’s success so it’s no wonder that recruiting firms, sometimes called “headhunters,” have long contributed to the quest for and achievement of a sustainable competitive business advantage. Recruiting firms have become increasingly specialized by industry, function and geography. While the search process is generic to most sectors and functions, detailed and comparative knowledge of an industry or function is beneficial to the hiring company. In today’s competitive job market, there are some definite advantages to partnering with a specialized recruiting firm. There is little doubt that professional recruitment agencies save hiring companies a substantial amount of time when it comes to screening and undertaking preliminary candidate interviews. Professional recruiters have access to a résumé bank of key resources, many of whom are passive candidates who

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When is it time to engage a professional recruiter? 1. When confidentiality is required. If your company is looking to replace a current employee professional recruiters can source candidates discreetly, including recruiting directly from your competition – an otherwise risky business tactic that can lead to raiding and headhunting wars. 2. When no internal resources or skills are available. Not all organizations have internal HR departments or managers with the skills or time to screen and interview hundreds of applicants just to fill one position. 3. When negotiating power is needed. Professional recruiters are experts in their markets and can often help bring agreement on realistic salary and benefit expectations to both clients and candidates.

4. When rare skills are needed. With the sheer volume of résumés and applicants that recruiters see, it is certain that their résumé banks contain skills that most companies cannot access. 5. When advertising is unsuccessful.

Tips on selecting a recruiting ﬁrm: The recruiting industry is highly competitive with limited barriers to entry, so shop around. Check out several companies, check references, and verify credentials. Ask about their area(s) of expertise and industry knowledge, local presence, geographical reach, search process, fee structure, turnover rate amongst recruiters, track record of success, and guarantee. Can they deliver temporary, contract, and permanent resources? What assessment tools, technologies, and methodologies do they employ? Also, make sure the firm will visit your premises to get a feel for your corporate culture. While the services offered by recruiting agencies are often not inexpensive, the benefits of their services to an organization generally outweigh the costs by several fold. And know for certain that the final hiring decision always rests with the hiring company. The recruiting firm simply helps clients get to final interviews with top talent more quickly.

[ SCIENCE + TECHNOLOGY ]

CCWESTT ConfErEnCE 2014:

Women in Engineering, Science, Trades and Technology BY ToBIe HaInsTock PHoTos courTesY sTePHen ruTHerford

As our society becomes more intrigued by advancements in science and technology, our labour market continues to change. In spite of increased demands in the industry and progress through the decades, the percentage of women in science and technology professions still remains lower than that of men.

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[ SCIENCE + TECHNOLOGY ]

oPPosITe dr. roberta Bondar BeLoW dr. Lynda Haverstock, alvin Law, session participants

ccording to Statistics Canada, young women who attend university are less likely than young men to choose a program in science, technology, engineering, mathematics and computer science (STEM), regardless of mathematical ability in high school. Although they represented the majority of university graduates in 2011, women accounted for only 39 per cent of all STEM university graduates between the ages of 25 to 34. Among this group, they represented 23 per cent of graduates in engineering, and 30 per cent of graduates in mathematics and computer science. This counters the non-STEM fields of study in which women accounted for 66 per cent of all university graduates and approximately 80 per cent of graduates in health and educationrelated programs.¹

Building Awareness What is the key to attracting more women to non-traditional roles, such as STEM professions? According to Kim Andreas of the Canadian Coalition of Women in Engineering, Science, Trades and Technology (CCWESTT), the key is building awareness. “We need to let girls know that science and technology is not out of their reach,” she says. One way CCWESTT is addressing this challenge is through their bi-annual conference, which took place this year from May 22 to 24 at the Delta Hotel in Regina. This year’s theme was “Open Opportunities: Mentoring the Future” and featured a selection of relevant topics such as manageable work schedules, women in non-traditional trades, mentoring in the workplace, gender and science studies, work/life balance, aboriginal women in mining and more. “We stuck with topics that fell under the mentoring theme,” comments Andreas, “and we’re very pleased with the responses we got by email and Twitter.” She is pleased with the amount of young women who attended and took part in the workshops. This year’s keynote speakers came from a wide background of skilled and talented people who have overcome various challenges to achieve their goals:

Dr. Lynda Haverstock As Saskatchewan’s 19th Lieutenant Governor (from 2000 to 2006), Dr. Haverstock is highly recognized and admired throughout the province and across the country. She is well known for her academic achievements, innovative ideas and contributions to politics. Among her many roles, Dr. Haverstock presently acts as advisor to the president of the Saskatchewan Indian Institute of Technologies, sits on the board of directors for Shaw Communications and is senior vice-president for RMD Engineering. She has received a number of awards and honours, including the Order of Canada.

Alvin Law Born without arms and abandoned by his birth family, Law’s life story is about overcoming obstacles. His challenging journey has been filled with love, sacrifice and generosity. Law grew up

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aBoVe Hayley Wickenheiser and dr. Bondar

as the foster child of Hilda and Jack Law of Yorkton, where he learned to use his feet as hands. Law’s life experiences have become known as “Alvin’s Laws of Life: Five Steps to Successfully Overcome Anything.” Law encourages people from all over the world to prove that attitude can make all the difference.

Hayley Wickenheiser As a four-time Olympic medalist, Wickenheiser is considered one of the best female hockey players in the world, With an uncompromised determination and dedication to her sport, Wickenheiser is widely respected by her teammates, fans and peers for more than her superior hockey playing ability; she is also a dedicated community leader, strong mentor and knowledgeable businesswoman. Her long list of accomplishments includes being two-time finalist for the Women’s Sports Foundation Team Athlete of The Year and recipient of the Order of Canada.

Dr. roberta Bondar After joining the space shuttle Discovery program for the 1992 mission, Dr. Bondar was the first Canadian woman to fly in space. As an astronaut, physician

and photographer, she delivers a message that is highly motivational and focuses on change, social responsibility and our environment. Dr. Bondar has been recognized with the NASA Spaceflight Medal, inducted into the Canadian Medical Hall of Fame and into the International Women’s Forum Hall of Fame for her pioneering research in space medicine. She has also received 24 honourary doctorates from Canadian and American universities, as well as her own star on Canada’s Walk of Fame in 2011.

Changing roles

change and evolve over time. Andreas points out there are now more women working in the STEM fields and numbers are rising. “Most companies want qualified people on their teams, regardless of gender,” she remarks. “More and more, women are becoming qualified for nontraditional roles in the workplace.” Andreas emphasizes the importance of educating parents, teachers, guidance counsellors and other people of influence about women’s abilities in the workforce. Dr. Bondar agrees and takes it a step further. “One of the things we mustn’t do is discourage either gender from nontraditional roles. I think they have to all become traditional roles,” she comments.

When she first entered the sciences, Dr. Bondar says she was fortunate to come from a family background that encouraged her to pursue her interests in whatever field she chose to study. She also had the support of the supervisors in her doctorate and masters programs, who were also women. It was a breakthrough time for women in sciences; the students and teachers were learning together. “In those days, people weren’t coached about being mentors, so it was kind of hard,” Bondar recalls. “But we were sharing information all the time.”

www.ccwestt.ca

Attitudes about women working in non-traditional roles have continued to

Sources: 1. www.statcan.gc.ca

As we move further into the 21st century, examples set by accomplished people such as Dr. Bondar and concentrated efforts by organizations such as CCWESTT will help to gradually leave behind gender restrictions. Professions are flourishing in engineering, science, trades and technology, and there is room for all.

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[ DEPT ] [SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY]

BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY NORTH SASK

[ DEPARTMENT ]

Advancements in Uranium-Driven Energy: Scientists Work on Cleaner, Safer Mine Site Remediation By Victoria Martinez Photos courtesy canadian Light source

lean electricity generated from uranium is estimated to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 2.5 billion tonnes a year. Now, scientists working at the Canadian Light Source (CLS) are working to make uranium use even cleaner.

Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, Princeton University, Guelph University, the University of Saskatchewan, the University of Chicago and the US Environmental Protection Agency completed a careful study of the biogeochemical behaviour of uranium in wetland soils.

Uranium today provides almost a fifth of the world’s electricity, and it is an incredibly useful element. Saskatchewan is at the hub of the world’s uranium production, and hosts the largest mine in the world at McArthur River.

Using the HXMA beamline at the Canadian Light Source, the team performed X-ray absorption near-edge structure spectroscopy analysis, which allowed them to identify the uranium’s oxidation state, or number of electrons lost.

Ensuring mining sites and their surroundings remain clean and healthy is an important focus for Saskatchewan mining companies and researchers alike. Luckily, natural wetlands at many mining sites may help sequester uranium tailings. Researchers are interested in understanding and enhancing this process to make nuclear power generation even cleaner and safer for the environment. “The wetlands have the ability naturally to immobilize uranium contaminant through binding to natural organic matters, and when we understand how this functions we can also start to think about other technologies,” says Dr. Dien Li of the Savannah River National Laboratory based in South Carolina. Li is devoted to a diverse range of research surrounding mines and contaminated site remediation, which includes the study of groundwater, sediments and the wetlands, nano particle transport in the subsurface, and developing new materials to effectively remove contaminants. “Natural attenuation may be among the most costeffective technologies for treatment of U contaminated sites,” Li says, and studying uranium in these wetlands can help best manage wetlands sequestration. Recently, he and a team of researchers from Savannah River National Laboratory,

Electron configuration is key to element bonding, so helps researchers predict whether uranium would bond to organic matter in soil, ultimately locking it in place and reducing contamination. “Uranium (VI) is normally the more bioavailable state, and causes problems for the environment. Uranium (IV) is not mobile, and is not easily bioavailable,” explains Dr. Li. Using HXMA, Li’s team found that uranium mostly existed in the bioavailable U (VI) state in the SRS wetland sediments; however, it might be bonding to organic carbon atoms in the wetlands, making it immobile. The impact of wetlands sequestration on U (VI) is good news for the future of uranium site treatment, says Li. “Understanding the chemical speciation is important to assessing the risk of each contaminated site and to developing new treatment technologies.” Next, the team plans to confirm their analysis of uranium bonding on a molecular level for an even deeper understanding of uranium treatment. This work was supported by the U.S. Department of Energy, Environmental Management and Office of Sciences, the Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, along with work at the Advanced Photon Source, which is supported by the U.S. Department of Energy.

CLS Scientist, Ning Chen, conducts experiments on the HXMA beamline. By using powerful X-rays, researchers can determine contaminants around uranium mining sites. BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY NORTH SASK

[ DEPT ] [LEGAL]

Builders’ Liens:

Knowing your Rights is the Best Foundation

Collin K. Hirschfeld Partner, McKercher LLP Saskatoon c.hirschfeld@mckercher.ca

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uilders’ liens are commonplace in the construction industry, yet The Builder’s Lien Act S.S. 1984-85-86, c. B-7.1 (the “Act”) remains relatively misunderstood by both business and legal professionals. The purpose of the legislation is to ensure parties who work on a project are paid for their work and also to allow owners to

feel a sense of security and predictability. The inability to understand the act is not for lack of trying; it is instead due to the unique nature of the legislation and the various remedies and provisions under the Act. As an example, one must pay careful attention to the specific definitions in the legislation. From a lawyer’s perspective, these definitions can impact what rights

[ DEPARTMENT ]

a client may or may not have. Contract and subcontract are specifically defined terms, and various timelines and requirements under the Act turn on which term is being referred to. In the case of a subcontractor, when the subcontractor has no contractual claim against the owner, they are still afforded a remedy via a builder’s lien. The builder’s lien then runs with the land and ultimately, can entitle a lien claimant to force the sale of a property to satisfy the claim. The danger, of course, is to the land owner. The owner’s land can remain at risk to lien claimants even when the claim was not caused by an action of the owner. This is remedied through the Act by the creation of the holdback. The Act requires that an owner maintain a holdback fund that stands in place of the land, and the lien claimants are only allowed to claim against the holdback fund. As long as the owner

complies with the holdback provisions, the loss of the owner’s land is prevented. The holdback is inviolable, meaning it cannot be used by the owner to complete the project or remedy a default if the contractor fails to complete or defaults on the contract. If a payer on a contract fails to release the holdback when required to do so, they can be liable to the payee for any damages suffered as a result. An owner is personally liable to each lien claimant who has a valid lien in the proportion that the lien claimant is entitled to hold back. For example, if a landowner had a holdback of $30,000 and had valid three lien claimants each with liens of $30,000 (for a total of $90,000), the owner is personally liable to each lien holder in the amount of $10,000. If funds are being advanced, regardless of the stage of the project, it is imperative that an owner do a search of title. A good practice is to search prior to registration of a mortgage, post registration and perhaps most importantly in the context of builders’ liens, prior to disbursements. As is evidenced in this article, The Builder’s Lien Act is not always easy to understand, but is an invaluable component of the construction industry. If time is taken to understand builders’ liens on the front end of a project, many headaches can be avoided in the end. This article presents a summary of certain provisions of the Act and does not constitute legal advice. Collin K. Hirschfeld is a partner in the Saskatoon office of McKercher LLP with a practice in construction contracts, tendering, construction litigation and dispute resolution, wrongful dismissal and employment issues, security enforcement, and professional discipline and conduct matters. He was assisted by Amelia LoweMuller, student at McKercher LLP, in compiling this article.

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[ DEPT [ FINANCE ] ]

Keys to Business Infrastructure For Sale: One very busy business. We think we’re profitable; our financials keep the banker off our backs, but we don’t use them internally because they’re a month old. The employees seem happy and everyone does their own thing. Oh, and employees take more vacations than the owner. Price: Make me an offer… please! How much would you pay for that business?

great business has an infrastructure that keeps it pointed in the right direction, aligns people

and processes with your overall purpose, and empowers the right people to do the right thing at the right time.

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Following are the eight key pieces of business infrastructure: Strategy. It’s defined as the intentional focus and alignment of your resources to provide maximum value to your ideal customers while creating a competitive

advantage that differentiates you in the market. What is your focus? How do your employees explain your strategy? Structure. Your management structure is reflected in your organizational chart. You should have one for today and one for five years in the future to see who will

[ DEPARTMENT ]

be in what role. Your legal structure may include a holding company to own land and buildings and provide an income stream for the owners after retirement. Systems. A system gets information out of someone’s head and onto paper or a video and can show someone how to do something. The most important system in your business is your information system that provides real-time marketing, as well as operational and financial data to your managers so they can make better decisions, faster. How fast is your information? Marketing. It’s about increasing your ideal client’s awareness of your value and making it easy for them to do business with you. Are you a best-kept secret? Many businesses are often pretty lousy at blowing their own horns. And, if you get new business from referrals, do you have a formalized referral system?

Talent. Attracting and retaining employees is even more difficult than finding and keeping customers these days. Most small and medium enterprises (SMEs) could be much more proactive and professional to attract talent that can help them grow their businesses. Are your people an investment or an expense?

your production, working capital, unit cost and asset efficiency.

Operations. You may not need expensive bricks and mortar to serve your customers. Staples, the office supply store, is closing stores to focus on its online business. SMEs can dramatically increase production through outsourcing production to larger companies with more sophisticated systems while decreasing overall cost per unit.

Where can you strengthen your infrastructure, increase your valuation and build your business wealth?

Management. It’s your job to keep everyone focused and aligned on delighting your customers and generating profits. Shared real-time information is your best weapon.

Phil Symchych 306.992.6177 phil@symcoandco.com www.symcoandco.com

Finance. Profit is an outcome from the infrastructure above. When I’m brought in to improve profits — every business can improve profits — I always start with strategy and work my way down the list. Profit leaks are everywhere. Just measure

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[ FINANCE ]

Corporate Owned Annuitiesâ&#x20AC;Ś Spend More, Keep More, and Give More. by Shannon and byron briSke

In past articles we have discussed several opportunities afforded to the business owner. This article will deal with income opportunities once you are at that stage of your life when you want to enjoy the â&#x20AC;&#x153;fruits of your labours.â&#x20AC;?

hen you get to that chapter in your life you may be dealing with a fact pattern that looks something like this: You have separated yourself from your active business, either by way of a sale to a third party or a family member and much of your liquid wealth may reside in your holding company. It is quite likely

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that you will use the assets inside your holding company to form a contingent of your income during retirement. Income paid to you from your holding company is taxed as a dividend and therefore more advantageous than registered income. So what should you use as an investment vehicle inside your holding company in order to magnify the dividend that you can pay yourself? Some of those

investments will be a fixed income type holding in order to preserve capital for future generations and this is where the opportunity arises. Because holding companies are taxed at the highest marginal rate, you trade safety for yield. However, there is an alternative. If you purchase an Annuity with those corporate assets you will generate a much higher income stream than a traditional fixed income vehicle. An Annuity is a type of pension and they are available to corporations as well as individuals. The second advantage is that not all the income is taxed. Your corporation pays significantly less corporate tax on Annuity income than

to the principle used for the Annuity. In essence providing a way to replace the principle that was used in the first place. In its simplest form the principle is used to buy the annuity and the corporation used some of the after tax portion of the annuity to pay for the insurance. The remainder of the after tax portion of the Annuity is paid to the Shareholder, creating what is commonly referred to as a “Corporate Back to Back.” Even after paying for the insurance the amount available for the dividend is in most cases significantly higher than a fixed income investment, such as a GIC or Bond. This strategy has another significant advantage. When used properly there is an estate benefit that is quite remarkable. The commuted value of a life annuity at the time of death is zero. The value for tax purposes of a life insurance policy at the time of death is its cash surrender value. So when the individual deceases we will have reduced the value of the holding company shares because the insurance policy does not count towards the share value and the annuity has no value. However, the insurance policy creates a “Capital Dividend” and those dividends can be extracted by the heir’s tax free. In summary, you receive more after-tax income while your retired, the estate pays less tax on the shares of the holding company, and finally, the heirs can extract a significant portion of the value of the holding company on a tax free basis using the Capital Dividend created by the insurance proceeds. it does with other more traditional forms of fixed income. The third advantage is that the income generated by this Annuity will continue for the rest of your life guaranteed, just like a pension. Being that the income paid to the corporation is higher and more tax efficient it stands to reason that the income you can extract would be higher and hence the advantage to this strategy. At this point we can enhance the strategy even further. Because this strategy requires that the asset be released in exchange for the Annuity, many individuals choose to “back stop” this plan with an insurance policy equal

If you would like to learn more about this topic or any past topics we have discussed, please contact Shannon or I and we will be glad to make some time for you. As stated in previous articles these strategies require the guidance of professional planners. Insurance products and services are provided by Assante Estate and Insurance Services Inc. Assante Financial Management Ltd. 301 500 Spadina Crescent East Saskatoon 306.665.3244 sbriske@assante.com bbriske@assante.com www.thebriskefinancialgroup.com

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[ FINANCE ]

Tradebank Saskatoon The Benefits of Bartering

by Tonya LamberT phoTos megan anToniuk phoTograph

askatoon is one of the most recent cities to join Canada’s largest multi-directional business barter exchange, Tradebank. Opening in May 2013, the Saskatoon location already has 130 members, making it the most successful launch in the company’s history. This phenomenal rate of success is due to owner Kim Groff ’s extensive connections within the local business community and also to the extreme satisfaction experienced by existing members, who have been referring Tradebank to other area businesses. Tradebank opened in Ontario in 1996 and since grown to include cities

through that province, as well as Alberta and Saskatchewan. The organization helps companies to improve their bottom line through facilitation of barter exchanges with other members, both local and national. There are over 3,000 member businesses across the country with which to exchange goods and services. These exchanges benefit members is many ways. It allows them to move idle inventory, fill downtime and empty spaces (such as hotel rooms or tables at a restaurant). Tradebank exchanges generate new customers while at the same time increasing customer loyalty. The barter system enable companies to keep their money in the

bank, enhance their lifestyle and express their appreciation for the hard work and dedication of employees (through gifts of Tradedollars or gift certificates from member organizations). Tradebank is an active organization, its brokers working tirelessly to find beneficial trade relationships for their clients. Tradebank promotes its members through effective advertisements and marketing videos that are available to other members. Tradebank also organizes networking events. In Saskatoon, Groff and his team try to host one networking event each quarter and are currently planning an August event for area members. Groff

kim groff, regional owner and Taylor groff, TraDebroker & media manager

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3,000

member businesses

“I love Tradebank! It is so easy to use and it has grown my business! Tradebank really promotes all the engaged businesses, and I am now connected to and providing services to clients who had never had a chance to enjoy my catering services before. The networking events they host are brilliant, giving us a chance to make personal contacts with other business owners — and they give away great swag too! I joined right away and have done thousands and thousands of dollars of business with it and built great relationships with other business owners while spending my Tradedollars. The trick is, once you sign up, you have to think about who YOUR suppliers are, who might be in a position to sign up with Tradebank too, and then encourage them to sign up so you can pay them that way. I have used my Tradedollars for plumbers, window guys, flooring, car vinyl wrap, blinds, lots of gift certificates for my staff for spa stuff, restaurants, retail stuff, and so on. Kim Groff and his team have been super about training, promoting, inspiring and making sure we are all getting the absolute most out of our Tradebank membership.” —nicola Lawson, picknic’s Catering

says that participants usually see a spike in trading activity after attending a networking event. Barter exchanges within the Tradebank system do not need to be direct transactions. Members can accumulate Tradedollars for goods and services rendered to other members that they can then use to purchase goods and services when they need them. One Tradebank member has been providing services to other members since last November and has earned enough Tradedollars to be able to cover the catering at her upcoming wedding. If you are interested in finding out more about the benefits of joining the Tradebank network, contact Kim or Taylor Groff. Tradebank Saskatoon 306.668.7233 www.tradebank.ca | |

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tradebank EXP1

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SMS Equipment Inc.

Vogele New “Vision” Series of Asphalt Pavers

Introduced by the Wirtgen Group’s, the Vogele Vision Series pavers 5200-2 (tracked) and the 5203-3 (wheeled) represents the pinnacle of paver design and technology available today. Vogele, a German world leader in paver manufacturer for over 50 years, analyzed contractor wants and needs to develop a completely new paving platform from the ground up. The result is a machine that is quieter, cooler and more productive than any other paver to date, and has been built with the contractor in mind. Introducing the Vision series features • The operator’s stations now swing out and the control consul slides from side to side to provide better all-round vision for the operator. • The new consul is illuminated and has push button electronic controls as well as vital information displays for ease of operation. • Powered by a 240HP Cummins Tier IV diesel engine, hydraulics now control the flow of material from the oversized hopper down to the independent and reversible conveyer and large 16” auger system on the rear of the paver, thus eliminating the need for mechanical flow gates. • Tractive effort is provided by electronically controlled variable closed loop hydraulic pumps and motors that control traction drives, for precise radius turns. • Proportional control and continuous monitoring of conveyors and

auger systems guarantee a constant head of asphalt at the screed. • Self-tensioning material conveyor reduces adjustments that take away from vital paving time. • Hydraulic auger height adjustment is another innovative part of the design. • Three different screed configurations based on contractor application are available. • Onboard self-diagnostics, all fluid levels and inspection points are monitored and reported to the operator via the large display screen, thus assisting the crew into putting down the pavement rather than trying to see where errors lie on the unit, thus greater human productivity is gained.

For further explanation of the above product, please contact your nearest SMS Branch, Saskatoon 306.931.0044 or Regina 306.359.3121. SMS Equipment is proud to be the distributor for the Wirtgen line (Wirtgen stabilizers and milling machines; Vogele Paving Products; Hamm compaction products and Kleeman crushers) across Canada and for Saskatchewan customers has sales, parts and service support centres in Regina and Saskatoon.

For Further inFormation, please contact sms equipment

2907 Millar Avenue, Saskatoon | 306.931.0044 | Highway 1 East, North Service Road, Regina | 306.359.3121 | smsequip.com

[ REGIONAL ECONOMICS ]

Greater expectations: The Economics of New Stadiums & the Modern Sports Fan By Paul Sinkewicz PhotoS courteSy city of regina

egina took a turn in the spotlight during the opening weekend of the 2014 CFL season, when

Sports Illustrated sportswriter, Peter

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King, turned his gaze away from the NFL and journeyed north to get a feel for Canadian football. In his popular column, the former National Sportswriter of the Year and

author of five books extolled the virtues of the Canadian game to his readers, but Roughrider fans probably cringed at his description of â&#x20AC;&#x153;ricketyâ&#x20AC;? Mosaic Stadium in the lead. Ouch.

becomes harder and harder to convince fans to come experience a live game if you can’t offer them an experience that competes and surpasses the at-home experience. Stadium design really needs to be thought of differently than it has been traditionally.” Reynolds says patrons expect more washroom and concessions facilities, and wider seats with increased legroom and cup holders. But modern expectations also include better crowd movement and accessibility — and much better access to technology. “You really need the stadium to provide large-format video boards with content and features that entertain, an abundance of flat-screen TVs so that fans not in their seats can catch the game and replays, and WIFI so fans can text their friends, send pictures and even stream video,” says Reynolds. “Fans also want to stay connected to the game even when they aren’t in their seats. The open concourse trend is a direct response to this and new Mosaic Stadium’s design allows fans at the concession stand or meeting friends on the concourse an opportunity to still feel connected to the game and crowd.” A new gridiron has been on Regina’s wish list for several years. The old stadium was seen as a potential money pit in 2009 when a Crown Investments Corporation assessment of needed renovations showed it would cost more than $109 million to merely bring the old facility up to modern specs and would only defer the need for a replacement decision for 10 to 15 years. There is no more honest opinion than that provided by an outsider, divorced from the passion and loyalty attached to the hallowed ground once known as Park de Young and Taylor Field.

city and team officials were warning the stadium was coming to the end of its life as a suitable facility for professional football. It was indeed late, late autumn in the life of “rickety” Mosaic Stadium.

The field has been the site of the province’s most cherished rugby and football memories since 1910. It sprouted an actual stadium in 1936, and has seen many renovations and additions over the years. Most recently, $14 million was spent to upgrade Mosaic Stadium to host the 2013 Grey Cup game, but even as those improvements were announced,

“The single biggest competitor for a team is something that is free — the athome, big- screen television experience,” says Craig Reynolds, CFO of the Saskatchewan Roughriders. “We like to think we offer an outstanding game day experience at current Mosaic Stadium, but it just doesn’t have many of the modern amenities that fans expect. It

A complete — and deluxe — reboot was championed by then-mayor, Pat Fiacco, and sanctified by the designation of a provincial cabinet portfolio to help shepherd the project. Ultimately, the drive for a domed stadium in the heart of the city was snuffed by the refusal of the federal government to participate. But, like an offence denied the long bomb, proponents started churning out first downs with the running game: a more modest proposal that took the form of a $278.2 million open-air bowl on the city’s exhibition grounds with the possibility of a roof retrofit sometime in the future.

BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY NORTH SASK

[ REGIONAL ECONOMICS ]

In fact, then Minister of Culture and Sport, Kevin Doherty, said a design that was “roof-ready” was a condition of the province’s participation in the funding formula. The agreement for the approved open-air stadium option will see the province put forward $80 million and finance another $100 million to be paid back by a ticket surcharge. The remaining funds will come from the City of Regina and the Roughriders. On June 16, 2014, ground was broken on the site of the new Mosaic Stadium, slated to be ready in time for the 2017 season. The project at Evraz Place is being built by PCL Construction, and in an effort to control potential cost over-runs, the contract with PCL puts the design and construction in their court, as well as the financing until satisfactory completion.

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An analysis by the Conference Board of Canada — which conducts independent research and specializes in economic trends — says from a purely economic perspective, there is not a compelling case for public investment in professional sports facilities, but that other considerations have to be assessed. “In an ideal world, pro sports franchises and their playing facilities would be privatelyfinanced. But in Canada, this ideal has only worked out in the three largest cities whose arenas host National Hockey League teams,” said Glen Hodgson, senior vice-president and chief economist. The 2011 report goes on to say that in addition to quality of life factors, public investment in a professional sports facility should be considered on the basis of increasing a city’s profile among tourists, investors and potential migrants.

Dr. Jason Childs, associate professor in the Department of Economics at the University of Regina, says he will be keeping an eye on the bottom line of the Mosaic Stadium project over the next few years. “I’ll be watching the budget and time lines. It isn’t uncommon for stadiums to end up costing a lot more than the original estimate. We just saw that Hamilton was unable to get its stadium ready in time. We saw that Winnipeg had some trouble with getting things done on time and on budget. These kinds of things can be seen as indicators of the competence of the municipal administration and their ability manage large projects.” But he agrees with the Conference Board of Canada position that a project such as the new Mosaic Stadium should be judged on more than cost, or what it

adds to the economic landscape. “When looking at projects like stadiums, art galleries and national and provincial parks, there are often a lot of nonmonetary benefits,” says Childs. “If it doesn’t see much use, then people probably don’t value it that much. If people are willing to travel a long way to enjoy something, they are getting a lot of benefit out of it; they wouldn’t put the time, energy and money into travelling if it wasn’t worth quite a bit to them.” Childs says having a mix of amenities that potential new arrivals value makes it a lot easier to get them to move to a community, and new families and young people are the key to sustainable economic growth. “Stadiums and the like can serve as a signal of activity and events for younger folk. Major concerts and events can be an important factor in encouraging some people to stay in a city. A nice stadium lets people know major concerts are at least possible.” Changes in the music industry have meant smaller cities that used to be left

off the touring calendar for major acts were now valuable destinations for bands that had seen digital music downloading bite into their record sales income. A watershed in Regina event history was its inclusion in a world tour by The Rolling Stones in 2006. The Stones sold out their concert at Mosaic Stadium in less than an hour, and a hastily-added second show sold out just as quickly. The ripples left Regina with an estimated $10 million boon to the economy and the record for largest concert event in Canadian history. Winnipeg, Hamilton and Ottawa also recently went down the road of contemplating stadium configuration options and locations. In Winnipeg, the $207 million (after-cost overruns) Investors Group Field opened in 2013 on the University of Manitoba campus. It soon hosted musical mega-stars, Taylor Swift and Paul McCartney, and was named future site of 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup matches and the 2015 Grey Cup game. In Ottawa, the RedBlacks’ home at TD Place is part of a Lansdowne Park project

being financed by condos, townhomes, and retail and entertainment development. It is now also home to the Ottawa Fury, a tier-2 professional soccer team. Hamilton took advantage of the redevelopment of the Ivor Wynne Stadium — in the heart of the city — to ensure the new Tim Hortons Field is wide enough to host major soccer events, and it is set to host the Pan American Games in 2015. It all lends credence to the Field of Dreams maxim: “if you build it, they will come.” For the Riders, it may be more important to build the new stadium so they keep coming. “There is a renaissance across Canada and in the CFL when it comes to stadiums,” says Reynolds. “Having the incredible facility we’ll have at new Mosaic Stadium will certainly offer our fans, staff and players the modern facility they deserve.”

BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY NORTH SASK

[ REGIONAL ECNOMICS ]

t was a plot twist no one sawcoming. In 2012, the provincial government announced it was ending the Saskatchewan Film Employment Tax Credit, virtually ceding all future homegrown feature film productions to every other — or any other — jurisdiction in North America. Employment tax credits have a huge influence on shooting location decisions for producers, who are always looking to shave costs. They are able to dangle the economic benefits of infusing the local economy with the spending that comes with supporting a cast and crew for weeks or months. It’s always a oneshot deal, but there’s no denying the spinoff effects of an endeavour that employs local talent, and requires everything from accommodations to catering to lumber. When Premier Brad Wall yelled “cut”, it didn’t take long until an exodus began. Nova Alberts, president of the Saskatchewan Motion Picture Industry Association (SMPIA), says a survey of the industry completed in early 2014 reveals those remaining in the province are still struggling with the fallout.

LIFE WITHOUT THE

TAX CREDIT: SaSkatchewan’S Film induStry BY Paul Sinkewicz

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“SMPIA completed a consultation process this spring that revealed a much smaller industry made up of small and medium enterprises, and individuals working hard to diversify,” Alberts says. “They have been struggling with loss of work, and in some cases competitive disadvantage, and are doing the best they can to remain in Saskatchewan.” The Saskatchewan Media Production Industry 2014 Consultation Report was aimed at helping SMPIA understand and identify the needs of the remaining media production industry professionals in Saskatchewan. “External investment, economic impact, award recognition, jobs and industry activity are all down and we have lost a number of our key employers and talent to other provinces,” says Alberts. “Other industries such as theatre, digital media and music have reported a loss of business coming from previously lucrative opportunities generated by the film industry. But by

[ DEPARTMENT ]

OPPOSiTe alex Rogalski aBOVe Sean Pion

far the biggest cost has been personal — husbands and wives living apart, and children growing up away from their parents and extended family. Now that Creative Saskatchewan is up and running, we are hoping to see improvement in these areas.” Creative Saskatchewan is a $5 million fund created in March 2013 to help creative industries market their work, with the caveat that ‘all activities and investments of Creative Saskatchewan must demonstrate an intention to positively affect the gross domestic product of the province of Saskatchewan.’ “SMPIA has provided a set of recommendations to Creative Saskatchewan that outline a number of ways to support the industry in its redevelopment,” says Alberts. “We are

working with them to help ensure the best decisions are made moving forward, and we are happy with the support we have been receiving in our efforts to reestablish Saskatchewan on the national scene. We’d also like to see increased funding to the agency so it can better support projects like the Corner Gas movie internally in the future, which would ensure any money granted to film projects has industry development measures associated with it.” The new realities of the film and television industry in Saskatchewan haven’t stopped partners, Doug Luciuk and Sean Pion, from expanding their Saskatoon trade school. The founders of the Recording Arts Institute of Saskatchewan (RAIS) added a Motion Picture Arts component to the school in 2013, and have plans to expand it this year.

“Our hope is instead of students going to Vancouver or Toronto and spending $50,000, they can stay here in the province to get their education for a reasonable amount of money and we can still utilize the industry professionals that are still here as instructors,” says Pion. “We have to remain optimistic. Here in Saskatoon, the city is growing and a lot more corporations are hiring videographers to create online content or in-house training videos. Less dramatic productions are being done, but there are still a few production companies here in town that are doing television shows.” Pion says he saw a lot of people who made their livelihood in the industry leave in 2012 so they could continue working. But those who positioned themselves on the commercial and corporate side of the industry have seen stability and growth.

BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY NORTH SASK

[ REGIONAL ECNOMICS ] [ DEPT ]

He points to the work being done by productions companies such as Bamboo Shoots, Angel Entertainment and Cheshire Smile Productions. “Things will eventually come around,” he says. “Things are cyclical in this industry, and hopefully our trained students will be there and ready to jump in when it does come back around.” Saskatoon’s Alex Rogalski remains optimistic about filmmaking in Saskatchewan — just not the profitdriven, feature filmmaking the tax credit was meant to attract. The executive director of Paved Arts, and creator of the One Take Super 8 film festival, sees plenty of passion in the province when it comes to video and film production. “The short film system never really benefitted from the film employment tax credit, but what the loss of the tax credit did was get rid of that umbrella that allowed people to be employed in the industry and make creative work on the side,” says Rogalski. “Now those people are working in other industries

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and doing creative work on the side. So filmmaking didn’t disappear from the province, but the opportunity for people to be creative while collaborating together is more difficult. Now, it’s how do you get them together to work on projects. How do you meet people? How do you network? It’s a challenge.” Rogalski says the commercial side of filmmaking helped feed the artistic side of the craft. The evisceration of the economic model the industry was built upon in 2012 has torn at the gossamer strands that connected the community. Rogalski says Manitoba and Quebec are examples of provinces that have managed to do it right: using their film employment tax credit to nurture the development of new artistic talent. “There’s a wealth of it in Winnipeg. And they do have a tax credit system and it does support an industry, but there’s also this incredibly vibrant community. I think that really needs to be fostered here — seeing film as a form of culture, not just as a part of the economy. It’s a cultural economy, not just a monetary one,” adds Rogalski. “Quebec does it insanely well.

Their industry is flourishing and they’re making films about who they are.” Rogalski plans to continue to champion short films. He sees the current focus of Creative Saskatchewan as misguided in that money is only available for feature films or explicitly commercial work. “Money is not available for short films, even though it leads to those other things,” he says. “I think people need to speak up about what organizations like Creative Saskatchewan need to do. For example, the short film is what allows people to develop their craft and their voice, so when they do make feature projects or move into television, they are where they need to be. Nobody jumps into that without building up their abilities.” Rogalski says the short film form is vital, but is only funded by the Saskatchewan Arts Board. Even documentary productions have no place with Creative Saskatchewan as those guidelines exist now, he says. “Maybe those guidelines will change.”

[ DEPARTMENT ]

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integrastone.com BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY NORTH SASK

[ SASK LIFE ]

Luxury Outdoor Living in Saskatchewan and Beyond

Saskatchewan is coming of age. Just a few years ago, outsiders would visit what appeared to be a sleepy country town or city and think they were stepping back in time. But not anymore!

he booming economy and resultant residential construction sector has seen many changes over the last few years. With it, lifestyles are also changing. Many Saskatchewan people are beginning to enjoy the fruits of their labours. The biggest feature trend in residential construction is the creation of the outdoor living space. Many homeowners are

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discovering the joys of dining, relaxing and entertaining in spaces designed and built especially for these purposes. What better way to spend an evening after a long day at work than by enjoying your backyard and relaxing in your own slice of paradise.

walking out onto the deck. People want to use it almost as an extension of their living room.” The desire to expand outside leaves consumers shopping for products that are tough enough to stand up to bad weather, but attractive enough for entertaining.

“We really see a trend toward integrating decks and patios with the indoors,” says Whitney Nordstrom, an interior design consultant in Saskatoon. “It’s not just about

“People are looking to enhance the ambiance of their home,” says Janine Wilson of Janson Homes in Regina. For her customers, that means creating an outdoor

space that feels solid, looks and feels like real stone tile and is maintenance free. So when looking for an option to composite and vinyl she found IntegraStone. For years, Michael and Ben Dombowsky worked in construction and patented inventions. But in 2008, the entrepreneurial brothers came together with their three sons in their hometown of Moose Jaw to form Eneray Sustainable Structures Inc. The company builds concrete and steel structures, which have included bridges and buildings. But the Dombowskys have also taken advantage of incredible advances in materials science to create IntegraStone, an ultra-high performance fibre-reinforced concrete they are using to create handcrafted tile to build permanent decks and patios. The patent is pending. When you say ‘outdoor living,’ most people think of a deck or patio. But to Eneray, outdoor living means creating a luxury outdoor living space — the IntegraStone sweet spot! In 2009, when Eneray launched IntegraStone, the product was going into the very highest end homes in Alberta. With direction from operations manager Shaun Jeffery, a lean manufacturing expert, Eneray has streamlined their production system to bring the cost down. “Now we’ve got it to a place where it is more affordable,” says Dombowsky. “It’s as if we’ve taken a Ferrari and priced it like a BMW.” Each IntegraStone tile is individually handcrafted by skilled artisans so that each piece has the appearance of real Italian travertine stone. Instead of using materials that will break down over time, Eneray incorporates their ultrahigh performance concrete to create a tile that can withstand the ravages of the Canadian climate. IntegraStone is a structural engineered tile system that is waterproof, weatherproof and virtually maintenance free. And now, through the development of their galvanized steel structural system, they can ensure that the sub-structure will not rot, shift or warp. It has completely changed their approach to building outdoor decks, stairs, patios and balconies. The Dombowskys have found that when people want a luxury outdoor living

It’s not just about walking out onto the deck. People want to use it almost as an extension of their living room. — Whitney Nordstrom (interior design consultant) space and are planning to spend $10,000 to $15,000 on their outdoor kitchen, add a sunken hot tub, an outdoor fireplace and/ or fire pit, lighting and sound, that the foundation and floor of the development must also match their lifestyle. They are finding that no other system provides a

lifelong deck or patio like IntegraStone. Luxury in outdoor living is now set in stone — IntegraStone.

IntegraStone 888.212.4964 www.integrastone.com

BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY NORTH SASK

[ DEPT ]

Atmosphere, Food and Service to Make Your Office Smile Saskatoon businesses are discovering Smiley’s Buffet and Event Center — a licensed Saskatoon mainstay established in 1983 — is perfect for board meetings, corporate receptions, and more. Smiley’s offers a variety of hot entrees daily, plus salads and homemade desserts. It is also conveniently located, with plenty of free parking, and three private rooms available for reservation.

miley’s private banquet rooms can host groups of a few, up to 200, people. The main floor’s two large, newly-renovated banquet rooms feature massive projection screens and HD data projectors, and the full-service “loft” space is perfect for smaller board meetings. Audiovisual equipment may be rented, and Wi-Fi is available throughout the restaurant. Smiley’s can provide functions with a private buffet, or table service (on request), and can also accommodate special dietary needs. Business hours are flexible, making it easy to host an early-

BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY NORTH SASK

morning breakfast function at Smiley’s, or allow guests to linger into the evening.

buffet packages from their catering menu are also available.

When leaving the office isn’t an option, Smiley’s catering/delivery menu can keep your workplace fed. With just 24 hours’ notice, groups of 20 or more can have Smiley’s lunch or dinners delivered; smaller groups may place orders for pickup.

Smiley’s staff are happy to help plan events — but if you hope to hold a holiday gathering at Smiley’s, you’ll want to secure space in advance. It’s not easy to find a location that combines convenience, affordability, and fantastic food.

Smiley’s online ordering system means that, whatever your preference (perhaps borscht, Chinese food, lasagna, or the legendary Smiley’s fried chicken) you’ll have your meal quickly, with minimum effort. If variety is key,

L-R Kevin Kwan, Solomon Xie, Phil Nelson, Jodie Nelson

702 Circle Drive East, Saskatoon 306.955.1926 www.smileysbuffet.com

[ DEPARTMENT ]

GIVING YOU Your Time Back

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eaves trough maintenance graffiti removal and application of anti-graffiti sealant interior and exterior window cleaning pressure washing services site clean up facility management lawn maintenance

It is never too early to start preparing for your snow removal and ice management needs for the upcoming winter season. With one-time or monthly programs available, keep your walkways and parking lot cleared for the safety and convenience of your employees and clientele.

Call us today to set up a commercial property maintenance schedule to suit your needs.

JonesE Property Maintenance 306.382.4313 admin@jonesE.ca www.jonesE.ca

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BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY NORTH SASK

The Service You Expect Since 1973 Glenwood Auto Service has been providing quality auto repair service. Our customer service, professional workmanship, high-end parts, and extensive service is what makes us leaders in the industry. Services offered by the professionals at Glenwood Auto include: • computer diagnostics • preventative maintenance • tires • auto glass • detailing • SGI certified safety inspections • oil changes • Chauffeur service and courtesy vehicles available for our clients’ convenience.

To book your appointment, call Glenwood Auto Service at 306.374.3551 Open Monday to Friday, 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Glenwood Auto Service 101 Jessop Avenue Saskatoon www.glenwoodauto.ca

[ DEPT ] STORY NO. 11

Gary belongs to two communities. We’re proud to be one of them. Gary Lerat grew up in a community he loves — the Cowessess First Nation in Saskatchewan. Today, he’s also a member of the PotashCorp community. Thanks to a unique outreach program, we’re tapping into the talents of First Nations and Métis people like Gary. We offered him a career path at our Rocanville mine, and he’s making the most of it. “It’s got that community feel,” says Gary about PotashCorp. “Everyone there is almost like family.” To see the video of Gary’s story, visit PotashCorp.com/25

years

of nourishing human potential.

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