Business in Calgary - April 2022

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A PREMIER’S REFLECTIONS REFLECTIONS PM41126516

JASON KENNEY LOOKS BACK ON THE PAST TWO YEARS AND TOWARDS THE FUTURE

AMJ CELEBRATES 40 YEARS!

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Volume 32 | Number 4

REGULAR COLUMNS

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What’s Wrong with Premier Kenney?

By Shane Wenzel

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CONTENTS

Calgary Chamber of Commerce Overly Strong Golf Grip Causing Army Golf: Left Right, Left Right…

By Scott Orban

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Parker’s Pen

By David Parker

COVER FEATURE

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A Premier’s Reflections Jason Kenney looks back on the past two years and towards the future

By Melanie Darbyshire

ON OUR COVER: ABOVE: JASON KENNEY PHOTO SOURCE: BOOKSTRUCKER

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Leasing Information: Guy Priddle 403.571.2528 guy.priddle@cadillacfairview.com

Grow your Business with our Experience Cadillac Fairview offers a diverse real estate portfolio complemented with comprehensive property management services. Through the strength of ownership, strategic acquisitions, and development, Cadillac Fairview provides innovative, sustainable and functional facilities that are able to deliver exceptional solutions to tenants.

SHELL CENTRE

CALGARY CITY CENTRE

400 4TH AVENUE SW

215 2 STREET SW

A LEED Gold building serving a global tenant. Shell Centre is connected to the core via +15 walkways and blocks from Eau Claire and Calgary’s extended bike lanes.

• LEED Gold Certified • Class A Office • 33 Floors • Retail Space Available • Close to Eau Claire • Global Tenant • Energy Star Certified

This LEED Platinum building opened the doors in 2016.

Calgary City Centre is anchored in Calgary’s remarkable Eau Claire area.

The building has a first-class fitness facility, professional conference centre and more.

• LEED Platinum Certified • Class AAA Office • 36 Floors • 26,695 sf Floorplate • Fully Connected to the Core via +15 Walkways • Breathtaking Finishes • Energy Star Certified

ENCOR PLACE

635 8TH AVE

645 7TH AVENUE SW

635 8TH AVENUE SW

Unbeatable location with easy access, in and out of Calgary’s core. Encor Place offers an efficient floorplate providing prominent layouts for all sized tenants. The building’s lobby is finished with stunning marble and granite making it bright and welcoming.

• Class A Office • 29 Floors • BOMA BESt Certified • Located on Calgary’s LRT Line • Connected to the Core via +15 Walkways • Energy Star Certified

This vibrant building has a premier location offering effortless access, in and out of Calgary’s core. 635 8th Avenue is situated on Calgary’s intricate bike lanes.

The building offers efficient floorplates and an energetic atmosphere.

• Class B Office • 25 Floors • BOMA BESt Certified • Cogeneration System • Located on Calgary’s bike lanes • One block from the LRT Line • Energy Star Certified • +15 Connected

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Supporting the visions of entrepreneurs one story at a time.

Volume 32 | Number 4

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CONTENTS COMPANY PROFILES

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THIS MONTH’S FEATURES

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AMJ Campbell

Celebrates 40 Years

Caesar’s Steak House

Celebrates 50 Years

M anaging Chronic Illness in Seniors Early intervention and prevention are key to living a full life

By Erlynn Gococo

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B usiness is Booming in Interior B.C. But experts warn persistent supply shortages will have significant effect on rec property market

By Jamie Zachary

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C algary Influential Women in Business Awards Leaders across Calgary celebrate the strength diversity brings to business and community

By Natalie Noble

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ADMINISTRATION/ACCOUNTING Natalia Lopes natalia@businessincalgary.com

REGULAR CONTRIBUTORS Shane Wenzel Cody Battershill David Parker

THIS ISSUE’S CONTRIBUTORS Melanie Darbyshire Rennay Craats Jamie Zachary Natalie Noble

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WHAT’S WRONG WITH PREMIER KENNEY? // SHANE WENZEL

What’s Wrong with Premier Kenney?

BY SHANE WENZEL

T

he answer of course depends on who’s asking and who’s answering.

The worst time to win an election as a provincial leader was in the Fall of 2019. Four months into the job, the world was hit with COVID-19 which quickly got headlined as a pandemic; the world panicked. No one had any real experience with how to manage such an occurrence including the medical community who posed as having all the answers. Projections were often wrong, and for much of the public the procedures bordered on ‘overkill.’ Computer models have a way of adding to that. Everyone who became ill or worse were labelled as COVID victims and the only people taking the ‘rap’ for any outcomes were 10 Premiers. If you feel the need to dish out blame, look for a Premier. Because of flaws in Canada’s Constitution, it turns out the Prime Minister has more power than reasonably acceptable. He gave the orders – some were completely draconian – and the provincial leaders took the ‘brunt.’ Medical teams experienced infighting within their own ‘towers’ and the Premiers were tasked to try keep the peace and take the blame. Premier Kenney was no exception!

Democracies rest on the ability of the general public to hold elected officials accountable. But what happens when a large segment of voters know little about how policy evolves, their limitations and who has authority over what? Most of all they want someone to blame. Who knew who to blame for lockdowns, for masking rules, for interrupted education, for lost businesses and general all-around hardships? Stopping COVID at all costs is not a policy but it did cost much

hardship. Without any real power, the Premier’s ratings fell into the ‘gutter.’ Medical advisors became kings, and the Prime Minister hid.

Premier Kenney has done what he can to mend feelings among the electorate and his internal party power struggles without taking his eye off his recovery plan. He doesn’t call voters names or fault them for their opinions, he is simply working towards getting life back to normal in Alberta.

Behind the COVID scenes he has enticed new industries into Alberta, brought in investor dollars from some of the largest corporations, reduced unworkable policies brought in by the previous government, expanded education choices and job opportunities, and laid the groundwork for expanding hospital beds and staffing in our cumbersome healthcare system which was the ‘phantom’ behind the lockdowns. Like everyone, he is weary of worrying about ‘a shortage of beds’ which drove the mandates, and we are learning to live with COVID. He is working on convincing Ottawa to lift their mandates on travel and ending costly and restrictive testing.

He wants borders opened so people can work and travel in peace and connect with families elsewhere, so Albertans in their twilight years can finally live their last years as planned while hugging family. So children can laugh, hug each other and be kids again, and new graduates can find work. His biggest desire is to end the bitterness by getting back to the ‘old normal.’ Enough division by the dividers.

So, nothing is wrong with Premier Kenney. His goals just got delayed by a two-year pandemic.

Shane Wenzel is president of the Shane Homes Group of Companies. Follow him @shanewenzel on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and YouTube.His column is written for the Alberta Enterprise Group, @AEG on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

BUSINESSINCALGARY.COM // BUSINESS IN CALGARY // APRIL 2022

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Building a Legacy Inspiring the minds of tomorrow starts with building a strong and sustainable community today.

University of Calgary Properties Group (UCPG) is a benchmark developer that exists to fuel the academic mission of the University of Calgary. As a nimble and dynamic entrepreneurial partner, UCPG is committed to creating sustainable physical communities, supporting the people who contribute to shaping those communities, and mindfully designing environments to live, work or play.

UCPG’s innovative thinking leads to ground-breaking and thoughtfully designed spaces and is continuously evolving to create vibrant places where people can thrive.

ucpg.ca

“University District enriches the city and the university community.”

– James Robertson, President and CEO, University of Calgary Properties Group

The University of Calgary and University of Calgary Properties Group: A partnership built for the future of our city A DIFFERENT KIND OF REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT COMPANY

What makes a city desirable to live in?

As the trusted developer for University of Calgary (UCalgary) land projects, University of Calgary Properties Group Ltd. (UCPG) is setting the stage for what it means to build a desirable community through the development of a vibrant, mindful and thriving environment in University District, located in Calgary’s northwest.

UCPG CEO, James Robertson. “With ample park spaces, easy commutes, desirable retail offerings and residential options for every stage of life, the community is attracting a broad range of residents and visitors.”

Every square foot within University District is thoughtfully designed with a unique touch – from the green space

a physical reminder of the unequivocal commitment to the University’s academic mission. These streets have been envisioned to be an extension of the University of Calgary campus and will eventually become an important connector between the University, nearby medical facilities and established neighbourhoods.

CONNECTION TO UNIVERSITY OF CALGARY

UCPG was created to oversee the development and management of university land projects. This unique partnership and collaboration offers an innovative approach to real estate development. Each land project, including the development of University District, optimizes the return on the land for the benefit of the University’s academic mission by investing proceeds directly back into the University of Calgary to help students, staff, worldclass research and innovation thrive.

THOUGHTFULLY DESIGNED COMMUNITY

University District has quickly become a desirable residential community disrupting the status quo of modern living by providing an unmatched hub of residential buildings paired with carefully selected retail shops and services, offices, 40 acres of green space, and a fully integrated space to live, work and play. This means fewer vehicles, more green space, and everything you need for a high quality of life within walking distance. “University District enriches the city and the university community,” says

The late Chancellor Kovitz, second from the right, poses with a street sign dedicated in her honour.

down to the street names. As a way to pay homage to the community’s close connection with the University of Calgary, 13 University District streets are named after poignant University of Calgary Chancellors. Each Chancellor has deeply committed to the University’s vision during their appointment, including Dr. Joanne Cuthbertson, Dr. Jim Dinning, Dr. William Friley, Dr. Muriel Kovitz, Dr. Louis Lebel, Dr. Ann McCaig, Dr. Campbell McLaurin, Dr. Brian Norford, Dr. James Palmer, Dr. Jack Perraton, Dr. David Smith, Dr. Robert Thirsk, and Dr. William Warren.

The decision to name University District streets after UCalgary Chancellors intentionally adds a piece of rooted legacy to the community. It’s

Today, the burgeoning community is a 10-minute walk to campus with over 2,000 residents and new retailers opening every month. It is an accessible hub for groceries, dining, entertainment and personal care. Some of its notable retailers who have opened to date include Save-On-Foods, OEB Breakfast Co., Monogram Coffee, Village Ice Cream, Canadian Brewhouse and Alberta’s first exclusively 18+ Cineplex VIP Cinemas.

With The Alley, Borough Bar + Grill, Banquet Dive Bar and Cobs Bread opening in the coming months, the future is undoubtedly bright at University District, modelling what a desirable community looks like.

Visit myuniversitydistrict.ca for more information.

Better IT. Better Business.

BY RENNAY CRAATS

T

here is a renewed energy in Calgary’s downtown, and Calitso, a dynamic managed IT services provider with a staff of 30 employees, is excited to be part of it. With their recent move to Elveden Centre in the core, the company is well positioned to support Calgary businesses across all sectors. Calitso – a semi-acronym of Calgary IT Solutions – is proud to be a Calgary based company, founded, operated and staffed here in Calgary.

Their service offering includes managed IT services, managed cyber security and managed backups, network design and implementation, large IT projects, remote work solutions and Office 365 and Microsoft Azure.

“We started nearly 10 years ago with the Nathan Orsten and Brian Wickenberg. Photo by Riverwood Photography. idea of bringing technology, customer service and business together. We are a managed service provider, meaning the organization’s IT fessionally and expertly handled. Clients don’t have function is outsourced whether that’s the entire IT to worry about managing their ever-changing techportfolio or augmenting services with current innology and IT needs, and with Calitso’s 24/7 suphouse employees,” says Brian Wickenberg, COO of port, partnerships with top manufacturers like Dell, Calitso. “Wherever Calgary business is, we are here HP, Lenovo, Microsoft, Cisco/Meraki and Fortinet to provide IT support, strategy and solutions.” ensuring quality products, and best-in-class security, clients can focus on what they do best.

Calitso was founded on the idea that businesses need to incorporate technology into their oper“We bring to the table more than just technology. ations, and have reliable and knowledgeable IT We bring unrivalled support, solutions and busisupport and implementation in order to grow. Its ness acumen that factors into everything we do,” founders, Brian Wickenberg and Nathan Orsten, says Orsten. have used their diverse backgrounds to create an IT solutions company that helps clients leverage techCalitso’s dedicated IT professionals focus on cusnology in business to facilitate success. tomer service and creative solutions that integrate into all areas of clients’ businesses, proving that “Brian’s operations and customer service backBetter IT does equal Better Business. ground together with my technology background was the perfect fit for an IT services and solutions company in Calgary. Always doing what’s in the best interest of our customer translates to strong, long-term partnerships,” says Nathan Orsten, CTO of Calitso.

That partnership brings clients peace of mind and confidence that all aspects of their IT are being pro-

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BUSINESSINCALGARY.COM // BUSINESS IN CALGARY // APRIL 2022

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USask Opens Downtown Gathering Space in Calgary While Calgary is proudly known for the ‘C of Red,’ you can expect to see more “Green and White” in the future.

With more than 10,000 alumni in Calgary and area and over 26,000 in Alberta, the University of Saskatchewan (USask) officially opened its Calgary Hub for alumni on March 7 at its new downtown location.

“Many of our alumni are community builders who have helped Calgary become a global leader in the energy sector,” says USask president Peter Stoicheff.

“It’s also important we are here in Calgary due to the significant amount of USask research that happens in the Calgary area and across Alberta,” he adds.

“For instance, a number of our researchers tackling some of the world’s most challenging water security issues such as flooding and drought are based in Canmore. The hub is a way for us to show the Calgary community that we are addressing issues that matter to Western Canada and the world.”

Located in the heart of downtown on 3rd Avenue S.W., the USask Calgary Hub features meeting rooms and gathering areas, serving as a home base for regional alumni groups, a space for professional and educational opportunities, and a venue for events and other USask activities in Calgary.

It will be used by members of the USask community including alumni, university leaders, faculty, staff, students, community stakeholders, and business partners.

Calgary is currently the only city outside of Saskatchewan where there is a dedicated USask community space like this.

Stoicheff believes it is critical USask have a presence in one of Canada’s largest and fastest-growing cities.

“Calgary is home to USask’s largest alumni population outside of Saskatoon, and has long been a magnet for so many talented graduates of our many programs,” Stoicheff says.

USask chancellor Grit McCreath, a Calgary resident, says the Calgary Hub “provides a gateway for USask to deepen relationships with alumni and with the broader Calgary community through events, collaboration opportunities and space to work.”

Calgary resident Tracey Jungwirth, who earned a USask bachelor of science degree in 1992, is a member of USask’s alumni advisory board and dedicated volunteer.

“This space keeps us engaged as alumni with the place where we got our start all those years ago,” says Jungwirth.

“So many of my fellow alumni have gone on to accomplish incredible things, and to be able to stay connected to each other in Calgary is really special.”

Following her first degree at USask, Jungwirth obtained a master’s degree in metamorphic geology at the University of Calgary and has since worked as a professional geologist in data and technology roles for numerous companies in Alberta’s oil and gas industry.

Alumni are invited to stop by if they are looking to conduct business, connect with other alumni or simply get some work done. It will also be used as a gathering space for alumni to host events and for USask staff to conduct business with alumni stakeholders, corporations and agencies.

The innovative space includes an executive boardroom with seating for 12 and is equipped with an LCD display screen, video and teleconferencing capabilities, whiteboard and high-speed wireless internet access.

ABOVE: PETER STOICHEFF, PRESIDENT AND VICE-CHANCELLOR. PHOTO SOURCE: BUD MOORE

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We understand the stakes of planning an event. We collaborate with you to create an event that reflects your vision and the details that matter most to your organization. You can relax knowing every detail has been handled.

At the same time, you can count on us for consistent culinary excellence. Centini blends relaxed sophistication with understated elegance, earning us a long-standing reputation as one of Calgary's most iconic restaurants and the recognized leader in event production. From board dinners to educational events, cocktail functions and Christmas parties, you can count on us to handle your event as if it were our own.

Talk to us today about our private dining program and see how effortless we can make your next event.

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Think of us as your secret weapon for getting things done flawlessly. events@centini.com Friday, April 22, 2022 marks the 52 nd annual global Earth Day 403.269.1600 Events direct: 403-269-1605 celebration. With this year’s theme being “Invest in our Planet”, we at Junior Achievement couldn’t help but think about the symbiotic relationship between business and the environment, and the opportunity to harness potential, profit and preservation when these two critical aspects of life on earth are aligned.

But what do students think? According to a new study by JA USA, 73% of our up-and-coming workforce also believe that industry innovation is required to correct climate change. They are craving conversations around sustainable growth, innovation and technology, and the role that they will be called to play as both business leaders and individual consumers.

At JA, we know that financial literacy education plays a major role in establishing financial stability in the future, which in turn enables intentional and environmentally mindful consumer purchasing decisions. We also believe that early entrepreneurial experiences prime young people to think about the world’s problems critically and differently, and that we owe these learning opportunities to our future leaders.

You can be a part of the progress! Join us as we celebrate Earth Day and continued prosperity by volunteering in a JA classroom. For more information and to register, scan the QR code.

By Brittney Wynnyk for JA Southern Alberta

BUSINESSINCALGARY.COM // BUSINESS IN CALGARY // APRIL 2022

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MERCURY MESSENGER COURIERS DELIVER

by Rennay Craats

I

n a sea of couriers operating in the city, Mercury Messenger has worked hard to establish itself as a stand-out courier service for its clients. Owners Nancy and Sean Creagh know the business inside and out and use their experience and knowledge to benefit not only the clients but also the stable of drivers they contract for deliveries.

“We wanted to start a business where people weren’t taken advantage of,” she says.

“We’re a team of couriers that started a business so we could help out other couriers so they were taken care of.”

Sean and Nancy spent years driving and working in the office of courier companies and they have seen it all. Dating back to the late 1980s, they earned their stripes in the business working for various courier companies and after a short stint with an outfit that fleeced couriers by pocketing an unfair percentage of the delivery rate, they knew they wanted to do things differently. In 1997, they set out to create a system that was profitable on the one hand and fair to the drivers on the other. The result was Affordable Delivery.

“We saw an opening that needed to be filled and we wanted to make it fair for everybody,” Nancy says, and they have succeeded in doing just that.

They were careful never to poach clients from previous employers and instead carved out a niche with Calgary flower shops. Nancy was soon delivering for 15 flower shop clients and within about six months her husband, Sean, left his full-time job to help build the company. The flower market started to wane and the Creaghs identified pharmaceutical deliveries as an expansion area worth exploring. Before long they were delivering for the company that supplied Sobeys and Co-op pharmacies and many independent pharmacies with their product and continued to work for them for 14 years until the company was bought out by McKesson. Affordable Delivery also delivered prescriptions from pharmacies to people’s homes and businesses including many care facilities. Today, the company picks up from an average of 35 pharmacies per day and delivers anywhere from Lethbridge to Brooks to Sundre.

“We’ve really grown in the past few years – business has ballooned for us. COVID-19 has doubled our business as more people have their drugs brought to their homes,” Sean says.

That ballooning growth started about five years ago when Affordable Delivery acquired Mercury Messenger. Mercury was owned by one of Sean and Nancy’s former bike couriers and friend Justin Gullickson and the owners supported each other over the years. After 15 years, Gullickson was looking for a change but it was important that his staff was taken care of. He knew the Creaghs would honour that condition so the two companies were blended into one operating as Mercury Messenger.

Nancy and Sean Creagh. Photo by Riverwood Photography.

Today, this independent courier company has grown to include 12 contract drivers who make deliveries across the city and beyond, and plans to add more drivers this spring. The online system offers clients an easy way to book deliveries and allows them to track packages in real time as well as manage their account and invoices.

Mercury promises fast and efficient deliveries, going above and beyond to meet clients’ same day local needs or next-day delivery across Canada.

“We value our customers and we do our best to take good care of them,” Nancy says.

“Our contractors are honest, polite and reliable.”

This is critical, especially given that the majority of Mercury Messenger’s work centres on pharmaceuticals. The couriers are handling expensive medications that have to be received on time, and Sean and Nancy take pride in their team’s dedication to exceeding clients’ expectations. Clients know their deliveries are in good hands, and Mercury offers more than just timely, reliable deliveries – they offer peace of mind.

“I’d bet we are the only company in the city that has insurance that pays for pharmaceuticals,” Sean says. “We have extra insurance of $50,000 per car, which we need because they can be carrying a lot of pharmaceuticals. And if it isn’t covered by insurance, I’ll pay for it. We stand by our people and should something happen, we’ll pay for it.”

Mercury Messenger has become a go-to courier for pharmacies and hospitals, but it is also growing its presence downtown. More and more, professionals and businesses downtown are putting Mercury on speed dial for quick deliveries, and Mercury is looking to attract more of that clientele, offering bike couriers to cover downtown for the quick deliveries needed by law office clients.

For 25 years, the Creaghs has worked to create a business that takes care of couriers while providing professionalism and top-notch service to clients, and on that, Mercury Messenger truly delivers.

403-255-4000 • info@mercurymessenger.ca www.mercurymessenger.ca

OFF THE

Bow Valley College Introduces New Women Pivoting in Tech Bursary Bow Valley College announced a new Women Pivoting in Tech bursary on International Women’s Day on March 8. The program is support by the Government of Alberta through a Ministry of Jobs, Economy and Innovation grant. The college receives $400,000 to fund the Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) bursaries.

“Bow Valley College is extremely grateful to have the opportunity to support women pursuing a STEM education,” says Dr. Misheck Mwaba, president and CEO, Bow Valley College. “Our mission is to remove barriers to learning, and these bursaries will make a tremendous difference in helping women achieve their goals.”

The Women Pivoting in Tech bursary covers tuition but will also help offset other costs such as technology, childcare and basic expenses. It is hoped that easing financial pressures will reassure recipients that they can manage school.

“The day-to-day expenses are often what hold women back when they consider pursuing higher education,” says Lynn Connell, director of Student Services, and registrar, Bow Valley College. “Making that rent payment, buying that bus pass and hiring a babysitter are all considerations for them. These bursaries will lift some of their financial worries so they can concentrate on classes.”

The Women Pivoting in Tech bursaries will be open for all female-identifying students to apply, including those looking for a mid-career change, Indigenous students and newcomers. Bow Valley College diploma and post-diploma programs in STEM will help fill in-demand tech jobs in fields such as cybersecurity, cloud computing, information technology services and software development.

“Women are underrepresented in these professions, and Bow Valley College is elated to give them the opportunity to demonstrate they can excel in STEM disciplines,” says Alison Anderson, dean of Business, Technology and the Bow Valley College Centre for Entertainment Arts.

Many Bow Valley College instructors are women who have worked in STEM. They will be valuable mentors to the recipients of these bursaries and hope to keep the momentum going for more exceptional women.

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Looking for a one-of-a-kind venue to host a corporate meeting?

“Bow Valley College is proud to contribute to advancing gender equality,” says Dr. Mwaba. “We will do so by reskilling and upskilling talented women in contemporary STEM programs that will see them graduate quickly and work in their desired field faster.”

About Bow Valley College Calgary and region’s largest Comprehensive Community College – with 14,000 full- and part-time students, Bow Valley College helps Open Doors – Open Minds to in-demand jobs in Calgary, Alberta and Canada. Our graduates contribute to the digital economy, TV & film production, and serve on the frontlines for healthcare and social programs. One of Canada’s top 50 research colleges, Bow Valley College invests in virtual reality (VR), Work Integrated Learning (WIL), micro-credentials and foundational opportunities. bowvalleycollege.ca.

Contact us today for more information!

Phone: (403) 232-7770 Email: salesinfo@calgaryzoo.com

TOP: DR. MISHECK MWABA, PRESIDENT AND CEO, BOW VALLEY COLLEGE. BOTTOM: ALISON ANDERSON, DEAN OF BUSINESS, TECHNOLOGY AND THE BOW VALLEY COLLEGE CENTRE FOR ENTERTAINMENT ARTS.

BUSINESSINCALGARY.COM // BUSINESS IN CALGARY // APRIL 2022

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A PREMIER’S REFLECTIONS // COVER

A PREMIER’S REFLECTIONS REFLECTIONS JASON KENNEY LOOKS BACK ON THE PAST TWO YEARS AND TOWARDS THE FUTURE

BY MELANIE DARBYSHIRE

W

hen Alberta went into lockdown in March of 2020, shortly after the World Health Organization declared the spread of COVID-19 a global pandemic, the future was more uncertain than ever before for most Albertans. Nobody knew what would happen, for how long, or what the fallout – short or long term – would be. We were walking blind and frightened, the looming prospect of an overwhelmed healthcare system threatening catastrophe, with many more questions than answers.

All citizens were affected by that first and subsequent lockdown and decisions: young and old, single people and families, healthy and sick, employed and unemployed, essential workers and the work-from-home crowd. While some suffered more than others, to be sure, nobody was spared from the harsh realities that lockdown and the ensuing pandemic response would pose.

To be Premier during this difficult time, responsible for making those decisions, was exceptionally challenging.

Two years later, with the benefit of hindsight, Premier Jason Kenney sat down with us to reflect on the COVID-19 pandemic, his government’s response, the consequences of that response, and how Alberta can move forward, stronger, united and more resilient than ever.

How would he describe the last two years?

“It has been a roller coaster for everybody,” he says after pausing to find the right words. “A time of dislocation, uncertainty, hope and despair. For those of us in government, having to make these decisions has been impossibly difficult. There’s no textbook for how to do this, no place in the world has done it perfectly. There’s only bad choices and sometimes only catastrophically bad choices, so it’s been tough.”

The most difficult choices always involved imposing restrictions. “We knew that they were going to impact people’s lives, sometimes in profound ways,” he reflects.

“Every time we faced a wave that was putting huge pressure on the hospitals and we had to look at some of these restrictions, there were more than a few tears shed around the COVID cabinet committee table, as people thought through the consequences of the decisions we were making.”

Not every decision caused torment though, and there are some Kenney is in fact very proud of. One is the launch of Alberta’s Recovery Plan in June 2020. This was especially important given the economic downturn the province had experienced for the roughly five years leading up to the

RIGHT: JASON KENNEY PHOTO SOURCE: UNITED CONSERVATIVE PARTY

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A PREMIER’S REFLECTIONS // COVER

pandemic, followed by the global economic and energy price collapse which occurred in April 2020.

“We had multiple simultaneous crises realized early on, in the Spring of 2020, that we had to really focus on the economic side,” Kenney explains. “When you’re looking at WTI at zero, 25 per cent unemployment, and not knowing how long this could last. Was it going to be the 1930s all over again? We didn’t know. So we put together, in record speed, the Recovery Plan.”

Focused on building, diversifying and creating jobs through targeted programs, investments and financial relief for Albertans, the Recovery Plan also outlined an investment and growth strategy to increase Alberta’s competitive advantage, improve the investment attraction ecosystem and raise Alberta’s reputation as an investment destination.

“We were way ahead of any government in Canada at putting together an economic strategy to deal with the economic consequences of COVID,” Kenney says proudly. “And I think we were ahead of the game, right across the government. It was strong leadership.”

Of the many decisions to be Monday-morning quarterbacked, Kenney admits regret when it came to imposing restrictions on kids. “We now see the evidence of the youth mental health crisis emerging from the past two years,” he says. “The learning loss, the social dislocation. I wish early on we’d had clearer data on how mild COVID is for kids, because I think that would have informed a lighter touch on restrictions affecting children.”

Another early mistake was only allowing retail stores that sold essential products (pharmacy products and food) to stay open. This meant big box stores, like Walmart and Costco,

BUSINESSINCALGARY.COM // BUSINESS IN CALGARY // APRIL 2022

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A PREMIER’S REFLECTIONS // COVER

could remain open, while smaller retailers who sold the same stuff were shut down: “For several weeks or so there, we really treated those small mom and pop retail businesses very unfairly. That was a dumb mistake.”

A clearer understanding of the limits of the hospital system would have been very useful early on: “In March of 2020, Alberta Health Services told us that in an extreme scenario they could open up 1,080 ICU beds from a baseline of 173.

In wave two in the fall of 2020, they said it was only 425 beds. And then in wave four last fall, they said they could only do 230. So we had some real problems in terms of having a direct line of sight on healthcare capacity for one of the most expensive systems in the world. Not acceptable.”

It’s why Kenney’s government is now focused on healthcare capacity – or lack thereof – which was the reason for all the restrictions. “We should have options other than restrictions,” he argues, “by having more healthcare capacity.”

He notes that one of the reasons places like Florida and Texas avoided similar restrictions is because they have about three times more ICU beds than we do.

In Alberta, we have a baseline of 173 ICU beds in a nonCOVID year, a number which gets exceeded in a bad flu season. “Throw at it a sustained huge pandemic and the system is not fit for purpose,” he laments. “But why isn’t it? In Alberta we have a lot of questions to ask. In 2019, according to the Canadian Institute of Health Information, Alberta had the lowest per capita number of ICU beds in Canada, but with the second highest health expenditures per capita. These are the questions I am demanding answers to.”

He adds that more money is not the only solution because if it were, Alberta would have the best healthcare system in Canada. We do not, in terms of surgical wait times, diagnostic wait times, per capital beds or other key outcomes.

“We’re not getting the bang for our buck that we deserve,” he says. “So that’s one of the reasons we’re bringing in the Alberta Surgical Initiative, which is to contract out about 40,000 more surgical procedures to privately run surgical clinics. Let’s use the ‘get it done’ attitude of the private sector, as opposed to being stuck in a complete government

ABOVE: JASON KENNEY PHOTO SOURCE: GOVERNMENT OF ALBERTA, PREMIER’S OFFICE

22

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A PREMIER’S REFLECTIONS // COVER

WHILE NOTHING IS CERTAIN, KENNEY IS OPTIMISTIC WE’VE REACHED A POINT OF ENDEMICITY WITH COVID, monopoly on delivery. As long as the government’s ensuring medically necessary service, that’s what people want. They don’t care where the procedure is performed.”

The February budget allocates approximately $900 million for the Surgical Initiative to contract more than double the number of surgical procedures currently performed. “We want a lot more of what we call Charter Surgical Facilities,” Kenney explains. “Because unlike the government hospitals, they’re run by private sector operators. They use their capital much more efficiently. They can run surgeries around the clock and aren’t constrained by very restrictive government collective bargaining agreements.”

In 2019, a review of AHS done by Ernst & Young identified about $2 billion in savings which could be reinvested in frontline care. While Kenney’s government began implementing that plan it was sideswiped by the pandemic.

“We are aiming to reduce by about 10 per cent, the number of senior managers at AHS, because it is, we believe, top heavy.”

While nothing is certain, Kenney is optimistic we’ve reached a point of endemicity with COVID, where we should be able to live with it. He hears those Albertans who worry that the blunt instruments of damaging restrictions are here to stay, and can be used in future emergencies at the whim of government.

“I understand the skepticism,” he says. “Last summer, I was so desperate to get out of this that I overpromised on it. I said ‘Open for Summer, Open for Good’ because I didn’t ever want to resort to damaging restrictions again. And then we got whacked by the Delta wave. We were within 10 days of having to pull life support on people in ICU and ship patients out of the province and rent freezer trucks for morgues. And I wasn’t going to preside over that. But I don’t see anything now that would lead us back to that situation. And I hope and believe that the population is more willing to live with COVID.” He adds that a media less focused on promoting a degree of hysteria and the use of harsh and constant lockdowns (like in Australia, Ontario and Quebec) would also be helpful. “We cannot continue to live under that psychological pressure,” he laments. “And even if you wanted to, you cannot maintain widespread population compliance with fundamental impairments of freedoms and damage to people’s lives.

Maybe you can bring things in like that for a short period

24

APRIL 2022 // BUSINESS IN CALGARY // BUSINESSINCALGARY.COM

WHERE WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO LIVE WITH IT. HE HEARS THOSE ALBERTANS WHO WORRY THAT THE BLUNT INSTRUMENTS OF DAMAGING RESTRICTIONS ARE HERE TO STAY, AND CAN BE USED IN FUTURE EMERGENCIES AT THE WHIM OF GOVERNMENT. of time to prevent a hospital catastrophe, but only when absolutely necessary.”

After two tough years, the ability to present a balanced budget in February was a high point for Kenney, who sees it as a reflection of both the province’s finances and recovery. It was achieved, he argues, through fiscal discipline and economic growth across all sectors of the economy. “While it would be easy to simply attribute it to high oil prices (which are certainly a huge part), under the NDP’s spending track, we would still have a $6 billion deficit on today’s oil prices,” he says.

During Rachel Notley’s NDP government, spending rose by four per cent, while Kenney’s government has kept program spending from rising by little more than two per cent annually, even with COVID-related spending.

“Revenues are growing across every aspect of the economy,” he says happily. “That’s a sign of diversification, corporate income tax revenues (not just oil and gas), personal income tax revenues, all revenues. And we would like to believe that has something to do with the government that has been obsessively focused on bringing investment, private sector growth, diversification, a one-third cut in corporate taxes, the 22 per cent cut in regulations, the Recovery Plan, incentives for petrochemicals, hydrogen, film and television, information technology, Agro food, forestry, you name it. The whole economy is expanding and the revenues are growing, so that’s why we got to balance.”

Alberta’s jobless rate now sits at the pre-pandemic rate of around seven per cent, but Kenney sees it dropping to below six per cent by the end of the year. “There were some major announcements last year – Amazon Web Services,

A PREMIER’S REFLECTIONS // COVER

Mphasis, Air Products, Dow Chemical Co. – that have shovels in the ground or are hiring this year and next. These announcements will have huge positive effect this year.”

He points out that some sectors have zero unemployment right now – Calgary’s tech sector, for example – which is why a major focus in the budget is the Alberta Work Initiative, which provides targeted training with employers for indemand occupations. “Right across the economy we need to skate to where the puck is going, and that is labour and skills shortages,” he says.

Alberta’s energy sector remains key for Kenney, who has been a strong advocate across Canada and the world. The Russian invasion of Ukraine and spike in the price of oil has brought Alberta’s ethical oil into sharp focus, and the Premier is keen to highlight it. “The durable global demand for hydrocarbon energy is real, and our position has been validated,” he says. “If there’s one thing the world does to put Putin in a box, it’s got to be getting more Canadian energy to global markets. Because if it’s not us, it’s going to be OPEC.” He notes with a minority parliament in Ottawa, anything is possible (even if it is wishful thinking): “I think that these new facts may help to bring some balance back to the national political discussion on Canada’s role as a responsible energy producer. I hope that your average suburban Ontario voter, maybe even your average suburban Quebec voter, will

say ‘we shouldn’t be importing OPEC oil.’ I hope this changes the electoral calculus here to be more realistic about energy.”

With the worst of COVID in his rearview mirror (we all hope), Kenney is looking forward to continuing to strengthen Alberta’s economy and gain back the trust of those he governs, many within his own party. He will face party members on April 9 at a leadership review.

“This is a party made up of freedom loving people who hate all of these restrictions,” he admits. “They’ve been critical of me for bringing them in, it’s not much more complicated than that.

But as we get past COVID, past these restrictions, we can get focused back on all we have done. We’ve delivered on 86 per cent of our platform commitments. We balanced the budget.

The economy is leading the country. We’re building pipelines.

We’re standing up to Justin Trudeau. We are doing what we said we would do. And I think that broadly our mainstream members appreciate that. I’m happy to be held accountable.”

Beyond the leadership review, Kenney will face Notley in a provincial election next year. Vital to staying in government will be the difficult task of uniting conservatives across Alberta, which remain fractured.

They say politics is not for the faint of heart; the past two years have proved this true. If Jason Kenney keeps his job, let’s hope his next two years are easier on everyone.

ABOVE: JASON KENNEY PHOTO SOURCE: GOVERNMENT OF ALBERTA, PREMIER’S OFFICE

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MANAGING CHRONIC ILLNESS IN SENIORS // HEALTH CARE

MANAGING CHRONIC ILLNESS IN SENIORS EARLY INTERVENTION AND PREVENTION ARE KEY TO LIVING A FULL LIFE

BY ERLYNN GOCOCO

D

espite the country’s aging population, most Canadians hope to live a long and healthy life. In 2019, it was reported that there were 6.6 million Canadian seniors (65+ years old). By 2040, that percentage is projected to increase to one-fourth of the overall population.

This increase will cause the number of Canadians over 65 who will suffer from chronic illness to climb as well.

Tam goes on to discuss the effects COVID-19 has had on our aging population. “COVID-19 has had unprecedented consequences and has quickly revealed seniors’ vulnerability to infectious diseases. The Canadian Chronic Disease Surveillance System estimates that in 2021, the overall number of adults aged 65 years and older who will be living with chronic conditions will be about 6.3 million.”

Chronic illness can occur at any age, however, it tends to affect a large percentage of seniors and significantly impacts daily life and overall quality of living. Chronic illness is often caused by genetics, lifestyle or a combination of both. And while the aging process is inevitable, early intervention, preventative measures and opportunities to stay engaged can help older people maintain good physical and mental health.

Dr. Zahra Goodarzi, an internal medicine doctor and assistant professor in the division of geriatrics at the University of Calgary specializes in the care of older adults across a broad range of issues. She works with a collaborative research team looking at issues that affect quality of life for older adults. Goodarzi reiterates that chronic illness can appear in any age but that seniors tend to accrue more illnesses and multiple co-morbidities.

A Government of Canada document entitled Aging and chronic disease: A Profile of Canadian Seniors includes comments by the country’s Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Theresa Tam. She says, “Four chronic diseases, namely cancer, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and chronic respiratory diseases account for over 60 per cent of all deaths in Canada. The onset of these diseases can be delayed or mitigated through changes in behavioural risk factors as well as broader determinants of health.”

Data from Statistics Canada from 2011/2012 shows that in adults over 40 years old, 26.5 per cent have two or more conditions while closer to 66.3 per cent over 85 years old have two or more chronic conditions. The data also reveals that most people over 65 years old will have at least one chronic condition.

“The key thing is chronic conditions can occur at any age and depend on many factors including family history, genetics,

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MANAGING CHRONIC ILLNESS IN SENIORS // HEALTH CARE

exposures, lifestyle, etc. As we age, we are more likely to have multiple conditions together. What is challenging about this is often these multiple conditions can affect each other, in a way, layering on top of each other to potentially cause more challenging symptoms, disability or frailty,” says Goodarzi.

The Government of Canada lists the top five most common types of chronic illness in seniors as high blood pressure, gum disease, arthritis, heart disease and diabetes followed by osteoporosis, cancer, COPD, asthma and mood/anxiety disorders. Goodarzi highlights that while most people are aware of high blood pressure and heart disease issues, they underestimate the challenges associated with gum disease, osteoporosis and mood conditions, all of which can affect one’s quality of life.

When it comes to chronic illness in seniors, it is possible to effectively manage many of the symptoms. Identifying what lifestyle changes can be made to prevent symptoms due to chronic illness from getting worse is key. Getting enough daily exercise, eating a healthy diet, quitting smoking, reducing alcohol consumption and becoming more socially active are all ways that can help minimize the symptoms of a chronic illness or condition.

In addition to effective management, taking a preventative approach before a chronic illness develops is always recommended. Goodarzi recommends discussing new medications, supplements and natural products with a doctor who can also suggest appropriate screening for conditions like bone disease and cancer.

Living with a chronic illness is manageable for some and less manageable for others. While many seniors are able to live independently, others require extra support through assisted living facilities, many of which promote and offer opportunities to engage in a healthier lifestyle. This support and sense of community can help provide relief, both physically and mentally, to those suffering from chronic illness.

Amica Senior Lifestyles offers a range of services to best suit the needs of all seniors, from independent living to assisted living and memory care. While some seniors have no health concerns and choose Amica for its wide range of amenities and programming, others need a higher level of care due to chronic illnesses, including cognitive aging, arthritis, diabetes and cancer.

ABOVE: AMICA RESIDENTS PHOTO SOURCE: AMICA

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M y Mother could make everything better with a single kiss. It’s my turn to provide the same care and concern for her. She deserves the best I can give.

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Long term care facility?

Or NOT! friend once said “aging is not for the faint of heart” and that rings true for many of us. However, there are so many opportunities available at this time of our lives.

Imagine, decisions involving endless choices on how we would truly love to live this stage of our lives. Who says there is one avenue and it leads to assisted living or longterm care? That, quite simply, is a societal acceptance rather than exploring the alternatives.

I want to remain in my home, with my family close, with my memories and I want that for my parents as well. We thrive in our familiar environments, in our communities, with our circle of friends and activities. Why would we give that all up? Because a doctor has told us we must? No, that is a myopic opinion. With support in my home, a team of dedicated caregivers as needed to support the life I choose to live, I can continue to live my life as I wish. Maybe I want to continue travelling or have weekends away.

With the support of a caregiver, this lifestyle can continue. I love the thought of living that life.

It has become too common to accept limited options. We must be in a facility. It’s not safe to travel in our condition. We have to limit our activities. Hospice is the next step. What if I told you that

all those things could be considered a bad dream? You do have amazing choices.

Focus on Caring is a home care agency, serving Calgary and area for 27 years. With our team of RNs, a dedicated home care team is selected that are the perfect match to specific health care needs and personality. We get to know you and based on your individuality; we create the best scenario that we can. We establish relationships in your home that are seamless and ultimately as comforting and supportive as family.

We provide care in every scenario imaginable. Regardless of the health challenges or circumstances, we deliver the support needed.

Alzheimers/dementia affect many individuals and this is an area where Focus on Caring excels. Trained in the Gentle Persuasive Approach, the best proven techniques in this area of health, we lead our industry. Another area of expertise where we deliver an amazing gift, is end of life or palliative care as opposed to hospice.

Our clients, who want to remain in their homes, with their family around, are able to make that choice. It is probably the kindest and greatest gift one can receive and I’m grateful we have a team that supports families through this time.

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GO

GOODARZI ALSO PROMOTES THE IMPORTANCE OF

WHERE THE

TO ADDRESS CHRONIC ILLNESS. “MENTAL HEALTH

MAINTAINING PHYSICAL AND MENTAL WELLNESS IS A PART OF ALL AGING, WHETHER YOU HAVE

PROS GO

A CHRONIC CONDITION OR NOT. EXPLORING MINDFULNESS, COPING STRATEGIES AND EXERCISE ARE KEY.” Life enrichment coordinator for Amica Britannia (Calgary) Lindsay Kulyk explains that residents range in age from 75 to 100+ years old. In her role, Kulyk focuses on programming that supports both physical and mental health. “Whether or not they have a chronic illness, it is still important for seniors to engage in activities that stimulate their body and mind,” she says.

“We center our programming around the seven dimensions of wellness: Physical, Social, Intellectual, Spiritual, Emotional, Vocational and Environmental. Three themes that stand out for our residents are: 1. Fitness and functional movement 2. Enriching the mind 3. Lifelong leisure

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At Amica, one main goal is to empower seniors to stay active. This is achieved through a range of activities from cardiovascular fitness to yoga and meditation.

Exercise programs are adapted to suit individuals based on their mobility and cognitive wellness. Seniors can participate in gentle fitness and strength classes either seated or standing.

Kulyk says that the connection between the body and mind is key, which is why Amica has implemented brain health programs across its residences, including mindful breathing, Trivial Pursuit and crossword tournaments, and lecture series.

Often, these activities are resident-led.

Goodarzi also promotes the importance of maintaining physical and mental wellness to address chronic illness. “Mental health is a part of all aging, whether you have a chronic condition or not. Exploring mindfulness, coping strategies and exercise are key.”

Socializing is a crucial component in one’s overall health and wellbeing, explains Kulyk. “At Amica, one of the many collaborative experiences offered to residents is its baking program, which is led by me, and its cooking program,

KNEE • SHOULDER • HAND & WRIST • FOOT & ANKLE • SPINE

30

RIGHT: DR. ZAHRA GOODARZI, AN INTERNAL MEDICINE DOCTOR AND ASSISTANT PROFESSOR IN THE DIVISION OF GERIATRICS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CALGARY.

APRIL 2022 // BUSINESS IN CALGARY // BUSINESSINCALGARY.COM

MANAGING CHRONIC ILLNESS IN SENIORS // HEALTH CARE

which is led by our chef. Anytime we cook or bake together, we not only nourish our body with healthy food, but we nourish our minds with the time spent connecting with one another.”

One of Kulyk’s primary goals is to help residents enjoy this stage of their life as much, if not more, than their previous life stages. “They have come so far and have incredible journeys and stories to celebrate. I have never thought of being old as a negative, and I always remind our residents that this is a time to enjoy every moment in life – just because they are aging doesn’t mean life can’t be vibrant and fulfilling. We support residents to continue with leisure pursuits they may have enjoyed in the past before moving here, or allowing them to lead, coordinate or plan programs that are meaningful to them.”

Goodarzi reminds that regular check-ups with a family doctor is critical in preventing and detecting chronic illnesses early. “Seniors aged 65 years or older can also connect with a Care of the Elderly doctor who has extra training in older adult care and may provide primary care in clinics or care facilities, among other places.”

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DECK 20'0" X 12'0"

KITCHEN NOOK 13'0" X 13'0"

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EXERCISE ROOM 24'5" X 13'0"

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BEDROOM TWO 16'0" X 14'6"

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129 A S PE N RI DG E PL AC E S W

ASPEN WOODS $2 , 5 0 0 , 0 0 0

This palatial home is an effortless mix of comfort and luxury. Rustic and refined elements such as limestone, bespoke wool carpeting, and masterfully crafted built-ins are are blended seamlessly throughout the 7400 SF of living spaces. An executive office adjacent to the foyer is perfect for working from home. Host celebrations in the formal dining area. Serve casual meals in the kitchen nook. Chefs will appreciate the huge kitchen, it’s top-of-the-line appliances, large island and walk-thru pantry. The second floor has three large bedrooms (one with its own ensuite) along with an elegantly appointed owner’s suite.

Above the garage is a gym that could easily be converted into a nanny’s room or large office. The basement is ideal for entertaining, with a family room, games area, theatre room, bar and wine cellar, plus a private guest bedroom and lots of storage. The backyard is beautifully landscaped and includes a hot tub, fire pit, covered patio and upper deck.

Located steps from Rundle College, the C-Train station and the shops and restaurants of Aspen Landing. This spectacular property is unlike anything else in the district.

DECK 32'0" X 10'10"

BREAKFAST NOOK

BALCONY

14'10" X 8'8"

BEDROOM TWO

11'0" X 5'0"

18'0" X 14'2"

WALK IN CLOSET

LIVING ROOM 19'8" X 16'6"

KITCHEN

ENSUITE

BATH

PRIMARY BEDROOM

20'6" X 16'4"

LAUNDRY

21'2" X 18'2"

15'8" X 7'0"

DINING ROOM 21'0" X 13'11"

BEDROOM THREE 14'0" X 13'0"

THEATRE ROOM

FAMILY ROOM

MUD ROOM

FOYER

22'10" X 20'0"

18'2" X 17'10"

14'0" X 8'4"

9'10" X 8'6"

GAMES AREA 12'10" X 9'6"

BATH

FITNESS ROOM

DEN/OFFICE

28'2" X 17'0"

ENSUITE

20'4" X 16'0"

ENSUITE

BAR AREA WINE CELLAR

15'4" X 10'0"

14'0" X 4'10"

BATH

MAIN LEVEL

BEDROOM FOUR

ENSUITE

WALK IN CLOSET

17'10" X 15'2"

BALCONY

UTILITY ROOM/STORAGE

GARAGE

BEDROOM FIVE

37'10" X 23'0"

27'0" X 20'0"

15'8" X 14'6"

UPPER LEVELS BASEMENT

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Country living within the city limits! This large home nestled into the hillside offers spectacular mountain views. The living room features a wood burning fireplace and plenty of space for large parties. The craftsman style kitchen has granite counters, double wall ovens, a 5 burner cooktop, breakfast bar and overlooks the cozy sitting room. A conveniently located mud/laundry room offers lots of pantry storage for busy families. The quiet home office with built-ins is located off the foyer. Up the curved staircase is an open library, ideal for homework. There are 3 spacious bedrooms and an owner’s suite upstairs with a fireplace, an ensuite and walk-in closet. The lower floor has an additional 1947 SF of living space that includes 2 bedrooms, a games area, family room, snack bar and media room. This home is in immaculate condition, has a new roof, furnaces and water tanks. Some of the city’s best private schools are steps away. This home has space for everyone to spread out and enjoy the peaceful setting.

ANATAPI LANE SW SPRINGBANK H I L L

$1, 8 0 0 , 0 0 0

WH

GARAGE 34'0" X 23'0"

BEDROOM TWO 17'2" X 11'0"

BATH

BEDROOM THREE 20'0" X 15'2"

BEDROOM SIX 13'3" X 10'3"

UTILITY ROOM 20'5" X 20'4"

BATH

WET BAR 8'8" X 6'0" VAC ENSUITE BATH

ENSUITE BATH

MUD ROOM 21'5" X 6'4"

STEAM

DECK 20'0" X 16'0"

KITCHEN 18'0" X 12'4"

MEDIA ROOM 23'3" X 16'6"

BATH

BREAKFAST NOOK 11'8" X 9'6"

LAUNDRY 11'2" X 6'6"

WALK IN CLOSET

LIBRARY 13'2" X 11'10"

FORMAL DINING 19'0" X 14'0"

SITTING ROOM 19'0" X 14'5"

BEDROOM FIVE 14'9" X 12'2"

PRIMARY BEDROOM 28'0" X 19'7"

BEDROOM FOUR 22'2" X 11'0"

GAMES AREA 18'3" X 12'0"

STORAGE ROOM 11'0" X 11'0"

FAMILY ROOM 20'6" X 19'2"

DEN/OFFICE 16'0" X 11'2" FOYER 11'5" X 9'0"

LIVING ROOM 28'2" X 20'3" WRAP-AROUND PORCH 100'0" X 6'0"

MAIN LEVEL

ASK US HOW MUCH YOUR HOME IS WORTH

UPPER LEVEL

BASEMENT

FEATURED PROPERTIES A GALLERY OF FINE HOMES FOR SALE

218 MYSTIC RIDGE PARK SW

SPRINGBANK HILL $1, 2 5 0 , 0 0 0

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A spectacular spot to build your dream home! This half acre lot backs on to a natural ravine lined by a grove of mature spruce trees. The unobstructed views of the Rocky Mountains are absolutely breathtaking. It is an ideal lot for a home with a walk-out basement. The backyard would have sunny southern exposure and the reserved land behind offers a beautiful backdrop and privacy from neighbours. There is no building timeline or commitment so you are able to select the builder of your choice and take your time in the design phase. This affluent cul-de-sac is just moments from the Aspen Landing and Westhills shopping districts. Some of the best schools in Calgary are nearby. This is a rare piece of land where you can build a spectacular home to your own specifications. It’s country living within the city limits!

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204 ASPEN SUMMIT DRIVE SW ASPEN WOODS $1,175 , 0 0 0

A turn-key home priced below replacement value! This property has a great layout with space for everyone and neutral finishes. The contemporary kitchen contains a full fridge and freezer, gas range, and beverage fridge. Whip up meals while guests relax in the light and airy living room then serve dinner in the adjacent dining area. There is tons of storage in the handy walk-through pantry/mudroom. The office provides a private spot to work quietly. Outside, a covered patio with a fireplace offers a cozy spot for chilly evenings. At the top of the stairs is a bonus room ideal for movie night. The primary suite contains a double sided fireplace and a spa-like ensuite with a rain shower head, soaker tub and double sinks. A convenient laundry room is accessible via the walk-in closet.

Two more bedrooms are perfect for the kids and the bathroom has a separate shower and toilet making morning routines run smoothly. The lower level contains a 4th bedroom, bathroom, recreation room and bar. This property is a great buy!

GET OUR MARKETING DOLLARS WORKING FOR YOU

FEATURED PROPERTIES A GALLERY OF FINE HOMES FOR SALE

2110

36TH AVENUE SW ALTADORE $ 8 9 9, 0 0 0

A top-notch location featuring high-end details, attached double garage and a private yard.

This home is ideal for entertaining because of the ample living areas which flow together seamlessly and are highlighted by soaring ceilings, crown mouldings, wall paneling and warm hardwood floors. Entertain large gatherings in the spacious, sunny dining room.

The classic kitchen has stainless appliances, white cabinetry, quartz counters, and a huge island with lots of seating and counter space to lay out a culinary spread. Adjacent is the welcoming living room featuring a gas fireplace flanked by windows overlooking the private patio. This is the ideal spot to BBQ or warm up beside the built-in outdoor gas fireplace. Upstairs the owner’s suite contains a 5-piece ensuite and walk-in closet hidden behind double pocket doors. Downstairs, a media room can be used as a gym, office or 4th bedroom. Easily access the garage thru the basement mudroom. The shops, restaurants and markets of Marda Loop are steps away. The location, layout and price can’t be beat.

PATIO 20'0" X 19'0"

BEDROOM THREE 11'10" X 10'2"

BEDROOM TWO 11'10" X 9'3"

LIVING ROOM 15'9" X 14'0" BATH

FAMILY ROOM 15'2" X 13'3" BATH

BATH

LAUNDRY

KITCHEN 15'3" X 15'0" UTILITY ROOM

MUD AREA

ENSUITE BATH

DINING AREA 14'2" X 13'8"

FOYER

PRIMARY BEDROOM 15'0" X 13'10"

WALK IN CLOSET

GARAGE 19'5" X 19'0"

PORCH

UPPER LEVEL

MAIN LEVEL

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171 A S PE N AC RE S MAN OR S W

A S P E N WO O D S $825,000

Beautifully upgraded throughout! This welcoming home is bright and airy, has a great layout and lots of upgrades including built-ins and wide plank white oak hardwood. The kitchen features a 6 burner Wolf range, glass cabinets and a honed marble island countertop.

Serve dinner in the adjacent dining area or entertain friends in the inviting living room. A dedicated home office is hidden behind double pocket doors. Upstairs, a bonus room with media cabinets and a bench seat is the perfect hangout spot. A private primary bedroom and large ensuite is to one side, while the two additional bedrooms, laundry and bathroom are on the other. The lower walkout level has a cozy family room with a modern fireplace, access to the covered patio and built-in bunk beds - ideal for sleepovers! There is also a 4th bedroom, 4th bathroom, exercise room, and study nook downstairs. Enjoy outdoor living on the upper deck, patio and lounge area in the landscaped yard. You’ll love the design and finishes of this stylish property!

FIND OUT ABOUT OUR CONCIERGE SERVICE

FEATURED PROPERTIES A GALLERY OF FINE HOMES FOR SALE

103 E VE RG RE E N SQUARE S W

This rare, walkout bungalow is in an ideal location, has an inviting, open floor plan and a HUGE garage with a lift. High ceilings and hardwood floors flow throughout the kitchen, living and dining room. Everyone can gather together in the living room while dinner is being prepped in the kitchen. Grab a quick snack at the central island or serve meals in the dining area. Step out onto the upper deck to grill or enjoy a glass of wine while overlooking the yard below. Work quietly from home in the office beside the foyer.

Settle in for the night in the private owner’s suite with its own ensuite and walk-in closet.

A convenient mudroom and laundry leads into the oversized, heated garage. This is the perfect spot for car lovers offering ample space for at least four vehicles, epoxy floors, cabinets, and work surfaces. Downstairs you will find a large, recreation room with a wet bar and access out to the covered patio, plus three bedrooms and two bathrooms all containing in-floor heat. Fish Creek and schools are close by. This will go quick!

103 EVERGREEN SQUARE SW

EVERGREEN $79 9, 0 0 0

103 EVERGREEN SQUARE SW

MAIN - 1449.94 Sq.ft. / 134.70 m2 RMS TOTAL - 1449.94 Sq.ft. / 134.70 m2 BASEMENT - 1454.00Sq.ft. / 135.08 m2 *DEVELOPED - 1363.96 Sq.ft. / 126.70 m2

DETACHED SINGLE FAMILY

SAM COREA RE/MAX HOUSE OF REAL ESTATE ADMIN@SAMCOREA.COM 403.287.3880

MAIN - 1449.94 Sq.ft. / 134.70 m2 RMS TOTAL - 1449.94 Sq.ft. / 134.70 m2 BASEMENT - 1454.00Sq.ft. / 135.08 m2 SAM COREA *DEVELOPED - 1363.96 Sq.ft. / 126.70 m2 RE/MAX HOUSE OF REAL ESTATE DETACHED SINGLE FAMILY ADMIN@SAMCOREA.COM *RECA RMS MEASUREMENTS TAKEN TO EXTERIOR OF FOUNDATION 403.287.3880

*RECA RMS MEASUREMENTS TAKEN TO EXTERIOR OF FOUNDATION

PATIO

BALCONY

BEDROOM THREE 12'0" X 11'6"

LIVING ROOM

DINING AREA

13'0" X 12'8"

11'8" X 10'0"

PRIMARY BEDROOM 15'4" X 12'0"

REC ROOM 22'6" X 19'4"

W.I.C 3 PC ENSUITE

KITCHEN 15'6" X 11'8"

5 PC

ENSUITE

W.I.C

WET BAR 6'4" X 3'8"

STORAGE

W.I.C

PANTRY 4 PC BATH DEN

12'0" X 11'0"

LAUNDRY 7'8" X 7'0"

FOYER

BEDROOM TWO

4 PC BATH

BEDROOM FOUR 11'10" X 11'6"

12'10" X 11'6"

UTILITY ROOM 10'6" X 7'6"

CLOSET PORCH

BASEMENT MAIN LEVEL GARAGE

35'4" X 22'4"

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COUGAR PLATEAU MEWS SW COUGAR RIDGE $ 62 5 , 0 0 0

This welcoming home sits on a quiet cul-de-sac and has a private, beautifully landscaped, south facing yard that is truly an outdoor oasis. The open concept main floor has hardwood floors, a living room with a gas fireplace, a sunny dining area with access out to the deck, and a kitchen with plenty of cabinets and a central island. It is the ideal spot to gather at the end of the day. A bonus room upstairs is a cozy place to hangout and watch movies. The primary bedroom overlooks the back yard and contains a walk-in closet and 5-piece ensuite with a jetted tub and large shower. The two additional upper bedrooms are perfectly sized for kids. In the basement there is enough space for a family room and playroom (or gym, or office depending on your needs). Trees surrounding the property provide a leafy backdrop for dining outdoors on the patio or grilling on the deck. The convenient location is minutes to the Calgary French School, playgrounds, shops and eateries. Act quickly, this home is a hot commodity!

CALL TODAY TO GET YOUR HOME IN OUR NEXT ISSUE

FEATURED PROPERTIES SELECT PROPERTIES UNDER $1MILLION

#1

12 20 PROM I N E NC E WAY S W PATTERSON $ 575 , 0 0 0

This two bedroom corner unit in a sought after complex in Patterson has been tastefully updated. Highlights of the open concept living and dining area include a stone clad fireplace, a vaulted ceilings and big south facing windows. The sunny kitchen has ample storage, granite counters, a large central island with seating and stainless appliances including a French door fridge and a wine fridge. The owner’s bedroom contains two closets, an ensuite finished in limestone and deck access. A second bedroom and bathroom complete the main floor. French doors from the foyer lead into the lower level family room which features skylight windows and a built-in Murphy bed ideal for guests. The laundry room offers additional storage and the double attached garage makes running errands a breeze. Outside, the deck is edged with mature landscaping providing privacy and a green space. The park across the street make this a perfect option for pet owners. This low maintenance, tastefully renovated townhouse is a standout!

DECK

DECK

10'2" X 7'10"

7'4" X 7'0"

BASEMENT WINDOW

WINDOW ABOVE

BEDROOM 2 PRIMARY BEDROOM

13'0" X 11'2"

15'6" X 13'0"

LAUNDRY

FAMILY ROOM

15'0" X 7'2"

22'8" X 18'10"

W.I.C.

3 PC. BATH

UTILITY 5 PC. ENSUITE

10'8" X 7'0"

2 PC. PWDR.

KITCHEN 20'0" X 9'4"

GREAT ROOM 20'0" X 17'6"

GARAGE 23'6" X 19'0"

FOYER 15'8" X 4'10"

BALCONY 18'10" X 7'4"

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MOST WANTED

ON THE HUNT FOR THESE HOUSES

D O YO U O W N A P R O P E R T Y L I K E O N E O F T H E S E A N D WA N T TO S E L L? W E H AV E T H E B U Y E R F O R YO U !

R E AC H O U T TO U S TO DAY F O R A Q U I C K A N D E A S Y S A L E !

BUYER #13

BUYER #14

BUYER #15

SMALL FAMILY NEEDS A TWO-STOREY NEAR WEBBER ACADEMY

MOVE-IN READY DETACHED HOME FOR PROFESSIONAL COUPLE

FIRST-TIME BUYERS LOOKING FOR FIXER UPPER NEAR FISH CREEK

ASPEN WOODS

SILVER SPRINGS, TUSCANY, SCENIC ACRES

WOODBINE, WOODLANDS, BRAESIDE

BUYER #16

BUYER #17

BUYER #18

QUIET BUNGALOW WITH OFFICE AND FORMAL DINING ROOM

FAMILY SEARCHING FOR UPSCALE SANCTUARY WITH A POOL

ON A QUEST FOR A PET-FRIENDLY 2 BEDROOM CONDO NEAR PARK

WEST HILLS

ELBOW PARK OR MOUNT ROYAL

WEST HILLS

$600,000 - $900,000

$800K - $1MILLION

BUYER #19

UNDER $650,000

UP TO $4.5 MILLION

UNDER $550,000

UNDER $500,000

UP TO $1.5 MILLION

$900,000 TO $1.2 MILLION

BUYER #20

BUYER #21

DETACHED HOME FOR YOUNG FAMILY

BUNGALOW WITH A MOUNTAIN VIEW REQUIRED

BY EMPTY NESTERS

LOOKING FOR DREAM HOME IDEAL FOR ENTERTAINING

DISCOVERY RIDGE

WEST HILLS

BEL-AIRE, BRITANNIA, ELBOW PARK

BUYER #22

$3M PLUS

UP TO $800,000

$900,000 TO $1.4 MILLION

BUYER #23

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YOUNG PROFESSIONAL SEEKING BROWNSTONE

MODERN DETACHED WITH SOUTH YARD FOR EXECUTIVE COUPLE

SNOWBIRDS SEARCHING FOR ATTACHED BUNGALOW VILLA

GARRISON WOODS

ALTADORE

WEST HILLS

CALL TO LEARN ABOUT OUR EXCLUSIVE LISTINGS

UNDER $600,000

MARKETING YOUR HOME FOR ALL IT’S WORTH®

Jacqueline Corea

Chris Fullerton

Sam Corea

Alison Kallstrom

MOVING FORWARD Marketing Director

Sales Partner, Agent

Team Leader, Agent

Sales Partner, Agent

The rapidly changing real estate market continues to bring new challenges at every turn. We are dedicated to getting our clients the results they seek quickly and easily.

We know that the hardest part of selling your home is the time and effort it takes to prepare it for the market. To take away the pain of selling we’ve developed a Concierge Program that assists home owners with everything from minor repairs, painting, home organization, staging, legal documents and more.

Buyers are concerned about finding the property of their dreams while inventory remains low and edging out the competition during bidding wars. Our experience and sharp negotiation skills have proven to be invaluable. As well, a huge resource for exclusive listings is our network of thousands of past clients. We’ve been able to match many buyers and sellers before the house hits the market.

It’s always a privilege and a pleasure to represent our clients and we are deeply grateful for their friendship and trust. Whenever you need us, we’re here to help.

With Sincere Gratitude, Sam Corea, Chris Fullerton, Alison Kallstrom and Jacqueline Corea

SAM Team Re/Max House of Real Estate

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SHOWCASING CALGARY’S FINE HOMES SAM and his Real Estate Concierge Team get really excited about making great deals. Selling or buying property -

he helps homeowners get thrilling results.

For a seriously successful and enjoyable

home sale or purchase, SAM is your man.

SAMCOREA.COM

BUSINESS IS BOOMING IN INTERIOR B.C. // RECREATION & INVESTMENT REAL ESTATE

BUSINESS IS BOOMING IN INTERIOR B.C.

BUT EXPERTS WARN PERSISTENT SUPPLY SHORTAGES WILL HAVE SIGNIFICANT EFFECT ON REC PROPERTY MARKET

BY JAMIE ZACHARY

I

f you list it, they will come. That’s the ongoing message from the interior B.C. recreational property market, which continues to heavily favour sellers.

And while demand has started to level off from record highs in 2021, real estate experts predict that without drastic increases in supply, sellers’ conditions will persist for much of 2022 and likely longer.

From Salmon Arm to Sparwood, Revelstoke to Radium and just about everywhere in between, the blistering pace of interest and activity in the recreational mecca located just across the B.C.-Alberta border has been an unexpected byproduct of the pandemic.

Garth Mann has had a front-row seat to the action over the past two years and counting.

The CEO of Statesman Group of Companies has noted plenty of new interest in B.C.’s Columbia Valley, including the company’s Pineridge Mountain Resort.

“The pandemic has been a catalyst for change in the values of many Canadians … whether they are planning for retirement or have young families. They are contemplating changes based on their desire to focus on what’s important in their lives,” says Mann.

“We hear it in Alberta. We hear it in Ontario. After two years of living in the confines of the pandemic, buyers are asking

ABOVE: PINERIDGE MOUNTAIN BIKING. PHOTO SOURCE: STATESMAN GROUP OF COMPANIES

BUSINESSINCALGARY.COM // BUSINESS IN CALGARY // APRIL 2022

49

BUSINESS IS BOOMING IN INTERIOR B.C. // RECREATION & INVESTMENT REAL ESTATE

“MARCH 2021 KICKED OFF A GOOD YEAR ALL AROUND – A BUSY TIME FOR ALL OF US,” SAYS SEITZ, POINTING SPECIFICALLY TO THE KIMBERLEY ALPINE RESORT THAT SAW A 31 PER CENT INCREASE IN UNITS SOLD IN 2021 COMPARED TO 2020 AND PRICES INCREASE 48 PER CENT TO JUST OVER $277,000.

On the resale residential side of the housing market, some areas of the interior B.C. region have seen slowdowns to start 2022. Yet that hasn’t been due to lack of interest. In fact, it’s quite the opposite, say local real estate experts. themselves, ‘how do we want to live?’ As a result, that’s really changed the character of a lot of things that are happening in this area.”

Located in Invermere, B.C., overlooking Lake Windermere, Pineridge itself has seen increased interest from buyers of all types, with most coming from Calgary, Red Deer and other centres in southern Alberta, says Mann.

Of note, within the past year, he’s been surprised to see more buyers coming to Pineridge with younger families.

That’s in addition to continued interest from so-called traditional recreational property buyers who are looking to retire, either part or full time, in the community’s choice of cottage homes, vista chalets and mountain villas.

He notes Pineridge is already more than 65 per cent sold, with many residents already moved in.

“It really is an idyllic destination where nature is predominating. It’s an all-weather place where Canadians can get away yet not be too far away from the big city,” says Mann.

“People don’t have the same feeling about living in the city like they used to. We’re hearing they want to escape from the stuff that makes them feel less secure, and live in areas more in line with nature, mobility and healthy living.”

In the Kootenay region – which includes popular recreational property markets such as Invermere, Radium, Golden, Cranbrook, Kimberly and Fernie – resale residential sales activity dropped by nearly 21 per cent to start the year, compared with the same time in 2021.

The culprit? After more than a year of dwindling supply, the region saw another 10 per cent drop in new listings during the month.

And what’s being listed is moving quickly. In the popular multi-family category, for example, average days on market to start the year was just 55, down from 115 at the same time last year. Similarly, the single-family category has seen days on market drop from 116 to 95 days.

All of this has led to sellers’ conditions, with the average MLS residential price at $494,608 – a 17.8 per cent rise from $419,647 – to start 2021.

Bruce Seitz, a realtor with Royal LePage East Kootenay Realty and director with the Association of Interior Realtors believes the market is catching its breath after a frantic pace to 2021 that saw peaks in March and September/October drive record numbers across the region.

“March 2021 kicked off a good year all around – a busy time for all of us,” says Seitz, pointing specifically to the Kimberley alpine resort that saw a 31 per cent increase in units sold in

ABOVE: BRUCE SEITZ, A REALTOR WITH ROYAL LEPAGE EAST KOOTENAY REALTY AND DIRECTOR WITH THE ASSOCIATION OF INTERIOR REALTORS.

50

APRIL 2022 // BUSINESS IN CALGARY // BUSINESSINCALGARY.COM

SELLING SPRING 2022

LEVEL UP YOUR MOUNTAIN LIFESTYLE Meticulously designed for ski families craving year-round mountain play, Nordix two, three and four-bedroom homes feature three spacious levels to house you and your crew. Owning slopeside should simplify your mountain lifestyle, which is why Nordix has integrated gear storage solutions. These include thoughtful ski and board racks, integrated boot dryers, lockable lower-level storage, and even tricked out dedicated gear rooms to store all your toys – in every season.

REGISTER TODAY

www.nordix.ca | 1.855.275.7733 THIS IS NOT AN OFFERING FOR SALE. ANY SUCH OFFERING CAN ONLY BE MADE AFTER FILING A DISCLOSURE STATEMENT. ARTIST RENDERING IS FOR ILLUSTRATIVE PURPOSES ONLY. DOMINIUM RESORTS (PANORAMA) CORP RESERVES THE RIGHT TO MAKE CHANGES, MODIFICATIONS OR SUBSTITUTES TO THE BUILDING DESIGN SPECIFICATIONS AND FLOOR PLANS SHOULD THEY BE NECESSARY. E.&O.E

BUSINESS IS BOOMING IN INTERIOR B.C. // RECREATION & INVESTMENT REAL ESTATE

2021 compared to 2020 and prices increase 48 per cent to just over $277,000. Similarly, the average residential price in Kimberley, overall, was up nearly 20 per cent to more than $357,000 in 2021.

Meanwhile, both listings and sales to start the new year in the Shuswap and Revelstoke areas were virtually identical to the same time in 2021, with 118 units listed and 76 sales – compared with 117 and 78 in 2021, respectively.

“But since that peak in September/October, we’ve seen a continuous downward slope in activity to what has been a very slow start to the year.”

However, the pace to those sales have quickened year over year, with it only taking 79 days to sell compared with 135 in 2021. And like the Kootenay region, active listings have been down, sitting at just 338 as of the end of January, compared with 517 the year prior.

While acknowledging the winter months typically see a decline in sales activity, Seitz says this feels different. In particular, he points to popular recreational property areas such as Kimberley that are just not seeing enough listings to match buyers’ demand.

“We’re just not seeing that much new listing activity, which I recognize is happening across Canada. The low inventory is really hurting all markets right now,” he says.

“I know there are a number of sellers holding back, waiting to see what’s going to happen. But with the low inventory as it is right now, it’s really an ideal time to be listing. If those number go up, that will help drive the market for the rest of the year. But if they don’t, it could end up being very tight.”

As for who is behind this demand, Seitz echoes Mann, noting it’s shifting to younger families that want to be closer to recreational opportunities, and have flexible work arrangements that allow them to live anywhere.

“Kimberley, for example, is a very recreational community, so there definitely is a younger demographic of people who have moved into the area recently,” he says. “It’s a four-season recreational area that has the infrastructure to support it.”

Not surprisingly, the average residential housing price in the Shuswap and Revelstoke areas has subsequently shot up to $624,919, a 12.3 per cent increase when compared with the start of 2021.

Association of Interior Realtors president Kim Heizmann acknowledges that tight market conditions in interior B.C. are creating challenges for stakeholders on both sides of the table.

“The persistent lack of inventory on market makes for challenging times for buyers and sellers,” says Heizmann.

“Not only are new buyers frustrated at finding a home, but sellers are frustrated at the lack of active supply hindering their ability to move on to a new property as well.”

In turn, finding the right property might be more difficult – as will navigating potential bidding wars, which are inevitably more commonplace in these types of markets.

“The value of working with a professional real estate agent really does make a difference in navigating the complicated buying and selling process, under any circumstances, but especially during these challenging conditions,” says Heizmann.

ABOVE: LAKE WINDERMERE PHOTO SOURCE: STATESMAN GROUP OF COMPANIES

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APRIL 2022 // BUSINESS IN CALGARY // BUSINESSINCALGARY.COM

The Calgary Chamber is the voice of the business community. We help businesses reach their potential as they start, scale-up and grow through connection, advocacy and education.

FUELLING THE ENERGY TRANSITION WITH PARKLAND

A

s a Canadian multi-national company headquartered in Calgary, Parkland’s purpose is to provide our customers and communities with fuels, food and convenience items they need today and those they will need

tomorrow. Each day, across our business, we serve over one million customers as the owners of consumer brands that include ON the RUN, M&M Food Market, Chevron, Ultramar, Pioneer and FasGas. BUSINESSINCALGARY.COM // BUSINESS IN CALGARY // APRIL 2022

53

We do so in a sustainable way by providing our customers with safe, reliable energy and products they need, while making strategic decisions and innovative investments that contribute to a lower carbon future.

At Parkland, we recognize the profound opportunity that exists for our industry as the world transitions to a low-carbon economy.

We believe it is our responsibility to work together and with governments around the world to help meet net-zero targets.

From electric vehicle charging and renewable fuels to solar and carbon offset trading – we are leaders in helping our customers lower their environmental impact across the 25 countries in which we operate.

Electric vehicles (“EV”) currently represent a small percentage of the total vehicle fleet in Canada and the United States, and we know that EV adoption will not happen overnight, particularly in harder to electrify sectors in the near to medium term. There will be challenges throughout this transition, but together we can ensure options that decarbonize fuel for vehicles, aviation, rail and marine are developed on a faster timeline. This is why it is critical that our industry focuses on innovating and developing solutions to these challenges.

Fuelling the energy transition is a critical part of our future as a company. We have several exciting initiatives on the horizon that will enable greenhouse gas reductions through our value chain including expanding our low-carbon fuel offerings and growing our EV charging network.

EXPANDING OUR LOW-CARBON FUEL OPTIONS Parkland is a leader in low-carbon fuels innovation and our focus has been on realizing significant GHG reductions in the most capital and asset efficient way. We are doing this by using existing infrastructure and leveraging technical expertise because it is the quickest, most effective way to manufacture low-carbon liquid fuels at scale.

Parkland’s Burnaby Refinery was the first in North America to produce renewable fuels by co-processing biofeedstocks with existing infrastructure. This has resulted in renewable fuels with one-eighth of the carbon intensity of conventional fuels that can be used in existing vehicles without any changes or modifications required. This achievement is a clear example of a made-inCanada success story, leveraging Canadian innovation and Canadian-sourced feedstocks every step of the way.

We believe it is our responsibility to work together and with governments around the world to help meet net-zero targets. From electric vehicle charging and renewable fuels to solar and carbon offset trading – we are leaders in helping our customers lower their environmental impact across the 25 countries in which we operate.

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Building on our success of co-processing, we will continue our leadership in renewable fuels manufacturing by increasing our production of low-carbon fuels which will reduce our customer’s GHG emissions by 1MT per year by 2026. This is the equivalent of taking over 350,000 cars off the road and we have outlined our plan in our most recent Sustainability Report titled “Drive to Zero.”

GROWING OUR EV CHARGING NETWORK In addition to low-carbon fuel options, we recognize the important contribution electrification and EVs have in the energy transition.

Last year, we announced plans to launch one of the largest networks of EV ultra-fast chargers in the second half of 2022.

We are on track to open 25 locations which will connect Vancouver Island to Calgary through an ultra-fast network of On the Run convenience stores and Triple O’s restaurants. This will help reduce range anxiety while providing the amenities consumers need while charging their vehicle.

We also recently announced plans to build the ‘Electric Charging Destination of the Future’ that will reimagine the gas station of the future and set a new standard for electric

CEO PEER MENTORING Seats now available Learn more: calgarychamber.com/ peer-mentoring

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Our low carbon fuel offerings and our EV charging network are just some of the initiatives aimed at fuelling the energy transition. At Parkland, we are proud of our work and progress to date, and are committed to continuing our leadership and innovation across all jurisdictions we operate in. vehicle charging and customer experience. Parkland has developed its initial architectural concept by sponsoring an international design competition operated by Electric Autonomy Canada. Bringing the winning design to life is a natural extension of our energy transition vision and renewables activities.

Our low carbon fuel offerings and our EV charging network are just some of the initiatives aimed at fuelling the energy transition.

At Parkland, we are proud of our work and progress to date, and are committed to continuing our leadership and innovation across all jurisdictions we operate in.

CALGARY INFLUENTIAL WOMEN IN BUSINESS AWARDS // WOMEN OF INFLUENCE

CALGARY INFLUENTIAL WOMEN IN BUSINESS AWARDS LEADERS ACROSS CALGARY CELEBRATE THE STRENGTH GENDER DIVERSITY BRINGS TO BUSINESS AND COMMUNITY

BY NATALIE NOBLE

O

n April 27th, the Calgary Influential Women in Business (CIWB) Awards will be presented by sponsors National Bank Financial Inc. and TransAlta Corporation. Each of the six outstanding professionals recognized supports female leadership across the city and demonstrates a passion for elevating those around them by broadening representation at the table.

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD PRESENTED

BY TD BANK GROUP

DAWN FARRELL,

INDEPENDENT DIRECTOR AND CHANCELLOR MOUNT ROYAL UNIVERSITY

AND RECENTLY RETIRED CEO AND PRESIDENT TRANSALTA CORPORATION

Dawn Farrell, chancellor at Mount Royal University, says it’s “magical” to work on diverse teams drawing on individual strengths. She first experienced that magic in 2004 at BC Hydro under the leadership of Bob Elton. “He had a passion for diversity and deliberately created a diverse team of men and women,” says Farrell. “To benefit from diversity, you must accept that each of us – with our experiences, genders, habits, talents and weaknesses – brings something different to the mix. We must love these differences and draw from them when making decisions and driving change.”

As CEO at TransAlta Corporation for over nine years, Farrell ensured her management team was diverse and worked with

the board chair to put over 30 per cent female representation on the board, setting a goal for 50/50 by 2030. “We became students on how to use diverse teams to make better decisions,” she says.

Farrell is also devoted to mentoring women to take on leadership positions. “My belief is that there are very few environments where women will be ‘given’ the opportunity to be heard. With mentorship by those who have ‘been in the room,’ women can learn to lean in, be respected and be heard. It’s key that they play hard, stand back up after every failure and just stay in the game. It just takes courage and they all have that at their core.”

ABOVE: DAWN FARRELL, CHANCELLOR AT MOUNT ROYAL UNIVERSITY.

BUSINESSINCALGARY.COM // BUSINESS IN CALGARY // APRIL 2022

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CALGARY INFLUENTIAL WOMEN IN BUSINESS AWARDS // WOMEN OF INFLUENCE

In achieving the CIWB Lifetime Achievement Award, it’s being amongst a group of strong women and the recognition from Farrell’s peers in Calgary that means the most. “These women set up these awards so that women behind us would know they too can achieve their dreams,” says Farrell. “I want women to build the confidence early in their careers that they can both win and lose, overcoming the belief that they must do everything perfectly every day.”

LARGE ENTERPRISE AWARD PRESENTED BY RBC

JANA MOSLEY, PRESIDENT ENMAX POWER

In an incredible career of firsts and rapid progress, Jana Mosley, president at ENMAX Power, appreciates the value in female representation at the organizational and board levels.

“When I first stepped into a vice president role, the number of women who shared how inspiring it was to see a female at that level in our organization surprised me,” says Mosley.

“People say if you can see it, you can be it. I believe that.”

She also knows the deeper impact diverse collaboration brings. “We need all types of thought, backgrounds, strengths and beliefs, particularly in organizations that are serving our diverse community,” says Mosley.

While she has often been the sole female on a project, team, work trip or in a meeting, Mosley felt prepared after attending male-dominated engineering school. She’s since worked to address gender diversity in STEM and workplaces so all people

can sense belonging and flourish. “Corporate commitments to environmental, social and governance, as well as diversity, inclusion and belonging are aiding progression,” she says.

With Mosley’s sponsorship, the number of females in leadership roles at ENMAX has increased five per cent over 18 months, with 36 per cent of their leaders across the organization identifying as females. In achieving the CIWB Large Enterprise Award, Mosley is especially honoured to be recognized by the city she loves and appreciates, while continuing to give back to the community as a passionate advocate for women. “I’m excited for the new relationships and opportunities to serve Calgarians that will come out of this honorable recognition,” she says.

SMALL/MEDIUM ENTERPRISE AWARD PRESENTED BY TC ENERGY

ELEANOR CHIU, CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER THE TRICO GROUP/TRICO HOMES

Eleanor Chiu, chief financial officer with The Trico Group and Trico Homes, knows that when gender, race and other factors are removed from the equation, teams are built stronger and better. “When we can hire the right person for the right position, they really excel in their career,” says Chiu.

While public perception may infer the building industry is dominated by male workers, Trico boasts approximately 48 per cent female employees, especially in drafting, interior design, accounting and sales. It’s not only gender diversity Trico has embraced. Their team includes over 25 ethnic groups with strong representation in visible minorities, gender and LGBTQ+ workers at all levels.

ABOVE: LANA MOSLEY & ELEANOR CHIU. PHOTO SOURCE: PHIL CROZIER / PROFILE POPUP

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CALGARY INFLUENTIAL WOMEN IN BUSINESS AWARDS // WOMEN OF INFLUENCE

“Any growing business working to be successful must have good in-depth knowledge of its market and customers,” says Chiu. “Because Canada has such a diverse ethnic culture and our population comes from all over the world, it is even more important for a home builder to understand what kind of homes our diverse customers are looking for. Having a diverse team gives us firsthand information when designing products, especially for immigrants and non-Caucasian customers.”

In achieving the CIWB Medium Enterprise Award, Chiu is most excited to set an example for younger generations of women pursuing business. Appreciative of her happy 40-year marriage, proud of her three caring, hardworking children and driven to make a difference in the lives of Calgarians, Chiu’s journey is truly inspiring. “Yes, we can do it and we can have it all,” she says. “If I, a visual minority woman who immigrated to Canada can do this, anyone can.”

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AWARD PRESENTED BY NUTRIEN

CHERYL SANDERCOCK,

MANAGING DIRECTOR AND CO-HEAD ENERGY A&D ADVISORY BMO CAPITAL MARKETS

Working in financial services within the Canadian energy sector might mean working with many more men than women at the leadership level, but Cheryl Sandercock, managing director and co-head of Energy A&D Advisory with BMO Capital Markets, appreciates the enhanced opportunities gained by welcoming diverse perspectives.

“Part of diversity in business and community involves valuing everyone’s different ways of thinking,” says Sandercock. “There’s also the aspect of being inspired by someone you find relatable. There’s an interesting balance that takes place to have the benefits of new perspectives brought to the table, while appreciating that most people connect more easily when there are shared past experiences.”

A trusted advisor to Canadian, international, public and private clients and energy organizations with over $75 billion in transactions, Sandercock appreciates the experiences uniquely afforded to women. In strong teams with more diverse representation, each client can be better served. “This can play in while building relationships with different clients, including women,” she says. “There are great benefits to having numerous aspects of diversity in business and we continue to make progress in this area.”

In achieving the CIWB Professional Services Award, Sandercock says she is humbled. “This is an amazing honour to be recognized along with the other outstanding women and men celebrated over the last few years,” says Sandercock.

“Being acknowledged as a trusted advisor to my clients is particularly special and this high-level recognition from this group and the community is truly wonderful.”

SOCIAL ENTERPRISE AWARD PRESENTED BY PWC CANADA

KIM RUSE, CEO CALGARY WOMEN’S EMERGENCY SHELTER

Kim Ruse, CEO with Calgary Women’s Emergency Shelter (CWES), is on a mission to support all Calgarians impacted ABOVE: CHERYL SANDERCOCK & KIM RUSE. PHOTO SOURCE: PHIL CROZIER / PROFILE POPUP

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CALGARY INFLUENTIAL WOMEN IN BUSINESS AWARDS // WOMEN OF INFLUENCE

MALE CHAMPION AWARD PRESENTED BY CIBC

JIM DEWALD, DEAN AND PROFESSOR HASKAYNE SCHOOL OF BUSINESS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CALGARY

by family violence while creating new ways to prevent it in the first place. “It’s an honour to be a woman in leadership in my field,” she says. “We serve everybody, but a large portion of that group are women. It’s important to have the voices of those we serve represented and elevated around the table and in our decision-making.”

Under Ruse’s leadership, key successes for CWES include launching new initiatives that better support a wider network of people – including Indigenous and racialized families – as well as doubling their annual revenue. The fact that a Canadian woman is murdered by her current or former partner every five days while over 30,000 annual calls for help are made to Calgary Police Service hits hard, deeply motivating Ruse and her team.

“We’re working to innovate and approach things differently,” says Ruse. “We want to change the narrative in the community and work with everybody towards zero tolerance for violence and abuse.”

Achieving the CIWB Social Enterprise Award signals great community interest to meet Ruse’s passion for the cause. “If we’re looking to have a city that’s truly great for all, moving towards non-violence is something profound we should all be working at,” she says. “If you think you don’t know someone affected, it’s likely you do but just aren’t aware of it.

It’s such a privilege for me to work with my team to make a difference for those impacted.”

Jim Dewald, dean and professor with Haskayne School of Business at the University of Calgary, firmly believes that business schools have tremendous influence in their potential to shape tomorrow’s leaders. It’s a responsibility he takes seriously.

“Diversity is number one on our agenda right now,” says Dewald. “We have done some good work, but we have so much more to do. We take specific action to increase diversity in recruiting, leadership positions and remuneration.”

Dewald says addressing deeply rooted unconscious bias and systemic policies, as well as other actions that threaten fair, respectful treatment for everyone is critical. “There are still many challenges to achieving true diversity, equity and inclusion,” he says, adding that accepting each individual’s contributions makes for a stronger society in general.

“Whether it is producing and selling products, services, expertise or advice, it all comes down to understanding and serving people’s needs. To be successful, a business must understand people; to understand people it is essential for any business to have a diverse workforce and leadership team.”

While honoured to receive CIWB Male Champion Award, Dewald says it also emboldens him to step up his commitment as a champion for women. “I am completely overwhelmed and humbled with this honour. I accept it on behalf of the incredibly strong and dedicated women in my life and work. They are leaders, researchers, alumnae, and above all, students who inspire me,” he says. “There is no time to be proud, only more work to do.”

Don’t miss your chance to attend this inspiring event.

Purchase your table at www.meet-here.ca/CIWB22

ABOVE: JIM DEWALD. PHOTO SOURCE: PHIL CROZIER / PROFILE POPUP

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So Much More

Than a Moving Company

by Rennay Craats with photos by Riverwood Photography AMJ Campbell • 40 years

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AMJ fleet awaiting dispatch.

T

his is not your grandma’s moving company.

In fact, it’s not just a moving company at all.

AMJ Campbell established itself in Calgary as a leading residential mover when it started its franchise business in 1984 and it has evolved and grown over the years into an operation with multiple thriving divisions that provide service in all areas of moving, storage and delivery. The Calgary franchisees applied the experience and resources that the original AMJ Campbell Van Lines founders had amassed since 1934 and then improved upon this great model to create something even better.

The partners capitalized on a strong economy thanks to a booming oil and gas industry and a burgeoning corporate base in Calgary through the 1980s. They marketed the company to make AMJ synonymous with sports as well as moving in the city, becoming the official mover of the Canadian Olympic team and being linked to the “Move of the Game” feature at Calgary Flames games.

By the early 2000s, AMJ Campbell had become a full-service mover, leading the industry in residential household, corporate and international moving. Not satisfied with staying static, AMJ pushed to grow into other areas. The company offered domestic and international relocations

The team, always on the lookout for opportunities to diversify, quickly became the go-to company for office moving just as the city was building up the downtown core. for its clients’ employees, taking on the logistics as well as the stress and headaches of the complicated moving process.

“We were known across Canada as a corporate booking office, and we probably controlled 75 per cent of the Calgary market for corporate relocations,” says Doug Jasper, former General Manager of the Calgary branch and now Managing Director of AMJ’s newest division and first expansion into retail, The Furniture Shop.

“Our account list includes some of the largest companies in the world.”

When Doug Jasper moved from Edmonton to Calgary, he did so to build the company’s office moving business. The team, always on the lookout for opportunities to diversify, quickly became the

AMJ Campbell • 40 years • 2

go-to company for office moving just as the city was building up the downtown core. The opportunities were enormous and this area of moving and installation grew quickly for AMJ Campbell. The team earned a reputation for specialized skill and efficiency, ensuring clients experienced minimal downtime when moving offices.

When the markets started to sour and offices began to empty out downtown over the past several years, AMJ identified the silver lining in the downturn and, as another way to diversify the company’s offerings, added a used furniture division to the portfolio.

“We decommissioned a lot of buildings, bought the used furniture and resold it. It’s basically AMJ Campbell’s jump to retail,” says Jasper. “We started The Furniture Shop and have taken it national, opening in Montreal, Toronto, Winnipeg and with plans to soon expand into Cambridge, Ontario and Vancouver.”

AMJ’s showroom of new and used office furniture.

AMJ maintains a quality standard even in used product, choosing the items it sells carefully. The Furniture Shop is also delving into new furniture sales, representing the amazing products of Logiflex and Artopex.

To Doug Jasper and the entire team at AMJ Campbell Congratulations on your achievement of 40 years in Calgary!

From your good friends at Advantage Box

AMJ Campbell • 40 years • 3

AMJ Calgary’s 110,000-square-foot facility is the largest AMJ warehouse in Canada.

“It’s an opportunity for us to get into the marketplace. In the next year I’m hoping to have a complete team selling new office furniture,” says Jasper. “We have the facility for it and we can house the furniture.”

The 110,000-square-foot facility, which AMJ Campbell moved into two years ago, was chosen to facilitate the company’s diversification and expansion plans, and it is designed to support AMJ’s varied divisions.

The home delivery division is AMJ’s largest growth area across Canada and it was further boosted by the increase in online shopping due to COVID-19. The company has national contracts with a number of major retail brands, providing white-glove delivery and installation services on their behalf to customers throughout Canada.

AMJ teams pride themselves on making on-time deliveries in a professional manner and offer realtime tracking information and progress reports to keep customers informed. In five short years, AMJ has become a trusted and valued third-party delivery service, completing around 300,000 home deliveries across the country each year. The fleet has doubled, and in some areas tripled, to facilitate this growing business area.

The 110,000-square-foot facility, which AMJ Campbell moved into two years ago, was chosen to facilitate the company’s diversification and expansion plans, and it is designed to support AMJ’s varied divisions.

Diversification is key, and AMJ Campbell has focused on creating new revenue streams like installation, distribution and storage for private and corporate clients in order to meet this objective.

From installing everything from fixtures and appliances to offices at the new Calgary Cancer Centre, to distributing 131,000 boxes of Girl Guide Cookies, storing and cataloging overflow office furniture for corporate clients to relocating large groups of employees across the country or across the globe, AMJ has a broader scope of services than any other moving company.

“We want to position ourselves to be well diversified and be able to do business regionally, nationally and with our trading partners in the

AMJ Campbell • 40 years • 4

With more than 60,000 moves per year, 2,600 team members across the country and more than 500,000 businesses moved, AMJ Campbell is definitely a leader in the field.

U.S. We look at Calgary as our centrepiece in western Canada as we become a global economy,” says Pierre Frappier, President of AMJ Campbell.

For over 50 years, Penske has kept fleets, supply chains and businesses moving forward. From uptown to cross country and any direction you need, our transportation and logistics solutions have you covered. Because when your business is on the line, you have everything to lose but even more to gain.

Penske is proud to celebrate AMJ Campbell and their 40 years of success.

AMJ Campbell • 40 years • 5

© 2022 Penske. All Rights Reserved.

Calgary is western Canada’s hub for Affinity Vaults.

With more than 60,000 moves per year, 2,600 team members across the country and more than 500,000 businesses moved, AMJ Campbell is definitely a leader in the field. It is also a leader in the community.

Every year it supports the Women’s Emergency Shelter’s Toy Mountain initiative to ensure children have a gift at Christmas, participates in the Kinsmen Stampede Lottery Dream Home raffle for the show home at the Calgary Stampede and is involved with The Shoebox Project to support women in need. AMJ still supports sports with its relationship with the Calgary Blizzards soccer club and has an association

AMJ Campbell’s President, Pierre Frappier welcomes Calgary’s new General Manager, Jordan Campese.

with the Calgary Sports Hall of Fame to move exhibits in the building and across Canada.

A strong community leads to strong business, and strong business requires leaders to help it continue to grow. AMJ Campbell recently welcomed a strong leader in Jordan Campese as General Manager; he’s a dynamic young professional eager to help AMJ redefine and position itself for success in an ever-evolving business world.

“Jordan brings the opportunity for us to look at things through a different set of lenses to lead us into the next five to 10 years of diversification opportunities and growth,” says Frappier.

AMJ’s diverse offerings range from corporate storage of office furniture to residential storage

AMJ’s diverse offerings range from corporate storage of office furniture to residential storage crates, all stored in the bonded, temperaturecontrolled, clean and secure location. This gives clients the peace of mind that their possessions will be safe and protected. crates, all stored in the bonded, temperaturecontrolled, clean and secure location. This gives clients the peace of mind that their possessions will be safe and protected.

Introducing

Visit www.thefurnitureshop.ca now for the best selection of new and used high quality furniture!

AMJ Campbell • 40 years • 6

The future is exciting at AMJ Campbell. The stable of long-time employees are sharing their expertise and experience with the next generation and passing the torch to Campese to ensure the company thrives for decades to come.

AMJ also employs Affinity Vaults, which are filled, secured with a client’s lock, and placed onto freight trucks that run nonstop across the country to be delivered at their destination. Contents in these vaults aren’t unloaded and reloaded as they go down the line thus reducing the risk of damage, and if there is a move-in delay the vaults can easily be stored in the warehouse until the clients are ready for them.

Campese’s vision is one that embraces the new aspects of the business, especially technology and diversification, to keep AMJ at the cutting edge to best serve clients.

“Everything we do at AMJ is centred around providing the best customer experience possible,” he says. “Through the use of technology, such as real-time tracking software and virtual estimating, we’re continuing to invest and expand into areas that enhance our customer servicing capabilities.

Our emphasis on diversification continues to establish and solidify AMJ as not just a moving company, but a full-service solutions provider for a wide array of clientele, which is incredibly exciting.”

The future is exciting at AMJ Campbell. The stable of long-time employees are sharing their expertise and experience with the next generation and passing the torch to Campese to ensure the company thrives for decades to come. After all, AMJ Campbell’s 40 years of success is due largely to their front-line staff. The branch has dozens of drivers, packers, labourers and warehouse workers who work tirelessly, and often through adverse conditions with tight deadlines, to deliver AMJ’s industry-leading

standard of excellence. It’s not a job for the faint of heart, but AMJ has many employees that have been with the company for decades and are truly the backbone of the organization.

“Our team is incredibly talented, and our complementary skillsets provide us with the expertise we need to expand our service offering,” Campese says. “Most people aren’t aware that we do office decommissioning, commercial installations, corporate relocation, or that we have a furniture retail storefront, and that’s the message we’re really excited to share. There’s more to AMJ than meets the eye.”

What meets the eye is a thriving corporation led by its new GM’s vision to diversify and grow in the Calgary market.

CONGRATULATIONS •AMJ CAMPBELL• ON 40 YEARS!! www.westmat.com

May the journey of your corporate success continue in the coming years!

Congratulations AMJ on your 40th Anniversary!

1 888 AMJ MOVE (265-6683) www.amjcampbell.com

Bookkeeping and Payroll Specialists Tina Conners - Owner

AMJ Campbell • 40 years • 7

www.precisionoffice.ca

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ICONIC RESTAURANT CELEBRATES the Ritual of Dining for 50 years

by Rennay Craats with photos by Riverwood photography Above: Gerry Stuart, Connie Giannoulis-Stuart and Con Giannoulis.

Caesar’s Steak House || 50 years 69

Con Giannoulis

T

he world has changed immeasurably in 50 years, but Caesar’s Steak House remains the same as when it opened its doors in 1972. And Caesar’s regulars wouldn’t have it any other way.

“It’s hard to find a place in Calgary, or across Canada, that has the décor, this feeling of luxury and elegance. It’s difficult for businesses to just build this today,” says Connie Giannoulis-Stuart, co-owner of Caesar’s Steak House and second-generation restauranteur. “A lot of customers come to us and say, ‘don’t change a thing.’”

While the team is constantly refreshing the upholstery on the original high-quality chairs and banquette benches to maintain a beautiful and luxurious décor, the design as well as the menu remains true to Con Giannoulis’ original vision for his restaurant.

It started when Con Giannoulis left Greece for Canada in 1958 at 17 years old with $26, no English and a debt for his travel costs. He worked hard, learned all he could from everyone around him, and found work in a kitchen to support himself and to send money home.

Caesar’s Steak House || 50 years || 2

Cheers

“I did anything to survive,” says Con Giannoulis, co-owner of Caesar’s Steak House. “I went to tech school for a year, and it was a good start for me. Then it was practice and working with the other guys in the kitchen. I worked in the kitchen for 5 years and became Executive Chef.”

The 1988 Olympics provided a welcome boost that would elevate the steak house to another level. Several television broadcasters had standing reservations at Caesar’s before and during the Olympics in Calgary, and with every broadcast from or feature story about the restaurant, the word spread.

Not only did Calgarians get acquainted with their hometown culinary jewel, but the restaurant found its way onto the radar of European, Asian and American tourists.

“It put us on the map,” Giannoulis says. “During the Olympics we got such great exposure to the outside world. We were really busy, even at times when we expected to be slow.”

EST. 1916

Congratulations on 50 years Caesar’s!

EST. 1970

The restaurant did well, attracting diners who appreciated polished service, luxurious atmosphere, and quality food, all that had been curated to create an extravagant experience for their guests. When the economy tanked in the 1980s, Giannoulis resisted the pull to offer discounts to seduce business or to lower the quality in order to lower the prices. Competitors weren’t as disciplined, and many of the restaurants that ran two-for-one deals and discounts went under while Caesar’s stood. The partners even opened a second restaurant in Willow Park in 1985 to accommodate the large number of south Calgary customers who wanted a more convenient way to enjoy the Caesar’s experience.

Whether diners came to the downtown or Willow Park location, the quality food and unparalleled service was the same. At a time when so many businesses failed, the Caesar’s Steak House expansion was successful and continues to augment the Caesar’s brand.

to decades of excellence & celebration

EST. 1978

He mastered his craft and learned all he could about the restaurant business. He had a dream of opening his own steak house, and he tackled every obstacle and challenge to make that dream a reality. By 1971, he and three other Greek immigrants and restaurant professionals were ready to strike out on their own, so they bought the 4 Avenue SW property in July, engaged an architect to design their restaurant, and on April 26, 1972 Caesar’s Steak House opened its doors.

CONGRATULATIONS TO GUS AND FAMILY ON 50 YEARS, WE ARE EXTREMELY PROUD TO PARTNER WITH SUCH A LONGSTANDING CALGARY INSTITUTION.

After the Olympics, the slow summer period disappeared and visitors from every corner of the world came to experience all that Caesar’s had to offer year-round, from spectacular food to a comprehensive cocktail menu including the made-inCalgary Caesar in the lounge.

That experience goes beyond just a good meal. The philosophy from the start was to offer unparalleled quality starting with exceptional Alberta beef coupled with the best service and atmosphere in town; that has sustained Caesar’s through several recessions and changes in the restaurant industry over the years. As Executive Chef, Giannoulis developed a great relationship with Centennial Foodservice and brought the premium meat distributor with him when he opened Caesar’s. Since the beginning, Centennial has

Todd Hawes/ General Manager, Conner Felker/ Sales Manager- 403-299-0525 www.centennialfoodservice.com

Caesar’s Steak House || 50 years || 3

Con Giannoulis, Connie Giannoulis-Stuart and Gerry Stuart.

worked hard to ensure specifications are met to guarantee the restaurant maintains its top-shelf quality standards on every dish. These prime cuts make Caesar’s signature menu items incredible, with people coming in especially for the amazing bone-in rib eye, chateaubriand, lunch time favorite the steak sandwich or the new Brant Lake Wagyu rib eye.

They also take great pride in their Wine Spectator award wining wine selection. “Gerry and I were the first couple

Congratulations

Caesar’s Steakhouse from your partner & friends at Sysco Calgary.

to graduate together in the International Sommelier Guild diploma program.We’ve put a lot of love and soul into the wine cellar. It’s really a complement to what we do,” says Giannoulis-Stuart.

The focus on relentless consistency is key, and Caesar’s has garnered a great deal of success based on this principle.

Constantly delivering a high-quality experience sets this iconic restaurant apart. Each member of the 75-person team does their part to make customers’ experience special, from the front-of-house reception and long-time servers who are specially trained in tableside to the back-of-house kitchen staff who take pride in a perfectly prepared steak.

“We always had a traditional French-style service. We really brought back the lost art of tableside service in the mid 2000s, and it’s part of the experience. It’s a bit of theatre, with the different personalities of the servers interacting with the guests.

It’s a big part of what we do,” says Connie Giannoulis-Stuart.

Caesar’s respects its history, as well as its guests’ personal and professional traditions and celebrations. The experience is why Caesar’s has become a place where people come together to celebrate milestones in life, business, and relationships over a meal. No matter the occasion, the staff makes each visit

Caesar’s Steak House || 50 years || 4

memorable from the time patrons walk in until they leave satisfied. The Caesar’s team is also proud to welcome diners who have been coming to the restaurant for decades and who introduce the next generations to the Caesar’s experience. In fact, it’s common to have three generations seated around a table, and this loyalty is something the team takes to heart.

Luigi Bosca raises a glass to 50 Years of great service, food & wine at

“We are privileged to have long been the place where it’s been families and generations. When people walk in they know what they are going to get. We’ve got a tradition to uphold. We are respectful of that legacy and feel privileged to be able to continue it,” says Gerry Stuart, co-owner of Caesar’s Steak House.

Con Giannoulis shares ownership responsibility with his daughter and son-in-law who invested in the business in 2005, and purchased the shares of the remaining partners in 2016.

While this next generation honours the original feel of the restaurant, they are dedicated to continuing to provide its guests excellence in every sense of the word and surpassing expectations. They are committed to maintaining Caesar’s legacy by staying authentic to its vision of the ritual of dining, a ritual that is something opulent but personal, savoured in a luxurious environment where the nostalgia evokes feelings of connection to one’s memories and those around them.

Caesar’s is a place where Calgarians celebrate, commemorate and reminisce over cocktails, wine, and exceptional Alberta beef, and they are honoured to serve generations to come, to build upon an incredible 50-year business legacy.

PROUDLY REPRESENTED BY:

Cheers to 50 years of great food, wine and friends at Caesar’s Steak House!

From Trialto Wine Group and our winery partners.

DOWNTOWN 512 - 4 Avenue SW 403.264.1222 WILLOW PARK 110 - 10816 Macleod Trail SE 403.278.3930 caesarssteakhouse.com

Suite 203-620 12th Ave SW Calgary, AB T2R 0H5 403.441.0592 • www.trialto.com

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OVERLY STRONG GOLF GRIP CAUSING ARMY GOLF: LEFT RIGHT, LEFT RIGHT… // SCOTT ORBAN

McKenzie Meadows Golf Tip: Overly strong golf grip causing army golf: Left Right, Left Right…

BY SCOTT ORBAN, PGA EXECUTIVE PROFESSIONAL, MCKENZIE MEADOWS GOLF CLUB

O

ur golf clubs have telltale signs of how we are impacting the ball and this allows me to predict my students’ shot pattern. If I examine your driver and you have ball marks on the top line and high on the face you might be familiar with the following results.

If you are right-handed, your tendency will be to aim to the right and pull the ball to the left. Inconsistency will occur with pushing or slicing the ball to the right, and your iron distances are erratic. Then out of nowhere on a tee shot you have a ball pop straight up in the air with a sky ball (figure 1). Your golf shots are flying in opposite directions with no concept of why.

Very frustrating army golf; hitting the ball left right, left right…

If I’m seeing these results from your golf shots, and these marks on your golf clubs, then it is very likely that you are gripping the club with what we term ‘an overly strong grip’ and you need a change to your grip.

Golfers don’t like their grip being messed with and I don’t blame them. The grip is your connection to the club. The change will be a bit scary, and feel very unfamiliar during the process, but understanding why you are making the change and the positive effects it will have on your results will allow you to persevere.

An overly strong grip can cause the clubface to close during the natural swing motion. But this grip also allows the golfer firm control, over-control and manipulation of the clubface through impact. This is needed because the clubface wants to close using this grip with a fluid golf swing. This golfer will attempt to resist this closed face – opening it back to square or overdoing it – causing an open clubface and thus a push or slice.

Manipulation through impact means the golfer is working against the forces of the natural swing motion and the

release of the clubface this produces. In most cases this causes a reduction of swing speed. In all cases it causes the ball to be hit all over the clubface causing variety of distances with the same club. Most damaging is that when your clubface angle is varied, you will subconsciously vary your club path to compensate.

Manipulating the clubface through impact puts a lot of strain on your hands, forearms, elbows and shoulders as you resist the force of the natural swing. This is contrary to allowing the club to release properly through the impact zone, allowing you not to think about squaring the club.

While this is a specific example, I want you to understand how grip affects the clubface angle through impact. When you match this with natural flow of a proper golf swing, you will not have to think about or manipulate the clubface through impact.

What?

Yes, now you can work on your golf swing motion. The grip or hands will allow the clubhead to find its way to square naturally through impact.

ABOVE: IMPACT MARKS FROM THE BALL HIGH IN THE CLUBFACE, AND ON THE TOP PART OF THE CLUB. TELLTALE SIGNS OF A CLOSED CLUBFACE AT IMPACT. HTTPS://WWW.MCKENZIEMEADOWS.COM/ACADEMY/GOLF-TIPS

BUSINESSINCALGARY.COM // BUSINESS IN CALGARY // APRIL 2022

75

D’ARCY RANCH GOLF COURSE CATERS TO TOURNAMENTS

by Rennay Craats

A

fter years running a quarter horse ranch on his land in Okotoks, Jerry D’Arcy (affectionately know as Mr. D) decided to indulge his love of golf by developing it into a golf course. In 1991, D’Arcy Ranch Golf Club opened its doors, offering a beautiful course set against the breathtaking backdrop of the Rocky Mountains. It was Mr. D’Arcy’s desire to create a public course to encourage all players to enjoy the game of golf.

“Jerry D’Arcy felt it important to keep it open to the general public and treat all guests as a member for the day,” says Tim Watt, general manager for D’Arcy Ranch.

To achieve that, the course and clubhouse are staffed by professionals who are dedicated to ensuring the course is well maintained and the golfers have the best time on and off the links.

Mr. D contracted Finger Dye & Spann of Houston to design a linksstyle course that harmonizes with the tree-lined ravines, escarpments, slopes and natural water reservoirs. The course is challenging for experienced golfers yet enjoyable for beginners.

This makes the course an ideal place to hold tournaments which cater to both experienced golfers and novices. D’Arcy Ranch offers amazing support to tournament organizers, both for corporate events and charity fundraisers, to ensure the event goes off without a hitch.

With three decades of experience running tournaments under their belt, the D’Arcy Ranch team can design a tournament that will be a fantastic day for everyone, from the first tee to the last drinks. D’Arcy Ranch hosts tournaments seven days a week with both shotgun and tee time formats, and can accommodate events from 20 to 144 golfers – they design the tournament to suit the specific needs of each group.

“Even if the coordinators don’t golf, we can guide them through all the details,” he says. “You deal with one person at the golf course for the whole event. It’s turn-key. We know what works.”

And what works is a day on the lovely 18-hole course, a positive experience for any handicap and a smoothly run event from start to finish with the help of the friendly and knowledgeable D’Arcy Ranch staff. With a fantastic course, amazing catering and unparalleled staff, D’Arcy Ranch Golf Club has become the go-to location for charity and corporate golf tournaments.

376 D’Arcy Ranch Drive Okotoks, AB T1S 1A5 • www.darcyranchgolf.com

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BUSINESSINCALGARY.COM // BUSINESS IN CALGARY // APRIL 2022

77

PARKER’S PEN // DAVID PARKER

Parker’s Pen

BY DAVID PARKER

R

estaurateurs across the country have been hard hit by so many restrictions due the pandemic. But here they continue to be faced with continuing problems caused by our own administration.

After too long a time I decided it was time to enjoy a great Fish & Chip Friday – halibut no less – at Buchanan’s.

I was in a fine mood driving along Memorial Drive and over the Louise Bridge, planning to take 5th Avenue to 6th Street and then turn left along 3rd Avenue to the restaurant at the end of the block. The sign there that said no left turn except bicycles irritated me; down another block and back up 6th Street only to find there was no longer any parking outside Buchanan’s thanks to bicycle lanes and restricted parking for half a block back long 3rd Avenue, which meant a tough climb over barriers and a cold walk for my handicapped passenger to the front door of the restaurant.

For goodness sakes – how many bicycles use that quiet, out of the way corner of Eau Claire? Parking problems downtown are a very real problem for eateries trying to welcome back customers.

tax payer dollars and local donors had indeed gone to an out-of-towner.

Trouble is, our local firms – very capable of doing the job – all felt they had to team up with a ‘starchitect’ to have any chance of winning. And they won’t complain lest they get black-balled for the next job.

Next to being a judge at figure skating competition, driving instructor must be the most nerve-wracking way to earn a living. As I drive behind learners – especially in tough driving conditions – I wonder if any of the instructors just say, as politely as possible: “Sorry, but you’re never going to make it.”

Mind you, I would sooner drive behind a cautious new driver than be subject to the gentleman who, frustrated because I slowed down to 30 kilometres/hour, angrily overtook me in the playground zone on 10th Steet N.W. Ashamed to say that I leaned on my horn which meant I was angry. Not a good emotion to show.

Fortunately, the meal was just as good as I remember it being.

Strange that in this forecasted paperless society I pick up three items from Safeway and get presented with a receipt that measured exactly 16 inches long.

78

I may not be the brightest star in the galaxy, but I’m still able to tell the difference between male and female.

Why did the company website I was searching, alongside the photographs of the three ladies on the team, have to add (she/her) alongside their names?

Back in my December column I rumored that the design of the new Arts Commons theatre had been awarded to a Toronto firm as lead architect.

Final Words

Only in February did the powers that be have the courage to announce that another project supported by

When I was young, I was poor. But after years of hard, honest and painstaking work, I am no longer young.

APRIL 2022 // BUSINESS IN CALGARY // BUSINESSINCALGARY.COM